Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Monday 30 October 2023
Question Period focused heavily on the cost-of-living crisis facing seniors, with the Opposition citing Seniors' Advocate statistics showing 25% cannot afford medications, 60% went without adequate food, and 30-40% lack sufficient income. The government defended its record by highlighting the seniors' supplement increase, carbon tax pause on home heating oil, and rate mitigation for Muskrat Falls. Additional topics included virtual physician care, cancer treatment delays forcing patients to Toronto, a 2.5-year wait for home modification assessments, the Canning Bridge closure in Marystown, homelessness supports, Crown Lands staffing vacancies, fuel supply preparedness, housing targets, and the Premier's upcoming apology to residential school survivors in Nunatsiavut. The House conducted routine business including tabling the 2022-23 Public Accounts, giving notices of motion for committee composition and extended sitting hours, and introducing three bills at first reading. The main substantive work was second reading and Committee of the Whole passage of Bill 56 (amending ATIPPA to protect Clare's Law records) and Committee debate on Bill 52 (amending the Buildings Accessibility Act). Members' Statements recognized community leaders and milestones, while the Health Minister announced new nursing learning sites in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor.
Members' Statements
Tribute to retired German Air Force Colonel Helmut Röhrig
P. Trimper
Recognized the late Colonel Helmut Röhrig, who commanded German flight training at 5 Wing Goose Bay (2002-2006) and fostered international friendship through community integration and a legacy fund supporting Labrador causes.
Victory Pentecostal Church 100th anniversary
J. Dwyer
Congratulated Victory Pentecostal Church in North Harbour, Placentia Bay, on celebrating 100 years since the Pentecostal message first came to the community in 1921.
Recognition of William (Bill) Pardy
S. Reid
Honored Bill Pardy of Pasadena for over 40 years of economic and community work locally and internationally, including humanitarian contributions and published essays.
Jim Mercer's music and community contributions
T. Wakeham
Recognized Jim Mercer of Stephenville Crossing for sharing traditional music with communities, teaching accordion to students, and receiving the Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal in 2020.
New Memorial University nursing learning sites
T. Osborne (Minister)
Announced the opening of new Faculty of Nursing sites in Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor, noting that all 2023 nursing graduates were offered employment and 239 new nurses have been hired since April.
Routine Proceedings
Tabling of 2022-23 Public Accounts
S. Coady
The Minister of Finance tabled the Public Accounts for fiscal year 2022-23, which received an unqualified audit opinion from the Auditor General.
Notices of motion for Public Accounts Committee composition and extended sitting hours
J. Hogan
Government House Leader gave notice of motions to establish the Public Accounts Committee membership and to extend sitting hours on October 31, November 1, and November 2, 2023.
Notice of Bill 61 (Pension Benefits Act amendment)
S. Stoodley
The Minister of Digital Government and Service NL gave notice of a bill to amend the Pension Benefits Act, 1997.
Petitions on various issues
Multiple
Members presented petitions on: a six-month pause on Southwest Coast industry projects (P. Lane); tendering process delays impacting businesses (C. Pardy); replacement of Canning Bridge in Marystown (J. Dwyer); brush cutting on Route 10 (L. O'Driscoll); anti-temporary replacement worker legislation (J. Brown); and reinstatement of freight boat service to Northern Labrador (L. Evans).
Question Period
Seniors' inability to afford medications, medical devices, and food
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey / S. Coady
The Premier and Minister of Finance cited the carbon tax pause on home heating oil, a $500 rebate for oil heat users, a 15% increase in the Seniors' Benefit, free driver's medicals, and Muskrat Falls rate mitigation as measures to support seniors. They did not commit to indexing benefits to inflation or announce a new poverty reduction strategy.
Poverty reduction strategy indexed to inflation
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by S. Coady
The Minister of Finance emphasized existing supports (rate mitigation, $500 rebate, 15% seniors' benefit increase, free driver's medicals) and stated poverty reduction is 'foremost on this government's mind,' but did not commit to an indexed strategy or provide a timeline.
Virtual physician care contract and payment rates
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health defended the virtual care initiative, stating the RFP prevents the company from poaching provincial doctors and that it will provide additional primary care access. He did not directly answer whether virtual physicians will be paid the same rates as other public system doctors.
Nurse practitioner staffing at New-Wes-Valley site
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister stated they are recruiting nurse practitioners and have decreased diversions from category B medical sites, but did not specify how many nurse practitioners are currently working at the New-Wes-Valley site.
Cancer patients sent to Toronto due to radiation therapist shortage
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister stated six radiation therapists have been recruited recently and that market adjustments have been made pensionable to aid retention. He defended sending patients to Toronto as necessary to ensure they receive timely care while the fourth radiation unit remains closed due to staffing shortages.
Seniors' inability to afford proper diet and 2.5-year wait for occupational therapist home visit
Asked by C. Pardy · Answered by S. Coady / L. Dempster
The Minister of Finance reiterated carbon tax pause, $500 rebate, 15% seniors' benefit increase, and free driver's medicals. The Minister of Labrador Affairs cited $286 million in poverty reduction initiatives when she was minister and stated the government will continue to support seniors, but neither directly addressed the 2.5-year wait for the occupational therapist visit.
Canning Bridge closure in Marystown and Bailey Bridge feasibility study
Asked by J. Dwyer · Answered by J. Abbott
The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure confirmed a feasibility study on a Bailey Bridge is underway involving consulting engineers and staff. He committed to making the study public once completed in several more weeks and stated if it is technically feasible, they will proceed.
Homelessness supports and rat-infested housing conditions
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by P. Pike
The minister stated that when complaints were made about rat-infested conditions, inspections were conducted and three individuals were moved to a different location. She encouraged people experiencing homelessness to use shelters offering wraparound supports to ease transition into housing units.
Review of public housing units by consultants
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by P. Pike
The minister did not provide details on the scope of the consultant review or a timeline for results. She instead discussed the morning's fire on Lime Street and Livingstone, noting staff and social workers have been on site providing support and working with the Canadian Red Cross.
Vacancy rate in Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Department affecting Crown Lands processing
Asked by P. Forsey · Answered by E. Loveless
The minister acknowledged vacancies in Crown Lands and recruitment challenges but did not provide specific vacancy numbers. He stated he visited the Corner Brook office, is aware of the issue, and is working to address recruitment challenges.
Fuel shortage preparedness for winter
Asked by L. Parrott · Answered by A. Parsons
The Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology stated the department has weekly conversations with suppliers and distributors to monitor fuel supply. He acknowledged reliance on outside supply and invited anyone with concerns to reach out proactively.
Housing crisis preparedness and CMHC targets
Asked by J. Brown · Answered by S. Coady
The Minister of Finance cited over $140 million in housing investments including $25 million for homelessness, $17 million for social housing maintenance, $16 million for rental assistance, $10 million for low-income homeowner grants, and $70 million for 850 affordable homes. She also listed a five-point plan including rental property rebates, surplus land availability, secondary suite incentives, and homeownership assistance, but did not directly address the CMHC target of 60,000 homes over six years.
Sincerity of Premier's apology to residential school survivors and quality of life issues in Nunatsiavut
Asked by L. Evans · Answered by L. Dempster
The Minister of Labrador Affairs stated the government has been working on apologies since the Prime Minister's 2017 apology, with delays due to COVID. She emphasized the Premier is spending three days delivering six apologies and that survivors are ready to proceed. She defended the Premier's sincerity given his commitment while the House is sitting, but did not directly address specific quality of life issues (heating, food security, health care access) facing residential school survivors.
Orders of the Day
Motion to extend sitting hours on October 30
J. Hogan
The House adopted a motion to not adjourn at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 30, 2023.
First reading of Bill 58 (Quarry Resources Act)
J. Hogan
Bill 58, An Act Respecting the Quarry Resources in the Province, was introduced and read a first time, ordered for second reading tomorrow.
First reading of Bill 59 (Mineral Act amendment)
J. Hogan
Bill 59, An Act to Amend the Mineral Act, was introduced and read a first time, ordered for second reading tomorrow.
First reading of Bill 60 (House of Assembly Accountability Act amendment)
J. Hogan
Bill 60, An Act to Amend the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, was introduced and read a first time, ordered for second reading tomorrow.
Second reading and Committee passage of Bill 56 (ATIPPA amendment for Clare's Law)
J. Hogan and Multiple
Bill 56 adds Clare's Law (Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol Act) to ATIPPA Schedule A to protect confidentiality of applicants seeking information about partners' histories of violence. The bill passed second reading unanimously, went through Committee of the Whole with questions about consultations and timelines, and was reported without amendment for third reading tomorrow.
Committee debate on Bill 52 (Buildings Accessibility Act amendment)
Multiple
Contentious debate on amendments to remove the pre-1981 building exemption. Opposition members (P. Lane, E. Joyce, L. Evans, L. Parrott) argued the bill weakens accessibility requirements by only applying to renovated portions of buildings rather than entire buildings, and criticized lack of consultation with disability advocates. Minister S. Stoodley defended the changes as aligning with National Building Code and improving accessibility by eliminating the 50% renovation threshold loophole. Debate was ongoing when transcript ended.
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.