Government of Newfoundland News

Child, Youth and Family Services

In an effort to advance the caseload of the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Review Division, Christopher Pike has been appointed as a full-time review commissioner effective immediately. The new role will help further address the backlog of cases and complements the appointment of a full-time Chief Review Commissioner in 2013.

Executive Council

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will join the Honourable Peter Taptuna, Premier of Nunavut, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Territory of Nunavut. The event will take place Thursday, July 16, at 10:15 a.m. in ballrooms A and B of the Sheraton Hotel, St. John’s.

Justice and Public Safety

As a result of a rather unusual set of incidents, two individuals are facing numerous charges for illegally netting Atlantic salmon and for improper use of an ATV in the Lumsden area in central Newfoundland.

Executive Council
Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

Canada’s Premiers will meet at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland in St. John’s from July 15 to 17.

Executive Council

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will join the Honourable Peter Taptuna, Premier of Nunavut, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Territory of Nunavut. The event will take place on Tuesday, July 14, at 5:00 p.m. (AST) at Hotel North, Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Transportation and Works
Education and Early Childhood Development

A significant milestone in preparations for a new school in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s has been reached with the awarding of a construction tender valued at $21.3 million to Marco Services Ltd.

Executive Council

The Honourable Keith Russell, Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, will attend the Bay St. George Mi’kmaq Powwow tomorrow (Saturday, July 11) in Flat Bay. Minister Russell will bring greetings to those in attendance at 1:00 p.m.

Transportation and Works

During an event today, Friday, July 10, the Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works, and Clayton Forsey, MHA for the District of Exploits, marked the beginning of the construction phase of the Sir Robert Bond Bridge replacement project.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

A $3.9 million modern facility that significantly improves Newfoundland and Labrador’s ability to identify and respond to foreign animal diseases was officially opened by the Honourable Vaughn Granter, Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency, this afternoon.‎ Minister Granter was joined by John Dinn, MHA for Kilbride, and the province’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Hugh Whitney.

Environment and Conservation
Executive Council

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation, and the Honourable Keith Russell, Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, will host a public meeting in Hopedale to discuss the status of the Hopedale remediation project.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, is in Ireland today participating in the second annual Our Ocean Wealth conference in Cork County. The conference is an annual evaluation of the implementation of Ireland’s Harnessing Our Wealth industry review. The event focuses on sustainable growth and employment opportunities, as well as the challenges facing the industry.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works advises that due to the Confederation Hill Music Festival taking place on Confederation Hill in St. John’s on Saturday, July 11, the Confederation Building Complex, both east and west blocks, will be closed to visitors.

Advanced Education and Skills

The commitment to supporting the skilled trades, apprentices and employers remains strong for the Provincial Government with the release today of Train Here: A Roadmap for Apprenticeship Renewal. As a key component under the Population Growth Strategy, Train Here outlines a new vision for the skilled trades in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Health and Community Services

The Department of Health and Community Services is advising residents that it has become aware of six instances out of a total of 21,000 mailings where a beneficiary of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program received a letter intended for another individual.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Honourable Vaughn Granter, Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency, will officially open the province's new Foreign Animal Disease Laboratory Complex tomorrow (Friday, July 10). The Minister will be joined by John Dinn, MHA for Kilbride, and the province's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Hugh Whitney. The event begins at 1:00 p.m. outside the new laboratory complex next to the Provincial Agriculture Building located at 308 Brookfield Road in St. John's.

Executive Council
Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The province's best and brightest young voices were honoured this week with the distinction of being the best in world at the 2015 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales. Shallaway Youth Choir’s Camerta Ensemble won first place, of 40 competing choirs, in the classical category with a mark of 97.3. The ensemble is also currently competing in the Folk Music category.

Advanced Education and Skills

The Provincial Government will hold 22 workforce development roundtable discussions at locations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador this summer and into September. The first session is taking place Friday, July 17 in Burin at College of the North Atlantic beginning at 1:00 p.m. The discussions are a part of the Workforce Development Action Plan under the Population Growth Strategy and will focus on engaging participants on the direction of the strategy.

Transportation and Works

The Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works, will be joined tomorrow (Friday, July 10) by Clayton Forsey, MHA for the District of Exploits, to mark the commencement of construction of the new Sir Robert Bond Bridge near Bishop’s Falls. The event will begin at 1:30 p.m. near Sandy Point Road on the east side of the old bridge.

Advanced Education and Skills

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, will announce new initiatives to assist apprentices in Newfoundland and Labrador tomorrow (Friday, July 10). These actions are key components under the recently released Population Growth Strategy. The event takes place at College of the North Atlantic, Prince Phillip Drive at 10:00 a.m.

Executive Council

The Honourable Dan Crummell, in his capacity as Minister Responsible for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, attended the Climate Change Summit of the Americas in Toronto from July 7 to 9. During the event, Minister Crummell signed a Climate Action Statement, on behalf of Newfoundland and Labrador.