Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Tuesday 16 April 2024
Question Period on Equal Pay Day focused heavily on health care spending and accountability, particularly regarding pay disparities for rural chemotherapy nurses, over $100 million in travel nursing agency payments, and the lack of transparency around a Comptroller General investigation into travel nurse contracts. Opposition also pressed on housing failures, drug enforcement in Labrador, Crown Lands reform delays, and a backlog of pediatric assessments for children with special needs in Central Newfoundland. The House of Assembly conducted routine business including Members' Statements recognizing community contributions, ministerial statements on National Volunteer Week, petitions on child abuse limitations and road safety, and continued budget debate. Members raised concerns about health care access, education system resourcing, housing, infrastructure priorities, and the cost of living. The government moved a motion to cancel Private Members' Day on April 17, which was adopted.
Members' Statements
Retirement of Dr. Ryno Verster, surgeon in Clarenville
C. Pardy
Recognized Dr. Verster's decades of service performing thousands of surgeries at Dr. G. B. Cross Memorial Hospital since arriving from South Africa in 1995, praising his skill and dedication to the Bonavista area.
Jubilee Pentecostal Temple Community Cafe in Botwood
P. Forsey
Acknowledged the cafe's service providing 3,391 meals throughout 2023 to the community under leadership of Pastors Moral and Tracey Bess and volunteers.
Chef Kyle Puddester's culinary competition win
L. O'Driscoll
Congratulated chef Kyle Puddester of Fork Restaurant in Mobile for winning gold at Canada's Great Kitchen Party and representing Newfoundland and Labrador at the Canadian Culinary Championship.
Tribute to Hubert Hollett, hockey legend
C. Tibbs
Paid tribute to Hubie Hollett who passed away February 27, recognizing his hockey career including winning a Herder Memorial Trophy with the Badger Bombers and his devotion to the sport.
Recognition of volunteers in Harbour Main
H. Conway Ottenheimer
Recognized extraordinary volunteers including Joanne Morrissey (50 years service, women's rights advocate), Ron Coombs (30 years recreation committee service), Angela Woodford (60 years, received Atlantic Community Leader Award), and St. Peter's Anglican Church Men's Service Club (raised over $100,000 in 25 years).
National Volunteer Week ministerial statement
F. Hutton
Recognized National Volunteer Week (April 14-20) with theme 'Every Moment Matters,' highlighting volunteers' contributions to housing and community sectors. Opposition responses from J. Wall and J. Dinn acknowledged volunteers' crucial role filling gaps in services.
Routine Proceedings
Petition to amend Limitations Act for child abuse claims
Multiple
Four Members (H. Conway Ottenheimer, E. Joyce, L. Evans, P. Lane) presented petitions urging removal of limitation periods for civil child abuse claims, noting most provinces have made this change and criticizing government inaction despite ongoing advocacy.
Question Period
Pay disparity for rural chemotherapy nurses
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey
The Premier acknowledged the concern on Equal Pay Day and committed to investigate the discrepancy with the Minister of Health and NL Health Services to correct any inequities.
Travel nursing agency payments and disclosure
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health confirmed approximately 10 agencies are used and offered to provide a list of companies and amounts paid, noting these details are managed by the health authority.
Private company hired for Confederation Building vaccination clinics
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister stated the Public Service Commission arranged the contract using a company employed for several years, not chosen by his department, and that he has discussed the matter with the Nurses' Union and his deputy has engaged the PSC.
Comptroller General investigation report on travel nurses
Asked by T. Wakeham and B. Petten · Answered by T. Osborne and S. Coady
The Minister of Health and Minister of Finance explained that the Comptroller General did not complete a report but passed preliminary data to the Auditor General to avoid duplication; no final Comptroller General report exists to table. The Auditor General's full review is expected to take 18 months.
Minister of Health meeting with CEO of Canadian Health Labs
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister clarified he did meet with CHL at their request and they presented a plan (4.0 or 5.0) that government did not proceed with.
Use of personal email by former Central Health CEO in contract negotiations
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by T. Osborne
The minister deferred responsibility, saying the use of personal email by an employee is a question for that employee, and noted the Auditor General's review will examine these issues.
CEO of NL Health Services attending Estimates Committee
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey
The Premier called the suggestion reasonable and committed to taking it back, expressing interest in how the $3.5 billion health budget is being spent and noting accountability measures are in place.
Housing wait-list and Tent City residents
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by F. Hutton
The Minister of Housing highlighted recent budget investments, the takeover of 106 Airport Road by End Homelessness St. John's with wraparound supports, and noted daily offers of accommodation are made to Tent City residents through NL Housing and End Homelessness.
Affordable Rental Housing Program project rejected by City of St. John's
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by F. Hutton
The minister explained projects are conditionally approved by the province, then must meet municipal zoning and infrastructure requirements; the province is willing to work with municipalities and relocate projects if necessary.
Drug crisis and RCMP resources in Labrador
Asked by L. Parrott · Answered by J. Hogan
The Minister of Justice acknowledged the drug crisis and ongoing discussions with the RCMP, noting a $17 million funding increase three years ago, but a persistent 20% vacancy rate makes adding positions ineffective until the RCMP fills existing vacancies.
Provincial official disclosing pending DFO charges against John Efford
Asked by C. Pardy · Answered by E. Loveless
The Minister of Fisheries stated he has no knowledge of the matter and suggested the Member ask the media, deflecting the question about a provincial employee.
Crown Lands legislation and red tape
Asked by P. Forsey · Answered by E. Loveless
The minister confirmed legislation is being prepared and will be coming, acknowledging the importance of the issue and ongoing internal work to improve the Crown Lands system.
Backlog of pediatric assessments for children with special needs in Central NL
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by K. Howell and T. Osborne
The Minister of Education said she recently became aware of the letter from NL Health Services and is working with Health to determine appropriate resources and personnel; the Minister of Health confirmed departments are working together but acknowledged it will take time to put resources in place.
Class size, composition, and human resources in schools
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by K. Howell
The minister cited a recent Think Tank with teachers that identified class composition as a top challenge, and noted Budget 2024 allocates $3 million for approximately 104 additional student assistants, with ongoing work with the NLTA on teacher allocation methods.
Orders of the Day
Motion to cancel Private Members' Day April 17
J. Hogan
Government House Leader moved to cancel Private Members' Day on April 17, 2024, and instead meet at 2 p.m. for Routine Proceedings and Government Business. Motion was adopted.
Budget debate - health care, fishery, operational issues
C. Pardy
Criticized government's operational failures across health care, fishery, and services. Proposed solutions including advancing child support payments on first of month, raising income thresholds for Child Benefit, indexing seniors' benefits, and addressing emergency department access issues in Bonavista.
Budget debate - road infrastructure priorities and safety concerns
E. Joyce
Raised concerns about radiation oncologist recruitment for Corner Brook hospital and criticized road funding allocation process, noting priority ranking lists are no longer publicly available and decisions are made in Cabinet. Highlighted safety concerns at Number Four Brook requiring gabion basket repairs.
Budget debate - seniors' issues and poverty
H. Conway Ottenheimer
Acknowledged positive initiatives in Seniors' Well-Being Plan but criticized lack of comprehensive strategy. Noted 32% of seniors cannot afford basic necessities and called for indexing Seniors' Benefit, reviewing $29,000 cut-off, and implementing Seniors' Advocate recommendations.
Budget debate - education system failures
J. Dinn
Strongly criticized budget's failure to address education issues including school violence, under-resourcing of inclusive education, class size and composition, and teacher allocation. Called Education Accord 'vacuous verbiage' and criticized politically-motivated decisions like new Portugal Cove-St. Philip's high school without addressing systemic problems.
Budget debate - district issues and volunteer recognition
J. Dwyer
Discussed constituent concerns including MRI wait times (emergency MRI scheduled 14 months out), lack of support for children with autism in schools, housing unit maintenance backlogs, and called for matching federal tax credit for volunteer firefighters.
Budget debate - Central Newfoundland concerns
P. Forsey
Criticized lack of progress since 2016 'better tomorrow' promise, highlighting food insecurity, Crown lands red tape, lack of forestry secondary processing access, health care access issues, seniors struggling with heating costs, medical transportation burdens, and road maintenance needs especially in 60-70 km zones.
Budget debate - Ferryland district issues
L. O'Driscoll
Began remarks on health care staffing issues, criticizing government policies allowing temporary/call-in nursing positions that create inequities with permanent full-time staff who have worked 25-30 years in the system.
Other business
Welcome to visitors
The Speaker
Welcomed a group awarded provincial travel grant to visit post-secondary institutions and cultural facilities in St. John's.
Apology for unparliamentary language
B. Petten
Apologized for using the phrase 'misleading the House.'
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.