Executive Council
March 22, 2010The following is the Speech
from the Throne delivered at the Opening of the Third Session of the
Forty-Sixth General Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and
Labrador on Monday, March 22, 2010, by His Honour The Honourable John C.
Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and
Labrador:
Speech from the Throne 2010
Remembering Cougar Flight 491
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Newfoundland and Labrador is a seafaring province with a long, proud
history of reliance on ocean industries. The mighty North Atlantic Ocean
that has sustained Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for centuries has
also broken our hearts more times than we can count. Last year on the
12th of March, in the dreadful crash of Cougar Flight 491, the North
Atlantic claimed 17 precious lives: Thomas Anwyll, Peter Breen, Gary
Corbett, Captain Matthew Davis, Wade Drake, Wade Duggan, Corey Eddy,
Keith Escott, Colin Henley, First Officer Timothy Lanouette, Ken MacRae,
Allison Maher, Gregory Morris, Derrick Mullowney, Burch Nash, John
Pelley and Paul Pike. Only one individual, Robert Decker, was pulled to
safety from the icy waters. Last April, the Canada-Newfoundland and
Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board appointed the Honourable Robert Wells
to serve as Commissioner of the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are confident — particularly in light
of Commissioner Wells' early recommendations — that he will take a
thorough and comprehensive approach to safety in the offshore. My
Government will form a committee that includes representatives of the
families to identify an appropriate action to memorialize their loved
ones.
Reporting Progress
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Newfoundland and Labrador has come a very long way since My Government
was first elected to office in 2003. Beginning on day one, in a
determined effort to weather the immediate financial crisis and chart a
responsible course toward long-term self-reliance, My Government
demonstrated real leadership by taking decisive action. Since then, it
has taken a responsible approach to spending. It has streamlined
programs to make the most of every public dollar. It has cut red tape
and business taxes to get employers growing and hiring. It has given
generous raises to public sector workers and tax breaks to everyone in
the province. It has cut income taxes and increased benefits for seniors
and families. It has led the country in measures to reduce poverty and
enhancements to student aid. It has invested unprecedented amounts in
infrastructure, making dramatic improvements in roads and highways,
wharves and bridges, ferries and terminals, schools and hospitals,
long-term care centres, public housing and municipal infrastructure. And
most of these investments — in fact, an overwhelming 80 per cent — have
been in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. My Government has invested in
industries and enterprises offering brighter futures to thousands:
agriculture and aquaculture, fisheries and forestry, mining and energy,
manufacturing and innovation, tourism and culture. It has renegotiated
the Atlantic Accord for a gain of two billion dollars. It has negotiated
higher royalties from offshore oil and equity stakes in offshore
projects worth tens of billions of dollars and unlike anything the
province has achieved before. It has secured the underfunded pension
plans, turned around the fiscal decline and achieved impressive and
important upgrades of the province's credit rating. As a result of
strong leadership and a clear vision, young and old together are
celebrating the achievement of "have" status for the first time since
Confederation, and we are seeing the tide turn on years of decline as
our population continues to grow. All this and more My Government has
done through the strong and steadfast leadership of My Premier and his
team, and through the unwavering cooperation of the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador. This record of achievement is fueling the
fires of optimism and hope that are burning brightly throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador today, and this is something of which all
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should be proud. No province has
weathered the global recession with greater confidence and strength than
ours. While retail sales across the country dropped by 3.0 per cent last
year, in Newfoundland and Labrador sales rose by 2.6 per cent; and
across the province last year, despite the global recession, labour
income grew by 4.2 per cent. No province is better prepared to seize the
opportunities ahead than Newfoundland and Labrador. How far we have come
in so short a time. With My Government at the helm, our province is
moving forward with incredible momentum and unshakable optimism into a
new era of self-reliance full of the kinds of opportunities for which
generations of our people have long strived.
Caring For Our Children
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
There is no gift more precious than a child, and no duty more important
than advancing the best interests of our children through the choices we
make. My Government since 2003 has been focused on creating a
family-friendly environment where people can establish a lifelong
foothold; where families can thrive; where children can chase their
dreams, seize golden opportunities and realize their greatest potential.
There is no greater legacy My Government is building for our province's
children than the renewed sense of pride and confidence that they, as
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, are feeling as we become masters of
our own destiny. In classrooms and homes across our province, a new
attitude is taking hold, full of hope in the dream of a wonderful future
for young people right here at home. This year's plan of action builds
with confidence on the extraordinary progress Newfoundland and Labrador
has achieved since 2003. My Government is committed to ensuring our
children remain our number one priority.
Last year, My Government announced the creation of a
new department of Child, Youth and Family Services and made the
protection and well-being of our children and youth its top priority.
The new department will be better organized to support the frontline
workers who protect our most vulnerable children, and the system will be
more accountable. Under the department's direct management, the
monitoring and auditing of programs will be stronger and children will
be better served. The new department will revitalize our child
protection system from the ground up and get back to the basics of solid
case management and service delivery. The foundation for this change
will be a new Child, Youth and Family Services Act to guide
future policies and program development. The department will develop and
deploy innovative solutions to address the shortage of foster homes with
the long-term goal of creating a full continuum of appropriate placement
options for at-risk children and youth. Already, My Government has
strengthened the front line of child protection services by adding 223
positions since 2006 including 90 social worker positions and a range of
other positions to support frontline work.
The new department will be proceeding with the
development of a 10-year Early Learning and Child Care Strategy. This
will be coordinated with the Department of Education as it begins
consultations this year with parents and others on a draft Early
Childhood Learning framework.
My Government in its first Speech from the Throne
lamented that "Newfoundland and Labrador's level of child poverty is the
highest in the country", and committed "to facilitate a progressive
reduction in Newfoundland and Labrador's rate of poverty until we
achieve the lowest rate of poverty in the country". Six years later, My
Government's first Progress Report on its Poverty Reduction Strategy
demonstrates that Newfoundland and Labrador has made significant strides
in that direction. Our province has moved from having one of the highest
poverty rates in the country to the third lowest. We are well along in
the journey to become the province with the lowest poverty rates in the
country. National antipoverty leaders have applauded My Government's
leadership in fighting poverty and have described our Poverty Reduction
Strategy as a model for the entire country. My Government will move
forward this year to release and consult with Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians on its second Poverty Reduction Strategy Action Plan,
partnering with communities and families to create opportunities to
share in our province's prosperity.
Many women in our province are particularly vulnerable
because of the violence they suffer. My Government has helped to change
attitudes through its Respect Women campaign and will continue to
work to make violence against women as unacceptable as any other violent
crime. My Government will also continue to support shelters where women
and children can escape violence in their homes.
Discrimination is another wrong from which individuals
young and old should be protected. The Human Rights Code is one of the
most important acts of our Legislature, affording protection from
discrimination by governments and the private sector. This year, My
Government will bring forward a strengthened Human Rights Code to
reflect the recommendations and values of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians.
Strengthening the Local Economy
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians young and old are united in their
determination to see our province grow to achieve its full potential as
a place of prosperity, self-reliance and opportunity for all. When the
global financial crisis hit a year ago, My Government responded swiftly
and powerfully with an unprecedented program of stimulus measures in a
concerted effort to keep our people working, to keep our businesses
growing and to keep our economy moving forward with confidence and
strength. Weeks before last year's budget was brought down, My Premier
announced an unparalleled increase in infrastructure spending to $800
million in the 2009-10 fiscal year and a plan to grow infrastructure
spending to more than $4 billion over the next several years. As My
Government rolled out one project after another under this aggressive
Infrastructure Strategy, public confidence surged, employers across the
province rolled up their sleeves to ready tenders and, in short order,
workers across the province had their shovels in the ground. By year's
end, we had let tenders for $1.3 billion worth of projects. Not only has
this massive stimulus program fueled economic activity throughout our
province, but it has also prepared our communities to take the lead in
seizing growth opportunities as the world rebounds from the downturn.
This is not a time to slow down but a time to move forward. My
Government will continue to fuel the fires of economic stimulus in the
year ahead with its unprecedented infrastructure spending program. This
approach is the right approach, not only for the short term but for our
long-term future.
Through steadfast cooperation linking communities and
workers, businesses and unions and the provincial government, central
Newfoundland is weathering the closure of the century-old paper mill at
Grand Falls-Windsor and its associated operations. My Government's
response has been swift, comprehensive and effective. In December of
2008, My First Minister stated clearly that we cannot as a Government
allow a company that no longer operates in this province to reap the
benefit of our resources. We will not give away our land, timber, and
water resources to a company that does not continue to honour its
historic commitments on industrial development related to our timber
resources. Through the passage of Bill 75 on December 16, 2008, My
Government revoked land, timber, and water rights from Abitibi and
returned these natural resources to their rightful owners, the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador. Severance pay, training assistance,
employment programs and economic diversification initiatives have
demonstrated My Government's unwavering determination to ensure the
central region moves forward — just as the Stephenville region is doing
— to a new era of growth and prosperity firmly established on an array
of enterprises across many sectors. The task will take time, but through
the continuing partnership uniting people throughout the central region,
we will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.
In Corner Brook, My Government is working
cooperatively with all stakeholders to ensure the pulp and paper mill
has a bright and prosperous future. The City of Corner Brook and the
surrounding region will always be one of our province's powerhouses of
economic activity and a proud leader in each of the many sectors in
which the local economy is diversified.
From our larger regions to our smaller rural
communities, My Government is focused on pursuing every promising
opportunity for new growth and jobs. Through the Rural Secretariat, My
Government will continue to work closely with citizens and stakeholder
groups to develop new approaches to regional collaborative governance.
Rural communities have thrived over the centuries
under the leadership of strong individuals backed by tireless
volunteers. Understanding the value of municipal service, My Minister
led a successful MakeYourMarkNL campaign which, last year,
increased the number of candidates seeking municipal office. My
Government is proud of those who have stepped up to serve on their
municipal councils, and is ready to work with them and Municipalities
Newfoundland and Labrador to strengthen local government and improve
local infrastructure and services, including access to clean drinking
water.
On ball fields, in fire departments, in our hospitals
and in many other ways, tens of thousands of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians contribute to their communities and province each year as
volunteers, and we applaud them. In April, My Government will present
the inaugural U Rock Volunteer Award to individuals 30 and under and to
youth-run and youth-serving organizations that have made a real
difference in our province.
Widening Access
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
As a result of My Government's unprecedented investments, the people of
Labrador this year celebrated the historic completion of Phase III of
the Trans-Labrador Highway at long last linking Southern Labrador to
Labrador West. It is eager to continue work to improve and maintain the
quality of this artery in the years to come. My Government was also
excited to announce the establishment of a winter ferry link across the
Strait of Belle Isle, connecting Southern Labrador to the Island during
the months of ice. My Government will continue to work with the Federal
Government to ensure it does an effective job of meeting its
constitutional obligation to provide appropriate, reliable ferry
services between the Island and the Maritimes at reasonable,
highway-equivalent costs to all users.
My Government has invested significantly in
transportation infrastructure and services within the province,
including roads, highways and provincial ferry services. No less vital
to our economic strength than land- and sea-based transportation
services is air access. My Government will take the lead in implementing
a new five-year strategy to improve air services in all regions of the
province.
My Government will continue to take full advantage of
opportunities to streamline operations and improve services through
electronic service delivery. The province will continue to support
BizPaL, an online Business Regulatory Information Service launched in
2009. Other such electronic service delivery projects in the pipeline
include an online deeds registration project, which will allow
authorized users to securely enter deeds registrations online; online
access to applications for birth, marriage and death certificates and
electrical permits; and student loan payments.
Raising Our Level of Expertise
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
With a bold new attitude of confidence in our ability to capitalize on
opportunities and take control of our future, My Government is
determined to advance the province's expertise in the discipline of
capital investment management. To this end, it has invested resources to
research the investment of large pools of capital, such as pension
funds. My Government is exploring options that will support the
development of professional investment expertise in areas such as
portfolio management. This research and evaluation will lead to the
development of a framework that will guide our province in building the
level of investment capacity required to manage our own wealth over the
next seven years.
The ocean technology sector in this province is poised
to become a billion-dollar industry by 2015 with more than 6,000
employees, opening doors to careers in offshore energy, life sciences,
environmental technologies, aerospace and defence. My Government is
taking the lead in working with local stakeholders and international
partners to nurture knowledge-based capacity and capture business
development opportunities that capitalize on our coastal location and
expertise.
Catalyzing research and development in Newfoundland
and Labrador is the primary objective of our province's new Research and
Development Corporation, launched by My Government in May 2009 to
strengthen the focus, quantity, quality and relevance of R&D undertaken
for the long-term economic benefit of the province. Increased R&D
activities will play a major role in driving innovation, creating wealth
and increasing economic growth in Newfoundland and Labrador for future
generations. R&D is a critical component of a healthy and robust
economy, and already, the RDC has launched two new programs to deliver
against its mandate.
Research and development has its genesis in a strong
and vibrant education system. It is often in the classroom that our
province's children learn to explore their diverse gifts and reach their
greatest potential. My Government has demonstrated year after year that
children are its number one priority by its record-breaking investments
in education. This year, My Government will continue to build on these
investments through important initiatives such as the Excellence in
Mathematics strategy for our K-12 students; the Futures in Skilled
Trades and Technology Program for high school students; the
ISSP/Pathways recommendations for our students who require extra
support; and the new Teacher Allocation Model extending class-size
maximums to the remaining two K-9 grades, namely 6 and 9.
At the post-secondary level, My Government is proud of
the significant investments it has made to enhance the student aid
program and ease the burden of debt for graduates. Newfoundland and
Labrador is leading the country in student aid reform and improvements
to post-secondary accessibility and our province will be stronger in the
years to come because of these investments in students. My Government
this year will follow through on its commitment to increase autonomy for
Memorial University Corner Brook's Sir Wilfred Grenfell Campus. In
November, we were delighted to give a warm Newfoundland and Labrador
welcome to Memorial's new president, Dr. Gary Kachanoski, and we would
like to echo that welcome here today.
Three years ago, My Government released the report of
the Skills Task Force it commissioned to prepare for labour force needs
and opportunities associated with large-scale development projects on
the horizon. Having acted early, it is more prepared than ever to ensure
our province and people capture the opportunities these projects
provide. This year, My Government will take further action to implement
improvements for apprentices. To advance the participation of women in
nontraditional trades, My Government will continue to work with industry
partners to develop and support implementation of effective women's
employment and business access strategies for large-scale resource
development projects. My Government will also continue to support
apprenticeship initiatives to strengthen women's access to training and
employment in the growing sectors of our economy.
Our province's goal of sustainable self-reliance means
attracting and enabling young people to put down deep roots in our
communities. My Government is demonstrating that children and youth are
its number one priority by partnering with young Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to make ours the province of choice for youth. It recently
launched its Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy and designated a
Minister Responsible for Youth Engagement to take the lead in putting
the strategy into action. It also began to use new tools to promote
labour market attachment, including our first provincial job matching
site at JobsinNL.ca and a new online human resources toolkit for
employers. For the first time, Newfoundland and Labrador is in a
position to shape and deliver over $250 million in employment and
training programs to link people to opportunities for stable careers.
My Government is striving to make Newfoundland and
Labrador a province where people with disabilities will have access to
the same opportunities as others. Having created a Provincial Advisory
Council and a Disability Policy Office, My Government is now working
across all departments and agencies in collaboration with the wider
community to dissolve the barriers to inclusiveness. My Government will
listen attentively to these ideas and develop a new provincial Strategy
for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities.
To nurture healthy work environments and promote
growth, My Government has also been working to strengthen partnerships
among the public sector, the private sector and organized labour. The
Strategic Partnership Council has brought forward recommendations for
amendments to labour legislation to promote stable, progressive
workplace relations by making the framework that governs them more
modern and flexible.
Harvesting Bountiful Resources
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
The fisheries sector remains among the most important sectors in our
province. My Government will work with stakeholders to make our fishing
sector more competitive, sustainable and self-reliant by continuing to
implement the initiatives of the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy of
2007. This long-term strategy was developed after a high level of
consultation with industry and involves a total financial commitment by
My Government of up to $140 million. The strategy also identified
inherent structural issues that My Government has begun to address
proactively in collaboration with the Fish, Food and Allied Workers and
the Association of Seafood Producers, demonstrating the power of
cooperation to progress this critical industry. These are challenging
times in world markets, but My Government remains committed to a strong,
sustainable fishing industry, which is the backbone of so many rural
communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The province will continue to lead the development and
implementation of a provincial Coastal and Ocean Management Strategy and
Policy Framework to address issues such as climate change, aquatic
invasive species and the establishment of new Coastal Management Areas.
The province will also harness the power of fisheries
innovation through its continuing work with the Fisheries Technology and
New Opportunities Program and the Canadian Centre for Fisheries
Innovation. The technology and opportunities program supports research
related to the harvesting and processing sectors that will aid the
provincial fishing industry as it strives to become more innovative and
competitive. The Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation plays a
significant role in supporting research and development in the fisheries
and aquaculture sectors, and it will bring the expertise, creativity,
and infrastructure of Memorial University, in particular its Marine
Institute, to the challenges and opportunities in the fishing and
aquaculture industries.
A sector that has experienced enormous growth in
recent years and become one of our most exciting industries is the
aquaculture industry. Aquaculture has changed the face of many
communities and offers great promise to others. Today, there are
licensed aquaculture sites from the Northern Peninsula to Placentia Bay,
from the Port au Port Peninsula to Notre Dame Bay, Bonavista Bay,
Trinity Bay and along the province's south coast. While the positive
impact on the economy of the Connaigre Peninsula, in particular, has
been enormous, the south coast holds much more opportunity for expanded
salmon aquaculture. Innovation and financial incentive programs have
facilitated the rapid growth of the sector, which has experienced a
five-fold increase in production value since 2003. Operations in this
province are farming such species as steelhead trout, Atlantic salmon
and blue mussels. My Government is determined to pursue these
opportunities aggressively and responsibly through continuing
investments in infrastructure and a steadfast commitment to bio-security
to ensure this new industry is sustainable and that our reputation for
quality is second to none.
My Government will continue to work with the Federal
Government on cost-shared initiatives to support research and
development in the agricultural sector, new farmland development and
advanced research and surveillance of important animal diseases for the
protection of the agricultural industry and public health.
My Government understands the challenges and
opportunities in the forest sector. Our forestry companies must have
the ability to compete in a changing global environment to ensure the
continued sustainable development of our forest industry. We will
continue to work with the industry to enable these companies to improve
their businesses by diversifying the products that are developed from
our forests and identifying new markets for these products. My
Government continues to promote the use of wood pellets as a source of
home heating through our Residential Wood Pellet Rebate Program, an
action that is positive from both an industry and an environmental
perspective. Moving forward with recommendations from the comprehensive
marketing strategy for the province's forest industry, My Government
will take the first step towards achieving Environmental Management
System certification that will open up broader markets for our forest
products in European countries. By ensuring the competitiveness of our
producers we will strengthen the entire industry.
Harnessing Energy and Mineral Potential
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
The mines and energy sectors continue to be major drivers of the
provincial economy. Combined, they represent the largest source of
revenues for the province.
The mineral sector will continue to grow this year as
operations in Labrador West return to pre-downturn levels and first
concrete is poured at the Vale Inco nickel processing plant under
construction at Long Harbour. The province's first new iron ore mine in
almost fifty years, in western Labrador near Schefferville (Quebec), has
just been released from the environmental assessment process, and a
second is now being examined. The railway in Labrador West connecting
the Quebec-based Bloom Lake iron ore mine near Labrador City and Wabush
to the existing railway is nearing completion. Once the railway line is
fully operational, 100 per cent of the line's employees will be
Newfoundland and Labrador residents and the railway will be
headquartered in Wabush. To advance this key sector, My Government will
develop a Mineral Strategy in consultation with stakeholders and the
public, reviewing all aspects of mineral policy with a view to
maximizing activity and optimizing wealth.
The oil and gas sector will also continue to grow this
year as both development and exploration work proceed. In February of
this year, My Government along with Nalcor Energy finalized an agreement
with its partners in the oil and gas industry for the development of the
Hibernia Southern Extension. This project will contribute $13 billion in
incremental revenues to the province over its life. In the agreement,
the province also furthered its Energy Plan objectives by achieving an
equity position, an enhanced royalty regime and commitments to gender
equity and diversity.
Several important exploration programs, both offshore
and onshore, will proceed in 2010 on the heels of successful exploration
programs in 2009 culminating with the Mizzen discovery in the Flemish
Pass Basin. In the Laurentian Basin, ConocoPhillips and co-venture
partner BHP Billiton commenced their first drilling in the Newfoundland
and Labrador offshore area. In the Orphan Basin, Chevron and its other
co-venture partners including ExxonMobil are ready to act on the
information they have gathered from their first well and subsequent
geoscience data with plans to spud a second deep water well. In the
Jeanne D'Arc Basin, north of the White Rose field, Husky Energy is busy
exploring in collaboration with Suncor and Statoil. Nalcor has commenced
exploratory drilling onshore near Parsons Pond. In the Deer Lake and Bay
St. George Basins respectively, Deer Lake Oil and Gas and Vulcan
Minerals/Investcan are making their own plans. Seismic acquisition
programs are planned this year for the Labrador Shelf, the Sydney Basin
and the Laurentian Basin, making this a banner year.
In the electricity sector, My Government continues to
advance prospects to develop Lower Churchill power. The Environmental
Assessment process continues to proceed for both the generation and
transmission projects. Recently, the Public Utilities Board established
a water management agreement between Nalcor Energy and Churchill Falls
(Labrador) Corporation. This agreement sets out the water sharing
arrangements between the two companies and is critical for the
development of the Lower Churchill. This agreement was made possible by
amendments that My Government made to the Electrical Power Control
Act and legislation that granted Nalcor Energy water rights to the
Lower Churchill River. The province has also made its case for
transmission access through Quebec before that province's "Régie de
l'énergie" and is awaiting a ruling. My Government also continues to
explore other options for transmission and access to markets in eastern
Canada and northeast United States.
Also this year, the Churchill Falls (Labrador)
Corporation is proceeding with its motion in Québec Superior Court
against Hydro-Québec to address inequities in the 1969 Upper Churchill
Power Contract pricing. The current contract is grossly inequitable for
CF(L)Co and its shareholders for the next 32 years. As a result of My
Premier's diligence in reviewing all aspects of this decades-old
inequity, My Government discovered a new, promising legal option to
address on a go-forward basis the gross inequity of this contract.
Having informed CF(L)Co, we are optimistic about the potential for
resolution. Legal advice indicates that, in the particular context of
the Power Contract between CF(L)Co and Hydro-Québec, circumstances have
changed in a way that could not have been reasonably foreseen at the
time the contract was initiated. The consequence of these unforeseen
circumstances, coupled with the extraordinary length of the contract,
has resulted in a gross inequity in the distribution of contractual
benefits between Hydro-Québec and CF(L)Co. This unique situation
regarding the Power Contract, combined with the obligation under Quebec
Civil Law to act in good faith throughout the full term of a contract,
obliges Hydro-Québec, upon request, to reopen the contract in order to
re-establish the appropriate equilibrium.
Developing Labrador
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
The Big Land of Labrador continues to benefit from the implementation of
the Northern Strategic Plan and an array of related initiatives,
including many already highlighted. My Government is releasing the
midterm report on the Northern Strategic Plan to document progress on
the many commitments to Labrador's people and communities. Recent
milestones include the opening of Phase III of the Trans-Labrador
Highway and the continued paving of Phase I; the expansion of satellite
telephone services on the highway; the introduction of year-round marine
service across the Strait of Belle Isle; an agreement on the boundaries
of the Mealy Mountain National Park Reserve and an adjoining Eagle River
Waterway Provincial Park; continued implementation of the Inuit land
claims agreement; the award of a tender for the Labrador West Regional
Healthcare Facility; and the new tourism marketing ad themed "Ancient
Land", to name just some of the progress benefiting Labradorians.
My Government is very excited about the initialing of
the Tshash Petapen (or New Dawn) Agreement with the Innu Nation in
February of 2009. The agreement marks a new beginning for the Innu of
Labrador and their relationship with the province. Subject to
ratification by the Innu people of Labrador, the agreement resolves key
issues relating to matters between the province and the Innu Nation
surrounding the Innu Land Claims Agreement, the Lower Churchill Impacts
and Benefits Agreement and Innu redress for the Upper Churchill
hydroelectric development.
My Government has been especially vigorous in
promoting the strategic importance of the province as a Northern
Gateway. As the only Atlantic province with a Northern region,
Newfoundland and Labrador is positioned to play a pivotal role helping
develop new economic growth and international trade opportunities;
facilitating oil and natural gas development activities; implementing
environmental protection initiatives; assisting with adapting to climate
change; and maintaining Canadian sovereignty, as well as a host of other
initiatives.
Protecting Our Environment
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have an enduring love for their natural
environment. We envision a future in which self-reliance and
sustainability go hand-in-hand. By harvesting our natural resources
responsibly, we are safeguarding our province's environment for the
benefit of generations to come. In particular, we are determined to
ensure that our nonrenewable resources fuel a renewable future that
endures long after the nonrenewable resources are gone.
Through its Climate Change Action Plan, its Energy
Plan and other initiatives, My Government has demonstrated a strong
commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. The Newfoundland
and Labrador Green Fund provides financial aid for projects that reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. With a goal of further advancing greenhouse
gas reduction, promoting energy efficiency and adapting to the impacts
of climate change, My Government will release a discussion document and
undertake consultations to determine the best approach going forward.
My Government will continue to collaborate with
Environment Canada during the upcoming review of the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Act to ensure there are provisions in the
new federal act to facilitate enhanced cooperation with provinces in
environmental assessments.
Celebrating Our Heritage
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Uncommon Potential, our joint government and industry tourism
strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador, and our substantial financial
investments in marketing the province have been wildly effective in
celebrating the heritage and beauty of Newfoundland and Labrador and
drawing tourists to our communities. The tourism industry contributed
almost $850 million to the provincial economy in 2008 and employs
approximately 13,000 people. The industry is especially important in the
rural communities that so many visitors are coming here to experience.
Newfoundland and Labrador took full advantage in
Vancouver and Whistler of the opportunity to showcase our cultural
strengths before an international audience at the Olympic and Paralympic
Games. In April, we will celebrate our hospitality and love for music
when we host the JUNOS once again before a broadcast audience on five
continents potentially exceeding 250 million. Other cultural showcases
include the successful CBC Television national series Republic of
Doyle, which created over 100 full-time local jobs and generated
wage totals approaching $10 million, and has just been picked up for a
second season. Two local films won considerable kudos far from home this
year: Grown Up Movie Star, which screened at the Sundance and
Berlin International Film Festivals; and Crackie, which screened
at, among other places, the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2010, we are drawing people to Cupids for the 400th
anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the first English
colony in what is now Canada. This year, My Government will establish a
new Provincial Historic Site in Cupids, the Cupids Cove Plantation
Archaeological Site. We look forward to major celebrations at Cupids and
spin-off celebrations near and far as the year unfolds.
Advancing Health Care
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Over the last six years, My Government has invested significantly to
improve the health care system in our province and to enhance health
care services in all regions. Indeed, our total budget for health care
has increased by $1.0 billion. Some key investments over the past six
years total $17.9 million for mental health and addictions services,
$112 million for health facilities repairs and maintenance, $281 million
to improve health infrastructure throughout the province and $177.9
million for new health care equipment. Recognizing that health care
affects each and every one of us individually, My Government will
continue to ensure that our investments are effective in improving the
health care system for all who use it. This means continuing to enhance
health care services in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and providing
services to residents close to home, as My Government has done with new
dialysis units and unprecedented infrastructure projects throughout our
province. Through the purchase of new medical equipment, My Government
will continue to improve access to services by reducing wait times.
Cancer continues to touch every family in our
province. Having commissioned and learned important lessons from the
Cameron Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing, My Government will continue
to ensure that those suffering from cancer receive modern treatment
options, and continue to work to improve the quality of our laboratories
and services. By the end of this month, as mandated by recommendation
#60 of the Cameron Inquiry report, My Minister of Health and Community
Services will provide an update to the House of Assembly and the people
of the province on the status of implementation of the recommendations
contained in the report. My Government is committed to responding to all
of the issues and recommendations made by Justice Cameron. My Government
will plan ahead to ensure the province is prepared to deal with chronic
disease while at the same time working to prevent cancer from taking
hold.
There are individuals in our province who suffer from
the stigma associated with a mental illness or an addiction. My
Government is determined to ensure that those suffering from mental
illnesses and addictions have effective treatment options available to
them. My Government has committed to build two new treatment facilities,
including a residential treatment centre for youth with addictions in
Grand Falls-Windsor and a residential treatment centre for youth with
complex mental health needs.
My Government knows that an investment in treatment
must go hand-in-hand with an investment in prevention. To this end, My
Government will continue to promote our province's Wellness Strategy in
communities throughout our province. Through the Office for Seniors and
Aging, My Government will work to ensure our aging population is a
healthy population, and will plan ahead by supporting the types of
programs and services our seniors will need into the future.
Well Wishes
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
While we are on the theme of wellness, I would like to express our
collective best wishes to the Premier, who is recovering marvelously
from heart surgery. He has an important job to do, and it is heartening
to see him return in such short order, rearing to go.
Embracing a Future of Self-reliance
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
As My Premier has said, the time has come in this province to be proud
of what we have achieved together. Standing tall in the face of
adversity; maintaining a united front; saying "no more giveaways";
knowing what we are fighting for: these are the things that now define
us as a people. A "have-not" province no more, we are embracing our
newfound status in the Canadian federation: a status that has brought us
newfound respect; a status that is well-deserved; a status that will
define the next generation of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as we
reach for new heights, strive to accomplish more than ever before, and
meet the true potential that has always been here in this province. We
are strong, proud and determined, with confidence and self-assurance
anchored deep in the hearts and souls of Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians at home and away. Imagine poor little Newfoundland and
Labrador standing proud and tall and strong, as a force of change and
progress on the national stage, putting to shame the defeatists and
finally getting the respect we have always deserved. Our future is
bright with possibilities as we enter a new era of self-determination
and self-reliance. This is our time to shine. Better than ever is only
the beginning. For Newfoundland and Labrador, the best is yet to come!
Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:
Estimates of expenditure will be laid before you in due course and you
will be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.
I invoke God's blessing upon you as you commence this
new Session.
May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberation.
2010 03 22
3:05 p.m.