Government of Newfoundland News

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

Office of the Child and Youth Advocate

The tabling of legislative amendments providing for mandatory reporting of deaths and critical injuries marks a significant development for advocacy services for children and youth in Newfoundland and Labrador. Proposed amendments to the Child and Youth Advocate Act will require the Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development, and the Department of Justice and Public Safety to report all child and youth deaths and critical injuries to the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate. This will apply to children and youth in care, protective intervention, kinship, youth services, and youth corrections programs, as well as children and youth at the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Centre, or temporarily housed in correctional holding facilities.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

Legislation to amend the Child and Youth Advocate Act will receive second reading in the House of Assembly today. The amendments will allow for the mandatory reporting of child deaths and critical injuries to the advocate by the departments of Children, Seniors and Social Development, and Justice and Public Safety.

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

The Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, today announced more than $392,000 in funding through the Labour Market Partnerships Program to support two pilot employment programs for international students and graduates.

Health and Community Services

The Provincial Government today announced its plan to conduct a province-wide audit of all private and community ambulance operators. The audit follows recent concerns related to availability and staffing across the province.

Education and Early Childhood Development

The Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, will celebrate Computer Science Education Week tomorrow (Tuesday, December 5) at Elizabeth Park Elementary, 80 Ellesmere Ave, Paradise. Minister Kirby will participate in Hour of Code activities involving K-6 students. The event begins at 10:30 a.m.

House of Assembly

The Honourable Perry Trimper, Speaker and Chair of the House of Assembly Management Commission, advises that the Management Commission will hold its next meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6.

Justice and Public Safety

Today, the Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the nominees for the 2017 Human Rights Awards. The annual award recognizes an individual who has made and/or continues to make a meaningful contribution to advancing and furthering human rights in the province.

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

The Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, in partnership with the Association for New Canadians, will announce new initiatives that will assist international students and graduates from post-secondary institutions in this province gain meaningful employment in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will announce details on amendments to the Child and Youth Advocate Act tomorrow (Tuesday, December 5).

Service NL

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is continuing to take important steps toward improving public safety by introducing further amendments to the Highway Traffic Act which begin second reading today in the House of Assembly.

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in this Honourable House to acknowledge the Grammy Award nomination for the Broadway musical Come From Away.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to recognize yesterday, December 3, as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Twenty-five years have passed since the United Nations proclaimed this observance to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

Executive Council

Premier Stephen McNeil will host a meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers in Halifax, N.S. on December 11, 2017. Premier McNeil will be joined by his colleagues Premier Brian Gallant of New Brunswick, Premier Dwight Ball of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Premier Wade MacLauchlan of Prince Edward Island.

Fisheries and Land Resources

A new World Heritage Advisory Council is being established to provide local input into the management of the province’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site at Mistaken Point.

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

The Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, today highlighted the success of the province’s participation in recent international immigrant recruitment events in Europe.

Finance

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for the Human Resource Secretariat, will be available to the media to provide an update on negotiations with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE). The availability will take place today (Monday, December 4) at 1:00 p.m. outside of the House of Assembly, East Block, Confederation Building.

House of Assembly

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Honourable Perry Trimper, is pleased to announce that the House of Assembly has launched a new website, effective today (Monday, December 4). The new site can still be accessed at www.assembly.nl.ca.

Transportation and Works

The Provincial Government is inviting the public to attend Newfoundland and Labrador’s 31st annual Christmas Lights Across Canada celebration. The event will take place on Thursday, December 7, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Confederation Building, East Block.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Provincial Government is recognizing the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities which is held annually around the world on December 3. This day increases awareness and celebrates the achievements and contributions of persons with disabilities.