The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order please!

Admit strangers.

This afternoon we welcome representatives of the organization Waypoints, formerly the St. Francis Foundation. The representatives here today include the Executive Director, Ms Heather Modlin, as well as staff and young people who partake in their programs.

Also this afternoon we welcome fourteen students from the Hospitality Tourism Management Program of the Bay St. George Campus of the College of the North Atlantic, in the Districts of St. George's-Stephenville East and Port au Port. The students are accompanied by their instructors, Mrs. Donna Pippy and Ms June Hynes.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Members' statements today will be from: the hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands; the hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the hon. the Member for the District of St. John's East; the hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave; the hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue; and the hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo & LaPoile.

The hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. LODER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m., I attended a very special church service at the Westside Pentecostal Tabernacle in Corner Brook.

The commissioning service recognized twenty-two men and women, seventeen of whom are from the Corner Brook and surrounding area, who will be travelling to the country of Guatemala.

These fine people will be volunteering their time and talents every day, working day and night on the construction of the William Cornelius Vocational Training Centre. The task force will be returning on March 15, and we would like to pass on to the hon. members here today how this development will break a crippling cycle of poverty in this country.

Mr. Speaker, we are proud of these Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and ask all members to pray for their safe return for this unselfish work.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to offer congratulations to Garreth Kippenhuck, a Grade 8 student at William Gillett Academy in Charlottetown. Garreth recently received the overall award in the 2008 Heritage Day Poster Contest. This contest recognizes young people's efforts to preserve and promote our heritage in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, Garreth's poster was chosen from over 300 submissions from thirty schools across the Province. His winning poster was entitled "Battle Harbour" and depicted a beautiful painting of the Harbour.

The award was presented by Robert Parsons, Vice-Chair of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. Also on hand was the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Clyde Jackman. Mr. Speaker, the presentations took place on February 18 at Winterholme.

There were several other young people from across the Province who were also recognized for their efforts and, Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge them. They were: Jarrod Sharpe of Upper Island Cove; Jakob Walsh of Clarenville; and Emily Synard of Rushoon. All of them were first place in their respective categories as well.

Mr. Speaker, it was an honour to see Garreth and the other young people show such an appreciation and pride for our heritage, and to see them be recognized as they so aptly deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Garreth, and all of those who participated, for a tremendous job, and I ask all members in this House to join with me in extending to them our congratulations on participating and winning the 2008 Heritage Day Poster Contest.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. BUCKINGHAM: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to pay tribute to one of my constituents, from the District of St. John's East, for his long and significant contribution to the political fibre of the City of St. John's.

Former Mayor Andy Wells has been a fixture on the capital city's municipal scene for over thirty years, and in that time he has served as a councillor, as the deputy mayor and as the mayor.

Mr. Speaker, while some people - perhaps many - may take umbrage with his style and personality, no one should ever doubt his commitment to making St. John's a better place in which to live and in which to do business.

In many ways, Andy Wells was the very definition of political. He played the game, and he played it well; however, his best political quality may have been just how accessible he was to any citizen who had a legitimate concern or complaint, and in that way he will serve as a model for all who will follow him.

It is not my intention today to rise in this House and provide and in-depth commentary on the legacy that Andy Wells may or may not leave behind. Rather, I take this opportunity as a life-long resident of the City of St. John's to formally thank Andy Wells for his dedication and service to its citizens.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, Ascension Collegiate, Bay Roberts, recently celebrated their forty-second annual awards night. The 192 students who graduated took home more than $110,000 in scholarships and awards during the presentation ceremony.

The most prestigious award, the Governor General's Medal, was presented to Stephen Coombs of Upper Island Cove. Stephen, who finished first in the graduating class, won the Port de Grave Electoral Scholarship as well as several other awards.

Mr. Speaker, Ascension Collegiate has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence and provides the students with the best education available to them in this Province. Congratulations, I say, to Ascension Collegiate, and sincere congratulations to Stephen Coombs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today in this great hon. House to congratulate Mrs. Lilly Williams and Mrs. Laura Williams on their ninetieth birthday.

Mr. Speaker, Lilly and Laura are a set of twins who celebrated their ninetieth birthday on January 10, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, I had the great privilege of attending their birthday celebrations, and I enjoyed the honour of presenting them with certificates from the great honourable members of government.

Mr. Speaker, these two very fine ladies are in good spirits and very fine health. I do believe that these two ladies are our oldest set of twins in the District of Bellevue.

Mr. Speaker, Lilly and Laura both are residents of New Harbour, and have raised families as homemakers to fishermen. These ladies have raised their families in New Harbour, and between them they have a large family whom they adore very much.

Lilly and Laura are remarkable and admirable ladies who have shared ninety wonderful years together, not only as siblings, but as twins.

Mr. Speaker, if I can, the Williams twins should be an inspiration to us all, that many years of life are possible.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join me in congratulating and wishing Lilly and Laura Williams a belated Happy Birthday and many happy returns, with many more to come.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Burgeo & LaPoile.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize and congratulate Mayor Brian Button of the Town of Channel-Port aux Basques on receiving an award from the Department of Municipal Affairs in recognition of his twelve consecutive years of service to that community.

Mr. Button was first elected to council in 1993. At that time he was one of the youngest Deputy Mayors in the Province. He served as Deputy Mayor for three terms and was elected Mayor in 2005.

In addition to his duties as Mayor, he has served as Chair of the Recreation Committee, President of the Port aux Basques Minor Hockey Association, President of the Port aux Basques Chamber of Commerce, RCMP Auxiliary Officer, Secretary of the Kinsmen Club, Member of the 1995 Come Home Year Committee, Member of the Raise the Bruce Committee, Member of the Cabot 500 Committee, Member of the RCMP Musical Rides Committee, Member of Soiree '98 Committee, Member of the LeGrow Health Centre Foundation and a Member of the Relay for Life Committee, which shows his dedication and commitment to the community.

Mr. Button was born and raised in Port aux Basques. He is married to the former Shirley Ford and they have one daughter, Terri-Lynn.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members of this House to join with me in extending congratulations to Mayor Brian Button on receiving this award. All the best to Mayor Button and his family.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to recognize Waypoints, formerly the St. Francis Foundation, on thirty years of supporting youth and families in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Starting with just one group home in 1978, Waypoints has grown substantially to become the largest organization of its kind in the Province, having developed a unique, multi-pronged program that is responsive to the diverse needs of the individuals and families it serves. This organization offers residential programs, alternate living arrangements and family support programs. Indeed, the organization has come to mean many things for youth in our "in-care" program including a home, safety and compassion.

Mr. Speaker, along with my colleague, the hon. Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, also in attendance the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, I was in awe of the significant and positive impact that this organization has had on so many families and young people who needed support at challenging points in their lives. In fact, there were two large salons full of current and former client families who have benefited from their interaction with this organization.

The success stories speak for themselves - youth from our "in-care program" who are successful and productive adults in our society; youth who are running marathons, rowing in the regatta and winning academic awards. These are among the many good-news stories in our Province - stories that we don't often hear about very often, but I can guarantee you, they are seen by this government.

These stories are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Waypoint staff, some of whom have worked with the organization for over twenty years. They represent the helping spirit so often seen in the people of our Province.

Mr. Speaker, I also had the honour of helping the foundation unveil its new name and corporate logo. The new name, Waypoints, has been traditionally used as a set of coordinates that set out a path on a journey and is very fitting in now representing the assistance and guidance offered to youth and families by this organization.

Our government values the important work of Waypoints, and I congratulate the over 100 staff of this organization and its Executive Director, Heather Modlin, and its volunteer board of directors led by Tim Turner, for their successful thirty years, and I want to thank them for their unwavering dedication to youth and their families of this Province.

Mr. Speaker, a great organization, doing a great job in this Province and I really want to thank them for the work that they do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We certainly want to recognize the tremendous work that Waypoints does in our Province as well, and on the anniversary of their thirty years. We certainly want to recognize their employees, their Executive Director, their volunteer board of directors and all of those who participate and are involved with the organization.

Mr. Speaker, there are many individuals and families in this Province who have not only felt the compassion and the care of this organization, but have been encouraged by the work that they do. They have become more self-reliant and self-sustaining individuals and families because of the programs this organization delivers.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to see the minister offer his support because we all know that this is an organization today that is advocating for two very important services in our Province. One, Mr. Speaker, is the foster care families help line, which I think is a great initiative, one that will help us expand the number of foster families we have and provide supports to those that are there; hopefully, enabling us to meet the target needs for foster homes that we require in Newfoundland and Labrador today.

Mr. Speaker, the other program that they are looking at is a family support program, one in which counsellors will go into the homes and work with parents in order to ensure that they become better parents to their children, providing for healthier families throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

So, I look forward to the day when the minister stands in the House and announces that government will provide the financial resources to launch two important programs for this group in Newfoundland and Labrador.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

It is a real pleasure and an honour for me to stand today, too, to acknowledge the work of Waypoints. I was very pleased that I was able to be at their event the other night when they had this tremendous celebration of the thirty years. It was very personal for me because I was actually around thirty-two, thirty-three years ago when people first started the notion and they formed St. Francis Foundation, the work that went on before the actual first house was opened.

It was a group of people with a wonderful vision of a new way of taking care of children in need in our Province. As was pointed out by Tim Turner the other night at the event, the change in name will not be a change from what their foundation is based on, compassion, social justice, a real desire to take care of kids in need, coming right from the needs of the kids themselves.

I would like to, if I could, Mr. Speaker, just take one moment to speak about something that did happen the other night that I think was a tremendous model. Children, young people involved in the foundation have been under their care - if I may have leave, Mr. Speaker, just for ten seconds.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

Does the hon. member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member, by leave.

MS MICHAEL: A new initiative that they have done inside of Waypoints is to put a theatre group together, a black light theatre troupe. It was a tremendous experience to have these young people put on for us, in this wonderful format of black light theatre, a play that told us right from the heart of the children, what children in care go through. They were children in care, and one of the workers I know at Waypoint said to me, she had one person sitting on one side of her who was twelve years old already in a program and one on the other side who was twenty-five who went through the program, say to her - I will not say her name – yes, this is exactly what we experience. This is what I experienced, and the younger one saying this is what I have experienced.

So, this method of giving the young people an anonymous way, through black light theatre, to tell us what they are going through was absolutely a tremendous experience. That is all I want to do today. I am not going to make a political point here because I honour so much the work of Waypoint and the people who founded it. It is so good to see you here today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

The hon. the Minister of Business.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the success of my government in strengthening Newfoundland and Labrador's brand identity.

The Province's new brand signature - our modern, unique trademark featuring the image of the pitcher plant was launched some eighteen months ago. Since then, we have worked to develop, strengthen and extend the reach of the brand and we have seen it grow in prominence and recognition.

Part of the brand promotion was a striking animated video that heralds the dawn of a new day in Newfoundland and Labrador. That video captured a prestigious Silver London International Statue in television at the renowned London International Advertising Awards this past November, and also earned a finalist award in another category. That kind of international recognition is something of which we can all be proud.

And, Mr. Speaker, the job of strengthening the brand is just beginning. There is a continuous effort to ensure that when people see the brand signature, they immediately recognize it as a shining symbol of Newfoundland and Labrador and its creative, resourceful, confident and proud people, who are forging a bright and prosperous future for our Province.

I am pleased to report that we have put in place a Brand Monitoring System with the objective of ensuring the integrity of the brand signature is being maintained as its use expands. This system will help reinforce a true brand culture throughout government.

As part of this initiative, a new logo licensing program will be implemented in the near future, and my department recently introduced guidelines governing the use of the brand signature by third parties.

As a government, we are committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that the official brand signature is used and portrayed appropriately, so that consistency, accuracy and high standards are maintained.

Mr. Speaker, our government's branding initiative is reinforcing positive perceptions of our Province - in how we view ourselves and in how others see us an attractive place to work, live and for people to do business. Our government has been diligent in developing the brand, and the Department of Business will continue to oversee this process. I want to acknowledge the support and commitment of government departments and employees, and our partners in the community who play an important role in promoting Newfoundland and Labrador's brand.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is kind of a tough announcement to respond to actually, because there is not very much earth shattering information contained in this release; rather fluffy actually.

This is the same program of course that cost us $25,000 to change the signs outside the building and $1,200 to put new MHA signs on the buildings, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in consultants fees. Notwithstanding the awards that have been received so far, I would think the jury is still out on it yet. It will take some time before we see if the branding initiative has worked; we have not had it for very long.

The other thing that amazes me about it, I believe this is the same minister who was responsible for the red tape reduction committee, which was to get ride of red tape in government. He just announced in one piece of paper here today, that under this branding thing alone we have a third party use policy, we have a monitoring system being put in place, and a local licensing program.

Now that sounds like a department that is really working in the same direction. Let's cut the red tape but here are three things that we are just going to make you do now, some hoops you have to jump through in order to do this branding piece. Now that is very good. I see this minister really knows which way - he does not know if he is going or coming. I do not know where the red tape fits on this. Anyway, I love to see these kind of announcements because it shows just how focused he is in running this Department of Business. We look forward to some really substantive issues.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Oh my! It is hard to know what to say, Mr. Speaker. I took a lot of time the first time. It's going to be very short this time. I never saw so much fuss made about something so unimportant in my life. That is all I am going to say.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by Ministers.

Oral questions.

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I understand there is a situation currently unfolding in the Town of Spaniards Bay involving a volunteer fire department. It has been reported - and, actually, I have spoken to the lady in question - that a qualified female firefighter has been denied the right to serve with that fire department for no other justified reason, other than her gender.

I have to ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs today: Are there any policies in place, in your department, that protects the rights of women who want to join volunteer fire departments?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: Mr. Speaker, this government supports both sexes in volunteer fire departments, male and female, and we support the contribution of all. As a matter of fact, one of the first female firefighters that I taught is at St. John's Regional Fire Department now, and that was the first female that was there. So this government does support it.

To your question, that was brought to our attention today. The fire commissioner is looking at it and making contact, and I will report back to you when he does.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, we all know that the fire commissioner is unable to speak for himself anymore in the Province because the Minister of Municipal Affairs now has become the official spokesperson for the fire commissioner. I do understand that this is addressed under the Human Rights Codes that is being revamped in the Province today.

I guess my specific question would be to the minister: Is there any kind of regulation or anything that is adapted in the Fire Commissioner's Office that would directly apply to females becoming volunteers in departments and if, in fact, this is in any way a legitimate reason to reject her? I know it is not legitimate, but I am wondering if there is anything there that protects the Spaniard's Bay Fire Department in doing this?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Municipal Affairs, and responsible for fire and emergency services, I took it my responsibility to answer the questions on behalf of my department and that is what I am here as minister for.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DENINE: As far as if there is anything else in that, and it needs to be reviewed, we will do it accordingly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I hope that we can have the results of that review in very short order.

Mr. Speaker, there is a waiting list of anywhere between two-and-a-half and three years for children who have been recommended for audiology tests in the Province. This testing has a huge impact on the educational plans for the child involved and it determines the kind of treatment that children receive, and if they require special technology to assist them in their school work.

My question is for the Premier. Premier, are you aware of the long waiting list that exists in the Province today for children to have this test and, if so, could you personally get involved to ensure that it is corrected immediately?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, over the last four years our government has made some major investments in health care. In fact, our budget has increased over the last four years by over half a billion dollars, to deal with wait times in a variety of areas, to deal with enhanced services and providing new programs and services to the people of the Province.

Any time, I say, Mr. Speaker, with any program area that we have, long wait lists is a concern of ours, and through this year's Budget process, as we have in past years, we are evaluating programs and services with a view of making some improvements, some enhancements, and we will, in this year's Budget, as we did in the last three Budgets, continue to make further investments in our health system to be able to address wait times in a variety of areas, I say, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, from the answer, I am not entirely sure if the minister is even aware of the wait lists that I refer to.

We all know that government is having difficulty attracting these professionals, even though funding is made available for the positions; but, Mr. Speaker, we also know that there are services at the School for the Deaf that are being diminished as well.

I want to ask the minister if he can tell me what solutions they can provide, in the short term, to parents out there today who need this service for their children immediately?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, any individual in the Province who is awaiting service needs to be dealing directly with one of our four health authorities.

If you look at the area of speech and audiology in the last couple of years, I think last year it was five new positions we created in speech language pathology, for example, in the whole area of speech and hearing, so we have made some major investments in those areas in the last couple of years, I say, Mr. Speaker.

As I said a moment ago, on an ongoing basis we are looking at making enhancements and improvements in our service, and through this year's Budget process we will make some more.

If there are individuals out there today who, on an individual basis, have some real difficulty with their wait time and some difficulty because of some issues with respect to their children, I suggest that they, through their family physician, deal directly with the regional health authority in their particular region.

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is through the regional health authority that I have obtained the information that tells me there is almost a three year wait list at the hospitals in St. John's for audiology testing. I also know from a parent who has a child in Grade 3, that her child will not be scheduled for testing until she reaches Grade 6.

Mr. Speaker, the minister needs to be aware that there is a private service available in the Province to those parents who can afford it.

I ask the minister: Is he concerned that we have a two-tier system of service for children who require audiology treatment in this Province? Those who can afford it are getting it. The children who cannot are waiting three years.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, I would not stand in this House today, or any other place today, and suggest that a three year wait for audiology services is a reasonable wait, and it is appropriate, and one that we would want to hold up our hands and be proud of.

It is one of these things, I say, Mr. Speaker, as in other areas of wait times, we have been trying to deal with through an additional investment of resources, additional recruitment of human resources, to be able to enhance those programs and services. This, too, is an area that we are evaluating with a view to making some changes if we have the capacity to be able to do that, I say, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, just a follow-up question on that issue.

I know that there are monies being provided for audiology positions. I also know that there has been a long recruitment process and not any ability to fill those positions, so I ask you today: For those children in our Province who need the service and who cannot afford it, is government prepared to provide the provision for them to access that service through private clinics?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: What I can commit to, I say, Mr. Speaker, is that I will have the officials in my department work with Eastern Health to look at the wait lists that they have, to see if there is some way that we can actually address those critical issues that may be facing some families and children today as we speak.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the minister for his answer.

Mr. Speaker, as a follow-up to a question that I asked yesterday in the House of Assembly, the need for increased numbers of social workers in Northern communities, I would like to point out that the caseloads ranging in the Province in the 2003 assessment was that there were thirty caseloads per social worker in regions like the Western Region of the Province. In Labrador, that caseload was at thirty-eight. I am being told today that the caseloads for social workers in Labrador have almost doubled from that period of time until today. Mr. Speaker, again I have to reiterate the need for this service in Labrador, and the crises developing there.

I ask the minister again today: Is there any set of supports that government is looking at to put in place to try and retain and recruit social workers for Labrador communities?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I said yesterday, over the last year in particular our government has made a major investment in Child, Youth and Family Services. I think last year, on an annualized basis, our investment was some $9 million. Included in that initiative was - I just forget the number now – a significant number of social workers, and we have been very successful in recruiting a large number throughout each of our regions.

Labrador has had some additional challenges because of some of the geography issues that they are dealing with. In the Labrador region they sometimes have difficulties, or a little more difficulty than in other areas, in retaining some of the social workers, but they have had some success this year as well. They have had some success in recruiting expatriate Newfoundlanders who want to come back. They have been successful in recruiting some social workers in other northern provinces. So, they have had some success, I say, Mr. Speaker, and we are continuing to work with them to ensure that they have the tools that are necessary to assist them further with their recruitment initiatives.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the success that they have had certainly does not translate into an easier workload for any of these social workers. We still know that there are a large number of vacancies. Many of them are working in isolated communities; they are working on call; they are working double time.

Again, I ask the minister: Are there any measures that they can put in place to, number one, increase the quality of the work environment for some of these social workers you are placing in these communities, and other benefits that you can put in place to try and retain more of them?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Let me repeat what I said yesterday. I think I said yesterday, in response to a similar question, that we are, in fact, working with our four regional health authorities to ensure that they have the necessary supports in place to allow them to be successful in their recruitment efforts. So, we are working with the Labrador-Grenfell Authority to look at what kind of initiatives might be more appropriate, given their uniqueness because of geography and other issues that they face in the north.

Working in the north is uniquely different than working in other parts of the Island portion of the Province, so we are working with that authority to look at what initiatives we may be able to do and put in place that would reflect the uniqueness of that work environment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, my next question for the minister has to deal with the fact that we are short six social workers now in communities like Makkovik, Sheshatshiu, Nain, and I think in Wabush as well there is probably a shortage.

Mr. Speaker, there is a great complexity to the number of issues that social workers deal with in these isolated, remote communities. At the present time most of them get isolation pay in Labrador, and government provides for a $700 bonus, I think, a travel bonus, for these workers. Can the minister honestly tell me that is adequate compensation to try and recruit people to work in the remote isolated regions of our Province where the workload is twice the demand as it is in the capital city?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, in addition to the answer I just provided a moment ago on some initiatives that my department is involved with, with the Regional Health Authority, to identify what might be some unique things we may want to do to assist them with their recruitment efforts, my colleague, the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, will be engaging in a very short period of time with the union that represents employees in this Province, in the negotiation process, to look at issues around compensation and benefits. Those sorts of issues, I am certain, will be dealt with as a part of that collective bargaining process.

To augment what might be happening with that, we are working, as I said a moment ago, with the health authorities in looking at what we may be able to do outside the context of the collective bargaining process and outside collective agreements to assist with that recruitment effort.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, I talked earlier about how the root of many of the problems for social workers in Labrador also lies with the foster care crisis that we have been seeing happening especially in some of the Aboriginal communities. Currently today there are no available foster care placements in Labrador. Every single placement has been used up and many of the children in these communities are now being sent to the Island portion of the Province for foster care. Obviously, this is just adding to the trauma and the experiences of some of these families.

I ask the minister today, what measures his department is taking to try and increase the number of foster care placements available in the Labrador region. Is there something they are currently looking at, and if so, what is it they are doing?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the unfortunate reality we find ourselves in as a Province today, as we stand here and talk about children and foster care – it is unfortunate that children may find themselves in a circumstance where they need to be taken from their homes and moved into foster care. When that happens we want to make sure that we have an adequate supply of foster care families available to them.

Recruiting foster care has always been an ongoing process, something that each of our regional health authorities is involved with, together with the Foster Families Association, and there has been some degree of success, I say, Mr. Speaker. Over the last twelve month there have been some eighty-odd new foster families recruited into the foster home system.

One of the unfortunate things though, during that same period of time others made decisions that they wanted to move on and to not provide foster services anymore. In Labrador, I think last year there was a total of thirteen new foster homes recruited in the Labrador Region.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member to conclude his answer.

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say, Mr. Speaker, just in concluding, it is an issue that we are very aggressively pursuing together with the Foster Families Association. You alluded earlier to an initiative of having a 1-800 number that people would call to be able to get information about becoming a foster family. These sorts of things, together with radio ads, are all a part of that ongoing initiative.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We also know that there are currently a minimum of twenty-seven Labrador children in residential group home facilities outside of the Province. We understand that it is costing approximately $20,000 per child, per month, to keep them in these outside of the Province facilities.

I ask the minister: Is there any action in his department at the current time to establish residential group homes in Newfoundland and Labrador so that we can bring these children home and provide the care for them in our own Province?

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

SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, there are times when children who are taken into foster care need some very intense intervention, and we do not have a network of therapeutic foster homes in this Province like they do in other jurisdictions. I suppose it is fortunate, in some respects, that we are able to access the therapeutic homes that are in Ontario. In an ideal set of circumstances, we would be able to have a network of those in our Province.

There are a couple of things that are currently before officials in the department now. One proposal, in particular, that looks at the capacity we might have to be able to establish what might be the first, and that is something we are giving consideration to as we speak. In an ideal world, that is what we would want to have. Obviously, these people should be ably provided for in our Province, but up to this particular point in our history, we have not had the ability to be able to establish a network like they have in other jurisdictions.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, snow tires are made with a special rubber compound with specific tread design that works better in cold temperatures than non-winter tires. Experts say all season and summer tires are ineffective on roads during the winter and snow tires can prevent deadly accidents.

Today is very appropriate for me to ask the minister: Where is he at in terms of his analysis of the mandatory use of snow tires in this Province, and can we expect him to bring forward legislation on that issue during this sitting of the House?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, with the weather conditions today I sort of anticipated the question from my hon. colleague.

He can be rest assured that I, as the minister responsible, and I probably can speak for all my colleagues in this House of Assembly in general, that we are always concerned with the safety of our travelling public. We also encourage anyone who has the resources to put winter tires on their vehicles. Well, certainly, we encourage them; but don't feel safe just because you have winter tires because it is all about adjusting your driving habits to the conditions of the road.

As a matter of fact, I witnessed that today in my office looking out through the window, there was a car coming up Prince Philip Drive who was driving to the speed limit, or even over the speed limit, when he got abreast of the Confederation Building he did about four 360s and that was because he or she did not adjust their driving habits to the conditions of the road. There is a lot -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member to conclude his answer.

MR. O'BRIEN: There is a lot of consideration and a lot of analysis that has to go into this very, very important issue. My mind is open, and certainly after that analysis, I will come back to my colleagues with a recommendation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

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

It is very ironic that this government recently joined the national Road Safety Vision 2010 and their top recommendation is that each and every car in Canada would have four winter tires this time of the year.

Mr. Speaker, Quebec has become the first province to require car owners to install winter tires on their vehicles as part of a new road safety law aimed at reducing fatal accidents. There are many other countries, like Finland, Sweden, Latonia and Latvia, are among countries that have similar laws requiring drivers to use winter tires.

I ask the minister: Can he share with us some of the factors he is considering as he makes this decision - or it seems like he has made his decision - that he will not be bringing in legislation at this time, and I am wondering what information he based his decision on?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: I wonder, is the hon. member suggesting that I might go to Finland? Because I do not think I will get that approved to go out and do an international study. In the meantime, we are not going to reinvent the wheel.

Quebec took several years in regards to having a look at this matter. They passed a piece of legislation in their House of Assembly, or their House as compared to ours. I am not sure if that actually has been proclaimed yet. It has not been implemented. Their target date in regards to the implementation is the 2008-2009 winter. They are not there yet. They have a number of issues that they have to work out. We are in conversation with them. There are other areas in the world that have mandatory winter tire legislation but, again -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister to conclude his answer.

MR. O'BRIEN: But, again, there has to be careful consideration and analysis done before - because there are a lot of factors, taking into account senior citizens, taking into account -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: God forbid! Mr. Speaker, I would not want the hon. minister to go to any of those foreign countries. Maybe we should listen to what he told us On the Go a few weeks ago when he said that if it is snowing in Newfoundland maybe we should all stay home. I wonder who gave the order that we should all be here today, slipping and sliding trying to get into the House of Assembly, or maybe we should listen to the other comment that he made. He stated very clearly -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, he made it very clearly that he would not mandate it in the near future because it affected all the drivers in this Province. That is what I say a minister who is really concerned about the safety of our people in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, most car rental agencies in this Province do not offer cars with winter tires, or if they do there is an extra charge.

I ask the minister: Will he make it mandatory that car rental agencies provide cars with winter tires and make it mandatory this year?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. O'BRIEN: Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is asking for a day off but he is not going to get it in this House any time soon, I will guarantee you that. In the meantime, he did not listen to my last answer very well as well.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. O'BRIEN: After consideration, careful analysis in regards to the subject matter which has been done in Quebec, which took several years to do and is not even implemented yet - well, once I have that data - as a matter of fact, I might point out that our data now points that less than 1 per cent of accidents and collisions today is attributed to a defect in tires, which includes everything. So, again I go back, that sometimes regulation is not always the answer. Sometimes education is the answer, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

We understand, minister, that there are meetings scheduled for next week between the Labrador Métis Nation and the Minister of Natural Resources who's Conservation Officers laid charges against twenty-four Labrador Métis hunters. We understand also that the former Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, the current Government House Leader, indicated in April of 2007 that charges would not be laid against Labrador Métis who hunted for subsistence purposes, yet these charges were laid.

I ask the minister: Where do you stand on this issue, and do you agree that these charges should stand?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS POTTLE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We enforce the policies of Aboriginal groups the same throughout the Province. No one is being treated differently. This is before the courts, and I have nothing further to say with regards to it yet.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can appreciate the Minister of Justice, who has already declined to meet with the Leader of the Opposition on the issue because it is before the courts, and I believe that is the proper course of action for the Attorney General, but I do not believe it is the proper response from the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. She is certainly at liberty to comment on it, and give us her opinion as to where she stands.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. PARSONS: Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: Minister, in view of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal decision that came out on December 12, 2007, just this past December, which was after some of these charges were laid, is you department now prepared to recommend to the Department of Justice and the Department of Natural Resources that the charges should be withdrawn?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the priorities of this government, and Justice, Aboriginal Affairs and Labrador Affairs, has been to meet with Aboriginal groups in Labrador. We have met and have been in Labrador on a number of different occasions. We have declined to discuss the Metis hunters' case; however, the Court of Appeal decision simply stands for the fact that there was a duty to consult on the Trans-Labrador Highway, and we have done that.

We will not get involved in matters that are before the court. It is up to the Metis to determine -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: If they wish, they can challenge the matter in court and they can put forward their Aboriginal claim. Until such time as the federal government recognizes their land claims matter, that is the option that is open to them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is for the Minister of Health and Community Services.

Since I have been in the House of Assembly, and before, the people of Labrador West have been asking for, and are expecting, a new hospital to meet their needs. The March 10 Throne Speech, however, referred to an investment in the new health centre for Labrador West. The use of the term health centre is an interesting twist in the language and is causing concern for some people in Labrador, and it caused concern for me when I heard it.

I note in the fire commissioner's report of March 6, he talks about not needing to put a sprinkler system in the William Jackman Memorial Hospital because a new hospital is going to be built.

The different language is confusing people, so I ask the minister: Will he please tell the House today what is planned for the new health facility to be built in Labrador City, no matter what name it is given.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: Mr. Speaker, if there is any confusion being created, it is being created by the question.

Very clearly, if you look in Hansard, if you look in statements by this government, any comments I would have made in the House, any comments my colleague would have made, the Member for Labrador West, we have always said that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to building a new hospital in Labrador City - period.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: I am glad to hear it; I still have two more questions.

If the hon. minister looks in Hansard he will also notice that, every time I asked for details about program, nobody gave me an answer, neither the minister nor the Premier when I asked him on occasion. I have never gotten details on program, and that is what people are looking for.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: I will go on, then, since you are not going to give it to me again today, because my question was: What is going to happen in the hospital? That is what I asked, and you did not answer it.

My next question, then, because you are not going to answer it, is: Now that we have a problem happening up there with regard to the site, and everything has been put on hold again, can you give us some detail now about the status of the plans for the hospital?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. WISEMAN: I just got a question, but in the preamble she gave herself the answer.

Right now, we have run into a bit of a snag. The land that we had decided to build the building on, there have been some issues raised with respect to how close it might be to the expansion of the mine site and, by that, then, how safe might it be.

Until that evaluation is concluded and everybody better understands whether it is an appropriate location and what impact expansion of the mine site might have, we cannot do anything at all to expand any further planning to send excavators into the ground or do anything else until that piece is done.

So, your initial observation about this being on hold for a little while is an accurate one, and that is exactly where it is.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time allotted for question and answers has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chair would like to table a list of reports and documents that was deemed tabled while the House was in adjournment.

There are some 100-plus documents here that have been tabled, and every individual member of the House has received such copies. The Chair will table them, and if members want to look at the list, or have not received their copy, they can get it from the Table.

I table that as of now.

Further tabling of documents?

Notices of Motion.

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

MR. WISEMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have to get on the ball; I can see that.

I give notice that I will ask leave to introduce a bill entitled, "An Act To Provide For The Protection Of Personal Health Information." (Bill 7)

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, I believe it is catching.

Mr. Speaker, I want to stand today and present another petition with regard to the long-term care facility for the Conception Bay North area. I won't go into the full body of the petition because I have already read that before the hon. House.

When we hear so much over recent days with regard to facilities throughout our Province, I guess our area is no different. We have the Carbonear General Hospital there, which is taking up a lot of the people who could be placed out in a long-term care facility. We have the Harbour Lodge, the Interfaith Home and the Pentecostal Home. Those facilities are getting up in years when it comes to the age of a structure, and this is where the people are coming from, but I guess the main concern is where we had been placed on a priority list through the department, with a proper assessment done, back in 2000-2002, and the Conception Bay North area was listed as being number one. All of a sudden we find ourselves in sixth position, not a bad position to be in if government is going to recognize us once again and say yes, you are in need of a new facility; but, Mr. Speaker - and, we are not complaining because those people are getting new facilities.

I know it was mentioned recently that, I think, Corner Brook and Clarenville are just about coming on stream. I read in the Throne Speech there were a couple of other facilities, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Lewisporte, I think, that by 2010 will be on stream. That is all wonderful, Mr. Speaker, and we have no problem with that, in supporting it totally.

I just want to call upon government to at least have another evaluation done of the Conception Bay North area. If that area was in such a great need back four or five years ago, surely something must have gone wrong if, all of a sudden – and I will use the expression - it is totally off the radar screen.

The people of the area are calling upon us. The need is there, Mr. Speaker, and, between now and when the Budget comes down, hopefully something will be announced.

I call upon my hon. colleagues across the way. I am surrounded by three ministers, three people who are in the Cabinet. I believe they all have a strong voice and can make it be known. The Member for Trinity-Bay de Verde, the Member for Carbonear-Harbour Grace, the Member for Harbour Main and my hon. colleague from Bellevue, people from his district use those facilities as well.

Mr. Speaker, I want to call upon government to listen to the prayer of this petition and on behalf of the people of the Conception Bay North area, that they would consider the possibility, sooner rather than later, of a new facility to serve the seniors of the Conception Bay North area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise today to present another petition on behalf of the people in Newfoundland and Labrador that are taking up the cause against drug addictions in our society and are asking that the government look at establishing a long-term drug and alcohol addictions treatment facility in the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I already outlined generally the reasoning for this petition on the first day I presented it. Yesterday, I emphasized the impact of drug addictions on families. Today, I would like to talk a bit, in presenting this, about the impact of drug addictions on the community as a whole.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen and experienced in this Province first-hand what the result of drug addictions are. We have lived, Mr. Speaker, in fear of our homes being broken into, of our cars being stolen, of our workplaces being invaded in the late hours of the morning, and being held at gunpoint or knifepoint by people who are looking for money to fix their addictions. We hear about it on the 6:00 o'clock news on many, many occasions about the kind of crime that has been caused in our city due to the fact that the increasing number of people who have addictions out there not being treated is adding to this problem more and more everyday.

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to be well educated on this issue by a man in the name of Ron Fitzpatrick, an individual who has taken up the cause for addicts and their families throughout our Province in the efforts of providing safety and safety measures in our communities so that we can all feel safer in our homes and in our workplaces. Mr. Fitzpatrick has worked with people who suffer from addictions and understands the needs and the services that they require. The work that he has done through an organization called Turnings has certainly been able to advance the services that are required but also to advance the education that comes with understanding addictions and the impact that they have in our community.

I think probably the greatest stress of addictions in our society is that on the criminal system. Mr. Speaker, not only do we deal with the fact that people are being charged, people are taken into our courts on drug related crimes, and there is a cost that is attached to all of that. By the time you get through the court system, which is a heavy price that the Province pays and the government pays, then many of these people are incarcerated and the cost then escalates for the taxpayers and for the people of the community, sometimes in the amounts of hundreds of thousands of dollars that are being paid out. In our Province, already we know the cost of keeping one person in prison, if it is a male it is $65,000 a year. Mr. Speaker, if you add on the price of remand hospital treatments, it is likely to go up about another $80,000 a year.

Mr. Speaker, I know my time is almost up. If I could by leave, just for a second there to clue up?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: Just to clue up.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. member, by leave.

MS JONES: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we also know that the cost of holding women in our penitentiaries is even higher than that. The cost of four women is at $93,000 a year. Anytime that you have escalated addictions in a region which is contributing to a higher crime rate - which many of these cases end up in the court system and then result in incarceration of individuals. At the end of the day, the bill to the taxpayer is a very high substantial cost to the taxpayer of the Province. That is why I support the petition that has been presented by thousands of people in the Province asking the government to look at some kind of a treatment facility that will help take drug addicts off our streets, rehabilitate them, provide rehabilitation to their families as well so that we can all enjoy living in a healthier society.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further petitions?

Orders of the Day.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Motions, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 1.

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The hon. the Minister of Government Services.

AN HON. MEMBER: Mr. Speaker, (inaudible).

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, motion 1.

On behalf of the Minister of Government Services I ask leave to introduce a bill, An Act Respecting The Cost Of Consumer Credit Disclosure. (Bill 4)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce a bill, An Act Respecting The Cost Of Consumer Credit Disclosure. (Bill 4)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Government Services to introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting The Cost Of Consumer Credit Disclosure," carried. (Bill 4)

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Motion 2, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Government Services have leave to introduce a bill, An Act Respecting Architects And The Provision Of Architectural Services. (Bill 5)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce a bill, An Act Respecting Architects And The Provision Of Architectural Services. (Bill 5)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Government Services to introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting Architects And The Provision Of Architectural Services," carried. (Bill 5)

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 3, that the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Embalmers And Funeral Directors. (Bill 11)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Embalmers And Funeral Directors. (Bill 11)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Government Services shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Government Services to introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting Embalmers And Funeral Directors," carried. (Bill 11)

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 4, that the Minister of Justice have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The Access To Information And Protection Of Privacy Act. (Bill 6)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act To Amend The Access To Information And Protection Of Privacy Act. (Bill 6)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. Minister of Justice and Attorney General shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General to introduce a bill, "An Act To Amend The Access To Information And Protection Of Privacy Act," carried. (Bill 6)

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 5, that the Minister of Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Registered Nurses. (Bill 3)

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce a bill entitled, An Act Respecting Registered Nurses. (Bill 3)

Is it the pleasure of the House that the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services shall have leave to introduce the said bill?

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

Motion, the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to introduce a bill, "An Act Respecting Registered Nurses," carried. (Bill 3)

MR. SPEAKER: I just ask the hon. Government House Leader if he would allow me one minute to consult with the Clerk. I see the Clerk trying to get my attention. Maybe I am not following proper procedure here.

[Speaker consults with the Clerk.]

MR. SPEAKER: I say to the hon. Government House Leader, everything is under control.

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I never doubted for a moment that, in your capable, competent hands, everything was anything other than under control.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we can move on to the routine business of the day. I would like to call Order 1, which is Committee of Supply, and the motion is that you leave the Chair, I do believe.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Before we entertain that motion, I ask the Government House Leader - I think, in consultation with him before the House opened, it was the intention to move first readings of those motions?

AN HON. MEMBER: I don't understand.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Government House Leader gave introduction to the bills; and, with introductions, after the introductions, come first readings. Parliamentary procedure is that we ask leave to do the introduction of the bill and then we proceed to do first reading of the bill.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that we gave notices of motion on those pieces of legislation today, and that today is another parliamentary day so we call for first reading. When we do, when I call Motion 1, my understanding is that is first reading of Bill 4.

If we have not done something properly - or improperly - if we need to do something to correct it, then I understand we have leave from the Opposition, that those bills that were given notice of now be read a first time so that they appear on the Order Paper the next parliamentary day in second reading stage and are available for debate in second reading. That is the intent.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. minister is quite correct in what he is saying, but the hon. minister has not moved first reading of the bills. The hon. member has introduced the bills but has not asked that the bills be read a first time. That is another procedure in the Speaker's handbook that he might see in front of him there.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, first reading of Bill 4.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a first time.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion that Bill 4, An Act Respecting The Cost Of Consumer Credit Disclosure, be now read a first time?

All those in favor, ‘aye'.

SOME HON MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. PARSONS: A point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

AN HON. MEMBER: Nay – sorry, aye.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Carried.

I wonder if the hon. the Opposition House Leader is going to respond to something that we are doing here, or can we complete the act of first reading of this bill?

MR. PARSONS: That is what I was trying to - I would like to have some clarification, if I might, from the Chair, based on the comments –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to have some clarification as well to the comments that were made by the Chair to the Government House Leader, and his comments back to you, because it was my understanding as well, of the process here, that the introduction was actually done when the Government House Leader introduced the bills the last parliamentary sitting day and said: These are the bills we give notice of.

I took that to be that is the actual introduction phase and that today, when he stood on his feet, he is doing the first reading phase. Now, that is my understanding of the process but the Chair's comments have led me to question whether I am on the wrong track as well. So I guess it is more of a learning process for all of us here. I didn't hear any definitive directions from the Chair after the Government House Leader's comments as to what we are or are not doing today.

I am just wondering if the Chair can clarify that what the Government House Leader is now doing is, in fact, first readings and not introductory comments.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

What the Government House Leader did on a prior day, which was yesterday, which is the acceptable practice of this House, was to ask members and ministers to give notices of motion. That was done yesterday.

On another parliamentary day the ministers and the Government House Leader, through his direction, when we call Orders of the Day, will stand and introduce the said bill. By parliamentary procedure it is always done by leave, to introduce a bill. To go on further after the introduction of the bill, the bill must be read a first time. The introduction of the bill and first reading is done on the same parliamentary day. It is the normal procedure, in my understanding, in talking with the Table Officers, that has always taken place here.

Whether that is wrong or not, I can only refer to the wisdom of the Table, but we are doing first reading of this parliamentary bill now after the introduction, which the minister can do and the Government House Leader can do with each motion that he has already given a notice of introduction, or that he has already introduced to the House.

MR. RIDEOUT: My understanding, Mr. Speaker, is that we have now done first reading of Bill 4.

MR. SPEAKER: No, we have not, I say to the hon. Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Well, let's do first reading of Bill 4.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting The Cost Of Consumer Credit Disclosure. (Bill 4)

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

When shall the said bill be read a second time? Now? Tomorrow?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker.

On motion, Bill 4 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, first reading of Bill 5.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that the said bill be now read a first time, Bill 5.

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

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Architects And The Provision Of Architectural Services. (Bill 5)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 5 has now been read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time? Now? Tomorrow?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 5 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: First reading, Mr. Speaker, of Bill 11.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 11 be now read a first time.

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

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Embalmers And Funeral Directors. (Bill 11)

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

When shall Bill 11 be read a second time? Now? Tomorrow?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 11 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: First reading, Mr. Speaker, of Bill 6.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 6 be now read a first time.

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

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Motion carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act To Amend The Access To Information And Protection Of Privacy Act. (Bill 6)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 6 has been now read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 6 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, first reading of Bill 3.

MR. SPEAKER: It is moved and seconded that Bill 3 be now read a first time.

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

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, ‘nay'.

Carried.

CLERK: A bill, An Act Respecting Registered Nurses.(Bill 3)

MR. SPEAKER: Bill 3 has been now read a first time.

When shall the said bill be read a second time? Now? Tomorrow?

MR. RIDEOUT: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, Bill 3 read a first time, ordered read a second time on tomorrow.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, I move Order 1, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of Supply to consider the matter of Interim Supply, which is Bill 2.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the House resolve itself into a Committee of Supply and that I do now leave the Chair.

All those in favor, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: All those against, 'nay'.

Motion carried.

On motion, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on Supply, Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

CHAIR (T. Osborne): The hon. the Member for Mount Pearl North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and good afternoon.

It is indeed a pleasure to rise today, first and foremost, to offer my sincere thanks to the people of the District of Mount Pearl North. I am grateful for the privilege they bestowed on me in the October 9 provincial general election. I offer my congratulations to all hon. members who were elected in this recent election.

I wish to thank the citizens of Mount Pearl for their continued support over the past decade. I was first elected to Mount Pearl City Council in September, 1997. I served as Deputy Mayor for six years until I was sworn in as Mayor in October, 2003. I thoroughly enjoyed serving as the city's mayor for four years. While it was a difficult decision to leave, I felt I was ready for a new challenge. I am thrilled to be a member of this House at such an exciting and important time in our Province's history. I assure the people of Mount Pearl that I will continue to work hard on their behalf.

It is also an honour to now represent the Town of Paradise in this Legislature. Interestingly enough, I lived in the area of Paradise that I now represent before moving to Mount Pearl twenty-eight years ago. Like Mount Pearl, the Town of Paradise is a vibrant, growing community. In fact, Paradise continues to be one of the fastest growing communities in Eastern Canada. I thank the residents of the Elizabeth Park neighbourhood for their vote of confidence on October 9. I pledge to be a strong voice for them in this House.

Mr. Chair, this session is not the first time that I have sat in this House. For several years I was a member and a minister in the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Parliament. I stood in this very Chamber and passionately debated issues of importance to young people in our Province. I am pleased to say that I learned a lot from experiences such as this, and I intend to bring similar energy, optimism and determination to my new role as MHA for the District of Mount Pearl North.

Mr. Chair, I was both overwhelmed and humbled by the level of support I received from the people of Mount Pearl North in the recent election, in which I received 85 per cent of the vote. I recognize that with such support comes a tremendous responsibility. I take this responsibility very seriously, and I assure my constituents that I will represent them to the best of my ability. I will bring their concerns, their ideas and their issues to the attention of our government and to the attention of this House.

The people of Mount Pearl North, formerly known as Waterford Valley, have been fortunate to have strong representation in this House for many years. I want to acknowledge the tremendous contribution that Mr. Harvey Hodder made to public life for over fourteen years in this House and for over twenty-three years as a member of the Mount Pearl Council. Mr. Hodder accomplished a great deal during his time in public life, and I congratulate him on a remarkable career. I thank Harvey for the support he has given me, and I look forward to his continued involvement in our district.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: Mr. Chair, as hon. members of this House are aware, public life has both its challenges and rewards. I would like to take a moment to thank my family and friends for their tremendous support since I entered politics over ten years ago. In particular, I thank my parents, who are, and have always been, my best campaign workers. I also thank my fiancée, Janet, for her support and her tireless efforts on the campaign trail. My family members and friends have always played a prominent role in my success and for that I am extremely grateful.

Mr. Chair, in progressive and healthy communities, such as Mount Pearl and Paradise, volunteers play a vital role. I want to pay tribute to the dozens and dozens of volunteers who were truly the heart of my campaign. I deeply appreciate their commitment; I deeply appreciate their friendship.

I wish to thank the hon. Premier for welcoming me as a member of his team.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: I really have enjoyed working with the members of Cabinet and our caucus over the last number of months, and I am incredibly proud to be part of a team that has such a powerful vision for our Province and such a strong desire to move Newfoundland and Labrador forward.

During the first four years in office, our hon. Premier and his government made many tough decisions to get our Province moving in the right direction. Getting our fiscal House in order is a critical first step in order to ensure that our Province reaches its full potential. Beyond being fiscally responsible, our government has addressed many important social needs that exist in our communities. Throughout my time in public time, I have learned that good government is about balance. That is why it was an easy decision to offer myself as a candidate for the Progressive Conservative team.

As we saw earlier this week in the Throne Speech, our government remains committed to striking the right balance. We will strive to be fiscally self-sufficient, while also tackling challenges with socially progressive approaches. I often say that there is a long road ahead - by providing strong governance and having the courage to do the right things today, we can ensure a prosperous future for generations to come.

Mr. Chair, while I was on the campaign trail, the residents of Paradise and Mount Pearl expressed many concerns to me. These include matters related to health care, education, employment, and child care, to name just a few. I listened to concerns from working families, as well as from retirees who are on fixed incomes. While people in my district acknowledged the fact that there are challenges to be addressed, they are, at the same time, confident that our government is working to meet these challenges. The people of Newfoundland and Labrador can see the real progress that has been made. There exists a new sense of hope. There exists a renewed sense of pride. There is a level of confidence and optimism that has never been seen before in Newfoundland and Labrador. By working together we really can be -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: By working together we really can be masters of our own destiny.

Mr. Chair, while my district is geographically smaller than many others, a considerable percentage of the Province's population resides in the City of Mount Pearl and in the Town of Paradise. These communities contribute immensely to the economy of our region and our Province. Of course, as these communities continue to grow there are infrastructure needs to be meet. I am pleased that this government is committed to the future and the sustainability of both Paradise and Mount Pearl. I will do my part to advocate for continued investments from these significant urban centres.

Mr. Chair, during the first four years of Progressive Conservative Government under the leadership of Premier Williams, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians saw a change in leadership but they also witnessed a change in attitude. The philosophy of no more giveaways is a mantra now in Newfoundland and Labrador, and one that is hugely supported.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENT: We are indeed a prosperous Province that has much to contribute to Canada. We can and we will become a self-sustaining entity. We can eventually be fiscally debt free and we can do all of this while still investing in education, health care, economic development and other key priority areas. This government's plan is a balanced one, one that touches every Newfoundlander and Labradorian. Our government is doing good things and it shows. By working together, by standing tall together, we can achieve our great promise. It is very true that the future is ours.

Mr. Chair, it is a tremendous honour to serve as a Member of the House of Assembly. Once again, I extend my gratitude to the people of Mount Pearl North. I will listen, I will learn, and I will always represent my constituents to the very best of my ability. I will contribute to the work of this government in whatever way I can as together we move Newfoundland and Labrador boldly forward to self-reliance. It is indeed a wonderful time to be a member of this House and it is a great time to be living in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you very much.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Standing ovation, I was the only one up and they did not applaud.

Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure again today to be able to stand and make a few comments with regard to, I guess, second reading on Bill 2, with respect to granting Interim Supply to Her Majesty.

Mr. Chairman, first of all, I want to congratulate my hon. colleague on his maiden speech, and all other members, whether they have given a member's statement or their maiden speech here in this hon. House of Assembly.

Mr. Chairman, we are fairly freewheeling when we are into debate today, and I want to go back to the questions that came up by our hon. Leader of the Opposition, the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair, with regard to the audiology questions that she had asked.

First of all, I know the Minister of Health and Community Services did mention in his response about the millions of dollars going into health - and all of that is greatly appreciated, let me assure you - and how government was working to try to eliminate the long wait lists that we have in various areas of health care in the Province. He suggested to the hon. Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair that probably the people who are having those problems should contact their general practitioners; however, after Question Period - and I want to say that we were very pleased on this side because the Premier came over and verified for us that he was not aware of this situation about the problems with audiology in our Province, and the testing. He stated very clearly that he would be checking it out to see what could be done, what avenues he could look into, if funding could be made available, and what the lists are like with this situation.

Mr. Chairman, my intent today was to give some information on this, and I plan to go ahead with it, with the full knowledge that I am very thankful of the Premier's promise to us.

There are many students in this Province who have problems and they require this special type of testing. Mr. Chairman, with the official I spoke with, he explained to me that this is a three hour test, but he stated very clearly that at the present time it is not done anywhere else in the Province, only at the Janeway here in St. John's.

They are getting a tremendous increase in referrals from guidance counsellors throughout all of the schools in this Province, but he stated very clearly to me the problem is the shortage that they encounter. They had a shortage of audiologists two years ago, but he said it is more prevalent today and they are in a very difficult situation.

I was advised that they did some testing last summer, but in the past twelve months there has been very little done when it comes to the referrals that came from the Department of Education. Yes, they were doing the work that was put before them within the system, but, the special requests that were coming in, they did very little over the past twelve months; however, I was advised, and we appreciate it, that new equipment has been ordered and is on its way, that will reduce the time limit to do this testing. Where a test now is probably three to three-and-a-half hours, the time limit would be reduced and they would be able to get more done; however, he felt that other centres should be set up to help with this very serious situation.

At the present time, information is being compiled all around this Province to find out how many individuals, how many young people, are affected and need this special test to be done.

I was also told that approximately 99 per cent of the referrals that come in from the outside are referrals from the Department of Education. I was also told that there is an audiologist on staff at the School for the Deaf, but that individual has been advised not to carry out any of this testing in relation to the problems that many of our young people encounter.

I was also told that there are three vacancies at the Janeway at the present time. One audiologist, apparently, is off on maternity leave, and there are two vacancies. They are hoping to recruit two young individuals who will graduate this year to come to the Janeway and help to alleviate this problem. If they do, if they are successful, they will have a full staff and things should, I guess, get back to normal in regards to the testing.

Mr. Chairman, the other comment that was made, it is very difficult to attract individuals from outside of our Province because of the wage factor those people are being paid. I have to say, apart from the comments that were made today by the Premier, knowing that this is going to be looked into, all of what I just mentioned is of very little consolation to the family in my district from whence the call came and the Question Period today was built around.

Mr. Chairman, I had a call from the mother who told me that she had a daughter who was presently in Grade 5. She checked with the Janeway and was told that it would be three-and-a-half years before this testing could be done. She was also advised by the staff at this particular school, the guidance counsellor, that there was nothing else they could do really, from the Department of Education's perspective, until this testing had been done.

To me, it is just terrible to know that there is a young individual out there with a disability and it is going to take three and a half years – that student will possibly be in Grade 8 or Grade 9 before anything is done, to see what can be done to assist that individual.

Mr. Speaker, how many other young people are affected the same way? To know that their child has a problem and it is going to take such a long time to see the proper number of people put in place so that this testing can be carried out at an earlier date, and to make sure that something can be done to help them - it is no disrespect to the people in the schools or the Department of Education who are recommending this be done. That is the process they have to go through. However, there is some, I guess, good consolation today to know that the Premier has said he will step in here and see what can be done. I am sure, for those who are listening, it will be a great word of encouragement to them, to know that the time factor that is involved now may be reduced and something can be done to help not only this child but many others around the Province.

Once the list is compiled and we know where all those students are from, which centers they are from, I would suggest that government would go on the recommendation of the individual who I spoke with, that this testing could be set up on the West Coast and in Central Newfoundland as well as here in St. John's. Apparently it is a tremendous burden to know – and the doctors who are at the Janeway feel sorry that they don't have the time to carry out this work on behalf of the referrals that are coming from the Department of Education.

Mr. Speaker, seeing I am on the educational side of it and Budget time is coming up, I guess I just want to mention an issue in regard to a couple of schools in my own district. Hopefully there will be funding made available. I have heard vibes that there may be some assistance coming. Just two years ago there was an overcrowding problem at Coley's Point Primary, and I know the school board and the Member for Grand Bank now, who was in with Avalon East School District, attended the meeting where it was made very clear that due to the overcrowding the Grade 4 students would have to be moved from Coley's Point Primary to Amalgamated Academy, and in order for that to happen, new classrooms had to be built onto Amalgamated Academy. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The children were moved there last year. I guess through the difficult times that they went through, the accommodations were made but I know they went through a very difficult time. I am calling up on government - hopefully, this is going to be announced in this year's Budget - that the renovations that need to take place at Amalgamated Academy will take place.

The other issue with regards to the same two facilities is Coley's Point Primary again. It is a wooden structure. I would say it is over forty years of age. Really, that was where I was coming from yesterday when I asked the Minister of Education about the safety and concerns, or if there are any within the schools that we have today. We all know that everything cannot be corrected at the one time, but I do know the consultant's report -

CHAIR: Order, please!

I remind the member that his time for speaking has expired.

MR. BUTLER: Just a few seconds to clue up?

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

CHAIR: By leave.

MR. BUTLER: I thank you for leave just to clue up. I am sure we will have ample time to come back again.

With regards to the school at Coley's Point, the situation was that they were deemed to have a new building constructed because of the old facility. However, with the consultant's report, that report was null and void and today we have a structure that is over forty years of age. That was one of the reasons I asked the question yesterday to the Minister of Education: Has appropriate fire inspections taken place in those buildings and everything deemed to be appropriate, where we hear so much about in senior homes, hospitals, personal care homes and so on?

With that, Mr. Chair, I thank you for the few seconds to clue up, and thank you again.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Humber Valley.

SOME HON MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, what have I gotten myself into? I spent thirty years as a school administrator, had to deal with discipline on a daily basis, I am opened up to the task.

I am honoured to stand in this House of Assembly today as a newly elected Member for the marvelous District of Humber Valley. The new district boundaries include: Pasadena, Pynn's Brook, St. Jude's, Deer Lake, Reidville, Cormack, Howley, Hampden, Beaches, Pollards Point, Sop's Arm and Jackson's Arm.

I am privileged to share the community of Pasadena with my good colleague, Minister Marshall, who I have a lot of special respect and admiration for. I am here because of the outstanding work of my campaign team whose tireless efforts led to my victory on October 9. I sincerely thank them for their long hours and dedicated efforts on my behalf.

I wish to thank the voters in the District of Humber Valley who placed their confidence in me. Also, I was so fortunate to have the support of my wife, Christine, and my family. I would like to acknowledge that my wife and my mother are here in the gallery today. Thank you for coming.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: The District of Humber Valley is unique in many ways and has immense economic potential. The region is fortunate to have broad economic clusters that highlight the economic potential of the Humber Valley district. These clusters include tourism, agriculture, forestry, mining, transportation, and government services.

The tourism cluster is experiencing significant growth. Much of this growth has been complemented by expansion at the Deer Lake Regional Airport. The Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority officially opened the expanded facility in 2007, marking less than three years since the organization decided to self finance the $11.5 million project to double the terminal size and to make other improvements. This airport terminal building is a state-of-the-art, comparable in architectural detail and amenities to some of the best regional airports in Canada. It truly is an asset to Western Newfoundland and the region it serves. Not only is the current airport a significant economic employer, but the newly expanded facility is an engine for economic growth.

Mr. Chair, in today's business section of The Telegram, there is an article on the Deer Lake Airport Authority and the significant contribution made by outgoing Chairman Carl Stratton. Carl's contribution to this airport was significant from day one. I strongly agree with the commentary by Jamie Schwartz, the airport manager that Carl, "… is resigning as chair at a time when the airport is on solid ground and well positioned for future success." Carl is to be commended for his foresight and leadership in ensuring the airport grew into a more significant economic factor in the Humber Valley region. I am very pleased that he will remain on to serve on the board of directors.

Mr. Chair, the tourism industry is very significant to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, one job in ten, globally, is connected to the tourism industry. Our Province's unprecedented investment in the tourism market is bringing dividends to the provincial economy. The tourism budget has doubled in the last four years, and our government has reduced ferry rates which will stimulate our tourism sector, but encourage tourists to see more of our beautiful Province. It is so unfortunate that the federal government, through Marine Atlantic, hasn't had the same foresight as our provincial government. The tourism assets, in or near my district, are quite significant. The tourism potential of Humber Valley is huge and work is being done to grow the industry by many individuals involved in the tourism sector in Western Newfoundland.

The recent announcement of a new hotel facility in the Town of Deer Lake is important in increasing the accommodation capacity in my district. The official opening of the new Pasadena Ski Lodge, which Minister Marshall and I attended, with nighttime cross-country skiing, came about as a result of significant contributions from this government.

Since my election, I have had the pleasure of seeing more significant work done to improve Sir Richard Squires Park, the brush cutting, roadside ditching, campsite development, and dumping station are important improvements. Tourists and local residents alike are amazed when they see the mighty Atlantic salmon jump the falls.

Another cluster with growing economic significance is the agriculture-agrifood sector in my district. There are a number of strawberry farms, dairy farms and root crop farms in the Humber Valley. The Humber Valley Fall Fair is held every September to showcase the diversity in my district. The government has provided a $4 million fund for new agriculture and agrifoods development to support this industry in our Province.

Historically, forestry has been a very significant economic cluster in my district. My great-grandfather and grandfather moved to Howley in 1924 to continue their careers in logging, having moved from Millertown. Prior to Howley, they had been loggers in the A&D Company. My family has been involved, when the bucksaw was an innovation over the crosscut. This little fellow from Howley is very proud of his hometown roots. Modern logging has changed significantly and technology has removed much of the human resource from the industry. However, logging is still important throughout my district and it is comforting to know that this government is committed to supporting an industry that is still so vital to so many individuals and families in our great Province.

Mr. Chair, the government has invested $15 million through the provincial silviculture program to ensure responsible management of the forest resource and in the past two years has allocated an additional $7 million to construct 140 kilometers of new forest resource roads.

In the mining industry, exploration work is planned in oil, uranium and precious metals in my district.

There are two fish plants located in Jackson's Arm. These plants are a significant employer in the more rural parts of my district.

A significant economic cluster in my district is the provision of government services. People are employed in health care, education, tourism, transportation and other government services.

Mr. Chair, one of my primary roles as an MHA is to help individuals, organizations and community councils with their issues. In my new role as MHA, I want to make sure I am a strong voice for the people of Humber Valley.

Mr. Chair, the completion of the Nicholsville Bridge highlights $2.5 million worth of transportation improvement slated for Humber Valley this summer. This is part of the provincial government's $73 million roads program. Government promised the people of Nicholsville a new bridge, they have been patient, and I am proud this government is delivering on that commitment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: Other work slated for the Humber Valley is the upgrading and repaving of Route 420, Sop's Arm to Jackson's Arm.

Mr. Chair, I look forward to working with municipal councils and local service districts in the next four years. I feel my background in municipal government will be an asset in working with these organizations. I was elected for three terms as a municipal councillor and recently resigned as mayor of Deer Lake to enter provincial politics. My municipal experience included Western Director with both the Municipal Assessment Agency and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.

Minister Denine has met with several councils in my district and I look forward to working with the minister and government on the concerns of municipalities.

Mr. Chair, I would like to acknowledge some of the positive work that this government has done to support health care in our Province. This has included new MRI machines, new long-term care facilities, funding for mental health addictions, new vaccines, insulin pumps and improved dental care programs for children.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: The addition of new drugs for cancer and Alzheimer patients, as well as $4 million to add services for families of individuals with disabilities is significant. Given the current demographics of our Province, health care will continue to be a challenge and I look forward to working with our government to find solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Mr. Chair, I am extremely proud to have been elected to the government with such a strong record of achievement and success. Not only has the government invested strategically to grow the provincial economy, but it has developed and implemented an $11 million Poverty Reduction Strategy plan.

I was a school administrator in this Province for thirty years, and left at a time when our education budget exceeded $1 billion, despite a significant reduction in the student enrolment. Enrolment was 166,000 students in the 1970s, and today we are in the 70,000 students range. Being a school administrator, I witnessed poverty first-hand, and I applaud the efforts of this government to assist low-income families.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: The elimination of school fees at a cost of $6.3 million was quite significant. When I started teaching in 1977, the policy was free textbooks from K-8. When I retired from teaching in 2007, the policy was still free textbooks from K-8. I am so proud that this government has allocated $12.8 million to provide free textbooks from K-12 this school year.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: Too often I saw students making choices about which courses they would take based on the cost of a textbook. This became particularly evident when textbooks for a course changed and they could no longer get second-hand textbooks.

Government has also made it much easier for high school students to attend post-secondary education by freezing tuition fees. They have made it easier for parents by reducing the parental contribution required from middle- and low-income families.

At this time, I would like to congratulate the Minister of Education on the new staffing allocation she announced for our schools yesterday. Well done, Minister.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: Mr. Chair, in this modern age of technology, I am excited that the government has made a significant investment to bring broadband to more rural communities and to increase the competitiveness of our Province.

I would like to congratulate the Premier on his recent announcement that Minister Hedderson will be responsible for working with the not-for-profit sector. Volunteers play a significant role in the social, cultural and economic development of the communities in my district. They are involved with sporting groups, town councils, library boards, fire departments, festivals and events, museums, zonal boards, church groups and service clubs. The contribution they make is quite significant to the district and to this Province as a whole.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: A new group of volunteers in my district was recently involved in restoring the Ford House in Jackson's Arm. Diane Curtis and her committee recently used CEP funding to repair the roof and do renovations to this historic home. The home is completely furnished, maintaining its historic character, and still has three chamber pots by the bed upstairs. I didn't try to sit in one.

It will be a real treat for the community and tourists to observe early life in a fishing community in our Province. I was so pleased to help this group with initial funding for this very worthwhile cultural endeavour.

In conclusion, Mr. Chair, I appreciate the opportunity to address this House today. On reflection, it is quite clear to me that the Danny Williams led government has done an outstanding job in this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: This support was clearly demonstrated by the electorate on October 9. Again, I am so grateful and humbled by the support I received from my supporters in the District of Humber Valley. It is quite clear to me that this government has not abrogated its responsibilities socially or economically. I am confident that this team will further its economic and social agenda for the benefits of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

I would like to thank my colleagues in the House of Assembly, and their support staff, for the encouragement that they have given me over the past five months. This has allowed my transition to be so much smoother, and I am so very grateful.

To my constituents, I will work diligently on your behalf over the next four years on the issues you have brought to me. I look forward to continued improvements in the lives of the residents of Humber Valley.

I am so proud to be a part of the Humber team with the Premier, Minister Marshall, and my colleague Terry Loder, representing the Bay of Islands. I am confident that we will continue to support tourism and the other economic clusters that I have identified in this region and in the Province. With this team, the hum on the Humber will never be stronger.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KELLY: I am excited about the opportunity to participate in the management and growth of our beloved Province, Newfoundland and Labrador. I am confident that the direction of our leader, Premier Williams, and his team, will result in long-term sustainable benefits for the people of this great Province.

I fully recognize that challenges currently exist, and more are on the horizon, but I do solemnly believe that the current government will continue to meet and exceed the expectations of the people in this Province.

It has been a pleasure to address this House today, and I look forward to making a contribution to my district and to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In the words of Henry Ford: If everyone is moving forward together, then the success takes care of itself.

Colleagues, let's move forward together.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

I am happy to be able to stand again in the Committee of the Whole and speak to the bill that is before us, the bill that allows Interim Supply so that the government can go on after March 31 when the current Budget comes to an end. It is very important that we do this. It is also a sign, though, that once again our Budget is coming out in April. One would hope we could have an earlier Budget, but that won't stop us from moving on.

I noted that when the Minister of Finance introduced the bill on the first day that we started discussing it, he looked at the Budget that is coming to an end on March 31 and pointed out things that he saw as being high points of that Budget. I have to say that at the time I thought we were only getting part of a picture.

One of the things that is in the current Budget that is coming to an end, and that the minister spoke to, was the issue around taxation, and how people had benefited from the decisions that were in the current Budget. He did talk about tax benefits, and I am sure some of those benefits did benefit low-income people and seniors, there is no doubt about that; however, what he did not talk about, which was a bigger issue I think, was the tax cuts that were in the Budget that is now coming to a close on March 31.

There is no wonder that he did not speak to the tax cuts, because when one looks at the reality of those tax cuts I do not think it is something that we should be happy with. When one takes the statistics from the Canada Revenue Agency and looks at the tax cuts that were in our provincial government's Budget for 2007-2008, and you take that information and graph it on a per capital basis, what we find is pretty startling. It turns out that over half of the taxpayers in this Province benefited from only 12 per cent of the tax cuts, over half, and one-eighth of the taxpayers of this Province benefited from 43.6 per cent of the cuts. In other words, people on the extreme low end got precious little and people on the upper end got quite a bit. I will put it in real figures, Mr. Chair, that an individual on the very end of the taxpaying scale actually made $15.19 this year because of the tax cuts; whereas an individual at the top end of the scale made $12,536 because of the tax cuts.

Now, I do not have a problem with tax cuts if the tax cuts are benefiting the people who really need them. When I look at the tax cuts that were done by this government in the current Budget that is coming to an end, I see that it did not benefit those who really needed it. Some people in the middle got a little bit of help, but again it was just a small amount of help in real terms and was no help in comparison to what people at the top end got.

I am concerned as we are waiting for a new Budget and the minister is finalizing that Budget. We will probably have to wait another month for it. I hope that, in the time he is taking to put that Budget together, he will reflect on these figures which are the real figures of what happened with the tax cuts in this year's Budget. I would ask him, if he still considers that a tax cut is necessary, that he realize who it is really necessary for, because the 12.7 per cent of people at the top end of the scale do not need the tax cut. If tax cuts are only going to benefit those people who do not need it let's not do them, let's find another way to help the people who need help, or if we are going to use tax cuts, then do it in a way that is really going to help the people in the middle and from them down, because they are the ones who really need the help.

I agree with helping people in the middle income downward, but let's find a way to do it that is really going to help them. I really do not think that it is fair when I look at this that somebody who is at the low end of the scale can say, oh my goodness, I might get an extra feed of fish and chips from Ches's this year because of $15.19 that I made on the tax cut, while somebody else can look at it and say, oh, we might get a dinner every week this year, an extra dinner at one of the most expensive restaurants in St. John's with the tax break we are making.

Let's think about it. Let's think about the imbalance in this system of tax cuts. If the minister really wants to think about what is going to help then think about some of the fees that are there or some of the extra taxes that are there for people that are really adding to the burden that is on them, if we want to help people in the middle to low income group.

Let's look at things like the tax on insurance, and I will not get tired of bringing this one up because it is a tax that should not exist. It is a tax that other provinces realize is not needed and should not exist. This levy that our Province puts on insurance has to end. If we really want to help the people in low income and up to middle or middle down, then let's do it where it is really going to help them. Fifteen dollars from a tax cut is not it, but the amount of money that could be saved on the insurance on one's house, that is a lot. The amount of money that could be saved on the insurance on one's car, that is a lot. It is a heck of a lot more than $15.

I am asking the minister to think about that as he is putting his new budget together. He is taking the time to do that Budget, that is why we are here today having this discussion, and I would certainly hope that he will give serious consideration to doing a bit better than the last one. If we are really going to talk about fees, as he did when he opened up this discussion and how the cutting back on some fees really helped, let's look at the fees that are really going to help. The first one I wanted to really push is that levy on insurance that we don't need. That's a real difficulty for people; that is an added burden that they don't need.

Let's look at another one, another tax that could help. I know that anytime I have raised this it has been pooh-poohed but I am going to keep raising it, and that is the tax on home heating fuel, no matter what the home heating fuel is. To remove that tax, I know in the big scheme - I've heard it said by the minister and by others on the other side of the House, if we can still use that term in this sitting of the House, I have heard it said, oh, it's not that much, it really won't help that much. You know what, removing the tax on home heating fuel will help a lot more than that tax cut that gave somebody with $11,000 an extra $15 in their pocket. They are paying that much on probably one amount of oil for their furnace. It will help, and if we want to balance it out and make it equitable, then you add the extra rebate for low income people on top of that.

The Province as a whole is benefiting from the income from the oil production in this Province. The Province as a whole, through the government, is benefiting from the tremendous price that one gets now for a barrel of oil. The Province as a whole is benefiting, but you know individuals want to benefit also and that $15 a year for a person earning $11,000 is not much of a benefit. It is not much of a benefit, so let's look at where we can benefit. Let's make sure that the revenue coming in from the oil production is benefiting the individuals as well; individuals who really need it.

CHAIR: Order, please! Order, please!

The member's time for speaking has lapsed.

MS MICHAEL: Could I just round it up then?

CHAIR: Leave to clue up?

AN HON. MEMBER: Yes.

MR. SPEAKER: By leave.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you.

I won't go into new points, Mr. Chair. I had other points but I might get another chance to make some of these points. I will say, though, in rounding out what I have been saying, that I am asking the Minister of Finance, as he takes time to finish his Budget, to really look at things in his Budget that are going to make a real difference in the pocket of people. If this government is really concerned about poverty reduction, it has to remember that putting real money in people's hands, in the hands of low income people, is where we have to go, and that there are many measures hands, in the hands of low-income people is where we have to go. There are many measures that can be done to do that, that they have not contemplated yet, and I encourage the minister to do that.

Thank you.

CHAIR (Collins): The hon. the Member for Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is a pleasure to stand in the House today to speak to Bill 2, Interim Supply, to defray certain expenses. Before I do that, Mr. Chair, I would just like to take a moment to congratulate some of my colleagues on their maiden speeches, my colleague, the MHA from Lewisporte, my colleague from Humber Valley, as well my colleague from Mount Pearl North. Welcome to the House.

The Member for Mount Pearl North, I had an opportunity a number of years ago to work together with him in a volunteer capacity, Big Brothers Big Sisters and he certainly has a strong background in volunteerism and in many facets of working with people in our society. So, I certainly welcome working with him over the next few years.

Mr. Chair, I want to take a few moments, just a little leeway here, to speak to the residents of Ferryland district and say a special thank you to them for re-electing me in October. I, myself, have just been sitting in this Assembly for one year, and that was last February when I was elected. Certainly, a strong mandate again in October for my candidacy but more importantly, I guess, or bigger was the support for this government for the initiatives they are pursuing and for the leadership of Premier Williams and the direction this Province is going in, the plan that this government has directed. Certainly, they gave strong support as we move forward over the next four years. Mr. Chair, a number of initiatives, obviously, over the past number of years that this government has committed to, just a few we look at in terms of health care, education, roads infrastructure, communications, just to name a few.

When I was campaigning I wanted to note that with the electoral boundaries change last year before the October election, I had the honour of picking up, expanding my district. Actually, the community of St. Shotts in the southern part of my district on the Southern Avalon, and had the opportunity last summer to visit there with the MHA for Placentia & St. Mary's who was the member at the time. We happened to visit there over the summer at St. Shotts Come Home Year, a tremendous event. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of people there. Then in the fall to meet with everybody in the community, certainly going door to door, and since then have worked on a number of initiatives with them and look forward to working with them in years to come.

As well, the electoral boundary changes resulted, I guess, in the northern end of my district - some changes as well, where we saw a bigger part of the Goulds become part of the Ferryland District. My colleague, the hon. John Dinn, the MHA for Kilbride now, has a strong background, a strong history in municipal politics. He was well-known in the region. I even had to convince some people at the doors I knocked on that they could not vote for John Dinn, that they actually had to vote for me. So, that was one of the challenges I had, but I certainly look forward to working with those new residents of the Goulds which became part of my district. Again, there will be a number of issues that we will work on as we move forward.

Mr. Chair, a couple of items I wanted to talk to that highlight, I guess, investments of this government and two of them are road infrastructure and information technology. This government has made tremendous investments in both. To highlight that, I will just revert to a conversation I had with a gentleman from St. Shotts, actually, who operates a nursery sod farm. It is doing very well. It has 100 acres. Obviously, he is involved with transportation, moving his product in and out of the Southern Avalon and all of those challenges to go with it, but he is doing well, employing six to eight people over the summertime. We had a conversation. I had met with the annual general meeting of the Southern Avalon Development Association. We were meeting outside and we spoke of rural Newfoundland, where we needed to go, what the challenges were, because there are challenges no doubt, what this government is doing and what it needed to do. I guess one of the messages he gave to me as an entrepreneur and as a businessman who is successful in rural Newfoundland, he said: Keith, there are two things we need. We need solid road infrastructure. You have to get your product to market no matter what that is, that is priority one. The second one he said was communications. You got to have communication. You have to be able to reach your market. You have to be able to talk to people, not just in the community next door, not just on the other side of the Island, not just across Canada but around the world. That is so true, and that mirrors so many initiatives of this government and what we are doing. We are accepting the challenges and we are moving forward to meet those challenges. In most cases - in all cases - that speaks well for rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Chair, my district is diverse in terms of twenty-seven rural communities and, as well, it takes in a large part of the City of St. John's. So, it is diverse. Needs are often different but it is challenging and I am certainly looking forward to working with this government over the next four years in meeting many of those challenges.

I was pleased to see, in the Speech from the Throne, several initiatives that touch my area that this government is committed to. I guess overall, in terms of where we are going and were we are moving forward in the 21^st Century, it was interesting that we heard it is not only about economic growth statistics but it is success about people. That is what it is all about, success in rural Newfoundland. It is about communities where people can put down roots and raise their families in an environment of social and economic security. That is what self reliance is all about. The people have a choice in rural Newfoundland where they can have social and economic bases and they can be there and they can succeed. That is what we are seeing. There are challenges, no doubt, but this government, and certainly me, are up to working to meet those challenges.

As well the Throne Speech spoke of socially progressive initiatives. This government has demonstrated over the past number of years that it is progressive. It certainly recognizes in our society that there are things we need to do as a government to reach out in some cases to those who need that extra help, that we can reach out.

We have seen the largest personal income tax reduction in our Province's history. We have a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy that is recognized on a national stage. Other jurisdictions are eager to see what we are doing. We are seeing results from that in terms of assisting those who need our assistance. Whether it is a drug program or additional support for low income earners in terms of reentry into the work force, the number of initiatives this government is putting forward deals with the challenges.

We have seen insulin pumps for children, we have seen new prescription drugs, we have seen, as mentioned earlier, free text books in our schooling system; a number of initiatives that help many in our society. So, indeed we are a socially progressive government and we do see the benefit in that, and no doubt that will continue over the next four years.

All of these initiatives bring us to being what is often referred to, no doubt, as masters of our own destiny. We need to forge ahead. We have certainly done that under the leadership of Premier Williams in terms of this Cabinet, this caucus and the government as we move forward. No doubt we will continue to do that.

Mr. Chair, the other initiative in the Throne Speech that I would like to speak to is in regard to tourism. Tourism in my district is certainly a huge component of different industries. Along with the fishing sector we have a number of small and medium sized employers, manufacturing; just a whole array of possibilities and a whole array of successes.

The actual tourism industry is huge, and what comes with that is the infrastructure that we have seen, that has to be put in, in terms of roads. Last year we saw a commitment of $2.3 million, and this year again we are up over $2 million, so we will continue to build on what we have done the last couple of years and move forward on Route 10 of the Southern Shore to improve where we need to improve.

We have also seen significant investment in terms of education and our young people. This government has identified very clearly that it is committed to our youth, it is committed to rural Newfoundland, and it is committed to investment. We have seen close to a state-of-the-art high school built in Mobile, $10 million. We have seen repairs to the school in Witless Bay so we can ensure that our young people going to school have the best facilities they can have, and can certainly grow and take full benefit of what is available to them in the world today.

Mr. Chairman, the other thing I would like to speak to is in terms of youth as well, and in terms to those kids who are oftentimes at risk due to no fault of their own, but in terms of social or economic status oftentimes need some extra help and guidance.

CHAIR: Order, please!

I remind the hon. member that his speaking time has lapsed.

MR. HUTCHINGS: By leave, just to clue up?

CHAIR: A few minutes to clue up?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

CHAIR: By leave.

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you.

I will just finish off on that point in terms of youth. In the Ferryland district there has been a youth network set up. That certainly helps in terms of giving our young people direction, which is so important, as we develop over the next few years and we continue on with the positive steps we have taken.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No doubt, we will have further time to speak as we move forward.

Thanks again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I appreciate an opportunity to have a few words again. We are debating Interim Supply here. Of course, when you debate Interim Supply, you can have pretty wide latitude as to what you talk about; provided, of course, it has some significance to the bill.

In this case we are dealing with a bill which talks about the expenditure of money. The issue that I was concerned about, and it is off particular current interest, I would suggest, because it relates directly to the money issues that I asked questions about in this House in the last couple of days, and that was particularly to the Minister of Innovation and Trade. I specifically asked him, if you recall, about the names of the three companies that received money, identified as companies A, B and C in the Auditor General's report; and, of course, that is a money issue. We know how much money they got. The problem is that we don't know who got it.

The Auditor General has his reasons for not naming the companies. I don't think, by the way, as some people believe, that the Auditor General has a hard and fast rule about not naming the companies; because, for example, I believe it was only a year ago, or two, that the Auditor General made reference to a company, named that company. I am not sure of the exact company name so I will not say it here, but it was public knowledge - he named it - and there was quite a backlash. He then made a decision that in future he would not do it. So, it is not like it is historical that he does not name these companies. It has only been a recent development, as I understand it.

Anyway, the minister tells me that he is not going to release it, was not going to give it to me. In fact, we filed a Freedom of Information Request and asked for the information, and under his direction he refused to tell the Opposition, refuses to disclose in the House publicly, who these three companies are. Refused it. In fact, he says to me in Question Period two days ago, when I asked him this, and I quote from page 105 of Hansard, "Now if he wants to step up behind the Speaker's chair, I will tell him who they are, but I am not doing it here in this House."

Now, I made it pretty clear to the minister where I stood with regard to that approach. My response to him was, "My role here as a critic for the department is to reveal whatever information I can determine; not to find it out for my own personal information, but for the public information."

Now, that is on the record in Hansard as to what he offered - for example, to do it in private and secret up behind the Chair - and I declined that.

Now today, while the House was in session again, the minister sends me over a note and on it he had written the names of three companies. I wrote back to the minister and said: I am at a loss here. I am at a loss here. We requested under the FOI and you say you are not getting it. I asked you in the House and you are on record saying you are not getting it. You offered to give it to me in private behind the Speaker's chair and I said I do not want it, that is not proper. If you are going to tell it - I asked the question publicly - give the information publicly. Yet, today he sends me over this note and says: Here are the three companies.

So, I went back to the minister and said: Well, that is a good step towards openness and transparency. We are finally on the right course. So, I went back to the minister and said: You realize I am not accepting this in confidence. I just want to clarify that. I hope you didn't send this over to me in confidence, because you certainly did not say that in the note. You didn't ask me to keep it in confidence, so I just want you to understand here that I have not received this on a confidential basis, because I already declined that up behind the Chair.

I just want to set the groundwork here as to what has happened.

Then, I get a note back from the minister - when I ask him after Question Period, where do we stand on this issue? he says - I am not saying anything else. Across the House he said to me, I am not saying anything else.

I said: Okay, I still don't know where we are with this issue. Is it in confidence or not? So, he writes me a note and says: I did give it to you in confidence and I am not going to be making it public.

I have already told him that I didn't want it in confidence. If I did, if I was prepared to accept that, I would have gone up behind the Speaker's chair with him two days ago.

So, I wrote him back again and said to him, and I made it quite clear: Minister, you did not give me this information in confidence. I am not accepting the information in confidence. It was unsolicited. You sent me this note today with these three company names on it, unsolicited. I just want you to know that is where I stand.

By the way, for the record, simply because I have the names of the three companies, I am not going to reveal who they are. I don't think it is appropriate, and that is not the way I operate. The Chairperson here, and, for example, anyone else in this House who is legally trained, knows that there is a code you operate under.

I just want to make it clear for the public consumption as to what is going on here, that there is a state of confusion. If this is done openly and transparently, and the minister is prepared to tell me the names, he should be prepared to tell anyone the names. I suggest that is his obligation to tell it.

I just want, for the record, that we haven't given up on this issue of wanting to know these names. There is a million dollars of taxpayers' money that went out to three companies; and, by the way, I have absolutely no problem with his department being in the business of giving money to companies, none whatsoever. My only concern here was how much money was given - which we knew from the Auditor General – and was the process followed in giving it out? If not, what have you done to fix it?

That is where I was coming from. In fact, I don't really disagree with - he made a comment on the Open Line show some time ago, talking about SAC Manufacturing, and his comment was: Well, we have to take a shot on some of these deals.

Albeit that may be a bit of a frivolous and candid throw away money type of attitude, I don't disagree that you have to invest money in high-risk ventures. The issue here, folks, is disclosure. A million dollars of public money has been spent. There is no reason in the world - in fact, in the very own applications that those three companies signed, it says they are prepared to have their names revealed publicly. So, I am at a loss. You come to the government looking for money. You say if I get the money you can disclose my name. The Auditor General gives the details of ABC. The Comptroller General names them all, a whole bunch of companies that the Province has made an investment in, which includes, by the way, these three companies. Yet, the minister is playing cat and mouse and saying we are not going to tell you the names. Now, that hardly smacks of openness and transparency. You cannot profess to be open and transparent when you keep putting these road blocks in place to stop the disclosure of the information because that is what leads the public to think that there is something wrong here. Everything may be absolutely above board for the loans for these companies, but it is the perception. When you refuse to say who it is, that leads one to believe that, is there a reason they are not disclosing it?

For example, in addition to these companies saying in writing that you can reveal my name if I get government money, they have done that. That is in the department files. There is no risk to the minister or the government by disclosing it. They have a perfect right to do it. The applicants who got the money said you could do it. So, there are no problems there that you cannot do it. They talk about affecting their business ventures. Well, folks, that was three years ago this money went out, 2005. We are in 2008, and the minister is here saying we cannot let the names of the companies go because it might affect them businesswise. These companies would not have gotten the money. I take it they needed the money to do the initiative. If it is such a high-risk venture, we are three years down the road, I would suspect by now it has either worked or it did not work. So what is the problem? Unless we have a problem with a government that is not open. The shenanigans that we are seeing here in the last two days from this minister, sending me notes over of the names but not saying them, inviting me to do it in private up behind the Speaker's Chair. Well, that is not on.

I made a legitimate request and I made a statement in this House on the first day I spoke on Interim Supply that if we have questions to ask, or at least if this member has questions, I will be on the up and up and I will ask him straight up. All I ask for is a straight answer. When I start seeing this kind of deceptive, defensive behaviour, it needs to be responded to.

Now, I stand by my words that I will not release myself the names. In fact, I do not think I need to release them, because if anybody is concerned enough - it is not rocket science to look at what the AG said and to look at schedule C of the Comptroller General's Report and find out who the companies are.

CHAIR: Order please!

I remind the member that his speaking time has lapsed.

MR. PARSONS: A moment to clue up, Mr. Chair?

CHAIR: Does the member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

CHAIR: By leave.

MR. PARSONS: Thank you.

I just want to get back again, that if we are spending public money, the issue here is that the minister, I would suggest, has made balls of this in terms of fooling himself on this issue. You cannot profess - and his very first answer to me when I asked him on the first day: Are you open and accountable? Yes. Then he turned around and I have had two days of nothing but deceptive, secretive behaviour. That is the whole point I am trying to establish here. I have not even delved in yet to the issue of: Who were these companies? Where is the status of the projects now?

What has the minister done to see that the files have been made right that the Auditor General said was wrong? I have not even gotten there yet because of this foolishness that we are finding from this minister. I would suggest if you are truly open and accountable, let's not get on with this and forcing the Opposition and the media to go through FOIs and being defensive and deceptive like this when there is no need to be.

Now, I had the names. I suggest to the minister, he should do the honourable thing. He has permission to do it from the applicant companies themselves and disclose the information so we can get on with some further questions on this issue properly.

Thank you.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Bonavista North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARDING: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to take this opportunity to make a few comments with respect to Bill 2, the supply bill, but before I do, I would like to follow the trend that has been set, I guess, and offer congratulations to all members of government who were elected in the October election. Also, to congratulate all those candidates who offered themselves for public life, and special congratulations to our newly elected members.

I would like to also take the opportunity to thank the constituents of that great district of Bonavista North who again re-elected me for the third time. I want to thank my supporters, my campaign team and everyone who helped in any way to give us the victory back in October.

I just want to say to the newer members who have been elected to this Forty-Sixth General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, that despite what some people say about politicians, I am sure that as time progresses - and you have probably seen over the last five months - that there is another side to political life. I am sure that if you will take your job seriously, and I know you all will, and I know that politicians over the years, for the most part, have done that. You will see that this is twenty-four hours a day job. It is a seven days a week job.

In my district, in particular, we average around 400 incoming telephone calls per month. That takes an awful lot of time to address the issues and concerns put forward by the constituents. Just to give you an example, next week we are coming up on Good Friday, and last year I remember particularly on Good Friday I received six calls from constituents with concerns. So, you have to be prepared to accept the fact that you can expect a call any time, day or night, weekday, Saturday, Sunday, holidays or whatever. It is all part of politics. But, I have to say to you that at the end of the day you will have the satisfaction and the same rewards that I have had when you see that you accomplish so much for your constituents.

Mr. Chair, with respect to Bill 2, a bill that will give government the ability to meet certain expenditures while we are waiting for our Minister of Finance to present his Budget for the coming year. While we debate and approve that Budget, we now have this interim funding to take care of the day to day expenditures of government.

Last year, Mr. Chair, our government presented the largest Budget in the history of this Province, a Budget that saw excessive expenditures in every government department. In the coming fiscal year, Mr. Chair, I am predicting that we will see even greater revenues and expenditures in our 2008-2009 Budget. But, regardless of the size of the Budget that we have as a government, we will never resolve everyone's issues. We will never satisfy everyone's needs. If there is anyone out there who cannot understand that, Mr. Chair, I would suggest that they just look at the Government of Alberta. Only yesterday, while I was leaving the office going back home, CBC was doing an interview with three former Newfoundlanders up in Fort McMurray. One of these was a former resident of Lewisporte, and she is involved with the Salvation Army. She said in her interview that they run a soup kitchen up in Fort McMurray and it is not uncommon to see sixty to a hundred and ten people visiting that soup kitchen on a continuous basis. It just goes to show, Mr. Chair, that everything is not perfect in oil-rich Alberta. Newfoundland and Labrador, as well we all know, is relatively new to receiving oil revenues, and we also know that we have many obstacles to overcome. Most people in this Province believe that this government is on the right track. I know, while campaigning back in October, I heard it from time to time, a change in attitude of our people, that our government, even though we took some tough stands, that we are still doing the right things.

Mr. Chair, I think the most important thing of all about these new found resources that we have from our offshore revenues, the most important thing is that we use it in the most efficient and effective manner possible. It's that we spend this new found wealth wisely, that we do it in a responsible and sustainable matter, and, Mr. Speaker, the people of the Province are saying that we are doing that.

Now we have been doing that, Mr. Chair, by doing it in a balanced fiscal approach, an approach whereby we have applied a portion toward the deficit and the debt that we inherited, while at the same time we have carefully addressed the critical needs in infrastructure, in health care, in education and in other key public service sectors. I believe, Mr. Chair, most people in this Province appreciate that. Most people in this Province understand that all of our problems were not going to be solved overnight; all of our problems were not going to be solved in one four-year term.

Mr. Chair, if you just think for a moment about the decision that was made by our government last year to refund the teachers' pension plan with the $2 billion that we received from the renegotiated Atlantic Accord agreement. That move in itself is saving the taxpayers of this Province $170 million a year. While we are still spending somewhere in excess of $730 million a year of taxpayers' money in interest charges on debt, that decision that we made last year, in itself, was one major step to addressing the future needs and the financial woes of this Province.

I think the important thing that we all probably do not recognize about that move was the fact that it was not only last year we saved $170 million in interest, that is becoming a continuous thing now whereby we will have this extra money to address critical commitments that are coming forward on a day-to-day basis.

Mr. Chair, there are still people in this Province, still people among us, who believe that we are working with a bottomless pit. Every time an issue or problem arises there are still those among us who come up with the suggestion, why don't you spend this extra money in doing that and this and everything else that comes forward. These people, it is evident that they have no knowledge at all or any consideration for costs or economics.

Mr. Chair, while it might be seen that a budget of $5 billion or $6 billion is a lot of money, and it is in a lot of respects, but when you consider all of the demands on this government then $5 million or $6 million is relatively small. When we formed the government in October 2003, Mr. Chair, we inherited a budget then in excess of $4 billion, but despite that $4 billion we also inherited a mess. Roads, bridges and ferries were in a total state of disrepair. Schools and other public buildings have had to be closed periodically to address health and safety concerns. We had a deficit that was crippling our ability to spend strategically.

Mr. Speaker, I will just give you an example of one of the expenditures in my district last year.

CHAIR: Order, please!

I remind the member that his speaking time has lapsed.

MR. HARDING: May I have leave, Mr. Chair?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. COLLINS: The hon. the member, by leave.

MR. HARDING: Thanks very much.

I just want to mention the fact that our Department of Transportation and Works' highway depot in Lumsden, that is a facility that needed to be replaced for years but it was never done. The employees going into that facility, the first thing they had to do was, kick out the rats; kick out the rats in that facility before they went to work! Mr. Chair, that is just one example of something that we inherited. I am happy to say that our government has replaced that facility with a $300,000 expenditure.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARDING: And now the employees with that department and in that depot have one of the best facilities in the Province.

Mr. Chair, in conclusion: We talk from time to time about the higher revenues being generated by our oil resources, but most people forget the fact that a lot of these extra resources, extra revenues, have been generated by the renegotiated Atlantic Accord Agreement that was done by the Premier of our party. That renegotiated Atlantic Accord, we should never forget that that is bringing in extra revenues, not only last year and the year before but for the years to come. That will bring in billions of dollars, billions of dollars that will be used for the benefit of every Newfoundlander and Labradorian in this Province.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I was certainly enlightened to listen to the Member for Bonavista South making his points there. I am pleased to hear him say that he has a new terminal facility for the Department of Highways in his district. I am sure that didn't just happen because he lobbied for it this year. I am sure he has been lobbying for the last four or five years to get that replaced. I would like to think, Mr. Speaker, it is because of the new minister they have in Transportation and Works today, a strong woman minister at the Cabinet Table, I say to the Member for Bonavista South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Chair, I also want to say to the Member for Bonavista South that the previous Minister of Transportation and Works didn't deliver a whole lot to me either. I am hoping that the new minister is going to be a lot more understanding and forthcoming when budget time comes to get some of that work done in those districts; no doubt about that. I will be looking forward to that.

Mr. Chair, I want to talk about a serious issue that I raised, actually, in the House of Assembly today in Question Period, and it was the issue around the audiology services in the Province. I wanted to speak to that because, you know, it is a serious issue and it is affecting a lot of children in our Province today. Now, when you look at the number of audiologists, I think of the seventeen positions that are in place in Newfoundland and Labrador we have a vacancy today of about six of those positions. Mr. Chair, some of them are in areas of the Province where obviously the wait list is very short to see audiologists to get hearing tests and standard testing done, but here in the Eastern Health region in St. John's there is one particular audiologist who performs a test called Central Auditory processing. It is an evaluation test that is used on school age children, and, Mr. Chair, right now today there is a wait list of two and a half to three years for children who require that specific test to be done.

One of the reasons that the wait list has been so long, I guess – well, there are a couple of reasons - one is the fact that he is the only audiologist in the Province who actually does that kind of testing. So, although there are audiologists in the Central and Western regions they do not necessarily perform that test and they refer their children in those areas to St. John's to actually have that test done. This is where the wait list has been created. In fact, it was probably a couple of years ago when the wait list started and it started because guidance counselors were noticing that there were some problems and realizing that there was a specific test that could be completed and they started referring children to have this test done.

What it is described as is, sometimes children who are inattentive or easily distracted and seemingly unwilling to follow verbal direction may have some levels of CAP problems, that means Central Auditory Processing problems, and they may have language disorders or perhaps not perform to their potential academically. When these things are noticed in children in our school system, then guidance counselors working with teachers are referring these children to an audiologist in St. John's at Eastern Health to have this specific test done. Because of the volumes and the fact that there is only one person doing it in the public sector - there are other audiologists doing this work in the private sector but in the public sector there is only one, and because of that we have a wait list.

That is the reason I have raised the issue in the House of Assembly today. I have been contacted and our office has been contacted by parents of children who are waiting to have this test done. If they could afford to go to a private audiologist to have it done, they would, but because they cannot they need to depend upon the public access to this service.

Mr. Chair, we are told by people who have children today in Grade 2 and Grade 3 in the school system that they would not, in fact, be tested for this particular disorder until they had reached Grade 5 or Grade 6. We were very concerned about that because these are crucial learning areas for children at that stage in their lives.

Mr. Chair, I was pleased today when the Premier informed me that they would indeed look at this, they would do an in-depth check into what this wait list is. I know that the information I am providing is correct because it came directly from Eastern Health and from the manager of the service at Eastern Health. We know that the information is correct and we provide it to the government only because we want them to identify with the problem and to correct it.

The Premier did inform me today that they would look at some means of providing some relieve for that wait list, and I guess that could happen in a number of ways. Some other audiologists in the Province could be trained or given the equipment to do the same kind of testing and that would certainly shorten the wait list and it would also shorten the number of people who would have to travel to St. John's to have that testing down. I guess, of course, the other option would be to provide some kind of financial assistance to those who have to seek the service in a private clinic.

We will be waiting for a formal response from government on that particular issue, but I think it is a very important one and one that can easily be solved. We would certainly look forward to the government making a decision to be able to do that.

Mr. Chair, one of the other issues that I raised in the House of Assembly today as well is in relation to social workers who work in Northern communities in our Province. I know many of the social workers who work throughout the Province and a number of them who work in Labrador. I know that it does not matter where you are in this Province it is always a strenuous caseload and there are always a lot of demands being placed on the time of these particular workers and they have tremendous responsibilities.

In the case of Northern Labrador, I think it is important to point out that in the last twelve months the Labrador Health Corporation has consistently advertised to fill social work positions in Northern Labrador, in particular. In fact, in three different communities I think it was six positions. They have been advertising on a continuous basis and they are not able to fill those positions. I think it has come to a point where government needs to realize that if they are not prepared to put specific benefits in for social workers in Labrador to work in Northern regions, they are not going to attract them. Because it is easier to get the same pay and live in St. John's or Corner Brook, why would you want to put yourself through moving out of an area that you have grown up in or was educated in and moving to another part of the Province to make the same amount of money, but incur a higher cost of living? That is exactly what is happening.

Mr. Chair, government does pay out a small increase, I think it is $1.30 more in wage rates, which is very minimal when you look at the larger scheme of things. Every person who works in the North gets a Labrador allowance, so that is nothing new. The other benefit they provide is $700 for travel. Well, if I am in Nain and I am a social worker, I am not going to get to Goose Bay and back for $700, so how am I getting to St. John's or to another community that I come from, or to Nova Scotia or wherever my home is, on $700? The first thing they have to do is realize that the benefit package is inadequate and it needs to be increased. That means having a travel subsidy that reflects the real travel in the region. We're not talking about flying to Gander here. In fact, that is a bad example. I think the most expensive flights in the Province per kilometer is between St. John's and Gander, to be honest with you.

I remember when I was going out to the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Conference, just to get off on a tangent here. I checked out getting a flight out to Gander and getting back and I think it was something like $1600 or $1800, so I ended up driving, I say to hon. members. I thought that would make for too much good media for a month once they got the travel claim come in on the air ticket to Gander. Anyway, I ended up driving and the roads were half decent.

To get to my point, if you are going to put benefits in to attract workers in those regions, like social workers in particular that I speak of today, you need to have benefit packages that are actually going to reflect the real cost of living in these areas. First of all the travel remunerations have to be increased to match what the actual cost of travel is in and out of the region. Secondly, they need to look at proper housing. Housing should be something that is provided in many of those regions, many of those communities. I know I live in a small community myself, and housing is always hard to come by in these towns, especially when you are bringing in professional workers with their families.

CHAIR: Order, please!

I remind the hon. member that her time for speaking has expired.

MS JONES: Can I just take a minute to clue up, Mr. Chairman?

CHAIR: By leave?

MR. RIDEOUT: By leave.

CHAIR: The member has leave.

MS JONES: Thank you very much, I say to the Government House Leader.

People who are moving into these communities with their families do not want to be having to rent some small apartment, trying to fit their families into those kinds of accommodations. They need to ensure that they can rent places that have appropriate heating, and heating systems that they can maintain. They are moving into cold climates in northern regions, so I think that housing should automatically be one of things that government provides as a benefit to social workers in the Labrador area.

The other thing, Mr. Chairman, is that they need to start paying adequate benefits. The wage parity is one of the things that attracts workers right throughout this country, not just in our own Province. If you can work in St. John's and earn the same wage that you can earn in a northern community in the Province, why are you going to even move? You enjoy all of the amenities of city life. You do not have to wait until you get a trip out to pick something up once a year or twice a year. I think you need to ensure that you are paying out benefits or bonuses to these workers that are going to be attractive enough that they are going to not just want to go and work there, but they are going to be well compensated for the work that they do.

Those were two of the issues that I raised today, that are important issues in the Province. I am sure that the Minister of Finance is listening attentively, and I am sure that he will take those important issues into consideration as he deliberates over the $1 billion surplus that we have the luxury of calling monies for Newfoundland and Labrador right now.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

CHAIR: The hon. the Member for Conception Bay South.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. FRENCH: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

It is certainly nice to get up and have a few words on Bill 2.

Mr. Chairman, before I do, I would just like to – I think it was actually the Leader of the Official Opposition who said to me a couple of years ago that after every election there is one thing that amazed her, and that was the number of faces that changed in this House. It is certainly good to see a new crop of energetic young MHAs, and some old ones.

MS JONES: No better looking, though.

MR. FRENCH: No better looking, though, than myself and the Leader of the Opposition, as she reminds me –

MS JONES: No, you've got that right.

MR. FRENCH: - and not many are younger either, believe it or not. The two of us are about the same age. I would like to think we are about the same age. We are close.

MS JONES: I'm younger than you, I think.

MR. FRENCH: We are of the younger crew in here, anyway, and it is good to see.

In the meantime, that was one of the things that she pointed out and I am certainly delighted to congratulate all the new members, like the members before me. It is my first time speaking this week, but I want to certainly congratulate all the new members.

Of course, on doing so, I certainly want to acknowledge my own election as well. I think I can say with all honesty that I have had three elections in the last five years and I do not think there is anybody that has had as many elections in the last five years. I think I was the last one elected before we formed government, and we have had two elections in four years, so I think I had three elections in five years.

I certainly want to thank the people of Conception Bay South. On three separate occasions they placed their faith in me in overwhelming support, and I will certainly be always greatful for it. It is certainly an honour to stand in this House and represent a group of people, a group from Conception Bay South, like I do, and I certainly appreciate every one of them for taking the time and having their faith in me and electing me to this House of Assembly.

I should also add, of course, with the realignment of the district the last time, that my district changed; my voting population changed by almost 50 per cent. I think it was 45 per cent or 46 per cent, meaning I lost 46 per cent of my old district and picked up 46 per cent new people.

It was nice out meeting you. I tried to knock on every door. I started a number of months before election day, and I did knock on every door. If I missed one, it wasn't certainly because I didn't go up the long driveway; it was simply an oversight and my problem.

I met most of your dogs, I can assure you of that. I don't know how many dogs are in Conception Bay South. I didn't get bitten, but I know we must have as many as anywhere else in the world because I ran into just about every one of them.

Of course, as well, I have to thank my campaign workers. Again, like I said, I had three elections in five years. What can I say? When you get approximately 100 people out volunteering three times in five years, it is certainly appreciated. Unbeknownst to most people - and the belief out there is that the people who help you in campaigns get some reward at the end of the day. I can assure you that is not the case, and I know many of the people in this House will attribute to it. They do it because they believe in a cause. Like I said, none of them get pocketfuls of money. None of them get big jobs. It is not about that. It is about helping the cause, and a belief. Like I said, many of my campaign workers, I meet them on a regular basis. They are friends of mine, and associates, and believers in the cause, and I certainly appreciate what they have done.

Of course, your family, what can you say about your family in this business? Anybody who has a family in this business, they certainly understand the role that they play, and most of the time it is home alone because you are on the road or hopping around somewhere. Certainly, I heard someone mention earlier this week about having to put up with them for a three week campaign. Well, last year I think it was a three month campaign. So, to all the families, including my own, thanks a lot for putting up with us.

Like I said earlier, my district was realigned and it would be remiss of me if I did not thank the people of Upper Gullies, Seal Cove and Holyrood who supported me in the first two elections. I know you are in good hands now with Minister Hedderson. I am sure he will be only too glad to take your calls and represent you. Of course, we have worked in tandem, having both of us representing Holyrood for quite some time. We work in tandem and still do, of course, for the people in our area and indeed for the Province.

As well, of course, the Member for Topsail; I have taken over a significant piece of her old district and I have to say she did a wonderful job. There wasn't one person who had a bad word to say about her when I was going around knocking on doors. I hope Minister Hedderson can say the same about me in Seal Cove and Holyrood. I am not going to ask him that question now, but I have to say that the Member for Topsail certainly did a great job. That was obvious when I went around knocking on the doors and certainly a lot of the support that she did and the things that she did helped me in that end of the district the last time out.

Mr. Chair, a couple of things have happened since the last election that I would like to speak on briefly, a couple of district issues; I guess two items of equal importance. The most recent announcement was the establishment of medical control in Conception Bay South. For those of you who do not know what medical control is – medical control allows people working on an ambulance to come and pick you up at your home or on the road or whatever the case may be and be able to administer drugs and different treatments to you on the way to the hospital. Very often these are life saving measures these people are taking. Paramedics are very well trained and they certainly have the ability and the skills to do this. In order to do it, they have to have this animal called medical control. What it is, is a doctor signs off on a paramedic giving certain drugs and administering to the patients in the ambulance.

Recently in the Department of Health we have come up with a provincial medical control officer, and that has taken some time. It is something that I have been working on, in all honestly, for a couple of years, having had friends of mine and actually family members who have needed medical assistance on their way to the hospital and maybe that was not there for them. Now, thank God, knock on wood, that does exist.

I am certainly delighted for the residents in Conception Bay South. I want to acknowledge the work of Eastern Health on this. I know for the people out there it seems that it dragged on forever, and it did. However, in order for it to happen we needed a dedicated and very well trained staff, and some of the recruiting had to be done outside of the Province as there were not enough people in the Province to fill these positions, a couple of the positions, and there are monthly reports and inspections that have to go on with the ambulance operators to make sure that the people working on the ambulances are up to scratch on their certificates.

Speaking of ambulances, I certainly want to acknowledge Hickey's ambulance who is the service provider in Conception Bay South and surrounding area - I think they go all the way up to Marysvale or George Town or maybe a little further and certainly go toward St. Mary's Bay as well - and their professionalism for taking up the gauntlet, doing the appropriate training and getting ready for medical control. Like I said, now at least, thank God, the people of Conception Bay South and surrounding area will know that when they have to take the services of an ambulance, which hopefully none of us ever do but unfortunately we all have to at some point in our lives, at least they will have the proper care before they get to the hospital. I certainly want to acknowledge, like I said, Eastern Health, Hickey's ambulance, and again the Department of Health, Minister Wiseman, Minister Osborne before him, and Minister Ottenheimer actually who listened to me flap my gums about medical control an awful long while.

The other item I would like to speak to that has happened since the election is the CBS Bypass. Now, the CBS Bypass is something that I have talked an awful lot about for a long time as well. I guess it was a $7 million to $9 million project and it was announced actually in 1988 or 1989 under the Roads for Rails Agreement but for some reason the government of the day decided that the CBS Bypass should not be finished and the money should be taken from there and spent somewhere else. Now, there are all kinds of rumors of where the money went. I remember at one point somebody telling me it was because the price of fuel went up. Well I know there were increases in the 1990s certainly in the prices of fuel but it certainly was not at a rate of $7 million to $9 million. I am delighted actually to say that our Cabinet and our government have decided that the CBS Bypass would be a priority under the roads program and that they would commit the $3.5 million to $4 million. I am delighted with that, Mr. Chair. Actually the provincial share is ready. The Minister, Diane Whalen, was at the announcement and assured the residents that the provincial share of the money is there and we are ready, we would call tenders this spring. Mr. Chair, we are ready to go and I certainly hope that our federal counterparts are as eager and as willing as we are because we have the check written, if you will, and ready to go with that announcement.

Mr. Chair, if it was not so serious, like I said it would be laughable because it was committed to in 1988 or 1989 under the Roads for Rails, the money was taken and spent somewhere else and it is only now that this government has with, I guess, the extra funds and the extra surpluses that we have been able to avail of the last year or so - now we have this extra money and I certainly want to acknowledge my government, our government, for that commitment to the CBS Bypass and Conception Bay South, in an area that is growing as fast as we are. I am sure the people and the residents that live there will tell you. I always say, no one would have ever thought that there would be a Tim Horton's at the end of the Legion Road in Kelligrews, certainly not me. Because of the CBS Bypass the Kelligrews area is growing and I know that when the bypass continues on towards Seal Cove we will see major growth in that area as well as a big help for Holyrood.

Mr. Chairman, there are a couple of things that have happened in my district that I am certainly very, very proud.

CHAIR: Order please!

I remind the member that his time for speaking has expired.

MR. FRENCH: Just a couple of minutes to clue up.

CHAIR: Does the member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave!

CHAIR: By leave.

MR. FRENCH: There are a couple of issues that I touched on for my district, Mr. Chair. Hopefully, we will have more good announcements in the next three-and-one-half-years. I certainly want to thank again the residents of Conception Bay south for placing their faith in me. As I said first when I got elected, the biggest compliment you could have in this business, I believe, is to known as someone who is good for their constituency. That is something that I am going to try to do until the people decide that they want someone else to do it. That is something I have always tried to do is be, accessible, and I certainly continue to make that commitment to the area.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: The hon. Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

I am happy to stand now without a frog in my throat, which I had when I stood earlier today. I did not, at that time, congratulate the two speakers who made their maiden speeches today, the Member for Mount Pearl North and the Member for Humber Valley. Congratulations.

I am happy to have another chance to speak in the context of Bill 2. I am speaking very directly to it because, of course, we are dealing with budget time. The reason for this bill, as I said earlier, is because we have to approve the Interim Supply so government can continue.

I think it has been obvious to everybody who has been watching or listening this week that a major priority for me is the issue around home care and the fact that in this Province we have a home care system that is based on assessment of income rather than based on need. It has been very obvious to me over the past year-and-one-half that I have been sitting as an MHA that we have desperate situations in the Province with regard to home care. We have elderly people taking care of each other where one is more disabled than another, but because of the difference of $100, maybe, between the assessment and what they have as income they cannot get home care. We have situations of women who are middle-aged, or older women taking care of older parents, and in some cases those middle-aged women themselves being sick. I will not get into all individual cases, but I had an awful case of one woman, who made contact with me, about her own plight as somebody facing breast cancer and what she went through, at the same time trying to take care of an elderly parent and was not eligible for home care. It is frightening the things that are going on out there. When I talk about it, I talk about it out of tremendous sincerity. There is nothing political about this. We have a very serious situation.

One of the things I have done, and I hope that this will be helpful to the Minister of Finance as he looks at the issue of home care as he finalizes the Budget. One of the things that I did was to look at other provinces, to see how other provinces have dealt with this, and other provinces - some used to base their home care on income assessment. Some never, ever did it that way. Those who did do it that way - most of them, not all, but most, we certainly haven't - have realized the limits of that system and have made changes, and that is what I would like to talk about.

The parallel for me is what has just happened in the educational system. After years and years and years of teachers and educational administrators and educational professionals saying the pupil-teacher ratio is not the way to go in teacher allotment - and there are many of us in this room who worked in that context and we know how long we have been saying that. I mean, I said it back in the 1970s when I taught, that the pupil-teacher ratio was not the way to go. We finally have a really good decision made by this government, announced by the Minister of Education yesterday, and I applaud good things.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS MICHAEL: I do applaud good things. Finally, we have something happening that should have happened years ago. Now we have it, and I'm glad we have the resources that it can happen.

Well, I would like to use that parallel in talking about home care. We now have the resources to recognize that the system we are using with regard to making assessment for home care is a system that is not working, it is a system that is punitive, it is a system that is actually putting people in situations where their own personal health is being challenged, and in very serious ways. The reason for that is the financial tool that is used, the assessment tool that is used; a tool that the Minister of Health and Community Services has acknowledged publicly does not work. For me, it is not just that the tool itself does not work; it is the whole notion that you have to prove that you financially can put money into this program. To me, that is what is wrong. It is the very basis. So, it is not just the tool, it is the very basis of how we make an assessment around home care.

When I look at provinces like Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, these three for sure and others too - but these are the three that I have looked most at - what they do is what I think we need to look at. What they do is assess people based on need. A person is looked at from the perspective of, what is it this person needs? This person needs so many hours of home care; this person needs occupational therapy. All of these needs are put out and then the income that the person gets or the services that get covered by the government are determined according to the need. It is not determined according to income, and that is because in the provinces where this happens it is recognized that home care is part of the health care system, and that is the difference. Because we do not view home care as part our health care system, per se, that is why we have developed this way of looking at it where you have to prove that you need it, you have to prove financially that you need it. We do not do that with health care. If you have to go into hospital, you have to go into hospital. If you have to have surgery, you have the surgery. If you need care after your surgery, you get the care after your surgery. You do not have to prove that financially you can pay for it because you do not pay for it.

What I am asking this government to do, what I am asking the Minister of Health and Community Services to do, in particular, and the Minister of Finance, is to try to think through this issue through a different pair of glasses, just like we have finally started doing with the educational system. Let's try doing it with home care as well.

If we look at what happened in 2003 - in 2003 the First Ministers of Canada signed an accord on health care renewal. Every First Minister was at that. Newfoundland and Labrador is a signatory to that. This accord on health care renewal has a significant piece on home care for Canadians. In the accord that was signed, our First Minister of the day, and then First Ministers afterwards, recognized that home care in this country is part of health care renewal. We have not done that. We have not taken this accord seriously.

If we look at - again, it is very simple to see how it works. If we look at the system that works in other provinces - if we look at the system that occurs in other provinces, we will find that the assessment by need is working for them. People who want to control their own care and have the money to control their own care, they are going to do that anyway. They are not going to come to government looking for home care. They will not, but even if they do, it should not matter. If you need, you need. Now, we do have some steps taken towards that here in our Province.

For example, if somebody is under care at home, even if they have not been having their home care paid for, if they become identified as dying - and I have had a personal experience of this, so I know. If it becomes identified that they have entered into the dying phase, from that moment on, in actual fact, we do cover home care. We have some acute cases in the Province where home care is covered automatically. The assessment is, it is an acute need and the government is responsible for covering it. So, from the moment that the person is declared as entering dying, however long that takes, if home care is required, the home care is covered by our government, by our system. I think that is the way it should be for all home care. Whether somebody is in acute care because they have come home from hospital, after a surgery or a big illness and needs some home care; whether they are in home care for an extended period of time because of chronic illness and the person knows they are always going to require home care from that point on; whether it is a young person requiring it; whether it is a senior citizen, that you have a system whereby you assess the need. You assess what this person needs, and if they decide - for example, in Manitoba this is how it works, Ontario, too, I think. For example, if it is determined that the person needs twenty hours of home care a week, that is paid for by government.

CHAIR: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: Can I just clue up, please?

CHAIR: Does the member have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: Yes.

CHAIR: By leave.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much.

If a person decides: Well, I think I would like to have another ten hours. Well, then they are responsible for it, but if the assessment shows they need twenty, they get twenty. I think this is really the way for us to go. I really, seriously would ask the ministers responsible in this area to look at what is happening in other provinces. We do have the resources now to do this. I just cannot tell you how important I think this is. I think it is one of the major priorities for our Budget. We have a few when it comes to social programs, and I think this is one, because we have too many people out there suffering because they cannot afford home care under the system that we have.

I will leave it at that, Mr. Chair. I think I have made a case that I hope will sound sensible to people who have paid attention to it.

CHAIR: The hon. the Minister of Business.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is a privilege to stand in this hon. House today. In fact, I have heard many members say, in the past, the members who have been around for a while, that this is an honour and certainly a privilege to be able to do, but not everybody has the opportunity to do.

First of all, I want to congratulate the new members here, of course, in the House today. It has been fabulous listening to some of their speeches and to realize that they are really comfortable with the House.

I remember, when I first had the opportunity to speak, that I was nervous. I was shaking, to be honest with you, and you could visibly see it on the papers, because it was a different dynamic. When you walk into this House sometimes it can be fairly intimidating. The fact is that it is really, really good to see the new members up on their feet already, standing, ready to talk about the great things that this government is doing. There is really nothing else to say. There is really nothing else to talk about, only the great things that this government is actually doing.

I want to talk about a bit of that today, actually, about the things that we have been doing, but first of all I want to thank the people of the Terra Nova district for returning me here to be their representative in this House. It is an honour, as I said before, with an overwhelming victory this time. Who would have known back a few years ago that the Conservatives would have made such a sweep across the Province? That is due, Mr. Chair, to a couple of reasons.

Number one, I think it is because the people of Newfoundland and Labrador appreciate the Premier. They realize his passion for this Province, and what he sees as a vision for this Province. He has a strategy that will take this Province from where it was when this government took over, to where it will be. When I say where it will be, we will finally have the status of being a have-Province. That is number one.

I think number two, Mr. Chair, is the fact that the people in Newfoundland and Labrador see a team: a team that plays together, that works together, to make this Province what it is today. It is a hard-working group of people who have a passion again to see this Province grow, and not only this Province in general but every single member - and I would suggest probably every single member in this House. I find it difficult to say that, but I will certainly say that, because I cannot really speak for the other side but I can speak for out team.

Mr. Chair, I have to say that the people who stand on this side of the House are very dedicated, they are hard-working, they realize the importance of working for the people in their district, and that is exactly what they are doing.

The people of Newfoundland and Labrador gave us another overwhelming victory because they believe in what we are trying to do, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Mr. Chair, I know we do this bantering back and forth, and we listen to the Opposition do their thing of talking about how bad - and the doom and the gloom. A lot of times, from some of the Opposition members, I do not even see a smile, and that is too bad, but I hear all the bad things and all the things this government is not doing.

I have to tell you, it is fairly depressing to sit and listen to some of the members across the way. I get depressed and I get discouraged. I think: My goodness, everything that I thought we were doing, we can't be doing. It must be all bad.

I think there is a Bible story - we are in the land of torment; we are in this terrible land.

MR. O'BRIEN: Don't go there.

MR. ORAM: Even though the Member for Gander doesn't want me to go there, I will still talk about the fact that sometimes I think we are in this – what was it called? - land of dismay.

I can tell you, Mr. Chairman –

MR. O'BRIEN: The land of dismay?

MR. ORAM: Of dismay, I say to the Member for Gander.

I want to tell you today, Mr. Chair, that because of the initiatives that this government has taken on, because of the approach this Premier has taken, we are now facing the biggest surplus in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador, and I would say that is good news.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Who would have ever thought that this Province would be able to say, in some months, I would think, hopefully in the next few months, hopefully in the next year, that this Province of Newfoundland and Labrador that we all love so well would become a have-Province? We never thought we would ever see that - certainly in our second mandate that we would see that - but it is a vision that has been carved out by this government, by this Premier.

I can tell you, there is not one soul on this side of the House, Mr. Chair, who will stop doing what we are doing until we are happy, until we see Newfoundland and Labrador become a have-Province, become a place that our children can be proud of.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: As most people know, Mr. Chair, I usually get excited about the things that are happening in Newfoundland and Labrador, and I think we just need to talk about some of those things.

I realize this is pretty well a year ago now but I still have to talk about it because I cannot talk about the new things yet that are coming, that people are going to be all excited about as well. I do want to talk about the fact that, you know, for years and years and years there were people in Newfoundland and Labrador, for instance – and I hear the hon. Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi talk about all the things we are not doing, how bad it is, and the doom and the gloom, but the fact of the matter is that this government has stepped up to the plate.

Just to talk about MS patients, for instance, I know I have talked about this in the past but I will talk about it again, and I will talk about it again, and I will talk about it again. The reason I will, Mr. Chair, is because I know people who have had to pay up to $2,400 a month for MS drugs, $2,400 a month. Who can afford that?

This government recognized, last year, in the last Budget, that this was a serious issue, that we wanted to be able to help our people. We wanted to be able to see people who are disadvantaged with that disease and give them the money, give them the drugs they need, so that they can extend their lives and make their lives healthier and happier. I am proud of that, and I am proud of this government for doing that.

I can go on and on. I want to get to a point, so I will just mention a couple really fast: insulin pumps, of course, new cancer drugs, a new drug plan. In fact, just a few days ago there was a gentleman from my district, who I know very, very well, who has been very sick and he has had to bear the brunt of paying for medications at a cost of about $800 or $900 a month. He has been approved now so that his medications are paid; up to 80 per cent of his medications are paid. I can tell you, his mother called me and she was so excited about it. She said: Finally, he can live.

That is important, Mr. Chair, and that is the commitment this government has made. It is expensive; it takes a lot of money. Sometimes we have had to make decisions on doing one over the other, but I can tell you we are knocking each one off as we go.

Again, I want to talk about what we are doing in education, for instance. If you look at the things we have done, a budget over $1 billion in education, that was brought in by this government, Mr. Chair, by this government over here. We look at free textbooks, smaller class sizes. We have eliminated schools fees; more teachers in the system. These are all the things that we have done as government, that we can be proud of. We can stand up and yes, do you know what? We can pound our chest and say we have done a lot of good. Have we done it all? Absolutely not, but we are up for the challenge.

I want to tell the people of Newfoundland and Labrador today, this is just a start. We intend to keep going and to make Newfoundland and Labrador even better than what it is today.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: Earlier today, Mr. Chair, I did a statement on what we are doing with our brand. There were some people who were cynical about it, and so on and so forth. I understand that, and that is fine, but I don't understand when I heard the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi say: I never saw so much fuss made about something so unimportant in my life.

That is quoted from what she said today. Well, I want to talk about the fact of, how did we get all of this wealth? Where did this money come from? Well, guess what? It didn't fall from the sky, because I have been looking up and I have not seen any fall yet, and I have been out every day. Every day I go outside and I look up to see if it is going to fall, and it has not fallen yet, but I will tell you how it works. It works by supporting business in this Province; and, in order to support business, first of all we have to market the product. We have to market the product, and the product is Newfoundland and Labrador.

Whether you are trying to attract oil companies to this Province, whether you are trying to attract mining companies to this Province, whether you are trying to attract people to come back to the Province in the form of tourists, that is what we have to do: we have to market the Province. To say that this is unimportant - this is what we do to market our Province. We are getting accolades all across the world.

I sat on an Air Canada flight not too long ago; I was coming back from Toronto. I sat there, and everybody was chatting and talking, getting on the plane. They sat down, and all of a sudden one of our ads came up, one of those ads where the gentleman walks out on the side of the cliff, and, I am telling you, everybody in that aircraft stopped and looked at what was on that screen.

AN HON. MEMBER: International flights (inaudible).

MR. ORAM: They are on international flights as well.

We are investing money in the brand. Yes, we are, and we are proud of investing money in the brand because we are proud of putting forth our Province as a place to come, a destination to come to, a good place to do business.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. ORAM: A good place to live, a good place to visit. Newfoundland and Labrador is on the rise, and I can tell you we are very, very proud of it. For someone to say it is unimportant, it means that they obviously have never been in business. They don't know anything about business. I can have the best pizza in St. John's, I can have the best pizza shop here but if nobody knows about it, they are not going to come and buy it. They will never go and buy my pizza if they don't know that I have the best pizza. So pizza businesses all across this great Province go out and they advertise. Guess what? They spend thousands and thousands of dollars every year to advertise that they have the best pizza. They sell their pizzas, and today we are selling Newfoundland and Labrador.

We are spending money; we are putting money in the right places. I can tell you right now that if you look at our budget - how much do you think we spent on our brand? I will tell you what we spent, just to remind you, and I am sure that the hon. Member for Burgeo & LaPoile is going to talk about how we have thrown away $1.2 million. We spent $1.2 million to market Newfoundland and Labrador, to make it the place to come; to show people you can build your business, you can build a life here. How much did Montreal spend? Twenty-three million. How much did Manitoba spend? Seven-point-one million. How much did Newfoundland and Labrador spend? One-point-two million. What about Nova Scotia, our friends in Nova Scotia? They even spent more than we did, $1.4 million. We are on the lower ladder in terms of what we spent, but we are doing it right, Mr. Chair. We are making sure that people see Newfoundland and Labrador for what it is. Again, I will say today, that this is not something that is unimportant. Branding -

CHAIR: Order, please!

I remind the hon. member that his time for speaking has expired.

MR. ORAM: Just a minute to clue up?

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

CHAIR: The member has leave.

MR. ORAM: Thank you.

I remind the hon. members across the way that this is not just something that is silly, that is unimportant. There is a funny thing about that, Mr. Chair, the fact is, is that this is good stuff. This is very important. This is marketing. I found that in my business life - and you can laugh at it if you want, I say to the Member of Burgeo & LaPoile. It is not funny to me because I have my family members. I have my family members.

MR. PARSONS: On a point of order, Mr. Chairman.

MR. ORAM: Oh, they do not like what they are hearing.

CHAIR: Order, please!

The hon. Member for Burgeo & LaPoile

MR. PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I certainly don't wish to take any time that the member had and, certainly, the leave that we gave stands.

I would just like to clarify, I was smiling, but it was not at him. It was his colleague seated in front of him, passed a joke. In fact, you can ask him if you wish. He made a comment to me and my response of a smile was to the Minister of Labour, not to the member who was speaking. It is unfortunate that he is in your line of sight, but the minister could confirm that as well.

CHAIR: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The Chair recognizes the Minister of Business.

MR. ORAM: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I accept that. That is fine, but the fact is that this is not some fleeting moment. This is not something that is not important. I have family members who are outside of this Province today because they cannot find work and we need to market this Province so that people will start businesses here and people will create life here. I have always said that business creates life, and that is the reason I stand behind this 1,000 per cent because I know that as long as we market Newfoundland and Labrador, we will make Newfoundland and Labrador the best place in Canada, the best place in the world to do business, the best place in the world to live, the best place in the world to grow up, and the best place in the world to educate our children.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

CHAIR: Order, please!

The hon. the Government House Leader.

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Chair, if my colleagues could contain their enthusiasm, I would like to move that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

CHAIR: The motion is that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

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

All those in favour, 'aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

CHAIR: All those against, 'nay'.

Carried.

On motion, that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again, Mr. Speaker returned to the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): The hon. Deputy Speaker and the Member for St. John's South.

MR. T. OSBORNE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Committee of Supply have considered the matters to them referred and have directed me to report progress and ask leave to sit again.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chair of the Committee of Supply reports that the Committee have considered the matters to them referred and have directed him to report progress and ask leave to sit again.

When shall the Committee have leave to sit again?

AN HON. MEMBER: Tomorrow.

MR. SPEAKER: Tomorrow.

On motion, report received and adopted, Committee ordered to sit again on tomorrow.

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

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, before I move the adjournment, with the concurrence of my colleagues, because I think members probably know that the Combined Councils of Labrador are meeting tomorrow and the House Leadership, certainly the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Leader of the NDP, myself, as Deputy Premier, and a whole host of ministers, I guess, eight or ten are going to be travelling to Labrador tomorrow for those meetings so we are going to adjourn perhaps a little bit earlier than normal so that we can do some things around the office and get ready for that journey tomorrow.

So, with concurrence and leave of the House - I do not leave I guess, but I would say out of courtesy, with concurrence of the House I move that the House on its rising do now adjourn.

Monday, by the way, is a holiday, I believe, so we wish everybody a Happy St. Paddy's Day. Top O' The Morning to you all. Put on your green hats, don't drink too much beer and whatever goes with that green stuff - that the House on its rising do adjourn and do stay adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday at 1:30 of the clock.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order please!

The motion is that this House do now adjourn. Properly moved and seconded.

All those in favour signify by saying ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

MR. SPEAKER: Against, if any.

This House now stands adjourned until Tuesday, 1:30 of the clock in the afternoon.

This House is now adjourned.

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