June 20, 2012                     HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS                    Vol. XLVII No. 51


The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Before we start today's session, I want to welcome to the gallery a former Member of the House of Assembly, Ms Mary Hodder, who used to be the Member for Burin – Placentia West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Welcome back.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today, we are going to have members' statements from the Member for the District of Lewisporte; the Member for the District of Burgeo – La Poile; the Member for the District of Cartwright – L'Anse au Clair; the Member for the District of Port au Port; the Member for the District of Bonavista South; and the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young hockey player in my district. Lucas Batt started playing hockey at the age of five, but his drive, determination, and talent saw him progress through the system at a quick pace.

After playing with the bantams for only one year, Lucas was granted exceptional player status with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador and started playing Triple A Midget at age fourteen. Lucas played on the provincial under-fourteen team, the provincial under-fifteen team, and the provincial under-sixteen team.

Mr. Speaker, at the age of fifteen, Lucas left home and moved to Wilcox, Saskatchewan to attend the Father Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, which is a private boarding school. This school has Grades 9 to 12 and an elite hockey team. Lucas did his Grade 10 while in Saskatchewan and he played with the Notre Dame Argos, where he finished as the second leading scorer on the team. Recently, Mr. Speaker, on June 9 in Quebec City, Lucas was taken in the second round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft by the Victoriaville Tigers.

Members of this House, would you please join with me, with Lucas's family, his mom Denise and his dad Glenn, and the entire town of Lewisporte, in congratulating Lucas Batt.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Relay for Life 2012 Committee of Port aux Basques and area on raising $67,629.05 during the relay held in Port aux Basques on June 9. Co-chairs Janet Doyle and Holly Farrell say this is the largest amount collected to date. I was very honoured and privileged to be included in this celebration of survival and the memorial of loved ones.

This year's relay included nineteen teams from all over the Southwest Coast, as far as La Poile, and was attended by the largest number of cancer survivors and caregivers to date. Ms Dollie Doyle was named Survivor Ambassador and her husband, Mr. Ron Doyle, was named Caregiver Ambassador.

The evening started with a dinner for cancer survivors, followed by the survivors' victory lap and speeches. Mr. Sidney Scott of Isle aux Morts told his story of diagnosis and survival. The relay ran from 5:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and volunteers kept everyone entertained with music, games, and skits. There was plenty of food and prizes donated by local business and individuals.

Janet, Holly, and their nineteen-member committee, along with countless volunteers, did a tremendous job and are to be commended for their hard work and –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. A. PARSONS: – dedication to this worthy cause.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending congratulations to the Port aux Basques Relay for Life 2012 Committee on another successful relay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cartwright – L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in the House today to congratulate and thank all the communities in Labrador that participated in the Relay for Life events in 2012. Mr. Speaker, there have been four events held thus far in Labrador; two in my district in Charlottetown and L'Anse au Clair, as well as one in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador West.

The Relay for Life in Charlottetown attracted seven teams from Southern Labrador communities and raised a total of $18,000. The event held in L'Anse au Clair was the first ever Relay for Life in that area and it constituted of eighteen teams from the Labrador Straits and the Quebec North Shore. They raised a grand total of $44,000.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr. Speaker, also held their Relay for Life this past weekend and the sixteen teams from Central Labrador raised a total of $58,000. Mr. Speaker, Labrador West held their ninth annual Relay for Life raising a total of $121,000. The twenty-five teams who participated included teams from the Labrador West region and nearby Fermont, Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, the four Relay for Life events in Labrador raised an impressive $240,000 for cancer research, and I am pleased to say that I was able to participate or attend three of the four events. Those events would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of many volunteers and team members who worked tirelessly to organize them and raise these funds.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all my hon. colleagues to join me in congratulating these teams, these communities, and these participants in Labrador who took part in this year's Relay for Life events.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Port au Port.

MR. CORNECT: I rise in this hon. House of Assembly to congratulate the top winners of the thirty-eighth Annual Stephenville Rotary Music Festival.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. CORNECT: The festival encourages and provides opportunities for the youth in the Bay St. George area to develop and showcase their musical talents. The Rose Bowl Award is the highest award given at the festival and this year's winner was Stephen Eckert. Stephen was recognized for the giving the top performance for his outstanding piano solo.

Also, Samantha Budden earned the best vocal award for her musical talent. Lourdes Elementary School Choir was decorated with the Best Choral Scholarship and Stephenville Middle School Grade 7 Band was awarded the Best in Band. There were many other youth and groups who were recognized for their talents and they are all to be congratulated.

Mr. Speaker, all of the organizers, adjudicators, and volunteers are to be applauded for making the annual Rotary Club Music Festival a very successful and important event.

I ask all hon. Members of the House of Assembly to join with me in congratulating this year's winners and all the participants of the thirty-eighth Rotary Music Festival and to thank them for making the festival yet another success.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bonavista South.

MR. LITTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, hon. colleagues, I would like to recognize and congratulate the Grade 2 and 3 students of St. Mark's School in King's Cove for winning The Energy Diet Challenge, sponsored by Shell Canada and Canadian Geographic. In May of this year, the students accepted their award-winning banner and a smart board as one of the grand prize winners in the national challenge.

From February 6 to March 30, with the help of their very dedicated teacher, Mrs. Aylward, the students collected points that had them conserving energy and teaching others how to do the same. They achieved a total of forty-one points by completing seven challenges, including Post-It, Making the Energy Grade, and Drew's One Hour No Power. Each of the student's hard work paid off, beating out nearly 500 schools across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, members of the House, please join me in congratulating the Grade 2 and 3 students of St. Mark's School, as well as their teacher, Mrs. Alaina Aylward, on such an impressive achievement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Port de Grave.

MR. LITTLEJOHN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today in this House to congratulate table tennis athletes Adam Drover, Nick Hiscock, Jerry Hiscock, Alexandra Wells, Chris Hussey, and Tony Smith on their medal-winning performances at the recent Atlantic Table Tennis Championship held at Ascension Collegiate.

The event attracted over sixty athletes from across Atlantic Canada, competing in team and individual events. Team Newfoundland and Labrador won both the Senior and Junior Men's titles, while finishing runner up in Junior Women's. This was the first time that Table Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador has hosted this competition outside the metro area, and from all reports, it was a resounding success.

I want to congratulate and thank the local organizing committee led by Mr. Paul Drover for their time and effort in preparation for this event. It takes countless volunteer hours to have events as this run smoothly from start to finish, and this event was flawless.

I ask all hon. members to join me in congratulating our athletes and organizers on their success.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Before we move on to Ministerial Statements, I want to acknowledge two former Members of the House of Assembly, and two former Cabinet ministers who have joined us in the gallery today: Mr. Paul Oram, the former Member for the District of Terra Nova; and Mr. Trevor Taylor, former Member for the District of The Straits – White Bay North.

Welcome back.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: I am not sure what the message is, three former MHAs show up on the same day, but we will assume they missed the night sittings.

Now we will move on to Ministerial Statements.

Statements by Ministers

MR. SPEAKER: The Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to provide an update to the House of Assembly on an important initiative that we feel is making a difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Since 2005, the Mental Health Court has been operating in St. John's helping participants access medical and community-based support. This court, Mr. Speaker, is based on the recognition that certain offenders who suffer from a mental disorder may commit offences as a consequence of their mental disorder or related lifestyles. They may have inadequate or inappropriate housing, very little employment, very little support, and they may not be taking their prescribed medications or they may be self-medicating with alcohol and drugs.

Mr. Speaker, to date, 416 participants have appeared before the Mental Health Court and in the last fiscal year, 2011-2012, fifty participants appeared in relation to 149 charges. What is particularly encouraging, Mr. Speaker, is that 89 per cent of those participants engaged in support from the community where they reached their treatment goals. In our view, this is a strong indicator of success.

Anecdotally, Mr. Speaker, we are also hearing positive feedback from various sources. In a recent decision, the Court of Appeal stated that the involvement in the Mental Health Court has been a success and that the specialty court process has worked. We have interviewed participants who have said that the process has changed their lives and helped them with their recovery. They have expressed their gratitude because they were treated as a person rather than a number. Mr. Speaker, to me this is the greatest feedback we could receive.

The provincial government is certainly aware of the benefits of specialty courts such as the Mental Health Court. In Budget 2012-2013: People and Prosperity, this government recommitted to continue the pilot project for the Specialized Family Violence Court. We are also undertaking an evaluation of various drug treatment court models across the country in order to determine the best approach for this Province.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Public Prosecutions, the Mental Health Project of the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission, Eastern Health, and Corrections and Community Services for making the Mental Health Court possible and the success story that it is.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I am very glad to hear about the success of this project. Anybody who is involved in the legal system has often seen people with mental health challenges get caught up in the system. It is certainly hard on them, and some do not understand why they are there or how they got there.

The court system is optimized at dealing with criminals, but it has not been very good at dealing with people with mental health challenges. There are people who break the laws, but once you get into the details of their offence you discover they are not criminals in the traditional sense. This Mental Health Court can help fill that gap and it concentrates on a dimension of offenders we just do not pay enough attention to, Mr. Speaker. There have been too many reports of judges complaining about having to sentence mentally ill patients because they simply had nothing else, no other options that they could rely on. This specialized court is a step on the road of ensuring there are more choices in how to address these offenders.

I am also glad to hear that the family court project continues on, and as well as work on the drug treatment court. However, I would like to see a bit more progress on the drug treatment court which was promised but I do not know if there have been any funds invested in this thus far, Mr. Speaker. Not only must the time match the crime but the time must also match the offender.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank also the minister for an advance copy of his statement. Thanks to all the people who worked so hard to make Mental Health Court work. It is important and progressive work. I have heard praise from my own constituents who have been through the process; however, the court is only one piece of the puzzle. People need adequate community support, affordable housing, mental health and addictions counselling and services. Without adequate community support the courts cannot do its job. Also, good luck with developing a drug treatment court. This is also forward and progressive work which is much needed in the Province, and it must move beyond just research.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On the heels of Public Service Week, I rise today to acknowledge a positive initiative carried out through staff in my department.

Through the creativity and hard work of staff of the Policy and Planning Branch of the Department of Fisheries, our government recently published a children's book titled Jake the Puffin's Amazing Adventure. The book is a fictitious story based on the actual event of Paddy the Puffin, who managed to make his way to Montreal, Quebec, in 2011. By reading the book and completing the accompanying activity guide, children learn about the importance of coastal and oceans management.

Mr. Speaker, we thought this was a great idea from the start and have been excited to follow it through to completion. Over the past few months, we have seen a creative process at work and in the end we have a product that is fun, informative and thoughtful.

The book was officially unveiled on June 9 at the World Oceans Day event at the Marine Institute, and the reception since then has been incredible. Schools throughout our Province have already submitted requests for extra copies of this valuable resource for students.

The book is a great example, Mr. Speaker, where staff went above and beyond the call of duty. Their personal commitment is indeed very appreciative here from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. All of our people indeed are working hard on behalf of the Province.

The ocean continues to be an economic driver throughout Newfoundland and Labrador today. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that we continue supporting projects that enlighten and educate children and encourage them to carry forward with an affinity for the ocean and our coastlines like generations of individuals before them did.

Mr. Speaker, whether it is through science-related expeditions for students, scholarships, World Oceans Day activities, or an educational book for children, our government is committed to the youth of our Province and indeed committed to the sustainability of our fishery, oceans, and coastlines. Mr. Speaker, this book is available for download from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Web site, and other copies are available upon request.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I want to join him in very heartily, Mr. Speaker, commending the staff at the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture for this innovative and very practical initiative. Not only is it important that our public servants be encouraged to unleash their own creativity and step outside of the box from their usual work, but, Mr. Speaker, what an innovative way to teach our children about the ocean and all the aspects that inhabit it, and how we use it as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

I think we all remember the story of Paddy the sea bird that was found in Montreal, Mr. Speaker, and was brought home to the rehabilitation centre in Ship Cove. It is nice that has turned into something that can be used as a tremendous learning tool, not just in the schools in our Province, but for children around the world as well.

Mr. Speaker, what I would do is in commending the staff in the department and recognizing the wonderful work that they have done, I also might suggest to them that they might want to do another book and they could call this one: the hon. minister and Captain Kipper fly off in Question Period. I think that would make for an interesting story itself.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of good storybooks they could do while we are in that department. I am recognizing the former Member for The Straits – White Bay North and the former Minister of Fisheries, who is in the gallery today. When I think about it, Mr. Speaker, I think of another great storybook about how the Fisheries Minister, Mr. Speaker, swaps raw material for jellybeans in the House of Assembly. That was a wonderful episode in our history for sure.

There is a lot to write about, Mr. Speaker – tons to write about, I say. I am glad to see that the people in the department, the public servants who work for us in this Province, are capturing the real messages in the jobs that they work in. They are using their energy and creativity to bring those messages to the children around the Province to teach them about our resources, about our traditions, our culture, and most importantly, our Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits – White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. This is an interesting project, and kudos to the staff who worked on it. It is always a good thing to see people unleash their creative side, and I hope this is not the end, like the Member for Cartwright – L'Anse au Clair had just stated.

It would be a great opportunity to work with other departments and to develop a series of publications on other important issues in this industry such as co-operatives, harvesting new species, and protecting and sustaining the industry. Maybe we can work with a local group of storytellers to look at stimulating entrepreneurial activities and further economic endeavours. The very most important piece of this is that in all the work that we do, it is teaching our next generation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The type of fuel used at Holyrood is currently priced at $94 to $96 a barrel. Recent fuel projection provided by the PUB to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro based the consumer electricity rates on oil price at $118 a barrel. This means we have unjustified high electricity payments.

I ask the Premier: When will Hydro submit revised fuel pricing projections to the PUB to adjust down the prices to consumers?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In terms of the projections for oil pricing, it is done in two ways. There is the short term, where we try to look at – or PIRA in New York, for example, will look at what takes place over a couple of months and then we have to look at what takes place over a period of time.

What we see from the latest increase, Mr. Speaker, that came out from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro was based on the price of oil as it existed. At this stage, however, I think it would be somewhat precipitous to start making adjustments or to say that we should go back before the PUB when the price of oil is at $96, Mr. Speaker. As Dr. Mark Schwartz, the head of PIRA in New York, had put it: all it takes is one event in the Middle East and the price of oil can shoot up again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: I will remind the minister that this has been well over a year now when we looked at the prices that are actually trending much higher.

After months and months, there is still no finalized term sheet with Emera or final arrangements with the federal government on the loan guarantee.


I ask the Premier: Why have these aspects of the Muskrat Falls project been delayed so long and when do you expect to see them finalized?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, both these instruments that are drawn up for signing by both parties, contractual agreements between both parties, are complicated pieces of work. I am happy to report to the House and to the people of the Province that both pieces of this work are progressing extremely well, Mr. Speaker, and we hope over the next number of weeks that there will be official announcements made on both.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We know this has been an ongoing process right now and certainly the delays, I would imagine, are a lot longer than we anticipated, but, Mr. Speaker, I will move on.

The development of Muskrat Falls is contingent on the ratification of the New Dawn Agreement with the Innu Nation. Last week, the Chief of Natuashish stated publicly that the agreement was dead and that he would never support it.

So, I ask the Premier: What does this do to your Muskrat Falls development plans?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The New Dawn Agreement was negotiated over a long period of time with the heads of the Innu Nation and the chiefs, Mr. Speaker, and their representatives from Natuashish and Sheshatshiu. The agreement was signed – it is a signed document, which brings enormous benefits to the Innu Nation in Labrador, Mr. Speaker. It gives them first priority in terms of the jobs available, and also a very significant commission – for lack of a better term – and also, very important to the Innu people: redress for the Upper Churchill.

So, Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the Chief of Natuashish, I would suggest that he should consult a lawyer before he starts making comments like that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, recently I met with the Marystown Shipyard Family Alliance, which has been advocating since 2006 for justice to the workers affected by the multi-chemical exposure at the Marystown Shipyard. That dates back to 1967. They shared their frustration about government and workers' compensation system that appears to be working against them, rather than working with them.

So I ask the Premier: When will she do the honourable thing and request that workers' compensation go to Marystown and talk to the individuals whose health has been affected and negatively impacted by this tragedy?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There has been a tremendous amount of work done in relation to Marystown Shipyard, the workers of Marystown who worked there for many years – and just recently, as we announced and discussed in this House during this session, the IRSST report, which was a comprehensive document which was developed to review shipyard workers and the potential hazards that exist in shipyards. That document is now being used to assist in the adjudication of cases from Marystown and from other industries as well, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Well, I remind the minister, there may have been a lot of work done, but right now there is not a whole lot accomplished. Close to ten years ago, the University of Toronto completed a study commissioned by the government that suggested that Marystown was a ticking time bomb for cancer. It is a decade later, and the latency period for cancer, as we know now, to develop an exposure, is well beyond us.

So I ask the Premier: Will you instruct the minister who is responsible for workers' compensation to set up intake clinics similar to what they do in Ontario, and to formally document and monitor those workers who have been impacted?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member opposite in his preamble to his question has indicated that it was a suggestion. We cannot work on suggestions, we have to work on facts that are available to us, we have to make the adjudication of cases based on the facts that are available, and have to do that with consideration for each and every individual case.

Every individual case that comes before the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission is given due diligence, I can assure of that. I can assure the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is a very serious matter for us. We are continuing to work with the individuals in Marystown. We will use the best evidence available to us to help us adjudicate those cases.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister will know in a second here it was not only the University of Toronto that made this suggestion. In 2000, there was a press release from the current MHA for St. John's South and this is what was said: The liability in Marystown "extends to the clean up of contaminants, restoration of marine environment and compensation to the workers or their families who incurred health problems because of the contaminated workplace."

I ask the Premier: Does she concur with the MHA that the Province is still liable for the Marystown Shipyard workers?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The working conditions and the existence of certain chemicals in shipyards and other industries, not only in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker, but throughout Canada and throughout the world were very different many, many years ago – twenty, twenty-five, or thirty years ago they were very different than they are today.

We have a very good track record currently in this Province for Occupational Health and Safety. We have very good practices in place. We have good legislation, which we have made improvements to. Just this past year, we have made more improvements to our Occupational Health and Safety regulations. We will continue to do that, Mr. Speaker, because the safety of the workers in Newfoundland and Labrador is paramount for this government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, all the news out of NOIA this week is the need for more skilled labour. For example, Vale has stated they have hit the wall when it comes to supplying their Long Harbour project form the local or regional labour pool. Meanwhile – and I am sure all members get the same – we get e-mails every day from apprentices saying they cannot find work.

I ask the Premier: With all the jobs supposedly available, why can't these people find work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, there is a two-pronged answer to what we are addressing from the hon. member today. One is the apprentices in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, this Department of Advanced Education and Skills, through previous Budgets and again this year's Budget, has put a significant amount of money into wage subsidies for apprentices so employers will have the ability to hire apprentices in workplaces where apprentices may not otherwise have that opportunity.

In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, the College of the North Atlantic has increased its funding year over year. We have almost doubled the number of seats in skilled trades in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, through our investment in post-secondary and as well through our investment in the employers, we are certainly making contributions we feel are necessary in order for the people of this Province to be able to participate in the labour market and what we know as the upcoming labour shortages in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the efforts. We know the efforts are there, but we are just not getting the results.

Each union in the Long Harbour collective agreement has stipulated a minimum and maximum ratio of apprentices to journeypersons. They can range from a minimum of one apprentice to five journeypersons, to a maximum of one apprentice to one journeyperson. While the parties to this agreement agreed to maximize the placement of apprentices, we are hearing Vale's preference has been closer to three journeypersons for each apprentice.

I would ask the minister: What role can government play to ensure apprentice placements are maximized on these special projects?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, there are certainly ongoing talks and negotiations as we move through any major project in Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure that the people of this Province have the ability and the opportunity to participate in the jobs that are available.

One thing, Mr. Speaker, this government does, or has done at this point in time, as every government does, is there is a ratio set for apprentices. That includes the maximum that a journeyperson to an apprentice could be, but, Mr. Speaker, any negotiated contract on any given workplace, it is the employer's prerogative as to how they want to set up journeypersons and apprentices. One thing that most employers keep in mind, especially in workplaces that could be hazardous, is they do not necessarily follow the ratio. They have to follow what is safe for that particular environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: The Minister of Advanced Education and Skills indicated to CBC in March that government isn't yet willing to legislate a certain number of apprentices to be taken on for projects.

I would ask the minister: With Bill 37 before the House and special project owner and operators facing a skilled labour shortage, might it be time to legislate better ratios to resolve the shortage?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, it is a very important question because we all want to make sure that apprentices in Newfoundland and Labrador have the ability to work. We would love to be able to legislate the ratio and the number at any given day for any given work site. Mr. Speaker, we can set a ratio and we can negotiate and work on contracts, but we also need to make sure that the employers have the latitude to set up a workplace that takes into consideration the safety of the people who are on that site.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot insist that a higher number of apprentices are on the site that would exceed what they feel makes a safe work site. So, as much as we would like to do it, we have to make sure that the employer still has the latitude to provide safety for the workers on that site.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, unions are not adding to their list unless there is a reasonable chance of work for those at the bottom. Those already on the list often remain there while they work in Alberta and hold out for enough work from projects like Long Harbour so they can come home.

I would ask the Premier: Where were you two years ago when Vale Inco was sending Long Harbour construction projects to Texas, like the 160,000 metres of pipefitting work, instead of utilizing our local workforce?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a timely question indeed, and I am going to recommend an action to the Member for Burgeo – La Poile. I met with Gus Doyle and his executive this morning from the unions, Mr. Speaker. There is nobody being blocked from being added to the list, I am assured by Mr. Doyle.

I would encourage the Member for Burgeo – La Poile to meet with Mr. Doyle and his membership, who represent over 10,000 workers in this Province, and have a talk with him about the opportunities that abound in Newfoundland and Labrador, and abound, he assures me, for every qualified worker to join their union, Mr. Speaker. If there is any reluctance, it is around apprentices. They still continue to add apprentices, but with some caution.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The long-awaited, long-term care plan for aging and disabilities in our Province finally saw the light of day today. Four years later, and it only contained two concrete initiatives. It is shocking and disappointing, I say, Mr. Speaker, to see the lack of any concrete initiatives for seniors and families in this Province.

I ask the minister: Why do we not see a concrete initiative around family-based home care today?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to correct the member opposite, there are seventy initiatives that were outlined in this long-term care strategy this morning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, if she had been at the news release this morning she would have known that. There are seventy initiatives in there. One of those initiatives, Mr. Speaker, if you had read this strategy, is on page 23, I believe, and it outlines very clearly our plan around paid family caregivers. It is an initiative in this strategy. It is an initiative that we have committed to; it is an initiative that we are going to see through. It is an initiative that we are going to announce very, very soon. We said that this morning.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What the government rolled out this morning was they launched two specific initiatives that they are ready to move on in the Province. One of the initiatives that is critical to families in this Province is the home caregiver, family caregiver program. I say to you minister, you committed to it in an election, you committed in this House that it would be part of the strategy.

I ask you today: When are you going to roll out that program so that families in this Province can give the care they need to their loved ones?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to suggest to the member opposite that she get a copy of this strategy. She could not make it down there this morning. If you got a copy of it, you obviously never got to page 23, page 23, section 3.1.2; read it. It tells you we will implement this family-paid care giving. We will do it soon.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is a big difference in what we will do and what we are doing. Four years ago, you said you were going to do a long-term care plan for this Province; today we have seen it – four years later.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Is the minister saying today that families in this Province may have to wait four years until they get ready to launch an initiative? I ask today, Mr. Speaker, why is the government not honouring their commitment they made when they were knocking the doors in this Province and giving the people in this Province a family caregiver program now? Why should they have to wait four or five years to see it?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is both infuriating and irresponsible. The people of Newfoundland and Labrador are out there and they know that we have made this commitment to them. They are waiting for it. I am telling you here today, we told you this morning at the press conference – had you been there – that we are doing this. The ink is on the paper. We are close to finalizing this. You will see this very soon. Stop fear mongering to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is the same government that six years ago said they were going to do a hospital in Corner Brook. Four years ago, we have been waiting for a long-term care plan. Now, Mr. Speaker, we are over a year now in this Province waiting almost two years for a family caregiver –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker has recognized the Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Now it is time for them to act on that commitment. The Wait Time Alliance, Mr. Speaker, also says that the bed blockage in this Province is costing huge amounts of dollars. It is costing our health care system over $100 million every year and meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, the budget for the next five years for the strategy combined is $160 million.

I ask you today, minister: Why was the bed blockage issue not addressed in this strategy and why was there no concrete initiative around this?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, I wish I could have twenty minutes to respond to this, because again, this is not fair. First of all, on that Wait Time Alliance, I want to point out we are rated third in the country in terms of meeting the benchmark (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Third in the country, Mr. Speaker.

Now, Mr. Speaker, in terms of addressing bed blockage, let us look at what we are doing here. There are any number of initiatives that will address that within this strategy. We are looking at enhanced physician services that will keep people out of hospitals and out of emergency departments, with more visits by physicians in their homes, Mr. Speaker, to seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We are looking at a rapid response program, through our emergency departments and through a number of other departments that will keep people from actually having to go to a hospital in the first place. They will be triaged at home, Mr. Speaker.

We are looking at the family caregiver –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The strategy for long-term care and community support services released today says government will have a pilot project this year that will place eight people requiring a higher level of care in three private personal care homes. It seems that government is moving toward a private for-profit nursing home care system through the back door.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: When did government decide to start changing our public long-term care to a for-profit care system?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, this is the second opportunity we have had to thank the Opposition for the advance copy of their questions, or at least their (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: So I do thank them for that, Mr. Speaker, but your questions were predictable in any case.

Mr. Speaker, what we announced today – listen to what we have announced; we have announced that we are spending –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

AN HON. MEMBER: The Third Party.

MS SULLIVAN: You are right, the Third Party.

Mr. Speaker, we announced today that we spent annually $660 million on long-term care services and community support services in this Province. What we further announced today is a commitment of another $160 million in annual spending in long-term care.

Mr. Speaker, when you add that up, we are spending more than three-quarters of a billion dollars annually on long-term care –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we know that many people are on wait-lists for nursing homes across the Province, and also that the new Hoyles-Escasoni facility in St. John's will only have twenty-six additional beds to the current building.

Mr. Speaker, government is building facilities without creating enough beds to deal with waiting lists and acute care patients who need convalescent beds, and now they are continuing by having a pilot project in more personal care homes.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Is government's use of private nursing home facilities really a temporary arrangement or a permanent direction?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, once again I really do wish that the member of the Third Party had come to the press conference this morning as well, or had taken the time to read this strategy because she did not. In fact, she was out in the news criticizing the strategy within about ten minutes of our press conference being done. I do not know how she could have cracked the spine on this. I am pretty sure she did not because what information she is putting out is totally inaccurate, so I know that she has not read this.

Mr. Speaker, the focus of this particular strategy is not about loading up on that end of it in terms of long-term care. What we are doing in this strategy is we are working on optimal independence for our seniors and persons with disabilities in this Province and quality of care.

Mr. Speaker, that is a continuum of care that does not start with long-term care homes. That starts with better health care systems in the first place, that starts with (inaudible) –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What we received today from the government was another strategy without a clear plan for action to deal with the crying need for a long-term care and home care plan. What was presented was another pilot project –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: As well, the strategy forecasts the need for 984 more long-term care beds by 2022, ten years' time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: What is government's plan for having 984 more long-term care beds ready by 2022?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again this is really difficult. I have the temptation again to pick up this strategy and read it to the members opposite so that they would understand exactly what it is that this focus is about. Mr. Speaker –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker recognizes that there may only be another week or two left in this session; however, be patient. I ask members to be tolerant.

The Speaker has recognized the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services for a response. Please pay attention as she gives her answer.

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is hard to get it all out in here today. Mr. Speaker we have completed at some substantial costs: a long-term care facility in Corner Brook. We have completed a long-term care facility in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Mr. Speaker. We have completed other long-term care facilities. We are in the process, Mr. Speaker, of working on a long-term care facility here in St. John's –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I now invite the minister to read her own strategy where it says we need another 984 beds, and none of those facilities will cover that.

Mr. Speaker, today's strategy as well says that government spent $3.9 million over six years on creating a needs-based assessment tool for determining people's needs for home care; however, the same document also says that government will continue to impose a means test on people looking to receive home care.

I ask the Premier: Why spend the money on designing a needs assessment when your intention is still to approve care by imposing a means test?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, when we are using an assessment tool, it is to assess the needs of the clients in terms of how many hours of care they need and the kind of care that they need. That is a very important aspect of what we do whenever we are looking at clients in the health care system. We need to know what their needs are.

I make no apologies for getting one of the best tools in North America to be able to do that, the interRAI tool. I make no apologies for making sure that the assessments that we do on our patients are the very best assessments that we can possibly do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Speaker has recognized the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and I know he is expecting it, so I assume he will be ready.

Many seniors who are struggling to pay rent cannot be helped by the Rent Supplement Program because there is a wait-list and payments are tied to the landlord. Mr. Speaker, British Columbia has a special program called Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters, which pays a monthly rental allowance directly to all low-income seniors who need it.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Will his government implement a specific rental allowance program for seniors in this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for an advance copy of her question. I will proceed to talk about what the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp are doing for seniors and what this government is doing for seniors here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

For instance, with the affordable housing, Mr. Speaker, we are investing heavily and right now we have about 1,100 units ready for seniors, in particular, or those with challenges. As well, Mr. Speaker, we have managed housing –and I just reference one in particular from the District of St. John's North, Northwest Rotary. We have forty units, Mr. Speaker, especially for seniors, and the average rent is a little over $300 a month.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Mr. Speaker, the Provincial Home Repair Program has a wait-list of 2,200 people and the maximum grant is only $5,000, in today's dollars, and after that you have to take out a loan or wait seven years to reapply for more work. Mr. Speaker, most of the people who use the program are low-income seniors. We have the fastest aging population in the country, proportionately.

I ask the minister: Will his government increase the amount of home repair grants so more seniors can remain living in their homes?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, one of the most successful programs that we have in our housing corp. We are talking about investing – I am just looking at, $9.8 million last year helped 2,500 homeowners, mostly seniors in rural areas. Mr. Speaker, I ask again, what more can we do?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits – White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on March 26 of this year, Service NL issued a ministerial order to Sea Treat Limited giving the company ninety days to clean up and remediate the company's former fish plant site in Englee.

I ask the minister: With four days left of the ninety, how is the clean up at Englee proceeding?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As you referenced, I know it has been a long session and I apologize for repeating the answers because I have given this information so many times over the last couple of months. As a matter of fact, I have given it directly to the hon. member opposite in discussions we have had with him.

The circumstances in Englee are very complex legal matters, Mr. Speaker. I can assure you, I can assure the people of Englee and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that we continue to work through these very difficult legal challenges that exist. We continue to try and make progress to move this forward, and we will continue to do so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for The Straits – White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Given that it looks like this is not going to happen in the ninety days, the ministerial order, I ask the minister: What he actually plans to do, the specifics to protect the residents of Englee from the deepening threat of this derelict building?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is obvious the member opposite does not understand what is at play here and what legal complications and legal challenges really mean. He obviously does not get it, Mr. Speaker. I have tried in as many ways as I can to try to explain to the hon. member that these are circumstances that we must deal with. They are very complex legal matters. We have to work through them in the best way that we can. We are doing that, and we will continue to do so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's East.

I ask the member to ask a quick question without preamble.

MR. MURPHY: Well then if that is the case, when will this government resign in disgust?

AN HON. MEMBER: Never.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.

Order, please!

The Member for The Straits – White Bay North rose on a point of order on Monday of this week, and I had indicated at the time that I would have an opportunity to review Hansard. I have done that, and I rule there is no point of order.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that under Standing Order 11, I shall move, seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, that this House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Further, I give notice, Mr. Speaker, under Standing Order 11, I shall move that this House not adjourn at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

MR. SPEAKER: Answers to Questions for Which Notice has been Given.

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in response to the Member for St. Barbe who has tabled a question in the House of Assembly regarding the Department of Advanced Education and Skills Job Creation Partnership. He has asked us to inform him what was wrong in the content of a news release he issued with respect to Job Creation Partnerships.

The Job Creation Partnerships program is helping people gain the work experience and skills necessary to secure a long-term attachment to the labour market. Mr. Speaker, this program provides funding through direct contributions to sponsors or through the extension of employment insurance benefits for project participants, and may include in-kind or in-cash contributions from sponsors.

All Job Creation Partnerships projects are assessed taking into account factors such as the local economic and employment conditions, including the number of employment insurance beneficiaries in the region, as well as the benefits for project participants and their communities. One key point that the MHA for St. Barbe wrongly failed to mention in his news release is that the JCP projects awarded during the latest round of approvals completely reflect these criteria.

For example, in the District of Burgeo – La Poile, held by the Official Opposition, $619,347 was approved for seven projects. This was the second highest amount approved, totalling just under 10 per cent of the total, $6.82 million. I would also like to point out that while clearly established criteria were followed in the approvals process for the JCPs, the Official Opposition holds 12.5 per cent of the seats in the House of Assembly, and their total approved projects under the JCP program was 12.7 per cent. The Member for St. Barbe was wrong not to point this out.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to information contained in the news release issued by the Member for St. Barbe, the following information was wrong. Information given regarding five of seven districts mentioned was wrong. Information regarding the total amount of funding for the District of Trinity – Bay de Verde was wrong. Information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount for the District of Grand Bank was wrong. Information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount for the District of Carbonear – Harbour Grace was wrong. Information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount for the District of Ferryland was wrong. Finally, information on the amount of projects approved and the funding amount for the District of Placentia – St. Mary's was wrong.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Petitions.

Petitions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, on a petition. It is concerning the concern today that the minister made on her new strategy.

To the hon. House of Assembly for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS home care allows the elderly and people with disabilities to remain within the comfort and security of their own homes; home care also allows people to be discharged from hospital earlier; and

WHEREAS many families find it very difficult to recruit and retain home care workers for their loved ones; and

WHEREAS the PC Blue Book 2011 as well as the 2012 Speech from the Throne committed that government would develop a new model of home care and give people the option of receiving that care from family members; and

WHEREAS government has given no time commitment for when government plans to implement paying family caregivers;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to implement a new home care model to cover family caregivers in the 2012-2013 Budget.

Mr. Speaker, we notice again today, we hear the minister come up today with a new strategy that we are going to look at. This was a commitment that was made in the 2011 election. It was a firm commitment made by the government, Mr. Speaker.

There are a lot of people out in Newfoundland and Labrador, all throughout Newfoundland and Labrador actually, who find it very difficult to find family caregivers and home caregivers. It is a struggle for the family caregivers, Mr. Speaker. There are a lot of instances that I know personally where people just cannot get home care – they just cannot get it. I understand one of the ministers mentioned there are twenty across the Province that the family cannot provide this care.

Mr. Speaker, this government made a commitment in 2011. Everybody in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is expecting it. We are hoping today to see the strategy implemented, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, it was not in it.

Once again, I present this petition, Mr. Speaker. I did not present any petitions in the last little while, because I was hoping it was going to be in this strategy today, which it was not. I urge the government once again to follow up on their commitment to take care of family caregivers. Who it is going to help are the most vulnerable people in Newfoundland and Labrador – the people who need help.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo – La Poile.

MR. A. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a petition.

To the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:

WHEREAS hundreds of residents of the Southwest Coast of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, including residents of the communities of Margaree, Fox Roost, Isle aux Morts, Burnt Islands, Rose Blanche-Harbour Le Cou, Diamond Cove, and La Poile, use Route 470 on a regular basis for work, medical, educational, and social reasons; and

WHEREAS there is no cellphone coverage on Route 470; and

WHEREAS residents and users of Route 470 require cellphone coverage to ensure safety and communication abilities; and

WHEREAS the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development recently announced significant funding to improve broadband services in rural Newfoundland and Labrador; and

WHEREAS the residents and users of Route 470 feel that the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development should also invest in cellular phone coverage for rural Newfoundland and Labrador;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to support the users of Route 470 in their request to obtain cellphone coverage along Route 470.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to bring this one up again today because I actually received a call from a young girl in Burnt Islands today, which is on Route 470. She sent me a message through Facebook and just said: Why can't we have cellphone coverage in Burnt Islands, but there is some in Port aux Basques? I actually had a conversation with her and explained there are some complications here, as the minister has outlined, but that yes, everybody in this Province should have cellphone coverage, no matter where they are.

This is somebody who was very young, but everybody has cellphones these days and deserves to have that coverage. I thought it was timely and I am glad to bring it up again today, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

Orders of the Day

Private Members' Day

MR. SPEAKER: This being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, we will now move to the debate and the resolution as put forward by the Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the provincial government currently only has a strategy for social housing that does not deal with the full crisis of affordable housing in the Province; and

WHEREAS the home ownership assistance program promised by this government in the provincial election has not come to fruition; and

WHEREAS shelter is a human right and all people in the Province have the right to housing that meets the national occupancy standards; and

WHEREAS the House of Commons passed a motion on May 4 that the federal government should: (a) keep with Canada's obligation to respect, protect and fulfill the right to housing under the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (b) support efforts by Canadian municipalities to combat homelessness; and (c) adopt measures to expand the stock of affordable rental housing, with a view to providing economic benefits to local housing construction businesses;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to commit to a provincial housing and homelessness action plan;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to call upon the federal government to renew the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, the Affordable Housing Initiative, and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program when the programs are up for renewal in 2014;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge government to create a Division of Housing and Homelessness that will be given the responsibility to co-ordinate government-wide action, and work with all levels of government and the community on affordable housing.

Seconded by the Member for Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise in this House to speak to this private member's motion on housing.

MR. SPEAKER: Is there someone seconding your motion?

MS ROGERS: Yes, I said seconded by the Member for Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi.

MR. SPEAKER: I am sorry. Thank you.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Having a secure, safe place to live, meaningful work to do, a collection of family or friends and good health care are the pillars of a well-functioning society. Having a secure place to live is a foundation to be able to fully participate in society. It enables you to get on with your life; it enables you to get on with it and to participate fully.

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the work of the folks at the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation who deliver wonderful programs and supports to residents who use their programs. I commend also the incredible work done by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and Homelessness Network, its staff and partners, and particularly in their role in the development and support of projects that were submitted to the federal provincial housing and homelessness initiative program. This group also, Mr. Speaker, plays a very significant role in lobbying government and pushing for more comprehensive approaches to the services required by people in our Province with complex needs and who become the growing number of homeless people in our communities. All the non-profit groups who have developed and deliver incredible services through their supportive housing initiatives, these are groups with expertise who work with limited resources and who have worked so hard again in the whole area of ensuing affordable housing for all citizens of the Province, for all people of the Province.

Now I know that many of us went door to door in the last campaign and a lot of us heard a lot of stories about people worried about their current housing situation. Many of those people were seniors; seniors who were worried about their present housing situation and then seniors who were very worried about their future housing needs. Whether we were rural or urban districts, many of us heard the stories about the housing challenges that our constituents face.

I remember – and I have mentioned this in the House before – being in three different apartment buildings in my district, just in one night, and the number of seniors who spoke to me about their rising rental costs, who lived in fear that they were not so sure that they could afford the next rent increase. They said: I cannot do one more rent increase. They had no control over that. Somebody would say: If they cannot afford their rent, they will have to move somewhere else. As we all know, there is nowhere else for them to go. In the City of St. John's there is nowhere else for them to go. The wonderful housing projects that have started for seniors across the Province already have waiting lists, even before a nail is driven.

We have seniors living in fear. We have seniors who are facing a housing crisis. We all talked to young families who were talking about how to make ends meet, whether it was with their student loan payments and their child care payments and then, on top of that, a mortgage payment. Families who were struggling to make ends meet, and this in a time of prosperity for our Province. This does not look like prosperity for all.

I came across young working families living in basement apartments and their rent were equivalent to a mortgage payment, should they have been able to get a mortgage payment. They could not qualify, even though their monthly rent may have been equivalent to, or even in some cases more than what a mortgage payment would be, but they could not qualify or they did not have enough money for a down payment or the closing cost. Therefore, they are stuck in a cycle of paying rent and not being able to take advantage of building up family wealth through equity in their own home ownership.

Then, we have all come across people with mental health and addictions issues, or folks released from correctional facilities living in deplorable boarding house situations. We all know about these young families. Some in our own families who face these particular challenges, or who are stuck in these kinds of situations, stuck with no perceivable or foreseeable way out.

In February, myself, with the Member for The Straits – White Bay North, went on a little tour of the Province and stopped in a few places to speak to people about their housing issues. The stories were the same, whether they were in rural areas or urban areas. The housing problems we currently face in our Province, those housing problems have not crept up on us unexpectedly. These problems have been developing for a while, and we could see them coming. Over the past five years it has accelerated, and without any concrete government intervention, we can see that the acceleration is speeding up with no relief in sight.

Last year, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released its new stats that said the average price for a new single home in Newfoundland and Labrador has doubled since 2004. So, the average price to buy a brand-new home since 2004 has doubled, and it has doubled to $350,000. That price acceleration has increased faster than the income factors. People's income has not doubled since 2004.

Also, the average price now for a used home in the Province is $266,459. So that, coupled with the increase in cost of living in general, is making it very hard for people to be able to afford adequate housing. Should you not be able to get into the housing market, there is nowhere to rent. For any of us who would need a place to rent now today in St. John's, for whatever reason, if we somehow lost where we were living, most of us would be hard-pressed, even those with a higher level of income would be hard-pressed to find a decent place to live. Those are simply the facts. That is simply the reality.

Also, rents have almost doubled in the same time period. In most parts of the Province, whether it be rural areas or urban areas, the vacancy rates are below 1 per cent. We cannot talk about this housing crisis, because whether we want to call it a crisis or not, people are feeling the crisis in their day-to-day living. People who are on the verge of losing their housing, because they cannot afford increases, or seniors who are on the verge of losing their housing because they cannot afford to stay in their houses, or because of physical limitations their houses are not accessible, this is a housing crisis for them. In their day-to-day living it is not simply a problem, it is a crisis, because we all know if you do not have a place to live you cannot get on with your life.

We cannot talk about this housing crisis within our Province without looking at the big picture, and the future looks bright. We are in a time of prosperity. There is a growth of economic diversity Province-wide, from Labrador down to the Southern Shore. With large-scale developments in the resource sector, it brings some very concrete housing challenges, as we have seen in many parts of our Province, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, LabWest, and Long Harbour. Work camps will not address all the housing needs of our workers.

We know there will be an influx. Over the next so many years we know there will be an influx of thousands of workers because the jobs are there and they are needed, their labour is needed. With these developments and with the influx of workers, also come an increase in service industries, and the workers who become part of those service industries, and their families, because it is not just all single workers who will arrive. One would hope that families will arrive, that they will build communities, that communities will expand, and with that will come the attendant need of services.

What has this government done to prepare for those housing needs and the impacts of this on the relevant communities? What has government done to take care of the challenges that come along with the influx of thousands of workers and with the growing population of aging citizens? What has this government done to prepare? We know there are programs through Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation that attend to some needs, but what has government done to this growing, accelerating problem we have facing us now? If we look into the not-too-distant future, we see it is growing at an exponential rate.

We do have the largest aging population proportionately in the country. We know that seniors are faced with some of the most difficult housing challenges: affordability, issues of physical accessibility, older homes with energy-efficiency problems, and homes that are too big for their current needs. They have nowhere else to go. Should they decide to downsize?

Prosperity brings these extra challenges to people who do not benefit nor share in the prosperity, but who in fact may experience negative effects – those who work in the low-wage economy, because in some of these service industries, they will be low-wage jobs. How will people afford a place to live – those who do not have paid employment, those on very limited income, those with complex needs with mental health or addiction problems, those who have been victims of violence and must move, those who have been displaced and have no family or community supports, people released from correctional facilities into homelessness, and then the average working family, again, who is faced with an unbridled, escalated, and volatile housing market, where their own incomes have not increased at the same accelerated growth as has the cost of housing and the general cost of living?

The government has attempted to address some of these issues through some of the very successful programs of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. There is a social housing rental program. I posit that although this can be a very positive program, it carries its own problems as well. They have a number of programs, which I will not have time to list right now.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to speaking again, to not only the doom and gloom, because I think there are some positive aspects –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the member that her time has expired.

MS ROGERS: I will speak again.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in this hon. House to speak to the Member for St. John's Centre's private member's resolution. This is not the first time I stood in this House to talk about the many good things this government has been doing regarding housing and homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I have examined this resolution and when one looks carefully at the resolution, it is clear that the Member for St. John's Centre – and, for that matter, the Third Party – does not have a firm grasp on housing and homeless issues. Certainly they do not have a grasp on our government's many initiatives and progress in this area. As well, Mr. Speaker, this is the type of fear mongering found in the resolution that is typical of the Third Party when dealing with complex social issues.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes there are challenges when it comes to housing. We are committed to working with various levels of government and with various private and community agencies to develop solutions to these challenges. We recognize in a strong economy, the housing sector is often impacted, in some ways positively and other ways negatively, especially for lower-income earners and those in greatest need. Mr. Speaker, we understand the issues and we are confident we have the policies and programs in place to meet the challenges of today and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, while the Third Party continues to throw out what it thinks are simple solutions to complex problems, we really must look at the facts. Mr. Speaker, in a recent CMHC press release it said Newfoundland and Labrador has the third-lowest housing prices in the country. I would like to correct the Member for St. John's Centre. She said that the average housing price of a new house in Newfoundland and Labrador is $350,000. Mr. Speaker, the average – in this same report, it was $276,000. In St. John's it is $350,000; we can argue over that one. This is probably the same report that you are referring to and I have the report right here in front of me if you would like to have a look at it.

In a subsequent release exactly a day later, CMHC reported that vacancy rates in communities of over 10,000 people in April 2012 was 2.7 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador while the national average was 2.5 per cent. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that, benchmarking Newfoundland and Labrador versus other provinces, we are not in a crisis situation. In fact, we are doing better than most provinces.

While this is true, we do recognize there are certain areas of the Province where housing challenges do exist due to the vibrancy of the resource sector, but, Mr. Speaker, our government has been working to meet these challenges.

Mr. Speaker, as we look closely at the private member's motion there are three distinct resolutions, so let's have a look at them one at a time. The first resolution urges the government to commit to a provincial housing and homelessness plan, but, Mr. Speaker, this resolution is redundant. The Province has a provincial social housing plan, it is called Secure Foundations. It was released in 2009, resulting in many tremendous accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious the Third Party tries to minimize and dismiss the social housing plan, but when the forty-fourth annual Canadian Housing and Renewal Association Congress met here in the Province just last month, the amount of positive feedback for our social housing plan was simply overwhelming. In fact, Mr. Speaker, many delegates from many different jurisdictions commented that they should be doing more work like we are doing here in Newfoundland and Labrador. They were complimentary, not only about the process in which the plan was developed, including dozens of community-based organizations and advocacy groups, but they were complimentary on the quality of the document and the action plans contained within it. The social housing plan focuses attention of those in our society who are most at risk and in the greatest need. Mr. Speaker, our government has spent tens of millions of dollars in a wide variety of programs to help alleviate the challenges low and moderate-income families have been experiencing in recent years in terms of affordable housing.

Mr. Speaker, here are just a few recent developments, programs that I would like to highlight which are indicative that our social housing plan is not only alive, it is in action. Mr. Speaker, over the past six years over 1,300 affordable housing units were built through government funding. The minister referred to that earlier in Question Period. The Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation is in the process of building twelve units in Pleasantville for seniors, while at the same time partnering with the City of St. John's on another twenty-four affordable housing units, nine of which are for single people with complex needs.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time ever, our government, through the tendering process, made land available to contractors with the condition affordable housing units must be included in the development. Mr. Speaker, this is happening in Southlands. I saw the tender in the paper today. There needs to be at least 100 affordable housing units in this tendering package, and, Mr. Speaker, that is progress.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Just to put things in a bit more perspective, Mr. Speaker, millions of dollars have been spent on Memorial University's campus, as well as rental campus in Corner Brook for new residences for 500 and 200 students respectfully, which is going to free up hundreds of apartments in St. John's and Corner Brook for the local rental market. Mr. Speaker, this is a very significant move as well and it is going to really have a positive impact on the rental market here in St. John's and in Corner Brook.

Mr. Speaker, with Budget 2012, the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation increased its rent supplement by $1 million, which now positively impacts over 1,750 families. Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on about the millions we are providing in the Heat Subsidy Program, the Home Modernization Program, the Residential Energy Efficiency Program, the Provincial Home Repair Program, and the list goes on. So when I hear members opposite say they think we have no plan, they lose credibility. They undermine their arguments, and finally, Mr. Speaker, they minimize their ability to effect positive change by not recognizing the facts and becoming part of the solution to the challenges before us.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the resolution urging government to commit to a homelessness action plan, I would like to inform the Third Party there is such a program. It is called the Supportive Living Program, formerly the Provincial Homelessness Fund. Mr. Speaker, the Supportive Living Program was recently transferred to the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and a recent budget increase has provided for $4.8 million annually. The Supportive Living Program's budget of $4.8 million annually is directed specifically to on the ground groups that are tackling the issues of homelessness head on. Fifteen different organizations managing twenty-four different projects throughout this whole Province, and these organizations include Choices for Youth, Stella Burry, Brighter Futures, Community Education Network, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, one of Canada's leading advocates for antipoverty initiatives, Senator Hugh Segal, wrote in a recent article just the other day, in The National Post, that except for Newfoundland and Labrador, all provinces in Canada pay welfare rates beneath the poverty line. Mr. Speaker, this government's commitment to building a Province where things are better for your family, for your children, for your grandchildren and your neighbour's children and grandchildren has not gone unnoticed in the rest of this country.

Mr. Speaker, the final resolution urges the government to create a new division of housing and homelessness. Mr. Speaker, again, the Third Party is requesting setting up a new bureaucracy and for what? To deliver programs, do research, and commence collaboration that is already being done? This is a tired and redundant proposal.

Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation does exactly what this resolution calls for, and even more. Do we need to create a new housing division? The answer is obvious: of course we do not.

Mr. Speaker, one final point. In the private member's motion, there is a reference to the creation of the home ownership assistance program promised in our 2011 Blue Book. Mr. Speaker, I can tell the members opposite, we are working toward making this commitment a reality and we are prepared to restate it in the House today through an amendment to the resolution, along with some other minor amendments.

Mr. Speaker, I will not be supporting this motion in its present format, and I would now like to put forward an amendment for the consideration of this hon. House.

Mr. Speaker, I, the Member for St. John's West, seconded by the Member for Harbour Main and Minister Responsible for Housing, do move that the Private Member's Resolution currently before the House be amended:

(1) in the first recital clause by deleting the word "only" and replacing the words "does not deal with the full crisis of" with the word "includes";

(2) in the second recital clause by replacing the words "the home ownership assistance program promised by this government in the provincial election has not come to fruition" with the words "this government promised in its 2011 Blue Book to develop, following a period of consultation, a program to help families with incomes up to $60,000 with the first purchase of a modest-priced home";

(3) in the first resolution clause by replacing the words "commit to a" with the words "continue to implement its";

(4) in the second resolution clause by replacing "the Affordable Housing initiative and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program" with the words "and the agreement for investment in affordable housing"; and

(5) in the third resolution clause by replacing the words "create a Division of Housing and Homelessness that will be given the" with the words "ensure Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation continues to fulfill its".

Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of that amendment here for your purview, and I leave it with you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Verge): Order, please!

The House will take a brief recess to consider the amendments put forward.

Recess

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I have considered the amendment put forward the Member for St. John's West. The amendment is in order.

I go back to the hon. the Member for St. John's West.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. CRUMMELL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We do our homework over here and we made sure we had that right. Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, just to finish up here quickly – I have about three minutes on the clock – I just want to say to every hon. member in this House, the amendments that we have put forward to this resolution are minor in nature, but they do change a few things for sure. I think there is no reason why everybody in this House should not unanimously support these amendments.

We actually left some of the language in there, Mr. Speaker, that was brought forward by the Third Party. We do believe that they are thinking about the average Newfoundlander and Labradorian, and people in need, just like we all are. In particular, there is one piece of language there; the motion calls for the creation of a division – which we know we are not going to do; we already have one – to: "co-ordinate government-wide action, work with all levels of government and the community on affordable housing, and be responsible for research and the development of provincial housing policy...".

Mr. Speaker, in terms of coordinating government-wide action, the Social Housing Plan is a direct result of such collaboration. We are already doing it. There is already a ministerial and a deputy minister's committee on the Social Housing Plan that brings together all the key players in government related to housing. This refers to that piece that is in the resolution.

There is an Interdepartmental Advisory Committee from key officials from Justice, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, Advanced Education and Skills, Health, and others that governs the Supportive Living Program, which focuses on the needs of the homeless and those at risk of homelessness. Mr. Speaker, we are fine with that language. There is another little piece here that was called out in the motion that we are okay with.

In terms of research and development, the Housing Corporation has a department called the Policy, Research, and Monitoring Department. They are looking at housing policy issues, completing jurisdictional reviews, and research constantly. Furthermore, they are just in the process of hiring a new senior policy analyst who will have a focus of looking at issues of housing affordability and will be a key contact with stakeholders who want to discuss and research specific ideas and challenges.

Mr. Speaker, some examples of innovative things happening over at the Housing Corporation: reconfiguring larger units for which there is little demand in this day and age into multiple smaller units for which there is very high demand, and encouraging small-size dwellings that are more affordable. I just mentioned a recent request for proposal for a large portion of land in Southlands requires that the successful proponent construct a large portion of smaller two-bedroom and three-bedroom units between 800 and 1,000 square feet.

Mr. Speaker, our government is doing many, many things to address what we know are challenges, but there is no crisis out there. We are meeting these challenges head on. We have a plan in place. Mr. Speaker, we are going to put the necessary resources behind that plan to make sure we execute with excellence throughout the duration of this living, breathing document we call our Social Housing Plan.

Mr. Speaker, again I want to encourage all hon. members in this House to support the amendments and the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I take the opportunity to stand and speak on this, because housing issues, homelessness, and social housing is everybody's concern. I say to the Member for St. John's West: I personally do not need any lecture about housing and Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, I can assure you of that. I do not need it. It takes away from the argument when you try to give lectures. I was setting up social housing for people with disabilities long before you knew social housing was even considered. There is no need of it – there is absolutely no need of it. We do not deserve it, because we are all in it together.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I would ask the member to speak to the Chair.

MR. JOYCE: Sorry, Mr. Speaker.

Once again, I get a bit upset when I feel people on this side are being said to not listen and we are not involved with it. It is absolutely not true, Mr. Speaker. I just want to let the Member for St. John's West know how many times I was involved with housing, twenty-five and thirty years ago, long before I was involved with politics. There is no need, because it is an issue for all of us in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, before I go any further I just want to compliment the staff at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. I know the work that they undertake is sometimes challenging and is never ending. There is always a need for staff. I said it to the minister in Estimates that I pass onto the staff in Corner Brook how grateful I am because I know our offices are in, if not daily contact, I am sure it is an average of ten or fifteen times a week that we are in contact with the minister's office in Corner Brook. The staff there are very professional and always willing to help. I just want to ensure that the staff are well recognized for the work that they do in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, housing is everybody's concern in this Province, the government side, Opposition, all levels of government: federal, provincial and municipal. A lot of times we look at people with low income for the social housing and that is one aspect of the housing that the government is looking at. There is also the aspect of the seniors, Mr. Speaker. I know the government has put in some good initiatives for seniors in the Province. I know the minister was just out a few weeks ago and was with the seniors in Corner Brook for a new initiative for apartments out in the United Church. That is a well-deserved and a well-recognized initiative that is being done for seniors.

A lot of the problems with the seniors, Mr. Speaker, are their increase in rent, if they are renting, or even if they are in their home, the increase in cost and the increase in heat. Maintaining their home sometimes becomes just unbearable. Mr. Speaker, as we know now, about 13 per cent – I think it is 13 per cent, from my reading – of people on the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing list now are seniors, and that list is rising daily. The more senior complexes that we can set up, Minister, the more affordable housing, the more housing that we have for people with disabilities, which would include seniors and other people with disabilities, is greatly appreciated throughout the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I just heard the Member for St. John's West saying there is no crisis. There might not be a crisis, but I guarantee you there is definitely a need for more social housing across the Province. If you do not think there is more of a need in social housing across the Province, come with me for awhile. There have been steps done, absolutely, no doubt, but we cannot minimize the concerns that people have out in the Province; we just cannot do it. I understand there are a lot of steps being taken. I applaud a lot of initiatives that the government has undertaken over the last number of years. I applaud the federal government also when they were renewing the programs for the residential assistance program.

Once again, I urge the government, in 2014, that we do whatever we can to ensure that we renew this program because it is a great program. The number of people that has helped to stay in their own homes is very encouraging. If anything, if there is any possibility to increase that program with the federal government, Mr. Speaker, because as we all know and it is just the way we are, the people who live in their house – the houses get older, they become less energy efficient over time and every year the need almost arises. I do not think we can ever meet the demand, and I do not think anybody expects any government, this government or any other government, to meet every demand that is out there. We must as a group, as parliamentarians, as all stripes, all levels of government, the federal, provincial and municipal, Mr. Speaker, strive to improve it on a daily basis.

Many times I have raised issues in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, and once again there are a lot of initiatives. I would not minimize some of the initiatives that the government has taken to help out people in social housing, help out the benefits for people, putting in strategies for people to stay in their own homes, putting in strategies for the residential assistance program, putting in strategies to ensure that people can find social housing. I think we all must strive to ensure it.

Mr. Speaker, we always talk about the number of people who are in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and the wait-list. The wait-list has dropped. The wait-list has dropped for people looking for social housing. Mr. Speaker, I will just give you a stat; in 1995 to 1999, the vacancy rate in Newfoundland and Labrador was 13 per cent. There were available apartments around, affordable apartments, Mr. Speaker. The vacancy rate in 2011 was a little over 1 per cent.

What we see, Mr. Speaker, is the need for apartments. Once there is demand on apartments, the cost rises that a lot of people who could afford apartments years ago cannot afford them now. What happens, Mr. Speaker, the need for social housing increases. *That there is just geography, that there is because of the oil boom in around the St. John's area and other areas of development. That is why we find that the vacancy rate is much lower now, that people who need social housing, their increase has gone up because their ability to find something that they can afford, something that they need, has decreased, and their power has diminished to find apartments. Therefore they seek social housing, Mr. Speaker, and other ways to stay in their own homes, as we mentioned, through residential assistance programs.

Mr. Speaker, as we see, a lot of times, we see with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, there is almost some kind of stigma put to it, but we have to realize: around 70 per cent of people right now who are looking for some kind of housing or are in rental housing right now as we speak, Mr. Speaker, are not in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing; 74 per cent of people who rent are not in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. The idea is, if there is some way that we can help a lot of people – because what happens with 74 per cent in rental units all across Newfoundland and Labrador is as the rent goes up, their ability to stay in their apartments and look for affordable housing decreases. This is a major concern.

This comes sometimes when you get an influx, for example, for the Northeast Avalon; when we get an influx, and, Mr. Speaker, when everybody is building the new houses, and apartments are less, and you have the university town, the people who sometimes can afford a level of rental cannot afford it. That is a major concern for all of us.

Another thing that is a major concern for all of us, Mr. Speaker, is the average rent. The two-bedroom apartment in 2009-2010 went up 9 per cent, so what we see is a major increase in rental going up to this level, Mr. Speaker, but yet the inflation rate is down to about 2 per cent, a little over 2 per cent. What we see is the inflation rate is down low, but a skyrocketing rate for rent. What happens then is that puts a lot of people out of the range to be able to keep their rent, find new apartments, and stay in their own apartments. I say to the minister that puts extra demands on Newfoundland and Labrador Housing for social housing and other things.

Mr. Speaker, these are all concerns that we have to address as a society. By no means would I ever suggest that the minister or this government can solve all these problems overnight. It cannot happen, Mr. Speaker, but I do have to raise the issue that there are concerns out there that we all have to strive together to work towards.

Mr. Speaker, I know the Member for St. John's West just mentioned the amendment about not setting up another division. I agree with that 100 per cent. I agree; if we put in another layer of bureaucracy – I feel that the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, now under the minister, is capable of handling, working towards, and striving towards their goal.

I will support the amendment that was made by the minister, because I feel that they are doing a great job. It is a tough job, Mr. Speaker, and if anybody – some of us have more dealings with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing than others. Some of us realize the tough positions that some of those staff are put into, because demand is high and sometimes geography changes, demographic changes, the social need changes, and the housing changes; it is whole mirror of problems. The more initiatives that we could put in to keep people in their own homes, Mr. Speaker, are going to alleviate problem and help with it.

Another concern that I have to raise, Mr. Speaker – and I raised this during Estimates with the minister, and I know the minister is aware of it, and I know there are changes being made, but it is a concern out on the West Coast: 80 per cent of all the units, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units, are all three and four bedrooms now. This is not a blame game here with me; this is not a blame game. This is just the reality of what we took over; 80 per cent are three and four bedrooms. Eighty per cent of all requests are for one and two bedrooms. It is a major concern.

I know during Estimates, the minister mentioned that there are improvements to be made; they are putting money, when they can, into making renovations, even doing some new initiatives to separate some, trying to make one a one bedroom and the other into two bedrooms, separating them. I applaud the minister and the government for that, because what happens when someone goes into a three- or four-bedroom apartment is that the heat goes up and the maintenance goes up. The other initiatives that they had, Mr. Speaker, go up, not only for the residents that have to heat, but for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, for the unit itself. That is a concern. I know the minister and the department are looking at it. I know the minister has made some changes to it; that is just another initiative that we must look at.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that people with disabilities is another major issue. I know our government took the lead and our Province took the lead in the social design for housing all across Canada. I applaud the minister and I applaud the government for that. Mr. Speaker, I have been involved with housing for people with disabilities for a number of years. It does me a great pleasure to know that our government and our Province took the lead to have the international design for people with social housing being set up now.

The other thing we have to try to ensure, Mr. Speaker, and this is not more of a Newfoundland and Labrador Housing issue but it incorporates it, is trying to find some way we can get some extra services into some of the units for seniors so people can stay in the units. I will mention to the minister about the one out in Corner Brook. I know it is not the minister's responsibility, Mr. Speaker, but if there were more units made for people with disabilities, so if a senior happens to take a stroke or if a senior happens to become less mobile they can still stay in the same unit which they call home. I know that it is a private business. Mr. Speaker, those are just some concerns I have with Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.

There are some good initiatives. I will not stand up here and say that there have not been some improvements made. I know the wait-list has dropped. I also know the request for the RRAP program has decreased. I do not think it will ever go away. We have to strive to look at new initiatives and look at new ways.

Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting the amendments made by the Member for St. John's West. I will be supporting those amendments because there are some good initiatives. It is like anything else we do as parliamentarians, we have to strive to make things better and we have to strive to work together to ensure that people in social housing and who need the social programs, are there when they need it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am delighted to be able to get on my feet in this hon. House today and to speak once again on housing and the housing challenges that are presented to not only this government but to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Speaker, I would say to you these challenges are many. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that housing is a right and a right that must be protected. Certainly, this government over its last couple of terms has made tremendous strides.

I welcome the words from the Official Opposition as I believe, because the member who just spoke was a member back in the 1990s. I think he remembers well the challenges that were presented. We had a stock of well over 5,000 units that were deteriorating, dollars were few and challenges were many. These housing units, and the Housing Corp. itself, trying to maintain these with very little in the way of resources, working hard.

Fortunately, as we came into government in 2003 on to 2004, our fortunes changed and we did put significant dollars in the right places. We are moving along in such a manner that we are addressing not only the infrastructure deficit that was presented, but also using programs as tools to basically address the challenges that are presented to the government and to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador; especially those, I would say, Mr. Speaker, who find themselves, what we call, in vulnerable situations. It is these people in vulnerable situations who find themselves looking for better housing. The onus is on us as a government to make sure that we have a plan, and a plan that is not just on a day to day but takes into account what is happening and how we are going to address it over a period of years.

In this particular case, in 2007, we did put forth a plan. That plan, Secure Foundations, has already proven itself to be the proper direction as we go forward. A plan, I would say, Mr. Speaker, that did not just drop out of the sky. There were extensive consultations throughout the Province to bring to government the needs, the challenges and the way forward. Mr. Speaker, the hundreds of people who were involved in those consultations gave us the directions. As a matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that we do not take ownership of the plan as much as the people who came to us are the owners of that particular plan. They are the ones who said to government, this is the direction that you should be going into. We listened, we put a framework in place, and now we find ourselves in an excellent position, Mr. Speaker, four, five years into the plan where there have been tremendous differences in how we deal with housing issues.

Mr. Speaker, as well, I compliment the Member for St. John's West. This is not the first time that he has been on his feet asking this House to support this government in its plan for affordable housing, social affordable housing, and housing affordability, I would say as well, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we put forth a motion, or I should say he put forth a motion a number of weeks back. Again, it was kind of disappointing, Mr. Speaker, to find that members opposite did not see fit to stand and support his motion, which was a motion that asked basically for the House to endorse what this government is doing in going out and investing heavily in trying to make sure that we are providing for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, they did not stand for 1,300 modifications to private homes to make them more accessible. What did they vote against? They voted against 1,100 social housing units. They voted against expanded rent supplements. They voted against a reduction in rent from 30 per cent of gross income to 25 per cent of net income. They voted against residential energy efficiency grants for 4,300 low-income homeowners, and more, Mr. Speaker.

Of course, the Member for St. John's Centre stood up days ago, as a matter of fact it was last week, and the first line in her motion is, "WHEREAS the Provincial Government currently only has a strategy for social housing that does not deal with the full crisis of affordable housing in the Province". Now, Mr. Speaker, we ran in this term on a Blue Book that specifically states that we will be looking to find ways to address housing affordability in this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I say to the hon. member, we are what, six months in? We indicate that we are going to do it. We have committed to do it, and we are going to do it; but, we are not going to do it – as I rose in the House the other day. We are not going to do without going to the people who this is going to serve. We are not going to go without going to the partners that we need in order to make this a successful program. When you look at a Blue Book, Mr. Speaker, this is not about a four month – and you do not all come in and wave a magic wand and say, okay, everything we promised, here it is.

I ask the Third Party to maybe have a little bit of patience, and to own up to the fact that this government has committed to it and we are going to get to it. Basically, you have to consider that there is a process that goes in place. This is a change. When we get to the Third Party, again, all I can hear when they get on their feet is more, more, more and more. I can understand that. I would like nothing else than for this government to say you have a blank cheque, Mr. Minister, do what you like with it. That would be excellent; however, there is a responsibility that goes with any government in making sure that they are fiscally responsible. I tell you that when we look at the Housing Corp. of Newfoundland and Labrador, they have strategically petitioned government for funds they can invest in the housing corp. that will bring about the needed changes that we need as we continue to move forward.

Again, Mr. Speaker, this government does have a plan. It is a plan that is accepted by all of our partners out in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. They were the ones that came forward, and every year we review with those same people to ask them direction as we go forward. It is a work in progress. Has it solved all of the problems and all of the challenges? No, I say, Mr. Speaker, but it has set the groundwork to ensure that we are moving forward in the right direction and a direction that we are satisfied as a government is meeting the needs of the people outside.

The second WHEREAS is, "WHEREAS the home ownership assistance program promised by this Government in the provincial election has not come to fruition".

Again, if you can simply put a program together in six months, I suggest that your cry would be – but you have not consulted with anybody. You have not asked anybody. In six months you have thrown in this program, yet you have not done the consultation. As a matter of fact, I have heard that on other things, again, from the Third Party. You have to give the time that is required. This is not just a willy-nilly, let's get on it. We have to make sure that we are doing it properly.

You will notice that there are parts of this motion that we have not touched. The third WHEREAS is, "WHEREAS shelter is a human right and all people in the Province have the right to housing that meets the national occupancy standards".

Listen, there is no member in this House going to stand up and say we need to amend that. I believe all of us are on the same page when it comes to the fact that we want to make sure that the people of this Province are adequately served with housing.

The next WHEREAS: passed a motion to provide the federal government should keep – again, a statement that we all can certainly agree with.

When it gets to the THEREFORE, "…urge Government to commit to a provincial housing and homelessness action plan."

Give us a break! How many times do we have to say that we have a plan? How many times do we have to say that the plan is working? How many times do we have to say that it is a plan that was put together by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who have vested interest in making sure that plan is doing what it should be?

AN HON. MEMBER: All the stakeholders.

MR. HEDDERSON: It is all the stakeholders.

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge Government to call upon the Federal Government to renew the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, the Affordable Housing Initiative…", we had to amend that because, again, it is not accurate and our amendment will point to the fact of the agreement that we do have with the federal government. There is nothing of any malice there. It is just making sure that it is factually correct.

"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge Government to create a Division of Housing and Homelessness…." Again, I say, if that is your answer to the housing challenges that we have in Newfoundland and Labrador, that we are going to set up another division – I keep asking you to list off what that division would do and I have not gotten a response back. From what I have heard peripherally you are talking about the exact same thing that we are doing in the Housing Corporation, and coupled with Service Newfoundland and Labrador with the Residential Tenancies Act, we are covered off. As well, I have a minister's committee within government, I have a deputy minister's committee within government, I have an interdisciplinary committee within government that deal with the overall picture of housing in the Province and has government reacting to it.

I do not know how many levels that you want to create, but if that is the most creative thing that you can put forward – the Official Opposition do not even agree with you. I think that if there is anyone's house that should be in order, I think you should get yours because you need to. I will be surprised if in your responses you do not talk about something universal because that seems to be a mantra with you as well. Everything has to be universal.

I say to the Third Party that you have to make sure that you are serving the people you say you are serving and make sure that when you are going forward – again, with regard to the Third Party, it is about a new division, get a plan, and as well somewhere along the way you were going to build more units until you found out that those fifty units or so are included in our affordability with our partnership with the federal government and that we are indeed doing that. Again, I am at a loss. This is the second time we have asked the Third Party to join all of us in making sure that as we move forward we are doing as we should.

As well, bring it back down around to the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. We are very pleased with the progress the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has done, from a corporation that was struggling in the 1990s to get the resources, to get the direction to move forward as they should, and to repair and maintain the units that they have. I take my hat off to the people, in particular the CEO, who has brought that corporation to a level that it is more than responsive to the needs of what is going on out there in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, we are not saying we have everything solved. We have in place the investments, the strategy, and the plan for us to move forward and to address it. As well, with the support we get around government, in particular Justice, Health and Community Services, and Service Newfoundland and Labrador, we are on the right track, Mr. Speaker. For the first time in decades, we see light at the end of the tunnel. We are determined as a government to continue to support those people who find themselves in vulnerable situations. We will move forward and hopefully expand to those between 40,000 and 60,000 and at that point, Mr. Speaker, I will just hold off and thank you for the opportunity.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for The Straits – White Bay North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is quite a pleasure to speak to the private member's motion that was put forward by the Member for St. John's Centre. I would just like to say that the original motion which was put forward certainly does not dismiss any of the work that is being done by the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. We recognize the work they do with their mandate, which is responsible for social housing.

When it comes to the original member's motion, it talks about the importance of dealing with the overall provincial issue of housing and affordability. This is why when it looks at developing a plan – we recognize that there is a Social Housing Plan that was developed in 2009, but the issue around affordable housing is much larger than that. That is why the first resolve was talking about developing a provincial housing and homelessness plan.

We recognize that government has programs and services developed for that plan and many of them are very good and very well implemented. However, Mr. Speaker, housing is an absolute right, it is a need, it is a basic, and it is a driver for economic sustainability in many areas. Everybody needs shelter. If we look at it in that way and we look at the engine of which housing can be, then we can really build some momentum here in Newfoundland and Labrador on that.

If we look at the MHA for St. John's Centre, and myself as the MHA for The Straits – White Bay North, we hosted a housing road show with public consultations across the Province, in areas such as: St. Anthony, Norris Point, Stephenville, Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, Clarenville, St. John's, and there was also added Marystown, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. There we listened, Mr. Speaker. We listened to the challenges of affordable housing and housing affordability that is growing both for the rural areas, suburban and urban centres.

I would like to highlight some of those issues, some of those suggestions and matters pertaining to affordable housing and housing affordability. Just in my very own district – and it is not just about Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, because we are currently facing a shortage of those units but also other units and rental spaces in the district. When a Newfoundland and Labrador Housing unit becomes available, there is certainly more than one call to fill it.

We also have apartment units in the area that have been purchased and tenants are given advance notice to move out. It is done in due process; however, finding a space to rent in an area where there is a less than 1 per cent vacancy rate, that is considered by real estate agents – when it is at less than 3 per cent it is at nil. It creates real challenges and this is where we need to plan, a plan for the economy so that we can grow it. In order to do so, we see that when the rental rate is at less than 1 per cent, there are gaps for the current renters, gaps for students in student housing, gaps for professionals and for when there are projects. We need to work with the stakeholders to develop and devise that land use plan and look at this.

I have had cases, Mr. Speaker, where professionals have accepted jobs to move into the Town of St. Anthony and they have not moved in because there is no available space for them to live that is affordable. While we were on our housing road show, we were in Stephenville, and professionals had talked to us and said: We have left the Town of St. Anthony because there was no affordable housing there for us as a professional that is available. So, having adequate stock is something that we need to look at and plan for.

There are several needs when we look at supportive housing to keep people close to home. If we look at the shortage of another group of seniors, we have long-term care facilities in the Province that have no vacancies. This has impacts. It has impacts on personal care homes that deal with Level I and Level II care, where they have greater stress on them to hold residents maybe a little longer, where they have to end up going to a hospital to get that tertiary care. I have had people who have been out of hospital for fifteen months-plus, who have not been able to get to that long-term care facility to deal with that Level III care. That is adding quite a cost.

There has to be an adequate plan to deal around all of these issues, because if we have seniors' housing units that deal with independent living and then to make that level advancement to the next step where they need a Level I or a Level II care, then there needs to be an available space for them. So those are issues that we have to look at. We have to work with it, and this is why we are calling on a division of housing is to really create that concrete line where you have a variety of different departments that are affiliated and have an impact in housing, such as Service Newfoundland and Labrador, to look at Transportation and Works, to look at the Department of Health and Community Services, where there may be one or two individuals cross-listed with roles in that department, where they are able to look at strategizing and building that investment there so that we can grow the economies, looking at the recruitment and retention of employees, because there are certainly many instances where it changed.

If we look at where the Province is heading, and where this government has said that in ten years we are planning for 70,000 vacancies in the Province, if we look at jobs and we look at the education impacts that that is going to lead to, we are going to be having more and more people go into educational institutions. This is a very good thing, and more people going into the workforce but there are also going to be more people retiring.

If we look at all these factors, then we need to really look at a division of housing to deal with that, because government has made investments. They can list off the numbers. It is certainly a good thing to be putting up residences in Grenfell, that is going to put up 250 units there, but you have over 1,000 students going to the College of the North Atlantic and at Memorial University Grenfell Campus. If you look at that, you are filling the need there for the immediate term, but it is not addressing the overall wait-list because there are significant wait-lists that are still there. That is a concern because we have talked to people and they have said that there were people who lived in a tent; they lived in a tent for a month while they were wanting to go to school to find an apartment.

We talk about in a national park and we talk about park areas because they are economic generators of areas. They have a lot of independent business, but it creates a lot of challenges for the independent business owners who are there. The hotel staff – they are looking at trying to recruit hotel staff, but they have no place for them to live. So they have to fill their own gaps by making hotel rooms available for their own staff, which is a net loss for the overall economy when you look at if that space is filled by staff versus filled by somebody who is coming: a visitor. We have to look at, we have to study and research those economic impacts, not just by people dealing with social housing but looking at the employment, looking at the lost revenues that we are having in those areas. Park areas are hesitant to look at doing rents for professionals who are coming there on a short-term basis because there are so many areas when it comes to B&Bs, when it comes to housing that it would go for rent. They look at charging higher rents or not making them available during the tourism season, which really kicks off in the Gros Morne area with the Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival, which is quite a success.

We have to look at that. We have to look at other factors, such as how do we create with government buildings, surplus buildings that we have on a provincial level, how can we turn those into available space, whether it is co-op housing, whether they will be affordable housing units, or whether they will be made available to be looked at in terms of condos or other developments, but they need to have incentives because a number of these buildings need incentives for private developers to look at that.

Maybe we need to look at transient workers because we all know in Newfoundland and Labrador we have quite a number of them who are going back and forth to other places. If they have a current residence here, we might be able to co-ordinate rent, co-ordinate home share programs, lessen the cost of maintaining two properties, and this is something that a division of housing can certainly do. There are community groups sprouting up all over Newfoundland and Labrador from housing and homelessness corporations, looking at health authorities and their roles to provide housing, educational boards – when we look at in many areas of campuses across this Province, we do not have student housing and dorms attached to them; we are not looking at adding them there. When it comes to an area like in Grand Falls-Windsor, there are a number of educational institutions. If we look at the number of people who are commuters for the area, in one particular program, a third of the enrolment were commuters from various areas there. That is something that we need to look at, if we can have people move into areas and really help grow that economy around it, or why are they commuting – so study that and do that research.

If I look at how we can make available access for social clubs and non-profits, and the available for social enterprise loans and get the actual capital they need to build these housing units – because the demand is clearly there, but many of government's programs is capped at $150,000 or $500,000, and to be able to get to build ten units is going to cost, in many cases, more than $1 million. So if it is there and somebody wants to do that, we need to look at it. There are many, many concepts we can look at, such as mosaic streets. The City of Corner Brook is actually looking at that through development, and looking at creating unique concepts of their streets so that they are more inclusive neighbourhoods, where they might have somebody who is building on a large lot, and then somebody who is buying a small lot. There may be a condo development there. There might be mobile homes. There are a variety of neighbourhoods that are creating unique spaces that is really an approach that seems very positive and very progressive. They are to be commended on looking at that approach.

We need to look at other alternatives on how we can deal with the overall housing issues. Can we develop a bank for used furniture and housing assets in Newfoundland and Labrador? Is that an option that we can do? I look at, for example, a company like BUILD in Winnipeg that I got to visit when I was there on a co-operative conference. They are building urban industries for local development. A social enterprise, non-profit, they contract and they also train people who face barriers to employment. They teach them to retrofit insulation for high-efficiency toilets, do water energy savings for showerheads, it lowers utility costs, it builds neighbourhood people – and it employs people in the neighbourhood, I mean – it cuts crime, and it decreases greenhouse gas emissions. They have already saved, since their existence, over $1 million to consumers. They have insulated over 875 homes, and they have done 3,288 water retrofits. We have a lot of programs here in the Province to help deal with this as well, but we look at pairing it, pairing it with the Department of Advanced Education and Skills. Looking at how we can create in neighbourhoods these abilities to add extra revenue and return to society additional benefits.

Economists Oppenheim and MacGregor have said for every $1 million that is invested in low-income energy efficiency, there is over $17 million in societal benefits. That is a seventeen-to-one ratio. We look at the impacts of how it helps the community, how it really reduces crime, how it lowers utility arrears, and really helps reduce peak electrical load. That is a concern in Newfoundland and Labrador, apparently, if we are dealing with energy and looking at energy efficiency as a means of conservation. It should be studied.

We have growth areas when it comes to seed funding through CMHC. They have gone from six to eight applications four years ago to now over thirty. We need to make this more aware; we need to let people know that they can tap into seed funding of over $10,000 to study, and study housing issues. We need to look at how we can develop consultants for not only private developers but also for public bodies, because we have met different private developers to help assist that; looking at accessibility issues and how we can build green homes and really modernize that and bring that home.

There are a number of issues when it comes to how we can develop those incentives for accessibility for people getting access. I know when we look at contractors building here in the city, building across the Province, maybe we can build incentives for standardized home plans when it comes to adding thirty-six-inch doors for wheelchair accessibility. There are things to do and this can be done by a division of housing.

It is very sad to see that we are not looking at this overall issue of dealing with best practices and solutions that other provinces are doing to really put all of this together in one area and look at getting that message out there so that it is broader. It is not just social housing; it is not just the affordable housing that Newfoundland and Labrador is mandated to deal with, the $35,500 cap when it comes to the income level and a $65,000 cap in Labrador West. We have growing issues in the Province, and certainly, I would urge the government to look at dealing with the overarching issues in the Province through a division of housing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

MR. EDMUNDS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just have some concern and some comments relative to the motion that was tabled, and the amendment forwarded by the member opposite, Mr. Speaker.

In our Province, Mr. Speaker, housing is a large problem, and in some areas, it is critical. Having said that, I fully realize and do commend the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation on the initiatives the department has undertaken and the willingness to address the issues and the needs of housing in our Province.

As the Member for Torngat Mountains, Mr. Speaker, I have reviewed some of the initiatives available and how they can be maximized in Northern communities. I have also spoken to the Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation on this issue on several occasions. I do appreciate his concern and willingness to discuss options, Mr. Speaker.

As with all other regions around this Province, in the North we share this housing shortage. In many communities, we magnify the need for affordable housing. The need for housing does have social impacts that result in the negatives of overcrowding, high heating costs, homes in disrepair, mould, and, Mr. Speaker, the list goes on and on.

The impact of the housing shortage affects all ages in society, Mr. Speaker, from infants up to our seniors. A healthy home environment is a key to stability in any family environment. It is identified as a basic necessity, Mr. Speaker. When this comfort level is disrupted, there is a breakdown in the family setting.

Contrary to the remarks made by the Member for St. John's West, there is a crisis. I witness it far too often in my district. Not to be all negative, Mr. Speaker; I realize that the minister and NLHC staff are working towards resolving housing issues. I fully realize this is a monumental task and I do commend them for their efforts.

In my district, for example, organizations like Torngat Regional Housing Association are doing the best they can in stretching allocated funds to the limit in order to get as many homes built and to try to lower the demand for homes, Mr. Speaker. This is just for new homes. I know they do get many, many applications for repairs from many homeowners, but to allocate funds for repairs, Mr. Speaker, takes away from the immediate need for housing. I do also commend them for their efforts in addressing the housing crisis in our district.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of home repair in this Province is expensive. As you go north, this cost multiplies. I will use an example: a sheet of one-half inch aspenite, which is between $9 and $12 here, in Northern Labrador can go as high as $45, three times the cost. You take allocations for repairs and you multiple the cost of three into that and you do not stretch the dollars very far. This is a problem that I have brought to this hon. House many, many times since I have been here.

The seniors in our Province live on fixed incomes and they find it hard to make ends meet, the same as every other senior in this Province. I have heard my hon. colleague for Bay of Islands talk about the stresses that our seniors face in addressing home needs and having to move out because they cannot afford rent. Well, Mr. Speaker, this is the same in my district, not so much for rent but the high cost of living. It gets harder and harder for our seniors to make ends all over this Province.

I heard the Minister of Health and Community Services reference two long-term care facilities in Question Period today. I certainly commend the efforts that her department is undertaking, but in Labrador the minister did refer to the long-term care facility in Goose Bay, which is central to all of Labrador. What surprises me is the line up for beds in this long-term care facility, Mr. Speaker, while another facility sits idle, a facility that is designed for long-term care and for seniors' needs. This facility is called the Paddon Home.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I will support the amendment brought forward by the Member for St. John's West and I do look forward to the day when we can make good progress on addressing the housing needs in our Province.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for an opportunity to speak to this private member's resolution this afternoon.

I want to just take a few minutes, if I may, I know the clock is ticking and the afternoon is getting late, but I do want to take a few minutes to speak to this resolution that is before the House. I noted earlier from the Member for St. John's Centre when she was bringing forward her remarks earlier today and she talked about the tour that they conducted. I know the Member for The Straits – White Bay North also commented on it as well. Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the House of Assembly and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that it is not only them who have conducted a tour because I can tell you that the CEO from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing has had many discussions, Mr. Speaker, throughout this Province with community housing coalitions and groups around the Province that are engaged and have a vested interest in housing.

The CEO for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, in acting on behalf of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, has visited and met with groups in Labrador West, in Goose Arm, in Marystown, in Corner Brook, in Stephenville, in Clarenville, in Harbour Grace, Carbonear, and I am told he is planning – Friday this week he is heading to Grand Falls-Windsor as well, Mr. Speaker. Through those discussions, it is really good work for officials from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing to be engaging with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to be discussing these issues.

When you are going to take action on an issue, when you are going to look into such an issue as being addressed here today, it is important to keep in touch with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and to learn from those who have vested interests in housing – in this case in housing, to have the opportunity to speak to them. He learned about the focus of the discussions and he knows that these discussions focused on low-income households and the challenges that people with low incomes face when it comes to housing. He knows about the issues and is learning about the issues of persons with disabilities, and people with complex needs and complex personal needs because they exist throughout our Province, and they can occur to any one of us, Mr. Speaker.

Through his consultations, he tells me he never heard any suggestion that we need a new division. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, this government, as I have spoke about it in this House before, takes a lot of pride in the reduction of red tape and the reduction of the bureaucratic complexities that we have had on the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This government has made great improvements in reducing the red tape on businesses and individuals who need to have contact with the government for one purpose or another and do business with government. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that we do not need more divisions to replace what exists right now. The work is being done. Consultations are taking place and the work is being done. There has been a significant amount of work being done, Mr. Speaker, I say to you.

We know that Newfoundland and Labrador Housing has 5,571 units throughout this Province that they directly own, maintain, and operate. Newfoundland and Labrador Housing tells me 23 per cent of those units are for seniors and pensioners in our Province. That is a significant number, Mr. Speaker. We have programs for seniors such as the Rent Supplement Program. We know that right now there are 1,700 people in Newfoundland and Labrador who have assistance, who find themselves – they are in low-income circumstances and are having assistance from the Rent Supplement Program.

There is the Affordable Housing Program as well that Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation are leading in this Province. These are all programs, and we can go on the list. I know the hon. Minister of Transportation and Works and other members in the House here today have referenced many of these programs that exist in our Province, that are there to help people who have that need.

I have to go back for a few minutes though, to some comments by the Member for The Straits – White Bay North. He talked about the low percentage of rental that is available in the Province today. No doubt, it is a fact, but I ask the hon. member to take some time to think about why that is today. That is today because our economy is booming like it never has before. There is a demand for housing in Newfoundland and Labrador like there has never been before.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member opposite, that there are more job opportunities, there are more career opportunities, there are more employment, good quality jobs available for the people in Newfoundland and Labrador than there ever was before, than ever before.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: We realize that with prosperity comes challenges, and we are committed to continue to work on those challenges and we will do so.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker, right now, we do have an act that deals with the relationship between landlords and tenants, the Residential Tenancies Act. We have a division under Service Newfoundland and Labrador, the Residential Tenancies Division of the department which deals with residential tenancies. Through the process and through the act, it helps to administer the relationship between landlords and the people who rent from landlords. There is a dispute resolution mechanism that exists under the legislation, where the parties who have a difference of opinion on rent, rental increases or other parts of the relationship between the renter and the landlord there is a dispute mechanism resolution.

Also, under the act, it deals with how often an increase can take place. How often a landlord can actually increase the rent of a renter. Those types of relationship matters are contained in our act today. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you we know, and I know it is not perfect. This act has been around now for about twelve years in this Province. I have talked to people who have had to deal with the implications of the act because they have had a difference of opinion with their landlord, or a landlord who has had a difference of opinion with the renter.

I know the challenges that exist today under the piece of legislation that we have. I am looking at that. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, and I can tell the hon. members, I am having a look at the act and I am considering the options of how we can move forward, if there are ways we can make improvements to the act and how do we do that. I tell the members opposite, that in the not-too-distant future I hope to be in a position to give you more details on how we are going to move with that. We realize the act needs to be updated and needs to be looked at because we do that with many pieces of legislation. Many of the pieces of legislation that are before the House this session are pieces of legislation to amend and improve legislation that already exists. We are going to work on that and I will let the members opposite know to stay tuned and in the not-too-distant future you will hear more on that.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to sit down. My time is almost over and the clock is ticking by. I would like to thank all the members this afternoon for speaking to this. I thank the Member for St. John's West for the amendment that he proposed, I think it is a good amendment. I think this turns it into a good resolution that I am sure the entire House can support.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre to close debate.

MS ROGERS: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

It has been good to listen to this debate. I would like to thank everybody who has taken part and who have shared their views and their expertise and experience. It has been very enlightening.

In conclusion, I think it is undeniable that we do have a housing problem in our Province. It is one that affects different people in different ways. Regardless of how many statistics or amounts of money that may be bandied about here in this Chamber today about how much money government has committed to this program or how much money government has committed to that program, we still have a very serious problem because we hear it from the people in our districts. We hear it from the people either who call us, who call our constituency assistants, or call us directly who are having problems.

We have people living in fear, some of our most vulnerable people. We have people living in fear when, in fact, the future in general is looking so good for us as a Province. This is not fear mongering. This is simply talking about the reality of many people's lives, and when one is unsure about the future of their living accommodations that is very difficult. In order for us to be able to move forward it is essential that we address current problems, not only the current problems but the growing problems that we see on the horizon that will escalate without certain types of intervention.

In the past, we have had a well functioning housing market, but that is not the case now for many. For a growing number of people, the cost of housing is accelerating faster than income factors. The types of housing that is required by a changing demographic is not being kept up to in terms of the demand. The unfettered housing market is not necessarily responding to those specific and clearly identifiable needs. Perhaps now more than ever in our history, I believe that we do need a division of housing in government. It is essential that government intervene and take a leadership role.

This is not about Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and whether or not they are doing a good job. The people in that corporation – today it has almost been a love-in, in terms of the staff at the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. The people there are working really hard. We know about the volunteer work that many of them do as well. They are working hard and they have developed some very good programs that respond to some of the needs, but do not respond to all of the needs, the growing needs that come as a result of the success of our economy and where it is going.

So, this is bigger; this is bigger than the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation. This is bigger than social housing, because the availability of a large number of social housing rental dwellings is not necessarily an indication of a successful social housing policy. As a matter of fact, in some ways, social housing and rental housing can be a poverty trap, unless there are programs and services in place to help people graduate and get beyond just the rental of social housing. We want people to be able to have independence. We want people to be able to accumulate family wealth through building up equity in their housing. This is about the future and the management of our resources and the well-being of our people. It is not about Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. It is not only about social housing. It is about our future and the management of our resources.

To add a policy analyst at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation is a good thing, and is a necessary thing, but that is not enough. Every consultation that the government has done on housing, the people that they have partnerships with talk about the very serious problems that face us in the Province around our housing areas; again, there are programs that address some of those issues, but they are not comprehensive enough. They are all oversubscribed because of the great need that is out there.

Government has taken ownership of this problem, but has to take a step further in taking ownership of this problem. The way to do that is with a division of housing where there is comprehensive research, comprehensive assessment, and comprehensive policy; where there is coordination of government departments, services, and programs; and where a housing lens is applied to every decision, policy development, and implementation in relevant departments that would affect the housing of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Seniors' Secretariat, resource development, Corrections, Health and Community Services – government taking leadership in coordinating all that and working with municipalities and community groups, as they do now, but in a more legislative way and in a more concrete way, and working with housing groups, advocates, and housing developers to be able to work in partnerships. We need programs that ensure everyone has housing despite the volatile housing market.

The whole issue of the management of our public lands and our surplus buildings is a complex and challenging task: the complex, challenging task of managing our Crown land. As we see this rapid development – what we are seeing right now, and we all know and we can celebrate it, is the rapid resource development that is happening in our Province at such an accelerated rate. If we do not intervene on a policy level to plan clearly for it, we are going to be in trouble. We see some of that trouble looming on the horizon.

We need a creative and comprehensive strategy for adaptive reuse of provincial properties. We need more creative and comprehensive strategies and policies around energy efficiency incentives, not just for people on low and moderate income, but for all people and for every household in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have to work with municipalities in this area. There has to be incentives for developers to build housing that is appropriate for different types of housing needs.

Calling for a division of housing is not adding another level of bothersome bureaucracy. However, a division of housing would be responsible for developing a policy framework, an entire framework that works across all departments to look at housing needs, current housing needs and in the future. It is from that policy framework that effective, comprehensive strategies can be developed in order to help keep people in their homes, whether it be new programs and solutions. The problems that we are dealing with and the problems that are on the horizon are very much new problems to us now because of the success of the new large-scale developments that are happening all over the Province. They are new problems that require new creative and innovative solutions.

We need more leadership from government. The assistance for home ownership is a wonderful program; however, again this is not about just social housing. This is about also helping to get people out of the poverty cycle of social housing. This is about management of our resources, it is about reuse of buildings, and it is about how we use our land, our land which is being gobbled up quickly. There are some very important pieces of land in strategic places across the Province right now that would be key to answering some of the housing needs of our communities. This is about policies that have long-range strategies. It is about housing strategies that help make people independent so that they can have home ownership, that they can build for their futures. As we go forward in this time of prosperity, in this time of new development in our Province, our challenges become greater because there are new challenges for us.

The future does look good, as many of us know that, and the challenges are great. I am not sure why at this point when the challenges are so great, when there are such new challenges, when there are new problems facing us, that there would be opposition to a division of housing that would, in fact, be able to more comprehensively assess those challenges and create solutions that would fit. A division of housing that would have the mandate to do that, a legislative mandate, a clear mandate to deal with the wide gambit of housing issues.

This is about government taking leadership. It is about developing programs to help people become independent through policy, strategizing, and developing programs that reach far beyond the social housing sphere. It is about making sure that all people in Newfoundland and Labrador are adequately housed, which is something that every one of us here in this House want. The minister says that he has a ministerial and deputy ministerial committee looking at the overall issues of housing for the Province. That is a good thing. I would love to see a report from these committees and to see the plans that they have for the overall housing issues for the future of the Province, and how they will face some of these great problems.

I believe that now more than ever we need a division of housing, and if we had already had a division of housing would we be far ahead of the game now than we are today. Would we not be in a reactive position, but rather you are in a more proactive position planning for these large-scale developments and not be face to face with the huge challenges that we are faced with today with no immediate solutions in sight.

I will support the amendments, but with reservation. To not create a mechanism that officially has a mandate and jurisdiction to handle this very crucial issue of housing for the people of Newfoundland is short-sighted and regrettable. I would leave it at that, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Is the House ready for the question?

AN HON. MEMBER: Ready, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Shall the amendment proposed by the Member for St. John's West carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

On motion, amendment carried.

MR. SPEAKER: Shall the resolution, as amended, carry?

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

On motion resolution, as amended, carried.

This being Wednesday, and in accordance with Standing Order 9, the House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, at 1:30 o'clock.