Government of Newfoundland News

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

An amendment to the Municipalities Act, 1999, was introduced in the House of Assembly today. The amendment proposes that a municipality may, with a vote of two thirds of the councilors in office and approval of the Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, dispose of property at or less than fair market value for social or economic development purposes.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Honourable Vaughn Granter, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, will make an announcement regarding the provincial aquaculture industry tomorrow (Tuesday, December 16) at 12:30 p.m. The announcement will take place in the Media Centre, Ground Floor, East Block, Confederation Building.

Finance

The Auditor General today released his annual report containing commentary and recommendations related to four reviews: Memorial University, Aquaculture, the Energy Plan and Government Vehicles.

Health and Community Services

Amendments to the Social Workers Act were introduced in the House of Assembly today. The proposed amendments will authorize the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers to utilize quality assurance measures to monitor a social worker’s practice and enhance client care. In addition, the amendments will require that social workers report conduct of another social worker deserving of sanction to the Association’s Registrar.

Seniors, Wellness and Social Development

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development, and Kevin Parsons, MHA for Cape St. Francis, will be in Flatrock tomorrow (Tuesday, December 16) to announce recipients of the Provincial Government's 2014-15 Community Recreation Development Grant Program.

Justice and Public Safety

The Provincial Government today provided an update on the status of the new province-wide Basic 911 service. The new service will come into full effect in early 2015, following the final coordination of all technological and data requirements.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works is advising that the Burgeo Highway at Wooden Tilt Brook, approximately 25 kilometres from the Town of Burgeo, will be closed until Friday, December 19 because of a road washout. Officials from the Department of Transportation and Works are on-site to further assess the situation, remove the existing culvert, and install a temporary bridge.

Office of the Auditor General

In his Report to the House of Assembly on Reviews of Departments and Crown Agencies tabled in the House of Assembly today in St. John's, Auditor General Terry Paddon reports on reviews completed in three Government departments and one Crown agency. He has provided a number of recommendations, directed to Government and the agency, aimed at strengthening financial and operational processes and controls. In addition, the Auditor General highlights a number of findings which arose during the reviews.

Service NL

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to recognize St. Kevin’s High School in Goulds for developing the first in a series of iBook textbooks focused on workplace health and safety that will be shared with students around the province and the globe.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

I rise in this Honourable House to note our government’s commitment to engaging youth in marine studies.

Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to highlight the good news resulting from the Calls for Bids announced Friday by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board. The Call for Bids consisted of six parcels of land in the Flemish Pass, the Carson and the Jeanne D'Arc basins.

Seniors, Wellness and Social Development

Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) has awarded its 2014 Scholarship Awards to tenants currently pursuing post-secondary studies. Each scholarship is valued at $1,000.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ed Ring, has released his Report A-2014-013 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the Report is included below.

Executive Council
Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Honourable Paul Davis, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, is in Ottawa today insisting that the Federal Government honour a deal it had with his province related to the CETA trade agreement between Canada and the European Union (EU).

Natural Resources

Results of the Calls for Bids announced today by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board demonstrate continued interest by industry in the exploration opportunities available in Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore.

Health and Community Services

The primary health care forum for the St. Anthony Region will take place tomorrow (Saturday, December 13) at the Grenfell Heritage Hotel at 1 McChada Drive from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Service NL

The Honourable Tony Cornect, Minister of Service NL and Minister Responsible for the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, will speak at the iBook textbook launch on workplace health and safety on Monday, December 15. The event will take place at St. Kevin’s High School, 435 Back Line Road, Goulds at 10:50 a.m.

Health and Community Services

The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services, today joined representatives from Eastern Health, Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Care Foundation and donors for a tour of a new radiation treatment suite for cancer patients. The suite, part of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre, houses a TrueBeam STx Radiation Therapy System, which is a powerful radiotherapy technology that aids in the treatment and delivery of cancer care.

Finance

Implementation of the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) reform, announced on September 2, begins today with the introduction of two Bills into the House of Assembly, An Act to Amend the Pensions Funding Act and the Public Service Pensions Act, 1991 and An Act to Modify Eligibility for Other Post-Employment Benefits. This follows the signing of the Joint Sponsorship Agreement on pension reform by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the five largest unions representing employees of the Public Service Pension Plan.

Health and Community Services

The Honourable Steve Kent, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Community Services, will tour a new radiation treatment suite for cancer patients tomorrow (Friday, December 12) at 10:00 a.m. on the 1st Floor of the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre, Clinic C waiting room.