No.16/2005

House of Assembly

Wednesday, April 27th, 2005

(a) Statements by Members

(b) Statements by Ministers

(c) Oral Questions

(d) Presenting Reports by Standing and Special Committees

(e) Tabling of Documents

(f) Notices of Motion

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

(h) Petitions

1. -- Address in Reply

3. -- Concurrence Motion --

(a) Resource Committee

Second Reading Bill

4. -- Second Reading of a Bill -- "An Act To Amend The Municipal Elections Act". (Bill No. 1)

MOTIONS

1. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF TREASURY BOARD -- To Move "That This House Approves in General the Budgetary Policy of the Government." (Budget Speech)

2. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF TREASURY BOARD -- To Move that the House Resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to Consider Certain Resolutions for the Granting of Supply to Her Majesty. (Bill No. 4)

3. -- 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 Respecting the Imposition of Taxes on Tobacco. (Bill No. 5)

4. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF TREASURY BOARD -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Executive Council Act". (Bill No. 7)

5. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF TREASURY BOARD -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act, 2000". (Bill No. 8)

7. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Establish A Financial Services Appeal Board". (Bill No. 11)

9. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The Services Charges Act". (Bill No. 10)

11. -- THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER OF MUNICIPAL AND PROVINCIAL AFFAIRS -- To ask leave to introduce a Bill entitled, "An Act To Amend The City Of Corner Brook Act, The City Of Mount Pearl Act, The Municipalities Act, 1999 And The St. John's Assessment Act". (Bill No. 15)

13. -- MR. OLIVER LANGDON (Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS FPI was created by an Act of this Legislature and Government has a responsibility to ensure its future in the fishing industry in this province;

AND WHEREAS FPI has approached Government with a plan that would see the sale of 40% of its lucrative marketing and value-added division in the US;

AND WHEREAS this sale will have a very negative impact on FPI's operations in this province;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly urge the Government to reject FPI's request to sell its American assets and establish an income trust."

14. -- MR. KELVIN PARSONS (Burgeo & LaPoile) -- To Move:

AND WHEREAS Government has engaged the Hay Group and received reports that identified cuts to health care in the Western and Grenfell regions;

AND WHEREAS the Hay Group's reports are focused on cost savings, not health care delivery that considers the unique demographic and geographic challenges that exist in this province;

15. -- MS. ANNA THISTLE (Grand Falls-Buchans) -- To Move:

AND WHEREAS Forestry Act amendments passed in 2002 provided for the uniform expiration of Abitibi Consolidated timber licences for the Grand Falls-Windsor mill;

AND WHEREAS the continuance of the licences is subject to the company continuing to operate two paper machines and production using the two machines at substantially the same annual levels as those during the preceding three years at the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor;

AND WHEREAS Government has an obligation to protect the workers and communities that rely on this important industry;

16. -- MR. PERCY BARRETT (Bellevue) -- To Move:

AND WHEREAS many schools in this province are in a dilapidated and sometimes dangerous condition;

AND WHEREAS the current Government has caused increased problems in the education system by introducing school board restructuring without proper consultation or study;

AND WHEREAS the current Government has drastically reduced the number of teachers;

AND WHEREAS there is evidence that the buses used to transport children to school are unsafe;

AND WHEREAS many people fear there may be campus closures or program cuts in the post-secondary education system in this province;

AND WHEREAS there were a number of promises in the Blue Book related to schools and improvements in the education system which have not been kept;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly calls on Government to recognize the importance of education to the future of this province and to keep the commitments they made during the last election by investing sufficient funds to address the needs of the province's education system."

17. -- MR. ROSS WISEMAN (Trinity North) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS the Government of Canada has declared 2005 as the "Year of the Veteran";

AND WHEREAS throughout Canada all citizens are being asked to pay tribute to the Veterans of wars of the last century;

AND WHEREAS many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have volunteered to serve their country, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this House of Assembly call on all citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador to seek out veterans in their community and thank them for the contribution they made to preserving democracy and restoring peace to the world, and to pay tribute to the many veterans who gave their lives for our freedom."

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

AND WHEREAS the social, economic, business and commercial operations of our province are impacted negatively by inaccurate weather forecasts at a far greater rate of frequency, In particular by

(a) threats to the safety of fishermen,

(b) havoc and lost productivity inflicted upon the operation of educational institutions,

(c) turmoil and chaotic conditions that are created when patients must reschedule long awaited appointments because of cancellations due to inaccurate forecasting of impending storms, and

(d) impairment of groups such as business committees, sports organizations, and volunteer groups to conduct their affairs in a timely, economic and effective manner so as to maintain a reasonable flow of activity;

(a) the economic impact upon the coastal and rural workforce,

(b) the loss of productivity and added costs within the medical field when hours of work for specialists and medical staff are not fully utilized because of rescheduling caused by erroneous weather predictions,

(c) the added costs to patients and all citizens who are forced to make repeated journeys when appointments are rescheduled because of inaccurate weather forecasts, and

(d) the negative economic impact on specific aspects of our tourist industry like adventure tourism, who rely on accurate forecasting for their livelihood;

19. -- MR. ROLAND BUTLER (Port de Grave) -- To Move:

AND WHEREAS this province has already experienced the out-migration of 2700 young people from rural communities in the past eighteen months;

AND WHEREAS the unemployment rate in many communities is at an unacceptable level;

AND WHEREAS, despite the promises made during the last election, the current Government has not taken the action necessary to deal with the immediate crisis which exists in rural parts of this province;

AND WHEREAS the Government has created a crisis in fishing communities around the province through the imposition of ill-conceived policies;

AND WHEREAS there is no evidence that this Government has any plan to deal with the crisis facing rural communities in this province;

20. -- THE HONOURABLE THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE LEADER -- To Move pursuant to Standing Order 11 that the House not adjourn at 5:30 o'clock p.m. on Thursday, April 28^th, 2005.

21. -- THE HONOURABLE THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE LEADER -- To Move pursuant to Standing Order 11 that the House not adjourn at 10:00 o'clock p.m. on Thursday, April 28^th, 2005.

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