Ms. Jones questioned Minister Rideout in the House of Assembly today;

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is so obvious that this Premier is suffering from a credibility deficit. In the fall, government commissioned a Public Policy Division of Memorial University to do a study of marine services in Labrador. Mr. Speaker, in a teleconference with the people of Labrador back on November 26, the Premier said to the people, and I quote him today: You have to go in with an open mind on this and the choices and the decisions have to be left with this group of consultants who I have complete faith in. I want it done properly and fairly.

Mr. Speaker, the people accepted the word of this Premier yet he did not accept the recommendations from the consultant but rather devised a system to meet his own political agenda. Why did you go back on your promise? How do you expect people to believe anything that you say at any time, Premier?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and Aboriginal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. RIDEOUT: Mr. Speaker, there is enough of political innuendo in that preamble that if you were to allow me, which I know you will not, I would consume the rest of Question Period trying to respond to it.

But let me say this, Mr. Speaker, the government asked the public policy institute of Memorial University to identify options, to analyze those options and to present them to us. We took that report and we made a decision that we believe, and that most of the people in Labrador believe, serves the best interest of the most people who use the service.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: A supplementary, the hon. the Member for Cartwright-L’anse au Clair.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable that the minister would stand here today and say that the author of the report had no idea what he was asked to do, because the authors of this report were quite clear in what they had to do.

Mr. Speaker, this Premier continues to make commitments that are not worth the paper they are written on. Once again, this Premier has swallowed himself whole on this issue. That government professed that they must tighten the bottom line in spending. They have cancelled hospitals. They have increased ferry rates. They have laid off thousands of public servants and they are removing concessions from unionized workers. Yet, he has ignored the recommendations on Labrador Marine Service in favour of an option that will cost an extra $5 million to $6 million over the next three years.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member now to complete her question.

MS JONES: I ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker: Tell us, Premier, is it okay to break open the treasury and to spend the money if it meets your own personal agenda?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Transportation and Works, and Aboriginal Affairs.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the minister.

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this reminds me of a Jackal and Hyde situation. One day if we announce we are not spending money, the Opposition are all over us. If we announce we are going to invest a little bit of extra money -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair recognizes the hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works, and Aboriginal Affairs. I ask the cooperation of the House so we can hear the minister.

The hon. the minister.

MR. RIDEOUT: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If we announce we are prepared to invest a little bit of extra money to get the best possible service to the most people in Labrador, then they are all over us for that, Mr. Speaker. What, in God’s name, do they want at all?