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The House met at 1:30 p.m.

SPEAKER (Bennett): Order, please!

Admit Strangers.

Good afternoon everyone. It's good to see such a good crowd in the gallery today.

First of all, I'd like to welcome in the Speaker's gallery today, veteran and representative of Quilts of Valour, Canada, Simon MacInnis.

Welcome, Sir.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: In the public gallery, welcome Noah Hickey, who will be the subject of a Member's statement today. Noah is joined by Cyndi Hickey and also Philip King.

Welcome.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Also, recognized in a Member's statement this afternoon is Liam McGrath, Abby Taylor and Evelyn Murphy. They are also joined by their parents, grandparents and family members.

Welcome.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Also welcome to students of Roncalli Elementary from Grade 5 and 6. They are visiting today also for a Member's statement.

Welcome.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Also in the public gallery, I would like to welcome Tina Olivero. Tina is an advocate for mental health and addictions.

Welcome.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Finally, I'd like for everyone to wish our Page, Blessing, a very happy birthday today.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

SPEAKER: Today, we'll hear statements by the Members for the Districts of Humber - Bay of Islands, Stephenville - Port au Port, Torngat Mountains, Terra Nova, Topsail - Paradise and Windsor Lake, with leave.

The hon. the Member for Humber - Bay of Islands.

E. JOYCE: It is certainly an honour for me today to recognize a long time, dedicated volunteer from the Town of Irishtown-Summerside.

Lorna Warford is a recent recipient of the Seniors of Distinction Award. Lorna's contribution to her community spans many years with her involvement in many groups including the HIS firettes, recreation committee, Irishtown Mountain View 50+ Club and area director with the NL 50+ Federation, as well as serving on the town council for a period of time.

Lorna is a strong advocate for seniors and works tirelessly to get things done. Her dedication and commitment to her community is immeasurable. Lorna's determination to help others is her foremost goal and she is making a difference in people's lives.

While her community involvement is well known, Lorna's kindness and support to neighbours is just as strong. Whether it is a neighbour who is sick or sponsoring a child in Uganda, Lorna is a true leader who works tirelessly to get things done and is an inspiration and role model to us all.

I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Lorna on receiving this much-deserved award. Congratulations, my friend. You are an inspiration and you show leadership by example.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Stephenville - Port au Port.

T. WAKEHAM: Thank you, Speaker.

On November 2, 2023, Special Olympics Canada held its National Awards Night to honour two of Canada's most outstanding athletes. This year's recipients for Male and Female Athlete of the Year were awarded to Special Olympic athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador, and both live in Stephenville.

I am proud to stand today and congratulate Samantha Walsh, Female Athlete of the Year; and Michael Budden, Male Athlete of the Year.

With nine years of experience under her belt, Samantha Walsh has left her mark in various sports, including snowshoeing, curling, swimming, bowling and athletics. Samantha was part of TeamNL at the Canada Summer Games where she won three medals. Her crowning achievement came at the 2023 Special Olympic World Games in Berlin, winning a bronze medal in the standing long jump.

For seven years, Michael Budden has proudly represented Stephenville as a runner in athletics, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, swimming and curling. His dedication and determination has led him to national and international success. The highlight being a gold medal in shot put at the World Games in Berlin this summer.

Samantha and Michael, your community is so proud of your accomplishments and we wish you continued success in future events.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.

Northern Lights Academy, Rigolet's school, has mighty traditions and their Eagles have a lasting legacy of badminton championships.

All six Northern Labrador high schools compete at the annual high school winter sports meet. Rigolet's Eagles won badminton gold in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. Weather prevented them from competing in 2021.

Advancing to Labrador regionals, they won gold at the team event in 2018 and 2019. Then in 2020 weather prevented them from participating in the regionals and provincials; however, they won the 50th year School Sports NL provincial banner after a public vote; 2021 was lost to COVID restrictions; 2022 the Eagles were prevented from regionals competition due to weather; 2023 they won gold again in the team event. At the provincial level, Eagles won silver in 2018, gold in 2019 and 2023.

Five of the Eagles badminton team also participated in the North American Indigenous Games: Ella Jacque, Sierra Wolfrey, Clear Brooke Blake-Pottle, Brooklyn Wolfrey and Cole Shiwak, where they all medaled.

Eagles badminton would not be possible without, firstly, the community of Rigolet for their fundraising; secondly, coaches Steven Brazil, Kevin Jacque and Ryan Tobin for their numerous hours of coaching and the environment that they created of love and appreciation for badminton that is continuing to be passed down through the generations.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Terra Nova.

L. PARROTT: Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker, eight-year-old Noah Hickey from Random Island is a member of the Flying Blades Skating Club. He was recently awarded the Skate NL CanSkate Athlete Award.

The award recognizes a skater who shows enthusiasm, dedication, demonstrates a positive attitude, an eagerness to learn and improve skills, is co-operative and participates fully throughout the season.

Noah has learned that all of his skills are learned and that new moves are just like new words; they have to be learned and practised. Having a safe and fun place to grow has really helped Noah develop his vocabulary and his confidence.

Sport has given Noah the emotional maturity where he doesn't give up when times get tough or he doesn't shy away from things that are new, which is all very impressive for a young lad who is only eight years old.

Being involved in sports gives Noah the boost in his confidence and it allows him the freedom to showcase his non-academic skills. He is proud to lace up his skates, hit the ice and try his best at every single session. He gives it his all and knows that hard work and attention to detail will always bring a positive outcome.

Congratulations, Noah.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Topsail - Paradise.

P. DINN: Thank you, Speaker.

There are many community champions among us who go above and beyond and with no expectation of recognition.

Today, however, I wish to recognize three such community champions from Octagon Pond Elementary: Liam McGrath, Grade 1; and Abby Taylor and Evelyn Murphy, Grade 2. 

The garbage and the litter around the school grounds has been an ongoing problem, with little or no solution in sight. Just a few weeks ago, Liam, Abby and Evelyn, on a weekend and on their own free time, took the initiative to pick up garbage around their school grounds because, in their own words, “it made their school grounds messy.”

These students, along with their parents, collected bags and bags of garbage and the school grounds now look fantastic. It is young citizens like these children who set the example for others of what it is to give back to the community and grow up to be exceptional community-minded citizens.

I know the parents and the school community are very proud. I congratulate the parents on a job well done, as children learn first from their role models at home.

Mr. Speaker, I ask Members of this House to join me in applauding Liam, Abby and Evelyn on a job well done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Windsor Lake with leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.

SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

The hon. the Member for Windsor Lake.

J. HOGAN: Speaker, I stand to acknowledge an impressive group of student leaders from Roncalli Elementary in my District of Windsor Lake.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

J. HOGAN: The Roncalli Student Leaders are a motivated group of Grade 5 and Grade 6 who lead by example, offering a lending hand during school activities while striving to make their school and community a great place to live, learn and grow.

Harrison, Carter, Hilary, Ibrahim, Meeva, Clark, Vins, Priscilla, Yazan and Avah were elected by their peers for their leadership abilities, for their respect and responsibility on a daily basis and for exhibiting a strong work ethic in academics and extracurricular activities.

Their career aspirations include doctors, lawyers, pilots, teachers, counselling therapists, pro athletes, a professional chef, and yes, one even has sights firmly set on the job of prime minister.

Proudly taught by Melanie Hicks, Trina Newman and Kelly Burke, the Roncalli Student Leaders program is led by administrators Alun Young, Lori Murray and school counsellor David Lynch; each of whom watch with pride as these students grow into the leaders of tomorrow.

Speaker, I ask all hon. Members to join me in acknowledging this impressive group of Grade 5 and Grade 6, the Roncalli Student Leaders.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.

Today I rise to solemnly acknowledge and commemorate the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

This global event, commemorated on the third Sunday in November each year, remembers millions who have been killed and seriously injured as the result of a motor vehicle collision, while acknowledging the suffering of all those affected by such senseless tragedy – victims, families and communities.

Over the years, we have taken significant action to strengthen the province's Highway Traffic Act, as well as the Off-Road Vehicles Act to ensure our roads and highways are safe for everyone.

While strengthening legislation and increasing penalties are important steps toward safer roads, safety on the road is a collective responsibility. Despite warnings from government, law enforcement and safety advocates, unsafe driving continues to be a problem in our communities.

We will continue to find new ways to address unsafe driving practices. The recent traffic camera pilot project is one example and we are now considering the results of the pilot to inform our next steps.

As the holiday season approaches, I ask all residents to never drive impaired or distracted, always use caution when driving in winter road conditions and maintain a heightened sense of awareness of moose on our highways.

Speaker, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to continue to reinforce how important it is to obey the law and drive safely. Lives depend on it.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

J. WALL: Thank you, Speaker, and I'd like to thank the hon. minister for the advance copy of her statement.

Speaker, anything that we can do to improve road accident safety is to be commended. Far too many tragedies occur every year because of distracted drivers, speed, alcohol or lack of seat belt use. The senseless deaths on our highways have left broken families and lost loved ones.

Unfortunately, this government has taken four years to advance a traffic camera pilot project, which has yet to issue a single ticket. Ontario, on the other hand, introduced photo radar 30 years ago.

Speaker, the other issue is the significant lack of enforcement. There are highway enforcement officer positions in the minister's department that currently sit vacant. The RCMP and the RNC both have significant human resource challenges, which mean fewer officers doing our traffic enforcement.

A recent pilot project to do ticketing by the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's was shut down by this government. Speaker, we need to do more.

Our collective hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones on our roadways. Everyone needs to slow down and pay attention to the rules of the road.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.

I thank the minister for the advance copy of her statement.

When someone is lost to a traffic accident, it leaves behind a scarring hole in families. Our caucus stands with survivors as we call for greater road safety. All of us play a part in making sure that everyone gets home safe. When driving, put away your phone, be present, drive to the road conditions and most importantly do not drink and drive.

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.

T. WAKEHAM: Thank you, Speaker.

Mental health does not do well on wait-lists and bricks and mortar does not treat it. We're about to enter one of the worst times of the year for mental health.

I ask the Premier: When will we see mental health and addictions services fully staffed in our province?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mental health and addictions is certainly something that this side of the aisle and I'm sure both sides of the aisle take very serious. There's no family in Newfoundland and Labrador that hasn't been touched by mental health and addictions issues, Mr. Speaker.

We'll continue to work with stakeholders, continue to work within Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services to ensure that people can access mental health and addiction supports in a timely fashion. There's always room for improvement. We've engaged stakeholders and we'll continue to work with them to ensure we're improving the process, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, emergency walk-in services at the Waterford Hospital closed for more than two weeks last year, during the holiday season, due to lack of staffing.

Premier, can the people who rely on mental health and addiction services expect to see locked emergency rooms this Christmas season?

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is the desire of this government, Mr. Speaker, and certainly the Health Services to provide the services to individuals that are needed. We are not aware of any concerns that the Member just raised. I can certainly check into it.

We do know that going forward, Mr. Speaker, we're making changes to the emergency department at the Health Sciences complex, which will serve both the physical health as well as mental health facilities. It will be larger, have greater capacity, greater services to individuals, but certainly for this season, Mr. Speaker, I will certainly take it up with the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services to ensure that services are available.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, I thank the minister for the answer and I look forward to ensuring that those services are available.

Speaker, the Liberal government admitted yesterday that any response to the Seniors' Advocate is months away.

After eight years, 95 months and more than 2,886 days why are seniors still waiting?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As the Member opposite is aware, we announced our poverty reduction strategy just last week. In that announcement, we recognized the unique challenges of our seniors. We value them. We want to ensure that we're getting this right. We're going to take a bit of time to be informed by the Seniors' Advocate and other stakeholders, to ensure that we're putting in a program that can help the seniors in our province deal with the high cost of living, deal with the energy crisis that many households are facing across our province. That's why we continue to fight for them, Mr. Speaker, with respect to things like the carbon tax and ensuring that their electricity rates don't double.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Yesterday, Speaker, we asked the Liberal government to support our motion to help make life more affordable for the people of our province, including the same recommendation made in the Seniors' Advocate report to index the Seniors' Benefit. The Liberal response: it was redundant and not necessary.

I ask the Premier: Do you consider helping seniors by indexing their benefits to be redundant and not necessary?

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

T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, that's absolutely ridiculous.

What I can say is we put an all-department Committee in place to focus on seniors' issues. There's an interdepartmental Committee led by the Department of Finance looking at income-based services and programs in this province towards making changes to better serve our seniors in the province.

There is also a working group put in place of all zones within the Health Authority looking at income-based services within the Health Authority, as well. That work has been ongoing for months, Mr. Speaker. We look forward to that work being done.

The all-party motion that was put forward yesterday is redundant because that work is taking place.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, again, they use the word redundant and, again, I say they had an opportunity to vote to increase the Seniors' Benefit, or to recommend it, yesterday and they refused to do it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SPEAKER: Order, please!

T. WAKEHAM: So let me ask a simple question then. The Seniors' Advocate has made 12 recommendations to support seniors in the province and to make their lives better.

So let's ask a simple question. I ask the Premier: Will you commit to implementing the 12 recommendations made by the Seniors' Advocate?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, we take the recommendations put forward by the Seniors' Advocate seriously. She recommended drivers' medicals be made free; we've done that in previous recommendations. She has made other recommendations that the department has put in place, including a review of long-term care and personal care homes. So for the Member to suggest that we wouldn't take these seriously, Mr. Speaker, is purely political.

We do take the recommendations seriously. We will work with the seniors' rep; we will work with departments to break down the silos to ensure that the services are there for the seniors of this province.

We've made a number of changes in this year's budget, in last year's budget and I'm sure in the coming budget to benefit seniors in this province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, I didn't think my question was that difficult. I thought it would have at least gotten a yes or a no response but all I hear is rhetoric. I did not hear anything about the 12 recommendation that the Seniors' Advocate made in her report.

Yesterday, the Seniors' Advocate also indicated that her office has not had meaningful discussions with government on any new seniors' poverty reduction program.

Again, I ask: Why has the Liberal government refused help from the very person best positioned to offer it?

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

T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, there are a number of deputy ministers as well as ministers working on the ministerial Committee on seniors. That Committee continues to meet. There are also departmental officials that meet regularly reviewing the income-based programs and services that are provided in this province.

As I indicated in a previous answer, the Health Authority, from all zones in the province, are looking at income-based services offered through the Health Authority. All of these things will fit into a poverty reduction strategy that is tailor-made for seniors in this province.

When the time is right and we have substantive information put together based on these Committees, we'll certainly consult with the Seniors' Advocate.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: I find it challenging that a Seniors' Advocate, which represents the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, representing the interests of seniors, whose advice and whose report has been made has not been accepted and has not been talked to or spoken to about what needs to happen in this poverty reduction strategy for seniors. That is not good enough.

I don't care how many different Committees you set up, you have a person here who has a significant role to play and they should be the one that's being consulted.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, the Liberal government has made a choice again to exclude the Privacy Commissioner from reviewing legislation. First, the Liberal government ignores the Seniors' Advocate, now they're shutting out the Privacy Commissioner.

I ask the Premier: Why are you excluding the Privacy Commissioner from reviewing legislation before it is passed?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

I assume the Member opposite is talking about the recent legislative amendments we made to ATIPP to support Clare's Law. I want to take the time to thank everyone in the House for the unanimous support.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

J. HOGAN: We all know how important it is to protect the applicants in this situation because most of them are likely to be in vulnerable situation. Again, I appreciate the unanimous support of everyone in this House for that piece of legislation.

In this particular example, the Privacy Commissioner was consulted. Our department reached out to him in November of 2022, met with him in March of 2023 to discuss the amendments – amendments that he suggested and we agreed that should be done. The process was agreed to and followed. That's why we have the legislation that was passed here by unanimous consent in October. We very much appreciate his input into that and his recommendations, which (inaudible) including all Members of the House.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Speaker, yesterday, the Privacy Commissioner released his report and it had many things in it, in addition to Clare's Law and other examples of where he had not been consulted. But one of the things that the Privacy Commissioner's report noted yesterday was that the Minister of Justice provided inaccurate information – that's the Privacy Commissioner's words, not mine – here in this House of Assembly to a Member of our caucus. The Justice Minister said Clare's Law had been consulted, which he just repeated, with the Privacy Commissioner, when the Commissioner's report says it did not happen.

I ask the Premier: Is this acceptable?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Public Safety.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

Actually, I do have a copy of the Hansard here and what I said was: “The Information and Privacy Commissioner has agreed with the approach to protect records collected under this process in order to ensure applicants are protected. Whether that was in written form or during a consultation,” – a consultation which I said took place in March of 2023 – “I can check, and if there's a written opinion that we are allowed to provide or we can provide, we'll do that.”

So he was consulted. I never said anything that wasn't true. I never said anything that is inaccurate. I think the Member should maybe withdraw that question because it is not true what he said and he is the one now misleading, not only Members of the House, but members of the public about what our obligations are with regard to privacy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

B. PETTEN: I guess the minister hadn't had a chance to read this report because what our leader just referred to was in this report. So maybe saying the Privacy Commissioner is misleading the province, maybe we need to table that report, Speaker. That's where it's coming from.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

B. PETTEN: They don't believe in any statutory Officers of the House of Assembly, Speaker. That's what we're hearing here and we heard it yesterday as well.

Speaker, a pregnant woman forced to sleep on the floor of an emergency room is a reality we should not have to face in our health care system, yet that is where we are on this Liberal government's watch.

I ask the minister: How can this be allowed to happen?

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is obviously very unfortunate. I wouldn't say there was a Member in this Legislature or in the province that would say that it's acceptable.

Mr. Speaker, I have asked Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services what had happened there and to review it to ensure that there are policies and procedures put in place to ensure that this type of thing doesn't happen again.

There are times when emergency departments are overcrowded. We are working on recruitment and retention. We are working on additional infrastructure. We are working on urgent care models to reduce the pressure on emergency departments.

This is a very unfortunate situation that happened, Mr. Speaker. No, it is not acceptable.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.

I thank the minister for that answer; that is probably one of the better answers I have heard this session.

Speaker, at the premiers meetings in Nova Scotia last week, our Premier said, collectively, all premiers would prevent – and I quote – an aggressive, active recruitment campaign of health care professionals.

Premier, if that is the case, why is PEI holding a large recruitment event right here in St. John's later this month?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have certainly reached out to Premier King to ask him exactly what his intent is, but as the Member opposite knows, Memorial University Faculty of Medicine does provide education to some students in PEI, Mr. Speaker. It is an agreement that has been in place for a while and they're working with the University of Prince Edward Island to expand the faculty to Prince Edward Island itself.

I assume that has something to do with this particular recruitment initiative; however, I can assure you that we have been there. We have been in the faculty; we've been in the building, making sure that those students all know that they are welcome and wanted here in Newfoundland and Labrador, with the best recruitment and retention packages of anywhere across the country.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.

We're hearing from third-year nursing students in Corner Brook who have not been offered a job.

These answers, that is just more Liberal rhetoric. They're stilling coming later this month. It all sounds fine but it is not solving any problems; they're still having their recruitment.

First, it was Alberta and Saskatchewan ads and recruitment events; now it's one of our Atlantic colleagues. PEI is ready to swipe our health care professionals.

Will the Premier tell us if he endorses those events? Just a simple yes or no, Premier.

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Premier has just indicated he's reaching out to the premier of PEI to determine what the purpose of that event is. There are PEI medical students there. If it is for the PEI medical students, that's perfectly acceptable.

What I can say, Mr. Speaker, is the night that they have their event planned, we have an event that is also planned, also scheduled, happening for the medical residents, medical students in this province. They are invited to that event, but we will certainly continue to discuss with PEI the intent of the event that they're having here.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.

C. PARDY: Speaker, approximately 60 per cent of the people who live in poverty in our province have not graduated from high school. We all recognize that education is the strongest predictor and the most recognized factor in determining future income levels. A poverty reduction plan that ignores the role of education is not much of a plan at all.

How can the government call this a true poverty reduction plan when according to the Premier's last week's announcement, education was left out?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

K. HOWELL: Thank you, Speaker.

As always, it's a privilege to stand in this House and talk about the education system here in Newfoundland and Labrador, especially with students visiting us in the gallery today. We are very pleased to have a strong system here. Our K-to-12 system has tenets built into it that educate our children from kindergarten through Grade 12.

There is a constant review of our curriculum and we build it based on emerging trends, emerging research and how things unfold around the world so that we prepare students for a world beyond Newfoundland and Labrador so they can go and experience and come back, garner further education and bring their skills back home to Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

K. HOWELL: We're pleased to partner with the universities, the post-secondary institutions here in Newfoundland and Labrador, to continue that education continuum as we work towards building a brighter future.

SPEAKER: The minister's time has expired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.

C. PARDY: Mr. Speaker, I've listened intently but I'm going to assume that education is part of the poverty reduction plan, maybe? If not, you ought to have read the nationally recognized, our provincial poverty reduction plan that the government shelved in 2015.

Speaker, education and poverty have a direct connection; 75 per cent of the children in Grade 6 who are chronically absent do not graduate from high school.

I ask the minister or the Premier: Can you give us an overview of the actions for education that is in your poverty reduction plan?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

K. HOWELL: Thank you, Speaker.

As I was saying, the Department of Education covers students from early learning right through to post-secondary. It's a big part of what we do here in Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It's a full department devoted to educating our children, our youth and even our post-secondary students.

It is a part of every plan. It doesn't have to have a specific tenet in the poverty reduction plan because it is a very instrumental piece of society. It is one of the things that we pride ourselves on in our K-to-12 system. We'll continue to work to build our early learning and our post secondary.

The poverty reduction plan that has come out in the past few days does involve a school lunch program. As we've listened to many teachers and many advocates across the time frame that we've done our research, we realize that an empty belly has no ears.

So if we want to continue to educate our students, we –

SPEAKER: Order, please!

The minister's time has expired.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.

C. PARDY: Speaker, in addition to the school lunch program, can the minister give us an overview of the actions for education that would be in the Liberal government's poverty reduction plan?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

K. HOWELL: The primary tenet that's going to be part of the Department of Education will be the school lunch program. As I was saying, when we talked to students and teachers, educators, staff, parents all across the province, we recognized that students often do struggle to find healthy meals.

So as part of the poverty reduction plan, we'll be introducing the school lunch program. We'll continue to build on some of the good work that's already been done, and build that program to support students all across Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Harbour Main.

H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER: Three weeks ago, we learned of the story of a Harbour Main constituent experiencing severe chest pain who had to be transported 300 kilometres from Carbonear to Burin for treatment. The problem was a lack of internal medicine doctors available in Carbonear to care for the patient, and it still exists.

I ask the Premier: Is a 300-kilometre diversion for emergency care acceptable under his Liberal government?

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

No, it's not acceptable, but we continue to recruit the medical professionals that are needed in this province to ensure that these types of situations do not continue. Regardless of which province you look at, Mr. Speaker, almost daily in the news there are talks of diversions at emergency departments, a shortage of health care professionals in each and every province.

It makes recruitment even more challenging, Mr. Speaker, but we have had success in terms of our recruitment. We've had over 70 doctors recruited since the beginning of this fiscal year. We've had 300 nurses recruited to this province. The number of nursing vacancies has been reduced.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Harbour Main.

H. CONWAY OTTENHEIMER: Speaker, yet again, a lack of recruitment and retention in health care by this Liberal government is putting lives at risk. Rural constituents and all those who rely on the Carbonear hospital have reason to be concerned by this shortage.

Will the Premier act now to fill the deficiency of internal medicine doctors in the Carbonear hospital?

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

T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure if the Member had heard my previous answer but I'll repeat it. We are seeing signs of success in terms of recruitment. We have the most attractive recruitment incentives in the country, Mr. Speaker, up to $450,000 for a physician to come to this province. We have had over 70 physicians recruited since the beginning of this fiscal year. We've had approximately 300 registered nurses recruited. We've increased the number of seats in our medical school. We've increased the number of seats in our Bachelor of Science in Nursing. We've increased the number of seats for nurse practitioners. We've increased the number of seats for geriatrics, in fact, put a new program in place. We are working on recruitment, Mr. Speaker, and we are having greater success than some jurisdictions in Canada.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Speaker, we have seen no legislation introduced in this session to address the crisis facing Crown lands. Two weeks ago, we asked about legislation for this fall and the minister said stay tuned.

I ask the minister: How long do we have to stay tuned for legislation in the House of Assembly?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: Stay tuned.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans.

C. TIBBS: Thank you very much, Speaker.

That's a terrible answer for the people who are waiting for Crown lands. That's absolutely terrible.

Speaker, geriatric centres of excellence are months away from being up and running in Eastern and Western parts of our province but no plans were announced for such a centre in Central Newfoundland.

I ask the minister: I haven't forgotten about the seniors in Central, why have you forgotten about them with this announcement?

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

T. OSBORNE: Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We have been focusing on improving services for seniors. The centre of excellence for the City of St. John's, we've announced a new hospital to replace St. Clare's, that's where the centre of excellence will go. There's a new hospital in Corner Brook, that's where the centre of excellence will go, Mr. Speaker. We've indicated during the announcement that there will be a centre of excellence in Central as well. Work is ongoing for that.

I'm sure the Member heard us say that. We can't magically snap our fingers and have infrastructure in place or the space available but we are working on services. We're putting Family Care Teams in Central, which will be a spoke of the centres of excellence in any event. The centres of excellence that are in place can assist the Family Care Teams that in place in Central with those initiatives.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

J. WALL: Speaker, the minister recently announced commercial vehicles will no longer have to stop at weigh stations in our province.

Is she worried the safety of the travelling public on our roadways is now going to be compromised?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.

We are implementing a range of programs that are actually implemented across the country, Speaker, to make things more efficient for commercial companies driving in Newfoundland and Labrador.

There are multiple programs; one includes the electronic logging devices, where trucks can automatically transmit information to the weigh scales. Meaning they don't have to pull in, saving companies time and money.

Thank you very much, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Cape St. Francis.

J. WALL: Speaker, what I'm hearing is efficiency is more important than safety on our roadways.

Speaker, the program the minister referenced boasts a 98 per cent pass rate for the commercial traffic. That means 98 per cent of transport trucks in Newfoundland and Labrador will no longer have to be stopped to be safely inspected or weighed.

Speaker, does the minister really believe that this is safe?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.

I have full confidence in our highway enforcement officers. A range of things goes into the decision of whether or not a truck is stopped for inspection. There are a range of scenarios why vehicles are stopped. We will continue to require many vehicles to stop and get inspected.

I'm really proud, Speaker, to enable the efficiency and savings for vehicles when it is deemed that they do not need to stop.

Thank you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.

L. O'DRISCOLL: Speaker, the minister's department is supposed to inspect all school buses every new school year. It wasn't until pressure from our caucus that we saw any inspections results made public.

I ask the minister: Were all school bus inspections completed before this school year started?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Digital Government and Service NL.

S. STOODLEY: Thank you, Speaker.

Again, the safety of our students travelling on school buses is of paramount importance, Speaker. Our highway enforcement officers inspect 100 per cent of all school buses in the fall of the year and all school buses have to have a full pass from an official inspection station before the start of each year. We inspect buses again in the spring of the year.

We were putting the results online in batches. The availability of results online has nothing to do with how safe our school buses are and the inspection results.

Thank you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.

Yesterday, I asked the Premier about residential school survivors – that's our elders – in my district being cold because they're waiting for their pension cheques to buy oil. The Minister of Environment said to me: If the Member – that's me – would listen, they want to extend the so-called province-wide rebate process right across the province.

So I ask the Minister: When? Our guaranteed shipping date for delivery is passed. Our winters are harsh and your government has left our entire district out in the cold again.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

B. DAVIS: Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Member. I think she took a bit out of context what I said. I said: If she's listening to what I'm saying – at the time, she wasn't, she was chirping me at the time, I think. What I'm saying is that what we're looking at doing is working with all parts of our province to ensure that every part of our province has the ability to avail of services that will be able to help the people that she represents.

We're working on that. That's not the program that currently exists with the federal and provincial partnership that we currently have for the Oil to Electric Program. We are looking at other options that we can do to try to help every part of our province in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.

The recent Seniors' Advocate report identifies 68 per cent of Nunatsiavut communities are food insecure and that it's tied to the transportation of food.

The Minister of Transportation said – and I took it from Hansard – the shipping was a reliable service but in 2019, the Liberal government took off our freight service from the Island saying that it was because the Trans-Labrador Highway was nearing completion. This is inaccurate. There is no Trans-Labrador Highway going into my district.

My question is: Can this government continue to justify cold, hungry, residential school survivors, our elders and their descendants, post-apology?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

J. ABBOTT: Thank you, Speaker, for the opportunity to respond.

Of course, the Member has packed a lot of things in that question. What I do want to speak to is around our North Coast of Labrador transportation service.

I had the good fortune there the end of September with my colleague, the Minister of Labrador Affairs, to visit and to take the service from Goose Bay to Nain, visit every community and talk to the leadership about what was important to them.

We've agreed on a process to make sure we address their transportation issues, which are really focused on how we move freight and make sure it is delivered in a timely and safe manner.

When it comes to affordability, when you look at the data and you compare prices in Goose Bay today –

SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. minister's time is up.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker, I'm glad to see that a Liberal MP and the federal Labour minister from this province applaud the federal NDP's motion to introduce anti-scab legislation into the House of Commons calling it a historic change for this country and labour.

I ask the Premier: Will he listen to his federal cousins and implement anti-scab legislation here into this province?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Labour. 

B. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the hon. Member for his question.

I think he's asked this question a few times in this sitting of the House and good on him for coming forward. He's doing double duty these days, so I am very excited that he's doing that.

It is a very complex issue. We've got to balance the needs of labour and the needs of the employer. That's an important piece. Our government is continuing to look at this process with all of our federal colleagues across the federation. I know the federal Labour minister has done something. We've been in constant contact with him. We're going to continue to talk to all of our counterparts right across the country and get the best information.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker, let's review a little history here. In 2012, Bill 29 –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SPEAKER: Order, please!

J. BROWN: – increased government's power to withhold information from the public. In 2014, the current Health Minister stated that Bill 29 was a big part of the reason he left the Progressive Conservative Party and joined the Liberals.

Considering the damaging special report of the Privacy Commissioner, will the minister stand on principle and leave the provincial Liberals, or will he continue to prop up the Premier and government who have lost their way when it comes to transparency?

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister Responsible for Labour.

B. DAVIS: I was little, tiny bit confused by the question, but I do get the opportunity to get up and answer the question – a little bit further to the question he asked earlier about replacement workers.

So I think the opportunity that we have here –

AN HON. MEMBER: Speaking of …

B. DAVIS: Yes, speaking of replacement workers, we have one on the other side.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

B. DAVIS: What we're looking at trying to achieve here is finding that balance, and that's what we always try, as Labour ministers across the country, to find that balance between the needs and the wants of employers and labour. That's what we're constantly doing. That's what we've consistently meeting with our labour unions about, as well as employers. We do that on a regular basis. We're going to continue to do that. That's what we've talked about with all of our federal colleagues across the country. We're going to continue to do that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The time for Question Period has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Tabling of Documents

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

I'd like to table a letter from the Department of Justice, dated November 21, 2022, to Commissioner Michael Harvey. I'll just briefly read some of it for the record:

“As you are aware, Newfoundlanders and Labrador's Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol Act was approved by the House of Assembly in December of 2019 and your office was consulted during the initial development of the legislation. The Act authorizes the creation of Regulations and a Protocol document that will outline how police agencies will release relevant information to a person at risk of experiencing intimate partner violence. Since the Act was approved, officials in the Department of Justice and Public Safety (JPS) have been working diligently to develop the Regulations and Protocol documents necessary to operationalize the legislation.

“Given the implementation of this legislation has specific implications for access and privacy matters, JPS would welcome your comments and feedback. As such, we are writing to invite you to meet to discuss the legislation and JPS's proposals for operationalization.

“Should you wish to meet or engage in further discussions, please contact” the people at the Department of Justice.

As we know, that meeting did take place in March 2023. I understand it was a great discussion. Everybody agreed on the protocol, certainly at some of the suggestions of the Commissioner.

I'd like to table that document.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Any further tabling of documents?

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Pursuant to section 26(5)(a) of the Financial Administration Act, I am tabling four Orders-in-Council related to funding precommitments for the fiscal years 2023-24 to 2027-28.

SPEAKER: Are there any further tabling of documents?

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I give notice that I will on tomorrow introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting the Practice of Pharmacy in the Province, Bill 66.

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 Respecting Recognition of the 75th Anniversary of Confederation, Bill 67.

SPEAKER: Any further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Petitions

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

T. WAKEHAM: Thank you, Speaker.

On June 21, 2022, an undertaking was registered for a Port au Port - Stephenville Wind Power and Hydrogen Generation Project by proponent World Energy GH2.

On August 5, 2022, the minister requested an environmental impact statement be provided by the proponent.

On December 13, 2022, the minister approved the final guidelines for the EIS.

On August 22, 2023, the proponent submitted the EIS to the office of the minister, who put the deadline for public comment being October 11, 2023.

WHEREAS 647 people from the region signed a petition stating: We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to not approve this project; and

WHEREAS over 1,100 people polled on the Port au Port Peninsula has shown 84 per cent against the project by choosing: No, I am against the wind farm project for the peninsula, as witnessed by local residents and the Commissioner of Oaths in the fall of 2022; and

WHEREAS not enough time – nor expertise, nor budget, nor resources – has been allocated for the public to adequately review the 4,000-plus page document that WEGH2 has submitted as their environmental impact statement;

THEREFORE we call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to request a public hearing as is written in the Environmental Protection Act.

Speaker, wind energy has the potential to be a game changer in Newfoundland and Labrador. I think we all recognize that. We all recognize, too, the importance of having work available for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and having projects approved that will increase the work capability of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The challenge becomes ensuring that when we approve projects and we do this work, that we make sure that we minimize the impacts on the environment and we maximize the benefits, not only for the province, but for the people in their communities, in their local community benefits agreements. Those are things that we need to make sure of.

Speaker, I'd ask the minister to update the House and let the people on the Port au Port Peninsula know exactly what his department has done and is doing to ensure that they are reviewing this proposal that has been submitted to EIS, that has been submitted to his department.

Thank you.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for a response.

B. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the hon. Member for the petition.

As we all know, the environmental assessment actis a legislatively governed process that's very fulsome in nature. A large part of that process is public consultation. We went through that through the environmental assessment side when they put in their document for registration. That comes with the 30-day public consultation piece, along with 15 days to make a decision.

Further to that, that process, for this particular proponent, was put through to an environmental assessment, an EIS process. In which case that comes along with a long list of guidelines that would have to be met by some 25 different departments and agencies throughout both the provincial and federal governments who all feed in to form those guidelines. Those guidelines are then passed over to the proponent. The proponent then will submit a document called the EIS process. That will then go out publicly for an additional 70-day process; 50 of which are public consultations.

In this process, there were amendments required which provides guidelines. The department would provide additional guidance to the proponent of information that they need to provide to some departments that would have been in that process. Those departments will come forward, provide that amendment, to an additional 70 days – and I can go on further with the other Member, but the department is very much on it.

SPEAKER: The minister's time has expired.

The hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

B. PETTEN: Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker, the reasons for this petition are as follows:

The need to improve mental health and addiction services in the province is more obvious today than ever before. Nearly every day we hear of individuals who overdose or an individual who couldn't get the help they required due to the lack of facilities, lack of trained personnel or they just fell through the cracks in the system.

Therefore we, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to remove privacy laws, incorporate mental health addictions into the mental health act.

Speaker, this petition is presented – and I present it on behalf of Ms. Tina Olivero. Everyone in the House probably knows and a lot of people throughout the province know the tragedy that happened in her family with her son, Ben. She is also taking up the cause and they formed the Guardians of Recovery foundation and they're in the gallery today, actually, a lot of her group are.

She has been an outspoken advocate and we all sympathize with her personal story and what she stands for now and what this group is standing for now. We live it in our lives, day to day in our lives. There is hardly a family in this province that is not affected by drug addictions of some sort, mental health and it all goes hand in hand.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, in a lot of those cases, it leads to death. We noticed there was a rash of deaths in recent times and it caught a lot of attention. It caught my attention and I'm sure everyone in this House. My colleague, the Minister of Health and Community Services, e has since formed the All-Party Committee that I am a Member of, the minister is Chair of and my colleague for Cape St. Francis also sits on it to try to find solutions.

I'm not here standing on this soapbox today blaming government; I never did. I have spoke about this with the minister earlier today, but I feel government, any government – if it was us or across the way – it is your duty and it's a responsibility of any elected parliament to find solutions. It is your responsibility to the public.

When you went out – when I watched on the TV, I watched a lot of protests and I see the grieving parents and the grieving families – and some were families from my own district. One time it was a family in my own district and their own child was missing somewhere in St. John's. They didn't know if she was alive; they didn't know if she was dead. It all had to do with the peak in overdoses and it was really stressful. It was disheartening and it was sad.

So to not point fingers, but I think we have to come together. We have to bring attention to this issue. I know Tina and her group are doing that. We're advocating – and I think we all can collectively advocate and there are 40 of us here in this House of Assembly. We speak as a province. We're united as one in this. We have to do better. There are various things listed off in this petition, but I think it is more important just to bring it out. It is more about coming together, finding a solution. We have to do better. We have to get answers. These people deserve it. There are a lot more people out there with addiction issues and we need to find the solutions sooner rather than later.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services for a response.

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for presenting the petition.

I think the work of the All-Party Committee is important and will look at all of the issues around mental health and addictions. It is a Committee that will look at, regardless of age, but with a specific focus on youth. If we can prevent some of these issues in youth, it will have a lasting, lifetime impact on the individual.

We need to look at these issues and focus on youth, but as I said, the All-Party Committee will focus on issues across all age groups. These issues are important. They touch every community in the province. We continue to strive to look for solutions to the mental health and addictions issues.

I know that the previous All-Party Committee made 54 recommendations. Those recommendations that were put forward through Towards Recovery certainly improved mental health and addictions in this province.

We still have work to do which is the reason we have another All-Party Committee, to build on the foundation of the original All-Party Committee and the solid foundation that was put in place. But that foundation needs to be built on and we will continue to work on those issues.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.

Speaker, a petition for a new addictions rehabilitation facility for Labrador. These are the reasons for this petition:

Labradorians seeking treatment for addictions must currently travel to either Humberwood in Corner Brook or the Grace Centre in Harbour Grace.

The additional costs and inconveniences associated with travelling to the Island put treatment out of reach for many facing serious addictions in Labrador.

The ability to include family and friends in therapeutic sessions can help them be more supportive of a person with addictions after they leave treatment.

Staff at a Labrador-based treatment facility would be more familiar with local resources and create better discharge plans for patients, thus reducing the risk of falling back into addiction.

A facility in Labrador would add more beds to the system lowering treatment wait times across this province.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to create a new addictions treatment facility in Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, this petition was brought to us by individuals in recovery. This was actually written by people who are in recovery, who actually did take the entire process, travelled to the Island to seek treatment and that individual frequently writes about their goals, their experiences and everything like that.

I talk to this individual quite frequently, as he's an individual I've known my entire life. This person here, who has got these signatures and stuff, is in recovery and they want to make recovery easier for Labradorians. They write extensively about recovery and about how it can help Labradorians, in the unique place that Labrador is, and finding treatment for Labradorians.

Me, as an individual, on the outside looking in and after sitting down with this person and talking with them for the last number of years, it's clear to see that we need more addictions treatment services in Labrador. The amount of hidden addiction in my own community is extensive. It's a serious, serious problem. We seen it in 2014 after Wabush Mines closed. Mental health and addictions that were hidden came to the surface and it caused great pain to the region. Now we're seeing that we don't have the services that we should have within Labrador.

I know there are the six beds in Goose Bay, but that's only like a tip of the iceberg of what we actually need in Labrador, and that is a facility similar to Humberwood or the Grace Centre in Labrador to take Labradorians in and help them navigate this process. We could do better and we are asking this government to give Labradorians the tools and ability to help overcome these challenges.

We know that addiction rips families apart. We understand that when someone actually wants to come and actually accept treatment, we have to be able to do it expediently.

SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member's time has expired.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services for a response.

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, and I thank the Member for that petition as well.

As I said in the previous petition, this is a serious issue affecting every community in the province, and Labrador is no different. Labrador is certainly impacted and affected by mental health and addictions.

There are the six beds in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. What we can do, and as part of the All-Party Committee – the Member just to your right is representing your party on the All-Party Committee. We can look at the need, Mr. Speaker. One of the things that I would like to address and we are looking at, with hopes towards a future budget, is services that would reduce the wait time to get into these facilities.

If that means extra capacity in certain areas of the province, that's something we will certainly look at and Labrador can be part of that discussion with the All-Party Committee. We will get advice from health experts, individuals working in the Provincial Health Authority and other experts, those with lived experience, look at the issues, look at the wait times, look at the areas that we can better service, Mr. Speaker.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains.

L. EVANS: Thank you, Speaker.

This petition is to reinstate the freight boat, the marine shipping service between the Island portion of our province to our Northern Labrador communities.

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador who urge our leaders to return the marine shipping service between the Island portion of our province and our Northern Labrador communities.

This marine service was removed in the spring of 2019. Since then, the additional shipping has directly impacted the price of food, building materials, vehicles, including trucks, off-road vehicles, household goods, many essential services for our communities.

Our Northern Labrador communities are totally isolated with no road access and marine transportation services are limited to five months, on average. With the cancellation of the direct marine freight service from the Island portion of our province to the communities, residents are witnessing exorbitant price increases of basic needs impacting overall quality of life.

Speaker, everything – I have many petitions here. I had a feast here of petitions that I could present on behalf of my community. I talk about feast because in actual fact the cost of food, which is tied the removal of this freight service, is impacting quality of health, quality of life for my residents

I have a petition for Newfoundland and Labrador vacant houses. We have overcrowding. We have a housing crisis in Nunatsiavut. We have huge issues with people being able to access safe housing. I have a petition here for fairer electricity rates. The cost of electricity is pricing the ability to heat your house out of reach of people. In actual fact, what we're seeing now with the cost of the stove oil, that high price, 19 cents a kilowatt hour, is really impacting people's ability to heat their house.

When you look at oil, people don't have $1,000 to $2,000 a month – a month – to heat their house. They'd rather have access to these high electricity rates. I have another petition here for timely and adequate health care services for Northern residents. One of the things we have with our aging population is we have a lot of health issues: cardiac, high blood pressure, diabetes, all of those things. But at the end of the day, Speaker, without the ability to heat your house and without the ability to feed your Elders, yourself and your children, really what's the point of everything else?

In my district, the biggest problem we have is all these policies, all these decisions that eroded the services for Northern Labrador people; it's causing an additional crisis. We hear now in the House of Assembly we're in a housing crisis across the province. We have food issues across the province. We have a home heating crisis across the province. But, Speaker, in actual fact, that crisis –

SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Member's time is expired.

The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl - Southlands.

P. LANE: Thank you, Speaker.

The background to this petition is as follows:

There are many people in Newfoundland and Labrador who are without a primary care provider. We currently have doctors with provisional licences waiting on Practice Ready Assessment seats, but those seats are not available at Memorial University.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to direct Memorial University to provide Practice Ready Assessment seats, as needed, to help license doctors so desperately needed. We will need at least 30 seats in the coming months and if this cannot be done, then we request that our Minister of Health and the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association work together to set up Practice Ready Assessment outside of Memorial University.

We further call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to appoint at least two individuals with knowledge in this process to help navigate incoming doctors through the process of Practice Ready Assessment in a timely manner and back through the College of Physicians and Surgeons once they have the Practice Ready Assessment completed.

Mr. Speaker, I presented this yesterday and do so, again today, before the House closes. This is a very important issue. As we know we have and we hear it in here in this House of Assembly on the daily. I get calls regularly and I know all Members do about the shortage of doctors. I know our Minister of Health – as I said yesterday, I give credit where credit is due. I think he's done a good job since coming into that portfolio of trying his best to recruit doctors and nurses and other health care professionals.

No argument with that but if we are going out and we are trying to recruit physicians and in order for them to practise they have to do this Practice Ready Assessment – I think it's a 12-week program at MUN in order to get licensed – if those seats are not there, then we're totally wasting our money. What is the point of going out and recruiting doctors if they cannot get a licence because the seats aren't available?

So we either need to increase the seats at MUN. We need to increase the availability. I think, right now, there is a bunch of doctors waiting, but there are no seats at MUN; there is no program until sometime in September. We've got to extend the period of time to wait before we can put doctors through this program that's required.

If MUN is not able to do it, and I can't see why they can't do it, then in other provinces they do this outside of the university. They set up a system. They set up somewhere outside the university just for the purposes of putting these doctors through.

So, again, I encourage the minister to talk to MUN, talk to the College of Physicians, whatever needs to be done, everyone should be able to collaborate here. Get those doctors through the system so we can get them actually working. If not, as I said, we're only wasting our efforts, wasting our money recruiting them.

Thank you.

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

T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for that petition as well.

This is an important issue. Individuals need access to primary health care, not just primary health care but the recruitment of physicians includes specialists and surgeons and so on. I know that under the previous program – it was called CSAT. Under the CSAT program, we were able to attract 30 or 40 doctors a year to rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Part of the reason we have a shortage of physicians now is under the PRA program, we were looking at a maximum of 18 doctors and not at all times – if they accepted 18 applications and somebody at the last minute accepted a position elsewhere, under their Practice Ready Assessment program, we may have 17, 16 or 15 – sorry, it was 16, not 18.

So it wasn't always the 16 that were put in place. We've been working with the college, working with the medical school. We've increased now from 16 to 20 a year under the PRA program. While that doesn't give us the 30 or 40 we used to get under CSAT, we are looking at an alternative assessment program or training program, because the CSAT program was more of a training program and Practice Ready Assessment is an assessment program. So we're looking at two different programs, two different streams.

Hopefully, that will be put in place over the next 12 months or so and will give us a second stream as well.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Bonavista.

C. PARDY: Mr. Speaker, in our province during the recreational cod fishery, individuals with a disability are permitted to have another person catch their daily limit of groundfish. First-time applicants must complete the person's disability form, have it signed by a doctor and they do not have to enter the boat nor watch the catch from a distance. For these same individuals who wish to moose hunt, they must be within sight or 800 metres at all times from their designated hunter.

We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to align the moose hunting regulations with those of the recreational cod fishery making it respectful, reasonable and fair.

There are 40 districts in the province and every district has those with a disability. Many with a disability find themselves living below the poverty line. We all admit in the House that we have a cost-of-living crisis. To have those with disabilities to be within 800 metres of the hunt or to have a visual of the person making the hunt, it is certainly disrespectful, it is unreasonable and it's unfair.

Our suggestion would be for government to do it much the same way as the recreational ground fishery. If someone has a disability, verified by a medical practitioner, then they ought to have the same guidelines as what the recreational cod fishery would have.

They don't need to be brought into the woods when they have mobility issues. My hon. colleague for Exploits mentioned before that it even applies for those with dementia. If you think of it, it is probably against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is cruel and unusual punishment to have them do this. All I would say is that we would ask the minister to consider it. Follow the same guidelines as the recreational cod fishery and do not have those with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador having to follow those regulations.

Thank you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Ferryland.

L. O'DRISCOLL: Thank you, Speaker.

The background for this petition is as follows:

Cellphone coverage from the Goulds to St. Shott's is continuing to deteriorate. The cellphone coverage has gone and there is no coverage in some areas where there was previously coverage available.

Therefore, we petition the House of Assembly as follows: To request upgrades and repairs to existing towers and equipment to enhance and improve the quality of cellular service in the region.

Speaker, I have done this petition on maybe one other occasion. The other night when I drove home, I said maybe they got it fixed. I drove from the Goulds back up to where I live in Bay Bulls and the cellphone worked all the way through. I drove home last night, I didn't get to Bay Bulls Big Pond and the cellphone coverage was gone.

My issue is I did send a couple of emails to the minister and he did answer me back, asking residents to call the 1-800 number to make their complaints known to Bell or Rogers or whoever your service provider is. But the issue I have with it is that we have cellphone coverage now that we're paying for in every household, and I would bet to a dollar, that every household has at least a $200 bill in their household for cellphones. We're not so much worried about that, but the problem is that we're loosing our cellphone coverage. It is getting worse. We have more dead zones.

The minister had said to me before that he didn't get any emails. He doesn't need any emails to tell you that the cellphone coverage across this Island and in my district, especially, is bad. We need better cellphone coverage; we need the government to push these providers. If we're paying for this service, then they should be giving us the coverage, not losing our service. That's my issue with it. The coverage that we pay for, we should be getting. That is the issue that everybody got across the Island.

We lost cellphone coverage in all kinds of different spots and it shouldn't happen. You leave Bay Bulls and you get to Tors Cove. After you get to Tors Cove, cellphone coverage is gone. Get to Cape Broyle, you lose it going down into Cape Broyle; you lose it going down into Calvert. There's none in Aquaforte. You get outside of Cappahayden and there's nothing again until you get to Trepassey.

So these are areas in the province that we do need better cellphone coverage. We need to get these companies to be able to provide the coverage that we're paying for.

Every household here – definitely every household – has a $200 bill for cellphone coverage, no question. But we, as a total government of 40 representatives, should be on these companies to be providing the service that we are paying for.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The Member for Bonavista is asking leave to do a second petition.

AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.

SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

The hon. the Member for Bonavista.

C. PARDY: I thank my hon. colleagues, especially the Government House Leader. I say woo-hoo.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

C. PARDY: Seniors in the District of Bonavista are provided notice from Service NL when they are to complete a driver's medical. These seniors are stressed when they are not provided sufficient time to schedule a medical appointment to complete such forms. In some instances in the District of Bonavista, it can take up to three months to see a medical practitioner. Again, it causes a lot of unnecessary stress for these elderly patients within the District of Bonavista.

We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to extend these timelines for the medical exam to at least three months.

Mr. Speaker, if you went today to the emergency room in Bonavista at the hospital, you will find that there will be a lot of seniors trying to get access to a medical practitioner in order to complete their medical form to renew their licences. The minister would state that we give them three months. I would say that you're not going to get an appointment in the District of Bonavista within three months because there are very few medical practitioners. If you wish to see the nurse practitioner, I am told that it's usually a three-month wait.

One letter that somebody had sent me, one of the seniors looking to get their driver's medical completed to renew their licence, it was sent out to the senior on September 22, 2023. Their medical form, in order to keep their licence, was due back by November 28. If you did the math on that, you're looking at two months and six days; impossible to get it completed in the District of Bonavista.

I sent the minister one couple in George's Brook-Milton, which got a greater chance of getting their medical form completed in Clareville area than what they would in the lower part of the peninsula, and they provided, quickly, an extension on that particular senior. But I would say, to save on making multiple requests to have an extension of time, I would ask that the department would extend the medical form by at least another month to four months to make sure and give the seniors a chance. They're under a lot of stress as it is. This is one we could alleviate.

Thank you, Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West is asking leave.

AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.

SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you to my colleagues for leave.

The reasons for this petition are as follows:

Social work students completing their Bachelor of Social Work at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador undertake no less than 700 hours of unpaid practicum placement.

The rising cost of tuition at Memorial University has placed an additional financial burden on students, forcing them to seek outside employment to cover their university fees and living expenses, and support dependants.

Inadequate funding for preceptorship and independent placements fails to recognize the significant time and effort invested by social work students during these critical experiences.

Social work students engaging in practica – internship – placements and full-time studies find it challenging to maintain a level of part-time employment, thus impeding their ability to cover educational and living expenses.

The lack of substantial funding for community and not-for-profit work placements adversely affects social work students' employment opportunities, hindering their professional growth and development.

Therefore, we, the petitioners, call upon the House of Assembly as follows: We, the undersigned, call upon the House of Assembly to urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to allocate a substantial amount of funding to support community not-for-profit workplaces that provide placements for social work students. This funding should ensure that the workplaces can afford fair compensation to social work students during their field internship. Adequate funding will recognize the time and effort invested by social work students and enable them to focus on their professional development without financial hardship. This compensation should align with the compensation provided for a minimum living wage.

Removal of fees associated with field internships for local and international social work students to alleviate the financial strain faced by these students to ensure equitable treatment compared to students in other programs.

Speaker, quickly, this is a petition that was brought to me by MUNSU who are looking to help students who are doing unpaid internships while some of their colleagues in other fields doing it are getting paid. It's 700 hours of unpaid work. I understand it's their academia and they are in school, but, at the same time, we're in a cost-of-living crisis, it effects everybody, students, seniors, everybody.

When we're looking at placement and stuff, we should also be looking to make sure that the students that are placed are at least making a livable wage while they're doing their work terms and their internships, that way they can continue their studies and don't put them any further behind than they already are. We understand the burden that students take on when they go to university. We shouldn't be making it harder by making them do work that is unpaid.

Thank you.

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, Motion 6.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, for leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Health Research Ethics, Bill 64, and I further move that the said bill be now read a first time.

SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce Bill 64, An Act Respecting Health Research Ethics and the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. Minister of Health and Community Services to introduce a bill, “An Act Respecting Health Research Ethics,” carried. (Bill 64)

CLERK (Hawley George): A bill, An Act Respecting Health Research Ethics. (Bill 64)

SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time?

J. HOGAN: Tomorrow.

SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 64 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Speaker, I call from the Order Paper, Motion 7.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, for leave to introduce a bill, An Act to Amend the Animal Health and Protection Act, Bill 65, and I further move that the said bill be now read a first time.

SPEAKER: It's been moved and seconded that the Government House Leader shall have leave to introduce a bill, An Act to Amend the Animal Health and Protection Act, Bill 65 and that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

All those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'

Motion carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture to introduce a bill, “An Act to Amend the Animal Health and Protection Act.” (Bill 65)

CLERK: A bill, An Act to Amend the Animal Health and Protection Act.” (Bill 65)

SPEAKER: This bill has now been read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time?

J. HOGAN: Tomorrow.

SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 65 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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: Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Digital Government and Service NL, that An Act to Amend the Pension Benefits Act, 1997, Bill 61, 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 Pension Benefits Act, 1997. (Bill 61)

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 Pension Benefits Act, 1997,” read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 61)

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Speaker, I move, seconded by the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider Bill 42.

SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that I do now leave the Chair for the House to resolve itself into 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!

Before we get into the bill, I've been asked to pass along our best regards. I think most of us here in the House of Assembly would know Rosalie Belbin from Red Bay. She's asked us to reach out to say hello to her today. So on behalf of the group –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: We are now considering Bill 42, An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act.

A bill, “An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act.” (Bill 42)

CLERK: Clause 1.

CHAIR: Shall clause 1 carry?

The Chair recognizes the Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Chair, it's good to speak again on this bill. I just had a couple of questions in Committee, actually.

The intent of the bill is good, but what are the obligations and liabilities of the corporation?

CHAIR: I'm recognizing the hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the opportunity to speak to this.

There are none.

CHAIR: Thank you.

The Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Most of the quotas are owned by the province. Does the province still have the high share of those quotas?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: Repeat that again, quotas for …?

CHAIR: The Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Quotas for agrifoods: Does a high share of the quotas still belong to the province?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: I would say yes, but to be certain I'll get that answer from officials for you.

CHAIR: The Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Will this affect any production in the province?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: Did he ask is there any production in the province?

P. FORSEY: (Inaudible.)

E. LOVELESS: Sorry, I –

CHAIR: The Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Will this affect any production in the province?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: It will not; it will only enhance production.

CHAIR: Thank you.

The Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: This will not allow any processing to move out of the province?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: It's not my plan.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Farmlands are very important to the operation of agriculture. To acquire farmland you need Crown land. Will we see legislation for Crown lands?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: Well, I'm not sure if it's relevant or whatever, but in terms of Crown lands, well, he said it was a crisis in his question, so if it was a crisis he should've asked question two. He didn't ask question two, I would've answered today.

In terms of Crown lands, and I know it's important to the Member for Bonavista, 80 per cent of land that's in this province is Crown land. I recognize that. I met with four farmers because I wanted to ask them what is their priority. Their priority is they need land.

Well, do you know what? I'm not going to put up roadblocks. I'm going to open up the door for them so they can produce. Their intent is to produce more food for Newfoundland and Labrador; I'm telling you, I'm on it.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Exploits.

P. FORSEY: Maybe the minister didn't hear the question, same as the first one I asked. Will we see legislation for Crown lands?

CHAIR: I'm going to call the Member on relevance here. That's not part of the bill. If you want to reword the question some other way.

I'm recognizing the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: In terms of Crown lands, the department went through a process to hear feedback from Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We've heard it loud and clear. We're going in the right direction. It requires a little bit more time. Doing due diligence, I do not apologize for because I believe doing due diligence we will do it right. We are looking at legislative means and other means in terms of helping people in this province to clarify their titles to land. That's what we're working towards and we will get there. I'll say it again, stay tuned.

CHAIR: Any further questions?

Shall the motion carry?

Sorry, I'm recognizing the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you.

Just one question. Given that we're folding this corporation, do we still hold any stake in Country Ribbon or that stake has been liquidated? If it has not been liquidated, where would it move once we've folded this corporation?

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture.

E. LOVELESS: I thank him for that question.

To get the finite details, I would have to ask for that. I can certainly get it to you after the fact.

CHAIR: Thank you.

The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: I thank the Minister for his answer, I appreciate it.

Thank you.

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.

TABLE OFFICER (Hammond): Clauses 2 to 3 inclusive.

CHAIR: Shall clauses 2 to 3 inclusive carry?

All those in favour, 'aye.'

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, 'nay.'

Motion is carried.

On motion, clauses 2 through 3 carried.

TABLE OFFICER: 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.'

Motion is carried.

On motion, enacting clause carried.

TABLE OFFICER: A bill, An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act. (Bill 42)

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 Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Chair.

I move that the Committee rise and report Bill 42.

CHAIR: The motion is the Committee rise and report Bill 42.

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.'

Motion 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: Thank you, Speaker.

The Committee of the Whole have considered the matters to them referred and have directed me to report Bill 42 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 42 carried without amendment.

When shall the report be received?

J. HOGAN: Now.

SPEAKER: Now.

When shall the bill be read a third time?

J. HOGAN: Presently.

SPEAKER: Presently.

On motion, report received and adopted. Bill ordered read a third time presently, by leave.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

I move, seconded by the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, that An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act, Bill 42, 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?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay.'

Motion carried.

TABLE OFFICER: A bill, An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act. (Bill 42)

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 Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act,” read a third time, ordered passed and its title be as on the Order Paper. (Bill 42)

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

With leave, I'd like to do another notice.

SPEAKER: Does the Member have leave to bring another notice?

AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.

SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: Thank you, Speaker.

Let me get my wording right. Bear with me.

Speaker, I give notice that I will on tomorrow ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act to Amend the Lands Act, Bill 68.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

Do you have any other business before we recess?

J. HOGAN: No.

SPEAKER: This House is going to recess for five or 10 minutes until the Lieutenant Governor do arrive.

Recess

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Speaker, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador has arrived.

SPEAKER: Admit Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: All rise.

(The Speaker leaves the Chair.)

(Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor takes the Chair.)

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor wishes everybody to be seated.

SPEAKER: May it please Your Honour, the General Assembly of the province has at its present session passed certain bills, to which, in the name and on behalf of the General Assembly, I respectfully request Your Honour's assent.

CLERK: A bill, “An Act Respecting the Regulation of Aquaculture in the Province.” (Bill 17)

A bill, “An Act to Repeal the Farm Products Corporation Act.” (Bill 42)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Schools Act, 1997 No. 2.” (Bill 43)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Insurance Companies Act.” (Bill 47)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Act, 2022.” (Bill 48)

A bill, “An Act Respecting the King's Printer.” (Bill 49)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Change of Name Act, 2009.” (Bill 50)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Embalmers and Funeral Directors Act, 2008.” (Bill 51)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Buildings Accessibility Act.” (Bill 52)

A bill, “An Act Respecting Towns and Local Service Districts.” (Bill 54)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Highway Traffic Act, the City of Corner Brook Act, the City of Mount Pearl Act, the City of St. John's Act and the Municipalities Act, 1999.” (Bill 55)

A bill, “An Act Respecting Quarry Resources in the Province.” (Bill 58)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Mineral Act.” (Bill 59)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act.” (Bill 60)

A bill, “An Act to Amend the Pension Benefits Act, 1997.” (Bill 61)

HER HONOUR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (Joan Marie Aylward, ONL): In His Majesty's name, I assent to these bills.

If I may, I'd just like to say a few words. First of all, I just want to reiterate what I said on Tuesday, minus my granddaughter in the background.

I just what to reiterate how important your role is in our constitution and how much the province appreciates you putting yourselves forward. It does take a lot to offer yourselves in these positions, and I think you should feel very honoured and appreciated and we are very thankful that you've offered yourselves.

I also want to say congratulations on what seems to be a very busy session here of the House, with your 15 bills. I wish all of you good luck and a good opportunity to spend more time with your constituents over the coming weeks.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish Mr. David Brazil good health in your retirement out of public life. I'm sure you will also enjoy that as well.

I look forward to celebrating with you, this coming year, our 75th anniversary of Confederation. It's a time to celebrate our collaboration and our connection as part of our constitution.

So once again, thank you, and I wish you success over the coming weeks and perhaps, even to say, a very early holiday season.

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.

Before we conclude now, we usually offer an opportunity for the leaders and that to have a few words, but before we do, I'm going to pass the floor over to one of our dear friends, who's been with us in this House for a long time that is going to be retiring.

The hon. the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and to my colleagues, a sincere thank you.

This may be a bit harder than I would have first thought, because people sometimes think David Brazil is a bit of a tough guy and if you talk to any of the people I've coached over the years, emotion isn't one thing that I show a lot of.

Well, I shouldn't say that – sometimes it's not the good side of emotion that I show, when you're coaching some people at certain times. But people always knew that my heart was there for them, as part of that, as I know it is here in this House of Assembly today.

I'm going to start with the hardest part of what I'm going to speak about today. Normally, it's done at the end, the thank yous and that, but I want to get that out of the way because, first and foremost, it's the most important thing that I need to share with people in this province, the people who've been there for me, the people who supported me.

First and foremost are my family. To my wife and my daughters Jillian and Kelsey, a sincere thank you for the love, the support, always being there to support whatever I needed to do and understanding on days when I'd come home frustrated, days when I'd shake my heard or mornings at 4 o'clock when I'd have to go to the Bell Island ferry to figure out why the boat wasn't running, or events that I couldn't get to that were important to the family.

I deliberately, during my career, tried to keep my family away from the spotlight because people had voted for me. I would take the good, the bad, the indifferent and that would be on me. But you can't exclude your family from what happens. People know that on all sides of the House here. At the end of the day, they're your main crux. They're the pillar of your strength. They're the motivator that makes you go.

It makes it easier then to support your constituents. It makes it easier to be able to support the people of this province. It makes it easier to come to the House of Assembly every day and know that you're fighting for the rights of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and you're hoping you'll do your small part to ensure people have a better life and that people have hope in this province. I'm convinced that we all have done that.

I do also want to acknowledge an extended member of our family, Ms. Mary Anne Dillon, who's been my right hand from the day I got elected. I said it in a function a couple of weeks ago, she had some health issues for a period of time and I said to her you don't know, you could end my career right now, because if you don't get healthy, I'm done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: I said there's only so much that I can take, phone calls from my constituents and that. She knew how to handle every one of them and did it with so much professionalism and diligence. So an honest, heartfelt thank you for everything you've done.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: I do want to reach out to my mentor in politics over the years, who never ever ran for an election but was involved in a multitude, dozens, if not hundreds of elections, Mr. Keith Kent. He got me involved in politics when I was 10 years old. Keith was so engaged in politics and so knowledgeable and so level headed. Frank Moores, when they took government, wanted to hire Keith to go across the province setting up youth associations.

Keith went on a different career but never forgot his allegiance to the party. More importantly, not to a political party, because we had many conversations about supporting candidates that were in other parties because they were the right person to do the right job, but because he wanted to be involved in making sure that the people of this province got good representation no matter what party. I do want to acknowledge him as my mentor. He has ran all of my campaigns and he's my best friend every day in a little business venture that I have when we sit on the edge of the stool to have a conversation about what's happening on a day-to-day basis.

To all the staff that have worked for me over the years in different capacities, a sincere thank you for being there, for supporting me, for guiding me, for understanding what needed to be done and supporting the things that needed to be done as part of that.

For my constituents and my associations, the executives that we've had, for being there for the six elections that I was part of, for being there when there was some controversy within my career and always being there to support me, a sincere thank you to all of them and I do honestly appreciate that.

To my former chief of staff – because I'm no longer the leader, let's leave that to my colleague there from Bay St. George – Denise, for the last 2½ years of making me be better at making the transition and keeping the party as fluent as I could and working with all my colleagues here to do that and all the great staff that we had in the office for doing that. More importantly, knowing my limitations but knowing my strengths and letting me go with my strengths, do my own thing and giving me some insight into my limitations and making sure I'm set in the right direction. All the staff that I was fortunate enough to work with while I was leader gave me those options. I do sincerely thank them for that process there.

But I also want to totally acknowledge the support mechanism I had from here, from our caucus, from Helen, Jeff, Chris, Loyola, Craig, Joedy, Pleaman, Paul, Lloyd – a sincere thank you for being there to support me, letting me steer the ship in a different direction sometimes than some would have thought from the past and having my back when it was necessary. A sincere thank you for that.

To my friend Barry. I've done a couple of smart things in politics I think over the years, I think maybe one of the first ones I did was bringing Barry Petten in to work with me in Transportation and Works, before he was a politician. We started to put in play a number of good things that I think some of the line departments now are still doing to benefit the people of this province. I respect and thank him for that. I was so happy when he got elected to be able to call him a colleague as part of that, then to get to work with him here in the House, but also when I took over as leader, to have him as my right hand, as our House Leader. I will always cherish the insight, the support, the leadership and the friendship.

I did another good thing, I think, over my political career. I encouraged this man, our leader, Tony Wakeham, to get involved in politics. Myself and a colleague of mine sat with him at the Holiday Inn one morning. I knew the man, I'd met him twice before, knew him by reputation. We sat and convinced him to run, knowing the odds were extremely against him. He was a virtual unknown when it came to the political arena, but was known in the civil service, known as a straight shooter, known as a very competent individual and we convinced him and got the privilege to co-manage his campaign. We came this close in that election. But he made a commitment to the people of this province and this party that he would run in the next election. He did that and was successful in two elections, and now as leader.

I welcome the fact that he's always been a support mechanism for me. Now we're in a good place with a leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: To my other colleagues here in the House of Assembly, we've had some jostling over the years, some bantering, but I will sincerely say there's not one Member in this House of Assembly that I've stood with, particularly the Members here now, that I don't have 100 per cent confidence that their heart is in the right place, their intent to do their best for the people in this province is second to none. I do 100 per cent appreciate that and see that in the best interest of the people of the province.

To the Premier, one of my most famous constituents, next to Harry Hibbs and a few more, I have cherished the fact that we've had some good debate, that you've included me in some conversations about how we steer the province in the right direction and how we've become friends over the last number of years. We've known each other for a number of years as a constituent and I had the privilege of presenting you with a few awards over the years as part of that.

When we come in here, we come in here to do what's right for the people of this province. We may not all agree on the approach, but we come here to do what's in the best interest of the people of the province. I'm so happy to be able to say I've worked with so many great people over the years.

So I've got that out without being too emotional and I'm glad – not that it wasn't emotional for me but I wanted to keep my composure.

But before I leave politics, I want to tell people a little bit about David Brazil, not the politician, the person who got here, or why he came here. I'll just tell you a little bit.

I'm the son of Elizabeth O'Toole from Conception Harbour. The son of Daniel Brazil from Spaniard's Bay, who died when I was 7 years old in a tragic car accident. But both parents taught me the justice of doing what's right for people.

My mother had a Grade 6 education. She had to leave school early because her mother had cancer. She was the eldest; she had to take care of them. But she instilled in me a number of great values: hard work, respect for people and sincerity. She gave me two key pieces of advice that I've taken from day one and I think if I'd been in any way, shape or form successful in politics, it is because I have lived to those.

She always said: Remember, if somebody asked you a question, you give them an honest answer. Don't you worry if they don't like the answer; if it is honest and it is the way you feel, then you need to stand your ground on that. I think that is what I have done in this House of Assembly as a minister, as the leader over here, as an MHA for my constituents. I have always tried to be honest with them and tried to do what was right for them.

She also always said: Remember, you're no better, but you're no worse than anybody else. Stand up for what you believe in and you'll always be able to look in the mirror and be proud of who you see.

I have had a fortunate life and I say a blessed life. And probably privileged, but not in materialistic things because we didn't have a lot of those. As A Tale of Two Cities says: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ….” I grew up on Bell Island in the '60s and '70s when the mines closed, when we went from boom to bust.

We were the epitome of having things nobody else could imagine in this province in the '50s and '60s, to despair, with 85 per cent of population on income support and people trying to find a way. People were exiting by the thousands. I mean, keep in mind, the largest community in Newfoundland and Labrador in the '60s was St. John's. The second largest was Bell Island, then it was Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor and from there. People can't understand exactly, when you go over there now, what was there at the time.

So there was a lot of despair, because there wasn't a lot of hope. But we didn't know that, because we were all equal. People grew up respecting each other and just when you thought you had it bad, all you had to do was look down the street and somebody else had it worse. So we did learn and instill in us a lot of respect for each other and what went on. That's why you'll never find a more prouder people than Bell Islanders, no matter where they are.

Newfoundlanders are proud when they leave this province, but I guarantee you that Bell Islanders are even a notch above that: they never forget where they come from. Third-generation people in Ontario and Alberta when they're asked where they're from, they'll say Bell Island; they visited three times in their lifetime.

But that is an instilled thing that I am so proud to be able to say not only did I get to grow up there and get to work there, but I got to represent the people of Bell Island and then the rest of my district too; Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, I became a native son there; and parts of Paradise. I got to meet some many wonderful people who instilled in me a sense of hope, a sense of commitment and a sense that we are on the right direction. We just need to all come together to make that happen.

I had the privilege of sitting in this House with 116 different Members over the lifetime. I am happy to say that a number of them have become friends of mine and, to this day, are still friends. It is ironic; as I am there now there are six different ones. One is in Florida, sitting, having a beverage with a former Liberal premier, talking about they're going to stream now – and they may be watching this now – to watch my speech as part of that. But a number of friends who have reached out.

At one time I was led to believe, once you leave politics, people go to different directions but that's only if you want it to be. It makes no difference what the stripe is here. We come here for one reason: to do better for people. And I'm convinced we all continue to do that, as I know the people that I've served with in the past have done that.

I've had the privilege to serve under six premiers, four Lieutenant Governors, nine Speakers and all I found to give good advice, to be sincere about what they wanted to do and be committed to what they're wanting to do.

I've had a storied career, depending on how you look at it. As anybody knows me over here, I'm considered a little bit hyper at times. At the end of the day, I can never commit to staying with the same thing without getting too caught up in it.

I changed my career every five years and I had that as a telltale thing before I got too bored. I've had a multitude of careers. I've worked for seven different departments within government as a bureaucrat and loved every one of them and think we did a wonderful job. What the civil services does, even though sometimes they get considered not doing their job, well – and I know the challenges in health care.

I went through it and I know a number of my colleagues have gone through it. There are challenges in our health care system; I have no illusion about that. Getting access is our biggest challenge but when you get in our health care system, the commitment to the people there, the sincerity there and the skill set, you get the best care that's possible anywhere in this world. I'm convinced of it 100 per cent. I saw that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: I'll take a few more minutes just to say a few more things about my own career and growing up and what it meant.

Bell Island was a great place – the stuff that you would learn. We didn't have a lot. I enjoyed sports. Some of it I could be engaged in because my mother could find the money to do it; others I couldn't. But it didn't make any difference because we made our own ability to be engaged in sports and, fortunate enough, I managed to be able to take the skill set that I learned and transfer that into different levels of sports and being engaged in sports and, hopefully, mentoring a number of young people.

I'm happy to say that I did my small part, as we all do, in whatever we do as volunteers. I very much enjoyed my time working with people and helping people. But I have to note one organization that did so much for young people, particularly on Bell Island, was the Boys & Girls Club movement.

When we were destitute over there, when there wasn't money for sporting events and equipment, the Boys & Girls Club found a way to engage tens of thousands of young people who have gone through that over the last 75 years. All would attribute their success to something in that organization.

I felt that I owed so much to it that I eventually became president locally and then provincially and then nationally, and still believe that the 250 clubs in this country, like a number of other youth organizations, do wonderful work for the people of this great country of ours. We need to engage that. We need to support that even more than we did in the past.

Also, I want to acknowledge one story I'll tell about encouraging people – and I used to say this to all my hockey players: Guys, don't ever change who you are. Be proud of who you are, if it's the right things that you're doing. Most would believe in it. Don't be ashamed of your past, no matter what it is at the end of the day. If it's something you've done wrong, learn from it, rectify it. If it is who you are, embrace that as part of it.

I will tell one story. In 1991, again, one of my times to change my career, I moved back to Bell Island to work as a supervisor for social services of the day, as the supervisor of employment opportunities. I remember going in and the general manager calling me into the office and saying: David, here, do you want me to burn it? It was an income support file. My mother had tuberculosis. She was in the sanatorium for a number of years. Me and my siblings were shipped around to different parts. I went with my godparents in Ontario and got to live there for a couple of years and got to see a different side of the world but never, ever forgot where I came from. I remember she said to me – this was an income support file, you know, files on social workers talking about if you're going to go into a foster home, what would happen, how we would support this and different parts of the process in there. I said: No, put it back on the shelf. I'm not ashamed of anything I've done, and nobody in this province should be. This was about giving people support.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

D. BRAZIL: I would hope that file is still there, because that's part of my legacy, part of what made David Brazil. The old cliché, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

I have a better appreciation for those who have challenges in their life. If it's addictions, if it's mental health, if it's economics, if it's just a stature in life that certain things change that you can't dictate for that time, but everybody needs the supports that we can do. That taught me that.

It was probably the most humbling moment in my life because I realized then, do you know what? If it wasn't for supports that somebody, some Member in the House of Assembly came up with a program that helped my mother keep her family fed, engaged and educated. We're fortunate enough; my two sisters are retired professionals. One just flew home from the States to be here this weekend as part of my retirement, a retired nurse in the States. I'm trying to encourage her, Tom, to come back to town to take a job here. She'd be a fabulous addition to here. My other older sister is a retired educator.

The character of who we are is not defined by one issue, one situation in our life, one accomplishment or one failure. It's a collaboration of everything: how we think, the people around us who supports us, the mentors we have and how we ourselves serve as mentors to other people.

Before I end, I'm hoping in some small way I've mentored some people, if not in the House of Assembly, maybe some constituent somewhere along the way, because I know a multitude of them mentored me and opened my eyes about what are the values in life and what's more important to people.

Before I end though, I do want to note one thing, because I had a constituent try to beat me up on Facebook last week. I was so humbled by how many people came to my rescue, not that I need them to, but every now and then it's nice to sit back and let everybody else do your bidding for you, as part of that.

I'm so proud of the things that I've managed to accomplish in my district. I'll just say a few of those before I end. I managed to help leverage $320 million of investments that would improve people's lives in my district, that was around education, health care, infrastructure, transportation, housing, basic life skills and life training, as part of that process.

The most important thing, I got to see leadership in action. I got to see communities take the lead. All we are is the mechanism to give the people to be able to do the right things. The more that we make sure people have the opportunities, the supports, the hand up and not a hand out, we'll guarantee or province will flourish and go where it needs to go.

I'll end by saying, to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, you're resilient. We've been that for over 500 years. We've had ups and downs. We will get better. Our health care will improve; we will have access to it. Our education system will be second to none, as it always has been. Our employment opportunities will be second to none. We'll lead the world in green energy. We'll lead the world in offshore exploration. We already know we have the best tradespeople in the world. Now we just need to sell it to the rest of the world. We already know it. Let's continue to do that.

I'll end on this note, my heart will always be with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. My soul will always be for anybody who puts their name on a ballot to serve the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Stand on guard for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

T. WAKEHAM: Let's start off, Speaker, by asking the House Leader: Did you pass a motion yesterday to allow us to have extended sitting for tonight? Because if I'm going to talk about Brazil in any way, I suspect I'm going to sit late into the night in order for that to happen. There's so much that can be said, so I'll start off before I get into the thank yous and everything else, by talking about our colleague.

He'll leave us in this Chamber now, he will leave his District of Conception Bay East - Bell Island later on in December, but he will never leave Newfoundland and Labrador – never. We may say goodbye to him temporarily, because we think there are lots of other opportunities for Mr. David Brazil. But I'm not going to get into too much because I could be here the rest of the night.

I do want to talk about him in one sense. He talked about his own personal history and his story and that's a remarkable story for all of us. But think about it for a second, he's been in this House for a number of years and every single person in this House of Assembly and also people that work here and people that work in government departments and everyone else, refer to him with one syllable, one name: Brazil. How many people do you know that can actually be known simply by one name: Brazil?

That is a remarkable achievement, this man.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: That, to me, sums up the entire thing about David Brazil. The fact that people feel so comfortable in his presence and people that get to know him and get to work with him simple refer to him as Brazil.

So as I stand here now and we say goodbye, we don't say goodbye to the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island. For all of us here in this Chamber today, we – I'm sorry – say goodbye to Brazil.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: I'm not the one that's supposed to be emotional. Anyway, I just want to get that done and over with and recognize that he's not going nowhere in my opinion. I'm going to be counting on him lots in the next little while.

There are a number of things we need to do, as a Leader of the Official Opposition. At this point in the year, at the end of the House, we always take time to thank people. There are so many people to thank.

I want to start off with our districts. None of us would be in this Chamber if it weren't for the people in our districts that put us here. That's why I want to reach out to my District of Stephenville - Port au Port and thank all the people in Stephenville - Port au Port who have elected me twice now to represent them in the House of Assembly and to bring their concerns and their issues here to this House. That is an honour that I take and so humbly accept.

I also want to thank, of course, all the colleagues on behalf of all of my colleagues, the people in their districts who reach out to them, who elected them and the people opposite. Because all of us are elected by people in Newfoundland and Labrador, over 500,000 people. We represent them, all 40 of us represent them in the House of Assembly. I think for all of us it's a very humbling experience to be able to do that and to have the honour to do that. That's why I want to thank everybody in their districts.

Of course, the next piece of that are your families because all of us cannot do what we do without the support of our families. Again, I want to thank my family for their continuous support. On behalf of my colleagues here, I want to do the same thing. Because all of us in this House owe a tremendous amount of thank yous to our families who allow us to leave our homes and come and work in the House of Assembly, for those of us that travel in; for all those hours you put in and the overtimes and the after hours and the calls you make on the Saturdays and Sundays and the weekends because there is no such thing as a day off if you're a Member of the House of Assembly.

Someone once asked me how many weeks do you get off? How many holidays do you get? I said b'y, I could take the four years off if I wanted to. I probably wouldn't get re-elected, but that's not what it's about. It's about being available, it's about being there to help people.

Of course, we all have another family and that's the family that we're here with today, our caucus. This is my family, and your caucus across the way, and your caucus, and the independent caucus – his other family Member isn't here right now. But no, we all have a common concern for the people of our province and a passion to a make a difference. I think that's what drives us all: a passion to make a difference.

I don't care what political stripe we are and we can joust and argue all the time, but it's that passion to make a difference that allows you to think about signing up and running and putting your name on a ballot to represent people and represent them in the House of Assembly – a passion to make a difference. I would think that everyone in this House of Assembly has that passion. They really do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: I want to turn around and say a few thank yous to a lot of people that work here, and I'm going to pick up my notes here for a second because there are so many people to thank, so many of them.

I'll start with the Speaker who has a job of trying to keep us under control all the time in the House of Assembly. There's an old song, Speaker, some days are diamonds and some days are stones. I'll let you be the judge on how many are diamonds and how many are stones but, at the end of the day, I want to thank you for the job you do. Yes, we can be difficult to deal with at times, but we always appreciate the work that the Speaker of the House does.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: Of course, we've already said goodbye to the Clerk, Sandra Barnes, who served here for many, many years and a lifetime of service and, certainly, we want to wish her well and we have done already.

I want to commend Kim Hawley George, KC, for stepping up into the role. And I think we all know –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: Our Table officers, for their expertise, their diligence and their guidance as we do the work of the people of our province.

Our parliamentary Pages, thank you for the job you do. We really appreciate and it may seem like small things but everything you do from simply getting us a piece of information on time that all of a sudden someone has decided we need to have on our desk to be able to answer the question or deal with an issue, you're there to make sure that guys like me don't run out of water when we start to cough, thank you so much to all of you and I just wanted to say that.

Again, our Sergeant-at-Arms, he has such an important role and he does it with such professionalism but, at the same time, I think all of us just think of him as nothing more than a friend, because you make us feel that way.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: And outside, our Commissionaires, our security staff, for ensuing our safety and decorum; the RNC officers who protect us. The Broadcast crew, who bring us into people's homes, and the staff at Hansard, where the official record is made and published for posterity and sometimes we often refer to that, I just want to say a shout-out to the staff that keeps those records.

To the staff in the Parliamentary Library, again, in the background but indispensable for research and information. The staff of the Speaker's and the Clerk's office, and all the staff in Corporate and Members' Services who support us every day.

I'd also like to thank the statutory Officers and their staff. I want to highlight and thank them individually: the Commissioner for Legislative Standards, which we look forward to seeing become of the office of the ethics and integrity commissioner as per the review judges' final report; the Office of the Auditor General; the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer; the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate; the Office of the Citizens' Representative; the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner; Office of the Seniors' Advocate, whose reports demonstrate the value of this office and justify the expansion of its investigative powers. 

Our caucus staff, our constituency assistants, all of us would never be able to do the work we do without a great constituency assistant, and I know that goes for everyone that's sitting in this House of Assembly. There was no doubt in my mind.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

T. WAKEHAM: Our caucus staff that represent us, that do the research for us, that prepare us, that prepare our questions – some of them are sitting up in the gallery. They do this day in and day out. They keep us informed. They keep us educated. They make us look good.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)

T. WAKEHAM: Those are the people behind the scenes that do the work – yes, and sometimes trying to make us look good is not an easy job. Whether you're a minister, the Premier or Leader of the Opposition, it doesn't matter, our staff are the ones that really go to bat for us and keep us here, keep us informed.

There are also lots of people, of course, that are outside the House of Assembly that work and help us out. I also wanted to commend all the Members, of course, on both sides of the House, the Third Party leader and the caucus, the independent Members, and, of course, the governing party leader and all of their caucus as well.

As in Opposition, we have a role to play and our role is not just to be critical, but it is to provide and ask tough questions some days, and turn around and find a way to try to improve the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and to make the best legislation we can by debate, and to do that in a respectful manner, and to try and make it happen.

I did want to say a couple of things about this, and I hope that it's not too personal to anyone. I don't think it is, because I say here that all governments have made mistakes, but that is never an excuse for the government of the day. No party runs for office to be a Monday morning quarterback. Governments are not elected to evaluate those who went before them; they are elected to make the best use of their own time. Every government will be judged by its own actions, and the choices it makes on its own watch. Obviously it is the people, the voters, who will ultimately decide and be the judge of that.

I also want to throw in a little statement here – and I'm sure some of you have heard it before – that governments are like diapers. They need frequent changing, and usually for the same reason.

In closing, I want to turn around and say to all of you again that it is the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who have elected us to represent them. It is the people of Newfoundland and Labrador who depend upon us to make the right decisions; to bring in the right legislation; and to look after their interests. That's the challenge that we have all accepted by putting our names up and by running for office. No matter what side of the House we sit on, we will continue to do that; we will continue to bring the concerns of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to the House, and bring legislation that improves the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Because every single day, as we head back to our districts now, to work in our districts and to help people, and every time we debate any piece of legislation, we should always ask ourselves: Will this policy that we're introducing improve the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians today and into the future? Let that be our judge; let that be our statement that we all adhere to.

So I just want to say thank you, good luck and safe travels for those of us who are travelling and enjoy your time back in your districts. We'll see you all back here in the new year.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Labrador West.

J. BROWN: Thank you, Speaker.

We did it. We finished the sitting, and it's been a wild, interesting ride, I must say. But, at the same time, as I fly back to my snowy district, I want to join my colleagues in thanking people that make it possible for us to do our jobs here during the sitting as MHAs and the people we represent.

I want to first of all start by thanking my family, my wife and my two kids. They give me infinite amounts of support and encouragement to do my job and I just want to thank them. I also want to thank the families of my two colleagues here, who also do the same thing for them. I hope to thank your guys' families as well because without their support you wouldn't be able to do the job that you do.

First, I want to thank our families, our children, our grandchildren and all those that we call special friends in our world that helps us do the thing that we want to do. There are a lot of support people out there that are always helpful, they provide advice, they help us through some difficult times and things like that, so I want to send a special thank you to them.

I want to thank my two colleagues as well for all the support and everything that they do in their jobs. I want to thank our leader, Jim, for everything that he does; he is an infinite wisdom of advice for me as well so I want to thank him. My colleague, Lela, we spend a lot of time figuring out who are we related to back home; it's a Labrador thing. But she is a fantastic individual who provides me with a lot of insight as well. So thank you Lela; thank you Jim.

At the same time, I want to thank our caucus, our staff, everyone up there on the fifth floor that helps us do everything that we do. Taking the opportunity to help do our research to help us get ready. Like the Leader of the Opposition said, make us look good. Absolutely, they do a fantastic job of that so I want to thank our caucus, our chief of staff, our researchers, our comms team and, most importantly, our CAs, who do a lot of the work back home in our districts and make sure that we have the support we do when we're not here in the House, we're back in our districts doing those things, helping manage that. We have some fantastic CAs and I want to thank them all as we move through that.

I want to thank our constituents and the people of this province for their support, but also for calling, emails and all the things that they do. Sometimes it is positive and sometimes it is not, but I want to thank them all because they're all fantastic individuals. I am glad that I represent a fantastic district. As my two colleagues say, we represent fantastic districts and we can't do it without the support of our constituents and the people back home.

I want to thank the House of Assembly staff and the people that work to make this place run smoothly. It's always fantastic to see the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes here to make this all come together.

First, what I'll do, this is the first sitting I've done without Sandra but I want to thank her for all the stuff that she has done in the past. Also, I want to congratulate the new Clerk, Kim Hawley George. She was always fantastic in her role as a Law Clerk and now she's the Clerk so I want to congratulate her and thank her for that. Also, congratulations to our new Law Clerk who has taken on the role. She was (inaudible) today, a fantastic individual. I congratulate her on taking that role.

Thanks to the Pages for all the work that they do. I'm kind of jealous. I never went to university. I never got the opportunity to be a Page so I wish you guys luck. It seems like a fantastic opportunity as someone who thought about going to university, but I chose a different path, you know, what could have been. Anyway, I want to thank you guys for everything that you guys do. It's fantastic to see you here and it's so interesting the different courses and things and experiences you guys have done. I love talking to you guys, so have a great time and thanks for everything you guys do.

Thanks to the Broadcast staff and the people in Hansard and all the stuff that's going on out there. The amount of work that you guys do behind the scenes is immense. I can only imagine in Hansard trying to interpret what I'm saying. So I really want to send a special thank you to Hansard for that because I'm sure I bring a lot of questions in their heads when they're trying to interpret what I've said. 

I want to thank our Sergeant-at-Arms. Thank you for keeping Jim in line. Thank you. But no, thank you so much for everything you do. It has been fantastic and it's great to have you here.

I also want to thank the Legislative Library. Thanks for the coffee when I come down and look for things and thanks for all the stuff that you guys do. It's a fantastic place. If you haven't been, go. If you're not even here, if you can get in there, it's a fantastic resource. I want to thank them again.

Now, most importantly, I want to thank the Speaker because I can only imagine is it challenging to keep us in line but also to do everything that you do and then all the stuff you do that we don't see. I want to thank you and your two sidekicks there. The Deputy Speaker, the Chair of the Committee of the Whole and the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole, I want to thank you guys for keeping everything smooth. You definitely deserve the shout-out and thank you so much from us.

Thank you to my fellow MHAs. To be here, to do this, only so many people get to have this opportunity. I'm grateful to serve with you. I want to thank you for everything you do. As a Member myself, the challenges and stuff of doing this in opposition, I can only imagine the same thing for you guys. So I want to thank you all and for the advocacy that you bring from your districts and the different perspectives we see.

I know coming from Labrador, the interesting perspective I have, but it's also great to see the perspective from different places around this province. I want to thank you, everybody, individually and I hope that you guys have a fantastic time in your districts while the House is risen. At the same time, make sure that you take a moment for yourselves. It's very important to just take a moment and reflect and just take a breath. I hope that you all get the opportunity to do that with your families. I will definitely be enjoying a little bit of time with my daughters, that's for sure.

Lastly, I want to say a special thank you to the Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island. Enjoy your retirement. You have had a very historic career and I'm glad that you get the opportunity now to retire, enjoy time with your family, your friends and enjoy your other accomplishments and all that. That's the only thing I can wish for anybody is a great and happy enjoyment in retirement.

D. BRAZIL: Thank you.

J. BROWN: I want to thank you for your service to this province, both as an MHA, as a minister, as a Leader of the Opposition, you've had a great career and it will definitely be remembered, that is for sure. Enjoy your retirement, enjoy your time with your family, your friends and all the things that you are surrounded with, you definitely earned it.

Take care, my friend.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

J. BROWN: I want to take a moment to wish everyone who's watching, everyone at home, happy holidays, a Merry Christmas and everything in between, as you take time now as we're going into the Christmas holiday season, to take a moment to be with your families, your friends, reflect on the year that we had and think about the year that you're going to have. I want to make sure that everyone does it safely. Enjoy yourselves and, at the same time, just take a breath, enjoy the things we have around us. We have a fantastic province, we have fantastic people. It's an absolutely amazing place. Take a moment and enjoy this holiday season to the best of everyone's abilities.

Thank you so much and now off to the snowy North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

A. FUREY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As another fall session comes to a close here in the House of Assembly, I'm once again incredibly proud of this team on both sides and the work that we have done collectively for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

My hon. colleagues in the House of Assembly, on both sides, are hard-working, dedicated, passionate Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We all, of course, represent unique and diverse parts of our incredibly beautiful and rich province with a great deal of pride and in this House enthusiasm.

An important part of the job is debating legislation in this House of Assembly, and I welcome the rigour, the academia of the debate that occurs right here. Thoughtful, respectful debate is fundamental to good policy making, but more importantly, to democracy in general. We don't have to look too far around the world today to see what happens when democracy is under siege.

I want to sincerely thank everybody in this House for your unwavering commitment to the people of the province and to the service that each and every one of you chose.

Mr. Speaker, across the country and around the world, people are indeed facing challenging times, and our province is no different. We are not immune to the global uncertainty. Global pressures are causing the cost of living and housing to be high right now. Widespread labour shortages across industries, including health care and skilled trades, are creating further challenges.

As elected officials, it is our job to address issues facing our province and endeavour to make life better for every Newfoundlander and Labradorian. Mr. Speaker, I am confident that everyone in this House brings that commitment every single day.

Mr. Speaker, we are fully focused and committed to that as a government. Our recruitment and retention strategy to attract health care professionals is working. Not as fast as everyone wants, but it is working, and continues to be a priority.

Since April, more than 70 new doctors have agreed to work in Newfoundland and Labrador and more than 300 nurses have been hired. Heart Force One has benefited 85 patients since the start of this year. Our travelling orthopedic teams to St. Anthony have completed 112 surgeries since last November. We have announced 19 Family Care Teams, with more than 50,000 patients attached to the primary care services that those teams provide.

Mr. Speaker, the work continues. This fall, we want to launch the first Well-Being Week to promote our goal as being Canada's healthiest province by 2031 and to advance the idea that health is more than just when you get sick.

Well-being is a key consideration in policy and spending decisions and programs, with a heightened focus on the social determinants of health. This is particularly evident in two recent announcements: the five-point plan to improve availability of housing that is affordable and the new poverty reduction plan, which focuses primarily on reducing childhood poverty, with another senior-focused poverty reduction plan to come.

In addition to these significant initiatives, we have passed legislation to address many other concerns shared by those throughout our province. We have added an additional layer of protection for those at risk of intimate partner violence with Clare's Law and with amendments to the Change of Name Act, 2009.

We've made ride sharing more accessible – I'm Uber excited about that – with amendments to the Highway Traffic Act. We've also amended the Schools Act, 1997, Insurance Companies Act, Mineral Act, Buildings Accessibility Act and much more. That's a lot that every Member of this House should be proud of.

There are a lot of people working behind the scenes, many of whom have already been thanked here today, but forgive me for thanking them again. Our public servants, who provide important service and programs to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians each and every day, and I sincerely thank them for their hard work and their dedication. We make the decisions; they do the action.

Thank you as well to the Clerk and the staff in the Clerk's office; the Legislative Library, the Broadcast team, the Table Officers, including the new ones; Hansard; and the Sergeant-at-Arms or (inaudible) side of the House, the Cookie Monster. To our Commissionaires and security guards for their work here at Confederation Building and government offices throughout, thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I want to also recognize and thank you, and your staff, for all the work you do for this hon. House of Assembly. Our dedicated political staff who work to support our caucus and team as well as those of the working parties across the aisle, thank you, and thank you to your staff for elevating the debate and ensuring that we're all focused on what's best for Newfoundland and Labrador.

To the people of Humber - Gros Morne, I'm honoured every day to sit in this House of Assembly on your behalf. It's not something I take for granted; it's something that we all respect. We are here on behalf of the people, and my people in Humber - Gros Morne are the best in the province.

I want to take a moment now to thank both leaders, the new leader across the way, and of course the Leader of the Third Party. Thank you for your participation; thank you for elevating the debate.

But I want, Mr. Speaker, to speak now about a former leader, a colleague who has been mentioned many times in this House today, rightfully so. He's not only a colleague, he's a former minister, and he happens to be my MHA – the MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island.

For more than a decade, Sir, you have served the wonderful people of your district, as an MHA, as a Cabinet minister and the interim Leader of the Official Opposition. You've worked tirelessly to create a better future for Newfoundland and Labrador.

But I first want to start by recognizing your family. You said that you have shielded your family from public life, but, Sir, even though your name was on the ballot, you got elected, your family served. Thank you to your family.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

A. FUREY: The way that you have approached this hon. House, your constituents, the staff of all stripes and your colleagues on all sides has been exemplary and should be an example to all parliamentarians everywhere. You and your family will be proud of your legacy and your voice will echo much longer in the walls of this place than just today.

Many will not know of the relationship and discussions that forged between myself and the hon. Member, especially over COVID-19, to ensure that we were working together to ensure the people of this province were safe. Those discussions advanced beyond COVID-19 as we shared many stories about our vision for what is best for Newfoundland and Labrador. Despite the differences of colour, the themes were often the same.

I can tell you, having worked with the hon. Member, it was a true pleasure. It was a true pleasure to see him in action as we both went in a show of unity during COVID-19 to Bell Island to perform a vaccination clinic. What I took from that was although he was an okay medical assistant – he was at my table doing injections – he was a superb MHA, knowing every single person who came into the gym by their name, their spouses, their children and their birthdays. That, Sir, is truly commendable.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

A. FUREY: Speaking further to how good he was as an MHA, I remember before my role here today I was over on Bell Island giving a talk about Team Broken Earth. It was only 1 in the afternoon and I had the afternoon off, giving a talk about Team Broken Earth to a crew of high school students – I'm sure the Member remembers this.

At 2 in the afternoon, 1:30 in the afternoon, who appears in the back of the gym but the hon. Member. There to support the students in the high school to make sure that they had an understanding that their place in the world goes far beyond the reach of Bell Island, can achieve far beyond the borders of Newfoundland and Labrador or Canada; indeed they can have an impact on the world. He was there to support and I'll never forget it.

You, Sir, have not only helped advance the people of your district, you've helped shape the future of the province. You led by example, elevated the debate and sent an example for all to follow. Thank you, Sir.

Your legacy will be one of respect, of effort and of decency. Your family will always be proud. Your mom would definitively be proud.

Where once they stood, you stood and now you leave incredible shoes to fill.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SPEAKER: Thank you everyone.

I have a few remarks before we close. I will start off by answering the question that the Leader of the Official Opposition asked. Every day I get the opportunity to sit in this Chair or you sit in either one of the chairs that all you Members sit in, it is a day of diamonds. I guarantee you; it's a great honour to be the Speaker of the House of Assembly. I take it very serious, even though it's challenging at times. I know people are speaking because of the passion and their desire to help their constituents in their district and the province. Every day is a diamond when you come into this House of Assembly.

First of all, I just want to start, I could just say ditto and sit down again because I think there's not much else I can say that hasn't been said but I will say it anyway because this is one of the few places I do have the last say and I'll take advantage of that.

I will start off by thanking my family and the people in my district that I have the great honour to represent and have represented for, I guess, two weeks short of eight years now. Every day it has been a great honour to represent them and I look forward to representing them long into the future.

I have a great District of Lewisporte - Twillingate, very diverse. The people are so resilient and I respect each and every one of them. I take all of their issues very serious and I will continue to work as hard as I can, even though I don't get to debate in the House like other Members, I do have the opportunity to advocate for the people of my district. I just want to say thank you to them and thank you to my family that have been so supportive of me over the last eight years.

I would be remiss if I didn't take a minute to thank all of the House of Assembly staff that makes this operation happen behind the scenes. First of all, to our Corporate and Members' Services, the Legislative Library and our Information Management team, Hansard and also our Broadcast team that also works so hard. They're all here working day and night. If we're sitting late, they're sitting late. There's so much work and effort goes into making sure that this runs as smoothly as possible and that the people in our province get to see exactly what we as Members do.

To the Transportation and Infrastructure team that also helps to make sure our desks are set up properly and other things. We've been working closely with them lately to increase accessibility up in our public gallery. Myself and the minister have had recent conversations again about how to make this Chamber more accessible. I look forward to continued work with that team.

To our staff, Sabrina Barnes, in the Clerk's office, who also assists with our day-to-day operations, doing our photocopying and making sure things are on our desk. To my Executive Assistant Kala Noel for her hard work and dedication and for helping to keep me organized so that this House runs as smoothly as possible.

Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my constituency assistant. As many others have recognized, especially the hon. Member mentioned his CA up in the gallery, they're the ones who do a lot of the work while we are in the House of Assembly. They're the ones that take most of the phone calls, and sometimes not so pleasant phone calls, but I have to commend Pamela Foss, my CA. She's only been there for a year but she's doing a fantastic job and I thank her for that.

In the Chamber, I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize our Sergeant-at-Arms, Robert Escott. One of the happiest worker I ever met. Loves it everyday he comes in here; there's always a smile on his face. I want to thank you for your work. To our Commissionaires up in the galleries and also seen earlier there were some RNC officers, thank you very much for your service and dedication.

Thank you to our Table Officers, as mentioned earlier; our new acting Clerk, Kim Hawley George; and also our new acting Law Clerk, Gerrie Smith who has stepped up and filled the big shoes of Sandra Barnes and Kim previously as the Law Clerk. Also, I would like to recognize Bobbi Russell and Kim Hammond who are also here today with us and two other familiar faces that normally join us, Mark Jarret and Evan Beazley, thank you guys for your dedicated work.

To Deputy Speaker Warr and also Deputy Chair of Committees Trimper, thank you guys very much. You guys have been a godsend to me for all the times that you've filled in the Chair and the great job that you do when we're in the Committee of the Whole, so thank you very much.

I would also like to thank all the House Leaders for your co-operation and support over the last session; it is great to work with you. To all Members in this House, I know things get heated at times, but I know each and every one of you are here for the same reason I am here: to serve the people of your district and also this great province. Thank you very much.

Finally – oh, I don't think I mentioned our Pages. To our Pages, thank you very much. We have had five Pages this year and they have done a fantastic job.

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible.)

SPEAKER: I'm getting a note that my time is about to expire.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SPEAKER: But anyway, thank you very much; it is a great group of youth that are our future leaders, so keep up the good work.

To the hon. Member for Conception Bay East - Bell Island, Mr. Brazil – and I use that word “honourable” from the bottom of my heart because you have been so respectful, so professional and so passionate about the job you have done. Both in your 12 years of serving as an MHA, a former minister, a Leader of the Opposition and all of the various roles that you have performed over the years. You are definitely an inspiration to us all and we respect and thank you for the service that you do. I am not going to say goodbye, I'll say see you, because hopefully we will see each other again. Thank you very much.

At last, as we close upon the Christmas season, I just want to wish everyone safe travels back to your districts. I am quite sure, like myself, many of you have lots of events to attend over the next month or so and I just want to wish each and every one of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

In closing, a tradition I started in 2021 when I first became Speaker is that we would always end our sessions by the singing of the “Ode to Newfoundland” and we recently added the “Ode to Labrador” to that.

I'm going to call on our Table Officer, Bobbi Russell, to lead us first of all in the “Ode to Labrador” and there should be copies on every desk.

B. RUSSELL: Dear land of mountains, woods and snow,

Labrador, our Labrador.

God's noble gift to us we 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.

SPEAKER: I ask for the “Ode to Newfoundland.”

B. RUSSELL: 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 prayer we raise to Heaven above,

God guard thee, Newfoundland

God guard thee, God guard thee,

God guard thee, Newfoundland.

SPEAKER: The hon. the Government House Leader.

J. HOGAN: I move, seconded by the Premier, 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 Monday, March 4, at 1:30 p.m.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Monday, March 4, at 1:30 p.m.