Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Monday 8 May 2023
Question Period focused heavily on the collapsed crab fishery deal, with the Opposition pressing the Premier to personally intervene and questioning the fairness of allowing crab imports while the local fleet remains tied up. Health care access in rural communities, particularly emergency room closures and nurse retention, drew sustained criticism. Additional topics included a controversial mid-sized theatre announcement, residential tenancy loopholes enabling no-fault evictions, delays in establishing a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner coordinator, and industrial dust concerns in Labrador West. The House acknowledged the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III on May 6, 2023, and heard Members' Statements recognizing community achievements including Fishing for Success in Petty Harbour, youth dart champions from Marystown, 4-H provincial competitions, educator Julie Dicker of Nain, and Martin Croke receiving a Hippocampe wheelchair. The House then moved into Committee of the Whole to debate Estimates for the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Treasury Board Secretariat, with detailed questioning on IT operations, cybersecurity, recruitment challenges, retention bonuses, debt management, and the fiscal impacts of Muskrat Falls.
Members' Statements
Fishing for Success, Petty Harbour
L. O'Driscoll
Recognized Fishing for Success, a volunteer-based social enterprise in Petty Harbour founded in 2014 to transmit intangible cultural heritage of the family fishery and advocate for inclusive, gender-equitable, and sustainable small-scale fishery. The organization has received multiple awards including the 2022 Nature Inspiration Award for its Sea2School and Girls Who Fish programs.
Marystown Youth Dart League
J. Dwyer
Congratulated players and coaches of the Marystown youth dart league on a successful season, noting that six youth won their way to represent Team NL at the National Youth Darts Championships in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.
4-H Provincial Competitions
E. Joyce
Recognized the 4-H Rockets of Irishtown-Summerside for hosting provincial competitions involving 50 youth from around the province, with various winners in demonstration projects and public speaking. Jenelle Bursey received the first Minnie Loder Leader of the Year award.
Julie Dicker, Educator and Coach
L. Evans
Honored Julie Dicker, a graduate of Jens Haven Memorial School in Nain who overcame intergenerational trauma to earn degrees in Education and Physical Education from Memorial University. She is now principal of Jens Haven and has spent thousands of hours coaching youth and building skills to face life challenges.
Martin Croke and Hippocampe Wheelchair
H. Conway Ottenheimer
Recognized 17-year-old Martin Croke of Marysvale, who lives with cerebral palsy and received a Hippocampe wheelchair from the Children's Wish Foundation. The chair enables him to access outdoor terrain including sand, trails, water, and snow, allowing greater autonomy and family adventures.
Routine Proceedings
Ministerial Statement on Coronation
S. Coady
The Deputy Premier delivered a statement celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort, acknowledging Their Majesties' close ties to Newfoundland and Labrador and shared priorities including service, environment, sustainability, and diversity. Responses from Opposition Leaders followed, with the Third Party Leader noting the importance of remembering those without basic necessities and acknowledging Indigenous communities impacted by the Crown's history.
Municipal Awareness Week Proclamation
K. Howell
The Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs proclaimed May 8-12 as Municipal Awareness Week, announcing that Municipal Operating Grants are increasing by $3 million this year to $25 million total, with another $3 million increase planned for next year. An additional $500,000 is allocated for regional community collaboration.
Resource Committee Report
B. Warr
The Resource Committee reported that it met on five occasions and passed without amendment the Estimates of the Department of Environment and Climate Change; Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture; Immigration, Population Growth and Skills; Industry, Energy and Technology; and Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation.
Notices of Motion
Multiple
The Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture gave notice of a bill to amend the Lands Act (Bill 40). The Minister of Digital Government and Service NL gave notice of a bill to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Bill 41). The Government House Leader gave multiple notices to extend sitting hours on May 23, 24, and 25, 2023.
Petitions
Multiple
Members presented petitions on accessible child care (H. Conway Ottenheimer, highlighting a nurse forced to become a travel nurse due to lack of child care); Canning Bridge replacement in Marystown (J. Dwyer, noting impact on seniors and persons with disabilities); Memorial University tuition freeze (J. Dinn, with over 1,000 signatures); sugar-sweetened beverage tax (T. Wakeham, calling for cancellation); and vacant NLHC housing units in Nunatsiavut (L. Evans, linking housing to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls).
Question Period
Crab fishery negotiations and Premier's involvement
Asked by D. Brazil · Answered by D. Bragg / S. Coady
The Minister of Fisheries confirmed the Premier was involved in discussions and spoke to the FFAW president, but expressed disappointment that Friday's tentative deal collapsed. The Deputy Premier thanked the Premier and ministers for bringing parties together and pledged continued encouragement of open dialogue.
Lobster fishery update
Asked by D. Brazil · Answered by D. Bragg
The minister reported that a deal was signed yesterday by all parties and the lobster fishery is ongoing, with ASP and FFAW working together successfully.
Emergency room closures in rural communities (Harbour Breton and others)
Asked by D. Brazil · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister stated the Provincial Health Authority is working with three physicians for Harbour Breton, expressing confidence about recruiting at least two. He defended the government's recruitment incentives as among the most attractive in Canada and noted similar challenges in other provinces.
Nurse recruitment and retention
Asked by D. Brazil / P. Dinn · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister cited recruitment of approximately 400 nurses since last year and an initiative in India expected to bring hundreds more. He acknowledged retention bonuses fall short and pointed to ongoing collective bargaining with the Registered Nurses' Union and a Nursing Think Tank addressing workplace issues.
Travel nurse contracts and compensation disparity
Asked by P. Dinn · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister called travel nurses a 'necessary evil' due to nurse shortages and said he is working with federal and provincial counterparts to eliminate reliance on them. He acknowledged they create morale issues but are currently needed.
Mid-sized theatre announcement and consultation process
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by S. Crocker
The minister defended the announcement, saying the theatre will complement, not compete with, private venues. He stated public consultation cannot be done in private and must follow the announcement, and emphasized the government's increased support for the arts sector.
Paradise high school construction
Asked by P. Dinn · Answered by J. Haggie
The minister said school district amalgamation provides opportunities for a more robust, data-driven process to decide which schools need replacing. He indicated discussions will involve the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, who holds authority over new construction.
No-fault evictions and residential tenancies loophole
Asked by C. Tibbs · Answered by S. Stoodley
The minister rejected the characterization of a loophole, stating landlords and tenants both have rights and landlords must be able to give appropriate notice to end tenancies. She said the current system balances both parties' rights appropriately and noted the province has lower rental rate increases than jurisdictions with rent control.
St. Vincent de Paul food bank relocation
Asked by C. Pardy · Answered by J. Abbott
The minister confirmed the department is working with the local MHA and the committee to find and secure a location for the food bank after it lost its home due to the Corpus Christi property sale.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program coordinator position and funding
Asked by L. Evans · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister stated the SANE coordinator position development has been initiated and is in the process of being filled. He said funding supports training of nurses and health professionals province-wide and the coordinator role, and that training is ongoing even before the position is filled.
Industrial dust control in Labrador West
Asked by J. Brown · Answered by B. Davis
The minister said the department has reached out to proponents and developers, who have moved earlier than usual on dust control mitigation. He committed to keeping the MHA informed and holding industry accountable.
Orders of the Day
Motions to Extend Sitting Hours
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved and the House adopted three motions to extend sitting hours beyond 5:30 p.m. on May 8, 9, and 11, 2023.
Committee of the Whole - Office of the Chief Information Officer Estimates
Multiple
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole to debate Estimates for the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Minister S. Stoodley outlined OCIO's mandate to deliver IT and information management to government departments and agencies, supporting 295 employees who handle 120,000 tickets annually. Key initiatives include migration to Microsoft 365, cybersecurity improvements, and expansion of MyGovNL (now with 350,000 users and 98% vehicle renewal online). Members questioned computer assets, project status, cybersecurity measures (including a vacant security manager position for two years), salary variances, software licensing costs, and the VaxPass extension. The Estimates for OCIO (subheads 4.1.01 to 4.1.05) were carried without amendment.
Committee of the Whole - Treasury Board Secretariat Estimates
Multiple
The Committee debated Estimates for Treasury Board Secretariat (subheads 3.1.01 to 3.1.06). Minister S. Coady described the Secretariat's 256 employees who provide financial management, controllership, HR management for 7,300 core government employees (plus 40,000 across ABCs), labour relations, pension administration, and a new accountability framework. Highlights included implementing a pay equity-compliant job evaluation system, negotiating collective agreements with recognition bonuses, delivering cost-of-living cheques to 412,000 individuals, and achieving a clean audit opinion. Members questioned the administration of cost-of-living cheques (including cheques issued to estates of deceased individuals based on 2021 tax year), core government staffing levels (now 7,314 filled positions), attrition plans (no longer in place), hard-to-fill positions and retention strategies, community organization funding portal, job evaluation system status, collective bargaining (currently with teachers, nurses, AAHP, RNC, ferry captains), salary variances due to vacancies and restructuring, mailing costs for cheques, pension plan cost recoveries, and the $10 million placeholder for Corner Brook Pulp and Paper loan repayment. Extended discussion occurred on retention bonuses across the public service, concerns about fiscal sustainability, debt management, and the annual fiscal impact of Muskrat Falls (including $190 million transferred to Hydro for the deferral account). The session concluded with debate on balancing debt reduction against infrastructure investments and program spending.
Other business
Coronation of King Charles III
The Speaker
The Speaker acknowledged the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty the Queen Consort on May 6, 2023, noting the significance of the event and Their Majesties' visits to Newfoundland and Labrador, most recently in 2022.
This is Tabled's summary of the sitting, written from the official record; Hansard is only ever quoted at the link above. Search Newfoundland and Labrador Hansard for the words themselves, or read this sitting in the archive.