Government of Newfoundland News

Education and Early Childhood Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to provide an update on the voluntary Operating Grant Program which was launched this past December.

Executive Council

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the Minister Responsible for the Office of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, to update my Honourable colleagues on work recently undertaken to improve our province's resilience to climate change.

Seniors, Wellness and Social Development: Sport Newfoundland and Labrador

Twenty-one air gun shooters from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador met this past weekend at Memorial University's Frank Zahn High Performance Marksmanship Facility to determine who would be the 2015 North Atlantic Air Gun Champion in men's and women's Olympic style air rifle and air pistol. After two qualifying rounds, the top shooters moved on to the finals event Sunday afternoon where the competition for top honours was fierce with some final standings separated by a single point or less.

Justice and Public Safety

An investigation by officers with the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Division into the illegal netting of salmon in the Carmanville area has resulted in the conviction of two individuals for various offences.

Fisheries and Aquaculture
Forestry and Agrifoods Agency

Grade 5 students in Newfoundland and Labrador are invited to participate in the annual National Forest Week Poster Contest, sponsored by the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency, Forestry Services Branch.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works advises that normal mailroom operations will resume for the start of the work day tomorrow (Thursday, May 7). The distribution and receipt of mail at some Provincial Government mailrooms was temporarily suspended earlier today due to the receipt of suspicious packages in various locations across Canada, including this province.

Executive Council

The Provincial Government is donating $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to help with earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.

Finance

The Auditor General today released his 2014 Update Report on the status of implementation of recommendations from prior years. The report includes the status of recommendations for 2009 to 2012 related to departments and Crown agencies.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will make a funding announcement in Bonavista tomorrow (Thursday, May 7) regarding the Harbour Front Restoration Initiative.

Office of the Auditor General

Terry Paddon, Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador, today tabled his 2014 Update on Prior Years’ Report Recommendations in the House of Assembly. The report contains details of the implementation status of 588 recommendations made in Reports on Reviews of Departments and Crown Agencies from 2009 to 2012.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works advises that due to the receipt of suspicious packages in various locations across Canada, including here in Newfoundland and Labrador, the distribution and receipt of mail at some Provincial Government mailrooms is temporarily suspended.

Seniors, Wellness and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to note my involvement in an event last week that was a highlight of my tenure as Minister of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development. I had the pleasure of participating in the unveiling of two accessible taxicabs, made possible through a $50,000 investment from the Accessible Taxi Pilot Project and through a partnership with industry, the City of St. John's, and non-profit organizations.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this Honourable House to recognize today as Municipal Awareness Day in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Service NL

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to recognize May 4 to 10 as Safe Kids Week. This is a national campaign that takes place annually to raise awareness about preventable childhood injuries. Each year, Parachute Canada, a national charity, coordinates Safe Kids Week activities with safety-focused advocacy groups throughout the country. I am pleased to note that this morning I joined Len LeRiche from Safety Services NL and students at St. Matthew's school for an official proclamation.

Environment and Conservation

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Forestry and Agrifoods Agency advises that, effective immediately, Romaine's River Agricultural Access Road located in Port au Port will be closed to all traffic until further notice.

Service NL

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Service NL, will participate in an event recognizing Safe Kids Week tomorrow (Wednesday, May 6) at 9:00 a.m. at St. Matthew's School, Cowan Avenue, St. John's.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

I rise today to recognize an event recently organized by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to support a valuable part of our fishing industry - our harvesters.

Health and Community Services

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this Honourable House today to recognize May as National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month. Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes the body to store excess iron. This month provides a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges faced by individuals and families dealing with this disorder.