MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. We will commence the daily routine at this time.
PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS
PRESENTING REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
TABLING REPORTS, REGULATIONS AND OTHER PAPERS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Justice.
HON. WILLIAM GILLIS: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table the Annual Report of the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia for 1993-94.
MR. SPEAKER: The report is tabled.
The honourable Minister of Justice.
HON. WILLIAM GILLIS: Mr. Speaker, I also beg leave to table the financial statements of the same foundation for the same fiscal year.
MR. SPEAKER: The financial statements are tabled.
STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Premier.
HON. JOHN SAVAGE (The Premier): Mr. Speaker, on this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, you would see that our flag flies at half-mast in memory of the 14 young women so brutally murdered at the École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. We remember and mourn not only those 14 women but the thousands of other women who have been and continue to be victims of violence in our country and our province today.
But today is not only a time to remember, it is a national day of action as well as remembrance and we must all, as individuals, as communities, as governments, make a real and visible commitment to equality and the elimination of violence in our society. December 6th is a day from which we must move forward in order for these goals to be won.
I would now ask that the House observe a minute of silence in memory of the 14 women slain in Montreal, in reflection on the scourge of violence against women that continues today and in resolve that violence against women will be eradicated.
[One minute of silence was observed.]
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: Mr. Speaker, I would just like to make a few brief remarks, if I may, in response to the statement made just now by the Premier. Clearly all members of the House support and endorse the sentiments expressed in the statement and remember today the vicious events of this date in 1989 in Montreal.
I have been struck in the last 24 hours, as this anniversary approached, by reading and listening to media accounts of interviews with mothers of some of the young women slain at the École Polytechnique in 1989 on this date. What I hear from them in those interviews is an almost, to me, amazing acceptance and resignation of the impact upon them personally and their families of the tragic loss of their children but also a plea that the community at large and all governments across this country conduct themselves in such a way as to ensure that those deaths were not in vain.
When the Premier says in his statement as he does today, that this is a national day of action as well as remembrance, he says that, ". . . we must all, as individuals, as communities, as governments, make a real and visible commitment to equality and the elimination of violence in our society.". Who could disagree with those words? We must, as far as I am concerned, put flesh to the rhetoric that we have heard before about zero tolerance relative to violence in our society and particularly violence against women, spousal abuse and child abuse.
Using this occasion as the catalyst for it to happen, I really believe that it is incumbent upon the Premier and the Minister of Justice to, in not so many days from now, make further public statements and make public statements particularly, relative to the steps that they are taking and will ensure will be taken by every element of the government and every element of the police system and every element of the prosecutorial system and every element of the judicial system of this province, to ensure that it is understood across our community that we simply cannot accept violence against women.
I call upon the Premier and the Minister of Justice to follow up today's statement with further statements in very short order that describe the steps that will be taken because frankly, notwithstanding talk about zero tolerance - we have had some discussion about that expression and that principle in this House in recent weeks - I am not so sure at all that the steps are being taken that really will effect that results.
It is a day to mourn, it is a day to remember, but it is a day to use as the jump off point or the catalyst to ensure that some very significant steps are taken to move to the point where every human being in this province understands that violence against women is simply reprehensible, unacceptable and will be punished in the extreme. I call upon the Premier and the Minister of Justice to make a commitment, not necessarily here this moment but in not so many days, that they will express that in firm, clear and precise policy statements as to how they and their government will act upon a zero tolerance policy in the coming days.
We commend and support the Premier bringing this matter to the floor of the House and all of us, as we observed a minute of silence, are thankful for our own good fortune and trust that the events which are marked by that moment of silence will, in fact, result in serious, positive and effective action. Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I would like to also thank the Premier for raising this matter on the floor this morning and I also would like to associate my words with those of the Leader of the Official Opposition.
Today, of course, is National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women and I underline the word action, because that is the key. We have to ensure not only that zero tolerance is going to be permitted in terms of violence against women and children, in fact, in our society as a whole but if we want to eliminate violence which is, unfortunately, a continuum, we must put in place the legislative programs, the legislative actions that will help women to gain the economic security and the personal dignity they deserve. That is not something that we only should be thinking of one day of the year, that is something that must be on our minds 365 days of the year as legislators and as people who are trying to put in place programs to do that.
Certainly, there are many forms of violence and discrimination against women and because of the lack of programs and services, whether that be child care or the failure to have true pay equity and employment opportunities, those are all, unfortunately, some of the things that leave women trapped in a very vulnerable situation and leave them subject to the violence that they so often endure in our society.
[10:15 a.m.]
So, Mr. Speaker, what I am looking for is not only the nice words being said today on National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. What I am looking for and what I believe all fair-minded Nova Scotians are looking for, is emphasis on the word action and programs and services being put in place that will eliminate, once and for all, this intolerable violence that, unfortunately, continues to exist in our society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Premier.
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, on a matter of information. In our zest to be flexible for tonight to allow the House of Assembly to start at 10:00 a.m., we had scheduled a press conference announcing measures at 1:00 o'clock today. We will be going ahead with those measures, but unfortunately because we have accommodated the wish of the House, the press conference is now after the statement that I made today.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Natural Resources.
HON. DONALD DOWNE: Mr. Speaker, it gives me great please to advise members of the House that, again, this year, representatives of the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers Association are presenting trees to the Premier and to the Lieutenant Governor.
The trees, both 14-foot balsam firs, are being presented this morning to the Lieutenant Governor at Government House and to Premier Savage here in Province House. They were grown by Dwight Sanders of H.C. Sanders and Sons in New Ross, Lunenburg County.
On behalf of all members of the House, I extend thanks to Mr. Sanders and the association for their generosity and goodwill in providing these top quality trees.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, Lunenburg County is known as the balsam fir Christmas tree capital of the world. Thanks to the efforts of the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers Association, this reputation has been built and earned over a long period of time.
Mr. Speaker, Lunenburg County produces half the Christmas trees exported from Nova Scotia. Our primary export market for trees is the United States. Naturally, we want to expand the market for trees, and I am very pleased to report that last week a small shipment of trees from northeastern Nova Scotia were trucked to Monterrey, Mexico. As minister, I am optimistic that come next season we can make even more in-roads and send much larger shipments of trees to the Mexican market.
In Washington, D.C., Christmas trees from Nova Scotia are being used again this year at the Canadian Embassy. Later this evening, Mr. Speaker, I will be leaving for Washington to take part in a tree lighting ceremony at the Canadian Embassy tomorrow night. As a representative of Lunenburg County, I am proud to say that the trees for the embassy have also been also provided by the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers Association.
Mr. Speaker, this is an excellent way to promote Nova Scotia Christmas trees in a major export market, as well as an opportunity to promote and encourage trade in other commodities produced in Nova Scotia.
Again, I thank the association for providing these trees and I wish Christmas tree growers across the province a productive and profitable season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, I welcome the statement by the Minister of Natural Resources. I think it demonstrates, again, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Christmas tree growers in Nova Scotia.
The Nova Scotia Christmas Tree Growers Association certainly are not in favour of grants. They do not feel they are in the best interests and I did want to mention that. They feel that it is a barrier for trade in different markets, particularly the United States. They do have a strong association. It is a very good association and the association is good for the industry here in Nova Scotia. The industry is aggressively seeking an expanded market. I can only wish that particular industry best wishes.
But, I did note that the minister made mention initially, that the Premier will be receiving a 14-foot balsam fir tree that will be delivered here Province House for the Premier. I know many people in Nova Scotia who would like to present the Premier with something, but I don't exactly think it would be a Christmas tree. But, nonetheless, I am not sure of the height of the ceiling in the Premier's house, whether or not it is eight feet, he probably will have to cut some of it off. I would encourage him to dispose of that in an environmentally friendly way, and I am sure he will.
Speaking of Mr. Dwight Saunders, Mr. Speaker, who grew the trees, I had the very real privilege of transporting some trees in my prior career for Mr. Saunders. I took a couple of tractor trailer loads of Christmas trees to St. Louis, Missouri, for H.C. Saunders and Company, New Ross. So, Mr. Saunders is a Nova Scotia businessman who is certainly highly regarded in the business community of Nova Scotia. I would like to wish the minister well on his trip to Washington and make sure you plug in the right plug.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank the minister for his statement. I have just a few brief words. First of all, I would like to echo his concluding comments in his statement, to wish Christmas tree growers, truckers and all workers in this industry across the province, a productive and profitable season. As perhaps a suggestion to the minister, that when he makes his trip to Washington, representing Nova Scotia, to the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Canadian Embassy tomorrow night, that he makes sure he leaves the Premier behind, because lately it seems that whenever the Premier goes out of the province, it causes trouble not only for him but also for Nova Scotians.
I wish him well and I know he will represent Nova Scotia - the minister that is - well in Washington for this important ceremony.
GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Human Resources.
HON. ELEANOR NORRIE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I will table the following notice of motion:
Whereas December 6th is a day of action, as well as remembrance; and
Whereas on this day we pause to remember all Canadian women who have been and continue to be victims of violence; and
Whereas hundreds of dedicated professionals and volunteers are daily giving of themselves in the transition houses and women's shelters in this province, helping victims of violence build new lives;
Therefore be it resolved that we here recognize the invaluable contributions of our transition house workers and that this government actively support the family violence preventive initiative whose mission is to end family violence in Nova Scotia.
Mr. Speaker, I seek waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver of notice which requires unanimous consent.
Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
NOTICES OF MOTION
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Pictou West.
MR. DONALD MCINNES: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas five years ago today 14 women were senselessly slain at the École Polytechnique in Montreal; and
Whereas not a day, not an hour and not a minute goes by that some senseless act of random violence is perpetrated against a woman; and
Whereas we have the responsibility to ensure that policies and laws are strengthened and implemented in order to ensure that the campaign message of the Women's Action Coalition, "Not one more woman", is heard throughout the country;
Therefore be it resolved that today, when we join with the slain women's families in lighting a candle, we acknowledge our individual responsibility and that this light act as a beacon and show us the way toward providing the framework that will end violence against women.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver of notice which requires unanimous consent.
Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable member for Halifax Fairview.
MS. ALEXA MCDONOUGH: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the ripples created by the terrible deaths of 14 women in Montreal five years ago today are still spreading through our country; and
Whereas the National Day of Remembrance and Action serves best when it renews our resolve to tackle the long-hidden epidemic of violence against women; and
Whereas maintenance enforcement and every other public program which help reduce violence against women should be guided by that clear objective;
Therefore be it resolved that this House urges the government to seize the time and carry forward every possible means of enabling women to escape the threat of violence in their home, on the street and in the work place, through economic security and personal dignity for every Nova Scotia woman.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the "I did not know" or "I was not aware" answer has become the rule instead of the exception within the government ranks; and
Whereas it has now been revealed by the Premier's press secretary that the Premier is often quoted as saying something that he did not know he was saying; and
Whereas Nova Scotians are simply sick and tired of the constant misunderstandings and the level of incompetence being demonstrated by the Premier and Ministers of the Crown;
Therefore be it resolved that the Premier make it abundantly clear to Nova Scotians as to whether he is in charge of the government of this province, or is he just carrying a title and allowing senior bureaucrats to run the show.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas it has been estimated that between 50 per cent and 90 per cent of women have at some point been harassed in the work place, while occupational violence against women is increasing; and
Whereas in dire economic circumstances and slowly evolving social attitudes, many women are vulnerable to such violence and harassment; and
Whereas the December 6th National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women reminds us that labour standards and work place conditions are an important part of the battle to end this violence;
Therefore be it resolved that this House urges the Labour Minister to join his colleagues in a broad-based strategy to reduce every form of violence against women in Nova Scotia.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for wavier of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed that there be waiver of notice on that motion?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the bells at Ford Needham rang in remembrance of the survivors of the 1917 Halifax Explosion this morning at the hour the Mont Blanc exploded; and
Whereas the Bell Tower is just one small reminder of the devastation caused to families and to the Cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, killing some 1,600 when the two ships collided on that winter day; and
Whereas in that second, the area witnessed the largest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb was dropped in the Second World War;
Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House remember those lost and the families shattered 77 years ago today, but at the same time, too, remember the spirit and hand of friendship extended by so many in our cities' critical time of need.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver of notice which requires unanimous consent.
Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable member for Halifax Bedford Basin.
MR. GERALD FOGARTY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has its first permanent exhibit on the Halifax Explosion; and
Whereas the exhibit is made of material from the past seven years of temporary shows at the museum; and
Whereas the museum has budgeted $50,000 over two years to pay for costs of the museum's number one theme;
Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly congratulate Interpretations Manager, Michael Murray, the staff at the Maritime Museum, but also commend the survivors and contributors to the display of the Halifax Explosion.
Mr. Speaker, I would request waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable member for Kings North.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Minister of Health closed the Eastern Kings Memorial Hospital; and
Whereas the Minister of Health has never given a satisfactory reason for ordering the closure of this hospital; and
Whereas the Mayor of Wolfville, Gwen Phillips, wants to know why the Eastern Kings Memorial Hospital has been singled out as the only hospital closed;
Therefore be it resolved the Minister of Health and the Minister of the Environment meet with the Mayor of Wolfville and explain the government's health care plan, if they have a health care plan.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas today marks the anniversary of the Halifax Explosion, when thousands of civilians in the communities on both sides of Halifax Harbour suffered death and injury in one of the world's worst wartime incidents; and
Whereas memories of the explosion may grow fainter with each generation, but not our particular experience of the terrible destructive power of the weapons of war; and
Whereas the havoc created by that one accident gives all Nova Scotians special reason to seek peace and security in world affairs;
Therefore be it resolved that this House observe the anniversary of the Halifax Explosion by commemorating its innocent victims and by recognizing that peace and common security among nations are the best means of avoiding such tragedies.
[10:30 a.m.]
Mr. Speaker, I would request waiver of notice and passage without debate.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The honourable member for Kings North.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the government has, once again, found an alternate target on which to lay blame for its weekly mix-up; and
Whereas in this government, if the incompetence does not lie with Cabinet or with the deputies, it appears to fall at the feet of over-eager staff; and
Whereas if the Premier learns anything during his tenure as Leader of the government, it should be, don't leave home;
Therefore be it resolved that this Premier take responsibility for the statements attributed to him in his news release on the $94,000 Berger Canada contract and apologize to Nova Scotians for another breach of the tendering policy.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas after yesterday's Liberal efforts to explain away the Berger contract, those who do business with this government can legitimately ask when a contract is not a contract; and
Whereas members of the business community well understand that fair competition for government contracts promotes excellence and high standards; and
Whereas no senior official of this government could possibly believe or defend an untendered contract to Berger or anyone else unless the Premier has destroyed any expectation that fair, open tendering rules will prevail;
Therefore be it resolved that instead of Keystone Kops capers, the Liberals should apologize to the long-suffering Nova Scotia taxpayers who pay the price when Liberals don't obtain the best value for money from each contract, then waste time tripping over themselves to pretend it never happened.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas on November 16th, the Finance Minister announced that one of the greatest benefits of his Liberal Government's early retirement plan was that it would clean out the senior levels of the Civil Service; and
Whereas two of the most thoroughly cleaned out departments are Economic Renewal and the Premier's Office; and
Whereas the Premier and minister would have Nova Scotians believe that those departments are now so efficient that non-contracts are non-announced with non-authorization, and everyone tells the truth all of the time;
Therefore be it resolved that this House condemns the government's pathetic attempt to backtrack from the Premier's incredible announcement of yet another untendered contract, to the Berger Group of companies, defying his own fair government rules and directives.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Fairview.
MS. ALEXA MCDONOUGH: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the lotteries minister and his officials have declared that they have done no studies to justify opening casinos, yet the Government House Leader recently told The Reporter, "We've done studies"; and
Whereas the House Leader admitted that none of three consultations favoured casino gambling, yet he pointed to them with pride saying, "we've had three commissions . . . listening to people"; and
Whereas the minister emphasizes that Nova Scotia's casinos will rely almost entirely upon an increase in local gambling, but the House Leader suggests, "a significant influx of clientele", even people from "the east coast of the United States";
Therefore be it resolved that the Liberals who say one thing in the Legislature and something entirely different in Port Hawkesbury need not look to the Premier's arrogance or further to find an explanation for their credibility gap.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Annapolis.
MR. EARLE RAYFUSE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas Annapolis General Hospital and the Department of Health have reached an agreement on the hospital's role; and
Whereas Annapolis General Hospital's new role will focus on emergency and home care services; and
Whereas this agreement was made possible by the open and creative discussions that resulted in the Annapolis hospital's new direction;
Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly applaud the plans developed in Annapolis that demonstrate health system reform working in our community to address our unique health needs.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver of notice.
Is there unanimous consent?
I think I hear several Noes.
The notice is tabled.
Are there further notices of motion? If not, that would conclude the daily routine and we will now advance to the orders of the day. The time now being 10:36 a.m., the Oral Question Period today running for an hour, it will run until 11:36 a.m.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
ORAL QUESTIONS PUT BY MEMBERS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Recently the Premier issued a release advising of a partnership agreement between Dalhousie University and Millennium Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Massachusetts for collaborative studies in genetic epidemiology. It describes a very sophisticated and important study of common diseases with multifactorial aetiologies or causations such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, epilepsy and dementia. In the release, the Premier indicates that this venture into common disease interested him greatly as a physician since they affect up to 10 per cent of the population. He indicated that the studies are expected to begin in early 1995. I wonder if the Premier could indicate what commitment of financial resources does he anticipate are necessary to enable this collaborative effort to go forward?
THE PREMIER: First of all, Mr. Speaker, I did not issue a release, let's make that quite clear. The release came from the Economic Renewal Agency , it did not come from my office. Secondly, I met with Millennium Pharmaceuticals, which is a very interesting group of scientists and venture capital people. The issue is really between Dalhousie University and the Millennium Pharmaceuticals group. I, in my supportive role, met with them up here, when they were up here, and agreed to meet with them down in Boston when I went and I will continue to support anything that improves the opportunity for job creation within the province.
MR. DONAHOE: So the Premier supports the venture but does not acknowledge any knowledge of or responsibility for the release in which he allegedly made the announcement of the partnership. I wonder, then, if the Premier could tell us about his role in a release in which it was announced that the Province of Nova Scotia intends to join with Berger Canada to identify trade and investment opportunities in Asia. There was a release quoting the Premier rather liberally, the Premier saying that this development is an excellent example of the kind of partnership which government and private industry can work on together to identify opportunities throughout the world. It goes on to talk about the Berger Group and the work that they would do. I wonder if the Premier could tell us what knowledge he has of arrangements made between his government and the Berger Group in this connection?
THE PREMIER: First of all, Mr. Speaker, there is no deal, there is no contract. My knowledge of this was supplied to me by the Economic Renewal Agency. My contacts with Berger Group have been, in effect, as far as I know, infinitesimal. I consider them a good company but I think the Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency will perhaps answer the question about how, in effect, their name and this whole issue came up.
MR. SPEAKER: Do you wish to redirect?
MR. DONAHOE: No, I do not at all. I wonder if the Premier would tell us that he is therefore saying to the people of Nova Scotia that relative to these two releases, when they issued, as they did last Friday, and they quote the Premier very specifically, and I read, "`This development,' Premier Savage said, `is an excellent example of the kind of partnership which government and private industry can work on together to identify opportunities throughout the world.'". To quote further, "`This partnership will allow us to work smarter and more efficiently . . .'", and so on and so on. In relation to the one relative to the medical research issue saying as it did, "Premier Savage said this venture into common diseases interest him greatly as a physician, since they affect up to ten per cent of the population.". Is the Premier saying that he never said any of those words and they are the figment of some official's imagination?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I give the same response as I did before, I spoke to a group of business people in Boston at about 1:30 p.m. It is my understanding that the release went out at 10:00 a.m. that morning without having had the ministerial approval. The contacts that I had with Millennium go back to their visit to this province. I did meet, I think he is the Millennium controller, at the luncheon but my contacts with Millennium are indeed genuine, they are an excellent company. The Leader of the Opposition knows full well, from 15 years of it, that press releases which indicate that one person says something are usually checked at the Premier's office but not for content. In other words, if the ministerial decision is made, what we do is check the releases for style and for language but the content of them is the responsibility of the department, that is quite clear, always has been.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I want to direct a question to the Premier and it is on the same topic. I don't want to belabour the point about the press release but I do want to ask the Premier because it appears clear that the Premier and his Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency has had contact with the Berger group. I would like to ask the Premier a fairly simple question, is this how you and your government handle open tendering, you sit down, talk it out with the firm that you are interested in getting together with, you get the minister and in this case, the Premier involved and on-side and then in this case, the Premier goes outside the country and makes the announcements and then after all that is done, there is a call for proposals? Is that, in fact, how your government tenders contracts?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, the question is rather like, have you stopped beating your wife. The issue, fundamentally, is one in this case of a contract was not made, it never got across the minister's desk, it has never been seen by the minister and therefore there is no contract.
Obviously, I have expressed concern about the way in which this was handled. I don't pretend to be enthusiastic about the way it was handled. The simple truth is that we had no knowledge of the press release at 10:00 o'clock and I don't think I met with Berger, I had met with Michael MacDonald about five months ago, who is the Aird company. Apart from that I have no contact with Berger.
MR. CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, why did you not at the earliest opportunity make it perfectly clear to your Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency, all your senior officials involved in this matter, that contract discussions were not to be held unless or until a proper, unbiased, call for proposals was sent out?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I have done that on many occasions and will continue to do it as long as it is necessary.
MR. CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I think we know enough already with recent events to question that response. My final supplementary to the minister . . .
MR. SPEAKER: To the minister or to the Premier?
MR. CHISHOLM: To the Premier, Mr. Speaker, through you.
MR. SPEAKER: The First Minister.
MR. CHISHOLM: Would it not be a better reflection on what exactly happened, if we were to conclude that his instructions were actually that before you give the contract to Berger, that you hold a phony call for proposals to try to make the process look clean?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, as usual, these insinuations and allegations are couched in questions. We do not go through phony calls. We do have a process. In this case, Mr. Speaker, the mishap, the release of the press release was an unfortunate accident within the department. I have asked and demanded that there will be an investigation and assessment of the whole issue, but this government's policy remains the same and, lest it always be believed that everything is getting by with this, remember that the vast majority, compared to the 15 years previously, are tendered. The vast majority of personal services are tendered and it is only in this particular case where the press release, which was not authorized because the issue never went before the minister, that is the truth and that is exactly what I have said all along.
[10:45 a.m.]
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: Mr. Speaker, I would like to go back to the Premier, if I may, relative to the same matter. I was astounded to hear what I think I heard him say, that when these press releases come over to his office, they are checked for style and for language. I think Nova Scotian taxpayers are more concerned about the fact that they appear not to be checked for substance and truth and I do not understand.
I want the Premier, if he will, to tell us how he explains the fact that media contacts made with Berger have indicated that statements have been made by Berger to the effect that he, Premier Savage, and Mr. Bragg, the Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency, had dealings with the Berger company and were aware of the deal that was described in this press release?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, that is as near as a categorical untruth as this House will permit. I have had no contact with Berger. I don't even know, apart from, as I said, Michael MacDonald. These insinuations are unworthy of the Opposition Leader.
MR. DONAHOE: I wonder if the Premier, by way of supplementary, will tell us whether or not he, the Premier, or, to his knowledge, any of his ministers, have had contact with Mr. John Young, President of the Nova Scotia Liberal Association, who is the official agent here in Nova Scotia of Berger? Has the Premier had contact with Mr. Young in regard to any of these matters related to dealings between his government and Berger?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I can state categorically that I have never discussed Berger with Mr. Young. I have never discussed anything with Mr. Young; in fact, I have not seen him since the very successful fundraiser that we had on November 27th, (Applause) which I understand raised a lot more money than the Tory fundraiser which was on a little while ago.
The issue of talking to Mr. Young, who is a representative of Mr. Berger, is a non-issue. I have never ever discussed anything with Mr. Young. In fact, the last time I spoke to him, I guess, was in China when he was representing Minmetals.
MR. DONAHOE: It gets curiouser and curiouser. So I take it then that the Premier is saying to this House and to Nova Scotians today that there is absolutely no truth at all to the substance (Interruption) Yes, indeed, this is the Premier, International Links, Boston, Massachusetts, announcing the two initiatives and the one relative to Berger, which, if one of the Pages might . . .
MR. SPEAKER: Can we have a Page here, please?
MR. DONAHOE: . . . we might table that after the Premier has had a chance to look at it. I guess what I want to ask the Premier, relative to that release, which quotes him liberally and leaves the impression for Nova Scotians that he, the Premier, is aware of the matter, supports it, talks about the fact that this is the very kind of international connections necessary to be made by this government to open up its economic expansion initiatives on a global scale and so on.
I take it, I am hearing today, and Nova Scotians are hearing today from the Premier that the first time he saw this release or any of the words in it are moments ago when I handed it to him here in the Legislature, is that true?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I can say absolutely categorically that I have never even seen this, not even yesterday. I never saw it until I was handed it today by the Leader of the Opposition.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Pictou Centre.
DR. JOHN HAMM: Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Community Services, and this is relative to the report that was released at the end of the week on the Lunenburg Family and Children's Services Agency. Patrick Hickey reported sexual abuse by Steven Henderson around April 1987. I quote from Page 19 of the report, "The failure of Agency staff to document the allegations, or any investigation of them in its own records is non-compliance in and of itself.".
It is clear that the agency failed to conduct a proper investigation of the allegations in 1987, when an investigation might have resulted in action taken, so that the sexual abuse might never have taken place.
At the press conference the authors of the report indicated a series of incremental decisions, resulting in the failure of the agency to respond to information it received and allowed the tragedy to unfold.
My question to the minister, having now reviewed the report, is the minister convinced beyond doubt that the sexual abuse by Steven Henderson was an agency failure, rather than a failure by an individual within the agency? In other words, no individual should shoulder the blame for what happened to young Clayton?
HON. JAMES SMITH: Mr. Speaker, I have reviewed the report, discussed it with its authors. I think it has been a very thorough report. They document quite well in that report the deficiencies that resulted in them coming to the conclusion that the system failed the children and the family.
I would be remiss if I said that no one person is responsible; when the system fails there are many people who are responsible, Mr. Speaker. So, I think that by virtue of saying that the system has failed, that does not mean that individuals have not failed within that system. That is how I would read that.
I think there has certainly been issues, and they have addressed this and through various procedures and protocols that are changing. It was also the opinion, I personally think the social workers from Ontario who did this review, were very competent, they are very sensitive, they are very caring and they are very professional people. That is their conclusion and I agree with them, but that does not mean to say that we, as a society, and people within that agency and community must bear some responsibility. That is what happens in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, when the system fails.
DR. HAMM: Mr. Speaker, by way of first supplementary, on Page 18 of the report it indicates there was a double bias on the part of the agency at work throughout the history of Debra Stevens and the Hendersons. My question, what steps, for example, replacement workers, training programs, et cetera, have been taken and will be taken to ensure that this will not happen again in Lunenburg or in any other agency, which will allow restoration of public trust in the Family and Children's Services Agency in Lunenburg and elsewhere?
DR. SMITH: Mr. Speaker, I think this is an excellent question. I think this focuses on the issue of how can we prevent the issues of child abuse and the double bias, more specifically. I cannot stand in the House today and guarantee this House of Assembly that these situations and the further abuse of children will not take place again. We cannot ensure that, that is impossible.
We can say that since that time we have a new Children and Family Services Act; we have a clear definition of preventive and protection services within the agencies and within the department. We have a reinforced protocol on child protection, we have training courses, we have prevention programs and, as the report indicates, as the honourable member would know, they felt at this time that the agency is conforming as well as any across this country -they have compared it to agencies right across this country - and felt that at this time the programs that have been put in place, following this situation that arose in that agency, that there has been improvement, in fact, that staff is performing very professionally.
DR. HAMM: Mr. Speaker, by way of final supplementary to the minister, what happens now to young Clayton and will there be some form of recompense for the pain and suffering he has endured? For example, will there be counselling and does the minister have a timeframe on the decision regarding compensation?
DR. SMITH: Mr. Speaker, my response to the questions relative to compensation remain the same as the other day at the press conference. The report, which is a thorough, well done report, raises issues that one would assume that we will have a request for compensation. We are putting together a process with the agency and I must point out to the House that the agency, itself, is a partner in this response to compensation so it is not only the Department of Community Services as such. So we are putting a process in place, working with the agency that will address these requests, some of which are coming to the department at this time. Today, in fact, we are acting on getting counselling services in place. That is the first issue and then the broader issue of compensation will be dealt with and the process is being in place both within the Department of Community Services and with the agency there.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings West.
MR. GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. Last week the Minister of Health confirmed in the House that a former Liberal Cabinet Minister, Dr. Dan Reid, had been awarded a $115,000 job as a Physician Affairs Advisor to the minister. I asked the minister at that time if the job was advertised and interviews were held and he said, Hansard, Page 5331, "Yes, it was advertised as such and there were expressions of interest from several physicians because it had to be a physician.". I am not sure whether the minister addressed the question as to whether or not interviews were held. Would he confirm today whether interviews were or were not held for that position?
HON. RONALD STEWART: Yes, Mr. Speaker, on the basis of the honourable gentleman's question, I was able to review some of the activities on the part of the deputy and the committee. As I understand it, there were telephone interviews held as well as some personal interviews with some of the people who expressed interest.
MR. MOODY: Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for checking. There were, as I understand it, a number of interviews held, at least, by phone. I would ask the minister if he would confirm today how many, in actual fact, were interviewed? Does he know the number of applicants and how many were interviewed either by phone or by contact?
DR. STEWART: Yes, as I understand it, we have 12 actual expressions of interest by letter in the file. There are, I believe eight curricula vitae. Of those, about three or four, I am a little doubtful about whether there was a fourth in which the curricula vitae was appropriate to the criteria that we had set, including general practice.
MR. MOODY: Mr. Speaker, now I know that there were not just three or four, there were 12. Now I know there were three or four that were looked at. The minister, I think, said in the House that they all withdrew except Dr. Dan Reid when it came to being a full-time position. I would ask the minister if this was the case? I find it kind of strange that there were telephone interviews for such an important job but was it the case that all of them withdrew because they could not be full time in this position?
DR. STEWART: Yes, Mr. Speaker, again I am trying to look at the records. I was not involved in the selection process in terms of interviews or telephone calls to various people. I talked to approximately two of them. As I understand it, a formal withdrawal by letter was not made but it was clear that they were not able to relinquish practice.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my first question through you, sir, to the Premier. The Premier, of course, will know that imitation is the highest form of flattery and I would like to ask the Premier why it is that he would expect that public servants would follow the tendering rules and guidelines when the Premier and senior officials, in fact, Cabinet Ministers themselves have not followed the tendering guidelines?
[11:00 a.m.]
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, once again there are insinuations and allegations that are typical of the questions that come from that side of the House. I think it is fair to say that we follow the guidelines in the majority of cases, we are not perfect, but the vast majority of those, including personal services contracts are tendered and we will have the figures that will go to produce that. At the moment they are being collected in response to God knows how many questions that the Opposition has requested.
MR. HOLM: Mr. Speaker, the Premier's answer gives reason to why people are saying when the government officials come forward or senior members of this government come forward, they often say, here come the clowns.
MR. SPEAKER: I think that is a little heavy. Be careful.
MR. HOLM: I would like to direct my first supplementary to the Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency. I would like to ask the minister why it was that officials within his department and maybe the minister himself were involved in discussions with Berger before proposals were called if, in fact, it wasn't the intention to have Berger helping draft the terms of reference so that they would have the inside track on the contract when it is going to be awarded?
HON. ROSS BRAGG: Mr. Speaker, let me make one thing perfectly clear, neither the Premier nor I have had any discussions with Berger about this proposed project that we are discussing. At no time have we had discussions with Berger. Let me also make it clear that I don't understand why staff had undertaken to negotiate with Berger before it had come up through the system to go out for a proposal call. We, and I promised the Premier, will undertake to find out why. At no time did we entertain in my office to undertake a contract with Berger, sole-sourced or otherwise. If, in fact, anything goes ahead it will be done on a call for proposal on an open basis so anybody can apply to it. (Applause)
MR. HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I want to direct my last question back to the Premier. There seems to be some similarity here between the Berger contract, the Morash contract and so on. What we see happening is department ministers or officials within departments having discussions with particular companies before proposals are called. My question to the Premier is simply this, what and when are you going to finally get your act together? Ethics, if nothing else, would require that absolutely no consultations or discussions would be going on with a particular company that the government is expecting to be responding to a proposal call, if it wasn't the government's intention to favour that company.
MR. SPEAKER: We have heard the question, thank you.
MR. HOLM: My question to the Premier is, what are you going to do to ensure that this continuum of botches and improper behaviour does not continue?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, there were several questions there, I choose to answer the first one. I will say quite clearly and categorically, this Party got its act together in May 1993. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings West.
MR. GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. I was a little disappointed a few moments ago when the Minister of Health couldn't explain to me the process by which former Liberal Cabinet Minister Dan Reid was hired. He indicated in this House - I am sure he knows about the fair hiring practice. I would ask the minister, knowing there were a number of applicants, why at least two candidates who applied for that position were never contacted by his department and never interviewed? Why didn't this process of hiring Dan Reid have to follow the process that everyone else has to follow in doing interviews for a job? Why were these people not contacted?
HON. RONALD STEWART: Mr. Speaker, this position that we had advertised openly and had hoped for applicants, this was a very specialized and restrictive issue here. We had a requirement for community input into community development that would reflect physicians' interests in the health care reform system. We had to have a full-time participant in that. It is not easy to recruit for a salary of even $115,000 with someone who might be grossing as much as $200,000 in the community. This is one of the things.
I share the honourable member's frustration at trying to understand but it is not necessary for me as minister to go out and interview every potential candidate in the medical profession. We had listed our criteria well in advance, we had decided on the process and I think the process was open and fair. I am trying to deal with this as honestly and openly as I can, Mr. Speaker, knowing full well that my deputy and people surrounding her, who did some of the initial screening, are not currently in my department.
MR. MOODY: Mr. Speaker, I had a call, last Friday, from two physicians who don't think it was open and fair. Two physicians told me they applied for the job, they had letters from the deputy that they would be interviewed, but they were never called. Two of those doctors, one of them has 17 years' experience in urban and rural practice. I want to know, since they were told they were going to get an interview (Interruption) Yes, I will name one of them and the other I will tell the minister in private, (Interruption) Why? Because this process hasn't been open and fair, that's why. Because they read in the paper where the minister gave out the wrong information. That is why, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Is this a supplementary question?
MR. MOODY: I want to know today why these qualified physicians that applied for this job were not even granted an interview? That is what I want to know.
DR. STEWART: Mr. Speaker, I can only reassure the honourable gentleman that the process was fair. That we interviewed and looked at people in terms of their possibility of giving full-time service to the community, in light of the remuneration we were offering. We did so as best we could in light of the construction of a reform team, that was ongoing at the moment as well.
MR. MOODY: My final supplementary, Mr. Speaker, is to the Premier. The Premier promised a fair hiring practice. He promised people would get interviews if they qualified for the job. I can give the Premier names of people who applied for this job and did not get interviewed. I would ask the Premier, if hiring a former Liberal Cabinet Minister when other qualified physicians were not interviewed, is another example of this government's fair hiring policy? If it isn't, will the Premier ask that this be put out again and allowed a democratic process to choose the final candidate?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I rise to my feet a little bemused at the thought that the process being blamed on us, when we had 15 years of the kind of process that they have lived through. Not everybody who applies for a job is interviewed. (Interruptions) Not everybody who applies for a job is interviewed and you know that better than anybody.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: My question is to the Premier on the same issue. I wonder if the Premier will give this undertaking. If he makes inquiry, as I ask him to do, and determines that at least two physicians did, in fact, upon applying for this particular job, get letters back from the Deputy Minister of Health saying, in effect, we will be back to you to arrange interviews. If he finds that that was done, those doctors were given the commitment that they would be contacted for interview and that was the last contact ever made by the department, will the Premier give the commitment that he will, in concert with his Minister of Health, ensure that those applications are reviewed and that those interviews will be made, as were promised by the deputy minister?
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, this is, once again, the kind of questioning that implies that I meddle in departments. This is a departmental issue. The issue, as I have stated, is that not everybody who applies for a job is interviewed. Everybody knows that. I am satisfied (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please, one at a time. The honourable Premier has the floor.
THE PREMIER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I have the floor I think. I am satisfied that the department went through a process and I refute utterly the allegation that I am going to conduct some kind of inquiry.
MR. DONAHOE: I have no idea how the Premier can be satisfied about anything that is going on in the government. Every time we turn around, it is somebody else's fault, it is some minister's fault, it is some bureaucrat's fault, there was a miscommunication or whatever.
I ask, by way of supplementary, to the Minister of Health, if I may, I ask the Minister of Health if he will review the files relative to this matter and if, in fact, he finds, as he will, that there are at least two letters directed to physicians here in the Province of Nova Scotia who applied for this job and who were told in letters signed by the Deputy Minister of Health that they, those doctors, would be contacted for interviews?
If he finds that those doctors were never contacted for interview, will the minister give the undertaking today that the matter will be put on hold and it will be further reviewed and that those two doctors, and any other doctors who may have gotten similar letters, will, in fact, be interviewed and considered for this particular position? Will he give that undertaking?
HON. RONALD STEWART: Mr. Speaker, in deference to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, I have, indeed, reviewed this on the basis of previous questions. I have tried to certainly confirm some of the questions, or at least answer some of the questions, and I would be happy to review it again. Surely I don't have confirmation, perhaps, of the two gentlemen he is speaking of, or women perhaps, but I certainly would look at this.
The fact is that we have done the hiring, in a way I was comfortable with, in terms of it being open, and also being able to tap the person I felt was proper for the position. I would rest on that choice and I would confirm it here in this House today.
MR. DONAHOE: Mr. Speaker, the hollowest of undertakings I have ever heard in this place. How is it possible that the minister can say, I did the analysis, I did the review, and in fact I checked the files, and he will not now, today, give a commitment in response to letters from his department, from his deputy, which said to two physicians in this province, in effect, and I will give him the names privately, after this Question Period, those physicians got letters from this minister's deputy, saying we have your application, we will contact you to make arrangements for interview. Those two physicians were never interviewed. That deputy, this minister, this Premier, nobody knows the qualities or lack of same of those applicants but they were both told that they would be interviewed.
I ask the Minister of Health again, is this simply a situation where the fix is in, that Dan Reid is getting the job, that you, the Minister of Health, knew he was getting it and Premier John Savage knew he was getting it and the whole thing is a sham? Or that you will, in fact, go back, if you find letters of commitment for interview to any physicians were made, you give the undertaking that those interviews will take place? Will you give that undertaking?
DR. STEWART: Again, Mr. Speaker, I can only reiterate the fact that every effort was made to canvass people in the community who would be appropriate to this position, including the ability to come on board and to give up their medical practice. I had honourable members suggest to me and somewhat in previous discussions that there were several other friends or acquaintances who might be up for the job, including the past president of the Medical Society, and all sorts of rumours were circulating in and out of this place and others.
I can only say that we have a position here that has been filled, that is filled with a competent individual who has given up his practice to the service of the province and I am very grateful for that.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Opposition on a new question.
MR. TERENCE DONAHOE: Well, Mr. Speaker, I am just astounded, I can't understand. The minister tries to have us believe that our hearts should bleed for Dan Reid because he has given up his practice, he is going to have a $115,000 job. The point I am trying to make with the Minister of Health is that there are two other physicians that we know of who were told by this minister's department, we have your letter and you will be interviewed. At no time, contrary to what this minister has said in this House, did either of those two applicants indicate they were not interested in the job, upon learning that it was full time. The reason they never communicated that is because they were never called in for interview.
I ask this minister one more time, will this minister go back to his department and if he finds that letters of commitment for interview to two or more doctors do, in fact, exist, that he will put the matter on hold and see that interviews are held with those two doctors?
MR. SPEAKER: Well, with deference, Beauchesne states that a question that has been previously answered ought not to be asked again. The minister, I feel, has answered this question.
[11:15 a.m.]
MR. DONAHOE: If that is the case, I will ask, if I may, the Minister of Health if he could please explain how it is or what is the public policy process, or what is the tendering policy process or provision, which makes it possible that we could have this scenario, a call for proposals or applications, an application filed by two physicians, a letter from the Department of Health saying, we have your application and we will get in contact with you to have interviews with you and then the decision is taken that somebody else is hired without the commitment of the interviews to these two applicants ever being honoured.
How can the minister please help me explain or understand how that can possibly happen? Why would the interviews be committed and never held?
HON. RONALD STEWART: Mr. Speaker, I would have to accept the description by the honourable gentleman opposite that this, indeed, was the process. We went through several months of interviews of talking to people, of trying to get interest in this position and in the many other positions we were advertising for in that way. In this case, we had several candidates and we looked at each. This is a personal services contract that we engaged for a specific role and the specificity of the role, which we undertook in this case, actually limits the options that we have and I am happy to say that it was filled properly. I can't say much more about it than that.
MR. DONAHOE: So the obvious answer, says my distinguished friend in the back row, the obvious conclusion is then, I put it to the Minister of Health, that if anybody gets a letter from the Department of Health, saying to an applicant for a job, we, the department, will contact you to make arrangements for interview, that that letter is not worth the paper it is written on. It is not worth the word of this minister that he will make good on the commitment made by his department. This minister, I hear today, is saying he is not prepared to honour the commitment made by the senior officials of his department. Is that the conclusion that we reach?
MR. SPEAKER: It is difficult to detect a question there.
DR. STEWART: I can just reiterate that I would not be part of a process which would be window-dressing, as the honourable gentleman opposite suggests. In fact, the gentleman is making assumptions that are his perception of what the process was. I can only say that his perception is flawed. There was a process of calling for a specific position, which we have filled. That, to my mind, was fair and open.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question, through you, to the Minister of Community Services. On Friday, we had the release of the report compiled representing the review of the Family and Children's Services of Lunenburg County. I think it is clear to all that the report confirms that the Lunenburg Family and Children's Services Agency failed Debra Stevens and many other people associated with that case, in a most fundamental way. But, at this particular time, I do not want to deal with that part of the review.
I would like to raise with the minister in my question, Mr. Speaker, the fact that there has been no review done of the role of the Community Services Department in this whole matter. It was not in the terms of reference for the two social workers who handled the review of the Lunenburg Family and Children's Services Agency. I would like to ask this minister, because it appears clear that the department did not fulfil its responsibilities with respect to ensuring that the policies and procedures were properly followed. I am concerned that this is just the tip of the iceberg, that, in fact, there are many more cases like this out there.
I would like the Minister of Community Services if he will agree today to invite the authors of that review back to conduct an independent review of the role of the Department of Community Services in this whole matter?
HON. JAMES SMITH: Mr. Speaker, the report, which is very thorough and done by very professional people, has certainly indicated there were many people responsible for what happened, particularly within the situation relative to Mrs. Stevens and her family.
The report, in my opinion, does not leave the Department of Community Services or any other agency involved free of blame. The system is to blame. With that, there is no question that out of this will probably evolve responsibility, relative to compensation, both within the responsibility of the agency and also the Department of Community Services. More specifically, will we invite the authors back for whatever the question was or further review or inquiry, the answer is no, Mr. Speaker. That is my answer as of today.
MR. CHISHOLM: Well, Mr. Speaker, the minister said in his press conference, in releasing the report downstairs on Friday morning, that the department is ultimately responsible and the buck stops with that minister. Yet the report, because of the terms of reference, the way they were written, completely excludes any investigation of his department officials with respect to this case and any other case.
I ask the minister again, if he won't agree to an independent review of the role of his department, will he commit in this House today, to respond in writing to the specifics of this report, as it relates to his department officials not enforcing the policies and practices of this agency?
DR. SMITH: Mr. Speaker, I have a little trouble understanding his request to me to respond in writing, either to the honourable member or what. If I can offer my opinion in Question Period, I was not the Minister of Community Services at that time and neither were we the government during these times. I don't know where that honourable member was; I know where I was. I guess I was like a lot of other people, not being totally aware of the magnitude of child abuse that was going on in this province.
So, Mr. Speaker, I have no hidden agenda to stand here today and defend the actions or cover up in any way the actions of past ministers and past governments. But I chose to be fair. I don't know if that honourable member was so insightful back in the 1980's that he knew what was going on. I was engaged in the family practice of medicine as well. When I arrived in this House in 1984 and 1985, I brought the concerns of child abuse before this House. (Applause)
It has been a commitment of mine and to this day to make things better for child welfare and also children who don't interact with the child welfare system as well. In my opinion the report, Mr. Speaker, was not narrow, it did focus on a particular agency but to me, if reading that report gives that honourable member the idea that the Department of Community Services was completely not to blame or not involved in the system - and that is the gist of the report, that this system failed - I would go further, I would say that society has failed. That is my opinion, Mr. Speaker, and I think we all have to take some blame.
To go on a witch hunt at this juncture, and some of these things may come out eventually, relative to the compensation issues, but at this time we have received the report, it is a good report, it is thorough, it has been done by professionals and we are acting on that report at this time.
We shall see what we shall see down the road, as we learn as a society how to deal with the issues of child abuse in our society.
MR. CHISHOLM: Well, let me assure the minister that nobody is on a witch hunt here. We are talking about questions of accountability. Regardless of the fact that the minister and the Premier have tried to put this member in diapers whenever I ask a tough question, let me just say, Mr. Speaker, because of the fact (Interruptions) that the actions of the Community Services Department in this matter were not reviewed, we have not heard any explanation why it is that when Debra Stevens went to this department, went to a former minister with this complaint, that no action was taken. I want to ask this minister if he will provide us some answers . . .
MR. SPEAKER; I have many members asking me to enforce the Rules of the House, will you please put your question.
MR. CHISHOLM: . . . about the role of the Department of Community Services in this matter? That is my question, if you can hear it over the uproar from the people that are trying to blunt this question.
MR. SPEAKER: The minister indicates he could not hear a question there.
MR. CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, excuse me, but he didn't hear my question? I was yelling at the top of my lungs and because of this crowd who were yelling at me, it is not my fault.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please.
MR. CHISHOLM: Should I not get the opportunity to rephrase my question?
MR. SPEAKER: On a final supplementary that has consumed so much time, I don't see how I can, it transgresses . . .
MR. CHISHOLM: It is not my fault, Mr. Speaker, it was the noise from the members here.
MR. SPEAKER: I will permit the honourable member, in fairness, to pose one final supplementary question which should be a single sentence, one question please. What is the question?
MR. CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister of Community Services is, it is clear that information was brought to the attention of department officials by Debra Stevens, why did they not respond?
DR. SMITH: Mr. Speaker, I believe I heard the question, why did the Department of Community Services not respond specifically to the request of Ms. Debra Stevens? I suspect what the member is referring to, on some occasions they did not. I think, as Mr. Hillier, one of the authors of the report indicated, if you look over the period of time what happened was a double bias, as has been mentioned to the honourable member for Pictou Centre earlier in Question Period, there were factors at work of that nature. There was, over a period of time, a little or some of them, larger mistakes made. You put it all together and then look at it, revisit it within the whole nature of what we know now of what happens when abuse takes place, particularly in foster families which are very vulnerable, and Mr. Hillier made that quite clear. Yes, I think the department did respond in some instances, but on the big picture did not and that is why the system, including the Department of Community Services, failed those children and that is my answer. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings North.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister of Human Resources, I would like to ask that minister a question. Did the department, the staff, draw up the $115,000 contract for the former Liberal Cabinet Minister, Dan Reid, to become the Physician Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Health? You indicated last week that you would endeavour to find out what involvement your department had.
HON. ELEANOR NORRIE: Mr. Speaker, the Department of Human Resources is in the process of drawing up that contract and looking at all the concerns that have to be dealt with in drawing up a contract of this kind.
MR. ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister of Human Resources, did your department rate the job salary at $115,000?
MRS. NORRIE: Mr. Speaker, the Department of Human Resources was involved in drawing up the external advertisement that was done and the compensation would have followed the guidelines that are set in place for this type of position.
MR. ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, through you to the honourable Minister of Human Resources. Last year we passed legislation in this House that was heralded as being on the leading edge of fairness for hiring and guidelines and so on. It was all to be done through the department or coordinated through the Department of Human Resources. However, we have learned today that all the applications are with the Minister of Health in his office; all the interviews were done by the Minister of Health in his office; and apparently, the job description was done by the Minister of Health in his office.
Could you tell me, please, what your function is and why are you still sitting in Cabinet as Minister of Human Resources when you have totally abrogated your responsibilities? Could you tell me please what function you fulfil in this government when you are not consulted and when the man has been hired and you haven't drawn up the description yet? What role do you play in fulfilling the Human Resources Department for the government?
[11:30 a.m.]
MRS. NORRIE: The question is, what role do I play in the Department of Human Resources? I am the Minister of the Department of Human Resources. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation and Communications. Approximately three weeks ago, a pulp truck and a school bus collided on Route 4 and Route 4 is a highway stretching from the Richmond County line through to the Sydney River line. I am sure the minister is very much aware of just how narrow this highway is. A lot of people have to exercise safety when travelling that 60 kilometre stretch of highway.
My question for the minister today is simply this. We know eight salt and snowplows are being used on this stretch of highway this winter. Will two men, as in the past, or a single individual be operating the vehicle?
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell you specifically which equipment is on every road in Nova Scotia. I know there have been some changes in the equipment and there are some one person plows that have been purchased this year, plows that are electronically equipped. I think there are probably 8 or 10 of those around the province. Specifically, where they are, I don't know, but I could certainly check for the member if he would like to find that out.
I would like to say that I believe the accident on Route 4, outside of Sydney or in the Big Pond area several weeks ago, did not have anything to do with snowplows or snow on the highways.
MR. TAYLOR: I thank the minister and to the minister, I am aware that a snowplow was not involved in that accident. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary is to the minister again. The minister took extreme exception to the fact that 10 days or so ago, when I pointed out that salt was in short supply in various transportation depots across the province, he later insinuated that I was misleading the public. The fact is that the minister gave a directive or some orders, so to speak, to members of the Transportation Department to replenish some of the salt sheds on a Saturday, which is highly irregular. He even admitted to the shortage in a roundabout way by stating there were only 300 tons of salt or less in the South Shore region.
MR. SPEAKER: Is this a question?
MR. TAYLOR: My question is, will the minister reinforce with Nova Scotians today, the Nova Scotian motoring public, that he will not forsake safety on the highways in his attempt at number crunching?
MR. MANN: Mr. Speaker, that member opposite in the House, a couple of weeks ago, said there was not one granular of salt in the shed. I indicated at that time that there was, in fact, salt in all the sheds of the Department of Transportation in the Province of Nova Scotia. As recently as yesterday, we have had an updated list from all four districts on the amount of salt in each and every dome and each and every shed in the province.
I can certainly reiterate that there will be no knowing neglect of safety practices or measures on the highways of Nova Scotia, Mr. Speaker.
MR. TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, in fact, the Bridgewater depot employee did tell me that there was not a granule, hardly a cup of salt in the Bridgewater depot. I want to ask the minister today if he would, perhaps, and I understand, in working in conjunction with his front-line supervisors, he prefers to be at certain arm's length away from them and I appreciate that. But would he look into the situation regarding Route 4, as to whether or not all eight salt trucks would be plowing that particular section of highway? (Interruptions) No, he didn't tell me he would.
MR. MANN: Mr. Speaker, our first knowledge of the accident on Route 4 several weeks ago was as a result of a media report. Before we had any requests from anyone, we had, in fact, dispatched our district director to try to arrive at the details of what had happened on Route 4. We received, within a couple of days, letters from a county councillor and from a concerned parents representative.
The district director was dispatched to meet with those individuals. He has met with those individuals. They have sat down and they have looked at recommendations, at the need for increased signage and other methods to make that highway safer and to safeguard against safety hazards that might come forward. That has been done and they are acting on those recommendations. Certainly, we will take whatever measures we can to make the highways of Nova Scotia as safe as we can. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Pictou West, you have one minute to speak.
MR. DONALD MCINNES: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. In keeping with the recommendation of the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the former government initiated a study in 1992 on spousal homicides. The study was to examine, on a case by case basis, spousal homicides in Nova Scotia between 1986 and 1991. I would like to ask the minister if he would tell us and all Nova Scotians if that report has been completed?
HON. WILLIAM GILLIS: Mr. Speaker, I can't specifically say, although I can tell you that it is our intention to table legislation in the winter session on domestic violence, which will deal with many of these matters that are of concern, including homicides and battering and all of the rest of the terrible matters that we are aware of and have come forward and are reported to the police. But I can check and get back on the specific study but I can assure you that the domestic violence legislation, which is based on a paper by Mr. Norton of the Department of Justice and done in 1993, will be the basis of legislation coming forward in the new year.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. The time allotted for the Oral Question Period has expired.
MS. ALEXA MCDONOUGH: Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In a recent Question Period my Leader used the term "skirting the issue" in reference to this government's ducking and dodging its responsibilities in addressing a particular issue.
At the time, the member for Bedford-Fall River rose in this House and alleged that use of this term was, in fact, offensive and sexist and demanded that my Leader withdraw the term. Mr. Speaker, you will remember he did so.
Today, on the very day that we officially mark the horror of the murders in Montreal five years ago, we heard solemn pledges from this Premier about taking all possible measures to eradicate violence against women. Yet, Mr. Speaker, moments later in Question Period, in response to a question from my Leader, this Premier stood on his feet and dismissed the question by saying, it sounds very much like the Leader of the New Democratic Party is asking me when I stopped beating my wife.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask, in the spirit of this solemn occasion, whether the Premier would withdraw that remark and apologize to this House for the offensive, sexist language.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Premier.
THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, it was an unfortunate remark and I certainly withdraw it.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Government Business.
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Private and Local Bills for Second Reading.
PRIVATE AND LOCAL BILLS FOR SECOND READING
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 135.
Bill No. 135 - Eastern Shore Recreation Commission Act.
Bill No. 118 - Amherst Cemetery Company Act.
Bill No. 123 - Springhill Parks and Recreation Commission Act.
Bill No. 125 - St. Mary's Municipal Holiday Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is for second reading of these bills. Would all those in favour of second reading of these bills please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that these bills be referred to the Committee on Private and Local Bills.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 127.
Bill No. 127 - Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs.
HON. SANDRA JOLLY: Mr. Speaker, I so move.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I do not have lengthy remarks on the bill but I am just wondering, given the fact that the courtesy was not shown to the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities when the service exchange legislation was introduced, I am wondering if the minister, when she wraps up debate, could tell us whether or not the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities have been consulted and have given their consent for the bill. Certainly, it seems like a reasonably good piece of legislation, but I am wondering if the government has gone back to its age-old tradition of consulting with the union when legislation is introduced that affects them directly?
MR. SPEAKER: If I recognize the honourable minister, it will be to close the debate.
The honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs.
HON. SANDRA JOLLY: Mr. Speaker, as I believe I stated when introducing the bill, I received this piece of legislation from the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities themselves.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is for second reading of Bill No. 127. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill be referred to the Committee on Private and Local Bills.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 132, and I assume that is Liverpool, not "Liberpool".
Bill No. 132 - Liverpool Parking Regulation Act.
MR. SPEAKER: Yes, I noticed that, a typographical error.
The honourable member for Queens.
MR. JOHN LEEFE: Mr. Speaker, I so move.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is that Bill No. 132 be now read a second time. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill be referred to the Committee on Private and Local Bills.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 133.
Bill No. 133 - Community of Sackville Landfill Compensation Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Sackville-Beaverbank.
MR. WILLIAM MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I so move.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I am please just to stand briefly and indicate my support for the legislation that was introduced by the member for Sackville-Beaverbank. Certainly, this legislation, if it should receive the support of all members of this House or enough members to proceed on, will enable that some of the obvious flaws that existed in the last piece of legislation, the set-up for the compensation, can be addressed. Certainly, there are many people, because of the way the legislation currently exists on the books, residents, who had lived in the community were often forced to leave because they couldn't live close to the intolerable conditions that existed because of the landfill, who were being denied compensation. So this will, in fact, help address some of the injustices that that legislation had brought.
The one concern I know that has been brought to my attention, and I note there is the provision within this bill to enable the Metropolitan Authority to buy out, to purchase properties of landowners in the area. This, I guess, is really something that is going to have to be addressed more by the committee that is looking into compensation and by the Metropolitan Authority because the legislation doesn't spell it out, but there are concerns as to how a fair market price will be arrived at for those whose properties are to be purchased, one that would take into consideration not only the so-called market value of the property today, but what the market value of that property would have been had that property not been located close to the landfill which, of course, meant that the property values took one heck of a kicking over the years and the assessment values were much lower because of that.
[11:45 a.m.]
Also, of course, if residents are to be forced to accept the compensation package and to purchase or to have their homes purchased outright, that is also going to require some additional expenditures on their behalf, whether that be the legal costs for the closings and so on, but also the relocation costs.
I am just raising these concerns. They certainly have been brought to my attention by some who are concerned about what kind of buy-out options will be made available to them. It is one that I hope the Minister of Municipal Affairs will try to keep abreast of, keep on top of that issue, to ensure that residents who have endured and suffered loss of quality of life and loss of enjoyment of their homes because of the failure of not only the Metropolitan Authority, but also the various provincial governments to be properly monitoring and enforcing strict rules and procedures at the landfill so that the neighbouring properties and property owners were not going to be adversely affected.
An injustice has been done to those residents over the years, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully, this legislation will allow some of those injustices finally to be addressed and, hopefully, it will not be necessary for the residents to use their litigation lawyers, that I know they have available to them to try to seek justice through the courts. Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: Are there any further interveners on Bill No. 133? If not, we will put the question now. The motion is for second reading of Bill No. 133. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill be referred to the Committee on Private and Local Bills.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 136.
Bill No. 136 - Yarmouth County Agricultural Society Annual Grants Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Yarmouth.
MR. RICHARD HUBBARD: Mr. Speaker, I move second reading.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Yarmouth moves second reading of Bill No. 136. Are there any interveners on the debate? If not, I will now put the question. The motion is for second reading of Bill No. 136. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill be referred to the Committee on Private and Local Bills.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, I move that you do now leave the Chair and the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on Bills.
MR. SPEAKER: Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
[11:48 a.m. The House resolved itself into a CWH on Bills with Deputy Speaker Mr. Gerald O'Malley in the Chair.]
[5:58 p.m. CWH on Bills rose and the House reconvened with Deputy Speaker Mr. Gerald O'Malley in the Chair.]
MR. SPEAKER: The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on Bills reports:
THE CLERK: That the committee has met and begs leave to sit again.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
Tomorrow is Opposition Day.
The honourable House Leader for the New Democratic Party.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce that the New Democratic Party's Opposition Members' Business tomorrow, we expect to begin with Resolution No. 1175, followed by Bill No. 134 and depending on what kind of time is left, we will wrap up with House Orders.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, I move that the House now adjourn to sit tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.
The House will now rise to sit tomorrow at the hour of 2:00 p.m.
[The House rose at 6:00 p.m.]
QUESTION NO. 20
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Ross Bragg (Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency)
(1) I want to know, as does C. Clarke of Amherst, what was the amount of the financial settlement made with Captain Don Barr?
QUESTION NO. 21
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Bernard Boudreau (Minister of Finance)
(1) I want to know, as does M. Campbell of Wolfville, what special interest groups are funded, in whole or in part, from provincial financial resources and how much financial support do they receive?
QUESTION NO. 22
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Bernard Boudreau (Minister of Finance)
(1) I want to know, as does B. Burns of Kingston, where did the $10,000 come from for the weekend at the Dartmouth Ramada for the provincial Fisheries Minister and the provincial Fisheries Department employees and where did the funding come from to work out a retirement package for Dr. Roland Perry and where did the money come from to pay pension benefits to Don Barr?
QUESTION NO. 23
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Bernard Boudreau (Minister of Finance)
(1) Mr. Premier, I want to know, as does D. Bezanson of Kentville, about government fiscal restraints. Why are government offices in Kentville, costing $850 per month, being abandoned for a rental in a mall area for $2,200 per month?
QUESTION NO. 24
By: Mr. Brooke Taylor
To: Hon. Richard Mann (Minister of Transportation and Communications)
(1) The minister recently had his department's Manager of Human Resources write to Mr. Hatfield in Truro and attempt to explain why he was not rehired this summer with the Department of Transportation after having worked there for the past six years.
Can the minister clarify for me a point in Mr. Novak's letter that the responsibilities of steel bridge painting foremen were being incorporated with those of the responsibilities of operations supervisor. Could the minister provide me, as Transportation Critic, with a detailed job description of the operations supervisor?
(2) One of the CUPE employees who worked under Mr. Hatfield apparently was in charge of the steel bridge painting crew this summer and fall. He was given payroll books and two-way radios, for example. Could the minister explain why Mr. Hatfield was not given any consideration to be rehired? Are you prepared to state that Mr. Hatfield's ability was that substandard?
(3) The present government has not had much luck with hirings lately considering the fact that you allegedly were entering a new era. You had the controversy in Municipal Affairs, one in Human Resources and too many to mention in the Department of Health.
Will the minister table a copy of scores in this Legislature of the job that Mr. Hatfield lost out on and any correspondence within his department concerning the elimination of Mr. Hatfield's position?
QUESTION NO. 25
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Jay Abbass (Minister of Labour)
(1) I would like to know, as would Jean Martineau of Digby, when the government will make it mandatory for employees to wear safety glasses, hard hats, steel-toed boots, et cetera, on all construction sites, large and small garages and all maintenance crews? Such a policy would result in long-term savings on health care, workers' compensation and insurance premiums. It is the view of the Progressive Conservative caucus that the current section of the Occupational Health and Safety Act dealing with safety equipment needs to be definitive. It is the view of Jean Martineau that failure to comply with such a policy should result in denial of government benefits.
QUESTION NO. 26
By: Mr. Ronald Russell (Hants West)
To: Hon. Jay Abbass (Minister of Labour)
(1) I would like to know, as would Kenneth Muise of Yarmouth, what alternatives are being proposed by the federal and provincial governments with respect to the seasonal work force, given that the federal government has proposed devastating reductions in unemployment insurance benefits?
QUESTION NO. 27
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does G. Allen of Truro, why, when Mr. Allen wrote to you regarding the closing of the Nova Scotia Teachers College, you didn't deal with in any way his concerns in your response and Mr. Allen wrote again and you failed to respond. Why do you not keep your promises?
QUESTION NO. 28
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does C. Abriel of Truro, when some in the government have found money to take spouses on political junkets, how can the government allow that to happen and at the same time expect teachers who have in good faith signed leases on the strength of promised sabbaticals face financial disaster when those sabbaticals are unexpectedly cancelled?
QUESTION NO. 29
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) Our children are the future of our province. Cuts to the funding of our province's educational system will make early intervention more difficult if not impossible. Without proper early intervention programs for our children and adolescents, how are we going to cut down on the number of future social assistance applicants and recipients? I want to know, as does S. Mitchell of Lower Sackville, will the minister confirm there will be sufficient education funding to ensure early intervention?
QUESTION NO. 30
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does G. Ritcey of Truro, why is the province spending thousands of tax dollars through the Council of Higher Education and why does Janet Halliwell, Chairperson of the council, believe her initiative for streamlining the province's post-secondary education system will strengthen the quality and effectiveness of that system?
QUESTION NO. 31
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does G. Ritcey of Truro, why doesn't the Cabinet decide on the level of university funding for 1995, 1996 and 1997 and leave the board of governors of the universities to make changes necessary to live within the proposed funding?
QUESTION NO. 32
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does Dr. B. Verstraeke of Wolfville, about the Green Paper on Higher Education just released. Dr. Verstraeke is a member of the NDP for Nova Scotia, but he really appreciates this communication and commends the above initiative. As a university professor, he is especially concerned for a thorough debate on the factor of higher education in Nova Scotia, including funding issues. Will the Minister of Education describe the process which he proposes to implement which will ensure there is a broadly based public debate on post-secondary education issues in Nova Scotia?
QUESTION NO. 33
By: Mr. John Leefe (Queens)
To: Hon. Robert Harrison (Minister of the Environment)
(1) I want to know, as does S. Sollows of Yarmouth, in this time when landfills are closing and being redesigned, recycling of materials is on the rise, why isn't there more incentive to reuse, i.e. why don't we charge substantial deposits on packaging materials such as bottles and cans?
QUESTION NO. 34
By: Mr. John Leefe (Queens)
To: Hon. Robert Harrison (Minister of the Environment)
(1) I want to know, as does G. Irving of Halifax, what is the status of the board you set up to investigate the environmental illness syndrome, i.e. has the board been selected, who are the members and when can we expect to hear the results of their findings?
QUESTION NO. 35
By: Mr. John Leefe (Queens)
To: Hon. Robert Harrison (Minister of the Environment)
(1) I want to know, as does B. Blades of Meisner's Section, what measures are planned to alleviate a repeat of the serious flooding of the spring of 1994 in the community of Meisner's Section, Lunenburg County?
QUESTION NO. 36
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) I want to know, as does T. Miller of Falmouth, Hants County, why doesn't the Province of Nova Scotia put time limits to acquire an education and other restrictions, such as a maximum number of months of qualification on social service payments/ allowances for those individuals who are capable of becoming employed?
QUESTION NO. 37
By: Mr. Terence Donahoe (Halifax Citadel)
To: Hon. John MacEachern (Minister of Education)
(1) R. Fosson of Digby County feels that the Holy Word of God, in the form of the Bible, has been taken out of the schools and replaced by at least two weeks of Halloween, ghost, goblin and perverted sex stories and I want to know, as does Mr. Fosson, will the minister advise if it is his and his government's intention to return some form of religious/moral training to the school curriculum of the Province of Nova Scotia?
