October 19, 2023 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Vol. L No. 43
The House met at 1:30 p.m.
SPEAKER (Bennett): Order, please!
Admit strangers.
First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone in the public gallery.
Statements by Members
SPEAKER: Today we will hear statements by the hon. Members for the Districts of Lake Melville, Mount Pearl - Southlands, Mount Pearl North, Placentia - St. Mary's and Placentia West - Bellevue.
The hon. the Member for Lake Melville.
P. TRIMPER: Thank you, Speaker.
Terry Fox is undoubtedly one of Canada's most famous athletes, known internationally as a humanitarian and cancer research activist. His Marathon of Hope in 1980 inspired that generation, my generation, and generations since to create a legacy that has become the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research.
Beginning in 1981, the annual Terry Fox Run is now held in over 60 countries and has raised over $850 million.
One of those inspired was Richard Dyson of Happy Valley-Goose Bay who decided then and there to keep the run going as long as he could. I am proud to advise this House that 75-year-old Richard Dyson recently completed his 43rd Terry Fox Run.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. TRIMPER: Yes, Speaker, that is correct. Richard has participated in every run since its inception.
Over the years and various milestones, Richard's annual commitment has been recognized by members of the Fox family including Terry's mother, father, brothers and most recently, his sister. These letters and telephone conversations have created a special relationship between both families.
In 1981, Terry stated: If I don't make it, the Marathon of Hope must continue. Thank you, Richard Dyson, for your own inspiration and for keeping Terry's dream alive year after year.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands.
P. LANE: Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the accomplishments of an amazing young man in my district.
A recent graduate of O'Donel High, Alex Fahey, had an impressive senior year. He represented O'Donel at the Students Commission of Canada's #CanadaWeWant Conference in Toronto. He served as O'Donel High student council president and won the Canadian Association of Principals Student Leadership Award for Newfoundland and Labrador. He was named this year's Mount Pearl Youth of the Year as well as O'Donel High's Patriot of the year.
Alex also earned the Riordon Scholarship, one of two top awards for first year undergrads at Carleton University valued at full tuition for four years and has just begun studying aerospace engineering.
Alex has two younger brothers, Liam and Devon. While he has set the bar very high, you can already see these two fine young men making their own mark and achieving success in their fields of interest. A testament to their amazing parents, Mark and Sandy, who have been such huge supporters of everything their boys have ever taken part in.
I ask all Members to join me in recognizing the accomplishments of Alex Fahey and wishing him the very best in his future endeavours.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.
L. STOYLES: Speaker, we face many challenges in our community, the uncertainty of global warming, the ever-changing faces of hurricane season and the fear of forest fires. I am delighted to announce that one of our community churches have taken this serious.
Our Lady, Queen of Families Parish took the initiative to partner with the City of Mount Pearl and apply for grants to open a warming centre in our community.
Over three years ago, a committee was formed to look at the need and prepare for the uncertainty that can happen anywhere, anytime. With the help of some government grants and the support of our parish community, a generator has been purchased, installed and is fully operational.
I am happy to announce that Our Lady, Queen of Families church is ready and prepared to accommodate over 500 people at this warming centre.
Speaker, I ask all Members to join me in thanking them for taking on this great project.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia - St. Mary's.
S. GAMBIN-WALSH: Speaker, Jake Griffiths is a 23-year-old entrepreneur. Building his business was not without hurdles. Jake is an individual who is on the autism spectrum. In 2020, he graduated from a cooking program at Academy Canada and after months of job searching with no success, his father decided to purchase a hotdog stand and set Jake up. This was the start of The Wiener Wagon, a mobile vending cart offering a variety of wiener and sausage products for every taste.
This business opened up just before the pandemic. Jake was determined to succeed and worked through a tough first year. His dad is his financial backer, his partner and job coach. The Weiner Wagon operates from June to September; you can find them on Facebook. They have attended festivals, parties, weddings and other events.
Jake and his dad are antique car lovers and since 2018, Jake has hosted an annual car show, Jake's Show 'n' Shine, with 100 per cent of the profits going to charity. Jake is proof that with help from family and the support of community everyone can be productive, contributing members of society. Book the Weiner Wagon for upcoming events by emailing thewienerwagon@outlook.com.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Placentia West - Bellevue.
J. DWYER: Thank you, Speaker.
Today I rise in this hon. House to recognize October 2023 as Foster Families Month here in Newfoundland and Labrador.
On October 4, I had the honour to join members of the foster family community in our District of Placentia West - Bellevue to take part in the signing of their proclamation and help raise their flag at the Marystown town hall.
All children must be recognized for their worth and valued for who they are. Children have the right to be raised in a safe, stable, nurturing environment that ensures their physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs are being met. Individuals, communities and our province have a shared responsibility in this regard.
Newfoundland and Labrador foster families provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children and youth within their homes. Foster families are celebrated as valued members of our communities and are appreciated for their contribution to the well-being of our province's youth.
I ask all hon. Members of the 50th General Assembly to join me in recognizing October as Foster Families Month and congratulate all the hard work and dedication that makes up the foster family community within our beautiful Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.
Statements by Ministers
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.
J. HOGAN: Speaker, I stand to acknowledge the community spirit of three young entrepreneurs whose mantra is: Keeping your walls clean, no matter how obscene.
Fifteen-year-old Jack Boland, 18-year-old Jacob Sheppard and 19-year-old Brandon Ivey have coined themselves The Scrub Squad, a graffiti removal company. The mission of The Scrub Squad is a simple one – to make St. John's and the surrounding area shine.
Unfortunately, Speaker, we've all seen property damage caused by graffiti. For their part, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has responded by establishing a tip line to help investigate the property damage, but these young men identified the lack of graffiti removal options and took action. They researched the appropriate equipment and techniques and since opening in June, clients have approached them from all over the metro region.
Speaker, The Scrub Squad has made a business of helping victims of graffiti bounce back by restoring property and public trust, and I would be remiss to not recognize their hard-working nature and economic sense during Small Business Week.
I invite all hon. Members to join me in saluting Jack Boland, Jacob Sheppard and Brandon Ivey for the entrepreneurial spirit and for helping to keep our community clean and beautiful.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Harbour Main.
H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER: I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.
Jack Boland, Jacob Sheppard and Brandon Ivey – what a credit you are to your families and your community.
During Small Business Week, we recognize how much Newfoundland and Labrador prides itself on our business spirit and the care we take in keeping our properties beautiful and welcoming.
It is unacceptable that so many business owners are seeing their investments marred by vandalism. These are not street artists or mural painters, like we celebrate in Botwood, but vandals who do their deeds in the shadows, leaving business owners struggling to keep up.
Young men, your Scrub Squad is not just one of the most clever and innovative entrepreneurial visions we've seen in a long time, a venture you've perfected through careful research, trial and error, but it's also a perfectly timed community service that many property owners are grateful to have. I encourage people to visit thescrubsquad.ca to check out the services you offer and the before and after photos of jobs well done.
Jack, Jacob and Brandon, you are small business leaders of your generation and proof positive that Newfoundland and Labrador's future is going to be in very good hands.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
I thank the minister for an advance copy of the statement.
We appreciate these young people for their initiative in identifying a business opportunity that fulfills a community need: helping victims of graffiti by restoring property and public trust.
However, they stepped in where this government failed. We hope that this government will foster civic trust and pride by adequately funding community centres and expanding the programs they offer so that our youth will have a venue can discuss issues they collectively face and solve them with effective solutions instead of resorting to graffiti and defacing public property.
Thank you.
SPEAKER: Are there any further statements by ministers?
Oral Questions.
Oral Questions
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the Seniors' Advocate has made recommendations to help seniors who are facing huge increases in rent at personal care homes in our province.
I ask the Premier: Will you follow the Seniors' Advocate's recommendations?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Of course we received the Seniors' Advocate's advice today, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister of Health and Community Services has been working hard on this file. We understand the pressures that families and seniors are under when it comes to care. I'm confident that the minister will respond appropriately, Mr. Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, can the Premier guarantee the financial assessments of seniors facing cost increases will be completed within 30 days?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Certainly, we will work hard to make sure that we're doing this in an efficient and effective manner as fast as we possibly can. I know the minister has worked hard to ensure that these care homes remain open to provide the care that is required, Mr. Speaker. We'll continue to make sure that families aren't negatively impacted from a well-intended intervention, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the minister of Housing has repeatedly claimed 750 new homes were built over the last two years. According to a CBC story this morning, the Liberal government have built just 11.
I ask the Premier: Was your minister misinformed or misinforming the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I understand from the minister, the minister has corrected that statement with the media. He says that he misspoke, it was not done out of malice or an intent to mislead, Mr. Speaker. It was simply a mistake.
As I have said, 750 housing options. Housing is a complicated issue which requires a multi-prong approach including opening up new Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units, supportive housing units, shelter options, Mr. Speaker, and, of course, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Benefit options which help offset the increase in rent for certain families and individuals, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the Premier has also talked about 750 new units since 2021.
Was the Premier misinformed or misinforming the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I suggested, it's housing options, Mr. Speaker. Some of them are direct, new homes in terms of housing units; some are shelters; some are supportive units.
This is a complex issue which deserves, frankly, all those buckets of help to help the people in these situations, Mr. Speaker, not the least of which is helping through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Benefit which keeps over 300, I believe, people in their homes with rent supplements, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the Premier has talked about 750 new homes. The Minister of Finance repeated it and the minister of Housing has doubled down. You'd always see a grassy field as building lots.
Can the Premier of the province tell the people why?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I said, housing options are appropriate at this time, which includes, by the way, new units, specific units in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. That's important. We did announce the 750 options back in 2021, despite the challenges of the pandemic. We knew that there would be housing issues, Mr. Speaker. They are a bit more than we anticipated. As a result, we're announcing 850 new options this month, hopefully to be started in the not-too-distant future, Mr. Speaker.
We will continue to try to change the market dynamic with the five-point plan to ensure we're providing affordable housing while also making housing affordable for the middle class, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, I ask the Premier of the Liberal Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Can you confirm that there have only been 11 new homes built?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I suggested there are 750 new housing options that have been started since 2021, including 145 new housing options that have started. There are 107 Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation units. Eleven have become completed, with 96 to come. Eighty in Pleasantville alone; eight of which have been completed.
There are 76 units of supportive housing, 174 non-profit shelter beds and up to 427 with respect to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Benefit, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, 68 years – at the rate of 11 per year, it will take the Liberal government 68 years to build 750 homes. Seniors and desperate families around this province are looking for hope and a place to call home.
I ask the Premier: How many decades will it take this Liberal government to find homes for the 2,800 people on the wait-list?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, we continue to put in place the proper and appropriate initiatives to help deal with this complex issue. We continue to expand it across the province, as we know that each jurisdiction has its own challenges. For example, Labrador West is very different than St. John's. We need to make sure we have a fulsome 360 approach to each individual community.
That said, we'll continue to make sure we are making the investments – a record investment, the biggest investment ever in the province's history in social housing in Budget 2023 which the Member voted against, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Official Opposition.
T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the people of the province are tired of announcements. They want action.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
T. WAKEHAM: What we have seen, the evidence, says 11. CBC has exposed the truth. The Liberal government constructed 11 new homes versus the 750 they have repeatedly stated.
I ask the Premier, again: Was your minister misinformed or misinforming the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance, President of Treasury Board.
S. COADY: Thank you, Speaker.
I know the Member opposite is very focused on words. So allow me to read exactly what was in the Budget Speech that I stood in this House and read. So that there's no confusion.
He actually would have been here for the Budget Speech. He would have heard these same words: “A new three year, $70 million Affordable Housing Program that will construct more than 850 affordable –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
S. COADY: – rental homes province-wide, in partnership with the private and non-profit sectors. These are in addition to the more than 750 new housing options advanced since 2021; $25 million will support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness or intimate partner violence, emergency shelters, transition homes and the Supportive Living Program.” I could on, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
S. COADY: I refer the Member –
SPEAKER: The minister's time is expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.
Obviously we see the people of the province have been misled and maybe the Minister of Finance should've informed the minister of Housing about the notes she just read there. Maybe he was misinformed. There are a lot of people in this province misinformed and it's not satisfactory, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
B. PETTEN: Speaker, almost a year ago the Liberal government announced a 40-unit residential apartment complex here in St. John's for low-income individuals. I drove past there today to see an empty field.
I ask the minister: Where are these units?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
S. COADY: I have to address the preamble, Speaker. I heard the Member opposite talk about misinforming, misinformed. If he was listening to the Budget Speech, I just read from the Budget Speech that I stood in this House and spoke of: 850 affordable rental homes; 750 new housing options; $25 million for emergency shelters; $17 million to maintain, repair and modernize; $10 million in grants to provide homeowners in low income to complete repairs. These are the facts that come from the Budget Speech.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the facts are this Liberal government misled the people of the province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: Those are the facts. They can say whatever they want; they misled the people of the province. Keep that in mind.
Speaker, almost a year ago the Liberal government announced a 40-unit residential apartment complex here in St. John's for low-income individuals. I drove past there today to see an empty field.
I ask again: Minister, where are these units?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Labrador Affairs.
L. DEMPSTER: Speaker, some of us have been around this Legislature for some time. I've going to give a 45-second history lesson, because I cannot any longer sit idly by and listen to the Members opposite talk about misled when my mind goes back to a project that was sold to the people of this province for $6.6 billion –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
L. DEMPSTER: – and in the end it was almost $14 billion, and they brought in Bill 29, we filibustered and they shut it down.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
Minister, you have another 24 seconds.
L. DEMPSTER: Mr. Speaker, when we formed government and thought we had a billion-dollar deficit, it turned out to be $2 billion. Then, when we asked people to find efficiencies to the tune of 30 per cent –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
L. DEMPSTER: – the new PC leader said the answer to our fiscal problem is to take (inaudible) –
SPEAKER: Take your seat, please.
I heard the question. I'd like to hear the response.
Minister, you have 12 more seconds.
L. DEMPSTER: I can't sit here and listen to them talk about misinforming when I've lived through this and it is current because the impacts are still being felt today. Going to send in tablets for elders with diabetes to monitor their own selves, didn't even have Wi-Fi or connectivity and I could talk all day about some of the horrible decisions that (inaudible) –
SPEAKER: The minister's time is expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House leader.
B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.
Shameless. People in this province are homeless. People in this province are living in tents.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: And the Minister of the Crown got the audacity to stand in this House and bring up foolishness from years gone by. We're talking about here and now.
L. DEMPSTER: Foolishness?
B. PETTEN: Yes, that is foolishness. The homeless people want to hear more from you than that, Minister.
I'll try that again.
SPEAKER: Address the Chair.
B. PETTEN: Maybe we'll get the minister on this one.
Speaker, at 11 a year, it's going to take the minister 68 years to build 750 new homes; yet, he states he is going to – and I quote – build another 850 homes within the next year or so.
I ask the minister: How many decades will that take?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Labrador Affairs.
L. DEMPSTER: Speaker, I remind this hon. House that when we're talking about poor decisions that were made in the past that's still impacting today, it is not foolishness.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
L. DEMPSTER: When they were spending, Speaker, someone said don't say spending like drunken sailors. They spent their own money.
I want to tell you this government, at a time of very tight fiscal constraint, we have poured for hours and weeks and months over how we can help the people of this province, given the fiscal situation that we're in right now, making responsible decisions like eight cents off the gas tax which cost, I remind the people, $64 million from our small provincial Treasury; increasing the Income Supplement; giving back a cost-of-living rebate; and, Speaker, I could go on and on. Making responsible decisions.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: Speaker, we don't need a list on poor decisions. What about the Upper Churchill? What about the most recent flip-up in carbon tax. We can go on too, Minister. We've got lots of ammo over there. People want answers on this issue. I'm going to continue on and hopefully the minister can get up this time.
Speaker, if the incompetence of the Liberal government continues, it will be the great-great grandchildren of vulnerable people around the province receiving the 750 new units.
Why is the minister giving false hope to 2,800 people on the housing waiting list?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.
G. BYRNE: Mr. Speaker, the premise of this question was about a carbon tax, which, you know what; the Opposition has clearly ill defined to try to promote as a political attack strategy.
I will remind the Opposition, the people who support or pretend that they have kissing cousins in Ottawa, that when it comes to protecting the interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, that the Members of his own party, his kissing cousins in Ottawa, actually don't even know their names or their positions, but what the refrain, what they speak out about is the position of the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and his protection of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada and his opposition to the carbon tax.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
G. BYRNE: We'll promote that any day. What he should be very careful of is whether or not he is actually even concerned about whether or not the leader of his party (inaudible) –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The minister's time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The hon. the Opposition House Leader.
B. PETTEN: What a performance!
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: He deserves that.
Speaker, do you know what I'm concerned about and we, on this side, are concerned about? The people of this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
B. PETTEN: That is why we stand and fight for the people of this province, unlike the theatrics here on the other side.
Speaker, the minister of Housing is unequivocal: “In the last two years we've built 750 new homes in this province.”
We didn't get an answer from the Premier. We didn't get an answer from the other ministers. So I am going to ask one more time to the minister: Can he tell us where are they?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.
P. PIKE: Thank you very much. If I had known I was going to get cheered like that every time, I'd stand up more often. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we are making great inroads in housing in our province. The units that you are asking about, again, we have eight just completed down in Pleasantville. We have 32 more approved, they're going to be under construction and we are building a 40-unit apartment building down there as well.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. PIKE: Happy Valley-Goose Bay, we've completed four; 16, now, are under development.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. PIKE: Sixteen of those, we were down there and opened those a while ago and the response from the community was fantastic. We are hoping to do more builds right around the province. Gander, six completed –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The minister's time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Speaker, it is amazing; the minister of Housing thinks he's doing a stellar job.
Will the minister apologize to the 2,800 families that are on the housing wait-list?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.
P. PIKE: Thank you for the question. We are doing great work in the province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. PIKE: We are; thank you.
Supportive housing: 76 supportive housing units at The Gathering Place. Tell me that's not a good plan; tell me that's not a good idea.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
P. PIKE: Fifty-six under construction, transitional units. The Centre of Hope opened 20 new beds. The Gathering Place, an extra 10 shelter beds; Safe Haven, 74; Connections for Seniors, four. We are doing great work. We are. We're taking care of the most vulnerable. We're doing wonderful.
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The minister's time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Thank you, Speaker.
Two thousand eight hundred and that number continue to rise.
Speaker, the minister of Housing says he's built units that do not exist. The Minister of Service NL disagrees with the housing advocates on the issue of renovictions.
Will the ministers admit that they're part of this problem?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.
It's a very important question. In terms of the residential tenancies portion and when tenants can get evicted, I have had a lot of conversations with community advocates. I'm really open to any conversation. Any time the Opposition wants to come over, I'm very happy to sit down with them and talk about the options.
I've reviewed them in depth, I've looked at the research and I continue to do so. At the moment, I think that the solution that we have in terms of our residential tenancies legislation delivers the lowest rent for the people of the province.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Speaker, it's unbelievable.
While the minister says they are delivering another 750 new homes, there are empty fields and empty building lots. The field across the street is not empty. When will they see housing?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.
P. PIKE: Mr. Speaker, I'll take this opportunity, just as the Member across the way did, to say that I misspoke in an interview in Gander. There's no doubt about that. That was a few weeks ago.
It is accurate, as I've said before, that there are 750 new housing options out there. These options have been created across the province since 2021, and they deal with new builds, they deal with staff shelters and rental assistance for the private market. That's what I was referring to and I misspoke. There's no doubt about that.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Exploits.
P. FORSEY: Speaker, yesterday in the House of Assembly, the Minister of Health said: “Just this month new teams in Clarenville and Grand Falls-Windsor have begun accepting patients.” Speaker, I was told by NL Health Services in Grand Falls-Windsor – quote – it is not fully implemented and operational at this time.
I ask the minister: Were you misinformed, or misinforming the people?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Family Care Teams in both Central locations are started. Nobody said they were open; what we said is they are accepting patients, Mr. Speaker. They are starting to roster patients. Once they open the doors, they need those patients rostered to be able to see them. So they are starting to roster patients; those are started, they are in process of getting open and they are in process of hiring staff.
And we are very proud of the 19 Family Care Teams, of the 35 that we promised over five years. In two years, we have 19 Family Care Teams either open or in the process of being open and we will continue providing primary care to the people of this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Exploits.
P. FORSEY: Still in the process. It's been announced, but it's not implemented.
Can the minister advise when the Family Care Team will be fully implemented and operational in Grand Falls-Windsor?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, I know that we are staffing up for those. The fact that we are now rostering patients means that we are getting close to being able to open the doors for those. I can't give you an exact date; I will get that from Central Health, Mr. Speaker, but what I can say is that we continue to provide primary care through Family Care Teams to people in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The last time this Legislature sat, we had 28,000 individuals rostered to Family Care Teams. Today we have 49,000 people rostered to Family Care Teams. I don't think that that's anything to make fun of.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
L. PARROTT: Like always, Mr. Speaker, announcements are far more important than actions to this Liberal government.
Speaker, the Liberal government is patting themselves on the back again for Family Care Teams. NLMA says there are 150,000 patients without a doctor.
I ask the minister: How many patients does the collaborative care clinic in Clarenville have?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, as I said, the last time this House sat we had 28,000 people rostered to Family Care Teams. We now have 49,000; I think that action speaks for itself. We have a number of Family Care Teams that are fully operational. We have some Family Care Teams that are open and operational but not yet fully staffed. We have other Family Care Teams that we are working towards getting the doors open.
That, by no means, is a small feat. I appreciate the work of our health care professionals, Mr. Speaker, in getting those doors open, in putting the Family Care Teams in place, but that is something to be celebrated I say, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
L. PARROTT: I'll answer the question for the minister. The answer is zero.
I ask the minister: How many doctors are employed at the collaborative care clinic in Clarenville?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, I can provide an update to the House. I'll get the information on the number of doctors, the number of nurses, the number of individuals that are hired to these Family Care Teams but I can absolutely assure you, Mr. Speaker, a commitment that was made two years ago, we are following through on that commitment.
Two years in and we have 19 of 35 Family Care Teams announced. Many of them operational. Some of them fully operational, Mr. Speaker, but it does take time to get these units fully operational in this province. We are certainly working towards that, Mr. Speaker, and we're proud of the fact that we are.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
L. PARROTT: Announcement was made Monday they were open. I'll tell you how many doctors are there. Zero.
How many doctors applied for positions in Clarenville?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, as I said in my previous question, I'll get a listing of the health care professionals that are hired to these Family Care Teams already.
In a globally competitive environment, we continue to recruit, but I'm very pleased with the progress that we've made through the recruitment office that we set up not even 12 months ago in terms of what we've been able to recruit in this province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.
L. PARROTT: Misinformed or misinforming is the key here. Zero doctors applied – again, zero. Announcement made Monday, it was open. To be clear, we have a Care Team in Clarenville with no doctors, no applications from doctors to staff a clinic that is announced as open, not opening. Yet, the Liberal government wants to pat themselves on the back.
I ask the minister: Is this what you call success?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, nurse practitioners are quite capable of providing primary care. We rely on nurse practitioners. We rely on all of our health practitioners in this province to provide primary care to individuals.
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what is successful, the fact that we've more than 40 doctors since the beginning of this fiscal year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
T. OSBORNE: The fact, Mr. Speaker, that we've reduced the number of vacancies in nurses from 672 to 585 in this province. The fact that we are reducing the number of diversions. The fact that we are recruiting more and more people, our incentives are working, our recruitment is working, Mr. Speaker. All you need to do is look at other provinces who are struggling even more than we are.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development in a recent interview stated that “the last two years we've built 750 new homes in this province.” “In the last two years, we've done 750 homes.” He should know the difference. According to a CBC report mentioned here already, the actual number is 11.
Will the Premier admit that what his minister said is a lie and he has misled the House and the people of this province about the actual numbers of houses built?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development.
P. PIKE: Mr. Speaker, what I said was that I misspoke, and that happens. That happens at times. I misspoke; I realized my mistake and tried to correct it. Any other time that I spoke in this hon. House or to anyone, any other interviews I certainly said 750 housing options. I did and I made sure of that. I made sure that my colleagues wouldn't fall into that as well. It was 750 housing options.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Speaker, on October 16 in the House of Assembly the Premier stated: “We introduced 750 new units that are currently being built.” On October 17 the Premier stated we had 750 units started between 2021 and beyond, but we added 750 new units since 2021. In an Instagram video the Minister of Finance stated, we've built 750 new affordable houses.
I ask the Premier: Were these statements lies as well?
SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Of course we certainly meant housing options. Units and options can be interchangeable at times, Mr. Speaker. I never said – and the minister has acknowledged that he misspoke when he said new homes. That's certainly reasonable, but we have taken action. I've always said developing 750 new housing options since 2021, with 850 more to be developed starting next month and into the next year.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, Labradorians are worried that their needs are not being met when it comes to health care. There is clearly no effort from this government to retain the workers we have or effectively recruit health care workers to Labrador. More have left than been hired.
I ask the Minister of Health and Community Services: Will they create a new plan to get health care workers to come to Labrador? Clearly what they're doing now is absolute failure.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.
T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, the Member is probably not aware, but I can inform him today that just a week or so ago we increased the incentive in Labrador West – in fact, in all of Labrador-Grenfell from $200,000 for physicians to $300,000. We recognize the issue in Labrador.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
T. OSBORNE: We recognize the issue in Labrador and we recognize the fact that Labrador West is struggling. We have a Family Care Team announced. We are recruiting and hiring for that Family Care Team, Mr. Speaker, and I understand that there are two physicians that Labrador-Grenfell are working with to recruit for Labrador West. We are certainly hopeful that they will join the team.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
The survivor of abuse that he suffered while in youth corrections in this province, Jack Whalen has been petitioning this government to remove the statutes of limitations on abuse of children in care. The atrocities that he and others suffered while in care are horrendous and have had a profound impact on survivors.
So I ask the Minister of Justice and Public Safety: Will he remove the statute of limitations surrounding abuse suffered by children in care in this province?
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.
J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.
My heart always goes out to individuals who have suffered abuse at the hands of government institutions in this province. Unfortunately, we have a very long history, a terrible history, of that having happened here and that we still see news stories today, things that happened decades ago in this province and my sympathies to everyone that's been affected by that, not just the individuals but their families and the generations that have followed them.
We always continue to review our policies and legislation not only in the government, but specifically in the Department of Justice and Public Safety. This is one that we are reviewing right now. As for the specific matter, of course, I can't comment on a matter that's before the court but I thank the Member for the question and will continue to look at it.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The time for Oral Questions has expired.
The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.
J. HOGAN: I rise on a point of order under Standing Order 49. The Member for St. John's Centre used unparliamentarily language when he referred to a Member on this side of the House as a “liar.” I think he used the words “it's a lie.” So I would ask the Member for St. John's Centre to withdraw that comment.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for St. John's Centre.
J. DINN: Speaker, this issue is way too serious. I will not retract it.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
I will take some time after we finish today to review Hansard and to see how the words were phrased. I'll report back later.
Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.
Tabling of Documents.
Tabling of Documents
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.
S. COADY: Thank you, Speaker.
Pursuant to section 26(5)(a) of the Financial Administration Act I am tabling 14 Orders-in-Council relating to funding precommitment for fiscal years 2024-25 to 2033-34.
SPEAKER: Also, I would like to table, in accordance with subsection 19(5) of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, minutes of the Management Commission for meetings held on the following dates: February 21, February 22, May 24, June 7, June 14, July 12 and August 9, 2023.
Are there any further tabling of documents?
Notices of Motion.
Notices of Motion
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation.
S. CROCKER: Thank you, Speaker.
I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Repeal the Colonial Building Act, Bill 57.
SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?
The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.
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 23, 2023.
SPEAKER: Any further notices of motion?
Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.
Petitions.
Petitions
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Harbour Main.
H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER: This is a petition urging the House of Assembly to ask government to amend the Limitations Act to clearly state there is no limitation period for civil claims involving child abuse of any form.
Various forms of child abuse often co-occur and are highly interrelated. Treating child sexual abuse differently from non-sexual child abuse for limitation period purposes is inconsistent with a shift in society's awareness and understanding of the damaging effects of child maltreatment.
Victims of child abuse may take many years to process, to come to terms with their trauma and find the courage to report.
Eliminating the limitation period for child abuse ensures that those responsible for heinous acts can be held accountable regardless of how much time has passed. This will act as a deterrent for child abuse, increase access to justice and ensure all victims receive the redress they deserve. It would also bring Newfoundland and Labrador's approach to child abuse claims in line with human rights standards and the revised statutes in most other provinces.
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 amend the Limitations Act to remove limitation periods for civil child abuse claims.
Speaker, the PC Opposition Party has advocated strongly for removal of the statute of limitations in civil law for bringing forward a lawsuit regarding physical child abuse. It started with Newfoundland and Labrador's, Eli Baker, urging all MHAs, and he spoke publicly seeking changes to this provincial Limitations Act.
In January 2023, we in the Opposition wrote the Minister of Justice urging him to bring forth legislation, legislative amendments to be introduced to change this unfair legislation.
I met, as critic for Justice, with the Minister of Justice in February pleading with him to do that. We've raised questions as the Official Opposition in Question Period back in April. Now, this week, we're pleased to see the Third Party and the independents join and raised these questions in Question Period as well as petitions.
The simple fix here, Speaker, is for the government to stop, stop hiding behind this technicality and to amend this unfair and arbitrary legislation once and for all so that physical abuse doesn't have a timeline. Having a timeline on processing trauma is unfair, arbitrary and wrong.
We're urging the minister and this government to do what we see in most of the other provinces in Canada, to do the right thing.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.
L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.
This is a petition urging the House of Assembly to ask government to amend the Limitations Act to clearly state that there is no limitation period for civil claims involving child abuse of any form.
Various forms of child abuse often co-occur and are highly interrelated. Treating child sexual abuse differently from non-sexual abuse for limitation period purposes is inconsistent with the shift in society's awareness and understanding of the damaging effects of child mistreatment.
Victims of child abuse may take years to process, come to terms with their trauma and to find the courage to report it. Victims may be reluctant to bring forward claims because of misplaced shame, guilt, fear of coming forward, or simply the desire to avoid thinking about and confronting the horrendous pain. Those who have experienced child abuse may not discover their claims right away, especially where the abuse was committed in a climate of secrecy and where the abuse produced severe physical, emotional and psychological damage. The damage of child abuse may be lifelong. It may present itself fully later in life.
Eliminating the limitation period for child abuse ensures those responsible for heinous acts can be held accountable, regardless of how long time has passed.
Speaker, this is an important petition. I've presented this petition previously and I'm glad to see that others have stood up and presented it as well, especially when the person who brought it forward, Jack Whelan, was in the House.
Now, just looking at who is presenting this petition. We are all presenting this petition on this side of the House, the entire Opposition and the independents as well. But I have to say that it is not about the man, Jack Whalen, who brought forward this petition. It is not about the man, the child that was abused; it is about who Jack Whalen represents when he brought forward this petition. It is about the vulnerable children and youth.
What is really, really unacceptable about the statute of limitations is that when a child has been abused, and when you're growing up and you're young, that's your reality. You don't realize that elsewhere, in other houses, in other homes, that children are being treated differently. You don't know, you don't understand that so it is so important that we protect children.
What is really, really alarming when I look at why he was actually in care in the first place; it was because of a petty theft charge at the tender age of 13. While he was in there for four years, the conditions he was exposed to, the treatment is labelled torture. How can you expect a young person, within two years of being 18, to be able to have the wherewithal to bring forward charges?
We need to protect our youth. We also need to protect those who have been damaged by –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member's time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Humber - Bay of Islands.
E. JOYCE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I stand on this petition today urging the House of Assembly to ask the government to amend the Limitations Act to clearly state that there is no limitation period for civil claims involving child abuse of any form.
I stand today and support the Opposition and the Third Party on this call to change it. Mr. Speaker, when you put things in parallel, we are now going through truth and reconciliation and we should; we should recognize all that. The abuse that happened through the truth and reconciliation process that has been uncovered, it is amazing. It is actually unbelievable.
But here we have another individual in the same process of the abuse that he got as a young person; yet, we're not doing anything about it. We're going to let him suffer in silence. We know it happened. We know it's a government institution.
Back in the '80s, I worked with children that came out from that Whitbourne institution. I worked with them. I know. I heard the stories back in the '80s and here we are going through a full process in the whole province, across Canada, truth and reconciliation. Just think about it. Just think about what those people went through. Just think about what they went through when they took them away and put them in boarding schools. Just think about it. And we have a man here now who went through the same thing, a government institution, and we're washing our hands clean of it.
How can we just pick and choose which ones should we have truth and reconciliation with? How can we do it? Who in the government's side wants to stand up and say, oh yeah, we should, truth and reconciliation here, but no, not over here? You had physical abuse but we're not going to worry about that. It's shameful. Just think about it. Just think about the hearings that are going on in Labrador right now. Just think about what's happened across Canada, on truth and reconciliation, on people taken from their homes and getting beaten.
And right now –
P. LANE: Mount Cashel.
E. JOYCE: Pardon me?
P. LANE: Mount Cashel.
E. JOYCE: Mount Cashel.
Right now, because this person, two weeks before 18 never had the opportunity, we're going to wash our hands clear of it, and say no, we're not going to go back. Yet, for the truth and reconciliation, they're going back – how far back – 50, 60, 70 years. And we should, but we also should take this man here, in a government institution, for his physical abuse, and do the right thing in this province, and I call upon the government to do the right thing. If not, we have a double standard.
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member's time has expired.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
I also respectfully remind members in the public gallery you are not permitted to participate in debate.
The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands.
P. LANE: Thank you, Speaker, and I certainly share my colleague's comments on that petition, but I have another one.
We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to institute a six-month pause on approving industry projects on the Southwest Coast and urge the government to initiate and independent inquiry;
Whereby a cumulative effects assessment will be conducted to include industry risks on water systems, and ecological impacted areas; meaningful consultation will be held by the government to openly discuss the proposed projects, specifically the cumulative effects assessment.
If approved, a regional benefits package during the entire project lifespan, and also if approved, each company to be required to open an escrow account before any project commences, to completely fund decommissioning, land rehabilitation required at any stage of the project, and in the event the company goes bankrupt, the province will have immediate access.
Mr. Speaker, I present this again today and I have signatures from all throughout the province. I would say that this is simply a case of everyone has a right to have their voice heard. Certainly the people on the Southwest Coast in particular have major concerns. I know there are other people in the province that would have concerns as well, for varying reasons.
Mr. Speaker, I would table the environmental assessment report, over 4,000 pages –
E. JOYCE: How many?
P. LANE: Over 4,000 pages.
That tells me –
E. JOYCE: How much did it cost to get it?
P. LANE: It cost the lady who gave me this almost $1,000 to get it printed. Four thousand pages, that tells me there are an awful lot of environmental concerns that are being investigated in this report. It also tells me that with over 4,000 pages of technical information, that sufficient time needs to be given for people to be able to go through this information, digest it, understand it and be able to comment after the fact, not make comments during the process. Now to make comments after the report is done and they've gone through all this information.
It's not about shutting it down. It's about making sure it's done right. I know the minister said yesterday this is not Muskrat Falls. It's not public money, per se, although there are federal subsidies involved, I do believe. But it's not public money, the same way Muskrat – I agree with him; it's not. I agree 100 per cent. The risk is on the proponent in that regard. But if we're going to like totally flatten a whole peninsula, I mean, let's put it in perspective. We're going to flatten her with all these windmills, chopping down all the trees and so on. If we're going to do that and it's going to have a huge footprint –
AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible)
P. LANE: I don't care; the Minister of Environment can stand up and comment –
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member's time has expired.
Did you wish to table a document?
P. LANE: Pardon?
SPEAKER: Did you say you wanted to table your document?
P. LANE: No, I say I can't because the lady spent $1,000 and she wants them back.
SPEAKER: I just wanted to clarify that.
Thank you.
The hon. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for a response.
B. DAVIS: Mr. Speaker, I wasn't planning on standing up because the environmental assessment process is very thorough, legislatively governed process. Would the hon. Member sooner have a 25-page document rather than a 4,000-page document? I think it's a testament to the process that we have in place and the guidelines that are put in place that a proponent would have to put forward a document of that magnitude.
Now, I'm not suggesting that the document is perfect in any way; that's not my job to suggest at this point. What I'm suggesting to you is that you shouldn't be perpetuating things that are not true about saying you're going to knock down a whole peninsula. That is so far from the truth, it is unbelievable. That is exactly the problem with this whole problem. Flatten her, that's what you said. Your words, not mine.
I just can't understand, Mr. Speaker, how when there's an industry that wants to come to this province, we have an environmental assessment that's legislatively governed by this House, was put together. It's going to be dealt with. There are three opportunities for public to consult on this project. We're just passed a 50-day process where people had the opportunity to consult on it. We're in that process now where we're going to be evaluating that. There are 25 government departments and agencies, both federal and provincial, that are looking at this, that develop the guidelines. This is not me that is making this decision in solitude. It's those departments and working with them to find the greatest solutions.
I cannot believe and sit in my seat and let someone say something that is categorically wrong and so untrue that I was so disappointed that I had to get up and say that, Mr. Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.
C. PARDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Several abandoned buildings in unincorporated areas or LSDs pose a significant health and safety hazard to local residents and tourists, including collapsed or collapsing structures or dwellings. Others are dens for rodents. These abandoned buildings also undermine the tourism and development potential of many picturesque communities in the District of Bonavista which is heavily reliant on this industry for economic growth.
We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to bring forward legislation that acts on the removal of these collapsed or dilapidated buildings.
I want to put another slant on this, as well, which is in the intent of this petition: affordable housing. I attended the affordable housing conference on September 27. On the way to the conference, I was in an adjacent community to Bonavista when a resident stated there were 10 abandoned structures in that community. Yes, they're dilapidated. Yes, they weren't pretty sights but this person said, when she knew that I was going to an affordable housing, why don't they use those spaces to create living spaces for those who are in need.
One thing I'd like to mention in this, more often than not, why you don't is because the legislation is lacking in order for people to take the properties in tax arrears. They have difficulty on capturing the property for tax arrears because, I am told, that in many of the cases it will be Crown Lands, government, who will object to it and won't sign off to say that a new purchaser will have outright occupation of that property.
That is what I am told. Maybe there may be a correction forthcoming. I know that if we don't know who owns that land, the Crown may have difficulty signing off on it. But once it's in a municipality there's a dilapidated house that's been there for decades that we're looking to get removed and we want to put taxpayers there that's going to generate for the economy, then I would say why wouldn't the government sign off to say in a municipality, on tax arrears, you can go ahead and assume that property.
The tourism piece is one that we are all conscious of. We ought not to go around the district in a high tourism area and know we find these properties.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs for a response.
J. HAGGIE: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
The Member opposite raises three issues, two of which I can address directly. The first, with respect to what authority municipalities may or may not have to address dilapidated buildings. We had first reading here of a bill which I think the Member opposite will be delighted to read, called the Towns and Local Service Districts Act, which should deal with that.
In terms of affordable housing, the only comment I can make at the moment is that whilst that bill will be very clear, there is currently no legislative barrier in the legislation which I know of that prevents a municipality from engaging in affordable housing, social housing.
The issue of Crown lands and land ownership is outside my direct remit. I accept that there are issues with Crown lands, but they lie in other directions. We are certainly working with my colleague in FFA to see what the art of the possible is and how quickly we can do that.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
Speaker, a petition to support our provincial libraries. These are the reasons for the petition:
The provincial budget for libraries has not increased significantly under the Liberal government; an Ernst and Young review found that our libraries had been significantly underfunded for some time compared with other jurisdictions; the number of registered library patrons increased by 72 per cent between 2012 and 2022; and the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board, PILRB, has not received additional funds to offset inflation in operational costs since 1999. It amounts to a cut.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and to work with the PILRB to ensure that it has the means to meet the growing demand for library services across this province.
Speaker, when I was president of the Teachers' Association I had the opportunity to visit a number of schools throughout the province where there was a public library located in it. At that time, then that budget, the Liberal budget at that time was looking at cutting funding to the provincial library system, which would not only have devastated the library for the residents but it would have also impacted the school system.
Thankfully, I guess, they saw the error of their ways and reinstated that funding. However, if you haven't increased the funding, that amounts to a cut. I had visited the library out in Grand Falls-Windsor, and it's interesting to just look at the services they provide. Not only just about books, access to the internet, but also for community groups. There was a knitters group there. They came in, they talked, it was very much a community centre, their products and it was a way for people to come together.
I would argue, too, for a lot of people, those who do not have access to technology – and there are a lot of people who are over across the street who don't have access to phones or data or so on and so forth – a public library will be essential in meeting that. If nothing else, it's a warm place for people who have to leave a shelter in the middle of the day to go and get warm, and also take part in some of the services that is offered.
So here I would join the petitioners to basically look at increasing the funding to our libraries so people can access them and they have the resources they need to respond to what people need.
Thank you.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.
L. O'DRISCOLL: Thank you, Speaker.
The background to this petition is as follows:
Witless Bay Line is a significant piece of infrastructure. Whereas many commute outside the Avalon on a daily basis for work, as well as for commercial, residential and tourism growth in our region has increased the volume of traffic on this highway.
We, the undersigned, urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to upgrade this significant piece of infrastructure to enhance and improve the flow of traffic to and from the Trans-Canada Highway.
Speaker, I've spoken on this numerous times in regard to Witless Bay Line. I drive it a fair bit and I'm sure there are people here that have driven it, too. It's about eight or nine kilometres of stretch of road there that all you do is zigzag going across the highway.
I've had two emails: one from a camper in the Bay Bulls area and another from a camper further up the Southern Shore. When they're going over to Butter Pot or if they're going across the Island, they've got to go across Witless Bay Line. It's disgraceful. It's totally disgraceful, the road conditions over there. Totally. I mean, you are zigzagging across the road to avoid potholes and that's in the daytime. Try that in the nighttime. It's unbelievable.
I would encourage anyone when they're coming in from your districts, that live outside the city, come in and drive across the Witless Bay Line and then go back out to the House or to where you're living in St. John's or where you're renting, just so you can understand what I'm telling you. It's unbelievable how bad it is. It's incredible.
I mean, I get people that are driving motorcycles; every time you meet them they say don't forget to mention us when we're driving across the Witless Bay Line. You've got fish plants that are trucking crab back and forth across the Witless Bay Line. It's just used by so many people, I don't know if people understand how much the Witless Bay Line is used for – I'd call it a shortcut – but if you don't go out around St. John's and come back, it's a half hour.
I mean, it's all about time, most times, but this road is here, we've had the front section done towards Bay Bulls, the back end of it is done, and we've got eight or nine kilometres in the middle that are totally deplorable. They go in and fix it up as best they can with the equipment they've got, but I would love to see in the next budget that the minister brings down, either the Finance Minister or Department of Transportation, that they have a look at this road because it's a very important piece of infrastructure for the area.
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for a response.
J. ABBOTT: Thank you, Speaker.
The road conditions, specifically it's 11 kilometres. I use that Witless Bay Line quite frequently, so I do know what the Member is talking about. As part of our budget process leading to next year, we will be looking at all roads, obviously, across the province, and prioritize those, and I'll be certainly having a chat with the Member around that particular road.
Suffice it to say we have over a billion dollars, $1.1 billion, up to $1.4 billion, up to $1.9 billion depending on which funding pots we put together. So over the next four to five years we intend to make sure that all roads in this province that need the work, that people are talking about, that drivers are talking about, our tourists are talking about, that we will address that. The challenge for me as minister is to prioritize who comes first, who comes second. And that's discussion we'll have over the winter.
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: Orders of the Day.
The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
J. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.
Move by me, seconded by the Member for Labrador West.
I rise pursuant to Standing Order 36 to ask leave to move the adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a matter of urgent public importance.
I move that the Orders of the Day not be called, but that the business of the House be adjourned so that Members can declare a housing emergency, a crisis for which the people of this province cannot wait a day longer for their elected Members to debate.
I do not see any further opportunity to debate this matter coming up in the legislation we expect to consider in this sitting. We cannot wait a day longer to debate this crisis for the government to come up with effective solutions.
What has changed, Speaker, since we introduced a similar Notice of Motion on Tuesday? Quite simply, the news. Matters have appeared to slip out of their hands altogether; just this morning the CBC reported that almost the entirety of the 750 homes that government has claimed to build in this province have yet to appear. In fact, the number is only 11.
We need this debate because as much as we seek answers as to how government is dealing with the crisis, we get different and conflicting responses. The 750 homes are variously referred to as units being built, housing options, rent supplements or whatever phraseology the government cherry-picks on a given day.
The crisis is evidently much bigger than they have acknowledged and they have not addressed it in a meaningful way.
I say let's have the debate. Again, winter is coming. Across the province snow is beginning to fall and frost is appearing on the ground in the morning. The tent city still exists across the street from the Confederation Building, despite attempts by various government agencies to encourage its residents to move elsewhere. The driving rain, the wind and the cold can make conditions intolerable. People living there face hypothermia, but the conditions are so intolerable in the places they've been offered by this government that they prefer to rough it in the elements. I tell you that these people cannot wait.
I assure you that across this province there are many more either living outdoors in the rough or, given the housing crisis, are at grave risk of being forced to do so. The only difference between those at the tent city and others at dire risk is that the residents of the tent city made sure to be seen. They cannot wait.
Seniors, those on low or fixed incomes and many other groups are being squeezed by the lack of housing and its rising costs. Many of them face steep rent increases they cannot afford or the threat of renoviction in which the landlord will make alterations to the unit and then charge rents that the previous tenants, and so many of those in a similar situation, won't be able to afford.
They're wondering how they're going to pay for rent this winter. Many of them will be forced to make the very painful choices: rent or heating, rent or food, rent or medications. They cannot wait.
We are facing a human catastrophe and I fear that without action many people are going to face enormous suffering this winter, the likes of which we have not seen in living memory. We cannot wait a day longer to have this debate while people suffer through no fault of their own. This House must take this opportunity, Speaker, to discuss and propose effective solutions for the constituents we serve.
Now, Speaker, I'm hoping that at this time there will be unanimous consent. We can have this wholesome debate. There are solutions. I have visited places where do you know what? If the government is open to it, we can talk about solutions here that will actually help people. Some with housing, some with the income that they receive, but the fact is, it's very clear, that the announcement of 750 units, it's really down to 11 and now we've got to wonder how much can we trust the announcement that we are going to have 850 new. We do not know.
But I do know this; I've met with newcomers who are struggling to find housing or affordable housing, who are traumatized by the fact that they are being evicted from hotels. I've spoken to students, international students, who are now struggling to decide whether they have to defer their studies by a year or not. I don't know how many people in my office alone – over 70 per cent of the calls that comes in, not just from my district but from across the province, are related to housing.
The fact is – and a previous minister will testify to this – at one time we could find housing for people, and that was the MHA for Baie Verte - Green Bay, we could find those houses. He was most helpful with that, I can't thank him enough, but since that time it's become almost impossible to find. I'm finding myself saying to people I cannot promise you because we are at an impasse, we don't know where to put people.
Seniors I know are at the stage where if they're seeing their rents go up by $300 or more, they're at the stage where they really don't know what they're going to do.
I'll talk a little bit about it, I've asked these questions last year, Speaker, the same questions on housing last year. So at this point I need –
SPEAKER: Clue up your remarks there.
J. DINN: I'm asking here to have that debate so we can have those answers and move forward. Maybe before the end of this session we'll have answers for the people who are over there across the street, for the people who are living in shelters, for the people who are facing exorbitant rent increases, for the newcomers who are here and for the international students, for everyone who is seeking a home.
Thank you, Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: Order, please!
The Member for St. John's Centre did provide me with a copy of his motion, as required under Standing Order 36, before this afternoon's sitting began. This is the third time this week that we've called the House to consider matters under section 36.
Each proposed motion has been similar in subject matter. The proposed motions have addressed serious, important issues facing our province and I do acknowledge that. However, as Speaker, I'm a servant of this House and I'm given the responsibility to enforce rules of the House.
The motions that were moved on Monday, October 16, and Tuesday, October 17, were not in order. On Tuesday, in particular, I gave very generous allowance to a number of Members to speak to the matter under consideration. I note that I have made rulings on this before, based on other Speakers, on the analysis of urgency of debate, not urgency of matter.
I also note that Standing Order 36(7)(a) it indicates that: Not more than one motion to adjourn the sitting can be made in the same sitting. In the spirit of the Standing Orders, I am therefore prepared to rule on this matter, that it's not in order and the business of the House will proceed today.
Orders of the Day.
Orders of the Day
SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Government House Leader.
L. DEMPSTER: Thank you, Speaker.
I call from the Order Paper, Order 9, Bill 49, An Act Respecting the King's Printer.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, that Bill 49, the King's Printer Act now be read a second time.
SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 49, An Act Respecting the King's Printer, be now read a second time.
Motion, second reading of a bill, “An Act Respecting the King's Printer.” (Bill 49)
SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.
September 8, 2022, one of those moments in history we'll remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the first of Canada's sovereigns to be proclaimed separately as Queen of Canada. It reaffirms the monarch's role as an independent monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.
The longest serving British monarch reigning for 70 years passed during 2022 at the age of 96. Her Majesty left her mark throughout the Commonwealth and Newfoundland and Labrador is no different. Now King Charles III is the sovereign of Canada.
With the change of head of state there are changes that reverberate through government, one of which is the naming of the official printer for the Crown. Prior to the Queen's passing, the official printer was named the Queen's Printer. Upon her passing and the proclamation of His Majesty, King Charles III, as the sovereign of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, it started to be referred to as the King's Printer.
Although the change of name for the printer became effective upon the proclamation of King Charles III, the legislative reference to the Queen's Printer remains. Part VI of the Works, Services and Transportation Act, which came into force in 1995, governs the official printer of Newfoundland and Labrador entitled the Queen's Printer.
Changing the King's Printer also provides an opportunity to create separate legislation for the King's Printer. Today, I am proposing a bill to repeal Part VI of the Works, Services and Transportation Act and draft a new separate act, specifically called the King's Printer Act.
This new separate act will pertain solely to the operation activities of the King's Printer. The King's Printer provides four key services for all core government departments along with various Crown agencies including: printing services, micrographic services, digital and graphic design services, retail bookstore services and distribution services for the Department of Health and Community Services.
The way the current act is written could lead the public to think that the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is responsible for the King's Printer. This is not the case. The Executive Council Act has legislatively authorized the authority to the Department of Digital Government and Service NL for the King's Printer formerly known as the Queen's Printer.
The new act will no longer make specific reference to a responsible department and the department responsible will always be included in the Executive Council Act. By doing this in the act, prevents the need for the department to seek future amendments in the event of any departmental restructuring.
The new separate act will not alter existing operations in any way and there will be no impact on staff. The act will continue to provide the King's Printer with the same authorities and responsibility it says they have always had and business will continue as usual.
Stand-alone legislation with specific reference to the King's Printer aligns with what many other Canadian jurisdictions are doing to acknowledge and pay respects to His Majesty. Reference to the King in the actual title of the new act is also consistent with the approach being taken by my colleague and his staff in the Department of Justice and Public Safety in revising the Queen's Counsel Act to the King's Counsel Act.
Before I conclude, I want to mention that my department did consider moving ahead with a gender-neutral bill, as we do with all of our language. It was determined that gender-neutral language concerning different sovereigns is not necessary because the neutrality already associated with particular terms such as monarch, sovereign and your majesty. It appears that for the long term and foreseeable future the monarchy will be a king, with Prince William and then Prince George expecting to succeed. We also considered the approach to this in other provinces through a jurisdictional scan. We note that none of the other provinces use gender-neutral language.
I would also like to recognize the hard work, including the long, long hours at times, the staff at the King's Printer put in to ensure that critical government publications are available for use by departments and the public. Over the course of the year, the King's Printer completes an average of 5,000 print pieces of work. Which includes in the spring of every year the printing of the government's budget materials, which I understand they stay up all night finishing, for both internal use and for the distribution to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Staff at the King's Printer bookstore also offer printed copies of the provincial legislation and regulations and are also responsible for the weekly publishing of the Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette. The Gazette features new and amended regulations, assorted government notices, as well as private sector public notices that are required by statute to be published publicly.
Then in terms of a little protocol story which I wasn't aware, the Speech from the Throne signals the opening of a new legislative session and it summarizes government's priorities and its vision of what government expects to achieve during that particular sitting. Once the speech has been ceremonially delivered by the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Lieutenant Governor's actual copy is presented to the King's Printer and it is printed as a way to formally recognize the opening of the new session.
Everyone, please join me in acknowledging and thanking the King's Printer for all of their work. I look forward to answering any questions and seeing if there are any comments about this piece of legislation.
Thank you.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova, or sorry, Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans. My apologies.
C. TIBBS: Thank you, Speaker, no problem at all.
Yeah, of course, this is something that we knew was going to be coming in the legislation. Obviously, everybody was sad to see we lost our Queen, but we gained a King, I guess, and the appropriate adjustments need to be made moving forward for our Legislature.
Of course this bill, there's not much to it. It's something that needed to be done. I can't imagine it's been 70 years since it has been done last or if it ever was done before now.
We support the legislation moving forward and I will have some questions in Committee as well.
Thank you, Speaker.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.
I thank the minister for that and for the briefing on this. It's an interesting, I guess, bit of old history mixed with new history and all that when it comes to the King's Printer. So I understand this is more of a formality because we do not have a department of works, services and transportation anymore, so therefore a lot of changes have to be made.
I do have a few questions for Committee but I do appreciate the earlier briefing today and we'll look forward to that.
Thank you.
SPEAKER: Seeing no other speakers if the hon. the Minister of Digital and Government Service NL speaks, we will now close debate.
The hon. the Minister of Digital and Government Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Thank you, everyone.
I am happy to answer any questions in Committee.
SPEAKER: Is the House ready for the question?
The motion is that Bill 49 be now read a second 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 (Hawley George): A bill, An Act Respecting King's Printer. (Bill 49)
SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a second time.
When shall the bill be referred to a Committee of the Whole?
L. DEMPSTER: Now.
SPEAKER: Now.
On motion, a bill, “An Act Respecting King's Printer,” read a second time, ordered referred to a Committee of the Whole House presently, by leave. (Bill 49)
SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Government House Leader.
L. DEMPSTER: Speaker, I move that this House do now resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider Bill 49.
SPEAKER: And you have seconder …?
L. DEMPSTER: Seconded by the Minister for Digital Government.
SPEAKER: Thank you.
It is moved and seconded that I do now leave the Chair for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider the said bill.
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.
On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, the Speaker left the Chair.
Committee of the Whole
CHAIR (Warr): Order, please!
We are now considering Bill 49, An Act Respecting the King's Printer.
A bill, “An Act Respecting the King's Printer.” (Bill 49)
CLERK: Clause 1.
CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?
The Chair is recognizing the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
C. TIBBS: Thank you very much, Chair.
Minister, will there be any job losses as a result of this change?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: There will be absolutely no operational changes whatsoever or job losses.
CHAIR: Thank you.
The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
C. TIBBS: Thank you, Minister.
It's great to hear.
Was there any additional cost to government as a result of this change?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: I imagine the cost is very little. We had to change the cost of the sign downstairs in this building. It doesn't say the Queen's Printer anymore, it says the King's Printer. You know, some very small typographical changes, so that's it.
Thank you.
CHAIR: Thank you.
The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
C. TIBBS: Thank you, Minister.
Did the minister consult with Transportation and Infrastructure about this change, given the legislative change affected their department?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Yes.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
C. TIBBS: Thank you, Minister.
Is this similar to what has occurred in other jurisdictions?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Yes.
CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.
C. TIBBS: Thank you, Minister.
Were there any other consultations done with any other departments for this change?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Thank you.
Before any bill comes to the House, it is consulted with all departments. So, yes, this was consulted by all departments.
Thank you.
CHAIR: Thank you.
Further questions?
The hon. the Member for Labrador West.
J. BROWN: Thank you, Chair.
Just one question: With the removal of the Order-in-Council listed in the previous legislation, does the new wording where it says: All proclamations issued by the Lieutenant Governor or under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor, cover where those words were removed?
CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.
S. STOODLEY: Yes.
The Orders-in-Council are now posted online.
CHAIR: Thank you.
Shall the motion carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, clause 1 carried.
CLERK: Clauses 2 through 7 inclusive.
CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 through 7 inclusive carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, clauses 2 through 7 carried.
CLERK: Be it enacted by the Lieutenant Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows.
CHAIR: Shall the enacting clause carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, enacting clause carried.
CLERK: An Act Respecting the King's Printer.
CHAIR: Shall the title carry?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, title carried.
CHAIR: Shall I report the bill without amendment?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
Motion, that the Committee report having passed the bill without amendment, carried.
CHAIR: The hon. the Deputy Government House Leader.
L. DEMPSTER: Thank you, Chair.
I move that the Committee rise and report Bill 49 carried without amendment.
CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise and report Bill 49.
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
All those in favour, 'aye.'
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.
CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'
Carried.
On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again, the Speaker returned to the Chair.
SPEAKER (Bennett): Order, please.
The hon. the Member for Baie Verte - Green Bay and Chair of the Committee of the Whole.
B. WARR: Speaker, the Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bill 49 without amendment.
SPEAKER: The Chair of the Committee of the Whole reports that the Committee have considered the matters to them referred and directed him to report Bill 49 without amendment.
When shall the report be received?
L. DEMPSTER: Now.
SPEAKER: Now.
When shall the bill be read a third time?
L. DEMPSTER: Tomorrow.
SPEAKER: Tomorrow.
On motion, report received and adopted. Bill ordered read a third time on tomorrow.
SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Government House Leader.
L. DEMPSTER: Thank you, Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Member for Placentia - St. Mary's, that this House do now adjourn.
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.'
AN HON. MEMBER: Nay.
SPEAKER: Motion carried.
This House do stand adjourned until Monday at 1:30 p.m.
On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Monday, at 1:30 p.m.