Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Tuesday 21 May 2024
Question Period was dominated by two themes: severe food insecurity and poverty affecting seniors and families, and a heated exchange over immigration and recruitment of health care workers. The Opposition pressed the government on the lack of targets in its Poverty Reduction Plan and the absence of implementation details for lowering the breast cancer screening age. Government ministers repeatedly deflected by citing the $740 million cost of Muskrat Falls and by challenging the Opposition to disavow comments made by a PC candidate regarding immigration from non-European countries. The House conducted routine business including Members' Statements recognizing community achievements, a ministerial statement on National Seniors' Month, and petitions on supported employment funding and health care access. The House passed third readings of four bills (Income Tax Act, Liquor Control Act, Pharmacy Act, Correctional Services Act) and completed second reading and Committee stage for two bills (Vital Statistics Act and Credit Union Act). The sitting concluded with a point of privilege raised by the Government House Leader regarding premature disclosure of Bill 74 (Limitations Act) to media before tabling, which was ruled a prima facie breach and referred to the Privileges and Elections Committee.
Members' Statements
Mount Pearl Marconi District Girl Guides 65th Anniversary
L. Stoyles
The Member recognized the Mount Pearl Marconi District Girl Guides celebrating 65 years of service, highlighting their community involvement and skill development programs for young women.
Jordan Pomeroy Athletic Achievements
S. Gambin-Walsh
The Member congratulated Jordan Pomeroy of Placentia for his remarkable athletic achievements in softball, including representing Canada internationally and receiving numerous awards and scholarships.
Henry and Kay Hounsell Cross-Country Skiing Hall of Fame
S. Reid
The Member recognized Henry and Kay Hounsell of Pasadena for their induction into the Cross-Country Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame for their contributions to building the Pasadena Ski and Nature Park since 1977.
Abby Farrell-Powell Public Speaking Achievement
J. Dwyer
The Member congratulated Abby Farrell-Powell of Marystown for winning club, zone, and provincial speak-out competitions on vaping among teenagers and for earning a scholarship to study pre-law at Dalhousie University.
The Dance Centre 36th Anniversary
J. Dinn
The Member recognized The Dance Centre for 36 years of providing dance education and supporting the local arts community, having taught over 10,000 children and supporting cancer research initiatives.
Stained Glass Windows in St. John's Churches
J. Abbott
The Member highlighted a presentation by Ph.D. student Megan Donoghue-Stanford on the cultural and artistic significance of stained glass windows in St. John's historic churches, designed by renowned European houses.
Routine Proceedings
Ministerial Statement on National Seniors' Month
P. Pike
The Minister recognized June as National Seniors' Month, highlighting government programs supporting seniors including a targeted basic income pilot for ages 60-64, a Seniors' Well-Being Plan, and various existing support programs.
Notice of Motion - Highway Traffic Act and Provincial Offences Act Amendment
S. Stoodley
The Minister gave notice of Bill 79 to amend the Highway Traffic Act and Provincial Offences Act.
Notice of Motion - Medical Act and Psychologists Act Amendment
T. Osborne
The Minister gave notice of Bill 80 to amend the Medical Act, 2011 and the Psychologists Act, 2005.
Petition on Supported Employment Funding
P. Lane
The Member presented a petition calling on government to restore $16.5 million in federal funding cuts to supported-employment programs for persons with disabilities, which could affect 175 individuals and force over 700 people onto Income Support.
Petition on Chemotherapy Services at Bonavista Hospital
C. Pardy
The Member presented a petition for the third time calling for reinstatement of chemotherapy services at Bonavista hospital, which have been unavailable for two years, forcing cancer patients to travel 1.5 hours for treatment.
Petition on Keeping Senior Couples Together in Long-Term Care
J. Dinn
The Member presented a petition calling on government to change policies that separate senior couples due to differing levels of care in long-term care facilities and to pass legislation ensuring couples can stay together.
Petition on Health Care for Postville
L. Evans
The Member presented a petition calling for adequate health care in Postville, which has only one nurse and no RCMP support, and highlighted broader issues of late cancer diagnoses and inadequate health care access in Northern Labrador.
Question Period
Food insecurity and poverty reduction
Asked by T. Wakeham · Answered by A. Furey / G. Byrne
The Premier acknowledged food insecurity as a crisis and cited the Poverty Reduction Plan, increased child poverty benefit, and expanded prenatal supplement. However, the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills repeatedly deflected to demand the Opposition disavow a candidate's comments on immigration, rather than addressing the substance of the questions.
Seniors' poverty and Poverty Reduction Plan targets
Asked by H. Conway Ottenheimer / C. Pardy · Answered by A. Parsons
The Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology did not provide specific targets or details, instead repeatedly stating that $740 million spent on Muskrat Falls mitigation could have funded 10 long-term care units or other supports for seniors. He argued that the PC government's legacy constrained current spending options.
Indexing Seniors' Benefit to inflation
Asked by C. Pardy · Answered by A. Parsons
The minister did not commit to indexing the Seniors' Benefit, again citing the $740 million Muskrat Falls cost and challenging the Opposition to propose how to fund additional measures.
Breast cancer screening age reduction implementation
Asked by B. Petten · Answered by A. Furey / T. Osborne
The Premier defended the policy decision to lower the screening age from 50 to 40, stating the policy must come first. The Minister of Health confirmed the policy announcement and said the health authority will identify resources and personnel needed, but provided no specific timeline for implementation.
Airport Inn hotel residents and former Tent City residents
Asked by J. Wall · Answered by F. Hutton
The Minister of Housing reported 11 residents currently at the Airport Inn, with 10 staff on site through the End Homelessness St. John's partnership. She declined to specify how many were former Tent City residents, citing privacy concerns.
Dumpster next to freezer units holding bodies at Health Sciences Centre
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health acknowledged the dumpster remains in place despite a previous commitment to move it, and said he would look into it again. He noted the health authority is working on a longer-term solution for respectful storage of unclaimed remains.
Funeral costs and accumulating bodies at Health Sciences Centre
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by P. Pike / T. Osborne
The Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development stated his department still covers the full cost of a basic funeral and is reviewing rates with funeral home operators. The Minister of Health noted unclaimed remains are an increasing issue across Canada and the health authority is working on a more dignified long-term solution.
Off-road vehicle operator training implementation
Asked by J. Brown · Answered by S. Stoodley
The Minister of Digital Government and Service NL announced that the new training component will launch in MyGovNL this Thursday, with plans to make it mandatory for new drivers and others as specified in regulations.
Details of $10 million for seniors' poverty reduction
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by T. Osborne
The Minister of Health listed measures in the budget including $10 million for the Seniors' Well-Being Plan, wage increases for home support workers, a geriatric medicine fellowship, centres of excellence in aging, Home First funding, and a dementia care action plan, but did not provide specific details on how the $10 million will be allocated.
Orders of the Day
Bill 79 First Reading - Highway Traffic Act and Provincial Offences Act Amendment
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved first reading of Bill 79 to amend the Highway Traffic Act and Provincial Offences Act, which was carried.
Bill 35 Third Reading - Income Tax Act Amendment
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved third reading of Bill 35 to amend the Income Tax Act, 2000, which passed.
Bill 62 Third Reading - Liquor Control Act and Liquor Corporation Act Amendment
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved third reading of Bill 62 to amend the Liquor Control Act and Liquor Corporation Act, which passed.
Bill 66 Third Reading - Pharmacy Practice Act
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved third reading of Bill 66 respecting the practice of pharmacy in the province, which passed.
Bill 71 Third Reading - Correctional Services Act Amendment
J. Hogan
The Government House Leader moved third reading of Bill 71 to amend the Correctional Services Act, which passed.
Bill 77 Second Reading and Committee - Vital Statistics Act Amendment
Multiple
The Minister introduced amendments to allow parents/guardians to obtain deceased children's birth certificates without court orders, add definitions for aquamation and funeral director, and incorporate gender-neutral language. The bill passed second reading, Committee stage without amendment, and was ordered for third reading.
Bill 78 Second Reading and Committee - Credit Union Act Amendment
Multiple
The Minister introduced amendments to authorize the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation to exempt credit unions from liquidity requirements, update audit standards to Canadian Auditing Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards, and require auditors to provide documents highlighting financial weaknesses. The bill passed second reading, Committee stage without amendment, and was ordered for third reading.
Point of Privilege - Premature Disclosure of Bill 74
Multiple
The Government House Leader raised a point of privilege that Bill 74 (Limitations Act) was disclosed to media before being tabled in the House, breaching Members' collective privilege to see legislation first. The Speaker ruled it a prima facie breach of privilege by way of contempt. After debate on parliamentary conventions, transparency, and legislative process, the House voted to refer the matter to the Privileges and Elections Committee.
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.