May 25, 2010                        HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS                  Vol. XLVI  No. 26


The House met at 1:30 p.m.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): Order, please!

Admit strangers.

Today the Chair would like to welcome fourteen students from TEACH, the Avalon home-school group. The students are accompanied today by their home-schooling parents.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The Speaker would also to recognize thirty individuals from the Baccalieu 50 Plus Group from the District of Bellevue. The group is accompanied by president, Gerald Drover; vice-president, Eric Stevens; secretary, Lucy Legge; and bus driver, Dot Penney.

Welcome to the House of Assembly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

Statements by Members

MR. SPEAKER: The following members' statements will be heard: the hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North; the hon. the Member for the District of Bellevue; the hon. the Member for the District of Kilbride; and the hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.

The hon. the Member for the District of Bonavista North.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HARDING: Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the recent success of the Lester Pearson Memorial High School Astros male volleyball squad.

On January 16, the team from New-Wes-Valley, under the supervision of coach Craig Loder and manager Barry Wakely, provided a tremendous exhibition of athletic talent and skill en route to claiming the 2010 Senior High Volleyfest banner. The Astros squad was one of sixteen teams entered in the competition and their tenacity and hard work resulted in an undefeated run to the championship.

Despite the flawless record, the team from Lester Pearson was tested throughout the tournament. The greatest obstacle came in the finals, when they found themselves trailing by seven points to a very capable and determined group of students from Tricentia Academy. Like true champions, when tested, the Astros bent but did not break and in the end they rallied to claim the title in dramatic fashion.

Mr. Speaker, athletics are an important part of our educational system as they help foster the growth of confidence, teach the importance of teamwork and fair play, and instill a strong work ethic in our youth. These young athletes displayed all these traits at this recent tournament and they should be very proud of their accomplishment as they continue to build on the impressive sporting legacy that has been established over the years by the students at Lester Pearson Memorial High.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would ask all members of this hon. House to join with me in congratulating the Astros from Lester Pearson on their recent achievement in claiming the 2010 Senior High Volleyfest banner and in wishing them continued success in all of their future academic and athletic endeavours.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. PEACH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise here in this hon. House today to give recognition to Dildo Island. Just recently, March 3 to be exact, Dildo Island was designated a "Place of Provincial Significance" by the Newfoundland's government Provincial Historic Commemorations Program. Dildo Island was recognized because it represents more than 2,500 years of occupation by various cultures.

Dildo Island is located just off of Dildo Point in Dildo Sound at the bottom of Trinity Bay.

Today there is no population on Dildo Island, but archaeologists have found clear evidence that people have been drawn to the island over thousands of years. The many seabirds, sea mammals, and fish, as well as many types of plant life that can be found on and near the island made it fertile hunting grounds for nomadic hunters and gathers.

Dildo Island has an intriguing history of human settlement going back over 2,000 years to the Dorset Eskimo. In addition to this, the island was the site of Newfoundland's first cod hatchery, which was constructed in 1889 by a Norwegian, Adolphus Nielson, to improve the cod stocks of Trinity Bay. At the time, it was just the second fish hatchery to be constructed in North America, as well as being the largest in the world.

So, I ask the members of this hon. House to join me in the recognition of Dildo Island for its designation of a "Place of Provincial Significance".

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. DINN: Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, May 15, 2010 the Kilbride to Ferryland Family Resource Coalition celebrated its tenth anniversary. Several hundred children and parents came to St. Kevin's Parish Hall in the Goulds to join in a full day of fun filled activities.

The Kilbride to Ferryland Family Resource Coalition is a community-based registered charity providing family resource programming to families with children primarily zero to six years of age living in the communities from Kilbride to Cappahayden. The coalition operates Family Resource Centres in Kilbride, Goulds, Bay Bulls and Ferryland.

Programming is designed to promote self-help and mutual aid, enhance parent-child relationships and promote healthy prenatal and child development and includes drop-in playgroups, toy library, parent education and parent support groups and healthy baby clubs.

Since opening its doors in 2000, the coalition has provided programs and services to more than 2,300 families with 114,549 participant visits, 355 babies have been born through the healthy baby clubs. Just over the last year, 250 new families visited the four resource centres.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all hon. Members of this House to join in congratulating the Kilbride to Ferryland Family Resource Coalition, its board and staff on its tenth anniversary and to thank the coalition for its ten years of dedicated services to our communities.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Bay of Islands.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. LODER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize Anita Wheeler of the Town of Meadows.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 7, Anita graduated from Academy Canada with a two-year course in Therapeutic Recreation.

Mr. Speaker, Anita, over the two years, studied hard and had the stress of not knowing the safety of her husband, Robert, who was serving with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan - who, by the way, Mr. Speaker, has returned home safely.

Anita was recognized by Academy Canada at the graduation by being presented with the Presidents Award. This award is presented to a student who displays leadership, professionalism, a positive attitude, a strong sense of school spirit, a good overall average and willing to participate in school activities.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all members here today to show appreciation to Anita Wheeler, a lady who will no doubt do a commendable job in her new career.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Statements by Ministers.

Statements by Ministers

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to recognize Vision Health Month, which is designed to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding vision health and promoting good eye health.

Mr. Speaker, more than 836,000 Canadians are living with some form of vision loss, which includes approximately 15,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians; an additional 4.25 million Canadians have some form of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or cataracts – and if left untreated, most will be at risk of significant vision loss.

A regular eye exam remains the best form of early detection and prevention to help control and treat eye disease.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage my hon. colleagues to think about vision health all year-round, but especially this week, as Thursday has been designated "Shades of Fun Day" by the CNIB – who have provided all members with a pair of sunglasses today. Everyone is encouraged to slip on these sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

The CNIB, Mr. Speaker, offers an important service for people in our Province who lose their eyesight or live with partial vision. They provide specialized services for people of all ages, including support and training on independent living skills, assessment and training on the use of low vision aids to compensate for vision loss, safe and independent mobility both within and outside the home, access to a wide variety of consumer products, training in assistive devices, early intervention services for children and access to one of the world's largest lending libraries of books in audio, Braille or e-text. CNIB challenges conventional attitudes pertaining to vision loss, delivering a progressive message about ability, not disability.

Mr. Speaker, the Williams Government recognizes the importance of vision health, and proves that commitment through an annual grant of $664,200 to the CNIB to help support rehabilitation and blindness prevention programs. As well, Mr. Speaker, just recently, our government invested $200,000 in the CNIB to help the organization expand its programs, and enhance services for those who have been referred to the CNIB for vision rehabilitation in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

I encourage everyone to get regular eye exams, care for their eyes by wearing sunglasses that have UVA and UVB protection, and learn more about protecting their own vision.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

Mr. Speaker, we too want to join the government in recognizing the month of May as the Canadian Vision Health Month. Certainly, the CNIB introduced this first ever Vision Health Month as a national campaign to promote eye health and raise vital funds for the organization's programs and services. I think we have all met people or know people in our lives that have had vision impairments, and some of them, Mr. Speaker, have been legally blind. We know the kind of impediment that that puts on them, the challenges that it places on them, and when they have good programs, good services, access to affordable care, it certainly makes a huge difference.

Mr. Speaker, I remember this one lady who was legally blind, and actually had not even heard of the CNIB at that stage, and when she did and had made contact with them, then started receiving all the information and supports that they offer. This was a lady who enjoyed to read so much and was unable to any more in her life, but because of the help of the CNIB sending out the information, the brochures, the books and so on, she gained back something in her life that was very valuable to her and it certainly helped her deal with things on a much more pleasant basis, Mr. Speaker.

We know that 75 per cent of vision loss is preventable, and I think that is important, and the reason that we raise awareness around Vision Health Month is to ensure that any time there is a disease out there that is preventable, whether it is blindness or something else, that we take precautions to guard ourselves against it and to promote it in society.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

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

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement. I am very happy to stand and recognize May as the Vision Health Month in our Province and nationally as well, I think. I congratulate the CNIB on its initiative to put this month in place and for the many events and activities that they are carrying on designed to educate people right across the country about how to preserve their sight. Any funds raised during this time, of course, will support continued vision health research, public education and programs, and services for blind and partially sighted Canadians.

I would like to congratulate the CNIB locally for many of their educational sessions, especially those which are called community clinics and point out they actually have one scheduled for tomorrow night on age-related macular degeneration, a condition which affects a lot of people in this Province. It will be featuring an ophthalmologist and retinal surgeon from Eastern Health taking place tomorrow night at the Kenny's Pond Retirement home.

I would like to note, Mr. Speaker, that we need to be concerned about eye health for everybody. I really like the minister encouraging all of us to take care of our health. I would like to note that adults receiving income support and their children are able to get money towards eye exams and glasses, but other low-income people are not so lucky. So I encourage the minister to look at how we can make money available for low-income people who are not under income support but money so that they too can take care of their vision.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I rise in this hon. House today to inform members present and the public of the events of the Cold Harvest 2010 annual meetings, conference and trade show. These are annual activities hosted by the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association or NAIA. As well, this year the national conference for the Aquaculture Association of Canada was held in St. John's, in conjunction with the NAIA conference. Together, the two conferences attracted 350 delegates from across the Province, the country and throughout the globe, including representatives from Norway, Ireland, the United States and Iceland. As well, there was representation from all provinces and territories.

Our Province is an important growth centre for aquaculture in Canada and internationally right now. The Newfoundland and Labrador aquaculture industry reached record levels of production in 2009. The market value increased to $92 million last year, representing a 45.9 per cent increase over 2008. To build on this phenomenal growth, our government has invested significantly in the aquaculture infrastructure and research in Budget 2010: The Right Investments - For Our Children and Our Future. These include investment in the Centre for Aquaculture Health and Development, biosecurity initiatives and the Aquaculture Capital Equity Program.

Mr. Speaker, my department was glad to have opportunity to co-host the joint Cold Harvest and Aquaculture 2010 annual conference from May 16 to May 19. As well, we invested $50,000 to support event planning and hosting of this year's conference. These events represent important networking opportunities for the entire aquaculture industry, as reflected in this year's theme: Successful Partnerships for a Sustainable Future.

During the conference, I attended the opening to welcome the delegates to St. John's. I had the opportunity to meet with the members of the NAIA board of directors. At that time we discussed issues such as the growth and marketing of the mussel sector, biosecurity and infrastructure needs. I also attended the closing gala and banquet where the Aquaculturist of the Year Award was presented to Geoff Ball of B&B Forest Products in Northern Arm.

Mr. Speaker, aquaculture is a key component of our government's strategy for creating employment and economic benefits in rural areas of our Province. We are pleased to see the international aquaculture industry visiting the Province as we continue to grow. We certainly encourage them to come back to Newfoundland and Labrador at any time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits &White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement.

Certainly, acknowledge the importance of aquaculture in terms of our fishery and recognize it as the growing sector of the fishery in our Province and congratulate the NAIA Committee for hosting its recent conference and so on. We commend the government for the investments that it has made in certain areas of the aquaculture fishery.

To see someone being chosen as - Mr. Ball as the Aquaculturist of the Year Award is to be commended as well. At the same time, of course, we would be concerned about our fishery in general, I am sure that our minister would share those same concerns. The MOU process, the shrimp cuts that we have recently seen, and of course plants in our Province that are not open. So, as we give strong leadership to the aquaculture sector of the fishery, and as we invest in that, I would encourage the minister and the government to give strong leadership to the remainder of the fishery and to invest where needed to ensure that rural Newfoundland has a viable future, and we recognize just how important that fishery is; so, again, good news.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

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

I too thank the minister for an advance copy of his statement, and I am delighted to stand and congratulate NAIA and everyone who took part in the conference. It sounds like it was a worthwhile event. I am glad to see the Province's aquaculture industry growing, and it is something that is happening internationally.

I would say to the minister, as one point I would like to make, that we need to stay in touch with new information that continues to come out with regard to the industry in relationship to the environment. I think we have to stay on top of that. The other thing, to echo my colleague from the Official Opposition, I too encourage the minister to stay deeply involved in working with the industry and with the union who are involved in the traditional fishery. We still have a massive ocean out there that makes fish naturally. We have to make sure that is encouraged as much as possible. I still am upset by the fact that this year's Budget had $24 million invested in aquaculture and $3 million in the traditional fishery, and I would like to see that starting to be turned around Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much.

MR. SPEAKER: Further statements by ministers?

Oral Questions.

Oral Questions

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, multiple sclerosis is an incurable progressive disease that causes pain, fatigue, and gradual paralysis. In November, MS patients were made aware of a condition known as CCSVI, in which the veins in the back of the neck and the chest become blocked and fail to allow blood to drain properly from the brain. This condition and latest research suggest that while CCSVI does not cause MS, it is seen as a causal factor and contributes to the progression of the disease in many cases.

I ask the minister today: If this test is available in the Province to diagnose CCSVI, and if so, why is it not being offered to MS patients?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, some time prior to the Budget I met with the representatives of the MS Society, or group, we discussed some of their needs and there was money set aside in the Budget to deal with the issues that were raised.

I was reading something yesterday, Mr. Speaker, about this new research, and it is my understanding that the researcher himself, and it may be an Italian doctor – I am not sure right off – that he was concerned whether or not patients should rush out at this point in time to avail of this new procedure. So, there is a lot of work to be done. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that this is being reviewed right now in Canada, and it is something that still is really questionable as to whether or not it will serve the purpose that it was initially thought to serve.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Many people who have MS are now speaking out on this issue, Mr. Speaker, because they want to have access to the test for CCSVI. Just last week we talked to a thirty-six-year-old man who travelled to Vancouver to have the test done because it was not available to him in Newfoundland and Labrador. On that same day he told us there was another Newfoundlander at the clinic in Vancouver having it done.

So, given there is a demand for this test: Why are patients and their family being denied access and forced to travel to other regions of Canada to receive the test?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the individual who the Leader of the Opposition refers to. I also received e-mails from a number of other individuals.

As a government, Mr. Speaker, we are committed to providing the best quality health care we can in this Province and we have done that in spades, I would suggest, by the investment of a $2.7 billion Budget this year. However, we are dealing with science and when science accepts that certain procedures are worthwhile we will certainly look at that.

It is my understanding, from the reading I did yesterday, Mr. Speaker, that this procedure is still questionable as to whether or not it actually works and will achieve the purpose that was originally thought. So, we will monitor this very closely. My officials are watching it, and I can assure, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and MS patients in this Province that anything that we can do to alleviate their condition and help their condition we certainly will, but again, it has to be based on science and research.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister should know that a vascular surgeon did present to a Subcommittee on Neurological Disease in May of this month, in the last couple of weeks, in terms of what the benefits are of having this particular testing done in Canada.

I would ask the minister, because he still has not told us, if this test could be available in Newfoundland and Labrador? Although we know it is not being conducted, we would still like to know the answer to that, and we would also like to know if government is prepared to support the procedures that are required to treat CCSVI in this Province?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

We have physicians in the Department of Health, and we also have physicians who work with the various regional health authorities who look at procedures as they are brought forward and determine whether or not they will be approved.

Now, again, I could be wrong on this, and I will check and get back to the Leader of the Opposition, but it is my understanding yesterday, Mr. Speaker, that this procedure that she is referring to has not been approved by any province in this country right now as a proven technique for treating this disease. So, it is a question of when and how it is approved. If it is approved, Mr. Speaker, and it is shown to work, we will be very open to funding it and to providing the testing.

Again, it is my understanding that as of this point in time, that the original research has not proven to be reliable and that further research is being carried out to determine whether or not the original premise is correct.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What we do know is that people in this Province today are spending their own money to travel to the Province of British Columbia. They are spending money to pay to have this test done to determine if there are blockages, and some of them are even seeking to have the surgery done in Poland.

I say to the minister, based on the fact that there are presentations to the federal committee, Mr. Speaker, on neurology diseases in the country, and based on the fact that people in our Province are going elsewhere to have this done: Will you at least undertake to tell us whether this particular procedure can be offered in Newfoundland and Labrador, and if so, if your government will move to provide it for people?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

When I met with the representatives of the MS Society I was very sympathetic to the plight they found themselves in. I listened closely to what they had to say in terms of the needs they required and we addressed some of those needs in the Budget. I recently, Mr. Speaker, met with another doctor who was very familiar with MS.

I can liken this, Mr. Speaker, to the Prescription Drug Program. Oftentimes we will get requests for drugs that are experimental or drugs that are not proven at this point in time by research to be effective, safe and reliable. So, there is a body that reviews these drugs, for example, and determines when they will be added to the drugs that we will provide. Well, a similar procedure has to be adopted, or process has to be adopted, Mr. Speaker, in relation to any medical procedure. What we have is, from my understanding, a researcher or scientist who says there is a link between this particular procedure and dealing with MS.

Now, Mr. Speaker, if that link is proven to be correct - and it is my understanding that across North America right now tests are being carried out and research is being carried out. I will probably even address this later on this afternoon in the House, Mr. Speaker, and update the public of this Province as to the steps that have been taken and what we, as a government, are willing to do.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In our discussion in the House of Assembly related to the Province's preparedness for an offshore oil spill, the Minister of Natural Resources has continuously stated that we are prepared to deal with such an incident. It was reported last week that Chevron warned regulators five years ago that it would be unable to clean up a major spill offshore. They also confirm that the same challenges exist today with their Orphan Basin project, the deepest offshore well in Canada.

So I ask the minister: How can you say that we are ready to deal with such a disaster when the company doing the drilling has said the very opposite?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the regulation of our offshore is a responsibility that is shared between the federal government and ourselves, the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The arm that deals with the regulation is our board, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, Mr. Speaker, and they have requirements for oil spill prevention and in terms of a reaction to an oil spill. Those procedures go through a public process, a private process, and they are made known to the public at large.

They are risks that we undertake in this Province, in this country, and around the world. There is no guarantee that this activity is risk free. It is not, Mr. Speaker. We understand the risk; we mitigate the risk as best we can.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We know the process. We are wondering about the preparedness, Minister, of dealing with a disaster.

Mr. Speaker, in the report Chevron also estimates that only 2 per cent to 12 per cent of an offshore oil spill could be retrieved under typical environmental conditions. They stated that physical recovery of spilled oil off the coast of Newfoundland will be extremely difficult and inefficient.

I ask the Minister of Environment: In light of those statements, what confidence do you have that our marine environment would not be severely impacted by such a spill?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again, as I said in my earlier answer, this is about known risk and what we can do to mitigate that risk.

We understand the impact of an oil spill in our offshore and we have a fairly good understanding of what might happen in that instance. This lies within the purview of the C-NLOPB, our regulator. As I have said before, we have a Chief Conservation Officer. We have a tiered response plan in case of a spill, and, Mr. Speaker, we have a very strong spill prevention program as well.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have yet to hear the Minister of Environment speak on this issue at all, and all we hear from the Minister of Natural Resources is passing the buck to someone else.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we know that the C-NLOPB announced last week improved monitoring of the Orphan Basin drilling project; however, when approved, this project did not require a comprehensive study to be completed as was the normal process.

I ask the minister why the rules would be relaxed for an exploration project that is in deeper water than has ever been drilled off our shores.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the minister –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS DUNDERDALE: Again, a point of clarification for the Leader of the Opposition – I have to do this every day, Mr. Speaker. Our Minister of Environment is not responsible for the offshore. That all falls within the purview of the federal government, Mr. Speaker, through the board of the C-NLOPB. I am surprised you do not know that.

Mr. Speaker, the regulations were not relaxed. We are currently undergoing a thorough review, a thorough review of our oil spill prevention and response. That will be done within ninety days. Mr. Speaker, we will see at that point if we need to do further strengthening of our rules.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess that sums it all up when the Minister of Environment is not responsible for anything to do with the environment in offshore oil and gas projects in this Province. Now that makes a whole lot of sense I would say to the Minister of Natural Resources.

What we do know is that the C-NLOPB has said that they will do more monitoring and they will do more visits to the site. However, I ask the minister: Why are we not requiring that there be independent monitors and observers on these platforms because what they have not told is how that is going to be done and who is going to do it?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, again we have a perfect example of the calibre of knowledge from which these questions come. They do not even know what the mandate of the Minister of Environment and Conservation is for the people of Newfoundland and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, three of the four members of the Official Opposition sat in government, approved projects - something they like to boast about on a regular basis here in the House - and they do not know what part of the offshore that the Province is responsible for and what part that the federal government is responsible for - shameful, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is quite obvious the minister has no answers herself. She has no knowledge, so you attack the messenger, attack the one who is asking the questions because they have no gauge on what is happening out there offshore today and if we are prepared to deal with a disaster in this Province if one should occur.

Mr. Speaker, it was reported over the weekend in The Globe and Mail that British Petroleum, the company responsible for the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana, is now going to try a top kill approach to stop the oil which involves pumping heavy mud into the oil well to stop the flow. If this fails they are saying their backup plan includes a junk shot in which golf balls, shredded tires - of which we have lots we know – knotted rope and other materials are used to clog the well.

I ask the minister: Does she see this as a backup plan to deal with a disaster in the oil industry in Newfoundland and Labrador if one should occur, or is she prepared to put forward what the actual plan and the options are?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, of the many attributes that the Leader of the Opposition might have, expertise in oil spill response, I will guarantee you, sir, are not one of them.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we have a board and expertise within that board that deals with that whole piece. We are watching carefully what is happening in the Gulf. If she is watching half as closely as we are, she will know, at least from the anecdotal information at this point, that it was human error that caused the spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, we have the C-NLOPB who has lay on an extra layer of vigilance and surveillance, and we have an independent review of our oil prevention and oil spill response. At the end of all of that piece of work, Mr. Speaker, we will see if further amendments need to be made.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The minister's answers today say it all. They have no idea how they would deal with a disaster offshore in this Province. Two weeks ago everything was fine, now we have the main company, Chevron, out there saying that in the case of a disaster they are unable or unprepared to deal with it, Mr. Speaker, and we get no answers from the government.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier stated on May 3 that the impact of a spill on our ocean environment would be limited because of the viscosity of the oil off our shores.

I ask the Premier today if he could clarify what he meant by this comment. Would the oil simply sink to the bottom affecting the ocean floor, would it rise to the top affecting the sea birds, or would it just destroy all fish habitat in the ocean, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it would be helpful if the Leader of the Opposition associated herself in some way with the science that has been done around these issues before she asks the question.

Mr. Speaker, in terms of an oil spill offshore, the greatest vulnerability will exist to the bird population. Mr. Speaker, based on forty to fifty years of wind study it is shown that oil –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS DUNDERDALE: - because of the wave action and the coldness of the sea, Mr. Speaker, breaks up and disperses.

Mr. Speaker, we had an oil spill in 2004 on the Terra Nova. Mr. Speaker, that oil dispersed, broke up, and went away. Ocean floor studies have been done, Mr. Speaker, there is no evidence of oil from that oil spill on the floor around our Terra Nova project.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, today we understand a Twin Otter will be flying to St. Anthony to remove parts and equipment related to the air ambulance move to Goose Bay. Two of the recommendations of the Drodge report included a new airplane to be stationed in St. John's and a medevac team to be stationed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay with the aircraft. Neither of these recommendations will obviously be implemented in the foreseeable future. So therefore, there is no basis for interfering with our present air ambulance program.

I ask the minister: If you are accepting the recommendations of this report in its entirety, how are you able to move the plane out of St. Anthony before the other necessary pieces are in place?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As we have indicated on numerous occasions, we are satisfied that the placement of the air ambulance in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is the best placement that serves the majority of people and in the best interest of the people of this Province.

Mr. Speaker, we announced a new medical flight services team in this year's Budget, along with a new plane. The plane in St. Anthony will be moved to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. I have explained in this House on a number of occasions, that it takes anywhere from six months to a year to recruit and train a medical flight services team. That we will embark upon that process, Mr. Speaker, and we are looking at other options as we go along here in terms of trying to ensure that there are medical flight service personnel available.

I can indicate, and I have given instructions to my officials, that until the court case is heard on Friday that there will be no parts, nothing will be moved until a ruling is made by the court in that respect. So, Mr. Speaker, at the end of it all, this is a matter that we have already discussed in detail. There is nothing that has been brought forward that will change our mind and the plane will move in the very near future.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, I think it is worthy to note that what makes that move work, so to speak, in that report is the availability of this new aircraft and the medevac team.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier is quick to use the courts when it involves Abitibi and Hydro-Quebec but unwilling to allow the process to - when he is being challenged, and the minister just indicated that nothing will move or that is correct until that case is heard, but we submitted an access to information request for information relating to the Drodge report, and we were presented with a significant bill, which we agreed to pay for the information, but now we are being told, in contravention of the time frames legislated in the Access to Information Act, that we will not be provided access to these documents until at least June 19.

I ask the minister: Why are you hiding this information, and are you hoping the plane will be gone before it is released?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

First, I have no idea what the member is talking about in terms of hiding information. We have been totally upfront with all the information relating to the air ambulance, Mr. Speaker. We have provided Mr. Drodge's report. I indicated the cost of the report recently, and I have outlined, Mr. Speaker, that there are certain discussions ongoing now in terms of the implementation of the Drodge recommendations and how we operationalize the report.

Mr. Speaker, any information that is accessible by the Protection of Privacy Act is something that the Liberal Opposition is certainly entitled to. As for the deadlines or what is being imposed upon them, Mr. Speaker, if they do not like that, my understanding is that the Privacy Commissioner can deal with that, but I can assure the member opposite that there is absolutely nothing to hide here. We have received the report from the Lab-Grenfell employees. We reviewed that in detail, Mr. Speaker, and again, as I have indicated, the plane will move and it will move very shortly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Northern Peninsula Region, along with many other rural areas of Newfoundland, continues to be hit hard by decisions that are being made by this government. Now residents in the Anchor Point and Black Duck Cove area are expressing concern about shrimp resource landed on the Peninsula but trucked off the coast, upwards of twelve hours away, while two local plants remain closed up today.

I ask the Minister of Fisheries: Can he explain to the people of the area why this is being allowed to happen, this injustice that really is affecting their livelihoods and is compromising their living?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I had hoped that the hon. member would recognize that a fish product landed in one particular area has no restrictions to stay in that particular area. We ship cod all across this Province.

Mr. Speaker, if my memory is correct, last year at one point shrimp was shipped in from Port Union, I believe, on to the Northern Peninsula, and we had shrimp that came in from Nova Scotia on to the Northern Peninsula. As of today, Mr. Speaker, we have the plant in Anchor Point, I believe the maintenance people were in there, and that should be open soon. Black Duck Cove, I believe that will be open today or within the next couple of days, and the two OCI plants on the Peninsula, Mr. Speaker, are up and operating.

So, we know that there has been some delay in the fishery starting because of the price setting panel. Mr. Speaker, that is something that we spent a fair amount of time with this year and we hope that we will not find ourselves with delayed opening of the season in the coming years, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, part of the problem is the issue of the protection that was put in place back in the 1990s to ensure that shrimp was not trucked off the coast but instead processed by the plant. This cap was lifted by this government during the failed attempts to impose the RMS.

I ask the minister: Are you prepared to reinstate this protection to ensure that shrimp does remain in the region in plants, at places like Anchor Point and Black Duck Cove, have the raw material they need when the season opens?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, many of these plants are – some of them are open and others will be open in the next few days.

What will be the policies in the future, Mr. Speaker? I cannot speak to it right now. We certainly hope and we put a lot of faith in this MOU process whereby we should address a number of issues, in particular around the structure of the fishery, where plants are located, so on and so forth.

So, Mr. Speaker, we will wait and see what the outcome of that is, but right now we are pleased that the plants are opening up. We are disappointed in the delay that it has taken because of the price setting mechanisms that are in place, but, Mr. Speaker, we will wait and see what results will come of our MOU process.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, I raise the issue of DFO's northern shrimp quota cut in the House last week and the devastating impact that it will have on the Northern Peninsula, especially since NAFTA will lose its special allocation of Area 6. This will mean an income loss of over 350 fishing enterprises in this region alone.

Given that this quota cut is an extremely important issue for all members of the House, I ask the minister: Is he prepared to strike an all-party committee of this House to exert pressure on the federal government to alter its last-in first-out approach and base this quota instead on the principles of a fair decrease and on adjacency of the resource?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, on April 26, on hearing about this possibility, last-in first-out option, I wrote a letter to Minister Shea. Since then I have a call put in that I want to go to Ottawa to meet with Minister Shea. Today, I will sign a letter to send off to her again expressing disappointment that this was the decision that was made despite our submission that we did not agree with that.

We still think that all sectors of the shrimp industry that are involved in this cut, the cut should be shared evenly. Mr. Speaker, I will make that point in my trip to Ottawa. As to future actions that we will take, that will remain to be seen, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

My questions today relate to the AbitibiBowater sites environmental cleanup. The Premier says that we are better off because we have the AbitibiBowater assets, and the Province will use those assets to counter any liabilities incurred. So he says we are in a net positive position, Mr. Speaker. By the Premier's own admission, the mill is not really much of an asset; the real assets are the forest resources and the hydro power.

So I ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker, to explain to us what the government is going to do to turn these so-called assets into real benefits that will put our books in the net positive situation that he talks about, taking into account the cost of the environmental cleanup.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER WILLIAMS: Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi understands that anything that I may say in answer to that question would only help the Abitibi case in the NAFTA dispute. It is not available for me to do that, to be quite honest with you. What she does also clearly understand, though, is that without the expropriation of those assets we would have nothing. So, if you start to stack any of those liabilities, whether they are environmental liabilities, whether it is the generous severance that we paid to the workers, whether it is costs that we have had to use in order to represent the interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, we would have nothing to offset against it. By way of example, and this is a very simple example, the land that we recovered, the land alone that we recovered for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador - forget the water rights, forget the timber rights - is three times the size of Prince Edward Island.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier knows that hydro from the Abitibi assets cannot currently be incorporated into the provincial power grid because of technical issues. This means that Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro cannot gain access to the power unless huge investments are made to upgrade the grid. The Minister of Natural Resources is on record saying that she is waiting for another major business to arrive in Central Newfoundland that can use the power; that was her hope. Mr. Speaker, how long are we to wait? Five, ten, twenty years?

I ask the Premier: How long are we going to have to wait before these assets are turned into real benefits, instead of pinning everything on phantom hopes?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as Abitibi went through its crisis, struggling and stumbling on its way to bankruptcy, where it finds itself today, the overwhelming plea we heard from the people of Central Newfoundland in particular was: Please, do not let them go with our natural resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Give us, give our children, and give our grandchildren, the opportunity to earn their living once again from the land and from our hydro assets.

Mr. Speaker, we are not writing off Central Newfoundland. We may not have an industrial customer at the moment looking for that power, but that day will come, Mr. Speaker. When that day does come, we will have the assets to do something with, to drive economic development in that part of the Province, Mr. Speaker, once again.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Since that is so important - I agree it is - I am asking the Premier: Are they out looking for that major industrial customer to make that happen? That is the question I am asking.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we had an Expression of Interest where we looked at a number of proposals for economic development around the fibre, particularly in Central Newfoundland. While we have not had the results that we are looking for particularly from that Expression of Interest, Mr. Speaker; I am happy to say that we have had an Expression of Interest from Germany last week, principals in, looking at what we have to offer in Central Newfoundland. We are very hopeful about that prospect, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.

Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees.

Tabling of Documents.

Notices of Motion.

Notices of Motion

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

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Because of yesterday, Monday, being a holiday, I ask leave to read my private member's motion for tomorrow, Wednesday.

AN HON. MEMBER: By leave.

MR. SPEAKER: Leave is granted.

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

I rise today to move the following private member's resolution:

WHEREAS despite government's Video Lottery Terminal action plan there are still more than 2,000 machines located in bars and restaurants around the Province; and

WHEREAS Atlantic Lottery Corporation has itself admitted that VLT access is "too wide"; and

WHEREAS according to the Gambling Prevalence Study there are close to 3,000 problem gamblers and close to 7,000 moderate risk gamblers and most of these nearly 10,000 gamblers are VLT players; and

WHEREAS the 2007 Newfoundland and Labrador Student Drug Survey found that 12 per cent of Grade 12 students played VLTs, a rate twice as high as in the other Atlantic Provinces, and that 7 per cent of all junior and senior high school students played VLTs, also the highest rate in Atlantic Canada; and

WHEREAS most of us know of someone who has lost their paycheques, life savings, jobs, or even their families, due to VLT addiction; and

WHEREAS VLT addiction is a burden on government and society in terms of health care costs, lost productivity, and the need to support broken individuals and families; and

WHEREAS government is receiving $75 million in VLT revenue every year, which comes from a very small number of addicted VLT players who are losing their savings to VLT machines;

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to increase funding to help problem gamblers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Assembly urge the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to establish a new plan for an accelerated reduction leading ultimately to the elimination of VLTs.

Seconded by the Member for Burgeo & La Poile.

MR. SPEAKER: Further notices of motion?

Answers to Questions for which Notice has been Given.

Petitions.

Orders of the Day.

Orders of the Day

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

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

From the Order Paper, Mr. Speaker, we will call Order 2, Concurrence Motions, and under that we will call (a) Social Services Committee.

MR. SPEAKER: I would like to ask the hon. the Government House Leader which Concurrence Motion she is calling.

MS BURKE: From the Order Paper, Mr. Speaker, it is listed Order 2, under Orders of the Day, and it is (a) Social Services Committee.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that the report of the Social Services Committee be concurred.

The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is certainly a pleasure today to rise and speak to the Concurrence motion, the Social Services Committee.

Again, I know when I reported to the House, I just want to recognize the members of the committee for their input into the departments and into the Estimates: the Member for Port de Grave; the Member for Port au Port; the Member for The Straits & White Bay North; the Member for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair; the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the Member for Cape St. Francis; the Member for St. John's North; and the Member for St. Barbe.

Mr. Speaker, we looked at the Child, Youth and Family Services Department, the Department of Education, the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, the Department of Health and Community Services, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Municipal Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, that process allows a general discussion here in the hon. House by the committee to the individual departments, certainly the ministers and the officials, in terms of the budget process, in terms of looking back at the last fiscal year, what the estimate was for that particular year, what the actuals were for that year in terms of expenditures, and certainly looking to the next fiscal year 2010-2011, what the expenditures, or the expected expenditures, are of that particular department. Certainly, it is wide open in terms of what expenditures were for the last fiscal year, what the estimates are that is discussed here in the House, and certainly going forward for the next fiscal year what those expenditures are and how do they relate to government and certainly government initiatives, strategies, the direction. Obviously that process, in terms of the Budget, certainly complements the whole Speech from the Throne in terms of the general direction of the government, whether on an annual or certainly over a longer period of time.

So we had a good discussion back and forth in terms of particular issues and questions. A couple of departments I would just like to touch on and talk about some of the issues that were touched on. As well, this is part of the budgetary process, so you could certainly go off and talk in a broad sense in terms of the Budget, and I will certainly do that in regard to this government and some of the initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, the first one we looked at was Child, Youth and Family Services. The original estimate, when we looked back last year, was approximately $133 million – a little over. The actual was $125 million. Then looking to 2010-2011, Mr. Speaker, approximately $164 million to set up that new Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, which certainly was an initiative of this government, and one that we recognized that needed to be done and we are certainly moving forward with it.

Some items we talked about there are some general things in terms of support for various agencies, grants and subsidies, youth mental health was an important issue, certainly looking at private living arrangements, independent living arrangements. Obviously foster homes – we have spoken about that over the past year certainly in the Legislature in terms of the importance of that. I will speak soon, just briefly, in terms of the initiative this government is making, in terms of foster care and the options that are available to those children who are in need, who are at risk, and certainly what this government is doing to deal with that. As part of that, we talked about the recruitment of new families in terms of the foster care program and the initiatives that were taken on that. We talked to the regional health authorities and certainly recruitment over the last four years. We talked about the numbers, as I said, in terms of youth involved in foster care. Some of the new initiatives, in terms that we move forward, certainly new legislation in terms of Child, Youth and Family Services and some of the initiatives that we would be moving forward on that may come up in this sitting of the House.

Mr. Speaker, Child, Youth and Family Services we spoke about it and the Budget reflects – it is all about children, certainly, youth and our families. Certainly, the protection and well-being of our children is first and foremost and is the top priority for us – to make sure our children are protected in today's society.

We have a total budget of approximately $167 million in terms of this department and that is directed at continuing to develop and provide client service and drive improvements through the system.

Part of this initiative, Mr. Speaker, when the new minister was appointed was to get out and consult, to speak with staff all around this Province in terms of dealing with these issues, social workers and professionals in the field out in the front lines to talk to them and to hear directly what the issues were, where the challenges were, where we had to rebuild, if you will, make changes to make sure that this is meeting the needs of our children and of our youth. I know, personally, I had the opportunity for the minister to be in Ferryland. We met with staff up there, professionals there and heard a social worker, and others just heard first-hand, I guess, in terms of the challenges, what they deal with and suggestions certainly in terms of what needed to be done to improve it. The minister took those and as she moves forward is developing certainly a new system within her department, new direction to make sure those needs are being met.

Some of the things that were talked about in terms of the issues that were heard, we heard about an organizational model that needed to be - a new organizational model we are going to introduce based on a consultation we did as a government, meeting and discussing. We talked about a new computerized need for them - we heard of the need for a new computerized case management model to allow those in the system to more effectively deal with caseloads and do their work and be assigned to them.

As well, we heard from social workers across the Province regarding issues and what they did in their duties, that oftentimes they were taken away due sometimes to administrative work or other activities that were taking them away from the core function that they needed to do. This is all part of that reassessing the model to make sure that we can reach out to those staff all across the Province and to make sure they can do, take the time, have the funds, have the technology that they need to do the job they need to do to ensure our youth are being cared for as they need to be cared for, especially those at risk and those that need that attention, Mr. Speaker, which is so important. This allows, as I said, focused attention on serving our children and youth and that is the initiative of the new department and the direction that is being taken to make sure we get there.

A key goal as we move forward under the department is to ensure that we revitalize the child protection system, certainly update it, bring it to where it needs to be today. That is going to be guided by improved and progressive legislation in terms of meeting those needs and making sure we have in place the parameters that allow the system to be built to ensure that we put in those protective requirements, if you will, to make sure that all children are duly protected.

As well, a culture of accountability to make sure all of are accountable in the system for decisions that are being made, and the availability is there, whether it is staffing, technology, whatever is required, that all of that is there so we can strive for excellence. Certainly, that is what we strive for in the Child, Youth and Family Services programming, Mr. Speaker. No doubt, that is where you want to be. You want to strive for excellence and certainly this government has recognized that, recognized and invested to ensure that we get on the road to do that.

I have mentioned a couple of key components. Certainly, technology is key, human resources, child protection services. Just to give a couple of examples of the kind of investments and what we are talking about: $400,000 to design the first phase of a multi-phase project that establishes a new computerized case management system for social workers and for managers. That will be implemented, Mr. Speaker, over a three-year period at a cost of $15.4 million, and certainly tailored to the specific documentation and strategic objective needs of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. So, that again is derived from the consultations and discussions we had front line - certainly the minister and her officials. As I said, I had the opportunity in my district as well to meet and to hear first-hand what some of the challenges are and how we can work as a government and a department to certainly improve those.

We have $3.1 million set up with more than 600 staff and fifty locations on the provincial government technology network. I talked about technology and how important that was to enhance what we are doing, and this certainly allows us to do that, and continue the process in doing it. That will allow for the assessment, design and execution of a transition plan for new employees, purchasing new software licenses and hardware, desktops, computers – all the things you need to do to ensure with the case management model that we can certainly meet the needs and make it more efficient, so that those on the front lines can actually do the job, their core functions that they are required to do, and certainly have the supports around them to do that. That is what we are doing with the investments in this Budget.

Child Protection Services, we have $21.8 million to help cover the cost of residential services for kids at risk. So the department is certainly looking at it as well, and the government is certainly looking at innovative solutions to address the shortage of foster homes with the long-term goal of creating a continuum of appropriate placements for children at risk, Mr. Speaker.

Again, we are investing in the Foster Families Association to support capacity within the organization, and as I said, to build foster families and certainly that knowledge and expertise there to help build and help support them, which is such a key component of Child, Youth and Family Services in terms of that protection component and having that short ability to place those children who are at risk, so as we move forward in their care, that is of benefit to them, which is so important.

Just over the last three years, in terms of the department and initiative, we looked at, as I said, a new department structure and a leadership put there in terms of a new minister to drive that change; meeting directly with frontline staff, as I said, across the Province, and gaining insight and directing the new department in a strategic direction to meet those needs and to hear first-hand as a government what we heard through the consultative process.

As well, I mentioned in terms of enhancements to the legislation, to be more child focused and ensure that every policy that is developed or outlined or discussed or directed is certainly rooted in best practice, because we want to have the best practice. As I said, it is a road to excellence. In terms of doing that, it has to be best practice and that is certainly where we are headed. No doubt, there will be challenges as we move forward but we have accepted the challenge and we are moving forward to ensure that the youth are protected and we have programs and services available to them.

As I said, as well, we looked at a computerized case management system; we are moving forward with that. As well, a new organizational structure that, no doubt, the department and minister will unfold as we move forward, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that was important, I think, to speak on in terms of the Estimates in Child, Youth and Family Services and what this government is doing and accepting – recognizing that in terms of consultation and going out and speaking, we recognized there were things we needed to do. We are investing in it to do it and we are moving forward strategically to make sure those needs are being met.

Mr. Speaker, as well, we touched on Human Resources, Labour and Employment, that department in terms of the Estimates Committee. We look back in the 2009-2010 Budget, roughly $292 million in terms of expenditures. That was revised to actuals of about $290 million. Then again this year, we are looking at $299 million, or almost $300 million in terms of investment. That is almost an increase of $10 million, Mr. Speaker, in Human Resources, Labour and Employment. So we are moving forward, recognizing a number of services and programs that need additional investment, and we are working towards them. I will just touch on a few, Mr. Speaker, as I go through here.

We have discussed a whole range of issues, from labour market mobility to the new labour market agreement, the devolution agreement from the federal government, Service Canada, which is now the Labour Market Development Agreement. As well as a labour market agreement, through agreements which puts in control of the Province a large portion of funding that the Province can now use and officials within Human Resources, Labour and Employment can use for market attraction to meet the needs of the market today in terms of training. It is not on a national scale any more. It is specific to this Province, to this Island, to Labrador, and it could even be specific to regions of the Province in terms of: What is the labour market looking for and how we can direct that funding to make sure we are meeting those needs? It could be in the skilled trades. It could be in a particular skilled trade, Mr. Speaker. It could be any variety of areas, but this allows this devolution, in terms of the Province and the funding to direct that, and I have seen first hand the benefits of doing that.

We see some initiatives through the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy, that this can be used as well in terms of directing and assisting young people. Both programs, one assists those who are EI eligible, the other component, the LMA, looks at those who may not have any high attachment and is really beneficial in the part that it can reach out to those who before never really had that ability to access training but now through this have that ability. Oftentimes, they could be underemployed, they could be under trained, and this gives a real opportunity to reach out and to access funding for programs, for training, that can enhance their ability in the marketplace and allow them to enter that marketplace and build a better future for them and their families, which is so important, Mr. Speaker.

We had a lot of discussion on that, Mr. Speaker. As well, we talked about the targeted initiative for older workers. Another program that reaches out to those from fifty-five to sixty-four years of age as well who are underemployed, or maybe under trained.

In terms of initiatives, I know in my area last year, the Southern Avalon Development Association had an initiative, very successful. I had the opportunity to attend the graduation of those people who went through and they spoke very highly of it, in term of their self-confidence and in terms of being able to access a variety of new skills, whether it was carpentry, technology, or computers. They did some training in the hospitality, tourism industry; funding of approximately $300,000. I attended in Trepassey and heard first hand the benefits, how successful that was, Mr. Speaker. So, a whole range of initiatives that indeed served well.

Mr. Speaker, as well, we had some discussion on the Community Youth Networks; certainly very important across this Island, in terms of - funded through Human Resources, Labour and Employment. Again, this year we are increasing funding in that area and looking – I know first hand. I have visited some around the Island, as well in my district, from Bay Bulls to Cappahayden in terms of the Community Youth Network. A couple of years now they have been operating and the tremendous work they do in reaching out to our young people in terms of making services available to them. Right now, it operates out of both Mobile school, as well as Baltimore, working on a couple of initiatives in terms of allowing them to get to a building, I guess, in terms of on the southern part of the district. Again, in Bay Bulls, in a new lifestyle centre, regional centre, there will be a youth component in that building which will allow them to operate out of that building, which will be so important to them as well, getting access to our youth. As well, through that and our early learning initiative, we will have a sixty child day care space there as well, which will follow our early learning initiative for the region, which will be certainly welcomed and good news.

As well, the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy I mentioned; we have a variety of initiatives under that. Again this year, we have $5.8 million for the strategy; an increase from approximately $3.9 million last year, Mr. Speaker. There has been a continuous - last year in terms of initiative under the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy in terms of announcements, especially with regard to the labour force, the apprenticeship program in terms of making that bridge from post-secondary to that first employment. It could be a wage subsidy or whatever it is, that we continue to invest in these. They are so important and can give so much return to our youth.

As well, with the apprenticeship program, sometimes with the slowdown first-year apprentices often have trouble getting the hours needed in terms of their apprenticeship to move through the program. Again, initiatives put in place to allow that to assist with it.

I know at Memorial this year, we did additional funding at Memorial. I think it was the engineering school where we invested additional monies to get that experience for engineers, to get out there; much needed experience to provide that assistance.

Once again, too, when you speak of that strategy you cannot speak without talking about our post-secondary and what we are doing. The Minister of Education, in his department in terms of a freeze on tuition. Maybe we do not see it all the time in terms of the investment but that is huge. It will certainly make us one of the top in the country in terms of the price to go to post-secondary. Again, with the interest on the provincial portion of the student loan, another great initiative that was removed stands.

So those are investments that we are making in youth and making in post-secondary. It is so important to self-reliance and moving forward and making sure we are prepared in terms of expertise and what is required out there in the marketplace. We are doing that and moving forward with it.

Just to clue up, Mr. Speaker, my time is getting short here, but I want to just touch on another couple. Health and Community Services - tremendous investments again - the minister mentioned earlier in the House the tremendous investment we are making overall in terms of new initiatives. One that comes to mind that I just wanted to mention was the drug program. I have heard certainly in my district and from all over in terms of the provincial drug program. Again this year we have moved the threshold in terms of access to the program. Due to the increase in minimum wage, some people were not able to access it, but this certainly looks at it. The Foundation income support plan – 46,000 are involved with it - $56.4 million. You go down to the 65Plus Plan, the Access Plan, Select Needs, Extended Drug Card Program – a total of 122,000 people, Mr. Speaker, availing of that on the Drug Plan. Again, with the change in threshold this year, there are expected to be another 12,000, Mr. Speaker, who would avail of this program. I know first-hand how important that is to all the residents of the Province, and this government continues to improve and certainly continues to invest where we need to invest.

Mr. Speaker, those are a couple of areas in terms of the Social Services Estimates Committee. Again, I thank all those who were involved and I certainly look forward to the debate later today and hearing other hon. members speak to the Estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER (T. Osborne): The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

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

It is a pleasure today to be able to stand with a few comments with regard to the work that was carried out through the Social Services Committee. Being a member of that committee, I have to say there are six departments there but I only attended one, which was the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. Being a critic for four different departments, I had two of these: the Government Services Committee, and one other one with the Resource Committee later on.

In my opening comments I want to commend the Chair, all members of the committee for the work that they did, and also each individual minister for those departments, and the staff that came along.

I think one of my hon. colleagues mentioned the other day that they feel the process through the Estimates Committee far outweighs probably Question Period and other debate here in the hon. House. I tend to go along with that, because you have ministers who get up in Question Period and they more or less skate around the answers, but when we come to the Estimates there is a different setting, a different feeling, and the individuals, with their staff as well, I have to say, provide the answers to the best of their ability on all topics that are brought forward.

One of the key ones that I will be making a few comments on – however, I will touch on some of the others – will be the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, having been the critic for that particular department.

Mr. Speaker, there are many issues that we brought forward with regard to that department. As I stated the other day, first of all we usually go through the line items, which are the amounts that are being spent by the various divisions within the department, and also through that department we touched on workers' compensation and the work that they do. Mr. Speaker, that is one very important component of the department because we know all too well the involvement with the employees throughout this Province and the work that the employers have to carry out with education on the safety issues that we see here in this Province. Unfortunately, many times individuals do get injured on the job, through no fault of their own, and have to seek compensation because other avenues of funding are not available to them for a period of time and they have to go through the workers' compensation process; however, Mr. Speaker, there are times after a thirteen-week-period when the funding comes not to end but the format changes and many of them end up possibly having to go to appeals with the commission and going to the Chief Review Commissioner. However, there is a process there, and I think that is very important. That was explained to us during the process, that this is very important to the injured worker, to know that if something should happen with regard to workers' compensation that they have an internal level of appeal first and then, after that, they go to the external level.

Mr. Speaker, some of the other issues that were mentioned had to do with the questions we asked with regard to the Poverty Reduction Strategy. We hear so much about the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the work that has been done, the long-range plans, and how other jurisdictions are looking to our Province to go with a similar format. Mr. Speaker, that is very important.

The minister also announced, and I think it was noted also in the Throne Speech this year, to release and consult with Newfoundlanders again on the second Poverty Reduction Strategy action plan. I think that is very important, because several years have gone by now where this has been discussed, changes have been made - many changes for the betterment - however, there are still problems that people encounter throughout our Province. We hear that coming forward from time to time.

It was only this week we went to breakfast with the religious coalition here in St. John's and one of their main issues has been poverty, down through the last several years. They are always bringing issues forward to government. As a matter of fact, at that function they asked whoever would want to, to get involved and contact them because they had four other key points that they would like to put forward which they believed would help in the Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Mr. Speaker, there have been many changes; we know that. Some of the questions that we put forward, we have received responses along those lines with regard to many issues that affect people, whether it is school fees, free textbooks, changes in the medication system and so on. Many times some of the people that you are referencing here say yes, that is true, we received that, but some of the lower income families say that did not put any funding on our table for food and that because we were receiving this along the way from other sources before.

That will take me to the issue that comes up fairly regularly with regard to food banks here in the Province. Mr. Speaker, we all know – and as we were told at the Estimates meetings – much of this had to do with the world economy, the lack of jobs at that particular time, and the changes that were made not only here in our Province but in other jurisdictions where our young men and women would have to go to work.

Mr. Speaker, all of this is in relation to a survey that was put out by Food Banks Canada entitled HungerCount 2009. Some of the figures are staggering, even though they probably do not affect us as much as they do some other jurisdictions, but 70 per cent of the twenty-eight food banks in the Province report an increase in usage. We know some of them have increased quite a bit. This data has been put forward by a reliable source, the Community Food Sharing Association, Mr. Eg Walters.

Mr. Speaker, we know what brought about some of this. It was due to the Newfoundlanders who were out west, and many of them were laid off when the changes came in the economy. Housing prices went up and people were found in a position that they did not have the funding available then for food, and also the crisis that was in the fishery, and that is still ongoing today. We know the fishery has started, but there are many changes that have happened. We also saw the closing of the pulp and paper industry in Stephenville and Grand Falls. All of this combined, Mr. Speaker, made quite a difference with regard to the usage of the food banks.

We know, Mr. Speaker, that here in the Province - I know back a few years ago I used to get involved with the food bank in Bay Roberts, and bring a lot of the items from the major centre here in St. John's out to that particular food bank. I must say, out in that area I think they still have 100 people - that takes in from Marysvale to Bay Roberts - in that particular area that used the food bank this past year.

Also we get complemented by shipments of product that come in from outside which comes from the Food Banks Canada to supplement our collection here in the Province. I guess we hope that the day will come when this will not have to happen, but I believe last year - and a lot of this has been donated, the transportation to and from by Oceanex and CN Rail in other provinces, but also I think the acquisition and the distribution of the food last year cost in the vicinity, if you had to put a dollar value to it, in excess of $16 million. So, Mr. Speaker, that will give you an idea of the usage that we see with regard to food banks.

Mr. Speaker, we also spoke about and asked questions not only with the poverty reduction, the second action plan and the food banks but also we asked questions with regard to the effects on the minimum wage here in the Province. We are pleased to see that the minimum wage now will be $10 an hour and that makes quite a difference for many people in our Province. In some areas, in some of the smaller areas - and I have also heard it mentioned in my area - what it has done, some of the smaller businesses were unable to keep up with that and they have either laid somebody off or they reduced the hours and kept everybody on. It is unfortunate when you see a good thing happening, something a little negative happens on the other end, but I guess that is the situation we find ourselves in, Mr. Speaker.

The other thing we mentioned was with regard to the Labour Standards Act for employers and employees. As noted, we were advised that this is ongoing and I think that is a tremendous good piece of business to know where we stand here. Also, jobs were mentioned with regard to in-migration and out-migration. We have heard figures released recently that the figures are changing around with regard to in-migration, and that is wonderful. Many of the people, I believe, that are coming to our Province - that does not say that everyone that worked out west has come home because I know in my area quite a few of them still commute back and forth. I think it is so many weeks on and just a week or so off. We do know that the numbers have gone up by 0.5 per cent to 2,484 in-migration, and that is the largest number, I think, of increase since 1983.

Mr. Speaker, it would be interesting - and I asked the minister if they had a breakdown on what the percentages would be up to 2,804. Were they people who had left this Province to find employment and now have returned home and found a job here, or are they people who worked away and just retired and came home to stay? Mr. Speaker, I know many of the figures and facts that we asked for, we did get a commitment from the department to provide those to the members on the committee.

Just to touch briefly on, I think one of the very important issues that have happened since the last election is the formation of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services because I think there is nothing more important than what that department can do. They have a tremendous job to size up and review all the situations that we hear talk of throughout this Province that have happened to our younger and middle-aged teenagers and young youth in this Province who find themselves in very difficult positions.

I know there are cases in my area where children have been removed from a household. I believe, and even some of the workers believe, the system that was in place, some of those were returned to an environment that should not have happened at so early a stage. I am looking forward to the work that will transpire through that department. I am sure that nothing but good can come out of it for the youth of our Province.

I just want to touch on health and community services. I know, Mr. Speaker, we see tremendous changes, tremendous involvement. We hear talk of the figures, the budget in 2004 was $1.3 billion and this year's budget was $2.8 billion. Mr. Speaker, we have heard the comments that have been made in the media and throughout, and probably here in this House, that health care is in a crisis in this Province. I do not know if it is in a crisis or not, Mr. Speaker, but I do know that something should be done to see what is going on, to see that influx over a six-year period of $1.5 billion go into health care, and then on a daily basis we hear so many issues throughout this Province by our residents in each and every district. That is not a fault on government, I do not blame that on the department, but there is something totally wrong, something has to be done.

One of the issues that I noticed - and I have mentioned this several times here in the hon. House. In my district alone, we have three or four clinics there with one or two general practitioners, but many people in that area still do not have access to a general practitioner. Many of them have to travel here to St. John's and Mount Pearl to see a general practitioner. What happens, whether it is on a weekend or on an evening where they do not have a doctor, all of a sudden something happens in that household to one of the residents, they call the clinics: I am sorry, we are closed until Monday morning. In case of emergency, go to Carbonear.

I do not care what the situation is, how minor or how major it is, those individuals look at it that whatever the issue is, it is an emergency to that individual. They flock to the emergency units, whether it is at Carbonear, the same thing is happening here in St. John's. I do not know what can be done. I know we hear the minister and the department say that we have extra doctors over the last year-and-a-half, the retention is working we are being told. That is all good, but something has to be done in that regard because I think that is where a tremendous cost to our health care system is going by people having to go to the emergency units – and you do not know when that call is coming. It was only about four weeks ago I had to go there myself, but when I went there the clinic was full of people, some of them waiting for four or five hours. That is what you have to do if you want to see a doctor at any given time when a situation arises.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to health care, that is a very, very important issue. Again, we hear so much about the nurses, the shortage of nurses and the graduates who are coming out now are staying here in the Province, and that is all good. I know for a fact, in Carbonear, I have spoken to many of the nurses there, the age of retirement is coming upon them and I know government is trying to, I guess, convince them to stay on a little longer, but many of those people have gone through tremendous stress carrying out and providing a service to the people of this Province.

The wait-list, again, is another issue to see specialists. In many areas - we are fortunate in my area that a wait-list to see a general practitioner is only a matter of a day or two, but to see a specialist, people that I know now who have been diagnosed with various illnesses have to wait so high as four, five and six months to see a specialist.

I guess I cannot help but mention a long-term care facility which was one of the issues that has come forward. I know last year there was an announcement of $500,000 and in this year's Budget there was $4 million announced in preparation, I guess, for the site and getting ready for the tender for the Conception Bay North area in Carbonear. That has been good news, Mr. Speaker. I am looking forward to this year's Budget to see a larger influx of funds there to say that facility will be advancing fairly quickly. I know it is a total cost, I think, of $108 million. The time frame for its completion, I think, is in 2013 or 2014. So, I can assure you, everyone is looking forward to that. The facilities that are there have served their purpose. The staff who are there, they are doing their best under the situation.

Just briefly, I want to touch on – it has been a very hot topic through the Department of Health, and that has been the air ambulance situation. I, along with others, met the residents from the St. Anthony area when they were here on the steps of the Confederation Building putting their message forward to government. I cannot help but see the little girl that was there with her placard, asking government to reconsider. That is all those people are asking, but I know the minister has said it is a done deal, the plane will be moving shortly. Hopefully, something can come out of that, that those people will be considered for the service that they had provided to them for many, many years.

Mr. Speaker, another issue just to touch on briefly, I guess it is through Municipal Affairs, having attended the Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador Convention last fall, there are still issues that they bring forward. They are pleased with the funding 90-10, but many of the smaller communities still find it very hard to come up with the 10 per cent. Now that might sound strange, but many small communities still find that. They were used to the other formats that were in place, and the funding has been reduced down for many years now and there is not that much funding there for them.

The other issue that they did bring forward and we hear about it, and I am sure this touches many departments outside of the Concurrence committee that we are referring to here today, and that is the control of wastewater. It was only recently we saw an article in the paper, the city here in St. John's, how much it is going to cost to really get the program up and running to the point that the federal government are brining in those regulations. I thought the mayor said it would increase for the people here; a $250 increase is what they would have to pay.

Mr. Speaker, the concern that was expressed at the convention last year is that the smaller communities are going to have a really tough time when it comes to the wastewater situation. Many of them just do not have the money to get involved with the environmental issues that they have now. I know the message went out, and I think the now Minister of Transportation and Works - who was in an acting position for the Minister of Municipal Affairs at that convention - heard it loud and clear from those people. That that is the issue that they want discussed. The federal government are coming down with timelines on this but they find themselves in a very difficult position.

So, Mr. Speaker, as I started out - and my time is just about up - I believe that the Estimates Committees are a good source of information for all committee members, whether you are on the government side or in the Official Opposition. Each and every year I look forward to them because you get a lot of valuable information that you can provide to your constituents. If you get messages that you do not think are up to par, you are given the opportunity to be able to stand here and let the people know that you will still bring their concerns forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is indeed a pleasure for me to stand today and have the opportunity to have a few comments about the Estimates Committee work. Like a number of members who have spoken before me, I certainly want to recognize the value of the work of the Estimates Committee. For me, it was the first time this year going through the process, and I have to say it is a learning experience; I am sure not only for me but for the members of the committee who participate.

One of the things, Mr. Speaker, the Estimates process does is it gives you the opportunity as a minister of a department to make sure that you understand in significant detail the workings of the Budget in the department, the kinds of protocols and processes are in place that allow decisions to be made. It really helps you to dig in and understand the issues in great detail. Of course, through the Estimates process members of the committee have the opportunity to go through, not only your Budget line by line and ask questions on any particular item that they choose, whether it is the result of a decrease in the Budget from one year to the next or an increase or status quo, whatever the members choose, Mr. Speaker, they have the opportunity to ask you questions and to probe you as a minister on the workings of the department.

So, I want to say up front that I found the process very interesting from my perspective and certainly very beneficial. I gather from, at least the members who have spoken thus far, that they too found the process very beneficial.

I want to make a couple of comments today about a number of different topics, but one of the things that I am certainly very pleased with as the Minister of Education is the Budget this year is a record high of about $1.3 billion, Mr. Speaker. That is a significant investment, matched only by the Department of Health. I think, without speaking to the Department of Health, because my colleague, the minister, can do a great job with that and he will do so when his time comes. I think it is important to point out to the people of the Province that our investments in both the health and education sectors signifies to the people of the Province, Mr. Speaker, where our commitments are as a government. Certainly, we have made education a very, very important part of our mandate – a cornerstone. We recognize very clearly the role and the importance and the value of education, to not only the future for individuals who go through the K-12 and post-secondary systems, but a more educated and affluent population in our Province can only mean continued and improved growth and development for the Province as a whole.

So I am very pleased with the budget that we did receive. Just by way of illustration, Mr. Speaker, in 2003-2004, the investment in this Province per student was about $7,400 on average. In 2003-2004 it was about $7,400. Today, in this Budget, Mr. Speaker, we are budgeting $12,200 approximately; an increase of almost 65 per cent since 2003. That is a very significant increase, Mr. Speaker, a very significant increase. The result of that increase I am going to talk to you a little bit about in a few minutes because there are some very, very important initiatives that have occurred.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I am going to digress. I want to talk for a couple of moments about an issue that is very important to our government. It is about an issue that made the news on any number of occasions over the past twelve months. Of course, most recently, for members who saw the newspaper through the weekend, it made the news on the weekend. That is the issue of autistic children and the services that government and the Department of Education, in particular, provides, because it is an issue that is extremely important.

I have stood here in my place in the House on many occasions, not only Question Period, but on a private member's motion last year we had the debate. I have said on many occasions, as I will say today, that I truly do understand the way parents feel about that. As I said before, I, myself, have a family member who is autistic and I know the struggles that my family and siblings have had in trying to, first of all, come to grips with the fact that you have a child who has a significant challenge beyond what many other children face in trying to learn, to grow and to develop as a child, into a young person and into adult.

Those parents, Mr. Speaker, have the same hopes and aspirations that all of us have as parents. Whether the child is autistic or has a learning disability of another nature, Mr. Speaker, all parents have the same hopes and dreams. They want to do the best for their children. They want to make sure that every opportunity that is possible is provided to their children. Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, like all of us, they want to do the best they can to make sure that their children become productive members of society and hopefully pick a career and have the opportunity to do something in their life that leads them to a healthy life, an active life, a rich life with lots of good experiences and opportunity to develop strong family ties.

Mr. Speaker, I raise that issue because it is not only the article in the newspaper and a number of parents who were interviewed there, but certainly they recognized, for anyone who read the article, the parents recognized that Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the leaders in Canada today. We are one of the leaders in the country when it comes to the supports and initiatives that we have taken in providing supports for autistic children. I want to talk about it because the item is so important to us, Mr. Speaker, that we did public consultations. We went province-wide, my parliamentary secretary, the Member for The Isles of Notre Dame, along with a number of officials, travelled across the Province during the past year and we did public consultations where we invited, not only members of the teaching profession, professionals who are in the classroom on a daily basis and other professionals who provide support to classroom teachers and support to the students, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, we also invited the Autistic Society, Mr. Speaker, but also parents.

The whole thrust of the exercise, Mr. Speaker, was, number one, we wanted to demonstrate our commitment to these people and to the whole area of autistic services. We wanted to be able to show that we indeed were very committed. We understood, and we still do understand the challenges that these people face, but we were also committed to making the necessary changes that we were able to make to make the system better. I have to say, Mr. Speaker, it was certainly a worthwhile exercise; there is no question about that.

If I could probably sum up where we have come from that exercise, we really focused on three areas. That is providing supports to students, providing supports to teachers and the system, and providing supports to parents and family members. We have done a number of things thus far and we have a number of other initiatives that will be rolling out in the new school year for September 2010, Mr. Speaker, but suffice it to say, we have certainly focused our efforts on, first of all, providing resources to the system, recognizing as we were told through our consultations that there are daily challenges that teachers and their support staff find when they are dealing with these students. So, we recognize that and we started to provide some professional development opportunities. We are providing resource kits to schools for teachers and other staff members who feel they need further support beyond the professional development opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, we also recognize, as I said in my opening comments, the challenges that parents face in transitioning their children, perhaps is the best way to put it, from a four-year-old who is receiving applied behaviour, ABA support at home, transitioning them into the pre-kindergarten program, the kindergarten program, and then the full day of school in Grade 1. One of the biggest issues that were identified to us through the consultations was one of communication. Parents often struggle, in terms of trying to help their child get adjusted into the system, in their understanding of what is expected of them, and in some cases, Mr. Speaker, in the school's ability or understanding of what needs the parent has as well. We recognize that, Mr. Speaker, and that is why, as I said, we put a number of initiatives in place that hopefully will provide further supports to parents.

In the coming months, heading into September of 2010, there are a number of other things that we will be doing, Mr. Speaker, with the sole purpose of recognizing some of the challenges that parents face, and educators face, and most importantly, the challenges that these students face when they come into the system. The changes that they go through from being at home with the parent and other support workers to now being a part of a larger classroom environment, surrounded by classmates, and the changes that they are seeing put upon them as a result of that.

One of the things that we did do, Mr. Speaker, in this past Budget - and this will be my last comment on the topic for now - is we increased the student assistance supports that are available for the system. We did that recognizing, as we were told by teachers and parents, that autistic children can pose challenges to the system and challenges to their classmates and the teacher's ability to make good, positive things happen in the classroom. There are challenges there that require some extra supports.

In this past Budget, Mr. Speaker, members will recognize that we have allocated funding to the tune of greater than 25,000 hours of extra student assistant time. That is intended, as I said, to support not only autistic children and the classes that they are in, but certainly that was the first priority we identified when we made that allocation in the Budget. So, I am certainly very pleased, and in light of the article I thought I would take a few moments just to update my colleagues in the House of what has happened on our review of the austistic program, and of course to say to hon. members here, that other things will be happening as we head into September of 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a minute to touch on another issue that is very important to us as a government, and that is Grenfell College. Perhaps I should say in the past tense now, what used to be Grenfell College. I had the privilege to attend, what was termed by Dr. Pike, the Acting Vice-President of Memorial for the Corner Brook campus, what was termed by her as the last convocation of the Grenfell College as it existed. It was indeed an honour and a privilege to be there, not only to join the students in that very important day in their life. As many of us in this House have experienced, when you graduate from a university or some other post-secondary program, it is indeed an honour and a thrill, and a big day, an important day, not only for the students, Mr. Speaker, but an important day for family members as well. For the moms and dads whom I have talked about already today, who worked so hard and want so very badly for their child to do well. So it was great to be there and to join them in their experience.

Mr. Speaker, it was equally an honour to be there and to have the opportunity to listen to Dr. Pike and to many others who spoke both formally at the convocation, and informally to me afterwards, about the high regard in which they feel government holds Grenfell, and how pleased they are with a number of the many initiatives that we have announced in not only this Budget but in the long-term plan to help Grenfell grow and become the institution and the campus of Memorial University, Mr. Speaker, that all of us here envision it becoming.

Grenfell has a good, core, solid base of program offerings out there, Mr. Speaker. As I have said, and others have said on many occasions, that one of the things we want to see happen as a government, is we want to see the Corner Brook campus of Memorial grow and flourish, because we recognize a number of things, Mr. Speaker. Number one, we recognize the value of the Corner Brook campus and the programs it offers and the activities it engages in. We recognize the importance of that to our Province, first of all, Mr. Speaker, as a whole, but we also recognize the value of that campus to the West Coast of the Province, and to Corner Brook in particular.

We certainly understand - as people on the West Coast do, Mr. Speaker - that as the Corner Brook campus continues to grow, and it will continue to grow, Mr. Speaker. It will continue to grow, because one of the things we have done as a government in the budgetary process, when we increased their base budget by 38 per cent, one of the things that we have identified as the primary focus is on marketing the Corner Brook campus. Marketing it worldwide, the quality programs it has there and the quality student life it has to offer, and the small town, if I could use that term, atmosphere of Corner Brook that many students would thrive on and would love to be a part of. It is the marketing and it is the recruitment, Mr. Speaker, of new students. It is the recruitment of new students to Grenfell. We are certainly very confident that we have now provided the tools to the Corner Brook campus to help it get on its way, to move forward and to focus on those couple of priorities. Mr. Speaker, if we can continue to support the Corner Brook campus and if they can take the tools that we have laid out as a government in the last six to eight months in particular, when we announced the direction that we wanted to take, I am quite confident that we are going to see a thriving institution over there. We are going to see the Corner Brook campus grow and we are going to see it make a significant contribution to the Province and to the West Coast in particular. It is a good initiative, one that we are very proud to support and very proud to stand toe to toe with the people on the West Coast as we work through this process of getting a secretariat in place and recruiting a full-time vice-president for the Corner Brook campus of Memorial and moving forward.

I am going to take a couple of moments now as my time winds down, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to touch on those couple of initiatives because I felt that they were very important not only to us as a government but very important to people in the Province. I want to take a few moments now to go back to the K-12 system in the last few moments I have because we have seen not only significant investments, Mr. Speaker, but significant changes in what we are doing at the K-12 level.

While I do not have time to go through all of them, I want to touch on a couple, in particular our support for programs at the K-12 level. There has been a shift in mindset, if you will, Mr. Speaker, over the past period of time as we recognize not only the need to change some of the programs that the system currently has, but we have also recognized that it is time to bring some new initiatives into the system.

I want to touch on a couple very briefly. The Excellence in Mathematics Strategy was a very, very positive initiative that we continue to support in this particular Budget to the tune of about $11 million for the whole initiative, Mr. Speaker. We do that because we recognize the importance of numeracy skills and ensuring that the students in our system, who come through our school system, have the base knowledge and base mathematical and numeracy skills that they are going to require as they progress through the K-12 system. That was a good initiative that we continue to support.

The other one I will touch on quickly is the $13 million investment in the skilled trades at the high school level. As members would be aware, we have set out to renovate every single high school in the Province to ensure – excuse me, schools that offer the high school program to ensure that they have the facilities they require, the actual physical facilities, the space, the room to offer the program. As an example, Mr. Speaker, we made more than a $1 million announcement for New World Island Academy in this past Budget because we recognized that school had some space challenges. So we have not only done the physical changes, Mr. Speaker, to the schools themselves, but we have also invested in the required equipment to make sure that the students who are doing the high school program throughout this Province all have an opportunity to avail of that wonderful program and to help prepare themselves as they start assessing the kinds of career choices they want to make and what they would like to do with their life as they leave high school.

In my last minute or so, Mr. Speaker, I want to talk for just a quick moment, to shift gears once again, on an issue that has been topical over the last couple of weeks for us as a government and in the Province, and that is the issue of the overpayment and the error in overpayment in the State of Qatar by College of the North Atlantic. I want to touch on that one just to give everyone a bit of an update on that, Mr. Speaker.

As members would recall here in the House, we took swift action when we found out that an error was made by the college and we immediately disclosed to the public what had transpired. All of the information that was available to me and to government we certainly disclosed and made it very clear to the public that the college had made an error and that it was our intent, first of all, to make people aware of the error, and secondly, to try and get to the bottom of it.

Mr. Speaker, it is only in the last couple of days or so that I issued a press release announcing that we had selected an individual who would lead the external review process that has already begun. We have identified three main objectives, Mr. Speaker. The first is, obviously, to verify the amount of money in question and whether or not that is exactly $5 million or close thereto. So, the first item that we have to do is we have to verify that and get a firm number. The second is that we have to look at all of those contracts up for renewal and make sure that any contracts renewed will now fall in compliance with the terms and conditions of the comprehensive agreement in place for Qatar. The third item, Mr. Speaker, is we want to get a better understanding of what the process was in the college system that led to this error. So, we want a review done of the decisions and the actions that were taken that led to this overpayment.

Mr. Speaker, those are the three broad terms of reference. The external reviewer that is leading the process, of course, has the flexibility and the latitude to ask other questions as he sees fit in working with the auditors who are working on the file.

Mr. Speaker, I know my time is up, by leave for a couple seconds to conclude?

MR. SPEAKER: Does the hon. Minister of Education have leave?

AN HON. MEMBER: Leave.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Minister of Education, by leave.

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank members opposite. I will just be a moment.

I thought it was important that I speak to Qatar for a few moments because I know it is an issue that people are interested in. Any time there is a sum of money that is missing or an error made people want to know what happened. We recognize that and that is why I am doing my best, Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as minister to share as much information as I have on a timely basis with all members of the House and members of the general public.

With that said, I thank the members opposite for the leave and I will conclude my remarks.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am certainly pleased to rise today and speak to the Social Services Committee of the Estimates for the House of Assembly. Mr. Speaker, while there are number of departments that are included in that particular committee's estimates, I did sit on two of the Estimates to explore the numbers of the budget in the Department of Health and Community Services and also in the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education just spoke, and spoke about a number of the education initiatives that government has been involved in. I guess I would like to take a few minutes to talk about a few of those myself.

First of all, Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the air quality testing for schools in this Province because this is an issue that we have found in the last number of years where we have had a number of schools in the Province that have been closed for a period of time due to bad air quality. The air quality in these schools was not picked up through any regular testing methods or through the screening process that the schools use. It was not until there were either illnesses being detected with children, or there was some kind of renovation work that was ongoing in that school or in that building that would have alarmed people or alerted them to the fact that there might be other problems. It was only then that the school board and government brought in further testing for air quality in a lot of these facilities. What we found, Mr. Speaker, is that many of the schools required work, extensive work in some cases, and as a result of it the schools had to be closed, children were found alternate facilities to be able to go to school for periods of time.

There is a whole list of these schools, Mr. Speaker. In fact, it became such an issue that the Auditor General, last year, in 2009, decided to have a look at air quality in schools. When you look at many of the issues today that are of public interest to people, a lot of inspections are actually done and posted online. Information is very readily available, especially when you look at things like food establishments and so on; yet, in buildings in which thousands and thousands of children in this Province go to school we do not have full air quality testing, we do not have the results of those tests posted online. So if my child, Mr. Speaker, is going to a particular school in the Province, whether it be Topsail Elementary or Holy Cross or Bayview Collegiate or whatever the case may be, I should be able to go online and find out when the air quality testing was done in the school that my child is attending, and what those tests show me.

Government has been reluctant to do this, and I do not understand the reason for it; because, when you look at the fact that dozens of schools in the last number of years had to be closed as a result of bad air quality, and because children were getting sick or because of some other problem, then to me that is reason enough to inform parents out there in the Province as to the quality of the schools that their children are attending, and what the air quality is in those schools.

Mr. Speaker, when the Auditor General did his report back in January of last year he found, through enhanced school inspections, that there were a number of deficiencies that existed in schools right across the board areas. All of those things included everything from roof damage to poor drainage to water damage due to piping problems, to leaking in windows and doors, to a lot of moisture being found in some schools, to asbestos problems that they felt there was some suspicion of, ventilation issues, temperature issues, carpets in use in the schools, and so on, so there were a lot of different issues that were explored as a part of that process.

Mr. Speaker, I think there should be a standardized process for doing this testing in schools and have it available to the public, and I would ask the minister to look seriously upon that because it is not a case any more of where we have just one incident of where we have had bad air quality in public schools in this Province. There have been many, many incidents of this happening. I think, in terms of giving parents another level of health and safety for their children who are in those schools for five or six hours a day, for a number of weeks throughout the year, I think that information should be made available to them. That way, if there are problems, if this testing is being done on a regular basis, it is very standardized and it is an enhanced process, Mr. Speaker, then you would be able to identify as well if there are problems that are continuing to rise, or problems that may be continuing to surface, that you would at least find them in advance.

Mr. Speaker, if this was not a serious issue the Auditor General would not have picked it up and decided to do this. Obviously, it is a concern for the public. It is one that the government members opposite have continued to dismiss as part of this process, Mr. Speaker, and we feel that it should be added and that it is something they should take more seriously.

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to raise that particular issue.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education, on a point of order.

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just want to correct a couple of things the member opposite is alluding to there on air quality testing. First of all, all of the air quality testing that has been done in this Province has been made available to the public. The member seemed to suggest the contrary, but in actual fact every single test, Mr. Speaker, that we have had done on air quality has been shared with the body of individuals who are duly constituted to represent the parents in that school, and that would be the school council.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the member again seemed to suggest – and if I am wrong she will correct me, but seemed to suggest – that government have been the ones avoiding air quality tests. Mr. Speaker, people need to understand and be reminded, as I have said here in this House many times and my predecessor has, that it is the experts who do the air quality testing who have actually said that air quality testing in every school does not work. In fact, the process that we are engaged in now is the process that works, and it is called enhanced inspection.

Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am sure I will continue to be interrupted in the hour that I have to speak to this particular committee.

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that many of these inspection reports, especially in the years from 2006 and 2007, according to the Auditor General, a number of these reports – seventy-two of them, in fact – were not completed. I say to the minister that even though there might be some inspection reports being done they are not being done in all schools. There is not enhanced air quality testing done in every school across the Province. It is not being posted online, Mr. Speaker, so that parents in this Province can see what the air quality is, and the inspection reports are, in the schools that their children are going to.

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

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education, on a point of order.

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If the member wants to talk about educational issues, I certainly welcome her to do that, but she is absolutely right: I will continue to rise on a point of order if there appears to be some misinformation.

Again, there is an insinuation that government is hiding air quality test results. Mr. Speaker, they are provided to the school councils who are duly elected and constituted to represent parents' views. That makes them public documents. Furthermore, if a parent has an issue with obtaining these results from school councils, they are more than welcome to come to the Department of Education and we will furnish them, Mr. Speaker. It is quite the contrary. For the member opposite to stand there and suggest something contrary to that is just not acceptable and I have to rise on a point of order.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe the minister should get out the book and start reading what a point of order is, because none of these issues that he is raising is a point of order. So, Mr. Speaker, perhaps he could start by learning the proceedings of the House of Assembly, and learning what a point of order really is, so that when he stands up he has a valid point to make, because right now it is not valid, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, let me get back to the fact that air quality testing on schools in this Province is not mandatory, it is not an enhanced system of testing, it is not posted online, it is not available for the broader public, regardless of the fact that the minister says that these reports are given to school councils. Mr. Speaker, in most cases the only public sessions ever held around air quality testing in this Province have been held when the school board and the government are about to close down a school, about to close down a school and take the children out of the classroom simply because they can no longer attend school because of the air quality. Usually, that is the only time that you get a public briefing with parents, Mr. Speaker, at an assembly. It is not available online, there is no standardized process, and the minister is using the rules of this House, and abusing the rules of this House, to stand and to make speeches.

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

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education, on a point of order.

MR. KING: A point of clarification, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the member opposite, I feel that I have a right, as a member, to stand and raise a point. My understanding in the House is that I have a right to do that. My understanding is also that the member opposite, the Opposition Leader, does not decide what is a point and what is not, but the Speaker does. So I say maybe we could keep the debate little less personal and a little more about the topic at hand.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of statements being made about what air quality testing is not. One thing that it is, it is an enhanced inspection process. The other thing that it is, that the member seems to misunderstand, is that it is a co-ordinated systematic process that is consistent for all schools. It is not haphazard.

Furthermore, the member obviously does not understand what has been happening in the Province in the last year in air quality testing, otherwise she would know that more than 50 per cent of the schools that we have had issues in, in the last six months, the issues have not been detected –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KING: - by air quality tests but rather detected because we have been in schools doing repair and maintenance work, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There was no point of order.

I recognize the hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe you could send the manual along to the Minister of Education so he could read the rules of the House of Assembly because there was no point of clarification; there was no point of order. He is abusing this House today, Mr. Speaker, to stand and make speeches that really are not adding anything to the debate. The member had his time to speak and he has taken his time.

Mr. Speaker, according to the Auditor General's report there were 177 schools in this Province in operation in 2007 and 2008 that did not have any air quality testing done on them for nearly ten years, I say to the Minister of Education. Perhaps if he wants to stand up, he can tell me today of the 177 schools that were referenced, maybe when he wants to stand up and speak when his time comes, Mr. Speaker, he could tell the public today how many of those 177 schools have now undergone air quality testing and make those reports available to the House of Assembly.

I say to the minister, if there is nothing to hide, why not table all the air quality reports in the House? Why not put them on-line so that people can actually read them? Now for some reason they do not want to do that, but they want to make the public believe there is a public disclosure process, Mr. Speaker –

MR. KING: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education, on a point of order.

MR. KING: A point of clarification, Mr. Speaker.

The hon. member invited me to stand, so I am taking her up on her invitation. I can give the member some numbers, and I do remind her that she is quoting 2007 data. If we are really going to share information valid with the public we ought to come current, closer to 2010 - that is three years ago. I also remind her that when you talk about 2007 data -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KING: - and say that it is ten years prior to that, five of those years it was the Liberal government in power, not this government, but I have some numbers that I am prepared to share, Mr. Speaker. The member asked me to do this: 175 roofing projects; 142 building envelope projects; five ventilation projects; 142 other general air quality projects have been completed in the last three years.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. minister, if he is making a point of order, if he could get to the point of order.

MR. KING: It was not a point of order; it was a point of clarification, Mr. Speaker, at the invitation of the member opposite.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The information the minister is quoting, Mr. Speaker, I have that information here. That is not the question that I was asking, and it is obvious that he just wants to use up my time to talk about absolutely nothing.

Mr. Speaker, maybe he could stand because we all know that on their air quality inspections in this Province that there is not an enhanced process, it is not mandatory, it is not posted on-line, and today there is no parent in this Province who can log on and find out what the air quality is in the school they are attending. So maybe the minister could put his head around that particular issue and make it available through public technology that is used in the Province today.

The other thing he could stand up and tell me, Mr. Speaker, is why they broke their commitment to the people of Corner Brook when it comes to providing for university at Sir Wilfred Grenfell, because that was the commitment from the government members opposite in the middle of an election campaign and thereafter, that they would give full autonomy to Corner Brook and they would in fact ensure that Sir Wilfred Grenfell College became a full university with its own Board of Regents and its own Board of Directors. Mr. Speaker, that is a commitment that we never seen materialize. So maybe the minister can stand up on his point of clarification and his point of order today and can tell us why the government backed off on that commitment and why they went out and tried to shroud it, Mr. Speaker, to look like afterwards that they were actually going to do what they committed to do.

As soon as the President of Grenfell College spoke out, Ms Pike, she came under the attack of the Premier. As soon as Ms Pike spoke out, who was the President at Sir Wilfred Grenfell, she came under attack by the government because she merely expressed her opinion. Something that we learned very early on, that in the field of education in this Province you do not express your opinion.

Look at what happened to the teachers in the classroom who spoke out against the government opposite, Mr. Speaker, when a minister was part of the school board, with the Eastern school board at that time. Two teachers spoke up and they were suspended from their jobs because they spoke up against the government about education. Ms Pike spoke up, Mr. Speaker, but it is okay for the government to make commitments and not fulfil those commitments to people, and how dare you speak when we decide to change our minds. That is the message that they have left out there in the field of education.

Then, do not forget the incident at the university when you had the former Minister of Education who was going to take it upon herself, Mr. Speaker, to go in and actually hire the president of the university. She was writing the questions. She was screening them out. She was having the hands on detail with no autonomy left for the university, none whatsoever. Mr. Speaker, a medium within our Province who prized themselves on their academic ability and their ability to be free thinkers and not to be influenced by government, but yet, the minister has a list of questions and she is doing the screening, and she is doing the interviews and all the rest of it. She is going to go in and, hands on, hire the president over at the university. Now, what a mess that created in the field of education, Mr. Speaker. What a mess that created. Almost as big a mess as we have now with the College of the North Atlantic.

Let's not forget the College of the North Atlantic, the $5 million fiasco that occurred there that no one can talk about. The president of the college, whom they brought in and had great accolades for on the day that she was hired and put in that position, they could not say enough good about this individual. She got pushed out the door pretty quick, Mr. Speaker, and forbidden to open her mouth. When the minister is asked by the media, Mr. Speaker, if she would be allowed to speak, he says: Absolutely not! I am the one who is going to speak. We do not want to hear what she has to say. For good reason, Mr. Speaker, for good reason. Because they want to spin the story the way they want to spin the story and no one else is allowed to speak. They are going to have an audit done to see what happened.

What was really, really noticeable about all of this, Mr. Speaker, is that the Minister of Education did not call up our own Auditor General, our own Auditor General who audits files on behalf of the government, all the government departments, all the pieces affiliated with it, the same Auditor General who did the audit on all the air quality stuff and how that was mismanaged in the Department of Education and with the government, the same Auditor General was not asked to do this on the college. No, there was another individual appointed. Some other individual, Mr. Speaker, who obviously the minister feels quite comfortable with or he would not have appointed him in the first place, but if you want the true independence of the auditing being done on what happened at the College of the North Atlantic, you would have thought the first call would have went to John Noseworthy, the Auditor General in this Province.

MR. KING: A point of order.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Education, on a point of order.

MR. KING: Mr. Speaker, I had to speak on this point because I appreciate the member with her theatrics and wanting to have a speech in the House, but I think there is a point of order here when you start drawing into question the credibility and the competence of not only Mr. Shortall, the independent person who is leading this review, but the Office of the Comptroller General is the office that is actually working with this independent reviewer.

I take great exception in this House that the member opposite would call into question the independence, and the credibility and the integrity of those individuals who are working hard to work through that process.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

There is no point of order.

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Education should know better than to be abusing the rules consistently in this House, Mr. Speaker, consistently abusing the rules in this House, making no points of order, making no points of clarification, and further, casting aspersions that were not out there.

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General of this Province is the right person to be auditing what happened at the College of the North Atlantic because it is sworn in secrecy. No one can see what is going on there, Mr. Speaker. No one knows what happened. I am sure the Minister of Education knows what happened; it happened on his watch. It happened on his watch that the contracts were not paid out appropriately, that employees were overpaid on contracts. We still do not know if the money is going to be recovered or if it is not going to be recovered from these individuals. We still do not know the story on that.

He made an attempt, I give him some credit, he actually made an attempt, Mr. Speaker, to go before the microphones and explain it to the people of the Province. When I think about it, he made three attempts in one afternoon – in one afternoon I say to you, Mr. Speaker, to try and explain it to the public. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we are more confused now than we were when all of this started with the College of the North Atlantic.

Mr. Speaker, what we do know is that there is money that was paid out, that was the money on behalf of the taxpayers in this Province. We have no idea at this stage if that money will be recovered or how much of it will be recovered. We do not know the details of what happened and we do know that the minister has obviously appointed someone to look into it that has given him a comfort level, but has certainly not appointed an independent auditor like the Auditor General for this Province who should have been the person who was asked to do this particular investigation in the first place. It does not limit the Auditor General from looking at the issue, so you never know he may look at it at some particular point. He may look at it at some particular point.

Mr. Speaker, as well under this particular committee under the social committee of the House of Assembly there are a number of other departments that are covered and one of them is Justice. I want to talk about this for a few minutes now because on the education piece we have highlighted the issues there that we think that government needs to look at. One of them is definitely around air quality that is not being done and, of course, the other issues are basically commitments that they have made and they did not meet around the autonomy of the University for Corner Brook; they have backed out on that, Mr. Speaker. The fact that they did not ask our own Auditor General to look into the issues around the College of the North Atlantic, and they practically gagged the president once she was let go, so she cannot talk to us. We do not know what information that she can provide to us. Of course there was always the interference with the university by the former Minister of Education who today is the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. So, I guess there are a number of things there that needs to be looked into in more detail.

Let's talk about Justice, Mr. Speaker, because this is a perfect example of this government going out and making commitments in the public and raising the hype of people and leaving hope with people and then never fulfilling it. I will start with the detention centre in Goose Bay because, Mr. Speaker, this was a huge issue in the Province, huge issue for people in Aboriginal communities, for people in the women's community and for people in the Lake Melville or Labrador area that was using this particular service. This has to do with a woman who was kept in the lockup and how that woman was treated while in that lockup with inappropriate facilities and, Mr. Speaker, that issue became a public issue in this Province, a public issue that forced the government opposite to respond to it. Their response, Mr. Speaker, is that they would build a pre-detention centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for women so that when situations like this arose there was a facility to keep them in where their own safety could be guarded, but they would have full privacy while in custody.

We find out two years later, Mr. Speaker, two years later, that nothing is done on this. No facility is built. The situation exists as it did two years ago when the story first broke in the news. Then we find out that, in fact, the money that had been in the Budget and carried over in the Budget for the last two years has now been eliminated from the Budget. It is no longer there. Of course, government did not go out and make that announcement, did they? They did not go out and say to the people in Goose Bay, we have changed our mind now, and we are not going to build the pre-detention centre. Mr. Speaker, they did not go out and say we might look at other alternatives. They did not talk about any of that in the public. They tried to hide it all until it came out and it once again became a public issue. The first response we hear is that we did not tell anybody because we are going to look at other options.

Mr. Speaker, if you made a commitment to the people of this Province two years ago that you were going to build a facility and then you change your mind and you were going to look at other options, did you not have an obligation to go out and tell them that as well? This is the problem with the government opposite. They make the big announcements. They tell you about all the things they are going to do, but two and three years later when it is not done, they do not tell you that they have taken it off the table or they are no longer going to do it, or they have had a different mindset about that particular piece and we are going to do something differently.

It is like the university piece in Corner Brook all over again where they were out saying for two years, we are going to give you full university status, we are giving you your own board of directors, we are giving you your own board of regents – and what happened, Mr. Speaker? None of those things happened. It is just like the pre-detention centre in Goose Bay. We are going to build a new facility, we are going to look after these women, we are going to protect them while they are in custody and they are going to have privacy. What happens? Two years later you find out there is not one dime left in the Budget to do it, and we do not know if they have any intention of doing anything at this stage. Although, now that the pressure is on again, Mr. Speaker, they are out saying we are looking at other options. They have never once went out and said to the people in that area we have had a change in plans, or we are going to do something differently, or to include them in those options until it became a public issue.

Let's talk about Her Majesty's Penitentiary, Mr. Speaker. We had all the studies done. We had the reviews done. We had minister after minister, because there has been three or four now since this issue came up in the Department of Justice, and they have been out there saying: Yes, we have to look at a new penitentiary. We are negotiating with the federal government. We are looking at a federal-provincial penitentiary in the Province. Then, what happens? The federal government has made it known that they are not in. They are not in. Their money is not on the table. We are not a part of this master plan that the Province and the government in Newfoundland and Labrador has.

What is the plan now? Because you have been saying that for so long, that has been your response to the situation and to the report that was done on HMP in this Province, that has been the government's line response, that we are negotiating with the feds, we are looking at a federal-provincial facility, but as soon as the federal government is dropped off this whole file, Mr. Speaker, they are not putting any money in: Where is the provincial government now? They do not talk about it any more now. They do not respond to it any more now. We have not heard of that report or the issue around the Penitentiary since the federal government closed the chequebook and said they were not going to be a part of it.

Well, the problem has not gone away. The problem has not gone away, and I guess the government does not have another response, Mr. Speaker, that they can give to the public at this point that makes it all look fine and dandy. We have not had a response from them at this stage.

So, Mr. Speaker, that is some of the issues around the Department of Justice. That is some of the issues around the Department of Justice that we are dealing with, but more importantly, more issues in more departments where government has misled people in this Province to think, in general terms, that this is going to be done, this is the grand picture, this is our solution, and two years there is still nothing that has happened. Three years it is cancelled or off the books all together, or there is an entirely different option on the table and nobody has been made aware of it.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen it happen in a number of areas. One of those areas, of course, is health care as well. Of course, in health care it is the same thing. Whenever issues have arisen, when they have been of tremendous public concern, government's response has been one that we will fix the problem. Yet, it is not fixed, Mr. Speaker.

I talked about mental health services for youth right now in this Province because this is an issue that was raised in this House of Assembly time and time again. It is a serious issue, Mr. Speaker, which affects young people in this Province. Over the course of time I am sure there are many in the House, like myself, who have talked to many of the families who have children who are affected by the lack of services in our mental health system in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a situation now where we are down two psychologists at the Janeway Hospital, positions that we have not been able to fill. We have another psychologist whose licence has been revoked at the Janeway Hospital; again, lessening the amount of services that are available for children. Two years ago the government committed to ensuring that there would be a facility built in this Province for youth mental health services, that there would be proper facilities where these young people could be taken so that they could be made well again.

We know today, Mr. Speaker, that some of them are being cared for outside of the Province, are attending facilities outside of the Province and have been for some time. In fact, recently we heard from a family who has been, I think, nearly a year now in the United States with their child getting services. Of course, there are other children, Mr. Speaker, young people who are still being hospitalized at the Waterford Hospital and not receiving any level of care, other than protection from themselves in most cases. Their parents have said to us that the programs, the services are not there and that there has been no improvement. There has been no improvement. Which is very sad, Mr. Speaker, because these are issues that have been going on for a long time. I just hope that the government who made a commitment to do this now almost two years ago will get on with getting it done; will get on with getting this done and ensuring that the facilities, the services, and the human resources that are required are put in place for those youth so that they can access the services that they need.

Mr. Speaker, in recent months, I guess, I just talked about recruiting the psychologist at the Janeway Hospital and the fact that there have been vacancies there, but that is not the only area where there have been vacancies in this Province. In the last little while we have seen doctors, on a regular basis, holding information sessions, Mr. Speaker, talking about the shortages of different professions throughout the medical field, different areas where we are lacking specialists right now.

Mr. Speaker, we know that with the current climate that is ongoing in the Province in terms of negotiations and relations with doctors it is not really conducive to doing massive requirement, especially for speciality services. We have seen the play out between the government and the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association over the last number of months in this Province, Mr. Speaker, as we had doctors going out looking for additional resources and additional support in their area of medicine in order to provide for the services for people in the Province. Because the reality is, Mr. Speaker, not everybody in this Province has the money to go outside to get medical care, whether that be in Ontario or whether it be in B.C. or whether it be in the United States, wherever. A lot of people, most people, 99 per cent, or 90 per cent of the people, Mr. Speaker, would not have the financial resources to go outside of the Province to get the kind of services and treatments that they require. That is why it is so important that we offer those in the Province wherever and whenever we possibly can.

In order to offer those kinds of services and treatments to people, we need to have good doctors and we need to have good specialists, and in order to maintain them in this Province we have to pay them. That is the reality. We have to pay them and we have to pay them at a rate that is on par with the rest of Atlantic Canada, Mr. Speaker, because that is the market that we are competing in. Now, of course, we are competing in a national market. We are competing in a worldwide market, but it is unrealistic to expect that the government in this Province could match the salaries of those in some of the provinces across Canada. That is not what we are saying, but we are saying, Mr. Speaker, that we need to be able to provide for at least parity with Atlantic Canada. There are certain speciality services, Mr. Speaker, which are hard to recruit. Therefore, we have to pay more to get those services. That is the reality of it.

If we all had the money and the financial wherewithal to hop on a plane and go wherever we needed to go to get that care, we would not need doctors in this Province, we would not need specialists. We would not need those services because when we needed care we would go to where the care is, but in the absence of that there comes a point where you have to provide for the best services possible for the people in the Province and that means ensuring you have the best specialists and you have a complement of those specialists and those doctors. Because when you do not have a good complement of those doctors and specialists what happens is the ones who are providing the service become overworked and over extenuated, and as result of it, they too want to move on. That is basically what happens and that is what has happened in this Province for some time.

It is like today, Mr. Speaker, when I raised the issue in Question Period, an issue that was relative to MS patients in the Province. Mr. Speaker, I raised that issue because there have been five different cases that have come to my office in the last little while about MS patients who want to have this CCSVI treatment done. Just to explain to people basically what it is, because MS in this Province, Mr. Speaker - in fact, I think in Atlantic Canada - they are saying there are like 5,000 people who are affected by MS. Unfortunately, we have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis of any other region in the country, Mr. Speaker, in Atlantic Canada, or in the world rather.

What this is, is that MS patients are aware of a condition known as CCSVI which is chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency. What it does is the veins in the neck and the chest become blocked and they fail to allow the blood to drain properly from the brain.

This test, Mr. Speaker, right now, a lot of the patients are going to Vancouver to have this test done to determine if they do have those blockages. Once they determine if they have those blockages, then they have to look to where they can get the procedure done.

Right now, Mr. Speaker, from what we understand, the procedure is offered in Poland. People have gone there to have this done. It is basically the angioplasty to remove the blockage for the patient. As the minister said today, there is probably no guarantee of this working for MS patients, but what we do know is that a number of them who had it done, it did work for them. We also know that it has been tried and tested on some and it is found to be beneficial. Whether that is a universal argument, whether it applies to everyone, I guess will remain to be seen. There are arguments, Mr. Speaker, by specialists in the field on both sides of this.

One of those arguments was made by Dr. Sandy McDonald who is a vascular surgeon. He made a presentation to the Subcommittee on Neurological Disease in May of this year – this month actually. Mr. Speaker, he made some arguments in support of having this done. A lot of the patients that have MS are researching this, they are hearing the stories of other people who have had it done, and I guess the question remains if it is a test that detects whether there are blockages there, is that a test that can be done in this Province because we know that we are doing cardiac testing today for people who have blockages. So, can we do it for MS patients as well to determine if that blockage is there or not? Those who are having it done are going to Vancouver now and they pay a fee, of course, to have this test done – somewhere around $2,500, along with their expenses and so on. Mr. Speaker, if they have a blockage and they are a candidate, then to have the surgery done, of course, there is another expense to the patient that could run them up to and over $20,000 to $30,000 a year.

So, Mr. Speaker, anyone out there in the world today, not just in Newfoundland and Labrador, that has any kind of disease or any kind of illness that affects them, they want to look at what their options are and they want to find a way to get better, so MS patients are no different. They are seeing this and they are saying at the early stages of their diagnosis, is there a way that I can slow this down, is there a way that I can prevent it, is there a way that I can have more control over how the disease progresses and affects me for the rest of my life? I think that if there is a way that we can do some of this testing that we need to look at it in Newfoundland and Labrador, if for no other reason simply for the reason of providing some relief for those patients that are affected with MS and allowing them the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to be able to seek out their options and to do it in an affordable manner.

Mr. Speaker, again getting back to the doctors, because in order to be able to provide services like that I just talked about with MS patients or with any other patients out there, we need to have doctors and physicians that are well trained, that are specialists, working in this Province providing those services. Whether it is in oncology or pathology, whether it is in cardiac care or if it is in neurology, all of these areas are very, very important.

I know we have heard government say on the opposite side many times: Oh, look at all the money they are already making. They are making a ton of money. They are making this. They are well paid. They are all these things. Well, that does not change the fact, Mr. Speaker, that they can tomorrow get on a plane and take a two hour or three hour flight and they can land a job that is going to pay them more doing the exact same thing. That is the reality of what we are dealing with. It is not a matter of finding that we think they are overpaid because I only make half of what you make or this one down the road only makes a quarter of what you make, the reality is it is like market demand. If the demand for those services exist throughout the country and throughout the world and these people can go anywhere and be employed, yet we need them to save lives of people in this Province, well then what we need to do is have meaningful dialogue with them to come to a consensus and a deal that we can all live with, that the government can live with on behalf of the people in ensuring that they have some fiscal restraint and that they are able to ensure that people get a service for the amount of money that government is able to invest. It is not good enough, Mr. Speaker, to continue to ridicule those who speak on behalf of doctors in the Province, and continue to stifle them in their arguments, because to me, that does not serve any purpose whatsoever.

Where the irony really was in all of this, Mr. Speaker, is that when the government was out there saying here are doctors making $300,000 a year and so on and so forth, they were down there hiring a child advocate, paying them $175 an hour, which would bring you up to $300,000 a year. So they thought it was perfectly fine and perfectly acceptable to bring in a child advocate, whom they would appoint through the Cabinet, someone that they would appoint, and they would pay them twice as much or more than any officer of the House of Assembly. They would pay them up $300,000 a year, and there was no problem with that.

That was the irony in which this government is operating. It makes absolutely no sense. Every child advocate that occupied that office was paid, Mr. Speaker, on an annual salary that did not exceed up to $75 an hour; yet, all of a sudden, we have one who is paid $175 an hour because they appointed by government, through the Cabinet, and they think it is perfectly all right. While they are out appointing that individual and paying them, they are also defending the fact that doctors are being paid too much.

Mr. Speaker, there a number of issues that we could go on with in health care, but there are some other departments that are covered. One of them, of course, is municipal and provincial affairs, and I want that speak to that for a few minutes as well. Municipal Affairs, Mr. Speaker, is the department that represents every municipality in this Province. We know that there are municipalities in this Province today that have been doing very well, that are actually growing, that they are growing in terms of their economic revenue, they are growing in terms of their industry base, and they are growing in terms of their tax base and so on.

There are many other communities, Mr. Speaker, in the Province that have not been growing to the same level and have been experiencing more and more challenges. That is rather unfortunate because a lot of these communities are the smaller rural communities in the Province. They are not just isolated to small rural communities, they are others as well. If you look at Grand Falls-Windsor today, obviously, there are challenges in that community, because any time that you have a major industry that closes up, like you did in Grand Falls-Windsor, of course it is going to pose challenges for the people in that community, for the workers who are there. In fact, Mr. Speaker, there was an article in the Grand Falls Advertiser that was put in there by the union saying: looking for work; and union locals cry foul over security positions at the closed mill.

Mr. Speaker, that is just a sign of desperation in that community of people needing jobs and do not have jobs. Sometimes I look across and I see that every time we mention Grand Falls-Windsor, we see the government trying to put their head in the clouds and not wanting to see the reality of what is happening on the ground out there. What they forget, Mr. Speaker, is that there is a lot of desperation from people who need jobs, who want to earn a living, who want to stay in the community and in the region, and they are getting frustrated because they are not finding those particular jobs. Regardless of how many people that the government put on the ground out there to write resumes for them, it is just not happening, Mr. Speaker. That is an unfortunate situation but that is the way it is.

I know a week ago when we questioned the Minister of Natural Resources in the Estimates Committee on Grand Falls we were told at that time that there was no demand for the power, there was no demand for the wood. The saw millers were looking for some fibre, they were going to give some extra fibre to some of the sawmill operators, the integrated operators, but there was no forecasted industrial growth, she said, in fact, growth is flat. There is no forecasted industrial growth.

Now, this afternoon we heard her say in the House of Assembly, we just had a company here from Germany who toured the mill and they are thinking about opening up another pulp and paper mill. Mr. Speaker, she should have told the Minister of Transportation and Works because he was actually in the Grand Falls Advertiser yesterday saying that they are 99 per cent sure that they are going to decommission the mill and they are going to take it down, they are going to dismantle it. So, someone better let the Minister of Transportation and Works know that there is someone that is interested in looking at the mill now because yesterday he was 99 per cent sure that he was going decommission it and dismantle. So, we would not want him to go out for a tender and have the mill dismantled before the Minister of Natural Resources finds out about it.

Nothing would surprise me in terms of them not knowing what one or the other is doing because that is quite obvious. A week ago, there was no industrial development forecasted, everything was flat. Today, the Minister of Natural Resources would have us believe that there is another pulp and paper mill going in Grand Falls by a German company and the Minister of Transportation and Works is in the paper we are going to dismantle it and decommission it. So, it just goes to show that on the other side the members - one minister does not know what the other minister is doing and, obviously, the backbenchers, Mr. Speaker, know a whole lot less. So there you go, Mr. Speaker.

The only caution I would give to the Minister of Natural Resources is let the Minister of Transportation and Works know because he might have the tender out already to dismantle it and decommission it and you would not want that to happen if there is a chance that the Germans are going to invest in pulp and paper in Grand Falls- Windsor. We would not want to risk that opportunity, Mr. Speaker, so I let her know that.

Mr. Speaker, there are municipalities out there that are having a difficult time, and there is no doubt about that. They are finding that with out-migration and the populations going down in their communities that it is harder to raise taxes, it is harder to collect the revenues to keep everything going. In a lot of those small communities today they are running the community centre, they are running the arenas, they are running the fire halls, they are running the recreation centres, they are looking after the signage in the community, they are trying to keep up a few of the local roads, they are looking after their own water systems, they are collecting garbage and disposing of it. That is the responsibility that is placed on them. Even though they might have had a population of 1,000 people in the town ten years ago, there might be only 500 there today. They might have had 500 in the town, Mr. Speaker, as was the case in some areas in my district a few years ago - ten years ago - but today they only have 300 and 400. They have a lot less tax revenue to draw on.

Many of these communities are in the fishing industry or they are in the forest industry. What we have seen, Mr. Speaker, in the fishing industry and the forest industry are less jobs, less money. I know back a few years ago there were plant workers, who I know personally, who were working twenty and twenty-four weeks a year in a fish plant, today they are lucky to get eight and ten weeks a year in that fish plant. Their income is half of what it used to be.

I know fishermen, Mr. Speaker, who earn 30 per cent less today and more in their enterprises than they did even three years ago. In only three years their revenue, their take-home money, went down by 30 per cent. So how do those small municipalities out there who are not only faced with out-migration but is also faced with decline in the resource sector industries like the fishery and like the forestry, how do they continue to maintain their communities and maintain the infrastructure? It is getting harder to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I know this weekend I was down in a community in the Province that is being restored as a historical site and a lot of the work that is done there is the responsibility of the municipality. So, if tourists do not come, if they do not generate money through that industry, they cannot cover off all of their expenses. I remember even a couple of weeks ago down in another area – actually in the Grand Bank area, in the Minister of Education's district. Down there, all the stuff around the theatre and the arts community in that particular region is all being looked after by charitable groups and by fundraising and those particular things. Mr. Speaker, that is hard to do when you start seeing your tax base going down and the amount of money in the community – disposable income – being available.

I know in my own district communities who have to maintain their own roads but, Mr. Speaker, they do not have the money to do it – they do not have the money to do it. Even in the Labrador Straits where they run the arena for the whole area and some of the cost is shared by a number of municipalities in that area, but it is so difficult to be able to continue to raise the money, to pay for the arena in L'Anse-au-Loup on a regular basis because the amount of money is not in the area that used to be there. The fishing revenue has gone down. The number of weeks that people get in the plant is reduced. The amount of money that people have to spend on recreational activities like that is also declining.

So these municipalities have a much tougher time, Mr. Speaker, in being able to meet the commitments in their community, so that is why government needs to be cognizant of that and work with these communities. Some of the infrastructure projects have been really good, but there is also a price to maintaining infrastructure, and that is not always looked at when it comes to these particular projects. There is a cost associated with doing that and, in lots of cases, municipalities cannot meet that cost.

I know in one community in my district where they have a complete dependency upon a water facility in order to generate clean water to drink in that community, in the community of Black Tickle. They do not get a standardized grant from the government to help with that system. They have to be able to collect the revenue in their own community to run that system and they are not always able to do it. They have to come back every year looking for money. As a result of it, Mr. Speaker, they are running debts like a $50,000 debt on this system that they have no money to pay for. As soon as the system is shut down because they cannot afford the cost of the filters and the chemicals that go in the system, as soon as they cannot afford that cost, the system is shut down and then people are left with no clean drinking water in the community.

Government needs to look at those particular communities and where their needs are and start providing assistance where they do not have to come begging all the time, where they do not have to get on the radio and kick up a fuss before someone considers giving them any money at all, Mr. Speaker, to try and help them out. That is not good enough, especially when it comes to clean drinking water in this Province. I know that water treatment is one of the issues that have become a priority in Canada and a priority for all municipalities. When you are a municipality and you have no money to spend and you have no tax base in your community, it is really hard to meet the ongoing expenses of maintaining infrastructure. That is one of the things that we have seen in a lot of these communities.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on and talk about a number of other issues under Municipal Affairs, especially to do with the Waste Management Strategy, because this has been ongoing in this Province for well over a decade. The government opposite have had seven years now to figure out how they are going to provide for waste management and waste disposal in this Province on a go-forward basis. Still today, we have regions of the Province where we do not even have members of municipalities appointed to Waste Management Committees because it was so slow getting started. Because there was nothing happening, many of the municipalities fell away from the whole process. Now they are trying to get them back together again.

Mr. Speaker, government continuously is changing their strategy. At one point they were talking about one waste management site for Labrador. Then they were talking about a couple of sites. Now they are talking about one site. Mr. Speaker, just in my own district alone, where a number of communities are isolated, you would have to bring the garbage by snowmobile and komatik in the winter and by boat in the summer to get it to a waste disposal site. Not only that, you would be trucking garbage, Mr. Speaker, for like 500 and 600 kilometres over gravel roads. This is not a concept that is feasible for the people who have to pay for the service at the end of the day. That is the problem with this. It is okay to go out there and say we are going to do this infrastructure, we are going to put this strategy in place, but someone has to pay for it at the end of the day. In this case, it is municipalities that are being left to pay.

Even in areas like St. John's, Mr. Speaker, where they are next door to a dumpsite, we are hearing of towns having to put up their cost of transporting garbage, of the waste management fees going up to pay for the cost of waste disposal. So you take that and you put it into an area, like in my district where you are talking about trucking it for hundreds of kilometres over gravel roads, and you are talking about communities that are completely isolated, you would have to be bringing garbage by snowmobile and komatik to dispose of it at some central location. Is it really realistic? What government needs to do is start spending more time listening to the ideas that are being generated by some of these towns and how it could work best, and move forward with those ideas as opposed to inflicting upon them what they think is appropriate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Kelly): The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a pleasure to stand here today and address some of the issues that arose during Estimates and in the Budget process in general.

Mr. Speaker, when I became the Minister of Health and Community Services, almost immediately we commenced preparing for the Budget. In preparing for the Budget, especially in a department as big as Health, you have to look at the issues and what are the priorities that exist in the department. More importantly, Mr. Speaker, from a practical perspective, what priorities can be set that can be met within the fiscal year. After the Budget process, Mr. Speaker, which took a period of a couple of months, we then went into Estimates and went through the procedure with the Opposition.

Mr. Speaker, in this year's Budget we have committed, or projected, $2.7 billion in spending. Mr. Speaker, that is a very significant amount of money because we no longer have Child, Youth and Family Services, and it is a billion dollars more than ten years ago. We are spending, Mr. Speaker, somewhere between 36-40 per cent of our Budget on health care.

Mr. Speaker, what we hear in health care, unfortunately, is a lot of the bad news stories. We hear the negativity. Not often do we hear all of the good things that are happening out there. I think there are a number of reasons for that, but one is that health care is very personal and affects each and every one of us on a daily basis. All of us have parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, cousins, friends, who are involved in the health care system.

Mr. Speaker, I receive e-mails from all kinds of people who are not happy with the service they receive. There will be sometimes emotional reactions, and I recognize that in answering the issues, that it is no good to talk about all the money we spend and simply say: We are going the best we can. What I say to people, Mr. Speaker, is that we recognize the impact that the health care system has on your daily lives, and what we are attempting to do as a government is to spend this money as efficiently and as effectively as possible in order to ensure a sustainable health care system both at present and in the future.

So, Mr. Speaker, the question I ask myself going into this year's Budget is: How can we impact on people's daily lives? How can we improve people's daily lives? I identified six priorities, Mr. Speaker, which I hope to, in this year's Budget, address. One of them, Mr. Speaker, was mental health and addictions, which I will come to in a second. The second was wellness or the need for our population to be healthy, because if our population is healthy and the less need for the health care system, the less cost and the better it is for us as a society, especially when it comes to our children and our youth, Mr. Speaker. A third issue is that of cancer care, and continuing on the road we are on in relation to cancer care.

Reducing wait times, Mr. Speaker. How many of us in this House or how many listening here today, you go into an emergency room and you wait three or four or five hours, or you are waiting twelve months for a diagnostic procedure, or you are always waiting for something in the health care system? So if we can reduce wait times, Mr. Speaker, we can help improve people's daily lives.

A fifth area, Mr. Speaker, was rural health care and to continue to enhance and spend money in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

A sixth issue, Mr. Speaker, was recognizing the aging demographic and the geographical problems caused by the sheer size of our Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. How can we come up with a long-term care and community services strategy that allows our seniors to age gracefully with respect and in environments that are conducive to improving the quality of their lives?

That is how we started the process, Mr. Speaker. I am going to use a couple of examples today, but the one I am going to talk about is the reducing wait times. Now, how can we reduce wait times? We are going to continue this over the next period of time and there is no magic elixir. There is nothing I can think of that will improve the health system overnight to the place that people want it to be, but we have to incrementally make changes, and one is reducing wait times.

A couple things we did, Mr. Speaker, we invested $1.2 million or we will invest $1.2 million to enhance surgical services at Western Memorial Hospital. The more surgeries that are provided or conducted, Mr. Speaker, the less the wait time; $1.1 million to decrease wait time for surgery by increasing the number of operating rooms. Now, the number of operating rooms by themselves, Mr. Speaker, is not enough because you have to have beds to put them in, you have to have good nurses and the personnel, but again, it is a great start. It allows our surgeons to get into the operating rooms thereby reducing wait times; $413,000 to enhance hyperbaric medicine, an issue which we have heard of over the last period of time.

Now something, Mr. Speaker, as simple as extending CT, CAT Scan hours, that will cost us $348,000 but that is an example, Mr. Speaker, by extending hours of operation we will hopefully reduce wait times. Three hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars to operate the MRI services in Central Newfoundland, so once we get that up and running, again, it should reduce wait times. Is there any reason, Mr. Speaker, that if someone in St. John's is waiting for an MRI they cannot go to Gander? These are the kinds of things that we have to start doing.

Mr. Speaker, two areas that I have heard quite a bit about and we are investing in is $150,000 for speech language pathology in Clarenville and for preschool children in the rural Avalon region. Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot from people as to their children getting ready to go to school and the inability to access speech pathology. So again, these couple of speech pathologists will reduce wait times. One hundred and fourteen thousand dollars to enhance services for patients with cystic fibrosis; $110,000 to improve physiotherapy services in Grand Bank; respiratory therapy services at Captain William Jackman Hospital; and $80,000 for community occupational therapy services by Central Health. So, Mr. Speaker, these are amounts of money that will hopefully help improve people's lives.

Then, Mr. Speaker, something that we did in Budget 2010, which I think is a very significant advancement and building upon an investment of a number of years ago, is that we will provide $797,000 for an expansion of the coverage for the current insulin pump therapy program to go from ages eighteen to twenty-five years of age. So, there are approximately 450 diabetics using insulin pump therapy throughout the Province. Previously, we had provided funding for up the age of eighteen years, so again, incrementally, we are moving to improve services.

Mr. Speaker, we have invested significantly in rural Newfoundland and Labrador in terms of - I will just go through a list of them: the Marystown north clinic, the Bonavista dementia bungalows, the new dialysis in Lab West and Port aux Basques, new facilities in Flower's Cove and Lewisporte, a new hospital in Lab West. Mr. Speaker, these are all facilities that are being built or will be built in the next number of years. We have, Mr. Speaker, the long-term care facility in Carbonear. We have the replacement for Hoyles-Escasoni here in St. John's. These are very significant investments in infrastructure.

Do you know why we are doing this now? It is because we do have money from non-renewable resources. We are looking thirty years down the road to protect our children and our grandchildren and to ensure that they have infrastructure in place. Building a new hospital in Corner Brook, utilizing the hospital in Stephenville, building a new hospital at some point in St. John's, the replacement of the Waterford Hospital, but we have a long-term plan and that is what it is, it is a plan for the future. By building these facilities today while we have the money we are ensuring that our children and grandchildren will have the facilities needed to attract the professionals that we need. I will come to that in a second, Mr. Speaker. We have been very successful in our attraction of specialists.

I want to talk briefly about the mental health and addictions. I have heard the Leader of the Opposition talk about the youth services. Mr. Speaker, this year we have invested, for 2009-2010, $620,000 provided for five psychiatric nurses and occupational therapists, a social worker, and a recreational therapist. There was some, I think, Mr. Speaker, changing in that division of resources, but still, that is $620,000. Then in this Budget we funded $429,900 to continue the work of implementing the recommended changes -another psychologist, an additional child youth worker, another social worker. So what we have done here is that we are committed to building upon what has come out of the Janeway report by the acting Child and Youth Advocate and these changes stem from our belief that as a government we have an obligation, a social and moral obligation to provide the services we need for our youth.

Then, Mr. Speaker, in this Budget we have now provided, this year, in the Grand Falls-Windsor centre, a residential treatment centre for youth with addictions. The site selection has occurred, or is in the process of finalizing, the design completion will be done, the tender call will be September 2010, and that building will open in 2011. So, we are doing pretty good when it comes to that building. Mr. Speaker, we then have the facility for youth with complex needs in St. John's. Again, the tender call will be September 2010 with a completion in 2011 - two new facilities, Mr. Speaker, in this Province to deal with youth with problems, complex needs and addictions.

Mr. Speaker, in this year's Budget we announced a new addiction treatment centre for adults in Harbour Grace to complement the existing good work, the great work being done at the Humberwood facility. The difference in this facility, Mr. Speaker, it will a longer term facility that will allow for the treatment of significant addictions like OxyContin, cocaine and ones that require - there can be concurrent disorders. We are going to have that facility up and running.

Mr. Speaker, in a number of years the investments that we have made as a government in mental health and addictions – and I have stated publicly, and I state it again that this is something that is a major priority for me and it is one that I am committed to as the Minister of Health and Community Services and one that I feel a deep, personal commitment to.

Again, Mr. Speaker, when I read the report by Senator Michael Kirby and it talks about the stigma that attaches to mental health, it talks about the complexity of the problem, that it is not simply enough to keep someone in a psychiatric hospital, that it is a situation where you have to look at housing, you have to look at education, you have to look at job opportunities, you have to look at stigma and the way we as a society look at people who suffer from mental health and addictions. We are trying to change that.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I announced $362,000 to fund community groups because that is where the work is being done. These community groups included: Canadian Mental Health Association to commence a project on stigma in our high schools; the Consumers' Health Awareness program to get out into rural Newfoundland and Labrador; Stella Burry to provide increased support to women with addictions; Turnings and Mr. Ron Fitzpatrick and the great work that he does in our society; the Schizophrenia Society; the Pottle Centre; the Peter's Foundation offering residence for women; the Recovering Addicts Fellowship Team; the Community Mental Health Initiative; and Eating Disorders Foundation. These are all groups, Mr. Speaker, that not only do we - or most of them - provide core funding to, but we also provide grant funding or project funding to work on specific projects. Mr. Speaker, these are good news announcements. This is an example of the commitment we are making as a government.

We have expanded the hours for satellite dialysis in Clarenville; we have put out $200,000 in age-friendly grants to groups and communities; we have put out over a half million dollars in wellness grants; a couple of hundred thousand dollars in food security grants. Mr. Speaker, these are the kinds of things people have to realize.

Although our system is not perfect, let me give you an example, Mr. Speaker, of a country in Africa, Tanzania; a country of 41 million people. It has a total budget for health care of $700 million or less than 10 per cent; $700 million for 41 million people and we are spending $2.7 billion on 500,000 people. Although our system is not perfect it is certainly one of the best in the world. Although people may feel there is a lot to complain about, there is a lot of good out there too, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we have, in this year, opened up twelve new mammography units throughout the Province. The new colorectal cancer screening program, Mr. Speaker, in the - disabled washrooms was brought to our attention. We did not have the washrooms at the Health Sciences and in Corner Brook; disabled washrooms. We have included this year, the redevelopment of the Grand Falls-Windsor Regional Health Centre, a $30 million redevelopment. So, Mr. Speaker, $7.9 million for the Health Sciences parking, and considering that this is Vision Health Day, $200,000 in one-time funding to the CNIB to help them get their programs out into rural Newfoundland and Labrador and to reduce wait times.

Mr. Speaker, one of my – and when I say favourite, I simply mean one that has given me a certain amount of personal satisfaction was the Easter Seals and giving money to the Easter Seals programs. I and the Minister of Education had the opportunity to play in a sledge hockey game with these kids during the intermission of the Herder finals. Mr. Speaker, this is money well spent.

These are the kinds of good things that are happening, Mr. Speaker. These are the kinds of things we have to recognize. So, Mr. Speaker, the Opposition – I know they are doing their job, but they come in today, for example, and say: What are you going to do for MS patients? What is going on with physician recruitment?

Mr. Speaker, let me read you a quote from an article written on Dr. Zamboni's study, and this is written: "This whole situation has created very significant and unfortunate tensions between MS clinicians and their patients. It is very difficult to tell a patient who is seeing a "cure" for MS described in the mainstream media that at this point in time there is no reliable evidence supporting the alleged "cure" and very little to even demonstrate an association between the vascular condition and the disease. Many of us have been torn by the conflict between trying not to dash our patients' hopes and trying to prevent them from mortgaging their homes to pursue unproven treatment for a condition which may or may not exist."

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Zamboni himself, in a news conference on April 13, I think it was, cautioned people suffering from MS that they should not rush out to seek these new surgical procedures outside of proper clinical studies. He also expressed concern about the use of stents, what was referred to - one of the surgical procedures referred to by the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Multiple Sclerosis Societies of the United States and Canada have issued requests for research proposals to study the relationship between venous problems and MS. In May, it is my understanding that an international panel of experts will conduct a review. All I can say, Mr. Speaker, if there is a procedure that can help alleviate people's pain and improve their daily lives, we will look at it, but our position at this point, in terms of these experimental procedures is the same as that of other provincial Canadian health insurance plans, and that is it is not covered to date. Mr. Speaker, we await and we will see what exactly comes of this and if there is anything that we can do as a Province we are certainly there to examine and to see if people's lives can be improved.

Mr. Speaker, there was also Dr. Zamboni's collaborator, Dr. Robert Zivadinov, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Buffalo, who he called the rush for treatment the "elephant in the room." He said, "My position is that I do not recommend open-label treatment without proper studies." Again, Mr. Speaker, I am just simply trying to point out that there is a reason for us as a government taking the step that we are taking.

Mr. Speaker, the last two points I want to touch on here today are that of physician recruitment. Since the negotiations are ongoing I am not going to have a whole lot to say, but I simply want to reiterate a couple of points. We, at this point, have the most physicians practicing in our Province that we have ever had, 1,075. A lot of them are split between - I think it is almost halfway between specialists and GPs.

Mr. Speaker, the net number of general practitioners in this Province has increased by 23 per cent since 2003. The net number of specialists has increased by 13 per cent. The total number of physicians in the Province has increased by 18 per cent since 2003, and the average age of a physician currently practicing in Newfoundland and Labrador is forty-nine. Mr. Speaker, that does not include the twenty-eight new graduates that we will have with return in service agreements for this year and seventeen family service physicians and eleven specialists.

Mr. Speaker, we have spent $2.56 million in 2009-2010 on various physician bursary programs, and it is working. We have spent money on retention bonuses in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, $25,000 a year. So if you are making $186,000 in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, you are there for three years you add on, I think it could be as much as $25,000 a year. So it adds on to your salary. So, Mr. Speaker, we know, and historical data is showing, that if recruited, a MUN graduate has an 80 per cent likelihood of remaining in this Province. So, we are quite confident and hopeful that we will get - we are quite confident in the fairness of the package put forward and we are quite hopeful that we will get a deal with the doctors.

So, Mr. Speaker, as the Premier said in the Throne Speech: You can look at it one or two ways, is the glass half full or is the glass half empty? This government looks at it from the perspective that the glass is not only half full but a lot fuller than that and getting full, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

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

I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to speak during the Concurrence debate with regard to the report of the Social Services Committee. I was very pleased to be able to attend, I think, every meeting under the Social Services Committee discussions. They were very interesting discussions, the Estimates meetings. As usual, I got a lot from the meetings and still have many more questions to ask government as a result of the Budget and as a result of the discussions we held during the Social Services Committee debates, or discussions with the members of the departments, the ministers and their staff. One of the things that is a reality, is that no matter how much money we have there will always be major social needs and there will always be decisions that have to be made about meeting those needs.

I have to say, Mr. Speaker, that last week, I think it was on Thursday, I listened with interest to the input from the Member for St. John's North during the debate to the main motion on the Budget. The Member for St. John's North seems like - well, he really does listen to what I say over here on this side of the House. He quoted many things from me in what he had to say and he pointed out that I have quite a different position from the party that he is from and from the government.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I remind the hon. member to keep her comments relevant to…

MS MICHAEL: I am getting there, Mr. Speaker, they are relevant, because what the member was saying when he stood last week was that my position on the issues that I speak on are different from those of the government. I am saying yes they are, they are very different from those of the government. It is our approach that is different to social programming and that is what I am speaking to, Mr. Speaker. The approach to social programming for me is not just having social programs, it is also making sure that we are maximizing to the limit the people who need help under social programs.

I found it interesting that the Member for St. John's North talked about my being like the writer of the song Imagine, John Lennon; I have this great dream. I say yes, you are right, I am a dreamer, but, as it says in the song - since the Member for St. John's North quoted the song, I will quote back - I am not the only one.

The people who voted for me believe in the dreams that I have. The people who voted for me believe in the dreams that my party has. When I stand here, when I speak to my concerns about social services, and my concerns about social programs, it is because I know there are people out there who care about that or I would not be standing in this House. There are people out there who care about it and want me to present what I have to say about social services or they would not vote, as they do, for members of my party throughout the Province. So there are others who have the same dreams that I have, and I do not think those dreams are unrealistic.

One of the things that government says, when I speak about social programs, is that I want everything. Yes, what I want is for the social programs to work for everybody to the maximum. Sometimes they say, well, where is all the money going to come from? Mr. Speaker, I say the money can be found to make our social programs better social programs. I am not going to go through the whole Budget - that is not my job - but I challenge this government that, if it really wanted to, it could come up with a lot more money for social programs in our Budget.

One example, Mr. Speaker, is the money under the Department of Business – two areas under the Department of Business - business development, for example, and business attraction. In the Budget for 2008-2009 there was $21 million unspent that year. This year, the report we get from 2009-2010 is that $23.5 million was unspent. So my question is, Mr. Speaker, if the Department of Business cannot attract business, why is money going into that budget? Why are we not saying, why is this government not saying: Hmm, I wonder what social program we could improve, and take that money and put into social programs, since we are not really spending much of it on attracting business.

I challenge this government that if it went into every one of the Estimates there is a lot of money sitting around like that, not to count the 1.8-plus-billion dollars that is in cash assets that this government has as well, that we have, because it is our money.

So, Mr. Speaker, the money is there but it is a matter of priorities, and that is where the Member for St. John's North was correct last week when he spoke. It is a difference in vision, it is a difference in priorities, and I want to speak to some of the ways that we see things differently, Mr. Speaker, with regard to some of the programs that are presented here in the House and presented through our Budget.

The first one I would like to speak to - and there are so many I probably will not get to speak to all of them, but the first one I want to speak to - is the vision that I have for home care in this Province: a program that would be completely accessible, that would be universal, that would be affordable, and that would be public, a program that would be seen as part of our health care system.

Am I the only one who says that is a dream – that, that is possible? Is that an impossible dream for me to have? Maybe the Member for St. John's North will now use another song when I say that. Mr. Speaker, no, it is not because this exists; a full home care programs exists in other provinces in Canada: in Ontario, in Quebec, in Manitoba, in Saskatchewan; go around the country. Provinces around the country have full home care programs that are public programs that are part of the health care system.

The interesting thing, Mr. Speaker, is that last December, I think, there was a report that was finished for Eastern Health, a report on St. Clare's Hospital and the Health Sciences Centre, a report on patient flow. That report, which was done by Siemens Global Solutions Healthcare Consulting, a report that cost $500,000, made a very, very interesting finding, Mr. Speaker: that one of the major reasons - not the only, but one of the major reasons - why we do not have good patient flow in St. Clare's Hospital and in the Health Sciences Centre is because we do not have adequate services in the community for patients who need to leave hospital to go into the community.

The major point they made was that we need a home care system, a home care system so that when people are ready to come out of hospital they can go into their homes and be taken care of, and that would be seen and would be, in fact, part of our health care system.

Right now we have a very minimal program when it comes to recognizing the needs of people at home, very limited time that people can get when they come out of hospital, and for people who are in their homes needing home care, not having been in hospital but have chronic illnesses either because of age or because of the disease that they have, or both, that people are in their homes with inadequate care. That the number of people who can access help is very, very limited because we do not have direct control over the home care system - government does not have that - we do not have adequate training, we do not have adequate numbers, and it is not getting better. I am inclined to say, from the figures I have, that it is getting worse, that we have too many people not able to access home care, and that even those who maybe can afford it cannot even find somebody to work for them because of the conditions of the work for the people who do it.

One of the problems is that home care workers working with agencies in the past, which was the majority of agencies, had to do their work for very low pay - which is still there, very low pay - and they had to pay for all of the things that they use. For example, if they required gloves for their work; if they have to travel to get from one place to another, from one home to another where they work, they have to pay for their travel. They have to pay for all of their expenses while earning just a little bit above minimum wage, without any protections or benefits from the agency that hires them.

Now, I am glad to report that right now in the Province we do have sixteen agencies that now have a collective agreement because of their unionizing under NAPE. That is a new breakthrough. Those who are now under NAPE are part of collective agreements. The workers who have collective agreements get sick leave, they get a travel allowance, and they get gloves. This is a breakthrough, but even with that our workers here, on average, earn $5 less per hour than workers, for example, in Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, than the average in other provinces. Our workers earn $5 less an hour than those workers. The workers who are in the non-unionized agencies certainly are the ones who earn even less than that.

This is not acceptable; it is not something that we should allow to continue, especially in light of this report that was done by Siemens Global Consulting, a report that cost half a million dollars. Is this government going to look at that report and really pay attention to the recommendations in that report? I have not heard anything yet, and government has not mentioned that report, yet I am asking that question. The money is there, it can be found, but it takes sitting down…. It is going to be a big job, but it has to be done. They have done it in other provinces. They did it in Nova Scotia, where they turned the private home care operations into a public system. There are ways in which it can be done. They had to do it elsewhere and they have done it. It is one of the major issues that this government continues not to pay attention to.

Our home care standards are not even legislated in this Province. That is what is really disturbing. Workers and clients tell us that even the standards that are there are not adequately monitored, and that too is disturbing. Mr. Speaker, this is one area where yes, I have a different vision, I believe we can have home care in this Province. This government has not come to that realization yet, so I am calling on them to do that.

Let's look at another area, Mr. Speaker, under the social services that causes me a bit of distress. I was quite happy when I saw the Budget say that the government was going to do an early childhood education plan. That is wonderful. We need to have early childhood education, but was really disturbing is that the government, once again, took one step without taking the second step that was needed. You cannot look at early childhood education unless you also look at child care because early childhood education starts just prior to kindergarten. So, what happens to the children who are younger than four or younger than three? What happens to their parents? What happens to the parents, who cannot work, cannot go out and earn money because they cannot afford to put their child in child care because there is no assistance for them to do it, or even if they want to put a child in child care, cannot find the spaces, because the spaces are so limited? Yet, we cannot talk about early childhood unless we talk about going right back to infancy.

I have heard the Minister of Education indicate that he understands the whole reason for early childhood and he understands how far back one has to go, but an early childhood program under the Department of Education will always be tied to the educational system and will not look at the issues for the children under four, will not look at those children who are in a very important developmental stage in their lives and who would really benefit from a child care program. So once again, the same attitude that the government has with regard to home care, they seem to have with regard to child care as well. They do not understand the need for an accessible and universal program. They understand it for education, it is there, education is universal, it is for every child, and the early childhood education will be universal and will be for every child, but the development of children under age four is not universal. We do not have any responsibility for that. Well I think that we do, and again, maybe that is where I am different from the government, but I know many people in this Province, many people, believe in a universal child care program.

When I stand here and talk about it I am representing the voice of an awful lot of people in this Province who believe in a universal child care program. If government wants to find something to spend its money on when it cannot spend its money on businesses who do not want to come here, let them look at the things that people in this Province want money spent on, and one of them is a universal child care program.

I have said this before in the House but I am going to say it again, it has been proven that wherever a universal child care program is put in that, number one, the economy improves because of the child care program. It improves, one, because more parents are able to go out into the paying workforce, are able to work for salaries. It also improves because you get a whole load of new workers, people who are trained and able to be employed in child care programs, and who are earning good salaries because you do not put a program in without good salaries. You get an increase, a stimulation, in the economic growth. It happened in Quebec in a big way; the Quebec economy improved by several percentage points when they introduced universal low cost child care. This is something else, Mr. Speaker, where, yes, I seem to have a different vision but I also know that I am not alone. I also know that I am not the only one who sees this.

Let's look at something else, Mr. Speaker, that is in the Budget and that came up during Estimates. I want to talk about – under the Estimates for Justice – the piece of information that came out during the Estimates. What a surprise I got to find out that hidden among the figures was the fact that the decision to build the pre-trial detention centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay was shelved while government does an overall review of the whole correctional system, something that they - putting the pre-trial detention centre in - had already been decided on, they had made a promise to the people of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and particularly the Aboriginal women of Labrador that this centre was going to be put in. The Minister of Labrador Affairs, only weeks before our Estimates, was up there telling them it was happening, and lo and behold it was not there. It is not there right now. The money is gone out the window waiting, and yet, this centre has been shown to be essential for the people of Labrador, especially for the Aboriginal women. The centre was recommended by the Citizens' Representative because of the past poor treatment of Aboriginal women and youth in Happy Valley-Goose Bay while they were waiting for trials.

Mr. Speaker, another example of this government having a different vision than I have. They talk about transparency and accountability, but they turn around and they do things like this. We find out a piece of information that is literally hidden in the Budget. They certainly did not have that in the highlights of their Budget. They did not have that on page 1 when they stood on Budget day and pointed out how wonderful - did they say oh yes, by the way we have decided to not do the pre-trial detention centre, $2 million taken out of the Budget. Just like that, the $2 million disappeared.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I do have concerns. Yes, I have questions to ask and I may have a different vision. I am going to raise them because people want these issues raised.

Another issue that people want raised are the workers of this Province. The workers of this Province continue to wait for anti-scab legislation in this Province. The workers particularly in Labrador, twice now, have had their positions at Voisey's Bay usurped by replacement workers because of the company up there in Voisey's Bay.

Vale Inco, Mr. Speaker, does not care about the labour regulations that we have in our Province. Vale Inco will continue to behave as they do, as well as we have had other companies who have used scab labour as well.

The workers continue to wait for this government to do something that will not cost them any money. Why won't they do it? They have friends out there and corporations who are saying do not do it. What is the reason, why will they not listen to the workers? Even the head of the Federation of Labour has called for anti-scab legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I will conclude by saying that yes, I do have a different vision than government. I have been elected with that vision to stand here in the House, and I have been delighted to take part in our Budget discussions, the Estimates discussions and in our discussions today. I will continue to bring forth the voice of the very, very many people who want these issues brought forth.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER (Fitzgerald): The hon. the Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

I am certainly happy to stand here today and have a few words to say with regard to the concurrence session for social services. I just want to pick up, though, where the hon. member opposite just left off when she was talking about anti-scab legislation and where government is with that. I think, because that question was just asked, it is important for me to answer it again here in this House, which I have already done. It is important for people out there to know exactly where things are and what has been happening.

Within the strategic partnership initiative that we have with labour, with business, and with government in this Province, Mr. Speaker, a partnership that we are extremely proud of and the wonderful work that is coming out of that partnership, there is a committee called the Employment Relations Committee, and that committee, among other things, is tasked with reviewing the labour legislation in this Province. The committee is comprised of five members from business, five members from the labour representation area and four government representatives, Mr. Speaker. It is their job, and each of those representatives, each of those parties pick their four and five representatives, and it is their job to bring forward to us any suggestions, any amendments, anything that they want to see included in labour legislation changed.

Mr. Speaker, to this point in time we have not seen anything come from them in terms of bringing forward anti-scab legislation. It just has not happened. It is a process that we are allowing to unfold because we believe the work of that committee is good, sound work. We believe they truly are engaged, that they are doing everything that they can to enhance the labour relations climate in this Province to make it an area where people do want to invest, to make it a Province where people do want to do business. Mr. Speaker, we have heard time and time again that if and when that time is right they will bring forward that to us, but to this point in time that has not happened.

The ERC, which is the Employment Relations Committee, has certainly done some very good work this year. We are hoping that the amendments they have brought forward to us will be ready for this sitting of the House in fact, and then they will move on to more complex issues, but, Mr. Speaker, we are very happy with the work that that particular committee is doing. So I simply wanted to address that before I get into the business of talking about my portion of this particular Concurrence debate and issues surrounding, particularly Human Resources, Labour and Employment in this Province.

Mr. Speaker, I would certainly like to thank the members of my staff who accompanied me to Estimates, who were able to sit with me and to address the issues as they were presented to us on the day that we did Estimates here in this very House. Mr. Speaker, our budget within Human Resources, Labour and Employment is a very large budget. In fact, we have seen a 12 per cent increase this year in our department's budget from $439 million, Mr. Speaker, to now somewhere in the vicinity of $492 million, $493 million invested in Human Resources, Labour and Employment. By using that money prudently and wisely within our department, Mr. Speaker, I think I can say that we are doing our utmost to create a very positive, very enduring change in the lives of many people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, my department is charged with a number of different mandates. I stood during the debate on the Budget and we talked about labour market initiatives. I heard my colleague today speak about labour market development and the devolution of the LMDA, the LMA and so on, and the great work that is happening there as we are now able to tailor the needs of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, whether that be business or whether that be the workers out there or whether that be suggestions that come to us from labour or whatever. We can tailor our programs to meet all of those needs. So that instead of operating on a federal basis and using programs that have a federal bent, we are now better able to respond to the needs of each and every Newfoundlander and Labradorian. I am very proud of the work that my department has been doing in that area. We will also undertake a complete labour market review to ensure that we are doing the best job we possibly can.

My colleague also made reference to, in his opening debate, the Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy that we have underway with about eighty-one different initiatives. We were very proud to announce that strategy back in November, the Premier and I, with an estimated budget of $15 million to see to it that the young people from Newfoundland and Labrador find Newfoundland and Labrador to be a place that is attractive to them from the perspective of being able to find work opportunity, to be able to find entry level jobs. With eighty-one particular initiatives in that strategy, then I have no doubt that that work will happen as well.

Mr. Speaker, my department's mandate is broad. We are responsible for Persons with Disabilities; we are responsible for Francophone Affairs in my department; we are responsible for immigration and multiculturalism. In each one of those particular departments, Mr. Speaker, I could talk at length about the wonderful initiatives that we have undertaken.

What I have chosen to do this afternoon is instead to focus on and to follow on what my colleague opposite had just talked about, on vision. Mr. Speaker, this government certainly does have vision for improving the lives of every single Newfoundlander and Labradorian and that vision can be seen in what we are doing in our Poverty Reduction Strategy.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: When we began in the year 2006 with an investment of over $32 million to support twenty initiatives, we knew right away that we were on the right track but we also knew that this was going to be a strategy that required an integrated approach, that required some time to achieve the very lofty goal that we still consider today to be exceptionally important, Mr. Speaker. That is to see to it that we prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty in this Province, and, Mr. Speaker, we will do it.

We started, as I said, in 2006 with just twenty initiatives and an investment of $32 million. Immediately, we understood that we had to raise the income support rates of our clients in this Province. Mr. Speaker, we did that and we indexed those rates to the CPI. I am happy to report that since the year 2006, we currently have an improved income support rate of almost 12 per cent in this Province.

We have covered basic costs for people, like the workbooks and consumable materials used by children in Grades K-12 so that parents do not have to worry about this exceptional spending, because it can be exceptionally difficult, Mr. Speaker. When I was in a classroom situation I saw many people in low-income situations who really could not afford those costs, so we eliminated those costs. Mr. Speaker, I believe that was a very good move made on the part of this government.

Expanding the eligibility to the Newfoundland and Labrador Drug Program, Mr. Speaker, is probably one of the initiatives that we can be most proud of. Mr. Speaker, that is not an initiative that we engaged in, in 2006, and then left it. Because as we work toward improving other things in the lives of low-income Newfoundlanders and those vulnerable to poverty, and we raise the minimum wage such that it will be $10 this year come July 1, we realized that we needed to work hand in glove with other initiatives that we had done. Therefore, we raised the eligibility for the Newfoundland and Labrador Drug Program as well, Mr. Speaker. Right now we can say that 30,000 more people are now eligible to receive drug coverage; 30,000 people who otherwise would not have been able to. Mr. Speaker, we did that while still raising the minimum wage in this Province to make sure that we were making a difference for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Mr. Speaker, we continued over the next four years, if I move on from 2006, to ensure that our Poverty Reduction Strategy would be increased and improved every single year. Mr. Speaker, by the year 2009 we were into our third year of our strategy and we increased that strategy by thirty-some more initiatives. Among those, some that I think are particularly important for every Newfoundlander and Labradorian but particularly for the most vulnerable, Mr. Speaker, would be that in 2009 over 50,000 tax filers had the provincial portion of their income tax eliminated or reduced through low income reduction. That was applauded around this country. That was not seen just as a positive move here in Newfoundland and Labrador, but advocates from right across this country told us what a difference that has made.

Mr. Speaker, we were told not just by advocates around the country but by people living in and vulnerable to poverty themselves that one of the best initiatives that we introduced in 2009 was the Job Start Benefit. The Job Start Benefit allowed people the opportunity to get ready to go to work. Many of our Income Support clients said to us we would like to be able to go to work, but we really cannot afford to go to work. We cannot afford to find an outfit to take us out for that interview, we cannot afford to get our hair done, and we cannot afford whatever it is. Well, Mr. Speaker, we introduced a Job Start Benefit that was $125 for single persons, $250 for families - somebody who had a family - to help them get ready for that interview, to go out there and be able to get that job.

Time and time again when I have been in the community, when I am listening to people who have been talking about poverty and being in low income they have told me what a difference that made to them in terms of being able to get a job. Also, the business of being able to increase the earnings exemptions, that too was hailed by all who found opportunity to go to work as one of the best initiatives that we have put in place.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here with a list of initiatives, and I will not have time in this short period of time to go through them all, but there are many that I think bear highlighting and so I will try and get through a few more. We made changes, Mr. Speaker, so that we could provide adults with disabilities who were living with families the same board and lodging supplements as those who were living with non-residents or non-relatives rather. That benefited over 1,700 individuals in the year that we brought in that initiative. I think again a tremendous initiative and it showed our ability to consult with community, to hear what community had to say and then to act on those particular initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, you will remember that I said that we started out in the year 2006 with a $32 million investment in twenty initiatives. This year, 2010, I am extremely happy to report that we have increased our investment in our Poverty Reduction Strategy to $134 million for the year 2010.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, that brings our total investment since 2006 to $482.7 million, just since 2006 in poverty reduction.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Mr. Speaker, that means that we have increased our investment in poverty reduction by fourfold in that simple four-year period. I think that is something to be proud of.

Our progress report, which we released this year in December, the report called Empowering People - Engaging Community - Enabling Success, provided a very comprehensive look at the progress we have made to date, and yet, we recognize that we certainly have more work to do. We know we have made tremendous progress by all available means of low-income measurement in this country. We know we have made progress. We know that there is – even in our own Income support caseload – a decrease of 30,000 people now living in low income. We know that there are apparently only two provinces in this country with lower levels of poverty than ours. Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on and give all of these details but time will not permit me to do it.

Dr. John Rook who is the Chair of the National Council of Welfare came to Newfoundland and Labrador, he met with us, he was there for our progress report and he said to us at that time, and I would like to quote, he said, "The vision and commitment of Newfoundland and Labrador to combating poverty in a comprehensive, holistic fashion has been nothing less than inspirational." Mr. Speaker, that is from the Chair of the National Council of Welfare. He went on to say, "If every province and territory sought to match or exceed what Newfoundland and Labrador has already done and intends to do, there would be that much more reason for confidence that poverty can be drastically reduced and eventually eliminated in Canada."

Mr. Speaker, that is a testament to what we have done in poverty reduction here in Newfoundland and Labrador and that is a promise that we intend to continue to work toward, to see to that very elimination of poverty here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, my time has run out, but I certainly hope there is opportunity to continue on to speak about this wonderful strategy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: If the hon. the Member for Ferryland speaks now, he will close the debate on the Concurrence Motion for the Social Services Committee.

The hon. the Member for the District of Ferryland.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HUTCHINGS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will just take a minute to thank all of those members for the debate today on the Concurrence Motion: the Member for Port de Grave; the Minister of Education; the Leader of the Opposition; the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi; the Minister of Health and Community Services; and the Minister of HRLE. I certainly appreciate the debate today in terms of everything that was brought to the House in discussion.

We conclude debate, Mr. Speaker. I would like to conclude the debate on the Social Services Estimates. As the Chair, I move that the report be concurred in by the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Is the House ready for the question?

The motion is that the report of the Social Services Committee be concurred.

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'.

The motion is carried.

On motion, report of the Social Services Estimates Committee carried.

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

MS BURKE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the hon. Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, that the House now adjourn.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is properly moved and seconded that this House now adjourn.

All those in favour, ‘aye'.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Aye.

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

This House now stands adjourned until 2:00 o'clock tomorrow, being Private Members' Day.

On motion, the House at its rising adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, at 2:00 p.m.