November 8, 2010

HANSARD 10-40

DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS

Speaker: Honourable Charlie Parker

Published by Order of the Legislature by Hansard Reporting Services and printed by the Queen's Printer.

Available on INTERNET at http://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/hansard-debates/

Second Session

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
SPEAKER'S RULING: Justice Min./Prem. Misled House
(Pt. of privilege by Hon. M. Samson [Hansard p. 2925, 11/03/10])
Not a point of privilege 3138
SPEAKERS'S RULING: Tabling documents in House prior to release
(Pt. of privilege by Hon. M. Samson [Hansard p. 2926, 11/03/10])
No prima facie case of breach of privilege 3140
SPEAKER'S RULING: Speaker ruling question out of order
before hearing the question
(Pt. of order by Hon. S. McNeil [Hansard p. 3040, 11/04/10])
Not a point or order 3141
SPEAKER'S RULING: Member must provide documentation to prove statement
(Pt. of order by Hon. C. d'Entremont [Hansard p. 3041, 11/04/10])
Not a point of order 3142
PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS:
TIR: Conquerall Rd. - Repair, Mr. G. Ramey 3143
STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS:
SNSMR: Ground Search & Rescue - Radio Grant,
Hon. R. Jennex 3144
EMO - Southwestern N.S.: Conditions - Update,
The Premier 3148
GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION:
Res. 1961, Veterans Wk. (11/05-11/11/10)
- Respect/Gratitude Express, The Premier 3152
Vote - Affirmative 3152
Res. 1962, Natl. Seniors Safety Wk. (11/06-11/12/10) -
Recognize, Hon. D. Peterson-Rafuse 3152
Vote - Affirmative 3153
Res. 1963, Rawding, Wes - GED Award,
The Premier 3153
Vote - Affirmative 3154
Res. 1964, Osteoporosis Mo.(11/10) - Recognize,
Hon. Maureen MacDonald 3154
Vote - Affirmative 3155
Res. 1965, Withrow's Farm Market - Anniv.(25th),
Mr. J. MacDonell 3155
Vote - Affirmative 3155
Res. 1966, Jones, Burnley "Rocky" - Order of N.S.,
Hon. Percy Paris (by Hon. Maureen MacDonald) 3155
Vote - Affirmative 3156
Res. 1967, N.S. Fed. of Agric.: MLAs - Breakfast Attend,
Hon. J. MacDonell 3156
Vote - Affirmative 3157
Res. 1968, Lung Cancer Awareness Mo.(11/10) - Acknowledge
Hon. Maureen MacDonald 3157
Vote - Affirmative 3158
Res. 1969, Halfpenny, Clara: Da Costa Challenge - Congrats.,
Hon. Percy Paris (by Hon. Maureen MacDonald) 3158
Vote - Affirmative 3158
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS:
No. 86, Cemeteries Protection Act,
Hon. C. Clarke 3159
No. 87, Court Jurisdiction and Proceedings Transfer Act,
Hon. R. Landry 3159
No. 88, Summary Proceedings Act,
Hon. R. Landry 3159
NOTICES OF MOTION:
Res. 1970, HOG (Harley Owner Group) - Cabot Trail
Recognition, Mr. K. Bain 3160
Vote - Affirmative 3160
Res. 1971, Warner-Smith, Carrie/Willow Creek Children's Ctr.:
Mid. Sackville - Welcome, Mr. M. Whynott 3161
Vote - Affirmative 3161
Res. 1972, Lampkin, Dr. Ramona - MSVU: Pres./Vice-Chancellor -
Appt., Ms. D. Whalen 3161
Vote - Affirmative 3162
Res. 1973, Jennings, Eric & Priscilla - Francis Mem. Award,
Hon. K. Casey 3162
Vote - Affirmative 3163
Res. 1974, New Ross/Chester Basin - Historical Re-enactment,
Hon. D. Peterson-Rafuse 3163
Vote - Affirmative 3164
Res. 1975, Yarmouth Reg. Hosp. Hullaballoo: Vols. - Thank,
Mr. W. Gaudet 3164
Vote - Affirmative 3165
Res. 1976, Stewart, Dr. Ronald D.: CBU - Hon. Degree,
Hon. C. Clarke 3165
Vote - Affirmative 3165
Res. 1977, Boutilier, Paul/Boutilier's Lawn & Garden - Scouts Can.
Cert. of Appreciation, Hon. W. Estabrooks 3166
Vote - Affirmative 3166
Res. 1978, MacDonald, John - éQuinoxe Screenwriters Workshop,
Mr. A. Younger 3166
Vote - Affirmative 3167
Res. 1979, Landry, SSgt. Frank - Long Serv. Award (15 yrs.),
Hon. C. d'Entremont 3167
Vote - Affirmative 3168
Res. 1980, K-Rock 89.3 - Staff/Vols.: Valley Commun. -
Contributions, Hon. R. Jennex 3169
Vote - Affirmative 3169
Res. 1981, Alice Housing: Staff/Bd. - Donner Fdn. Award,
Ms. K. Regan 3169
Vote - Affirmative 3170
Res. 1982, Gordon, Katheryn - Cdn. Photographer of Yr. Award,
Mr. A. MacLeod 3170
Vote - Affirmative 3171
Res. 1983, Hubtown Theatre - Anniv. (30th),
Ms. L. Zann 3171
Vote - Affirmative 3172
Res. 1984, Foxwood Trio - Best Wishes,
Mr. K. Colwell 3172
Vote - Affirmative 3172
Res. 1985, Port Hawkesbury Lions Club - Anniv. (50th),
Mr. A. MacMaster 3173
Vote - Affirmative 3173
Res. 1986, Astor Theatre - Cultural Contributions,
Ms. V. Conrad 3173
Vote - Affirmative 3174
Res. 1987, Digby Reg. HS Envirothon Team - Prov. Comp.,
Mr. H. Theriault 3174
Vote - Affirmative 3175
Res. 1988, CBU: Nursing B.Sc. - Accreditation,
Mr. K. Bain 3175
Vote - Affirmative 3176
Res. 1989, Crosby, Florence "Granny" - Wall of Recognition
Award (2010), Ms. B. Kent 3176
Vote - Affirmative 3176
Res. 1990, MacLellan, Vanessa - Cdn. Progress Club Hfx. -
Cornwallis Award, Ms. D. Whalen 3177
Vote - Affirmative 3177
Res. 1991, Chipman, James - Veterans Affs. Commendation,
Hon. K. Casey 3177
Vote - Affirmative 3178
Res. 1992, Warner, Jody Nyasha/Rudnicki, Richard: Viola Desmond
Story - Congrats., Hon. L. Preyra 3178
Vote - Affirmative 3179
Res. 1993, Kinsman, Velma - Kingston Vol. of Yr.,
Mr. L. Glavine 3179
Vote - Affirmative 3180
Res. 1994, Scott-Bain, Lorraine: Rolling Through Life - Public Citation,
Hon. C. d'Entremont 3180
Vote - Affirmative 3180
Res. 1995, Gotell, Chelsey - Paralympic Accomplishments,
Mr. M. Smith 3181
Vote - Affirmative 3181
Res. 1996, Surette, Chantal - Can. - Wide Science Fair
Gold Medal, Hon. W. Gaudet 3181
Vote - Affirmative 3182
Res. 1997, Stewart, Tracey - Heroic Action (11/21/09),
Mr. C. Porter 3182
Vote - Affirmative 3183
Res. 1998, Ramey, William Roy: Selflessness/Courage -
Acknowledge, Mr. G. Ramey 3183
Vote - Affirmative 3184
Res. 1999, Cobequid Commun. Health Ctr.: Bedford Lions -
Donation, Ms. K. Regan 3184
Vote - Affirmative 3184
Res. 2000, Austin, Kelly & Patrick - Entrepreneur Award,
Mr. A. MacMaster 3184
Vote - Affirmative 3185
Res. 2001, Baltzer, Wayne - Genealogy Contribution,
Mr. J. Morton 3185
Vote - Affirmative 3186
Res. 2002, Cycle for Art: Organizers/Participants - Recognize,
Ms. P. Birdsall 3186
Vote - Affirmative 3187
Res. 2003, Kennedy, Donnie: Co-operative Movement -
Contributions, Mr. G. Burrill 3187
Vote - Affirmative 3187
Res. 2004, Kings Co. Walk the World for Schizophrenia:
Organizers - Congrats., Hon. R. Jennex 3187
Vote - Affirmative 3188
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS:
PUBLIC BILLS FOR SECOND READING:
No. 82, Offshore Licencing Policy Act,
Hon. M. Samson 3189
Mr. C. MacKinnon 3192
Hon. W. Estabrooks 3198
Vote - Affirmative 3200
No. 85, Police Act,
Hon. R. Landry 3201
Hon. M. Samson 3202
Adjourned debate 3204
ADJOURNMENT, House rose to meet again on Tue., Nov. 9th at 2 p.m. 3205
NOTICES OF MOTION UNDER RULE 32(3):
Res. 2005, Francois, Sean: Gillette Sportscaster Search -
Finalist, Ms. B. Kent 3206
Res. 2006, Ripley-MacIntyre, Margie/Cobequid Consolidated
Students - Phys. Ed. Award, Mr. G. Burrill 3206
Res. 2007, Camp Lion Maxwell: Work - Recognize,
Ms. P. Birdsall 3207
Res. 2008, Dart. Commun. Concert Assoc.: Season Opening -
Congrats., Mr. A. Younger 3207
Res. 2009, Fultz Corner Restoration Soc. - Sackville Heritage
Dinner, Mr. M. Whynott 3208
Res. 2010, Dr. John C. Wickwire Acad.: Playground - HPP Funding,
Ms. V. Conrad 3208
Res. 2011, Natl. Fastpitch Tournament - Vol. Work - Recognize,
Mr. C. Porter 3209
Res. 2012, Gay, Jeanie, et al: Cdn. Cancer Soc. Relay for Life -
Congrats., Mr. C. Porter 3209
Res. 2013, Tabbiner, Lynda: Work - Congrats.,
Mr. C. Porter 3210
Res. 2014, Hamm, Janet & Harold: Veterans Wk. - Contribution,
Mr. L. Glavine 3210

[Page 3137]

HALIFAX, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2010

Sixty-first General Assembly

Second Session

7:00 P.M.

SPEAKER

Hon. Charlie Parker

DEPUTY SPEAKERS

Mr. Gordon Gosse, Mr. Leo Glavine, Mr. Alfie MacLeod

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. Before I recognize any member in the House there are a couple of introductions I'd like to do first. I'm going to introduce - at the Table tonight we have Annette Boucher, and Annette is going to be our new Assistant Clerk. I guess she is Assistant Clerk-in-Training for this week; she will be full time next week. She is also working part time with Legislative Counsel, so I just ask the House to give her a warm welcome, if you could. (Applause)

Secondly, I'd like to recognize the honourable Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs on an introduction.

The honourable Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs.

HON. PERCY PARIS: Today is quite a special day for a couple of reasons. I have two very important guests in the gallery opposite you, Mr. Speaker. First I'd like to introduce the co-author of the book Viola Desmond Won't Be Budged, which is being officially launched this evening in the Red Room. So if the House will join me in welcoming Richard Rudnicki. (Applause)

[Page 3138]

3137

Mr. Speaker, if I may, we are really blessed today, as some of the members may know that today at Government House the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia unveiled the portrait of Viola Desmond. It was very well attended and I have to say myself that the portrait was just beyond words.

We are particularly blessed here this evening because with us, in the gallery, we have Viola Desmond's sister, Emily Clyke. Mrs. Clyke has arrived from Montreal, unfortunately she couldn't make the event this morning, but she is certainly here, in full dress if I may say so, for this evening's event. I spoke to Mrs. Clyke some time ago by telephone and this had to do with the Viola Desmond pardon. I'm just thrilled and I made sure that she signed my Viola Desmond book. I could go on at great length about what a charming individual she is, but having said that, I would like to introduce Mrs. Emily Clyke to the House. (Standing Ovation)

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge a long-time serving Nova Scotian who is also in the gallery, well-known to all of us, who heads up the Black Cultural Centre for the Province of Nova Scotia, Dr. Leslie Oliver. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: We welcome all of our visitors here this evening and hope they enjoy the proceedings of the House.

The honourable Opposition House Leader.

HON. MANNING MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I rose in the House on a point of privilege last Thursday, after you ruled a question out of order without first hearing the question. When the honourable member for Dartmouth East rose in his place to ask a question, he had the right to pose the question in full, before any ruling as to whether that question was in order.

Mr. Speaker, you interjected and ruled the question out of order before it was heard. I would ask if you have had a chance to reflect on your ruling and when we can expect a response to my point of privilege.

MR. SPEAKER: I'm going to rule here on a number of points of order and points of privilege shortly, so I'll take that one in sequence.

Before we come to the daily routine, I do have a number of Speaker's Rulings. If you would bear with me, there are four of them in total, in the sequence in which they occurred.

SPEAKER'S RULING: Justice Min./Prem. Misled House (Pt. of priv. by Hon. M. Samson [Hansard p. 2925, 11/03/10]) Not a point of privilege.

[Page 3139]

The first one on Wednesday, November 3rd, the member for Richmond rose on a point of privilege. He tabled a document entitled Review of Proposed Construction of One or More New Correctional Facilities, dated October 30, 2009, which he said contradicts certain statements made in the House by both the Premier and the Minister of Justice. The honourable member for Richmond alleged that both the Minister of Justice and the Premier had misled the House.

In response, the honourable Government House Leader stated that the position taken by government was that there was no business case ever devised by the former government to build the jail facilities in question.

Before ruling on this I would like to suggest to all members that in future, if they are making a point of order or a point of privilege with respect to something that was said in the House, it would be very helpful to the process and to the Chair if they could be specific about the dates or the individual questions or answers they're referring to. Some matters certainly come up more than once, some over weeks or even months, and to simply invite the Chair to review Hansard can be quite onerous. So it would certainly be helpful to myself and to our Acting Chief Clerk in trying to determine exactly what particular statements and questions may be.

[7:15 p.m.]

I've had the Acting Chief Clerk go through Hansard for this sitting and extract the text of the questions on the matter of construction of correctional facilities. The result is 11 pages of questions and answers, and after reviewing all of them, the Chair can only conclude that two different opinions emerge about the nature of the document in question. The Opposition says the document is proof of a business case, but the government says it is a document instructed to be prepared as a review by the Department of Justice to try to get clarity as to what previous governments did with regard to this issue.

Certainly there's clearly a disagreement between members over facts with respect to the meaning of the document. Members will know that such disagreements over facts are often raised as points of order or privilege with respect to what has transpired here in Question Period. This is so commonplace that it is recognized and addressed in the parliamentary authorities. O'Brien and Bosc state the following:

"In most instances, when a point of order or a question of privilege has been raised in regard to a response to an oral question, the Speaker has ruled that the matter is a disagreement among Members over the facts surrounding the issue. As such, these matters are more a question of debate and do not constitute a breach of the rules or of privilege."

[Page 3140]

That was taken from Page 5.10 of O'Brien and Bosc. So my ruling is that there is no point of privilege in this matter.

SPEAKER'S RULING: Tabling documents in House prior to release (Pt. of privilege by Hon. M. Samson [Hansard p. 2926, 11/03/10]) No prima facie case of breach of privilege.

On Wednesday, November 3rd, the member for Richmond rose on a point of privilege. He complained that he had asked the honourable Minister of Justice to table in the House the business case the minister relied upon in making his decision to build one jail rather than two. He advised that the government had, in his words, "leaked" two documents respecting jail site review and construction matters.

It was his position that documents requested by the Opposition to be tabled should be tabled in the House and not first provided to the media. He asked me to make a determination of whether the Minister of Justice's actions and that of the government constituted a prima facie breach of privilege of the members of this House. In response, the honourable Government House Leader asserted that it is up to the government as to what it would table.

This is not the first time that such a matter has been raised in this House as a matter of privilege. The authorities are clear that a minister or government is not bound to make information sought by the Opposition available first to members of the House before anybody else. Beauchesne cites a ruling by the Speaker of the House of Commons in that regard:

"The question has often been raised whether parliamentary privilege imposes on ministers an obligation to deliver ministerial statements and to make announcements and communications to the public through the House of Commons or to make announcements or statements in the House rather than outside the chamber. The question has been asked whether Hon. Members are entitled, as part of their parliamentary privilege to receive such information ahead of the general public. I can find no precedent that justifies this suggestion."

That's from the Sixth Edition, Page 13.

I refer honourable members to an earlier Speaker's Ruling in this House that confirms that the fact members of the Opposition have requested certain information does not give rise to a breach of privilege if that information is provided.

Former Speaker Donahoe ruled on such a situation in 1982. The member for Cape Breton Nova at that time claimed that the Premier, knowing that members of the House anxiously sought information on a matter, had scornfully bypassed them and instead

[Page 3141]

communicated the information to the media, and that this constituted breach of the privileges of the members. After reviewing the authorities, the Speaker ruled that there was no prima facie breach of privilege in the communication with the media rather than in the House, and that was on May 4, 1982.

After having reviewed the matter and the authorities, I do not find there to have been a prima facie case of a breach of privilege.

SPEAKER'S RULING: Speaker ruling question out of order before hearing the question (Pt. of order by Hon. S. McNeil [Hansard p. 3040, 11/04/10]) Not a point of order.

A point of privilege was raised by the honourable Opposition House Leader with respect to my ruling, that a question to a minister with respect to a personnel matter falling under the jurisdiction of the Speaker was out of order.

It is out of order for a member to ask a minister a question about the Speaker or about a matter falling under the administration of the Speaker. Members should not question the ministry on any activities of the Speaker. The purpose of Question Period is to facilitate the questioning of the Executive Branch. The Speaker is not part of the ministry. Beauchesne states the following: "A question may not . . . reflect on the character or conduct of the Speaker or other occupants of the Chair . . ." That's from Page 122.

The issue is dealt with specifically in An Introduction to the Procedure of the House of Commons by Campion, which states:

"A Question should be directed to a Minister officially responsible for the subject-matter with which it deals.

Without detracting from the generality of this rule, the following types of Questions are out of order on this ground . . . Questions . . . dealing with matters within the jurisdiction of the Speaker. (Questions on such matters should be addressed to the Speaker by private notice.)"

I am open to private notice on that. This has been confirmed to be the practice in Nova Scotia under a Speaker's ruling on April 22, 1980, in which the Speaker advised the House that matters coming under the administration of the Speaker should not be addressed to ministers during Question Period, but that the question should be addressed to the Speaker outside of this House to get an answer. In that case, a question was being asked about the Chief Electoral Officer who, like the Chief Clerk, falls under the administration of the Speaker. Speaker Donohoe stated that if there is a question relating to any function that comes under the jurisdiction of the Speaker, it is customary to raise it outside of the House.

[Page 3142]

I'm ruling that there is no point of privilege. Questions respecting matters falling under the administration of the Speaker are not to be raised as questions to ministers in this House.

The honourable Opposition House Leader.

HON. MANNING MACDONALD: In listening to your ruling, I just want to bring a couple of facts to those who are listening to your ruling and also to members of the public who might be listening here tonight.

I find the ruling perplexing because you never heard the question. I'm just wondering how you could rule something out of order and directed at the Speaker when the question never got a chance to be asked before you ruled it out of order. The issue in question is a line item in the Minister of Finance's department and the question was going to the Minister of Finance about a severance package to a provincial government employee - not a personal employee of the Speaker, a provincial government employee who happened to be attached to the Speaker's Office.

I wonder if you would again take that under advisement? I don't know how you could rule something is out of order when you haven't heard the question. I would ask that you would give some consideration to taking another look at this issue?

MR. SPEAKER: I've made my ruling, but I will take this under advisement again if the member so wishes. I have one more Speaker's Ruling I want to reply to as well.

SPEAKER'S RULING: Member must provide documentation to prove statement (Pt. of order by Hon. C. d'Entremont [Hansard p. 3041, 11/04/10]) Not a point of order.

On Thursday, November 4, 2010, the member for Argyle rose on a point of order. The member stated that in response to the member for Digby-Annapolis, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture referenced a moratorium on aquaculture by the previous government. He stated there was no such moratorium on aquaculture and that he wanted the minister to provide this House with documentation to prove that there was a moratorium, or at least apologize that he may have gotten his facts wrong. He stated that his point of order was that he would like the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture to provide the House with more detail on the so-called moratorium or apologize for getting it wrong.

At that time, I ruled the matter was not a point of order, but certainly a difference of opinion between the two members. The member for Argyle rose again on a point of order, stating that the matter was not a difference of opinion. He advised that the minister had referenced a document stating there was a moratorium on aquaculture and that he wanted the minister to provide the document. At that point, even though I had ruled on the matter, I agreed to take the second point of order under advisement and review the matter.

[Page 3143]

I have reviewed Hansard of the question and answer complained of by the member and found no reference by the honourable Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture to any document. He did indicate that there had been some sort of moratorium. The member for Argyle says there was no moratorium. This is clearly a disagreement over facts between two members and not a point of order. Members will know that such disagreements over facts are often raised as points of order or privilege with respect to what has transpired during Question Period.

This is so commonplace that it is recognized and addressed in the parliamentary authorities and, again, I'll read from O'Brien and Bosc. It states:

"In most instances, when a point of order or a question of privilege has been raised in regard to a response to an oral question, the Speaker has ruled that the matter is a disagreement among Members over the facts surrounding the issue. As such, these matters are more a question of debate and do not constitute a breach of the rules or of privilege."

This is from Page 510.

My ruling, honourable members, is that there is no point of order in this matter. So those are the points of order, at least for this time. We'll go on to the daily routine.

PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Lunenburg West.

MR. GARY RAMEY: Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to table a petition signed by 111 of my constituents, the operative clause of which reads as follows:

"A call to repair Conquerall road to the state worthy of driving our automobiles over.

We the undersigned, demand Conquerall road be repaired, not by using temporary measures, but by using the resources available to redo the entire road from the intersection of Conquerall road with Route 331 to where it meets Highway 103, moving east to west."

Mr. Speaker, I have affixed my signature to this petition.

MR. SPEAKER: The petition is tabled.

PRESENTING REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

[Page 3144]

TABLING REPORTS, REGULATIONS AND OTHER PAPERS

STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Emergency Management.

HON. RAMONA JENNEX: Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise tonight and share, with the members of the House, important information about the safety of Nova Scotians.

First, I'd like to take a moment to recognize the new president of the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association. Paul Vienneau, from Dominion, Cape Breton, was recently elected by 900 members of the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association as their new president. Mr. Vienneau has almost 13 years of service with Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue and has participated in countless searches. I, and the staff at the Emergency Management Office, look forward to working with him in the days ahead.

I would like to ask that members of the House join me in thanking outgoing President Jay Frye. Mr. Frye has been the association president for the past year. In this time we were able to work together to clarify the needs of search and rescue volunteers around liability and financial protection. More importantly, we were able to implement solutions including helping Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue purchase liability insurance for the first time, and extending the same protections given to volunteer firefighters to ground search and rescue volunteers to better protect their families financially.

Mr. Vienneau and Mr. Frye are unable to be with us today. At a later date I will take another opportunity to introduce them to the members of the House.

[7:30 p.m.]

Last year in Nova Scotia the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue performed 27 search operations. This weekend they were called out to help the RCMP and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre with a very difficult situation in Peggy's Cove. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this very painful time.

It is clear that ground search and rescue teams are there for Nova Scotians when they are lost and in need of help. They do this work on a volunteer basis, generously giving their personal time. They also work in challenging conditions, conditions where good communications are critical. It was my pleasure earlier today to announce, in conjunction with the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association and the federal government, more support for the men and women of ground search and rescue.

[Page 3145]

This important investment is in technology. It will make Nova Scotians safer. It will better meet the needs of today's search teams and it will also help to make the difficult work ground search and rescue do a bit easier.

I know that members of the House will join me in welcoming news that the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association and the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia have successfully obtained $1.3 million of federal grant money from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat New Initiative Fund. This money will be used to provide all ground search and rescue teams in Nova Scotia with updated, standardized, hand-held, radio equipment.

When Nova Scotians are lost, they want to know that they can count on the expertise of ground search and rescue volunteers to help local first responders to find them. They will want to know that the teams have the equipment and support they need to do the jobs and to do them well.

Good communications play an essential role in a search. Today, ground search and rescue teams are using different radios that range from land VHF to marine hand-held radios. In addition, most of these radios do not allow access to the national search and rescue frequency. This can limit what ground search and rescue teams are able to do and it also can create problems when they work with teams across Nova Scotia or with other agencies.

With this grant those gaps will be closed. The new radios will improve voice communications and search efficiencies, helping ground search and rescue volunteers find people who are lost faster and with improved personal safety. The radios are equipped with GPS and this has two very special and important benefits.

When someone is lost, time is the enemy. The GPS feature will, first, allow the teams to do real-time mapping of the search area. The GPS will provide up-to-the-minute information on the area that has been covered, giving teams the information they need to make potentially life-saving decisions about search tactics. Resources and tasks will be assigned in the most efficient and effective way. Ultimately, people who are lost will be found faster.

Secondly, the GPS will improve the safety of ground search and rescue volunteers. With this feature, the location of team members equipped with a radio will be known at all times.

This important project will put the same radios in the hands of ground search and rescue teams across the province. All team members will have the same training and be part of a single network covering the entire province. Members from one team will now be able to work more easily as part of another team. All teams will be able to communicate with each other.

[Page 3146]

The new radios will also be complementary of those being used by first responders and other provinces, making communications between ground search and rescue and partner agencies more streamlined. The grant also includes funding to allow for the employment of a communications systems coordinator until March 31, 2013.

I am confident that members of this House will join me in thanking the federal government for this major investment in ground search and rescue and in the well-being of all Nova Scotians. Once complete, it will make life easier and safer and better in communities across the province. Nova Scotia is becoming a North American model for search management.

My government is very proud of the volunteer work that the teams in Nova Scotia do. With the same level of commitment with which they search for people who are lost, we are seeking thoughtful ways to continue to increase support within our means.

With that, I thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would also like to add that I did have a chance today to personally thank one of the rescuers from the Peggy's Cove ground search and rescue team. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Digby-Annapolis.

MR. HAROLD THERIAULT: Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I rise and speak to this important initiative of the government. I want to thank the minister for the copy of her statement that was sent over earlier. It seems to be an appropriate night to talk about emergency management, because in western Nova Scotia we're certainly under that watch.

All weekend I've been hearing a lot of people asking me if I had a plan for Noah's Ark, so maybe this storm will have some good in it and bring us back to Noah's days. With that, our ground search and rescue teams are crucial parts of our emergency services in Nova Scotia. I would like to say that I just wrote a letter to the minister here not long ago, and I don't know if she's received it yet. The ground search and rescue team in Digby seem to have a radio or two, but they don't have a bus. Their old bus broke down and they're having a hard job to get a new one. So I've written a letter to the minister and hopefully you'll receive that, and maybe there's some way you could help this ground search and rescue crew get a bus in the near future.

Another thing I want to bring up is the RLJ, which was lost off Digby these past few months. I tabled a petition in this House with 1,100 names on it calling for an EPIRB system, which is a GPS positioner which will go off when a boat sinks and you can go find that boat - and hopefully the people alive - much faster. That petition was tabled here for the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture to take it to the federal level, and hopefully that will materialize and bring even better search and rescue to this province.

[Page 3147]

It is a lot about our people. They're often volunteers, men and women offering up their time and energy to help in rescue efforts and search for people who may become lost. These individuals are to be commended for their efforts and the Liberal caucus is pleased to see the government come forward with this initiative today. Improvements on communication and support for our search and rescue teams can truly make the difference between life and death.

With technology advancing at a fast pace, it is good to see Nova Scotia capitalizing on these new forms of equipment to aid our search and rescue squads and help them in their efforts. The use of GPS systems has changed our world and helped our search and rescue teams immensely and they will continue to do so as they improve. With upgrading equipment and better communications, we can work to find people who have become lost and hopefully find them alive.

I'm pleased to see that the radios used will be one and the same and that all team members will be part of a single network covering the entire province, and hopefully our coastal waters too. With all teams working together on rescue efforts, our ability to locate people in a timely manner will increase.

I would like to thank the federal government for this important investment and also thank the minister for bringing this forward. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Victoria-The Lakes.

MR. KEITH BAIN: Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise this evening to speak to the minister's statement. First of all, I too would like to thank the minister for providing a copy of her remarks to our caucus earlier today.

This is great news for the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association. The minister has summed up the contributions of outgoing Ground Search and Rescue President Jay Frye perfectly. I also would like to thank Mr. Frye for his service, as well as welcoming the incoming president, Paul Vienneau, a fellow Cape Bretoner.

The work that ground search and rescue teams do is physically demanding and can be emotionally draining. They give their time voluntarily to the community and for this we should outfit them with the best equipment we can. Thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the federal government for following through on the previous government's initiative, Nova Scotia will be providing tools to our ground search and rescue crews that will ensure that they are safer and enabled to improve what they now do so well.

[Page 3148]

The grant, which comes through the National Search and Rescue Secretariat New Initiative Fund, will fund a province-wide, standardized radio communication system for our Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association. When these volunteers are out on a job communication is critical and quality communication devices are essential.

As the minister stated, the funds from this federal government grant will be used to provide all ground search and rescue teams in Nova Scotia with updated standardized hand- held radio equipment. The new radios will be able to operate in digital and analog modes and will be able to access the actual search and rescue frequency. Enabled with GPS, the devices will also make coordination between all levels of search and rescue agencies more efficient.

In closing, thank you minister for bringing this forward to the House, thank you to the 900 members of Ground Search and Rescue for the tremendous job they do. Also, thanks should be extended to our federal government for providing a $1.3 million grant. It will ensure that Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association volunteers are safer when they're out there trying to keep us safe. Thank you again.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Premier.

THE PREMIER: I rise in the House today to update the members on the distressing situation that is unfolding in southwestern Nova Scotia. High winds and heavy rain lashed much of the province this past weekend with more bad weather today and the possibility of further rain later this week.

The communities of Yarmouth, Barrington and Argyle were hit the hardest. Roads are washed out, rising water levels are threatening dams and bridges and many homes are still surrounded by water. All three areas have declared a state of emergency and officials are warning residents to stay off the roads wherever and whenever possible. I have yet to view the damage firsthand but I am told it is significant. Weather permitting, I intend to travel to the damaged areas on Wednesday, and I have invited both Opposition Leaders to join me.

At last update, the waters of the Clyde River had risen to the roads' edge in Barrington. The Garden Mills dam in Yarmouth was in danger of washing away. Families have voluntarily evacuated their homes in some areas of Annapolis and Queens County and others are on standby in Yarmouth County. I am sad to say that one young man is believed to have lost his life when he was swept into the waters off Peggy's Cove during the height of the storm. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man's friends and family.

It is clear that we have a situation that could potentially worsen if the weather does not improve. Nova Scotians need our help now. Just like in Meat Cove, I am pleased to say that officials were on the ground quickly in southwestern Nova Scotia offering information and support to those hardest hit. We won't stop there.

[Page 3149]

In the coming weeks, government will assess the damage, we will listen to Nova Scotians and we will come up with a plan to rebuild. Assessing the cost of the damage has already begun to determine, as early as possible, whether the situation qualifies for federal disaster assistance. The full assessment will take time to ensure that all damage that qualifies for disaster assistance is identified. At the same time, staff at the Department of Transportation and the Emergency Management Office are continuing to monitor water levels in the affected areas. They are sending out advisories, answering people's questions and offering support when and where it is necessary.

I want to thank those workers as well as the minister responsible for EMO for their continued attention and vigilance to this very serious situation over the past few days. The regular updates and quick response as things continue to develop have gone a long way in easing the minds of Nova Scotians during this difficult time.

[7:45 p.m.]

Mr. Speaker, I want to close by saying that government will be there for the people of southwest Nova Scotia and all the affected communities, just like we were there for the people of Meat Cove. Thank you. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

HON. STEPHEN MCNEIL: Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, associate myself with the remarks of the Premier. As a son of southwestern Nova Scotia and an MLA for the riding of Annapolis, I can tell him firsthand that the flooding situation has not stopped at the tip of our province. It is moving its way up through the coast. Just recently, before I came in here, had an opportunity to speak to our transportation workers. About a 70-foot strip of Gates Mountain has collapsed and is now one lane.

The Annapolis River has crested in many spots. If any of you have golfed at Eden Golf and Country Club, you would have passed through the Paradise Lane. Well that is cut-off today. Jack Pearl's farm that is there is completely surrounded by water. You go through a very similar situation up through Nictaux. Highway No.1 is closed, Route 201 is closed in spots. Dams through Lambs Lake and Grand Lake have crested, over top of the main dam and now hitting in what is a smaller dam. Potentially, if that goes, as it did in 2003 - a section of Highway No. 101 was lost - the bridge at the bottom of Mickey Hill now is in jeopardy, being watched very carefully.

As I had a chance to travel around my own constituency and talk to the men and women, the families who were being affected by that, one of the things that was very apparent to me was how appreciative they are of the work that is being done by the men and women on the ground in our communities. The people in the Department of Transportation

[Page 3150]

and Infrastructure Renewal have done yeoman service, really, since the beginning of last Friday, starting Friday into today, and are going around the clock, to ensure that not only people who need things in the premises, but that the motoring public understands the danger in front of them. They have gone above and beyond what we ask of them on a daily basis and we are indebted to them.

The minister today called my office, as I am sure he has called other offices, to make sure to let us know that if there's anything that he could do from his department he would be more than willing to be there and do his best, as the minister responsible for EMO has been in contact with members as early as last Friday and Saturday, letting us know about the damage that is taking place in Yarmouth and around where our new member - I was going to refer to him by name, but I guess the honourable member for Yarmouth - I want to pass on from him to you his thanks for the work that you were doing in conjunction with him, making sure that the people of Yarmouth have some sense of calmness as this is happening.

One of the challenges, as the Premier has eluded to, Mother Nature is still continuing to bless us with more water and the challenges that will be in front of us -we don't know, as a province, what the final bill will be and the damage that will be incurred by this. When I watch how the people of my constituency, and across this province, have responded, how very proud I am to be a Nova Scotian.

Dave McCoubrey, who is our Emergency Management Organization person in the County of Annapolis and looks after our towns, has been out. The Red Cross has been reaching out to families who potentially are being surrounded by water, looking if there anything they can do. As tough as this is, as difficult as this is and as challenging as it will be in the weeks to come, in terms of repairing our infrastructure, it really has brought the very best and allows us to look at what is the very best of who we are as a province, the way neighbours have responded to each other. That is one positive thing that has come out of this.

Finally, in closing, while we've talked about a lot of infrastructure, roads, bridges, dams, all of that, our caucus wants to join the Premier in passing on our condolences to the family of the young Nova Scotian who has lost his life while he was watching this from Peggy's Cove. We can repair our damages, that family will live with this forever.

Mr. Speaker, with those few remarks I'll take my place. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader in the House of the Progressive Conservative Party.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Premier for his comments today and I know the work that has been going on over the last 72 hours, in the southwestern region of Nova Scotia, really has been absolutely phenomenal.

[Page 3151]

I want to thank the Premier for his comments. Of course I want to thank the minister for her diligence in this one and the staff that surround her. It was probably at least three times that I spoke to the minister on the phone to get the updates, the many updates that came by e-mail, to know exactly where things were, what was being rolled out, and I had a very good sense of knowing, where in many cases we don't know what's going on and that's part of the problem with a natural disaster - the uncertainty that surrounds many of them. And I can tell you EMO has done a bang-up job this time in keeping people up to date and I hope that that continues over the next number of hours and over the next number of days.

I need to thank our EMO folks, of course under the guidance of John Levac; the people who have volunteered their time to help out at the comfort centres; the ground search and rescue folks that we were just talking about earlier, they've been busy today I know knocking on doors in communities that have been shut off and, therefore, being evacuated; and the many fire departments that have basically put their lives on hold and spent an inordinate amount of time pumping out basements and providing security and safety to those communities that have been shut down.

Mr. Speaker, 240 millimetres of rain is almost Biblical in its amount. It's hard to believe that amount of water had fallen in the Tusket area Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. I was very happy to say that the sun did come out right around lunchtime to give some kind of reprieve to what was going on, but even though the sun was shining we know that every hour that the water continues to rise one to two inches, rising under this constant will probably rise for the next 18 to 24 hours.

So when I visit a community like Quinan that was so hard hit, that has about eight feet of water over some of the sections of that road, you know, it's going to be even worse as it goes in. I remember six years ago when we were hit by the flood in Quinan there were many community members who got together and worked very hard but the damage was really hard to understand. I can tell you talking this morning at a comfort centre to Kevin Doucette and to Jerry Doucette, hearing the comments of my friend Robert d'Entremont of what they're putting up with - Jerry has six pumps going in his basement right now and he still has two inches of water.

That was this morning. I don't know what has happened the rest of the day. I think at some point you probably do have to give up, but he wasn't going to give up until the final point is there. Kevin Doucette has probably one of the prettiest pieces of property in my constituency, right there at the fork of the two rivers, and I don't know what's going to be left of his house if the water continues to rise.

I want to thank the Premier for coming to our area before he comes, but I do want him to come and see, I do want him to meet people like Kevin and Jerry to really understand what this small proud community is going through. I know that the Liberal Leader, as well,

[Page 3152]

and I offer that, to visit my communities and visit the men and women who are hard hit by that.

I do also want to associate myself with the condolences to the family who has lost a loved one off Peggy's Cove, and I know that's a larger debate to have as well over the next number of weeks and days, but we do send our condolences. The last thing that we want to see is a loss of life with any disaster, but it is something that does happen.

So thank you very much for everybody's concern. Over the next number of days I'll try to keep you up to date as best I can, as well from the people that I talk to. (Applause)

GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Premier.

RESOLUTION NO. 1961

THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas November 5th to November 11th marks Veterans' Week in Canada; and

Whereas Nova Scotians will gather in communities across the province to honour those who fought to protect the freedom of their families, communities, and country; and

Whereas veterans and citizens with links to the two World Wars are diminishing in number, making it more important that we not let their memories fade;

Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly, during this Veterans' Week, express its utmost respect and gratitude for the sacrifices made in the name of peace by our veterans, and urge Nova Scotians to participate with renewed vigour in Remembrance Day ceremonies to pay tribute to the sacrifices and acknowledge the horrors of war.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

[Page 3153]

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

The honourable Minister of Seniors.

RESOLUTION NO. 1962

HON. DENISE PETERSON-RAFUSE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas an estimated 4 per cent to 10 per cent of seniors in Canada are abused either physically, psychologically or financially; and

Whereas many of the signs of abuse are easy to overlook; and

Whereas preventing and addressing senior abuse is a priority of government through the Department of Seniors;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize November 6th to 12th as National Seniors Safety Week in the province and mark it this year by encouraging Nova Scotians to become more alert to signs of abuse among their friends and neighbours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Premier.

RESOLUTION NO. 1963

THE PREMIER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

[Page 3154]

Whereas this government places a high value on education and encourages Nova Scotians of all ages to continue learning and training well after they have left the public education system; and

Whereas September 8th is recognized around the world as International Literacy Day raising awareness of illiteracy rates and promoting the importance of a good education for all people; and

Whereas on September 8th, 2010, Wes Rawding of Dartmouth received the General Education Development National Award for Outstanding Achievement for achieving the highest score on the GED test in Nova Scotia;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of this Legislature recognize the importance of literacy and adult learning programs to Nova Scotians and congratulate Wes Rawding on taking the initiative to complete his high school education and achieving such outstanding results.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Health Promotion and Protection.

RESOLUTION NO. 1964

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas osteoporosis often goes unnoticed and undiagnosed until a fracture occurs; and

Whereas as many as 2 million Canadians have osteoporosis, 25 per cent of whom are women, with 12 per cent of men over age 50 at risk of developing the disease; and

[Page 3155]

Whereas Nova Scotians can reduce their risk by getting sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D and by regularly participating in weight-bearing activities such as walking, dancing and tennis;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House recognize Osteoporosis Month, show leadership by modelling healthy lifestyle practices and commend organizations that support Nova Scotians with osteoporosis.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Agriculture.

RESOLUTION NO. 1965

HON. JOHN MACDONELL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas fresh local food is good for the consumer and the local farm economy; and

Whereas local farm retail outlets provide a wide selection of the freshest and most locally grown fruits and vegetables and meats; and

Whereas Withrow's Farm Market is celebrating 25 years of retailing locally grown food;

Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly congratulate the owners and staff of Withrow's Farm Market of Rawdon for promoting and making available locally grown food for the last 25 years.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

[Page 3156]

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 Health Promotion and Protection.

[8:00 p.m.]

RESOLUTION NO. 1966

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Burnley "Rocky" Jones has dedicated his life to advocating for racial and judicial equity; and

Whereas Mr. Jones is a co-founder of the Black United Front and helped create both the Dalhousie Transition Year Program and the Dalhousie Law School Indigenous Blacks and Mi'kmaq Initiative; and

Whereas Mr. Jones is a leader in both the Aboriginal and African Nova Scotian communities and is one of this year's recipients of the prestigious Order of Nova Scotia;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House congratulate Burnley "Rocky" Jones for being awarded the Order of Nova Scotia and for dedicating his career to human rights.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

[Page 3157]

The motion is carried.

The honourable Minister of Agriculture.

RESOLUTION NO. 1967

HON. JOHN MACDONELL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas food grown and produced in our fields, our orchards, our greenhouses and our farm buildings is delicious, nutritious and a source of pride and economy for farmers and all Nova Scotians; and

Whereas farmers are constantly improving their products and innovating their industry as they look for opportunities to discuss how farming can continue to enhance our economy and environment; and

Whereas the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture has invited all members of this Legislature to a locally-grown breakfast, to share ideas on these important topics;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House celebrate the hard work of our local producers and processors by joining Richard Melvin, president and Beth Densmore, 1st vice-president, of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture for a locally-farmed breakfast beginning at 8:00 a.m., November 9th at the Delta Barrington in Halifax.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Health Promotion and Protection.

RESOLUTION NO. 1968

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

[Page 3158]

Whereas on average, 394 Canadians die every week from lung cancer and another 450 Canadians are diagnosed with lung cancer on a weekly basis; and

Whereas lung cancer is caused by many lifestyle and environmental factors, such as smoking or long-term exposure to second-hand smoke, and air pollution; and

Whereas lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer death in Nova Scotia, an estimated 970 Nova Scotia will die of lung cancer this year;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of the House acknowledge Lung Cancer Awareness Month, show leadership by making healthy lifestyle choices and encourage Nova Scotians to embrace the Year of the Lung motto, "Live, Learn and Breathe."

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Health .

RESOLUTION NO. 1969

HON. MAUREEN MACDONALD: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Mathieu Da Costa Challenge is an annual writing and artwork contest for youth; and

Whereas the contest encourages youth to learn and share the contributions that people of Aboriginal, African and other ethno-cultural backgrounds have made to Canada; and

Whereas 17-year-old Clara Halfpenny of Pictou won first place in the 16- to 18-year- old original English writing category for her account of the night Viola Desmond was arrested;

[Page 3159]

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House congratulate Ms. Halfpenny on winning this prestigious contest and for sharing the story of Viola Desmond with the rest of Canada, and wish her continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Cape Breton North.

HON. CECIL CLARKE: Mr. Speaker, several individuals who have an interest in and concern with the protection of cemeteries and monuments have joined us in the west gallery here this evening. As I say their names, I would ask that they stand and be acknowledged by the members.

Representing the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command, from the Calais Branch 162, we have President Rita Connors; Carol MacDonald, who is treasurer of the Calais Branch; and Support Officer Ted Connors from the Calais Branch.

We have Bill Mosher, chief director of the HRM Fire Service with us. We have Sheila Butler from the Catholic Cemetery Association. Welcome, Sheila. She is also joined by a familiar face from Democracy 250, Tony Purchase, who did a lot of work. Welcome, Tony, to the Legislature. We also have Lorraine Lafferty from the Holy Cross Cemetery Trust, and I welcome her. (Applause)

I thank our honourable colleagues for giving them a warm welcome during this Week of Remembrance.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

Bill No. 86 - Entitled an Act to Amend Chapter 9 of the Acts of 1998. The Cemeteries Protection Act. (Hon. Cecil Clarke)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Justice.

[Page 3160]

HON. ROSS LANDRY: Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as Attorney General and pursuant to Section 51 of the Judicature Act, I hereby beg leave to table a revision to the Nova Scotia Civil Procedures Rules that were made in accordance with the Judicature Act.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. Is this an introduction of a bill? It sounds like you're tabling regulations or papers. If it's an introduction of a bill, I'll entertain that.

MR. LANDRY: Well, it's an amendment to the Act.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Justice on the introduction of a bill.

Bill No. 87 - Entitled an Act to Amend Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2003 (Second Session). The Court Jurisdiction and Proceedings Transfer Act. (Hon. Ross Landry)

Bill No. 88 - Entitled an Act to Amend Chapter 450 of the Revised Statutes of 1989. The Summary Proceedings Act. (Hon. Ross Landry)

MR. SPEAKER: Ordered that these bills be read a second time on a future day.

NOTICES OF MOTION

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Victoria-The Lakes.

RESOLUTION NO. 1970

MR. KEITH BAIN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Cabot Trail has long been a Nova Scotia diamond of nature and visitors have travelled to view the breathtaking scenery; and

Whereas members of HOG, or Harley Owner Group magazine were asked to select the best famous road to ride in the world from 10 different international routes; and

Whereas in August 2010 Cape Breton's scenic Cabot Trail received 97 per cent of the votes cast by the 1,000 members who participated;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House join with HOG in recognizing the Cabot Trail as the best famous road to ride in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[Page 3161]

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 Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville.

MR. MAT WHYNOTT: Mr. Speaker, with your indulgence, am I permitted to make an introduction, please?

MR. SPEAKER: Certainly.

MR. WHYNOTT: Mr. Speaker, in the east gallery, it is a pleasure for me to introduce to the House members of my community. I would like to introduce Paul and Linda Warner who are good family friends, they have a cottage next to ours in Pugwash, and also Carrie Warner-Smith and Terri Boutilier who are here on behalf of the resolution I'm about to read. So if the House would give them a warm welcome. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Hammonds Plains-Upper Sackville.

RESOLUTION NO. 1971

MR. MAT WHYNOTT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Carrie Warner-Smith, Terri Boutilier, and their staff opened the doors of Willow Creek Children's Centre for business on October 18, 2010; and

Whereas the child care centre is a brand new building on Sackville Drive in the heart of Middle Sackville; and

Whereas the clean, bright and friendly facility promotes the emergent curriculum and focuses on letting the children discover their own interests for learning and build on those;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of the House of Assembly welcome Carrie Warner-Smith and Terri Boutilier of the Willow Creek Children's Centre to the Middle Sackville community and congratulate them on their facility's opening which will well serve the people of Sackville, Lucasville and Hammonds Plains.

[Page 3162]

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Halifax Clayton Park.

RESOLUTION NO. 1972

MS. DIANA WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas at the convocation ceremony on October 24, 2010 Dr. Ramona Lumpkin was installed as the 12th president and vice-chancellor of Mount Saint Vincent University; and

Whereas Dr. Lumpkin holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Kentucky and is a former Fulbright Scholar with a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator at Huron University College and Royal Roads University in Victoria, among others; and

Whereas throughout her career Dr. Lumpkin has also been actively engaged in women's studies, advocating on behalf of women's issues and serving her community as a volunteer with many not-for-profit organizations;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House congratulate Dr. Ramona Lumpkin on her recent appointment as president and vice-chancellor and wish her every success in the future as she builds on the strong history and reputation of Mount Saint Vincent University.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

[Page 3163]

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

The honourable member for Colchester North.

RESOLUTION NO. 1973

HON. KAREN CASEY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Great Village Fire Department presented the 1st Steve Francis Memorial Award for Business of the Year at their annual firemen's banquet this year; and

Whereas Steve, the brigade's radio operator for almost 15 years, passed away two years ago at the radio while on duty with the department while men were out for two separate calls; and

Whereas Steve was known for his contributions to the community, including the Canada Day events, the annual Garden Club plant sale, and activities of the fire department as well as having been a Cub leader and a baseball coach;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of the House of Assembly congratulate Eric and Priscilla Jennings, owners of the Masstown Market, for being the recipients of the 1st Steve Francis Memorial Award for Business of the Year for their consistent support of the village's fire brigade.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[8:15 p.m.]

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.

[Page 3164]

The motion is carried.

The honourable Minister of Community Services.

RESOLUTION NO. 1974

HON. DENISE PETERSON-RAFUSE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas on August 14th the 250th Anniversary Committee of Chester Basin and the New Ross Farm Museum joined forces to take part in an historic re-enactment; and

Whereas this re-enactment was the journey that traditional oxen teams would have made hauling wagon loads of freight from New Ross to Chester Basin where a Tancook whaler would be waiting to receive their goods; and

Whereas nine teams of oxen took part in this event, which was five years in the planning and took an amazing amount of dedication and time;

Therefore be it resolved that the House of Assembly congratulate the communities of New Ross and Chester Basin on their dedication to bringing history alive for so many people to enjoy.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Clare.

HON. WAYNE GAUDET: Mr. Speaker, before I read my resolution I would like to make an introduction, please.

MR. SPEAKER: Certainly.

[Page 3165]

MR. GAUDET: Mr. Speaker, through you and to all members of the House, sitting in our west gallery is a former member of this Assembly, a former member for Clare, Guy LeBlanc. I would like to ask all my colleagues to extend a warm welcome to Guy LeBlanc who is sitting this evening taking it in and taking notes. Welcome, Guy. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Clare.

RESOLUTION NO. 1975

HON. WAYNE GAUDET: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Women's Auxiliary of the Yarmouth Regional Hospital hosted their 50th Annual Hullabaloo recently; and

Whereas the Clare Coordinator, Yvonne Saulnier and her team of volunteers raised over $11,500 for the hospital; and

Whereas the Women's Auxiliary has served the Yarmouth hospital for over a century;

Therefore be it resolved that members of this House of Assembly join me in thanking the dedicated volunteers from Clare in helping to make this annual Women's Auxiliary of the Yarmouth Regional Hospital Hullabaloo a successful fundraising event.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Cape Breton North.

RESOLUTION NO. 1976

HON. CECIL CLARKE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

[Page 3166]

Whereas at its Fall graduation Cape Breton University celebrated the stellar career and outstanding accomplishments of Ronald D. Stewart, a Cape Breton doctor, community activist, teacher and pioneer in emergency medicine with an honorary doctorate; and

Whereas after receiving his medical degree, Dr. Stewart became the first medical director of paramedic training for the County of Los Angeles and continued his noteworthy work in the cities of Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Calgary, to name a few; and

Whereas in 1993, he was elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature representing the constituency of Cape Breton North, became the Minister of Health until 1996, and is currently a professor emeritus in medical education as a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly join me in congratulating Dr. Stewart on his well-deserved honour from Cape Breton University.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

RESOLUTION NO. 1977

HON. WILLIAM ESTABROOKS: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Paul Boutilier of Boutilier's Lawn and Garden in Upper Tantallon recently received a Certificate of Appreciation from Scouts Canada; and

Whereas each Spring, for the past 30 years, Paul Boutilier has worked with Scouts from the St. Margarets Bay area to assist in their annual fertilizer sale; and

Whereas this fundraiser is invaluable in helping finance scouting activities in our community;

[Page 3167]

Therefore be it resolved that the Nova Scotia Legislature congratulate and thank Paul Boutilier of Boutilier's Lawn and Garden for his commitment to local Scouts and to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 East.

RESOLUTION NO. 1978

MR. ANDREW YOUNGER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the éQuinoxe Germany Screenwriters Workshop is a prestigious and internationally-recognized program facilitating effective script development in collaboration between writers and filmmakers around the world; and

Whereas Josh MacDonald of Dartmouth is one of only 10 screenwriters selected by an international jury to participate in the éQuinoxe Germany Screenwriters Workshop for his project, Over Under Through, from October 25th to November 1st; and

Whereas Josh MacDonald is the first North American screenwriter to participate in the éQuinoxe Germany Screenwriters Workshop;

Therefore be it resolved that members of the House of Assembly congratulate Josh MacDonald on his outstanding achievement and wish him continued success in his future artistic endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

[Page 3168]

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 Leader in the House of the Progressive Conservative Party.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Speaker, I'd like to make a quick introduction.

MR. SPEAKER: Certainly.

MR. D'ENTREMONT: I just want to bring your attention to the west gallery, to my favourite constituent. My wife, Anne, is in the gallery sitting next to Guy. I just wanted (Interruption) Yes, she is a saint, so I give her a warm welcome to the House. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader in the House of the Progressive Conservative Party.

RESOLUTION NO. 1979

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Police Long Service Award and Medal was established to recognize the respect, appreciation, and outstanding career of Nova Scotians who serve and protect; and

Whereas the Province of Nova Scotia annually recognizes the career success of officers who contribute not only to the police service but also to the well-being and strength of their communities; and

Whereas our families, neighbours, communities, province, and country are more safe and secure thanks to the 24-hour, seven-days-a-week service that our valued police officials provide;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly join with me in recognizing Staff Sergeant Frank Landry of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and extend congratulations, thanks, and appreciation for his 15 years of long service, as recognized at a ceremony on November 2nd.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[Page 3169]

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 Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.

HON. RAMONA JENNEX: Mr. Speaker, may I have permission to do an introduction?

MR. SPEAKER: Yes, you may.

MS. JENNEX: This must be the evening to have favourite constituents in the gallery, because I would like to draw attention to the east gallery. My youngest daughter, Brianne Williams, is joining us this evening. Brianne is in her third year at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and instead of studying this evening she is here to share in the history of Nova Scotia by being here in the House with us. I would like everyone to welcome my Brianne. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.

RESOLUTION NO. 1980

HON. RAMONA JENNEX: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas 89.3 K-Rock, the Valley's classic rock radio station, supports a variety of programs in and around the Valley area, including the Annapolis Valley Regional Libraries, holding school supply drives, and participating in fundraising ladder sits, enabling the fire departments to continue to do their job on the ground; and

Whereas in August 2010, K-Rock staff collected 22,000 pounds of food for the Valley food banks, adding to the 33,000 collected in the previous two years; and

[Page 3170]

Whereas on September 22, 2010, 89.3 K-Rock presented a cheque for $4,800 for the purchase of equipment to the Acadia School of Music and a cheque for $36,000 to the Annapolis Valley School Board in support of the music program;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of the House of Assembly commend 89.3 K-Rock's staff and volunteers for their ongoing contributions to the Valley community and on the tremendous success K-Rock has achieved in supporting the people and places that make the Valley such a great place to live.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

MR. SPEAKER: Since everyone is introducing people in the House tonight, I know I'd be in trouble if I didn't introduce my good wife up in the gallery and ask you to give a warm welcome to Marilyn, who's in the Speaker's Gallery. (Applause)

The honourable member for Bedford-Birch Cove.

RESOLUTION NO. 1981

MS. KELLY REGAN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services were presented Thursday, November 4, 2010; and

Whereas the $5,000 Peter F. Drucker Award for Non-profit Management was presented to Alice Housing in recognition of their consistent record of excellence and innovation in the Management and Delivery of Services category; and

Whereas for the fifth time in seven years Alice Housing was named the winner in the Provision of Basic Necessities category, claiming another $5,000 prize;

[Page 3171]

Therefore be it resolved that members of this House of Assembly congratulate the staff and board of Alice Housing for their two awards at the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards and wish them continued success in their future endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Cape Breton West.

RESOLUTION NO. 1982

MR. ALFIE MACLEOD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas local Sydney River resident and professional photographer Katheryn Gordon is well known for her hard work and talent; and

Whereas Ms. Gordon is noted for many awards and prizes in photography and three of her portraits have been chosen to be included in the National Loan Collection; and

Whereas Ms. Gordon recently realized a dream when she won the coveted 2010 Canadian Portrait Photographer of the Year Award at the Professional Photographers of Canada convention in Mont Tremblant, Quebec;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly acknowledge, compliment and congratulate Katheryn Gordon on achieving this award that was presented by her peers in her chosen profession.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

Is it agreed?

[Page 3172]

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.

RESOLUTION NO. 1983

MS. LENORE ZANN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas in the late 1940s the Truro Community Players was formed, becoming the Colchester Players in 1960; and

Whereas Truro's Hubtown Theatre was founded in the Fall of 1980 and Spring of 1981 and presents high-quality, comedic and dramatic productions that are always much enjoyed and very well attended; and

Whereas on October 13, 2010, Hubtown Theatre's production of the play, Home Games, in the Marigold Theatre, launched the company's 30th season of dramatic entertainment for the citizens of Truro and area;

Therefore be it resolved that the Nova Scotia Legislature congratulate Hubtown Theatre of Truro on its 30th Anniversary and wish the company many more years of providing quality dramatic entertainment.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Preston.

[Page 3173]

RESOLUTION NO. 1984

HON. KEITH COLWELL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas in 2004, David McIntyre of Minesville, Austin Estabrooks of Lake Echo and Laurie Taylor of Lawrencetown decided to form a group, Foxwood, and play for seniors and charitable groups in the area for free; and

Whereas in 2006, Jerry Shaw of Oyster Pond replaced Laurie Taylor on bass guitar and with David on guitar and Austin playing the fiddle, the trio sings classic music favourites as well as Maritime Irish and Christmas music; and

Whereas the band supplies all their own equipment and have never accepted payment from any group, travelling as far as Cape Breton and Upper Musquodoboit, playing two or three times a month, practising every Friday night and have no plans to retire;

Therefore be it resolved that members of this House recognize the selflessness of this group and their supportive wives and wish them all the best with their continuous gift of giving throughout the entire year.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

[8:30 p.m.]

The honourable member for Inverness.

RESOLUTION NO. 1985

MR. ALLAN MACMASTER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

[Page 3174]

Whereas the Port Hawkesbury Lions Club is celebrating 50 years of community service; and

Whereas the members of this club have given of themselves, their time, their fundraising abilities, their kindness, their hope and confidence to others; and

Whereas over the years this club has helped to purchase a rescue truck for the fire department, a bus for the community, a Zamboni for the former Port Hawkesbury arena, a portable X-ray machine and ultrasound for the Strait Richmond Hospital, a playground for local children, and has offered countless gestures of goodwill;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly recognize the Port Hawkesbury Lions Club for making a difference for the people of their community and wish them many more years of dedicated service.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Queens.

RESOLUTION NO. 1986

MS. VICKI CONRAD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Astor Theatre, located in Liverpool, Queens County, has been a performing arts venue for over 100 years; and

Whereas the Astor Theatre is fundamental to the vitality and long-term health of cultural life in Queens County; and

[Page 3175]

Whereas funding through the Operating Assistance to Cultural Organizations of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, has provided $22,000 to enhance the stability of the Astor Theatre;

Therefore be it resolved that the House of Assembly recognize the Astor Theatre for their contributions to the cultural life of Queens County and wish them great success in all of their cultural endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

RESOLUTION NO. 1987

MR. HAROLD THERIAULT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas in May of this year the Digby Regional High School Envirothon team participated in the provincial Envirothon competition at Acadia University; and

Whereas the team of Rebecca Alexander, Jamie-Lee Berends, Stacy Comeau, Marley Gidney and Kayla Tidd put in a strong showing, placing first in Aquatics and second in Soils, making it to the top three of the 16 teams participating; and

Whereas the team's oral presentation was deemed the best by the judges, even though they were edged out of first place after the overall scoring by just 2.25 points in the exciting finish;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of the House of Assembly congratulate the Digby Regional High School Envirothon team for their second place finish at the provincial

Envirothon competition and wish them well in their future environmental endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[Page 3176]

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 Victoria-The Lakes.

RESOLUTION NO. 1988

MR. KEITH BAIN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing has announced a unanimous decision in favour of the accrediting of Cape Breton University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program; and

Whereas this was Cape Breton University's first accreditation review as an independent nursing program; and

Whereas approval from the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia was also granted and is required to keep the program in operation;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly applaud the nursing faculty, administration and students of Cape Breton University, as well as the many community partners, in achieving their common goal of approval and accreditations.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

[Page 3177]

The honourable member for Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage.

RESOLUTION NO. 1989

MS. BECKY KENT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Wall of Recognition located at Tallahassee Community School is a community-based celebration of outstanding volunteers in Eastern Passage/Cow Bay and is an initiative sponsored by the long-standing community newspaper The Beacon; and

Whereas the board of directors of The Beacon newspaper established the Wall of Recognition initiative in order to recognize those individuals who have "enriched the lives of others" through volunteerism and community service; and

Whereas on October 13, 2010, Florence "Granny" Crosby was this year's recipient to be recognized for her dedicated service to the community, having worked tirelessly to help others and to make her community a better place, in particular in her role as a long-standing member of the Caen Branch Legion;

Therefore be it resolved that this Nova Scotia House of Assembly congratulate Florence "Granny" Crosby on being presented with the 2010 Wall of Recognition Award at the Tallahassee Community School in Eastern Passage.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Halifax Clayton Park.

RESOLUTION NO. 1990

[Page 3178]

MS. DIANA WHALEN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Vanessa MacLellan, a fourth year student in the Bachelor of Science in Applied Human Nutrition at Mount Saint Vincent University, has distinguished herself academically and through her research with faculty members; and

Whereas Vanessa has received numerous scholarships and awards recognizing her scholastic ability and volunteer work with the Canadian Diabetes Association, MSVU's Student Nutrition Services, and the Canadian Obesity Network, to name just a few; and

Whereas on November 18, 2010, Vanessa will join an outstanding group of women from diverse backgrounds when she receives the Young Woman of Distinction Award from the Canadian Progress Club, Halifax-Cornwallis, at a gala dinner;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House congratulate Vanessa on receiving this prestigious award and wish her continued success in all her future endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Colchester North.

RESOLUTION NO. 1991

HON. KAREN CASEY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation Award recognizes an individual who has performed commendable service to the veteran community and/or an individual who represents a commendable role model for their fellow veterans; and

[Page 3179]

Whereas 80-year-old James Chipman is a Korean War veteran, a retired member of the Canadian Forces, and a member of Branch 72 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Great Village; and

Whereas he helps veterans get needed assistance, visits them in nursing homes, decorates graves of local veterans on Flag Day, takes part in local Remembrance Day ceremonies, and mentors active Canadian Forces members;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly congratulate James Chipman for receiving this prestigious award and for being asked to attend a gala dinner in Toronto to dine with Her Majesty The Queen.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Halifax Citadel-Sable Island.

RESOLUTION NO. 1992

MR. LEONARD PREYRA: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas on November 8, 1946, Viola Desmond was arrested for sitting in a whites-only section of a New Glasgow movie theatre; and

Whereas on April 15, 2010, the Province of Nova Scotia granted an official apology and free pardon to the late Viola Desmond; and

Whereas tonight is the official launch of Viola Desmond Won't be Budged, a children's story written by Jody Nyasha Warner and illustrated by Richard Rudnicki;

Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly congratulate Jody Nyasha Warner and Richard Rudnicki for retelling the Viola Desmond story, and for reminding us

[Page 3180]

that one person can make a difference, and of our individual and collective right and responsibility to defend and promote fundamental freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Kings West.

RESOLUTION NO. 1993

MR. LEO GLAVINE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Velma Kinsman has always stepped up to help out in her community, serving on many boards and associations including the Kingston Area Seniors' Association, the Kingston Steer BBQ, and a variety of groups within the community; and

Whereas Velma's a true community leader, in 1965 she was the first president of the Kingston Fire Department's Women's Auxiliary and in 1979 she was the first woman to be elected to the Village Commission; and

Whereas Velma's efficient work ethic, coupled with her involvement in community events, is why she has been named as Kingston's 2010 Volunteer of the Year;

Therefore be it resolved that members of this House of Assembly congratulate Velma Kinsman on being named as Kingston's Volunteer of the Year and wish her many years of continued good work.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

[Page 3181]

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

The honourable Leader in the House of the Progressive Conservative Party.

RESOLUTION NO. 1994

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas few people know what life can be like as a paraplegic, but Lorraine Scott-Bain of Plymouth was just 23 years old when in May 1979, injuries she sustained in a car accident left her confined to a wheelchair; and

Whereas Lorraine Scott-Bain did not let these circumstances overtake her life and went on to marry, give birth to a son and daughter, design her home to fit her needs, and continue to go on fishing excursions, bus, and plane trips; and

Whereas Lorraine Scott-Bain has a philosophy that life is what you make it and chooses to live each day as a new day, and she decided to write a book entitled Rolling Through Life about her experiences as a paraplegic to try and help other people in wheelchairs;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly join me in congratulating Lorraine Scott-Bain on publishing her book Rolling Through Life, thank her for sharing her experiences with others, and wish her the best of luck in the sale of her book and best wishes for continued good health.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

[Page 3182]

RESOLUTION NO. 1995

MR. MAURICE SMITH: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Antigonish native Chelsey Gotell has been swimming since age eight and by age 14 had qualified for the Paralympics; and

Whereas Chelsey Gotell, now 24 years old, is a two-time paralympian and won two gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games; and

Whereas on Monday, August 16, 2010, Chelsey Gotell set a personal best time of 1:23:10 and won a gold medal in the women's S13 100-metre breaststroke for the visually impaired at the International Paralympic Committee swimming championship in the Netherlands;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House congratulate Chelsey Gotell on her accomplishments and wish her continued success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Clare.

RESOLUTION NO. 1996

HON. WAYNE GAUDET: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

[Page 3183]

Whereas Chantal Surette, a Grade 9 student at École secondaire de Clare along with 40 Nova Scotian students, joined 450 budding scientists at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Peterborough, Ontario, this past May; and

Whereas to qualify, Miss Surette participated in the Science Showcase in Halifax, where she won the Peer Choice Award; and

Whereas Chantal Surette won a gold medal for her project, which explored a new way to capture energy from waves;

Therefore be it resolved that members of this House of Assembly congratulate Chantal Surette from École secondaire de Clare for her gold medal in Engineering at the Canada-Wide Science Fair and wish her continued success in all future endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 West.

RESOLUTION NO. 1997

MR. CHUCK PORTER: Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the honourable member for Cape Breton West, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas upon checking into the Bedford Motel, Tracey Stewart was alerted that another guest, Randy Stewart, was experiencing difficulties in the pool; and

Whereas brave and quick-thinking Tracey jumped into the pool and extracted the unresponsive man; and

Whereas after five minutes of CPR compressions, Tracey was able to revive the man;

[Page 3184]

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly commend Tracey Stewart on her calm reaction to a critical situation and for being a true hero, employing her knowledge and skill to avert a tragedy from happening on November 21, 2009.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[8:45 p.m.]

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 Lunenburg West.

RESOLUTION NO. 1998

MR. GARY RAMEY: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas William Roy Ramey was a veteran of both the First and Second World Wars, serving as a machine gunner assigned to the 112th Battalion in the First and in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second; and

Whereas in First World War, William Roy Ramey saw action at Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, Arras, Cambrai, Mons, the Somme, and Ypres; and

Whereas William Roy Ramey, my father and my hero, served with many other brave men and women, the sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers of many other Nova Scotians, many of whom paid the supreme sacrifice;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House acknowledge the selflessness and courage of William Roy Ramey and all the other brave Canadians, past and present, who contributed so much to achieving the freedoms we enjoy today, and further pledge to never forget them.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

[Page 3185]

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 Bedford-Birch Cove

RESOLUTION NO. 1999

MS. KELLY REGAN: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas in 2006, the Bedford Lions Club made a pledge to donate $100,000 to the Cobequid Community Health Centre, a pledge they had eight years to fulfill; and

Whereas the club made its final payment on that pledge at its Charter Night on October 23, 2010, four years early; and

Whereas the Lions Club is known for its philanthropic support of worthy projects in the Bedford area, so much so that the club was named Bedford Volunteer of the Year in 1990;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of this House roar their approval of the Bedford Lions efforts to support the Cobequid Centre, and wish them all good fortune with their future club endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

[Page 3186]

The honourable member for Inverness.

RESOLUTION NO. 2000

MR. ALLAN MACMASTER: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Kelly and Patrick Austin received the 2010 Self Employment Benefit Program Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Outstanding Achievement; and

Whereas the Austins purchased Farmer's Daughter Country Market to ensure that the business would remain in the family; and

Whereas the Austin family has created employment for people in their community and provides a market for locally grown and prepared food;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly congratulate Kelly and Patrick Austin on this well-deserved award and wish them a successful future.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Kings North.

RESOLUTION NO. 2001

MR. JIM MORTON: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas genealogical research has historical importance, encourages visits to Nova Scotia, and supports the process of self-differentiation; and

[Page 3187]

Whereas genealogist and Kings Historical Society volunteer Wayne Baltzer of Centreville has made it his business for the past half-decade to encourage interest in such research by leaving unexpected genealogical messages in local cemeteries; and

Whereas Mr. Baltzer's unique contribution has stimulated considerable media interest and help put the Kings Historical Society on the map;

Therefore be it resolved that the Nova Scotia House of Assembly congratulate Wayne Baltzer for his genealogical creativity, for his work with the Kings Historical Society, and for his efforts to encourage Nova Scotians and others to do valuable research into their family histories.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Lunenburg.

RESOLUTION NO. 2002

MS. PAM BIRDSALL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Cycle for Art bike ride event was named for long-time physician Art Patterson, who passed away in 2006; and

Whereas the event was originally created to raise money for the Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg but has become the signature fundraising event for the Health Services Foundation on the South Shore; and

Whereas the fourth annual Cycle for Art fundraiser has generated almost $20,000 in three years;

Therefore be it be resolved that this House of Assembly recognize the important work of the organizers and participants in the fourth annual Cycle for Art event, which took place

[Page 3188]

in Lunenburg on September 18th of this year, for their contribution to the Health Services Foundation and the Fishermen's Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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 Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.

RESOLUTION NO. 2003

MR. GARY BURRILL: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council has recently named Don Kennedy of Upper Stewiacke the winner of its 2009 Distinguished Co-operator Award; and

Whereas Don began working in the co-op movement at the age of 17 and over the years has served as manager, board member, vice-president, and president of the Upper Stewiacke Co-op and as a board member and chair of both Arimathea Funeral Co-op and the Springside and Heritage Credit Union; and

Whereas Don continues to be active in the co-op movement, serving on the board of Farmers Dairy Co-op and as chair of the Riverside Cemetery Co-op;

Therefore be it be resolved that this House of Assembly congratulate Don Kennedy for his many past and ongoing contributions to the co-operative movement of our province.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

MR. SPEAKER: There has been a request for waiver.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

[Page 3189]

Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

The honourable Minister of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.

RESOLUTION NO. 2004

HON. RAMONA JENNEX: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the mission of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia is to improve the quality of life for those affected by schizophrenia and psychosis through education, support programs, public policy, and research; and

Whereas the Kings County chapter of the Schizophrenia Society adopts this mission and is a volunteer mental health organization based in the Annapolis Valley, focusing on family-sensitive and community-based caring that participates in fund-raising activities necessary to meet their objectives; and

Whereas on October 3, 2010, the Kings County Walk the World for Schizophrenia fundraiser was held in support of those individuals living with schizophrenia;

Therefore be it resolved that the members of the House of Assembly congratulate the organizers of the Kings County Walk the World for Schizophrenia event for their ongoing support of those living with schizophrenia and for their dedication to the improvement of the quality of life for those who are affected by this disorder.

Mr. Speaker, I request waiver of notice and passage without debate.

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.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.

[Page 3190]

HON. FRANK CORBETT: Mr. Speaker, would you please call the order of business, Public Bills for Second Reading.

PUBLIC BILLS FOR SECOND READING

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. FRANK CORBETT: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 82.

Bill No. 82 - Offshore Licencing Policy Act

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Richmond.

HON. MICHEL SAMSON: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to again say a few words on Bill No. 82. I truly enjoyed Friday, having the opportunity to reflect again on some family history and my own experiences in the fishing industry growing up. The term was - at the time I was missing the term for fully describing the type of fishing we did, but it's called long-lining, and that's the big difference between long-lining and trawling. Trawling is where basically you are pulling a net behind a vessel, whereas long-lining is actually, as I described on Friday, the use of a trawl with snoods and hooks attached to it, which I would suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, had we kept to that method of fishing in this province and in this country, we probably still would have a healthy cod fishery here today. Unfortunately, the idea of trawling and the massive damage that did to stocks and the fact that it pretty much picked up everything that was on bottom of the ocean regardless of what species was being fished for, had a devastating effect.

I would like to think that the longliners were the first real environmentalists in the way of fishing in the commercial fishery for sure. But in the pursuit of money and making a quick dollar, it was not considered to be the most efficient way of fishing. I know longlining still takes place in some areas of southwestern Nova Scotia, along Georges Bank. Again, it goes to the whole concern of whether this bill is actually going to put the sufficient end to the prospects of exploration or actual drilling on Georges Bank. I look forward to hearing the comments from the Minister of Energy at the conclusion of second reading. Hopefully to be able to address the concerns that were more specifically pointed out by my colleague, the member for Digby-Annapolis and as well my colleague the member for Dartmouth East that gave some of the specific concerns that they had.

As I mentioned on Friday, this is a debate which I don't think any of us - regardless of where we sit in the House of Assembly - are interested in continuing to have on a regular basis because it has been a very divisive debate. It's one that has caused a great deal of concern for residents along the entire South Shore of our province and throughout our entire province, knowing the importance that Georges Bank has.

[Page 3191]

As well, it raises the concern of what are we doing as a province when you look at the lobster fishery and scallop fishery and other fisheries that are coming from Georges Bank and throughout our province. How much effort is being done by the government to work with fishermen and with fisheries organizations to look at value-added for our products?

Recently I saw where one of the representatives for the lobster industry was talking about how Europeans were going to soon be demanding that there be a standard applied to any fishery products which they're purchasing to show that they were fished in a sustainable way. They were pointing out how the lobster fishery has to make sure the message is getting out there, that fishing lobsters is actually done sustainably. There is a very rigorous process of making sure that size is respected, that egg-bearing females are not brought to shore and that this is really a very environmentally friendly way of fishing for the species.

The question becomes as well is, how much are we doing as a province to promote value-added for our lobsters? I think you're seeing more and more where fishermen themselves who once upon a time used to bring their catches to shore, sell it to a buyer and that was the end of their interest. Now you're seeing the fishermen are starting to build cages to hold lobsters in case the prices are not what they expect it should be. You're seeing where fishermen themselves are coming up to the city and other areas to get a better price for their product. Now you're starting to see slowly but surely where, for example, lobster tails are being marketed as a value-added product.

I think there are lots of opportunities there where the government can play a role - not just in throwing money at it, but doing research and encouraging some of these value-added prospects. Right now, for the most part, scallops that are caught off the Georges Bank are merely shucked and the meat from the scallop is kept and then that is what is sold. The question is, is there more to the scallop that could be used as a value-added product?

I know as well, from the aquaculture side in my own county, those that did start raising scallops, there was a question asked, was there a way of being able to sell the scallop in the shell? The idea being, when you go to a restaurant and you order Coquille St. Jacques that you'd actually have it presented in the shell. There was a question of how you package that scallop shell so it's preserved through vacuum sealing and other means. Again, that's a way of putting a value-added to those types of products and a question of how we can get an even higher value for our fishery products that are coming from Georges Bank and coming from throughout our entire province?

[9:00 p.m.]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, and I think on Friday the Government House Leader mentioned whether I was going to refer to the Arrow disaster or the Kurdistan disaster off the coast of Chedabucto Bay, off the coast of Cape Breton, off the coast of Richmond County. Ironically the Department of Environment has just undertaken a study of some of the disposal sites located both in Richmond County and Guysborough County in order to

[Page 3192]

determine what impact there has been on these sites where the crude oil that was picked up off the shore through the skimmers and the various techniques that were used at the time for the disposal of this oil, that is again a reminder to all of us of how easily a disaster can occur.

When you look at the Arrow, Cerberus Rock was well-marked on the charts; it was not a question of it not being known to seafarers and to mariners. It was well-marked but, unfortunately, an error was made and that vessel ended up on the rock and eventually did break in two and sink.

Mr. Speaker, if you speak to local fishermen and you speak to some of the divers who have gone down to the Arrow site, they are saying there are still small bubbles of oil that continue to leak from the Arrow. So that's just a reminder of a disaster that took place in the 1970s and is still showing some effects to the environment by the fact that there are still these small clumps of oil that continue to show on the surface of the water near the disaster site.

Needless to say we would never want to see such a thing occur on Georges Bank, whether it is through an oil tanker or, even worse, through drilling activity as we saw off the coast of Louisiana. Having had the opportunity this summer to attend a conference where we did have a couple of colleagues, a representative and a senator from Louisiana, talk about the devastating impact that has had on their community, on their tourism industry, and potentially on so many industries all along the coast of Louisiana and all around the area of New Orleans and that entire coast.

The government knows this - they knew it when they were in Opposition, they know it now when they are in government, and they realize the dangers that are at play. As I mentioned, I realize there is a lot of pressure from the energy industry, from the offshore industry, wanting to have new finds off Nova Scotia because we all know, right now, there is very limited activity in our offshore. We are being told that the Sable project is starting to wind down - the amount of gas being produced is reducing every year at a rate that is sometimes even faster than had been predicted, and that has an impact on the government because royalties are being reduced at the same time.

We all know that - and I'm sure the previous administration would be the first to acknowledge the significant impact that royalties from our offshore had on the revenues of this province and their ability to be able to fund new programming and the increased spending which took place in this province. That is something that is going to come to an end and we're all waiting to see whether the EnCana project is really going to move forward and whether we're going to see active production coming from that project as well.

So, Mr. Speaker, it is the challenge of being able to have the Minister of Energy as a promoter of the industry, whereas you have the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, whose role is to make sure that our environment is protected

[Page 3193]

and that our fisheries are protected, and even the Minister of Natural Resources, I'm sure, has a role to play in that as well. So that is the challenge that faces the government.

We are pleased to see that there is at least an effort to continue the moratorium. The question remains as to whether this legislation is going to be strong enough to ensure that is the case because again, Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues have mentioned that this is only going to extend it for a few years and then we face the prospect of having to go through this debate once again. What makes it even more dangerous, I believe, for the residents of the South Shore, southwestern Nova Scotia and those who rely upon Georges Bank, is knowing the fiscal pressures that are facing the government which would just increase the temptation to want to allow drilling for the prospect of more revenues for our province.

Mr. Speaker, that's not a criticism of the government; this is reality. They have said all along that they are facing financial pressure and therefore it raises the need to either make massive cuts or find new revenue. If we allow the debate to continue on Georges Bank without putting in place an iron-clad moratorium we run the risk that governments, as we move forward in the years, will be more and more tempted to try to find that additional revenue and will be willing to turn a blind eye to the concerns of the communities regarding Georges Bank and will, instead, be prepared to take the risks of offshore drilling in order to potentially add more revenues coming into the province.

As I mentioned, we certainly know in my community what impact the closure of the groundfish fishery has had, the devastating impact, and I'm sure the member for Guysborough-Sheet Harbour is very familiar with what impact it has had for him. In the last 10 years, for example, in the community of Ilse Madame, which had a population of over 4,500, we're now more than 1,000 fewer residents in a matter of 10 years. That's a devastating number for a small area such as Isle Madame - to have lost that many residents. I'm sure the member for Guysborough-Sheet Harbour could quote some similar devastating figures from his area - people who have been forced to leave due to the economic circumstances and the devastation brought on by the closure of the groundfish fishery.

Needless to say, we would never want to see that repeated in Georges Bank and to the communities of southwestern Nova Scotia. We are blessed to have such a vibrant fishery in that area which, while it has had its ups and downs, continues to be one of the most significant economic and valued products that we have in our province. Our duty, as members of this Assembly, is certainly to do everything we possibly can to ensure the safety and security of that region, of that part off our coast, and the importance that it does bring to those communities in the bountiful harvest that it has provided for so many years.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to this bill going to the Law Amendments Committee. I would hope government would take its time prior to calling it before that committee so that either NoRigs 3, or other interested parties, will have enough notice to be able to come before the Law Amendments Committee with any suggestions they might have

[Page 3194]

or any concerns as to how we might possible be able to strengthen Bill No. 82 to make sure that it truly does provide the necessary protections for Georges Bank.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to make those comments on Bill No. 82 and I look forward to the opportunity to discuss it further at a later date. Merci.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Pictou East.

MR. CLARRIE MACKINNON: Mr. Speaker, it's a pleasure for me to rise in this House tonight and discuss the bill before us, Bill No. 82, an Act Respecting a Moratorium on Petroleum Activity on Georges Bank.

Mr. Speaker, I have mentioned in this House on many occasions that I come from a coal-mining family. Certainly others can speak about growing up in fishing communities. My Dad, Tom MacKinnon, my Grandfather, Seymour MacKinnon, and my Grandfather Manson Bezanson, together, spent over 100 years in the pits of Pictou County - so why is Georges Bank important to me?

I had the pleasure, Mr. Speaker, of working in the public and the private sector of the fisheries for quite a number of years. I had worked in the voice and print media for some years, starting as a teenager. The first job I had with the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries was a public relations officer. My second job was as manager of field services, a job that I had for 13 years. I also served as aquaculture administrator and I was a marine adviser to the department in later years. I also worked in a couple of fish plants in Cape Breton and I had a fishery consulting company.

So Georges Bank is important to me. Georges Bank is important to the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Nova Scotia. Without Georges Bank and the hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in landed value that have come from Georges Bank over the years, I'm sure the Department of Fisheries would have been much smaller. It is a small department, but it would have been much smaller without Georges and the great resource that exists on Georges - certainly not as great today as it used to be, but a great resource.

When I was manager of field services in the Department of Fisheries, I actually did have a part-time fish-harvester licence for many years. I prided myself on going out on vessels. Every time a lobster season opened, I went out on either dumping day or first haul. I spent a lot of time aboard boats; I went out on gillnetters; I went out on longliners; I went out on draggers; I went on herring seiners, and I worked with the crews during those ventures to sea.

I would like to just relate perhaps the longest time that I was ever out on a vessel was a 52-footer and I spent five days on that 52-footer. Certainly I saw a lot of sea during that period and I will admit to this House that on many of the trips that I made over the years, I

[Page 3195]

did get seasick for perhaps the first day, or the first number of hours, but I certainly never let on to the crews that it happened to me. Anything that I did over the side was done without notice and sometimes into the gales themselves I found part of my contents coming to the ocean.

However, the situation is, Mr. Speaker, besides the coastal waters, and trips on the coastal waters around Nova Scotia, I went out on quite a number of the banks, from St. Annes Bank in the Sydney Bight area right through to a period of time that I spent on Browns, and that was quite an experience. To be on Browns Bank - as the member for Digby-Annapolis would know and also the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture - to be there years ago on the opening of the haddock fishery, that very, very lucrative haddock fishery on Browns, which is not quite as far out as Georges. To be on Browns was just like a city being around you, the number of lights at night, to be on Browns and see all this activity and to be waiting on Browns for the opening of the fishery, the start of that haddock fishery, to be there and, of course, some vessels would actually start a few hours before the actual opening time, in the darkness of the morning but, of course, anyone that I travelled with was very law obedient.

That experience on the coastal waters of Nova Scotia and also on the banks of Nova Scotia, and having a fish harvester's licence, a part-time licence, afforded me an opportunity to have the feel for the fishery that some of the other members in this House have actually had to a greater degree.

[9:15 p.m.]

I have to admit that the member for Digby-Annapolis and the member for Shelburne, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, they have wrung more salt water out of their socks than I have actually stood in. So I pay tribute to the men and women who have gone to sea.

I would like to perhaps recall some of the folks that I learned a lot about Georges from. As manager of field services, all of the fish reps that we had had experience in the fishing industry. I would just like to relate some of the names - certainly not all of them, but the ones that taught me a lot about Georges. I would start with Gerald Mossman. We heard from the member for Lunenburg who spoke so well about this bill. Gerald Mossman from Lunenburg County certainly knew the fishery, as did Gerald "Nick" Nickerson from The Hawk, Lower Clark's Harbour. I had the pleasure of being the boss of some of these people, but they were actually not employees, they were friends and we spent a lot of time together.

Certainly I have to mention Arnold Muise - "Uncle Arnold," as the member for Argyle refers to him. Uncle Arnold Muise, who was out of West Pubnico and certainly had many stories about Georges. I have to say that my experience with Arnold Muise over the years brought me into contact with a very young man who now represents the constituency of Argyle. I mentioned in this House before that I remember him with skinned knees, as a

[Page 3196]

little boy, learning to drive his bicycle. I spent a lot of time in Pubnico and got to know this youngster, who I never thought I would be looking across the floor of the House at on this particular evening. It is certainly a pleasure to be in the House with this young fellow.

Richard McDormand was from Westport and certainly knew a lot about Georges Bank as well. The situation with Georges Bank - I remember in October 1984 when the decision came from The Hague - the International Court, The Hague. The situation was that we celebrated the awarding of less than one-third of Georges Bank. So why did we celebrate when we only got one-third? It wasn't really one-third; the Americans claim they got four-fifths of the Bank. We celebrated because the portion of the Bank that we got was very, very lucrative. We got the best section of Georges Bank.

I see the member for Digby-Annapolis nodding his head up and down here. He knows that we got a good deal. That day in October 1984 I remember doing a little dance in celebration of getting that portion of Georges Bank, because we could have been skunked on that as well. Just as easily we could have gotten none of Georges Bank by that decision. The Americans presented a strong case; we did as well.

In talking about some of the fish reps that worked with me over the years - and I did concentrate sort of on the southwestern end of the province and I didn't mention the ones in northern Nova Scotia or Cape Breton. I wanted to mention, and I will mention, that the situation is that I actually worked with the father of the member for Guysborough-Sheet Harbour. Gerald Boudreau was one of my fish reps - I used to call them my fish reps - and he was a great fish rep and I was very proud to be associated with him over the years. I don't know how many times he opened his freezer up to me when I was down there in Dover and would take out a little bit of halibut or something for me to take home from his house. I always remember that. I remember our member who is behind me here tonight when he was a young man as well - not quite as young as the member for Argyle, though.

The situation regarding the bill - the bill that is before us tonight is a bill of great importance. It is a bill that is giving us an indefinite period of time; that's better than putting a few years on it. This is an indefinite period of time, a long-term, multi-year moratorium on drilling on Georges Bank. We in Canada have led by example in relationship to Georges, because drilling has taken place on Georges Bank. The Americans drilled 10 wells on Georges; 10 wells were drilled on Georges and they were drilled between 1976 and 1984. The drilling that took place on Georges Bank by the Americans was actually stopped because of the example that was made by Canadians. Canadians went with a moratorium. We have led the United States of America in protection, and tonight we are here talking about a bill that will, in fact, send a message again to the United States of America that we are serious about Georges. (Applause)

The member for Dartmouth East talked about this bill and not having a date involved with it. This Legislature, if it had the desire sometime, could, in three days - he used the term

[Page 3197]

three days - reopen this issue. Can you imagine a Legislature in this province that would reopen this issue if the science, the technology, and the expertise did not exist to do drilling safely on Georges Bank? Can you imagine any Legislature doing this?

The Minister of Fisheries was involved as the warden of Barrington municipality and showed leadership; he showed great leadership in relationship to no rigs on Georges. He has continued to show tremendous leadership in relationship to this issue.

Mr. Speaker, if someday there is a desire by some to do something in relation to Georges Bank, what would be the response of this Legislature? I think the response would be the same as it is at this time unless there were fundamental changes in expertise, in science and technology.

I'll tell you this, members of this House, I will tell you that the Denny Morrows of southwestern Nova Scotia and the other people who were against the rigs on Georges Bank are not going to go away. There are hundreds, there are thousands of people in southwestern Nova Scotia who know the value of Georges Bank and are not going to let that resource be in any way threatened. So, mark my word, there will be people who will come forward to members of this House in the years to come and have their say as the people of today have had a say in this issue.

We talk about the oil industry and the member for Dartmouth East talked about being to Norway, and he talked about the oil industry in Norway. Well, I've gone to Norway twice on missions, looking at various aspects of the fishery. I know something about the oil industry as well - I would like to perhaps mention that my son is actively engaged in the oil industry and has worked his way up on rigs that have been in the Scotian Shelf, the North Sea. He spent two years in the Barents Sea; he was in the Gulf of Mexico; and he currently serves on a rig as a safety officer in Africa, off the coast of Ghana. I know from some of the experiences he has had in some of these countries that the oil industry and the fishery can, now and again, exist, they can co-exist as they do in some parts of Norway.

But I will tell you this - the situation is that when it comes to Georges Bank, Georges is too sensitive for the oil industry with the technology that is available today. With the expertise that is available today and the science available today, Georges Bank is too sensitive. I, and others, cannot envisage that in the immediate years to come that much is going to change in relation to Georges Bank and its sensitivity and its value to Nova Scotia.

The situation, Mr. Speaker, is that on the horizon I cannot see activity on Georges Bank in the immediate years to come. I cannot see any Legislature in the future years in this province coming forward with fundamental changes in this legislation.

Before I close, in relation to this debate, I would like to actually thank the Minister of Energy for bringing this forward - I will not do it too profusely because I was called to task last week for actually paying that minister a compliment in the House. So I will turn my

[Page 3198]

attention instead to the Minister of Fisheries. I want to thank that minister for some of the comments and some of the things he has done in the last number of months and, more recently, in the past few weeks.

[9:30 p.m.]

I just want to quote that great Minister of Fisheries . . .

AN HON. MEMBER: What did he say?

MR. MACKINNON: This is what he had to say, " I for one have heard the many voices of the fishing industry who continue to believe that the oil and gas activities on George's [sic]Bank will pose too great a risk for this sensitive and very productive area. I have heard loudly and clearly these concerns that Nova Scotians have related to potential oil and gas development on George's [sic] Bank. I am proud to share with you that our government is doing more than just listening; we are taking action." (Applause)

That was, in fact, a quote directly from this good Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in this province.

So, getting back to the Georges issue and, once again . . .

MR. SPEAKER: Order. Order. Would the honourable member for Pictou East table that statement from the minister. (Interruptions)

MR. MACKINNON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the pleasure of tabling that fine quote.

In closing, I want to thank all of those who have spoken on this particular bill, Bill No. 82, from all three Parties represented in this House, because there have been some great words of wisdom from all three Parties on this. I applaud, greatly, the member for Digby-Annapolis for his involvement over the years on this issue. He and the minister worked in tandem over the years. I had the pleasure of sitting in Opposition next to the now Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and, on some fishery issues, riding shotgun with him. Certainly on the Georges Bank issue, and other issues, I am very proud to say that I have identified strongly with the member for Shelburne in his role as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture now, but also with the member for Digby-Annapolis, because the three of us have stood side by side on this issue and we understand each other fully - I wish I had the time on the water that they have had collectively, but nevertheless the experiences that I have had have certainly helped me to understand Georges Bank.

The member for Dartmouth East talked about studying under Elisabeth Mann Borgese at one time, and I can say that I studied with that great environmentalist, that great

[Page 3199]

protector of the waters of the world, and in doing a Masters of Marine Management at Dalhousie I certainly had the privilege of understanding issues like Georges and other issues in relationship to marine affairs through the likes of Elisabeth Mann Borgese.

I want to say that in some areas oil and fish have mixed; however when it comes to Georges, the oil industry does not have that expertise, the science, and the technology - that it is not anywhere in the future that I can see that Georges should be exploited for oil activity. So I fully support this legislation and I commend all of those who have had similar words of encouragement in relation to Georges Bank, so thank you very much.

MR. SPEAKER: If I recognize the minister it will be to close the debate.

The honourable Minister of Energy.

HON. WILLIAM ESTABROOKS: Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the House, even the member for Pictou East if you want to include him, for their views and remarks on this proposed piece of legislation, Bill No. 82. Particularly of some interest, I want to commend the young member, although he is no longer the youngest member in the House, and his comments concerning his trips out on the water with his father. It was worthy on a Friday morning's debate to hear you speak and I compliment you on those trips you took and, of course, the huge influence of your father.

I want to thank the member for Argyle for putting it very clearly to myself, as the Minister of Energy, the significance of Georges Bank, speaking with the passion and clarity that he can do so often. My good friend, the member for Digby-Annapolis, who I'm going to correct here in a moment so I have to sort of butter him up before I start. The member for Digby-Annapolis again, of course, who speaks with such passion on Georges Bank and, of course, my good friend the member for Shelburne, in particular. I know there are other members who spoke during this debate. It was on Friday afternoon when I was visiting a certain senior who said to me, she regularly watches the legislative debates, how interesting it was to hear us have an exchange of ideas where we don't always agree but we have respect for each other's opinions.

It's certainly clear, Mr. Speaker, that all members of this House understand that Georges Bank is a sensitive marine area that deserves special attention. This is what this legislation is all about. As I said in my remarks in introducing this bill, we may have different opinions and views in the House but at the end of the day we're all working for what we feel are the best interests of Nova Scotians. The debate on this topic reflected that and reflected it again this evening.

I've also outlined what we're trying to do with this bill and that's on the public record so I won't go over that again. I do want to address if I may, Mr. Speaker, some of the issues that were raised by my colleagues on the floor of the House over the last couple of days of

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debate. First, with all due respect, I want to correct the member for Digby-Annapolis on a point he made. He said on Friday that the bill only takes the moratorium to 2015. Honourable member, that is not the case. This bill removes any set of dates for review or expiration on the moratorium. This is the whole point, this bill extends the moratorium on commercial oil and gas activity on Georges Bank indefinitely, and I repeat that, indefinitely. It also outlines what future governments must do to lift this moratorium.

A number of speakers on Friday and this evening raised concerns about the fact that the bill does not ban seismic on Georges Bank for research purposes. That's true, it doesn't, but there are a couple of points I want to make here. The Government of Nova Scotia does not have jurisdiction over or the ability to ban non-commercial seismic research, it falls outside of the area of control. We share this jurisdiction with the federal government for oil and gas activity, which includes commercial seismic activity. That's why we're able to ban any commercial seismic activity as part of this bill.

Ocean and fish are a federal responsibility that falls out of the ability of our Legislature to regulate. It's very important that we continue to work with our federal partners and, of course, with the United States of America. We cannot amend this bill to ban non-commercial seismic research, that is not our place to do so. That's my first point, we cannot ban non-commercial seismic research in our provincial Legislature as it is not ours to regulate, I repeat that again.

The second point is that we do not want to ban non-commercial seismic research. We understand the importance and the need for research to better understand the geology of the broader area of our offshore. I think it's important to realize, Mr. Speaker, and to note for the record that (1) seismic activity isn't done during spawning season and (2) studies show that seismic has no significant impact on fish and larvae beyond what would be considered normal mortality rates.

We believe Georges Bank is appropriately protected and seismic for research purposes - and I highlight "seismic for research purposes" - must meet all federal environmental approvals. It would not have a detrimental impact on fish or this sensitive ecosystem.

On the matter of resolution and how this moratorium could be lifted, let's make this clear. Some members would feel more comfortable if the future government had to enact legislation to lift the moratorium rather than bring a resolution before the House. Personally, I don't see the need to do that given the appropriate and difficult three-part test that we have written into the bill that a future government must pass to remove the moratorium. If a future government sees a compelling reason to revisit the issue, they must come to the House and engage in a public debate. We have written in three barriers that must be passed: scientific evidence, a public review, and a vote in this Legislature.

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A resolution of the House can only overturn the moratorium after a public review and a vote by every member of this House. An open debate on a controversial topic that Nova Scotians would follow very carefully, that is the democratic process and I've said before I have faith in the democratic process. Every future member of this House would have to stand in his or her place and cast a vote on behalf of their constituents on whether they agree on the moratorium being lifted or not.

Those are all significant points, but the key thing is we are now going to allow, hopefully, this bill to proceed through to the Law Amendments Committee. At that time we're going to continue to hear from Nova Scotians, we'll continue to hear from members of this House. This is an important piece of legislation, a piece of legislation as I've said before, I'm extremely proud as a Minister of Energy to bring forward. This is a piece of legislation that will be marked in the history of this House.

With those comments, I move second reading of Bill No. 82 and that this bill proceed to the Law Amendments Committee. (Applause)

MR. SPEAKER: The motion is for second reading of Bill No. 82. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried.

Ordered that this bill be referred to the Committee on Law Amendments.

HON. MICHEL SAMSON: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. In listening to the member for Pictou East speak very passionately on Bill No. 82, I think it's important that whenever members are reading from a specific document, I think there is a duty upon all members to identify exactly what document it is that they are quoting from.

In listening to the member when he gave a specific quote in reference to the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, I tried to recall where that statement may have been made in Hansard, being that the member never identified what he was reading from. Now I know it actually was not a comment made from Hansard, because in listening to the responses from the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture during the Spring sitting on issues of Georges Bank, his response was pretty much the same in saying that they are waiting on the science and that their decision would be based on the best interest.

What I wanted to bring to the House's attention, to your attention, the actual document that the member for Pictou East read from is actually an e-mail - it looks like it's a press release, a message from the name of the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. It starts off, the message is: Dear New Democrats, and it then goes on to talk about what the government has done and it then is a specific . . .

[9:45 p.m.]

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MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. FRANK CORBETT: The point of order is?

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Richmond.

MR. SAMSON: As I was pointing out, the document that the member was reading from actually appears to be a press release sent out to New Democrats. As I mentioned, I do believe it's important for you, as Speaker, and for all members, that if anyone is going to quote from a document, there's not only the responsibility to table the document, but to actually allow members of the House and Nova Scotians to know exactly what that document is.

So in this question, I think it's important to know that what was being quoted from here was not Hansard, it was actually a press release sent out from the minister to fellow New Democrats on this exact piece of legislation.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. FRANK CORBETT: Mr. Speaker, you obviously will rule how you see fit but that's three minutes of my life that I'm not going to get back. The reality was that the member did exactly as he should. He tabled the documents there for public viewing and that's good, I don't think any more or any less. I think he has done more than he had to.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, honourable Government House Leader. I do not think this is a point of order and we will move on with business.

The honourable Government House Leader.

HON. FRANK CORBETT: Mr. Speaker, would you please call Bill No. 85.

Bill No. 85 - Police Act.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Minister of Justice.

HON. ROSS LANDRY: Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to rise in the House this evening to introduce second reading of Bill No. 85, an Act to amend the Police Act. I introduced this bill last week because it contains changes that will help benefit victims of crime in our province. That is why Stephanie MacInnes-Langley, Executive Director of Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, was present to lend her support to this amendment and Julia Rustad, program manager with the RCMP. (Interruptions)

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MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. A bill is being introduced and explained. We could have it quieter in the House, please.

The honourable Minister of Justice has the floor.

MR. LANDRY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and also came to the billing briefing to show support for this improvement. This amendment to the Police Act will ensure a more effective process is in place to help victims get the support and services they may need.

Victims of crime can feel very vulnerable. In the aftermath of a crime against them, victims are often distraught and emotionally fragile. Our government recognizes the importance of getting help to these people. Many victims may be unaware of the services that are out there to support them and they're usually in no condition to make the calls and do the research to learn about them.

The Victim Services section of our Justice Department helps these victims. It provides information and assistance to crime victims who need support services. It is very common for crime victims to be appreciative when they receive a call from our staff outlining services that can provide comfort and support to them. However, our Victim Services section needs to be informed who the victims are so they may contact them with the offer of help. Ensuring all police agencies provide victims contact information to the Justice Department is very important, just as it is important for police to provide that information to their agency's Victim Services Unit.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, this amendment requires all police in Nova Scotia, including the RCMP, to provide the contact information to our department and to their own Victim Services Unit as a matter of course. The change we are putting forward today will make it clear that it is a duty and a requirement to provide victim contact information to ensure victims have an opportunity to make an informed decision about seeking support services. If a victim does not want to be helped, the Victim Services staff will certainly wish them well and not contact them again. The goal is to be helpful without being intrusive.

Victims of crime can receive many types of support through referral from Victim Services staff, including the following: education about the criminal justice system; specific information and updates in their cases; liaison between victims and police, courts, Crown Attorneys, and Corrections; referrals to other services; assistance in applying for restitution and for criminal injury counselling; for preparation, including tours of courtrooms; specialized court preparation and support services to child victim witnesses; risk assessment, safety planning and involvement in case coordination for high-risk domestic violence cases; assistance in submitting victims' impact statements to the courts; and emotional support and short-term counselling to help victims deal with the trauma of being a victim of crime.

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Police are one of the most important sources of referrals. Despite good intentions and sincere efforts, victim referral processes over the past 20 years have needed some improvement. Not all victims get referred so they can get access to services in a timely manner. We are fixing the problem with the amendments to the Police Act; the supporting regulations will follow later.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, our government is committed to making life better for families in every region. Families affected by crimes against them deserve our care and support. We are making this change to make sure they get just that, in a timely manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: I ask the minister to move second reading on the bill.

MR. LANDRY: I move second reading, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Richmond.

HON. MICHEL SAMSON: Mr. Speaker, as the Justice Critic for the Official Opposition, I'm pleased to be able to make a few remarks on Bill No. 85, the Police Act. I think one of the first questions that comes to mind is, does this really require a bill? In essence this is basically a policy directive that is going to be sent out to police forces, including the RCMP. That exact question was asked on Friday, why is this in a bill?

I could tell you, Mr. Speaker, I think I had to ask myself the same question earlier this evening when the Minister of Justice tabled two bills; one actually had two clauses and a total of 50 words in it, the second one had three clauses in it. Now I know that I have lamented in the past when governments brought in justice administration acts which may have made changes to 12 or 15 pieces of legislation and some were quite significant. But to say that the two bills that came in tonight were minor housekeeping measure would be being very kind.

We all know that from what we've seen now, it's been a fairly light agenda coming from the government so at the end of the session these bills will all be counted and the Premier and the Government House Leader will say, look at the busy agenda we had by the amount of bills that were actually debated and passed. So I think it's important to make sure that Nova Scotians know exactly the nature of these bills, especially with Bill No. 85, a question that does this even need to be in the form of a bill? Naturally who would question a decision to encourage police officers to notify victims of support services that are made available to them. Second, I don't suspect that police officers are going to say, well, we have no choice to do this because it's now been legislated. I believe a policy directive would have certainly had the same effect.

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Mr. Speaker, this is an issue which has been raised by our caucus in the past in this House on behalf of victims of crime and the fact of some of the limits that are placed on the services made available to them. I know that my colleague from Halifax Clayton Park has been very vocal on this issue, both with this current administration and the previous administration, on behalf of victims. I know she will have some remarks to make on this as well.

My comments to the press on Friday were, how can you introduce such a policy, basically, that would tell police officers and RCMP that they have to make victims aware of the support services that are available, without talking about the budget. One would have to think that with this new policy directive, basically, that it could potentially have more people accessing the services that are made available through the Department of Justice. So if that is going to be the end result, that will obviously put additional pressures on the budget for victims services, yet the minister hasn't said a word. I believe his public comments have been that he doesn't believe it will have any impact on the budget.

Like a number of other things the minister has done, I'm left to question the logic behind such a statement. Because if there's going to be better awareness and a bigger take-up from Nova Scotians who have been the victims of crime, one naturally would expect that there's going to be an increased cost as a result, which possibly, if the extra funding is not put in, could actually lead to reduction in services for victims rather than an increase.

It's been a difficult time in our province. We have been hearing on a regular basis of murders, of crime being committed. Tonight on the nightly news, it's a shooting in the west end of Halifax. It's becoming a bigger problem for our province.

In many ways we always felt that we are isolated and insulated, in a way, from the crime that was taking place in larger centres, but more and more it's becoming a reality for us here in Nova Scotia, especially here in the Halifax Regional Municipality, where hearing of shootings and crime is becoming all too familiar. Yet we have yet to hear steps from the Minister of Justice as to what is going to be done to try to address that issue and the fact that safety is now becoming a main concern for residents here in HRM and throughout Nova Scotia. So many Nova Scotians travel to HRM for various appointments and visiting family, and more and more they are becoming concerned for their safety when they come here to the city.

If we are going to talk about Victim Services, we can't do so without talking about crime and the fact that violent crime is on the increase here in Nova Scotia. We are hearing as well that the government has put a freeze on the Boots on the Streets program, which was meant to increase the level of police officers. I had the opportunity to meet with one of the head officers in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and he was speaking of everything they've been able to do with the additional officers who were made available to them under

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the Boots on the Streets program. For this government to have frozen that program without telling us exactly what their plan is is of great concern to us.

There are a great number of issues which I intend to raise during debate on Bill No. 85, but unfortunately, this evening time will not permit me to address all of those issues. In light of the time that we have now reached, I would move adjournment of debate on Bill No. 85, the Police Act, to be resumed at a later date.

MR. SPEAKER: I recognize the honourable Government House Leader.

HON. FRANK CORBETT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That concludes the Government's business for today, and by an all-Party agreement, tomorrow we've moved Opposition to Tuesday instead of Wednesday. I'll now call upon the House Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Leader in the House of the Progressive Conservative Party.

HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and of course tomorrow we'll have our House hours from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. After the daily routine and Question Period we'll be calling Resolution No. 1925 for debate as well as Bill No. 80 for second reading. So with that, I now call that you leave the chair.

MR. SPEAKER: The motion before the House is for adjournment to meet again tomorrow at the hour of 2:00 pm.

Is it agreed?

It is agreed.

Would all those in favour please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.

The motion is carried. We stand adjourned.

[The House rose at 9:59 p.m.]

[Page 3207]

NOTICES OF MOTION UNDER RULE 32(3)

RESOLUTION NO. 2005

By: Ms. Becky Kent (Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Sean Francois, a computer systems analyst from Cole Harbour, was selected as one of the top 10 finalists for a reality television program spearheaded by Gillette; and

Whereas Sean Francois, a 34-year-old father, completed his audition for the program at Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in front of his family, friends, and supporters who know he will do a great job; and

Whereas the winner of the reality television program will receive a one-year contract with Score Media as its newest multidimensional sportscaster and a one-year spokesperson contract with Gillette;

Therefore be it resolved that this Nova Scotia House of Assembly congratulate Sean Francois of Cole Harbour on becoming a top 10 finalist in the Gillette Search for Canada's Next Sportscaster reality television program in July 2010 and wish him every success at the next stage of the competition.

RESOLUTION NO. 2006

By: Mr. Gary Burrill (Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Cobequid Consolidated Elementary School in Old Barns recently received a National Platinum Recognition Award from Physical and Health Education Canada to honour the high quality of physical education at the school; and

Whereas physical education teacher Margie Ripley-MacIntyre offers phys ed classes and activities such as flag rugby, hockey, basketball, and lacrosse on a morning, noon, and night basis; and

Whereas the Platinum Recognition Award is the first major award that the school has ever received for physical education;

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Therefore be it resolved that all members of this Assembly congratulate both Margie Ripley-MacIntyre and the students of Cobequid Consolidated Elementary School for their valuable work in fostering the adoption of healthy lifestyles by students and other residents of Old Barns, Truro Heights, and vicinity.

RESOLUTION NO. 2007

By: Ms. Pam Birdsall (Lunenburg)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas over 300,000 Canadians live with type 1 diabetes and Canada has the sixth-highest incidence rate of type 1 diabetes in children 14 years or younger in the world; and

Whereas Camp Lion Maxwell, held at Camp Kadimah in Barss Corner, provides independent diabetes self-management opportunities for young people across Nova Scotia; and

Whereas this is the only camp of its kind hosted by the Canadian Diabetes Association for children with type 1 diabetes, allowing youth to come together in surroundings that encourage them to improve their self-esteem, nurture friendships, and learn about proper diabetes management with other children who are also living with the illness;

Therefore be it resolved that this House of Assembly recognize the important work of Camp Lion Maxwell, held at Camp Kadimah in Barss Corner, in supporting youth living with type 1 diabetes during this month of November, Diabetes Awareness Month.

RESOLUTION NO. 2008

By: Mr. Andrew Younger (Dartmouth East)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Dartmouth Community Concert Association is an organization of volunteers founded in 1957; and

Whereas the Dartmouth Community Concert Association has organized over 190 concerts, making musical entertainment accessible to residents of Dartmouth; and

Whereas the association is celebrating its 53rd Anniversary with the opening of its 2010-11 season;

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Therefore be it resolved that members of this House of Assembly join me in congratulating the Dartmouth Community Concert Association on its season opening and thank its volunteers for their dedication to music, arts, and culture in our province.

RESOLUTION NO. 2009

By: Mr. Mat Whynott

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas on October 6, 2010, the Fultz Corner Restoration Society in Sackville held their annual Sackville Heritage Dinner at the Sackville Legion Calais Branch No. 162; and

Whereas myself, the Premier, and the MLA for Sackville-Cobequid were in attendance to celebrate with them the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy; and

Whereas this annual event remains an important community fundraiser for the organization, which works to research, teach, and preserve the history of Sackville, Beaver Bank, and Lucasville;

Therefore be it resolved that the House of Assembly congratulate the Fultz Corner Restoration Society on this year's successful Sackville Heritage Dinner in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Royal Navy and wish the organization continued success on their endeavours to preserve the history of the Sackville, Beaver Bank, and Lucasville communities.

RESOLUTION NO. 2010

By: Ms. Vicki Conrad (Queens)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas a healthy promotion of physical exercise for the youth of Queens County is very important to everyone; and

Whereas in June of this year the Dr. John C. Wickwire Academy in Liverpool was the recipient of funding from the Department of Health Promotion and Protection in the amount of $25,000; and

Whereas the funds were put toward the development of a playground to be located at the school;

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Therefore be it resolved that the House of Assembly recognize Dr. John C. Wickwire Academy in Queens and the importance they place on the physical exercise of students by developing a school playground.

RESOLUTION NO. 2011

By: Mr. Chuck Porter (Hants West)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the 2010 Softball Canada Canadian Junior Men's Fastpitch Nationals took place in St. Croix at the recreational complex between August 2nd and 8th; and

Whereas 10 teams from across Canada, including the host Nova Scotia Murphy's Fish and Chips, participated in the week-long event which could not have been held without dozens of volunteers; and

Whereas tournament director Darrell Lyttle was the man behind the controls but had help from volunteers such as John Brownless and his team of scoring officials, and his security personnel Gary Cochrane, Jason Cochrane, Bill MacCumber and Blaine Cochrane, Field Supervisor John Ross and other volunteers such as Jody Jewers, Paul Long, Tony Clark, Justin Chislett, Bill Morash, Ashley Clark, Fred O'Hara, Justin Clark, Jeddy Cochrane, Clinton Harvey, Murray Purcell and Charles Ross;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly recognize the tremendous volunteer work which goes into a tournament of this magnitude and thank the volunteers for putting on such a good show for 12,000 softball fans from across Canada.

RESOLUTION NO. 2012

By: Mr. Chuck Porter (Hants West)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life is an opportunity to get together with friends and family members to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and find a cure; and

Whereas Jeanie Gay, Janet Vanfield and Halilea Porter raised hundreds of dollars while gathering a team for the 2010 Hants West Relay For Life which began at 7:00 p.m. on

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Friday, June 4th, at the Elmcroft Park in Windsor and ran until 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning, June 5th; and

Whereas Lisa Guild of Windsor was the able event representative for corporate sponsor Atlantic Blue Cross at the Hants West Relay For Life;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly recognize and applaud Jeanie Gay, Janet Vanfield, Halilea Porter and Lisa Guild on their generosity and selflessness in the 2010 Canadian Cancer Society's Relay For Life and wish them continued success.

RESOLUTION NO. 2013

By: Mr. Chuck Porter (Hants West)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Lynda Tabbiner is the consummate professional having worked for three decades in Nova Scotia's Public Service, where she works as an executive secretary in the Department of Community Services; and

Whereas public servants consistently make a difference in the lives of everyday Nova Scotians and no one exemplifies that more than Lynda Tabbiner, of Newport, in her work at Community Services; and

Whereas Lynda was recognized earlier in October for her 35 years of outstanding work with the Nova Scotia Public Service;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of this House of Assembly congratulate Lynda for her exceptional work and wish her the best in her future endeavours.

RESOLUTION NO. 2014

By: Mr. Leo Glavine (Kings West)

I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:

Whereas Veterans Week and, in particular, Remembrance Day, evokes many different responses from Canadians young and old; and

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Whereas Hair Expressions, a business in the Kingston/Greenwood area, has become recognized for their creative and eye-catching displays reflecting seasonal and occasional themes developed by Janet and Harold Hamm, it is their Remembrance Day presentation that is an outstanding contribution to Veterans Week; and

Whereas the Veterans Week and Remembrance Day display include full-size soldiers in combat gear depicting a war-like scene that compels us to take notice and reflect on the true meaning of Remembrance Day;

Therefore be it resolved that all members of the House of Assembly commend Janet and Harold Hamm on this valuable contribution to Veterans Week and wish them and their staff the very best in the future.