No.5/2005

House of Assembly

Wednesday, March 23rd, 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. Committee of Supply

(a) Resolution and Bill No. 2 Respecting the Granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty.

Second Reading Bill

2. -- 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 the House Resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply to Consider Certain Resolutions for the Granting of Interim Supply to Her Majesty. (Bill No. 2)

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 Relating to the Granting of Supplementary Supply to Her Majesty. (Bill No. 3)

4. -- 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)

5. -- 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)

"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."

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

"WHEREAS health care is one of the most important services provided by Government to the public;

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;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly rejects the drastic cuts proposed by these reports and calls on Government to commit to maintaining and improving current health care services rather than cutting services currently provided."

8. -- 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."

9. -- 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."

10. -- MS. JUDY FOOTE (Grand Bank) -- To Move:

"WHEREAS many municipalities in this province are currently experiencing severe financial difficulties;

AND WHEREAS many young people have already left rural communities and out-migration from the province increased to 2077 this past year;

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

AND WHEREAS the actions of the present Government have hurt the economy of rural areas of this province;

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

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly recognizes the seriousness of the situation facing rural areas of this province and calls on the Government to fulfill their election promises, commit the necessary resources and take immediate action to deal with this crisis situation."

11. -- 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."

__________________________