No. 42/2005

House of Assembly

Wednesday, December 7th, 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

2. -- Committee of Supply

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 Advancing or Guaranteeing of Certain Loans made under The Loan and Guarantee Act, 1957. (Bill No. 62)

2. -- THE HONOURABLE THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE LEADER -- To Move:

"WHEREAS, in accordance with section 3 of the Citizens' Representative Act, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, on a Resolution of this House of Assembly, by Order in Council dated December 14, 2001, appointed Fraser March to the Office of Citizens' Representative;

AND WHEREAS the Citizens' Representative, Fraser March, has, in accordance with subsection 7(1) of the Citizens' Representative Act been suspended as the Citizens' Representative;

AND WHEREAS section 6 of the Citizens' Representative Act provides that the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may, on a Resolution of this House of Assembly, for cause remove the Citizens' Representative from office;

AND WHEREAS there is cause to remove Fraser March from the Office of Citizens' Representative;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by this House of Assembly that Fraser March be removed from the Office of Citizens' Representative."

3. -- 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 jeopardized the future of two communities that rely on the processing industry by announcing the closure of the Harbour Breton Fish Plant and the phasing out of operations in Fortune;

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."

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

"WHEREAS Abitibi Consolidated announced in January it would be conducting a review of its two operations in Newfoundland and Labrador;

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 these Forestry Act amendments passed in 2002 to protect production levels at the Grand Falls-Windsor mill were supported by all parties;

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

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly requests that Government reaffirm its commitment to the Bill 27 Forestry Act amendments that protect the production levels at the Grand Falls-Windsor mill, and in turn protect the economy of Central Newfoundland."

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

"WHEREAS the education of the youth of this province is of utmost importance to our future;

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."

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

"WHEREAS the Speaker of the House of Assembly has not applied the rules of the House equally to all Members;

AND WHEREAS the Speaker of the House of Assembly has extended the power of his position without the authority of the House;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls on the Speaker to operate within the confines of Standing Order 1(1) and 1(2) and convene the Standing Orders Committee when otherwise necessary."

7. -- MS. YVONNE JONES (Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS Labradorians must be the primary beneficiaries of any development

of the hydro resource on the Lower Churchill River;

AND WHEREAS the Premier promised during the 2003 election campaign, "We will not develop the Lower Churchill unless the primary beneficiaries are Labradorians. You have my assurance on that";

AND WHEREAS the government party promised during the 2003 election campaign that, "a Progressive Conservative government will make use of the hydroelectric potential of the Lower Churchill to promote industrial development and meet domestic energy demand in Labrador";

AND WHEREAS Labrador communities must have electrical power which is affordable and reliable to sustain and grow the local economy;

AND WHEREAS Labradorians expect a heritage fund will be established to ensure future investment in Labrador and its people;

AND WHEREAS there must be respect and inclusion for all of Labrador's aboriginal peoples - the Inuit Nation, the Metis Nation and the Inuit must be consulted and engaged in meaningful discussions on the development;

AND WHEREAS local business procurement and local employment opportunities must be a fundamental part of any plan to develop the project - a Labrador First Policy must be adopted;

AND WHEREAS environmental concerns must be considered and addressed through environmental assessments. Labradorians must be provided with intervenor status;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls upon the Government to ensure that Labrador receive the maximum benefit of the development of the Lower Churchill Power Project;

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a deal on the Lower Churchill not be concluded unless the electrical needs of Labrador are met and a Labrador Development Fund is established to ensure that Labradorians are the primary beneficiaries of the export of their hydro electric resources".