MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. I will call the House to order at this time. Are there any introductions of guests in the gallery before we commence the daily routine? If not, the daily routine.
PRESENTING AND READING PETITIONS
PRESENTING REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
TABLING REPORTS, REGULATIONS AND OTHER PAPERS
STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS
GOVERNMENT NOTICES OF MOTION
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
NOTICES OF MOTION
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
MR. BROOKE TAYLOR: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Minister of Labour at a Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board hearing in Parrsboro in 1993 stated that a special Cabinet committee had been formed to investigate the decline of inter-urban bus travel across Nova Scotia; and
Whereas on January 4th of this year, the Chairperson of this special Cabinet committee, the Minister of Fisheries, said a recommendation to Cabinet would be made whenever the 1994 fall session of the Legislature adjourns; and
Whereas the residents of Parrsboro will be left without any bus service to either Truro or Amherst effective January 1, 1996, and despite three letters to the Minister of Fisheries on March 6th, June 7th and August 16th of this year seeking information as to what the special Cabinet committee recommended to the government, the minister has refused to write back;
Therefore be it resolved that since the chairperson of the special Cabinet committee on inter-urban bus travel refuses to provide me with committee findings, he go to Parrsboro with the Minister of Labour and explain to residents their government's position concerning inter-urban bus travel across Nova Scotia.
MR. SPEAKER: I would like to take a look at that resolution before tabling it. Please bring that resolution up to me.
The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Liberal Government tried to sell their service exchange and metro amalgamation schemes on the basis they would result in efficiencies and reduce property taxes; and
Whereas according to minutes of a meeting on February 22, 1995 between the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and Liberal Cabinet Ministers, the government, once again, promised that a one-tiered social assistance system would be put in place, "at provincial expense"; and
Whereas on the eve of the amalgamation, the Liberal Government, true to its form, has completely reneged on this commitment and instead purported that the UNSM and others are mistaken in their recollections;
Therefore be it resolved that this House instructs the government to produce a ledger which itemizes actual costs of services offloaded onto municipalities and those actually assumed by the provincial government.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
I am also tabling the notice presented by the member for Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley with the observation that it is quite a bit long for this type of short resolution.
The honourable Leader of the Opposition.
DR. JOHN HAMM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the final trip for the MV Bluenose between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, Maine, until May 15, 1996, is now underway; and
Whereas the suspension of this vital economic link will cause immediate and long-term economic hardship to the economy of southwestern Nova Scotia; and
Whereas the Premier and members of the government are now looking to the private sector for assistance in keeping this vital transportation link open, yet had no backup plan in place whatsoever following the announcement by CN Marine to suspend winter service three weeks ago;
Therefore be it resolved that the Premier and his Minister for the Economic Renewal Agency go to Yarmouth and provide the people of southwestern Nova Scotia with a clear, concise plan of what the Nova Scotia Government is prepared to do to re-establish ferry service.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Kings North.
MR. GEORGE ARCHIBALD: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas a national poll released on Boxing Day indicated that one-quarter of Nova Scotians interviewed for the poll were affected by a job loss in 1995; and
Whereas the poll indicated that consumer confidence across Nova Scotia is very poor, and that one in three people presently employed feel less secure about their job than they did a year ago; and
Whereas when Nova Scotian are asked what their economic prospects are for the next 12 months, they feel that they will be worse off instead of better off;
Therefore be it resolved that this Liberal Government recognize the concerns of Nova Scotians and offer some real economic development and less confusion and contradiction.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Premier and his ministers and backbenchers chose the time devoted for debate and amendments to the Queen Elizabeth II hospital legislation to begin a widespread defence of their poorly planned health care cuts; and
Whereas the Liberal speeches and defence failed to acknowledge the legitimate concerns and fears raised by citizens of the province; and
Whereas these are the kind of arrogant tactics on behalf of the government that have caused Nova Scotians' hopes for the future to plummet;
Therefore be it resolved that this Liberal Government would be well advised to remove their winter earmuffs and begin to listen to the people of Nova Scotia before the health care system and everything else in this province under their influence is all but destroyed.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled although it appears to comment on a bill that is being discussed by the House, but I will let it go anyway, in the spirit of Christmas.
The honourable member for Queens.
MR. JOHN LEEFE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas municipal leaders in six municipal units steadfastly maintain that the province committed to take over municipal social service costs once amalgamation took effect in their respective areas; and
Whereas the Minister of Municipal Affairs herself acknowledges that in February 1995 the Deputy Minister of Community Services repeated this commitment at a meeting of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities; and (Interruption) Well, if it is not true, we can debate it later on.
Whereas this is just yet another example of a government that will do the politically expedient thing by promising whatever it must, whenever it must to hasten its agenda;
Therefore be it resolved that this Liberal Government live up to the commitment it made to the taxpayers in the Municipalities of Queens, Liverpool, Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and the County of Halifax and that effective April 1, 1996, it assume the full cost of municipal general assistance as it said it would do as late as summer and fall of this year.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
MR. JOHN HOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the Premier, under pressure, assured Nova Scotians his government has no intention to allow its casino partner to offer free drinks to gamblers; and
Whereas the government has already made numerous regulation changes over the past six months to try to satisfy its thirst for gambling profits; and
Whereas any further relaxation of regulations to permit expanded hours and increased predatory practices by the casino will be at the expense of local businesses that have provided long-term employment and stability to the economy;
Therefore be it resolved that the Liberal Government should abandon its practice of secretly making changes to gambling regulations at the Cabinet table in favour of a public consultation process that respects the wishes of the public.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Queens.
MR. JOHN LEEFE: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas the infamous service exchange proposal introduced by the Minister of Municipal Affairs was to have been revenue neutral; and
Whereas this is clearly not the case in the Town of Digby where the province is forcing an extra $122,000 in costs upon Town Council for policing services effective April 1, 1996; and
Whereas the Deputy Mayor of Digby recently said the town is investigating every avenue to avoid a property tax increase as a result of the added $122,000 in costs for policing being forced upon them by the province;
Therefore be it resolved that the Ministers of Municipal Affairs and Justice urge the government to reassess their position today and explain to taxpayers in the Town of Digby and other small towns across Nova Scotia why their government is intent on driving up property taxes upon the establishment of municipal budgets in the new year.
MR. SPEAKER: The notice is tabled.
The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.
MR. ROBERT CHISHOLM: Mr. Speaker, I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas when the Premier dictates jump, his Liberal caucus colleagues say, how high?; and
Whereas the Premier has instructed the Speaker to convene a meeting of the Internal Economy Board to develop rules for the disclosure of MLA travel expenses; and
Whereas both the NDP and Tory caucuses have made these expenses available for public scrutiny several weeks ago;
Therefore be it resolved that the Premier should dictate his Liberal colleagues to do the right thing by following the lead of both Opposition Parties and disclose their travel expenses.
MR. SPEAKER: I am going to have to rule that resolution out of order. I feel that it makes statements about the Speaker that are not true.
I therefore reject it.
Are there any further notices?
MR. CHISHOLM: It says that the Premier has instructed the Speaker to convene a meeting of the Internal Economy Board.
MR. SPEAKER: I beg to differ with the honourable member, the statements contained about the Speaker in that resolution are not true.
Therefore I rule it out of order.
MR. CHISHOLM: It doesn't say anything about you. It says the Premier instructs the Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Let me see that resolution, please.
MR. CHISHOLM: And that was reported in the papers today.
MR. SPEAKER: The appearance of something in a newspaper certainly does not indicate it to be true at all. The honourable member ought to know that. (Interruptions)
I would deny the substance of the second whereas clause. If the member wishes to have the resolution tabled otherwise, it is agreeable to me, but the statements in Clause 2 are not correct and are inadmissible.
All right, the notice will be tabled with that deletion.
Are there any further notices of motion? If there are no further notices of motion, there is no Adjournment debate today, so we have completed the daily routine. We are ready to go now to Orders of the Day.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
MR. SPEAKER: The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: Mr. Speaker, I move that you do now leave the Chair and the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on Bills.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.
[10:15 a.m. The House resolved itself into a CWH on Bills with Acting Deputy Speaker Mr. Ross Bragg in the Chair.]
[5:59 p.m. CWH on Bills rose and the House reconvened with Acting Deputy Speaker, Mr. Robert Carruthers in the Chair.]
MR. SPEAKER: Order, please. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House on Bills reports:
THE CLERK: That the committee has met and considered the following bill:
Bill No. 47 - Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Act.
and the chairman has been instructed to recommend this bill to the favourable consideration of the House, without amendment.
Also, Mr. Speaker, the committee begs leave to sit again.
MR. SPEAKER: Ordered that this bill be read for a third time on a future day.
The honourable member for Hants West.
MR. RONALD RUSSELL: Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. The matter that was referred to the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House at the conclusion of the business on Bill No. 47, I wish to give notice that on Tuesday of next week when the Speaker will be in the Chair, that I will be rising on a point of order to put forward certain comments with regard to our present rules and whether or not the ruling that was made was valid.
MR. SPEAKER: That notice is on the record.
The honourable Government House Leader.
HON. RICHARD MANN: I will put on the notice, Mr. Speaker, that I will be responding to the member's comments.
Mr. Speaker, I would advise members of the House that we will be sitting on Tuesday, January 2, 1996, from 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. We will be going into Committee of the Whole House on Bills following Question Period for resumption of the debate on Bill No. 55.
On behalf of the Government of Nova Scotia, I would like to wish all members a very Happy New Year and all the best in 1996.
I move that we adjourn until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
MR. SPEAKER: The motion is carried.
We stand adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
[The House rose at 6:01 p.m.]
By: Mr. George Moody (Kings West)
I hereby give notice that on a future day I shall move that an order of this House do issue for a return showing, with respect to the number of spot checks carried out by inspectors hired to police regulations respecting the sale of tobacco under the tobacco Acts, the total number of summonses issued and summary offence tickets issued as of January 1, 1996.
