| TABLE OF CONTENTS | PAGE | |||
| PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS: | ||||
| Transport.: Route 215 (Hants Co.) - Resurface, Mr. J. DeWolfe | 7159 | |||
| Health: Yar. Reg. Hosp. - Funding Commit, Mr. John Deveau | 7160 | |||
| Fish. - Seniors: Licences - Fees Exempt, Mr. B. Taylor | 7160 | |||
| Educ.:Yar. Reg. High Sch. - Busing, Mr. John Deveau | 7160 | |||
| STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS: | ||||
| Health - Investment Fund: Action Team - Appoint., Hon. J. Smith | 7161 | |||
| Health - C.B. Health Care Complex: CAT Scanner - Invest., | ||||
| Hon. J. Smith | 7163 | |||
| GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION: | ||||
| Res. 3408, Lbr. - Caribou Marsh (C.B. Co.) Fire: | ||||
| Firefighters - Praise, Hon. R. MacKinnon | 7165 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7166 | |||
| INTRODUCTION OF BILLS: | ||||
| No. 119, Foresters Association Act, Mr. H. Fraser | 7166 | |||
| NOTICES OF MOTION: | ||||
| Res. 3409, Nat. Res. - Miners Monument (Florence, C.B.): | ||||
| Tribute - Join, Ms. Helen MacDonald | 7166 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7167 | |||
| Res. 3410, Educ. - SW Reg. Sch. Bd.: School Advisory Councils - | ||||
| Estab. Completion Recognize, Mr. G. Balser | 7167 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7167 | |||
| Res. 3411, Commun. Serv. - Dayspring (Lun. Co.): | ||||
| Youth In Care (Res. Treatment Facility), Hon. D. Downe | 7168 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7168 | |||
| Res. 3412, Exco - Civil Service: Shield Use - Discontinue, Mr. R. Chisholm | ||||
| (by Mr. J. Holm) | 7168 | |||
| Res. 3413, Environ. - "Cadets Care For Canada": | ||||
| Initiatives (N.S.) - Support, Mr. B. Taylor | 7169 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7169 | |||
| Res. 3414, Health - STARS: Tony Rodgers Rescued - Congrats., | ||||
| Mr. H. Fraser | 7170 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7170 | |||
| Res. 3415, Justice (Can.) - SC (Can.): Hon. Louise Arbour - | ||||
| App't. Congrats, Mr. Kevin Deveaux | 7170 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7171 | |||
| Res. 3416, DFO - BIO: Work - Applaud, Mr. J. DeWolfe | 7171 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7172 | |||
| Res. 3417, Halifax Chebucto MLA: NDP Real Leader - | ||||
| Supported, Mr. L. Montgomery | 7172 | |||
| Res. 3418, DFO - BIO: Exhibit (Oceans) - Congrats., Mr. D. Chard | 7173 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7173 | |||
| Res. 3419, Fish. - Seniors: Licence Fees - Waive, Mr. M. Scott | 7173 | |||
| Res. 3420, Transport. & Pub. Wks. - Roads: Improvement Strategy - | ||||
| Develop, Mr. John Deveau | 7174 | |||
| Res. 3421, NDP (N.S.) Leader - Believability, Mr. Charles MacDonald | 7175 | |||
| Res. 3422, RCMP - W. Hfx. Co.: Const. Brad Reid & COP Volunteer | ||||
| - Congrats., Mr. W. Estabrooks | 7175 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7176 | |||
| Res. 3423, Nat. Res. - Trails Assoc. (N.S.) (White Hill Summit Award): | ||||
| Gunnar Peterson Decd. - Contribution Recognize, Mr. J. Muir | 7176 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7177 | |||
| Res. 3424, N.B. Election - NDP (N.S.) Caucus Staff: | ||||
| Campaign Participation - Disclose, Mr. H. Fraser | 7177 | |||
| Res. 3425, Health - C.B. Health Care Complex (CAT Scanner): | ||||
| Long-Term Planning - Commencement, Ms. Maureen MacDonald | 7177 | |||
| Res. 3426, Sports - Special Olympics (Soccer Div. A. Gold Medal): | ||||
| Kings-West Hants Team - Congrats., Mr. G. Moody | 7178 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7179 | |||
| Res. 3427, Educ. - Cobequid Educ. Ctr.: Robyn Joe (Female) & | ||||
| Russell Crowe (Male) Athletes of Year - Congrats., Mr. J. Muir | 7179 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7179 | |||
| Res. 3428, Econ. Dev. & Tourism - Future Investment: | ||||
| Fiscal Mgt. - Best, Mr. D. Dexter | 7180 | |||
| Res. 3429, Fish. - Seniors: Licence Fees - Elimination Support, | ||||
| Mr. B. Taylor | 7180 | |||
| Res. 3430, Nat. Res. - Forestry: Fire Control - Efforts Acknowledge, | ||||
| Mr. C. Parker | 7181 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7181 | |||
| Res. 3431, Culture - Ceilidh Pipe Band (Pictou Co.): Anniv. 50th - | ||||
| Congrats., Mr. J. DeWolfe | 7181 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7182 | |||
| Res. 3432, Health - Tri-Co. Sonny Paige Award: Marcel LaPointe (Enfield) | ||||
| - Winner Congrats., Mr. John MacDonell | 7182 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7183 | |||
| Res. 3433, Transport. & Pub. Wks. - George Rockwell (Truro): | ||||
| Pothole Filler - Apologize, Mr. E. Fage | 7183 | |||
| Res. 3434, Lib. Party (N.S.) - Election Mobilization: | ||||
| Effectiveness Budget (N.S. 1999-2000) - | ||||
| Similar Welcome, Ms. R. Godin | 7184 | |||
| Res. 3435, Commun. Serv. - Children's Aid Soc. (C.B.): Ann & Leo Ryan | ||||
| (Foster Parents) Dedication Acknowledge, Ms. Helen MacDonald | 7184 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7185 | |||
| Res. 3436, CBC - First Edition & Craig Paisley: Prestigious Awards - | ||||
| Congrats., Dr. H. Bitter-Suermann | 7185 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7185 | |||
| Res. 3437, Educ. - Brookside JHS: Bill Estabrooks Extracurricular Award - | ||||
| Angeline Armstrong Congrats., Mr. John Deveau | 7186 | |||
| Res. 3438, Sports - Soccer (World Cup [Women]): Mary Beth Bowie & | ||||
| Suzanne Muir (Dart.) - Achievments Congrats., Mr. D. Chard | 7186 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7187 | |||
| Res. 3439, Educ. - Ross Farm Museum: History (N.S.) - | ||||
| Work Congrats., Dr. H. Bitter-Suermann | 7187 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7188 | |||
| Res. 3440, Health - Aberdeen Hosp. Fdn.: J. Edward White Bequest - | ||||
| Applaud, Mr. C. Parker | 7188 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7188 | |||
| Res. 3441, Environ. - Dumping Illegal: Violators - | ||||
| Legislation Introduce, Mr. W. Estabrooks | 7188 | |||
| GOVERNMENT BUSINESS: | ||||
| GOVERNMENT MOTIONS: | ||||
| ON MOTION FOR SUPPLY: | ||||
| Mr. N. LeBlanc | 7190 | |||
| Ms. Helen MacDonald | 7195 | |||
| Hon. R. MacKinnon | 7197 | |||
| HOUSE RESOLVED INTO CWH ON SUPPLY AT 4:35 P.M. | 7201 | |||
| HOUSE RECONVENED AT 8:35 P.M. | 7201 | |||
| PUBLIC BILLS FOR THIRD READING: | ||||
| No. 102, Petroleum Resources Removal Permit Act | 7201 | |||
| Mr. G. Archibald | 7201 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7206 | |||
| PRIVATE AND LOCAL BILLS FOR THIRD READING: | ||||
| No. 95, Lunenburg Common Lands Act | 7206 | |||
| No. 103, Gaelic College Foundation Act | 7206 | |||
| No. 106, Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act | 7206 | |||
| PRIVATE MEMBERS' PUBLIC BILLS FOR THIRD READING: | ||||
| No. 108, Health Council Act | 7207 | |||
| Mr. G. Moody | 7207 | |||
| Vote - Affirmative | 7207 | |||
| ADJOURNMENT, House rose to meet again on Tue., June 15th at 12:00 p.m. | 7207 | |||
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. We will commence with the daily routine.
PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Pictou East.
MR. JAMES DEWOLFE: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table the following petition. The operative clause reads:
"We, the Shore Friendship Group on Highway 215 between Brooklyn and Walton, Hants Co., that services the Communities of Brooklyn, Upper Burlington, Centre Burlington, Lower Burlington, Summerville, Kempt, Cheverie, Bramber, Cambridge, Pembroke and Walton deem this highway is in deplorable condition. Route 215 was paved in 1959 and during the past 40 years has been maintained by spot patching only. We hereby pray Route 215 be completely resurfaced immediately.".
MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.
The honourable member for Yarmouth.
MR. JOHN DEVEAU: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition by 575 residents of the area served by the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. This petition was gathered by the concerned supporters of the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. The residents want the Minister of Health to know of their concerns about extended waiting periods for the seriously ill in the emergency department, a need to commit more funding for more nurses and more beds and the critical need to recruit a general surgeon for the hospital.
I have affixed my signature to the document.
MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.
The honourable member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, once again I have been presented with a petition. I beg leave to table it on behalf of Nova Scotians from Hammonds Plains, Bedford, Stewiacke and the Colchester County area. The undersigned, ". . . respectfully request of the Minister of Fisheries to eliminate the charge for fishing licenses levied against the senior citizens of the province of Nova Scotia as agreed by resolution in the Nova Scotia Legislature.". Thank you.
MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.
The honourable member for Yarmouth.
MR. JOHN DEVEAU: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition from 30 parents in the Yarmouth High School catchment area. The operative clause of the petition reads as follows:
"Parents with children wanting to attend Yarmouth Junior High School are interested in acquiring a bus to transport children from Argyle Street and beyond because of the long distance to the school.".
I have affixed my signature to this document.
MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.
PRESENTING REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
TABLING REPORTS, REGULATIONS AND OTHER PAPERS
STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Health.
HON. JAMES SMITH: Mr. Speaker, on June 1st, as part of the provincial budget presentation, we tabled a document titled the Health Investment Fund. In the almost two weeks since the investment plan was introduced, it has the overwhelming considerable support of health care professionals and organizations across Nova Scotia.
One of the key features of this investment strategy is the involvement of health care providers in the implementation process. Last week, I announced the formation of an action group on nursing. Made up of representatives from our hospitals, nursing unions and long-term care, this action team will work with government on plans to add 400 full-time nurses to the health care sector.
Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to announce the appointment of a second action team. This group of Nova Scotian health care professionals will help implement our proposed $75 million investment in a health information system. The establishment of a fully-integrated information system was identified by our health care partners as being critical to an improved delivery of health care across Nova Scotia.
With this investment, Nova Scotia will be leading the way relative to the rest of Canada. The building of an integrated information system will play a vital role in ensuring that health care in the province is being delivered by the right health care provider, at the right time and in the right place. Information will be available to care providers and Nova Scotians alike. The more information we have, the more informed decisions we can make about individual health care needs, and how the system is managed.
Mr. Speaker, the members of the health information action team represent a cross-section of care providers. The team will be co-chaired by Bob Smith, CEO of the QE II, and John Malcolm, CEO of the Cape Breton Regional Health Care Complex. I am also delighted that the Chair of the 1994 Blueprint Committee, Dr. David MacLean, of Dalhousie University Medical School has agreed to be a team member. Nursing representation will be provided by Barbara Oke-Kennedy, site manager for the Dartmouth General Hospital. There will also be representation from the Department of Health, as well as a second physician representative.
Mr. Speaker, if I could, Dr. David MacLean and Ms. Barbara Oke-Kennedy are in your gallery and I would ask them to rise and receive the warm welcome of House, if it would be appropriate. (Applause)
Mr. Speaker, at each stage of the process and before making recommendations to government, this action team will consult with and receive input from other health care professionals. The team's terms of reference include: (1) the implementation, within a very
short period of time, the updating of the department's 1995 Health Information Systems Strategy; (2) by September of this year, provide recommendations and an implementation plan for an integrated, province-wide patient information system; (3) by the end of the year, team members will be asked to provide an implementation plan for the expansion of the information network across the entire health care system.
Mr. Speaker, the establishment of this action team is just part of our commitment to moving forward on making strategic investments in the future of health care in this province. With the cooperation and assistance of health care providers, I am confident that we will be able to make tremendous strides in all aspects of health care delivery. Thank you. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Needham.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I see the PR plan continues to spin itself out. It is understood, I think, by all Nova Scotians that we live in an age of information technology and it is understood that such technology could certainly help us significantly in terms of the management and the delivery of health care services. However, the remarkable amount of faith that this government would like Nova Scotians to place in them, based on information technology to solve the horrendous problems that this government has created in the health care system, will no doubt be withheld by Nova Scotians.
What good, Mr. Speaker, is knowing how long the waiting lists are if this government has no plan to respond to those problems? What good is knowing that there is a nursing shortage in a particular area if this government has not developed the plan to deal with those particular situations? We have had many studies, many consultations. We have a remarkable amount of very detailed and sophisticated information on what the problems are in this health care system in Nova Scotia. We have had that information for five years and they have been unable to deliver a plan.
While I certainly welcome the opportunity for people in the health care field to participate in the development of information systems that may help them in their work, we have seen no action out of this government for five years except inaction, a lack of planning, poor management and I really have to question who will believe this government now. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings West.
MR GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, I rise in regard to the announcement of $75 million into an information system. There is absolutely no question that with modern technology, part of making our health care better, we have to invest in an information system. I notice that the two co-chairs are Bob Smith and John Malcolm, I happen to know John Malcolm very well and I am getting to know Bob Smith. I think from what I know, especially
about John Malcolm, we have asked probably two of the most capable people that I know to lead this group in looking at technology.
I heard Bob Smith say the other day, very clearly, when a consumer comes into the QE II and the person travels from department to department faster than the information about the patient, that we do not have the technology and that is why it takes a day sometimes to go through tests, where he is saying technology can make it so you can go through the tests in an hour or two and the information will travel and be there when you get to the next department. Anybody who is against that has to have rocks in their head. We have to start today.
I have faith in the committee and I have faith in putting the money in system. It says by the end of the year the team will be asked to provide an implementation plan for the expansion of the information network across the entire health care system. My problem with the government, they set these things up and they do not follow through. Mr. Speaker, for once we have to make sure that regardless of who is in power that the decision is made so that our health care workers have the technology so that Nova Scotians can get the best health care system possible. That will be only made by a government who will act on the plan, not one who will sit on it. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Health on a new ministerial statement.
HON. JAMES SMITH: Mr. Speaker, this morning in Sydney we announced a major new investment for the Cape Breton Health Care Complex. The Department of Health is responding to an urgent need by making more money available to help purchase a new CAT Scanner for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. CAT Scanners enable radiologists to view images of organs and systems inside a patient's body and aid doctors in assessing and diagnosing a patient's condition.
[3:15 p.m.]
The new CAT Scanner will compliment another unit bought three years ago when the Cape Breton Regional Hospital opened. The new scanner will allow more specific examinations of a patient and will enhance the diagnostic imaging service at the regional hospital. The need for a second CAT Scanner to serve residents of Cape Breton has been recognized by staff at the health care complex for some time now. The unit will assist the growing number of specialists who practice in that area. These doctors rely on specialized CAT scan service and the demand is increasing as they develop diagnostic and care plans for patients.
The demand for CAT scan service has also increased since the Cape Breton Cancer Centre opened and began offering radiation oncology. CAT scan treatment planning procedures are necessary before a patient receives radiation at the cancer centre there. The
new CAT Scanner will also help to significantly reduce waiting times for examinations from months to a few weeks, or probably even days.
Planning is under way to renovate space for the CAT Scanner. It is expected that the new unit could be installed and operating by the end of the year. The purchase of the CAT Scanner is part of an overall effort by the Cape Breton Health Care Complex to provide an improved standard of care for patients in their home area. The new equipment will be a welcome addition to the hospital and will help enhance the outstanding clinical services that are available at the Cape Breton Health Care Complex.
The cost of the new CAT Scanner will be in excess of $1 million. The Nova Scotia Government is providing 75 per cent of the funding. The remainder will be provided through annual $100,000 allotments by the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. That money comes from the foundation's parking lot revenues at the regional hospital site. Although the province's share of the purchase comes out of the regular budget, the government's new Health Investment Fund includes money for new technology, and we expect to make more announcements like this in the future. Thank you. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Halifax Needham.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, it is somewhat disgraceful, isn't it, that this government couldn't respond to this area when there wasn't an election in the wind? I, too, am very pleased, as are members of this caucus, that the needed CAT Scanner in this area is finally being provided. It has been something this government has been aware that this was a requirement for some time now. I know that what this is today is a promise, and so we will be vigilant to ensure that in fact this promise is one of the promises that gets kept by this government, one of the few promises that may be kept by this government.
I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. Hospital foundations across Nova Scotia have had a significant challenge. That challenge has been to do quite a bit of fundraising so that they can upgrade and maintain the needed equipment in many complexes such as this. Certainly, the men and women, the hardworking staff associated with that foundation are to be congratulated for their contribution to the funding of this new CAT Scanner. Thank you. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings West.
MR. GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, this is a very good announcement. It is a positive announcement for Cape Breton. It is a positive announcement for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. The member from the NDP who said it was only a promise, I didn't even hear that Party say they would even do it. Well, this has to happen. This is not about politics or an election, this is about good health care.
Mr. Speaker, I am telling you, it seems like the NDP want to play politics with health care. This here is something that is absolutely necessary to aid doctors in assessing and diagnosing patients. This can save lives. This can save trips to Halifax. This can do a lot for the people on Cape Breton Island.
I speak for our Party and say it is a good day for Cape Breton and a good day for health care. We support this scanner and we will continue to support the kind of announcements of equipment that is necessary in this province to have good health care and to make sure that we are leaders in that field and not followers. Mr. Speaker, the government, I am pleased today that they made such an announcement, especially for the people of Cape Breton. They deserve the same as the rest of Nova Scotia. (Applause)
GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Labour.
HON. RUSSELL MACKINNON: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas a serious forest fire destroyed some 250 acres at Caribou Marsh, Cape Breton County, over the weekend; and
Whereas members of 22 volunteer fire departments, the Cape Breton Regional Fire Service, employees from Stora Forest Industries, members of the RCMP, staff of the Department of Natural Resources, and other concerned and dedicated area residents fought to contain this blaze; and
Whereas despite tinder-dry conditions, extreme heat and winds, these dedicated Nova Scotians worked, and continue to work, to contain the fire, with no loss of life and no homes destroyed;
Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize and praise the heroic and tireless efforts of these individuals and thank the residents of Caribou Marsh and district for their support, cooperation and understanding.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for a waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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
Bill No. 119 - An Act to Incorporate the Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia. (Mr. Hyland Fraser)
MR. SPEAKER: Ordered that this bill be read a second time on a future day.
NOTICES OF MOTION
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Cape Breton The Lakes.
MS. HELEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas last Friday, a monument was unveiled in Florence, Cape Breton, in memory of miners who lost their lives and those who worked in No. 3 Colliery; and
Whereas more than 125 people attended the ceremony, many of whom shared their own personal experiences and reflections on the tragedy; and
Whereas the monument, which is located in St. Stephen's Cemetery, is a lasting reminder of the importance of No. 3 Colliery and its place in the history of the community of Florence;
Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House join with the community of Florence in paying tribute to those miners and thank the volunteers who made this possible.
I request waiver, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Digby-Annapolis.
MR. GORDON BALSER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas school advisory councils were designed to empower communities to address issues and concerns at the local level; and
Whereas today Barton Consolidated School, Clare District High School, and Islands Consolidated School were the last 3 of a total of 67 schools in the Southwest Regional School Board to sign agreements to establish school advisory councils; and
Whereas the Southwest Regional School Board is the first board in Nova Scotia to have all schools under its jurisdiction sign letters of agreement;
Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House recognize the hard work and efforts of the staff, students, parents and teachers of all the schools in this region, as well as the staff of the school board, who have now ensured significant decisions will rest where they should - with the communities.
Mr. Speaker, I would seek waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Minister of Finance.
RESOLUTION NO. 3411
HON. DONALD DOWNE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the government is committed to providing specialized placement options for children; and
Whereas through the cooperative effort of the Department of Community Services, the Lunenburg County Family and Children's' Services, under the leadership of the Board President, Pauline Himmelman and Mr. Randy Acker, Executive Director, in partnership with the Department of Education and the regional health board, just such a facility has been constructed in Dayspring, Lunenburg County; and
Whereas the Minister of Community Services, the Honourable Francene Cosman, is today in Dayspring to open this 12 bed residential treatment facility for youth in care;
Therefore be it resolved that this House extend its congratulations to all those who have worked so diligently on this important initiative.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Sackville-Cobequid.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I introduce the following resolution on behalf of the Leader of the Official Opposition. I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas after six years of broken Liberal promises Nova Scotians do not believe members of this government about the budget or about health care; and
Whereas the Liberal press gang is therefore using senior civil servants to try and pitch the $600 million Liberal mortgage; and
Whereas this politicizes the role of the Public Service and puts senior staff in an awkward and unfair position;
Therefore be it resolved that this Liberal press gang fight their own battles and instead of using civil servants to shield the government from Cabinet's political decisions, show some respect for the independent and professional Public Service.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
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 Cadets Caring For Canada is one of the largest, one day environmental initiatives in our country's history; and
Whereas this past Saturday, approximately 70,000 sea, army, air, and navy league cadets performed environmental projects throughout Canada; and
Whereas the 324th Bonaventure Sea Cadets, officers, and community volunteers worked hard and had fun while establishing walking trails at Stewiacke's Dennis Park;
Therefore be it resolved that the Nova Scotia Legislature support Cadets Caring For Canada and salutes this province's young people for making Canada a better place to live.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Antigonish.
MR. HYLAND FRASER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas on May 6th, Tony Rodgers, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Wildlife Foundation and Search Director of the Halifax Regional Search and Rescue, had a heart attack while 3 kilometres back in the woods; and
Whereas the system did not let Mr. Rodgers down, thanks to the quick response of the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service based in Shearwater; and
Whereas because of this service Mr. Rodgers was able to receive the emergency care he needed from the competent staff at the QE II Cardiac Unit;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate the paramedics, pilots, ambulance attendants, and emergency staff who came to the aid of Tony Rodgers and who perform above and beyond the call of duty each and every day.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage.
MR. KEVIN DEVEAUX: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas Louise Arbour was recently appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada as the third female Supreme Court Justice; and
Whereas Madame Justice Arbour has had a distinguished career as a law professor, teaching thousands of lawyers at Osgood Hall Law School, and as an Ontario Supreme Court Justice; and
Whereas Madam Justice Arbour brought honour to Canada in her most recent position with the International War Crimes Tribunal as a prosecutor;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate Louise Arbour on her recent appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada and wish her the best of luck as she takes on new and exciting challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Pictou East.
MR. JAMES DEWOLFE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
[3:30 p.m.]
Whereas the importance of the oceans and their impact on the world's environment are the focus of an exhibit at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography; and
Whereas the theme for the exhibit is Ocean's We Share, and will be on display at the institute until June 30th; and
Whereas this exhibit is being shown in Canada for the first time has, as its primary lesson, the importance of protecting the oceans, learning about the diversity of marine life and increasing awareness;
Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize the significance of our oceans and applaud the hard work of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in promoting this vast resource.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Annapolis.
MR. LAWRENCE MONTGOMERY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas as a result of the NDP rally in Truro this past weekend, talk about the Leader of the Progressive Conservatives received more attention and more media coverage than the Leader of the NDP; and
Whereas the NDP Leader is constantly upstaged by others, like the NDP Finance Critic, the MLA for Halifax Chebucto; and
Whereas in true socialist fashion, only one name appeared on the ballot during a required vote on NDP leadership at their weekend rally;
Therefore be it resolved that many NDP supporters already look to the MLA for Halifax Chebucto for leadership, and are asking the question, will the real Leader of the NDP please stand up.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear several Noes.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Dartmouth South.
MR. DONALD CHARD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas June 8th was Oceans Day; and
Whereas the Bedford Institute of Oceanography is currently hosting an international exhibit, the focus of which is the importance of oceans and their impact on the world's environment; and
Whereas this exhibit, based on a children's book by Her Imperial Highness, Hisako Takamodo of Japan, is being shown in Canada for the first time;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate the Bedford Institute of Oceanography on hosting this exhibit and on the institute's many other contributions to the expansion of our knowledge of our oceans.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Cumberland South.
MR. MURRAY SCOTT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas June 13th to June 19th is Senior Citizens' Week in Nova Scotia; and
Whereas Wednesday, June 16th, has been declared Senior Citizens Day; and
Whereas this Liberal Government's record in addressing issues of concern for seniors is nothing more than dismal;
Therefore be it resolved that the Premier make a sincere attempt to support Nova Scotia seniors by using the occasion of Senior Citizens Day to publicly announce that his government will be following through with a commitment, made last June, to waive senior citizens' fishing license fees.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear several Noes.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Yarmouth.
MR. JOHN DEVEAU: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas one Nova Scotia man is fed up with this Liberal Government's pothole mentality; and
Whereas after repeated and unsuccessful requests to the Department of Transportation to fill a huge pothole, this particular Nova Scotian got some cold mix from a local paving company and fixed it himself; and
Whereas citizens of this province have been reduced to repairing roads themselves in order to fill the bigger hole that is this government's lack of comprehensive road repair plan;
Therefore be it resolved that this Liberal Government act immediately to develop a strategy for improving and paving roads where they are needed so that citizens of this province are not forced to remedy their own bad roads.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear several Noes.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Inverness.
MR. CHARLES MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas Sir Winston Churchill gave hope to a world at war with his famous quote, "We shall never surrender."; and
Whereas John F. Kennedy inspired a nation when he said, "Ask not what your county can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."; and
Whereas Trudeau demonstrated the resolve of a Leader when he challenged Canadians to, "Just watch me.";
Therefore be it resolved that Nova Scotians are asking the question, why should we believe a leader whose most profound and memorable quote is, "Let's go . . . Let's get it on man!".
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Timberlea-Prospect.
MR. WILLIAM ESTABROOKS: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas crime can be prevented when citizens are vigilant; and
Whereas citizens want to make their communities better and safer places to live; and
Whereas community-minded citizens in Beechville, Lakeside, Timberlea, on the Prospect Road and in the St. Margarets Bay area, under the direction of the Tantallon RCMP community liaison officer Constable Brad Reid, have formed Citizens on Patrol;
Therefore be it resolved that this House offer its congratulations to Constable Brad Reid and the Citizens on Patrol volunteers throughout the western Halifax County area for their initiative.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Truro-Bible Hill.
MR. JAMES MUIR: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas more than two decades ago, Gunnar Peterson started the groundwork on nature trails running along abandoned rail lines; and
Whereas Mr. Peterson's vision of a network of trails and his promotion of outdoor education initiatives were rewarded at Saturday's 10th annual meeting of the Nova Scotia Trails Association; and
Whereas Mr. Peterson's widow, Betty Peterson, accepted the White Hill Summit Award for the highest achievement in trail development on her husband's behalf;
Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize the significant contribution made by Mr. Gunnar Peterson with his hard work and dedication in promoting the outdoors and his efforts in laying the foundation for the work being done today.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Antigonish.
MR. HYLAND FRASER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas in the last Nova Scotia election, the NDP dumped Nova Scotia supporters like Shelly Clee, a single mother, in favour of paid workers imported from other provinces; and
Whereas except for one, single, solitary seat, the NDP was almost totally rejected by voters in New Brunswick; and
Whereas New Brunswickers, like Nova Scotians, distrust any Party that is dependent on cash and workers from other provinces;
Therefore be it resolved that the Leader of the NDP disclose to this House whether or not any NDP staffer, including constituency office staff whose wages are paid by Nova Scotia taxpayers, worked on any NDP campaign in the recent New Brunswick election.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Needham.
MS. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Economic Development Minister announced today that the government hopes to install a new CAT scanner at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in the year 2000; and
Whereas today's announcement confirmed that tenders have not yet been called for this scanner, although the need was established long ago; and
Whereas the need for this scanner was anticipated before the new regional hospital and cancer centre opened;
Therefore be it resolved that this House question whether today's announcement is a sign that the Liberals have finally begun long-term planning for health care, or whether ministers are rushing to hype up anything they can announce in their own backyard before June 18th.
Mr. Speaker, I seek waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear several Noes.
[The notice is tabled.]
The honourable member for Kings West.
MR. GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas yesterday the Kings-West Hants Division A Special Olympics soccer team captured the gold medal; and
Whereas in the spirit of true sportsmanship, the defending Canadian Special Olympics champions were quick to credit their victory to hard work and team play; and
Whereas more than 560 athletes from across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island participated in the weekend-long event which also included bowling and swimming;
Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House extend congratulations to the championship team from Kings-West Hants and to all who participated in this very special competition.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Truro-Bible Hill.
MR. JAMES MUIR: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas Robyn Joe, a member of the women's basketball, soccer and track teams, was named Cobequid Educational Centre's female athlete of the year; and
Whereas Russell Crowe, a member of the football and fastball teams, was named Cobequid Educational Centre's male athlete of the year; and
Whereas to win these awards Robyn and Russell exhibited the very best qualities of sportsmanship to complement their very considerable athletic skills;
Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly congratulate Robyn Joe and Russell Crowe on their outstanding achievements and wish them every success in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Dartmouth-Cole Harbour.
MR. DARRELL DEXTER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas business loans written off by the Department of Economic Development were 25 times higher than expected last year with a tally of more than $15 million; and
Whereas the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism called the write-offs good investments; and
Whereas this is a minister in the same government that calls a $600 million mortgage a good investment;
Therefore be it resolved that the best investment in the future of this province is good fiscal management and an honest accounting of the state of the provincial finances.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
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 all members of the Nova Scotia Legislature by way of a resolution agreed to exempt seniors from fishing licence fees; and
Whereas hundreds of seniors have petitioned this government and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture to uphold this unanimous all-Party pledge; and
Whereas by saying no to this resolution the government will, once again, be reneging on a promise;
Therefore be it resolved that, once again, all members support our senior citizens by eliminating fishing licence fees.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear a No.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Pictou West.
MR. CHARLES PARKER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas this weekend the forest fire index reached an extreme and fires have been raging in several parts of the province; and
Whereas firefighters, staff of the Department of Natural Resources, and members of the RCMP have all answered the call and done their utmost to keep flare-ups and fires under control; and
Whereas on Sunday 65 workers from Stora in Port Hawkesbury volunteered their time to fight a blaze near Sydney;
Therefore be it resolved that members of this House acknowledge the outstanding effort of all these people in saving forests, homes and property during some of the driest and hottest conditions which this province has experienced in many years.
Mr. Speaker, I will ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Pictou East.
MR. JAMES DEWOLFE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas this July will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Ceilidh Pipe Band which was the first young girls' pipe band in North America; and
Whereas the band is planning a big party to be held July 23rd to July 25th in conjunction with the Festival of the Tartans celebration; and
Whereas original member, Pat MacKay, and co-chair, Shirley Kehoe, have been working tirelessly in pulling the celebration together;
Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize the efforts of these ladies and their committee in keeping the tradition of the highland spirit alive and well in Pictou County.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Hants East.
MR. JOHN MACDONELL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas promoting drug awareness is a valuable program at the community level to steer people to a better life; and
Whereas the Tri-County Sonny Paige Award is presented to volunteers to recognize their outstanding contributions to promoting drug awareness, as did the late Sonny Page; and
Whereas Mr. Marcel LaPointe of Enfield has been awarded the Tri-County Sonny Paige Award for his exemplary contributions to the residents of Hants East in this field;
Therefore be it resolved that the House of Assembly recognize and honour Mr. LaPointe for his outstanding service to his community.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Cumberland North.
MR. ERNEST FAGE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas reports of the sorry condition of rural roads in Nova Scotia continue to fall on deaf ears with this Liberal Government because macro-resurfacing is needed; and
Whereas frustration with consistent government inactivity recently drove a Lower Truro man to fill a basement-sized pothole on Kent Drive at a cost to himself; and
Whereas it is simply unacceptable that we now are in a situation where local people are assuming Department of Transportation responsibilities;
Therefore be it resolved that the Minister of Transportation and Public Works immediately send a letter of apology to George Rockwell, of Truro, and commit to ensuring that the terrible condition of rural roads will, once and for all, get the attention they deserve and be properly maintained.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask for waiver of notice.
[3:45 p.m.]
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear several Noes.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Sackville-Beaver Bank.
MS. ROSEMARY GODIN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas those who in the past volunteered for the Liberal Party are now being mobilized for a summer 1999 campaign; and
Whereas these potential Liberal campaign workers have been told to phone the Liberal Election Office hotline, 425-0618; and
Whereas those few who remain motivated enough to call the hotline receive a recorded message telling them that the voice box is full, so try again later;
Therefore be it resolved that this House welcomes this sign that the Liberal election campaign is as well organized and effective as the Liberal budget.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Cape Breton The Lakes.
MS. HELEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Children's Aid Society of Cape Breton celebrated 85 years of serving children and families in the community; and
Whereas for the first time in the society's history, foster parents with 20 or more years of service were recognized publicly; and
Whereas Ann and Leo Ryan, of Southside Boularderie, have been recognized for their tireless dedication;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate and thank Ann and Leo Ryan and all foster parents for their care and commitment on behalf of children.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Chester-St. Margaret's.
DR. HINRICH BITTER-SUERMANN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas CBC-TV's 1st Edition supper-hour news program won two prestigious national awards at the annual Radio and Television News Directors Association Conference in Ottawa; and
Whereas the show won for its September 3, 1998, show which was broadcast from the rocks of Peggy's Cove as rescuers searched for survivors of the Swissair Flight 111 crash; and
Whereas 1st Edition also won the spot-news reporting award for Craig Paisley's report on the deadly collision between the CAT ferry and a fishing boat on September 4, 1998;
Therefore be it resolved that members of this House congratulate 1st Edition and Craig Paisley on these prestigious awards and on maintaining a high quality of reporting the news.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Yarmouth.
MR. JOHN DEVEAU: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas students are recognized at this time of the year for their contributions to extra-curricular activities; and
Whereas today, June 14th, at Brookside Junior High School, a new award recognizing extra-curricular commitment was presented for the first time; and
Whereas this award is named in honour of a Brookside teacher who has moved on to another career;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate Angeline Armstrong on being named the first winner of the Bill Estabrooks Extracurricular Award at Brookside Junior High School.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
Is it agreed?
I hear a No.
The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Dartmouth South.
MR. DONALD CHARD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas Dartmouth natives, Mary Beth Bowie and Suzanne Muir are both with Canada's national women's soccer team; and
Whereas the women's soccer team has just gone 3-3 in a six game warm-up for the World Cup; and
Whereas the team opens its World Cup campaign against Japan next Saturday in San Jose, California;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate Mary Beth Bowie and Suzanne Muir on their achievements and wish their team the best of luck in their pursuit of the World Cup.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Chester-St. Margaret's.
DR. HINRICH BITTER-SUERMANN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas this past Wednesday evening, Ross Farm Museum held its annual meeting; and
Whereas Ross Farm Museum had a 10 per cent increase in visitors this past year; and
Whereas this wonderful example of early Nova Scotian rural life has been attracting visitors from all over the world since 1970;
Therefore be it resolved that this House congratulate Ross Farm Museum for its work in demonstrating Nova Scotia history in this, its 30th summer.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask for waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Pictou West.
MR. CHARLES PARKER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the late Ned White of New Glasgow has bequeathed $1.8 million to the Aberdeen Hospital Foundation; and
Whereas this amazing gift brings the foundation's asset base to more than $10 million; and
Whereas the gift will make it possible for this successful foundation to purchase special hospital equipment;
Therefore be it resolved that this House recognize and applaud the benevolence of the late Mr. J. Edward White and congratulate the hospital for naming a special wing in his honour.
Mr. Speaker, I request waiver.
MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.
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 Timberlea-Prospect.
MR. WILLIAM ESTABROOKS: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the increasing number of unsightly illegal dump sites are becoming a growing concern for Nova Scotians; and
Whereas conscientious citizens continue to bring the location of these sites to the attention of the Department of the Environment; and
Whereas Nova Scotians expect this government to take some leadership on this important issue;
Therefore be it resolved that the Minister of the Environment introduce legislation to indicate that he intends to get tough with violators with appropriate charges against these individuals dumping illegally throughout our province.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
AN HON. MEMBER: Check the legislation.
ANOTHER HON. MEMBER: You don't even open your mouth.
MR. SPEAKER: Order! Order, please.
AN. HON. MEMBER: Throw him out.
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please.
Are there any further notices of motion?
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Government Motions.
GOVERNMENT MOTIONS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I move that you do now leave the Chair and that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on Supply unto Her Majesty.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Argyle.
MR. NEIL LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, I am going to take a few minutes provided to me when we go into the estimates to speak about a few issues in my local riding. I think, being that there hasn't been a Speech from the Throne since last spring and I haven't had the opportunity to do so, that I think it is incumbent upon myself to bring local issues here to the House of Assembly. Though I only have 15 minutes, I am going to try to touch on some of the highlights, I believe, that I should be trying to address.
Mr. Speaker, we have talked about many different issues in this House but I would like to start off on transportation. When you represent a rural riding, I guess it doesn't matter what day I go home, I always have an issue in regard to roads, in regard to the level of service they are receiving, safety issues or just the fact of the matter that many of the roads are deteriorating and over time I believe will cost the Province of Nova Scotia considerably more to fix if they aren't addressed now.
We have one issue in my riding that was brought up in the House, at length, about a year or so before the last election and that was the Indian Sluice Bridge. This is the bridge whereby a truck was driving across and just before leaving the bridge, certain parts of the bridge collapsed and the truck barely made it across the bridge, actually it was airborne for the last 30 or 40 feet and the truck was literally smashed on its undercarriage when it landed and the driver knows that he was very much blessed to have survived that incident. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the minister's attention that that driver refuses to cross that bridge and I am not even sure if he crosses it in a car, let alone a dump truck, but he refuses to cross it even though the repairs have been made to it.
That bridge is one that has been there for approximately 80 to 90 years and is one that connects Morris Island and Surettes Island to Sluice Point which is the mainland. It has served the community well over the years but it begs the question as to whether or not the ongoing maintenance that is put on that bridge every year is the way it should go or whether the province should be trying to put in place a new structure, one that wouldn't be as long as this one. I am sure if they would do so there would be some work done to either shorten the span, it is a very long span with a lot of current there, and I am sure if the department were to do that they would probably make some changes to the way the bridge is now structured. The new bridge would be much shorter and probably a lot safer.
I know this project is a very costly one. No one sits here today and says that this bridge is something that if you snap your fingers it gets done. What the residents want to know is what is going on. They want to know whether or not the department has actually done a costing on what this new bridge would cost. They would like to know what the time implementation would be if it was decided that a bridge was to be put in place. They would also like to know what the structural integrity of the current bridge is. When they talk to the department it always says, we have maintained the bridge and have changed the parts that
were faulty and there is no reason to be alarmed. When you live on an island and the only way off is that bridge and you have this type of mishap occur, I think your faith in the bridge has been shaken and it will take a long time to get it back.
So I have been asking the minister to give me some details in that regard and I am looking across and I know that he is listening to what I am saying. I think people deserve to have the answers. It may come that the cost estimates are beyond belief and that this doesn't make sense but I know the people of that area would like to know those answers, would like to be kept informed and that is one thing that I said as I was going through that area, that I would try to keep those people informed as to what is going on.
I know there are decisions to be made by the department and you can't always be all things to all people but being informed is not much to ask. I believe if the minister does that, whether he does it through me or through his department, I don't care. I am not in this for personal gratification, I am here to make sure those people have some answers and if he could do that through his local divisional engineers and meet with representatives of the islands and I would always suggest the fire department is the best one to meet with because they seem to be the focal point on how that is being addressed. If they could do that then I think he would achieve something they would be very pleased with.
There are a couple of roads in my area - there are more than a couple of roads - but there are two roads that badly require repaving and I would be very much remiss if I didn't bring them up on the floor of the House again and that, of course, is the Argyle Head Road which is located in Argyle Head. It is about four kilometres and it is one that was paved in 1995 and for some reason, whether or not it was the base or the paving job that was done, this road has fallen apart since that time whereby the department is telling me that there is no point in patching it. This is your staff, Mr. Minister, that is telling me there is no point in patching it, you are just throwing good money after bad. So when they are telling me that it is very hard for me to come here and say, let's get a quarter mile patched or a half mile patched if we can't do it all. When your staff is telling me that, I know that the problem is very much structural, it is something that is not going to go away in the short term.
Another road that is really bad, and this one is a much more difficult one to address, it is the Quinan Road. It is a long stretch of highway that was done about 30 years ago. I think the problem we have here is that it is a very winding road and the base is not a very good one. As much as we try to fix this road, it always seems to come back to haunt us. I would like to see if the minister could do the same thing with this road, having the divisional engineers meet with the residents and see where their priorities are. This is a long road and one that is going to be difficult to address at one time. I think it will take a multi-year solution, if one can be found. I would like to be able to find out whether or not once we do the repairs, they will stay in place and be long-lasting. I don't think it is very good for the government to go spending all kinds of money and coming back a short time later saying, I guess it didn't work and we have to do it again.
There are a lot of other roads in my riding that needs some upgrading, the South Belleville Road needs to be gravelled, I could list a whole lot of them. A couple of roads I would like to make mention of, the Amirault Road in East Pubnico and the Martins Road in Westport. These are roads, when I was in government, that the Department of Transportation suggested that they would double chip seal. The level of travel is not that high. Double chip seal would be the proper way to do it. It would last a long time and would be cheap to maintain and retouch every so many years. That road will last a long time.
[4:00 p.m.]
Mr. Speaker, I listened to what the department had to say, at that time, and the residents seemed to be happy. But the maintenance hasn't been done. When you say you are going to spend money like this and you don't come back and do the maintenance, then what happens is the money that you have entrusted into these roads, or put into these roads, is wasted and that is very unfortunate.
So those are the types of some of the things that I would like to see addressed on the roads. Brush cutting is horrendous and I think that is the same thing across this province. I think since we have taken up the point that we shouldn't be spraying, it is getting away from us everywhere across the province. I don't know whether or not it takes more machines, or whether we can contract out some small parts of it. I am open for ideas. I tell you, people in my riding are open for ideas when they are sitting there and not getting these bushes cut and you have a lot of blind spots in the road and then people are very concerned. That is something that I would like to be able to address.
Mr. Speaker, I want to talk a little bit about my riding. My riding, of course, is predominately French Acadian. I think it is 60 per cent French Acadian to 40 per cent English and we get along very well. The communities are very close knit together and we have a lot of different festivals, which I believe show not only our rich French history, but also our diverse English history in Argyle. I look at the Abuptic Festival, which is held in the community of Argyle. It is a success every year. The community gets involved and I can't tell you how much fun it is. I went there last year. I got blasted by more kids with water pistols. They were having a ball. I would like to inform the House that I was also equipped with something to retaliate and that we had a great time. The community partakes and I think it is the type of thing that brings communities together, but is exemplary of other festivals that we have in our riding. We have three French Acadian festivals in my riding. Clare only has one. Now I have three.
So, as you can tell, Mr. Speaker, my summers are quite occupied. We have le Festival acadien de Sainte-du-Ruisseau, we have le Festival acadien de Wedgeport, which is my home village and we also have le Réveil de Pombcoup, which is in West Pubnico. Most of them are all one week activities, and during the week there is a lot of different activities that take place. People partake. I know, in my community, especially, and I am sure the other ones as well,
people have something planned every day and the week seems to fly by. It is very good for tourism, it gives tourists that come into our county a chance to see what is different about Nova Scotia and for tourism to succeed and if you are going to sell the same message here in Nova Scotia as you are going to sell in New England or in Upper Canada, then people aren't going to find Nova Scotia very interesting. So I am very pleased when I see all these different festivals, because we have a lot of tourists who come and partake and we invite them to do so.
We also have a lot of excellent museums. We have the Argyle Baptist Historical Church, which is open during the summer, and we have a new one that is opening, the Planter's House, which is located in Argyle Head, which goes back to our planter's history. We have the Le Musée de la pèche, sportif de temps of Wedgeport, which is my home village, which outlines the rich history of tuna fishing in my home village. We have l'Église de Sainte-Anne et la Chapelle commémorative à Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau. We have le Village Historique du la Nouvelle-Écosse in Pubnico West. That is a new historical village of Nova Scotia. It is going to be opening this summer in West Pubnico. We also have the Musée acadienne in Pubnico West and the Tusket Courthouse Gaol. That is the way you pronounce it, Mr. Speaker. That is the oldest standing courthouse in Canada and I am very proud of it. We do a lot of history, especially along the lines within the Municipality of Argyle, a lot of genealogical history is taking place and we have developed quite a bit of expertise. We have a lot of people coming in asking for advice.
We are going to be having some special celebrations this year, Mr. Speaker, especially in 1999, Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau is celebrating its 200th Anniversary as a parish and it was founded in 1799, as la paroisse Sainte-Anne, Sainte Anne Parish, and it was founded by Père Sigogne, a long time ago. It was founded at Rocco Point and, obviously, it is the oldest parish in my constituency and everyone used to go there.
I know that, in my village, in folklore, the people of my village of Wedgeport are called horses and they say, Mr. Speaker, it is because when we used to go to church on Saturday, we used to go by horse and people would sit on the steps of the church and they would hear the bells of the horses as they came along towards the church, and people used to say they could hear the horses coming. So, the nickname has stuck with us for a long time. Within my constituency, a lot of the villagers have different accents and they have different nicknames. People from Quinan are called bears, les ourses, and it goes on and on. It is all part of the folklore which makes Argyle very interesting, and when I was talking about the church, it brought that to mind.
There is also going to be another celebration next year, which will be the year 2000, and Ste. Anne's Church will be celebrating its centennial. There will be some big activities. I know that the parish council has been working very hard to try to make both this year and next year a very special event, and I am sure that a lot of the tourists will have a chance to see them and hopefully, some of the members of the House will come.
When I speak about tourism, that is part of what I think we have to do here in Nova Scotia to bring about its potential. We have said that it is the fastest-growing industry in the world, and I think we all agree with that. Here in southwestern Nova Scotia, I think we have a diverse culture, not only in my riding of Argyle, but also in the rest of the County of Yarmouth. I look in Digby County, where we have the region of Clare, and we have Digby. We look to Shelburne, and there is a lot of activity there, the Loyalists and a lot of different events and sites for people to see. We have advantages. We also have two ferries which come to Yarmouth; of course the Scotia Prince is coming from Portland, and the Cat is coming from Bar Harbor, we have thousands of people coming there.
Mr. Speaker, what we have to do is develop a long-term plan to keep people there. We want them to come visit, but we also want them to stay. If they stay, we know they will spend their tourism dollars there, and if they have an excellent time doing it, then we have done our job. Also, for the people of Yarmouth County, they have prospered by it, because the jobs that will come will employ many of our youth and many of those people today who are having a difficult time finding employment. When I say employment, I look at what we need in Yarmouth County and we need diversification.
I only have a minute left, I am sorry to hear that. When I talk about diversification - is it 15 minutes or 10 minutes?
MR. SPEAKER: Fifteen.
MR. LEBLANC: Okay. That is good.
Mr. Speaker, when I talk about diversification, we have a very rich and prosperous fishery in my riding, indeed in Yarmouth County. From lobster, which I have talked about at length in this House, of which I have some concerns, and we go to rockweed, we go to shrimp, we go to silver hake, we go to crab, we go to swordfish, tuna, scallops, groundfish, clams, and even bloodworms. These are all species which are harvested and which we have had the opportunity to develop in our area.
Mr. Speaker, I have some concerns for the youth of our area, as to whether or not they will be able to partake in any future fisheries, because a lot of these licenses are becoming beyond the price of young people to buy. That may very well mean that unless your father or your mother transfers their license to you, then you very well may only be able to go on as a hired man.
Mr. Speaker, I know that my time has ended. I could speak at great length on this, but I would like to thank the House for the indulgence they have shown me today. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Cape Breton The Lakes.
MS. HELEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I, as well, would like to take the opportunity to address a few issues with respect to my constituency. As you know, I represent the constituency of Cape Breton The Lakes. Cape Breton The Lakes is certainly a beautiful part of the Island of Cape Breton but, unfortunately, having a beautiful countryside, being friendly, caring people, having eager, hard-working folks doesn't always mean that life is good for the people in Cape Breton The Lakes.
Mr. Speaker, there is very little in this budget that touches the lives of the people in my area. Let me share with you some of the anger, some of the fear, and some of the hurt that people in my constituency continually bring to me on a regular basis in the hope that having someone who listens to their concerns will give them hope for the future.
Mr. Speaker, there are many issues, but one issue that I continually hear about over and over again, of course, is the issue of roads. Many times in this Legislature the members on the other side of the floor quoted and waved a press release about roads in Cape Breton The Lakes, waving their release like little boys coming home from school with a test that they actually failed, but because somebody gave them a little bit of credit for the little bit of effort they put in, they thought they were vindicated.
Mr. Speaker, the government's test on roads in Cape Breton The Lakes is still a failure and the people who travel the roads, like Georges River Road, Groves Point Road, Villa Drive, Upper Leitches Creek, the Barachois, North Side East Bay and Eskasoni Road, attest to the fact that this government has failed them when it comes to the issue of roads. Quite frankly, they are sick and tired of waiting to see when their roads will be fixed. Their patience is running out. They talk about the damage to their vehicles and the dangers the rutted, potholed, neglected roads are presenting.
Villa Drive, Mr. Speaker, can only be described as a disgrace. The regional Department of Transportation and Public Works do their very best. They work hard to try to service their area, but their resources are just too limited. This government should recognize that flashy TV ads, glossy flyers, and hype about tourism is not all that is needed to bring people to our fair isle. We hear so much about the beautiful Bras d'Or Lakes. The only way to enjoy the Bras d'Or Lakes this year is to sail them because driving around them is certainly no longer an option, clearly not the way to go. When will this government realize that they are not allotting the money that is needed for this important part of our infrastructure? How can we even continue to hope to attract tourists, say nothing of businesses, when we have roads that are in total disrepair?
Mr. Speaker, in Cape Breton we know only too well the endangered status of the industries that we have grown to depend on - coal and steel. Our communities fight for better pensions, for health benefits and for community economic development as the life breath of our Island fades from our grasp, as the coal industry, so long a part of our lives, suffers one crisis after another. The government, despite the rantings of the member for Cape Breton
Nova, has not managed to change one thing in that January package; so much for provincial Liberal and federal Liberal Governments working together. That has certainly been proven to be a myth.
Steel, we hope, Mr. Speaker, with Hoogovens and British Steel at the helm, will offer a brighter future. If this is not enough, farmers and fishers in our community are suffering. The lack of commitment by this government to clearly articulate and to demonstrate support for these sectors of our economy has left workers in these industries wondering what the future holds for them.
Mr. Speaker, Cape Breton has demonstrated its strength and determination time and time again in this province, but with employment rates soaring, economic development reaching out only to the favoured few, while the economy of our Island is on the brink of collapse and our sons and daughters continue to need to go down the road to find jobs, Cape Breton can no longer continue down this road.
[4:15 p.m.]
If the members on the government side do not believe that this is reality in Cape Breton, the sad evidence of it all is the line-up at the food banks and the fact that our food banks can barely keep their shelves filled. Community leaders continuously remind this government that the number suffering from low income, or no income, is continually growing, in fact, accelerating at an alarming rate. Those on social assistance, pensions, unemployment, the working poor, are challenged to survive on funds that are certainly not sufficient to meet their basic daily needs. In excess of 60 per cent of the Cape Breton population earn less than $19,000 a year. I can only say that that is a disgrace. As a result, they have little alternative but to stand in line at local food banks, hoping for enough to bring them to their next cheque.
Mr. Speaker, the social safety net should include the preservation of dignity for everyone. Our children should not have to go to school hungry. Yet schools now find it necessary to run breakfast programs, nutritional snack programs and lunch programs and while schools and teachers should be commended and congratulated for these efforts, governments should hang their heads in shame. Our children should not be socially marginalized as a result of economic strife caused by this government. Parents should not need to line up at food banks, but they do, and we know that the scars of poverty run deep.
Mr. Speaker, government must make responsible decisions if we are going to turn this around. Cape Breton needs community economic planning and development. We need decentralization. Anybody who comes from Cape Breton to Halifax is appalled at the differences that they see in these communities. We need infrastructures. We need these. We need things that will attract and maintain stable businesses and we should not in Cape Breton be selling off our assets. What we should be doing is making these assets grow. We should not be considering selling off places like Sydport, one of our greatest advantages in Cape
Breton. We need commitment and we need determination by a government that is committed enough to truly address the issues affecting Cape Breton, the issues that right now are taking the heart and soul out of our Island.
We hoped, Mr. Speaker, that we would find in this budget something that would help Cape Breton, but as we see again and again, what we hear are a lot of words and not much commitment on the part of this government. Thank you. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Labour.
HON. RUSSELL MACKINNON: Mr. Speaker, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to rise and offer a few comments on this particular resolution. Before I focus on some of the positive initiatives in Cape Breton, I would like to, for the sake of all members of the House and, indeed, all Nova Scotians, correct some of the misconceptions that have been espoused by the socialist members in the House over the last few weeks.
First of all, with regard to the first speaker complaining about the lack of activity in her constituency on various roads. One only has to draw to her attention the extensive amount of road work, sidewalk, curb and gutter, sewer, just on the Coxheath Road alone, not to mention the extensive amount of work, the hundreds of thousands of dollars on sidewalks, curb and gutter and road repair on the Westmount Road, not to mention the multimillion dollar sewage collector system that was initiated and installed under a Liberal Administration over the past year. Also, in the last year alone there was nearly $300,000 expended to put a very elaborate light interchange system between the Westmount Road and the Coxheath Road; that, plus the expensive and very expansive and elaborate twinning of Highway No. 105, which again, is in this honourable member's constituency, to the tune of $6.5 million over the last two years and nearly $4 million to be expended this year alone.
If we are going to give the bad news we should also give the good news and let the people of Cape Breton and in particular, the people of Cape Breton The Lakes, make their own assessment rather than to try to shove half-statements down their throats.
In Cape Breton, one of the biggest complaints that I have heard in my eight years of service in this House of Assembly has been the economic and social problem. Yes, I come from a community where we have had problems in the fishing industry, we have had problems in the forest industry. I worked in the forest industry for many years and I can assure you that there has been quite a transition over the past few years from a resource-based economy to an information advanced economy. We have seen evidence of that again today with the announcement of some 500 call centre jobs for industrial Cape Breton that was made by my colleague, the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, in concert with the federal government and Weber and Associates who are putting in the majority of the money. By the way, those dollars have been put in on an employment guarantee contingency basis so it is not
a simple expenditure of taxpayers' dollars for, as the NDP would suggest, corporate welfare bums, that is simply not the case.
We have confidence in the entrepreneurial spirit of Cape Bretoners and far too long that has been beaten out of us by governments of previous days, including Liberal, Progressive Conservative, and supported by socialist members, whether it be the New Democratic Party or the T.C. Douglas forefathers, there is ample evidence. I know there is not sufficient time to get into the details of that but believe me, the entrepreneurial spirit in Cape Breton is alive and well and we will succeed. We will overcome many of the economic and social difficulties that have been cast upon us, whether by force, by will, or just by mere coincidence of changing local, provincial, federal or national and global economies. The fact of the matter is that when times change we have to adjust.
The University College of Cape Breton has done a tremendous job over the last 15 years through its evolution in raising the academic and vocational standards for many Cape Bretoners. Two of my own children have gone through the process and one continues to go through it. We are very proud of the initiatives and of the $20-some odd million that the former Minister of Public Works, the Honourable Dave Dingwall put in there that helped all Cape Bretoners.
Mr. Speaker, we can be parochial and we can cast our political biases back and forth and so on, but the reality is things are positive in Cape Breton. Yes, we have had a tough go with the Devco situation. If the federal government decides to pull out of the coal mines and refuses to continue to subsidize, that is a reality we have to face and we have to move on with life. We cannot cry in our soup, we have to pick up the pieces and we have to make the best of it, which is why we are here today fighting for Cape Bretoners. We haven't buried our heads in the sand. Yes, we have taken criticism, we will continue to take criticism, but we will do the job as the people expect us to do and ask us to do.
Mr. Speaker, look at Sydney Steel, not all of us agree on the approach presently, but if one were to look at the details of that Hoogovens plan, it is our last hope to make this a long, viable, sustainable industry, employable for some 600 to 700 Cape Bretoners, not to mention the multiplier effect. Yes, I share the concern with honourable members opposite when they raise concerns about continuing to put more government money into what they claim is a bottomless pit. Yes, perhaps there have been a lot of errors and omissions. We could go on and talk about the $50 million that wasted on the tar ponds. We could talk about putting a $300 million or $400 million electric arc furnace in there without retraining our staff, and a lot of errors and omissions.
Mr. Speaker, we have world expertise at our fingertips and we have them commissioned to make sure that this viable plan becomes a long-term reality. I have confidence in that, and I believe Cape Bretoners deserve that. We don't want to do what the federal government did with the Devco situation. Still, the Premier and his support staff,
dealing with the Prime Minister, we are fighting for a better deal for the coal miners, and also, to realize some diversification and some long-term sustainable objectives.
Mr. Speaker, we also have to look at TIM dealers. One of the biggest reasons that TIM dealership came to Cape Breton is because of the high-quality expertise talent that we have there in our labour pool. That is being realized with the potential for further investment. Look at Magna. Just recently, they hired an additional 58 employees on top of the 150 that they already employ because of a major international contract with the private sector.
I know the NDP thinks the private sector and capitalism are dirty words, but the reality is this is the best system that we have, the best democratic, capitalist system that we have in the world. The United Nations has recognized that. They can bury their heads in the sand and continue to feed on the negativity, that is what they are born and bred to believe. That is okay, but I believe the majority of Nova Scotians in the final analysis will reject that.
We are very pleased in the fishing industry. We are looking at diversification in my constituency with the support of my colleague, the Minister of Fisheries, who is supporting a number of aquaculture initiatives. These are the types of things. They are not megaprojects. It has often been said, in a number of the central U.S. states and some of the more rural-type states that resemble the economies and the dynamics of Nova Scotia, their argument has always been, and I believe to a certain degree there is good merit it, that it is much better to have 25 or 30 small businesses functioning in a community whereby if one or two fail then the rest can move in and fill the vacuum, rather than one or two megaprojects. If they collapse, it is a complete collapse of the economy, the social and economic fabric of the community.
We are fortunate enough that we have had some of that diversification to absorb the shock of the Devco situation, notwithstanding the fact that it is a two year notice. All is not lost. Yes, it is difficult; yes, it is a scary situation for those families, when their way of life, as they have known it, is just taken right from under them. We have to look at the reality of the situation. Stop and think about it. How is it that we are able to import coal from Virginia and have it consumed at a power plant in Cape Breton cheaper than we take it out of a coal mine and sell it to that power plant, which is only about one mile away? There is something wrong with the big picture.
[4:30 p.m.]
It is not all government here, despite what the NDP says. Perhaps, if the NDP were really supportive of their social conscience, maybe they should introduce a bill to eliminate some of the double-dipping that they so eagerly aspire to when it comes to using taxpayers' dollars. Mr. Speaker, that is a debate that I would love to have with those members across there. You can hear them snivel and you can hear them whine, when we get into that issue.
Mr. Speaker, look at The Pit Pony and the sound stage for Cape Breton. We have now become internationally known for some of the best movies in the world. Look at Squanto Indian Warrior. That brought $7.5 million to the Louisbourg and industrial Cape Breton area several years ago and another movie since then. Now, we are just completing another one on the history of the French in and around Louisbourg and New France, another $5 million to $6 million of expenditure. Why don't they start to focus on the positive? If you think positive, positive things will happen.
Mr. Speaker, if you think negative like the NDP, nothing will happen. The young people of Nova Scotia, our future generation, deserve better than that diatribe that is coming from across the floor. All one has to do is to talk to the young people in Cape Breton. I had a fund-raising activity in Sydney River several weeks ago, and I was amazed at the number of young people who came, of their own volition, to find out and hear about some of the good things that were being done. It was amazing. If the NDP is so concerned about the youth of tomorrow, I will give them every one of those names so they can go and speak to them themselves; they don't have to take my word for it. The fact of the matter is, they have a lot of confidence in Cape Breton. They are the leaders of tomorrow and I can assure you that they will not accept the foolishness that has come from across there.
We will weather tough times and we will succeed, Mr. Speaker, with or without that. The 200 jobs have been created with The Pit Pony, in Cape Breton The Lakes, by the way, but you don't hear the honourable member for Cape Breton The Lakes saying anything positive there, but yet she is the first to get on the phone to talk to the civil servants. Oh, would you please get my road fixed? Will you see if you can get my road on the priority list to get it paved? You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time and that is what that honourable member proposes to do. Ms. Negativity. You would almost think Alexa McDonough was across the floor here, honest to God. I am just amazed at the dichotomies that seem to be coming forth.
Mr. Speaker, some of the silviculture programs that have been put forth, primarily with the support of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and through Stora Forest Industries, which has been the lead agency in forest renewal, much of the Crown land in Cape Breton is starting to show some benefits. All one has to do is go out back of the Mira pasture, and there are tens of thousands of acres out there that have been reseeded and have now shown the end result, the fruits of their labour. It won't be long before we will have, in that area alone, particularly as a result of that devastating fire back in 1974, a renewable and a sustainable forest industry that will contribute to the long-term sustainability of Stora Forest Industries, particularly after employing some 2,500 construction workers who were very appreciative of that expansion and that development.
Mr. Speaker, I realize my time is coming to a close. I have some other points I will raise, but I will raise them on a future day. I thank you for this opportunity.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.
[4:35 p.m. The House resolved itself into a CWH on Supply with Deputy Speaker Mr. Donald Chard in the Chair.]
[8:35 p.m. CWH on Supply rose and the House reconvened. Mr. Speaker, Hon. Ronald Russell, resumed the Chair.]
MR. SPEAKER: The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on Supply reports:
THE CLERK: That the committee has met and made some progress in considering Supply and asks leave to sit again.
MR. SPEAKER: Is it agreed?
It is agreed.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Public Bills for Third Reading.
PUBLIC BILLS FOR THIRD READING
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 102.
Bill No. 102 - Petroleum Resources Removal Permit Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The debate was adjourned by the honourable member for Kings North.
The honourable member for Kings North.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, I will take up now where we left off the other night. I promise you I will not be nearly as long-winded as the member for the NDP. I don't think with the jovial mood of the House tonight there would be much point in trying to hold the floor for very long anyway.
This bill comes at an appropriate time and it is better late than never, I guess as they say. We have been arguing on this caucus for some time now that ethane is the building block
of a petrochemical industry for Nova Scotia and this bill is what it takes to make sure that the industry and anybody else who is interested in the gas business knows that Nova Scotia is going to have a petrochemical industry. The gas and oil industry is relatively new from a production point of view for Nova Scotia. Presently, PanCanadian is operating with Nova Scotia Resources Limited in the Panuke-Cohasset and they are learning a lot more about production in our offshore. They are making partnerships with people on shore to supply the various goods and services that they need. It has been a real bonus and a real boon to Nova Scotia. As the natural gas comes ashore, similar activities will commence to happen and even more will take place.
Friday afternoon, OTANS, the Offshore Onshore Technology Association of Nova Scotia held their second annual offshore picnic on Georges Island. It was attended by over 2,300 Nova Scotians. There were people there as well from all corners of the globe. People are interested in Nova Scotia's offshore and it was unfortunate that the House was sitting so late because the minister wasn't able to attend the picnic nor were many other ministers of government who wanted to be there and really should have been there but their duties kept them in the House. I just left, Mr. Speaker, I just decided I wanted to go there and I went and I am glad I did.
You really get an idea of the contribution the offshore can make and is making to the benefit of all Nova Scotians. There were 2,300 Nova Scotians on Georges Island in celebration of a new and great industry, new employment and new opportunities. The board of directors and membership of OTANS are to be commended for putting on such a great event and not only that, but it was for the benefit of the food bank because there were contributions made by all the attendees to the Halifax Food Bank and that was a good thing as well. So, it wasn't just a celebration for themselves, it was a celebration for all people and it was nice to see they were thinking of people who are in need at this time of year, as well as themselves. I think Friday afternoon's picnic was a great event.
One of the questions that this caucus has is, why in the name of all that is good and holy does the gas plant not have a strip around it to take the ethane out right now? Why did the government not pass regulations from day one that the liquids would be taken out of the gas at the point of entry to Nova Scotia? Now, to retrofit a saddle stripper, or whatever they want to call it, it is going to cost a lot more money than it would have at the beginning.
The bill came and we debated it in the House, and we said, look, let's send this on to the Law Amendments Committee. At the Law Amendments Committee, Mr. Speaker, you would have been proud of your faithful servants of the House, because all the members of that committee worked diligently together, the NDP and the Liberals and the Conservatives. We worked together to make that bill better than it was when it came in here. It wasn't such a bad bill when it came in here, but we improved it, and we did it in a feeling of cooperation, both from the Opposition and from the government. That was good to see.
We had a list put down of the non-permit requirements for the liquids that are able to leave. You don't need a permit, for instance, if you have a camper trailer with a propane tank on it. You don't need a permit to take that propane out of Nova Scotia. You don't need a permit for coal gas, you don't need a permit for a few other minor products, but you do need a permit if you want to export ethane, because ethane is the building block of all products.
Mr. Speaker, I venture to say, there is not a person in this chamber right now that doesn't, somewhere on their clothing, have a by-product of ethane, whether it is the button on your shirt or your polyester sweater or maybe your glasses. (Interruptions) Well, that is a fact, there won't be many polyester shirts on in here tonight, they are quite hot.
Mr. Speaker, ethane is really the most important product that is going to be coming ashore because that is where the jobs are. We need the jobs in Nova Scotia. This bill has the potential to create the jobs. The gas industry is employing, directly and indirectly, hundreds and thousands of Nova Scotians. The offshore technology conference was held in Houston, Texas, a short time ago and there were almost 100 Nova Scotians there representing the companies that they work for, and they were all in Houston trying to make deals with larger companies so that they could partner and bring back the expertise that they saw in Houston. Also, they wanted to share the expertise of Nova Scotians with people in other parts of the globe. Many of the people who were meeting had success, and we will be seeing more employment of Nova Scotians because of it.
Alberta began without a real firm policy on the ethane petrochemical industry, but after a while Premier Lougheed said, we have had enough of this. He sat down with the oil and gas companies and said, from now on fellows, you are going to do the processing in Alberta. He passed legislation and to this day, ethane is produced; the petrochemical industry is working vigorously in Alberta and employing many thousands of Albertans.
What we also need from this government is a greater vision for the natural gas industry. It was very reassuring to see, about six weeks ago, $600 million worth of work is going to be done in our offshore; the most exciting news for Atlantic Canada in many years. The petrochemical industry, the oil and gas industry have decided that the opportunities for the natural gas and oil industry are greater in our offshore than any other location in the world. They are here and they are going to be doing exploratory work in Nova Scotia's waters. PanCanadian, the largest Canadian oil company, is going to be extensively involved, and with the expertise they have gained from operating Lasmo and the new opportunities in exploration they are going to be doing is going to help us all.
[8:45 p.m.]
Mr. Speaker, we cannot wait for the Laurentian Basin exploratory contracts to be released so that we can have even more Nova Scotians and more rigs drilling and exploring for offshore. Because the closest supply depot to the Laurentian Basin is in Sydney, Sydport
has many advantages and as soon as the Laurentian Basin work starts, that is when people at Sydport are going to see thousands of jobs right in their community; not anywhere else, but right there. We must get the Laurentian Basin work done as quickly as possible so that we can have more prosperity in Cape Breton.
Sometimes politicians say that we can't make a difference; we cannot effect change, but look at the Premier in Newfoundland when the oil industry wanted to transship the oil from the Newfoundland offshore through Point Tupper and then off to the world. They wanted to bring it to Nova Scotia in small tankers and then put it in large tankers after they have assembled it, but the Premier of Newfoundland said, no way, you are going to do your transshipment out of Newfoundland at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. The oil industry had to build a transshipment port in Newfoundland, and they spent hundreds of millions of dollars because the Premier of Newfoundland said, that is how you are going to do it or you are not going to do it at all.
We need some resolve like that, Mr. Speaker, so that we can have the petrochemical industry in Nova Scotia as quickly as possible, and so we can have the Laurentian Basin out to tender so they can do their exploratory work as quickly as possible. Provincial politicians, and Cabinet, and in the Premier's office can make a difference, but they have to have the resolve to do it. Off our shore is the most interesting exploratory area in the entire world.
One of the nice things about meeting people at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston was the number of people from Nova Scotia who started working in oil rigs here in the early 1980's. When the rigs pulled up, they went with them and they were working in management positions with some of the largest companies in the United States and in North America at the present time. We were there and we met a person who still owns a house in Mount Uniacke and he can't wait for the oil industry to get even larger in Nova Scotia so he can move back home.
Nova Scotians are the sort of people who rise to the top in any industry. In the oil industry, when you meet the people who are making things happen across the country, many of them were born and raised in Nova Scotia and they are off in the oil industry and they are coming back home. They are bringing their good ideas with them and it is going to pay off in the long run. We have many local companies, Mr. Speaker, that have grown and prospered in the last few years because of this oil boom that is going on, and the gas exploration and the gas development. We are going to see a lot more of those companies. Those companies are partnering with other companies; they are sharing expertise; they are sharing ideas; and they are employing Nova Scotians. Nova Scotians around the world are coming home because our offshore is starting to work.
The oil and gas industry has to be encouraged to grow, and we don't have to invent the wheel in Nova Scotia, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the petrochemical industry, there are many Albertans who are more than willing to help us and give advice. The former Premier
Lougheed, I know has all kinds of ideas that worked well in Alberta and I know he would share them with the Government of Nova Scotia. The North Sea developed in cooperation between the oil exploration industry and the fishing industry. We must talk to the folks in the North Sea and find out how they married the fishing industry to the oil industry, so that they go together, hand in glove, and one supports the other; it is not a competition between oil and gas and fish, it is together.
This is the sort of thing that we have to forge so that the fishing industry has a better understanding of the oil industry and the oil industry has a better understanding. They have done this in the North Sea, Mr. Speaker. We do not have to go out and figure out how to do it. It has already been done for us. All we have to do is to be smart enough to look at our friends and neighbours around the world and see what they have accomplished in just a few short years.
Government must help to develop and it cannot be a hindrance to development in our offshore because we saw once how quickly the offshore can turn around. In 1984 the offshore had about 13 rigs drilling off Nova Scotia under the federal-provincial agreement where the federal government was paying about 99 per cent of the cost of doing the drilling and as soon as that program ended, so did our oil industry, but that program that the federal government had at the time was costly and some people say that as wasteful and as extravagant as it may have been, it made very significant discoveries off our shore and we are reaping the benefits today, both from the Panuke-Cohasset and from our natural gas.
The call for proposal for development must take a precedent with this government so that more employment can be increased. The bill that we have before us is a bill that was looked at by all members of the House, cooperatively amended and cooperatively returned to the House for favourable consideration. One of the things that we have heard many times is that in our offshore in the liquids, there are only about 20,000 barrels per day and we are told by some that that is not enough for a petrochemical industry. Mr. Speaker, I assure you that in the great Province of Alberta there are petrochemical plants that are operating on 20,000 barrels of ethane per day. That is a fairly significant amount of liquids. So we do have a lot to do, but we do not have to do it alone. The industry is helpful. The Government of Alberta has been there. There are civil servants and former politicians from Alberta that are most helpful.
By keeping an open mind and forever with the thought of making things better for Nova Scotians, this bill will help and we will create more employment in Nova Scotia in areas that really do need more employment than they have at the present time. I would like to say I support this bill. I appreciate the cooperative effort that all the members of the House put forward in making amendments. (Applause)
MR. SPEAKER: If I recognize the honourable minister it will be to close the debate.
The honourable Minister of Economic Development and Tourism.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I would move third reading of Bill No. 102.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is for third reading of Bill No. 102. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill do pass. Ordered that the title be as read by the Clerk. Ordered that the bill be engrossed.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Private and Local Bills for Third Reading.
PRIVATE AND LOCAL BILLS FOR THIRD READING
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 95, the Lunenburg Common Lands Act.
Bill No. 95 - Lunenburg Common Lands Act.
Bill No. 103 - Gaelic College Foundation Act.
Bill No. 106 - Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is for third reading of these bills. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motions are carried.
Ordered that these bills do pass. Ordered that the titles be as read by the Clerk. Ordered that these bills be engrossed.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Private Members' Public Bills for Third Reading.
PRIVATE MEMBERS' PUBLIC BILLS FOR THIRD READING
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 108.
Bill No. 108 - Health Council Act.
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Kings West.
MR. GEORGE MOODY: Mr. Speaker, I would move third reading of Bill No. 108, the Health Council Act.
MR. SPEAKER: Is the House ready for the question? The motion is for third reading of Bill No. 108. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Ordered that this bill do pass. Ordered that the title be as read by the Clerk. Ordered that the bill be engrossed.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, that completes the government's business for this evening. The House will meet tomorrow between the hours of 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. Following the daily routine and Question Period, we will continue with the debate on estimates and following the debate on estimates, we will be calling the Tobacco Access Act, which is now in Committee of the Whole House on Bills and also second reading of Bill No. 115, the Flight 111 Special Places Memorial Act.
I move that the House do now adjourn until 12:00 noon tomorrow.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is to adjourn. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
[The House rose at 8:56 p.m.]
