June 10, 2019
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLIX No. 1
Members
met in the Assembly Chamber on the afternoon of June 10, 2019 for the Election
of a Speaker.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
Madam
Clerk, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
CLERK (Barnes):
Admit Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
It is the wish of Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor that all present be seated.
CLERK:
Members of the House of Assembly:
A
proclamation has been issued by Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, under the
Great Seal of the Province, which reads as follows:
TO:
Sandra Barnes, Clerk of the House of Assembly and Elizabeth Murphy, Clerk
Assistant of the House of Assembly
GREETING;
A
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS
a General Election of the Members of the General Assembly of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador was held on May 16, 2019;
AND
WHEREAS the Office of the Speaker of
the House of Assembly is vacant and it is expedient to call together the 49th
General Assembly for the Members of the House of Assembly to proceed to their
choice of Speaker;
NOW
THEREFORE I, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador, do authorize and direct you, the said Sandra Barnes and Elizabeth
Murphy, or either of you, to signify to the Members of the said House of
Assembly to assemble for the dispatch of business on Monday, June 10, 2019 at
1:30 o'clock in the afternoon, and that it is my pleasure that they should
proceed to choose some person to be their Speaker and to present such person for
my approbation.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Sergeant-At-Arms escorts their Honours from the Chamber.)
CLERK:
Please be seated.
At the close of nominations for the Office of the Speaker at 4:30, Friday, June
7, 2019, one candidate put his name forward.
Accordingly, further to suborder 4(4) of the Standing Orders, I declare Mr.
Perry Trimer, Member for the District of Lake Melville, elected as Speaker for
the 49th General Assembly.
(Applause.)
(The
hon. the Premier and the hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition lead Mr.
Trimper to the Speaker's Chair.)
MR. SPEAKER (Trimper):
Well, it's still
a great view. I said that the last time I had the honour of standing in this
place and representing you all as your Speaker.
I would
like to thank all of the colleagues, and also I would like to, as the
Lieutenant-Governor did this morning, congratulate each and every one of you.
While I have the honour of sitting in this Chair, I'm an MHA just like the rest
of you, so congratulations to everyone in this House.
I was
thinking, and in the spirit of recycling and issues that are going on at the
national, provincial and even municipal level, it's good for myself to be
thinking I could be used for a second time. So I appreciate that opportunity
here today.
I would
like to start with a couple of thank-yous. Of course, to my wife, Caroline –
she's up in Labrador. I appreciate and love her very much, she's a great
supporter and I think we all know and realize how important family and friends
are to what we do in this political adventure.
I also
need to thank and I need to single out the District of Lake Melville and thank
them for their support in allowing me to represent them again for this 49th
General Assembly. Also, and I think on behalf of us all, we need to thank and
express our appreciation to all the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
I had
an interesting thing just happen to me this morning, and I'd like to share with
you. It's not a place for props, but I was just handed this card from the Clerk
Assistant here, and it's about Sir Thomas More. She gave this me to for perhaps
some inspiration, but also just some thought about the history of the job of the
Speaker. And we all know quite a bit about Sir Thomas More, but it's interesting
that in 1523 he became Speaker of the House of Commons. He proposed at that time
free speech and he defended the liberty of the House of Commons.
It was
interesting that some – what was it – 12 years later he was tried and executed.
However, I take some solace in the fact that about 400 years later he was
canonized by the Pope, so maybe there's some opportunity to be thanked for your
role as the Speaker in the future.
I do
believe, and for those who've watched me sit in this Chair and in this position
over the last two years, that I believe each of you has the right to be heard
and be listened to be listened to, and I work very hard on that. So, I will give
you all my assurance that I will do my best to ensure that continues to happen.
Again,
in the spirit of props, which are not allowed in this House but I will take one
little exception, if I may today only, but I was at the Labrador Cup recently,
and for those who follow soccer, the officials came up to me, knowing my
interest in becoming the Speaker and continuing as the Speaker, and they said:
Here's an official yellow card that you could use at some point in the House.
They also gave me a red card for two violations, but that's the last time you'll
see those in this House.
I guess
a final thanks and appreciation to the entire staff of the House of Assembly.
They're the folks that you see before us, but there are many more that are in
Broadcast that are recording Hansard
that helped us all get through that very unique and very interesting swearing-in
ceremony this morning. We have a tremendous crew. They're all available to each
and every one of you and I advise you each to reach out to them with any
questions, particularly, the new Members.
Now, we
do have a lot of work to do, so I will say let's get started.
So,
with that, I will thank you all very much.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move,
seconded by the Leader of the Official Opposition, that the Member for St.
George's - Humber be appointed the Deputy Speaker for the 49th General Assembly.
MR. SPEAKER:
The motion is that the
Member for St. George's - Humber be nominated as Deputy Speaker.
All
those in favour of the motion, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.
The
motion is carried.
The
hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move,
seconded by the Leader of the Official Opposition, that the Member for the
District of Mount Pearl - Southlands be appointed the Deputy Chair of Committees
for the 49th General Assembly.
MR. SPEAKER:
The motion is that the
Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands be nominated as the Deputy Chair of
Committees.
All
those in favour of this motion, 'aye'.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
The
motion is carried.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
Mr. Speaker, the Justices of the Supreme Court have arrived.
MR. SPEAKER:
Please admit the Justices of the Supreme Court.
Thank you.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
Mr. Speaker, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
MR. SPEAKER:
Please admit Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Mr. Speaker leaves the Chair.)
(Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.)
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
It is the wish of Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor that all present be seated.
PREMIER BALL:
May it please Your Honour,
the House of Assembly, agreeable to Your Honour's command, have proceeded to the
choice of Speaker and have elected Mr. Perry Trimper, who is the Member for the
District of Lake Melville, to that office, and by their direction I present him
for the approbation of Your Honour.
HER HONOUR THE
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (PC, ONL):
On behalf of Her Majesty, I assure you of my sense of your efficiency and I do
most fully approve and confirm you as Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Your Honour having approved
the choice of this House in constituting me as their Speaker, it now becomes my
duty in the name of the representatives of Her Majesty's loyal subjects, the
people of the province, respectively, to claim of Your Honour their accustomed
rights and privileges, especially that they shall have freedom of speech in
their debates, that they may be free from arrest during their attendance in
Parliament, and that I, as Speaker, may have full access to Your Honour's
presence at all reasonable times and that they have confirmed to them all their
ancient rights and privileges which have been confirmed to them by Your Honour's
predecessors.
HER HONOUR THE
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (PC, ONL):
Mr. Speaker, I do confirm this House, on behalf of Her Majesty, in the enjoyment
of all of its ancient and undoubted rights and privileges.
Mr. Speaker and Members of
the House of Assembly:
As the
representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I am pleased to welcome the
newly elected Members of the House of Assembly on the occasion of the opening of
the First Session of the 49th General Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador.
In
opening this session, we respectfully acknowledge the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador as the ancestral homelands of many diverse populations of
Indigenous people who have contributed to 9,000 years of history including the
Beothuk on the Island of Newfoundland. Today, this province is home to diverse
populations of Indigenous and other people. We also acknowledge with respect the
diverse histories and cultures of the Mi'kmaq, Innu and Inuit.
The
calling to serve the people of Newfoundland and Labrador is a special one, in
which you put yourselves forward for the right to sit in this hon. House to
represent the people of your districts and to carry out the important work of
the province. To serve in hon. House is a privilege earned by few.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians expect that the Members they elected just over
three weeks ago to serve in this House will work together and find common ground
to strengthen the economic and social foundation of the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador.
Just
over three weeks ago, my government received a mandate to rise above, to
collaborate, and to do things differently. My government is clear in its resolve
to fulfill this mandate and committed to co-operate with all colleagues in the
House of Assembly in the spirit of partnership, humility and hard work. All hon.
Members in this House today are united by a common objective: to make
Newfoundland and Labrador a better place to live, to work and to raise a family.
We will work to ensure that youth can see limitless opportunities for their
futures in Newfoundland and Labrador.
My
government is steadfast in its determination to return to surplus through sound
fiscal management while creating more jobs, enhancing education, developing our
resources in an environmentally sustainable manner, and improving access to
preventive and supportive health care for all people in our society.
Collectively, we will take action to remove barriers for all and to empower
women and girls to thrive and to achieve their full potential, both socially and
economically. These are fundamental areas where every Member of the House of
Assembly can work together.
Newfoundland and Labrador is rich with world-class opportunities. Our vast
natural resources, burgeoning sectors, hard-working people and spirited resolve
to overcome are qualities that have supported the people of this province, from
the Big Land in Labrador to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, throughout our long
and storied existence.
Our
province will advance even further when Members of this hon. House set aside
partisan politics with a solid resolve to work together for the good of our
constituents, for the good of our province. The people of Newfoundland and
Labrador deserve no less.
My
government sees hope, progress and opportunity, and looks forward to working
together with all hon. Members to expand and further grow sustainable and
meaningful opportunities for every single person in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker and Members of
the House of Assembly:
Estimates of expenditure will be laid before you in due course and you will be
asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.
I
invoke God's blessing upon you as you commence the work of the First Session of
the 49th General Assembly.
May
Divine Providence guide you in your deliberation.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
MR. SPEAKER:
Order, please!
Please
be seated.
The
hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to
introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act, Bill
1.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is there leave for the hon.
the minister to introduce the said bill?
AN HON. MEMBER:
Leave.
MR. SPEAKER:
Leave is granted.
The
hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you.
Mr.
Speaker, I moved, seconded by the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury
Board, that Bill 1, An Act To Amend The Revenue Administration Act, be now read
a first time.
MR. SPEAKER:
Is it the pleasure of the
House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
The
motion is carried.
CLERK (Murphy):
An Act To Amend The Revenue
Administration Act. (Bill 1)
MR. SPEAKER:
This bill has now been read
a first time.
When
shall the said bill be read a second time?
MR. A. PARSONS:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, Bill 1 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to make a speech to the
Members in this General Assembly. We shall take a few moments to distribute the
speech to the Members of this House.
(The Pages distribute the Speech to all Members.)
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. LOVELESS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It
gives me great pleasure today to rise in this hon. House to move that a Select
Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply to the Speech from the
Throne.
To be
given the opportunity to speak in this House of Assembly is truly a humbling
experience. I'm here today because the people of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune have
entrusted me to be their representative in government.
To my
constituents, I sincerely say thank you for giving me the privilege of being
able to serve. I will not let you down. To my colleagues in caucus and
colleagues who sit across the aisle, I thank you for choosing to serve and
congratulate you on your election to this House of Assembly.
We were
sent here by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to give them good
government. That is our mandate and we will achieve it with the spirit of
co-operation, and as the Lieutenant-Governor stated earlier, with a spirit of
collaboration – and I would like to thank Her Honour for her words.
This
province is a storied province of history, a history filled with adversity, but
always countered with resilience. For when we band together with a common goal,
we have shown that we can achieve peace and prosperity.
Mr.
Speaker, I look forward to working with all Members of this hon. House. Together
we can work to inspire hope for this province and make it a better place for our
kids to live.
In
conclusion, I now move that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address
in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
Looking
for a seconder to the motion.
The
hon. the Member for Mount Scio.
MS. STOODLEY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It
gives me great pleasure to rise in this hon. House on behalf of the constituents
of Mount Scio and second the motion that a Select Committee be appointed to
draft an Address in Reply to this year's Speech from the Throne.
I thank
the people of Mount Scio for this honour and privilege. I know that my
constituents have high expectations and I will do my utmost to represent them
with steadfast determination.
While
there are fewer women in the House of Assembly than in the last session, I want
to assure women in this province that they will be represented.
Mr.
Speaker, I'm looking forward to being a part of a government that is able to
work together and do things differently. We need collaboration and to drive
innovation. We need environmentally sustainable resources and we need to create
more jobs. With historical demographics against us, we must increase our
immigration and make Newfoundland and Labrador a desirable and realistic place
for our neighbours, families and friends to call home.
I ask
that my colleagues in this hon. House consider our shared goals as we begin this
new session of the House of Assembly, let us debate our ideas and respect our
differences.
Mr.
Speaker, once again, it's a great honour to second the motion that a Select
Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply in response to the Speech
from the Throne.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
Mr. Speaker, welcome back to
a different House of Assembly from the one we left in April, one with an
adjusted mandate.
I would
thank Her Honour and, in particular, for her invocation of divine providence to
guide us in our deliberations. I think I can also speak for the government side
in saying that I never refuse the intercession of divine providence.
I thank
the mover and seconder, guests and viewers in the public. I would also
congratulate the Chair on being selected, and as well the Premier, the Third
Party Leader and all Members elected.
Let me
offer an especially warm welcome to new Members of the House. Let me single out
the new Members of our own caucus sworn in hours ago and ready to hit the ground
running: Members for Stephenville - Port au Port, Terra Nova, Placentia West -
Bellevue, Torngat Mountains, Exploits, Ferryland, Harbour Main, Bonavista and
Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
Our
caucus has doubled in size and doubled in determination. We represent a broad
swathe of the province, urban and rural, north to south, east to west, Labrador
and the Island. When we speak, we will be speaking for people throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador, including Indigenous people and we will be heard.
This is
a new day for Newfoundland and Labrador. The people have given voice to
dissatisfaction with the status quo, collectively they have created an
unprecedented situation in the province. For four years, the government spoke
about democratic reform with little action. So the people, in their collective
wisdom, have imposed democratic reform in their own way. It can no longer be
business as usual in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.
Collectively, we have an obligation to work together to advance the business of
the province and to achieve good government. Collaboration will only work if we
put aside the tendency of the last General Assembly to refuse to answer
questions or to give serious consideration to constructive recommendations to do
things differently. That's why our first private Member's motion will be about
reforming Question Period to require that ministers provide real answers when
questioned. Democratic reform to advance the accountability of the ministry is
critical to the effective functioning of this new House of Assembly, so let's
have a Question Period in which ministers give real answers.
In the
spirit of collaboration, if the government shows flexibility in its legislative
agenda, we will show flexibility in ours; but, let's get one thing clear from
the start, collaboration does not mean compromising on core values and core
agendas mandated by voters. It does not mean anything goes, and here's the
reason.
In
Newfoundland and Labrador right now, the status quo is not working for people.
Our province is not growing as it should in opportunities, jobs and population.
We're losing jobs, losing business, losing people, losing entire communities,
losing investment, losing opportunity, losing out on transfer payments and
losing ground while others gain and grow. That's not political rhetoric; it's
fact.
The
Official Opposition ran on jobs and hope, and we all heard about the lack of
jobs and hope during the election campaign. Last Friday, we learned that Canada
is enjoying the strongest job growth since 1976, and robust wage growth, too,
while this province stagnates. People told all of us they want something done
about this.
The
government has an obligation to adjust course so people get the jobs and hope
they're demanding and not just reassurances that we can see the corner, even if
we can't turn it. This term of government must not merely be an interregnum
where nothing ambitious is attempted. It is imperative that we be bold in
stopping the slippage in our economy and the shrinkage of our population.
Even
the McKinsey report is clear that opportunities that should have been seized
were not being seized in ocean technology and aviation. Even the government's
own independent tax advisory committee was clear that taxes, like the levy, need
to be eliminated because they are regressive and doing more harm than good. So
bold course adjustments are necessary. Let's all agree on that and work together
to get our province growing.
I call
on government ministers to fight the tendency to say that everything is fine, to
fight the inclination to hide information, avoid answering questions and refuse
to bend or change course when circumstances and the people call for it. This
time things must be different. So let's try a different approach.
In the
last year, we worked together to develop a new policy to address harassment and
bullying. Our intent was to improve the way Members get along and the House
functions. In the spirit of those reforms, let's make an extra special effort to
change the way we deal with one another and try harder to get along, even as we
do our duty of holding one another to account.
The
electorate of the province has just installed a new emergency brake in this
House of Assembly, to use an analogy. The people, in their collective wisdom,
have orchestrated the composition of this House in such a way that the
government does not have authority to do anything it pleases. A new check and
balance has been put in place that we have not had before. This new emergency
brake is not an easy one to pull. It would take a great deal of co-operation to
get that brake lever pulled, and I have already stated, on behalf of our caucus,
that we do not intend to seek opportunities to bring down this government.
People want this House to work in their interest and we intend to do our part to
ensure that it does.
But if
the government fails to act properly on the issues that really matter to people,
if it fails to pursue a proper strategy for growth, if it fails to make life
more affordable for people, or to govern honestly, or to fuel the growth of jobs
and hope, or to fight for our fair share, then the people of the province now
have the option to call on their elected Members to act across party lines and
pull that lever. It's not a threat; it's an accountability mechanism. It's the
people's way of imposing discipline on this House and on this government.
They're telling us to get the job done or they'll demand a do-over that will
affect all of us.
We, in
our caucus, will be guided by the people. We encourage people to continually let
us know how we're doing, how the government is doing and what they would like
done differently. It's not just the 40 of us who must collaborate, we must, in
turn, collaborate with the people we were elected to serve. We will do our duty,
as the Official Opposition, to offer criticism as we must and constructive
alternatives wherever they may be needed. It's the government's duty to listen.
I have
written to the Premier and copied the Finance Minister with some proposals to
adjust this year's budget – the one that was brought down in April but never
debated or passed. I believe the budget can be improved. I encourage the
government to think carefully about what we propose. If these suggestions cannot
be reflected in tomorrow's budget because of tight timelines, then perhaps they
may be incorporated in other ways through individual pieces of legislation later
in the sitting, or through supplementary supply measures or in future budgets.
Please don't just dismiss what we say just because it was we who said it.
Consider these options carefully and seriously, just as you'd consider
suggestions from around the Cabinet table.
Let me
close by saying we have a golden opportunity now to raise the bar on how we
work. A few days ago, long-time Liberal advisor Simon Lono passed away. He was a
passionate supporter of the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Parliament, and a
teacher and mentor for young debaters. He loved vigorous debates, but he also
believed in focusing on the issues and not on the person. The young people he
mentored were of many political stripes, but they learned to address the issues
passionately while continuing to get along with each other.
Sometimes raising the bar in how we work will even mean saying I'm sorry. In a
world that's badly divided by mean-spiritedness and intolerance, let's resolve
to be better than that and make Newfoundlanders and Labradorians proud of those
they have elected to work on their behalf.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Third Party.
MS. COFFIN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This is
quite an honour and a tremendous privilege, as well as an incredible
responsibility. We are at a moment where we are able to craft a new style of
government, a new way of doing business in our province, and I look forward to
the opportunity to do that over the next four years.
Certainly, we are facing tumultuous times. Our province is on the cusp of
significant development, of significant concerns, and a significant change in
our social and demographic landscape. Certainly, we are looking at first power
coming from Muskrat Falls. That, in itself, will have some significant impacts
to our finances, as well as to the affordability of the people who are in our
province. At the same time, we have some significant concerns about the issues
of methylmercury, as well as the sustainability of the North Spur. These things
could potentially come to fruition and cause us some significant debate in the
House of Assembly.
In
addition, in the next number of years, we are going to see substantial movements
on climate change. The climate change that we are seeing is going to become more
and more prevalent in our province, and we are going to be expected to address
the devastating effects of a hundred-year storms which will now be happening in
10-year cycles. We will need to shore up our infrastructure. We are going to
need to prepare for natural disasters. These things will cause significant
debate in the House of Assembly.
We are
also seeing labour negotiations on the cusp, and those things we can expect will
have a significant impact on our finances, as well as the way in which we
address our brothers and sisters in labour, as well as how we negotiate and
compensate our brothers and sisters in labour.
We are
also seeing the social and economic conditions of the province changing
substantially. We are facing demographic change. With demographic change and our
aging population, we are going to see more and more individuals on fixed incomes
who are going to see affordability of every-day cost of living going up. We need
to address that quite clearly and head-on, especially in light of the increases
in our electrical bills that'll come as a result of Muskrat Falls.
We do,
however, have an historic opportunity to craft a new style of government. We
have the opportunity to manifest a new form of democracy. We do have a
tremendous opportunity to collaborate, to engage in collegial consultation and
to have true collaboration in our province.
I do
look forward to working with both government and the Opposition to find areas in
which our platforms overlap. We are all concerned with the quality of living for
individuals in Newfoundland and Labrador, and that is why we are here. We all
represent different ideals and perspectives, and the people who elected us
expect us to be able to stand up in the House of Assembly and show them exactly
how we are going to be able to represent their best wishes and their needs and
their quality of life.
We
would like to go forth into this new session of the House of Assembly with a
clear eye on fiscal prudence and a very, very heavy weighting on our social
responsibility and social equality. These are absolutely vital. In the House of
Assembly, as new representatives here, we would like to manifest a new way and
new style of doing business.
We
would like to see additional protection for our natural resources. The Province
of Newfoundland and Labrador has done very well as we have used our natural
resources to generate tremendous wealth and prosperity in our province. We would
like to see how they can bring additional prosperity to us in our province, but
at the same time we need to put a very high price on the protection of our
natural resources. And this must be done in all forms of our natural resources:
the offshore oil industry, the mining industry, our fisheries and all of other
natural resources.
We also
have a very strong will to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Certainly
as we've seen demographic change and a large out-migration in our province, a
lot of the people remaining in our province are very vulnerable and susceptible
to changes in economic conditions, changes in cost of living, and we must do our
utmost to ensure that these individuals are able to stay in our province and
afford a good quality of life in our province.
We
would like to see that there is a realignment of priorities for the government.
Certainly, our campaign has been on putting people first, making choices that
affect people first. As we make choices about how we want to allocate our
budgets, we would like to see that those choices do reflect the needs and
reflect the importance of putting people first in all of our decisions.
Again,
we would like to ensure that there is additional transparency and accountability
in the House of Assembly, and certainly we intend to introduce measures that
will improve that for individuals, for anyone who might potentially be
researching, as well as to lay a strong foundation for Members who will come
after us and will be expected to carry on government for the people of the
province.
So I do
look forward to working with everyone here in a collaborative and collegial way
to advance what we see are the needs of the people of the Province of
Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank
you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
The
hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is
certainly a privilege for me to once again rise in this House of Assembly and to
thank the first woman Lieutenant-Governor in the history of our province for
delivering the Speech from the Throne today. It's been always a pleasure of
mine, as I'm sure it would be for the Members of this House of Assembly, to work
with Her Honour and His Honour in her early terms and early days, but also we
all look forward to working with Her Honour in this new mandate.
I also
want to congratulate those of you that have been re-elected. To the familiar
faces, you've been re-elected simply because the people that you represented in
the last term identified you and said to you that they have confidence in the
work that you've been able to do. All of us that seek re-election, that is the
ultimate goal for all of us to represent the people that support us.
I also
want to welcome some new faces to this House of Assembly. It's been mentioned
already that we have two new Third Party Members here, some Members of the
Official Opposition that have joined this House of Assembly, but also two new
Members that we have on the government side here today from Fortune Bay - Cape
La Hune and Mount Scio.
I would
say to all Members that are here today that this is not a right, this is a
privilege that has been given to you by the people that supported you on your
election campaign. So, you sit here as a privilege for those that supported you.
The
people that we serve expect us to work together. It's been loud and clear coming
from this re-election and from this election, they expect all of us to work
together to make Newfoundland and Labrador a better place to live, to work and
to raise a family.
We have
great examples in the last session already where we've seen collaboration and
the benefits that it's brought to people in our province. And, of course, one of
the proudest moments that I think we could see of a group of MHAs that will work
together would have been the All-Party Committee on Mental Health and
Addictions. That led to an action plan:
Towards Recovery. This was a new approach to how we deal with mental illness
in our province.
As an
example, that action plan that we put in place has resulted in already a 64 per
cent decrease in wait-lists for people that need that service. We have seen the
ground breaking this year on the replacement of the Waterford Hospital. Mr.
Speaker, I would say that for everybody in this province, to replace a building
dedicated to treating mental health that opened its doors in 1855 is long
overdue. We look forward to seeing the day come when the replacement for the
Waterford Hospital will be done.
Mr.
Speaker, there is a common theme that we've heard from all of this and the
progress that we've been able to make is one of partnerships. We've seen
partnerships within communities – maybe not perfect, but have made progress in
the last 3½ years.
We've
also brought forward in this House of Assembly that has seen support from all
Members, support for many private Members' resolutions, we've worked on many
committees and we've advanced important issues for people in the province.
So we
have already seen and gave some examples of what we can accomplish when we work
together, but we now know that more than ever the people of the province expect
us to collaborate and deliver results, and it is only through real partnership
that we can deliver on those expectations. The people of our province expect us
to restore their province to fiscal balance. If we don't, we run the risk of
letting financial institutions determine the future of our province. Mr.
Speaker, that is not the desire – that is not what I've heard from
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have challenged us to bring this province
back to fiscal balance.
We can
meet their expectations by following the fiscal plan that has been established,
back in 2016. It was a seven-year plan that we put in place, realizing that
there were many challenges that we've had to deal with along the way. They often
tell us, and we've heard people stand and say that we cannot look in a rear-view
mirror, I would say that, but also I think it's important that we remember the
lessons of the past so that we do not repeat them in the future. I think that's
a fair comment and a lesson that we could learn.
The
people of our province, they expect us to deliver jobs. They expect us to
deliver a stronger economy, because it's when we can find a job for somebody,
it's then they become more productive and live more meaningful lives. And we can
meet their expectations by delivering on the action items that we've already
agreed to. The partnerships within the aquaculture industry, within mining,
farming, technology, the oil and gas, forestry, arts and culture, just an
example, also working with the thousands of volunteers that we have sprinkled
throughout every single community.
All of
us have taken the time over the last few weeks to go into communities.
Regardless of what the population was, there are community volunteers that were
leading the associations, in many cases leading economic development and
creating jobs in all those communities, regardless of what the population was.
So it's important for us to recognize the partners that we can have with our
community, with our business leaders, with our cultural and Indigenous leaders.
Mr. Speaker, we've already seen the benefit of those partnerships with nearly
$18 billion of investment coming to our province.
We talk
about jobs, and we've heard comments already today. Mr. Speaker, we've seen now
11 consecutive months where we've seen month over month job growth in
Newfoundland and Labrador. I would challenge anybody to go back in time and look
in the calendar with three megaprojects that have come to completion with
thousands of jobs, let alone the impact that we've seen from Alberta; yet, this
province has seen 11 consecutive months of month over month job growth. So we're
seeing progress. We need to create more employment, we need to be able to make
life more affordable for families in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the way to
do it is give people a job.
Mr.
Speaker, we're also very proud that it's Newfoundland and Labrador that will
lead the country in economic growth in 2019. That would not be something that
someone would've forecasted back in 2016. No one saw that coming, but we're very
proud with the work we've able to do with many partners across this province,
that it is Newfoundland and Labrador that will lead the country in economic
growth next year.
Mr.
Speaker, working together we can continue to build on these gains and see the
benefits that can be extended to every single district, all 40 districts
throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The people of our province, they expect us
to deliver better services with better outcomes, spend their money wisely. Every
single Member in this House of Assembly today, I'm sure that when you were
campaigning heard that from people.
Mr.
Speaker, they also want us to meet the expectations of following through on the
Education Action Plan that promised
to revolutionize the way children are supported throughout our K to 12 system.
This is a plan that will see some 350 new teaching supports over the next three
years. It talks about inclusion. It talks about student mental health, how we
educate our young people and help them prepare and cope for the future.
It
talks about mathematics, reading, Indigenous education – and not just to
Indigenous students, but also to students across the province no matter where
they live, no matter where the community is, to share the history, rich history
of Indigenous groups within our province. Multicultural education, early years
education, co-operative education and teacher professional development. These
are just some examples of what we've seen within the Premier's Task Force, the
Education Action Plan. This action
plan came from people in the system itself, parents, students and educators.
Mr.
Speaker, the infrastructure; we are seeing unprecedented infrastructure growth
within our province. Done in a different way in many cases but protecting the
jobs of public sector workers, whether it be long-term care sites in Corner
Brook, in Grand Falls-Windsor, in Gander, Carbonear, and Springdale with Green
Bay Health Care Centre. We're seeing it in Botwood, long-term care. We're seeing
hospitals; the replacement of the Waterford Hospital, but also the new hospital
in Corner Brook. Mr. Speaker, these are all important issues. It creates jobs
but it also gives our public sector workers a better place to go to work every
day but it gives those who need those services better access to this
infrastructure.
We can
also see greater inclusion for people with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, very
important to me as I sit on this side of the House. We have put a major focus on
seeing more women in leadership roles in our province. Mr. Speaker, that tone
must be set from the top. That is the reason why we put a stand-alone department
in the Status of Women. No other province in this country has such a department,
and I can assure you we intend to keep that department, the Status of Women,
viable in this province and we expect all Members of this House of Assembly to
support this department.
Mr.
Speaker, another example is how we put diversity, more women, more diverse
groups included in our work plan so when we do sign benefit agreements, they
sign an agreement so that one of the principles of that you would see more women
in that workforce.
So, Mr.
Speaker, the mandate that we have been given by the people of our province, I
humbly have accepted the tasks and the challenges we've been given. Ironically,
I don't see this as a challenge. I see this as a significant opportunity to
actually deliver to the people of this province exactly what they've asked us to
do. They've asked us to work together, but they also asked us to put political
parties, to put partisan politics aside and let's establish where we need to be.
Let's establish the goals in realizing that we will not get there in one step.
It will take very methodical, strategic steps to get us where we need to be in
the future for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
I
publicly stated many times, Mr. Speaker, since May 16, that I am ready and I am
willing, and this party is ready and willing, to do the work that the people of
this province have asked us to do. My colleagues, we want to co-operate, we want
to collaborate, and we want to work together to the benefit of the people across
our province.
Now,
Mr. Speaker, the actions will not be in the words that we use but it will be in
the actions that we take. I expect and challenge every single Member of my
party; yet, all Members of this House of Assembly, that we are indeed in an
historic time, but we have an historic opportunity to show the progress that we
can do when we set aside partisan politics.
Mr.
Speaker, it's one that where people matter more than party colours. That means
bettering the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. That means working
together, each and every one of us.
Mr.
Speaker, I say to all my colleagues in this House of Assembly today, we have an
opportunity to make history and we can do that when we work together. So I say,
in conclusion, to all Members, let's make history.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded
that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address of Thanks to be
presented to Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, in reply to the gracious Speech
from the Throne with which she has been pleased to open the present session of
this House of Assembly, and that the said Committee comprised of the Member for
Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune, the Member for Mount Scio and the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
All
those in favour of this motion, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
I declare that the motion is carried.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
And the Member for Windsor
Lake, to move the following private Member's resolution:
Be it
resolved that the Standing Orders Committee be directed to undertake a scan of
Question Period rules and procedures in various jurisdictions and bring forward
for consideration during the fall sitting of 2019 a recommendation to amend the
Standing Orders of the House respecting Oral Questions to require ministers to
answer questions in a manner which is brief and to the point, and relevant and
responsive to the question.
This is
seconded by the Member for Conception Bay South.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
The
hon. the Opposition House Leader.
MR. BRAZIL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In
accordance with Standing Order 63, the private Member's resolution read out by
my colleague, the Leader of the Opposition, will be the private Member's
resolution that we will debate on Wednesday.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
Further
notices of motion?
The
hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
MR. OSBORNE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give
notice that this House approve in general the budgetary policy of government.
Further, I give notice that I will move that this House resolve itself into a
Committee of the Whole on Supply to consider a resolution for the granting of
Interim Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 2.
Further, I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An
Act To Authorize The Raising Of Money By Way Of Loan By The Province, Bill 3.
Further, Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow move that the House
resolve itself into a Committee of Whole on Supply to consider a certain
resolution for the granting of Supply to Her Majesty, Bill 4.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
Further
notices of motion?
The
hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give
notice that I will on tomorrow move the following amendment. That Standing Order
74 be amended by adding immediately after Standing Order 74(2) the following:
(3) Not withstanding Standing Order 74(2) where a head of expenditure has been
referred to a Committee established under Standing Order 72, and the time used
in debate of the head of expenditure exceeds three hours, the additional time
shall also be deducted from the time allocated under Standing Order 71.
Further, Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow move the following
motion. That the Committees for Estimates of the House of Assembly for the 49th
General Assembly be constituted as follows: The Government Services Committee
will be comprised of the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave, the Member
for Fogo Island - Cape Freels, the Member for Mount Scio, the Member for
Lewisporte - Twillingate, the Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune, the Member
for Conception Bay South, the Member for Ferryland and the Member for St. John's
East - Quidi Vidi.
That
the Social Services Committee be comprised of the Member for Lewisporte -
Twillingate, the Member for St. George's - Humber, the Member for Fortune Bay -
Cape La Hune, the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave, the Member for Mount
Scio, the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island, the Member for Topsail -
Paradise and the Member for St. John's Centre.
And
finally, the Resource Committee be comprised of the Member for St. George's –
Humber, the Member for Mount Scio, the Member for Fogo Island - Cape Freels, the
Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune, the Member for Harbour Grace - Port de
Grave, the Member for Cape St. Francis, the Member for Terra Nova and the Member
for St. John's East - Quidi Vidi.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
Further
notices of motion?
The
hon. the Government House Leader.
MR. A. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would
move that the House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It has been moved and
seconded that this House do now adjourn.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
This
House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 1:30 o'clock.
On
motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30
o'clock.