Government of Newfoundland News

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to highlight November 14-20 as Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Executive Council

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to commend the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) for their Women’s Economic Forum. The forum, entitled Drivers of Growth – Unleashing the Economic Power of Women, which includes a number of sessions being held across the province, provides an opportunity for women in business to explore the challenges and successes of advancing in business.

Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, last week I was pleased to announce that the response to the recent calls for bids in the province’s offshore was one of the most successful in the world in 2016 and shows significant exploration opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, along with community partners, celebrated the ground-breaking for three new affordable homeownership units today in Conception Bay South.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

Colin Holloway, Parliamentary Secretary for Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, on behalf of the Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, will attend a ground-breaking ceremony, for a new Habitat for Humanity Newfoundland and Labrador, housing project in Conception Bay South, tomorrow (Tuesday, November 15).

Finance

The Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, will bring greetings at a Women’s Economic Forum hosted by the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) tomorrow (Tuesday, November 15). The address will take place at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, St. John’s, at 8:30 a.m.

Finance

The Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, today announced that DBRS has confirmed the province’s credit rating at A (low). The rating confirmation is based upon DBRS’s view that credible action is being taken by government to address the province’s fiscal situation.

Municipal Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to commend the work of communities, residents and staff with Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Transportation and Works on working together in the lead up to and during the rain storm on October 11 that affected so many areas of the province.

Education and Early Childhood Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to recognize National Bullying Awareness Week which takes place November 14 to 20. This year’s theme is Stand Up to bullying.

Finance

The Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, will participate in a Remembrance Day ceremony tomorrow (Friday, November 11). The event is taking place at the National War Memorial in St. John’s beginning at 10:30 a.m.

House of Assembly

In preparation for the opening of the Legislature on Monday, November 14, the House of Assembly advises the following protocols are in place for visitors.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will be available to the media to respond to the release of the Auditor General’s 2016 Annual Report in front of the House of Assembly at 2:00 p.m. today (Thursday, November 10).

Executive Council

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will represent the people of the province and lay a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa tomorrow (Friday, November 11). Premier Ball will attend the Remembrance Day ceremony to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel and the historic sacrifices of Newfoundland and Labrador’s men and women in uniform. He will be joined by Governor General David Johnston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of Defence Kent Hehr and other dignitaries in laying wreaths and in viewing the march past of veterans.

Finance

Today the Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, acknowledged the work of the Auditor General in the release of his 2016 Annual Report. The report in includes seven items related to Provincial Government departments and government entities.

Environment and Climate Change

The Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

Office of the Auditor General

In his report to the House of Assembly on Performance Audits of Departments and Crown Agencies tabled in the House of Assembly today in St. John’s, Auditor General, Terry Paddon, reports on 7 reviews completed on Government departments and Crown agencies. The report contains 65 recommendations, directed to Government and the Crown agencies, aimed at strengthening financial and operational processes and controls. In addition, the report contains 186 findings which arose during the reviews.

Natural Resources

Today, the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources, announced that significant exploration opportunity exists in the province's offshore as evidenced by the results of Call for Bids in the Eastern Newfoundland Region and in the Jeanne d'Arc Region, both located in the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Colin Holloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will speak at a special unveiling ceremony in honour of 26 individuals who served during the First World War tomorrow (Thursday, November 10). The event is being held by the Southwest Arm Historical Society at Southwest Arm Academy, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Executive Council

Today, the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, launched "The Way Forward: A Vision for Sustainability and Growth in Newfoundland and Labrador." The Vision will guide Provincial Government actions to achieve greater efficiency, strengthen the province’s economic foundation, enhance services, and improve outcomes to promote a healthy and prosperous province. The document is available online at www.gov.nl.ca/pdf/the_way_forward.pdf.

Office of the Auditor General

Terry Paddon, Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador, will hold a news conference at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, November 10) at the Office of the Auditor General, 7 Pippy Place, St. John’s, following the tabling of his Report on Performance Audits of Departments and Crown Agencies in the House of Assembly.