May
5, 2016
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVIII No. 23
The
House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Osborne):
Order, please!
Admit strangers.
Statements by
Members
MR. SPEAKER:
For Members' statements
today we have the Members for the District of Burin Grand Bank, Terra
Nova, Topsail Paradise, Mount Pearl North, Bonavista, and Placentia St.
Mary's.
The
hon. the Member for Burin Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise today to recognize a youth organization that truly makes a difference
in the lives of young men and women. The Canadian Cadet Movement, with its
Sea, Air, and Army elements, provides 12 to 18 year olds with a wealth of
skills from rigging sail boats, to flying gliders, to wilderness training.
However, the most practical skills are much more intrinsic. Cadets learn
leadership, teamwork, responsibility, the importance of volunteerism and so
many more all skills that help shape character to last a lifetime.
In
my District of Burin Grand Bank, there are six Sea Cadets Corps, Mr.
Speaker; five of which I was asked to be the reviewing officer. As reviewing
officer, I was struck by the commitment and hard work demonstrated by the
cadets. None of this would be possible without the dedication of the
officers and volunteers.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in recognizing the cadets and officers
of the many corps and squadrons that serve Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
the District of Terra Nova.
MR. HOLLOWAY:
Mr. Speaker, the
Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is celebrating its 30th anniversary of
providing wishes to children who are experiencing a life-changing illness.
In
2015, the Children's Wish Newfoundland and Labrador granted 41 wishes at an
average cost of $10,000. The foundation is currently working on a further
127 wishes for 2016. Since 1984, the foundation has granted wishes to over
25,000 children; 800 of which have been granted right here in this province.
Ms.
Edie Newton, director of Newfoundland and Labrador chapter says, When
Children's Wish grants a wish, we make a difference by generating hope, joy,
healing and bring futures for children and for our community.
I
wish to also recognize Ms. Karen Feltham from Glovertown who was one out of
12 volunteers nominated for the Laura Cole National Volunteer Award for
2016; an award given to those who have given above and beyond to the benefit
of wish children provincially, nationally and internationally. Ms. Feltham
is also the recipient of the 2016 Volunteer of the Year Award for
Newfoundland and Labrador.
I
commend the Children's Wish Foundation for their great work and I ask all
Members to join in congratulating Ms. Feltham for this special recognition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Topsail Paradise.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In
2015, the T'Railway in Conception Bay South was nominated as one of the
Great Places in Canada by the Canadian Institute of Planners. There are
nearly 900 kilometres of abandoned rail bed that provides the basis for a
trail link between Port aux Basques on the West Coast and St. John's on the
easternmost edge of the Island.
The
Conception Bay South T'Railway spans 18 kilometres of this former rail bed,
forming a continuous, non-motorized destination trail in the community. It's
a coastal extension of the Grand Concourse trail system and will soon link
into 135-kilometre network of world-class urban walkways and cycling trails
in the City of St. John's, the City of Mount Pearl and the Town of Paradise.
The
T'Railway links together nine historic rural communities, starting at Spruce
Hill Road in the east and continues westward through Conception Bay South
and brings users into the heart of the community. It's completely accessible
for users of all ages, mobility levels and used every day, all year long, by
countless enthusiasts.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask Members of the House to join me in congratulating Conception
Bay South T'Railway on being nominated as one of the Greatest Places in
Canada.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise in this hon. House today to recognize educators in our communities and
acknowledge one of many teachers that impacted my education, Mr. Gerard
Walsh. Mr. Walsh has taught in Mount Pearl for over three decades and I was
fortunate to be one of his students at St. Peter's.
While he now teaches junior high Social Studies, for many years, he led the
school band programs. He introduced me to music, and my time in the band
program with Mr. Walsh had a profound impact on my development and on my
life. He provided us with confidence and encouragement to continue following
our passions.
I
learned so much from Mr. Walsh. He was an amazing mentor, role model and
friend. I recall how much he loved his profession and how much he loved the
students, and we loved him. Several of my former classmates have gone on to
pursue careers in music, and Mr. Walsh's guidance and inspiration, no doubt,
played a major role in that.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask all Members of this House to join me in not only recognizing
Mr. Walsh for his outstanding teaching abilities and continued service as an
educator, but also the other 6,000 teachers in the province. I thank them
for everything they do for our young people.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Bonavista.
MR. KING:
Mr. Speaker, I'm honoured
to stand here today to recognize the 130th anniversary of the Bonavista and
the 120th anniversary of the Islandview Citadels of the Salvation Army.
The
Bonavista Citadel held their celebrations on March 12 with a wonderful roast
beef dinner, a slide show with pictures from their 130-year history,
bringing back fond memories to all. As well, there were speeches and
presentations, including a special address from MP Judy Foote.
The
Islandview Citadel, which is located in Musgravetown, held their celebration
on April 9 with a delicious roast beef dinner, followed by a church service.
This service saw many excellent performances with many smiling faces as
speakers recounted stories of the past.
I
know first-hand of the great work that the Salvation Army does in the
District of Bonavista, just as all Members present here today know from
their own experiences in their districts. This includes supporting those in
need, being there when disaster hits and providing spiritual guidance.
I
ask all hon. Members to join me in congratulating the Bonavista and
Islandview Citadels on their milestone anniversaries. May they celebrate
many more years of doing God's work.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
It's my understanding the
Member for Placentia St. Mary's has leave of the House to present a
The
hon. the Member for Placentia St. Mary's.
MS. GAMBIN-WALSH:
I rise today, Mr.
Speaker, to pay tribute to a brave young man with roots in St. Bride's and
Placentia. Connor McGrath recently passed away in Edmonton after a
courageous battle with leukemia. He was just 13 years old.
Connor's family and friends describe him as bright, full of life and very,
very funny. His strong spirit reached far beyond his Edmonton home. Connor's
story captured the imagination of many around the world, including actor
Ryan Reynolds, who visited Connor in hospital through the Make-A-Wish
Foundation. Connor described himself as the world's biggest fan of
Deadpool, the superhero Reynolds
portrayed in a recent blockbuster film.
Reynolds fulfilled Connor's wish by giving him a private, advanced screening
of the movie in February. They stayed in touch through text messages and a
second visit from Ryan Reynolds delighted Connor.
I am
pleased to see my colleagues here in the House of Assembly wearing orange or
an orange ribbon in honour of Connor today; orange was his favourite colour.
I
ask all hon. Members to join me in celebrating the life of Connor McGrath
and extend condolences to his family and friends.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
The Commemoration
of the First World War and the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel
MR. SPEAKER:
For Honour 100 today we
have the Member for the District of Grand Falls-Windsor Buchans.
MR. HAWKINS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
will now read into the record the following 40 names of those who lost their
lives in the First World War in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, the Royal
Newfoundland Naval Reserve and the Newfoundland Mercantile Marine. This will
be followed by a moment of silence.
Lest
we forget: William Edward Leshana, Joseph Leudy, Cebos Lewis, Charles Lewis,
Gordon C. Lewis, John T. Lewis, Philip Lewis, Arthur Licence, Harold
Lidstone, Augustus Lilly, William John Lilly, Francis Thomas Lind, Daniel
Linehan, Roland Linfield, James Hampton Little, Redvers Little, Adolphus
Locke, Samuel Thomas Lodge, Frederick William Lucas, Henry Luff, Samuel
Luff, Henry George Luffman, George Lukins, John Lukins, Herbert G. Luscombe,
Thomas Lynch, Allan Lyons, John P. MacDonnel, Alexander MacDougall, Andrew
Joseph MacKay, Michael Joseph MacKay, Stuart MacKay, Walter H. MacKay, Neil
Charles MacLeod, Richard Joseph Maddigan, William Maddock, John Thomas
Maddox, George Albert Madore, James Albert Mahaney, Malcolm Cyril Mahaney.
(Moment of silence.)
MR. SPEAKER:
Please be seated.
Statements by Ministers.
Statements by
Ministers
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise today in this hon. House to congratulate Johannes Lampe on becoming the
President of Nunatsiavut. Yesterday, Mr. Lampe was sworn in.
Mr.
Lampe has a wealth of experience to bring to his role as a former Minister
of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and an Ordinary Member for Nain in the
Nunatsiavut Assembly. He also is a well-respected elder from Nain.
Our
government is looking forward to a productive and open dialogue with
President Lampe as he assumes his new role.
As
Premier and Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, I will play a
leadership role as our government works collaboratively with the province's
Aboriginal people to ensure our programs and our services are reflective of
their needs.
At
this time I would also thank past President Sarah Leo for her passion, her
efforts and dedicated public service. I want to thank her very much and I
did call her just a couple of days ago to wish her well into the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
thank the Premier for an advance copy of his statement. On behalf of the
Official Opposition, I would like to extend congratulations to Johannes
Lampe on becoming the president of Nunatsiavut and on being sworn in
yesterday. I look forward to working with Mr. Lampe and all Aboriginal
leaders over the next several years.
Mr.
Lampe has had a long history of serving the Labrador Inuit. Originally from
Nain, Mr. Lampe is a community elder who has served as the representative
for Nain, and also was Minister of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
Mr.
Speaker, I would also like to thank Ms. Sarah Leo for serving in her role as
president since 2012.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I,
too, thank the Premier for the advance copy of his statement. I'm pleased to
join with the Premier in congratulating Mr. Lampe and in recognizing the
wealth of experience he brings to his new role as he follows in the
footsteps of the able President Sarah Leo.
I
say to the Premier, the Nunatsiavut Government has not always enjoyed a
productive and open dialogue with government in this province, so I
encourage the Premier to put his words into action by ensuring
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
he works with the new
president in dealing with the serious issue of methylmercury in Lake
Melville.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
The
hon. the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, I rise in
this House to extend my heartiest congratulations to the staff and students
at Queen's College on its 175th anniversary in this province.
I
had the pleasure today of signing a proclamation with the Dean of Theology,
Rev. Dr. David Bell, to mark the beginning of a week of activities to
recognize this momentous occasion.
As
many of my hon. colleagues in this House know, Queen's College was founded
as a Church of England theological college in 1841. Over the years, the
college has welcomed other denominations into their programs and today is
recognized as an institution that is committed to academic excellence and
spiritual growth.
Mr.
Speaker, next week the college will confer for the very first time, the
degree of Master of Theology (Pentecostal Studies) and in 2017, they will
celebrate the first graduates of the Diploma in Theology and Ministry (Roman
Catholic Studies).
As
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, I'm very proud to say the
provincial government values Queen's College. We are committed to
post-secondary education and ensuring that students have the knowledge and
skills required to be leaders of tomorrow.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. On behalf of the
Official Opposition, I would like to extend congratulations to Rev. Dr.
David Bell, the staff, students, faculty and alumni of Queen's College. The
175th anniversary is a true milestone in this college's legacy and is a
testament to the college's academic and spiritual commitment.
Mr.
Speaker, over the history of Queen's College, it has joined Memorial
University and has grown its program offerings. I would like to take a
moment to reference the students of Memorial University. It is our hope that
the students from Memorial University will continue to pursue their academic
studies and fulfill their bright future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I,
too, thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. I'm very
pleased to rise and congratulate Queen's College on their astonishing 175
years providing theological teaching to the people of this province,
and branching out in recent times to not just students of the Anglican
church, but entering into the Roman Catholic studies as well.
It's
hard to think of many institutions who can claim 175 years of service in
this or any other part of Canada. I congratulate the current staff who
continue to do the wonderful work that they've been doing.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
The
hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.
MR. TRIMPER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
rise today to report that the launch of the Provincial Parks Campsite
Reservation Service over three days last week was a resounding success.
In
fact, Mr. Speaker, it took less than one minute for the seasonal sites at
Butter Pot and La Manche to be sold out, and the seasonal sites at Barachois
Pond and Frenchman's Cove also sold out within minutes. Clearly, our
residents are eager to get outdoors and spend their summer enjoying
provincial park campgrounds and the natural beauty of our province.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm also happy to report that many people are taking advantage of
the convenience and efficiency of booking short-term reservations through
the online system at
www.nlcamping.ca
and that there is still availability at parks across the province.
Mr.
Speaker, the 13 provincial campgrounds are an important and valuable
component of the provincial tourism industry. We look forward to welcoming
not only local residents, but also visitors from across the country and
around the world again this camping season.
I
invite all of my colleagues here in this hon. House to join me in spreading
the word about these opportunities to experience our province's incredible
natural heritage. If I may, I'd also like to put a kudo out to Mr. Geoff
Bailey. He's the manager for the Parks and Natural Areas Division. Together,
with his team, they oversaw this amazing accomplishment.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I'm glad, too, that
our residents have already booked their sites for the upcoming year. It's
good to see, to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
I
will note, though, as a result of the budget the increase in fees it is
probably going to ride you an extra $400 for a seasonal camping site this
year, which is going to have a negative impact on the middle and working
classes.
I
will add to the minister's comment about the staff, they do a great job. I
also want to point that out.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. Our provincial
parks are absolute treasures belonging to the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador. They are significant natural areas and several contain delicate
ecosystems, housing rare and at-risk species.
The
previous government privatized several of our parks and planned to sell 47
of them. It is imperative this government not sell any of our park lands.
They rightfully belong to the people of the province. Once gone, there is no
getting them back.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
Bravo to those caring for
our wonderful parks. I look forward to my summer camping.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Question Period.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I understand the president of the Canadian Bar Association
Newfoundland & Labrador Branch has written the minister, following the
announcement of the closures of courts in Grand Bank, Grand Falls-Windsor,
Harbour Grace-Carbonear and Wabush in Western Labrador. Those who practise
family law are particularly concerned.
I
ask the minister: Are you concerned your actions will add additional stress
to women and children who need access to the justice system?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Justice and Public Safety.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I
certainly did receive a letter from Mr. Scruton with the Canadian Bar
Association, which I certainly expected, because his job as the local
president of the Canadian Bar Association is to be in correspondence with me
with issues that affect the members of the bar in this province. I've
already had meetings with Mr. Scruton as well.
These were actions that certainly weren't taken lightly; actions that when
you are thinking about things like access to justice, you always have to be
concerned. What I will say is that in many cases, the increased commute that
may be faced by certain people is actually less than that which is already
faced by many people in this province.
Again, we will continue to work with the judiciary and court administration
and any individual that's concerned to ensure that we minimize any
disruption.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
ask the minister: Who did you consult with before deciding to close these
courts? Was the Canadian Bar Association consulted specifically on the
closure of these courts?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Justice and Public Safety.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
This
was a decision that was discussed with a number of individuals; however, I
did not discuss this with the president of the Canadian Bar Association.
This
was a precedent that was followed by the previous administration, which
consulted with nobody when they closed courts over the last number of years.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So
you only consulted internally, I think, is what he is saying. But he can
explain that further at any time that he wishes.
Mr.
Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of Health: How many people availed of
the Adult Dental Program last year?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much for
the question.
Mr.
Speaker, I will get that number for the next sitting and report it in
answers on that occasion; I don't happen to have it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
appreciate that, Mr. Speaker, but maybe the minister is aware then, what is
the number of people who will not be able to access the service this year
compared to last year as a result of the budget cuts? I'm sure he must have
done the analysis and he'd have that information.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
My
understanding of the dental plan coverage going forward is that there are
currently 1,600 people left in the system from last year. They will be
accommodated and we hope to clear the backlog left by the previous process,
which really wasn't much of a process at all.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, so there are
a number of people that applied last year and didn't get the service, a
service that is now eliminated. Instead of being improved upon, if there
were issues, it is now been eliminated. I know that during the debate and
discussions when this new program was developed that Members opposite, who
were in Opposition at the time, clearly talked about the importance to
people's health and how this would benefit their health.
I
ask the minister: What will be the impacts overall on the health of people
who can no longer access this service?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
The
people on the current Foundation Plan, to which there has been no change,
will still have access to the dental program. As regards to his other
question in terms of the general health of the teeth of the population, we
are working with the dental association and currently the situation as
regards to the adult program is confined to the Foundation Plan.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of
the Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, I think we were all in agreement back when this was being discussed in
the House in the past, the Liberals when they were in Opposition, us in
government, that improving people's oral health and dental health improves
their own general health and well-being.
My
question to the minister is: If people can't access dental health, and many
won't be able to access dental health now that the coverage has been
discontinued, what will be the impacts on their own general health and
well-being?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
The
Adult Dental plan in its previous iteration was introduced at a time of
plenty. That time has long since passed. Opportunities for investment in
health at that stage have disappeared. The money has vanished. On a
go-forward basis we have taken a decision, a difficult one but a necessary
one, to streamline adult dental care in line with other jurisdictions.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Mr. Speaker, I trust that
the minister will provide that information at the earliest opportunity. The
Pharmacists' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as many
community groups, are questioning the government's decision to make changes
to the Prescription Drug Program. They weren't consulted.
Can
the minister provide for this House a list of the drugs no longer covered
under the Prescription Drug Program. Can he explain what the impact will be
on seniors and on low-income individuals?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Certainly, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much for the question. The changes to the Prescription Drug
Program under the NLPDP are again taken in line with those from other
jurisdictions. We have had a very generous plan.
Specifically to the Member's question about a list of medications that will
no longer be covered under the over-the-counter arrangement, I'd be happy to
provide that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Mr. Speaker, people
living in personal care homes in this province used to have coverage for all
their medications. This has now been stripped from them. They only receive
$150 monthly for personal use. Many won't be able to afford the drugs they
need. Doctors will be forced to prescribe alternatives.
I
ask the minister: How will this result in any real savings to the system?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
The
comments about folk in long-term care being stripped of their drugs are
somewhat hyperbole. That is not the case. There has been some adjustment to
over-the-counter medications in line with other jurisdictions. That is
entirely consistent with practices in other provinces.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Mr. Speaker, Aspirin,
pain medications, various vitamin supplements, creams and ointments, the
list goes on and on; over-the-counter medications that were once covered are
now the full responsibility of seniors and low-income individuals. The
minister knows full well that this will be impossible for some people and
the result will be medications not being taken.
I
ask the minister: What do you have to say to seniors and low-income families
who will no longer be able to get over-the-counter medications they require?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Again, Mr. Speaker, thank
you for the question.
The
premise on which that question is based is actually inaccurate. The bottom
line is that medically necessary drugs will be available to people in
long-term care, have always been available to long-term care. That will not
change.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
MR. KENT:
Mr. Speaker, perhaps
they're upset because they don't want to hear the truth. It's right in the
budget documents: Remove the NL Provincial Drug Program coverage for over
the counter drugs/services
. We're not talking about long-term care homes;
we're talking about personal care homes.
The
hits to the most vulnerable in our province continue. The long-term care
private pay rate will increase by $190 a month on July 1, making the monthly
rate $2,990.
I
ask the minister: What do you have to say to the residents and families who
can't afford this rate hike? Why is this government making so many moves
that hurt our most vulnerable people in Newfoundland and Labrador?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much for
the question, Mr. Speaker.
In
1986 the rate for care was $1,510. It represented 70 per cent of the cost of
a long-term care bed. It was last altered in 1996 and has not changed since
then. The $190 increment this year is an increase in line with the Canadian
price index and brings the cost of a long-term care bed to 30 per cent of
cost recovery. The average cost is $10,000 per month, the payment is $2,990.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On
classroom cap size, can the minister confirm that under certain
circumstances additional students can be added to classrooms? Can he confirm
that the number of students in an elementary classroom in September could be
as high as 30 or more?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, the size of
classrooms in schools is determined on an individual school-by-school,
class-by-class basis. That is the nature of the teacher allocation formula.
The
teacher allocation information has been provided to the Newfoundland and
Labrador English School District and the French school district. They are in
the process now of deploying those teaching units across the system.
Where there are instances where the number of students doesn't exactly fit
the cap, administrators will make determinations as to whether or not it is
to the benefit of students to be placed in a certain classroom or not. It's
not as clear cut as the Member suggests. I suggest he read up on it a bit.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thirty or more elementary children in a classroom will compromise access to
education.
I
ask the minister: Yes or no, will there be classrooms in September that
could have 30 or more children cramped in one classroom? Yes or no, Mr.
Minister?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, there's not
a whole lot of difference between the soft class size cap that we have now,
between that and the soft class size cap that the previous administration
presided over for a period of 12 years. It's highly interesting that I hear
this Member talking about that because for the entire time he sat over on
this side of the House there was not a single murmur from Members opposite
when they were increasing the class size as to that was somehow detrimental
to student achievement.
Class size caps aren't a solution to all problems in our schools and that's
why we have added special education teachers this year. We have added
student assisted time. We have not touched specialist positions at all,
unlike the Members opposite who cut that down to the bone.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Mr. Speaker, I remind the
minister, it was this administration that invested more into schools
systems, in new schools, in reducing cap size and in special services to the
students of this province.
I
ask the minister: Did you consult with the NLTA before you made cuts to
education?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. BRAZIL:
Did you consult with
anyone for that matter?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, we did the
same sort of consultation on this budget that the previous administration
did on all the budgets that they produced.
He
says they put more funding into et cetera, et cetera. Over the course of
three budget cycles in just two years that administration cut 238 positons
from the school system and they claimed that that would not cause a single
iota of hardship for anyone by doing it.
I
know there are challenges in the school system as a result of the changes
that have been made this year. I'm not going to stand here and deny it like
all of the Progressive Conservative predecessors who sat here did.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
So, obviously, the
minister didn't consult the NLTA.
I'll
ask once again: Will there be 30 or more elementary children cramped into
some school classrooms?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, as I tried
to explain before, I don't think the Member was listening to what I was
saying. The teacher allocation formula has been the information has been
transmitted to schools. We are currently in the process of deploying the
districts are currently in the processing of deploying those resources.
I
have not seen any indication at all, at this point, come across my desk that
what the Member is suggesting is going to happen. He can fear monger all he
wants. Schools do the best they can with the resources they are provided.
They will do that this September as they did in all the years the previous
administration was there.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Obviously, with the
minister's answer there, he hasn't consulted with anybody. I think he should
go out and talk to some of the administrators because that's the fear that's
out there right now, when they're trying to crunch their numbers.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. BRAZIL:
I ask the minister: How
will combined-grade classrooms be determined? A random draw? Left to
principals and teachers? Will parents have a say this time?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, the
combined-grades initiative is basically adopting a practice that's in place
in many other provinces in Canada and schools all around the world. It's an
attempt to more efficiently make use of the few resources we have. They have
been vastly diminished as a result of the damage that was done to the
Treasury by the previous administration.
As
the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District has pointed out, they
will be providing guidelines for administrators for making those sorts of
determinations; but unlike the Members opposite, from what I've been hearing
the past few days, we support the principle of inclusive education. We
continue to uphold that value in our school system. That's how all of the
classes in our schools are going to be determined. We're not going to be
basing it on Member's notion of good students and those with needs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, obviously, multigrade classrooms are offered in smaller schools with
declining enrollment. In larger schools, with an increased enrolment, there
are some challenges here. That's been said to us by administrations. It's
been said by members for the NLTA and being said by parents.
Again, I ask the minister: What are you doing to ensure teachers will have
training to move into multigrade classrooms?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, currently
prior to the implementation of the combined-grades initiative there are
172 multigrade classrooms across this province. So I don't know what the
Member is suggesting about the nature of those multigrade classrooms and
those teachers. I want to make that straight first.
I
was on Cross Talk today with the
president of the NLTA. We had a good debate about this issue. I've made it
very clear that we'll have a comprehensive learning program in place, a
training program, for professional development for teachers. Teachers will
get professional development on this.
Many
of our teachers already have professional development in the area of
differentiated instructed which is highly important in this area. Also, many
of them have experience in multigrade classrooms because we have had
hundreds of them for years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Obviously, it is evident that what this is here is just an exercise in
meeting their budget needs and their budget cuts at the expense of education
in this province, Mr. Speaker. It's shameful.
I
ask the minister: Will you meet with schools, teachers and administrators
who have many questions about how choices will impact their school children?
You've had one conversation with the NLTA. Will you meet with the other
stakeholders?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, as I have
since I was appointed these ministerial duties, I'll continue to meet with
stakeholder groups. I've met with practically all of them since I took this
position.
It's
interesting, after I was on Cross Talk
today, as I was on the way back, I very quickly got an email from the former
president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
saying I don't agree with some of the things in the budget, but I certainly
support multigrading and I know that it works. I have experience with it. So
the former president of his party agrees with it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, 30 schools in 17 communities, resulting in 37 fewer bus runs
servicing the students of Newfoundland and Labrador.
I
ask the minister: When will the parents be told what are the impacts of his
new busing plan?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Sorry, Mr. Speaker, I
thought I was up in any case, Mr. Speaker, we have had double bus runs in
this province for some time and we know that does present additional
challenges for parents. The school district is trying to find the best way
to apportion the busing resources that we have. We are investing millions of
dollars in funding into busing because the price of busing has skyrocketed;
it's increasing on an annual basis.
That's the reason why we have double bus runs. That means there will be
earlier pickups in some cases and later drop-offs in the evening in others,
but that's not something that people across this province are unaccustomed
to. That is a practice that has been in place for some, and under the
previous administration, in fact.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, the
question was when will parents be notified about the changes in bus routes
so they can be prepared for it? Is there something where they can go online?
Is there some information out there that they can find so they'll know?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, the Member
opposite is just as capable of calling the Newfoundland and Labrador English
School District to get that information as I am. Parents are getting that
information from the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District as
that information is provided to schools. Parents will have ample time.
What
is it today is May 5; parents will have ample time, ample notification to
know in advance of the school year whether they are impacted in any way by
the double bus runs that are as a result of the skyrocketing costs of
budgeting in this province. That is a simple fact. I can't give the Member
any more information. Parents will be given the information they need in due
course.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Cape St. Francis.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. K. PARSONS:
So I ask the
minister: Will they be consulted or can he name who will be consulted on
these decisions?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Mr. Speaker, parents will
be consulted on the apportionment of busing funds and basically the specific
bus runs, the routes and the schedules. They will be consulted on that
exactly the same way they were consulted on that when the Members over there
sat over here. Exactly the same process for consulting with parents about
school busing will be followed as it was when those Members were over here
for over a decade.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Obviously, Mr.
Speaker, he's not going to consult with anyone.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. K. PARSONS:
You're not going to
consult with anyone.
The
Minister of Finance said that in order for a person to pay an extra thousand
dollars for insurance they would have to have a half a million dollar home,
boats, cars and an RV. Mr. Speaker, I spoke to a family in my district who
have two cars, an average-sized home, with kids that are 17 and 18 living at
home, one in post-secondary education but both of them are driving, that
will cost them an extra thousand dollars for their insurance.
I
ask the Premier: Will you replace the Minister of Finance with someone who
understands how the average family lives in Newfoundland and Labrador?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
really appreciate the opportunity to answer the question. The former
administration, as we all know through many years, had a revolving door of
new ministers in the Department of Finance and many other departments that
we've seen in this government.
What
the Minister of Finance was referring to when she made the comment would be
around someone that would have an insurance bill somewhere in the vicinity
of around $7,000 per year. That's how the number of $1,000 that was the
calculation as was done.
To
your question about replacing the Minister of Finance, no, that is not
something right now that the Minister of Finance this has been a very
difficult budget. She has worked extremely hard. She has been
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
She has been working
extremely hard on behalf of this government with all of us. There is no
intention at all of replacing the Minister of Finance.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
My
question, I ask: Can the minister confirm your government has made a
decision to spend $750,000 this year on a study to build a tunnel to connect
the Great Northern Peninsula to Labrador.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Part
of the budget that we put in place on April 14 part of that was about the
fixed link between Labrador and the Island portion. It's part of getting the
evidence that's required to make the long-term decisions for our province.
This
is connectivity; this is about putting a reliable transportation link that
will include Labrador and the Island portion of the province. As we continue
to develop the Trans-Labrador Highway it only makes sense, and before we
make long-term decisions on how you put in place an appropriate
transportation route, it's important that you get the answers on the fixed
link. Something I would say was used in your election platform back in 2003
at some point and then the information was done but really not widely shared
with anyone.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
guess I found out who to speak to.
I
ask the Premier: In time of fiscal restraint, is this the best time to
choose to spend $750,000 on a study?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The
hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well, it's like this, the fixed link study for connectivity between Labrador
and the Island portion of our province is an important consideration because
we will make important decisions that impact not only the people in Labrador
but indeed people as goods and services are moved into the Island portion of
the province.
It
opens up a significant tourism opportunity in our province, what people
want. They want certainty when they come and want to experience places like
Newfoundland and Labrador. Having that option and getting a good
understanding, number one, of cost and the other impacts it would have on
our province as a whole.
For
the Member opposite simply to say that it is a waste of money to give the
Labrador portion of this province the opportunity to see the advantage of a
fixed link.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The
hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
The
Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development has been promoting
multigrade classrooms as a model that is being used throughout the country.
He fails to talk about the difference between using this model based on
professional teaching principles as opposed to the un-thought out
cost-cutting measures he is imposing.
I
ask the Premier: What is this government's detailed plan for specialized
training that educators identify is needed for the teachers who will be in
these classrooms?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
I'm surprised that the
Member opposite has so little confidence in our teachers' abilities, but I
can say that yes, we have been very clear from the beginning. The combined
grade model which is in place in many provinces in Canada whether you're in
downtown Vancouver or downtown Toronto, or downtown Edmonton or Saint John,
New Brunswick, that same model is being adopted here for the same reason why
it was adopted there, because we have finite resources. We don't have an
endless source of money to provide to the system. We're trying to do the
best we can with our finite resources.
One
thing we will be doing before September, we will be working with those
teachers who will be teaching combined grades to provide them professional
development. That will be before the end of this school year and it will be
available in the next school year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Before I recognize the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi, the level of
noise is getting a little loud.
The
hon. the Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Obviously, the minister hasn't read the vast literature on what it takes to
be a multigrade teacher.
I
further ask the Premier: What are the plans for the additional teaching and
learning resources, such as specialized curriculum, that educators say will
be needed to make multigrade classrooms work successfully?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
As I said yesterday in
Question Period, Mr. Speaker, we've had multigraded classrooms in
Newfoundland and Labrador since the inception of Newfoundland and Labrador.
It's not something that's new to this province.
The
current year, we have 172 multigrade classrooms. What we're talking about
doing now is bringing in combined grades in fewer than 50 schools and fewer
than 60 classrooms. There's no specific multigrade curriculum here in this
province. We have a curriculum for each of the grade levels in this province
and there is a process in place for multigraded classrooms. Multigraded
classrooms are not combined grade classrooms, so we want to separate that
confusion. Combined grades are a form of multigrading but it's not all the
same as the Member would suggest.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
So
my question now is: Has this government factored in the need for additional
teaching assistants to deal with issues of an inclusive classroom which will
be compounded by what professionals say is a more demanding situation in the
multigrade?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. KIRBY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
pleased to say, as I have said a number of times it's unfortunate the
Member didn't hear me say this before because I've said it a number of times
now. There was supposed to be positions eliminated due to declining
enrolment this year. We kept a number of those positions, and 27 new
instructional resource teachers are being provided to work with children
with special education needs.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KIRBY:
In addition to that, we
are providing an additional 115 hours of student assistant time every school
day to support children with special education needs. So we are, yes,
providing additional resources for children with special needs this year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, last night at my town hall seniors talked about wanting to do
their share to help pull us out of this deficit but they said they don't
have an extra penny. The seniors annual benefit increase of $250 merely
offsets cancellation of the Home Heating Rebate and only seniors making
under $16,000 will get an annual Income Supplement of $266, not even
covering the extra taxes, extra fees and hikes. They are dealing with rising
costs of heat, food, transportation and they've lost the Adult Dental
Program and over-the-counter drug program. They are frightened.
I
ask the minister: Will she reinstate the 65-plus dental program and
over-the-counter drug program to help lift our seniors out of poverty?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Mr. Speaker, thank you
very much.
The
Adult Dental Program includes now the Foundation Plan from the NLPDP. It
will continue to do so. That will align quite nicely with other
jurisdictions. Unfortunately, the previous program was put in at a time of
plenty and that has passed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Time for a very quick
question from the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, the
Foundation program wipes out seniors. It's only for people on income
support.
With
so many seniors living in poverty and precariously housed, I ask the
minister: Why hasn't she budgeted for more rent subsidies to help seniors on
the wait-list for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Child, Youth and Family Services.
MS. GAMBIN-WALSH:
Mr. Speaker, we are
presently assessing rent supplements.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Presenting Reports by
Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I
give notice that I will move that the House resolve itself into a Committee
of the Whole to consider a resolution relating to the advancing or
guaranteeing of certain loans made under
the Loan and Guarantee Act, 1957,
Bill 26.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I
give notice, pursuant to Standing Order 11, that this House do not adjourn
at 5:30 o'clock on Monday, May 9.
Further, I give notice, pursuant to Standing Order 11, that this House do
not adjourn at 10 p.m. on Monday, May 9.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of
motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KENT:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker,
for recognizing me in the House this afternoon. I'll read this petition into
the record once again. I've received another petition related to Masonic
Park Nursing Home and people that are very concerned about its upcoming
closure.
To
the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the seniors of our province deserve the greatest level of respect
and care; and
WHEREAS the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has a responsibility to
act in the best interests of seniors; and
WHEREAS the government has decided to shut down Masonic Park Nursing Home
and reduce long-term beds in the region;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to reverse its decision and not bring
undue hardship upon the residents of Masonic Park and find alternative
measures that will allow them to continue to stay at the place they call
home.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I know I've raised this issue in the House multiple times. I've had
an opportunity to meet with the minister about the issue, and I thank him
for that. I've had an opportunity to meet with senior officials at Eastern
Health, and I thank them as well. Unfortunately, government has no intention
of reversing this decision, and there is still time, Mr. Speaker.
In
this day and age, in this region, where we have 60 or 70 people today
waiting for long-term care beds who are tying up hospital beds resulting in
cancelled surgeries and people lying on stretchers in hallways, and backups
in emergency rooms, with all of that happening I don't see how you can
possibly justify reducing the number of long-terms care beds in this region
when we have so much demand that is impacting health care for our entire
population.
Mr.
Speaker, there have also been a number of statements made in response to the
concerns that I've raised that are simply not true. It's been said by the
minister and government that Masonic Park long-term facility is in a state
of disrepair to use the minister's words. It's simply not true.
It
also been said that all residents would just simply move down to Veterans
Pavilion at the Miller Centre; also not true. There isn't enough space at
the Veterans Pavilion at the Miller Centre to accommodate all of the current
residents of Masonic Park long-term care facility.
The
minister has also said and government has said we're not cutting long-term
care beds. Well, that's simply not true. The beds that are going to be
utilized at Veterans Pavilion, there are about 30 or so beds that are going
to be reopened that haven't been opened in the last year or so. They are not
new beds, but they're being reopened, fair enough. But the government is
closing 50.
Reducing long-term care beds right now when there's such a demand is
ridiculous, Mr. Speaker, and it's affecting the families and the residents
that I represent at Masonic Park Nursing Home. I will continue to fight this
decision.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
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 government has one again cut the libraries budget, forcing the
closure of 54 libraries; and
WHEREAS libraries are often the backbone of their communities, especially
for those with little access to government services where they offer
learning opportunities and computer access; and
WHEREAS libraries and librarians are critical in efforts to improve the
province's literacy levels which are among the lowest in Canada; and
WHEREAS already strapped municipalities are not in a position to take over
the operation and cost of libraries;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to keep these libraries open and work
on a long-term plan to strengthen the library system.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm honoured to be able to stand this afternoon and present this
petition on behalf of the signatories that I have in my hand. They identify
a very serious issue that we have 54 libraries being closed mainly in rural
Newfoundland and Labrador libraries that have been in the communities for
generations, libraries which add not just to the improvement of the life of
individuals, but to the life of the communities as well.
This
government, without any analysis, without looking at the impact of closing
these libraries, ignoring the fact we have the highest illiteracy rate in
Canada, ignoring the fact that seniors in the communities where these
libraries are use them on a regular basis and need to use them because of
the policy of having so many registrations, et cetera, now online, because
of doing no analysis of how the schools in these communities also use these
libraries, ignoring the fact that in some cases they are closing schools as
well as closing the libraries, it is unconscionable, Mr. Speaker, what this
government is doing with regard to the libraries in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
We
actually have become ashamed. People across the country are publicly talking
about the fact of what has happened here in this province. They cannot
believe this government, in light of all evidence that shows the role of
libraries and the importance of libraries in people's lives and in literacy,
that they have gone ahead and continue to want to close these libraries.
Mr.
Speaker, I really encourage this government to listen to this petition, to
listen to this prayer and to undo this decision which is in Budget 2016.
They can it's a pittance. It's only $1 million $1 million. Surely the
Minister of Finance and her $20 million and her slush fund can find a
million dollars to go towards keeping these libraries open.
I
put this to you that we have to make sure that these libraries do not close,
that these libraries are kept open.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, to the
hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS policy regulations link snow crab harvesting quotas to length of
vessels; and
WHEREAS many harvesters own fishing vessels of various sizes, but because of
policy regulations are restricted to using smaller vessels, often putting
their crews at risk and in danger; and
WHEREAS the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge the government to make representation to the
federal government to encourage them to change the policy ensuring the
safety of those harvesting snow crab.
Mr.
Speaker, I did this petition last week and I spoke to the minister
afterwards and he was in full agreement with me and he said it is something
that we should be doing because it's a safety issue with
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible) to tell
the truth.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. K. PARSONS:
Pardon me?
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. K. PARSONS:
No, no you are
talking about the wrong thing. I hope he apologizes for that. I'm talking
about the size of vessels and snow crab harvesting.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The
hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Anyway, Mr. Speaker,
this is very important to the fishermen in the province, especially the
people involved in the crab fishery. Again, like I explained last week in
the crab fishery, there are a lot of different vessel sizes that people use
to go catch crab inshore, midshore and offshore. What's happening and we
have seen it in the industry that in the inshore fleet usually a 35-9 size
boat is used for that and midshore it's a little bit larger and the larger
ones go out.
What
happened last year in this province, we saw a tragedy when people went out
to go fish they went out in a 29- or 30-foot boat to catch crab and they
capsized and lost their lives, while they had a larger vessel tied up at the
wharf. We just have to think about our fishermen and what they go out in
every day. We're in the North Atlantic; it's very rough and it can change
from time to time.
Because of a policy that is done by the federal government, not this
government, I'm asking them to lobby their cousins in Ottawa to change this
because it's so important. We're putting people's lives in danger. We're
putting fishermen that are going out on the water and working hard they
always look for a time to go out because of the weather we have. We're here
in the North Atlantic and it can get very, very rough.
I,
myself, don't like out on the water when it's rough, but they're forced to
go out in small boats. There's a simple solution to a lot of it. The
solution is just change the policy so that fishermen can go out in a boat
that's safe to catch what they have to catch.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible).
MR. SPEAKER:
On a petition?
MS. C. BENNETT:
No, a point of order,
Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance and President of Treasury Board on a point of order.
MS. C. BENNETT:
Mr. Speaker, pursuant
to section 49 of the Standing Orders, I would ask the Member for the
District of St. John's East Quidi Vidi to refrain from using the term
slush fund when we're talking about $20 million slush fund when I tabled
in this House yesterday the details, clarification of that $20 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. C. BENNETT:
It's quite offensive,
Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
It's
a disagreement between two hon. Members. Unfortunately, that is not
considered unparliamentary language.
The
hon. the Member for Conception Bay East Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's
an honour to present a petition here related to the budget impacts on Beachy
Cove Elementary.
To
the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents of
Newfoundland and Labrador humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS the current 2016 provincial budget impacts adversely and directly
the education programs of Beachy Cove Elementary in Portugal Cove-St.
Philip's; and
WHEREAS parents request a one-year delay in the implementation of full-day
kindergarten at our school until September 2017 when at such time the new
five to nine middle school in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's will be open; and
WHEREAS the student population of Beachy Cove Elementary is growing
exponentially and the growth is sustainable into the future; and
WHEREAS parents request the reinstatement of the previous teacher allocation
formula for Beachy Cove Elementary for this year and subsequent school years
to service the growth in enrolment and be able to provide all students with
equal opportunities to enrol in French immersion programming;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to reinstate the previous teacher
allocations and delay the implementation of full-day kindergarten in order
to provide the children of Beachy Cove Elementary the right to quality
education.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I had the honour last night of attending the parent reps public
meeting on the issues around education at Beachy Cove, particularly the
impact this budget is going to have on them. The hundreds who attended it
got to a point where the fire department had to come and control who could
get into the building. It was that many people, that many parents who were
concerned in that community about where our education system is going and
particularly the impact it's going to have Beachy Cove.
They've talked about the capacity in the school system. A school that was
built for 400, added on over the last number of years and now has a capacity
of nearly 800 people or 800 will be enrolled. They had issues around the
busing, issues around parking, particularly issues around the teacher
allotments. They also had major issues around blending classrooms, extreme
issues around that, the number of issues that we had talked about today
around teacher training around those areas, how it's going to work, how the
students are going to be selected.
They
had some major issues around the French program being dropped, that kids who
are on a list would not have an opportunity to get into the advanced French
immersion program. No process of who gets into that. Where's the fairness.
Is it picked out of a hat? How is that enhancing our education system?
I
might note, and I should note that the parent reps who put this off did an
extremely professional job. They had a full PowerPoint where they outline
the whole structure of the school system, the allocations of the particular
makeup, what issues around blended schools and that would be about. Their
issue is they're not going to let this die, Mr. Speaker, they're going to be
lobbying, and this petition is phase one in their lobbying to ensure the
changes take place.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
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 the Deficit Reduction Levy is an extremely regressive surtax placing
a higher tax burden on low- and middle-income taxpayers; and
WHEREAS surtaxes are typically levied on the highest income earners only, as
currently demonstrated in other provinces, as well as Australia, Norway, and
other countries; and
WHEREAS government states in the 2016 provincial budget that the personal
income tax schedule needs to be revised and promises to do so;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the
House of Assembly to urge government to ensure that the Deficit Reduction
Levy be eliminated and any replacement measure be based on progressive
taxation principles, and that an independent review of the Newfoundland and
Labrador provincial income tax system begin immediately to make it fairer to
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
And
as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, we have hundreds and hundreds, adding up to thousands of petitions
coming in, people's signatures coming in on this petition. I also have in my
receipt right now a copy of over 18,000 signatures that people did online.
Now some people may say, oh, 18,000 signatures online, that's meaningless,
but most of these people not only signed the petition online, the electronic
petition, they also wrote comments. Some wrote some pretty substantial
comments.
Mr.
Speaker, the people of the province know that this levy is hurting them.
It's hurting people who have prospered, who benefited the least from our
prosperity. That's who it's hurting the most.
I've
said in the House again, if you look at one family where's there are two
income earners, two people in the household making $45,000 each, they end up
paying $600 each for the levy. That means that one little household which
probably has all kinds of bills and they're paying mortgage and child care.
That means $1,200 out of that one little household. Their next door
neighbour who may be making $350,000 is only going to pay $900 if they are
the sole earner in that household. It doesn't work out, Mr. Speaker. It just
doesn't make sense.
Do
you know what? The people of the province know it doesn't make sense. People
have been going on the minister's calculator online and the calculator is
not giving them a real reading on what are the financial stressors, the
additional financial stressors on them because of this.
People don't have a slush fund where they can take money to pay for this
levy. They just don't have that. Most people don't have that extra money,
particularly if they're low-income and middle-income earners. It's a
horrible burden on them.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Before I recognize the
hon. the Government House Leader, all Members of the House have gotten to
know Raylene Mackey. Today is her last day. She's moving on.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
I'm sure as the day goes
on Members will have an opportunity to bid her farewell and wish her well in
her new endeavours.
The
hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, Orders
of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. A. PARSONS:
I call from the Order
Paper, Order 3, third reading of Bill 6.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move,
seconded by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, that Bill 6, An Act
To Amend The Professional Fish Harvesters Act, be now read a third time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded
that Bill 6, the Professional Fish
Harvesters Act, be now read a third time.
Is
it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 6 be read a third
time?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Those against?
Carried.
CLERK:
A bill, An Act To Amend
The Professional Fish Harvesters Act. (Bill 6)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now been
read a third time and it is ordered that Bill 6 do pass and its title be as
on the Order Paper.
On
motion, a bill, An Act To Amend The Professional Fish Harvesters Act, read
a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill
6)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
I
call from the Order Paper, Order 4, third reading of Bill 24.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move,
seconded by the Minister of Education, that Bill 24, An Act Respecting
Insured Medical And Hospital Services In The Province be now read the third
time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded
that Bill 24 be now read a third time.
Is
it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 24 be read a
third time?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. John's East Quidi Vidi.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Just
a point that I would like to make that I have raised in Committee. It had to
do with section 4(f), in particular, and it's about the exceptions to who
may have access to information under this act. I did ask a question as to
why we would put in that information may be given to a person employed by
the government to enforce support orders under the
Support Orders Enforcement Act, 2006.
I got the explanation that this was something that was asked for by the
Attorney General and given the reasons for that. I asked the question of
whether or not this was a practice elsewhere in the country.
The
Attorney General did stand and say that he would seek information to see if
this actually happened in other places in the country. I'm hoping that
perhaps he has an answer for that today because I think it is important. I
still have a real concern about peace officers for the purpose of reporting
a suspected offence if the offence has something to do with health, I can
understand it; but the issue of enforcing support orders under the
Support Orders Enforcement Act, I still do have problems with that
and hope the Attorney General has been able to get an answer to my question.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Yes, certainly I did
get an answer to that and I was trying my best to find it there furiously. I
will endeavour to actually forward that answer to you.
It
is not in legislation across the country but it is done in practice similar
to they're using the information in other jurisdictions when it comes to
they do this, but it's not actually in the legislation. But it is a practice
that is done.
What
I will do is ensure to forward that information to you. I will make sure
that the answer gets to the Member opposite. I don't think it will prevent
passage of this bill. I understand that she has concerns. I can say the
concern being addressed will not change our position on going forward, but I
think she's taking the opportunity to put it on the record. The answer that
I give her, she's certainly free to put on the record as well.
Again, I apologize for not having it here, but I will endeavour to get it to
you today.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is it the pleasure of the
House to proceed and to adopt the motion that Bill 24, An Act Respecting
Insured Medical And Hospital Services In The Province be now read a third
time?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
CLERK:
A bill, An Act Respecting
Insured Medical And Hospital Services In The Province. (Bill 24)
MR. SPEAKER:
Bill 24 has now been read
a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on
the Order Paper.
On
motion, a bill, An Act Respecting Insured Medical And Hospital Services In
The Province, read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the
Order Paper. (Bill 24)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I
would now call from the Order Paper, Motion 1, Budget Speech.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
St. George's Humber.
MR. REID:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's
good to rise today to make a contribution to this budget debate. I've
listened to the other Members who've spoke, with interest, to hear their
various perspectives that have been put forward on this budget. It's
interesting to hear the different perspectives and what people have to say.
We
are a diverse group here in this House, a lot of different backgrounds, a
lot of different experiences that bring us to the House. But there are a few
things that we all have in common here, Mr. Speaker. We all have been
selected by the people in our district. We all went through the same
process, so we're all equal in that respect. I think that's a basis for
mutual respect and understanding as we go forward.
Another thing I think we have in common is that we are all motivated. The
reason we came here was to make a positive contribution to this province, to
make this place better in the future and to make our areas where we were
elected better in the future as well.
So I
think those are some things that we have in common. We have many things that
we differ on, Mr. Speaker, but we have those things in common. With that
mutual respect and with that sort of will to do the right thing, I think
there's much that we can accomplish here in this House as we serve our time
here and serve the people of the province.
So
it's great to rise and make a contribution to the debate. Madam Speaker,
before I begin to get into my comments, I just wanted to sort of, for the
purposes of any viewers at home, give a little summary of what the budget
process is because I think it's important that people understand the budget
process, how it works, what we're actually doing here in the House and
things like that.
First of all, it sort of starts in this House with the Budget Speech on
budget day. Of course, the minister gets up, she reads the speech, and
documents are provided to Members of the House and to the public as well.
But this is sort of like the accumulation of many decision meetings that
lead to the budget and this is the start of the process here in this House.
The
next thing is the budget debate begins here in this House. People bring
forward their views and they speak on the debate. The Opposition usually,
almost always, brings forward a non-confidence motion in the government.
Also to extend the debate, they often bring forward amendments to the
non-confidence motion to give them more opportunities to get up and speak
and to participate in the debate. So it's a tradition that we bring forward
a non-confidence motion that that be debated.
While this is all happening here on the floor of the House, also there are
Estimates Committees that meet in the morning and in the evening. These
Estimates Committees basically outline the expenditures in each department
and how money is allocated to each division within the department. So it's a
very detailed examination of how the money allocated in the budget is
actually spent.
That's the whole process that we're going through now as we debate this
budget. It's important to note as well that the budget itself and, indeed,
any finance legislation is a confidence motion in this House because it's
assumed in Westminster parliamentary democracy that if you can't pass your
financial legislation, then you don't have the confidence of the House. So
it's sort of a very important principle of a parliamentary democracy. So
that's some information about the budget process that we're going through
and how we're doing it, Madam Speaker.
In
my comments on the budget today, I want to start off by giving you some
questions that I intend to address as I speak today. I want to look at what
is the current state of the provincial finances. How did we get to where we
are today and what is the path that led us to where we are now?
Madam Speaker, I want to do this, and not in the sense of a blame game or
any type of political game, but I just want to look at that a little bit in
terms of getting better informed, to get a sense of how we can make better
choices in the future. I also want to discuss some of the choices we are
making here today and how they are limited by the choices that were made in
the past. That's some of the things I want to do in the time I have
available to me today.
Madam Speaker, if we look at our history and the financial state of the
history of this province, even back hundreds of years, the history of
finances in Newfoundland and Labrador, it's never been bright. It's never
been a rosy picture. We've been primarily dependent on one staple economy in
our early years, the fishery. Our economy was sort of determined by the ups
and downs of the fishing industry and international markets. So we have a
history of dependence on one staple economy.
Back
in the 1930s, when we were an independent country, we came very close to
actually going bankrupt. So we've had a history of rough financial times in
the past. We have a number of challenges as a province. We have a sparse
population over a huge geographic area. Our settlement patterns in this
province were determined hundreds of years ago as people settled in various
locations to pursue the fishery and that has had many consequences on the
cost of delivery of government services in our province. It's the way
population patterns arose, Madam Speaker.
For
example, we have less than 500,000 people spread over a space that is three
times as big as the three Atlantic Provinces put together, Mr. Speaker
Madam Speaker. Sorry, it's going to take a while for me to get used to Madam
Speaker, but I will.
It's
a very difficult problem. We have a small population spread over a huge
area. On top of this, we're faced with harsh climatic conditions, harsh
geography that makes it difficult to build roads. It makes it difficult for
us to move around to do other things, provide other government services.
To
summarize, it costs us more to provide roads, transportation facilities, to
deliver health care and education and other government services, Madam
Speaker. Some economists have gone so far as to say we're an ungovernable
place. We're a place where it's difficult to provide services.
Madam Speaker, this geography and this climate has played a big part in
shaping us as a people, who we are as a people. These difficulties we face
have shaped us in many ways. Very few places do you have people who are as
emotionally connected and socially connected as people in Newfoundland and
Labrador are connected to the place where we live. These realities have made
us a tough and resilient people, and determined to survive in this
environment.
To
get back to the finances of the province, the potential of oil and gas was
believed to change this dependency from one commodity. It was billed in the
early days as something that would solve all the problems we faced and make
everything right.
Now,
just a little bit about oil exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador. First
oil exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador started under Smallwood in the
1960s. Right from the beginning, jurisdiction was an issue, Madam Speaker.
Smallwood, in his flamboyant fashion maybe, the one thing he did to make
Newfoundland's point was he hired some divers to take a Newfoundland flag
and place it in the seabed off our coast to demonstrate and to claim this
territory as Newfoundland territory. So it's interesting to see.
The
first well was drilled in 1966. In the 1970s more wells were drilled with
the assistance of the PIP program, tax incentives from the federal
government. Hibernia was discovered in 1979. That was the sort of time when
optimism started to rise in this province.
We
can all remember the famous words of Brian Peckford: Some day the sun will
shine and have not will be no more. But to give former Premier Peckford his
due, he was very instrumental in putting in place the Atlantic Accord which
benefitted this province in many ways.
The
mood of the province with the discovery of Hibernia, which was eventually
developed, some stops and goes in terms of the challenges that the
government of the day faced as Hibernia was being developed. It was the
beginning of the oil industry in this province.
The
history of our management of the oil industry in this province is not such a
happy story, Madam Speaker. If we look at some of the warnings of the
management of our oil resources, there are many warnings that there were
problems in the way our oil revenue was being managed during the time of
peak oil and top oil prices.
The
AGs reports over this period, Madam Speaker, demonstrate problems with the
way we as a province managed this oil revenue. In 2012, the Auditor General
issued several warnings. The AG talked about growing the economy between the
rich and the poor and also between regions of the province. He noted there
was very little diversification in the province and the economy away from
the energy sector, the over dependence upon the energy sector, Madam
Speaker, and also our overall reliance on oil.
Madam Speaker, here's a quote from the AG's report: Given its lack of
control over the factors that impact oil royalties, and its increasing
reliance on this revenue source, Government has to carefully consider the
degree to which it can rely on this revenue source to fund its programs and
services in the future. That's a clear warning from the Auditor General.
The person who sort of critiques the government finances and how government
spends money, the independent AG's office, that's the comments the AG was
making at that time.
Madam Speaker, that wasn't in isolation. Other people, other commentators
and journalists were making comments about the growing size of the civil
service, about the spending spree that was happening. That was also evident
at that time.
Also, if an examination of the experiences of other jurisdictions that had
discovered oil was done, it would have shown that in many cases places that
have won the resource lottery often end up worse off than places that didn't
discover oil, Madam Speaker. So if we had to have managed that $20 billion
to $30 billion we were getting from oil revenue better, we would have a much
different story today, a much different budget today than we do. That's an
important point.
I
think we still have time to get this right, Madam Speaker. We still have
time to change the way we manage our resource revenue. We still have a lot
of potential in oil and gas off our coast. We've had some new discoveries;
we also have many areas that are still untouched in terms of exploration.
I'm confident we will get a second chance. We'll get another chance to do it
right if we learn from the mistakes we made in the past.
Madam Speaker, I've had an opportunity to talk to many people from my
district about some of the provisions that are in the budget. I've talked to
people by phone, by email, on Facebook, met them in their homes, went to
rallies related to the budget and talked to people individually. I want to
thank the people who've contacted me. I want to thank the organizers for
various events.
I
think it's important to have that type of dialogue in our province about
where we're going in the future, and to be able to bring those concerns to
our caucus table. That's what democracy is all about. It's about listening
to people, engaging people and bringing their concerns forward. It's not
about people yelling insults at each other or some sort of got you
politics. It's about really engaging people and hearing what they have to
say. It's about meaningful engagement, Madam Speaker. The path we're taking
is not an easy path, but I think it's a necessary path; a path that we have
to take.
I
was interested in hearing the comments from the Member for Corner Brook a
few days ago when he talked about kicking the can down the road or kicking
the problem down the road for our children to deal with. It's interesting
that we've reached the point where if we don't deal with this situation now,
in the future not the distant future but the near future, within six years
we will be in a position where we'll have to take much more drastic action
to deal with the circumstances we find ourselves in. I think we can move
forward and deal with the situation we have now, Madam Speaker.
I
started off by talking about the two things we have in common, Madam
Speaker: the fact that we're all here and selected by the people in our
district, and also the fact that we're all here motivated by the will to do
good things for this province and our district. I think working together and
taking those two things into account, we can treat each other with respect
and we can solve these problems we face.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER (Dempster):
Order, please!
The
hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KENT:
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I'm
pleased to have an enthusiastic cheerleader with me today in the Opposition
benches. I'm not sure I'm going to get a lot of cheers from the other side
of the House but you never know. Stranger things have happened in this hon.
Chamber.
Madam Speaker, I'm happy to have a chance to take part in the budget debate.
I think it's imperative that all MHAs stand and be counted, and have a say
during this budget debate. This is the third opportunity in this formal part
of the debate that I've had to speak. There will be other opportunities, not
necessarily as part of this formal part of the budget motion, but there will
be Concurrence debates, and there will be debates on bills that relate to
the budget. So I thank the Member for St. George's Humber for giving
people a bit of a sense of what this process looks like and feels like
because it can be somewhat confusing.
Before I get into my remarks, I do want to pay tribute to a group of
students and educators in my district and in my community of Mount Pearl,
and also in Paradise. Last night, the Member for Mount Pearl Southlands
and I had an opportunity to attend the
Etcetera show which is put on by students of Mount Pearl Intermediate
and Mount Pearl Senior High school. Students from the feeder elementary
schools also take part in Etcetera.
The
reason I'm raising it and both the Member for Mount Pearl Southlands and
I at least once a year, at some point in this House, will congratulate the
students on an amazing Etcetera
performance. The reason I'm choosing to make special mention of it during my
limited time today, Madam Speaker, is that it was the 30th anniversary of
the Etcetera show 30 years.
I
want to salute the Goulding family. All members of the Goulding family are
intimately involved in the production and have been since its inception. In
particular, Carl Goulding, who is one of the music teachers at Mount Pearl
schools, has been running this show for 30 years. It involves hundreds of
students taking part in a musical production each and every year. If you
haven't seen it, I say to hon. Members and also to people in the region,
it's on until Saturday night. There are tickets available each night. It
would be well worth your while to go to the Mount Pearl Glacier and see our
young people in action.
It's
not just a small group of choral students; hundreds of students take part in
what is an amazing theatrical musical production. I want to commend,
particularly, Carl Goulding, but the entire Goulding family for their
tremendous commitment and leadership.
I
know the Member for Mount Pearl Southlands will join me in extending
congratulations to them as well. It was an amazing production again last
night. My family enjoyed the show. I know the Member for Mount Pearl
Southlands and his family enjoyed the show as well.
The
song he was most impressed by last night was a song called Jolene. I don't
know if any of you have heard it before, but we were both toe-tapping
together last night at the Glacier.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Sing a verse.
MR. KENT:
I won't sing it. I say to
the hon. Members, not now. Maybe at the next karaoke fundraiser in Mount
Pearl but not here in this hon. House.
Madam Speaker, I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the previous speech by
the Member for St. George's Humber. I want to commend him in recent days
for standing up for his constituents and raising concerns in local media in
his district about the closure of libraries and how that's going to impact
communities he represents. I believe Stephenville Crossing is in his
district and I think there's a library closing there. I believe there's one
other in the area. I know there's a library closing in four libraries in
his district. There's one in Piccadilly, in the neighbouring district that's
closing as well.
I
commend him for speaking out, but my concern and I say this respectfully
is he just had an opportunity for 20 minutes to take part in the formal
debate on the budget where we're debating the budget motion to adopt the
budgetary policies that have been presented by this government and he didn't
mention it. I think that's rather unfortunate, Madam Speaker.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible).
MR. KENT:
I know I'm being heckled.
That's fine. This needs to be said.
The
challenge I'm having with this entire process is that people are saying one
thing and doing another. So it's fine to go to Facebook or go to your local
newspaper or whatever and raise concerns on behalf of your constituents, but
you also have to stand in this House and be counted. We all have a
responsibility to raise concerns on behalf of our constituents. I hope in my
time today I'll raise some of the concerns they have with this budget.
I
commend the Member for speaking out. I hope when the time comes to formally
stand and be counted, when we vote on this motion, that he won't support
this budget and the impact that it's having on his district.
It's
not the only impact. The libraries are not the only negative impact on his
district. I also believe there are Child, Youth and Family Services offices,
at least one closing in his district. There's one closing in Stephenville
Crossing. I believe there's one in Piccadilly that's closing as well. This
wasn't mentioned in the minister's budget speech. There was reference to
offices closing in Port Saunders and Gambo, but the ones in Stephenville
Crossing and Piccadilly didn't get mentioned for some reason. I don't know
why that is but it's unfortunate.
I'd
encourage Members and I say this sincerely to not just take to the local
media and empathize and sympathize with your constituents when you're
talking to them in your communities, but also stand in this House, take the
opportunity during the various debates on the various aspects of this budget
to raise those concerns, because that's what we're elected to do, Madam
Speaker. That's why yesterday's recall motion was so important, because that
would have created another opportunity for constituents to have a greater
voice and have more of an opportunity to hold their constituents
accountable.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible).
MR. KENT:
He has lots to say now, Madam Speaker, but he just had 20 minutes and didn't
raise one single concern.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MADAM SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. KENT:
He didn't raise one
single concern on behalf on his constituents. He gave a very informative
talk about budget theory, but he didn't raise concerns on behalf of his
constituents and I think that's rather unfortunate.
So I
do want to raise some concerns on behalf of mine, but one of the interesting
challenges we're having over here these days is that there are seven of us
representing seven districts and the New Democratic Party represents another
couple of districts, but we're hearing from government districts as well.
We're hearing from people who have concerns about what's going on in their
communities, but when Members stand they're not hearing those concerns being
brought to the floor of the House.
One
that I was asked to bring to the floor of the House, and I suspect the
Minister of Justice will participate in the debate at some point today and
he may be able to answer some of the questions on the issue I'm about to
raise. It relates to the closure of the court in Wabush, Labrador. I'm going
to share with you some of the concerns I've received directly from people in
Labrador West.
I
haven't been able to validate every single one of these concerns. I suspect
the minister does have the information, though, and he has been in the past
very willing to answer questions and provide information. I'm not raising
these concerns to be argumentative or confrontational. I've been asked on
behalf of constituents in Labrador West to bring these concerns to the House
of Assembly, which is what I'm now going to take a couple of moments to do.
They
say the closure of the Wabush court cannot be justified in their view. Now
the Justice Minister would have access to different information, of course,
than some of the folks who would be raising these concerns and they would
bring a different perspective to it as well. So he may be able to shed some
more light on why the decision makes sense in his eyes or in the eyes of
government.
One
of the points that has been made is that the physical building where the
court is located won't be closing, and there will be costs of maintaining
that building that will be more or less the same. So there are no major
savings as a result of shutting down a facility related to the court.
Interestingly enough, the building that these court services will basically
be relocated to in Goose Bay is a rented facility. So the one in Wabush is a
government-owned building and the one in Goose Bay isn't. Now I would argue
given the distance between Labrador West and Happy Valley-Goose Bay that
there's a need for two courts and for two locations. The minister may be
able to shed some light on that for us.
The
suggestion has also been made, and perhaps it's even been said, I'm not
certain, that the province will have to pay relocation costs for a number of
employees. They will be placed in a rented building. They'll be flown back
and forth to Labrador West for circuit court. So there will be travel costs
associated with this. There'll be hotels, flights and per diems.
Effectively, for a couple of weeks a month, these staff will go back and sit
at the very same desks in Wabush that they're sitting at today.
The
other thing I've been asked to raise, Madam Speaker, is that the jobs being
relocated to Happy Valley-Goose Bay doesn't provide a solution for many
families in Labrador West. We're not talking about communities that are
close together. We're not talking about St. John's and Mount Pearl, or
Conception Bay South and Paradise; we're talking about communities that are
hundreds of kilometres away from one another.
So
moving to Goose Bay isn't an option for many of these families. They have
families in Wabush or in Labrador City. They have spouses who are working in
Labrador West, and many are locked into mortgages. Frankly, given the
downturn and given the closure of the mine, it isn't a great time to be
trying to sell your house in Labrador West.
I
know there are efforts being made to get the mine reopened in Wabush. I'm
hopeful the future for IOC and Labrador City will be bright, but right now
it's a very tough time to try and sell real estate in Labrador West.
Now
there are people on the ground in Wabush who are saying that when the
decision was made to close the court the minister didn't have the
information that the family court actually took place in Wabush. I don't
know whether that's accurate or not. The minister is saying it isn't, and I
respect that. Again, what I've been asked to do is raise concerns that have
been brought to me by constituents in Labrador West and I know the minister
appreciates that.
It's
been stated as part of the debate on this issue publicly that a lot can be
done via the Internet today, and I'll acknowledge that. The Member for St.
George's Humber mentioned that we have a vast geography to cover. I know
during my brief time in the Department of Health and Community Services we
were constantly looking on how to better avail of Telehealth and modern
technology to better connect people in the province and to provide them with
a similar level of service, no matter where they live in the province.
I
acknowledge that the use of technology to better provide services to rural
areas is important, no doubt, but it's a two-way street. Perhaps if there
are some services that are being moved to Goose Bay, perhaps people in that
region could also, through technology, access those services if they were to
be maintained in Wabush.
Another argument that's been put forward by the people of Labrador West is
that it makes sense to have a court located near the border of our province
in Labrador, near the Labrador boarder. I think that's an interesting point
that needs to be raised as well.
One
of the most emotional arguments that's been presented by people I've talked
to in Labrador West is they can't afford to lose any more jobs. The region
has been hard hit. I know the previous administration was working with the
region. I know the new administration is working with the region to try and
ensure a strong economy for that region of our province which generates
incredible economic activity that benefits not just that region of Labrador,
but of course the entire province. So it's a region right now that can't
afford to lose more jobs.
On a
related note, another question that's been asked to me by people in Labrador
West is about some jobs that are being eliminated in other departments.
Apparently, there are some vacant positons in Natural Resources that are
being cut. There are some safety officer jobs in Wabush that are being cut.
So at a really critical time for the Labrador West region, these cuts are
taking place.
I
know government has really tough decisions to be made and some of those
decisions probably feel impossible, but these concerns that are being raised
by the people in Labrador West, I feel, are ones that are worthy of
consideration.
I
have some other notes here that were sent by another resident of Labrador
West. Some of them are the same, so I'll try not to be repetitive, Madam
Speaker. There was concern about the statistics that had been presented to
support the decision to close the court in Wabush.
What's being suggested by people close to the court in Wabush who don't wish
to be identified because they perhaps are employees of government or
employees of the court, they're saying the numbers look so low for the
Wabush court because some of the activity of the Wabush court is being
logged under Happy Valley-Goose Bay. What I mean is some of the video
conferencing that is being done by the Wabush judge has been logged under
the Goose Bay court.
I
push back on that point because I have no doubt there would never be a
deliberate attempt to misrepresent the facts and figures, but the people
providing me with this information seem very confident that this is the
case.
Any
circuit court completed by the Wabush judge and staff is logged under Goose
Bay's court. So of course if that's happening on a daily basis or a weekly
basis, it's going to look like the Goose Bay court is far busier than the
court in Wabush, if some of Wabush's activity is being logged under Goose
Bay's.
Along with the judge and the court staff, as I mentioned previously, the
sheriffs will also have to travel to Wabush. There are currently two
sheriffs who are scheduled to lose their jobs in Wabush. So maybe there's a
better way forward to make that work, and the minister may be able to
comment on that as well, if he does get an opportunity during the debate
today or next week.
Wabush also has a heavy load of transcription work that's being completed,
often for other courts throughout the province. So again, that may not be
reflected on the number of cases on the docket in Wabush, but I'm being told
there's a considerable amount of transcription work being completed by the
Wabush court that would benefit the whole court system throughout the
province. So keeping that work in Labrador West is good for everybody,
potentially.
People have been wondering where the new staff will come from for the new
judge and where the files will be stored. I don't know if the minister will
be able to comment on that level of detail at this point, but again I'm
raising the concerns that have been brought to me on behalf of people in
Labrador West.
So,
overall, people are feeling it hasn't been demonstrated there will be
significant savings as a result of some of these issues that are being
raised. Someone even said to me the numbers are being cooked to make Goose
Bay look busier than it is. I don't believe for a second that the Department
of Justice would do that; I honestly don't. But perhaps because of how those
numbers are being tracked and administered that there is a legitimate issue
here, and that the numbers that are being presented don't really paint the
full picture of the level of activity at the court in Wabush. The concern is
that the workload is not properly being reported when speaking about Wabush.
Anyway, I thank you for the opportunity to raise those concerns on behalf of
the people of Labrador West. I appreciate the Justice Minister's attention.
He has been taking notes and listening as the concerns have been raised, so
I'm hopeful that we'll be able to get some answers for the people in
Labrador West.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I only have a couple of minutes left, but I do
want to raise some concerns on behalf of yet another school in my district
that has been brought forward. The building is not technically in my
district I'm sure the Member for Mount Pearl Southlands will correct me,
but a good percentage of the students that go to St. Peter's Junior High
feed into the school from my district. The students from Mary Queen of the
World, for instance, all go to St. Peter's Junior High. They're French
immersion students at St. Peter's Primary and Newtown Elementary that would
ultimately feed in.
The
school council and the parents at St. Peter's Junior High have a number of
concerns. I'll raise them again next week because I only have a couple of
minutes now. I'm looking at the clock if the people watching are wondering
what I'm doing.
The
junior high changes to class-size caps are causing a real concern. There's a
fear that will significantly impact curriculum outcomes and
classroom-management issues. As well, there's a concern about whether junior
high students will be adequately prepared to enter senior high based on
these changes. Junior high doesn't have the option to stream students, nor
are there online distance education options available. Junior high is a very
challenging time in students' lives, as I know all Members of this House
would appreciate.
The
school has some real concerns about inclusive education. Class-size changes
combined with the lack of resources that have been allocated to inclusive
education will further impede the success of children in our school.
I'm
not going to blame the Liberal government of under-resourcing when it comes
to inclusive education. This budget makes things far worse, no doubt about
it, but I would acknowledge that resourcing inclusive education in our
schools has been a challenge for a long time, through various
administrations of government. It's a real issue that does need to be
addressed, given some of the changes to education that are now being made.
Teaching units are being eliminated that were used in a curriculum or a
support manner, including in intensive core French and French immersion.
Those programs shouldn't be cut harder than the rest of the system. French
programs in our schools are under-resourced as it is. There's no new
investment in pervasive needs or the IRT allocation, no change in guidance
counsellor supports and much more.
Madam Speaker, I'm out of time. Next week, I will raise more concerns on
behalf of people in my district.
I
want to wish all mothers in the province and those who play a motherly role
in the lives of people a Happy Mother's Day this Sunday as well.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member
for Harbour Grace Port de Grave.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you.
I
think this would be my second time rising in this hon. House, my first time
speaking to the budget. I have yet to give my maiden speech which I look
forward to doing I guess sometime before we close our spring session.
Before I start off, I would like to acknowledge the folks in Alberta and
Fort McMurray. As mentioned here previously, this province, of course, has a
deep connection with those in Fort McMurray. A lot of my constituents'
family members are currently there. I spoke with a constituent this morning,
her daughter and her husband and two small children, of course, had to
travel a significant distance and are now staying in other accommodations.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MADAM SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Can
I ask Members to take their conversations outside so we can hear the
speaker?
Thank you.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you for your
protection, Madam Speaker.
Yes, as I was saying, I'm also happy and proud that our minister and our
government have made contact with the Province of Alberta to let them know
we have resources, personnel and equipment on standby upon request.
It's
really interesting, Madam Speaker, hearing all the budget debate, hearing
the Opposition Members and whatnot and the pleas they are putting forward. I
do believe that it's important to go back and review some of the very recent
actions of the government, the previous administration.
I
want to bring us back to Bill 29. As we know, Bill 29
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MS. P. PARSONS:
That's right. Bill
29, as we know How long ago was that? It was two to three years back for
Bill 29. If I'm not mistaken, I believe it was the longest filibuster in the
history of Newfoundland and Labrador. There was severe opposition by the
Opposition Parties, by the members of the public and even the media for that
matter. It was said that Bill 29 put us back in the category of Third World
countries with regard to rights and access to information.
This
went on for some time. We know some big legislation was pushed under the
cloak of Bill 29 such as Muskrat Falls. Again, it blocked access to
information because legislation was put forward.
I
ask over there, despite the pressure that was received from constituents and
members of the public, how many Opposition Members now, which were
government at the time, stood up and voted against Bill 29 despite the
pressures they were hearing? How many I wonder. Madam Speaker, I wonder how
many.
The
Opposition is so keen now to stand on a soapbox and say: Stand with your
people and vote this way, vote against your government, stand up.
AN HON. MEMBER:
A voluntary recall.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Absolutely, but you
know I'm very confident that every elected Member in this House is here for
their constituents. I can speak for myself. I am in touch with my
constituents every day and every evening. Since the budget has been
discussed here I have been on the phone until about 10:30 or even later
every evening.
Not
only that, my weekends are dedicated to my constituents and the activities
going on. I'm a very big part of the community and I support them 100 per
cent. That is exactly why I got involved with politics in the first place.
It was always part of my long-term plan at some point in my career to put
myself up for public office.
Prior to my journalism days, I studied political science and completed my
political science degree at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax.
Following this, I went on to complete the radio and television arts program
in the Annapolis Valley for the NSCC with a major in journalism. I guess,
given my schooling, it was about a decade in the journalism profession.
Then, of course, I made the leap
I
was actually approached to get involved earlier than when I did. At the
time, the timing wasn't right. It was, of course, during this time which I'm
here now. I'm very grateful for my constituents who put me here as their
representative. I will represent their concerns.
Being on the phone with them every night, meeting with them; I've been
having meetings with smaller groups because I find that to be very
productive, to meet with crowds, smaller crowds, organizations and town
councils to hear their concerns. I am bringing their concerns back to the
ministers and back to the Premier. That's what we do as a team and I will do
that. They're my first priority in this and you can mark that down. Every
day and night as the day is long that will be my priority, to represent the
people of Harbour Grace Port de Grave District, the 15,000 constituents
that I represent. I will certainly continue to do so.
Every day I get a chance you'll hear the words Coley's Point Primary in this
hon. House because this is a top priority for the District of Harbour Grace
Port de Grave. As I mentioned here recently in a petition, with some
research we found a letter dated back in 2007. It was a recommendation by a
consulting firm that the current building had exceeded its usefulness and
that it was a top priority and a recommendation to replace this building.
This
is in a community. We have an expanding population. The school, Coley's
Point Primary from K to 3, services children from Port de Grave, Bareneed,
Coley's Point, Bay Roberts, Shearstown and Butlerville. Currently, we have
over 350 students attending Coley's Point Primary.
As
mentioned, this school is a 60-year-plus facility, a 350 student population.
I've been to the school many times, especially getting involved on my
political journey. These students currently are using closet space. There is
no cafeteria in Coley's Point Primary. The children are eating on their
working desks. We all know at that age with crayons, the pencils and leads,
the germs that are there.
I
understand, with all due respect, with the oncoming of all-day kindergarten
that students in other areas of the province will now have to use their
classrooms as eating spaces, but unfortunately, this is what the students of
Coley's Point have been used to. That's all they know, actually.
I
will continue to work with the minister on this. We know there's been money
allocated for Coley's Point Primary in multiple budgets. I ask the Member
opposite: Where was the priority for Coley's Point Primary? It was listed to
be replaced but what happened? It got shuffled down the list.
Every child in a school deserves to learn and grow in a healthy, optimal
education facility, but I have to ask: What happened with the children in
Coley's Point Primary? Where was the former Member on Coley's Point Primary
in the past three budgets? For years to come this is a passionate issue. I
will not give up this fight for Coley's Point Primary.
Also
a big concern I am hearing in my district, obviously, is the slated closure
of the courthouse in the Town of Harbour Grace. We know there have been
court services provided since the 1800s in this town. It services districts
such as Harbour Port de Grave, Carbonear Trinity Bay de Verde,
Placentia St. Mary's and Harbour Main. Some 50,000 people come through the
doors of these court services. The concerns are being brought to me, and I
will continue working with the minister, and representing and voicing the
concerns of my constituents. There is work to be done and I am 100 per cent
committed to that.
Of
course, going back to the list of things I also want to bring forth because
I really believe since the Members opposite are so adamant about educating
or informing the public, not necessarily factual information is being put
forward. Before I leave, let's talk about Bill 29. Finally, they
caved after the public pressure. They hired a panel at the expense of
taxpayers, and a whopping million dollars plus, unfortunately, to then
remove legislation that was put forth. It was then removed, after the work
had been done, mind you. After Muskrat Falls had been pushed through it was
removed, at a cost of a million dollars.
I also have to bring forward now we can't forget the
infamous Humber Valley Paving fiasco. What happened
at Humber Valley Paving? Is it a coincidence, Madam Speaker, that Humber
Valley Paving had a direct connection to one of our candidates for the
candidate for the PC leadership? What happened?
I
understand Mr. Bill Barry, a big player in the fishery here in the Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador, was also interested in running, putting his
name forward here for the PC leadership. That didn't happen; however, Mr.
Coleman graciously came forward. We do know hours before that paper was
submitted, magically the contract for Humber Valley Paving disappeared, but
it didn't disappear for free. It disappeared at a cost of $19 million to
taxpayers' money.
AN HON. MEMBER:
How much?
MS. P. PARSONS:
Nineteen million
dollars. Right there, that is the cost for Coley's Point Primary school. We
were looking at our Coley's Point Primary school in comparison to Humber
Valley Paving.
MS. MICHAEL:
(Inaudible.)
MS. P. PARSONS:
That's right. The
Member for St. John's East Quidi Vidi is vocal as she always is. We
appreciate that, Madam Speaker.
Again, the $19 million and there's something else,
too, that we want to
bring forward I stand to be corrected on this, Madam Speaker, but we were
due in the legislation in 2016 to review boundaries changes
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MADAM SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. P. PARSONS:
for the electoral
districts because we know this was something the then Opposition leader, now
the Premier, of course, committed to reviewing; but as we know, the Members
opposite, the government of the day, jumped the gun on that one and oh, yes,
at this time now we need a boundary change. We need to slash eight seats
were slashed in the Legislature. Absolutely, the districts were removed.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MS. P. PARSONS:
I wasn't in this
government at the time last year. The hon. Member who I admire, by the way,
I wasn't here to vote on that one; but, as we know, all of a sudden this
became very urgent to do this. This came at a hefty cost, unfortunately. As
I said, eight seats were slashed. Each Member has now taken on significantly
more constituents; however, I'm grateful for the district I represent.
Magically, the Town of Harbour Grace got moved to the Port de Grave
District. They have never been in the same district in the time of history
in Newfoundland and Labrador, to have Harbour Grace grouped with Bay
Roberts. They're both large centres; however, Harbour Grace has a special
place in my heart. It always will. I was educated down there in the Catholic
system at the former St. Columba's Harbour Grace Primary. The support that I
continue to receive in Harbour Grace is phenomenal. I appreciate their
support. As a matter of fact, I work closely I'm touch with those
constituents daily. I spend a lot of my time in beautiful Harbour Grace.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. P. PARSONS:
Which, I add, was
slated to be the capital of this province at one time. It would be wonderful
if that was the case today.
Also, in the dying days of the government, the previous administration,
there was no question there was $25 billion in oil royalties over the past
decade came through. Where's that money now? Where was the diversifying of
our economies?
We
were born and we live on the fishery here in Newfoundland and Labrador. The
fishery is paramount here in this province. Where was the diversification
for our natural resources when we were flooded, when we were rich with oil
money? Where is it gone now?
I
really want to point out that it's important, of course, to voice the
concerns of all constituents, but I would have much more respect and more
peace of mind if the Member's opposite would please take responsibility for
where you've brought the province's finances. It's an insult to the
electorate to stand there waving and bringing up claims and pleas that have
never been mentioned previous until now when you find yourself in
Opposition.
Back
to the fishery, this is definitely a difficult budget. It's an ugly budget.
I'll call it an ugly budget. I continue to get concerns daily. Again, I will
voice the concerns of my constituents with the ministers and with our
Premier. But it is encouraging that amid the spending reductions in other
areas, we are investing $2 million in the Seafood and Aquaculture Innovation
and Transition Program with the aim of supporting technology innovation in
this critical part of the economy.
So
ultimately, it's an entire investment of $18.2 million and that includes
aquaculture, innovation, licensing, enforcement, industry renewal and
marketing. It's important to note again how important the fishery is. It's
very important to my District of Harbour Grace Port de Grave. The name
Port de Grave, we can't say Port de Grave without thinking about the
fishery. I have about 200 inshore fishers throughout my district and believe
you me, it is very important and I will certainly stand with them and to
support them at any cost, and will voice their concerns in what we need for
the fishery.
I
also have to mention and it begs to question at this time now in our
history we have Liberal federal government, as we know, and a provincial
Liberal government. But I have to ask again, the fishery and search and
rescue being so important to the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador,
where were the Members opposite when the Harper administration closed our
Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre at a cost savings of only $1 million? We couldn't
get a meeting, but where was the fight, though? We didn't see any fight.
There was large rally that was held down on the waterfront from members of
the public who took the initiative to drive that, but where were Members
opposite on that on with the Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre?
But
I am happy now that at least the Trudeau administration is committed to
reviewing this, and I certainly hope that we have those search and rescue
resources back in place. Again, it goes to reiterate how important search
and rescue is and I'll take you back to the time of the tragic, tragic death
of Burton Winters, and how at the time those services failed that young man.
Again, it has to be criticized how the previous administration, the premier
at the time, Premier Dunderdale, with all due respect, did not so much have
a meeting with the grandmother of Burton Winters. So we have to think about
our people.
Please, don't get up there and stand on a soap box saying this and this and
this. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Third Party here. A lot of
respect for my friends over there in the Third Party; we all know they fight
for their constituents but it is disheartening to see them now link arms
with the Opposition. This time last year, they were highly critical of what
they were seeing but now all of a sudden they're dance partners. They're
over there dancing and beating on the drum together. It almost looks like an
endorsement of the previous actions. Is this the case? Madam Speaker, I ask,
is this the case? I'm telling you, politics, never a dull moment.
I
did take the time to prepare some notes. Again, I want to emphasize the
importance of the fishery and how this budget does support our fishery,
which is very important here in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The most recent statistics show that Northern cod biomass is at 27 per cent
of its historical might. This is a very significant recovery but there is
still much more work to be done, because it's still quite not enough to
commence a commercial cod fishery but, as you know, we are very committed to
that. We must push Ottawa to get the cod on and other fisheries on a
recovery path and establish targets and timelines. For without a healthy
resource, there is no industry and there are no communities. We know how
important the fishery is.
Ottawa also needs to get back to investing significantly in fisheries
research. Without the basic research, we cannot properly manage our
resources. Ottawa needs to ensure that our fishery is built back to where it
once was. And with investments, commitments and care, a sustainable fishery
can happen and I'm confident to say it will happen.
Remember, a sustainable fishery is not just one that can be fished forever,
but one that also sustains our communities. Ottawa much also give us a
fairer food fishery. We need a fair food fishery here in our province.
Ottawa must also address the important point of contention with the federal
government. It must respect and implement the principle of adjacency. It is
very important to Newfoundland and Labrador. This will ensure communities
will stay alive and thrive.
We
have no future if fishing communities are disconnected from the fish that
swim by the door of adjacency. To quote a former President of MUN, Dr.
Leslie Harris, either there are fish or the community dies. There is no
middle ground.
Ottawa needs to get their cod on and that means they have to look, address
our concerns, accept our solutions and look to the other countries such as
Norway and Iceland who have thriving fisheries. I was reading recently about
a small town in Norway that employs 300 people around the clock to process
180 to 190 tons of fish daily. Again, the fishery is very important and I'm
happy to see this investment in our fishery for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Again, I want to reiterate the importance of Coley's Point Primary. This is
a very, very important topic in my district. Since 2007, when it was
recommended by a professional consulting firm that this building be replaced
it got looked over. We know in the past several budgets, there was money
allocated in three past budgets
AN HON. MEMBER:
How many?
MS. P. PARSONS:
Three past budgets,
when there was a Member here when the oil money was rich, but it did not
happen. I will be standing by Coley's Point Primary. I will be standing by
with my constituents on the topic of the Harbour Grace courthouse, and I am
here for each and every constituent.
My
office number and anyone can call at any time to our constituency office,
and I will commend my constituency assistant, Ms. Eileen Smith, who works
tirelessly to help our constituents. Anyone can reach us there at 786-1372.
For those calling long distance I welcome all calls around the province,
Madam Speaker at 1-866-729-1594. You can reach us there.
Again, we're here to help the people of Alberta. I wish my mother, my
grandmother a very, very happy Mother's Day. I certainly wouldn't be where I
am without their support.
Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MADAM SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member
for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much,
Madam Speaker.
I
have stood and I've spoken to the budget twice, and this is my third and
final time. I want to say what an honour it has been to stand in this House
and speak to this budget, and what an honour to sit in this House and to
hear my colleagues on both sides of the House talk about their impressions,
talk about their opinions about the budget. Some defending the budget in its
entirety, some partially defending the budget, some outright rejecting,
basically, most of the budget, but that's the work we have to do in this
House and sometimes it's difficult work.
One
thing about the budget debates for me is that it's so important. We all know
this; I'm not lecturing. We all know we are here representing the people who
have elected us, and they have put their trust in us. They are asking us to
bring their voices, to bring their experiences, to bring their opinions here
in the House.
Our
jobs as elected MHAs are we hear all kinds of conflicting ideas,
conflicting opinions. So our job is to somehow discern what is being said
and try and make decisions based on what we are hearing from our
constituents. Our job is to distill that information and try and make
decisions that are in the best interest of our constituents.
After that process of listening with the real intent to hear, then we make
decisions about how we will express the concerns and the ideas and the
demands and the opinions of those we have been elected to represent. Of
course, we have such a vast array of opinions coming at us, but, again, our
constituents have elected us because they trust that we will put their best
interest before all else. Sometimes it's a really difficult exercise to
discern to hear all the conflicting voices and discern really what's going
on in our districts and what the best things are for the people in our
districts.
This
week I was humiliated by my government. These are the most troublesome words
I have written in a very long time, and I have written many words in my
time, most of them about a homeland that I care for deeply. These are the
words of award-winning Newfoundland writer Kevin Major: This week I was
humiliated by my government.
Kevin Major wrote this letter to the Premier, to the Minister of Finance and
to the Minister of Education. He goes on to say: It is a homeland I wish to
see grow spiritually and intellectually. One I wish to see prosper, as you
do, no doubt, but taxing books and forcing a mass closure of libraries is
absolutely not the way to go about it. The citizens of Newfoundland and
Labrador are in a financial quagmire, and true enough, it is not the present
government that put us there but it's the Members of government who must
demonstrate our priority as a society as we struggle out of deficit and
debt.
Mr.
Speaker, what Kevin Major is stressing and what many of us have talked about
here in the House over the past few weeks since the budget has been
presented to the House and to the people of the province, is that the task
and exercise of making a budget is about choices.
I
talked about that the other day in my second speech to the House. In that
speech I talked about, we have very little control over our life. I had said
even no matter how much we pay for that ultra-mega-hold gel to control your
hair, for that ultra-hold, that ultra-control, no matter how much you pay
for it we have no control. What we do have control over is how we respond to
what is presented to us. Mr. Speaker, that, again, is what the budget
process is about.
We
were creamed. The province was creamed by the crash in the oil industry. In
the oil and gas industry we were hit hard. There are no ifs, ands or buts
about it. One of our problems is we were so reliant on oil. Rather than
really, truly developing our other riches. Rather than truly investing in
our people.
We
were creamed on the commodity market around some of the mining processes in
the mining industries. Also, we don't have some of the best royalty regimes
in the world. We certainly don't even have some of the best royalty regimes
for our natural resources in the country, but we got creamed in that area as
well. So here we are after years of prosperity dealing with an incredible
fiscal, financial crunch. We have a growing debt. We have a huge deficit.
Do
you know what? Speaking with the people of the province, listening to our
constituents, as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians we're realists. The people
of the province know we're in a financial crunch but they also know how we
deal with it is what we do have control over, the decisions that we make.
I
don't think Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are unrealistic. We certainly
aren't. Nor have we overreached, but some of the decisions that were made
aside from being creamed in the oil industry and being creamed by our
commodities in the mining industry, the previous government, the previous
administration made some decisions that also creamed us, decisions about tax
cuts, decisions about
corporate tax cuts, decisions about cuts to personal income tax.
I truly believe
that people in Newfoundland and Labrador are willing to pay taxes because
they know what the taxes are for. They know that it's important to pay taxes
so that there are roads leading to our communities, roads that are safe,
roads that are safe for our children when they're going along roads in
school buses. They're willing to pay taxes to ensure that there is great
medical care for our seniors, great medical care for our young families,
making sure that when the baby is born that the mother is safe. People know
people are willing to pay taxes because we have grown up in a culture
where we know how important it is to take care of one another.
When you look
at the fishing communities in our province and the men, predominantly, would
go out to the water, the women and children would stay on land and they
would work together. They would salt the fish, they would do that whole
operation and we all supported one another because we knew that the fishing
industry, the fishery only worked when we did work together as a team.
So I believe
that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are more than willing, have
been more than willing to roll up their sleeves, to get to work and to get
us out of this tough financial situation that we find ourselves in.
Last night, Mr.
Speaker, I had a town hall. There were about 175 people there. What I did
was invite community activists from all over the city and some of our
community leaders who had expertise in different areas. I think there were
about 15 of them and they all spoke for three minutes about their particular
area of interest, whether it was education, whether it was labour, mental
health or seniors.
They only spoke
for three minutes and then the whole group of people sat down at tables,
they got to choose whatever table topic they wanted to sit down at, and then
that community leader and expert simply facilitated a conversation. But the
conversation was about what can we do. It wasn't just about telling bad
stories or telling about how difficult it is, although that's part of it
because there are a lot of people who are really being impacted by this
budget, who are getting really hit hard by this budget.
People worked
hard; the buzz in the room was palpable. People were so willing to work
together to look at what do we do about some of these situations. The table
where there were a number of seniors there was a lot of seniors there who
were really
afraid. They were afraid because they knew that the over-the-counter drug
program has been cancelled, that the Adult Dental Program has been cancelled
except for people on income support.
They
knew that some of them even though they were on very limited income, they
would still have to pay the levy because the levy is for anybody making over
$20,000. They also know they have to pay more for their car insurance and
their house insurance. They also know they have to pay more for their fees
to register their car. They know they're going to have to pay more HST and
they are already so up against the wall. There is no scrimping. There's no
money left. There's no money left for them at the end of the month.
The
gentleman who stood up and reported back to the large room because that's
what we did at the end of the evening; I had to stop them. People wanted to
keep working; they wanted to keep speaking to each other. It was incredible
to watch.
The
gentleman, who's a senior citizen, who stood up to report back to the big
group about what was being said at the table where people were talking about
seniors' issues he said, we want to help with the financial situation that
we are in. He said we want to pay the levy if we could but we can't. We
don't have any extra money.
I
found that very telling. Imagine so many of those seniors because they
called me over. They said can you help us figure out what we're losing, what
we're going to have to pay. They're so afraid, particularly widowed women,
single women. They're so afraid. Some of them have pensions, but their
pensions haven't increased in years, although the price of food has gone up
and the price of transportation has gone up. They said we want to help get
us out of this financial situation.
The
people of Newfoundland and Labrador know the tough situation we're in.
Nobody denies that. When we put together a budget, when government puts
together a budget, it's about values; it's about decisions. That's where
this government has fallen off the rails.
They
said everything was on the table. Mr. Speaker, we know that not everything
should be on the table. Budgets should not be about line-by-line cutting,
budgets should be about what are our values. What is so important that we
can't do without? How do we make sure that we build that? How do we make
sure that the people of the province have what they need so that everybody
can prosper?
Two
days ago, Mr. Speaker, when I spoke to the budget, I talked about what we
would have differently. That's available in the Hansard if people would like
to see that but just a thumbnail sketch of what we would have done
differently. We wouldn't have imposed the levy. We wouldn't have to revoke
the levy; we never would have imposed it. That is such an unfair tax.
Do
you know what, Mr. Speaker? The people of the province know that. The people
of the province know that a levy
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, I would ask
my colleague across the floor if he would just give me a chance to speak,
I'd be happy to hear anything he has to say.
An
unfair tax like that that is so disproportionately unfair is not the route
to go. The thing is the people of the province know that. Many of the people
in the House here know that. Many of my colleagues know that. That's not the
route to go. We would have built our budget based on certain principles and
values.
I
know that every single Member in this House cares about the people in their
district. I know that; we all know that. We all want our province to prosper
and we want our people to prosper. I believe, as do many people in this
province because we're all hearing from them is that there are problems
with this budget.
We
should have done what Alberta did and I know the situation is very
different. They were also hit with the drop in the price of oil. They lost
60,000 jobs in such a short period of time, and I know they don't have the
same debt load that we do and I know they have a higher population, but what
they did is that they decided to do a budget that would get people working,
that would invest in their people, that would invest in green technology.
And that's not what this budget did.
This
budget is cutting jobs. What is the effect of cutting jobs? More unemployed
people. It also means there's less money being spent in our communities. I
know my colleagues here in this House know what the effects are going to be
in their communities when stores are not making money, when they cut
government offices, when they close courthouses. We all know what the
roll-out effect of that is.
So
what kept going on in my mind, Mr. Speaker, looking at some of these cuts I
would say, to what end? To what end? What is the roll-out? Has government
really, really done the analysis of what is the roll-out, what is the down-
the-road effect of some of these cuts? Because they're pretty negative. I'm
sure that's not the intention, but that's what's happening. Mr. Speaker,
that's the sad part of this budgeting process. The people know this, because
there are so many people up against the wall.
What's happening as well is that we're seeing a negative impact, not on the
most vulnerable and the lowest earners and whether people are on Income
Support, because that's always a problem, how we make sure we leave no one
behind, but we're seeing a negative impact on working families, on
middle-income earners. That's what we're seeing.
I'm
looking forward to the technical briefing the Minister of Finance has
offered me, to look at what the roll out is on all the cuts and extra fees
and higher taxes.
This
bitter medicine that we have to swallow as Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians, we have had to swallow bitter medicine over the years. We sure
have, but I don't know what the positive outcome of this bitter medicine is
because we're losing jobs. People are more financially strapped, and now
waiting for the six months for the next budget hit, people are sitting on
their wallets. They're afraid. Who wouldn't be? Because this government
keeps saying it's so bad and the doom and gloom.
One
would have hoped government would have marched into this room, into this
House of Assembly, proudly proclaiming: We have a budget that is going to
get us back on track. We are going to make it possible for people to work.
We are going invest in infrastructure spending. We are going to do the best
to make sure that this province moves forward.
It's
not what happened. People were looking for that leadership. Government has
done nothing but invoke fear and doom and gloom. I believe that wasn't their
intention or maybe it was, I don't know. I truly believe the people of the
province are still looking for leadership.
Another thing, we never would have doubled the gas tax. We would have looked
at looking at a carbon tax based on polluter-pays principle. There are so
many wonderful, modern ways of digging ourselves out of this hole. That's
not what has happened.
For
those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I can't support this budget. The people of my
district have asked me to not support this budget.
I am
encouraging all Members of the House here that there's going to be a huge
rally of people Saturday here at Confederation Building at 12 o'clock. I
know many of my colleagues will go back to their districts, but those who
are in the vicinity; I encourage them to join the people and hear what
people have to say.
One
of the spinoffs I think, Mr. Speaker, of what has happened here is that we
have seen the people of Newfoundland and Labrador become active and are
insisting that they be heard. They have not lost hope. This government may
have lost hope, but they have not lost hope. They're asking for strong
leadership to instill hope and to help pull us out of this financial
situation that we have.
Mr.
Speaker, I, too, have not lost hope.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
I
remind the hon. Member her time has expired.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Speaker recognizes
the hon. the Member for the District of Burin Grand Bank.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
appreciate the opportunity to stand in this House today and speak to Budget
2016 presented by the Minister of Finance mid-April. There's no getting
around the fact that this is a difficult budget, Mr. Speaker. None of us on
this side of the House are smiling about it. I certainly take absolutely no
pleasure in this either.
In
years to come, no one on this side will look back at this budget with fond
memories. The essence of this budget is to chart a course out of the
quagmire that we have inherited from the opposite side, Mr. Speaker.
We
are in this position now because of 12 years of poor planning and
mismanagement from our predecessors. Year after year after year, this former
administration went wild with the province's chequebook. Even while they
were preaching caution and putting a freeze on discretionary spending, the
taps were kept open and the money was still flowing freely.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Newfoundland and Labrador
had some good years in there, Mr. Speaker, some years where the province was
flush in cash from oil royalties and Atlantic Accord payments. Even with the
influx of that money there were years and years' worth of increasing
deficits. Indeed, for fully half of their years in government, six of the 12
years they were in power, the Conservative government ran up these deficits.
Let
me restate now for the record, Mr. Speaker, they presided over the biggest
boom in the province's history, the biggest influx of cash we've ever seen,
yet they couldn't balance the books half the time. Even with all that black
gold they still managed a red bottom line. It's absolutely shameful
absolutely shameful.
They
borrowed and they spent and they kicked the can of the public finances down
the road again and again. They put us further and further into the red, Mr.
Speaker, until the provincial debt is now approaching a staggering $15
billion. Can you imagine?
AN HON. MEMBER:
How much?
MS. HALEY:
Fifteen billion dollars;
half a million people carrying a $15 billion debt. Let's do the math here,
Mr. Speaker. That's roughly $30,000 of debt for every man, woman and child
in this province.
AN HON. MEMBER:
How much?
MS. HALEY:
Mr. Speaker, $30,000 of
debt for every man, woman and child. It's crazy, an unacceptable situation;
a situation that cannot be allowed to continue.
If
their spending patterns went unchecked, we'd be staring at a debt of $27.3
billion in less than 10 years' time, Mr. Speaker. That's a debt we'd never
get out from under, I can assure you. Our province will be crushed under the
weight of that. Our credit rating would sink and we'd be paying even more
than we are paying now in interest on that enormous debt.
Money spent on servicing our debt is money that should be going to providing
the services and programs required; money that should be spent on looking
after our infrastructure needs, money that should be going into a legacy or
heritage fund, Mr. Speaker. Future generations would be crushed under the
weight of an uncontrolled debt, generations that bear no responsibility
whatsoever for this mess. If left unchecked, that would be our legacy to
them, to future generations. Not a legacy fund as we should have implemented
long before now, but instead a legacy of failure. That's the truth of it.
Our
government now has the unpleasant task of undoing the damage and getting
this province back on track. Back on track for Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians today who deserve a province where they don't have to face
every waking day worried about their future, Mr. Speaker. Back on track for
seniors who are deserving of a good quality of life after their years of
helping grow this province. Back on track for yet unborn generations of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to follow so they, too, will not feel stung
by the backdrop of a prohibitive provincial debt.
For
12 years, Mr. Speaker, the previous administration gave in and took the easy
way out. That strategy has resulted in an outright financial disaster,
unsustainable spending and reckless borrowing. That's what brought us here.
That's what got us here today.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Shame.
MS. HALEY:
It's shameful, exactly.
Failure to plan and an unwillingness to save for a rainy day, that's what
brought us here. All the spending and nothing to show for it so little to
show for it.
It's
not like they didn't have the opportunity to address the situation. They had
ample opportunity. They had 12 years, Mr. Speaker. They had years and years
to make the changes to our spending and to our borrowing. They had time, but
they didn't have the political will. They were more interested in saving
their own jobs than in saving the province from this financial crisis. Let's
not soft sell this. This is a crisis and crises do not appear just by
ignoring them.
Mr.
Speaker, the worst part is they were fully cognizant that this crisis would
one day come. They could see it growing larger and larger and uglier on the
horizon, big enough that there'd be no way for us to steer around it. Their
bureaucrats would have been telling them as much each time the budget rolled
around. You didn't need to be a financial wizard to see this coming. You
didn't need to be clairvoyant to see this coming.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Or a rocket surgeon.
MS. HALEY:
Or a rocket surgeon.
There you go.
That
makes the situation so much more disturbing, Mr. Speaker. If the deficit
were born of unavoidable catastrophe, there would be room for understanding,
but, no, such was not the case. They simply chose to ignore. They chose to
spend recklessly. They chose to defer action in favour of scoring political
points. That's what they did. It was full steam ahead with no one on watch
on a foggy night.
We
must set a course where spending is brought into line, while still
maintaining the services and programs we need as a people, Mr. Speaker. Our
government will do both. One does not have to be sacrificed for the other.
We will move ahead until we can provide our province with balanced budgets.
While doing so, we will still provide those programs and services to a
progressive and caring society.
We
know prosperity is possible, Mr. Speaker. If the Opposition was halfway
competent when they were in government, we'd be prosperous now. A
resource-rich province like ours, there's no excuse for not being
prosperous. We will fix this mess and we will do it in a reasonable time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Mr. Speaker, we have
demonstrated our commitment to correcting the financial situation. In our
very first 120 days in office we have found savings of $243 million for
2016-2017. This was simply after a line-by-line review of government
expenditures. It will annualize to $251 million.
Where we see wanton waste we will intervene and eliminate it, Mr. Speaker.
When we waste money we aren't wasting government money, we are wasting the
people's money. We are wasting the money of individuals who work hard to
provide for themselves and their families, individuals who don't mind
contributing their fair share to the common good, but not to have it
squandered, not to have it wasted. The waste must stop. We will provide the
scrutiny necessary to ensure just that.
We
have heard much about this budget. I'm getting the calls and the emails.
This is indeed a tough budget, but let me tell you it isn't without its
positive news for the residents of this province. We have undertaken to
provide funding to take care of the most vulnerable members of our society,
Mr. Speaker. We have allocated $76.4 million for helping the vulnerable by
creating a new Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement and by enhancing
the seniors' tax credit.
We
have committed $500,000 to fund the creation of a seniors' advocacy office.
We owe much to our seniors, Mr. Speaker, and we will do our part to ensure
they have the resources they need to have the fulfilling lives they so
justly deserve.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
We're investing $2
million to make sure rural areas of the province get broadband access, Mr.
Speaker. A service that is considered basic in much of the province must be
extended to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who want to avail of it. This
investment will provide a healthy start for reaching that objective.
We're investing $2 million to fund innovation in the fishery, including
$100,000 to establish a fisheries advisory council, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
It was the fishery that
brought us here, and even with a diversified economy, it is the fishery that
will keep many of us still here.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Even as we prosecute the
traditional fishery in areas of the province, we also need to explore the
new possibilities for this. Our flagship industry, Mr. Speaker, and this
fund will help drive the move to innovative ideas, such as we are seeing
developed in Lord's Cove in my District of Burin Grand Bank.
We
will be investing $570 million in infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. This includes
projects in transportation, the health sector, education and housing. This
investment will provide Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with the
infrastructure they need while stimulating the construction industry.
We
still have municipalities in this province where needs as basic as water
systems are lacking, where during a dry summer wells go dry and water has to
be fetched in five-gallon buckets, Mr. Speaker. This happens in communities
in my own District of Burin Grand Bank; this, in Newfoundland and Labrador
in 2016. We will work to remedy such situations by being mindful of
infrastructure needs.
Mr.
Speaker, as a Member representing a Burin Peninsula district, the District
of Burin Grand Bank, I feel I have a reason to be optimistic about the
future. We were, for generations, an economic success story in this
province. We had employment rates to rival any part of Eastern Canada. But
for some years now so much of rural Newfoundland and Labrador, the economy
of the Burin Peninsula, has faltered and some would say even collapsed. Now
we see signs of rebirth on the Burin Peninsula.
Since being elected, I have spent weeks working with Canada Fluorspar Inc.
and other stakeholders on restarting the fluorspar mine in St. Lawrence, Mr.
Speaker. That's a venture that has the potential to change the dynamics, not
just of St. Lawrence, but the whole surrounding area.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
It's that sort of venture
that will serve not just the Burin Peninsula well, but will directly impact
Newfoundland and Labrador. Now, unemployed and underemployed workers who
have nowhere to turn during these economic doldrums will once again be able
to take up well-paying jobs, Mr. Speaker; job benefits that will spill over
to aid the service industries, helping as much in spinoffs as in direct
benefits.
I
know the people of St. Lawrence are excited. I'm excited for them, Mr.
Speaker. Because of years of starts and stops, the mining industry is on the
verge of once again becoming a major player in that area.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
The good news doesn't end
there. I will continue to work along with my colleague for Placentia West
Bellevue to ensure that Grieg Seafarms NL Ltd. can set up shop in Placentia
Bay, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
We are working to
mitigate the risk to ensure this exciting venture provides stable employment
and benefits for the region for decades to come. It's an industry that will
not just benefit a few communities dotted along a shoreline, but the whole
of the Burin Peninsula, and indeed the whole province, Mr. Speaker; another
industry where the spin-off benefits that accrue are as important as the
direct benefits.
If
you're a welder, an electrician, a carpenter or a practitioner of any other
trade skill, you see hope on the horizon, Mr. Speaker. If you own or work in
a convenience store, restaurant, hotel or any other business, you see hope
on the horizon. All is not doom and gloom, not for the Burin Peninsula, Mr.
Speaker, and certainly not for Newfoundland and Labrador. We will not sit on
our hands waiting for oil prices to rebound. We will plan for the future and
that future is today.
There's no one happy about this budget. The people who are responsible for
bringing us here to this grim point are sitting on the opposite side of the
House. They're the same crowd who are heckling us with cries of shame,
shame. It is shameful, Mr. Speaker. That is purely shameful. The fact that
they're sitting there blaming us for this mess that they themselves created
is the real shame.
In
conclusion, Mr. Speaker, responsible government takes on a whole different
meaning than it used to have in this province. Responsible government now
means a government that takes the business of running this province
seriously. Responsible government now means a government that understands
it's unfair to burden future generations with debt perpetuated by unchecked
spending and want and waste. Responsible government now means a government
that will take off the cruise control, Mr. Speaker, and instead steer us to
the prosperity that will come with economic diversification.
We
will not stifle where stifling is not warranted. We will continue to roll
out plans with measures to move this province forward, Mr. Speaker.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, heirs to a province with a vast wealth of
natural resources that would be the envy of so much of the world, deserve
and indeed demand no less.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. HALEY:
Mr. Speaker, often the
best lessons for families, for individuals and indeed for governments can be
learned by revisiting the chronicles of history. Go back to the roaring '20s
and the Great Depression that followed. Most historians will now tell you
they were not independent events.
The
attitudes that permeated so much of the '20s, very much begets the terrible
depression that followed. Now we are watching a similar scenario play out
right here in our own province, Mr. Speaker; years of a carefree attitude
towards our finances followed by the financial crisis we are now facing.
It's
like the aftermath of a party, Mr. Speaker. The revellers are gone and
someone is left to clean the mess. That's what it is, but the commitment is
there to clean up that mess because that's the only way forward. Cleaning up
someone else's mess is never pleasant work but if we work together, we can
have a province that provides a bright future for all of us.
Mr.
Speaker, I've heard from many people in the district I represent of Burin
Grand Bank. Constituents are welcome to contact my office anytime. I will be
there to answer their calls and be available to discuss their concerns. They
can reach my office by calling 832-2530.
In
closing, again, Mr. Speaker, I, too, like many of my colleagues, would like
to take this time to wish my mother a very Happy Mother's Day because
without her, I would not be here today.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Lane):
The Speaker
recognizes the hon. the Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural
Development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
It
gives me pleasure to follow my caucus colleague, the Member for Burin
Grand Bank, who clearly raised a message that speaks volumes of the people
on this side of the House; how we are ready to step up and how we're willing
to co-operate and work together to solve the issues that exist in our
economy, to work to create jobs; how she talked so eloquently about her
district and how she will partner with her neighbour to the north to look at
where jobs can be created, to look at partnerships.
These are all key things that we need to do. We do need to have that
collaborative relationship. As the Minister Responsible for Business, I'm
clearly offering my support and engagement in that opportunity when we look
at partnerships with things like Grieg
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
or when we look at
the investments that can be made in tourism with our francophone
counterparts in St Pierre and Miquelon, looking at the investments being
made in new ferries to St Pierre and Miquelon and the opportunity that
presents when we look at the EU. That is an opportunity for all of us.
When
we look at Budget 2016, there's a tremendous amount of money that is being
invested: $570 million in key infrastructure areas such as roads, schools,
health care facilities and municipal infrastructure projects. This will all
encourage and stimulate economic growth and will also assist in leveraging
federal funding. This is all important when you look at building a
diversified economy to make sure you have key, critical infrastructure in
place.
Mr.
Speaker, $63.7 million for widening and paving of the Trans-Labrador
Highway, a critical investment when we look at the infrastructure needs,
when we look at the economy in Labrador and the activity that's happening in
mining. The Minister of Natural Resources spoke earlier about the activity
that's going to be happening with Vale Inco.
There are lots of investments that are happening: $23 million for the
continuation of the Team Gushue Highway; $13.5 million for vessel refit;
$9.3 million for the completion of the Placentia lift bridge; and there's $5
million for heavy equipment replacement.
Economic diversification in difficult financial times, we need to really
reiterate, encourage and foster that economic climate for the private sector
to really step up and make those investments to be competitive and be
productive. We have those opportunities because we're strategically
positioned.
When
we look at the CEDA agreement, when we look at access to the European market
and ports that we have in Argentia and St. Anthony to look at doing
international shipping, and we look at our airports and our direct link, we
have more direct link now to the European marketplace. When we look at the
two flights direct to London and to Dublin, this is an incredible
opportunity to build on those partnerships. As well, we look at our other
airports that are regional and international in Gander, Deer Lake and
Stephenville. We look at ways to find those opportunities to grow those
links where we can create new commercial activity and new passenger
activity.
We're currently doing our exit survey this year so we can a better
understanding of the visitation that's coming into the province from
out-of-province travel, where they're spending the money, what experiences
they're having. So market research is key as we look at planning for the
future when it comes to our tourism and cultural assets and how we formulate
ways to get to $1.6 billion in spends.
The
tourism sector represents 18,000 employees and 2,500 businesses. Eighty-two
per cent of those are small businesses and they're generating over $1
billion in revenue. That's incredible when it comes to looking at the job
creation and growth and the potential that we have to build upon those
strategic clusters. I had the opportunity to be in Bonavista and on the
Bonavista Peninsula with my colleague, the MHA for Bonavista, and meet with
tourism stakeholders. They're very ambitious about their future this summer.
Next
week is going to be Innovation Week and we have lots to celebrate here in
Newfoundland and Labrador. The current sector represents just under 4,000
employees and complements a $1.6 billion revenue for Newfoundland and
Labrador, so it's very high-value, high-yield jobs. We, as a government,
have continued to commit to venture capital, seed capital funding for tech
sector companies. I've had the pleasure to make venture capital
announcements for three companies right now that have added new jobs that
are getting into markets into the US and other areas.
We're going to continue to foster and encourage companies and investors to
help fuel our ecosystem that we have here in Newfoundland and Labrador
because we do have a lot of assets and a dynamic ecosystem for research and
development and for new technology and start-up companies. Whether it would
be through the Genesis Centre at Memorial University, whether it would be
looking at Common Ground, or looking at the Research and Development
Corporation, which has just under $19 million to help invest in academic and
commercial research and development to really help leverage new dollars and
foster an innovative economy.
I'm
going to have the pleasure next week to address Innovation Week. I invite
everybody, all Members of the House to become involved in the activities
that are happening from Canadian manufacturers and exporters, looking at the
activity these people have, the impact they have in our communities and our
economy. I'm looking forward to going to Harbour Grace and areas looking at
the manufacturing activity that's taking place there. Whether it's Restwell
Mattresses or other companies, there's a lot of manufacturing that's
happening right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Looking at companies in sawmilling and looking at their opportunity, such as
companies like Sexton Lumber and what they want to do to grow. There's
potential here to create new jobs and to create high value and use research
and development and new technologies in ways that can build a stronger
economy. That's exactly what we are doing as a government.
What
we are doing under the leadership of our Premier, we're looking at ways in
which we can fully diversify the economy across all sectors, placing focus
on our renewable sectors such as the forestry, and also in agriculture.
We're going to have a new agricultural growth strategy. We're working with
the Federation of Agriculture, and Budget 2016 provided an additional
$60,000.
We
have so much potential, and we saw that co-operation. When the Minister of
Municipal Affairs got up earlier he talked about all the opportunity and the
willingness to partner when it comes to Crown land. Unlocking assets that we
have as a province to create the value, economically that it can create new
jobs, new opportunities, because we have food security issues here in the
province.
We
also have a lot of ability to export when it comes to the cranberry
development. We're getting very near the ability of having a cranberry
production manufacturing facility here in province versus looking at
exporting at the lowest cost. So we are moving forward on that initiative.
We
also have a fur farming industry. We have the potential for when we look at
the egg industry, and we look at new entrants and the opportunities that
exist there. There is a program, and we encourage people to become involved.
When
it comes to trade, we are looking at a multi-year international, business
development plan. Right now, we've actually undertaken new research capacity
here in the province to look at all the companies. We have a number of
companies that are currently exporting or export ready.
While the Minister of Natural Resources is looking at the OTC conference,
there was a company, GRI Solutions that was able to ink a deal with Brazil
and other South American countries. This is tremendous for companies we have
here in Newfoundland and Labrador and the work and the partnerships they
have. We're developing leading edge, state-of-the-art sensing and remote
technology.
I
had a meeting with the Ambassador of Korea yesterday and we talked about our
competitive edge. We talked about the innovative opportunities that exist
here. We talked about our esteemed post-secondary institution that the
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills is leading; leading that edge
there when we talk about an innovative strategy and how we can create those
opportunities.
This
is a government that is working collaboratively. We're looking at the
opportunities of how we can get more out of the economy in terms of our
entrepreneurs investing, creating new jobs and adding value. This is why we
as a government maintained the Small Business Tax Credit at 3 per cent. We
have the third most competitive in all the country, and this helps small
business develop. We also kept the payroll tax at the threshold that it is
which helps businesses ensure they can have a number of employees.
When
we look at health care in this province, there's over $3 billion in Budget
2016 for health care to provide support so people can access the treatment
and care they need. There's $2.5 million for further planning and design of
a new facility to replace the Waterford Hospital. There's $2.6 million for
completion of a PET scanner at the Health Sciences Complex expected to be
operational in 2016. There are positive investments in the health sector in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
In
fact, I was in Grand Falls-Windsor when the Minister of Transportation and
Works and the MHA for Exploits were there. There was a significant
investment looking at the hearing loss in our population, looking at genetic
research, life sciences, and that's an area where we have a tremendous
potential for growth and development. That leading edge research is
happening right in Grand Falls-Windsor. We have a lot to celebrate here in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
We
have to talk about the successes we have in entrepreneurship in
municipalities. Our municipalities in this budget maintain their operating
grants and have the ability to look at economic development. We have a
regional economic development fund of $8.5 million. We're also investing in
broadband infrastructure of $2 million.
When
you look at the tourism budget we have, it's at $13 million to help that
sector of the economy. We also have $18.5 million in the budget to give and
help develop the strong arts and heritage and cultural industries that we
have in Newfoundland and Labrador. We're quite excited about that. We're
very proud that funding is in budget 2016-2017.
We
have tremendous community investment here in the budget; $72.7 million in
approved projects under Multi-Year Capital Works, Municipal Capital Works
and the former Building Canada program. We've got $20.4 million in order to
leverage new federal funding under the New Building Canada program and $5.5
million to modernize and renovate public rental housing. These improvements
will help sustain our housing stock over the long term.
This
is a big thing that we saw. We see the ability to partner with the federal
government when it comes to social housing and the needs that exist, the
demands that exist in social housing. We're very proud to see the federal
government maintain its commitment. We're there to support the federal
government. The Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador
Housing Corporation is working very diligently on those matters. It's very
important that we make sure that we have adequate housing stock.
As
well, I want to point out that as a government government has the
responsibility to ensure that it is doing all it can to look after those
that are most vulnerable in society. This is why we have developed the
Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement, the Enhanced Seniors' Benefit,
and a program to ensure that seniors, lower-income individuals and families
and people with disabilities have supports in budget 2016-2017. We've
developed tools to get that message out there.
I
want to say there are instances where seniors in budget 2016-2017 such as
a single senior that's on GIS, that's receiving $16,000 will get an
Enhanced Seniors' Benefit of $1,313. They will also qualify for the
Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement; and federally, because they are
on GIS and on that level, they will get another $947. This is a significant
amount more this year than what they received last year.
So
there are good things in the budget. We have to look at across governments
municipally, provincially, federally about what the overall programs, what
the overall offer is across governments and what the impact is. We also have
to balance our social programs and our social spending to make sure we're
providing services to the people of the province. That is really critical
and at the core of any government.
We
also have to develop economic policy that makes sure that we're developing
the economy, we're creating all of the opportunities that exist in
Newfoundland and Labrador to grow and we're willing to do the hard work here
in Newfoundland and Labrador and, as a government, to make decisions that
are in the best interest of Newfoundland and Labrador.
As
we've seen on the opposite side, we've seen decisions that had spent
exceptional amounts of money that did not put public money to best use. That
did not save for that rainy day. That had $25 million in offshore oil
royalties and Atlantic Accord money, made decisions to give the rich a tax
break when oil was at peak and that cost the Treasury $4 billion.
At a
time when you're past peak and it's raining, government should have saved.
The past administration should have saved for a rainy day. They could have
made better decisions and we would not be in the situation to have to make
these difficult but necessary decisions in order to ensure that we build a
stronger tomorrow for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. This is core to what
we're doing. We're working very hard, as a government. We're going to work
with all of our colleagues here. Everybody has to be part of the solution in
order to solve the fiscal situation.
I
would appreciate from colleagues opposite that they put out the accurate
information when it comes to our seniors, when it comes to the programs that
exist because the misinformation that is being spread is not helpful to
seniors. It's not helpful to people on lower income. It's not helpful to
people with disabilities to be spreading misinformation about the programs
that do exist to help them. Putting people who are vulnerable in society in
a position where they have the wrong information creates fear and
unnecessary stress where it doesn't need to be.
We
all need to be responsible, as Members of this House of Assembly, to ensure
we're working to make sure that Newfoundland and Labrador is well positioned
for growth and the opportunities, and that we're providing the services
adequate to meet the needs of our population.
I
want to say that I see tremendous opportunity in budget 2016-2017 when it
comes to looking at the opportunity for our fishery, working with my
colleague, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, to look at and serving
on the All-Party Committee for shrimp, looking at the seafood advisory
council and also looking to make significant investment into the fishery
here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Also, we work collaboratively with the
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture when it comes to looking at the
aquaculture assessments and looking at the economic opportunities.
We
also see tremendous opportunity in our tourism, our cultural and artistic
industries and heritage industries, and that's why we've invested and
continue to invest in them. I'm looking forward to working with all of the
artists in Newfoundland and Labrador as we develop the status of the artists
and engage with them. I've already met with a number of them. My colleague,
the parliamentary secretary and MHA for Terra Nova, is going to be actively
engaged on the ground and encouraged with what we can do there.
We
have so much opportunity to look at regional development, to look at
innovation and to look at trade and really grow our economy and create jobs
right here in Newfoundland and Labrador and not focus on the cyclical trends
of oil, that we can budget based on other factors and ensure that what we do
as a government is responsible and is sustainable, that we're making
decisions for the long-term. And that's where we get into multi-year
planning, multi-year budgeting, doing things that make sense, like the early
tendering that the Minister of Transportation and Works has put forward.
We
were elected on November 30, all of us, as Members. As ministers, we've been
around only since December 14 and we've done a tremendous amount of work for
the people of the province, and we're just getting started because we have a
lot more to do and we're going to get this done.
Under the leadership of this Premier, under the Finance Minister, under the
Cabinet and under the caucus here, this government will make Newfoundland
and Labrador a great province, and have a stronger tomorrow.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
The Speaker recognizes
the hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
MR. CROCKER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's
my pleasure to rise this afternoon and take a few minutes and talk about
Budget 2016. But I want to start, Mr. Speaker, by recognizing the ongoing
tragedy in Fort McMurray. Like many others in this House and I guess
everybody in this House there are many people in my district that are
affected by the wildfires in Fort McMurray. I just want to reassure our
constituents that are in Fort McMurray that our thoughts and prayers are
with them.
Mr.
Speaker, just on April 11 in my district, there was another fire that caused
another great tragedy with the destruction of Quinlan's processing plant in
Bay de Verde. When the Finance Minister started her speech back on April 14,
she spoke about the resilience of a people and compared the tragedy in Bay
de Verde to many of the things that this province is going through when it
comes to devastation and remaining united and community helping community
and neighbour helping neighbour.
Albeit, Mr. Speaker, that this budget is certainly a difficult one and
I've heard many concerns from my constituents. I can assure you, it doesn't
fall on deaf ears. We realize that the decisions we've had to make in the
early days of this government are not easy, but we need to get on the right
track. We need to get back so that we preserve a future for our children. We
just cannot keep passing the buck.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm going to come back to that. I'll just talk a minute about my
district. The resilience in Bay de Verde is amazing. As a government, we're
going to be there for the people of Bay de Verde, no different than the
previous administration was there last year for the people of Cottlesville.
The
MHA for the district is representing his district quite well actually, Mr.
Speaker. He's working for the people of Cottlesville. We can assure him that
there was money in Budget 2016 for us to step up again this year to help the
people in Cottlesville.
Mr.
Speaker, there are a number of things in my district this year that I would
like to highlight. First of all, this year will mark the 150th anniversary
of the successful landing of the transatlantic cable in Heart's Content. It
happened on July 27, 150 years ago. I invite everybody in the province this
summer to take some time and visit Heart's Content during that week and see
what is known as the eighth wonder of the world.
Also, Mr. Speaker, I would remiss if I didn't point out that this coming
summer the Carbonear Volunteer Fire Department will mark their 175th
anniversary. So again, Mr. Speaker, a major milestone for that community.
Mr.
Speaker, when we talk of infrastructure there are lots of great commitments,
but I'll come back to infrastructure on a greater scale a little bit later.
When we look at infrastructure throughout my district, our government
committed in Budget 2016 to the completion of the Carbonear long-term care
facility. We have secured funding for road upgrades on Route 80 in
Winterton, bridge replacement in Sibleys Cove and work on the Veteran's
Memorial Highway. That's one of the busiest roadways in the province outside
the Trans-Canada Highway.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm fortunate. My district is represented by two Members of
Parliament, Minister Foote and Ken McDonald. I can assure you that working
with both Members of Parliament, we are working hard to ensure that as a
province we work with our federal counterparts to bring benefits not only to
our province which I can assure you Minister Foote and the other six MPs
are doing a great job with but specifically to our districts in their
ridings. I'm sure the other Members of Parliament are doing the same for
their ridings along with their MHA counterparts.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm just going to move to the fishery for a minute and talk about
this very important industry. In my mandate letter from the Premier it was
very clear of the commitment he has to the fishery and the commitment this
government has to the fishery. The fishery is what brought us to this
province and it is one of the bright spots on the horizon.
Mr.
Speaker, one thing I have found with the fishery and this portfolio is that
it often transcends party lines. We're working on a committee now, an
all-party committee, with regards to the LIFO policy and our desire to have
that policy eliminated. Just this week the All-Party Committee met with the
federal minister's advisory panel. I can assure you we will move forward to
protect our inshore shrimp fishery.
Mr.
Speaker, the Member for Cape St. Francis is a great advocate for the
fishery. Over the last little while he's raised a couple of petitions. I'd
just like to quickly address two of the issues that he raised. One of the
issues was around the recreational fishery. I can assure the Member on every
occasion I've had to speak to Minister Tootoo or Minister Foote it's an
issue that we raised. It's actually raised in my mandate letter from the
Premier.
We
take it one further. Just a week or so ago, I had the opportunity to meet
with tour boat operators in the province and we talked about the tourism
aspect of fishery. There's a role for tourism in our fishery, all respecting
the commercial viability of our fishery with that being said, Mr. Speaker.
The
Member also raised, today in a petition, vessel size. I think there's full
agreement in this province, and even within our Members of Parliament, Mr.
Speaker, that vessel size is an issue that needs to be addressed before
there are more tragedies. We saw a tragedy last year with regard to vessel
size. Again, it's a very important issue and one that we're committed to
pursuing with the federal government.
Mr.
Speaker, the fishing industry in this province last year was $1.2 billion;
$161 million of that being aquaculture and $738 million in landings. Those
are new dollars. Dollars that are paid to harvesters and that's money that
circulates through all rural communities. We see that, and it adds to the
commitment of this government with regard to the fishery.
One
of my mandates as minister is to form a fisheries advisory council. This
council is going to put a lens and specifically take a hard look at cod
recovery and how we face that challenge. It was very pleasing to see it'll
be two weeks ago tomorrow the FFAW and a number of processors in this
province formed a fisheries advisory or groundfish advisory council of their
own to proceed into recovering the ground fishery in a manner that will
benefit all of the people of our province.
Mr.
Speaker, Budget 2016 also identifies $420,000 for oceanographic research.
This research is going to be used to help expand our aquaculture industry,
an industry with so much potential in our future. When we look at the South
Coast and I know there's interest with the oceanographic research on the
Southwest Coast of the province where there are lots of opportunity for
expansion, as also in Placentia Bay.
Mr.
Speaker, also in Budget 2016 we were able to budget $2 million over the next
two years for a new Seafood Innovation and Transition Program. This program
will look at innovation in our industry, but there will be a lens applied to
transition. We're hoping to leverage this fund with other partners to help
our harvesters and our processors adapt to a recovering ground fishery.
There will be a lens on this fund that will specifically look at transition
for harvesters and processors, whether it's in handling, harvesting and many
other aspects of a new ground fishery.
Mr.
Speaker, next year will mark 25 years since the collapse of the ground
fishery. When we look back 25 years, many things have changed. The world
market for cod has changed. We're going to have to adapt and adapt quickly
to satisfy the needs of that market.
As I
mentioned earlier, Mr. Speaker, Budget 2016 and our fisheries advisory
council Budget 2016 commits $200,000 over the next two years for the
establishment and running of this council. I very much look forward to the
Independent Appointments Commission getting up and running so we can get the
appointments done to the fisheries advisory council and we can start the
important work and research into a recovering groundfish.
Mr.
Speaker, Member's opposite in their role of criticizing I respect that
role, I was fortunate enough to spend a year in Opposition. There are a lot
of things that the Opposition are not being clear with when it comes to the
budget. The Member for St. John's Centre earlier this afternoon said there
was no money in the budget for infrastructure.
Mr.
Speaker, there's $570 million committed to infrastructure in this province
in 2016-2017. That's half a billion dollars that this government has
committed to infrastructure throughout our province.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. CROCKER:
Yes, that money will be
leveraged with Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, some of the things we've been able to
achieve in our short time in government with the government in Ottawa
there was a restriction on roads. Previously, federal infrastructure road
money needed a 10,000 car count before the federal government would become
involved. Our minister and our Premier, we've negotiated with our
counterparts in Ottawa for the elimination of that policy. Now we have the
Government of Canada willing to invest 50 per cent in all of our roads, no
matter where they are in this province.
A
commitment to the Trans-Labrador Highway; when you think that it's 2016 and
there are parts of our province where we're talking about paving the road
for the first time, Mr. Speaker, our government is commitment to
infrastructure in this province. We're committed to working with our
colleagues in Ottawa to ensure that we get whatever we deserve.
You
look at things over the past years when it comes to infrastructure in our
communities. We were able to maintain, even in these tough times, the
operating grants for our small municipalities and municipalities in general.
Mr. Speaker, $625 million total investment in municipal infrastructure this
year.
We
were able to and I think it would be the first time in history, early
tendering for roadwork. We see roadwork already happening in this province.
That's unheard of. My past experience with roadwork has been September,
October and November just pushing it out and piecemeal. Mr. Speaker, the
commitment we've been able to do in Budget 2016 won't go unnoticed.
Mr.
Speaker, as a person from rural Newfoundland and Labrador and as a father
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. CROCKER:
I look at numbers; $950
million this year in interest on our debt. Mr. Speaker, $950 million in
interest, that's before we do anything. In the same breath, that's $100
million more than we're able to provide for education.
Where do we go? Do we continue to download this on the next generation? I'm
not satisfied to do that, Mr. Speaker. I have no intention of taking my seat
and pushing off debt into the future.
Mr.
Speaker, it took us 66 years to get to a $12 billion debt. It will take us
71 years, five more years, to get to a $24 billion debt. With a $24 billion
debt, if left unchecked, this province will then spend $2 billion a year on
interest. Just imagine; that's more than twice of what we provide for
education. That's not something I'm willing to be a part of, in no way shape
or form to take an interest bill for $2 billion a year. You know, $29
billion with no rainy day fund and I've heard Members opposite say our
legacy fund is Muskrat Falls. I'll leave it at that.
To
know where you're going, you've got to know where you've been. Just in 2015,
the provincial government recognizes that a decline in oil prices has put a
great strain on our revenue and we need to adjust our course to meet the
realities ahead. This situation we find ourselves in is a temporary one it
was a temporary one. But our problems aren't temporary. Debt is not
temporary.
The
previous administration treated our finances as temporary. They stand up day
after day and talk about what their five-year plan was, the five-year plan
they put in place. The five-year plan they ran on, the Third Party ran on,
the five-year plan that we ran on, because on September 28 we asked for an
update on the finances of the province and we weren't given one. So we erred
on caution.
It's
interesting, the projections of the five-year plan. In 2016-2017, oil was
projected to be $71 a barrel; 2017-18, $80 a barrel; 2018-19, $84 a barrel;
2019-20, $87 a barrel. That was the five-year plan. That was the plan, and a
temporary one. It was treated as temporary; it was temporary. Well,
temporary is not good enough.
We
need a fiscal plan that's not based on temporary or a wish list that oil was
going to trade this year at $71 a barrel. We've accepted the reality of the
world economy, Mr. Speaker, and we budgeted oil at $40 a barrel this year.
That's where we've budgeted it.
AN HON. MEMBER:
That's leadership.
MR. CROCKER:
You're right, that is
leadership.
Members opposite criticize us for the unfortunate closure of the Harbour
Grace courthouse; $29 billion in revenue, Mr. Speaker, and the Harbour Grace
courthouse fell down. No investment in the Harbour Grace courthouse, no
investment.
Members raise multigrading; well I can assure Members opposite that from
rural Newfoundland and Labrador where I came from, our teachers have, in my
memory, always dealt with multigrading. Then to question the ability of our
educators to offer multigrade education, our educators, Mr. Speaker, are
some of the best in the world I'd say.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. CROCKER:
The best in the world.
Mr.
Speaker, I know my time is getting short. The Member from St. John's Centre
this afternoon, there are a couple of things I have to bring up. She
compared us to Alberta. It's not a fair comparison. No debt load. We have a
debt load, Alberta has a heritage fund.
She
said the Alberta budget was different than ours. Yeah, it sure was. Our
budget maintained our credit ratings. The Alberta budget got Alberta
credit-rating downgrades. So that's where the Alberta budget brought us.
The
Member opposite talked about a carbon tax, user pay. Well, the user is the
same consumer that the Member was referring to all day in her remarks.
Mr.
Speaker, my time is out for right now. I'm sure we have lots of budget bills
coming up in the coming weeks and I'll have another opportunity. I would
like to thank you for the opportunity this afternoon.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Osborne):
The hon. the
Member for Bonavista.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Before I get to my part of the Budget Speech, I'd like to get a little bit
of housekeeping out of the way. I know this weekend is Mother's Day so I'd
like to wish my own mother, Linda King, a happy Mother's Day. Oh, and to the
Minister of Fisheries and all the other mothers here in the province. A
special Mother's Day wish to my Aunt Deanna Edwards and Aunt Nancy Edwards,
who are a big part of my life.
Last
week when I got up and spoke to the private Member's resolution, I forgot to
mention something very good that's going on in the district on July 1. It
kind of gets back to the budget a little bit. The New Curtain Theatre, run
by Geoff Adams, is putting on a production this summer called a
Soldier's Heart. That's out in George's Brook, Milton. I very much
look forward to that production.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible).
MR. KING:
That's going to be around
July 1. That goes along with the Trinity Pageant which my friend opposite
mentioned earlier.
I
got up here to speak, the last speaker before we adjourn for the weekend,
because it's been bothering me all week. There have been attacks based on
the town of Catalina you're losing your library directed towards me by
the Member for Cape St. Francis and the Member for Conception Bay East
Bell Island. They say you haven't done anything for the town of Catalina.
Well, let me give you a history about the town of Catalina and the previous
PC government.
I
was talking to the deputy mayor of Trinity Bay North, which Trinity Bay
North is composed of Little Catalina, Catalina, Port Union and Melrose. It
amalgamated first in 2004, later picking up Little Catalina in 2010. We are
a very strong community, a very proud community.
The
Joseph Clouter Memorial Library, which was the first library outside the
overpass, which was founded in 1937 it was a big part of my life and still
is a big part of my life. It's held in a municipal building so when they say
it's going to close right away foolishness.
I
had a conversation with the Deputy Mayor of Trinity Bay North yesterday
AN HON. MEMBER:
They are not
listening.
MR. KING:
No, they're not
listening. They only talk when they want to talk, and listen when they want
to listen.
I
had a conversation with the Deputy Mayor of Trinity Bay North yesterday and
we're going to work on a solution to keep that open. I'm all about
listening.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
It's a big part it's a
historical part of our community and a vital part of our community, so I'm
committed to keeping that library open.
But
the previous four years, the Town of Catalina in the municipality of Trinity
Bay North was ignored by the previous Member and the previous government.
AN HON. MEMBER:
It's shameful.
MR. KING:
It is shameful.
In
2012, Catalina Elementary was on the chopping block. Now, that's a school
that was opened in 1990, a modern school, a lot of money invested into it.
In 2012, they were going to shut it down. Shut down, b'ys, let's move
everyone to Bonavista, just shut it down.
The
community fought for that school. Today's Minister of Education fought for
that school, I fought for that school and I'll still fight every day for the
people of my district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
But what did the previous
government and the previous minister do? Work behind the scenes. I've got it
on good authority that he worked the scenes, worked behind, talking to the
school boards, saying close it down and move to Bonavista. Now, that's
shameful. That's the type of commitment we got from the previous government
in the Municipality of Trinity Bay North shocking.
Let
me tell you about the OCI plant in Port Union, another part of Trinity Bay
North. Igor ravaged that building in 2010.
AN HON. MEMBER:
We caused Igor?
MR. KING:
You didn't cause Igor,
but you didn't step up to the plate to help solve the problem, did you?
In
2012, took everything out of it. The previous government didn't stand up and
fight for that plant. No. But you look at the Minister of Fisheries now, in
his hometown, he's standing up and fighting for that. So the damage done to
Trinity Bay North, not a thing, not a mention.
In
Bay de Verde we got good support, so b'ys when they talk about Catalina,
Port Union or Trinity Bay North, it is absolutely ridiculous that they would
actually bring it up. They should be ashamed.
The
Sir William Ford Coaker Foundation talk about leveraging government money.
They had an opportunity to leverage $100,000 of federal funding. Now, that's
last year. They couldn't get $60,000 from the provincial government to
leverage that funding so they got nothing at all. It's shameful.
Do
you know what happened? Mr. Speaker, $44,000 went to the trail association,
yet two people campaigned against me.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Did they win?
MR. KING:
No, they didn't. They
weren't successful.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
The former premier likes
to talk down to people who don't agree with them, such as our young MHA
which is disgraceful terminology. It's a shame. He wanted to lecture me on
the Bonavista hospital, talking about X-rays being gone and laundry being
gone. I've got a meeting with Minister Haggie the week after next, with key
stakeholders. That's going to be the topic of discussion.
What
the former premier won't talk about are the four doctors that left from
January to March of last year that weren't replaced. The reason why they
left is because they had their incentives taken from them in a rural area.
They weren't replaced. Where was the big uproar then? Where was the
Bonavista hospital then? Where was it?
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. KING:
Yes, protecting their
buddies. You know that savings was supposed to be a little shy of $100,000.
Do you know what it actually cost with locums, flying them in from Ontario
and bringing them in from different parts of the province and putting them
up in the nice hotel in Bonavista?
AN HON. MEMBER:
How much?
MR. KING:
Over $500,000. So that's
your Catalina library there plus many more.
Do
you know what I did? Within a month of being sworn in, I met with Eastern
Health to discuss the issue. That went silent on those people.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
Talking about the
Bonavista hospital again
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. KING:
Well, yes.
Mr.
Speaker, $500,000 was budgeted for the Bonavista hospital for improvements
in 2014. Guess what happened in 2015?
AN HON. MEMBER:
What happened?
MR. KING:
It got cancelled.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Oh no.
MR. KING:
Yes.
AN HON. MEMBER:
Who cancelled it?
MR. KING:
In 2015, the previous
government. Now, we can't go doing the blame game all the time, but I'm just
presenting the facts as they lie.
They
say good intentions are a pathway straight to you know where. I had good
intentions when I went to the NAPE rally Monday past. I was invited by local
NAPE leadership.
What
came out of that was the friends of the NDP decided they were going to
ambush me there. They put a camera in my face. When I talked about how good
I am and how proactive I am working with the communities, they said the
College of the North Atlantic is closing down, is it?
So
they had a big rally planned for last Saturday oh, save the CNA. Do you
know what that rally turned into? Another budget protest, because the facts
came out. Mr. Speaker, here's what happened and here's what I've been doing
since I've been elected.
Between 2013 and 2015 enrolment went from 120 students down to 65 120
students, where it should be, down to 65. Do you know what left the campus?
Office administration when the demand was still there. Adult Basic Education
was privatized, taken out of the school and it's cost us more money ever
since. That's more money for the Catalina library, isn't it?
They
took out half a plumbing program. There were 12 students in Bonavista. They
decided they were going to take the other half. No offence to the Minister
of Transportation and Works, but they decided they were going to take half,
put them in Grand Falls, spend $400,000 on infrastructure that we already
had, there was no wait-list, and move it out of their so we had 60.
AN HON. MEMBER:
So where did the
money go?
MR. KING:
That's our libraries.
They
got rid of the wildlife management program. Also, what happened, we lost the
Bonavista Institute for Cultural Tourism, over $10,000. Now the Bonavista
Institute for Cultural Tourism was the centre of excellence for tourism in
this province. The Harris Centre out of MUN loved it. It helped people
during the shoulder seasons of the tourism industry, gave them the
appropriate training, grew our economy. Because of $10,000, which they
couldn't get, they said all right, we're going to get rid of that.
We
had some great meetings with the Bonavista Area Chamber of Commerce and the
Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development was out. I'm
going to work with him and I'm going to work with the federal minister, Judy
Foote, to try to get some money to get that institute up and running again.
So
when the buddies of the NDP, NAPE, Jerry Earle and them, said: oh, the
College of the North Atlantic's closing down. The College of the North
Atlantic in Bonavista is closing down. Well, I said, no it's not, and here's
what I've been doing.
When
I got elected on November 30, I met with the new manager of the College of
the North Atlantic immediately in December. We came up with a plan to grow
the college. He's new to it and he wants to see it grow. I view that school
as an economic driver for the District of Bonavista.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
What I've done is I have
put together an advisory council of key stakeholders in the district that
will keep that college open. I have the Minister of Advanced Education and
Skills' support to do that.
Who
are these key stakeholders? Well, we have representatives from the Town of
Bonavista; the Town of Trinity Bay North; a representative for Tourism
Elliston and the Sealers Memorial; and the past manager of the College of
the North Atlantic. I've got the chair and vice-chair of the local Chamber
of Commerce, and I've got the current manager and myself. I think that's a
pretty strong team to bring to the plate, right?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. KING:
So that's called being
proactive. The former Member wasn't even reactive.
My
time is winding down here, but I'm going to talk to one more. We look at
rural broadband Internet. In the District of Bonavista I've been getting
emails since I've been elected about where's our rural Internet? I talked to
the minister about it and he said do you know what? As an MHA you reach out
to Bell, you call Mark Duggan at Bell and you set everything up. Why hasn't
that been done over the previous few years?
I'm
going to take advantage of the $2 million we're putting in here, the $500
million that's put in by the federal government, and leverage broadband
Internet for our area. We need it. It's vital to the tourism industry. It's
vital to people who want to utilize the Internet without taking up a data
package, because it's right for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in
the rural areas.
I've
got another 20 minutes to speak, so I'm just going to wind it down here. Mr.
Speaker, I look forward to having that 20 minutes to talk. I am committed
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
(Inaudible) all sides.
The
hon. the Member for Bonavista.
MR. KING:
Thank you for the
protection, Mr. Speaker.
I
think I have might have gotten the lead role in the Trinity Pageant after
this one. I'm just going to leave it at that.
I'm
going to get another 20 minutes to speak. I'm going to talk about what's in
the budget for the district, how the budget is going to positively affect
the people in my district and what our plans are for long term. The next
time I speak for 20 minutes it's going to be about the fishery as well
because the fishery is vital to the people of the District of Bonavista.
Mr.
Speaker, thank you for your time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government
House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Yes, thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
Prior to closing, I think on behalf of everybody in the House, and I'm sure
we all say a happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. A. PARSONS:
I would move,
seconded by the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, that the House
do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It's been moved and
seconded that the House do now adjourn.
All
those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
Against?
This
House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, Monday, at 1:30 in the afternoon.
On
motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Monday, at 1:30
p.m.