November 4, 2019
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS
Vol. XLIX No. 12
The
House met at 1:30 p.m.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
Madam
Clerk, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
CLERK (Barnes):
Admit Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(The
Lieutenant-Governor takes the Speaker's Chair.)
It is
the wish of Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor that all present be seated.
CLERK:
Members of the House of
Assembly:
On
September 6, 2019, I received notice of resignation as Speaker of this Assembly
from Mr. Perry Trimper, Member for the District of Lake Melville. In accordance
with the Standing Orders, I advised all Members of the House of Assembly of the
vacancy in the Office of the Speaker.
I have a
Proclamation from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor:
TO:
Sandra Barnes, Clerk of the House of Assembly and Elizabeth Murphy, Clerk
Assistant of the House of Assembly
GREETING;
A
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS
by a letter of resignation addressed to the Clerk of the House of Assembly, the
Honourable Perry Trimper vacated the position of Speaker of the House of
Assembly on September 6, 2019;
AND
WHEREAS it is expedient to call together the 49th General Assembly on the said
day for the Members of the House of Assembly to proceed to their choice of
Speaker;
NOW
THEREFORE I, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador, do authorize and direct you, the said Sandra Barnes and Elizabeth
Murphy, or either of you, to signify to the Members of the said House of
Assembly to assemble for the dispatch of business on Monday, November 4, 2019,
at 1:30 o'clock in the afternoon, and that it is my pleasure that they should
proceed to choose some person to be their Speaker and to present such person on
that day for my approbation.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Sergeant-at-Arms escorts Their Honours from the Chamber.)
CLERK:
Please be seated.
At the
close of nominations for the Office of the Speaker at 4:30 p.m., Friday,
November 1, 2019, two candidates put their names forward. The candidates, in
alphabetical order, are Mr. Scott Reid and Mr. Perry Trimper.
Members
of the House of Assembly, pursuant to the Lieutenant-Governor's direction and
the Standing Orders of this Assembly, it is my duty to call upon you to elect a
Member to preside over your deliberations as Speaker.
Would
the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Pages please make sure the voting booth and ballot
box are in position?
Before
we begin the election procedure, I will briefly outline the process that will be
followed as set out in the Standing Orders of the House. For each round of
balloting, Members are asked to proceed starting from the back or third row of
desks on their respective sides of the House, file past the Speaker's Chair to
the head of the Clerk's Table. At the Table, each Member will be given a ballot
and asked to initial a list to verify that they have received it. Once you have
received your ballot, please proceed to the voting booth which is located on the
Sergeant-at-Arms's desk.
In the
voting booth, please mark your ballot with an X next to the name of the
candidate you support, then proceed to the ballot box, which is located at the
end of the Clerk's Table, deposit your ballot and return to your place. When all
Members wishing to vote have done so, the House will recess while the Table
Officers withdraw to count the vote. A simple majority of the votes cast is
required to elect the Speaker. If the candidates receive the same number of
votes, there will be another ballot.
Immediately before the start of the second or any subsequent ballot, a Member
who wishes to withdraw will be given an opportunity to do so. When the count of
each ballot is completed, a five-minute bell will ring to call Members to the
Chamber. In preparation for the vote, I ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to inspect and
lock the ballot box.
We will
now proceed with the voting procedure. Starting from the back or third row of
seating on each side of the House, those Members who wish to cast a ballot
should now proceed to either side of the head of the Clerk's Table.
As all
Members present in the House of Assembly have voted, the House will now recess
to the call of the bells while the Clerks at the Table count the ballots. The
bells will ring for five minutes to recall Members to the Chamber when the
results of the first ballot will be announced.
Thank
you very much.
Recess
CLERK:
Members of the House of
Assembly, further to suborder 4(11) of the Standing Orders, I declare Mr. Scott
Reid, Member for the District of St. George's - Humber, elected as Speaker for
the remainder of the 49th General Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
(The
Premier and the Leader of the Official Opposition lead (drag) the new Speaker to
the Speaker's Chair. The Premier and Leader of the Official Opposition help the
new Speaker into his robe.)
MR. SPEAKER (Reid):
It's a great honour to be
in this position.
It's
tradition, as a new Speaker is brought into the House, that we resist being
brought in. It's an old tradition from British history when a Speaker would be
directed by the House to send a message to the King. He'd go see the King and if
the King didn't agree with the message that was being brought to him, he often
sent a little note back to the House and as an exclamation mark to the note,
often chopped off the Speaker's head and sent the head back to the House as
well. So people resisted getting in the Speaker's Chair for that reason, and
that's a tradition we have to this day.
The word
Parliament comes from the French word parlay, the place where we come to talk;
we talk out our differences. We do a lot of talking and a lot of speaking here,
and it's important we do it in an orderly fashion. That we have rules and
procedures that allow each of us – protects the right of each of us to speak and
to represent the people who've elected us and sent us here.
So the
rules of the House have evolved over time. We, in this House, have our Standing
Orders which we look to as the main document that guides the way we order our
discussions, the way we talk to each other and the way we speak to each other
throughout the day. We also look at the precedents of this House, the past
practice in this House, the past practices in other parliaments in Canada and
other parliamentary democracies around the world to guide us in the way we
conduct our affairs here in the House.
It's an
important thing that we follow the rules and that we have rules that protect the
rights each Member because when we do that, we protect the rights of Members to
speak, we show our respect for the democratic process and we also show our
respect for the people who have elected us and sent us here. The rules of the
House continue to evolve, and we have to be responsive to things that are
happening in a broader society, as a House, to remain relevant and to remain
faithful to the principles of protecting the rights of each Member to represent
their districts.
I look
forward to working with you, to continue to evolve the rules of our House, to
look to the traditions that we've had in the past as a guidance in the way we
conduct our affairs here, and look forward to working with you all, doing the
job we were sent here to do. Being Speaker is a great honour for me, and in
conclusion, I just want to thank you all for giving me this responsibility.
Thank
you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, congratulations, first and foremost.
I move,
seconded by the Leader of the Official Opposition, that the Member for the
District of Lewisporte - Twillingate be appointed Deputy Speaker for the
remainder of the 49th General Assembly.
MR. CROSBIE:
I second the motion.
MR. SPEAKER:
It has been moved and seconded that the Member for Lewisporte - Twillingate be
the Deputy Speaker.
All
those in favour?
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
Mr. Speaker, Her Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
MR. SPEAKER:
Admit Her Honour the
Lieutenant-Governor.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
(Mr.
Speaker leaves the Chair.)
(Her
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.)
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
It is the wish of Her Honour
the Lieutenant-Governor that all present be seated.
PREMIER BALL:
May it please Your Honour,
the House of Assembly, agreeable to your Honour's command, have proceeded to the
choice of Speaker and have elected Mr. Scott Reid, the Member for the District
of St. George's - Humber, to that office, and by their direction I present him
for the approbation of your Honour.
HER HONOUR THE
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Judy May Foote, PC, ONL):
On behalf of Her Majesty, I
assure you of my sense of your efficiency and I do most fully approve and
confirm you as Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER:
Your Honour, having approved
the choice of this House in constituting me as their Speaker, it now becomes my
duty in the name of the representatives of Her Majesty's loyal subjects to ask
that I, as Speaker, may have full access to Your Honour's presence at all
reasonable times.
HER HONOUR THE
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR:
Mr. Speaker, I do confirm, on
behalf of Her Majesty, that your words and actions will constantly receive the
most favourable construction.
I'm
going to take advantage of this opportunity, just to have a few words to say.
The most important duty of a Lieutenant-Governor is to ensure there is always a
responsible government in power; therefore, one of the Lieutenant-Governor's key
responsibilities is the appointment of the Premier and, on her or his advice,
the Members of the Cabinet who constitute the Executive Council.
There
are rules governing different scenarios following a general election. The one
applicable following the last provincial election stipulates: Where no party
wins an outright majority in a general election but the party of the incumbent
Premier, first minister, wins the largest number of seats, the conventional
practice is to allow her or him to continue in office and seek the confidence of
the Legislature unless she or he chooses to resign.
I have a
job to do as a representative of the Crown in our province – it is non-partisan.
I do not engage in political activity. I act on the advice of ministers who are
Members of the government that enjoys the confidence of the Legislature. This
advice is normally conveyed by the Premier who chairs Executive Council. I am
available to the Premier and her or his ministers when called upon.
This
House of Assembly finds itself in a position that has occurred only one other
time in the province's history. The other time there was a minority government
was almost half a century ago. All forms of governance have challenges and
opportunities, and none more so than a minority government. The opportunity
exists to meet these challenges by working together, as was the wish of the
electorate in our province six months ago when they voted in a minority
government and they will hold you accountable.
I also
have a role to play in highlighting democracy, which we all know is work in
progress. Democracy, as we were taught in school, is a word that traces its
origin back to two Greek words, the word for people and the word for rules.
Rules for the people by the people. You represent the people.
Democracy can't flourish in darkness only in light, which is why I believe the
cornerstone of democracy is tolerance. Tolerance for others and, in this House
of Assembly where issues are debated and decisions are made that are meant to be
in the best interest of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, tolerance for
each other.
All 40
of you have been hired to do the best job you can to ensure this province, where
we all live, not only survives but prospers. You applied for a job and you were
hired while others were not. There is a reason why you are here. Some of you
have served before and were returned to continue to work in the best interest of
Newfoundland and Labrador and its people. Others are here for the first time,
having convinced those in the district you represent that you indeed have
something to offer that will be of benefit to our province and our people. I
congratulate each of you.
The
trust you earn to sit in this House of Assembly comes with responsibilities, and
among them, in my opinion, is the absolute necessity of being tolerant and
respecting each other. In doing so, you will show respect for the people of our
province who decided who will get to represent them and be stewards of this
province from a governance point of view.
There is
no province in our country known more for its sense of humour than ours, and
there is no reason why that sense of humour cannot be evident in this House of
Assembly and in your dealings with one another. There are a great many lines
that come to mind used by former representatives of people of Newfoundland and
Labrador, used during Question Period and debate; some will go down in history.
There's nothing like wit to tone down rhetoric and get debate back on track
where the exchange becomes meaningful and of value for our province and its
people.
It is
important to remind yourself that just like you, your colleagues ran for public
office because they believed they can make a difference. When we question that,
we question those who did the hiring.
While
there are witty lines I could quote from some of the well-known representatives
from Newfoundland and Labrador over the years – I'm sure many of you are
familiar with them – in the interest of being fair to both genders, I will share
an exchange you may not have heard between Nancy Astor, the first woman to sit
in the British Parliament, and Sir Winston Churchill. In the exchange, Lady
Astor said to Mr. Winston Churchill: If I was your wife, I would put poison in
your coffee. To which he replied: Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it.
Not
everyone comes into this House with the same level of confidence, for some of
those here for the first time it can be daunting and it takes time to adjust to
this environment. An exchange with a witty line that may spark one in return
during Question Period or in debate and still get the point you were making
across will have a much more positive impact and should result in a better
working relationship.
Human
beings don't take kindly to being on the receiving end of disrespectful remarks
and it certainly doesn't make for a collegial working relationship. All of you
deserve better, and those who hired you expect better because they deserve to
have your attention focused on them and the challenges they face, not on each
other.
Give and
take is necessary for deal making in any situation. I encourage you to take the
opportunity that you have been given to work together in the best interest of
this province that we all love, and which has so much to offer.
Thank
you.
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS:
All rise.
MR. SPEAKER:
Please be seated.
We're
going to proceed with routine proceedings.
First of
all, in the gallery today I would like to welcome Lieutenant Colonel Stephane
Racle, Commander of 5 Wing Goose Bay; and 5 Wing Goose Bay Honorary Colonel
Geoff Goodyear.
Also in
the gallery, I would like to recognize Tom Badcock, Executive Director of Help
Us Build, joining us today for a Member's statement. As well as a crew member of
the MV Flanders visiting us this
afternoon for a Ministerial Statement.
Statements by
Members
MR. SPEAKER:
Today we have Members'
statements from the hon. Members for the District of Lewisporte - Twillingate,
Ferryland, Labrador West, St. John's East - Quidi Vidi and Harbour Main.
The
Member for Lewisporte - Twillingate.
MR. BENNETT:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Congratulations, I look forward to working with you as Deputy Speaker.
I rise
in this hon. House today to recognize the Twillingate Volunteer Fire Department.
The 30-member department is very active in the community, taking an active part
in community events and running a vigorous training program and fire prevention
initiatives.
Over the
past year they responded to 31 calls, ranging from home fires, vehicle
accidents, missing persons and other emergencies. On November 2, I had the
honour of being the guest speaker for their annual banquet and awards ceremony.
Fire
Chief Craig Clarke, Captain Jim Hull and Robert Ings each received 100 per cent
attendance, and long-time service awards were presented to Corey Rogers for five
years service, Jerry Ings, 15 years and Deputy Chief Perry Cooper for 35 years
service.
Firefighter Alex Baggs was presented with the prestigious Firefighter of the
Year, while Robert Ings took home the Willie Cooper Memorial Award.
Mr.
Speaker, volunteer firefighters and first responders play a vital role in
protecting our residents and communities. I ask all Members to join me in
thanking the Twillingate Volunteer Fire Department for their devoted service.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Ferryland.
MR. O'DRISCOLL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
congratulations.
I rise
today to recognize the recent passing of a constituent from my district. Leo
Puddester passed away May 2, 2019. Leo was a resident of Bay Bulls, a folklore
legend in Newfoundland and Labrador and former president of the Newfoundland and
Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees.
He first
joined NAPE in 1968 as a correctional officer. Within weeks he became shop
steward for his local and eventually became local president. He would go on to
represent correctional officers on NAPE's board of directors and served as
eastern vice-president. In 1983, he became union staff, serving as employee
relations officer and senior negotiator, a position he held up until 2003 when
he was elected president of NAPE.
Leo was
acknowledged in Newfoundland and Labrador because of his involvement with NAPE
and Unicorn Promotions. Leo will certainly be remembered due to his involvement
with both. He will also be remembered for his stylish wardrobe and colourful
personality. He was also very well known for his toughness in the hockey world
and he brought that to his tough negotiations with NAPE.
Mr.
Speaker, I ask all my colleagues in this House to join me in honouring the life
of Leo Puddester and the contribution he made to our province.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for Labrador
West.
MR. BROWN:
I am proud today to recognize
Darrell Brenton, former mayor and community activist of Labrador City.
A
celebrated public servant, Mr. Brenton has served on council since 1981. He was
the longest serving mayor of Labrador City, holding the position from 1989 to
2001.
Darrell
is a long-time member of the Lions Club and is renowned for his community
service. He's a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Hard of
Hearing Association and many more. From calling bingo to selling tickets in the
mall for local charities, his work in Labrador West is never ending.
This
past spring, Darrell was made a Labradorian of Distinction for all his
contributions to Labrador and Labrador West and its residents.
Mr.
Brenton's reputation for volunteerism precedes him. If you mention his name to
anyone in Labrador West, his long list of community involvements are the first
things that are brought up. His love of Labrador West shines through.
I ask
all hon. Members to join me in thanking Mr. Brenton for his years of service to
Labrador West.
Thank
you.
SOME. HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's East - Quidi Vidi.
MS. COFFIN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, The HUB, or Help Us Build group, has been a long-standing, non-profit
organization in the great District of St. John's East - Quidi Vidi. The HUB
provides fabulous services, accessible programs and support for the differently
abled community.
In the
building that was formerly St. George's school, The HUB has been an established
non-profit in our district since 1975. Hallmarks of this organization are their
fantastic print shop which offers services for design, scanning, printing and
publishing. Likewise, they offer phenomenal catering services providing diverse
and delicious menus. These programs support The HUB and its many social
programs.
The
members of The HUB enjoy accessible card and dart leagues. They offer summer
barbecues, dances and outings for the differently abled community. The board of
directors and president, Jim Kelly, are volunteers.
I ask
the hon. Members to join me in thanking them for all their hard work and The HUB
for their excellent work in our community.
SOME. HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Harbour Main.
MS. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER:
Thank you, Mr.
Speaker.
It is an
honour for me to rise today to speak to a true champion from the District of
Harbour Main.
Shailynn
Snow grew up in Clarke's Beach. At age two, her pop, Ernie Mugford, took her
every day to the parent-and-tot skate. At the age of five, she began playing in
numerous girls and boys hockey leagues. While completing her grade 10, 11 and 12
education, she attended Ridley College in Ontario on a scholarship. She played
in the Junior Women's League and won many awards and was named female athlete of
the year.
In May
2018, she was successful in making the cut for the Team Canada Under-18 Team.
They won gold in January 2019 in Obihiro, Japan.
Shailynn
is presently attending her first year university at St. Lawrence University in
Canton, New York on a four year full scholarship. Her goal is to make the
Olympic team.
Please
join me in saluting our world champion, Shailynn Snow.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Statements by Ministers.
Statements by
Ministers
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. WARR:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, this morning I joined Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador for the
launch of the National Skilled Trades and Technology Week. This annual event
celebrates the successes of skilled workers while promoting careers in skilled
trades and technology as first-choice options for our youth.
To that
end, Mr. Speaker, our government has provided $178,000 to Skills Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador to offer a new program called Skilled Futures.
Skilled
Futures features a series of interactive workshops for intermediate and
secondary students, offering them hands-on experience, connections with mentors,
and information on specific post-secondary programs. It is also placing a focus
on a wide variety of sectors such as health sciences, paramedicine, aviation and
agriculture and forestry.
Mr.
Speaker, Skilled Futures is offered province-wide and is part of our focus under
the Education Action Plan on Career and Co-operative Education. Through this
program we are promoting a whole-school approach to exploring career education
through experiential learning in communities.
I invite
my hon. colleagues to join me in wishing Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador
a successful Skilled Trades and Technology Week and to encourage students to
participate in the new Skilled Futures Program.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Bonavista.
MR. PARDY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would
like to thank the hon. minister for the advance copy of his statement.
Mr.
Speaker, our caucus would like to join the hon. minister in offering thanks and
congratulations to Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador on their new program,
Skilled Futures.
Mr.
Speaker, recent employment trends indicate there will be thousands of skilled
labour vacancies across the country in the next decade as people retire.
Recently, we attended the Canadian Parliamentary Association in Victoria, BC
where we heard the Rear Admiral of the Pacific Fleet state such. We need to
prepare our students to meet these opportunities as they consider employment
paths now for their future.
Skilled
Futures will offer hands-on experience through interactive workshops, mentorship
and information on a diverse range of industries. As a former teacher and
administrator, myself, I know first-hand the value of practical hands-on
experience for teachers and students. There is perhaps no better method to peak
curiosity and interest in a given field.
In
closing, I ask all hon. Members of the House to join me in congratulating Skills
Canada Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's Centre.
MR. J. DINN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I, too,
thank the minister for the advance copy of his statement. Anytime a government
is investing in youth and our education system is a good idea and is always
welcome. However, any project such as this is going to need people at the school
level to make it work. It's going to need teachers, and I would be interested in
discussing with the minister who at the school level will be responsible for the
coordination of the program and if there will be sufficient allocation of
teaching resources to make this work.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Transportation and Works.
MR. CROCKER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today with great pride to honour the crew of
the MV Flanders.
On the
evening of July 9, the Flanders and
its crew were in Portugal Cove when they received a call from the Canadian Coast
Guard requesting assistance. Two men were in distress in Conception Bay after
their watercraft they were operating overturned. The vessel departed within
minutes and with general location of where to search and assistance from the
Coast Guard the men were located a short time after.
Crew
members used a marshaling boat to get the vessel to the two men and pull them
from the frigid water. Finally, once aboard the
Flanders, they received first-aid before the vessel retuned to
Portugal Cove where they were treated by paramedics.
When the
crew received the call from the Coast Guard, they responded immediately, and
darkness was setting in when they pulled the men from the water.
Mr.
Speaker, crews in our provincial ferries often go above and beyond the call of
duty, and I don't want to think about what could have happened had the crew not
responded quickly that evening.
On
behalf of the hon. Members of this House and the people of Newfoundland and
Labrador, I extend my congratulations to the heroes on board the
MV Flanders for their actions that evening.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would
like to thank the hon. minister for the advance copy of his statement. Mr.
Speaker, we, on this side of the House, join all Members in thanking the crew of
the Flanders for their heroic efforts
on July 9.
Mr.
Speaker, for centuries Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have made their living
from the sea. Sadly, stories of tragedy and loss have so frequently broken the
hearts of families and communities around our province. Thankfully, because of
the quick actions of the crew of the
Flanders, another tragic event was averted.
The
employees of the provincial government often go above and beyond every day to
serve their fellow citizens; however, rarely does it test the individual bravery
and courage such as the night of July 9.
Mr.
Speaker, all Members of our caucus join the minister in recognizing and thanking
the crew. I am also glad to note that one of those rescued was a nephew of the
hon. Member for Cape St. Francis, my colleague, who is particularly grateful for
the efforts of the crew of the Flanders.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Labrador West.
MR. BROWN:
I would like to thank the
minister of an advance copy of his statement. I join the hon. Members in
expressing congratulations and thank the crew of the
MV Flanders for their professionalism,
quick thinking and response to the Coast Guards call for assistance and coming
to the rescue for those two gentlemen of the public who were in distress.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
congratulations once again.
Can the
Premier inform the House if Prime Minister Trudeau replied to the Premier's
letter asking for his position on issues affecting the province prior to
election day?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As we
have said that we would make the letters that would have come back from the
questions we sent to all federal leaders and we received two – one, as we've
mentioned, has been put out publicly.
Mr.
Speaker, much of the questions that were in the prime minister's letter were
things that we were already working on and we continue to have that dialogue
with the prime minister at this stage.
There
were two letters of response from the leaders that we requested the information
on based on the priorities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
Mr. Speaker, I draw from that
that answer is no, the Premier did not receive a reply from the prime minister
prior to election day.
How does
that affect the Premier's level of confidence in whether or not the present
minority government in Ottawa will deliver on promises made?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
number one, one of the major priorities that we would've seen would have been on
rate mitigation. Going into the election, I made that quite clear that the
communication meetings would continue during the election writ period. Those
meetings have occurred. That was a number one priority for people of our
province, Mr. Speaker.
If you
look at the responses that were received, they were varying. But, Mr. Speaker, I
can assure you now that I've had conversations since the election, already, with
the prime minister. I've had conversations with premiers all across this
country. The agenda for Newfoundland and Labrador will continue as it was prior
to the federal election. It will continue on.
And we
will work with Ottawa – we will work with all federal parties, for that matter,
Mr. Speaker, because what's important is that we get the priority issues facing
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians addressed in Ottawa.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
I thank the Premier for his
statement. I understand that he's going to table those letters, and I look
forward hopefully to seeing those tabled this week. Thank you.
Our most
pressing financial problem in Newfoundland and Labrador is rate mitigation for
the Muskrat Falls Project. Full power will be delivered in about a year's time.
What
commitment to help with rates did the Premier's low-key approach to the federal
election bring from any federal party?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
number one, addressing the letters. The letters that Mr. Singh had put out were
publicly available. I'm assuming, since you campaigned with him, that Mr. Scheer
would've spoken to you about those letters as well, because they were publicly
available. So we can table those, we can just print them off, Mr. Speaker, and
table them for you. We'd be more than happy to do that.
There is
no question rate mitigation – as a result of, by the way, not a decision of this
government, but the administration that you are leading, or the PC Party that
you are leading, which caused the necessity for rate mitigation. Let's not
forget that. A project that you, to this day, I say to the Leader of the
Opposition, fails to even say it was a mistake.
Mr.
Speaker, we put out a rate mitigation plan that was very clear to the people of
this province. The rate mitigation from the Leader of the Opposition is still
missing $150 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Leader of the
Official Opposition.
MR. CROSBIE:
That was a kind of convoluted
answer to the question, and I have a pretty strong idea that the electorate in
this province is getting tired, after two elections now, of hearing the same old
accusations.
I take
it that the Premier obtained, in fact, no commitment on Muskrat rate mitigation
from any federal party leader.
Why
didn't the Premier use the leverage he had during a close election in which
every seat counted and make Muskrat Falls rate mitigation a federal election
issue in this province?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Well,
speaking of low key during the federal election, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the
Opposition here in working in collaboration – keep in mind, this is supposed to
be a collaborative House of Assembly working on behalf of all Newfoundlanders
and Labradorians. I didn't hear much from the Leader of the Opposition that he
raised on this issue.
I will
tell you, though, that in September prior to the election we did meet with
Minister Morneau. That was publicly available. We made that information public
that we would continue to have discussions around rate mitigation, Mr. Speaker.
It's
serious; it's the number one priority for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that
has been caused by a project that has seen significant overruns for the people
of our province. Mr. Speaker, that's the reason why we're having this
discussion, a project that leads to 30 per cent of the debt of this province.
Whose
administration made those choices, I ask the Leader of the Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Torngat Mountains.
MS. EVANS:
Mr. Speaker, last week I went
to Sheshatshiu and met with Chief Hart regarding the suicide crisis. The
government has provided additional counselling resources and we support that
effort.
I'd like
to ask the minister: Will those counselling resources be allocated to
Sheshatshiu on a permanent basis to ensure long-term solutions for this crisis?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think
the people of our province, and throughout our province no matter where you
live, has been impacted by the situation in Sheshatshiu. I've had conversations
with the chief just about every day. Even this morning I've had conversations
about the situation that's in Sheshatshiu. I've made it well known to the chief
and others that if my services are needed there, I will go. First of all, Mr.
Speaker, I want to say that.
Secondly, we were very quick to respond by putting resources on the ground, Mr.
Speaker. There's security now that's been in place. The conversations are
happening every day. What we've put in place, number one, is to deal with the
current situation and then let's provide the necessary long-term solutions that
will be required in a community like Sheshatshiu.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Torngat Mountains.
MS. EVANS:
Thank you.
We
support your effort with this crisis, but it shouldn't take a crisis or
fatalities to spur such action.
I ask
the minister: Has the government been responsive enough to the needs expressed
by Indigenous leaders in the many years and months leading up to this?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Health and Community Services.
MR. HAGGIE:
Thank you very much for the
question. It has been a difficult situation for the community, distressing for
all concerned.
The
Member opposite's question is best addressed through the All-Party Committee and
the response through the action plan. We have consulted widely with Indigenous
communities, both in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish, as well as with NunatuKavut and
the Nunatsiavut Government.
We are
trying to craft, in the realm of mental health, a culturally appropriate system
that meets their needs and is designed to their specifications. We continue to
be engaged in regular discussions with them, and the undertaking we have is to
provide them with what they need, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Torngat Mountains.
MS. EVANS:
Labrador Indigenous leaders
have repeatedly said that children being removed from their communities and
placed in the foster care system are losing touch with their traditional culture
and traditions. When they return home they often feel alienation and isolation.
This leads to a sense of helplessness and anger.
I ask:
Is the Premier prepared to allocate adequate resources that supports and ensure
children in care can remain in their communities?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Children, Seniors and Social Development.
MS. DEMPSTER:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Let me
begin by saying my department, too, was very saddened by what was happening and
what has been happening in Sheshatshiu. As this hon. House would know, we have a
lot of resources that are in Sheshatshiu and my department, under child welfare
in particular, we work very closely with all of the Indigenous groups in this
province.
Recently, this House would know, in May '18 we brought in a very progressive
piece of legislation, a substantive bill proclaimed this year, Mr. Speaker, on
the 28th of June. There are a lot of things in that, after extensive
consultation with Indigenous groups, that they look very favourably upon. Things
like a cultural connection plan, working with family connections to keep with an
elevated focus on keeping children in their communities, and we'll continue to
work collaboratively, Mr. Speaker, with the Indigenous communities.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, people on the South Coast and across the province are extremely
concerned about the salmon die-off incident and how the minister has mishandled
this situation.
Minister, you were made aware of the die-off on September 3. What did you do on
that very day to look after the best interest of the people from the Coast of
Bays?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Thank
you to the hon. Member for his question in the House, and it's the first day of
the sitting of the Assembly.
On the
very first day, our veterinarians and our technical people within the Fisheries
and Aquaculture branch were engaged. Not only did we engage our veterinarians to
begin the process of analyzing what the potential causes, cause or causes could
have been, but we also communicated directly to the Department of Fisheries and
Oceans Canada to ensure they had knowledge of the events that were reported to
us. They, again, of course, invoked their own practices and procedures that
would involve health of wild fish stocks, habitat, consequences from ocean
pollution, as well, any impacts on migratory birds under their federal
jurisdiction.
I can
assure the hon. House and this Member that provincial government resources were
enacted immediately, as soon as we became aware of a potentially serious
situation.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, we heard nothing
from the minister for three weeks after September 3 when he first knew about the
salmon die-off. He failed to take charge of the situation, and he didn't even
personally visit the area for six weeks.
Minister: On what date were the inspectors for this assessment of the die-off,
and who do those inspectors answer to?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, from an aquatic
fish health perspective, our veterinarians and our other technical officials
were on site within 24 hours after becoming aware. We began sampling. There were
some weather issues, I will concede, that impacted the capacity to be able to
review sites. Hurricane Dorian was on our doorsteps at the time.
I would
remind the hon. Member, if he's suggesting there was an improper course of
action, he'll have to reflect on the fact that it was a formal decision that was
taken by a Progressive Conservative government in the past, between 2012 and
2014 – a formal decision – not to disclose events that unfolded in aquaculture
sites. In fact, 4 million fish perished between 2012 and 2014 – 4 million in
seven separate incidences, and that was a formal decision that was taken. That
was unacceptable to me, Mr. Speaker. That's why we revised the rules over
proactive disclosure, and they are now in effect.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I am
sure the minister is aware that he is being criticized for not being transparent
and casting a blame in every direction, instead of taking a leadership role. The
people have no confidence in you, Mr. Minister.
Why
should the people on the South Coast and the province believe you are doing
everything possible to ensure that this doesn't happen again?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, when 4 million
fish perished between 2012 and 2014 on seven separate incidences, I can reflect
that the hon. Member will not want to reflect on that and say that was his
administration; however, there was a formal decision that was taken by the
previous administration not to disclose. The companies became aware of that,
became reliant on it, and it did impact in some respects.
However,
as the Privacy Commissioner has said himself to me in my conversation with him,
using the ATIPPA, using the fact that there was an active investigation, noting
there was an active investigation as to whether or not it should be disclosed,
noting that ATIPPA, under 31(1)(a), specifically states that where a potential
harm could happen towards an active investigation, discretion can indeed be
used, and that is good practice.
I
reflect on the hon. Member that why did he and his former government not change
any rules. The rules I was initially following in 2017 were his rules, and I
knew they had to be changed and they're changed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
I had
interesting conversations on the South Coast. According to people down there in
all parts of the industry, the worst job that was ever done on this is by you,
Minister.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. K. PARSONS:
Other groups and politicians
have been silent on this issue – the federal minister, Newfoundland and Labrador
MPs – and you're quick to throwing them under the bus in the media, yet months
ago you bragged about your cozy relationship.
Minister, who are you reaching out to in the federal government and, tell us,
who's ignoring you?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, I take with
great concern what the Member was saying about who trusts who. I'll reflect on
the fact that we have a fantastic Member from the Connaigre Peninsula sitting
now in this caucus. The trust is where it needs to be, and we have established
that trust because we have been acting with the Coast of Bays area for quite
some time. They were directly involved in our consultations and our new
regulations that we put in place.
But the
hon. Member does speak truth to one point, which is the federal government does
indeed have a significant role, as established under our memorandum of
understanding between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador on aquaculture which
was drafted by former Premier Brian Peckford and John Crosbie. That memorandum
of understanding states very clearly that all issues surrounding wild fish
stocks, fish habitat, migratory birds and ocean pollution are indeed a federal
responsibility.
And I
was not shy in any respect to make sure that not only did the federal government
know their responsibilities, that the situation was unfolding down there, but
encouraged others – encouraged others – to encourage them to get out –
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the minister to
conclude his answer.
MR. BYRNE:
– and I heard nothing from
that hon. Member.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for Cape
St. Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
(Inaudible) this province has not, obviously, reached out to his federal
counterparts or his MPs – shameful.
Can the
minister confirm what employment supports will be available for workers in the
industry affected by this incident?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
The preamble to the question
is incorrect, Mr. Speaker. I have reached out directly, not only to the Minister
of Fisheries and Oceans Canada but to the Minister of Environment and Climate
Change Canada. We have directed specific inquiries to the federal officials,
both in the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Wildlife Service and
Environment and Climate Change Canada.
We are
prepared to share information wherever available. The lead investigator now –
and there will be a determination. If there is any consequence to wild fish
stocks, to fish habitat, any consequence from ocean pollution, dumping or to
migratory birds, it will be a federal decision, a federal charge that will be
laid. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, I hope the federal officials have done their
work; we've encouraged them to do so.
The
answer to the question: Will there be support? This side of the House will
always be there to support workers in need and we will be there on the South
Coast.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for Cape St.
Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Interesting answer. He said
he's reaching out, but they're still ignoring him. Why aren't they answering
your questions then if you're reaching out?
Mr.
Speaker, fish harvesters on the South Coast are concerned about the incident and
the environmental impacts it has on other stocks such as lobster.
Minister, what are you doing to make sure that the fish harvesters' concerns are
being addressed?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Minister of
Fisheries and Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
I will repeat again: We have
reached out past, present and future. We continue to have a dialogue with the
federal ministers, departments and officials. We will always be having a
dialogue.
We will
expect them to act in their responsibilities. Their responsibilities include –
and this is very well mapped out within the Canada-Newfoundland Memorandum of
Understanding on Aquaculture Development, which was signed in 1988. It's mapped
out in the federal Fisheries Act. It's
mapped out in the Environmental Protection
Act. It's mapped out in the Canada Shipping Act. It's mapped out in the
Migratory Birds Convention Act. It is a federal responsibility to do those
certain activities.
We have
been there on the ground ever since September 3 when we've known this, to ensure
that – to ask and to expect –
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the minister to
conclude his answer.
MR. BYRNE:
– federal authorities to be there doing their work so that if there's anything
that needs to be done, they act in their jurisdiction, and if there are any
charges to be laid under any of those acts or consequential regulations, they do
so.
Where
was the hon. Member in all of this? I heard nothing but silence.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for Cape St.
Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, the minister was
on VOCM for 44 minutes the other day. In that 44 minutes he mentioned “I” over
50 times. Not once did he mention the people on the South Coast.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. K. PARSONS:
I visited the South Coast. I
went and visited everybody in this industry on the South Coast because it wasn't
about me; it was about the people on the South Coast, other than the way you
were handling this.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. K. PARSONS:
Premier, do you agree that
the minister's mishandling of this issue has undermined the confidence of the
aquaculture industry in which it is very important to the people and the economy
of our province?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, I listened to
the debate and the to-and-fro here in the last few minutes. One of the things
that I do know, however, is there are opportunities for the aquaculture industry
in this province.
I've
said publicly about what's happened in the last few weeks. What I would really
like to know in this environment, in this session and this Assembly is how the
Members really fell about this because we can make this very political if we
want.
It's
been a very difficult situation, but I will tell you what I'm not prepared to do
is to go down to the Coast of Bays and the Connaigre Peninsula and tell people
that we are shutting down the aquaculture industry. It's a significant employer
in rural Newfoundland and Labrador; it's a significant exporter of protein for
people all over this world.
Mr.
Speaker, we're going to continue to support the aquaculture industry in an
environmentally sustainable way that will create jobs in Newfoundland and
Labrador. It is part of our vision for this province. We're going to work with
this industry and work with the people in the Coast of Bays to make sure there
are long-term benefits and long-term employment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for Cape St.
Francis.
MR. K. PARSONS:
Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree
more with the Premier. It is a very important industry in this province and it
is very important to the people on the Connaigre Peninsula – not only on the
Connaigre Peninsula, all of Newfoundland and Labrador. When you look at the
different spinoffs for this industry, it stretches all over this province. It's
very important to our province that we support the people in that area.
My
question to you is: Do you have confidence in this minister – that has bungled
this like you wouldn't believe – in doing his job? If you don't, replace him.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, let me tell you,
we select a Cabinet. If I didn't have confidence in this minister he wouldn't be
there.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, it's been a
difficult time for the people on the South Coast of this province, but we are
going to continue to grow the aquaculture industry in this province. This
minister will be part of that leadership that will do that.
He is
there, Mr. Speaker, with my confidence because I select this Cabinet. We now
have a minister that is doing the job that he's been asked to do and we're going
to continue to grow the aquaculture industry in this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for Exploits.
MS. FORSEY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On
November 29, 2018, an announcement was made by the minister of a biofuel plant
that would revitalize the forest industry on the Great Northern Peninsula.
Can the
minister advise the status of the Timberlands biofuel project?
MR. SPEAKER:
The Minister of Fisheries and
Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
It's an exciting opportunity that's available to us. It's not the first time
that a company has come to Newfoundland and Labrador, a foreign investor,
looking to work with local interests, local companies and local stakeholders to
develop our biomass.
The
project is still active; the company has been reasonably slow, arguably slow, to
be able to kick it off. Instead of putting millions and millions and millions
and millions of dollars into a prospective project, what we've done is we've
asked the company to develop a business plan. We've supplied them with timber
access for a limited period of time and if they fail to perform on their
conditions of licence, then they have that timber access revoked on a
proportionate basis.
What we
have not done, Mr. Speaker, is supply millions and millions and millions and
millions of dollars on a prospective project which, quite frankly, they will be
able to speak more to. What we've done is expect our entrepreneurs, our
innovators, to succeed using their own capacities. That's what we hope happens
here.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Time for one more quick
question from the Member for Exploits.
MR. FORSEY:
Twelve months has passed
since this project was announced. No timber has been cut; no ground has been
broken to build a plant. The people on the Northern Peninsula wonder if this
project will happen at all.
Can the
minister assure the people on the peninsula of their economic future with this
project?
MR. SPEAKER:
The Minister of Fisheries and
Land Resources.
MR. BYRNE:
Mr. Speaker, the forestry
sector will always be a vital and prosperous component of the economy of the
Northern Peninsula. We have great hopes. We have great ambitions. We recognize
this particular project does have certain risks associated with it; however,
we've mitigated the risks to the taxpayer, to the government and ensured that
they have a responsible accountability process as they unfold.
Yes,
there is a timber permit that has been issued. They are expected to harvest in a
timely basis. If they fail to harvest the timber permit, a portion of their
allocation will be removed and, accordingly, the project will be revamped. We've
been speaking to the company just as recently as the last few weeks. They are
revising their positions based on their performance to date. We hope this still
works out.
One
thing, Mr. Speaker, you can be assured of, that this House can be assured of:
Taxpayers' money is safe.
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the minister to
conclude his answer.
MR. BYRNE:
There were 15 biomass
projects that were proposed under this government's watch. Fifteen of them
failed. Now, Mr. Speaker, we're building a platform for success.
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the minister to
conclude his answer.
MR. BYRNE:
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member for St. John's
East - Quidi Vidi.
MS. COFFIN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, we have seen 5,000 people march for action on climate change. In the
offshore we have seen oil spills, worker injuries and near misses. Now, the head
of the C-NLOPB is dismissing these concerns while encouraging more oil
development.
I ask
the Premier: How can the C-NLOPB be both a cheerleader for and an effective
regulator of the oil industry?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I won't
speak for the Chair of the C-NLOPB. What I do speak to will be for
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
There
has been billions of dollars worth of royalties that have come in from the oil
industry in our province. To suggest that we shut that down today when the world
is demanding some 96 million barrels of oil a day, Mr. Speaker.
The oil
that we have available offshore Newfoundland and Labrador is some of the least
carbon-intense oil in the world. So shutting our industry down would only mean
that industry would move to somewhere else. It wouldn't be lost in the industry,
it would move to more carbon-intense oil production.
We are
50 per cent better than the world average, Mr. Speaker. It's a good jurisdiction
to invest in the oil industry; while we then use those royalty monies to invest
in social programs like health care, like education and like infrastructure.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's Centre.
MR. J. DINN:
Mr. Speaker, Northern Harvest
intends to expand their Indian Head hatchery to add 2.2 million fish to their
South Coast sea pens. Government's environmental assessment excluded the open
net sea pens. Groups requested a full assessment, but their concerns were
dismissed and is now in a case going to court this Wednesday.
I ask
the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment: Will he restart the
environmental assessment to include the sea pens instead of letting this matter
go through a costly court process?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Environment.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. BRAGG:
Mr. Speaker, it's an honour
to rise in this House and answer the Member's question opposite. While this case
in front of the courts, there will be no comment from our department until after
the court proceedings later this month.
Thank
you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Labrador West.
MR. BROWN:
Mr. Speaker, a recent
miscommunication of a luminol spill in the Churchill River, an improperly
reported safety near miss at CF(L)Co, amplifies the ongoing poor communications
on the part of Nalcor.
I ask
the Minister of Natural Resources: Will she order a complete review of incident
reporting by Nalcor?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Natural Resources.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank
you for the very important question. Let me just first say regarding the luminol
spill on the river, there is a river response committee, and they have done
their work. There is clean up that has occurred. Anything that can't be cleaned
up, I just want to let the people of the province know that luminol does no harm
in the environment and does dissipate, but there has been an active role of
making sure that any clean up that is required is done.
I will
say to the Member opposite, it is unfortunate and difficult to say that this
spill occurred, and Nalcor, obviously, is looking at making sure that this does
not occur again, because, as I've said repeatedly in this House, environmental
protection is essential for all that we do in this province.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for St.
John's East - Quidi Vidi.
MS. COFFIN:
Mr. Speaker, past government
decisions have inextricably tied us to the unsustainable and volatile oil
industry. A viable plan is necessary to wean the Treasury from this dependence
and onto more sustainable and reliable revenue streams.
I ask
the Premier: Given his intent to further entrench our reliance on offshore oil
with Advance 2030, how does he plan to
join the rest of the world and transition our economy off this dependence?
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Premier.
PREMIER BALL:
Mr. Speaker, it's called
The Way Forward. It was released in 2016, I think on November 9.
Since that time, we have seen significant investment in the aquaculture industry
and the agriculture industry.
If you
think about a green economy, Mr. Speaker, usually that starts with mining. Much
of the components that we actually mine from the earth end up in production and
producing a green economy. We've also put in place a five-year Climate Change
Action Plan, Mr. Speaker. We are putting jobs in rural Newfoundland and
Labrador; transforming the economy that we were.
I will
tell you – and make no bones about it, as Premier of this province – if the
world is looking for oil to the tune of 96 million barrels a day, we are going
to use our oil industry to support green initiatives and to support social
initiatives that are so much needed in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
The time
for Question Period has expired.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Presenting Reports
by Standing and Select Committees
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Harbour Grace - Port de Grave.
MS. P. PARSONS:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As Chair
of the Government Services Committee, I am pleased to present the Committee's
report on the draft bill entitled, An Act Respecting The Regulation Of Real
Estate Trading In The Province.
The
proposed legislation was referred to the Committee on June 18, with the
instruction that we review the bill and report our findings during this sitting
of the House.
The
Committee conducted two public hearings at which they discussed the draft bill
with Service NL, the department responsible for the legislation; with the
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Realtors; and with one member of the
general public.
On
behalf of the Committee, I thank the above mentioned presenters for their
contribution to our deliberations. I also acknowledge the work of my colleagues
on the Committee: the Member for Conception Bay South, the vice-chair of the
Committee; the Member for Ferryland; the hon. Member for Fogo Island - Cape
Freels; the Member for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune; the Member for Lewisporte -
Twillingate; the Member for Mount Scio; and the Member for St. John's East -
Quidi Vidi.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of
Documents
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Finance.
MR. OSBORNE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Pursuant
to section 26(5)(a) of the Financial
Administration Act, I am tabling 15 orders-in-council related to funding
pre-commitments for the fiscal years 2020, 2021 and beyond.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further tabling of documents?
Notices
of Motion.
Notices of Motion
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give
notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The
Labour Standards Act, Bill 8.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of motion?
The hon.
Member for Mount Scio.
MS. STOODLEY:
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded
by the Member for Lewisporte - Twillingate, that the following private Member's
resolution be debated this Wednesday:
WHEREAS
community organizations across the province make significant contributions in
various aspects of community life, such as mental health supports, the arts, and
school meal programs; and
WHEREAS
the community sector is a major contributor to the province's economy; and
WHEREAS
the community sector directly employs 16,000 people across the province; and
WHEREAS
the Community Sector Work Plan was developed in collaboration with
representatives from 17 various community sector groups in order to advance
their social and economic contributions to the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador; and
WHEREAS
the Community Sector Council Summit stressed the importance of strengthened
co-operation between government and the community sector;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this hon. House continues to work together with
the Community Sector Council and its members to advance the role of the
community sector groups across the province.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of motion?
The hon.
Government House Leader.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
congratulations to you.
Pursuant
to Standing Order 63(3), the private Member's resolution just entered shall be
the one debated on Wednesday.
MR. SPEAKER:
Further notices of motion?
Answers
to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Member for
Bonavista.
MR. PARDY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Heritage
Collegiate in Lethbridge had a teaching position held back in May of this year
for an intermediate class with an enrolment of 33 students. Fortunately, no
students transferred out and a substitute teacher was assigned in September
while the position was advertised for October. The result for these students was
a lack of consistency and continuity which has unnecessarily negatively impacted
their learning.
We, the
undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador to request that the Newfoundland and Labrador English
School District abandon the practice of hold-back process and adhere to the
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's allocation formula at the end of each
school year, based on the student enrolment at that time.
If I may
try to encapsulate the Heritage Collegiate experience; in Clarenville Middle
School they offer where children come first. It's not a competition where the
first one to cross, but every decision we make ought to be based on the child
and what best serves the children in our province. This practice negatively
impacts the children.
May and
June, at the end of a school year, is when the greatest number of teachers are
available for hire. In Heritage Collegiate, on September 4 when the 33 students
showed up and when they came there, they were allowed to hire a substitute
teacher. The class had to be split at that point in time. A substitute teacher
was hired and a permanent teacher was found for October, in a very limited pool.
The
chair of the school council speaks of the havoc that was created in the school
programming. Keep in mind, the timetable was created at the year end. Now, they
had a speciality position, English language arts, where that teacher was subject
teaching throughout the school. Everyone's class timetable, practically
everyone's, had to change. It created havoc for teachers, it led to poor
continuity at the start of a year, and even a grade 11 English language arts
course was affected because they have semesterisation.
I would
say to you, I know my decision would be to abolish that hold-back process. If
you've been doing the hold-back process for 10 years, I would think you have
good data now to be able to say this is not the most effective way of protecting
the financial bottom line, but it certainly does impact negatively the schools
of which are impacted by this hold-back process.
Thank
you.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Minister of
Education and Early Childhood Development.
MR. WARR:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I
certainly thank the hon. Member for his petition. As most of us have already
heard, this was a stipulation in the contract that was negotiated through NLTA,
and it had to do with a seniority clause that they had negotiated in their
contract. I can certainly appreciate where the hon. Member is coming from with
regard to the school that he's speaking about, Mr. Speaker, and we'll continue,
as a department and as a district, to work with the NLTA to see that we try and
mitigate this issue as much as we can.
Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Topsail - Paradise.
MR. P. DINN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and
congratulations.
WHEREAS
there are many persons who are unable to better themselves and are unable to
avail of government funding under the Skills Development Program; and
WHEREAS
there is a lack of flexibility to deliver programs because of circumstances that
do not meet government policies and therefore are falling through the cracks;
THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the
undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador to look at the Skills Development Program, to
recognize that these programs can be restrictive and, as a result, outcomes are
limited. Policies should be developed and applied to ensure there are mechanisms
to address specific and unique situations. There should be a greater level of
flexibility to accommodate the wider range of people seeking assistance.
I worked
many years with the department and, of course, I've had some dealings with the
past minister. We brought some specific cases forward. We were able to help
some; some, not so much. I think, when we look at the state of our economy, in
terms of our population, in terms of our employment, in terms of our
out-migration, we should be doing anything and everything we can to ensure that
those individuals that come forward that have unique situations are given a
chance to better themselves and to become a contributing member of our society.
We have
cases where individuals are just looking for a hand up rather than a handout.
They're not numerous, but we should be helping them up. We should be helping
them up and looking at our programs and looking at our policies and guidelines
to ensure that these people have an opportunity to participate in our economy
and to make valuable contributions.
I think,
in my past years – I don't know if it was a Liberal or PC minister, but it stuck
in my head that a minister said one day, policy should never override common
sense. I think, in this instance, there are individuals out there who are losing
an opportunity to better themselves, losing an opportunity to become a
contributing member of our society, and I think the department and the minister
responsible should be looking more closely into this to ensure everyone has that
opportunity.
MR. SPEAKER:
Thank you.
The hon.
the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour.
MR. MITCHELMORE:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank
the Member opposite for the petition. As a government, we've been working
together co-operatively and collaboratively to look at policy options to make
sure that we have a more inclusive society, that we are looking after those that
are more vulnerable. And we are tailoring programs so that there are additional
supports.
I had
the pleasure to work with the former minister, as well, of Advanced Education,
Skills and Labour, as well as the current Minister of Education and Early
Childhood Development, as we launched the Adult Literacy Action Plan. This is a
$60-million plan over the next five years, of which we can have specific actions
that will help people attach to the labour force, to get further education, to
expand our programs and services to make sure that they are more available to
people, and that people have greater opportunities here in this province.
Mr.
Speaker, we are looking at all avenues of which we can make sure that people of
all ages and all demographics are being able to attach to the labour force so
that we can continue to grow the economy here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank
you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for
Conception Bay South.
MR. PETTEN:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, the Foxtrap Access Road in CBS is a vital link to both the TCH and
Peacekeepers Way, as well as being a heavily populated area. The road is in
immediate repairs, in need of asphalt resurfacing, as well as shoulder repairs.
This road is not listed for resurfacing until 2023 in the five-year roads
program. And it's not soon enough; it needs immediate attention.
THEREFORE we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the
undersigned, called upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador to provide immediate repairs to the Foxtrap Access
Road.
Mr.
Speaker, I realize this is November, and as early tendering is in place – I get
that too, that'll come out in the spring, early spring, late February, March,
whenever. I was looking through petitions and I felt this was an opportune time
– we're opening the House on November 4 – to bring this to the floor of the
House of Assembly. And I'll have many more opportunities throughout Question
Period and petitions and debate.
But in
preparation for the House, the minister's own district, it was a glaring example
of what we'd call back in the good old Liberal days, the Joey days, was the pork
barrel in politics. When an election was called, if you stayed in the one spot
too long, an asphalt spreader could run over your feet. That's the truth. There
was blacktop everywhere during election time.
So I got
an ATIPP request and I checked out the ATIPP request for the minister's
district, just trying to see where everything stood. Then I got another ATIPP
request for the full, entire 40 districts and I started doing some looking
around. There are some areas where there are high amounts because of the
Trans-Labrador. It was the Bond Bridge. It could be the lift bridge in Placentia
or Team Gushue, just to name a few. The ones that were high were justifiable; it
made sense when you compared it.
The
minister's district – it has nothing to do with Veterans Memorial, this has to
do with in his district, municipal roads. We all have roads in our districts;
I'm sure Members over on that side, as well as our side. With the minister's
amount of roadwork, I normally give allowance – people told me before you should
go down in his district and look and I said, no, I get some of that piece.
We never
took the politics out of paving you see, Mr. Speaker. This crowd did. For three
years we've listened to you crowd – meaning us. We didn't care. We never took it
out, they did. This was their signature: Five-year roads program, we've taken
the politics out of paving. Not doing what this crowd did, we're never doing
that again. They rose above that. I always supported a five-year roads program –
always. They're the ones who implemented it, told us to take the politics out of
paving.
I've
read it and I've reviewed it and I've read it and I've reviewed it and the
numbers don't lie. This year alone there's almost $10 million going to the
minister's district. I'm sure a lot of Members in this House would love to see
$10 million worth of work come to their district. Is that taking the politics
out of paving? No, it's not. It's making a mockery of their five-year roads
program.
If
there's that much money to go around – you can tell my colleague for Harbour
Main you have no money to pave roads. All the while you're down filling your own
– people are amazed with the amount of pavement. Why don't you spread it around
to be fair to the province and do what your five-year roads program was intended
to do?
MR. SPEAKER:
The Member's time has
expired.
MR. PETTEN:
Take the politics out of paving and do what's right.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. Minister of
Transportation and Works.
MR. CROCKER:
Mr. Speaker, thank you very
much.
If the
Member opposite would like for me to table the three Roads Plans that we've
already launched – any paving that's been done in the district that I represent
was clearly outlined the last three years in the Roads Plan.
Mr.
Speaker, also, he talks about the amount of investment in districts and the
Member for Burin - Placentia West looked over at me and smiled. This year alone,
we will invest $10 million in paving in a district represented by the Member for
Burin - Placentia West.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. CROCKER:
Mr. Speaker, we just had a
business plan approved for Route 210 that over the next two years will put $20
million worth of roadwork into that district. It's not about who represents the
district, it's about safe roads.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. CROCKER:
Mr. Speaker, the reality is
since we've launched the five-year Roads Plan we've invested in 37 of 40
districts in this province. The only reason we haven't invested in the other
three is because they don't have provincial roads.
Mr.
Speaker, the reality is here, since 2015, we've invested $700 million in roads
throughout this province. We've paved 2,100 lane kilometres, enough lanes to go
to Corner Brook three times.
MR. SPEAKER:
I ask the minister to
conclude his comments.
MR. CROCKER:
Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER:
Further petitions?
No
further petitions?
Orders
of the Day.
Orders of the Day
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's a
privilege to stand here as the new Government House Leader, and I have –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. COADY:
Thank you.
I
certainly appreciate the support of my colleagues in the House. It's been a
privilege over the last number of weeks to work with the other House leaders,
Mr. Speaker, to ensure we get legislation brought forward, we co-operate fully
and work together to make sure we are able to bring legislation forward that
really does help the people of this province.
I'd be
remiss, Mr. Speaker – before I get to the Orders of the Day – if I didn't thank
the Minister of Justice and Public Safety. He has done an outstanding job –
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Hear, hear!
MS. COADY:
– over the last four years in government of giving guidance and direction. I
know when he was a Member opposite, he spent four years on the other side doing
the same thing. So his guidance, direction and good cheer, Mr. Speaker,
certainly has stood us well in this House, and I have very large shoes to fill,
which I will try and do as best as possible.
I will
work in co-operation and with as much time as possible with my colleagues so
that we are working together to ensure this people's House is working as
effectively and efficiently and in the best interest of the people of the
province.
Having
said that, Mr. Speaker, Orders of the Day.
The
first thing I would like to call, Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister
of Service NL, for leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The
Highway Traffic Act, Bill 5, and I further move that the said bill be now read a
first time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded by
the hon. Government House Leader that she shall have leave to introduce a bill
entitled, An Act To Amend The Highway Traffic Act, Bill 5, and that the said
bill now be read a first time.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
Passed.
Motion,
the hon. the Minister of Service NL to introduce a bill, “An Act To Amend The
Highway Traffic Act,” carried. (Bill 5)
CLERK:
A bill, An Act To Amend The
Highway Traffic Act. (Bill 5)
MR. SPEAKER:
The bill has now been read a
first time.
When
shall the bill be read a second time?
MS. COADY:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, Bill 5 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr.
Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Lewisporte - Twillingate, for leave
to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Disclosure Of Information Under
An Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol, Bill 6, and I further move that
the said bill be now read a first time.
MR. SPEAKER:
It has been moved and
seconded that the hon. Minister of Justice and Public Safety shall have leave to
introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Disclosure Of Information Under An
Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol, Bill 6, and that this bill now be
read a first time.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt this motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
Motion,
the hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety to introduce a bill, “An Act
Respecting Disclosure Of Information Under An Interpersonal Violence Disclosure
Protocol,” carried. (Bill 6)
CLERK:
A bill, An Act Respecting
Disclosure Of Information Under An Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol.
(Bill 6)
MR. SPEAKER:
The bill has now been read a
first time.
When
shall the said bill be read a second time?
MS. COADY:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, Bill 6 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I move,
seconded by the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, for leave to
introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend the Labour Standards Act – this is by
leave, Mr. Speaker – and I further move that the said bill be now read a first
time. This is by leave.
MR. SPEAKER:
Does the minister have leave?
AN HON. MEMBER:
Leave.
MR. SPEAKER:
Seeing no objections, leave
granted.
It has
been moved and seconded by the Government House Leader shall have leave to
introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act, Bill 8, and
that the said bill be now read a first time.
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.'
Passed.
Motion,
the hon. the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour to introduce a
bill, “An Act To Amend The Labour Standards Act,” carried. (Bill 8)
CLERK:
A bill, An Act To Amend The
Labour Standards Act. (Bill 8)
MR. SPEAKER:
The bill has now been read a
first time.
When
shall the bill be read a second time?
MS. COADY:
Tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
Tomorrow.
On
motion, Bill 8 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Government House
Leader.
MS. COADY:
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Considering the hour of the day, I move, seconded by the Minister of
Transportation and Works, this House do now adjourn.
MR. SPEAKER:
It is moved and seconded that
the House do now adjourn.
Is it
the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All
those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS:
Aye.
MR. SPEAKER:
All those against, 'nay.'
The
House now stands adjourned until tomorrow, 1:30 of the clock in the afternoon.
On
motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m.