May 25, 2023 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol. L No. 39
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
SPEAKER (Bennett): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
In the public gallery today, I would like to welcome Salvation Army Officers, Majors Tony and Beverly Brushett and members from the Ches Penney Centre of Hope. Their business here this afternoon is for a Member's statement.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Also in the public gallery, I would like to welcome the Grade 10 French social studies students from Holy Spirt High and also want to welcome teachers Margaret Murrin and Alex Duff.
Welcome this afternoon.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: In the Speaker's gallery today, the first time I think, at least since I've been Speaker, I would like to welcome grand champion, American-Canadian, multiple Best in Speciality, multiple Best in Show, GoFetch Beaumont Hamel.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: He recently returned from his second recognition as Best in Breed at Westminster and is here this afternoon with his owners: Pat Coady, Caitlin O'Brien and Pam Squires.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Also in the Speaker's gallery, I would like to welcome Homeport Night Watchman with his owner Rob Crosbie.
Welcome.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
Statements by Members
SPEAKER: Today, we'll hear statements by the hon. Members for the District of Mount Pearl North, Placentia - St. Mary's, Placentia West - Bellevue, St. George's - Humber and St. John's Centre.
The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
L. STOYLES: Speaker, our youth are our greatest resource and the key to our future. Mount Pearl resident, Jenny Mallard, is a true example of this. Jenny has an extensive résumé as a singer, songwriter, musician and a mentor and is an active community volunteer. She leaves a positive impression on all those she meets.
She has been involved with the Mary Queen of the World church choir since she's been eight years old, volunteering regularly with the Mount Pearl Frosty Festival and has toured the province with such groups as Due South Opry tour, the Honky Tonk Christmas, plus she has opened for the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra's, Celebrating the Woman of Country, at the East Coast Music Awards as a winning artist. Jenny has recently been accepted into the Music NL mentorship program.
Jenny's love for music and our culture is a shining example of her talent, which she so gracefully shares with others. Jenny has released four singles and a few months ago released her first album: Into the Deep. Her music has hit top 30 charts of the East Coast Music twice in the last four months – very impressive.
Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Jenny Mallard and we wish her a successful career in the music industry.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia - St. Mary's.
S. GAMBIN-WALSH: Speaker, on August 5, 2022, John J. Gibbons Limited in St. Mary's celebrated its 50th year in business.
This business was originally started in the 1800s by John's great-great-grandfather and was passed down through five generations. In 1972, John took ownership and operates the business today. When asked what the key to survival was, Mr. Gibbons said he usually came into the store around 7:30 a.m. and worked until 9 p.m. He always took a lunch and supper break and jokingly said he worked eight days a week.
John Gibbons is a devoted family man and described by residents as a people person with a generous heart, always willing to help others. John also has a passion for antique cars. During the summer months you will find him in the store or cruising around St. Mary's in his 69 Plymouth GTX.
John, at 75, is very active. His daughter, Tara, is the next in line to take over the family business and has been at his side for the last 20 years.
Gibbons' store is always welcoming and has a friendly atmosphere. Please join me as I congratulate the Gibbons family on their tremendous success.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue.
J. DWYER: Thank you Speaker.
Tomorrow afternoon, May 26, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. is the annual Burin Peninsula Health Care Foundation Radiothon live on 88.3 VOCM. Tune in to hear stories from local health care staff, patients and their families and learn how your donations enhance local health care on the Burin Peninsula.
This year, the 2023 radiothon will be supporting the following priority projects: waiting room upgrades at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Center, a cuddle bed for Blue Crest Nursing Home, garden upgrades for long-term care residents and patient Comfort in Care programs, which include providing gas cards and accommodation vouchers for local chemotherapy and dialysis patients travelling to medical appointments.
Again this year, I will be supporting and proudly participating in the radiothon. Donations can be made online at www.bphcf.ca/radiothon or by calling 1-709-279-2126 or by visiting the Marystown Summer Games building.
Speaker, I am asking all hon. Members and constituents of the beautiful District of Placentia West - Bellevue to please tune in tomorrow and support the Burin Peninsula Health Care Foundation.
Let's make this year a record in support for our health care facilities.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. George's - Humber.
S. REID: Speaker, the Humber Valley Seniors Club celebrated their 40th anniversary recently in Pasadena. The club has 162 members and a waiting list of 34 people who want to join the club. The group has expanded their building over the years, adding a well-equipped kitchen, a new stage and other pieces of equipment.
The club is one of the most active in the province. They sponsor many activities for their members including swimming, bowling, yoga, fitness classes, dances, cards, darts and many others activities. They also organize outings and events. It should be noted that many of the members of the Humber Valley Seniors Club are some of the most active volunteers in supporting activities in their communities. For example, many of the people who organize and volunteer for the Pasadena Winter Carnival are seniors.
I commend members of the club for the work they do to make Pasadena the vibrant town that it is today. I also recognize the foresight of people like the former mayor of Pasadena, Mr. Bill Pardy, and others who started this club and all those who have helped grow it over the last 40 years.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, John O'Donohue wrote: “May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.”
Salvation Army Majors Tony and Beverly Brushett embody these words. They served as church leaders in Greens Harbour and at the Ottawa Booth Centre before returning home in 2019 to the New Hope Centre in St. John's.
Major Tony assumed the executive directorship of the New Ches Penney Centre for Hope, still under construction, while Major Beverly became director of Spiritual Care of the Wiseman Centre and the Centre of Hope.
Major Tony led the completion of the Centre of Hope and built a team that serves today over 1,000 meals and distributes food hampers to over 200 families weekly.
The Brushetts are the centre's backbone. They carve out a significant portion of their day to work on the front line and let all vulnerable individuals who take the walk up the stairs know that they care for them.
In two weeks, they leave for the Northwest Territories to establish a Centre of Hope in Yellowknife.
I am honoured to know and I wish them well as they continue their sacred work.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
S. COADY: Thank you, Speaker.
There are four breeds currently recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club as uniquely Canadian: the Newfoundland dog, the Labrador Retriever, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and the Canadian Inuit dog.
Both the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever have existed in this province for numerable years. The Maritime Archaic had dogs as discovered in graves at Port aux Choix by Professor James Tuck and carbon dated around 4,000 years ago. The first mention of dogs in the province in historical documents is known as early as 1620.
Newfoundland dogs are considered the best for their water rescuing abilities and are used around the world. The dog is a symbol of our province and the subject of many stories and legends based on the breed's bravery and loyalty. Originally, Newfoundland dogs and Labrador Retrievers hauled fishing nets to shore and then pulled the day's catch to market by cart.
The Labrador Retriever is among the top breeds that work as service, rescue and therapy dogs. The breed is also successful in scent detection work including the ability to detect health issues in humans. Known for being even tempered and gentle, they have long been the number one breed in registrations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever as originating in Newfoundland and Labrador and are an essential part of Newfoundland and Labrador's historical and cultural heritage.
Welcome Beau and Night to the House of Assembly.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Thank you, Speaker.
I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement.
The Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever have long been symbolic with the province and going back to the early 1600s. Being the owner of a Newfoundland dog, I can attest to their bravery, kindness and loyalty. They are famously good companions and have earned the reputation as patient and watchful dogs for children. They truly can be work dogs and are well known for its swimming and rescue abilities.
The Labrador Retriever is synonymous with being the dog of choice for those individuals who need a service dog. The breed is easily trained for basic obedience and they catch on quickly. Known for their even temper and gentle demeanour, they are used to detect human illness.
The Official Opposition is pleased to recognize the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever as dogs of cultural significance to our province's culture and history which are featured prominently in our tourism ads.
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the cultural significance and contributions of these two breeds of dogs that we can call our own.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement.
I spent a half an hour this morning, Speaker, chasing around a constituent's dog to bring it back to him – part of the duties, so I know what it meant to this individual to have that dog returned. I own dogs myself and I can tell you the importance they are to me and my family, to my grandchildren as well.
So I definitely will join the Deputy Premier in recognizing the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever as essential parts of Newfoundland and Labrador's historical and cultural heritage, but I would also say to the families in which they reside, while they are dogs, they are very much part of families as well.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Are there any further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Speaker, it has now been revealed that a vast majority of people of our province are victims of the 2021 cyberattack. According to the report, only 100,000 patients have received any notification of their vulnerability to identify them.
I ask the Premier: Why are you leaving hundreds of thousands of people in the dark about the status of these most personal and private information?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member opposite for the question.
Of course, we've revealed from day one almost, Mr. Speaker, that this was an extensive cyberattack involving many people in this province. We took the advice of many across the country because this was an unprecedented attack, not just to Newfoundland and Labrador, but across the country. As a result we relied on advice from the RCMP, from the Department of National Defence, from the Department of Public Safety and others.
We made sure that we notified everyone in the province that there was a potential threat to them and their family, and we took the extraordinary measure of making sure that there was availability to them of protection with respect to their credit, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Thank you, Speaker.
Right now it's been identified that there are hundreds of thousands of other Newfoundlanders and Labradorians whose information has been put out there, taken or attacked. Why is the Premier not now acknowledging that it should be told to the individuals that their information is vulnerably out there in the general public? Speaker, anyone who had tested for COVID-19 up to 2021 is now at risk of identity theft.
I ask the Premier: Will you tell the victims of the cyberattack what personal sensitive information has been stolen?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Once again, we had broad public disclosure of potential threat to every individual in this province. We did it early, we did it immediately and we did it with the interest of full disclosure. With respect to the volume of information, we advised everybody to be on high alert to ensure that there was nothing nefarious or untoward happening in their accounts or with their own personal information and that we would provide protection for them, Mr. Speaker.
This was the course of action that was recommended with respect to the size of the attack to ensure that there was broad and full disclosure of the potential without getting into specifics of individuals, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Mr. Speaker, the Privacy Commissioner's report itself outlines that information should be shared with the individuals here because their information is at risk. Why would you not do that? Putting out a general thing means nothing, specifically the people who may have been vulnerable here are the ones that should be notified.
Speaker, the cyberattack report makes it clear: The government broke the law by refusing to disclose just how widespread this attack was. They ignored warnings for years, leaving our private information vulnerable to attack. Yet, the government blames the Health Authority for the issue.
I ask the Premier: Are you responsible for health care and health care information in our province?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and let me take the opportunity to thank the Commissioner for his work on this.
We treat this as a post-mortem, unprecedented situation, Mr. Speaker. We recognize of course that there's no perfection in unchartered territory. We sought advice from across the country about how to deal with this. Once again from the Department of National Defence, as it did potentially at the time have national security implications. We talked to the Department of Public Safety. We talked to cybersecurity experts, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that we were navigating this without inflaming a criminal act.
We did the best we could in the situation that was uncharted and unprecedented and we welcome the opportunity of this report to ensure that we are acting. I believe the Member opposite would recognize in that report the Commissioner has recognized we have acted extensively to protect the future of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: I ask the Premier can we move beyond what you've done in the past to look at doing something in the present here, and that's informing people here who have had their information stolen.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: Speaker, when this government chose to spend almost $700,000 on a private law firm to fight the Churchill family, the Premier blamed the school district, which is part of the Department of Education.
I ask the Premier: Are you responsible for education in Newfoundland and Labrador?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
First of all, I'll attempt to answer both sections of the question. First, the report does suggest, with respect to being proactive – quote – an impressive amount of work has been done subsequent to the cyber attack. So I'll just let that stand there, Mr. Speaker.
With respect to the school district, once again, I am very sympathetic to that particular situation. I agree with the Member opposite, that money should be spent in the classroom and not in the courtroom. But had I interfered, Mr. Speaker, the accusation would have been that I would be interfering in judicial and legal processes which I, for one, am not going to do.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Thank you, Speaker.
I can reassure the Premier, if he interferes in something that improves the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, you will not here objections from this side of the House.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: I can guarantee you that.
Speaker, when the cyberattack struck our province, the government blamed our health authorities. When the crab crisis gripped our province, the government blamed the market. When the emergency room doors closed across our province, the government shrugged it off as a national issue. When Memorial stripped the Ode for convocation, they blamed someone else.
I ask the Premier: If you're not responsible for the issues affecting the lives of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, who is?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I certainly am very cognizant of the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and I resent any other accusation, Mr. Speaker.
We have been here implementing new policies, Mr. Speaker, to create a sustainable Newfoundland and Labrador. I, for one, despite the support of the Opposition, will not interfere in a judicial process.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: There would have been a proactive approach that would have eliminated having to go to the judicial process here (inaudible) at the right time.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: Speaker, it has been over three months since the sudden cancelling of a school bus contract with Gladney's bus service. Parents and employees are left wondering what happened and what is the plan going forward.
Can the government update this House on the investigation and will any report be released publicly?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Speaker.
Safety is our prime concern when dealing with our students and our staff within the education system. There were reasons which have come to light in the school district as to why that contract was suspended and then cancelled. There were alternative arrangements made and those will continue in place until the end of this school year, at which point there will be an evaluation of the investigations both from us and from other agencies to see whether or not that contract needs to be retendered.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, I'll go off course for a second. I want to recognize Holy Spirit High School students in the gallery and teachers in my district.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: Good to see our youth out.
Speaker, it's too bad the minister don't feel concerned about the safety of the students and staff and teachers at Frank Roberts school as he is for everyone else. I probably wouldn't have to be asking these questions today, but here I go again.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
B. PETTEN: Hang on, I know you're excited. It's the last day. He's excited. The Government House Leader is excited today.
The House closes today and the school community of Frank Roberts Junior High continues to have concerns which have been dismissed by the minister. The same one who dismissed the security concerns on a potential cyberattack. We saw results of that yesterday.
Again, before the school year closes, will the minister join me at a public town hall to hear concerns from parents?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Happy to stand and provide a response to the Member opposite, but I think I need to start by dealing with some of his preamble to his ultimate question. I have not and, in actual fact, have been far from dismissive. We have taken the concerns of the staff, the students and the community seriously. We produced evidence, facts, which the Member opposite doesn't care about. It's in Hansard. He actually said that the other day.
The facts are that Occupational Health and Safety said the school is safe. It is old, but it is safe. Health inspectors said the maintenance and sanitation in this school are excellent. There are challenges. There is work ongoing with the school district, and the cafeteria issue will be sorted out in time for next year.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you very much, Speaker.
The minister needs to realize this is not about me. It's not about the MHA for CBS. It's about the students; it's about the teachers, about the staff at Frank Roberts Junior High.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: Full stop. He's been all week trying to attack me on this issue and he's not winning that battle. I'm standing with the teachers, the students and the parents in my district and I'm not stopping any time soon.
Speaker, it's disappointing that the minister is afraid to face the parents, teachers and students to discuss these concerns. That's all we're asking. The school community deserves to hear face to face from decision-makers who they feel are operating in isolation.
Unfortunately, the minister's dismissiveness is a pattern of behaviour and history will judge, Mr. Speaker – history will judge.
Again, will you come to the town hall before the school bell rings?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Speaker.
Far from dismissing the concerns of the students and the staff and the parents, I actually went to the school and I actually walked through the school with the principal, with the vice-principal. I spoke to students who came over and introduced themselves on the corridor. I spoke to members of staff.
I have not been anything except engaged in this so we can work through this to find the best and safest solution for the students and staff of Frank Roberts Junior High.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Speaker, the minister –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
B. PETTEN: – was still on the Foxtrap Access Road and my phone was lighting up with how dismissive – he wouldn't answer questions from teachers. He went through with the principal and the vice-principal. They cherry-picked a few areas. They never went to the basement. They never went to the wing of the Grade 7 school. I know that school, Minister, quite well and what you did is just smoke and mirrors to make yourself look good and you're telling the House day to day. Go and tell the parents –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
B. PETTEN: – and the students and the teachers of Frank Roberts what you're telling us here. If you have the courage to do that, do it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Let me take an opportunity to address some of the concerns here, Mr. Speaker. Just like for any school in this province, we will continue to work with the students and the parents and the staff to ensure that there is a safe and available space for them to learn, to be educated, to grow as a community, Mr. Speaker.
What I find somewhat confusing is the first time we heard about this from the Member opposite was when the parents brought it to VOCM. I ask you, what have you been doing for the last few years? There was plenty of time for you to have brought that to our attention.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
A. FUREY: Where have you been? Where have you been, Sir?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
I ask all Members to address the Chair when you're responding or asking a question. I don't want any arguing back and forth.
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Well, it's another great opportunity for me to get up here and remind the Premier once again they have TRIM. I'm sure the Department of Education has TRIM. Go back and check your records; March 2022 I wrote the department, the former minister. I requested for planning to start for a new school to replace Frank Roberts –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: – and immediate plans for remediation to be (inaudible). The letter is on file, Mr. Speaker. But I got a response back totally dismissive and all my concerns meant nothing.
Premier, get your facts straight.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Speaker.
I think Hansard will show that the Member opposite is not interested in the facts. The facts are, Mr. Speaker, we have been engaged, myself and my predecessor. We have each visited. We have each undertaken remedial action to address the concerns that were brought forward at that time.
I do not have to stand in this House, go bright red in the face and wave my arms around to show I'm concerned.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: School was out for them long ago, Speaker.
Speaker, the minister continues to brag about road plans, when we all know the money will not get out the door; in fact, it seldom ever does. The Team Gushue Highway is stalled and the twinning –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
I can't hear the question.
The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Thank you, Speaker.
The minister continues to brag about his roads plans, when we all know the money will not get out the door; in fact, it seldom ever does. The Team Gushue Highway is stalled and the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway lacks any budget, time frame or plan.
Speaker, again, if the minister cannot get last year's money out the door, why does he expect to be taken seriously?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
E. LOVELESS: Mr. Speaker, I think I'm going to nickname the Member opposite the unbelieving Tomas because in terms of the roadwork – and they applauded for it. I said it yesterday and I'll say it again: They applauded for the amount of money we're putting in. Then, that Member, in particular, lobbies and says you should spend more money; we invest more money.
I said yesterday they were over there applauding during the budget that we announced the $1.4 billion. He applauded over and over and over.
But I'll say in terms of the Team Gushue Highway, again, that he's scared that we're going to get it done because we will get it done, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: I was expecting a little good news. Maybe he should apply to NTV for a job, when Mr. Furlong gives up his job, for a Little Good News.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
L. O'DRISCOLL: Yes, Speaker, we celebrate the annual announcements like the annual Team Gushue Highway announcement. In fact, I think the former Liberal premier first announced improvements to Pitts Memorial Drive. The minister should get an earth award for recycling.
Speaker, why make big announcements when there's no capacity in the department or industry to actually get the money out the door and get the work done?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
E. LOVELESS: Mr. Speaker, like Michelle Obama said: When they go low, we'll stay high.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
E. LOVELESS: So if that's the best that the Member has got, good luck to him, I can say to the Member. We'll continue to do over here what he probably will never have the opportunity to do, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
E. LOVELESS: That's to do –
AN HON. MEMBER: Stay tuned.
E. LOVELESS: We'll stay tuned, I say to the Member representing Marystown.
SPEAKER: Address the Chair.
E. LOVELESS: For the first time unprecedented funding; $1.4 billion being spent in the province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
E. LOVELESS: And as I said before, it's good news and it's the truth, but you can't handle the truth.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Go back to NTV again; have you got your application filled out?
Speaker, if I'm wrong, let the minister table the detailed plan for the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway. Again, the Team Gushue Highway is half built and mothballed and any of the ministers facing this reality, when are you going to get it done?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.
E. LOVELESS: Mr. Speaker, it's actually elementary how the Member opposite doesn't understand the process of government and he doesn't. Believe me, he doesn't understand the process. You can't announce something one day and have shovels in the ground the next day.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
SPEAKER: Order, please!
E. LOVELESS: I know you're all excited because you have a record; the Progressive Conservative governments have a record of not being able to get it done.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Again, I remind Members it's hard to hear the response to the questions. I ask all Members to address the Chair and not to be arguing back and forth.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, you have 45 seconds.
E. LOVELESS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the protection from the Members opposite because, again, they don't like good news, absolutely good news, because there's lots of good news in this budget.
The people who are watching, remind them, all the good roadwork, all the money in the health care and everything else, Progressive Conservatives voted against the budget to help seniors, to help mayors, to help –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: It's a pretty easy question.
What's the timeline, Minister?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Mr. Speaker, we've made a commitment and it was in the budget to completing the – Mr. Speaker, the allocation has been made and our part has been committed, with respect to twinning and with respect to the Gushue Highway. It's a commitment that we've made. It's a commitment that we will honour and when we get it done. I welcome the opportunity to stand on that road with the hon. Member opposite.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.
C. PARDY: Mr. Speaker, on May 15, the World Health Organization released new guidelines on non-sugar sweeteners, warning against the use for those losing weight. The report says that sweeteners increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and mortality in adults.
Since the sugar tax is designed to push people to use artificially sweetened beverages, will the government recognize this is one more good reason to cancel its appalling tax altogether?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are very lucky in this province and in this world that there's not a binary choice when it comes to drinks, Mr. Speaker. Two wrongs don't make a right. Surely the Member opposite recognizes that. We can't encourage smoking light cigarettes in the face of normal powered cigarettes. There is plenty of evidence.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
A. FUREY: It's not, and frankly the Member opposite is on record of suggesting a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in the past.
What this is meant to do is generate a conversation, Mr. Speaker. It's meant to encourage people to select the right and the healthy option. There are more than just two options in the supermarket. There are more than just two options in the corner store. We encourage people to eat healthy, drink healthy, and we'll use the proceeds from any sugar tax available to ensure that we're investing in healthy options for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.
C. PARDY: I just want to let the residents in Bonavista know that the Premier wasn't referring to their Member as suggesting that there would be a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
The Premier does have control that he does tax water in single-serving sized bottles for the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is something that he has control over that he can eliminate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
C. PARDY: The real problem is the lack of good drinking water in numerous communities across our province.
When will this government prioritize safe drinking water in rural Newfoundland and Labrador including the Community of Newman's Cove in the District of Bonavista?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.
S. COADY: Thank you, Speaker.
I have heard the preamble to the question. I'm going to address that because I've heard it repeatedly in this House about single-serving water.
The Members opposite well know that bulk water, water if you buy more than one bottle, is not taxed. We have a harmonized sales tax in Newfoundland and Labrador. We have a harmonized sales tax with the rest of the country, Speaker, and they know well that individual drinks are different than bulk drinks. If you buy six of those, it's not taxed. If you buy one, a harmonized sales tax does apply if you buy a single serving.
But I will say to the Member opposite, you check anyone, the World Health Organization, the British Medical Journal, you check the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Association, they all support the sugar tax.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.
J. WALL: Thank you, Speaker.
This year the allocation for the Student Summer Employment Program was slashed thanks to this government.
Why did government cut the student summer jobs budget?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.
G. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to inform this House that the hon. Member is missing some facts. He's red faced; he's embarrassed because he's blue. He wants to be a part of a solution here but he has found the wrong way to do so.
Last year, Mr. Speaker, I can inform this House that we spent $2,808,000 on student employment programs. This year's budget was $2.9 million.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
G. BYRNE: So, Mr. Speaker, why he is red faced is because he's embarrassed. He's red faced because he voted against students when he voted against our budget.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.
J. WALL: Speaker, I can assure this House that when I receive my allocation as many MHAs did, it was $31,000 last year; it's $28,000 this year. To me, that's a cut. That's a loss of one position of a student in my district as many other districts.
Speaker, we've been told that the federal government will also reduce the number of students it will hire this year in comparison to what was hired last year.
Have this government talked to your federal cousins to see why they too are reducing jobs in our province for students this summer?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.
G. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, last year's expenditures on student employment with employers in our province was $2,808,000. This year's budget for employment for students is $2.9 million. Now, the question from the hon. Member was: Has there been an engagement with the federal government on co-operating and ensuring that organizations get access to student employment? Every not-for-profit organization that did not receive a federal grant for a student employment, we made sure that they received something from our budget, where we could.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, the hon. Member has come forward and said that he would like to switch post-secondary and high school budgets –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The minister's time has expired.
G. BYRNE: – we're more than happy to do that.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.
J. WALL: Speaker, students rely on these programs for summer jobs to help with their education, as well, organizations, especially in the tourism sector, rely on students to help them during the busy summer months.
Why is this government turning their back on the students who rely on these programs, because there have been cuts, and please explain to me why I'm getting $3,000 less for students this year?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.
G. BYRNE: So, Mr. Speaker, we have two streams for the Student Summer Employment Program. One, of course, is post-secondary. I think every Member of this House would recognize that post-secondary students – in order to be able to finance their education the Student Summer Employment Program is very, very important. We also have a high school stream, those that would enter in future in the post-secondary stream.
But with that said, Mr. Speaker, what we had last year was that we actually had organizations which received employment grants, which couldn't get students because they weren't available for work. So what we did is we allowed some switching to occur from the post-secondary stream to the high school stream. But one of the answers, of course, is immigration to get our young people population up. He voted against a $15-million increase in our immigration efforts to be able to solve this problem.
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The minister's time is expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Topsail - Paradise.
P. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
I do welcome the students from Holy Spirit High from my District of Topsail - Paradise.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. DINN: I do hope you're enjoying the House of Assembly.
Speaker, this year alone, emergency rooms across the province have been closed for more than 500 days combined. That's about a year and a half. That's 500 days where a person in an emergency did not have immediate access to care.
Well, I ask the minister: Does 500 days of emergency room closures sound like progress?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We don't measure things by what happened in the past. We're measuring by what we're doing. I've been informed just this week, Mr. Speaker, that the numbers of closures in our emergency departments, our Category Bs across the province, have been stabilized.
We are making improvements; we have a number of recruitment initiatives in place. We are going to be introducing other initiatives to help ensure that the Category B emergency departments stay open. We have a virtual RFP, Mr. Speaker, that has been awarded that will help keep the Category B emergency departments open.
We have been working on the issue, Mr. Speaker. We'll continue working on the issue to ensure that every Newfoundlander and Labradorian has the access they deserve.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Speaker, a plague on both the Liberal and the Conservative parties – a 2011 review by Darlene Fewer Jackson and Nora Cahill made recommendations to address educational gaps in services for deaf and hard of hearing children; ignored by both parties. Twelve years later, the department and the district spend almost and probably over $700,000 fighting the Churchill family for discriminating against Carter Churchill and neglecting a deaf child's education.
As early as 2014, a report identified cybersecurity issues; ignored by both parties. A decade later, as a result of this negligence, a cyberattack compromises the personal health information of most of the residents of the province.
I ask the Premier, and I could ask both parties here: Why does government consistently ignore warnings from experts and refuse to act until it reaches a crisis?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Speaker.
With the integration coming of the school district into the Department of Education, something which I believe the Member opposite supports and has said so in the past, we have a huge opportunity now to look at inclusion and students with exceptionalities in a very holistic way where we streamline, under one roof, policy, curriculum development, service delivery, support and classroom activities through a seamless process.
We are undertaking an extensive review of inclusion services and disability services and I look forward over coming months to be able to tell the House about those.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
When I asked the Minister of Health for help because patients in my district are frequently bumped off medical flights the minister said, the issue of transportation is one of a contract with the provider, which is Air Borealis. I know the contract is coming soon.
But I ask the minister: What is he doing now to help patients who will continue to be bumped off flights? Illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and broken bones can't wait for a contract to expire, so when is he going to stop treating my people like second-class citizens?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I have indicated to the Member in the past, we have met and I have had discussions with her. As the contract renews, some of the issues that she has identified can be addressed through the new contract, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to work with the provider to ensure that the contract reflects the issues that have been taking place under the existing contract.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
I get calls from cancer patients being bumped off flights and parents of children with broken bones being bumped off flights.
When the contract finally ends for medical travel and is renegotiated, will the minister commit that this airline will stop prioritizing freight and charter flights over medical patients in my district?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated in previous questions, in private conversations with the Member and again in the question just today, as the contract is renewed, we will address some of the issues that the Member has brought to our attention and that we are able to address in the upcoming contract.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Speaker, we are delighted to see that the Minister of Immigration acknowledges the concerns we raise and has taken some steps to address the challenges faced by Ukrainian newcomers; good things can be done when the political will is there.
Housing and income levels are both at crisis stage for many thousands of people in this province, so I ask the Premier: Does the government have the political will to address these issues with solid short- and long-term plans, or is it sticking to its current approach of ignoring concerns until they start to make headlines and then hastily applying band-aid solutions?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.
G. BYRNE: Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to be able to talk about a program, an initiative that is so endorsed by the people of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our Ukrainian Family Support Initiative has – I'm overwhelmed by the level of support that the people of our province have brought forward to the people of Ukraine.
It's amazing when people acting in a common cause, especially when people who are in crisis, who are facing a situation of dire seriousness, where the housing problem that the Ukrainians faced in their homeland was our artillery shells going through their apartment building. In a crisis, they came to a place where they could find refuge, a place of peace.
Do you know what, Mr. Speaker? In a time of crisis, it's Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who stood tall.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
S. COADY: Thank you, Speaker.
I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Repeal the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission Act, Bill 44.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
B. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Amend the Water Resources Act, Bill 46.
SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Education.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Speaker.
I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Amend the Schools Act, 1997, Bill 43.
SPEAKER: Any further notices of motion?
The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.
I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act, Bill 42.
SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015, Bill 45.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow move, in accordance with Standing Order 11.1, that this House not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 2023.
SPEAKER: Are there any further notices of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, these are the reasons for this petition or background on the petition:
Frank Roberts Junior High located in Foxtrap, Conception Bay South, was built in 1960s and currently there are over 650 students attending. The classrooms are small and overcrowded. There's no cafeteria, no ventilation, full of mould and rats and mice. Teachers, staff and students are experiencing health issues, which is unacceptable.
Therefore, we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to make immediate improvements while planning for a new school which has been listed on NLESD capital list for years.
Speaker, these are another batch of petitions. I'll have some more, I guess, when they come in, I'll present them as I get them.
As I said earlier, this is not about me the Member and me the person; it could be anyone in this House. If you do your job as an MHA, an MP, whatever you do or councillor, any elected official, you have to support the people who elect you and the people you represent. These people are coming to me. I can show you my phone, it's nothing to hide. I can show you email after email, text after text. These people are not making it up. I get pictures. I get concerns. But do you know the most underlying concern I get from people? It's their disgust with the reaction that I get from the minister.
When I get in front of the minister and he points his finger at me and he waves his papers at me, he's doing that to the people in my district. That's the point that everyone seems to miss here. It's not about me. It's about the people out there. It's about the people in that school that have concerns.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
B. PETTEN: And if anyone over there wanted to heckle this, they'd go heckle the parents, the students and the teachers. This is the point. I am not going to that school everyday. They are. They have to go there and learn and teach and work.
This is the point. Forget about the politics and the antics. Forget about me, the person, me as the Opposition Member; put a personal perspective on it. Would you want your children, would you want your husband, your wife, your better half, your family member having to work under these conditions; your child having to learn under these conditions? That's where they're missing the point.
When I say how long, the messaging is horrendous. Forget about me. That's not going to change government. That school will not change government, but when you make the right decision and you do it for the right reasons, you'll be applauded and you'll get applauded on all sides of the House. You've got to do the right thing. As a Legislature, as a government, you have to do the right thing.
I'll take this opportunity to throw a bouquet to the former minister of Education who actually knows a thing or two about how to deal with issues because when I brought this up to him –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: – fair enough – a year and a half ago he went to that school with me, with his deputy. We walked through that school. He made action on some concerns and there were other concerns. I followed that up with a letter of replacement. Obviously, the Premier doesn't read, he doesn't prepare, get proper research done, but I wrote a letter a year and a half ago with the minister there. Never got my school, but I will commend him for doing what the current minister is not doing and that is listening to me and listening to the parents of students at that school.
Thank you very much.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue.
J. DWYER: Thank you, Speaker.
These are the reasons for this petition:
The Dr. William H. Newhook Community Health Centre is located in Whitbourne and provides services to residents of the area, in addition to incidents that may happen on the province's largest highway.
The Dr. William H. Newhook Community Health Centre's emergency room has experienced frequent and numerous closures over the last year.
The emergency services offered by the health care centre are not available for the residents, leading to a significant amount of concern and worry among residents in addition to residents having to drive to another emergency room.
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 immediately enact a plan which ensures the Dr. William H. Newhook Community Health Centre is fully staffed, open and able to provide emergency health care services.
The people who have signed this one are from as far down as Dildo and, as we know, tourism is huge in that area in the summertime. These are a lot of people who are coming in there. If they have any kind of ailments or anything, or they need emergency services, it's just not available to them and they'll have to go over to Carbonear, which we already know is overrun and certainly a busy hospital as well.
I'm going to try and do it a little bit shorter, actually, because I'm hoping that the Minister of Health and Community Services, can give us a quick update on the situation that we find ourselves in at the Whitbourne health centre currently.
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
This is a renewed call for fair electricity rates for Northern Labrador communities.
We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador, who urge our leaders to ensure that fairer electricity rates be provided to residents in Northern Labrador communities. Electricity rates charged in Northern Labrador are cost prohibitive to adequately heating their homes.
For the first 1,000 kilowatt hours, Torngat Mountains' residents are charged the same rate as neighbouring residents of Lake Melville region. However, above the ceiling of 1,000 kilowatt hours Torngat Mountains' residents are charged 19 cents a kilowatt hour. This is the highest rate in the entire province, preventing most residents from being able to afford to heat their homes with electric heat. Low-income families and households that don't have the manpower or the means to haul wood are the greatest impacted.
Poorly heated houses often results in damage, creating expensive repairs for frozen pipes, moisture damage and mould. Poorly heated houses also create social and mental health issue that can be long lasting. We strongly believe that changes to electricity rates be made for Northern Labrador residents.
Speaker, the biggest problem we're facing now – and we're facing it all across the country and in Newfoundland and Labrador – is the cost of heating your house because the price of oil, stove oil and furnace oil has gone up. Well, in my district, we're paying 286.3 cents a litre. If you fill up a tank on the North Coast, 1,000-litre tank outside your house, that one that's painted red or brown, you're paying $2,863. If you fill up that same tank in St. John's, people pay what they save. They pay less. They pay $927.60 less than people on the North Coast.
If you fill up the tank on the Northern Peninsula, the most northern tip of the Island part of our province, they pay 862.26 cents less. When you have elderly people, people on the old age pension that hasn't really seen much of increase, that's basically $1,000 more that they have to pay to fill up their tank to heat their house.
The biggest problem we're facing in Northern Labrador is, back in the day, in the '70s and '80s when the quality of life for Northern Labrador was much better, we could actually rely on being able to help out our senior citizens and our low-income people by actually providing them with resources from the land and the sea. Codfish was plentiful. People could always provide our seniors with codfish, single parents. We had caribou. When anyone went caribou hunting, they always dropped off a leg or some ribs to low-income families, to people who didn't have the means to hunt and fish.
Now seriously, Speaker, we don't have enough money for people to be able to feed themselves or heat –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member's time has expired.
The hon. the Member for Stephenville - Port au Port.
T. WAKEHAM: Thank you, Speaker.
These are the reasons for this petition:
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador introduced a 20 cent per litre tax on sugar-sweetened beverages at a time when many families, seniors and residents of the province are struggling with the already skyrocketing increase cost of living in the province.
Therefore, we petition the hon. House of Assembly as follows: We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to encourage the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to cancel the sugar-sweetened beverage tax at the earliest opportunity.
Speaker, we heard questions asked today about the sugar tax and the impacts the sugar tax is having. Well, earlier, the Northwest Territories studied a similar beverage tax and the government report concluded that the tax would have a disproportionate impact on low-income users. Individuals would not change their consumption and the tax would put financial pressure on families because there would be less money available for other purchases.
Now, let's fast-forward to our own province since the tax has been introduced. The tax was introduced as a Rethink Your Drink program. So let's follow and see. What would be one measure of success that this tax was actually doing what it was supposed to do? One would think that one measure would be less income coming into the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador from this tax because Rethink Your Drink has actually worked, but it has not. We saw the budget that was originally budgeted at $5 million for half a year actually go to $6 million in that particular year. And we now see this year's budget of $12 million for sugar tax.
So clearly, the idea that people were rethinking their drink is not happening. Just like the report said, from the Northwest Territories, it would not happen. It's the same thing going on in Newfoundland and Labrador. People who could least afford to pay this tax are being forced to pay a tax and they have less disposable income for other sources.
So the reality is the tax, the more money you take in, is a clear indication that your program is not working. It's time for government to rethink the tax and let's get this off the books.
Thank you.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board for a response.
S. COADY: Thank you.
I think the Member opposite should rethink his tactics here. I'm going to quote from the Canadian Cancer Society: “Sugary drinks are the single largest contributor of sugar in the average Canadian diet…. We applaud the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for taking action to encourage healthier drink choices and being the first to introduce a tax on sugar sweetened beverages and we hope to see other governments follow suit.”
Let me quote the Heart and Stroke Foundation: “Sugary drinks are the number one source of added sugar in Canadian diets, and too much sugar is not good for heart health.”
I'll quote the Canadian Paediatric Society: The excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been strongly associated with weight gain, chronic disease development, and dental caries. Recent research has correlated the raising of taxes on SSBs with these decreased consumption in some jurisdictions.”
Speaker, I will say to the Member opposite, he spoke in his question about the fact that this year's budget is higher than last year's budget with regard to the tax being collected. That's because it's a full year versus a half year. The Member opposite knows the difference.
Thank you.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Topsail - Paradise.
P. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, the province's population has aged much more rapidly than any other province in the country over the last 50 years.
The number of persons aged 65 and over has more than doubled over the past 30 years.
Many aging couples have been assessed and deemed eligible for placement in a long-term care facility and require different levels of care, and are separated into different facilities in order to get the care they require in a timely manner.
Having support and assistance as close to their home and community as possible should be a key objective in developing and providing services to our seniors. As well, individuals want choice in living in a place that maximizes independence.
Couples who have supported each other should not have to face being separated when they enter long-term care. Keeping them together ensures a better quality of life.
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 enact legislation that allows couples to stay together, even as they age and even at the highest level of care.
I presented this petition many times, and everyone seems to be quite aware of the demographics here in the province, and the portion of our province that are elderly.
We waited with baited breath for the Health Accord to come out, which was going to complete a plan or a recommendations for how to deal with the many issues in this province. There were four recommendations that actually addressed or intended to address our older population. Action 8.1 talked about developing a formal Provincial Frail Elderly Program; Action 8.2, an integrated continuum of care; Action 8.3 talked about taking immediate steps to identify and respond to ageism; and Action 8.4, develop and implement provincial legislation, regulation and policy required to provide appropriate, quality and accessible care and protection for older persons in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Now, I've asked this many times. The minister has on a regular basis, spoke to this expert panel they have put together but I'll just read out of the Health Accord: “The Health Accord NL Task Force, Committees and Working Groups are comprised of 126 professionals, experts, community members, and patients ....” If that was the fact, then let's stop delaying the process by having another consultation occur with experts.
This needs to be dealt with now. Our elderly are not getting younger.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Exploits.
P. FORSEY: Thank you, Speaker.
Residents of the Exploits District have great concerns from the result of the 24-hour emergency service cut to the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Care Centre in Botwood. All the residents feel that the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. service does not adequately and efficiently address the emergency requirements of the district affecting both patients and residents to receive adequate care when needed.
We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to restore the 24-hour emergency service at the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Centre immediately.
Speaker, I brought this petition forward many times, it's still not reinstated. Actually, in 2016, the Liberal government stripped the 24-hour emergency service from the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Care Centre. In 2019, former Premier Ball, at the time, went down and promised during the election that this 24-hour emergency service would be reinstated. That didn't happen. So in the 2021 election, the Liberals tried it again. They went out and stated that the reinstatement of the 24-hour emergency service would reopen. Actually, the candidate at the time for the Liberals that made that statement is now working in the Premier's office in Grand Falls-Windsor.
Neither the Premier's office nor the candidate has come down and opened up that 24-hour emergency service as promised and, not only as promised, as needed, Speaker. So we need to get this 24-hour emergency service up and running. It's very important to the district right now. It services over 7,000 people. It can streamline the emergency services from the Grand Falls-Windsor hospital that's back loaded half the time and those people can get back to the 24-hour emergency service in Botwood, which would adequately streamline the health care system in Central Newfoundland.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.
C. PARDY: Thank you, Speaker and House Leader.
Young hearing-impaired students who have cochlear implants are supported well by our health care system allowing them to hear as they learn. This continues until they are 18 years of age, after which the full cost of covering these implants and accessories are borne by the youth. Many of these youth and young adults are significantly financially burdened by the upkeep of these implants that enable them to hear.
We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to fully extend the financial supporting of our youth with cochlear implants while they attend post-secondary schooling and consider a degree of financial support for those with these implants.
I want to mention one young 18-year-old youth in the District of Bonavista, who I have permission to use her name. Ava Ivany is an honours student at Clarenville High School, graduating this year, accepted to MUN coming up in September of where she is going to become, I'm sure, a registered nurse in order to serve in the capacity that we need in the province.
At 18 years of age, there is no longer any financial support. Keep in mind these cochlear implants, of which I just stated that we look after them so well, they are for children who are born who can't hear or lose their hearing within the first year or two of life. These cochlear implants allow them to function in our education system, to be successful. It is the government that brings them through that K-to-12 system and it's great. There is nobody objecting to that.
All I would raise is the attention to government that if we extend that for a period of time to get them through university or some post-secondary, that will be a tremendous help for those individuals who are moving out of the K-to-12 system.
I also shudder to think that if they had some low-employment job that a student came out with, I really don't know how they're going to look at the replacement parts for these implants that they have. A total replacement would be over $11,000. If you think of the financial burden on any individual with these cochlear implant, it's huge.
For Ava Ivany in George's Brook-Milton, I would say that's something that she would desire throughout university.
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Thank you, Speaker, and I thank the Government House Leader, as well.
The background to this petition is as follows:
Eastern Health has recently repositioned one of the ambulances from the Trepassey region to the Cape Broyle area. This has left only one ambulance in the Trepassey region. Residents of the Trepassey and surrounding area are at least two hours from the nearest hospital.
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 ensure the safety and well-being of the residents of Trepassey to have accessibility to an ambulance in a time of an emergency and meet national standard response times.
Speaker, I certainly spoke on this a number of times with regards to the ambulance. The first issue is geography. The second is that once they leave Trepassey they are two hours from Trepassey to get to the nearest hospital, two hours going back with going straight to and from. So that's not acceptable. When you've only got one, that's not acceptable. They had two and there was a reason for two. There are a couple of reasons right there.
Road conditions, you have 70 kilometres of barrens that they drive across. It was last Saturday night when I drove from St. Mary's Bay to where I live, and it was like a snowstorm. If you don't know the area then that's, I'm going to say, a safety concern if nothing else.
I will compliment the minister, while I'm here, that the pavement that I had in the district is certainly appreciated by the people in Trepassey.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
L. O'DRISCOLL: I can tell you that.
It is appreciated. But I will say –
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
L. O'DRISCOLL: I'm going to take the highroad; I'm going to take the good road on this.
But in the district it's certainly important for the people in the Trepassey area. They have brought up when this first started, dynamic dispatching. They never heard of it since. It's like they make an excuse every day for something different.
Now we have a rapid response unit and I'm hoping to hear – it's probably two months since the announcement came out. They're like the roads announcements; two months I haven't seen anything or heard anything yet. It's getting close, but we're not sure.
The people in Trepassey area concerned about it. They need to know when their ambulance is gone that they have protection in their area. We do hear about the second ambulance or the ambulance is going to be gone in July. What is the plan for the area and the district when the ambulance leaves our area in July? We need to know the plan. That's what we need to know.
Thank you so much and I do appreciate, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 2.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance that Bill 23, An Act to Amend Various Acts of the Province Respecting the Alternate Witnessing of Documents by Lawyers, be now read a third time.
SPEAKER: It's been moved and seconded that this bill be now read a third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'
Motion carried.
CLERK (Barnes): A bill, An Act to Amend Various Acts of the Province Respecting the Alternate Witnessing of Documents by Lawyers. (Bill 23)
SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, “An Act to Amend Various Acts of the Province Respecting the Alternate Witnessing of Documents by Lawyers,” read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 23)
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 3.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I move, seconded by the Deputy Government House Leader, that Bill 34, An Act to Amend the Electrical Power Control Act, 1994 and the Public Utilities Act, be now read a third time.
SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'
Motion carried.
CLERK: A bill, An Act to Amend the Electrical Power Control Act, 1994 and the Public Utilities Act. (Bill 34)
SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, “An Act to Amend the Electrical Power Control Act, 1994 and the Public Utilities Act,” read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 34)
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Order 4.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: I move, seconded by the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, that Bill 38, An Act To Amend the Revenue Administration Act and An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, 2000 be now read a third time.
SPEAKER: It has been moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a third time.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'
Motion carried.
CLERK: A bill, An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration Act and An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, 2000. (Bill 38)
SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a third time and it is ordered that the bill do pass and that its title be as on the Order Paper.
On motion, a bill, “An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration Act and An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, 2000,” read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 38)
SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I move that the House do now recess until 3 p.m.
SPEAKER: This House do stand recessed until 3 p.m.
Recess
SPEAKER: Order, please!
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Mr. Speaker, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor has arrived.
SPEAKER: Admit Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor.
All rise.
(The Speaker leaves the Chair.)
(Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor takes the Chair.)
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: It is the wish of Her Honour that all present be seated.
SPEAKER: Your Honour, it is my agreeable duty on behalf of His Majesty's faithful and loyal subjects, His Faithful Commons in Newfoundland and Labrador, to present Your Honour a bill for the appropriation of Supply and Supplementary Supply granted in this present session.
CLERK: A bill, An Act for Granting to His Majesty Certain Sums of Money for Defraying Certain Expenses of the Public Service for the Financial Year Ending March 31, 2024 and for Other Purposes Relating to the Public Service. (Bill 26)
HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR (Judy May Foote, PC, ONL): In His Majesty's name, I thank his loyal subjects, I accept their benevolence and I assent to this bill.
SPEAKER: May it please Your Honour, the General Assembly of the province has at this present session passed certain bills to which, in the name of and on behalf of the General Assembly, I respectfully ask your Royal Assent.
CLERK: A bill, “An Act to Amend Various Acts of the Province Respecting the Alternate Witnessing of Documents by Lawyers.” (Bill 23)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Loan and Guarantee Act, 1957.” (Bill 28)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Architects Act, 2008.” (Bill 29)
A bill, “An Act Respecting the Regulation of Mortgage Brokerages and Mortgage Brokers in the Province.” (Bill 30)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Patient Safety Act.” (Bill 31)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Pharmaceutical Services Act.” (Bill 32)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Electrical Power Control Act, 1994 and the Public Utilities Act.” (Bill 34)
A bill, “An Act to Authorize the Raising of Money by Way of Loan by the Province.” (Bill 37)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Revenue Administration Act and An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, 2000.” (Bill 38)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Memorial University Act.” (Bill 39)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Lands Act.” (Bill 40)
A bill, “An Act to Amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act.”(Bill 41)
HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR: In His Majesty's name, I assent to these bills.
Allow me to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your hard work on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I know some days it may seem like the days go on forever, but the work that you're doing is sincerely appreciated.
I stand here today to thank you, recognizing that you're going back to your districts where you're going to get to spend time with those who made it possible for you to be here.
Like me, I think you had the opportunity to spend time in the company of the Youth Parliament. That, for me, was and always is a wonderful opportunity. I keep referring to them as – people say the leaders of tomorrow, I think it's fair to say, they're really the leaders of today because they are so enthusiastic. They're so energetic. They really want to make a difference in our province. The 40 that gathered here, it was just amazing to be in their company, as I am sure those of you who spent time with them felt the same way as I did.
I can tell you they're looking for your jobs. I say that and I am so proud of them because they really are committed to Newfoundland and Labrador and to making a difference.
People like Leann Goodyear from Lumsden. Leann, who has already been elected to the council in Lumsden, so we're going to keep our eyes open for her. Of course, I'm really excited, as a woman, that we have more women getting involved in the politics of it all.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR: Then they're all debating resolutions of importance to our people and our province. So whether it was health care in Newfoundland and Labrador or the cost of living in Newfoundland and Labrador or criminal justice reform, they really were interested in the topics that they selected to debate, and debate they did. They did a really, really good job.
I get to talk to them because we host them at Government House for a reception after the hard day that they put in. That's when you really get to hear from them and what it is they're looking forward to and why they're involved. I will tell you that the leader of the Opposition, Rachel Hawco, is someone to watch out for, but I think you should be prepared to see another premier Williams in Newfoundland and Labrador. Ethan Williams was the premier for the Youth Parliament and he did an amazing job, as they all did.
I think it's really important for those of us who hold positions to which these young people aspire, to recognize that we are role models for them. Although, when I look at them, sometimes I think they probably can serve as role models for all of us.
So being with them was really important and explaining my role to them, as the Lieutenant-Governor, and what I'm expected to do from a constitutional perspective.
But they were absolutely wonderful and I am sure those of you that go back to your district, if you run in to them, thank them for continuing to be involved and for making sure that we have a bright future ahead if it means that they are going to be in leadership positions, whether in this House of Assembly, or federally, or in the role of Lieutenant-Governor. Our young people today, we have so much to be proud of and to look forward to because of them.
So thank you for the work that you do on their behalf, on behalf of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. I hear that I missed a show today, a dog show. Congratulations, I hear your dogs are doing very well.
S. COADY: They are.
HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR: Wonderful, good.
Thank you again for your hard work. I wish you well. I wish you a safe summer. For those of you who are travelling back throughout the province over the summer, be safe. Bear in mind your own well-being and take time to spend time with your families. It is really important. We don't always get to do that and that is really important for all of us.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.
(Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor leaves the Chamber. The Speaker returns to the Chair.)
SPEAKER: Please be seated.
Order, please!
Before we finish up for the day, we traditionally give the leaders of each party an opportunity to address our membership.
The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
I was reflecting on this since I've been first elected. There have been a lot of firsts in this House, whether it was the pandemic and the moving to some sort of virtual, separated distance proceedings, admission of children of care into the House of Assembly, holding an assembly in September in the Colonial Building and today, with dogs in the Chamber, or at least at the entrance of it. So it's been, when you look at it, a lot of firsts that are quite interesting if nothing else.
It is the end of this spring session and the year itself – what I consider the end of the year. There are a lot of thank yous and appreciation, too, that goes into making the proceedings here in this Chamber run as smoothly as they do. Certainly the Table Officers, the people who sometimes will tell us if our amendments are in order or not in order or give us the advice. The security people here, the ones who are behind the scenes. You don't always know that they're there, but they're there to ensure the security not only of those in the Chamber, but all those within the building. The Sergeant-at-Arms for doing such a remarkable job, despite the heckling –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
J. DINN: – the fact that he's a Celtic and I remember Holy Cross as well, so he's a Crusader as well but he takes it and never has lost his cool with the comments. So thank you for that.
The Broadcast Centre for doing their work. Although I have to say, I did have a little microphone buddy here that my granddaughter made, which seems to have vanished after the Youth Parliament. But she will have another one made for September.
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)
J. DINN: Oh, he's got it. I take back my comments.
To those who do up Hansard. I can only imagine – I'm assuming that there's an element there of listening to what we're saying and trying to make the words, especially when you look at the transcript and it says “(inaudible).” So I always say they are doing some keen listening, that's a painful process but thank you for doing that.
To the Pages for the work here and taking care of us, whether it's pouring water, picking up our petitions, bringing information to us, always appreciated. To the Speaker's office, to the Speaker himself, at times I don't know if it's being a little bit like a teacher, being a referee, I'm not sure what, but again the mere fact if I didn't have a sheet of paper and I know I'm probably using a prop right now, to keep straight their different titles that, to me, speaks volumes to just trying to coordinate all those aspects of it and listening to debate and making sure that the debate moves along.
To the Clerk, to the cleaners who keep not only the Chamber clean but our offices. To the department, the many staff people we've met, I guess, in our Estimates Committee meetings and the people who work behind the scenes who are there basically not to serve necessarily any particular party, but to serve the people of this province and who do the work and do the research and do an awful lot of work. They're the people behind each and every one of us.
I guess a closer, from my own view as an MHA, Leader of the Third Party, to my MHA colleagues in this House of Assembly, whether PC, Liberal or independent, there are times in the debate it's frustrating, times when the debate is interesting times but, at the same time, I will always say that there's an entertainment value to it, but there's a learning piece to it as well.
Whether we change our vote in a particular case, it does cause us to at least change how we look at things or maybe how we approach it in the narrative that we put forward. Because that's basically our job, too, and not putting a spin but a narrative, here's how the facts, look, and here's how we need to interpret them and, in a way, that's what we do here.
To our caucus staff, and I'll say to our, who are probably listening to this, at the Third Party caucus, to those who do the research, the communications, the chief of staff, our constituency assistants. In many ways we come in here, we're prepared and we have the research done. When the House of Assembly opened, I've always found this to be like it's just on wheels in many ways. You come in and we're preparing questions. I'm sure that the ministers are looking, okay, what are likely to be the questions today. You don't know where the questions are coming from so you still have to respond to them.
My constituency assistant, Elizabeth, and to the constituency assistants in our office, they are the ones who handle the calls while we're here, who do a lot of the work, who act on our behalf and work in the best interests of the people in our district.
I do want to say a special thank you to MHA Jordan Brown and MHA Lela Evans who are my colleagues and who basically carry the load and bring the perspective of Torngat and Labrador West to this House of Assembly and to the caucus.
To the constituents, whether they voted for me or not, they are the ones who will call in, sometimes with criticism, sometimes with advice, sometimes with praise, but they're always appreciated; to the community partners in my constituency who lend their support and bring a perspective that is needed.
I'll end with our families, to my family, to our families as well because, I think the Lieutenant-Governor spoke about the need to reconnect with family and spend time. That is so true. I mean, I'm fortunate, I have three – well, soon to have a third grandchild.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
J. DINN: Like I said, if I had known they were that much fun I would have had them first, but the fact is, do you know what? I left this morning, Emily, our youngest grandchild now, she's starting school. She's a character and has more joy in locking me out of the house than anything else
But do you know what? It's so much the work we do here and those in the Assembly with young families, I have a special respect for you because so much of this work takes you away from family, takes you away from the children and I'm sure at some point they're going to realize that the work you do is for the benefit of everyone in this province. I know what that's like. My wife probably knows more what it was like because I was on the road an awful lot. That's so important and the sacrifice you're making, in particular the sacrifice that maybe I, in my stage of life, am not – my greatest respect to you, to your families, to your children. Cherish them.
Thank you very much, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
D. BRAZIL: Thank you, Speaker.
It's indeed an honour, again, to stand in the House of Assembly with mixed emotions. It will be my last time to do a farewell as Leader of the Official Opposition and it's something that I cherish.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: I said I'd try not to be emotional, and normally I'm not, but it breaks out every now and then when you think about the importance of what we do here but, more importantly, the importance of the people that we represent.
I've had the privilege for 13 years to be in this great institution, as part of this great House, I sat on both sides and I've had many positions here. I get a better understanding of the role everybody does in this great House.
But I do think what a wonderful province we have. Think of it, a kid from Bell Island of a widowed parent gets to be Leader of the Opposition, twice, without ever spending a cent or having to put his name on a ballot. What a freedom country we have; what a province we have here.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
AN HON. MEMBER: Only from Bell Island.
D. BRAZIL: You're right, only somebody who represents the beautiful, historic District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island could pull that off.
But I do first and foremost want to thank the two caucuses that gave me this privilege, have chosen me to be leader over the last number of years. I got to learn a lot, I got to grow a lot and I got to see the skill set on both sides of the House. I got to make great friendships with a number of my colleagues, those who are still in this House and a number of them who are not, as part of both sides of the House. I got to socialize in different elements and different situations with people and get to see another side, other than just the political side. I do appreciate that and I see the benefit of what we all do here and the sincerity of us all here.
We'll banter many times and we'll continue to do that, no doubt we will, but if I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times here: I have full confidence that everybody in this House comes with the first and primary objective to do what's best for the people of this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: We may not always agree. And I said I'd be sincere about what I was going to say and I said I'd be poignant about certain things that I have to get off my chest, then I'll be a little bit emotional on some of the other things.
We've had some great debate in here – we don't always agree. There are some outstanding issues that I still very diligently think we need to stand up in unison for. One is the “Ode to Newfoundland” and the “Ode to Labrador.”
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: I know sometimes I'll take a pot shot at the NDP for not being supportive, like yesterday, but that was something that is dear and near to all of here. I get why the government couldn't support our PMR yesterday, from a legislation point, I get that. But I do think we need to be a bit more in unison here when it comes to doing things.
Our oil and gas industry, how can we not all be supportive of that? There are things here that I think are very important. It is not a slight against the environment because we all do that. I think in unison, all parties have to be supportive of what we do as part of these processes.
Our health care system, when we talk about misinformation about privatizing the health care system. We have people, private citizens, health professionals, providing health care, we need to stand and support them. If it's in the dental industry; if it's in the optometry industry; if it's the blood collection industry. If it's any of the industries, we need to find ways to do it and we need to collectively be on the same page if we're going to make this better for people in Newfoundland, better access and more improvements as part of that. They're part of the process here.
But I have to clarify one other issue before I get into the thank yous and that. It's about something I'm very proud of and spent years fighting for, not one, not two, not three, not four, but now five schools that are relevant to people in my district that will have access to clean, safe, inclusive and modern education. I will never apologize for fighting for all of those five schools and particularly the one that has been announced recently in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's because that benefits everybody involved.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: Somebody asked the question here – the Leader of the Third Party – the justification. I'll give you the justification. Seven years ago, we started a process for a junior high in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's; the fifth largest town in Newfoundland and Labrador; next to CBS, the second fastest growing in Newfoundland and Labrador; the largest landmass for a municipality in a suburban area. Acknowledging the fact that it has a growing population, acknowledging the fact that kids are bused to another city, into another school, into another whole different realm, my objective, the parents' objectives, the school council's and all involved and the council itself was about ensuring that we have a continuous education system in one of the fastest growing communities that we know is going to have a massive demand. We built a junior high and now it's beyond capacity. That speaks volumes. So how would we not have a continuation on from that?
When COVID kicked in, the school council, the town council, were about to do what we had done before in meeting with the school district in outlining our demographic breakdown of live births, the costing itself, the importance of an all-inclusive education and full access to it and the benefit within that community. Unfortunately, COVID kicked in. I refused to wait another two years before COVID ended. I talked to school council people – we couldn't meet. I talked to municipal elected officials. So I said I had been through it with a number of other people before, we have the template, we'll take it and lead it.
So me and my staff in this department, working with all other line departments, put all the data together, the justification to why a senior high was necessary in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, not taking away the necessity for one in CBS, from one in Paradise. All school entities that we had outlined before government changed were priories on a list. I was minister of Transportation and Works, responsible for infrastructure. They were on a list and we met with the school district.
Now whether or not the school district agreed with it, in my opinion, was secondary because I know the communities agreed with it, the municipal councils agreed with it, the department at the time agreed with it. To me, that's justification on what needs to be done. When you can put the facts – the administration here talks about facts, and I agree with you. Things should be based on facts and the facts of this situation here is we have a growing community, the fifth largest. We have a junior high, an elementary and a growing population. We have students being bused in the majority to a city school, an aged city school.
Now, I'm sorry, I don't know what the school district will do with that school when the students from Portugal Cove-St. Philip's leave there. Maybe there's a way of using that school for something else, more beneficial to the school district, but that's not my concern right now. My concern is for the people in my district getting access to proper education. We had that debate in the House today on other issues related to access to education.
So I'll never apologize for doing that. I take exception that one MHA would try to pit another one for something, the justification that helps its citizens. It's not a game for me. I'll never go to that school. I don't have children that go to that school, but it's about providing the service for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in an area where it can be easily justified.
We've talked about justification, the data is there. So I just wanted to clarify that because I never got an opportunity to clarify it, and I want to clarify another thing. There are innuendoes or there's, I guess, leaving information out there, letting it hang that it's the Premier who interceded here and made this happen. This was discussed and agreed to by the minister of Education, his department, before the Premier was even Leader of the Liberal Party and Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: I want to clarify that here. There was no favouritism here. It was about assessing what was necessary, looking at the data, and justifying it. No difference than there would be in CBS. There's a necessity for a new school, as it is in Paradise, a necessity for a new school. I say to the Minister of Infrastructure, I would hope, in a coming budget, there'll be an outline for infrastructure needs.
I was lucky in my lifetime, sitting in this House, our administration built 35 new schools. I know the Minister for Labrador Affairs can attest that there were a number of schools that went to Labrador to upgrade. You never hear things about mould anymore like you did in the old days. We don't close schools anymore like we did then, because we moved it in the right direction. I'm confident, whatever administration are in, will see the benefit of doing what needs to be done, not only in the urban centres, but in any centre that needs to have the infrastructure there that's beneficial to access to education.
So I'll just end that part of it, based on the fact I don't apologize for what's about to happen in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's. I can't wait for the day to see the shovels in the ground. I'll have a better understanding next week. I'll probably announce something that's happening with it next week, as part of it. What I want to see is students go up there and come out as the leaders of tomorrow, so that I'll know when I leave this House of Assembly there's somebody else going to be able to take this seat and do just as good a job, but I would suspect a better job than I did because they've been better educated, better included and had better access to the amenities that we need in any community in Newfoundland and Labrador.
That should be for anybody from Nain, Labrador to Conception Bay North to any other peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador. I fully agree on that.
So I just wanted to clarify those situations here and emphasize we need to collectively come together on the bigger issues that are important to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. That's about our health care, it's about our education, it's about our cost of living and it's about inclusion. I think we can do that. I don't dismiss this budget. I will be honest right now. I don't dismiss this budget. There are a number of things in there, a multitude of things that would benefit people. We obviously are going to have a disagreement on how things should be implemented and that's why we didn't support it. There are other things that we would've suggested that could've been done but we knew it was going to pass because we know there are things in that that are going to start benefiting people tomorrow. Other things we would've suggested that could've benefited people in the longer term and probably immediately and certain sectors that have been forgotten.
But I now want to talk about, as I end my tenure as the Leader of the Official Opposition, I want to thank everybody in this House. I want to start with the Speaker. Thank you for presiding over us. I've been fortunate that I think I've gone through six Speakers in my term here and get to see everybody brings a skill set here and a professionalism. I know every Speaker sets out to ensure that decorum is key in the House of Assembly. I know sometimes when you're dealing with some of us on both sides of the House, it's hard to keep that intact and part of that process, but we do appreciate the work that's being done here. We do ask across the board for fairness and equality, and I believe that's happened over the last number of years.
I do want to thank our Table Officers for the advice we get. As Sandra would know, there's many times I'll come sit in her office and we'll have chats about all kinds of things relevant to the House and to the operations. As two former civil servants in different departments, it gives you a better perspective of what's happening here. So I do appreciate the Table Officers' expertise and due diligence in making this House run so diligently and so professional as part of that.
To all the other staff that supports us here, the Sergeant-at-Arms, people give me credit for doing a lot of good things, I think probably one of the better things I did was hire him before I left as minister of Transportation and Works.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: So I'll take some credit for that. He's performed his duties very professionally and I know you see a smile on his face everyday; he enjoys coming into this House and doing what he does. Sometimes it's hard for any of us to enjoy coming into the House and doing what we're doing some days, but he does it every day with due diligence and professionalism.
To our Commissionaires and our security staff, thank you for ensuring we're safe and that the decorum in this House is the way it should be because it's the people's House. So people should be respected when they come here, but they also should be respectful of the history of what goes on here. To our RNC officers who also support and protect and ensure society and this House is protected in the manners possible.
To our Broadcast crew, we know at the end of the day the best way to get the message out is let the media be able to have access to it and the masses have access. The Broadcast Centre having to ensure the cameras are working and the microphones, as part of that process, we appreciate that. Because this is something, I remember coming to the House of Assembly many years ago as a young civil servant, 40 years ago, and those liberties weren't here at the time. People didn't know what went on unless you came here and to come to the House of Assembly was a rarity for most people. But if you just work across the hall, you could come over and find out what was happening.
So that's an expertise that's out there now, and a benefit to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and a benefit to us to be able to get our message out of what we believe in, and what we think is going to be beneficial to the people of the province.
To Hansard – and my colleague from St. John's Centre did outline that. I get more, I think, than most: Can you please explain what this word means? Or is this a real word or did you just put two or three words together? Every now and then I'll note, Joey Smallwood is probably the best for making up words and phrases that nobody can challenge because you didn't know if they were actual words or not, as part of it. I do appreciate their patience by the time I get back and even I have to go back and say, I have no idea what that means, none whatsoever. Here, fill this in, please, as part of it. So I do respect that.
To all of the other staff that keep us running on a given day, the Parliamentary Library, all the things that are there to ensure when we're doing research, very important. To the custodians who keep everything neat and clean as part of that process. To our young Pages, I hope at times we don't scare you with some of the antics that go on in here. I hope you get a better understanding that politics, at the end of the day, can, could, should and does do good for the people of this province, very much so and I've seen that in the operations of this House here.
To my colleagues of the Liberal government side and the Third Party and the independents, a sincere thank you for your due diligence, your professionalism, your commitment to your districts and to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and for, I guess, tolerating sometimes the bantering back and forth and being respectful to all of us, even when we get hot and heavy and we disagree on certain things. I do appreciate that and, again, my sincerity that I know everyone in this House is set for doing what's good for the people of this province.
To my colleagues here, how do you not say a sincere thank you? One, for the opportunity, but two, for being so professional, for standing up for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and for ensuring that we didn't get on with antics, we got on with what we thought was right and just for the people of this province. I appreciate that.
I know we always didn't agree on every issue in caucus, but do you know what? I've been around a lot of organizations, a lot of teams, a lot of caucuses and this one came to consensus and was on the same page more than any other team I've ever been part of. That, to me, is a testament to the commitment of the people here and what you've done.
I think we have a very bright future in Newfoundland and Labrador. I know we'll have a new leader the next time we sit in the House of Assembly and I wish that leader all the best in the future. I'll do my part to make that transition, to explain. There is a lot of good that can be done in this House, particularly, if we work collectively together and if I've offered nothing else, I would hope I've offered the olive branch as much as possible.
I do appreciate the Premier's candor and conversations. We've had a number of private conversations and discussions around issues. We may now always agree, but we've come to consensus on a number of things that people may not realize got done in Newfoundland and Labrador for the betterment of everybody here. That's what collaboration is about, because when you're on the same page about doing what's right, you'll find a way to collaboratively make it happen. I do appreciate that working relationship and that friendship.
To my staff, particularly, also I want to acknowledge. We've had a wonderful group of people that have come and gone over the last number of years but the core have stayed together. It's unfortunate as we're about to close the House for the first time, first time in my 13 years here, we have a new addition to our staff. Our youngest staff, a female, just had a baby two days ago.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
D. BRAZIL: So we welcome a new baby girl to the PC family and so to Megan and her husband, congratulations and we welcome you and hope to see you back in the next year or so.
To one of our other staff who, tomorrow, will be their last day working with us. Nathan, best of luck in your new position. Good luck, I know you'll do wonderful for the youngest member of your team up there. The energy you have, enthusiasm and the desire to do what's right for the people of the province, well done on you. I know you'll do well there.
To all of our other staff here, our research staff, our staff that ensure that the House is ran properly for us or are supported there, all of our constituency assistants who work very closely for us in ensuring that our constituents have access to information and get the supports they need, sometimes they just need an ear for someone to listen to them. I appreciate all that.
To my chief of staff, Denise, a sincere thank you for what you've done. There are times when I was to the edge. Sometimes I was going to come in the room and tear this group apart on certain things, but she would bring me back to the edge and get me to think about the bigger picture and the talent we had in that room and the commitment we had in that room and to make sure we all stayed unified and we've done that. To Denise, I thank you for that. I know you'd be a great addition to a new leader or to any leader anywhere in this province.
I can't speak enough about the staff that guided me over the last number of years. I am so thankful for that, that's part of this whole process. But, again, as my colleague mentioned, how do you not talk about family? We've all sacrificed a lot to be in this House of Assembly; I know that. For those who travel, I can't even imagine. I can't even imagine people who come from Labrador, what it takes to sacrifice. People who live in some of the remote peninsulas and the hours that they have to drive, I can't even imagine. I get contrary some days because I've got to get on the ferry to go to Bell Island, and I know the ferry service better than anybody – when it works.
But I do know the sacrifice that is made. I do know the support you get from your family. They've accepted the fact there are going to be meetings 24-7. There's going to be trips that you're gone for two days that become five days because the planes didn't work or you got called to another meeting. There's going to be a crisis at 2 in the morning, you're getting a phone call that you've got to deal with. That's the support mechanism that we all need in Newfoundland in Labrador. That's the same support mechanism I would hope we would try to pass on to every other Newfoundlander and Labradorian. We're their support mechanism. The 40 of us in this House, we will do what it takes and make the decisions that are going to address their issues and make their lives better.
So to everybody in this great province of ours, to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, a sincere thank you for doing what you do on a daily basis. A sincere thank you for giving all of us here that opportunity to represent you. But more importantly a sincere thank you for ensuring that Newfoundland and Labrador is not one of the best provinces in the country, but is the best, and that we haven't forgotten where we came from.
We saw our culture today when we saw the two dogs that were in the House here. That's part of our culture, that's who we are, that's why we're proud every time you see that. When we sang the “Ode to Newfoundland” and the “Ode to Labrador,” it's reasons why we're proud to be Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. That's only the tip of the iceberg of the multitude of reasons why we could be. When we see what was built, Hibernia, when I got to travel with the Premier to fly out and the Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, when we got to fly out to the platform and see the skill set of the people who work out there and the benefit financially to this province. It was amazing. So the sky is the limit on what could be done in Newfoundland and Labrador.
So I will end by saying two things: My heart will always be in this House and my soul will always be with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's hard to upstage that, I can tell you that for sure. There are some tissues on the go.
Mr. Speaker, as another session of the House of Assembly comes to an end, let us all reflect on the good work that we have all accomplished for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This has been another busy session, and challenging at times, no doubt. So I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge and offer sincere thanks to the Leader of the Opposition, to the Leader of the Third Party and all Members of this hon. House. Representing the vibrant, hard-working people of our respective districts, and serving our province as a whole, is an honour and a privilege and one that I know each and every one of us take incredibly serious.
I know we all take that responsibility seriously, because the passion that we have for Newfoundland and Labrador and the dedication that we feel to our constituents is what inspires our enthusiastic debate here in the House of Assembly. Thank you to our Minister of Finance for her incredible work, for her department, my caucus colleagues and those working in all departments of our provincial government for their important work in delivering, yet again, a responsible budget for the benefit of all of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mr. Speaker, Budget 2023 was about Your Health. Our Priority. Our government is making the single largest health care investment in our province's history. This demonstrates the commitment and focus on improving, not just improving, more importantly, transforming our province's health and well-being.
Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to say that we are well on our way. This month 42 medical residents accepted our bursaries in return for working in this province for up to 36 months.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Twenty-two full-time Memorial University students enrolled in their fourth academic year of the undergraduate medical education program have accepted another bursary our government offers in exchange for working in our province for at least a year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Roughly, 80 health care professionals have accepted offers from the Come Home Incentive and we have another 400 nurses trained in India getting ready to come and work here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: But $3.9 billion in health care is not only historic, it is our government's priority. Budget 2023 announced a record in provincial government investment in other things; more importantly, or perhaps equally important, provincial roadways. We know that the roads need repairs. We know that they are the arteries for health care delivery and delivery of goods and services, so we committed close to a record $1.4 billion in infrastructure updates over the next five years.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: On top of that, despite some debate to the otherwise, we are twinning more of the Trans-Canada Highway and completing the Team Gushue Highway, thanks to our partnership with the federal government.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Page 71 of Estimates. But the positive investments in Budget 2023 do not end there. We were able to do all of this, Mr. Speaker, while also keeping money in the pockets of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians during this time of inflationary pressures and high cost of living. No new taxes or no new fee increases; eliminating the retail sales tax on home insurance; maintaining the $8.05 per litre reduction on the price of gasoline and diesel, the second lowest rate among provinces; repealing the carbon tax; doubling the Physical Activity Tax Credit.
A 5 per cent increase on Income Supplement and 5 per cent increase on the Seniors' Benefit, on top of last year's 10 per cent increase to both; maintaining a 50 per cent cut in the cost of registering your passenger vehicles for another year; maintaining the $500 home heating supplement for residents who currently rely on furnace fuel or stove oil; and covering the cost of driver medicals for people 75 years of age and older.
Those, Mr. Speaker, as we all know from this past session, are just some highlights. In total, our government has given more than half a billion dollars back to the people of this province, ensuring that we are supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society. On top of all this, Mr. Speaker, Budget 2023 included $140 million for housing; $64 million to increase wages for early childhood educators; and over $90 million for settlement supporters for our newcomers. Our government is supporting families, diversifying our economy, investing in our future and is on track to accomplish a balanced budget ahead of schedule.
We are seeing the fruits of labour, Mr. Speaker. Newfoundland and Labrador is being recognized on the world stage in the industry, in the arts and humanitarianism. People around the world are seeing our real Neverland in Disney's fantastic film Peter Pan & Wendy, shot right here, employing people in Bonavista.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Countries are keenly interested in our green hydrogen potential, already entering agreements to help export our valuable clean energy to European markets ready to buy it. Between critical minerals, lower carbon oil and an abundance of renewable energy, our province is well positioned during this time of transition, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to help tackle climate change while building a more sustainable Newfoundland and Labrador for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Our fishing industry is carrying on its centuries old tradition of producing top-quality products and Mr. Speaker, we're so proud to be welcoming nearly 3,000 Ukrainians to Newfoundland and Labrador this past year. Welcoming newcomers and expats alike, we have reversed a decade's trend of population decline. That's right. Our population is finally increasing. It's a new day in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our government is building a modern Newfoundland and Labrador for a modern economy.
On behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador a sincere thank you, Mr. Speaker, to you and the staff in your office, the Clerk and the staff in the Clerk's office, Table Officers, the much-beloved Sergeant-at-Arms, Legislative Library, Hansard, the Broadcast team and our Pages. It's because of you that we are able to do the things we do, to have the robust debate, to pass legislation and we know that that comes with sacrifice to many of you.
To the security guards and Commissionaires, thank you for being there every single day serving the people of our province and to every public servant in our province, thank you. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your ideas and thank you for your belief in Newfoundland and Labrador.
To all our political staff and those in our districts, regardless of your party, thank you for showing up for all of us in this room. None of us would be here without you, for providing support to us and our constituents because, after all, they are what it's all about.
Mr. Speaker, I need to thank all colleagues on both sides of the House and it strikes me with the much-heated discussion about the “Ode to Newfoundland.” I encourage everybody to think beyond the lyrics, to think beyond where it is or isn't sung or when it is or isn't sung and consider the spirit of the anthem and I am confident that each and every one of us, regardless of where we come from or who we represent, brings that spirit to the floor of this honoured House.
Mr. Speaker, let me take a moment to recognize the Leader of the Opposition, my MHA. He got a school, apparently. Your courage in taking on this role despite the significant challenges, at the time, to the province and to the systems that the province runs and owns, whether that be the downturn in the economy or the challenges of the pandemic, go beyond what is normal leadership because you also fought through your own personal health challenges.
Many would have given up. Many would have thrown in the towel. Many would have abandoned the true passion that he has had for so long in this hon. House. I only hope that we can all aspire to meet those challenges, personal or otherwise, with the same degree of commitment, the same courage and the same passion for Newfoundland and Labrador as the Leader of the Opposition has.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: He's right, you know, we've shared a few laughs. It's one of my distinct and favourite memories in this job to date is travelling to Bell Island in the midst of the pandemic, and the Leader of the Opposition and the Premier sitting at the same table taking records and delivering injections to those most vulnerable on Bell Island. That is the spirit of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is the spirit of the man who sits across from me.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: But beyond all that, I live in the district – and anyone you talk to and I'm sure everyone will say it, on both sides of the House or around the province, whenever the Member opposite's name is mentioned and despite being unparliamentary I'm going to mention it here, David Brazil, they always follow it up with he's a good guy.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Sir, I echo that statement and it's perhaps the biggest praise that I can give here today is, you are, Sir, a good guy and a good man, and I only hope whoever fills that seat after you is half as good.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
A. FUREY: Mr. Speaker, before I conclude, I did want to take an opportunity, as the Leader of the Third Party and the Leader of the Opposition have both noted, is to make sure that everyone takes time for themselves this summer, for their own mental health, for their own personal and professional development but also to spend time with family. I can tell you, having experienced it now, on the outside as a child of someone in politics, and now with my own children in politics, it is not always easy. It is easy sometimes in the day-to-day lives to forget that your family needs you too.
So to each and every one of you – and I'll try to take my own advice this summer – please spend time with family. It is precious time. We're privileged to be here, but we're more privileged to have families at home.
I look forward to taking in many events over this summer, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to welcoming the many tourists that will come to our shores and experience our world-class hospitality and enjoy our spectacular province.
I wish you all a very safe and healthy season and I look forward to welcoming everyone back to this honoured House.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Thank you.
I have a few remarks. The Premier started off by saying how do you top that? So I'm feeling like back in my childhood days now, growing up after seven brothers and seven sisters, I couldn't do anything that they didn't do. So I think in this situation, there's nothing I can say that hasn't been already said.
First of all, I just wanted to say a big thank you to every Member here for your support over the last session. Yes, it got heated. At times, I feel like a referee. I haven't been honoured as a schoolteacher but I was a recreation director for a number of years. I've seen a good many debates and sometimes I refer to this as a stadium, the same thing as a stadium, back and forth, team against team. But I know, just like a game of hockey, you're cheering on your team and each and every Member here is here to support the people in their districts and the people of the province.
At times, as much as it gets heated and the level of debate heats up, I know the reason why you're doing it. You're doing it because of the passion that you have for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, so I thank you.
For the Members that are not here, that are balancing health issues and family members with health issues, I just want to say our hearts, prayers and thoughts are going out to each and every one of you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: It's been a very tough year. Like I said, I've been elected now for six years and there has been a number of Members this year that have battled some health issues and that. So our thoughts are with you.
I just want to say before we finish, this institution is like a well-oiled machine and it's only because of the great team that I have around me. First of all, I'd like to start off by recognizing Corporate and Members' Services, the ones that work to make sure that we're following our regulations, following the reports. I know we get complaints from time to time that they're being sticky with regard to travel claims and things like that, but they're doing it for our protection and they're doing it for the protection of Newfoundland and Labrador.
To our Legislative Library and the Information Management team, thank you for the great work you've been doing. I think we brought our level of communication and the work at the Library and the resources at the Library to an all-time level. It's only because of the work and the dedication that they have put in over the year to make sure that we're there.
To our Hansard and Broadcast team, thank you very much. A lot of our equipment is starting to age and there are times that the equipment breaks down just before going into session, but they work their magic. It's only a small group, but they work their magic every time to make sure that the audio is on and the video is on. So thank you very much for your dedication.
In the Clerk's Office, Sabrina Barnes, who's fairly new with us, but she's done a fantastic job to make sure that everything runs smooth in our day-to-day operations with regard to getting our bills and that out and printed and other things that's needed in order to keep that office running smoothly, so thank you, Sabrina.
To my executive assistant, Kala Noel, Kala has been here now, I'm the third Speaker that Kala has served with and she's a wealth of knowledge. Whenever the Members send in their Member's statement, if it's 204 words, it's Kala that's going to get you, not me. But she's a great, great help and I think that all Members would agree that's she been fantastic to deal with, so thank you, Kala.
To my CA back in Lewisporte that's only been with me now for seven or eight months, Pamela Foss, thank you for the great work you're doing. As one of the Members previously mentioned, once we come in here and the House is in session, we rely so heavily on our CAs back in the district to make sure that the issues that are important to members and our constituents are being dealt with.
To the residents of the beautiful, scenic and historic District of Lewisporte - Twillingate, I just want to say a big thank you for your support over the last, close to eight years. I have a great working relationship with all my municipalities and the people in my district. I will do what I can, even though I don't have the opportunity to get up and bring petitions or debate issues fighting for my district, but I will continue to work closely with government and the ministers to make sure that the people in my district are being represented.
In the Chamber, our Sergeant-at-Arms, Robert, I want to say thank you. I don't know of anybody that loves his job any more than he does. He's definitely a delight to work with and there's always a smile on his face and he's always chipper. Thank you for your work.
To our Pages, Commissionaires and the RNC, thank you very much for your continued protection and making sure that people in our galleries are being respectful and following the order, just as Members in the House do. So thank you very much for your service.
To my Table Officers, and I still refer to them as a small but mighty team. Our Clerk, Sandra; our Law Clerk, Kim Hawley George; as well as Bobbi Russell; Kim Hammond; Mark Jerrett; and Evan Beazley that's not here right now. I just want to say a sincere thank you. We've dealt with some difficult, difficult issues over the two years that I've been here. You guys have been dealing with some issues for much longer. We've sat, we've worked together very closely, we shared a lot of laughs and we shared some tears together, but I just wanted to say I could not have asked for a better team. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I thank you very much for –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: – for everything you do each and every day. Thank you.
To my Deputy Speaker and to my Deputy Chair of Committees, that's unable to be here today because of medical, thank you very much. You guys have been super.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Always there to help and support whenever I ask for anything, they're there to help me. I greatly appreciate it. Brian, unparliamentarily, but thank you and thank you for your friendship.
Lastly, I would like to thank the House Leaders. Again, you guys help to run the ship and I've got to say I've got a great deal or respect for you. Thank you for the co-operation and the respect back. I look forward to continue to work here.
To our Premier, thank you very much for your leadership since being elected. It's been a great honour to work with you over my term.
The Leader of the Third Party, also, thank you very much for your professionalism and support.
To our Leader of the Official Opposition that is going to be leaving in that role very soon, I just want to say thank you. You have represented the people of your district and your party and the province with respect. You've always, whenever you discuss anything in the House, you speak from your heart, you handle it very classily and you are definitely someone that, whoever takes over in the leadership after, as the Premier said, if they are half as good, I commend them. Thank you very much for your service and I wish you all the best wherever you choose after.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: So before we finish up, I remind Members to clean out your desk before we leave. I want to wish everyone a very happy, safe summer. Like many of you, take time to travel in your district, meet the people that elected you; those are the ones that will re-elect you if you choose to run again.
Before we conclude, a tradition that I started when I first became Speaker was the singing of the “Ode to Newfoundland.” Last year, we implemented the “Ode to Labrador” also. This time I'm going to step out of a little tradition, I asked Members since we started this to lead in the singing of both anthems. This year, I'm going to ask our Table Officer, Bobbi Russell, to lead us. We'll start with the “Ode to Labrador.”
I ask all Members to rise.
B. RUSSELL: Dear land of mountains, woods and snow,
Labrador, our Labrador.
God's noble gift to us below,
Labrador, our Labrador.
Thy proud resources waiting still,
Their splendid task will soon fulfill
Obedient to thy Maker's will,
Labrador, our Labrador.
We love to climb thy mountains steep,
Labrador, our Labrador.
And paddle on thy waters deep,
Labrador, our Labrador.
Our snowshoes scar thy trackless plains,
We seek no city streets nor lanes,
We are thy sons while life remains,
Labrador, our Labrador.
When sun rays crown thy pine clad hills,
And summer spreads her hand,
When silvern voices tune thy rills,
We love thee, smiling land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee, smiling land.
As loved our fathers, so we love,
Where once they stood, we stand;
Their prayers we raise to Heaven above,
God guard thee, Newfoundland
God guard thee, God guard thee,
God guard thee, Newfoundland.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Government House Leader.
J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island, that this House do now adjourn.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Nay.
SPEAKER: Motion carried.
This House do stand adjourned until the call of the Chair.
On motion, the House adjourned to the call of the Chair.