Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Wednesday 15 November 2023
Question Period focused heavily on the government's response to the sudden shutdown of the province's only paper mill and the absence of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for seniors, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous communities. The Opposition criticized the Premier for not yet speaking with the mill owner and for taking eight years to produce a poverty reduction plan that still lacks a targeted seniors' strategy. Debate also centered on carbon tax, no-fault evictions of seniors, and the timeline for opening the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital. The House spent the day in Committee of the Whole conducting a detailed clause-by-clause review of Bill 54, An Act Respecting Towns and Local Service Districts. Minister Haggie fielded extensive questions from Opposition members on topics including municipal taxation changes, consultation processes, bylaw enforcement powers, and the elimination of poll taxes. The House also gave first reading to Bill 46 (Water Resources Act amendments), third reading to Bill 60 (House of Assembly Accountability Act amendments), and adopted motions extending sitting hours for November 15-16.
Members' Statements
Mount Pearl Focus on Youth Awards 2023
P. Lane
The Member recognized recipients of the 2023 Mount Pearl Focus on Youth Awards, including Youths of the Year Alexander Fahey and Grace Lee, Youth Volunteer of the Year Alexander Corbett, and various award winners in athletics, STEM, performing arts, visual arts and literary arts.
Hot Frost Business Success
L. Stoyles
The Member recognized Marlene and Wade Hickey's company Hot Frost, which grew from a basement operation in 2007 to a successful 20-employee business in Mount Pearl North, recently awarded Canadian Daikin Dealer of the Year.
Port of Argentia Development
S. Gambin-Walsh
The Member highlighted the Port of Argentia's redevelopment as a heavy industrial seaport supporting marine transportation, renewable energy, aquaculture, offshore oil and wind energy, noting it is North America's first monopile marshalling port for US offshore wind developments.
Order of Newfoundland and Labrador - Andrus Voitk
S. Reid
The Member recognized Andrus Voitk, a 2023 Order of Newfoundland and Labrador recipient from St. George's - Humber, for his work founding Foray Newfoundland and Labrador and recording almost 2,000 species of fungi native to the province over 20 years.
A&J Mini Mart 60th Anniversary
J. Dwyer
The Member congratulated Anne and Jim Hickey of Terrenceville on 60 years operating A&J Mini Mart, which they started in 1963 with $700 worth of merchandise and have grown into a community employer and supporter.
Christ Anglican Church Bonavista 300th Anniversary
C. Pardy
The Member marked the historic significance of Christ Anglican Church in Bonavista, founded in 1736 following Reverend Henry Jones's 1723 arrival as the first Church of England clergy resident in Newfoundland, and noted a celebratory reconciliation and healing event being held that evening.
Routine Proceedings
Climate Change Action Plans Public Engagement
B. Davis
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced the launch of public engagement for two new Climate Change Action Plans (2025-2030): a Mitigation Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward 2030 targets and net-zero by 2050, and an Adaptation Action Plan to address impacts like flooding and wildfires. The Minister noted the 2019 plan's 45 items have all been actioned, reducing emissions to 8.3 million tons annually.
Question Period
Paper mill shutdown and contact with owner Joe Kruger
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey
The Premier confirmed he has not yet spoken with Mr. Kruger but stated the government values the asset and the workers, and will be there for them.
Seniors' poverty reduction strategy and indexing the Seniors' Benefit
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey
The Premier defended the delay by citing the need to address Muskrat Falls costs and prevent electricity rate doubling. He stated a separate seniors' poverty reduction strategy is being developed with unique targets, informed by the Seniors' Advocate's report, but did not commit to indexing the Seniors' Benefit.
Carbon tax and cost of living for seniors
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey / K. Howell
The Premier and Minister of Education defended the government's position, stating they fought the federal government to exclude home heating fuel from the carbon tax and changed their stance as new information became available.
Medical transportation reimbursement for seniors at 100%
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by K. Howell
The Minister of Education did not directly answer the question, instead defending the government's change of position on carbon tax.
Seniors paying out of pocket for home care services
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by T. Osborne / K. Howell
The Minister of Health listed various supports provided to seniors (free drivers' medicals, Income Supplement increase, Seniors' Benefit increase, etc.) but did not directly address why low-income seniors must pay out of pocket for home care.
Investigative powers for the Seniors' Advocate
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by J. Hogan
The Minister of Justice stated the government is reviewing the statutory review report and will address recommendations to ensure Officers can do their jobs effectively, but did not commit to granting investigative powers.
No-fault evictions of seniors
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by S. Stoodley
The Minister of Digital Government and Service NL defended the current system as balancing landlord and tenant rights, noting NL provides equal or better notice than five other provinces, but did not commit to banning no-fault evictions.
Indigenous communities excluded from poverty reduction plan
Asked by L. Parrott · Answered by A. Furey / K. Howell
The Premier cited increases to the child poverty benefit and prenatal nutritional supplement as benefiting Labrador and remote communities. The Minister of Education emphasized ongoing work with Indigenous leadership on reconciliation but did not address specific poverty reduction measures for Indigenous communities.
Fuel security and food security in northern and remote Indigenous communities
Asked by L. Parrott · Answered by J. Abbott
The Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure stated the provincial service is reliable and identified the federal nutrition supplement program as the source of many issues, rather than committing to provincial action.
Persons with disabilities excluded from poverty reduction strategy and wait-list for accessible housing
Asked by H. Conway Ottenheimer · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health stated the poverty reduction plan is inclusive of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and that the government is working on issues raised by the Citizens' Representative, but did not provide numbers on the wait-list for accessible housing.
Residential school survivors' concerns about premature apology and exclusion from oil-to-electric rebate
Asked by L. Evans · Answered by K. Howell / B. Davis
The Minister of Education stated the Premier worked with Indigenous leadership to craft meaningful apologies. The Minister of Environment stated the government is working with federal partners to extend the oil-to-electric rebate to Labrador but did not commit to a timeline.
All-Party Committee on Basic Income and Guaranteed Basic Income report
Asked by J. Brown · Answered by P. Pike
The Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development stated the Committee meets regularly and hopes to bring forward a report in the near future, but did not commit to a specific timeline.
Timeline for opening new Western Memorial Regional Hospital and radiation services
Asked by E. Joyce · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health stated the hospital is expected to accept patients by late spring or early summer at the latest, with the radiation unit operational at opening. A medical physicist and two radiation therapists have been hired.
Orders of the Day
Bill 54 - Towns and Local Service Districts Act - Committee of the Whole
Multiple
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole for extensive clause-by-clause examination of Bill 54. Minister Haggie answered detailed questions from Members Tibbs (Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans), Dwyer (Placentia West - Bellevue), O'Driscoll (Ferryland), and Brown (Labrador West) covering municipal road responsibilities, consultation processes dating to 2018, elimination of poll tax over three years, property tax assessments by the Municipal Assessment Agency, bylaw enforcement powers, tourism accommodation taxes, conflict of interest protections, reserve funds, feasibility study requirements, closed meeting provisions, and numerous technical clauses throughout the 300+ section bill.
Bill 46 - Water Resources Act Amendment - First Reading
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved first reading of Bill 46, An Act to Amend the Water Resources Act, introduced by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The bill was read a first time and ordered for second reading tomorrow.
Bill 60 - House of Assembly Accountability Act Amendment - Third Reading
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved third reading of Bill 60, An Act to Amend the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act. The bill passed third reading and was ordered passed with its title as on the Order Paper.
Extended Sitting Hours Motions
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader successfully moved two motions: one extending the sitting on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 until midnight instead of the usual 5 p.m. adjournment, and another suspending the 5:30 p.m. adjournment on Thursday, November 16, 2023.
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.