Lorraine Michael Question Period (05.24.2012)
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL:Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons the Premier gave for not calling a public inquiry into the death of Burton Winters evaporated yesterday with the revelation the federal government will co-operate with a provincial public inquiry.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier today: What is the rationale that she is now giving for not calling a public inquiry in this instance, not in others, but in this one?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in Question Period, when we first discussed this issue with Minister MacKay back in February, he offered to provide any information he had. Mr. Speaker, we have taken him up on that order and we have laid out a timeline. Mr. Speaker, we have been able to identify quite clearly where the issue arose. That has been articulated very clearly by the people in Labrador, by Burton Winters’ family and by our own analysis, Mr. Speaker.
I have asked Minister MacKay for an explanation of the gap that occurred on January 30 in the search when there was a five hour period that they were not engaged in the search. The answers are not satisfactory; the protocols need to be changed.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
It is the protocols that I am concerned about, and the Premier’s interest in getting them changed. A public inquiry with the full involvement of both levels of government and other interested parties could result in the development of fail safe protocols, Mr. Speaker.
I ask the Premier: Would she please put in place an inquiry to develop appropriate protocols for search and rescue so that needless tragic deaths never happen again? That is the action I am looking for.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker.
Then the very first thing that the Leader of the Third Party should do, Mr. Speaker, is find out who has responsibility for what. Mr. Speaker, we have no responsibility for the deployment of federal government resources, nor would any inquiry or recommendation coming out of any provincial inquiry have the authority to demand, or command, or require, the federal government to change any of its protocols. They do not have a specific responsibility in ground search and rescue, Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times. They respond as part of a humanitarian effort. We think they failed in this case, in this instance, on Monday, January 30, and we have pointed that out, Mr. Speaker.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL:Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
I think the Premier fully understands the interface between both, and people have to work together in the two sets of protocols.
Mr. Speaker, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador is concerned about the void that will be created with the loss of the REDB cuts by the federal government. MNL insists these boards play an important role in co-ordinating municipalities and developing and encouraging the capacity building necessary for regional economic development. Their loss will be another serious blow to municipalities across the Province.
I ask the Premier: Will she direct her Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development to meet with MNL to outline how government will address their concerns?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege since I was a very young woman to be engaged in community. There was a time when I served as a member –
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: – of a town council, Mr. Speaker, directly involved in economic development in a community. I served as a member of a REDB, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also had the privilege of being minister of the lead business department in this government.
I understand the efforts of community volunteers, Mr. Speaker. We cannot backfill every void left by the federal government or any other agency, whether it is municipalities or anybody else, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to support where we think it is appropriate.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.
MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
So I guess the answer to MNL is that they are not going to sit and talk with them.
Mr. Speaker, just a year ago this government was praising RED Boards and the important work they do. The minister at the time was effusive in her praise, noting that the work RED Boards were doing was “essential in enabling small firms to compete nationally and internationally.” She said their work allowed them to “punch beyond their weight.” What a difference a year makes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Will she acknowledge the importance her own Administration has placed on these boards and find the funding to allow them to continue?
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I am so delighted to hear the Leader of the Third Party acknowledge all of the economic activity that is going on in rural parts of the Province.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: It is the first time in the number of years she has been here that I have heard any such affirmation come from her on economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador. To use the familiar expression from one of her colleagues: Bravo!
Now, Mr. Speaker, what is important is to put real tools in the hands of people who are trying to drive economic development in our Province, Mr. Speaker. We do that through our lead Department of IBRD, we do that through our Regional Economic Development offices, we do that through MNL and what they are doing, we do that through ACOA and what they are doing, and we do it with the $200 million annually –
