MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Ministers of Justice and Natural Resources issued a news release that said the people of the Province would not be responsible for environmental liabilities associated with Abitibi properties that were expropriated. I have to question, based on that comment, if either of the ministers has read the recent court decision on this matter in which the Province lost that case.

In the recent Environmental Protection Act case the judge ruled in section 202, and I quote, "In all fairness, a regulator can hardly pretend to realistically order that a ‘person responsible’ carry out actions upon properties that it no longer owns." The judge also stated in section 208 of this case, "The Province, as owner and occupier of the lands, is clearly a ‘person responsible’ under s.99 of the EPA."

I ask the minister today: How can you continue to say that we are not on the hook for this case, when the courts clearly state that we are?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, our Environmental Protection Act, as well as Bill 75, state quite clearly that the polluter pays, regardless of who owns the properties. That is the principle that we maintain. That principle is why we are asking for leave to appeal the ruling in the CCAA process.

Mr. Speaker, we know that AbitibiBowater will do everything that it can to relieve itself of its responsibility to remediate its properties here in the Province. Mr. Speaker, our own legislation protects us here in this Province from that happening if something happens in terms of the broader law.

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the numbers that are being tossed around, hopefully, I will have an opportunity to deal with that as we move along in Question Period.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to ask the minister to table for the House the sections of our EPA legislation and the sections of Bill 75 that says that the polluter pays.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, this information is available on-line, but I know that the Opposition from time to time has challenges, and we will certainly provide the sections to the Opposition on the issues that they have just requested.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The judge also stated in another court challenge, known as the Data Room case, and I quote, "The Court notably concluded that the Province had not yet provided reasonable and convincing evidence in support of its alleged status of potential creditor for environmental problems resulting from Abitibi's economic activities."

I ask the minister today: Why didn’t government complete its due diligence to support our claim before bringing it to the courts?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, there is a process that the Minister of Environment has outlined time and time again in this House in terms of how the costs of remediation are arrived at. Those orders are provided to the offending company in case this time - in this case, AbitibiBowater. They are told what is required of them. They come back in response to those orders and from their response we are able to determine the cost of the clean up. AbitibiBowater has not done that, Mr. Speaker, and they continue to try to avoid their responsibilities with regard to environmental cleanup here in the Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: There is no explanation as to why the Minister of Environment did not do her job and complete the due diligence prior to the court case.

Let me ask this question, Mr. Speaker, I refer to the data room case which we also lost in the Quebec courts related to Abitibi. Under questioning in the House of Assembly in December, government stated that it would not be proceeding with the case because they felt Abitibi had insufficient funds. In actual fact, Mr. Speaker, we have now learned that government had pursued the case and they lost the case and were ordered to pay all the legal fees of Abitibi.

So I ask the minister today: Why did you say that we were not pursuing the case, instead of stating upfront that we had lost it because we did not provide any evidence to support our claims for taxation, severance and environmental liabilities?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I think again the hon. Leader of the Opposition should do a little bit more homework. The case was pursued, Mr. Speaker, and lost. End of story. We did not take any further action following this court decision and we could not get access to the data room. We were pursuant up to that stage. When that decision was made we did not go any further and that is the position we took in this House.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, on December 9, when I questioned the Minister of Justice in the House of Assembly with regard to these claims he did not say that they would not go to appeal. In fact, this is what he said: With regard to the action on CCAA claims of monies owing to the Province, the position of the government is that we are not pursuing these claims because there are insufficient funds.

At no time, minister, did you state that we had pursued a case, lost a case, and was not appealing the case again. Why is that?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I really do not know where the hon. Leader of the Opposition is coming from. The response in the House was a response that came from a decision that was made in the Quebec court. The Quebec courts, CCAA did not allow us entry to the data room. Based on that decision, we made the decision there was no point in pursuing claims any further because the cost of pursuing the claim would be more than money we will get back. That was our position.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Now that we know that government did pursue the case, did lose the case, chose not to appeal the case, I would like to ask them to tell us: How much these court cases cost, what were the third party costs, and how much are we paying out for Abitibi’s legal costs here?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, I do not have those figures at my fingertips and I do not know to what extent we have them in my department. The costs of Abitibi were JV’d to Natural Resources. The actual breakdown in these figures, I do not have at the moment.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to ask the minister, if he could get those costs and provide us with the information?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, any information that we can disclose under the circumstances, considering the fact that proceedings are ongoing, we will disclose.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In light of the conclusions of the courts in two of those cases, there appears to be no requirement that AbitibiBowater clean up their former properties or submit a remediation plan.

I ask the minister today: As the current owner of these properties, what are your responsibilities to complete such a remediation plan and to outline the costs associated with cleaning up these sites and the actions required for such work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we take issues of the environment very seriously and our Environmental Protection Act is very clear. It is based on the principle of polluter pays, Mr. Speaker. We have not taken the position that Abitibi is off the hook for this and that is why we are seeking leave to appeal the decision of the Quebec court. That leave will be heard on May 12, and we are going to pursue all the legal options that are available to us to ensure that these properties are brought back to the state that they were found in when Abitibi came here.

Thank you.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On March 24, 2009, the Minister of Environment stated, "our department is doing an inventory of all of the environmental issues. That could range anywhere from logging camps to bridges and to the mill itself. Certainly, the mill will have to undergo an environmental assessment process through the decommissioning of their mill, as was done in Stephenville." She said, "The member can rest assured that all environmental issues will certainly be addressed." We are seeing a different picture today, minister.

I ask the minister today - because I questioned her last week on whether the inventory and the costing of these environmental liabilities have been completed. I ask the minister today: Has this been done and, if so, are you prepared to provide it?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, Mr. Speaker, at least on this one she has her dates right, because she stood up in this House yesterday and talked about my comments in the House in December 2008 and left this House yesterday with the impression and tabled the notes from that date when in actual fact it was of March, 2009. The fact that this House was left to believe that I was still here on December 28 was totally unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. I did say that in March of 2009.

We take the issues of the environment very seriously. We are aware of the environmental issues and that is why we continue to pursue this case. We are seeking leave to appeal to the Quebec Court of Appeal, and, Mr. Speaker, we are going to seek every legal avenue possible to make sure that this environment is brought back to the state that Abitibi found it in when they came here to do business here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have no problem, Mr. Speaker, admitting I made a mistake in the date and I got the minister’s date wrong, but I can guarantee you, I did not make any $500 million mistake on the backs of the people of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask members for their co-operation.

I ask the Leader of the Opposition to direct her remarks to the Chair.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I say to the minister, that my mistake is not going to cost the taxpayers of this Province. The truth is, Mr. Speaker, she said the comments, she made the commitment –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the members to my left to please allow the hon. member to ask her question.

MS JONES: They should all be ashamed of themselves, Mr. Speaker. They should be ashamed of themselves, I say.

I ask the minister: Did you do what you committed to do sixteen months ago? Did you do the costing? Did you do the inventory on the environmental liabilities associated with the expropriation of AbitibiBowater?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, speaking of being ashamed, this member had the perfect opportunity when she stood up in the House yesterday and tabled the Hansard, she had the perfect opportunity at that time to stand up and say she made a mistake. She did not do it at that time and left this House to believe that I was up here giving incorrect information. That was her time to do it, but I accept the fact now that she has accepted that she made a mistake.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair is having difficulty hearing the hon. Minister of Environment and Conservation.

MS JONES: You did not do your job and you know it.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. minister.

MS JOHNSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the minister obviously is not going to tell us whether she did what she committed to do sixteen months ago or not. We know, Mr. Speaker, that she failed to provide the information under the Environmental Protection Act in the court case and, as a result of it, we have lost that case.

Mr. Speaker, if government does not have the analysis done of the cost associated with AbitibiBowater’s environmental liabilities, I fear that we may even be facing even more concerning issues in the months and years to come.

I ask the minister, in the spirit of openness and accountability: Can you provide any information within your department as to what the total price tag of Abitibi’s environmental liabilities is to the people of this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Environment and Conservation.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS JOHNSON: Mr. Speaker, when she cannot get the facts right and she does not do the right research then she turns to fear mongering. That is the tactic that we see here.

I have said time and time in this House and in media reports for her to review that in order for us to get the actual –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JOHNSON: - cost of the remediation, Abitibi has to submit a remediation plan. That was all spelled out in the orders. They have one year to do so. They already had a great piece of the work. So one year to do that was not unrealistic.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JOHNSON: Until those remediation reports come into us and we are satisfied with them in the Department of Environment, that environment will be brought back to the standard that it was when Abitibi came here to do business and to benefit from our resources, only then can we give an actual cost.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Maybe, Mr. Speaker, the member might like to read her own Environmental Protection Act as well which defines persons responsible, and she will find out that the owner is of a substance or a thing. That was written right in her own act.

Obviously, no answers, let’s see if we get some answers here. When they do not do their job, Mr. Speaker, or they want to cover things up, they do not want to give you answers.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, since the government expropriated the assets of AbitibiBowater, it has been revealed that government also expropriated some of the liabilities, as we all know - hundreds of millions of dollars of them. Government has stepped up to the plate, they have covered off the employees’ severance payments so far and they have lobbied the federal government to ensure the viability of employee pensions. One group that have been left out are the local contractors who accepted work at the mill site once the mill closed, and these contractors are now out hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I ask the government, now that you are the employer, now that you own it all: What are you going to do to ensure that these contractors are paid?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SKINNER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, again, the premise upon which the question is asked is a false one. We were not the employer. We did not engage any contractors to do any work. We did not issue any contracts to any people to perform work. Therefore, we have no obligation to the people who did the work on behalf of AbitibiBowater.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the courts are saying that you own it. You guys know that you own it. These contractors were commissioned to do work on your property, and now, Mr. Speaker, they are out the money.

I ask the government today: Who is going to cover the bills of these contractors who acted in good faith, took on a contract in good faith, and deserve to be paid?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SKINNER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is half correct. She is correct in the assertion that they were asked to do work. She is correct in the assertion that they performed work. What she is incorrect in is that she is trying to imply that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador asked that that be done, and that is incorrect.

What is correct is that they were asked to do that by AbitibiBowater. The answer to the question as to who is responsible for the payment for the work that was performed, the answer to that question is the –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. SKINNER: – person who asked the work be done, the company that asked the work be done, and that company was AbitibiBowater.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to clarify for the minister that I never said that the government hired them. I said you own the property, they were hired in good faith, they went to work in good faith, they are doing the work on your property that you own, and I ask you today to do the right thing, pay those contractors the more than $300,000 that they are owed.

MR. SPEAKER: Further questions?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask members for their co-operation. If there are questions asked, obviously, the minister to whom the question has been directed has been unable to hear the question if there was a question asked.

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: As usual, Mr. Speaker, they are not listening. If they were, they would have heard the question.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the member to pose her question.

MS JONES: The question was quite simple, Mr. Speaker. These individuals are out there, they have completed work on your property and they are owed more than $300,000. Will you pay the bill?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The member cannot ask questions, sit down and then continue to answer by shouting at other people across the floor.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Important questions are asked, and I call on the Deputy Premier to answer the question, but when members ask a question, please allow the answer to be given and vice versa.

The hon. the Minister of Natural Resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, when we expropriated the assets of AbitibiBowater in Central Newfoundland, we did so on behalf of the people in Newfoundland and Labrador. While the members of the Opposition might have bailed ship, which is no surprise - I have to tell you, quite honestly, I was surprised they got on in the first place.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, it was the absolute right thing to do.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to complete her answer.

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, we have invested tens and tens of millions of dollars in Central Newfoundland since the closure of that mill. We were able to do things like over $30 million in severance because we own the assets. Mr. Speaker, members of the Opposition are throwing numbers around all over the place in the last few weeks. If we own the assets, and because we own the assets, they do not have to pay remediation costs -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS DUNDERDALE: - then we will deal with it from the assets, but we cannot be paying them for the assets and then paying them for remediation at all. The whole premise of their question is ludicrous.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, in the Justice budget Estimates committee the minister confirmed that the pre-detention correctional facility for women and youth that was intended to be constructed in Happy Valley-Goose Bay was placed on hold indefinitely. There was not a single public statement or release, Mr. Speaker, that this project had been stopped.

I ask the minister: Where is the openness and the transparency of your government, and why did you hide such important information?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At least the Opposition House Leader has modified his language somewhat today. Yesterday he said to the media that it was scrapped.

Mr. Speaker, there was never ever any intention in this department or this government to hide, or conceal, or renege on any commitment to the people of Labrador. This government responded to the pre-detention needs of Labrador by investigating a number of models and options to work with, which we are still evaluating.

That now, Mr. Speaker, is being done in the context of re-evaluating all of our correctional needs, those pre-detention needs, and all of the needs that fit in that overall picture. When we are comfortable with that overall picture, Mr. Speaker, we will make a decision as to what option we will go with and where we spend our money.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we all know the circumstances that demonstrated the need for this facility. We saw those stories in the news; women being held naked in cells for days; teenagers being denied a shower while they were in custody. The Citizens’ Representative for this Province even presented government with a report demonstrating the necessity of constructing a new facility.

I ask the minister: With the demonstrated need, the need already proven that has been clearly presented to your government, why are you now taking such a backwards step and cancelling this facility?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we are taking a very forward step. We are doing an internal review of all of our correctional needs. Mr. Speaker, we have taken a new direction in recent times because we have come to the conclusion that the feds are not on-board with respect to a federal prison. So now we have to look at our correctional facilities to see what option we can follow to get the best arrangement that we can get.

The Labrador situation, Mr. Speaker, is very much a part of that and will be a part of the whole picture when we discuss it and when we come to some conclusions. We hope, Mr. Speaker, by the end of this year to be able to discuss what options we need to do, where we need to go, how we need to look at our whole correctional system to see what investments we need to make in it. We have some serious challenges, Mr. Speaker, in our correctional system. We have to make some detailed decisions of where we are going to go in them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the current minister stated in a response to a question from myself in this House on November 30, "I can tell this House that this government is committed, in public committed to correctional facilities in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and, at the present time, the discussions are ongoing with regard to that pre-detention centre."

I ask the minister: If this facility was such a priority for government, acknowledged to be such a priority, committed to, how can you justify leaving the women and youth in such substandard correctional conditions for the future?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, this government, since the Decades of Darkness report, has spent upwards of $5 million on corrections. We have invested, Mr. Speaker, heavily. We have brought to some level of progress seventy-three of the seventy-seven recommendations in that report.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: We have invested $5 million, Mr. Speaker. We have invested in programming; we have invested in services; we have invested in training, both in mental health for our correctional officers and mental health services for our inmates. Mr. Speaker, we have contracted with various service providers. We have spent millions and made tremendous strides as a result of the Decades of Darkness report, including the correctional institution in Clarenville which deals with women. Mr. Speaker, our commitment is unquestionable with regard to corrections, and the people of Labrador.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Opposition House Leader.

MR. KELVIN PARSONS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I hear the Minister of Labrador Affairs over there blaring. Well maybe he can answer this one. A Ms Beals, Executive Director of the Status of Women for Goose Bay, was in the media last night advising that she spoke to the Minister of Labrador Affairs just a few weeks ago and was advised by the Minister of Labrador Affairs that this facility was going ahead.

I ask the Minister of Labrador Affairs: Were you aware that this project had been cancelled or were you simply misleading the people when you spoke to them?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, the need has been clearly identified in Labrador. It has been clearly identified. Mr. Speaker, there is no commitment here. There is no decision on the part of the government to abandon or sell out the people of Labrador, as has been suggested by the Opposition. Mr. Speaker, Labrador is very much part of our plan, our internal review and will continue to be so.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Health was in Labrador West to meet with residents with regard to the health care needs. Mr. Speaker, the minister said he was moved when he spoke to the families who had been affected by air ambulance delays, but, Mr. Speaker, being moved is not enough. There must be action -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill has been identified to ask a question. I ask members to kindly listen to the question and allow the answer to be given.

The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Labrador West is a highly industrialized area that needs immediate access to air ambulance. Mr. Speaker, just over a month ago a worker in Lab West died waiting for an air ambulance. We will never know if there could have been a better outcome for the Perry family in Labrador West.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: What is he going to do to address the serious need for a permanent air ambulance in Labrador West to ensure injured workers have necessary access to emergency medical services?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the reasons that we hired a consultant to look at the issue of the placement of the air ambulance was because of the competing dictates that were being put forward. We had the Town of St. Anthony saying leave it where it is. We had the town councils of Lab West saying we need it over our way and we had Happy Valley-Goose Bay saying we want it in our town.

So, what happened, Mr. Speaker, we looked at the consultants report and a determination was made that by moving it to Happy Valley-Goose Bay it would be a more central location. On the night, Mr. Speaker, that I attended the public forum, one of the local doctors indicated that he needed access to Quebecair to charter a plane to deal with obstetrical emergencies. I said: do it. I instructed, Mr. Speaker, the next day when I spoke to the local doctors, I indicated anything I could do to help improve air ambulance services to Lab West I would do. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, I met with the provincial director of air ambulance and the chief paramedic and asked them to talk to the doctors in question in Lab West and to come up with a plan that would allow for the solving of the problems in terms of the quicker dispatch to the Lab West area. We are working on that, Mr. Speaker. It is obviously a very difficult situation and we are trying to please a lot of people here.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.

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

I will be looking forward to hearing a report from the minister on the discussions that are going on.

Mr. Speaker, it was brought to my attention yesterday afternoon that the executive of the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar called an emergency meeting to talk about new contracts with employees who have been affected by the mistakes made in their salaries. They were told that these new contracts would be offered to them starting today. Mr. Speaker, at this meeting staff asked if the overpayment errors had been addressed. The college executive said yes but would not disclose the details.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Education: If he can tell the House why the information is being hidden from the staff, and indeed from all of us?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Education.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is a very interesting question coming from the individual yesterday who said that I should back away and leave the issue to the college. Now she wants me to provide the information on the dealings with the college.

I will endeavour to remind the member opposite, as I did yesterday, that it is this government who has taken quick and swift action on the error of the college and what has been identified. We put a process in place, that we will review what has gotten us to this point in time. We have also met this morning – myself and my Deputy Minister met with the executive team of the College of the North Atlantic for Newfoundland and Labrador and I want to certainly reassure the people of this Province that the college system is in good hands. We will go through a seamless process of transition as we move to bigger and brighter things and to continue to grow the college and work with the college.

We will also move very quickly, as the member has alluded to, Mr. Speaker, to deal with employees of the Qatar campus. As I mentioned in my press release, we have contracts that are up for renewal, Mr. Speaker, and we will follow the due process that we have …

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Time allotted for Questions and Answers has expired.