No.49/2004

House of Assembly

Province of Newfoundland & Labrador

1st Session -- 45th General Assembly

Wednesday, December 1st, 2004

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS

(a) Statements by Members

(b) Statements by Ministers

(d) Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees

(e) Notices of Motion

(f) Answers to questions for which notice has been given

(g) Petitions

ORDERS OF THE DAY

1. -- Address in Reply

2. -- Committee of Supply

Bills Referred To Committee Of The Whole House

3. -- Committee of the Whole on a Bill -- "An Act To Establish The Fish Processing Licensing Board". (Bill No. 36)

4. -- Committee of the Whole on a Bill -- "An Act To Amend The Motorized Snow Vehicles And All Terrain Vehicles Act". (Bill No. 45)

Second Reading Bills

5. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act". (Bill No. 38)

6. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act To Enhance The Transparency And Accountability Of The Government And Government Entities To The People Of The Province". (Bill No. 39)

7. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act To Amend The House Of Assembly Act And The Elections Act, 1991". (Bill No. 40)

8. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act Respecting The Government Purchasing Agency". (Bill No. 41)

9. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act To Amend The Pension Benefits Act, 1997". (Bill No. 52)

MOTIONS

1. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF TREASURY BOARD -- To Move that the House Resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to Consider Certain Resolutions Relating To The Granting Of Supplementary Supply To Her Majesty. (Bill No. 51)

2. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND WORKS AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Ratify And Give The Force Of Law To The Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement". (Bill No. 44)

3. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Provide For The Registration Of Lobbyists". (Bill No. 43)

4. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Forestry Act". (Bill No. 46)

5. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF MUNICIPAL AND PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Municipal Elections Act". (Bill No. 55)

6. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act Respecting Court Security". (Bill No. 54)

7. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Public Tender Act". (Bill No. 53)

8. -- THE HONOURABLE THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE LEADER -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Internal Economy Commission Act". (Bill No. 56)

9. -- MR. FABIAN MANNING (Placentia & St. Mary's) -- To Move:

"BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House encourages the government to protect the province's children and grandchildren from a massive and unmanageable burden of debt by resolving to do a better job of living within our means."

10. -- MR. GERRY REID (Twillingate & Fogo) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS there has been no comprehensive study which shows reorganization of school

boards in this Province will either save money or result in better educational delivery;

AND WHEREAS this restructuring has been undertaken in a hasty and unorganized fashion that could result in many problems within our K-12 education system;

AND WHEREAS political patronage has been used to appoint transitional chairs to replace duly elected school boards;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls on government to halt any school board reorganization until proper studies and public input can be obtained."

11. -- MR. EDDIE JOYCE (Bay of Islands) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS the fiscal state of the province has been misrepresented by the provincial conservative government;

AND WHEREAS this misrepresentation is political manoeuvring on the part of government to create a public mood that would enable them to implement their right wing conservative agenda;

AND WHEREAS arts and culture activities contribute to both the economic and social life of this province;

AND WHEREAS the reputation of the art and the culture of this province will be severely damaged;

AND WHEREAS we are in danger of losing valuable and world renowned curators and staff;

AND WHEREAS art currently owned by this province is not properly stored and in danger of being damaged;

AND WHEREAS there is a fine art program at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College attracting students from all over North America;

AND WHEREAS local artists used the Provincial Art Procurement Program as a major advantage in promoting local art and helping local artists;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly supports the opening of The Rooms and the Corner Brook Exhibition Centre without delay, as well as a restoration of funds to the provincial government's Art Procurement Program."

12. -- MR. JACK HARRIS (Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS fair, affordable and accessible automobile insurance is a concern for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians;

AND WHEREAS public automobile insurance has been suggested as a model that could bring relief for Newfoundland and Labrador drivers, and may be a necessity in the event private insurers discontinue their operations in the province;

AND WHEREAS there are many models of public insurance that contain numerous options and in the interest of an informed debate these models and options should be explored in the Newfoundland and Labrador context;

AND WHEREAS the province should be ready to operate a public automobile system that has been developed to satisfy the needs and desires of the people of the province with a practical plan for implementation and delivery;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT this House appoint a Select Committee on Public Automobile Insurance to examine into and inquire on the most suitable form of public insurance system for Newfoundland and Labrador should the province conclude that a public system is required;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Select Committee shall inquire into and identify:

1. The most suitable model of public automobile insurance to ensure fair, affordable and accessible public automobile insurance including:

(a) the type of public automobile system to be recommended,

(b) the types of coverage and benefits to be offered,

(d) the method of distribution,

(e) the types of insurers;

2. The start-up costs for establishing the proposed model, including infrastructure, office equipment, payroll, initial provision for losses, etc.;

3. The fixed and recurring costs of operating the proposed model;

4. The legal and trade implications involved in setting up the proposed model;

5. The downstream impact of the proposed model on the legal community, the physiotherapists and other therapists, as well as on the brokers, independent adjusters, automotive repair shops and trades or professions;

6. The creation of a basic automobile insurance policy within a public system.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Select Committee be provided with sufficient resources to conduct an adequate public consultation process and engage consultants to advise on matters required to fulfill its mandate."

13. -- MR. Roger Grimes (Exploits) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS the Premier has written to the Prime Minister and the Leaders of the Conservative Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party of Canada asking for commitments from them on fourteen issues which are important to the future of this province including:

Support for Newfoundland and Labrador's claim to 100 percent of our offshore oil and gas provincial revenues, making the province the true "principal beneficiary" as intended under the Atlantic Accord.

Transfer at no cost to Newfoundland and Labrador of the 8.5 percent Hibernia shares owned by the Federal Government.

Give Newfoundland and Labrador jurisdictional control and ownership over petroleum and other economic resources in the offshore.

Supporting calculation of equalization based on a ten-province standard.

The restoration of federal transfers to the province for health care, post-secondary education and social services to 1994-95 levels adjusted for inflation.

The allocation of future transfers on the basis of need rather than population numbers alone.

Giving Newfoundland and Labrador a direct and meaningful say in the management (i.e. the allocation and harvesting) of fisheries stocks in the ocean territory adjacent to the province.

Support for imposing custodial management on the continental shelf immediately outside Canada's 200-mile exclusive economic zone where such action is warranted to preserve fish stocks from international unsustainable harvesting practices.

Support for efforts to develop the Hydro-power resources of the Lower Churchill River system for the primary benefit of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the provision of a Federal Government guarantee if necessary to proceed with the project on a stand alone basis.

Support for initiatives that make amends for the grossly lopsided Upper Churchill power contract that was signed after Ottawa refused to support a reasonably-priced power corridor for Newfoundland and Labrador to wheel electricity across Quebec to external markets.

Support for the completion of the Trans-Labrador Highway and raise it to an acceptable standard.

Support for efforts for the repair, replacement and maintenance of key transportation infrastructure in the province on a timely basis.

Support for the construction of a fixed link across the Strait of Belle Isle to give this province the continuous land-based connection to the North American highway grid that most residents of the nine other provinces enjoy, and which will complete the Trans Canada Highway from coast to coast.

Support for efforts to restore and enhance military training activities at 5-Wing Goose Bay, which has served for many years as a key NATO international flight training base.

AND WHEREAS the people of this province have not received satisfactory and definitive answers on many of these issues;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls on the Government of this province to follow-up and request definitive answers in writing on these issues so this information can be made public before election day."

14. -- MR. KEVIN O'BRIEN (Gander) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS the Government of Canada has the responsibility for the enforcement of inland waters;

AND WHEREAS poaching is a very serious problem in this province so much so that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador had to step in and protect the province's dwindling Atlantic salmon resource, despite the fact that responsibility of enforcement and conservation rests solely with the Federal Government;

AND WHEREAS the success of the province's Fisheries Enforcement Program is evidence that more enforcement resources are desperately needed;

AND WHEREAS the need for increased enforcement is further evidenced by the laying of 87 charges after a 15-month undercover investigation by the Department of Natural Resources;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly call on the Government of Canada to live up to its responsibility and implement an effective inlands fisheries enforcement program which would include special investigations, enforcement officers who are non-river based and a substantial increase in the funding currently provided to DFO for enforcement."

QUESTIONS

23. -- MR. GERRY REID (Twillingate-Fogo) - To ask the Honourable the Minister of Education to lay on the Table of the House a complete list of all schools in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the district responsible for fire protection for all these schools.

24. -- MS. YVONNE JONES (Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair) - To ask the Honourable the Premier to lay on the Table of the House a detailed breakdown of how the new health care funding from the agreement signed by the Federal and Provincial Governments at the First Ministers' Health Care Summit will be spent in the Province for this fiscal year.

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Published under the authority of the Speaker of the

House of Assembly by Earl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer