March 13, 2013                         HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS             Vol. XLVII No. 76


The House met at 2:00 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: Today we have members' statements from: the Member for the District of Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi; the Member for the District of The Straits – White Bay North; the Member for the District of St. John's East; the Member for the District of St. John's South; the Member for the District of Burgeo – La Poile; and the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, March 10, I had the great honour of attending the fiftieth anniversary People of the Sea Service at George Street United Church.

This service in that wonderful, beautiful church was a moving reminder of how closely our history in this city is entwined with the powerful and complex ocean around us.

For fifty years, the People of the Sea Service has paid tribute to, and sought protection for, the men and women who work on the ocean.

For all those years, the Church Lads Brigade Regimental Band has been an important part of the music of the People of the Sea Service, as indeed they are of so many local events.

In recognition of their fifty years of musical leadership, the congregation of the George Street United Church presented the CLB Regimental Band with a plaque to commemorate the band's important annual contribution.

With members ranging in age from eight to eighty, the band is an integral part of the Province's musical heritage.

I ask all members to join me in congratulating the George Street United Church and the CLB Regimental Band on the fiftieth anniversary of the People of the Sea Service.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MITCHELMORE: Mr. Speaker, the annual Snowmobile Ride to Support Breast Cancer Research is an inspirational show of community unity, and shows us what can be done when an entire region works together towards a goal.

The event was established by Donna Grimes and Betty Dempster nine years ago. In the twenty-seven communities from Eddies Cove East to Eddies Cove West, community representatives line up participants and sponsors and help with ordering meals and collecting registration fees.

This year the weather did not co-operate for a big snowmobile trek, but the event went ahead anyway as a walk. More than 300 people gathered in Plum Point to raise just over $18,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. More than $100,000 has been raised since the event started. Marie Hughes from Green Island Brook, who now works in Iqaluit, came back for the event, bringing $4,500 in sponsorship money and seven prizes with her.

Every community participates; Flower's Cove even makes race day its annual civic holiday. Businesses, individuals, and municipalities donate prizes. Residents volunteer months in advance.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the entire area of The Straits for the way they pull together to make this happen.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to congratulate a resident of St. John's East who recently celebrated his one-hundredth birthday last month.

Engineer Tom Kierans is well known in the Province for more than just his longevity; his thought-provoking suggestions have caught the imagination of generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

He may be best known in the Province for his long-time advocacy of a fixed link between the Island of Newfoundland and Labrador. In St. John's many remember his innovative suggestion for the rock arena, a stadium built inside the Southside Hills of the city. Eventually, of course, the city built the Mile One Centre, but Kierans' unique solution endures as a good example of the importance of thinking outside the box.

Tom was born in Montreal and graduated from McGill in 1939 with a degree in Mining Engineering. He moved to St. John's in the early 1950s. He did the underground design work at the Churchill Falls site and in 1973 joined the engineering faculty at Memorial University.

When he retired from MUN, Kierans was named director of the Alexander Graham Bell Institute at the University of Cape Breton.

On February 13, Tom Kierans turned 100 years old. I ask that all hon. members join me in congratulating him.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend the Shea Heights Community Centre and all the volunteers who have once again delivered another successful winter festival this year.

This year's winter festival was well attended and enjoyed by all. As usual, the community has much to be proud of.

The residents of Shea Heights have a very strong sense of community spirit, which is evident in the involvement of all residents in community events such as the annual Santa Claus parade, the winter festival, and the annual Folk Festival. This year represents the tenth anniversary for the Folk Festival, which I am sure will be the best to date.

I am delighted to recognize the Shea Heights Community Centre, and all the volunteers who dedicate their time to build community spirit. I would also like to recognize the residents of Shea Heights for building the community to what it is today.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Port aux Basques Blaze Peewee A hockey team. The Port aux Basques team won gold at the Barry Lush Memorial Tournament, held at Sydney, Nova Scotia, this past weekend. The fourteen-player team, comprised of both male and female players, was the only team from Newfoundland and Labrador to compete in this tournament. The other eight teams were from the Cape Breton County area.

The Blaze played a four-game round robin finishing with a 3-1 record. The one loss was to the Sydney Peewees, who they turned the tables on to defeat 4-1 in the championship game. This is the first time in twelve years that a team from Port aux Basques has travelled to Sydney to compete. The team thoroughly enjoyed the competition, meeting new players, and hope to have the opportunity to play there again.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending congratulations to all the players and their coaches on winning gold at the Barry Lush Memorial Tournament in Sydney. Great job!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Lewisporte.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. VERGE: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very brave and courageous lady from my district. Maxine was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2009. For three-and-a-half years, Maxine lived with this disease and nothing ever dampened her spirit. Maxine always wore a smile that could not be erased.

She is best known for her kind, loving spirit and as a person who saw the opportunity in every challenge and the good in every person. Maxine had great faith that helped her maintain a positive outlook and to also face each day with a thankful heart.

As an example of her heartwarming and positive spirit, I will share this story. In her last remaining hours, her breathing was getting harder and she looked to be very uncomfortable in her bed. I was concerned and worried that she might be in pain, so I called in the nurse for some help. The nurse looked at her and said: Mrs. Verge, how are you are feeling? Maxine could not open her eyes, but she smiled a little and went like this. [Thumbs up]

On March 1, 2013, Maxine put on her wings and she flew up to heaven. Her smile, her positive attitude and her spirit will remain in my heart forever. I love you, Maxine, and to you I give a big thumbs up.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Ministers' Statements.

Statements by Ministers

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to attend an announcement today regarding the expansion of the Choices for Youth very successful Train for Trades program in St. John's.

Since 2010, Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation has been a very proud partner in this worthwhile program. Train for Trades supports at-risk youth in our community through access to valuable on-the-job construction training and experience.

This national award-winning program will now be doubling its capacity to train and employ young people through a generous donation of $2.1 million from Hibernia Management and Development Company.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Mr. Speaker, this partnership and support is an excellent example of the good work and important relationships being fostered between government, industry and community groups. This is big business giving back to the community in a big way.

Mr. Speaker as a result of this new partnership, twenty youth will take part in the forty-four-week program this year. This will include two weeks of training through the Carpenters Millwright College followed by forty-two weeks of on-the-job experience.

Participants will help construct six new Choices for Youth affordable housing units being built for their very youth. This project is made possible with an investment of $750,000 from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation through the Affordable Housing Program.

This year, participants in the Train for Trades program will help carry out modernization and improvement work on ten Newfoundland and Labrador Housing rental units. This is part of a pilot project in partnership with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 1860.

Mr. Speaker, the Choices for Youth Train for Trades program has been very successful with 80 per cent of participants going on to post-secondary education or employment. Mr. Speaker, I just learned before coming in the House this afternoon that six of the six current participants have just received notice that they have all successfully completed their GED.

I ask this hon. House to join me in congratulating Choices for Youth and all their partners on the expansion of this innovative program, and to thank Hibernia Management and Development Company for making a key investment in supporting young people in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

I wish all participants and all the partners, past and future, the best of luck and best wishes in all future endeavours.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy. This program, Choices for Youth Train for Trades, is a very worthwhile program for the youth at risk in the Province. Also, CUPE has played an important role here to allow the youth to work under their guidance at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. The minister mentioned CUPE and they should be recognized for that, and also the Hibernia Management and Development Company for putting in this $2.1 million. It is a worthwhile contribution from a corporate citizen to help the youth in this Province.

The most startling point that I noticed in the press release that the minister put out, which I take the pleasure in as being a former youth counsellor, is that 80 per cent who graduate go on to post-secondary or employment. That is a great rate. If there is some way that we can increase the rate to 100 per cent, which we are all striving for, but this opportunity gives the youth an opportunity to go and look at new trades, look at new opportunities, give them self-worth, and above all that do something useful, like when they are building units for people with special needs and for advanced needs for youth.

Congratulations to the government for developing this program, congratulations for getting the youth involved, and to CUPE and to Hibernia Management and to the youth themselves for saying that we need a better future and working at it and being dedicated.

Congratulations to people around.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. KIRBY: Thanks to the minister for an advance copy of his statement. Hibernia Management and Development is rightly applauded for this investment in our young people. Likewise, we should applaud the efforts of Choices for Youth, the staff there in Train for Trades, for extending a lifeline to youth who would otherwise be at risk of becoming statistics as a result of their often-challenging circumstances.

At a time when this PC government is cutting funding to Employment Assistance Services providers and cutting off a vital lifeline to unemployed Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, it is good to know that Hibernia and Choices for Youth have a lot more foresight than that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Does the Member for St. John's South have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: No leave.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House to offer congratulations to the winners of two prestigious tourism awards that were announced at the 2013 Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Convention. They strive for excellence, they provide lasting memories for visitors, and they are fine examples of the tremendous people and organizations that make up our provincial tourism industry. They are Stan Cook Jr., who won the Doug Wheeler Award, and the Cupids Legacy Centre, which won the Cultural Tourism Award.

The Doug Wheeler Award is presented annually by the provincial government to honour the late Doug Wheeler, a long-time public servant who did exceptional work promoting the Province as a tourism destination. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the tourism industry, and Stan Cook Jr. is most certainly an exceptional contributor.

With his father, Stan Sr., he helped build one of the Province's most successful adventure tourism operations: Stan Cook Kayaking. Since 1970, this family business has been earning provincial and national recognition for the unique experiences and world-renowned hospitality they offer to outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Mr. Cook is also a tireless advocate for the provincial tourism industry. He has held positions on a number of provincial and national boards, associations, partnerships, and committees, and most notably served as President of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

The Cultural Tourism Award is presented by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation in partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage and Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. It recognizes attractions that put extraordinary effort and creativity into providing authentic cultural tourism experiences – experiences that make a lasting impression on visitors and lasting economic benefits for their region.

Mr. Speaker, the Cupids Legacy Centre is certainly deserving of the award, as it has quickly become a key provincial attraction. The centre expresses the significance of Cuper's Cove, Canada's first permanent English settlement, and is internationally recognized for its conservation and archival techniques, highly trained interpreters, and use of technology.

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in applauding both award winners for their tremendous contributions to the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

I thank the minister for an advance copy of the statement. I was at the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Convention and the luncheon where they announced these two winners and it was a pleasure to be there to take this in and to congratulate these two individuals on the success they have achieved in this burgeoning industry.

We all know Stan Cook Jr. in this Province and the contributions that he has made. We all know that he is not only a force here in the Avalon Region, but his impact is known all over the Province and certainly his presence on the different boards that he serves on as well. Mr. Peter Laracy, who accepted an award for Cupid's Legacy Centre – the great work they have done recognizing the historic monument that we have there and the history of this Province.

We get many opportunities in this House to criticize government initiatives, but we also need to take time to make sure we recognize when something is done right. We had an opportunity to watch the great new ads that our Department of Tourism has put out, and again, everybody can recognize the great work that it is doing. Our numbers are going up and we are working together to make this happen.

The individuals and groups in this Province who are providing that first-hand, excellent tourist experience, we need to contribute to that, make it easier for them to do the job and continue this great industry.

Congratulations to the government on this, congratulations to the department and to the two individuals receiving these awards.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I, too, would like to thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement.

I had the pleasure of attending the HNL conference and recognizing the contributions made by Mr. Stan Cook, Jr., the people of the Cupids Legacy Centre, other award recipients, and those involved in the industry. They are very well deserved for all the hard work and dedication that they do.

That being said, as a rural MHA I would like to see more action from this government. Both the minister and I know the hard truth about what his government's cuts will do to rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, before I begin I would like to say to the Member for Lewisporte, we want to send our thoughts and our condolences to his family and his friends.

Mr. Speaker, after ten years in power, this government has created a financial mess that they have no idea how to get out of. The brought in Wade Locke at $250 an hour and Deloitte for $4 million for help.

I ask the Premier: After ten years in power, why is it only now you are looking for a sustainability plan?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I have said on a number of occasions, in 2003 we inherited a Province that was not only financially bankrupt, but there was an infrastructure deficit that was huge. What we have done over the last number of years, Mr. Speaker, is we have increased – more than doubled – our heath spending, increased our education spending by 70 per cent, and increased our infrastructure spending by more than 200 per cent.

We have had to rebuild this Province, Mr. Speaker, and to do that we have had to spend the money wisely. I am sure that you will not hear members opposite complain about things that went into their districts.

Mr. Speaker, what we are doing now is that we have to make sure that our revenues and our expenditures can coexist. We started this process over the last number of years, but especially last year; we reduced our spending to less than 1 per cent, we released our ten-year debt reduction plan, and we are continuing on that road of fiscal prudence.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Interesting to hear the Minister of Finance talk about inheritance. What he does not talk about is a great inheritance that he received that has produced over $15 billion in offshore royalties. That is what he used to rebuild this Province. It was not about a sustainability plan.

Mr. Speaker, over 2,000 people this government has added to its core public service. Apparently they have not been able to hire anyone who is able to put together a financial stability plan. Now you are spending millions, as I said, for Wade Locke and Deloitte.

I ask the Premier: Why are you spending millions on consultants when you have not been able to come up with a plan using the resources already within government?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I find it very unfortunate when you hear comments like that coming from a politician in this House, Mr. Speaker, basically taking away from the good work done by the economists in the Department of Finance, and all of the people that we have in our public service who work so hard.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: It seems to be a theme of this government, as we have seen with the MHA for St. Barbe, Mr. Speaker. What we have done is we have hired Dr. Locke. Dr. Locke was hired to provide some advice. He is recognized in this Province as having expertise in the mining industry, oil and gas industry, and in debt reduction, Mr. Speaker.

We offered to pay Dr. Locke. Basically, my approach is you pay people for what they are doing. Dr. Locke is the one who has offered to do the work for $1. We are not – he is giving us his time and expertise and we are availing of that, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, my comments were not about the great people who we have working in our departments. How would you feel if you were in your department and you were undermined by bringing people in? Dr. Locke is a good guy; he has done some great work. You are the one who made the decision.

Mr. Speaker, again yesterday the Premier refused to say that she paid two Tory campaign managers in a secret government bonus plan.

I ask the Premier: Why is it that you can go to Budget Estimates and see the exact amount that a young doctor makes in this Province, but you cannot see the bonuses paid out to Ross Reid and to Len Simms?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This bonus program was brought in a number of years ago, Mr. Speaker. It could be up to 10 per cent of base salary. There were a number of individuals at the deputy minister or equivalent level.

I did not speak personally, but we have spoken to both Mr. Reid and Mr. Simms and they have no problem releasing the amounts that they were paid in terms of their bonuses. Mr. Simms received a bonus of $10,315.31 – a very good deal, at that, I would say to you, Sir – and Mr. Reid received a bonus of $5,939.50.

There is no secrecy, Mr. Speaker. All we are trying to do is we are outlining the work that has been done. This information was provided to The Telegram in an ATIPP request; back in October 18 it began and we responded again after Christmas.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Four questions in this House later and we finally get the answer. The Premier is hiding behind Bill 29 to protect the exact amount of –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. BALL: – taxpayer money she gave to her campaign managers.

Mr. Speaker, the Information and Privacy Commissioner has released a stunning report on the freedom of information case. It outlines in detail of over four years the Department of Justice dragged the case through the court and used every excuse possible to delay the release of this information.

I ask the Premier: Why did you allow this to go on so long, and what are you doing to ensure that this travesty of justice never happens again?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this case was around the exemption provision in terms of access to information of the Department of Justice. A determination was made, it went to court. The court made a determination on that and recommendations were made. They were brought back to the minister. The minister committed yesterday to reviewing that, and at that time, he would certainly release very quickly, in terms of what that information is.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As we know, the court ruled against it. They still dragged it out. This fiasco occurred before the passage of Bill 29, when the Commissioner had authority to examine potential solicitor-client information. Bill 29 forces applicants to go to courts, meaning big costs and long delays.

I ask the Premier: Why has government thrown up those unnecessary roadblocks of information access, and when will you take the necessary steps to remove them?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I made note of the Privacy Commissioner, some of the comments he has made in regard to Bill 29. He said he has not seen any significant difference in the amount of information accessible pre-Bill 29 to post-Bill 29. It is a little different than what we are hearing from the other side of the floor, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Mr. Speaker, in regard to solicitor-client privilege, we went through a review, five years, as the ATIPP legislation requires to do. Mr. Cummings carried out that review with consultation. In and of that, at that particular time, he recommended that solicitor-client, in terms of those situations –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. HUTCHINGS: – taking into account that type of information. The route was to go to court, if there was an exception in terms of it was not provided. That recommendation by Mr. Cummings was accepted as part of the review of the legislation. We make no apologies for that. That was recommended, and we certainly adopted that recommendation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say, the minister should read the report, because that is not what Mr. Ring is saying.

Mr. Speaker, tenders closed on the Strait of Belle Isle ferry service six weeks ago. To date, government has not awarded any contract and the vessel is supposed to be in service in about two weeks.

I ask the minister: Why have you delayed this decision?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we invest tens of millions of dollars every year in providing ferry services to people who live in the remote parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. Recently, we announced a Request for Proposals to provide a fifteen-year service to the people of Labrador, for The Straits of Labrador and Northern Labrador that will provide a service they have never had in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker. It will provide roll-on roll-off service that will be able to carry passengers, freight and vehicles, a service that has never been provided to them before.

To get to that service, Mr. Speaker, we have to provide a short-term tender. We have called tenders. We are assessing the bids, and until the bids have been properly assessed and we have done our due diligence we will not be prepared to award the tender until that work has been done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The lowest bidder on the contract has a vessel that we understand is tied up in Turkey someplace and it does not meet the CSI standards and even has a loading ramp that is welded shut.

I ask the minister: Do you think it is possible that you can have this vessel pass Transport Canada regulations, be available and in service by April 1?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate the interest in our ferry service from the member opposite, but, Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us as a government that we have to follow a process, a process that is laid out in the tendering process and is also required under the Public Tender Act.

Unlike the member opposite who has been encouraging us to break the act, we have to follow the law, Mr. Speaker. We have to follow the rules and follow the law and we have to do due diligence to this process.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the Premier, I did not see any tender notice on John Noseworthy or Ross Reid, or any of her other Tory hats, Mr. Speaker, that she put in position over there.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that CAI is a company that has been riddled with headaches and disaster ever since they started taking over marine service contracts in Labrador. Last year, we saw the saga of the Dutch Runner, Mr. Speaker. It got so bad that the government had to go and take the vessel out of service. We saw what happened this year with the Bond, when they put her on dry dock for refit and could not afford to get the vessel off the dry dock.

I say to you minister: Why are you going to give an operator with such a bad track record any consideration for this contract knowing they do not even have a vessel that they can have in service come April 1?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, what a pleasure it is to get up and get the facts on the table. I can tell you that. When the members opposite were in power, the ferry replacement strategy they had was a vessel called the Nonia, a bargain they picked up for $1 million overseas and brought over here. It took years and years of work, a $9.8 million investment by the people of the Province, by this government when we inherited the rustbucket, the Nonia, from this crowd over here and we had to put that in service.

It took years to do it, Mr. Speaker, and only recently we decommissioned that. We could not waste any more money on it and now we are left to deal with the fleet we have, which have built on, Mr. Speaker. We built two new forty-two-metre vessels, the Grace Sparkes and Hazel McIsaac.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: We built them at over $50 million and they are providing great service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador today. We have tenders out now to replace the Winsor down in Fogo Island and Change Islands, and we are building a new swing vessel, another forty-two metre vessel, to provide services to the people of the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Opposition House Leader.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister loves to talk about what happened ten to fifteen years ago. I want to talk about what you are doing on your watch as a government.

Mr. Speaker, the contract for the service –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: – on the Strait of Belle Isle has been expired for months. They knew for years the contract was going to run out and they never went to tender until January 10. Now, Mr. Speaker, we are two weeks away from having a service put in place in a place in this Province where we have a tremendous amount of traffic, between Labrador and the Island.

I ask the government today: When are you going to do just service to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that have to use the Strait of Belle Isle, and award a contract to put a ferry service in place by April 1?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what we will not do: We will not be breaking the law like the hon. member over there wants us to do. We will follow the law. We will follow the Public Tender Act.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: I will tell you what else we will do, Mr. Speaker, and I will tell you what we are doing. She wants to talk about what we are doing on my watch. We are providing year-round service now, ferry service to the people of Labrador. It runs out of Corner Brook throughout the winter months and then we have the summer service that has been there for a number of years that we now had an RFP out for a fifteen-year service, a service they have never seen before.

We built the highway in Labrador, Mr. Speaker, for the people of Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Recently, Mr. Speaker, we announced $85 million to continue with the paving of that very much needed and used highway, the Trans-Labrador Highway, like never seen before.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: (Inaudible) met with the parents of Whitbourne Elementary to receive their 500 letters of protest against the closure of their K-12 school in June 2013. They feel the current school closure process is flawed for a number of reasons.

I ask the Minister of Education: Will he admit the current school closing process does not serve our students and our communities well, and commit to a review of this outdated and backward policy?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Any time there is a school closure in a community, it is a very sensitive, a very emotional issue. Mr. Speaker, I can truly speak to it myself. I was principal of a school that closed under the party opposite, under their watch. I know first-hand what parents, teachers, and students are going through.

Mr. Speaker, we have elected boards. The reason we have elected boards is we want to remove politics from the situation. We have had representation, Mr. Speaker, from the community groups; they have made representation to the school board. The member for the area has made representation on their behalf, Mr. Speaker. That elected board has made a decision based on the facts that they had.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Half-a-dozen years ago during the Bishop's Falls by-election the former Premier said that no viable schools would be closed. On the government's own Web site, it states that all students have a right to attend their neighbourhood schools.

I ask the Minister of Education to reassure the Whitbourne parents who are in gallery here today that he would defer the closure of their school until he corrects the many flaws in his school closure policy.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am very aware that there are parents from Whitbourne in the gallery. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, I understand what they are going through. Mr. Speaker, again I do not want to appear to repeat myself, but there is a process of consultation that boards carry out and groups make representation. Then they make the decisions based on the facts.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is not only in this particular area but there are other areas in the Province where our students are declining. We have lost 14,000 students over the last, I believe, ten years, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, in rural parts of our Province, that is continuing. Mr. Speaker, this is a board decision that was made by an elected board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, last night I attended a meeting regarding funding cuts to EAS agencies, many of whom are here today. Government staff have confided that they are terrified of the workload coming with these cuts. The Avalon region alone is already at critical staffing levels.

I ask the minister: How many more clients will these 139 staff serve? How can you risk the turnover by overloading your staff?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SHEA: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One thing I can say, Mr. Speaker, the job market in Newfoundland and Labrador has never been brighter thanks to this government and with the economic opportunities that we have available.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, we have a series of career work centres across Newfoundland and Labrador, and despite what the Member for Burgeo – La Poile may think or may say, they are very professional and they are able to do their job. I consulted with many of them yesterday. They are very excited about the moves, but, Mr. Speaker, we are able to deliver the services that the people of this Province need to help them attach to the labour market.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Burgeo – La Poile, for a quick question.

MR. A. PARSONS: Well, the minister mentioned job markets – certainly going to be a lot more crowded with these cuts.

Twelve of your government work centres were not created until 2007-2008, when EI service delivery was being negotiated.

Will you admit the duplication has nothing to do with EAS agencies, but is a creation of your department?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, there is a duplication of services because this government since 2003 was committed to having Career Work Centres in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2009, we inherited the Employment Assistance Services as contracted service when the LMDA devolved to the provincial government.

Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that this government from day one has been committed to ensuring that the people of this Province have access to the services that they need to help them attach to the labour market.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

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

Prior to my question, I would like to on behalf of my caucus to offer our condolences to the Member for Lewisporte and to thank him for his courage here today.

Mr. Speaker, in February, Quebec Hydro pulled back on its hydroelectric development projects because Quebec is predicted to have a power surplus through to 2027, created domestically as well as by the increasing shale gas development in the US.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: why have she and her government continued on their Muskrat Falls folly?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is incredible to me that the Leader of the NDP continues to persist in her attack on Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker, despite the support that project has in this Province, across the country, and even by members of her own party. Certainly, the NDP are known, Mr. Speaker, for their support of the labour movement.

Mr. Speaker, these are thousands of union jobs available here in the Province, particularly in Labrador, and the Leader of the NDP is against it. It is mind boggling; I cannot understand why they do not support this project. It is good for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and the ratepayers of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is good for taxpayers in Newfoundland and Labrador and it is good for unions in Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am sorry the Premier was not at the Town Hall I was at last night; she would have seen absolutely no support for the Muskrat Falls Project.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why does she expect the people of the Province to pay through their teeth –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Why does she expect the people of the Province to –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: – pay through their teeth for her pet project while deficits are ballooning and government will be adding to the debt?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, here we go again. The Leader of the NDP is really going to have to stop pretending that she does not understand the fiscal structure of the Province. Mr. Speaker, I have challenged the Leader of the NDP to tell us where in the 2012-2013 Budget, where five cents of that Budget is associated with Muskrat Falls, Mr. Speaker. She has yet to respond to the challenge, Mr. Speaker. I ask her again to show the people of Newfoundland and Labrador how 2012-2013 – and when we get the Budget for 2013-2014 – where in that Budget there is money allocated to Muskrat Falls.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I point out to the Premier that if we are spending billions of dollars – which we are, and will have to borrow for our equity in Muskrat Falls – that is having an effect on the economy of this Province and on the backs of the people of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, in June of 2011, economist Dr. Wade Locke warned of looming government deficits, saying: we do not need to face a crisis, but we do have to plan to avoid one. Obviously government did not listen, and here we are. Today, we read Dr. Locke warning government once more, this time not to do anything drastic in trying to deal with the very crisis he warned them to plan to avoid.

So I ask the Premier: Will the Premier let the public know exactly how drastic are the targets she has set for cuts to government departmental spending?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We do not do things in secret like the Leader of the NDP wants to, Mr. Speaker. What we do, we are doing in public. We have decided to hire Dr. Locke to avail of his expertise, Mr. Speaker, and that is what we are doing.

Last year there was a ten-year debt-reduction plan outlined. We reduced our spending by it to 1 per cent, Mr. Speaker –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: – and what we are trying to do is ensure – unlike the NDP; spend, spend, spend and forget tomorrow, that is what their plans are all about, Mr. Speaker, if you call that a plan. Our plan is to provide for a bright, prosperous, and sustainable future for this Province, Mr. Speaker, and on Budget day it will all become clear.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, last fall government stopped at nothing to ensure it got its Muskrat Falls Project started. Now we are facing a fiscal crisis created by the same government.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Knowing this crisis was looming for the people of the Province, why would she commit us to a ruinously expensive project that will not produce adequate revenues for many years.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Since she obviously will not take anything we have to say about the fact that the deficit is not related to Muskrat Falls, I would suggest that she read @TelegramJames' blog. It is all outlined there. He sat down with officials in the Department of Finance, Mr. Speaker, and all she has to do is read the blog. It is all there in black and white. We will even give you a briefing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for St. John's Centre.

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in 2006 government released its Provincial Wellness Plan –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS ROGERS: – with much fanfare, even including Olympic gold medal winner Brad Gushue. It promised much.

Expert staff in Health and Community Services addressed long neglected crucial issues affecting the health of the people of our Province. Last week, the minister terminated key positions in this department: health promotion consultant, nutrition consultant, environmental health consultant, and injury prevention consultant – the backbone of this plan.

I ask the minister: How can she possibly fulfill the commitments of the Provincial Wellness Plan with these drastic cuts?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are into the spin again. It just goes round and round and round and round. She comes into the House – they talk about sustainability in this House over and over again. Sustainable health care – if you do not do something about the health care system, it is never going to survive. Mr. Speaker, we heard that time and time again in the last session of the House of Assembly.

What are you going to do about the sustainability of the health care programs? What are you going to do about sustainability in our hospitals? What are you going to do about sustainability? Mr. Speaker, they want to continue to spend; we want to find efficient ways to deliver quality services. We are doing just that, Mr. Speaker; it is very apparent.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS ROGERS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday in this House, the minister stood up and praised the work of her staff for National Nutrition Month, yet has terminated one of only two provincial nutrition consultants.

We have among the highest rates of chronic diseases, diabetes, heart disease and other health issues. Health prevention does save us money.

I ask the minister: How can she guarantee this work be done if she is pushing people with expertise out the door?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are more than concerned about health and prevention in this Province, and you only have to look at the initiatives we have in place. I do not have time enough in thirty seconds to enumerate all of them, but I will do that later on this afternoon, just to refresh her memory in terms of what we are doing in terms of prevention and health care in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, I ask her, if she wants us to keep everybody and every single position in place, what do you want me to cut in terms of programs? What services do you want cut? That is what I want to ask you because you have talked about sustainability. Now, you cannot have it both ways; you cannot have sustainability and continue to spend, spend, and spend. So you tell us what your plan is.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Environment and Conservation has a proposal from a company in Mount Pearl that deals with the storage of some radioactive material. The deadline for public comments is set for April 17. The project raises very many questions.

Does the minister plan on hosting a public forum as another way to consult with residents of the city to alleviate any of the concerns that may arise from this particular project? Will he be asking for an environmental preview report on it?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, this government takes seriously any environmental issues and we made sure we put in place an environmental assessment that would deal with all concerns of everyone, an opportunity during the first stage of the assessment for anyone who had anything to say about the project or projects, to put it in writing, and to make sure it was put into place, and again, making sure the proponent also provided all the information that was necessary for any project to go forward.

We value our environment in Newfoundland and Labrador. We make sure as a government that we have in place the people and the experts to deal with it. I say, Mr. Speaker, I have confidence that we will do what we need to do to protect the people and the environment of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Natural Resources Minister said in the House yesterday that the drilling program at Flat Bay was done under the confines of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act and the Petroleum Drilling Regulations, so let us talk about environment again for a second.

Can the minister commit to making changes to drilling regulations that will protect the public and our environment from the dangers of slick water fracking?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, this government supports economic development in this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, this government supports exploration and development of a potential oil play for the people of Western Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Obviously, Mr. Speaker, in doing that we also will ensure that any exploration, any of the development takes place in accordance with rigorous environmental protection laws that we have in place.

Mr. Speaker, for years wells have been drilled in the world. I think there have been 2.5 million wells drilled in the world in the last while. There has been 175,000 wells drilled in Western Canada and they have all had hydraulic fracking. We have regulations in our act and in the regulations –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Your time has expired.

The member has time for one quick question without preamble.

MR. MURPHY: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

If an EIS was done for the Flat Bay project, we cannot find it. Will the minister table the report if there is one available?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation, for a quick response.

MR. HEDDERSON: Again, I say to the member opposite, you will not find it because it was not done. What was done was due diligence on behalf of Natural Resources under the act which made sure that there was no environmental damage done. Anything that was done at that particular time was done under strict guidance and strict regulations.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

I want to just take a moment. I want to remind members of the House that inasmuch as it may on occasion be tastefully done, it is okay to make a reference to someone who may be in the gallery. However, it is inappropriate to engage in any way in conversation with anyone in the gallery either to direct a comment or to solicit a comment. I would ask members to be guided by that.

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 The Straits – White Bay North.

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I present to the House: 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 Western School District is considering a multi-year plan to close Bayview Regional Collegiate at St. Lunaire – Griquet in June 2013; and

WHEREAS it has been proven from students that have graduated from Bayview Regional Collegiate, they have excelled in their studies to prepare them to move ahead and achieve their career choices; and

WHEREAS teachers and staff at Bayview Regional Collegiate are qualified and continue to provide a strong academic program with a full curriculum to all students attending; and

WHEREAS Bayview Regional Collegiate has developed a playground, library, drama club, Kids Eat Smart lunch program, school council, and other activities with exceptional community support; and

WHEREAS Bayview Regional Collegiate housed a K-12 school in the past with 200-plus students who have had access to a science lab, cafeteria –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. MITCHELMORE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Art room, computer lab, gymnasium and extracurricular activities; and

WHEREAS the parents, business operators, social groups, concerned citizens, and students of the Municipality of St. Lunaire – Griquet request to rescind this proposal;

Since Bayview Regional Collegiate has met and exceeded all aspects set forth for a viable school, we the undersigned, petition the House of Assembly to urge the government to ensure that the Western School District is provided with sufficient funding to keep Bayview Regional Collegiate at St. Lunaire – Griquet open, and as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, the actual distance to go from L'Anse aux Meadows, through all of the eight communities, to St. Anthony where these students are proposed to be bused would equate to over forty-eight kilometres. The first student on that bus run would be an hour-and-a-half on a highway that is virtually a dead zone for cellular coverage.

We have seen in the area where busing happened in the past, when you had multi-denominational schooling, where students were bused from Cook's Harbour to St. Anthony and they spent a night on that cellphone-dead highway because of weather conditions. We have had a number of them. We have had a number of school closures on the Northern Peninsula due to lack of weather. There have been some instances where students in St. Anthony had their schools closed but residents of L'Anse aux Meadows to St. Lunaire – Griquet could actually go to school.

There are two schools in this community of St. Lunaire – Griquet and Gunners Cove. Either one of those facilities could host 100 students of a K-12, or a K-9 system. That would be quite adequate, Mr. Speaker. With the closure of this school and the inability of the minister and the Western School District to actually enter in and talk to the students and the parents and the concerned people on what this is going to mean, it is going to adversely impact people, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. Barbe.

MR. BENNETT: Mr. Speaker, a petition to the hon. House of Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned humbly showeth:

WHEREAS there is no cellphone service in the Towns of St. Paul's, Cow Head, Sally's Cove or Trout River, all of which are enclave communities of Gros Morne National Park; and

WHEREAS there is either very poor or no cellphone service in most of Gros Morne National Park; and

WHEREAS visitors to Gros Morne National Park, more than 100,000 annually, expect to use cellphones when they visit the park; and

WHEREAS cellphone service is an important safety feature for numerous travellers, hikers and others in the park; and

WHEREAS cellphone service is necessary to modern business development;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to partner with the private sector to extend cellphone coverage throughout Gros Morne National Park, and the enclave within the park.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Mr. Speaker, this is signed by people primarily from Cow Head in this petition; a few are from St. Pauls. These are vibrant communities within Gros Morne National Park. We are lucky to have communities in rural parts of the Province that are doing so well. The other communities mentioned – Sally's Cove is virtually non-existent; it has fewer than twenty people.

However, in the next short while, with the proposed oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the area, there will be a great upsurge in business activity. One of the issues that you really need in a modern-day business is the ability to have cellphone service.

The individuals in these small towns have no cellphone service or very poor cellphone service. In the case of Cow Head, Mr. Speaker, what residents routinely do is they get in their car and they drive a couple of kilometres out to the head, where it has a little more elevation to use a cellphone. That does not really seem to be a very great benefit.

In the case of St. Pauls, it is right in an inlet area. It has more than 300 people; a fairly substantial contractor is the contractor. One of the individuals related to that company is one of the proponents in the new high-speed Internet that is being developed throughout the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, cellphone service at one point would be similar to how we may have looked at telephones in the past, or maybe how we would have looked at other services. Cellphones are an important requirement today, not just an add-on or something to think about afterwards. It is an absolute necessity. I would urge, as these petitions urge, the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to move forward and work with the private operators to extend cellphone service to these communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. A. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I have a petition.

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

WHEREAS Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest unemployment rate in Canada; and

WHEREAS the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador anticipate a labour shortage of 70,000 people by 2020; and

WHEREAS eliminating the career practitioner knowledge base is contrary to attaching people to the labour market; and

WHEREAS Employment Assistance Services (EAS) agencies are grassroots hubs in communities providing services like skills development, resume development, interview skills, facilitating attachment to the labour market and the community; and

WHEREAS EAS agencies help individuals with complex needs find and maintain employment in communities throughout the Province; and

WHEREAS EAS agencies have been serving thousands of people for years, building expertise and rapport; and

WHEREAS loading the workload of 226 employees onto 139 Advanced Education and Skills employees would be an overwhelming expectation, increasing staff turnover and thus decreasing rapport with clients; and

WHEREAS EAS funding comes from the EI fund, built by workers to help them when and where they need it most; and

WHEREAS moving services away from people who lack the means to travel long distances is not in line with the Labour Market Development Agreement's principle of citizen-centred service;

WHEREUPON the undersigned, your petitioners, humbly pray and call upon the House of Assembly to urge the government of Newfoundland and Labrador to reverse the decision to cut funding to EAS agencies in the Province.

As in duty bound, your petitioners will ever pray.

Now, Mr. Speaker, this is just the first petition of this nature that I will be presenting in this House and I am sure I am going to be getting plenty more, because they are coming from all over the Province. These widespread cuts, over 200 jobs, affect every region in this Province: they affect Labrador, they affect St. John's, they affect Port aux Basques, and they affect Central.

In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting with a number of these EAS career practitioners last night here in the city. These workers range from Baie Verte, Marystown, Roddickton, St. John's, and Stephenville, amongst many others. They are here in the town and they are upset. They are upset for a number of reasons. Number one is the obvious decision to cut their job without consultation. They have three months notice.

The other issue is the lack of respect that has been shown by government to the job they do when they hear the answers coming from members of the government, particularly the minister. The fact is they provide a skill base; they provide knowledge to these people, trying to attach them to the labour market, one of the primary targets of this government. We have 70,000 job shortages and we are cutting out the people who attach people to the labour market. It seems contrary to the vision and certainly contrary to what we are trying to do in this Province.

When the minister says they inherited the offices, well, I would say these offices were here before you. They were here before this government. They were here before the Career Work Centres. They have been here, in many cases, for decades providing this base of knowledge to help people get jobs.

What they want is an opportunity to consult with them, to work to find these efficiencies that need to be done. They want to work with government to see if we can find a better way rather than cut them across the board.

I would say to you, Mr. Speaker, this is just the first one. We will be presenting these on a number of occasions because they are going to be coming from all over the place. This is just the first one. Again, keep in mind, they want to work together.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

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

Orders of the Day

Private Members' Day

MR. SPEAKER: This being Wednesday, Private Members' Day, and it is now 3:00 o'clock, I now call upon the Member for the District of Terra Nova to introduce the motion that stands on the Order Paper in his name.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

If I may, before I begin with this motion, I, too, would also like to be able to speak a moment to our colleague. It is great to see our friend and colleague, the Member for Lewisporte, back today. He has had quite a few challenges in his own personal life over the last number of years, and certainly the last number of weeks especially. It is great to see him back. We are certainly here to give him all the support we can, and I think I speak for everyone in this House when I say that.

As legislators and politicians there is lots of things we have different opinions on, but certainly, the importance of family is something that bonds us all. It is a common bond we have. We all feel for him and we are keeping him in our thoughts and prayers.

Mr. Speaker, just to read this into the record once again:

BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House affirms that, by investing billions of dollars since 2004 in vital infrastructure – including highways –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I am assuming you are proposing the motion, seconded by –

MR. S. COLLINS: Yes, I am sorry. I am proposing the motion and it is seconded by my colleague, the Member for –

AN HON. MEMBER: Mount Pearl North.

MR. S. COLLINS: Mount Pearl North. I am sorry; I always get the two colleagues mixed up.

Mr. Speaker, if I can continue, vital infrastructure – including highways, roads, bridges, ferries, municipal and regional infrastructure, heath care facilities and schools – the government has taken the responsible approach and promoted long-term fiscal strength and sustainability.

Mr. Speaker, I guess we all have the opportunity to stand today and speak to this, and I think it is one of these topics that is vast and for the very fact that it is vast, I think, speaks to what our government has done since taking government in 2003. I will try to keep some focus on it. Because again, when you have such a vast area to go in, sometimes you can go off on tangents. I know there is a number of speakers going to be speaking to this today and we are going to try to bite off bits and pieces just to get across the level of investment we have had in infrastructure in this Province over the last number of years.

As I said, it is certainly a pleasure to speak to this today and to introduce it, a motion that will clearly outline the many key investments this government has made into vital infrastructure that we see around us every day. I truly believe that the majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians see this and certainly recognize it, as it is in every corner of the Province, both here in Newfoundland on the Island and in Labrador.

As of late, Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing a lot of overriding themes coming from the crowd opposite, and that is that we have made reckless investments. We have been spending recklessly. Frivolously is another word I have heard. So, I would like to be able to address that. I know, as of late, we have heard from both our Premier and the Minister of Finance, as well as other members here that have had an opportunity to stand to their feet and speak to different things over the last number of days.

We have asked quite clearly, as was just actually asked today in Question Period, please point out where you see our spending as being frivolous or reckless. It is one thing to call it; it is another thing to prove it. While I am speaking today, and I will be speaking on a vast number of topics, I encourage the Opposition to take notes. If at any point whatsoever I raise something in the infrastructure investments that we have made, if they see that as frivolous or reckless spending, I encourage them to get up and respond to me after I sit down; because I would be very interested in knowing, as would many other people.

So what we have here, just to get the lay of the land, we have an Official Opposition who has a financial record; it is a dismal record. I think everyone in this House remembers where we were before this government took over in 2003, and we know the type of record that these folks have. That is why we have not seen much of them since 2003, and there is a limited number of members across the way.

So their record is dismal. We have acknowledged that. Most everybody here certainly can appreciate that. Now, on the other side as well, we have the Third Party that has no record at all. I think that speaks volumes. Again, it is quite easy to speak to something when you have no record to stand on.

What really strikes me is that in recent days we have even heard the Official Opposition, who has a dismal financial record, criticizing the Third Party for their ideas. That really puts in perspective how bad the ideas and how bad these fiscal plans that they put forward really are when you have the Official Opposition criticizing them as well. That kind of puts a perspective around this.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I am a person who considers myself pretty well versed in history. I studied history in university; I taught it in high school. I really have a firm belief that in order to know where you are going and where you are, you have to know where you have been. So, I would like to take a little bit of time, again, just to get the lay of the land, and to put forward some facts. I know the crowd across the way deals with a lot of non-facts, clichιs, and things that they think appeal to different groups in the public, but I would like to review some of the facts. As I said, I can back up all these facts. If they want to quiz me on it after, they are certainly welcome to.

Let us take a look at what has been done since this government took office less than a decade ago, which in the grand scheme of things, Mr. Speaker, is not that long. Let us begin this discussion by giving an idea of what we faced when we took government in 2003. It was a very, very different place; I can assure you. Our people faced far greater challenges, we had a government that was disconnected and unaccountable, and we had a people who were simply disenfranchised and communities that were living in just a neglected state. That is the picture of it. It was dismal – it was absolutely dismal.

We inherited a significant deficit and debt, but let me speak to the deficit we inherited – and I am not only speaking of financial deficit. I am talking about service deficits, program deficits, and infrastructure deficits. In all facets, we had deficits. So, what exactly did we inherit, you ask? We inherited crumbling roads – I just took a couple of these, things that came to my mind when I gave this some thought – leaky roofs, and mouldy schools. We all know the horror stories of mouldy schools in this Province; failing municipal infrastructure; an underpaid public service sector – we recognize that, and I will speak to that in a moment - and a ferry fleet that was an embarrassment, with no light at the end of the tunnel. It was neglected infrastructure, plain and simple.

I would challenge you to find a province pre-2003 that was in a worse state than Newfoundland and Labrador. I think you would be hard-pressed to do so. We had the reputation of being the poor, destitute cousin of Confederation, and it was with good reason, because we just simply did not have anything here. What a sad state it was, obviously.

Think back to the times when you folks travelled. I know I did some travelling, even though I am younger than most here, so I am probably less travelled than many. Think about when you travelled outside the Province pre-2003, 2004 and travelling outside; what was the perception of Newfoundland? How did you feel when you saw other provinces and how others were doing and compared it when you came back home? There was a huge deficit; there was a huge difference, I would say.

This government upon election in 2003 was facing huge, daunting challenges, a challenge that we were ready, willing, and able to face. First, we had to deal with our financial situation, which obviously, like I said, was in a terrible state. We did that; there were growing pains with it, but we got through that. Then, of course, we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When we turned that corner, Mr. Speaker, we turned that corner. As soon as we had the financial means we began the massive uphill climb to address the vast deficiencies in our Province. That was a huge climb.

The evidence of this investment can be seen throughout our communities and Province, like I said, in every corner. It is no good for a member to stand to his or her feet today and say: I do not see any investment in my district. Clearly not true – impossible.

We saw investments in our schools, not only the physical buildings, but in our teachers and students. Highways, bridges – and certainly, anytime I talk about a bridge I like to congratulate my colleague from Placentia on the recent announcement in his district, a huge announcement for the people.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. S. COLLINS: Just that announcement alone: $40 million into a rural community.

AN HON. MEMBER: How much?

MR. S. COLLINS: Forty million dollars – that is just one. Again, congratulations. I know he worked hard on that, as well as the minister.

We saw huge investments in the municipal projects, cultural centres –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER (Littlejohn): Order, please!

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

Historical sites, post-secondary education facilities, as well as unprecedented investments into our students through the best student loan program in the country combined with lowest tuition, which has been frozen for years, and interest-free status on the provincial portion of your student loan – huge, huge strides for students, and I certainly can appreciate that maybe more than others as a person who is currently repaying a student loan. I hope to do a member's statement in the coming future, very near days, when I get that paid off. I can appreciate that first-hand, what that has done.

We saw vital investments in the hospitals, health care centres, long-term care homes for our seniors – which I will speak a little bit more about in a moment – and then there was funding for provincial ferries, airstrips, air ambulances, new water bombers, and the list goes on and on and on, Mr. Speaker.

Since 2004, the provincial government has invested more than $5.4 billion in infrastructure.

AN HON. MEMBER: How much?

MR. S. COLLINS: Five point four billion dollars.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. S. COLLINS: And who was that for? It was for the benefit of every single Newfoundlander and Labradorian, while at the same time we paid down debt, approximately $4 billion. Not only are we putting money in, we are also putting money into our debt, which the Minister of Finance spoke about a couple of days ago, the servicing of debt; that debt is a huge expense in itself. We have serviced that and we paid down debt while at the same time putting huge amounts, massive amounts of funding into infrastructure, vital infrastructure in this Province.

Revenues from our oil and mineral resources provided this government with the ability to address the deficits left behind by the former Administration. We make no bones about that. Obviously, we are very thankful for the oil. It is something that I think is going to bring us well into the future as well. With that being said, we are not short sighted; we know there is a life span to oil, of course, the bigger picture when it comes to our energy plan, Muskrat Falls being massive piece of that.

Not only are we thankful for what we have, we want to make sure that we are going to have that and be able to be sustainable into the future, and Muskrat Falls plays a huge piece into that.

We invested heavily into essential services in infrastructure and we did so because it was in desperate need, plain and simple. Again, these were not just simple things. They were things that had to be done – and I want to stress that: they had to be done because they were left years without being done.

Mr. Speaker, it is the same difference. I say to the opposition members, it is no different than if you own a house. You cannot just have a house years and years and years and never invest into it, never put back into it, because it will fall down around you and that is what we had.

Let us compare our Province to a house. In 2003, when we took the house over, it was falling down. The foundation was in ruins and everything above it was not fit. That is what we came to see. That is what was handed to us. The results, obviously, have been substantial, Mr. Speaker, and they have been dramatic. No matter what part of the Province you travel to, it is obvious, as I have said before.

Let us look at some specifics. Again, this is a very huge topic and I would like to break it down in some specific areas to talk about the funding and the level of investment.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Community Services, I get to see first hand the investments and the level of service being provided to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador on a daily basis. I would like to take a minute to speak about some of the investments in Health and Community Services. I kindly ask for your patience while I touch on a couple of these. These, of course, go back to 2003-2004.

I would say again to the Opposition Parties: sharpen your pencil. As soon as I strike anything that you believe is frivolous or reckless spending, I would kindly ask you to make a note and when you get up after me, you would have your say. That is what I look forward to.

Let's talk about new health care facilities since 2003-2004. We have developed and constructed eight new health care facilities. Humberwood Addictions Centre in Corner Brook, construction complete; Labrador West health centre, construction ongoing; Corner Brook acute care, planning ongoing; Paradise Youth Treatment Centre, construction ongoing; Grand Falls-Windsor Youth Treatment Centre, construction ongoing; and Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre, construction ongoing. You can see the massive amount of investment we have and all of these projects that are up-and-coming: Green Bay health centre, planning ongoing.

Then we have Glovertown clinic, which is near and dear to my heart, construction is ongoing. I hope in the next few months we are going to see that place open, which I really look forward to. It was something that was desperately needed.

If I can just put my district lens on this, I am very intimately familiar with Glovertown and the state that clinic was in, and the level of mould that was downstairs. This is where we were sending our sick people to get treatment, to a mouldy clinic. This government recognized that and put the investment into it. After it is all said and done, the building is going to probably be –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

CHAIR: Order, please!

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

The building is probably going to run in the ballpark of $1.5 million to $2 million, I would imagine.

Let's talk about new long-term care and community support facilities since 2003-2004. We have developed and are constructing nine new long-term care facilities – nine new long-term care facilities. I will give an example of some of these: Corner Brook Long-Term Care Facility, construction complete; Corner Brook Protective Community Residences, construction complete; Clarenville long-term care facility, construction complete; and North Haven Manor, Lewisporte, construction complete. I look at the Member for Lewisporte and I know that was something he was very proud of, and so he should be. It is a great facility.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Long-Term Care facility, construction complete; St. John's long-term care facility, construction ongoing; as well as the Carbonear long-term care facility, Clarenville protective care residences, and the Bonavista protective community residences. So many projects, either done or under construction.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I want to speak on a few other things. I know my time is getting low. It is funny, when you try to prepare a speech you want to try to stay within your confines of fifteen minutes. That is what I have here, and I am down actually now to just one minute. I will have an opportunity. The greatest thing about standing up and introducing a motion is having another opportunity to stand on your feet. I will get back in a little bit, but I will take the last minute just to go over some more health investments.

We have invested over $500 million since 2003-2004 for renovations and equipment; renovations and repairs making up $200 million and capital equipment approximately $300 million. Health care investments touch every single person in this Province. I do not have to ask someone, I can tell you. I can guarantee it touches every single person. From the time you are born to the time of your passing, you are touched by the health care system. These investments are key and the fact is they were neglected for years and years.

I used the example of the Glovertown clinic with mould in the basement. That really sums it up. That is a small, small piece of the bigger problem that we had to face us when we took government in 2003.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the Opposition having an opportunity to stand up now and tell me exactly where this frivolous spending was because I would like to know what we should not have done. Let's not talk about anything else. Let's take this opportunity and give us your advice. I kindly seek it.

With that, I will take my seat and I look forward to the opportunity to get up once again.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If you want to look at frivolous spending, I say to the member, look to the left with the Parliamentary Assistant to the Office of Public Engagement. If you want to start, just look to your left.

I say to the member, when you stand up and say the long-term care facility is complete in Corner Brook, I say to the member – the Member for Humber West, do you know what his number one priority is in Corner Brook this year? It is to get the last wing of the long-term care facility open. You do not even know what you are talking about.

If you want to talk about –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the hon. member, I ask him to address the Chair.

MR. JOYCE: Can you tell him, he does not know what he is talking about?

MR. SPEAKER: I ask you to address the Chair, please. Keep the personalities out of it, please.

MR. JOYCE: I will.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Sir.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you.

If you want to talk about some frivolous spending, let's talk about the $30 million spent up in Parsons Pond to drill two holes for nothing. Let's talk about the $11 million to the pellet plant down there going nowhere, against all the officials. Everybody said no, do not do it except – who made that decision? The day the Premier of the Province who was the minister at the time.

Let's talk about the office in Ottawa, millions upon millions spent for someone to pick up the newspaper, Mr. Speaker. Let's talk about the $200 million boondoggle out in Abitibi, out in Grand Falls. Do you want me to keep going?

Let's talk about the $12 million for a Rural Secretariat that no one even knows what they are doing around here, not a soul. Let's talk about the Department of Business that spent $30 million that we had very, very hot – not one job or one business brought in this Province, Mr. Speaker. That is $283 million right there off the top of my head. That is not even counting the billion dollars that was promised for the hospital in Corner Brook that is not even spent yet.

Mr. Speaker, I will get back to the motion that was put forward. It is talking about bridges, ferries –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. JOYCE: - long-term sustainability. Long-term sustainability, Mr. Speaker, that is put in here.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot pass on the comment that was made yesterday by the Premier who is offering us, the Opposition, a lecture on debt and deficit. The same Premier who announced there was going to be a $4 billion deficit in the next three years. t reminds me of the fox going to show the chickens how to build a chicken coop. It is just amazing how the Premier could actually stand up and do it. It is amazing.

Mr. Speaker, you want to talk about the $5 billion infrastructure program that the member so proudly stood up and announced – the $5 billion. Guess what, Mr. Speaker? When the Auditor General went into this government and asked this government: show me your plan, how we spent the priority, see if you could save money. Guess what? There is no plan. How was it spent? We do not know. That is what the Auditor General himself, Wayne Loveys, said.

We do not know. We do not know if the money was spent in the most efficient way. We do not know if the priorities – we do not know where all the money went. That is what the Auditor General said. Mr. Speaker, not only did the Auditor General say that, Loveys filed a formal complaint with the House of Assembly citing denial of access.

If you want to talk about the cone of silence: this was before Bill 29; just imagine how bad the secrecy in this government is now. When the Auditor General of this Province, who is hired by this government, cannot get access, Mr. Speaker, to how money is spent, and you want me to support a motion put here? You want me to support a motion?

Mr. Speaker, I will just go through it. Just say I wanted to support this. For some reason the Member for Bay of Islands wants to support this, Mr. Speaker. I may look at this here – the long-term sustainability. If I want to support this, I will get some people mad at me. I will explain who I will get mad at me – and I do not want people mad at me; I like people liking me.

You know the ones who will get mad at me? I do not want the Premier – the Premier said: this is not sustainable; we have to reign in our spending. How can you, the member standing up here, put in a motion of long-term sustainability when the Premier stands up and says it is not sustainable – it is just not sustainable?

Who do I want to be mad at me? The Premier of the Province who says this – what we were doing is wrong, it is not sustainable – or the Member for Terra Nova? I think I am going to pick the Premier because I cannot vote for this here today anyway. I think I am going to pick the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, and also my good friend the Member for Humber East, the Minister of Natural Resources; I do not want him mad at me. The former Minister of Finance, the Member for Humber East, on December 14, 2012, said the government needs to cut because the current plans are unsustainable.

Seeing we are in a neighbouring district, I do not want you mad at me. That is what you said: it is unsustainable. That was December 14, 2012, three months ago.

MR. SPEAKER: I remind the member to speak to the Chair.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the Member for Terra Nova – I cannot support something that the Minister of Finance does not agree with, that the Premier of the Province does not agree with; I am sorry, I cannot support it.

Take a guess: who else cannot support it, Mr. Speaker? Take a guess at who else cannot support it. A former PC candidate who got $150,000 to do a report for the department over at Advanced Education and Skills, which we are not going to use because John Noseworthy called the level of recent spending of the government unsustainable.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, John Noseworthy, the former Auditor General said that. I do not want John Noseworthy mad at me, so I say to the Member for Terra Nova: I cannot vote for it because this is just too many people – too many people who are saying in this Province, that what you are doing is unsustainable. It is unsustainable, Mr. Speaker.

It is easy to stand up, the Member for Terra Nova, and say one thing when you have the Premier, the Minister of Finance, the former Auditor General, Mr. Speaker, saying it is unsustainable and they would even vote against this here if they believed in what they said earlier.

Mr. Speaker, I will just keep it going now. I ask the Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island, when you look at this report: how are you doing with the ferries over on Bell Island, because part of this here says the ferries. How are you doing with the ferries?

Get up. I am sure the people from your area would love for you to stand up and tout this government on the great ferry replacement schedule that they got elected in 2003. I am sure you are going to stand up. I am sure you are going to stand up now and say: listen, I think the ferry schedule that we have in here, the replacement schedule – which they made commitments, which we made commitments, which we did not follow through, which we promised people; we never followed through, but I am going to stand up and vote because I am told to do it.

That is a good way to do it here today now: stand up and talk about the ferry schedule. You will have your opportunity to speak. You stand up; you stand up and talk about the ferry schedule, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there is another one I forgot. I forgot about this one. I have to backtrack a bit. I was so excited that I forgot about this one – another one who feels that the spending is unsustainable and why I cannot vote for them. It is the same person who is just getting hired –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

It is an unacceptable noise level. I ask members to be a little more attentive to the speaker.

Thank you.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there is another one I –

MS SULLIVAN: (Inaudible).

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health is saying something. The only thing I want you to say is when the hospital is going to start, when the tender is going start on construction. Anything else, you can say it, but right now that is all I am talking about is the hospital in Corner Brook. If you really want to stand up – I will even give up my last five minutes, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: I remind the hon. member to speak to the Chair.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, the one I forgot was Wade Locke – unsustainable, predicted a decade of annual deficits. Now, they just hired him for $75,000 to come in and say here is what you are doing wrong. He is the same one who said that, and you want me to vote for this here and have the Premier upset with me and the Minister of Natural Resources upset with me. Who else? Have the former Auditor General, John Noseworthy, and now have Wade Locke mad at me. I cannot have it, so I have to vote against it.

If you look at the ferry service – ask the member for Coast of Bays. How is the ferry service down your way? Ask the member for Coast of Bays, Mr. Speaker, is she going to vote for this here and talk about the great replacement ferry strategy they have here now, with the calls down there where the people could not get on – a man injured down there could not even get on the helicopter because he could not even lay down. Yes, I would love to see them stand up and say the great ferry replacement strategy here today, Mr. Speaker. It is great to see that all of them are going to jump up now and just pad the desk, push the desk, and knowing that the ferry replacement schedule, which was brought in in 2003, was not followed through – it was not followed through, Mr. Speaker. It just did not keep up.

In the bridges, Mr. Speaker, when the Auditor General said there is no plan for inspection for the bridges across the Province, or replacement schedule. You want to talk about all this and you want to talk about all this going on, Mr. Speaker. When the Auditor General herself – and Mr. Speaker, if you want to talk about some ways you should spend money, let us look at the hospital in Corner Brook. Something that was committed back in 2007 – not done. Not even to the tender –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. JOYCE: I know, Mr. Speaker, it is hard for them to listen to the truth over there, let me tell you. It is pretty hard, but I guarantee you, this is one member who is not going to stand here and be challenged by the Member for Terra Nova saying give us some examples. I just gave over $300 million examples of wasted government – and Mr. Speaker, do not get me started on the number of PC appointments that are in this government that is wasting government funds. Now, all of a sudden, all these people, oh we do not need them – we do not need them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask members to be considerate of the speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, I find it very frustrating when I bring up facts and you get shouted down. Especially when you bring up the hospital in Corner Brook, which is very near and dear to my heart, Mr. Speaker. I just hope one thing. I asked them, VOCM, CBC or The Telegram, do not put it on a poll if the hospital should be built because we will lose, I guarantee you. We will end up losing. I will lose because when they are stacking the polls, Mr. Speaker, I guarantee you that, I hope it do not go on-line.

That is why if you look at the hospital in Corner Brook, Mr. Speaker, the hospital is one thing that I advocated and I know the members advocated. You can advocate, but there is nothing done by this government. We started back in 2007 when the shovel was put in the ground and construction was going to start. We turned around and it was said the construction was going to start in 2011, and it was not – just before the election. In 2012, we said oh, we are starting the design work, under Estimates; the design work is not done.

We turned around then in 2012 again, Mr. Speaker, when we went through the Estimates, it was not done. Then we had the Premier meet with the city council, telling the city council of Corner Brook if it is $500 million or $600 million, it is not on. Mr. Speaker, I challenged the Member for Humber West three days ago – he was at the meeting. It is time for him to stand on his feet and say that Councillor Leo Bruce mislead the people in Corner Brook and mislead everybody by going public and saying that the Premier made a statement if it is $500 million or $600 million, it is not on. Here is your opportunity. This is the third time I gave him that opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, the funny part about it, the next day there was another –

MS SULLIVAN: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services, on a point of order.

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, while the member opposite is up there talking about delays in doing what is the right thing for the people of the Western portion of this Province, I just want to point out that – this is not something that I wanted to put out there, but let's add some clarification to this debate. Stephenville -

MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Thank you.

MS SULLIVAN: Well, Mr. Speaker, I believe that I am (inaudible).

Thanks for your ruling.

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, if I thought she was going to announce a tender I would stay down.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JOYCE: Mr. Speaker, all I have to say here is I cannot support this motion. After $300 million of this waste of money, I cannot support long-term sustainability.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a lively afternoon here in the House of Assembly, I can assure you.

During the last few months we have been working very hard on this side of the House. I can tell you that my Cabinet colleagues and I have been working very hard since the House last sat in December.

I think the crowd over there must have been doing dancing lessons, Mr. Speaker, because they have learned how to do the twist, I can tell you that. They have been learning how to do the twist and they are getting really good at it.

We are paying attention to the twist they are trying to put on things over there, Mr. Speaker. I do not mind at all, standing up here and talking about the investments that we made in Newfoundland and Labrador. I do not mind at all talking about it and telling the people of Newfoundland and Labrador about the good investments we have made.

If the Member for Bay of Islands wants to talk about ferries, I would be more than glad to talk about ferries. I had a chance –

AN HON. MEMBER: Talk about the hospital.

MR. DAVIS: I will talk about the hospital; I sure will. I will get to that.

I had a chance in Question Period today to mention about ferries. I am glad he wants to talk about investments in ferries. We do have a vessel replacement program underway in which we are investing millions of dollars for new vessels and new services for the Province, to improve the services of the Province and to provide those very much needed services for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Much unlike they did, Mr. Speaker, because their Vessel Replacement Strategy was a vessel called the Nonia. We all know the Nonia, and I think everyone in the Province knows about the Nonia. They should know about the Nonia. It was only last month that we decommissioned the Nonia. It was a vessel that was purchased by the previous Liberal government for just over $1 million; $1.2 million, bought in Estonia to be brought to Newfoundland and Labrador.

They were going to spend $1 million to Canadianize it, and they were going to have it in service in eighteen to twenty-four months. Mr. Speaker, that never happened. They spent their $1.2 million, and when we came into government we are still trying to wrestle with the burden that we had known as the Nonia.

It ended up costing $9.8 million to put that vessel in operation. Since then, we have spent $19 million on required refits. Every year ferries in Newfoundland and Labrador, and rightfully so, which Transport Canada, who is the regulator – they have very strict regulations to ensure safety, the safety of the vessels, the people who operate the vessels on a daily basis, and the people who ride on them for very necessary transportation purposes. The regulator every year does inspections. We have to follow regulations and do a refit, an annual refit and repairs.

This year, the vessel went in. This past summer, in July, the Nonia went in for refit. When a vessel goes in for a refit, there are times – they found that the steel was too thin, is what happened. I questioned: I wonder why is the steel too thin? It is below the requirements of Transport Canada. Why is it too thin?

It turns out it was too thin when they bought it, but Transport Canada had provided an exemption because it was a different strength of steel. They agreed to that. Transport Canada now has said: We are not going to allow this any more. Any of the steel there would have to be replaced. Nine million dollars it would cost to return that vessel to operation.

The officials in my department, who I will say have tremendous experience in ferries, refits, ferry operations, repairs and maintenance, told me it is going to cost $2 million a year for the next five years to keep that in operation. That is $19 million to get five more years out of it. That is why I made the decision that we cannot continue to do that.

The two new vessels that we purchased, the first two new vessels that were provided in the Province in twenty years, the Grace Sparkes and the Hazel McIsaac, were $27.5 million each. So we are going to fix up the rustbucket, the problem we had, the Nonia, or we are going to make good investments in new vessels.

What we have done is we have announced we are going to build a couple of new vessels. We are going to build another forty-two metre vessel, a swing vessel similar to the Grace Sparkes and Hazel McIsaac. We are going to build a vessel to replace the Captain Earle W. Winsor. It is the largest boat we have, by the way, and it provides services to the people of Fogo Island and Change Islands. That is what we are doing, Mr. Speaker.

I tell you, the hon. Member for Bay of Islands over there decided to talk about the Bell Island service. Let me talk a little bit about the Bell Island service because I can tell you that the member on this side of the House who represents the people of Bell Island, he and I had many discussion about ferries. I know how important the ferry service is to him. He has taken a lot of time when opportunities present themselves to educate me in the necessities of the service, the importance of the service, and also about the peaks and valleys of the service. That happens with a lot of services.

The Member for The Isles of Notre Dame and I had many conversations about the Fogo Island-Change Islands service as well. The Member for Terra Nova, we have regular discussions about the service for St. Brendan's, as an example, and that occurs. I thank them for their patience, their support, and also for the information they provide to me.

You know, back in the days of the government over there, when the Liberal government was in power, they had two ferries. Currently, there are two ferries running on Bell Island. We had two ferries there when we had the assets available to put on there. Back in those days, they only had two ferries nine months of the year. For three months of the year they had to rely on a single ferry. I can tell you, back in the days when the Liberals operated the service – and the Member for Conception Bay East – Bell Island just enlightened me on this; I was not aware of it before - back in those days, there were thirteen crossings a day to get people from Bell Island to Portugal Cove. Today, the regular schedule is to be twenty or twenty-one, or twenty-two crossings on a regular day.

Mr. Speaker, I would say to you: that is a significantly better service than was ever provided to them before. As a matter of fact, we had a chat about the economy, the importance of the economy and the difference the economy is having on the people on Bell Island.

He was telling me – this is anecdotal from the hon. member – back in those days there were 230 commuters who used to commute daily to cross Portugal Cove to the Northeast Avalon for work. Today that number is over 500 a day - 500 a day - and I think that speaks volumes, Mr. Speaker, to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Member for the Bay of Islands also mentioned hospitals. I am going to tell you now about hospitals and the way they used to do business. The first announcement for Stephenville hospital actually occurred in April of 1989; back in 1989 when the Liberals were in government, the Premier of the day announced there was going to be a new hospital in Stephenville.

The elections in 1993, 1996, 1999 – guess what happened?

AN HON. MEMBER: Nothing.

MR. DAVIS: Nothing. Then, the Premier of the day, Premier Tobin, was Premier of the day – from Stephenville, actually – and nothing happen with that promise. That is right; all of those years. Construction finally occurred in 2001-2002 and then it opened on the eve of the election in October –

AN HON. MEMBER: During the election.

MR. DAVIS: During the election. During the election campaign the hospital finally opened; 1989 to 2003 – 1989 to 2003. I am told when it opened there was still plaster on the walls, there were no locks on the doors, but they rushed to get it open.

MR. JOYCE: A point of order.

MR. SPEAKER: On a point of order, the hon. the Member for Bay of Islands.

MR. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just heard the comments that the member made about another hospital. That is why this Member for the Bay of Islands is staying on top of the hospital in Corner Brook, to ensure that it is done the fastest and the best way possible, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Thank you.

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I try not to interrupt the hon. member too often, but he is quite an expert in points of order, because he does it every day, and does it every day to try and use up other members' speaking time. So, if that is the way we are going to operate, then that is fine. That is his right to do that, and I respect it, and if he wants to use up my time, then that is fine as well.

The member opposite also talked about bridges. Let me tell you about bridges for a minute, Mr. Speaker, because we have 807 bridges that my department is responsible for throughout this Province – 807 bridges. I will tell you, bridges are pretty important, because the highways and roadways that cross over bridges are not much use without those bridges. I will tell you what, they are pretty important to us.

I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, in ten years previous to us coming into power, in ten years previous to 2004, when the members opposite were in power – and I will talk about what we did, don't you worry. I know what the member opposite likes for us to talk about: do not talk about the history of them, talk about what we did. So, it is good to put it in perspective, Mr. Speaker, good to put it in perspective.

Fifty-six structures underwent improvements; fifty-six out of 807 had some improvement. I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, in the last ten years – are you ready? – $36 million we spent on bridge repairs and $154 million on bridge replacements. That is almost $200 million, and of those, we have either repaired or replaced 267 bridges in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker – 267 bridges.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: That improvement of those bridges is about the safety of the people of the Province. It is about the safety and usefulness of those structures for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. So, just to recap: ten years previous – ten years previous to that, fifty-six.

So, you can imagine the piece of infrastructure that we inherited. When our government came into power ten years ago, we had to make significant investments to try to improve on our bridges and our roads in order to bring them up to a standard that would be useable.

We are still doing it. Of 807 bridges, we have done 267, which is a significant amount, but there is still work to be done on those investments. I ask the hon. members opposite if they would like to identify some bridges maybe in their own districts that they do not want us to upgrade or repair. Maybe we can take them off our future list that we have for doing bridge work around the Province.

I would like to point out as well, Mr. Speaker, while it is on my mind – because the Member for Bay of Islands made a suggestion that the Auditor General could not find out where we spent the money. He did not know where the money went.

I say, again, back to their dancing lessons; there is a twist again, Mr. Speaker, a twist on the facts.

AN HON. MEMBER: A significant twist.

MR. DAVIS: A very significant twist, because the Auditor General knew exactly where the funding was spent. That was not his concern at all, but he knew exactly where it was spent. For the hon. member to get up here and misconstrue the Auditor General and his findings is sad. It is unfortunate, but that is the way he wants to do his job and I am fine with that.

Recently, when I first went into the Department of Transportation and Works, I went out with the Member for St. George's – Stephenville East. I went out to the Searston Gut Bridge out on the West Coast of the Province.

I am going to tell you, you want to see an important event for a community. We went out there to open a new bridge. The whole community came out – almost $5 million investment in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. They came out; they brought a bagpiper with them. The whole town came out and I never saw so much appreciation and excitement in a community on an opening of a bridge before.

They bag piped us across the bridge. One of the Cormiers, a very talented family, well known on the West Coast, bag piped us across the bridge to the jubilation, excitement, and the pleasure of the people of the community.

When we got over it, we were going to do a ribbon cutting, and I can tell you we were so caught up in it that we did not do the ribbon cutting until we got to the other side. Then the people of the community all wanted a piece of that ribbon to remember the day that the new bridge opened. You talk about appreciation for an investment, almost a $5 million investment for people of a community who had been separated by the loss of this structure in their own community.

We went to a community hall.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DAVIS: It was hosted by the people of the community. Went to a community hall, they had a big celebration. Then they say: are you going to be here Saturday night for the dance? Saturday night, they held a big dance in celebration.

That is what infrastructure is all about, especially in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. I think we should open all our bridges and all our buildings now with a bagpiper, because I am going to tell you, it was a great celebration. They clearly, clearly demonstrated how important an event that was to them.

I spoke to a lady just a couple of days ago, just this week, Mr. Speaker, and this past weekend she traveled from the North East Avalon to the West Coast and back, across the Trans Canada Highway. She made a point of saying to me that she noticed the good condition of our highway and how much better it is now than it has been in the decades gone by. The one that she mentioned was the Sir Robert Bond Bridge across the Exploits River. That is a critical piece of infrastructure.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DAVIS: I can tell you the member for the area there has also taken the time to come speak to me, as a lot of members do – always like to come talk to me about their districts. He has clearly articulated the importance of it.

It was upgraded in 2011; there is a new bridge, a two-year project underway, and we look forward to the completion of that in 2015. Mr. Speaker, that is part of the infrastructure work and investment we are making, and I tell you, we make no apologies for the investments that we have made for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is certainly a privilege to stand here and address this PMR today. What we have heard, I think, in the last half hour or so, or forty-five minutes now, has been – really, when you look back, there have been a lot of examples given about where this Province was back in 2003. For some reason, the government is now taking the position that they want to go back there as some starting point or something. What they always talk about is that they have had to rebuild the Province or the infrastructure deficit that was actually in this Province at the time.

Typically when you talk about when you inherit a deficit problem or you inherit anything at all that would cost you money, you would also look at and give credit where credit is due, and I think it would be time that you would say: when we came into this, what else did we inherit? There was no question, and I have said it before, that in 2003 you were left with revenues in the $4 billion range and expenses in the same area. We did have a balanced budget; there were some deficits, only minor compared to the deficits that we are talking about today.

There are some things that happened leading up to 2003 that for some reason the members opposite do not really talk about a lot. For some reason, we do not hear people talking about Hibernia. We do not hear members opposite talk about Terra Nova, White Rose, or the work that was done with Vale Inco. They do not want to talk about it.

There was one member opposite who spoke a few days ago about the 4,000 jobs that are currently in Long Harbour. Who signed that deal in Long Harbour with Vale Inco? Was it the members opposite, I ask, Mr. Speaker?

MS JONES: No.

MR. BALL: It was not. It was not the current government. This was an inheritance. This was an inheritance that this government – and they were willing to quite gladly accept it. The same as it was for Terra Nova, the same as it was for Hibernia, and the same for White Rose. Those particular projects have generated significant dollars for this government to use as they rebuilt this Province over the last number of years.

Today's PMR, however, is about sustainability. How is it that we address those problems we have inherited, as they say? How do we address that in a sustainable fashion? Mr. Speaker, the same ability is not about how you react to a particular issue. It is about how you support a decision that you made. It is about making the decision that can last for the long term.

If you go back and look at the history of oil royalties in our Province and the impact it has had on our budgets as it impacts the amount of money that we have had to spend, I want to bring up some numbers for you, Mr. Speaker. Back in 2003 and 2004, does anybody know what we received in oil royalties? Well, it was about $127 million.

In 2004-2005, it was about $265 million. In 2005-2006, it was $532 million. In 2006-2007, it was $423 million. Listen to this number now, in 2007-2008, $1.7 billion. In 2008-2009, it was $2.2 billion. In 2009-2010, it was $2.1 billion. In 2010-2011, it was $2.4 billion. In 2011-2012, it was $2.8 billion, with an estimate of about $2.2 billion. On that inheritance right there, that totals about $15 billion; $7.4 billion of that has been generated since 2010-2011.

I would challenge anybody, any of the members opposite, to pick up any of those agreements and show me where they have had an influence, show me where they have had impact on generating that revenue. Where is it? It is not there.

I will say, unlike some people who have spoken today, there is a time to give credit where credit is due. As I look at the Minister of Finance, back in 1985 there was a significant event that happened for this Province. Of course, that was the Atlantic Accord. From all of that, we see a lot of the work that was done here. That set the framework for a lot of the major deals that were done. It was Liberal governments that actually brought those deals to a close and it was Liberal governments that are responsible for generating those oil royalties.

In the future, we do not know what the future holds, but Hebron will probably have a significant impact on where we will go. Hebron will contribute to the economy of the Province, not just about jobs. We certainly hope that is a successful project and that it will generate oil royalties, although the royalty regime has changed for Hebron.

Mr. Speaker, these are just examples of where it takes a succession of governments to actually create the successes that we have had today. This was not about the hard work of the members opposite. This was not about that. This was about the hard work of predecessors for this particular government. They did inherit some challenges that they had to address, but I can guarantee you they were given a big chequebook to be able to do it with and they were given a big bank account to be able to do it with.

MS JONES: All together, how much is that on Liberal deals?

MR. BALL: That is about $15 billion.

MS JONES: About $15 billion.

MR. BALL: Mr. Speaker, sustainability, as I said, is about support. Today, we have heard over recent weeks about the decisions and how do we contain our spending. What do we do to control spending to what they call sustainable levels?

This week, I had the opportunity to speak to a young man from the Province who told me his story. His story was that six years ago he was recruited by this particular government to come back home. As he called it, I got the call to come back from Alberta. He answered that call. Two Fridays ago he received another call. He told me the call was to go back to Alberta. The call to go back to Alberta though, was not a decision he wanted to make. It was a decision he had to make, simply because he was one of the individuals who has been let go. He is now looking for work back in Alberta.

Six years ago he made a decision to come back home, to come back to the place where he always wanted to live. He did that thinking his own life and his paycheque were sustainable, but that is not the case. When he came back, he took a job and worked hard for six years.

As a matter of fact, he has helped people transition in to a new workplace for them, but his job was not sustainable. That is what he is being told right now. The mortgage that he has on his house is not sustainable with his current paycheque. The car that he has to deal with – he has to tell his family now that I am heading back to Alberta. Back to Alberta because –

MR. KENNEDY: Why didn't he get a job here?

MR. BALL: He could not get a job here, I say to the Minister of Finance. He has made a decision now, and he has lost confidence. He has lost confidence in this and now he has the decision made to go back to Alberta. It is a decision that he has made.

AN HON. MEMBER: It is his choice.

MR. BALL: Exactly; it is his choice. It was his choice to come home because he felt that the decisions, the workplace, and the job that he had accepted would be there for the long haul, but this thirty-year-old gentleman right now is heading back. In his case, like I said, he was recruited, asked to come home, and he has done this and made a decision to live here.

I also want to talk a little bit about debt. We talk a lot about debt right now. I mentioned in this House a few days ago that it took us about fifty years to get to a debt of $9 billion. In 1997, the net debt in the Province was about $7.2 billion. In 2003, that net debt was about $10.6 billion. This year, the projected net debt is to be just under $9 billion – about $8.9 billion. The issue here if you take the current deficits that this government is now forecasting at $4 billion over the next three years, we will see net debt at a level higher than they were back in 2003.

Right now, this government were given huge opportunities over the last ten years, they were given access to oil royalties like we have never seen before in the history of this Province, and they were given the ability to actually grow this to be sustainable and manage the growth.

One of the things that you talk about when you manage growth in your province, you ask yourself: How do we demonstrate that; how is it shown? Typically, when you look at a province that is said to be doing good and these are good times, you ask yourself: What is the unemployment rate in that province? That is a key indicator into Canada right now. We compare ourselves to other provinces. This is what we do.

Well, last week when the numbers were released, again province by province, what happened? Again, we find ourselves as a Province here in Newfoundland and Labrador we are, at unemployment rates, the highest in Canada. It is the highest rates in Canada.

This is an area that we were never proud of. This is a position that we held for a number of years. Through all the discussion that we have had and all the good times that we have had and everything that we hear in a positive way when you speak to people in a lot of the areas in our Province, what they are knowing is that we are now currently unemployed to the highest rates that we have in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke about the debt, and there is no question that you have to manage your debt and you have to do it in a sustainable fashion. You do not put what you want to be sustainable programs in place by reacting. You have to be very careful that you do not rush the decisions. When times are good, when you have a lot of money coming in, it is easy in some ways, people will say, to make very bad decisions because you are not worried about where the next dollar would come from.

Now I heard the MHA opposite as he spoke – the MHA for Terra Nova – as he talked about the underpaid public service. Well, those underpaid public servants, there was no question, there was a discrepancy, and there were opportunities for them in other areas. Mr. Speaker, when I look at this and I address this, this is no different today. If you speak to our public service today, it is no different than speaking to the public service members years and years ago. There was uncertainty there; they felt underpaid. Right now, how are they feeling? Are they feeling any more confident today? Certainly not, as they face the uncertainty about job losses.

What about our roads? If you go into many of the districts in this Province today, we still hear the same common theme. We are seeing rutting, for instance – and members opposite would understand this. We have seen roads that have been done for four or five years that right now we have significant rutting problems in them.

I want to go back to the public service and how they are feeling today. One of the things that we have is that there is a lot of people today, when you look at, how do you compensate people fairly? One of the things that they do have, some options – the options are not always here. If you go to the West Coast, you go to Central, there are many, many people today who are actually commuting back – and I see members opposite nodding their heads. They have those people in their districts as well. They have made a decision to actually in places like Alberta, work in places like Saskatchewan – that is a decision. The workforce has become very mobile; it becomes a very mobile workforce. So, we have to make sure that we put a competitive wage in place so that those people would still stay home and live where they want to live.

Now, Mr. Speaker, too, when you look at the unemployment rates, when you look at the opportunities that many of our public sector employees would have right now, we have also to accept that we look to those areas and we actually manage that growth in a sustainable fashion.

The Member for Terra Nova also mentioned, and proudly said, talked about post-secondary education and the tuition freeze. Now, I would like to remind the member opposite that the tuition freeze for post-secondary education, if you go back, if you take out the book, if you take out the documents and you listen to the releases, I would like to remind the member opposite, who was it that signed that, who was it that put the tuition freezes in place in the beginning.

It was a Liberal government that saw the value of putting tuition freezes in place for post-secondary students. It was not the government of the day. The government of the day have maintained that tuition freeze; we support that. The idea to put that tuition freeze in place – the members opposite should not and cannot take credit for that. So, making that investment is also about making a return. That is a good investment and it has a great return, and the students of the day appreciate that. It is indeed a Liberal initiative that was put in place, actually in conjunction with a lot of other great programs that have been done and put in place by past Administrations, many of those being Liberal governments.

Mr. Speaker, I have about a minute left here and I want to talk a little bit about health care spending. When we talk about investments and we talk about spending, there is always an outcome that gets attached to that. The health care spending in our Province, we have seen it at unprecedented levels. The fact is, what kind of return are we getting on that? As the Fraser Institute just a few weeks ago said, Newfoundland and Labrador is the worst bang for the buck in health care spending.

Mr. Speaker, when you talk about investments, you also need to talk about income. You cannot just talk about money spent and see the value you got for that money. When you invest and you make significant investments in health care, you should expect a return. Indeed, it was the Fraser Institute that has said we get the worst bang for our buck.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Verge): Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, a point of order.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Minister of Health and Community Services, on a point of order.

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to stand on a point of order. There was some reference to the fact that in terms of health care, we are not getting anything. There was a reference to a report around the Fraser Institute saying that we were not doing particularly well in terms of wait times.

Mr. Speaker, what I would like to point out is that –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS SULLIVAN: – in terms of national benchmarks –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS SULLIVAN: – we are actually second in Canada.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure to rise and speak in support of this motion this afternoon, Mr. Speaker. It is also great to see you back in the Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: You know that you have been in our thoughts and prayers in recent weeks, and I am very proud of your performance today in this hon. House. It is great to see you back in the Speaker's Chair as well.

For those members who are not on Twitter, I think it is also important to note that there is white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel and a new pope has been selected. I am sure several of the members opposite are already aware as they are ‘clickety' clicking over there. The Member for Gander is missing. I do not know if there is any correlation, but I doubt it.

A few comments off the top about what I just heard from the Leader of the Opposition. I was pleased to hear him talk about sustainability, because what this government is all about over here is sustainability. We support economic growth. We support sustainability. We are all about fiscal responsibility and maintaining, developing, and strengthening our economy.

He quotes the Fraser Institute. I could very easily quote the Fraser Institute as well. There have been many, many reports from the Fraser Institute citing the great work that is happening in Newfoundland and Labrador. Instead, I will quote Mark Carney. I can quote many others as well, but former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said that; "We would all do well to follow the example of Newfoundland and Labrador." When it comes to growing the economy, when it comes to infrastructure investment, when it comes to fiscal responsibility, Mark Carney's words were; "We would all do well to follow the example of Newfoundland and Labrador."

The Leader of the Opposition also talks about all the minor deficits that the Liberal Administration maintained for the fourteen years that they were at the helm in this Province. Those annual deficits were close to $1 billion a year. Not just once or twice, Mr. Speaker, close to $1 billion a year. What did they do when they were running billion-dollar deficits, Mr. Speaker? They kept increasing spending year over year over year while they were running billion-dollar deficits. Yet, the Leader of the Opposition has the nerve to suggest that these were only minor deficits. That does not sound like sustainability to me, Mr. Speaker.

He talks about the great deals that have led to all the prosperity in Newfoundland and Labrador. I believe he mentioned Voisey's Bay in his remarks. I remember former Premier Brian Tobin making a commitment during the 1999 election about not one spoonful. Not one spoonful – do you remember those words? What did the Liberal Administration do following those commitments, Mr. Speaker? They signed another giveaway deal, a giveaway deal with Inco on Voisey's Bay.

They talk about fiscal responsibility and they suggest mismanagement when we provided, in the past, modest bonuses to executives who are doing great work to improve and strengthen the public services we provide. They will talk about those modest bonuses, and the Minister of Finance addressed those in Question Period today, but you will not hear them talk about the $59,000 they paid to Sue Kelland-Dyer for consulting work from May 2001 to April 2002. May 2001 to April 2002, they paid $59,000 to Sue Kelland-Dyer for consulting work.

Mr. Speaker, the folks over there, like the hon. Member for the Bay of Islands and the Leader of the Opposition, talk about fiscal responsibility, but they will not tell you about what happened several months later in December 2002. In December 2002 they spent $88,000 to hire none other than Sue Kelland-Dyer again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. KENT: Eighty-eight thousand dollars, because she was out criticizing government, but once a couple of payments over a period of time totalling $59,000 and then $88,000 on top of that to be a consultant in the Premier's office to monitor the radio shows, Mr. Speaker, and the polls. It is rather disingenuous for members opposite to stand up and talk to us today about fiscal responsibility.

Then, in his conclusion today – and I am going to get to my speech soon enough, Mr. Speaker, but some of this has to be addressed. In his final remarks today he talks about the tuition freeze that the Liberals dreamed up. Well, Mr. Speaker, they only froze tuition after increasing tuition rates time and time again to a point where it was unsustainable, Mr. Speaker. That is the reality.

They increased tuition over and over again, year over year over year. Not only did they do that, they eliminated grants to students in this Province. Students had the highest levels of debt in our history under that Administration. So I encourage people to check out the facts.

Now prior to that, we heard from the Member for Bay of Islands who certainly continues to advocate for his district and the region he represents, but I would ask him to consider what his government did for the people of Corner Brook and what investments were made on the West Coast of our Province during that period of our history. You will never hear him talk about the fourteen beds under construction right now in the long-term care facility in Corner Brook. You will not hear him talk about the actual groundwork we have laid to develop a new hospital in the City of Corner Brook.

You certainly will not hear him talk about the new city hall. You will not hear him talk about the new courthouse. You will not hear him talk about the record levels in municipal infrastructure that have been invested in the City of Corner Brook in recent years, but I digress.

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we are builders. Mr. Speaker, we are doers. We have a vision for this place and it is a vision that is built upon economic growth and sustainability, and fiscal responsibility.

Since 2003, we have reduced the debt in this Province by approximately $4 billion. On top of that, on top of reducing the debt by that magnitude, we have invested in health care facilities. We have built new health care facilities. We have invested in education. We have built highways. We have invested in ferries. We have invested record amounts of money in roads and other municipal infrastructure.

We have done that, Mr. Speaker, because since 2003 we have had to engage in an intensive rebuilding of Newfoundland and Labrador because of the state of disrepair and deficits that we inherited from the previous Administration. The previous Administration neglected people. The previous Administration neglected infrastructure, and the previous Administration neglected services to the people in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have had to make a lot of strategic investments.

We have been forced to make some tough decisions along the way to make sure that the people of the Province get maximum benefit from our resources and from the investments that we are making. When we had times of surplus we invested in the Province. We invested in health care. We invested in education. We invested in infrastructure, and on top of doing all of that we paid down the debt. Organizations like the Fraser Institute; Mark Carney, the former Bank of Canada Governor –

MR. S. COLLINS: ScotiaMcLeod.

MR. KENT: Thank you.

You are hearing the Member for Terra Nova cite many others who have stepped up to comment on the successful approach of this government.

Now we are in a time where we have to bring spending in line with our revenues, and we have to do that. I think most people of the Province appreciate that because we have to protect the progress we have made in this Province in improving our fiscal situation. Unlike the crowd opposite, we are prepared to make the tough decisions.

We are going to do that now to make sure we ensure a future of economic stability and sustainability here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike the folks opposite who neglected health care and neglected schools, and neglected roads, practically ran the Province into the ground, we have made the strategic investments required and the infrastructure investments required to stimulate economic growth and to create the kind of prosperity that we now enjoy in regions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Now, I have heard a little bit of heckling from the anti-hecklers over there. They were lively in Question Period today. As much criticism as I bestow upon the Official Opposition, the unknown approach of the New Democratic Party is even scarier because those folks want universal everything. They want new programs. They want more spending, and how they are going to sustain all of that or pay for all of that, there is no plan whatsoever.

That is on one hand; on the other hand they accuse us of over spending. Where is it they would like us to curb spending on infrastructure, Mr. Speaker? Is it schools? Do they want us to stop investing in our education system, or to close hospitals, or reduce our investments in health care? Do they want us to stop building roads in every region of this Province? Do they want us to cut funding to municipalities? We do not know. We really do not know because frankly, Mr. Speaker, they do not know.

I shall move on. There is so much I want to talk about this afternoon, Mr. Speaker. Since 2004 we have invested more than $5.4 billion in infrastructure projects for the benefit of the people of this Province. We have seen the evidence of these investments. We have seen it in our schools, in our highways, in bridges, municipal projects, cultural centres, historic sites, Arts and Culture Centres, post-secondary education facilities, hospitals, health centres, long-term care homes for our seniors, provincial ferries, airstrips, air ambulances, new water bombers – I could go on and on and on, but much like what happened to my colleagues, the clock continues to tick down.

Even in my own district in communities I represent like Mount Pearl and Paradise, we have seen a new recreational multiplex, new sports fields and facilities, a brand new community centre for the Town of Paradise, and record levels of municipal infrastructure. While the vast majority of our infrastructure investment has been in the rural parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, we have not ignored the urban centres which are growing and which are generating economic activity as well.

When we took office, we inherited a significant deficit, both from a financial perspective but also from an infrastructure perspective. We had to make some smart investments to address these issues. Those investments, Mr. Speaker, they have strengthened our communities and they have strengthened our regions – billions in roadwork and new hospitals and new education facilities. We have invested considerably in post-secondary institutions and advanced telecommunications. We have made direct investments and partnerships with our business community as well.

We also recognize that it takes people to deliver on all those services, to build that infrastructure and to make those advances. We also made a sizeable investment in our public service. We have grown our public service. We also offered a generous increase in salary to our public service when we could afford to do so that costs about half a billion dollars annually today, Mr. Speaker. We are proud of those investments because they have helped move our Province forward in a way that many could not have imagined.

The investments in infrastructure have been a major contributor to the economic success that we are experiencing today in the Province. They have spurred business activity; they have created new employment opportunities. They have contributed to the excitement that many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are experiencing today. These developments hold the potential to be catalysts for even greater economic activity in the future.

I think the $5.4 billion of investment has really positioned our Province and our communities to be strong and to be sustainable, and we are seeing the results of that. They were necessary investments because of the state of disrepair that we inherited. When this government started its Budget process in 2004 just after taking office, they were facing crumbling roads, leaky roofs and neglected infrastructure that you would be hard-pressed to find in many places in the country.

The Leader of the Opposition today talked about all the groundwork that they laid. Well, the government of the day in 2003 said they were proud to allocate $23 million for the provincial roads program. Last year alone, we spent almost $170 million on provincial roads. Why? It was necessary; it was needed. It was needed throughout the Province to replace, to repair, and to upgrade the vital transportation network that people in every community depend on each and every single day.

Another example – and I know I do not have a whole lot of time left – I would like to talk about some of the investments in social infrastructure as well. Not only have we strengthened the physical transportation network in the Province over the last decade, but we have invested in social infrastructure in our education system. In the past ten years, the provincial government has provided $832 million to provide world-class facilities in support of education at all levels. We invested more than $296 million in existing schools. We invested more than $190 million on new schools for the children and youth of this Province. When it comes to post-secondary education, the government has invested significantly in infrastructure at the post-secondary level as well: $139 million in MUN and more than $111 million in new residences on top of that as well; and more than $73 million into college infrastructure as well.

Mr. Speaker, we are builders; we are doers. We have a vision for this place. We are committed economic growth. We are also committed to fiscal responsibility and sustainability. Over the last decade, we have invested public money in a responsible way, with a long-term vision that has always been in focus, to build a strong and sustainable economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are talking about prudent investments, Mr. Speaker, and we are talking about solid fiscal management.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I recognize the Member for Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to speak to this private member's resolution, although I have to say that I find it very bemusing, to tell you the truth. The resolution is talking about the money that government has, and they use the word invested in vital infrastructure in the Province. They are saying that the government has taken the responsible approach and promoted long-term fiscal strength and sustainability, and they want this House to affirm that.

Well, we can certainly affirm that they spent money. There is no doubt about that. They had the money to spend and they spent it. They spent it, and where else is a government going to spend it but on taking care of the people of the Province? I mean, that is what government is all about. Government has the responsibility to make sure that there is revenue and that revenue is used for the good of the people of the Province.

So, naturally, they have spent money on highways, naturally they have spent money on roads, on bridges and ferries, municipal and regional infrastructure, health care facilities, and schools. That is the responsibility of government. The problem is that this government wants us to accept that the way in which they have done it has been responsible, that the way in which they did it has been for the good of the Province, and that the way in which they have done it has promoted long-term fiscal strength and sustainability. These are the points that I am going to speak to, because I do not think that the way in which they have done it has promoted long-term fiscal strength and sustainability.

I want to first speak to the whole issue of revenue in this Province. This government talks as if they are the ones who went out and found the oil in the offshore and developed the oil resources in the offshore of this Province. This government refuses to acknowledge and refuses to accept that we are where we are in terms of revenue in this Province mainly because of oil and gas that they were not responsible for putting in place.

In actual fact, no government was responsible. They were responsible for maybe negotiating and trying to make sure that we got benefits from it, but the investments in the offshore were made by the oil industry, and it is the oil industry who is out there getting that oil, and we are getting some money back from them. That is the reality, but this government acts as if they are the ones who made all that happen.

What we have – it is a very special moment, of course, in our history. It has been short to this point, only a few years, and we do not know how much longer it goes on. We have an opportunity for revenue that we did not have before, but to call that sustainable is wrong on the part of this government, because when we look at the reality, and they know the reality as well as we do, that was outlined in the fall of 2011 by Dr. Locke, whom they use as a consultant – whether they pay him $1 or $70 or $700,000, he is the consultant that they are using.

If you look at the forecasting that he did in 2011, we will find that those revenues are not sustainable. Because of where we are now, because of what we know is out there – even though what is out there in the offshore could change; there is exploration going on all the time and we could find out it is going to be a longer life out there with regard to us getting revenues from oil than we know at the moment, but from what we know at the moment, we only have about twenty more years out there. He only forecasted for another twenty years.

When we look at the picture from now to those twenty years, I would like to know what is so sustainable, because what we have, according to the work done by Dr. Locke, is that from an amount of money this year, or this time in the next couple of years, of over $2 billion from the offshore royalties, by the year 2030 or between 2026 and 2030 we will be down to $899 million from the offshore.

What I say to this government, Mr. Speaker, is: what are they doing to make up for the money that we are not going to be getting between now and then, as the money goes down? What are they doing to get money from that?

They have put all of their eggs in the basket of Muskrat Falls and I really do believe they think that in twenty years time, Muskrat Falls is going to replace this money, but they have not ever given to this House the proof of that. We still do not know what the markets are going to be. We have no idea what things are going to be like in the year 2030 when it comes to energy, when it comes to who is the market, when it comes to where we can sell.

Every expert who has spoken out about Muskrat Falls confirms that we do not know that market, and they know that. At least they should acknowledge reality. They are hoping the market is going to be there, but we have no proof that the market will be there in twenty years time.

They are putting all of their hope in terms of replacement of revenue into another megaproject, going from oil and gas and that the huge development around oil and gas into the megaproject Muskrat Falls without the proof that they are going to be able to sell that energy the way they say they are going to sell it in twenty years time.

Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no way that I can say I affirm that this government has done what they have done responsibly and that they are promoting long-term fiscal strength and sustainability. It is on quicksand right now. We do not have the proof that – where they have put all their energy and where they are putting billions of dollars belonging to the people of the Province is all based on conjecture and hope. That is really problematic.

We have a world scene right now where on a daily basis, the picture is changing. I already today in this House brought forth what is happening in Quebec because, Mr. Speaker, of the fact that in Quebec they now have a surplus of power, a surplus of power because mainly of changes to the pulp and paper industry in Quebec. The demand for power inside of Quebec has gone down. Because of that, Quebec has had to put on hold hydroelectric projects that they were in the middle of going ahead with – five. They have put it all on hold and they put it on hold because they have a surplus of power.

We know that Quebec is one of the groups or one of the provinces that we are in competition with when it comes to the production of power and the sale of power. We do not know – I mean, who would have said last year that Quebec would be putting those five projects on hold?

Mr. Speaker, I say to this government: no, I do not see sustainability and I do not see strength. I see money coming in from the offshore. I see where that is going in the future. When I look, Mr. Speaker, at further work that was done by Dr. Locke, I see – and I do not know how this is going to change – deficits from now until the year 2032. I see provincial deficits occurring according to his projections.

Today, we saw an article in The Telegram quoting Dr. Locke saying that perhaps if good long-term – and he used ten years as the minimum – planning were done, that this could be turned around. He said it very carefully; it needs to be slow, it needs to be well planned, and it needs to be over a span of time. Yet what we have seen in the last two weeks is this government doing nothing but knee-jerk reactions to the deficit that we are facing in this year – knee-jerk reactions.

I find it very interesting that the consultant who sits at the table with them said today in the paper: do it slowly, do it carefully, and do not make drastic decisions. I am wondering if that consultant is saying the same thing at the table with them; I have to assume he is, therefore I am asking them: why are they not listening to that advice? They have not been listening to that advice. That is the first thing I wanted to speak to, Mr. Speaker.

Now I want to speak to another part around sustainability. Sustainability requires long-term planning. One of the things that this government has been short on is planning. They talk about plans, but every time somebody tries to get proof of their planning we cannot find it, Mr. Speaker. For example, in 2011, the Auditor General, Wayne Loveys, released his report on infrastructure spending by this government, Mr. Speaker, and he said –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that.

The Auditor General said that he could not get access to information on $5 billion that government claims was spent on infrastructure because government invoked Cabinet secrecy not to release information. Mr. Speaker, this is a government that talks about openness, transparency, and accountability, and the Auditor General could not get them to release the information –

MR. MARSHALL: A point of order.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources on a point of order.

MR. MARSHALL: I believe the information that the Leader of the New Democratic Party is saying is incorrect. The Auditor General said that he could not get information as to how the government was deciding between different projects. He did say that all the information with respect to every project and with respect to every dollar, he got it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The Leader of the Third Party.

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

If the minister had waited and let me continue, he would hear that I would say that. The issue is that the Auditor General was told the information was there; if he went to all the departments he could find the information, but he could not find the information from the Cabinet. The Auditor General had to try to search through every department who has infrastructural spending –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: – to find out how much was spent. All he wanted to know, he asked the government for its plan. He wanted to know what the government's plan was. He noted that government made continued references in the Throne Speech of 2006 to the infrastructure strategy and he did find that government struck, in 2004, an infrastructure strategy working group, which was charged with developing an infrastructure strategy, but he has not found it written. He has not found that it has been developed. This is what goes on with this government; they continually talk about plans that they have and strategies that they have that they cannot release when you ask them for it, because they do not exist. This is what the Auditor General picked up on.

The group that had been set up by Cabinet did prepare a draft report, and that draft report had recommendations on the benefits of developing an overall intergraded, long-term strategy for Capital investment. They gave recommendations about what to do, but then nothing else happened after that.

We do not have any documentation, anything after the recommendations were made. The Auditor General got his information, sure, but he had to go to Transportation and Works himself. He had to go to Health and Community Services himself.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: He had to go to Education himself. He had to go to Municipal Affairs himself, and he had to go to the Justice Department himself.

This is what the Auditor General said, Mr. Speaker. It soon became apparent that we would not be receiving all the information required to complete our review. In particular, the Department of Health and the Department of Justice expressed significant concern with providing the requested information.

When he did go to two departments to get the information, those two departments –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: – in particular, Mr. Speaker, said that they were concerned about giving it to him. The government told Mr. Loveys that the documents he wanted to see were exempt from audit because they would disclose Cabinet deliberations.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, I am hearing people on the other side of the House yelling and making comments, which says to me they know – we all know what I am saying is right. This is all documented, but they never want to hear the facts.

They never want to hear the facts about how they are behaving. They never want to hear the facts about how people who have to do their work within government, like the Auditor General, cannot do it because of the behaviour of this government. They do not want to accept the fact that they are not open, they are not transparent, and they are not accountable to either this House or to the people of this Province.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is my third time now getting on my feet to speak about – I am going to speak about education in this address.

Mr. Speaker, I was a little bit excited yesterday when I stood up. Some people will remember that I had a heart attack probably seven or eight years ago, and somebody wondered yesterday how intense I was, wondering if I was flushing my stint. Well, Mr. Speaker, if blood flow had anything to do with cleaning a stint, it cleaned it out well yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, I have sat in this House and I have listened to the Leader of the NDP. I have heard her so many times and there is that, I do not know, overarching cloud that seems to always hang there.

MR. O'BRIEN: It has to be, it is the Mother of Sorrows.

MR. JACKMAN: My colleague here is referring to it as the Mother of Sorrows. I do not know, but there is always that tone.

There never seems to be enough of everything. Sustainability, I would like for her to get up and explain to this House and explain to the people of the Province what her plan for sustainability is, because I have not heard it. I have not heard it.

All of the other members of her caucus will get up and they ask for everything. People on this side have said time and time again to tell us what you would like us to pull back. I am going to ask her, Mr. Speaker, if she would want us to pull back our commitment to Virginia Park School. Mr. Speaker, we are talking of a major investment to the education of the students in her district. (Inaudible) some time to get up. She did not say no.

Then the Member for The Straits – White Bay North gets up. He wants us to keep everything open. They want us to build, but I have not heard their plan for sustainability. I could get up here everyday, stand in Opposition and I could moan and I could moan and I could moan, but I have not heard their plans for any sustainability.

Mr. Speaker, I said yesterday when I got up – and I heard from the Liberals talking about the education in this Province. The Member for St. Barbe stood up and talked about the education. I have to be honest with you, and I have had so many comments since, that they felt it was degrading to our education system. It was degrading.

Mr. Speaker, he even referred to me as a hillbilly. I could not believe it, Mr. Speaker. I have been called many things in my life, but I have never been called a hillbilly.

AN HON. MEMBER: Maybe a bayman.

MR. JACKMAN: Yes, I have been referred to as a bayman or a baywop, but I have never been called a hillbilly. A couple of my friends from Baine Harbour could not believe it, Mr. Speaker – could not believe it that we were referred to as hillbillies.

Mr. Speaker, I can only reiterate what we have done for education in this Province. Let me tell you – now get this – from 1995 to 2003 the Opposition closed 167 schools. One hundred and sixty-seven schools were closed from 1995 to 2003 by the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, the Member for St. Barbe gets up and he is there to save all of the world. He has the solution for education and the future of the Province. It has something to do with leasing the Province to China. I still do not have that part figured out yet. He wants to lease us to China. Mr. Speaker, in my hillbilly nature, I might suggest that we might want to lease him to China, but I am not sure they would accept him.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to reiterate again, our commitment to education in this Province, and I am going to reiterate the communities in which these schools were built. We have built nine new schools in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Torbay, Placentia, Port Saunders, L'Anse-au-Loup, Port Hope Simpson, Baie Verte and two in Paradise – nine new schools. There are ten more new schools under construction and in the planning phase.

In September of 2013, we plan to open a new school in St. Anthony, an $18.4 million facility; Carbonear, opening in 2013. In St. John's, we have St. Theresa's, Virginia Park – I keep saying, I wonder if she wants us to cancel that school.

MR. O'BRIEN: No, she says she wants us to cancel it. She told me.

MR. JACKMAN: She wants us to cancel that school?

MR. O'BRIEN: The Leader of the NDP says she wants us to cancel that school. She just said it.

MR. JACKMAN: Well, it is the first sign that I have seen that she is supporting a deficit, supporting us in our efforts to reduce the deficit, Mr. Speaker. It is on the table, I take it.

The west end high school that we are working through, Portugal Cove-St. Phillips, Torbay, Pouch Cove, Flatrock, Bauline, CBS, Paradise, and a rebuild in Charlottetown. Mr. Speaker, we have twelve major expansions underway. These are not a $500,000 venture; these are multi-million ventures which speaks to the improvement in our school system.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the Member for St. Barbe since 2003, we have increased our budget in education by 47 per cent – 47 per cent. I have to say – and I read through Hansard again – at some points I am not sure what the Member for St. Barbe is talking about, but if I were a teacher or an administrator sitting back I would almost have the perception that he has no faith in any of our teachers, in any of our principals, in many of our students or the professors teaching at the university, Mr. Speaker.

I would almost ask the Member for St. John's North if he could have a chat with me because I would like to get him to tell me his perception of what the Member for St. Barbe thinks of our university professors, and he from St. John's North, being one. I would almost think that the Member for St. Barbe yesterday was up and he even gave him a less than passing grade, as professors at our university.

I said yesterday, I ended my address on one of the worst notes that I have had to speak in the House of Assembly, and I say it again today, Mr. Speaker. I think it was one of the most downgrading, disgraceful addresses that we have had to the education system in this Province. Any number of us, Mr. Speaker, any number, on either side of this House, can sit and they can name off to the person next to them the number of people who we have as politicians, as teachers, as lawyers, as doctors. Mr. Speaker, I am going to say this: the chief cardiologist in the Ottawa General happens to be from a little community that is no longer there. It is resettled, but it is a place called Grole, on the South Coast of Newfoundland.

AN HON. MEMBER: That is where you are from.

MR. JACKMAN: That is exactly where I am from, Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say. The chief cardiologist at the Ottawa General comes from that community. Ask the number of people around you to identify those who have gone to professions and vocations, the welders of our Province, who leave their mark all over the world.

I can tell you one thing: when I travel anywhere in this country or anywhere in this world, I certainly do not ever denigrate the students and the people of this Province. I am more proud of the people of this Province than I would be – I do not know what to say. My pride for them is exhibited and it is shown through the people and the impact they are having.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the people of the House to look at the number of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who we see regularly on the TV shows that are offered through Canadian content. Just look at them. I would say per capita we have more people on the national TV scene than there would be in any other jurisdiction. We have them as hockey announcers, we have them have as newscasters, and we have them on – and I do not want to start listing them – the variety shows we have on our national networks.

Mr. Speaker, all I can say is God help us if we have more politicians in this House who take the lead from the Member for St. Barbe. Let us take the bemoaning out of the member from the NDP. Let us place that off here somewhere in a little pocket and say that is exactly what it is; that is a pocket and we need to keep that pocket small, because if not, it breeds negativity. We do not have negativity in this Province and we do not need it bred by members such as the Member for Signal Hill – Quidi Vidi. We need to speak positively about this Province. I do, every opportunity I get.

Mr. Speaker, I end on that note. We have invested in education. It is about the future of the people of our Province because it is an investment in our children.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Back to the mover of the motion.

The hon. the Member for Terra Nova to finish the debate.

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

Before I continue on with what I began with, I wanted to state something. I do not know if people had heard this on an Open Line show. It was quite a few months ago, actually; it was during the summer that I heard it. It was with Randy Simms, who I would like to congratulate on a wonderful career and say –

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. S. COLLINS: No, no. Certainly, the best of luck with future endeavours.

It was on that program. I want to bring this up because I got to thinking when I heard the Leader of the Third Party up speaking about her economic plan, or what I would say the lack thereof. I remembered Randy Simms; he was giving it to her pretty good. He was asking her: well, what would you do? If you do not agree with Muskrat Falls, how would you diversify the Province?

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Third Party came back and said: through home care. I would build an industry with home care. That was her provincial vision for building industry in this place: home care. Just imagine – build an industry on home care. How shameful. How absolutely ridiculous.

We have members over there as well wanting to fuel Holyrood with pellets and shrimp shells. Mr. Speaker, people may tune in to this House of Assembly from time to time, but I do not think they get the full scope of things unless they tune in every day. I will certainly encourage people, as the Liberal government said, to scrutinize their plan or lack thereof, because it is absolute gibberish – gibberish, I tell you.

Let us continue on with some of the good news that we have. I ended off with health and some of the major investments we have had there. I want to be more specific and talk particularly to major equipment. Again, this is stuff that resonates with each and every person here in the Province.

In May, 2012 we opened our fifth MRI, which is four more than we had in 2003. I remember shortly after this government taking power, I had a couple of friends actually that travelled to Florida to get MRIs and they paid through private clinics to get them, the reason being there was only one in the Province; to try to get in that line up and get the service with an MRI was next to impossible, or you would be waiting long after you needed it.

What did we do? We addressed it. There are actually, like I said, four more now than what there were in 2003. We have fourteen CT scanners and sixteen digital mammography machines throughout the Province, and we are investing in a PET scanner, which, as many of you folks know, would be the only one in the Province. It is very highly technical and a very expensive piece of equipment.

There is another one that has had a profound effect on people, especially in rural areas, and that is something that I give particular credence to; that is with regard to the investment in the dialysis services.

Let me just tell you a little about the dialysis services. Over the last eight years, this provincial government has invested approximately $189 million for the provision of dialysis services in this Province, $189 million just for that one service – a very vital service, I say – just for that one service alone.

Currently, the Province has fourteen dialysis sites with services being offered in Corner Brook, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Burin, Carbonear, Clarenville, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, St. Anthony, Stephenville; and in St. John's at the Health Sciences Centre, St. Clare's and the Waterford Hospital, Labrador City and Port aux Basques as well. Since 2004, the provincial government has added seven new sites, Carbonear, Gander, Burin, St. Anthony, Goose Bay, Labrador City and Port aux Basques again – seven new sites since 2004.

Let's talk about physicians. We all hear about the number of physicians here. We are currently at the highest number we have ever had in our history. There are currently 1,115 physicians practicing in this Province right now; again, most than ever before, something to be very proud of.

According to the Canadian Institute of Health Information, the Province now has more physicians per 100,000 populations than the national average. We are doing quite well with physicians. They play a key role obviously in the service delivery of health care.

Let me talk about wait times, because we have done tremendous work on wait times as well. We have invested over $140 million to reduce wait times. I want to ask the Opposition again, was this frivolous? If they ask, did it work? I would say absolutely. Do you know why I would say that, Mr. Speaker? Because as a result of our investment in 2012, the Province ranked second in the country for wait times in five priority areas of the 2004 accord.

Those areas, if you are interested, are radiation treatment, cardiac bypass surgery, cataracts, hip and knee surgery replacement and hip fracture repair. Very important areas, second in the country in wait times. We put the money in, it was good investment and we got a return on that, second in the country.

Programs and services have also been created and existing ones improved. I will speak about a couple of those. Comprehensive programs like the Medical Transportation Assistance Program which is unparalleled in the country and I think it may be one of the very few in the country; Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program, which I bet every single member could stand on their feet today and talk about some good stories they have heard from their constituents and how that has helped people out in their communities; a variety of grants and bursaries for health and community groups including seniors, mental health and addictions organizations, as well as wellness initiatives.

We launched a Colon Cancer Screening Program, enhanced the provincial Breast Screening Program, as well as the Adult Dental Program. That still exists, even though the spin they would want you to have on this is that we have taken it out of the system. It is still there exactly the same, $6.7 million, which is part of the bigger investment of $15.6 million in the provincial dental program, a fabulous program that is working for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Mr. Speaker, I was glad to have the opportunity to follow up on the Minister of Education. I can say I am a former educator, even though I only taught in the system very little. I am an educator by trade I guess. Being a father of a young two-year-old daughter who obviously is going to be in the education system soon is something that I find very important personally. There are many of these things that touch us in different ways. This is something that I hold near and dear to my heart as well, the education system. Just to hear of what was invested by this government compared to what was invested by the previous government.

For them to have the gall and stand up and try to take ownership of student – what was it, tuition freezes? They took ownership of that. That is almost as foolish as when I heard the Member for St. John's North stand up and take ownership of it a couple of months ago, but now we have the Official Opposition taking ownership of this. It was laid out quite eloquently by the Member for Mount Pearl North exactly what was at stake then with regard to the tuition going up and up and up and then they finally capped it and froze it.

I remember being a student in university going back each and every September wondering what my tuition was going to be, and every time I went and paid that dollar amount it would be up more than the year before. What did they do for education? I would say very little, but I am very proud of what this government has done.

To reiterate what the minister had said. Since 2004, more than $296 million on existing schools, more than $100 million on new schools for the children of this Province. What is even a more stark and dramatic statement, we know what we did, what did they do?

Again, to reiterate what the minister said. In 1995-2003 during the former Liberal Administration there was a net loss of 167 schools. Mr. Speaker, if someone asked me before I got involved in politics and got down in the dirt and found out about the numbers and the facts and the different departments, I would not have even imagined there were 167 schools to begin with. I would have said if you took out 167 schools there must be nothing left.

Just imagine: that was the net loss. That is what they took out of the system. This is the Opposition that stands up and lectures us when this is what they did as a government. It is too foolish. I am sure people must see through this, but it is day in and day out. Really, it gets tiring, I have to say. That is why I encourage people to listen to this House and listen to what the Oppositions are saying, scrutinize their policies or lack thereof I would say.

Now one of the things that was not mentioned today and one of the greatest achievements by this government, I think specifically one of the best places we have put money in, we have invested is into the people themselves. The public servants of this Province, the people who make this place tick. It is all well and good that we sit in this House of Assembly day in and day out. We have a job to do and I would hope that we all do it to the best of our abilities, but this place is made to run and it clicks along well like a fine oiled machine because of the people we have working for us.

It is those public servants that were neglected and underpaid for years and years and years. It was only until we gave them the raise, 20 per cent but I think it compounds to 21.6 per cent I believe. It was only after that – we had the resources to do so and we rewarded them for their work. Like I said in the past, there were times of strain and hardship for those workers but we rewarded. We all remember what happened with the former Administration and the promises that went unmet. We know about that.

We recognize the work they do and we paid them for it, and were very happy to do so. What people must realize, and everyone has to realize because it is a fact, is what that raise costs the Treasury every year. What does it cost in taxpayers' dollars? It is $500 million each and every year. For a four-year contract, when that 20 per cent was given, that is $2 billion in addition to what was given before – $2 billion. That is quite a chunk of change, I would say. Again, it was well worth it and we wanted to recognize the hard work they did, and do.

Now, Mr. Speaker, again I want to speak to the fact of what has been done for rural Newfoundland because it is another thing that gets twisted here way too often. It is something –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER (Wiseman): Order, please!

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

It is something that is mentioned here all too often: the neglect that has been given to rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and nothing could be further from the truth. It especially irks me when I hear the Third Party stand when they are, what – I am not overly well at math, but what do we have there, 80 per cent urban? They do not understand the challenges of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We do understand the challenges.

Do you know what we understand even greater than the challenges of Newfoundland and Labrador, the rural parts? It is the vast opportunities. What we have done is we have invested in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Unprecedented amounts of funding have gone into Newfoundland and Labrador, in the rural parts. Our government values Newfoundland and Labrador – the rural areas – and has continued to invest in local supports and municipal infrastructure.

While it is one thing for me, as the Member for Terra Nova district, to stand up and try to describe this to you, it is another thing – we have a Premier, we have a leader, who was born and raised in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. She knows how it works. She dealt with it all of her life. So we do not need members across the way to stand up and try to explain it when they have never been outside the overpass. We know. We have an understanding. We are rural Newfoundland and Labrador. We prove it with the investments we do each and every day. That is something I would want to put across.

I see the Leader of the Third Party. She seems to be getting upset with me, but it is a fact of life. You can have town hall meetings inside this overpass every day, day in, day out, but you will never find out what the needs of rural Newfoundland and Labrador are, I say to the member. I would encourage her to get outside the overpass and certainly go find out what is going on.

Municipalities have been a major focus of this government, and I only have to look to the fabulous Minister of Municipal Affairs, a man who does a tremendous job in his department. Certainly, I do not think anyone would say anything to the contrary of that.

Since 2004, Mr. Speaker, these infrastructure investments, $1.3 billion, have gone into communities, have resulted in water and sewer improvements, over $630 million; the building and upgrading of municipal roads, over $215 million; as well as supports for waste management and recreation facilities, and the purchase of much needed firefighting equipment. That is very, very important, the firefighting equipment. I know that is something all of us see as of huge importance, and that is something this government has put a lot of investment in. I think most every member here recognizes that.

Throughout investments in our health care system, education, and our communities, our government since 2004 has invested public money in a responsible way, plain and simple, with the long-term vision always in focus: a strong and sustainable economy with prudent investments and solid fiscal management. If you do not believe me, as my colleague from Mount Pearl North had brought up, listen to the experts. The Mark Carneys, the ScotiaMcLeods, bond rating agencies such as S&P, Standard & Poor's, and one person after another – we are not talking about former educators or anything. We are talking about economists; we are talking about people who know.

I will close up with one – I heard the Leader of the Official Opposition there yesterday, I believe, or the day before, and I am pretty sure in Question Period he said: We have received billions of dollars from oil revenue, but we do not have anything to show for it. So, I went to my Google box, on the advice of my colleague from across the way, and I started looking up what his district in particular had got.

I said: Lo and behold, the member stands up and he does not know where the money went, but then I look at Humber Valley: three fire trucks in the last number of years; $8 million in a recreation centre in Pasadena; the provincial government, $3 million toward a $9 million expansion at the Deer Lake airport runway; approximately thirty kilometres of road paving in White Bay, Howley, and Cormack; and millions of dollars in water and sewer.

So I say the member is spending too much time in St. John's, he needs to get back in his district, see the good stuff that has been done, and then maybe he can stand up – because I know, Mr. Speaker, there was an interest by the Leader of the Official Opposition to maybe come over to this side at one point, but it did not work out for him. That is fine; there is always next time.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I will take my seat, and it has been an absolute pleasure to speak to this motion. I think there is just far too much stuff to put into one day's worth of discussions, but it has been an absolute pleasure to speak to it. With that, I will take my seat.

Thank you so much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

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'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Nay.

AN HON. MEMBER: Division.

MR. SPEAKER: Division has been called.

Summon the members.

Division

MR. SPEAKER: Are the Whips ready for a vote?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

All those in favour of the motion, please stand.

CLERK: Mr. King, Mr. Hutchings, Ms Shea, Ms Sullivan, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Jackman, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hedderson, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Verge, Mr. Littlejohn, Mr. Granter, Mr. Cornect, Mr. McGrath, Mr. Dalley, Mr. Felix Collins, Mr. Sandy Collins, Mr. Kent, Mr. Lane, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Dinn, Mr. Brazil, Ms Perry, Mr. Little, Mr. Cross, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Peach, Mr. Crummell, Mr. Forsey, Mr. Russell.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against the motion, please stand.

CLERK: Mr. Ball, Ms Jones, Mr. Andrew Parsons, Mr. Edmunds, Mr. Joyce, Ms Michael, Mr. Kirby, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Mitchelmore, Ms Rogers, Mr. Osborne.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

CLERK: Mr. Speaker, the ayes thirty, the nays eleven.

MR. SPEAKER: Motion carried.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: This being Wednesday, this House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, at 1:30 p.m.