Government of Newfoundland News

Finance
Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Amendments introduced today to the Income Tax Act, 2000 propose a tax credit for companies working in the interactive digital media industry.

Natural Resources

In preparation for the closing of Duck Pond mine and mill on June 30, Teck Resources has scheduled a number of community presentations that will inform employees and residents of the company's closure plans and next steps moving forward.

Executive Council

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with Julia Mullaley, Clerk of the Executive Council, will present the 2014 Public Service Award of Excellence tomorrow (Wednesday, June 17). This year’s recipients include five individuals and one team.

Health and Community Services

Kevin Pollard, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services, will bring greetings at the 50th anniversary ceremony of Saint Luke’s Anglican Homes tomorrow (Wednesday, June 17). The event will be held at Saint Luke’s in St. John’s, 24 Road De Luxe, at 2:30 p.m.

Environment and Conservation

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation and Minister Responsible for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, will join students and staff at Cowan Heights Elementary School, 100 Canada Drive, St. John’s, tomorrow (Wednesday, June 17) for a Climate Change Education Centre Book launch. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. The minster will be joined by, Darren Feltham, Executive Director of Conservation Corps.

Service NL

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to note that the Town of Petty Harbour - Maddox Cove recently became the 70th municipality to partner in BizPaL. Introduced to the province in 2009, BizPaL is a federal-provincial-territorial online information service that helps local entrepreneurs save time and money by simplifying the process of obtaining permits and licences.

Education and Early Childhood Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to recognize and commend the outstanding leadership of Marie Woodford, a humanitarian and Grade 9 teacher at Crescent Collegiate. Under her direction, students at Crescent Collegiate, the community of Blaketown as well as numerous schools throughout the province helped to ensure that 105 orphans in Uganda have a new school.

Executive Council
Finance

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the details of the agreement reached between the Provincial Government and the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association (NLTA) that sustains the Teachers' Pension Plan. The agreement includes a Provincial Government contribution of over $1.8 billion in the form of a promissory note to the plan, over the next 30 years, which will ensure the stability of the plan.

Executive Council

The Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, announced today a Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued to complete a review into the Provincial Government's IT work practices.

Executive Council

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will announce the details of the recently formalized Teachers' Pension Plan agreement. The announcement will take place at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, June 16) at the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association (NLTA) office at 3 Kenmount Road, St. John's.

Executive Council
Natural Resources

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will open the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association’s (Noia) 2015 annual international petroleum conference tomorrow (Tuesday, June 16 ) at 8:00 a.m.

Service NL

Service NL will expand its online reporting of food service inspections beyond restaurants, to now include food service facilities in schools, personal care homes and other institutions throughout the province. The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Service NL, announced the upcoming expansion today, which will go live on the department’s website on June 29 at www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/inspections.

Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to highlight an exciting new scholarship program being offered by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and the Women in Resource Development Corporation which will provide financial assistance to women in our province pursuing trades and technology education.

Transportation and Works

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to inform this Honourable House that yesterday 62 employees of the Department of Transportation and Works undertook a clean-up of the Outer Ring Road from Logy Bay Road to Portugal Cove Road. Crews worked hard, and the result was the removal of approximately 3,000 bags of garbage or 25 to 30 tons from the sides of the road.

Executive Council
Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing support to RSA Canada to expand their operations through the creation of 1,200 person years of employment, or approximately 300 full-time, professional jobs and the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in St. John’s. The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, made the announcement at an event in St. John’s today.

Transportation and Works
Environment and Conservation

The Department of Transportation and Works and the Save Our People Action Committee (SOPAC) have entered into a partnership to raise awareness and increase public education to help reduce the incidence of moose vehicle collisions. The partnership was announced today at an event held in St. John's by the Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works and Brent Cole, Chair of SOPAC.

Executive Council
Seniors, Wellness and Social Development

The Provincial Government is recognizing Monday, June 15, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The goal of this day is to raise awareness about the many forms of violence against older persons.

Executive Council

The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement, will address the Choices for Youth Annual General Meeting today (Monday, June 15). The event will take place in the E.B. Foran Room at St. John’s City Hall. Minister Kent will speak at approximately 3:15 p.m.

Environment and Conservation

The annual big game licence draw for moose and caribou for the 2015-16 hunting season is now complete and notifications will be mailed out to all applicants in the coming days. Priority on notices will go to those successful in receiving a licence, followed by those who were unsuccessful. It is anticipated that all notices will be in the mail by the week of June 22.

Transportation and Works

The Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works, will attend the Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Banquet tomorrow evening (Saturday, June 13) at the Albatross Hotel in Gander. The event begins at 6:30 p.m.