Government of Newfoundland News

Environment and Conservation

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation, will be in Lord’s Cove tomorrow (Friday, June 12) to participate in a community celebration marking the Lawn Bay Ecological Reserve’s full reserve status.

Health and Community Services

The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services, will bring greetings during a women's health luncheon tomorrow (Friday, June 12). The event will begin at 12:00 p.m. at Glendenning Golf Resort, 120 Gabriel Road, St. John's.

Executive Council
Transportation and Works

The Honourable Keith Russell, Minister of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, along with the Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works, will participate in the Combined Councils of Labrador’s 43rd Annual General Meeting taking place in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Office of the Auditor General

The Office of the Auditor General is now located at 5-7 Pippy Place in St. John’s. The Office is located in the Telelink building.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ed Ring, has released his Report P-2015-001 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the Report is included below.

Transportation and Works

The Provincial Government has issued a tender for construction of a culvert which will result in the re-opening of R230-21 at English Harbour on the Bonavista Peninsula.

Office of the Auditor General

Terry Paddon, Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador, will hold a news conference today (Thursday, June 11), following the tabling of his Report on Reviews of Departments and Crown Agencies in the House of Assembly.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced today that the Provincial Government is now accepting applications from organizations and communities interested in sponsoring projects funded under the Community Enhancement Employment Program.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly unanimously passed a private member’s motion today which supported the Provincial Government’s decision to provide a $2 million increase to the provincial tourism marketing budget, bringing the total budget to $13 million.

Natural Resources

The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Natural Resources, will be in Grand Falls-Windsor tomorrow (Thursday, June 11) to attend the closing ceremonies of Duck Pond mine and mill. The event will take place at Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Minister Dalley will speak at approximately 8:00 p.m.

Child, Youth and Family Services

Mr. Speaker, the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission conducts an annual Safe Work Video/Radio Ad Contest which is open to Grade 7-12 junior and senior high school students. The contest encourages students to develop a video or radio ad to create awareness on preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Mr. Speaker I am pleased to report on yesterday’s Trade Renewal Ministers’ Meeting, which took place in conjunction with the full round of Internal Trade negotiations ongoing this week in Toronto.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

With the consultation phase of the Lands Act review complete, the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, today released a “What We Heard” document. The report is available at www.miga.gov.nl.ca/lands/lands_act.html.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works is reminding motorists that the Outer Ring Road between Logy Bay Road and Portugal Cove Road will be closed this Sunday, June 14, from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The closure is required to enable clean-up efforts.

Transportation and Works

Amendments introduced today to the Works, Services and Transportation Act propose increased fines for parking violations on Provincial Government parking lots. Current $10 parking violations will increase to $25, while the current $20 violations will increase to $50.

Environment and Conservation

The Department of Environment and Conservation advises the public that a 900 metre section of the Newfoundland and Labrador T'Railway Provincial Park between the Griffin Drive Walking Trail and St. Aidens Road, Corner Brook, is closed to all pedestrian, ATV, and vehicular traffic effective immediately.

Education and Early Childhood Development

Tom Hedderson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Acting Minister of Education, will speak at Achievement Night 2015, celebrating the achievements of participants in academic programs offered at the Murphy Centre. The event will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, June 10) at the CLB Armoury, 82 Harvey Road, St. John’s, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Transportation and Works

The tender for enhancements to the wharf at Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s to accommodate the new 80-metre ice class ferry the MV Legionnaire has closed.

Transportation and Works

Mr. Speaker, I stand in this Honourable House today to provide an update on the continued maintenance, enhancements, and construction of bridges across Newfoundland and Labrador. I am pleased to report that through significant investments, over the past three years alone 23 bridges have been replaced and repairs have been made to 40 other bridges throughout the province.

Health and Community Services

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to recognize National Blood Donor Week and the valuable work of Canadian Blood Services. This week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the incredible generosity of blood donors across the country and here in Newfoundland and Labrador for their lifesaving contributions.