Lorraine Michael Question Period (05.30.2012)

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS MICHAEL: People are asking how Eastern Health can cut 385 positions and make other changes to the tune of $43 million without affecting the quality of patient care.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Could she clearly outline how their Department of Health is going to monitor the changes so that they will not affect patient care?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the vast majority of the changes that will be made Eastern Health will be made in terms of jobs that will be gone through attrition. However, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to monitoring what is happening over there that will continue to happen as it always has. Mr. Speaker, this process, as was indicated earlier today, started about a year ago. For example, the issues around constant care, those are not brand-new initiatives. Those are initiatives that were learned along the way, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS SULLIVAN: Therefore, Mr. Speaker, Eastern Health has been monitoring the process of how that is unfolding and how the new initiative is working itself through.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

The Conservative’s 2004 Throne Speech claimed striking the right balance between quality health and an efficient, sustainable system required them to make four regional health boards. Yesterday’s report from Eastern Health shows clearly that their plan has not worked.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Will she recognize the mess they have created and put in place an external review to assess how the whole system is working?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Here we go again, Mr. Speaker. Almost every time the Leader of the Third Party gets on their feet she is calling for a review of something, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are only 500,000 of us in this Province and four health boards serve us very well. There are a lot of people in this country, Mr. Speaker, who would argue that four health boards for 500,000 people is far too much administration.

Mr. Speaker, health care in this Province is very, very, very good. You only have to tune into any kind of television show like the Janeway Telethon, for example, Mr. Speaker, to hear wonderful stories about the health care that is provided to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians through those four health care authorities. Do we have challenges? Yes, but we are prepared to meet them in exercises like this.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

New census data shows our Province has a higher proportion of seniors than ever before. These are people who have worked and paid into the health care system their whole lives and who will now need it more than ever.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Where is the long-term and home care strategy that this government has been promising for years?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as I pointed out yesterday, when we make commitments we are going to see those commitments come to reality. We talked about a long-term care strategy, Mr. Speaker. We are in the final stages of having that long-term care strategy put together. You are going to see that very, very soon, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Nalcor would not be spending millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money building a road to Muskrat Falls unless it was certain that Muskrat Falls would be sanctioned by this government.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: What is the point of a special debate in the House if Muskrat Falls hydro project is a fait accompli?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Martin and Nalcor have indicated that as you get toward the decision gate three process, Mr. Speaker, you spend money to determine your cost. The best way to determine what overruns you will face is by taking certain steps. So what is going on, Mr. Speaker, we are preparing for the decision, if sanction is granted. No decision has been made, we are open to discussion, and Mr. Speaker, what Nalcor is doing is preparing for sanction and determining how the cost will come out, Mr. Speaker, so that all the information can be provided. So what I would say to the member opposite, why does she not just speak to Thomas Mulcair or Jack Harris, they can help her out.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL:Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last year, Nalcor built roads on the West Coast to potential oil drilling sites which were never used – expensive roads to nowhere at taxpayers’ expense. Now Nalcor is building this road to Muskrat Falls before sanction.

So, Mr. Speaker, I say to the Premier, she claims that her government are prudent fiscal managers: I ask how does building an expensive road to nowhere fit with that claim?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, it is important sometimes to spend money in order to make money.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: And that is exactly what is happening in this Province. Mr. Speaker, we know there is oil on the West Coast of this Province – it bubbles up to the top of the ground. It is incumbent on us to spend some money to firm up our reserves, Mr. Speaker. It is important to the economic future of Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Third Party wants Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to risk nothing, companies to risk everything, come in and operate in this Province and not even be able to count on the agreements they have signed with the government of the day, because if they come in, they are going to revisit all of those agreements and make sure they pay more.