November 21, 2017
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLVIII No. 37
The
House met at 1:30 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
Order, please!
Admit
strangers.
In the
public gallery today, I would like to recognize April White, who is an
award-winning artist whose accomplishments will be the subject of a Member's
statement today.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
I would also like to welcome
to the public gallery Mr. Jon Sturge, who's with the Salvation Army; a very
important organization throughout our province. He is based in Springdale.
Welcome
to you, Mr. Sturge.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Today I'd like to make a
special tribute, if I may, to Marie Keefe.
I'd like
to recognize Ms. Keefe. She has been an employee of the House of Assembly
Service who retired on October 31, 2017, after more than 30 years with the
provincial government.
Marie
began her career in the public service with the Pensions Division, Department of
Finance. She served in various roles there before moving on to the Centre for
Learning and Development. While working with the CLD, she delivered training to
both elected Members and government employees and also provided facilitation
services to various public consultations undertaken by government.
In
September 2007, Marie joined the House of Assembly Service as the Policy and
Communications Officer, a position established as a result of the implementation
of the Green report. In this role, Marie has provided extensive policy, planning
and communication support to the Speaker, House of Assembly Management
Commission, the House of Assembly Service and the statutory offices. She has
also been responsible for overseeing the development of the policy manuals
provided to Members and staff of the House, coordinating parliamentary
conferences and providing public education and outreach services.
I ask
all hon. Members to join me in thanking Marie for her service to the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador and wishing her well in her retirement.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
Statements by
Members
MR. SPEAKER:
For Members' statements
today, we will hear from the hon. Members for the Districts of Cape St. Francis,
Harbour Grace – Port de Grave, Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune, Conception Bay South,
St. George's – Humber and St. John's Centre.
The hon.
Member for Cape St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I rise
today to recognize the Pouch Cove Volunteer Fire Department for the tremendous
40 years of service they have provided to the residents of Pouch Cove and
Bauline.
Mr.
Speaker, this department consists of 35 highly trained volunteer firefighters,
as well as three junior firefighters. Members have weekly in-house training to
supplement the provincial training in defensive and offensive structural
firefighting, motor vehicle and machinery rescue, rope rescue, first aid and
many other operations.
This
year, the addition of a new medical van also allows the department to respond to
the medical needs in the area.
At this
year's annual ball, firefighters Barry Murray, Rodney Ryan and Mike Noseworthy
each received 20-year pins for their long service.
Mr.
Speaker, the Pouch Cove Volunteer Firefighters, along with the firettes, also
provide many other volunteer services in their community, such as the Santa
Claus parade, breakfast with Santa Claus, and this weekend they served the
dinner for the Pouch Cove Lions Club Charter Night. These men and women are
always there when called upon.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask all hon. Members to join with me in congratulating and thanking
the Pouch Cove Volunteer Fire Department for their many years of valuable
service.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Harbour Grace – Port de Grave.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise
today with great pride to recognize John Drover of Upper Island Cove.
In
October of 1981, John was born with spina bifida, paralyzed from the waist down.
Along with other health complications, there was a major buildup of fluid on his
brain. The medical team predicted John would live for two weeks. Doctors
installed a brain shunt, a dangerous surgery for an infant, but he pulled
through and embarked on a long road of recovery, involving a series of
surgeries.
John was
six months old when he first came home from hospital and, Mr. Speaker, he hasn't
stopped since. He loves and enjoys life to the fullest. Following graduation at
Ascension Collegiate High School, he became an honorary member of the Upper
Island Cove Fire Department. He is a big supporter of all community events and
initiatives.
On
Canada Day you can see him, front and centre, on his grandmother, Enid's, patio,
sporting the Maple Leaf in red and white, while greeting the annual Canada Day
parade.
A
special moment for John was meeting Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1983, while
at the Janeway hospital awaiting another surgery.
John
recently celebrated his 36th birthday with family and friends. So please join me
in wishing him a happy birthday and many more years of good health and
happiness.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for the
District of Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise
in this hon. House to extend congratulations to the very bright students who
received Electoral District Scholarships this year from the Department of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
Recipients from King Academy were: Nicole Langdon, Matthew Skinner and Taylor
Stone. Recipients of the Centenary for Responsible Government Scholarships were:
Melanie Collier of Bay d'Espoir Academy, Rebecca Day of King Academy, Patricia
Hammond of Fitzgerald Academy and Kyle Poole of John Watkins Academy. We are
very proud of their achievement and wish them the best of luck in their future
studies.
Achieving academic excellence is an important part of preparing these fine young
adults for their future. I also commend their families, their teachers and all
those people who encouraged them to be the very best that they can be. They have
proven their tremendous work ethic and we know their dedication and great
initiative will serve them very well in whatever career path they choose.
I ask
all hon. Members to join me in congratulating these gifted and very hard-working
individuals. With what they have achieved already, there is no doubt that they
have very bright futures ahead of them.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for the
District of Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, on Friday, October 20, my colleague, the MHA for Topsail – Paradise,
and I attended the sixth annual Bright Business luncheon awards ceremony at the
Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre.
This
event is hosted by the Town of Conception Bay South and it's a great opportunity
for local entrepreneurs to network and showcase their individual businesses in
our community. This year, 36 nominations were received.
The
Bright Business Achievement Awards help recognize the contributions of local
businesses that have gone above and beyond. This year's award winners are:
Beautiful Business – Hickey's Greenhouses and Nursery, single tenant, and Funky
Island Decor, a multiple tenant; Community Pride and Partnership – Tim Hortons;
David Murphy Chamber Leadership – Dawe's Plumbing and Heating; Glenda Noseworthy
Award – Anita Brown, Sobeys; Established Business of the Year – Taylor's Fish
Fruit & Vegetable Market; Main Street Business Improvement Member of the Year –
Ocean Quest Spa; New Start Up of the Year – Ovation Music Studio.
I would
like to extend my congratulations to the award winners, nominees and sponsors.
Conception Bay South has grown significantly and it's great to see the business
community has also shown tremendous growth.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for the
District of St. George's – Humber.
MR. REID:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Encounters with Canada brings together young Canadians from all provinces and
territories to our nation's capital to discover – through innovative,
experiential learning activities – our nation's diverse culture, heritage,
institutions, history and leaders, as well as to explore potential career
options.
This
month, Josh Fiander from the Codroy Valley was one of the youth from this
province to participate in this program.
Encounters with Canada is our country's largest and foremost youth forum. Every
week of the school year, over 100 teens from across Canada participate.
Introducing Canada's youth to our country's diverse cultures, heritage, beliefs,
contemporary issues, institutions and leaders opens their eyes to the vast
potential of their own lives, as well as that of their communities, their nation
and the world.
In
conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Josh Fiander of the Codroy
Valley on representing the province in this program and also commend the
organizers for providing youth with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for the
District of St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, this has been a
large year for interdisciplinary artist April White. She was named 2017 Emerging
Artist of the Year by Visual Artists of Newfoundland and Labrador and just
recently named recipient of the Cox & Palmer Pivotal Point Grant, valued at
$5,000.
April's
work finds wonder in moments that might otherwise feel unremarkable, while
investigating our relationship to our own bodies. She was awarded the grant to
create a new series called I Didn't
Volunteer for This, which examines involuntary bodily actions like sneezing,
yawning, laughing and crying through performance, drawing, watercolour and
watercolour animation.
The
series builds on April's 2016 solo exhibition at The Rooms Provincial Art
Gallery, A Day in the Life Of, as well
as a watercolour series called Sneeze.
Part of
what inspires her to make this work is an interest in challenging historical
representation of women, by painting herself in moments of lost composure. She
troubles a history of women being treated as beautiful objects in art. April
holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in visual arts from our very own Grenfell
Campus at MUN.
I am so
excited to see what incredible work April has in store for all of us, and I
encourage everyone to give April White a bravo!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Statements by Ministers.
Statements by
Ministers
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to
join representatives of the arts community today to recognize an important piece
of legislation that will be debated in this hon. House. The
Status of the Artist Act recognizes the important role artists play
in contributing to the cultural, social and economic well-being of the province.
Mr.
Speaker, the Status of the Artist Act
is intended to enhance the recognition and support of professional artists and
to ensure that they receive fair compensation. Through the act, the provincial
government encourages everyone, with government departments and agencies leading
by example, to pay artists fairly and equitably based on existing industry pay
scales for their genre.
The
provincial government is also committed to revitalizing its approach to
supporting culture through a new cultural plan renewal to be completed by
January 2019. This is in support of the
Status of the Artist Act and will involve broader consultation with
stakeholders from both the arts and heritage sectors. This renewal process will
offer the opportunity to explore government programming and support, and ways to
improve opportunities for artists in the province.
In
developing the legislation, the provincial government consulted with
representatives from the various art sectors including: visual arts, craft,
music, literary and publishing, dance, theatre and film. In addition, 256
professional artists provided their perspective through an online survey.
Mr.
Speaker, I am pleased to bring forward legislation that formally recognizes the
important contribution artists make to our province. Recognizing and supporting
professional artists is a key priority for our government, as outlined in
The Way Forward. This legislation is
just the beginning; through the cultural plan renewal, we will ensure continued
support to improve the lives of artists in our province.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I want
to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. Mr. Speaker, we,
too, are pleased to see this piece of legislation. Artists make a tremendous
contribution to the culture and economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. We see
evidence of this every day in communities all across this great province. This
legislation is a good start in recognizing the unique value of artists.
I am
also pleased – yet somewhat surprised – to hear the minister say that he is
committed to a new cultural plan renewal, particularly given that it was his
government that shamelessly cut culture from the department title.
Mr.
Speaker, I look forward to this plan's completion, but we certainly would like
to see it much sooner than 2019.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our
artists and art organizations are producing incredible award-winning work and
are economic drivers for our province, yet funding for ArtsNL is still at 2009
levels. Our artists have among the lowest incomes in all of Canada and cannot
live on praise alone. Artists are waiting for real commitment and concrete
economic support from government. There are many models internationally that
show creative ways to support artists.
Let's do
something real to improve the status of the artists.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
The hon.
the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I rise
in this hon. House to recognize the tremendous contributions foster families
make to the well-being of children and youth in our province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. DEMPSTER:
Recently, our province
celebrated Foster Families Week to show our appreciation for foster families,
and to acknowledge the great work of social workers and the Foster Families
Association.
Mr.
Speaker, foster families willingly open their hearts and homes to children and
youth during a time in their lives when they need it most. Living and thriving
in a supportive family environment is so important for a child – it is comfort,
stability and love.
There
are approximately 605 foster families located throughout Newfoundland and
Labrador that are dedicated to helping children and youth by providing safe and
nurturing homes.
Author
and award-winning youth speaker Josh Shipp said, “Every child is one caring
adult away from being a success story.” Children flourish when they have caring
and reliable foster parents to help support and guide them, and help them
maintain family connections.
Mr.
Speaker, being a foster parent is a rewarding experience and has many positive
aspects, not only for the children in their care, but also for the family
itself. To help us meet the need for new foster families, I encourage anyone who
is interested in becoming a foster parent to please reach out to our department
or the Foster Families Association.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would
like to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement. We join with
the government in recognizing the tremendous contribution of foster families to
our province's children, youth and families. Their importance and value cannot
be overstated.
Any
discussion regarding foster families has to include the structure that provides
valuable support to them. Both social workers and the Foster Families
Association are certainly two groups that offer vital assistance. I'm happy to
hear the minister acknowledge all parties, but mentioning isn't enough. I
encourage the minister to continue to work with all and provide necessary
support when requested, as the need is so great.
Mr.
Speaker, those individuals involved in foster care are passionate, caring,
empathetic and, unfortunately, in short supply. The reasons they get involved
are genuine and admirable. And, frankly, I can't imagine our province or our
society without them.
On
behalf of the Official Opposition, I wish to offer a heartfelt thank you to all
foster parents in our province as well as to those who support them in carrying
out their precious role.
Thank
you.
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 the advance copy of her statement. We all join in celebrating
our foster families and those who help them provide love, comfort and stability
for children. We know from examples across the country that foster families do
best when they get support in three key areas: adequate financial resources,
training and professional support, and respite care, when needed.
Government's foster family service is no place for economizing, and I trust the
minister will work hard to ensure foster families get all the support they need
to do the incredible work that they do.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further statements by
ministers?
Oral
Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, there's been some significant policy decisions regarding the
development of Muskrat Falls since the Liberals formed government two years ago.
I ask
the Premier: Will all decisions made on Muskrat Falls in the past two years be
included as part of the inquiry? A simple question Premier: yes or no?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
first of all, I was very pleased yesterday to be able to announce the inquiry.
What's unfortunate about all of this is we're now going to enter into a time of
public debate, a public debate that many people across our province were
expecting prior to sanctioning. We were pleased yesterday as a government to put
the terms of reference in place to call the inquiry.
As I
said yesterday when we introduced this, when we announced this, we will be
compliant, Mr. Speaker. Any Cabinet documents that are required and compelled by
the commission, we will put them forth.
What I
didn't hear yesterday when I asked the question, from the Leader of the
Opposition who was part of this decision: Are they prepared to put out all the
information that they had access to in their Cabinet deliberations?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I realize we asked questions in this regard yesterday, but the same as
yesterday, we don't get an answer to the question. So I'll be more specific.
I'll ask
the Premier if the management of the project, procurement and oversight
activities over the last two years will be included in the terms of reference
for the inquiry. Yes or no?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
We certainly, on this side of
the House, intend to comply with any of the questions that are asked by the
Commissioner. So, yes, we'll be making that information available.
For the
third time now – and I realize that we do not get a chance to answer questions
to the Opposition, Mr. Speaker, but I'd be very curious to know, we've answered
the question, but for the third time the Leader of the Opposition has not been
forthcoming and has not said publicly that they are willing to make sure that
the commission will have access to the Cabinet information that they used to
sanction the project.
We
intend, on this side of the House, to be fully compliant and make that
information available.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was
quite clear on that yesterday. I provided an answer to the minister or to the
government yesterday and spoke very clearly on it.
My
question is about what's going to be included over the last two years. That's
what's important here. That's what we're asking the government about today.
He just
said, again, if they're asked by the Commissioner. Now, it's not part of the
terms of reference, Mr. Speaker, is my point here – t's not part of the terms of
reference. The minister answered yesterday and tried to say it was.
So I'll
ask the Premier this: Will the Astaldi contract renewal be included as part of
the inquiry work? Yes or no?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear
the answer yesterday from the Member opposite. So if he would like to clarify
his position in making all the information that they had available to make that,
to reinforce that and reiterate and repeat what he said yesterday.
Mr.
Speaker, as I said, the Astaldi contract, the contracts that were put in place,
I think the Commissioner would really like to see that. Mr. Speaker, they need
to see that. That information will be provided.
On this
side of the House, we intend to be fully compliant in any decisions that we had
made. Whatever the Commissioner needs, I can guarantee you we'll be co-operating
with the Commissioner, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, it says whatever the Commissioner needs, but it's not part of the
terms of reference. So therefore the terms of the inquiry, if they're not
included in those aspects, then the Commissioner won't need it.
I don't
know why the Premier is so specific on the matter previous to two years ago, but
not after they took office. It's not a difficult concept to understand, Mr.
Speaker.
So I'll
ask the Premier this: Will all the circumstances and details related to process
in Labrador, especially respecting the methylmercury, be included in the
inquiry? Yes or no?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, it may be a very
simple argument or answer to all of this is just to say yes.
Now,
maybe the Leader of the Opposition will just simply say that, yes, they are
willing to provide all of the Cabinet documents to the Commissioner. Mr.
Speaker, just simply answer that, yes or no.
We are
prepared to do all of this. The Commissioner has a right to compel all of this
information, Mr. Speaker. We want to lay out publicly all of the information
that we have used, the decisions that we have made on behalf of the Muskrat
Falls Project, Mr. Speaker. I will tell you that this project is in a much
better position today than it was when we took office in 2015.
Will you
put out the information that you had access to?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I was
quite clear yesterday and I'll be quite clear again today. I'll use an answer in
a form that the Premier likes to use. I'll provide whatever the Commissioner
requires, Mr. Speaker, I'll assure you that. We will provide everything that's
required.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. P. DAVIS:
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the
Premier about the last two years, he continues to dodge the question and he
won't provide a clear answer without it being weighed down with rhetoric.
The
previous federal Conservative Government of Canada and the current federal
Liberal Government of Canada both provided loan guarantees to the Muskrat Falls
Project.
Will
their assessments and their review leading up to endorsing the project and
providing those loan guarantees be part of the inquiry?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, absolutely, we will be very pleased. As a matter of fact, I'll have
that discussion if you want to talk about the enhanced loan guarantee, the
COREA. We had to renegotiate the cost overruns, that account. We had to extend
the date, Mr. Speaker, because they said there'd be no loss of schedule, which
indeed that was not the case. There were a number of things that we have been
doing.
I think
the Members opposite – why don't they want to talk about 48 per cent complete in
June of 2016, 85 per cent complete now in just over 15 months, Mr. Speaker? That
is the progress that we have made since we have taken over government.
All the
information should be out there. The Commissioner needs to see this. I am
looking forward to getting this inquiry started. Unfortunately, we're having
(inaudible) –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
PREMIER BALL:
– but we will get it started.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. P. DAVIS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We're
very interested to know how it went; an additional billion dollars in three
months, right after the new CEO, hand-picked and appointed by the Premier, said
no more surprises. No more increases, no more surprises, and within three months
a billion dollars extra. So we look forward to seeing all the details on that.
Yesterday, when we asked the government if Justice LeBlanc wanted to expand the
terms of inquiry, I asked if the government would approve that and will he allow
him to expand the scope as requested by the justice and will people know about
it.
We
couldn't get an answer yesterday, so I'll ask again today. Will it be made
public if Justice LeBlanc wishes to expand the scope of the inquiry and will the
government approve it?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
the Leader of the Opposition likes to take the opportunity in preambles to plant
seeds of doubt and rhetoric to the people of this province.
I want
to make it very clear that when the budget changed by the current CEO, he was
being very upfront with the people of this province. What that billion dollars
was about was legacy costs. What legacy costs means these are risks that were
associated with contracts that they put in place, that they were not forthcoming
with, Mr. Speaker.
He laid
out what would be the requirement, simply via a contingency fund, Mr. Speaker.
Laying out that the contracts they put in place were not accurate, needed
changes.
In June
of 2015, prior to the election, the Leader of the Opposition knew that and did
not share it with the people of the province. This government put it out there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, recently we've seen a new royalty regulatory framework quietly
released.
I ask
the minister: Is there an update on who will pay the UN Law of the Sea royalty
related to oil and gas development beyond the 200-mile limit?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, we
have a Generic Offshore Oil Royalty Regime. It was announced two years ago and
we do have the regulatory framework around that Oil Royalty Regime.
Regarding UNCLOS, which is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
and requirements posted outside of the 200-mile limit – just for the people
listening, Mr. Speaker, who would not understand that – we're not in any
negotiations on any projects that are outside the 200-mile limit, or outside the
continental shelf, I should say.
If there
is a project that is outside of the continental shelf, there is a requirement,
of course, to pay to the United Nations. And, Mr. Speaker, that's all part of
that ball of value and competiveness that I've been bringing to this House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, as we know, Canada is the signature to the Law of the Sea agreement
with the incremental royalty, which could increase up to 7 per cent on
production value.
When
deliberating over the new generic royalty regime, I ask the minister: Did she
have any conversations about who would pay this 7 per cent?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for
the question.
It is an
important one because, as I've said to this House, there is more than just the
royalty regime that makes up the competitiveness and the requirements under this
whole ball of value. There would be taxation, there would be the UNCLOS, as the
Member just mentioned, there would be royalty and there would be equity. So all
of these things form part of the competitiveness and the ball of value.
There
hasn't been any direct discussions with anyone as to who is going to pay that
because we're not in any position at this point in time to have a project
outside that would be imposed by that, Mr. Speaker; but as we move forward in
our competitiveness, we are speaking with our colleagues in Ottawa about this
and, of course, the industry as a whole.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, in Estimates in 2017, the minister said: “We've left it to the federal
government who is responsible for UNCLOS and left it, at this point, as part of
their requirements. We'll continue to monitor this as we move forward.”
I ask
the minister again: As part of your recent work on the Oil Royalty Regime, have
you received confirmation from the federal government that they are willing to
pay the 7 per cent royalty without charging it to this province and affecting
our return on our offshore resources?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Mr. Speaker, thank you for
the question.
I'm
going to just again reiterate that the generic oil royalty is the royalty that
Newfoundland and Labrador would participate in, and would receive from the oil
companies on a project, on the bigger ball of value would come the UNCLOS. I
agree with the Member opposite: it is an important discussion. We have no
projects that are affected by this at this point in time.
I would
think that in part of our discussions, and as going forward on the
competitiveness review, that the federal government will be part of that
discussion, Mr. Speaker, because in my estimate, it is an agreement that the
federal government pursued and is required to do. Therefore, I would think it
would be part of the competitiveness requirements.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, with a mandated carbon tax from the federal government's commitment in
2018 and with the 7 per cent royalty, has an assessment been done to the total
cost of the oil industry in this province in future developments, such as
related to a Statoil development?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Environment.
MR. JOYCE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As we
know, the carbon tax is a federal regulation that has been put in place, but one
of the positive things to that is they said you can have your own solution. So
we are trying to make a homemade, made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador solution.
On top
of that, and with that in mind, we are in consultation with all the offshore
industries, industries in Newfoundland and Labrador, to come up with a
made-in-Newfoundland solution that's going to help Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians and help promote economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
So we're working towards that with all industry partners in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank
the minister for his answer. He mentioned a made-in-Newfoundland solution. I
know here in this House some time ago we passed legislation related to five
industrial entities here in the province and their greenhouse gas emissions. At
the time it was passed, there were two years of monitoring to be done for
greenhouse gas emissions.
I ask
the minister for an update. What have been the results of that monitoring?
MR. SPEAKER:
The Minister Responsible for
the Office of Climate Change.
MR. JOYCE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I don't
have the results on me, but I'll endeavour to get you the results on that. I can
assure you that we're in constant consultations with the federal government;
we're in constant consultations with all the partners in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
As I
said before, Mr. Speaker, we will make a Newfoundland-and-Labrador solution that
will help Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. That includes consultation with all
stakeholders, including the federal government that said here's the backstop;
you can find a solution yourself. We will have a solution in 2018.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank
the minister, but just to remind him that the two-year monitoring was put in
place by your government. At the conclusion of that, there was going to be an
approval by Cabinet of what type of fees would be put in place in regard to a
carbon tax.
A recent
Hydro report entitled Near-term Generation
Adequacy Report indicated concerns with reservoir water inflow rates which
could result in low energy reserves at Hydro generation sites.
I ask
the minister: Can he provide an update on the reserves in the Hydro generation
sites in the province?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It has
been a dry fall; everyone in the province knows that, and some are even thankful
for that. The reserves are about 87 per cent today, Mr. Speaker. Hydro
Newfoundland and Labrador are quite confident they can supply the energy
required. They are monitoring the situation as they are with any electricity
asset, and we will certainly have the energy that is required and electricity
that is required for the coming winter season.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'll
just ask the minister again: Does she have confidence that power generation is
secure and there is no threat to water availability and power generation during
the upcoming winter months? We understand that there are 1,000 gigawatt hours
less than last year due to reservoir levels. Does she have concerns with this?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I've
been assured by Hydro that they have no concerns. There are opportunities for
other generation in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As I indicated,
we are about 87 per cent today, but we could be up again tomorrow. It depends on
our weather and on how much rain and how much snow we do get, but I don't think
there's any concern at this point. I've spoken to Hydro Newfoundland and
Labrador; they feel very confident for this coming winter.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Some of
the concerns expressed looks at additional capacity to generate and, in
particular, the new turbine at Holyrood, which indicates that would have to run
at 80 per cent capacity or greater.
I ask
the minister: Is this her understanding, and is she confident this can actually
occur?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
There
are thermal generation opportunities throughout the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador. I've not been made aware of any concerns in any of the thermal
generation that are untoward or that need to be noted at this point in time. Mr.
Speaker, I've been assured by Newfoundland Hydro that they are prepared, and
well prepared, for this winter.
There
has been a tremendous investment in Newfoundland Hydro over the last number of
years and, therefore, I think we're in good shape for this coming winter.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the combustion turbine in Holyrood is a backup system for power
generation. We've been told that it's been running constantly throughout the
summer.
I ask
the minister: Is this related to low reservoir levels or for some other reason?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I just
indicated there are low reservoir levels, as there have been throughout any
period of time. It fluctuates.
Newfoundland Hydro is putting some new asset generation. As you've seen on the
highway, Mr. Speaker, there have been some new transmission lines coming in from
other assets that we have in the province. We use thermal generation from time
to time; we use hydro generation from time to time in the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundland Hydro has put in a tremendous plan over
the last number of years, including under the former administration where they
actually had DarkNL and required some investments.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'll go
back to that question again. My simple question is: Has it been running all
summer and, if so, what are the fuel costs this summer as compared to last
summer and previous summers?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Mr. Speaker, that's a very
specific question that I do not have the answer to at this point in time. I will
endeavour to get the information to how much fuel was consumed this summer and
how does it compare to other years. I will ask Newfoundland Hydro to provide
that to this House.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
My question was has it been
running all summer, and the minister never answered that question, Mr. Speaker.
It was a two-part question.
Has the
combustion turbine been used this past summer to provide power to the Island; if
so, why?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I just
answered the question. It's a very specific question as to how much has it been
utilized this summer, how does that compare to the previous year. I will get
that information for the Member opposite. I'll be happy to provide it to this
House. I've been made aware of no concerns in that regard, but I will certainly
ask Newfoundland Hydro to provide the information.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the
Minister of Tourism tell this House why the 2017 Public Accounts from Marble
Mountain have not been made public?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
certainly signed off on the Marble Mountain report to be tabled before the House
of Assembly. All the information is available.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
The year ended on April 30,
2017. Can the minister tell us when he will be tabling that information and to
explain why the Public Accounts have been so late?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, the report was
provided to me, I signed off on the report, reviewed the tabled documents and
had lived up to the obligations that were provided by the accountability office
for this House.
So is
there some specific information the Member is looking for, for the Marble
Mountain Development Corporation?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Well, Mr. Speaker, we'll look
forward to when he tables it in the House because we haven't seen that tabling
happen yet and we'd like to know when that will happen.
Does the
minister know the bottom line of Marble Mountain for the past fiscal year and
how much the operation has cost the taxpayers of this province?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, under their
House in 2015, they had not tabled the reports to the Marble Mountain
Development Corporation. We will make available any of the information to the
Marble Mountain Development Corporation. I made a very clear commitment to the
House of Assembly that we were working on a plan to bring Marble Mountain to a
sustainable level.
We have,
under the new board that's in existence with the Marble Mountain Development
Corporation – they've made significant changes. They've been listening to the
public and making sure that Marble Mountain is going to be operating and
improving customer service for the people of the province.
It is a
significant economic generator for the West Coast of the province and for all
other regions supporting major business. It is a good operation to have Marble
Mountain Development –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Your
time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for Fortune Bay –
Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
The report is not public, it
has not been tabled in the House and it's a simple question: When will you do
it?
Mr.
Speaker, my next question – last year, the Minister of Tourism said that he was
going to order an operational review to look at how the resort can be weaned off
a $930,000 subsidy from the government, which happens annually.
Can the
minister update us on the status of this review?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm very
pleased that just a few weeks ago, or a few months ago, actually, this
information became public in terms of the changes that were happening at Marble
Mountain. It was made public around different activities that would be taking
place, how the season-pass holder was going to have a reduction of $100 on a
season pass. There was a rate that was put forward for early bird passes.
There's going to be a change to food and beverage services.
There
was an operational review that took place so that we could focus on our core
services and also looking at improving the customer experience at Marble
Mountain Development Corporation. It operates its accommodations; it does a
tremendous amount of activity. We're working with the board of directors to make
sure that Marble Mountain Development Corporation is –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for Fortune Bay –
Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
What the taxpayers of this
province want to know is how much the operation is costing them.
Can the
minister confirm that the chair of the board at Marble Mountain is also the main
supplier for maintenance at the facility?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, the Marble
Mountain Development Corporation is over a $12-million asset to the people of
this province. If you look at the liabilities and the assets that are there,
there is a book value to the people of this province. There's a tremendous
amount of base development that can take place and other economic activity. We
have interest in Marble Mountain. We're drawing upon partnerships and we're
doing it right.
They
neglected, they underinsured, they let the taxpayers pay $4.6 million for the
lift that was there. I can confirm, no, it is not the same person. The CEO is
not the same person as the operator that is the main contractor.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
First
and final reminder, again today, I will not tolerate interruptions when a Member
has been identified to speak.
The hon.
the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune for a quick question, please.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you so much, Mr.
Speaker, for your protection.
I ask
the Minister of Finance: Based on your fiscal update and comments on agencies,
boards and commissions, what is your expectation for Marble Mountain?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, we've been very
clear with our agencies, boards and commissions and myself as minister
responsible for Marble Mountain, we have done a review. We are finding better
ways to operate. We're doing the same thing with other agencies, boards and
commissions that are under my department and we are taking a very proactive
approach.
It is a
very important asset to the people of the province, but it is something that
their administration just ignored and they made sure that when they insured and
when the operations were there when lightning struck that Lightning Express, it
was underinsured and it cost the taxpayers $4.6 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Third Party.
MS. MICHAEL:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Yesterday we asked –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. MICHAEL:
Yesterday we asked the
Premier to table the evidence he used in 2015 to decide the Muskrat Falls
Project was too far along to even pause for review. He talked about bills that
had to be paid and commitments that had to be met.
I ask
the Premier: Will he produce the concrete proof of what it is that made it
impossible to pause the project in 2015 to review where things were, or are we
just supposed to take his word for it?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
first of all, the concrete proof is actually sitting in the Churchill River. Mr.
Speaker, when you think of it, this is a very serious issue that we're talking
about here. This equates to some $24,000 to every man, woman and child in this
province when you think of the magnitude, the impact this is having on our
province.
Mr.
Speaker, in 2012 at sanctioning there were a number of contracts that were put
in place – I remind people the Emera people were not even signed on as a partner
at the time of sanctioning. Regardless of all that, there were a number of
contracts that were put in place, commitments that were put in place, power
purchase agreements and it really didn't matter what the cost was, it was paid
for by the taxpayers and ratepayers of this province.
Mr.
Speaker, I say it, I've said it so many times, the bills were not going away –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, today government
launched its new Status of the Artist Act,
but artists were not impressed. It only encourages government to pay scale rates
when hiring artists and provide some contract information. There is no
commitment for more investment in the arts. ArtsNL is operating on the same
budget since 2009.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask the minister: Can he explain exactly how this act will improve
the financial status of the artists?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, I take great
exception to the Member opposite saying that artists are not impressed with
Status of the Artist legislation. This was something that they had asked for,
there was significant feedback and consultation throughout this whole process:
256 responses, the arts advisory council, we consulted with the community.
The
Status of the Artist is an internationally recognized designation that looks at
improving the economic and social status of professional artists. This is a good
move for the people of the province. Four other provinces have enacted Status of
the Artist legislation.
But if
you look at your platform promises when it comes to what you're going to invest
in the artists, it was $526,000. This year alone we invested over $2 million
additionally in to the arts.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, the number of
artists is growing but funding the ArtsNL has not. This affects funding for both
established and emerging artists. Incomes of our hardworking, yet chronically
underfunded artists are among the lowest in the country.
I ask
the minister again: What really is his concrete commitment to artists, and will
he establish an additional funding source to help emerging artists?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, as I said
previously, if you look at the Third Party's election platform campaign for arts
funding, it totalled $526,000 in additional funding. If you look at this year's
budget, as to what the department is funding in to the arts, it's over $20
million – 9 per cent increase in funding.
You are
specifically looking at the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, but if you
look at what we invest into culture in Newfoundland and Labrador, we invest the
most per capita than anywhere in the country and we have a suite of other
programs that we use to support the arts. We run more cultural facilities in the
province. If you heard the Member from BC, who moved to Newfoundland and
Labrador, he said we support the arts more –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, Quebec followed
up their Status of the Artist legislation with concrete measures. A portion of
artists' copyright income can be deducted from provincial income tax and they
can average their income from a project over several years. These are concrete,
progressive measures.
I ask
the minister: Will he push government to offer similar measures for our artists
in this province?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Minister of Tourism,
Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, we work with the
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, with all the industry associations like
MusicNL. One of the wonderful things we did with MusicNL was an export program
so that we could make sure professional artists were getting contracts, were
getting signed internationally.
We
provided a lot of additional support to artists to work with them. We want to
make sure there are ways of which government, when they hire an artist, are
paying fair wage. We want to encourage all the agencies, boards and commissions,
and everyone in the province, to make sure that artists are paid fairly and
equitably to the pay scales. We also want to – and we've announced that we're
renewing our cultural plan which is going to look at all of our programs and
supports of which we help –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The time for Oral Questions
has ended.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling
of Documents.
Notices
of Motion.
Answers
to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
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
deaf and hard of hearing children in the public education system of Newfoundland
and Labrador are not receiving full and equivalent access to a quality education
because of the lack of appropriate full-time resources; and
WHEREAS
from 1964 to 2010, deaf and hard of hearing children were provided with a
full-time quality education in the Newfoundland School for the Deaf, but deaf
and hard of hearing children currently placed in mainstream schools receive only
a fraction of a school day with a teacher qualified to instruct deaf and hard of
hearing children;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to urge government to undertake an immediate complete and thorough
assessment of the supports in place for deaf and hard of hearing children by a
committee of at least two independent and recognized experts in the field of
deaf and hard of hearing education, and to accept the recommendations of these
experts and in the interim take measures to honour the support commitments made
to all current and future students upon closure of the Newfoundland School for
the Deaf in 2010 to ensure that all deaf and hard of hearing children are
provided with access to a quality education, equivalent to hearing classmates as
well as access to sign language.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Once
again, Mr. Speaker, I'm presenting a couple of hundred names here of people
throughout the province, a lot of it in the Conception Bay North and St. John's
metro area. I notice some from the Northern Peninsula there as well; people who
are concerned.
In other
jurisdictions, sign languages are being reintroduced into the education of deaf
children where they were taken out previously. This government is just always
lock-step behind what's going on in everything. In this province, the official
position since 2010 is that cochlear implants are a cure for most deafness and
that sign languages should not be taught to children with these implants. In
actual fact, because others have learned that's not the case, it is coming back
in other jurisdictions.
Sign
languages don't impede the ability to learn a spoken language, they actually
enhance it. One researcher has put it this way: the language areas of the brain
have no preference for language input, which means language can be learned in
several different ways. Oral or manual doesn't matter in acquiring a language
base, but early learning of and facility in any language is an important thing.
Sign language is recognized internationally as the language of the deaf.
Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
The hon.
the Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, 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
the medical transport policy was changed in
Budget 2016; and
WHEREAS
the new policy does not provide medical transportation to those who travel less
than 60 kilometres or have less than eight trips per month; and
WHEREAS
in many parts of the province there is no public transportation system
available, thus making this inconvenient and expensive;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to urge government to take immediate action to provide
transportation to those who require it.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, this issue affects a lot of us. I know me, personally, in CBS it's been
an issue I've dealt with on many occasions. Many people have struggled with this
policy change.
We don't
have any public transportation available, so you have the taxi service or find
your best way if you fall outside the criteria of eight trips per month or you
live closer than 60 kilometres. I've had cases where people have four
appointments a month and they have 57 kilometres to the nearest – that's when
the GPS systems kicked in, it is 57 kilometres and four trips.
My
question is: There's no public transportation; how do they get to those four
trips? It's 57 kilometres – it's not walking distance. There are no buses
available and they can't afford a cab. So what is the solution?
I've
written the minister on this broad issue of this medical transportation policy
change. I've actually represented people who have gone through appeals on it and
it's a tough one. What's the alternative? I don't want to get on a bus; I want
to get a cab. You have the alternative. You got a bus. Well, that's the cheap
route. If you can afford a bus, get on the bus.
Up in
CBS, Mr. Speaker, we have a cab or you're walking, in a nutshell. I've had
cancer patients who are in the 50-55 kilometre zone and then they're probably 60
years of age, they can't avail of the transportation provided by the cancer
clinic which is not always – sometimes there are gaps in that. They've had
trouble getting to their cancer treatment, plus associated medical visits as a
result of the cancer.
So
they're falling into this four to five trips a month at 55 kilometres, Mr.
Speaker. That's not just pertinent to CBS; that affects a lot of districts in
the province. It's a policy change. I know why they did it: to save money. I get
that. But you can't save money on the backs of people's health and safety.
Thank
you very much.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
The hon.
the Member for Mount Pearl – Southlands.
MR. LANE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
To the
hon. House of Assembly in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in
Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned residents humbly sheweth:
WHEREAS
the inshore harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador have serious concerns about
their current union representation; and
WHEREAS
the inshore fish harvesters of Newfoundland and Labrador want the right to vote
on which union will represent them;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to request that government urge the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour
Relations Board to proceed immediately to a vote of the inshore fish harvesters
to decide which union will represent them.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I have approximately 60 more names on this petition that came in, and
it's coming from areas such as Port Saunders, Black Duck Cove, Port au Choix,
St. Barbe, Shoal Cove West, Reef's Harbour, New Ferrole, Conception Bay South,
Dunville, Red Head Cove, Shearstown, Grates Cove, Victoria and Seal Cove, so
various areas throughout the province.
Again,
Mr. Speaker, what this petition is basically calling for is for individuals to
have the right to decide who will represent their interests in terms of being a
union. As I said when I spoke to this yesterday, we have enough problems in our
fishery today. We've been riddled with problems and the last thing we need is
division.
I think
the time has come to settle this once and for all, whichever way it goes. And
certainly for me, I have no horse with the race here. I have no vested interest
in this. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other who the representative is,
but I think it's in all of our best interests, as a province, that we settle
this so that we can start working together to focus on the fishery in general,
which is having such a major impact on our province, particularly our rural
communities.
That's
what's being called for. I've been asked to present it. I will continue to do
so.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
The hon.
the Member for Ferryland.
MR. HUTCHINGS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm glad
to rise today and present a petition on behalf of people from my district.
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
Mutton Bay Bridge located in the Trepassey area is approximately 50 years old
and had a bridge inspection report completed in 2015; and
WHEREAS
the inspection report identified significant structural issues with both the
substructure and superstructure portion of the bridge; and
WHEREAS
the 2015 inspection report recognized substructure condition as poor and repair
within one year; and
WHEREAS
the superstructure condition was identified as fair and called for inspections
one year and expansion joints repaired within three years; and
WHEREAS
the deck is identified as fair and repair within one year, identifying immediate
repair of handrails; and
WHEREAS
the 2015 report advised repair date of 2015 and recommended that structure
should be rehabilitated or replaced with bottomless arch soon, and in the
interim deck asphalt and approach asphalt should be repaired, as well as
guiderails with hazard markers installed;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to urge government to immediately attend to the repair
recommendations and confirm replacement date of bridge in accordance with the
2015 inspection report, as this is a serious issue that impacts the lives and
safety of the travelling public.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, this is an issue I've brought to the House of Assembly before. I've
also brought it to the attention of the officials in Transportation and Works.
The residents of the region in regard to the safety of this particular piece of
infrastructure on Route 10, I said before, for all kinds of reasons, people have
to use this highway, none more important than for medical treatment.
There
are no acute care facilities on the Southern Avalon, so all major diagnostic
testing and acute care requirements for hospital are used to travel over this
highway, as well related to commercial development, economic development, the
activities of the region. It's very important and it is a fundamental piece of
infrastructure for the region.
As I
said, in 2015 a report was done that clearly indicated that immediate repairs
needed to take place. To date, we have no indication any of that has been done.
There is a recommendation as well for replacement of this bridge. The Minister
of Transportation and Works has recently put out a request on their five-year
roads program, what will be put on the list for 2018.
We have
requested that this be immediately looked at and rectified in the upcoming
season, but in the interim there needs to be another look at this bridge by the
engineers to make sure that safety is paramount and anything that needs to be
done on a temporary basis is done to maintain the safety and security of this
bridge for the travelling public and for the safety of all those concerns.
We
certainly implore the minister and the department to look at this immediately on
the immediate repairs that are required and, in the long term, to replace this
bridge in their 2018 roads program.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
The hon.
the Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, 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
provincial wait-lists for long-term care continue to grow; and
WHEREAS
hospital beds are increasingly being occupied by individuals who are in need of
long-term care; and
WHEREAS
this government cancelled the previous administration's plan to increase
capacity by 360 beds province-wide;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to urge government to immediately develop a plan to address the
shortage of long-term care beds in order to ensure people receive appropriate
care and are treated with dignity.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr.
Speaker, I want to speak to this and I do want to acknowledge that the
government has taken some steps forward on announcing the long-term care
facility in Corner Brook – a needed facility that was outlined by the previous
administration and the process was started. It's a welcomed addition to
addressing long-term care and particularly freeing up acute beds that would be
in our health facilities that would ensure people who go for immediate health
needs have a bed available so that they can address whatever particular ailment
that's being addressed and that the health professionals have at their disposal
the amenities they need, particularly it would be a bed available for intake and
then for recovery after the procedures are being done.
What is
lacking here – it was identified by the previous administration and still
identified – is that Central Newfoundland and Labrador is particularly a big
demand area for long-term care. Because it's a large geographic area, with a
spread-out populous, having a facility or a multitude of facilities that would
address that particular need would only enhance the two larger hospitals that
are there, particularly in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor, to ensure that their
beds are freed up to be used for health interventions and acute care versus
having long-term care patients accommodate those rooms. It would make it easier
for travel for family members, because the geography dictates there is going to
have to be some travel as part of that.
The
other is here on the East Coast. We have an aging population and we have a
demographic here that the population is also increasing. There is a demand. We
have some aging long-term care facilities here that need major upgrades or may
be better facilitated in another more modern, upgraded facility. Only a number
of years ago, we opened a large facility in Pleasantville which started to
accommodate the real particular needs there, but what we need to do now is we
started to address, and give credit, the West Coast needs; we're now to address
Central Newfoundland and Labrador's needs and the East Coast of Newfoundland and
Labrador as part of it, in particular, so that we can take the strain off the
regular health care system.
Mr.
Speaker, I'll have a chance to speak to this again. We petition the government
to look at the other two geographic areas that need this type of service.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
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
a 2013 risk assessment report made public in June 2017 makes it clear that
initial cost estimates and financial risk for the Muskrat Falls hydroelectric
project were understated; and
WHEREAS
the Muskrat Falls Project is way over budget, diverting funds from other needs
and potentially doubling electricity bills, and it has raised serious concerns
about damage to the environment and downstream communities; and
WHEREAS
Nalcor and the provincial government have not been transparent or accountable as
to why the 2013 report was not previously made public and the people of the
province are left with many unanswered questions;
WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House
of Assembly to urge government to immediately conduct a forensic audit of the
Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project.
And as
in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.
I'm very
pleased, Mr. Speaker, to present this petition from people in the Happy
Valley-Goose Bay area, from Port Saunders, from Happy Valley and – yes, and
Hopedale. I knew there was another community in Labrador that was involved.
These
people are very concerned about issues that the government has not specifically
put in the terms of reference for the review that's going to be done of Muskrat
Falls. They would have liked to have seen, obviously, concerns about the
environmental issues with regard to methylmercury. That is a big issue for
people in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area and out as far as Rigolet.
Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER:
The Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I call
Order 7, second reading of Bill 22, please.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, that Bill 22,
Status Of The Artist Act, be now read a second time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded that
Bill 22, entitled Status Of The Artist Act, be now read a second time.
Motion,
second reading of a bill, “Status Of The Artist Act.” (Bill 22)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I am
extremely proud to stand here today in the House and begin second reading on
Bill 22, the Status of the Artist Act.
It's something that's been talked about in the arts community for some years now
and I am happy that our government will be delivering this legislation to the
professional artists of our province.
Mr.
Speaker, earlier today I was joined by many members of the arts community as
they showed their overwhelmingly support of our government's commitment to the
Status of the Artist Act. We gathered
today at the Arts and Culture Centre, a befitting venue considering its long and
vibrant history of providing inspiration and support and guidance to many of our
province's best-loved and most well-known artists.
It was
inspiring to look at the walls decorated with playbills and think about how many
artists passed through that building; however, Mr. Speaker, the ACC is more than
just a venue. It is a valuable resource for creators, performers and community
organizations as they continue to facilitate artistic engagement across our
province.
In
Newfoundland and Labrador, our traditional and cultural landscape, our identity
has been cultivated through song, music, dance, art and theatre. I was proud to
be at the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre today, especially as they celebrate
their 50th season –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
– because the Centre
continues to play an integral role in sustaining, preserving and enhancing this
unique cultural identity.
When I
was appointed Minister Responsible for Culture by Premier Ball in 2015, part of
my mandate was to recognize that artists are essential to the preservation and
progression of our cultural identity in this province. That mandate included
collaborating with the arts community to help improve the social and economic
status of professional artists in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr.
Speaker, it has been my distinct pleasure today to announce that the provincial
government is enhancing the recognition and support of artists throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador by introducing
Status of the Artist Act. This is something that is internationally
recognized, describing the policies and programs intended to improve the
economic and social status of professional artists. This legislation
acknowledges the important contributions that artists make to our province and
government's role in supporting the creation and distribution of their work.
Mr.
Speaker, my parliamentary secretary will expand on these important contributions
shortly and what our government has done to support artists in the province.
Mr.
Speaker, I was very pleased to see representation today from the disciplines of
the arts, literary arts, performing arts and visual artists. These professional
artists, who create, perform and give artistic expression to the culture we hold
so dear.
I know
all Members of this House and everyone watching at home are wondering, what does
Status of the Artist mean to an artist in Newfoundland and Labrador? Mr.
Speaker, it means a commitment, a commitment from government to continue to
invest in culture. It means honouring scale agreements and developing and using
written contracts for professional artists, including work description, terms of
payment, dispute-resolution mechanisms and rights agreements, and it means a
continued dialogue on matters relating to culture with artists in this province.
As
Minister of Culture, I am so very proud to say that I've been connecting,
engaged and in tune with the arts community of this province. I've been
consulting with them. I've been going to the various shows, performances and
travelling all around this province to support artists that we have here in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
And I encourage all Members
to continue to support the vibrancy of the arts here in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, to further build on the Status of the Artist, the provincial government
has also committed to strengthening our support of culture by renewing our
cultural plan. This will offer artists further opportunities to explore
government programming and funding mechanisms and offer artists even more ways
to improve their professional opportunities here at home.
Our
government proudly invests $20 million annually to culture in this province.
That is why, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and
Innovation worked very hard to get this legislation for Status of the Artist
right.
I want
to take a moment right now to recognize the staff at the Department of TCII that
have worked very diligently since I have become minister, who've worked very
closely with the community. There are a number of people from the assistant
deputy minister, to the Director of Arts and Heritage, to the manager of
Culture, to all of the staff in the department; they have worked very closely
with the community.
In
developing this legislation, my department consulted with various
representatives of the arts community through all the sectors, from visual arts,
craft and music, to literary and publishing, to dance, theatre and film. In
addition, we received over 250 responses to our online survey of professional
artists.
I was
very pleased to see the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council distribute the
news release, saying they were very pleased to share this with their members and
with people who they support all throughout this province.
Mr.
Speaker, we wanted to speak to all sectors to gain insight to what their
concerns were and how we, as a government, could help. I was very encouraged by
the feedback, the discussions and the dialogue from the arts community because
our government believes that this is the time for bold and forward thinking, a
time to look at our cultural assets and how we can enhance them. We have
tremendous cultural assets here in our province.
I was
very excited that I was at the Commissariat House this weekend. It's an 1830s
historic building that we have and to see the provincial historic site staff
engaged and involved and bringing together those who are creating embroidery,
dealing with bobbins, dealing with all kinds of aspects of how they engage the
community. That is very important because they do a lot of programming where
they engage and hire professional artists, whether it is musicians or people to
engage in dance or other artisan activities.
Just a
few weeks ago, or a couple of weeks ago I believe now, I had opened up the
Colonial Building to the media for a tour and to look at how we can utilize that
building as well to make sure that professional artists and professional art and
other activities can be incorporated into that cultural asset. We have
tremendous facilities here in our province, well beyond the network of our arts
and culture centres.
Mr.
Speaker, Status of the Artist demonstrates this government's commitment to the
artists of our province and the important role they play in society. We have a
truly vibrant arts community in Newfoundland and Labrador that consistently
punches well above its weight, nationally and internationally, and one that
makes a significant economic contribution to our province.
Our
artists are creative, innovative, entrepreneurial, vibrant, bold and very
community minded.
Mr.
Speaker, one of these fine artists is author Sharon Bala, a recent finalist in
the Journey Prize category at the 2017 Writers' Trust Awards. At our event
today, Sharon read a detailed passage from her nominated short story “Butter Tea
at Starbucks.” This intricate tale is about sisters, postpartum depression and
the politics of Tibet. Sharon is a three-time Arts and Letters Awards winner for
short fiction and twice has been long listed for the Journey Prize.
Mr.
Speaker, another great example of our artists' proficiency is Joel Thomas Hynes.
Joel recently received the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award in English
fiction category for We'll All Be Burnt in
Our Beds Some Night. In what some consider the most prestigious literary
prize in the country, Hynes' novel was one of 14 winners chosen from a list of
70 finalists.
Mr.
Speaker, along with being an acclaimed author, Joel Thomas Hynes is certainly
making his mark in the entertainment scene across the country. As an award
winning multi-disciplinary artist, he has worked in Canadian film and television
industry for more than 15 years as a writer, actor and director. In addition,
Hynes will soon be starring in a CBC TV series called
Little Dog set to be released in 2018.
Joel Thomas Hynes certainly punches above his weight.
Mr.
Speaker, how about the work of Rob and Peter Blackie who, along with their
involvement with the Republic of Doyle,
created the smash hit Frontier. This
series is a gripping tale of the struggle and intrigue of the late 18th century
fur trade and was mostly filmed right here in our province. Through the
Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, we proudly supported
this exciting project, along with the professional individuals associated with
its production, with an equity investment of $2,375,000.
Since
the creation of the Film Development Corporation as the Crown Corporation in
1997, more than $335 million in total production activity has occurred in this
province. Of that, more than $260 million has been new-industry-specific
investments leveraged into our province.
I was
really excited when I talked to the Film Development Corporation and their board
of directors about last year being major when it came to over $46 million in
production. We have films like Maudie
that was here in this province.
When I
was flying last week and travelling to do business on behalf of the government,
Maudie was on the entertainment system for multiple airlines, not just Air
Canada, and that was quite exciting because that film by Mary Sexton was
produced right here in Newfoundland and Labrador, various parts of the Bonavista
Peninsula.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. MITCHELMORE:
I remember travelling with
the Member for Bonavista through his district and he highlighted
Random Passage, which came from a book of Bernice Morgan and led to
a film.
Art
forms create different forms of art and create all sorts of economic development
for the region. Now from a tourism point of view, there are tremendous amounts
of bus tours coming to this region. It's almost like there's a little Hollywood
happening on the Bonavista Peninsula.
Mr.
Speaker, because of this support, Newfoundland and Labrador's film industry is
proudly home to some of the country's most talented actors, directors and
producers. When I speak of this talent, our musical ability, Mr. Speaker, is
unparalleled. Truly, the musical talent that exists in Newfoundland and Labrador
is second to none. I firmly believe many are on par with musicians from anywhere
in the world.
We were
delighted this morning by a performance by Rube & Rake. This dynamic roots duo
of Josh Sandu and Andrew Laite are busy promoting their album
Back and Forth and are certainly
making a name for themselves with their stripped-down arrangements and beautiful
harmonies.
By
helping local musicians like Rube & Rake foster their talents, skills and
growth, our government continues to cultivate a culture and style that is all
our own. Ultimately, this will lead to the success of communities, regions and
the entire province. That is why the provincial government has long been a
partner with MusicNL, and that great partnership has continued again this year
with an investment of $350,000. MusicNL has evolved into an organization that
promotes, develops and advocates for musicians and the music industry in our
province and we are proud to support this organization.
Just
last month, Mr. Speaker, along with my parliamentary secretary, I attended
MusicNL's 25th anniversary gala at the St. John's Convention Centre. What a
show! The artistry of our musicians was amazing and the performances were off
the charts. I must mention Janet Cull from my very home District of St. Barbe –
L'Anse aux Meadows. She took home three awards: Female Artist of the Year,
Pop/Rock Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.
The big
winners of the night were a Ukrainian folk-jam band called The Kubasonics. They
won every category in which they were nominated, including Folk/Roots Artist of
the Year, Group of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. I can tell you one
thing: They certainly please and entertain and know how to get the energy levels
up in any single room.
The
band, which started in 2011, has enthusiastically embraced Newfoundland and
Labrador audiences for their high energy and their lyrics. Audiences are amazed
by the level of musicianship displayed by The Kubasonics in their live
performances. To all Members of this House and those watching at home, I
certainly encourage you to check them out.
I also
encourage Members of this House and members of the public to support the
performance and visual arts spaces, attend theatre productions, dance and film
festivals, awards events, symposiums and workshops, readings and concerts. These
spaces provide significant multidisciplinary cultural programming for the
benefit of diverse audiences and we have shown our commitment to these spaces.
Just
last week, the Premier announced a $500,000 investment to help support the
construction of a new multifunctional theatre complex in Cow Head for Theatre
Newfoundland and Labrador. It's quite exciting, Mr. Speaker, when you have a
venue that is outgrowing its space, that's achieving such success.
I want
to also acknowledge a place that I love to go and that is one of which we made a
recent investment: almost $70,000 to the Resource Centre for the Arts, or more
commonly known as the LSPU Hall. It's incredible the work the LSPU Hall does and
the number of performances that they have booked. They have about 300 days
booked out through the year. That is quite significant for any venue. It shows
the diversity that's happening. It's incredible.
I say to
all Members of this House: Let's promote these venue spaces, let's continue to
do everything we can, along with leveraging investments from our federal
colleagues so that we can continually support professional artists involved with
theatre productions.
Mr.
Speaker, I also recognize that tourism and culture are intrinsically linked. Our
government remains committed to supporting these outstanding industries. That is
why we developed our 2017-20 Provincial
Tourism Product Development Plan. This plan is a provincial tourism
development road map for maximizing our tourism growth by effectively utilizing
all available resources from public, private and non-profit tourism partners so
that we can focus on collective priorities. I was very excited today to see
Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador attend today's launch and also to have the
Tourism Board chair in attendance.
The plan
that was put together collectively by business, by operators and by the
community strengthens our economic foundation by creating a strong business
environment for private tourism investment. I also focus on how that plan can
use public resources in product development areas to provide the greatest return
through increased visiting and spending. One of their priorities was certainly
how it can support and work with the arts. It is imperative that we continue to
concentrate on fostering, developing and enhancing products and experiences that
visitors are seeking to build on tourism experiences that tell a story of our
people, place and culture.
Mr.
Speaker, these are just some of the shining examples of many talented artists
and many exciting things that are happening here in our province, and how we as
a government support them. We do a tremendous amount of work to support our
artists and people who travel outside of the province to look at export
development, to look at a multitude of different investments. We've worked with
the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce to ensure that Indigenous artists and
artists from Labrador are present in Ottawa when it comes to the Northern Lights
Conference and raising the quality and standards of craft and supporting
sculpting and that level of activity that is taking place.
I had
the pleasure to be with the Member for Torngat Mountains to meet with the
president of the Nunatsiavut Government and the minister when I was in Nain just
recently, and had the opportunity to talk about culture and economic development
and how it is important that, government to government, we work very closely and
collaboratively so that we can support Indigenous artists as well. I look
forward to working with the Member for Torngat Mountains and also members of the
Craft Council and others to support these initiatives.
Mr.
Speaker, there is so much more that we can be doing and we're looking forward to
the Status of the Artist legislation
being passed. Newfoundland and Labrador has such a rich and unique artistic
community, one that works very tirelessly to create, to produce and showcase
some of the best works featured in this country and around the world.
We had
the opportunity to be at The Rooms and for
anyone to see the exhibit that took place with Gerald Squires and to see that
exhibit of visual artists and to see the professional artist and members like
Jane Walker and her exhibit
that took place at The Rooms recently. There is tremendous opportunity to
connect. I was at The Rooms when they had Bulgarian art, when they had a lot of
contemporary art that had taken place, so it's a great venue space for those to
come, create, share, exhibit and express themselves. Our professional artists
are the very foundation of our cultural identity and expression, and I look
forward to continuing to work with them as we develop a new cultural framework
for this province.
Before I
conclude, I must point out that prior to this morning's performance at the Arts
and Culture Centre, I want to say that Josh Sandu from the duo Rube & Rake
mentioned that he wasn't from Newfoundland and Labrador, that he was from
northern BC. He came to Newfoundland and Labrador and he was pleasantly
surprised by how much the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador supports the
arts community in this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador – far more, he
said, than he experienced when he was in British Columbia.
So I
want to say that I will have every opportunity to listen to the debate. I will
have the opportunity to close debate and make further comments, and I look
forward to everybody contributing to this important, significant bill that is
before the House of Assembly.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Warr):
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you so much, Mr.
Speaker.
I have
to say I'm very pleased to stand today in support of this legislation. I come
from an area of the province that has quite an abundance of artists, Mr.
Speaker. The Coast of Bays region certainly has some world-renowned artists. I'm
sure everyone in this hon. Chamber and across the province as a whole has heard
of the great Simani and “The Mummer's Song.”
I
certainly would not be able to name them all because each and every community of
the 21 communities in my district has some fabulous artists. Some do their
artwork on a small scale and some do their artwork as a professional occupation.
Individuals like Stan Hill and Clyde Drew, we're quite proud to boast that they
are from the District of Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune; authors like John Nick
Jeddore, Chief Misel Joe and Colleen Dollimont, who recently wrote a book called
A Dreamer's Life. I might add it's a
great Christmas present for anyone who is looking for a good book to read over
the Christmas holidays.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm all too aware of the challenges that artists face, particularly
those who want to be an artist and not have to work at any other occupation to
supplement their income. We've all heard the term, in fact, starving artist.
Just
last week, when I was speaking with one of my nephews, he told me what he really
wants to do is to be a musician, but he knows it's something – he's only young,
he's just 19 – that he can't pay his rent and pay his groceries on being a
musician alone. So he also has a day job in the retail sector.
Through
measures such as the artist act that we see today, I certainly do hope to see a
strengthening of opportunities for artisans to truly be able to use the sector
as their sole means of earning a livelihood. Acts such as this one move us
forward in that regard, but certainly fall short, I do believe, of where we
actually need to be.
In terms
of the impact that artists have on the overall well-being of a people and a
place, one of my most vivid memories is of visiting Reykjavik in Iceland. It was
back in the '90s. I was in awe of, everywhere we went, the recognition that was
given to the arts community.
In high
school, all the children – art was a very important part of their education as
young children. Every street you walked down, there was an artist venue that you
could take in a theatre or you could view artwork. All of the youth centres, you
could go in and engage in artistic activities yourself. It was fostered from a
very young age, an appreciation of the arts and an encouragement to develop your
artistic abilities if you were so blessed.
I'd like
to see that stronger all across Canada – in particular, across Newfoundland and
Labrador. I'm sure each and every one of us in every community of this province
can point to a musician. We never have any trouble when we're trying to arrange
a dinner theatre as a fundraiser, I know in my communities, because there's
always someone who can do a skit off the cuff and there's always someone who can
play a guitar and sing a song of any genre. We certainly are very blessed in
that regard, and I truly believe we need to do more to support our artisans and
grow the industry, which does have significant potential for the people of this
province.
I'm
going to get in to the bill now in a little more detail. According to the bill's
Explanatory Notes: “This Bill would enact the
Status of the Artist Act” to “acknowledge the important and dynamic
contributions that artists make to the economic and social well-being of the
province;” to provide a definition of what a professional artist is; to “set out
certain government undertakings with respect to artists in the province; and
recognize the importance of continued improvement to the lives and working
conditions of professional artists.”
Mr.
Speaker, the term Status of the Artist is an internationally recognized term. It
refers to legislation, policies and programs which give recognition and improve
the economic and social status of professional artists.
Under
this act, the definition of a professional artist is defined in section 5 of the
legislation. For the public out there, I always believe in sharing as much as we
can of the details of the act, so the public is as fully informed as they
possibly can be about the various bills we're passing in the House and how it
pertains to them.
So for
the purposes of this act, going forward once it's approved, professional artists
in this province will be defined as those who satisfy any four of the following
conditions that I'm going to now list, and there must be at least one of (a),
(b) or (c), plus any other three.
Item (a)
under section 5 says that a professional artist to receive the designation must
be someone who receives or has received compensation which can be included in
their income; (b) has a record of income or loss relevant to their artist work
history; and (c) has received public or peer recognition. So at least one of
these three conditions must be met, plus any three others for a total of four.
So (d)
is listed as has presented his or her work to the public; (e) is represented by
a dealer, publisher or agent; (f) devotes a reasonable proportion of their
professional time to promoting or marketing; (g)(i) “has received professional
training in an educational institution …” or (g)(ii) “is self-taught within the
established practices of the person's cultural traditions;” (h) has membership
in a professional association, or (h)(ii) trade union and (i) holds copyright or
has received a royalty.
So these
are the conditions under which a person will be defined as a professional artist
under this legislation.
Mr.
Speaker, one of the drawbacks that we see in this legislation, one of its
shortcomings is it applies only to the Crown. In the briefing we were told it
would apply to core government departments, but it was really unclear regarding
agencies, boards and commissions.
The
officials noted during our briefing that there was nothing directing the ABCs to
follow it, but that the officials would work with them and the artists to
implement the principles of the act. It's great to encourage non-government
entities to honour the same pay scales and the components of the act, but there
is going to be nothing that makes it obligatory for them to do so because the
legislation only speaks to the Crown.
It
implements the following principles: “artists in the province make important and
dynamic contributions to the economic and social well-being of the province ….”
Another principle is “artistic creativity enhances the health, education,
quality of life and communal identity of the province ….”
As I
just spoke in my opening remarks about my impressions of Reykjavik, I strongly
believe that artistic creativity is key to a healthy community and a healthy
province. “Artistic diversity contributes to the strength of the province's
culture; and (d) fair compensation of professional artists is important for the
creation and use of their artistic works.”
As I
stated a little while ago, the legislation includes the definition of a
professional artist and it is in line with the inclusive definition in the
Arts Council Act. It follows the Arts
Canada Council and the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council definition.
Section
6 of the legislation outlines the government's commitments, which will be
enshrined in legislation. These commitments I will list again for our listening
audience. These government commitments includes: honouring the scale agreements
of the artists' associations. Again, I reiterate, we strongly feel the
legislation falls short here because it does obligate the Crown to honour the
scale agreements, but it doesn't obligate a general buyer, like myself for
example, or any of the ABCs, municipalities. They will not be obligated to
honour the scale agreements. So we would like to see the act strengthened in
that regard.
Honouring the working condition protocols which are established by artists'
associations; seek input of artists and their associations on related government
matters; give consideration to cultural products produced in the province when
purchasing goods and services within the
Public Tender Act and other trade agreements; support access to education
and training relating to the arts and promote awareness of artistic activity;
conduct related research; provide investment for artists and artists'
associations; support the promotion and sale of cultural products from the
province; encourage public recognition; as well, to use a written contract when
government departments enter into a contract with a provincial artist.
Again,
these commitments are certainly ones we can applaud for the government, but we'd
like to see such written contracts and commitments enshrined for all
organizations and all people who purchase artists' services in this province.
Section
7 of the legislation notes that government will try to improve the working
conditions by encouraging appropriate labour standards – again, soft words: will
try, will encourage. We certainly believe it's a step forward, but we do hope we
will see some stronger mechanisms in place as we do truly work together to
improve the status of the artists in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr.
Speaker, when we were preparing to speak in second reading of this legislation,
we did do a jurisdictional scan across the province. The federal legislation
allows the Canada Industrial Relations Board to make regulations and rulings to
certify artists' associations and it outlines scale agreement and bargaining.
Nova
Scotia brought in an act for the Status of the Artist in 2012. In fact, the act
for Nova Scotia is almost the same as ours, pretty much word for word in a lot
of cases. In Ontario in 2009, the minister designated one weekend in each year
to celebrate as artists' weekend. It does mention municipalities where they
encourage the promotion of the arts and a ministerial advisory committee is in
place for Ontario.
Quebec,
interestingly enough, in 1988 had legislation that spoke to this. They have an
Administrative Labour Tribunal to hear complaints from artisans. It governs the
associations for artisans and it spells out specific contractual requirements.
In New Brunswick in 2015, there was no legislation in place; PEI, no legislation
in place; and in Saskatchewan in 2010, they brought in
The Arts Professions Act,
which mandates written contracts are required for all artisans.
Mr.
Speaker, again, I'll reiterate that we are supportive of this legislation. We
are very pleased to see strong recognition of the value that artists make to our
communities and to our province as a whole, but we'd like to see a little less
fluff in terms of words like encourage, acknowledge and we'll try; and we'd like
to see stronger teeth put in. As I said a little while ago, the act doesn't
include municipalities. We're really unclear of the extent to which ABCs are
going to have to follow it.
From
that point of view, we would like to see stronger legislation so we can
eliminate the problem of starving artists once and for all, and truly afford our
talented and artistic people of this province the opportunity to develop their
talent as a full-time profession, and one which they can afford to do as a
full-time profession and feed themselves and their families based on their
creativity.
Mr.
Speaker, the value of artists are recognized worldwide. Another article that we
reviewed while preparing for this bill here today was an update on the 30th
anniversary of the UNESCO recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist. At
the Canadian Conference of the Arts in September of 2010, they prepared a
report. It was authored by Mr. Garry Neil of Neil Craig Associates, with some
Quebec research from a Mr. Sirois, and the book was published in September 2010.
In this
report, Mr. Speaker, it talks about how long artists have been struggling for
this recognition. Status of the Artist was
first used in the process launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization that culminated in 1980 in Belgrade, when the General
Conference adopted the recommendations concerning the Status of the Artist. This
was the end of the process of consultation with civil society and discussion
among governments around issues of critical importance to the artists and
creators around the world.
The 1980 recommendation was certainly very comprehensive in
its survey of the issues affecting artists and here we are 30-plus, almost 40
years later, and we're still
talking about some of these recommendations, Mr. Speaker.
I'm
going to list as well some of the recommendations that came from this UNESCO
report, more so for the purposes of highlighting where we still have some gaps.
This recommendation, as defined at the UNESCO conference, addresses issues and
recommends government actions on the following: employment, working and living
conditions of the artists; recognition of the rights of their professional and
union organizations; social status, including measures to ensure equivalent
status to other workers in areas such as health and insurance; protection of
freedom of expression and protection of intellectual property rights; the
education and training of artists; the importance of arts education; and
measures related to income, support during periods of unemployment and
retirement issues.
Mr.
Speaker, you can see from the list as defined at the UNESCO convention that our
legislation certainly falls short of some of these recommendations and is
indeed, in some cases, very fluffy. We hope that through the course of the
debate, the minister will be open to looking at areas where the legislation can
be improved.
Mr.
Speaker, this 2010 report looks at best practices from other countries. In some
countries, particularly the Nordic countries and former socialist countries that
are now in the European Union, social programs have been adapted to deal with
the reality of the work of artists.
In
countries such as France, Belgium and United States, some categories of artists
are deemed to be employees. This enables them to obtain relevant benefits. In
virtually every country there are some provisions that have been designed
uniquely for some categories of artists, Mr. Speaker. We see that this
legislation is going to require contractual arrangements with the Crown, but it
doesn't require other entities, the private sector and other levels of
government to do the same. I do hope that's something the minister will
consider.
In 2008,
the Conference Board of Canada did a groundbreaking study that looked at the
culture sector. They concluded that the value of the sector to the Canadian
economy was far greater than anyone had previously thought. I would suggest that
the case is the same for Newfoundland and Labrador.
The
Conference Board estimated that the economic footprint of Canada's culture
sector was $84.6 billion in 2007, or 7.4 per cent of Canada's total real GDP,
including direct, indirect and induced contributions. The culture sector
employment exceeded 1.1 million jobs in 2007. Now, I don't have the current
figures, but I'm certainly anticipating that number is much higher today, 10
years later.
The
report also states: “The government of Newfoundland and Labrador got it right
when it placed artists at the very centre of The Culture System and when it said
developing and nurturing creative talent is a fundamental requirement for
developing the creative economy. They were right when they said that it is
essential 'to support excellence in artistic endeavour' and 'to improve the
conditions under which professional artists and other cultural workers create
and produce.'”
So, Mr.
Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador is recognized for the value it places on
artisans. I'm sure that we will continue to be applauded for the bill that we
are bringing into this House here today, but again, it does have shortcomings
and it does need to be strengthened. With respect to the cultural strategy
renewal, 2019 is a very long time for artisans to wait. So we're hoping that can
be expedited and, throughout that process, maybe recommendations will come
forward for strengthening this bill that we do truly hope government is open to
considering. Because, at the end of the day, we have some outstanding, excellent
artisans in this fine province of ours – some of them even serve with us right
here in this hon. House.
One day
I, myself, hope to write a book based on my experiences of the last 10 years;
although I'm not sure if that's a good idea, sometimes. But everyone in this
province has a particular skill, whether it be in drawing, whether it be in
writing, whether it be in music, whether it be in carving – so many special
skills that the people of this province have.
I'm so
happy to see this bill brought forward and happy to work with government to
continue to do what we can to support the fine artisans of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Thank
you so much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Labrador West.
MR. LETTO:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's a
pleasure for me to stand here today and to speak on this bill, Bill 22, the
Status of the Artist Act. First of
all, I have to commend the minister and the department for moving forward with
this, as it was one of our election commitments and it was reconfirmed in
The Way Forward document.
I know
it was either in his remarks or the answers in QP, he had stated that he was
very much interested in the arts. We can all attest to that on this side of the
House because I don't know if there's a show or an event that he's missed over
this past two years. If he has, it hasn't been very many. We know what he's
presenting here today is something he's been working on for some time.
As has
been stated by the minister and the Member opposite, I won't get into the act
itself, but the Status of the Artist is an internationally recognized term which
applies to legislation, policies and programs. We were very pleased to follow in
footsteps of provinces like Quebec and Saskatchewan and others to implement
legislation to address this.
The
intention of this act is to improve the economic and social status of
professional artists in the province. We hear comments from the Member opposite:
starving artists. Well, what I will say to that, Mr. Speaker, is that there is
probably no other province in Canada that supports its culture and heritage as
well as Newfoundland and Labrador does. That goes as well for the artists who
take part in these events.
We are
very supportive of our artists in the province. Whether they're singers, whether
they're comedians, whether they're carvers, whether they're actresses or actors
or whatever they do, we are very supportive of our arts in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
What I
wanted to do today, Mr. Speaker, as the Member for Labrador West, I represent my
colleagues from Labrador here in the House of Assembly when we talk about the
arts in Labrador. There is probably nowhere more evident than that than in the
Member's district from Torngat when it comes to Aboriginal art or whatever and
carvers because carvings from that part of the country are world renowned. It's
sold all over the world. It's respected all over the world.
I know
in my time that I've seen many carvings from artists on the North Coast of
Labrador that have had some great prominence, not only in this country, but in
the world. There are artists like Gilbert Rich and John Terriak from Nain.
MR. EDMUNDS:
Gilbert Hay.
MR. LETTO:
Gilbert Hay – you put down
Gilbert Rich – Ross Flowers from Hopedale, Bronson Jacque from Postville. Mr.
Speaker, you depend on your colleague to give you some information and then they
all throw you under the bus. Anyway, there are people on the North Coast of
Labrador, Inuit carvers, who are world renowned.
There
are people like Billy Gauthier, for instance. Billy Gauthier is somebody that we
all know as a great carver and a great artist. I've seen some of his work.
Actually, my brother had some done for him specifically of different pieces,
whether it's ptarmigan, snow birds or whatever. It's absolutely beautiful.
As you
know, Billy Gauthier is one of the artists that has gained world recognition for
his work. He lives in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, of course, and he's a very
well-known sculptor out of Labrador. He's carved many pieces in galleries in
Labrador and New Brunswick, and participated in many exhibitions. He's always
been fascinated by the human faces and their individual expressions, so he's
been at this for some time. He's gained a lot of prominence in that field.
Mr.
Speaker, again, the crafts, there's nowhere probably in the world where the
production of crafts is more prominent than in this Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador.
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. LETTO:
Yeah, there you go.
There
are craft producers from all over Labrador as well when you talk about the Inuit
crafts, the quilting, you name it. There are many, many professionals all over
the world from Labrador that have gained recognition.
Mr.
Speaker, when you talk about art in this province, the earliest examples of art
in this province were produced by Aboriginal people. The oldest known object of
this type is a small ivory carving of a bear found in Labrador and now is in the
collection of The Rooms provincial Museum Division in St. John's. It has been
identified with the Dorset Eskimo people and it was possibly created around 800
AD.
Mr.
Speaker, when you talk about the artists and here we are today in 2017
implementing the Status of the Artist Act,
it is something that we certainly recognize is long overdue but we, as a
government, have said that this is something that's needed and we are moving
forward with that today.
When you
look at some of the art that's been found around this land, certainly from that
time, Labrador's influence in artistry has remained very strong, as I've stated.
Art and craft in Labrador has its roots in both the Aboriginal cultures and the
European contact period of the 18th to the 19th centuries. In the
1700s the Moravian missionaries came to Northern Labrador and, in the late
1800s, Grenfell's Medical Mission to Southern Labrador and Northern
Newfoundland. It was during the 1970s that contemporary visual arts actually
began to flourish in Labrador.
We've
been at this for a long time and Labrador, you could probably say, is the
birthplace for the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. LETTO:
For 20-plus years of
development and growth, a strong and vibrant visual arts association continues
throughout Labrador. In Labrador West, for instance, in my own district, you
have people like Sheilagh Harvey, Marjorie O'Brien, Ed Owen, Mary Jacobs and all
those people who've been certainly very active in the arts industry, whether
it's through paintings and other types of art.
I wanted
to just mention that a very big part of our culture and heritage and the arts in
this province is our system of Arts and Culture Centres throughout the province.
I'm very pleased to stand here today and say that Labrador West has such a
facility that is well used, not as much as we'd like to see it, but certainly is
well used and we've seen a lot of good artists come and go through that centre.
Because
we have centres like that is the reason why we have a strong drama presence in
Labrador West. In fact, I don't know of anywhere else in the province probably
other than St. John's where you would have two theatre groups operating out of
the same facility. We have the Carol Players and we have the Northern Lights
Theatre Company.
Mr.
Speaker, the point I'm trying to make is that arts is a very important part of
our everyday culture, everyday economic survival and feasibility and viability.
It's something that we need to pay very close attention to.
I just
want to mention a couple of more people in Labrador that have gotten national
recognition and, in some cases, international recognition for their contribution
to the arts. One of those people I think that we need to mention is Harry
Martin, a great folk singer, who has written many songs about his life and the
life of a trapper in Labrador.
As a
wildlife conservation officer, he would have had good exposure to that and he
certainly took that knowledge and turned it into art. He has become a very, very
successful singer and songwriter. Of course, many of the songs that we hear
today – “This Is My Home” is the one that comes to mind, which is probably one
of his most famous songs, a song that is well-known and certainly often played
by many outlets.
When you
talk about the arts, and not only in the paintings, but photography itself is a
great art. When you look at Labrador and all the scenery that has been taken –
people like Geoff Goodyear, for instance, who captured the scenes of Northern
Labrador and the Torngats, and has produced a book of pictures from the Torngats
itself, from Northern Labrador. It's people like that who certainly have made –
whether they've made a living on it is not important; it's the fact that they've
been able to contribute to the culture of our region.
People
like Larry Jenkins, a self-taught photographer, who is known for his Northern
Lights prints and pictures. If you see his collection, it's just amazing how he
can portray the great Northern Lights that we are so famous for. So there are
people like that.
There's
Scott Pynn, another artist from Labrador, who has a unique style of painting. He
started at a very young age and he was being taught from his grandfather.
Scott's art is inspired by the beautiful Labrador landscapes, the trees, the
snow and how the cold air magnifies the sun. Most of Scott's paintings exist in
the area right between night and day, so I've never been able to tell if the sun
is coming up or going down. It's just a unique culture that these people have
acquired over the years and they put their own stamp on their work.
Of
course there are people like Shirley Montague, who has become a world-renowned
singer as well. She now lives in Gros Morne. She's the founder of the annual
Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival that I'm sure the minister has attended on
occasion. She's managed to carry her expertise, her experience and knowledge
away from Labrador, being a Labradorian herself. She's moved on, but she hasn't
forgotten her heritage, she hasn't forgotten her culture and being able to share
it with the other people of this province – that's something that's she's very
proud of.
Mr.
Speaker, I just wanted to put that Labrador perspective on what we're trying to
do here today with this bill because it's not something that we can take
frivolously; it's an important bill. It's a bill that allows those people to now
become sustainable in their own right with the work that they love to do and
that they continue to do. But this bill will give them some security in their
work and certainly allow them to continue on to do the work that people
appreciate and respect them for it.
What's
the definition of an artist? When you look at it, that can include many things.
In the act, the definition as established by this act is similar to the
definitions in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan in their Status of the Artist acts:
individuals who create, perform or give creative expression. Mr. Speaker, that's
a pretty broad definition when you talk about singing, acting, painting and
carving. That's what those people do; they create an expression that people
really appreciate.
This
includes the literary arts, the visual arts and crafts, digital and multimedia
arts, as well as performing arts such as theatre, opera, dance and music. It's a
pretty broad definition and there are a lot of people – if I were to name
everyone, not only in the province, but in Labrador, we'd be here for a long
time. That's what happens when you start naming people, there's always somebody
you forget. There are a lot of people in this province who could be put into
that classification. We all know who they are and we're all eager to support
them in what they do.
This is
an inclusive definition and it's consistent with the definition of the
Arts Council Act. This definition may
also include individuals who receive compensation through income. That's what
this act is all about. It's about securing these people, securing their income.
Receive
public or peer recognition, and the minister also alluded to that. There are
people who receive recognition, not only on the national stage, but on the world
stage for the work they do.
Presented work to the public; you look throughout government offices, these
government buildings, the art that's displayed in those, and in The Rooms for
instance. There are a lot of people who have presented their work to the public,
to the public galleries and for public viewing. There are a lot of people.
Represented by a dealer, agent or publisher and receive professional training or
designation.
Mr.
Speaker, this act really goes a long way to identifying who the artists are and
who needs to be recognized in this act. We think we've done a very good job of
identifying the people who need to be recognized and need to be recognized in
this act.
This has
not been done haphazardly, as the minister again alluded to. There were a lot of
consultations done in developing this act. In the fall of 2016, the ArtsNL and
the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee were consulted.
We heard
during Question Period, as well, Members of the Third Party referred to that the
artists weren't happy with this act. Well, the ArtsNL were quite eager today to
come out and support the work that the minister is doing. There were other
people at that news conference this morning. Stan Hill, for instance, was there.
They complimented government on moving forward with this
Status of the Artist Act. So to say
the artists and the people who are affected by this don't respect this and don't
appreciate this, I think it needs to be corrected.
In
January 2017, for instance, the arts stakeholder round table consultation was
held. In the winter of 2017, the online questionnaire was provided through the
department which had 256 responses – 256, Mr. Speaker. So to say that people
weren't consulted, I beg to differ.
From
these consultations, there were seven themes of importance that had been
incorporated into the act. This is from our consultations. Recognition of the
arts as an important profession, and it is an important profession. The
definition of professional artist, we've done that.
Fair
payment guidelines and improved benefits; that's what this is all about, Mr.
Speaker, is to make this industry sustainable. It's an industry that we want to
maintain. It's an industry that we need. It's an industry that's needed in this
province, and this act allows that to happen.
Importance of using written contracts; again, something we've addressed.
Purchasing local artistic goods and services; again, if you look at what's in
this act, the people of this province who provide that service should be
recognized and should be compensated for their work. Awareness and community
engagement is another one that came out of the consultations.
The
commitments from this act: this act would honour scale agreements of artists'
associations; honour protocols respecting artists' working conditions; gives
consideration to purchase cultural products produced in the province; provide
investment for artists and arts associations in the province; support awareness
of artistic activity; encourage public recognition; seek input from artists on
matters of culture; and conduct research benefiting arts and culture.
Mr.
Speaker, I think this act is a good and a great step forward. I commend the
minister and the department for moving ahead with this. As I said at the
beginning of my remarks, this was a commitment we made in 2015 during the
election. It's a commitment we reconfirmed in
The Way Forward document, and it's a commitment, Mr. Speaker, that
we're fulfilling here today by the implementation of Bill 22, which is the
Status of the Artist Act.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Reid):
The hon. the Member for
St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I'm very
happy to stand and speak to Bill 22,
Status of the Artist Act.
I would
like the Members of this House just for a minute to imagine – just imagine now –
that our House will probably close at 5:30 this afternoon, this evening, and
that if we all had to go change our clothes and go to our paid job, that we
weren't really paid well for this, but this is what we were passionate about
doing because we were committed to it.
We went
to school, we took out student loans to be educated so we could do this work,
but as soon as the House is closed, we leave. We change our clothes because
we're going to work in a restaurant, or we're going to work in a bar, or we're
going to go clean houses, or we're going to go do child care, or we're going to
go deliver pizza.
That is
the life for most of our artists in Newfoundland and Labrador. They have
incurred incredible amounts of student loans. Our artists are among the most
educated people in our province – as a matter of fact, in the country – yet the
lowest earners. Many are in such precarious employment in order to do the
artistic work that they have trained all their lives to do. If they don't do
that, they can't afford rent, they can't afford lights.
People
in this House would be astonished if I were to tell you a friend of mine who was
in the arts, who was a very, very famous performer, had his lights cut off.
Someone that people in this province loved, they listened to his music, but he
had his lights cut off because he could not afford them. That is not unusual for
many people in the arts, and then they have to make decisions.
If
you're a musician or if you're writing a book, maybe it would take a pen and
paper, maybe it would take your computer, but you still have to feed yourself,
clothe yourself, put a roof over your head. If you're a musician, you need your
instrument. If you're an artist or a potter, you need your supplies, you need a
studio. If you're a musician or a dancer or an actor or in the theatre, you need
a space in order to be able to rehearse. Not easily come by. If you're a dancer,
you need lots of space in order to practice your art.
Some
people take out loans. They have student loans. They can't afford to buy houses.
Some can't afford to have children. They have no pensions. Some get their lights
cut off – yet all of us are beneficiaries of the work they do.
So I ask
the Members in this House to just imagine that, having to leave doing this work
that perhaps many of us love and feel that we have trained ourselves to do, done
everything we could possibly do so we could do this work the best that we could,
but that we're not paid very much. We never know when we're going to get paid.
We never know when we're going to get called to the House. Then we go off to
deliver pizza or work in a restaurant or work in a bar until 3 in the morning,
so that we could do the work that we feel we really are committed to and what we
want to do. That is the life of many of our artists.
Luckily
enough, there are some artists, people in the arts community who have a good,
solid income. Some who are part of ACTRA or musicians who have paid into pension
plans, but the majority of people in the arts in our province do not have that
luxury. It's not a luxury; actually, it's a right.
Mr.
Speaker, that's what I ask people to keep in mind when we're looking at
Status of the Artist Act. Really, what
is the status of our artists in our community? How do we treat our artists? How
do we ensure they have what they need in order to fully practice their art
which, again, if we also could imagine what our communities, what our society
would be without art.
You
wouldn't have any of these paintings of former Speakers on the wall. We wouldn't
have music. We wouldn't have television. We wouldn't have movies. We wouldn't
have Netflix – God forbid, we wouldn't have Netflix. We wouldn't have – well, we
all know what. We wouldn't have paintings on our walls. We wouldn't have theatre
to go to. We wouldn't have dance recitals to go to. We wouldn't have beautiful
pottery.
We all
know that if we really imagine what our world without art would be and what our
world without artists would be who challenge us. They don't just make pretty
things or create songs that sound good and make us feel good. Their role is also
to challenge us as a society, to challenge the way we think about ourselves, the
way we think about our world. How very important they are.
I'd like
to thank the officials from the department for their very thorough briefing.
They were very excited to present this legislation. I believe it is a first
step, but, Mr. Speaker, I tell you the number of artists that I have spoken with
who are so disappointed. Really, it's a bill that says government should –
doesn't have to, but government should – pay them scale rates from their
particular professions for any time the government hires them.
There
are fair compensation guidelines and then there's some information about what
constitutes a really good contract. That will be online as well, the kinds of
contracts that artists should have when they are engaged or hired by government.
Again,
government is not saying you have to; government is saying you really should.
Let's keep in mind what we get from our artists, both in pleasure and also the
challenges they put before us and how tough it is in this current climate to be
an artist.
Artists
aren't well paid actors. Oftentimes our actors here in town may only have three
or four gigs a year. That doesn't give you enough to live on.
I just
want to speak to a few facts. The culture and heritage sector, so we're looking
at people who have precarious employment. For the most part they never know when
their next gig is, and for the most part do not have pensions, but they too will
grow old. Many can't afford places where they live or they can't afford to buy a
house. Many consider whether or not they're going to be able to afford to have
children; yet, they give us so much. So let's keep that in mind.
The
culture and heritage sectors account for up to $500 million and 7,000 jobs in
the provincial economy. That's pretty significant, Mr. Speaker. Every dollar of
government investment in culture and heritage generates $3 in spending on goods
and services. That's quite an investment. So every dollar that's invested
generates an additional $3 in spending on goods and services, and even more in
the case of a TV series like the Republic
of Doyle. So, Mr. Speaker, that is really important.
I'm sure
the Minister of Culture probably would like to listen to what I have to say
rather than him trying to tell you what your job is. I'd say that's probably a
little more important right now. I'm sure you know what your job is and I'm sure
he should listen to what I have to say, not because I'm saying it, but because
I've consulted with so many arts organizations and artists in the province.
Cultural
industries such as film, publishing, recording and interactive media rely on
visual artists, writers and musicians for new creative material. That's who this
bill is talking about, Mr. Speaker. This bill is talking about people who are
working in these cultural industries, but most of these artists don't have
lucrative careers. Only 10 per cent make a living solely from their art, and we
are happy that 10 per cent of artists can make a living solely from their art,
but that means 90 per cent cannot; again, when we look at $500 million in that
industry and 7,000 jobs.
I bet
you most people here in this House don't know what the medium income is for an
artist in Newfoundland and Labrador. I bet you if we polled people, they would
really be surprised. The medium income is $10,200. That's half the national
average for artists in the country.
This
Status of the Artist legislation is so
incredibly important. If we really look at what the status of the artist is in
our province, it's so incredibly precarious; yet, we are so proud of the artists
in our province. If we want to put it crassly, consumers of art – whether we're
listening to music, watching shows, going to theatre, going to dance, watching
movies, putting paintings on our walls, we are all consumers of art.
The
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, which is not mentioned in this
legislation but it's now called ArtsNL, is the chief source of provincial money
for artistic creation. Why is that important? Because it's the research and
development phase of the cultural sector. It means when you see a TV show or
when you see a movie made in Newfoundland and Labrador, oftentimes – or if you
see a play on the stage at the Resource Centre for the Arts or one of our Arts
and Culture Centres, the genesis of that project, more than not, started from a
small grant from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council or ArtsNL. That's
why that is so important, from a very small grant.
We have
among the smallest grants per artist in the whole country. That's part of the
status of our artists. We have among the smallest grants per artist that is
awarded through our cultural agency, ArtsNL, given to the artist who earned the
least amount of money from their artistic endeavours in the country. They earn
the least amount in the country and we have the smallest grants per artist in
the country. It doesn't make for comfortable living for sure.
The
current budget for ArtsNL is the same as the budget was in 2009. Now, we all
know that the cost of living has gone up for all of us. In eight years, the
budget that they're working with right now is the same as the budget they worked
with eight years ago, but the cost of rental space, the cost of heat and light,
the cost of everything for artists and arts organizations has skyrocketed in
that time.
We have
a perfect storm to make it very, very difficult for the arts and for artists
here in our province, yet that small amount of money that people get from the
Arts Council, a grant of about $4,000 which is well below all of the other
provinces, helps artists leverage other funds like, for instance, the Canada
Council.
Although
we also know that artists in Newfoundland and Labrador do not leverage as much
Canada Council money per capita as artists in other parts of the country because
our grants from our provincial agency are so small and also because less than 50
per cent of those who apply for the grants, actually get the grants. So that,
again, is the status of the artists in our province. The minister announced that
there's going to be a cultural and heritage strategy and plan that will be
coming. I'm hoping that it's going to take all of this in mind.
The
minister also referred to increases in money spent in music and in film, in
other organizations, not through Arts NL. That's very important. That, again,
generates a lot of money in the economy, but it's not geared towards that very
beginning phase of research and development that artists need.
That's
where our stories come from. That's where the thought of a song comes from.
That's where a poem comes from. That's where the story, the seed that may
eventually be made into a movie or eventually be made into a TV series, or has
absolutely no economic or commercial goal at all. Not all art is about commerce
and not all art belongs in the category of industry. So that's about the status
of our artists as well.
I think
we've all heard stories of the starving artists. It's true. For the most part
they're not starving, but for the most part life is very difficult financially.
We can do better. We can do better about that. One of the things, Mr. Speaker, a
number of artists that I've spoken with since this legislation came out last
Friday; they were very surprised that the legislation was being tabled because
they felt, in fact, that they hadn't been consulted.
The
minister talked about the consultation happening last January that 70 people
attended from the arts community. I can't remember now if it was December or
January. Then he also talked about online surveys, but true consultation means
engagement. Once you hear from people, then it's your responsibility to get back
to them and say this is what I heard and this is what you asked for and this is
what we're going to do, or we're not going to do this and this is why we're not
going to do it. So the artists do not feel they were fully consulted. They were
surprised that this came out. This was the first they had heard of it, that this
legislation was ready and prepared to be tabled in the House.
We see
that as well with the bill that deals with the
Prescription Monitoring Act. The same
kind of complaint that people had initially spoken with the departments months
and months ago or almost a year ago and never heard back and were never engaged
in any further dialogue about we're going to try this or we're not going to do
this and this is why. To even let them see a draft of the legislation before
bringing it to the House, that would be true consultation, but that didn't
happen.
So there
are a few things I believe that this legislation could do, besides just looking
at government may or perhaps should, but not must pay scale fees for artists
that they employ and the fact that they're going to help artists with contracts.
A few
other stronger measures can be put into this, and I'm hoping – I know the
minister said they're going to continue to go forward on this and here are some
of the issues that I think they could consider in their Status of the Artist
measures. We would like to see stronger measures requiring government agencies
to pay artists fairly via contracts. So requiring – not saying to government
departments that they should or that they could or wouldn't be nice, but
absolutely requiring it.
Government can look at provincial tax incentives. In Quebec, if you're an artist
and you have a project that takes you four years, maybe in the first year it's
all about the idea and writing about the issue and you get very, very little
money for that. You don't earn any money. Maybe in the second year, you workshop
it and you still don't get paid very much money.
Maybe
you were writing a film script and in the third year they start to film it. You
are getting paid for your copyright. You're getting paid for the story that you
wrote; the script that the film is based on. So that year your income goes way
up, whereas the two previous years you really haven't earned anything or maybe
you've earned some money delivering pizza.
Then the
fourth year, maybe, you start to get parts of the box office hits or maybe
you're going to direct it or maybe you're one of the producers and you make more
money. Quebec legislation allows you, as an artist, to average that income over
the life of the project, so that you're not hit with huge taxes in the year that
you earn a lot of money, that in fact you can average that out over the
four-year program. I'm hoping those are the kinds of things that government will
look at and that the minister will look at as he goes forward.
We
really do need higher funding per capita with ArtsNL. Again, it's the beginning
of many projects and without that seed funding, our local artists cannot
leverage funding from federal organizations or other funding bodies. And keep in
mind again, Mr. Speaker, how important the arts and artists are to our
communities, to our society and that the Status of the Artist should acknowledge
it's not right that they live in poverty, that there are better ways of doing
this.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
And I believe that we can.
Those artists have given recommendations, and it is my hope that the minister
will (inaudible) –
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
The hon.
Member's time has expired.
The hon.
the Member for Placentia West – Bellevue.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BROWNE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is
delightful to stand in the House of Assembly to speak to the second reading of
the Status of the Artist Act. I have
to say after listening to the Member for St. John's Centre, she must not have
been listening at the press conference this morning when one of the performers
who was there to perform for the opening – in fact, he got up, from Rube & Rake,
and the first comment be made was that I'm from British Columbia and we would
never get this kind of support in British Columbia.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BROWNE:
Mr. Speaker, so we're hearing
from artists across this province. The minister and I make a special effort to
ensure that we have outreach with the arts community – something that I
encourage the Member opposite to do on a more regular basis.
I can
tell the Member opposite that we hear from artists all of the time and we hear
that they're very happy that this government is finally taking the step to bring
forth Status of the Artist legislation – something that I don't recall the
Members opposite calling for or suggesting, Mr. Speaker, but today they seem to
have so many issues with it.
This is
a good step that the arts community is applauding and I'm just not going to
stand here, Mr. Speaker, and allow the Members opposite to make the case that
somehow this is a bad story or that we're not doing something, I can guarantee
you of that.
I'll
also comment on the Member's commentary with respect to arts funding. In the NDP
platform, Mr. Speaker, they were going to put in a $526,000 increase to arts;
this government just increased it by $2 million in this year's budget.
AN HON. MEMBER:
How much?
MR. BROWNE:
Two million dollars, Mr. Speaker; yet, there's no funding to arts. There's
nothing happening in the arts community.
I
suggest the Member for St. John's Centre go out into the arts community, attend
some of their functions and you'll hear from the arts community that they are
pleased with the actions this government has taken, including giving the
recognition of the Status of the Artist because people should not be bartering
with artists, people shouldn't be asking them to lower and be paid less than
what they're worth. As a province and as a culture, we need to value the arts in
this province, Mr. Speaker, which we are – which is precisely why we're bringing
forth Status of the Artist legislation.
Mr.
Speaker, I was pleased to join the minister this morning at the Arts and Culture
Centre, as I mentioned, to officially recognize the important role professional
artists play in our province. I am very proud that this was a commitment that
was made during the last election. It was put into the minister's mandate
letter. It was put into The Way Forward,
and today we are delivering.
As the
minister said this morning here in the House, the Status of the Artist means a
commitment from government to continue to invest in culture. It means honouring
scale agreements, developing and using written contracts for professional
artists, including work descriptions, terms of payments, dispute resolution
mechanisms and rights agreements, and it means a continued dialogue on matters
relating to culture with artists in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, to further build on the Status of the Artist, the provincial government
has also committed to strengthen the arts-supportive culture by renewing the
cultural plan. This will offer artists further opportunities to explore
government programming and support, and offer artists even more ways to improve
the professional opportunities here at home.
Our
government will lead by example in encouraging everyone to pay artists fairly
and equitably based on existing industry pay scales for their genres. Our
artists deserve no less, Mr. Speaker.
Today, I
am pleased to talk about some of the programs and support our government is
currently providing to artists. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the provincial government
proudly invested over $20 million annually in culture overall. This includes our
commitment to all genres: visual arts, crafts, music, literacy and publishing,
dance, theatre and film.
Based on
2014 stats, Canada Cultural Statistics, culture created over 5,000 jobs, Mr.
Speaker, and contributed nearly $450 million to Newfoundland and Labrador's
economy. I would like to take a few minutes, if Members will indulge me, to
speak a little about each area, beginning with visual arts, something that's
extremely important to our government, Mr. Speaker.
Our
government is pleased to provide $80,000 annually to the Visual Artists
association of Newfoundland and Labrador. Just last month the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation and the Minister of Veterans Affairs
announced investments totalling close to $260,000 for the Resource Centre for
the Arts to improve its facilities and implement a development plan to enhance
its sustainability and nurture the development of the province's cultural and
tourism industry.
The
Resource Centre for the Arts, which is housed in the LSPU Hall, creates,
produces and provides space for a variety of artistic works. The LSPU Hall
provides performance and visual arts spaces for theatre productions, dance and
film festivals, awards, events, symposiums and workshops, reading concerts, as
well as art shows and forums providing significant multidisciplinary cultural
programming for the benefit of diverse audiences.
Mr.
Speaker, in reference to the LSPU Hall, it wasn't that long ago that I was there
for an event. It's a beautiful facility. It's something that we cherish here in
St. John's and for the whole province. Through this project, the Resource Centre
for the Arts will enhance various systems and equipment in the LSPU Hall,
helping improve production values and operational efficiency. It will also
implement a professional marketing rebranding and audience development plan.
The Art
Bank collection, which is managed by The Rooms, encompasses close to 3,000 works
of art by over 250 Newfoundland and Labrador artists. Last night, Mr. Speaker, I
joined the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, along with the
Minister of Advanced Education and Skills and the parliamentary secretary for
Health and Community Services, hosting a reception for the Canada-France joint
commission with the French delegation.
You can
see in Government House, Mr. Speaker, the tremendous visual arts that are
displayed by artists in our province. It was absolutely beautiful. It is part of
the new selections that the Lieutenant Governor gets the first kick at the can
with the Art Bank. It was quite beautiful, not only the artwork on the walls,
the number of sculptures that are there as well. There's so much to celebrate
within our artistic community.
Artworks
that are part of the collection may be exhibited at The Rooms and are also
installed in government offices in public buildings across the province. Mr.
Speaker, for example, the minister and I toured the Colonial Building recently.
Perhaps there will be opportunities to further display visual art in the
Colonial Building, in one of our most historic buildings.
Our
government is proud to support ArtsNL and its ongoing work to foster and promote
the creation and enjoyment of the arts for the benefit of all Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians. We were pleased to have the chair of the board, Stan Hill,
speak today about government's strong engagement with ArtsNL and the
professional arts community on the creation of this significant piece of
legislation. In fact, his words today were also very complimentary of this bold
step. I encourage the Member opposite to maybe speak with Mr. Hill and further
gain insight on the perspective of ArtsNL, something that clearly doesn't seem
to have occurred to date.
Mr.
Speaker, we are pleased to support the music industry through MusicNL. We were
fortunate this morning to hear a performance by the dynamic roots duo, Rube &
Rake. I think I would be doing the group a disservice if I didn't aptly describe
the harmony and the guitar playing and the absolute eloquence with which they
performed. This is an up-and-coming group. We're very happy to support them. As
one of the bandmates, Josh Sandu, who's originally from British Columbia, said,
and I'll repeat it again – he said he would never have this kind of support from
the government with the arts community in British Columbia.
Mr.
Speaker, this is a very telling comment from a musician. It's really recognition
of the work that is being done here in Newfoundland and Labrador within the arts
community; recognition that bringing forth this Status of the Artist is a very
bold step.
Just
last month, we recognized the 25th anniversary of MusicNL. I had the fortune to
join with the chair of MusicNL for the announcement of the nominees for their
awards gala back in late August. In fact, it happened at Fred's Records, which
is another cultural institution in the province in its own respect.
A couple
of nights later – one of the nominees, actually, has roots on the Burin
Peninsula. Her mother comes from Point May, the hometown of the Member for Burin
– Grand Bank. Both she and I had the opportunity to attend her CD launch, Mr.
Speaker, further supporting arts. It's important that we as a government, the
minister and I, as parliamentary secretary, attend these functions to show our
artists, to show our up-and-coming artists particularly, that we value the arts
greatly. Their role in our society in both tangible and intangible ways can
never be understated.
With
respect to MusicNL, what started as a group of musicians recognizing a need for
a formal structure, it has evolved into an organization that continues to
promote, develop and advocate for the music industry in our province. The
minister and I had the pleasure to attend the annual award show in October,
which capped off an exciting week of performances, showcases in training and
opportunities.
If any
of the Members opposite had attended that function, they would have known the
last act was Shanneyganock, Mr. Speaker. Out comes Bud Davidge with
Shanneyganock and the whole crowd went up, singing “Music & Friends.” It
epitomized the cultural scene here in Newfoundland and Labrador, blending the
old with the new, and it was a terrific, terrific celebration of music in the
province.
This
year's MusicNL week focused on export development, assisting our musicians and
performers with export opportunities, including buyer education and business
development training. Our musicians had a chance to perform for buyers from
North America and Europe, helping them to gain exposure, learn about the
industry and grow an audience base.
Mr.
Speaker, the musical talent that exists in Newfoundland and Labrador is second
to none, and artists from this province deserve opportunities to reach as broad
an audience as possible. That is why the provincial government proudly invests
$350,000 annually in MusicNL and proudly contributed $34,000 to help make
MusicNL expand on its robust export development program this year. By helping
local musicians foster their talents and business skills, our government
continues to cultivate a culture and style that is all our own, while
contributing to the growth of the music sector.
The
music sector in this province is unparalleled. If anyone tuned in to
CBC News this morning, they would have
seen stories that have gone viral of what happened in Pearson International
Airport in Toronto. There was a group of travellers that had a delayed flight.
There were two musicians in the audience, an accordion player and a guitar
player, and out they broke the instruments and the terminal broke out into songs
of Newfoundland and Labrador.
This is
how important our arts sector and our culture sector are, both in an economic
and a social sense. It contributes greatly to jobs and economic prosperity and
growth but, at the same time – perhaps more importantly even – it reminds us of
who we are. It reminds us of our cultural identity, which is why it's so
important we continue to support the arts.
One of
the musicians, of course, was Sean Sullivan of Sullivan's Songhouse. This is an
example of a very talented – we all know of the talents of the Sullivan family
musically in Calvert, Mr. Speaker. He took the talents that he has learned over
the years and he created Sullivan's Songhouse. It's just a simple concept:
people come into his kitchen for a kitchen party. It's been a raving success –
another example of the positive things happening in the arts community.
I
certainly hope to take it in. Perhaps the minister and I and the Member for
Ferryland can go together, join together and enjoy the performance at Sullivan's
Songhouse. It would be quite an interesting evening, I'm sure, celebrating the
arts. By having local musicians foster their talents and business skills, our
government continues to cultivate the culture and style of the music sector.
Also,
this morning we were pleased to hear Sharon Bala read a passage from her short
story, “Butter Tea at Starbucks.” Sharon recently was a Journey Prize finalist
at the 2017 Writer' Trust Awards and is a three-time Arts and Letters Awards
recipient for short fiction.
Our
government is pleased to provide $80,000 in annual operational funding, which
has been provided to the Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, WANL,
through the provincial government's Cultural Economic Development Program. We
are pleased to support the Writers' Alliance and their continued work with our
province's literary talent. The Writers' Alliance showcases our province's
writers and literature provincially, nationally and internationally, thereby
increasing economic benefits to authors through increased book sales, awards,
invitations to readings, literary festivals and other events.
The
Writers' Alliance is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1987. So, Mr.
Speaker, you can see the roots within the arts and culture sector grow very
deep. They early on formalize structures within each genre, Mr. Speaker, to
better advocate and to better grow every sector and every piece of the arts and
culture sector. It is a member-based organization – this is the Writers'
Alliance now I'm referring to – with a membership of approximately 300 people.
The
Writers' Alliance is dedicated to enhancing the economic well-being of local
writers, the professionalization of writing and publishing in the province and a
celebration of our writers and literature in increasing public awareness and
appreciation of literary arts.
The
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation recently attended the
opening night of the Neighbourhood Dance Works 2017 Festival of New Dance in
October. Again, I reiterate how important it is as legislators, as leaders, to
support our arts community. Our government provides $35,000 through the Cultural
Economic Development Program to assist with the production of that annual
festival. The art of dancing is an important venue for cultural expression and
our government is pleased to support the development and advancement of
up-and-coming and established dancers, as well as those working in the dance
industry.
Mr.
Speaker, we are proud to support the film industry in this province, an industry
that is a generator of well-paid, skilled jobs and continues to leverage new
investment from sources outside our province. In fact, in 2015 the industry
accounted for more than $46 million in total production activity, creating more
than 600 full-time equivalencies.
We
proudly increased the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation
Equity Investment Fund by an additional $2 million, Mr. Speaker. This additional
funding is helping the film and television industry continue to grow production
activity and employment. Since 1997, the film and television industry in
Newfoundland and Labrador has seen total production activity of over $359
million and has leveraged over $250 million in new money to the province. That's
very important, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, our government is supportive of theatre. Just last week our Premier
joined with the Member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains to announce
$500,000 to support Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador in the construction of a
new multi-functional theatre complex in Cow Head. The Governments of
Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada are investing a total of $4.2 million
towards Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador's new 2,000-square-metre theatre
complex, which will include a 178-seat venue for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival
dinner theatre.
Mr.
Speaker, with respect to theatre, it was just, I would say, late September I
attended A Call to Arms, a theatre
musical production at Holy Heart Theatre. Perhaps some of the Members opposite
were there. It was the story of a soldier in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment,
Stephen Norris. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, I've been to Broadway. You wouldn't
find any better on Broadway. It was an absolute joy. It was an absolutely
professional production that you would find anywhere in this world, from London
to New York. It is a true reflection of the artistic community and where it has
come.
Mr.
Speaker, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation is one of
the province's largest operators of tourism, culture and heritage facilities,
which includes The Rooms, the Arts and Cultures Centres and the Provincial
Historic Sites. I think, in closing, I will say with respect to some of the
comments that I've heard so far – and I will continue to listen very closely and
we can further discuss some of this in Committee. I will agree with the Member
for St. John's Centre in saying that arts is not always about monetary value.
The expression of art is very important. That cannot be underscored.
We want
artists in this province to come forward and express and present our art and our
culture, tell those stories, Mr. Speaker, whether it be through writing, through
song, through dance, through theatre, through film. There are many adaptations
that can take. It's a truly remarkable sector in an economic and a social sense.
I have
to say, this is something that artists have been calling on for a long, long
time. I'm very pleased that this government has delivered in bringing forth
Status of the Artist legislation.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's a
pleasure to get up and speak on Bill 22, the
Status of the Artist Act. It's
interesting, listening to my colleague opposite. I don't know what the word is.
He's professing to the House his love for the artists. I think we all agree on
that. We all support the artists. There's nothing he said there that's new to
any of us. We're proud of our culture and our heritage here in Newfoundland.
It's
probably one of the best gems we have as a province of a half a million people,
our artists and our – not so much the best kept secret now, but for a long time
they were. People come here and when they leave they're totally amazed.
I had
the fortune of working in the former Department of Tourism, Culture and
Recreation, which included Culture, for several years with the former minister.
I got to meet a lot of these individuals and I got to hear a lot of their
concerns. So this legislation was something I know the artists have been
lobbying for, for a long time.
It's not
the legislation. I guess they're pleased with this legislation, but it will
never fully meet the needs of those people, what they're looking for, but I
guess sometimes half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.
I have a
few comments. I have lots of time to speak on it, obviously. I guess I would be
remiss if I didn't say, hearing the Member opposite getting up and lecturing the
Member for St. John's Centre on the artists and what she knows about artists and
her attachment to the artists. I think I can safely say in this House of
Assembly, there is no one else in this House who has more attachment to the
artists than the Member for St. John's Centre.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. PETTEN:
I'd be remiss if I never said
that. I think the Member opposite should at least acknowledge that when he gets
up. Show some respect.
That's a
fact, because you hear some of that stuff and that's one of the ones where we
shouldn't go and I'm not going there. I think she should be applauded for her
support of those people.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. PETTEN:
They struggle to make a
living. It's not an easy life.
MR. JOYCE:
(Inaudible.)
MR. PETTEN:
The Member for Bay of Islands
has woke up again, Mr. Speaker.
The
Member for Bay of Islands, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, is lecturing me
now because I'm giving credit to a Member who supported the artists all of her
life. She's a preforming artist herself –
MR. JOYCE:
(Inaudible.)
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. PETTEN:
– and now she's a Member of
this House of Assembly and she supports – and what's wrong with complimenting
her? Then you're getting lectured by someone over there that probably – well, I
won't go there, maybe I won't go there. I won't go there because I could go down
the road, if it's going to make me miss what I have to say.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. PETTEN:
Mr. Speaker, I got my 20 minutes and I'd like to use it, thank you.
Thank
you very much.
So this
legislation, as we're saying, it's not entirely what the artists want. I guess
you need to speak about the artists. It's been discussed about the economic
struggles that artists go through in their careers and it's not an easy way to
make a living.
We get
lots of people who go and get their given trade, they go to university or trades
and there's a set pay scale. They go to work for whomever and they make a living
to support their families. Most people, not everyone, but I guess the majority
of people do stuff that they love, but they get rewarded for that financially.
Artists
do the same thing. There's no difference what artists do and what we do here in
this House of Assembly. You love politics, you like representing the people in
your districts, we come in here and we get a salary. They do the same thing, Mr.
Speaker, in their other forms of whatever it is: visual, staged, musical, what
have you, all the broad range. But it's not the same; it's a struggle. Anyone
that's been around the arts community will tell you, anyone in the arts
community will tell you, they struggle. They struggle on a daily basis.
They
need the extra supports. I don't know the answer to that. You don't just open
the vault – I understand that. Maybe we need to be more creative and work on
partnerships. There has to be a way to try to support the artists in what they
do, because it's not your run-of-the-mill regular job. It's not your 9-to-5 job.
Some of these artists don't go to work, performing artists, sometimes until 10
or 11 o'clock every night. That's their thing. They do their gigs, as they term
them, to try to pay the bills. It's not an easy life.
Again, I
don't have the answer to figuring out how you solve this problem, but I think
some of the criticism of this legislation is not unfounded and it's probably a
valid argument. How you get there, I think it's worthy of more discussion, more
collaboration, to find out there has to be a way. Where there's a will there's a
way, Mr. Speaker, and I'm a believer of that. In the case of this legislation, I
think there is a way we can make this better.
I was
going to talk some more about the bill. Another point I'd make, too – my
colleague for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune mentioned it earlier today. It's good
to see that government is taking the artists' concerns and looking in to this
Bill 22, but I'd like to remind them opposite, too, they took culture out of the
name and there was a huge uproar; but that's done now and it was put back in.
I'm not about that, that's not my point, but I remember sitting back and taking
in the uproar from the arts community when that change happened. I'm sure the
minister opposite, the minister responsible, can attest to the same thing.
I was in
the department. I had the pleasure of working there and I knew a lot of them. I
understood how important it was. It drove the point home to me when that
happened, just how important it actually was. They caused an awful lot of noise.
At the end of the day, government did include culture in the name, which I
commend them for doing. My point of bringing it up is the fact that they just
showed their passion for what they do, the passion for who they are.
I
remember actually just on the sidelines watching and listening. Lots of group
emails, we'll say. It hit me and I said, you know, I commend them for –
sometimes the smallest number of people can make the biggest impact. That was a
case in point there. I think they really showed the power of their desire and
their passion to fight for what they believe in. I guess they wouldn't be in
existence now if they weren't survivors, because that's what they do.
These
people we take for granted. You go and take in a show, you go and look at
artwork, if it's performances, all variety of different shows. We're all over –
the Member opposite mentioned Cow Head. I've had the fortune of being there.
I've
actually attended a lot of theatre festivals throughout the province. It's
top-notch quality. You speak to tourists and tourists will rave about what we
have. We have a very talented population. Rural Newfoundland is, to my mind, one
of the biggest assets when you go out in rural Newfoundland.
This
past summer I had the pleasure of travelling across the province. It's never
lost. As a matter of fact, I ended up in the minister's neck of the woods, up
around Gros Morne area and the Great Northern Peninsula. It's absolutely
amazing. It never ceases to amaze every time you go there, and going there
knowing what to expect, you come back and you're that much more impressed. Even
though you're going there waiting, looking for it, and when you leave you're
just in awe of what an impression it is.
We are
very fortunate to have them in our society. On the flip side, I think it's
incumbent upon us as a Legislature and for government to probably give some
consideration to finding other ways or means around trying to support the
artists because it is a challenging career. I think the economic benefit they
create – we look at our tourism industry, which is something I've been around a
long time, too, and I have a fair knowledge of. There are a lot of things that
make up that tourism dollar.
There
are a lot of bases, foundations, a lot of our natural heritage – the Find
Yourself Here campaign was a brilliant
move that was brought in. It was created when this former administration was in,
but it was done by a group of individuals, professionals, marketing – they just
got it together.
We
weren't Disneyland, we don't have theme parks; we were into let's sell ourselves
for what we are. We are who we are. We have a rugged terrain. The people, the
backgrounds, the landscapes – sell us for what we are. We're magical because
we're natural.
That
Find Yourself campaign is after winning numerous – I mean, the minister can
probably give me the number. I used to have the number; it's a lot of awards.
It's one of the most successful tourism campaigns in the country and probably in
North America, if I'm not mistaken. I commend this administration and I give
thanks to the current government for continuing on with the great work. Credit
all around for that. I want that to be on record for that, Mr. Speaker.
In
saying the tourism industry is as good as it is, I think we owe a lot of that
credit to the artists. People come for the Gros Morne Theatre Festival. All over
the province you see performing arts everywhere. During the summertime, you go
to any community – you go to the Fish Fun and Folk Festival out in Twillingate,
which I've had the opportunity to go there; you go to Trinity theatre, Trinity
Pageant, that's amazing. We take it for granted when we live here and sometimes
we don't even know what's in our own backyard.
Speaking
of artists and their struggles, this past summer, BonTours that operates down in
Bonne Bay down in Norris Point – again, I've been down there numerous times and
I was there again this summer. I know a lot of the people that work there and
they're doing two jobs.
In the
nighttime they play – I know the minister is nodding because he's seen it
himself – in the Cat Stop, they play at all of the writers' festivals or the
Trails Tails Tunes; they're all performing artists. In the daytime, they're
operating boats; they're working in the bar. They're supporting the tourism
industry out there. They're doing all various jobs. A lot of them are doing a
lot of the boat tours and whatnot. That's how they live.
They
have a full-time job in the daytime. They were hired on as musicians, but
they've got their licence to drive the boat. So you're going out for a day on
the bay on a boat tour, they're driving the boat, and in the nighttime they're
playing in the bar. That's how they live. It's incredible.
I tell
you, on that note, it's worth anyone's while to go down there and take that in.
I think it's something that I've loved. I've gone there now at least four to
five times. I know everyone down there by first names, so I'm hoping to go back
again. It's something that we all, as a province, should be proud of.
In
saying the artist struggles, I think the point I'm getting to with the Gros
Morne festival is when I talk to some of these guys that are working down there
on the boats and performing in the nighttime, 75 per cent of the people who come
there are from out of province, which is good when you look at tourism numbers,
but there is a good chunk of people in our province who do not know they exist.
I think that is a sad statement. You wish it wasn't that way. I know my time in
Tourism, it was always that struggle. It's the in-province people not knowing
what's around us.
Like the
staycation has become more popular over the last couple of years. I did it this
past year and I totally enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to doing it again next
year because what we have to offer in this province, as a people, our tourism
and our arts community, it's second to none, Mr. Speaker.
When you
leave the province – I did that in the second part of my summer this year, I
left the province on personal business, but I had the opportunity to travel to
some Atlantic provinces. They offer certain things. They have decent product,
but when you look at the artists and you look at quality outside of this
province, I think we have the gem. We have it.
We have
a tourism campaign that's after, in my opinion, hitting it out of the park and a
lot of it is to do with the arts community. A big part of it is the arts
community and our natural beauty, our rugged beauty. It's who we are. You see
those ads. I've watched them a thousand times and every time I watch them, it's
like the first time I've watched them.
In a lot
of those ads, you'll see a lot of these artists; the preforming artists are part
of those ads. That's an income. They're working to make an income, but they're
also working to support their future income. It's a struggle and I think
everyone here in this House – or at least I hope everyone here – would know that
if you look around, it's something that we should never lose sight of. If there
is anything we can do to assist them, I think it's incumbent upon us to do that.
Mr.
Speaker, in the legislation under the professional artists, I know there's
legislation – and without getting into great detail, but in my last couple of
minutes I just wanted to refer to some of the bill. I was speaking about this
earlier today, identifying how a person can be considered a professional artist,
the criteria to meet to be a professional artist. I guess I kind of compare
this, for analogy purposes, I think it's a lot similar to the TAP that Tourism
offers now. It's a Tourism Assurance Program. We had started it and it's
continuing on.
You look
in the tourism guide and you're looking for an accommodation and it has a
rating, but when you go there, it's not what you had bargained for, not as was
advertised. Under this Assurance Program, it's meant to step up everyone's game,
get a base criteria, better scoring policy. You know what you're getting into.
When you call and make a booking, you know what you're going to get when you get
there.
The same
sort of analogy can apply to being a professional artist, because not all of
them are professionals in the true sense of the word. Some people do it and they
can learn it from scratch and become professional, but I think the criteria for
having a professional artist is a great idea. Having it listed: A person
receives or had received compensation which can be included in professional or
business income. There are three; you have to have one of those three. The other
one is: A person has a record of income or loss relevant to the history of his
work or her work and appropriate to the span of his or her artistic career. The
third one being: The person has received public or peer recognition by publicly
disseminated critical reviews or appraisal or by a similar means.
You have
to have four criteria, but you can have at least one of those three. I think
that's good. From what I'm gathering, I read the news release and I know the
chair of the Resource Centre for the Arts, Berni Stapleton, her quote – and
they're very pleased with this legislation. We have no problem with this
legislation, but I think that the criticism of the legislation and some of the
critique of it is not lost.
Personally, again, I just told my stories of some around the province. I'll use
one more. When I was speaking just then around the Trinity Pageant, they'd come
in down there, they're living down there, they're not making – they come in to
work in that pageant; they love what they do. They are great performers.
I had
the opportunity to speak to a lot of them. It's not a life of luxury. It's a
hard, hard slog. They're not on Come From
Away at Broadway. They're not down in New York City, but they love what they
do and their product out there is phenomenal.
I spoke
to them and that's probably one of the biggest challenges they find. In saying
that, there was this actor who was out there – I can't remember the role; it was
a Beaumont-Hamel story, actually. He was a real great character in the show. I
ran into him probably a year ago and I just happened to meet him and I kind of
formed a bit of a friendship, chatting with him. He had to give it up; he is
truck driving. I thought it was so sad because this person has amazing talent.
When you
look at this legislation and some of the critiques, that's the point that drives
you home. There is nothing there. It's a struggle for them to survive. What do
you do? You go where the money is. Newfoundlanders are known for it. We're all
over the world because we go where the work is, we go where the money is, you
have to make a living – survival, actually.
When I
spoke to this individual, it did hit home. I actually knew his talents and it
was really sad. On the flip side, when I was out around the same time, this
other person was there and they were after doing the same thing: just left and
went to work and had to come back to the theatre because they love it. So this
guy is driving a truck; he doesn't love that. Obviously, he wants to be out
acting, but he has to feed his family. He has to look after himself. It's the
reality we all face.
I have
no problem with the legislation and I've expressed my concern and backed up some
of the concerns on the depth of the bill with the funding, the pay. You can add
to the bill. Maybe there's another piece of legislation or maybe there are other
programs they can do. I think there is stuff you can do.
It's
something that you think outside of the box. I think there are a lot of
approaches, because they are a gem and they're a treasure. Those people are
treasures to our province. We're one of the most fortunate places in the world.
When you look at per capita, the talent we have as a people and what we have to
showcase here in this province, we should support them. I hope government does
give that some consideration.
Thank
you very much, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Mount
Pearl – Southlands.
MR. LANE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm glad
to have an opportunity now to take my 20 minutes and speak to Bill 22. I believe
the Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island may want to speak on this as
well. I look forward to his words as we finish up the afternoon.
Mr.
Speaker, the first thing I want to say, of course, is that I definitely support
this bill. I think it's a good piece of legislation for sure. I have heard some
of the concerns that have been raised by some of my colleagues here and I'll
give my perspective on those as well.
First, I
just want to speak to the intent of the bill. If we look through the Explanatory
Notes here with the bill, basically what it says: “This Bill would acknowledge
the important and dynamic contributions that artists make to the economic and
social well-being of the province; define professional artist; set out certain
government undertakings with respect to artists in the province; and recognize
the importance of continued improvement to the lives and working conditions of
professional artists.”
I think
that's a very laudable goal or purpose. I think it's good to enshrine in
legislation our commitment as a province to our artists, to our arts community.
When we talk about the arts community and so on, as we know, it covers so many
different genres, if you will, because we have the performing arts, of course.
I've heard Members speak to it, the various festivals that we have, the various
dinner shows and so on.
I'm sure
we've all here in the House of Assembly had an opportunity, for example, to go
to some of the Spirit of Newfoundland productions and the tremendous shows that
they put on, whether it be the acting, whether it be singing, throw in a little
bit of comedy and so on. They put on a show that I would suggest, Mr. Speaker,
would stack up against any show that you would see anywhere, including New York.
The
talent we have here is absolutely amazing. We look at, for example, every year
we have the Revue series, which, of
course, is a satirical look at the House of Assembly, quite frankly, of us as
Members, of a number of the top stories, a number of the controversies that
happened over the year, and we see that brought to light in the form of a
performance. It travels across the province in all the Arts and Culture Centres
and so on. We have tremendous actors, singers and so on that participate in it.
We think
about writing, which is an art, and all of the writers that we have here
throughout the province, and the importance of the work that they do in telling
our story as a province and telling our story as a people. We have such a great
history and such a great story to tell from all across the province.
Certainly here, we're the oldest city in North America. We have such great
history here throughout the province, whether it be at Cupids, Brigus and so on.
We have such great history and culture throughout Labrador with our Indigenous
communities. We have so many traditions and these stories have to be told. They
have been told, Mr. Speaker, over the years, and continue to be told by our very
talented people.
Mr.
Speaker, it's important that this continue because we are a very unique
province. We are a very unique people, our culture, our traditions, our
dialects, from different parts of the province, the different dialects, the
different sayings and expressions. It's important that we preserve this, it's
important that we treasure this because that's what makes us unique, it's what
makes us special; and if we don't support the arts community, then I fear that
that tradition, that culture, will be lost. Because it gets passed on from
generation to generation and we want to be ourselves. We want to be unique. We
don't want everybody walking around just like any other big city on the mainland
and so on, without that unique culture. We want to preserve that.
It's
really the artists through song, through writing, through acting, through satire
and comedy and so on, through music, through visual arts, it's how we keep that
alive, and it's these people that do it and we need to support them. We need to
support them and we also need to foster the growth of this and we need to make
sure that our up-and-coming generation are supported, our new generation is
supported.
I know
even in my district, which is not necessarily steeped in the history that some
parts of the province will have – although, we do have a unique history. At the
Admiralty House Museum, there's a story to be told there and the Pearl estates
and so on. But it's not necessarily the first place that comes to mind when you
think arts and culture, per se. Although, we do have a group in Mount Pearl, the
Association for the Arts in Mount Pearl that are doing a great job in promoting
the arts in our community.
When I
look at performances and so on in our community, whether it be through the high
schools with the ETCETERA show and the Mount Pearl Show Choir, when I look at
our focus on youth awards and the young people that we have that are excelling
in music, that are excelling in visual arts and so on, and we have these things,
as the minister says, that get displayed at the Frosty Festival as well, it's
important that for these young people that have the desire to continue with our
traditions, with our songs, with our arts, it's important we set a framework for
them so that they can continue on where other artists have left off. So they can
continue to tell our story. So they can continue to contribute to our culture,
to our uniqueness, because it's very important, as a people, that we maintain
it. It's important we do it to maintain it for ourselves, so that we can always
stay connected to who we are, to where we came from.
In
addition to that, Mr. Speaker, there's a great economic opportunity for our
province in doing that. I see it as sort of a two-part thing. One is maintaining
the culture, the heritage and so on for ourselves, for our own identity, but the
second piece is from a tourist point of view.
We've
seen a lot of parts of our province, particularly in our rural areas that
unfortunately have declined over the years, primarily due to the cod moratorium
and other issues around the fishery and even other resources. We had some mills
shut down, and towns that fed into that in terms of logging and so on. We've had
challenges in a number of areas throughout the province in terms of that and in
terms of the creation of employment and wealth and sustainability.
One of
the opportunities we have, I believe, I think all Members would agree, is this
treasure we have in terms of our culture, our heritage, and we have a product, a
product that people from throughout the country, throughout the world, are
willing to come and pay good money to see, willing to come to pay good money to
experience. Yes, it's about our history, it's about our natural environment, the
beauty of our province, but it's also about our people. It's about selling that
experience to tourists.
The
people who are primarily the ambassadors, if you will, for selling that
experience – which it's all about – to tourists said they will return. When they
go back home to wherever they came from, they will tell their family, tell their
friends, tell their neighbours, tell their co-workers, tell them: You really
have to go to Newfoundland and Labrador, you have to see this place, you have to
experience this place.
Much of
the experience they receive when they come here is through the hard work and
dedication of our arts community. It really is. Our songs, our shows, our
acting, our art and so on, our crafts, these are the things that people, when
they come to this province, they remember us for. It's so important that we do
all we can as a province to support our arts community.
To bring
it back to this piece of legislation, really that's what this is doing; it's
establishing the Status of the Artist as it should be. It's enshrining it in
legislation. It's saying to the arts community that we value your contribution.
We value what you do for our province as a people. We value the contribution you
make to our tourist industry and we want to enshrine this in legislation.
In doing
so, we want to bring in measures, through this piece of legislation, that will
not just say that artists are important, but also to bring in some measures to
help ensure that when artists are being utilized by government, by
municipalities and other government boards and agencies, to ensure they are paid
fairly for the work they do, to ensure they have a safe working environment to
work, do their craft, that they know they can work safely and with respect that
they deserve and, like I said, they get a fair wage when they're doing it.
I think
that's a very laudable goal. Other provinces have done it, as I understand. Our
province is now doing it. I absolutely support it. I commend the minister and
the government for doing this, I really do. I have no criticism of it.
Now,
getting back to a couple of the points I heard from some of my colleagues here.
Some of these points are valid points. I don't necessarily think, though, it has
to be tied to this piece of legislation. We can certainly talk about it because
you have some latitude when you speak to these bills, if it's things that are
related to it. We can talk about the fact that perhaps there should be – we need
more funding for artists. Perhaps some of the programs, some of the grant
programs we have and other things, perhaps they could be enhanced and so on.
I don't
think supporting this bill is in any way suggesting that we don't support
enhancements for our artists. I'm sure the minister would agree – we can all
agree this is a good piece of legislation and if there are other programs that
need to be tweaked, that need to be enhanced, we can certainly do that. We can
speak to that and we can support that.
With
that said, Mr. Speaker, I again will reiterate that I think it's a –
AN HON. MEMBER:
(Inaudible.)
MR. LANE:
The Member is saying to carry
on. He's enjoying what I have to say so much, he's saying carry on.
MR. JOYCE:
(Inaudible.)
MR. LANE:
Mr. Speaker, I'm glad the
Member for Bay of Islands agrees. He wants me to carry on as well. He's enjoying
what I have to say. I'm glad to hear that. He's very supportive of what I have
to say.
Mr.
Speaker, I could talk about this forever. I could go on and on, but at the end
of the day I'm joining with the Member for Bay of Islands in supporting what he
and his government are doing. I'm excited about it; I know he's excited about
it. I know he's a big supporter of the arts. I know there's a lot of arts and
culture in the Bay of Islands, a lot of great singers have come out of that
area. I know he's enthusiastic about it and I'm also enthusiastic about it, Mr.
Speaker.
We can
take any bill, whatever it is, and we can pick it apart, but I really don't
think there's anything here –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
MR. LANE:
I don't think there's
anything here really to be critical of. I think the piece of legislation that we
have here, I think the intent is good. Now, are there things that could be done
with any of the clauses perhaps that could strengthen it? Perhaps so.
Personally, I don't really see any issues with it, but I would say to my
colleague for St. John's Centre, there were a couple of clauses where she had
some concern. Just like the other bill that we're doing on the opioids, I would
certainly invite her to bring forth some amendments in Committee. If she can
bring forth amendments that make sense and can strengthen this bill, then I'm
certainly prepared, as one Member of the House, to have a look at and possibly
support it. I'm sure the minister would be willing to do that as well.
Beyond
that, I don't see a big problem with the bill. I think it's a good piece of
legislation. As I said, anything that we can do in this province to support our
artists, whether that be visual arts, whether that be our songwriters, whether
that be our performers, our dancers, our writers and so on, anything that we can
do in this House of Assembly to send a strong message to them that we get it. We
realize the value that you bring to this province and we want to work with you.
We don't want to work against you. We want to work with you. We want to support
you in your endeavours. I think there's nobody in this House of Assembly that
would be against that. I think we would all be in unanimous support.
With
that said, Mr. Speaker, I'm going to take my chair and I look forward to the
minister's comments on this. I'm not sure if the Member for Conception Bay East
– Bell Island will be speaking or not.
AN HON. MEMBER:
No.
MR. LANE:
I think it's all been said. I
think he knows he would also have the support of the Member for Bay of Islands.
I think that he's on board because that Member's on board and they all share in
the enthusiasm for what's being done here.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
If the hon. the Minister of
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation speaks now, he will close debate.
The hon.
the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
listened with intent to all my colleagues on this side of the House and across
the House. I certainly thank the Member for Mount Pearl – Southlands for his
contribution just now. I think it identifies very clearly the intent of the
legislation to support our artists that are professional, when it comes to
raising their profile from an economic and social perspective. There are steps
and measures here which government is taking to improve that status, but there's
also an incredible amount of work that we will continue to do, that we will lead
by example in Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation to support our arts
community and also work across government.
There
are many programs and services that exist, I say to the Member, the Minister of
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, if there are professional artists there's
a self-employment assistance program which can help somebody get into business
for their very first year to help de-risk that and many artists avail of this
program. Maybe we can do a better job of promoting it. There are other things
that we can and we will certainly do. We'll look at creative solutions as to
moving forward.
I
appreciated the Member for Conception Bay South for talking about how the
tourism program, advertising – advertising and market access is key and that's
certainly something that has been done and continues to happen. Something our
government has done is to implement a Provincial Tourism Product Development
Plan, which engages artists, where businesses see how supporting the arts are
very important.
The same
way that business and the arts – I've been to a number of their events and this
collaborative group is reaching out to the private sector to support the
artists. We have to lead by example. Government has to lead by example. We are
encouraging the agencies, boards and commissions and all of the province to
follow the rules that have been put forward in this legislation.
It's a
good piece of legislation that is certainly a step of advancing the Status of
the Artist. This was something that was put forward in my mandate letter and
also in The Way Forward. Today is a
great day that we put forward this legislation.
I want
to say that we really need to inspire our young people, talk about the
diversity, talk about the great success stories like the Rising Tide Theatre or
the Bonavista Biennale and how contemporary art that's normally done in an urban
centre was placed in 24 locations on the Bonavista Peninsula and engaged artists
from in province, nationally and internationally. It's very exciting to see what
we can do when we work together, to see that the Stephenville Theatre Festival
is going into its 40th year – one of the longest running theatre festivals in
the world.
The
importance of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council can't be understated.
They are our entry point for all of our artists for expression and for
development. I hear the Member for St. John's Centre and I'll certainly continue
to work with the Arts Council. We've had a number of suggestions as to how we
can work with all the programs that we have in TCII to better support them.
That's
why we're moving forward with our cultural plan and framework. With that, Mr.
Speaker, I will close debate on second reading.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is the House ready for the
question?
The
motion is that Bill 22 be now read a second time.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?
All
those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against?
This
motion is carried.
CLERK (Barnes):
A bill, Status Of The Artist
Act. (Bill 22)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now been read a
second time.
When
shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole House?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Now.
MR. SPEAKER:
Now.
On
motion, a bill, “Status Of The Artist Act,” read a second time, ordered referred
to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 22)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Innovation – Industry and Innovation, all
of that stuff – that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to
consider Bill 22.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded that
I do now leave the Chair for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the
Whole House to consider the said bill.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against?
This
motion is carried.
On
motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Speaker
left the Chair.
Committee of the
Whole
CHAIR (Warr):
Order, please!
We are
now considering Bill 22, Status Of The Artist Act.
A bill,
“Status Of The Artist Act.” (Bill 22)
CLERK:
Clause 1.
CHAIR:
Shall clause 1 carry?
All
those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
Those against?
Carried.
On
motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK:
Clauses 2 through 8
inclusive.
CHAIR:
Shall clauses 2 through 8
inclusive carry?
The
Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just
wanted to ask a few quick questions here in Committee. We were looking in terms
of some clarification with the legislation, it seems to speak directly to the
Crown in terms of ensuring that the price paid is on the scale and that
contracts are required.
Can the
minister elaborate how they're going to try and enforce ABCs and any other
groups who receive government funding to follow these recommendations you have
outlined in legislation?
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon.
the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank
the Member opposite for her question. Through the legislation, the provincial
government encourages everyone, as I've stated, with government departments and
agencies to actually lead by example to ensure that the pay for artists is
fairly and equitably based on the existing industry standards or on union pay
scales based on their genre, for example, visual artists, writers and musicians.
This is something that the department of TCII does and we're going to strongly
encourage our agencies, boards and commissions to do so, but also the whole of
government, the Crown, to implement this.
Obviously, this is a first-step piece of legislation that we're moving forward
with and that there is going to take an educational process. We'll be doing
programming and packaging to reach out across government as to what this means
to ensure that we reach compliance to the industry standards so that everybody
is online. But this is really a first step when it comes to recognizing the fair
pay and equity when it comes to Status of the Artist.
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon.
the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Thank you, Minister, I
appreciate that information.
Could
the minister also elaborate for us in terms of some of the types of supports
that you're going to be including in the online tool?
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon.
the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would
say that the legislation will enhance the recognition and support for all
professional artists throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. It outlines
commitments and areas of focus for government to guide our programs and
investments. It is intended to enhance the recognition and support of
professional artists to ensure that they're going to receive fair compensation.
Through
the act, the provincial government encourages everyone with government
departments and agencies, leading by example, to pay artists fairly and
equitably based on the existing pay scale for their genre. TCII supports the
artistic community through numerous programs and agency funding such as: the
Arts Council, the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, the
province's Arts and Culture Centres, The Rooms Corporation; funding programs
including: Cultural Economic Development Program, Publishers Assistance,
Cultural Events Funds, the Arts and Letters Awards, partnerships with industry
development, annual grant, MusicNL, and the annual grant to the Lawrence O'Brien
Arts Centre.
We also
use our Regional Development Fund and our business development supports to help
with export development and growth. The legislation as well will help with the
contract and help with that aspect of making sure that they are getting into a
good agreement and providing that professional service.
We will
work with the industry associations as well, such as the MusicNL, VANL and
others, to work with their members.
Thank
you.
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Chair.
I heard
the minister say that government will lead by example. I would like to hear from
the minister their justification for not compelling government to do this and
not compelling all ABCs to do this. That's my first question.
Thank
you.
CHAIR:
Shall clauses 2 through 8
inclusive carry?
The
Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
I'm surprised, Mr. Speaker,
that the minister has not responded to my question, it's –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
CHAIR:
Order, please!
MS. ROGERS:
It certainly wasn't a hostile
question.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Oh, oh!
CHAIR:
Order, please!
The
Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Mr. Speaker, it certainly
wasn't a hostile question. It's a question – I am curious and I believe that it
warrants a response and an answer why the legislation wouldn't compel government
to pay scale to artists and why the government wouldn't compel ABCs. This is the
people's money and the government has articulated very clearly their support for
the arts community and for artists and the integrity of artists' work.
I am
curious as to why the minister would not stand and respond to that question.
That's a question that a number of artists have posed to me as well. So I would
look forward to an answer from the minister. I'm astounded that he wouldn't
stand and answer that.
CHAIR:
Shall clauses 2 through 8
inclusive carry?
The
Chair recognizes the hon. the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
MS. PERRY:
Minister, in the act here it
says that draft contracts are going to be available, but there are no concrete
actions that are really contained in the legislation with respect to
deliverables.
Can the
minister explain how success of this act will be measured without deliverables?
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon.
the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the
opportunity to respond to the questions put forward by the Member for St. John's
Centre and also the Member for Fortune Bay – Cape La Hune.
There
are situations of which government processes may need to be considered, such as
the Public Tender Act, which would
require reasonable and appropriate analysis. When it comes to the matter of
deliverables and measurable, we're always establishing benchmarks and targets as
we put forward in The Way Forward.
We're
going to be continuing to work with our artists, as we renew our cultural plan,
and continue to find ways of which they can be supported, both economically and
socially.
Thank
you.
CHAIR:
The Chair recognizes the hon.
the Member for St. John's Centre.
MS. ROGERS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Chair.
I
appreciate the minister answering my question. I do have another question and it
is: Does he see any conflict or any work that will need to be done with the
Procurement Act to align what
he has identified here in how artists will be paid with the
Procurement Act? Is there any dissidence there or does it align?
Again, I'm wondering why he wouldn't also compel ABCs to do
this as well.
CHAIR: The Chair
recognizes the hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Status of the Artist legislation that's been put
forward is directed towards the Crown and the departments within government to
pay fair wage and to pay equitable, based on either the union pay scales or what
the industry standard is. We're certainly encouraging the agencies, boards and
commissions to comply to that standard and also everybody in the public.
This is not a point in time where we feel it is acceptable,
myself, as Minister of Culture, to be bartering for art. People need to be
compensated fairly for the work they do. These are professionals, and I agree
that we must be doing everything we can to support them. This piece of
legislation is certainly a first step as we move forward to advancing the status
of the artist here in this province.
Thank you.
CHAIR: Shall
clauses 2 through 8 inclusive carry?
All those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR: Those
against?
Carried.
On motion, clauses 2 through 8 carried.
CLERK: Be it
enacted by the Lieutenant Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session
convened, as follows.
CHAIR: Shall the
enacting clause carry?
All those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR: Those
against?
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK: An Act
Respecting The Status Of Artists In The Province.
CHAIR: Shall the
title carry?
All those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against?
Carried.
On
motion, title carried.
CHAIR:
Shall I report the bill
carried without amendment?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against?
Carried.
Motion,
that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.
CHAIR:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you.
I move,
Mr. Chair, that the Committee rise and report Bill 22.
CHAIR:
The motion is that the
Committee rise and report Bill 22.
Shall
the motion carry?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
CHAIR:
All those against?
Carried.
On
motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again, the
Speaker returned to the Chair.
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
The hon. the Member for
Baie Verte – Green Bay, Chair of the Committee of the Whole.
MR. WARR:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to them referred
and have directed me to report Bill 22 carried without amendment.
MR. SPEAKER:
The Chair of the Committee of
the Whole reports that the Committee have considered the matters to them
referred and have directed him to report Bill 22 without amendment.
When
shall the report be received? Now?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
When shall the said bill be
read a third time?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, report received and adopted. Bill ordered read a third time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, given the hour
of the day, I would move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Tourism, Culture,
Industry and Innovation, that the House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
In accordance with
provisional Standing Order 9(2), this House stands adjourned until 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning.
On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10 a.m.