Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, Wednesday 18 March 2026
Question Period was dominated by opposition scrutiny of the Premier's decision to have a political advisor, Dr. Des Whalen, paid through the Medical Care Program (MCP) while attending meetings on non-health matters such as fisheries, forest firefighting aircraft, and infrastructure. The Premier and Minister of Health repeatedly defended the arrangement, invoking the 'social determinants of health' and blaming the previous Liberal government for problems including travel nurse costs, understaffed Family Care Teams, and long-term care shortages. Additional questions addressed medical travel coverage, long-term care beds, culturally informed care for Indigenous patients, mental health wait-lists, and pay equity for home support workers. The House spent most of the sitting on second reading of Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Pension Benefits Act, 1997, which would permit out-of-province transfers of company pension assets subject to Superintendent of Pensions approval and an 85 per cent solvency threshold; the bill passed second reading and entered Committee of the Whole before rising to sit again tomorrow. Members' statements recognized community figures and businesses, and ministerial statements marked Pharmacy Appreciation Month and the Boston Seafood Expo. The Auditor General's report on NL Housing supply management was tabled and petitions were presented on wildfire resources, Fortune Head cleanup and child care. Private Members' Day featured a Liberal motion urging government to stop using MCP funds to pay political support staff in the Premier's Office, which sparked heated debate.
Members' Statements
Tribute to Hank Penashue
K. Russell
The Member for Lake Melville paid tribute to Hank Penashue, an Innu Elder of Sheshatshiu known for his kindness, connection to Nitassinan and family, remembering both his struggles and his gentle spirit.
Recognition of Felicia Power
S. Gambin-Walsh
The Member for Placentia - St. Mary's recognized Felicia Power of Mount Carmel, who has Down syndrome, for her ECE certification, volunteer work, Special Olympics participation, modelling and competing in the Miss NL pageant where she won People's Choice and Miss Friendship awards.
Recognition of Arnold's Cove Lions Club
J. Dwyer
The Member for Placentia West - Bellevue recognized the Arnold's Cove Lions Club for its community support, fundraising, youth and seniors' programs, and help to families facing emergencies.
Recognition of The Big R Restaurant
J. Dinn
The Member for St. John's Centre recognized The Big R Restaurant and the Rice, McDonald and Forward families for over 70 years of service, resilience after the 1992 fire, and building a city landmark.
Routine Proceedings
Statement — Pharmacy Appreciation Month
L. Evans
The Minister of Health recognized pharmacy professionals, announced a $50,000 return-in-service bursary for 2026 MUN pharmacy graduates, discussed expanded scope of practice, and called on Ottawa to resume pharmacare negotiations; opposition Members Dempster and Dinn responded, with Dinn demanding a pharmacare deal.
Statement — Seafood Expo North America (Boston)
L. O'Driscoll
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture reported attending the Boston seafood expo with the Premier to promote NL seafood exports worth over a billion dollars; Members Loveless and Dinn responded, with Dinn urging better local access and affordability of seafood.
Tabling of Auditor General report on NL Housing
The Speaker
The Speaker tabled the Auditor General's performance audit report on supply management by Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation.
Petition — wildfire firefighting resources
P. Parsons
The Member for Harbour Grace - Port de Grave presented a petition urging increased funding for wildfire equipment, training and 50 additional wildland firefighters, and questioned the selection process for GlobalMedics fire skid donations; Minister Forsey responded that units were allocated by application through the fire commissioner's office.
Petition — Fortune Head Ecological Reserve cleanup
P. Pike
The Member for Burin - Grand Bank presented a petition urging funding to remediate garbage falling into the ocean at the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve; Minister Tibbs responded that the department would find practical solutions to the long-standing issue.
Petition — $10-per-day child care spaces
J. Parsons
The Member for Corner Brook presented a petition urging government to work with Ottawa to fund more $10-per-day child care spaces, or fund them provincially, citing shortages in the Corner Brook area.
Question Period
Use of MCP funds to pay political advisor Dr. Whalen for non-health advice
Asked by J. Hogan · Answered by Premier Wakeham
The Premier refused to concede any wrongdoing, repeatedly saying he makes no apologies for hiring good people and taking policy advice from a front-line health worker, framing meetings on fisheries, food costs, and a firefighting aircraft as connected to the 'social determinants of health.' He declined to admit the advice extended beyond health care.
Absence of meetings between Dr. Whalen and the Minister of Health; nature of advice provided
Asked by L. Dempster · Answered by L. Evans
The Minister of Health said Dr. Whalen provides sound health advice, including to her, and defended taking his counsel while blaming the previous government for a mess including Family Care Teams over budget and $80 million in unaccounted-for travel nurse costs. She did not directly answer whether she sought partisan advice.
Medical travel costs and reallocating MCP funds to help Labradorians reach appointments
Asked by L. Dempster · Answered by L. Evans
The minister said the government is planning to roll out 100 per cent MTAP coverage in a few months, contrasting this with the previous Liberal government's failure to deliver it.
Loss of family doctor for Grand Falls-Windsor / Municipal Affairs minister's constituents
Asked by L. Dempster · Answered by L. Evans
The minister said she engaged with the member and the doctor, that everything was done to accommodate the situation, and that patients potentially stranded are being addressed, noting a physician with a provisional licence requires supervision.
MCP funds diverted from long-term care nursing staff at Pleasant View Towers
Asked by B. Davis · Answered by L. Evans
The minister deflected, pointing to the $400,000 cost of a single travel nurse and $80 million in unbudgeted travel nurse spending under the previous government, without addressing the long-term care staffing question directly.
Continued recruitment advertisements for travel nurses despite commitment to end their use
Asked by J. Hogan · Answered by L. Evans
The minister said the government will use unionized nurses rather than pay $400,000 for travel nurses and give profits to businesses, pledging to fix and 'clean up' the health care system.
Comparing political staffer to independent public servants; disparaging the public service
Asked by J. Parsons · Answered by L. Parrott
The Minister of Energy and Mines did not answer, instead attacking the previous Liberal government over $35,000 bonuses, a H3 land deal, Snow's Lane, and rented apartments.
Dr. Whalen's attendance at a fisheries and aquaculture meeting and its connection to health care
Asked by E. Loveless · Answered by L. Parrott
The Minister of Energy and Mines did not address the fisheries question, instead attacking the previous government over Cabinet bonuses, a mental health facility contract, Snow's Lane, and alleged mismanagement.
Whether Dr. Whalen advised cancelling the new provincial hospital; plan for long-term care beds
Asked by J. Korab · Answered by L. Evans
The minister defended taking Whalen's advice and said the government will build long-term care beds rather than costly hospitals, but when pressed repeatedly on when and where the beds would be built, she gave no specifics, saying only that a plan was being developed to place beds across regions.
Dr. Whalen's meeting about a Bird Dog firefighting aircraft and its connection to health care
Asked by B. Ford · Answered by P. Forsey
The Minister of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands avoided the health care connection, instead praising the Gander forest fire protection centre and announcing the return of a fifth water bomber for the fire season.
Culturally informed care after an elderly Inuk man was refused ER care; funding for the First Light clinic
Asked by S. O'Leary · Answered by L. Evans
The minister took offence at her words being twisted, denied calling the clinic a duplication, and said the government would ensure no duplication of services when considering an Indigenous clinic, without confirming funding in the upcoming budget.
Psychiatry wait-lists and access to mental health care
Asked by J. Dinn · Answered by L. Evans
The minister did not commit to tabling the wait-list numbers, instead urging that patient information be forwarded, blaming the previous Liberal government for the state of mental health services, and pledging to increase supports.
Pay disparity and retention of self-managed home support workers, especially in rural areas
Asked by E. Joyce · Answered by C. Pardy
The Minister of Finance said the government values home support workers, acknowledged the pay discrepancy between agency and self-managed workers, recalled the party's past petition on pay equity, and said the government is committed to making adjustments to be fair.
Orders of the Day
Bill 6 — An Act to Amend the Pension Benefits Act, 1997 (Second Reading)
M. Goosney
The Minister of Government Services and Labour moved second reading, explaining the bill lets pension assets be transferred between provinces/territories when plans merge or consolidate, protecting workers by requiring the receiving plan to meet standards similar to NL and be at least 85 per cent funded, with all transfers subject to the Superintendent of Pensions.
Bill 6 — Opposition response supporting the bill
K. White
The Member for St. John's West said the Liberal caucus supports the technical bill, describing how it defines solvency assets and ratios, replaces section 58 to set transfer rules requiring a 0.85 solvency ratio consistent with Ontario, and requires written Superintendent approval.
Bill 6 — Debate contributions
Multiple
Members K. Russell, H. Cormier, P. Pike, R. Balsom (PC), J. Dinn and S. O'Leary (Third Party/NDP) spoke in support, sharing family and constituency stories about pensions, emphasizing worker protection, defined benefit plans and the Superintendent's oversight; Dinn and O'Leary called for pensions for early childhood educators.
Bill 6 — Clarification of scope by Government House Leader
L. Parrott
The Government House Leader corrected the record, stating the bill does not allow individuals to transfer their own pensions but permits companies/trustees to port pension funds between jurisdictions to keep members whole, citing his own family's experience with Wabush Mines pension reductions.
Bill 6 — Concerns about 85 per cent solvency risk
S. Stoodley
The Member for Mount Scio raised concerns that the 85 per cent solvency threshold carries risk, citing Wabush Mines, Nortel and Sears pension losses, noted Ontario and BC require higher top-ups, and reviewed the 2020 pension unlocking legislation she introduced as minister.
Bill 6 — Minister closes debate; second reading carried
M. Goosney
The minister closed debate, reiterating the Superintendent is the gatekeeper who would never allow a transfer to a lower-solvency plan and that the bill applies to plan sponsors not individuals; the motion for second reading carried and the bill was ordered to Committee of the Whole.
Bill 6 — Committee of the Whole
Multiple
In Committee, the Chair ruled there was no point of order from the previous day, then debated clause 1 with S. Stoodley questioning the minister on what transfers are allowed and solvency requirements; after audio difficulties, the Government House Leader moved the Committee rise and report progress, with leave to sit again tomorrow.
House recess
L. Parrott
The Government House Leader moved the House recess until 2 p.m.; motion carried.
Private Members' Business
Private Member's Motion — stop using MCP funds for political support staff
B. Davis
The Member for Virginia Waters - Pleasantville introduced a motion urging government to immediately stop using $275,000/year of MCP funds to pay political support staff salary in the Premier's Office, with leave given for the Member for Cartwright - L'Anse au Clair to speak.
PMR debate — Opposition arguments
Multiple
Members Dempster, J. Parsons, S. O'Leary, P. Parsons and F. Hutton argued MCP funds are meant for medical care not political advice, that the hired doctor gives political rather than health advice, and urged government to pay the salary from the existing political staff budget instead.
PMR debate — Government defence
Multiple
The Premier, Minister of Health (L. Evans), Minister Tibbs and Minister Parrott defended the arrangement, arguing MCP has separate administrative allocations that don't reduce patient care, that previous Liberal governments used similar special advisors paid through the health authority, and praised the doctor's expertise in resolving issues like the Lionel Kelland Hospice funding.
PMR debate — points of order on use of doctor's name
Multiple
Points of order arose over whether the hired doctor's name could be used in debate; the Speaker ruled the name should not be used going forward, prompting objections from both sides that the name had been used repeatedly earlier in the day.
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.