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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, according to government’s briefing notes obtained by our office, it says that the air ambulance program is overseen by the department and operated by Eastern Health. The same briefing note reveals that a meeting was held in Labrador City on August 21, 2009 between the head of the Medical Transportation Program and Labrador-Grenfell officials.

I ask the minister today to confirm that, on that day, the decision was made to move the air ambulance from St. Anthony to Goose Bay seven months before Wes Drodge’s report was ever received by your government.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I actually was not aware of that briefing note until recently when I saw it myself. I knew that there had been discussions after the incident of July 15 in Lab West and again after the incident in Happy Valley -Goose Bay around September 18. Those incidents, Mr. Speaker, along with my meetings in Lab West and the petition presented by the Leader of the Opposition led to us having the review conducted.

I was not aware of that briefing note and did not know, Mr. Speaker, until the last couple of weeks that that briefing note had actually suggested, at that point, that Happy Valley-Goose Bay was actually the better place to have the air ambulance situated. So, there was certainly no decision made. All it amounts to is independent confirmation of Mr. Drodge’s report and the confirmation that this government has made the right decision.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

According to the Access to Information that we squeezed out yesterday, Minister, it shows that critical decisions were being made by health officials and people on government’s payroll. It also shows that the decision to move the air ambulance from St. Anthony to Goose Bay was made back in August. It was written by Corey Banks, a government payroll employee, and it was disclosed to Labrador-Grenfell at that time.

I ask the minister: Will you now confirm that the decision to move the air ambulance out of St. Anthony was made months in advance in the backrooms of government?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I became the Minister of Health and Community Services on October 9. Up until that point, I was only aware that we were purchasing a new air ambulance. I became aware, very quickly, of the incidents that had occurred in Lab West on July 15 and then the incident involving the Best family in September of this year.

Mr. Speaker, Corey Banks, he is the individual who oversees the provincial ambulance system. Mr. Banks, I think, indicated – my recollection of that briefing note - that he thought, in his opinion, that the better place for the placement of the air ambulance would be Happy Valley-Goose Bay as a result of the population base and the risk factors in Labrador. I know that subsequently – again, I am going by memory, Mr. Speaker – I think it was on September 15 that another meeting took place. I think at that meeting there was a discussion of a medical flight services team.

So there was no decision made, Mr. Speaker, on moving the air ambulance that I am aware of. That decision was made after the receipt of the Drodge report (Inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The information that we obtained in this note certainly says differently. The information obtained also confirms that the decision was made one month before the previous MHA, Trevor Taylor, resigned his position. It is one thing for a Cabinet minister to be a casualty in all of this because he did not have the guts to stand up and take what government’s agenda was going to be, I say to the minister, but it is a different story when you force that upon the people of the Northern Peninsula under the guise of a false report.

I ask the minister today: How can you use the Drodge report, which is just a cheap rewrite of the Banks report, to try and verify the decision on air ambulance that government had already made months earlier?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, as I indicated there was no decision made.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: When I became minister, I quickly became aware of these incidents. On November 27, I travelled to Lab West where I met with the mayors of the communities there and the Mitchell family. I travelled then to Happy Valley-Goose Bay where I met with the mayor and council and also met with the Best family. Then, Mr. Speaker, on December 14 I indicated to CBC that we would be conducting a review. On December 15 the Leader of the Opposition presented a petition in this hon. House of 3,000 people in Labrador asking to have the air ambulance moved to Labrador.

So, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has gotten what she wanted. She should be thankful to government that we have listened to her and I do not know what her complaint is.

In terms of the Drodge report, Mr. Speaker, the report compiled by the Lab. Grenfell employees essentially corroborates everything that Mr. Drodge had to say and the only thing they disagree with is the placement of the ambulance.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my issue with this is that the government paid $10,000 to Wes Drodge to put his name on a report of recommendations that were already written by someone within the government system, Mr. Speaker. This report by Drodge only rubber-stamped those recommendations and the minister knows that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the government would have known about the banks report back in August because it was indicated, minister, in your own briefing notes on September 4.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If the hon. member has a question I ask that she pose it now.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister: How could you be on the ground in the middle of a by-election in St. Anthony shaking the hands of these employees telling them that your government was supporting them when all along two incidents in your own department indicates that you were ready to cut the service?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I do not know what is in the –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: I do not know what is in the package of materials that was provided to the Opposition, but if I remember correctly there was another briefing note around September 15 that the Member for The Straits & White Bay North referred to earlier, that in fact talks about a second medical flight services team for St. Anthony. Now, I do not know if she has that and if her selective memory or her inability to state the facts has interfered with that. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, there was a September 15 briefing note that talked about that.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. members on both sides of the House to kindly listen to the questions that are asked and the answers that are given. I ask the hon. members when they ask questions to allow for the answers to be provided back.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to complete his answer.

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

So, the issue was being examined by that department under a previous minister. What we did, Mr. Speaker, and I indicated publicly, that we would commission a report; we would accept the recommendations of that report whatever those recommendations would be. It still does not take away, Mr. Speaker, from the basic decision, that this is the right decision; that we have twice as many people living in Labrador and this is the proper decision for the best interest of the people…

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Leader of the Opposition.

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I do not buy into the argument. The minister was in the department. There were briefing notes circulating. There were decisions being made. There were things written and forwarded to health boards in this Province back in August saying these air ambulances were going to be moved from St. Anthony to Goose Bay.

I ask the minister again, Mr. Speaker: Why would you go out and hire Wes Drodge to be the forward guy with these recommendations knowing that they were already written in your department, knowing they were already being circulated, and knowing that this was the plan that government had in place all along?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

One of the reasons that we asked for the report is because the Leader of the Opposition asked for it. Mr. Speaker, what we have, if she again looks at the briefing notes she will see that there are discussions ongoing. Mr. Banks expressed an opinion. Mr. Drodge, to the best of my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, did not consult with Mr. Banks in writing his report, nor am I aware. At least I did not provide him with any materials of Mr. Banks.

Mr. Speaker, there were also - I think in mid-September there was correspondence going between departments asking for a second medical flight services team for St. Anthony. So, there are various issues being looked at here, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

For the final time, I will ask members on both sides of the House to refrain from shouting back and forth. The next time the Speaker stands I will identify the people that are causing the disruptions, and the next time the Speaker will take further action.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. KENNEDY: In fact, Mr. Speaker, there is, at least in mid-December there is a letter from the previous minister, prior to me, asking for a second medical flight services team to be stationed in St. Anthony. So, I do not know how, Mr. Speaker, she can say a decision has been made, when in August an employee of Eastern Health says that the air ambulance should be situated in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and the previous minister, by mid-September, is asking for a second medical flight services team for…

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, there are eight recommendations in the Drodge report. Seven of those recommendations are the same as those that are in the Banks report that was presented in Labrador City in August of 2009, several months before Drodge was engaged. It is obvious Drodge did nothing more than copy or paste government’s own information.

So I ask the minister: Why are you using Drodge to justify your own political decision to punish the people of my district?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Member for The Straits & White Bay North should ask his leader over there why she did what she did in asking to have the air ambulance moved to Labrador. She asked to have the air ambulance moved to Labrador. Mr. Speaker, we moved it to Labrador based on the Drodge report. The recommendations, Mr. Speaker, are outlined in his report. He also looks at the numbers; there are twice as many flights out of Labrador as there are out of St. Anthony, Mr. Speaker. The population is more than twice as much in Labrador as there is in St. Anthony –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Essentially, I would say to the Member for The Straits & White Bay North, he should perhaps talk to his leader and they should get their act together because sometimes you have to be careful what you ask for in life, you get it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, for the record, we never ever asked for the air ambulance to be moved from St. Anthony to Goose Bay. That was never on the books, obviously. It was asked to enhance the service of the air ambulance program in the Province.

Again, I make the point that eight recommendations - that Drodge has seven of them - were recommended back in August of 2009 by Mr. Banks. The Banks report shows that two medical flight specialist teams were required with twenty-four seven availability, that they would be placed in St. John’s as well as Goose Bay. It recommends one centralized dispatch for the Province. It recommends single comprehensive programming and other recommendations that are identical to what is in the Drodge report.

I ask the minister: If he was going to accept every other recommendation from the Banks report, why did he not accept the very last recommendation, which was a three-year phase in as opposed to the rush job that he is making out of moving it into Labrador?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In fact, Mr. Speaker, the heading of the petition was: that we the residents of Labrador ask to have the air ambulance stationed in Labrador; 3,000 people signed that. In fact, the Minister of Labrador Affairs had to affect - the misleading effect, Mr. Speaker, put forward by the Leader of the Opposition, where she had –

MS JONES: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

For the final time, I ask the hon. the Leader of the Opposition to refrain from shouting back and forth across the House.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services to complete his answer.

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, we had looked at the Drodge report. It was a pretty easy decision to make, Mr. Speaker. That is why we have not had to go and extensively examine other reports. The Lab Grenfell employees – this magic report that was going to be prepared simply confirmed that which Mr. Drodge had to say.

So, essentially, Mr. Speaker, the one point that takes away totally from their theory that there had been an earlier decision was that the Minister of Health, the previous –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

If there is another question from the Opposition.

The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, my conclusion is that the Drodge report is a farce. Drodge was not independent but he was told exactly what to write, he was told how to write it, and he was told when to write it.

Yet, the Premier stated on two separate occasions in this House of Assembly that the decision was made around his Cabinet table and that he was satisfied that it was the right decision.

So I ask the Premier or his representative today: Why would you support a decision that allowed this to happen in a backroom and hire a front guy in order to justify this flawed and contrived process?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Again, Mr. Speaker, I come back to the petition that was presented by the Leader of the Opposition. She presented a petition which asked to have the air ambulance moved to Labrador. On a number of occasions, Mr. Speaker, I said to the Leader of the Opposition: What is it you want us to do? Do you want an air ambulance in St. Anthony or do you want an air ambulance in Labrador? She presented a petition. She got what she asked for. I do not know what the problem is.

Mr. Speaker, again, I come back to the fact that the previous minister, around mid-September, had written a letter asking for a second medical flight services team for St. Anthony. So, whatever Mr. Banks - when he had met with these individuals, he had outlined what he thought should happen. Well, it appears that, independently of Mr. Drodge, they all reached the same conclusions.

There was no decision made in backrooms. I stated publicly that whatever the decision of the Drodge report, we would agree to that. Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition when she presented her petition she knew what she was asking for and now she is trying to wiggle her way out of it (inaudible).

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are getting spin and cover up here again this afternoon in the House of Assembly. The air ambulance program provides an invaluable service to the people of this Province. Hundreds of people are helped every year. Clearly, Labrador did, and still needs an air ambulance of its own to address its needs. We have never argued against that; however, not at the expense of other people’s lives in this Province.

So again, I ask the Premier: In light of your flawed decision making and the inappropriate political (inaudible) as an extent to how they are covered up, based on the information that we have received, I would ask would you reverse the decision immediately to leave the air ambulance where it belongs in St. Anthony.

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, this is an example of a government listening to the Leader of the Opposition when she brings forward that petition with the 3,000 names asking to have it moved to Labrador. She does not think it through. The Member for The Straits &White Bay North does not think it through. They realize the trouble they have caused and now they are coming back trying to put it on us.

What we have done, Mr. Speaker, we have made a decision that is in the best interests of the people of this Province. I keep repeating, and the Member for The Straits & White Bay North has stated in this House that they have a full service hospital there. Well that is quite correct. They have four anaesthetists. They have four general surgeons in the hospital serving 13,000 people.

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of a medevac system is to deal with emergency situations. Are they saying that the lives of the people in Labrador are not as valuable as the lives of the people in St. Anthony? Is that what I am hearing?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Member for the District of The Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There goes the spin again. Just spin around and spin around trying to point it on us and say that we believe the lives of people in Labrador are less valuable. By no means are we saying that, Mr. Speaker.

The minister stated yesterday that the decision was made, the air ambulance will be moving to Goose Bay within days. The applicants have now appealed this case.

I ask the minister: Will he let due process take its course and let the plane remain where it is until a decision has been rendered?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, in order for an injunction to be granted there are three factors that have to be considered by a judge. One, is there a serious issue to be tried; the second, whether or not there will irreparable harm; and third, where is the balance of convenience.

The judge said yesterday, Mr. Speaker, or two days ago, there was no serious issue. In other words, the case is without merit. We will be moving this plane. The plane will be moved.

What I can say to the Member for The Straits & White Bay North, and to the Leader of the Opposition, you got what you are looking for, so that is the way it is.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, I asked the Minister of Transportation and Works about the unreliable ferry service to Bell Island. The minister did not talk about any solutions for tackling the problems and the concerns of the residents of Bell Island, which occur on a regular basis.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. BUTLER: In his much touted Vessel Replacement Strategy released back in 2006, Bell Island was identified as showing economic potential which would justify it being given priority in terms of ferry replacement. However, during the Estimates, Mr. Speaker, the minister stated that the two new ferries would go to Long Island and St. Brendan’s, then they would be looking at Fogo and the Straits, then they would turn their attention to Bell Island.

I ask the minister: What course of action will your department be taking to provide the residents of Bell Island with a reliable and consistent ferry service as quickly as possible?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: In response to the hon. member’s question, Mr. Speaker, I would just say the Flanders is back even as we -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. the Minister of Health and the Opposition House Leader to immediately stop the conversation back and forth or take it to the outside.

The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works.

MR. HEDDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just to return to my response, even as we speak, Mr. Speaker, the Flanders is back on its run.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Order, please!

MR. HEDDERSON: As well, with regard to ferry replacement, Mr. Speaker, there is a plan in place. The two ferries that the member just referred to are the medium sized ferries that are not appropriate for Bell Island. Of course, we have to look at the bigger picture.

As well, as the member knows, the Beaumont Hamel and the Flanders were constructed in 1985, I believe, and 1991. These are relatively new ferries, Mr. Speaker, and certainly have a shelf life that can cater to the run back and forth to Bell Island for any number of years to come.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Mr. Speaker, we often hear announcements about how much this government invests in various areas. However, what we do not often hear is how much money announced is actually spent. In 2007, the Budget was for $15 million allocated for vessel replacement. That year, $492,000 was spent for two ferries. Likewise, in Budget 2008, $33.9 million was allocated, and the expense reports indicated $9,446,000. To summarize, over two years, Mr. Speaker, $49 million was allocated, with only $10 million being spent.

I ask the minister: How does your government expect aging vessels to be replaced when the funds are clearly not being spent, just sitting in the bank?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: It is obvious to me, Mr. Speaker, that the hon. member on the other side does not understand that I am not a – I guess you could say that you would need to be a ferry godfather to just get a magic wand and make a ferry appear.

When we talk about –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. HEDDERSON: When we talk about putting ferries in place, Mr. Speaker, it takes any number of years to design, to construct, to test and that sort of thing, and we want make sure that the government makes the commitment, because we are not going to put a few dollars in and then only do half a job. We have to make sure that there is a commitment for the years to come. Henceforth, the money that is allocated would be allocated over a number of years.

There is a schedule in place. The announcement is made as to how much is allocated for the construction of the ferry; it is budgetary thing. Again, we are following along with the strategies. The schedule is on time, and I am very satisfied.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.

MR. BUTLER: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

When the MV Nonia went in for repairs this past January, the minister stated that this was not an emergency refit. However, the public tender documents stated that in fact it was an emergency refit. There is an obvious contradiction there, Mr. Speaker.

I ask the minister: If this was not an emergency refit situation, why didn’t you follow the provisions of the Public Tender Act and go through the proper process?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. HEDDERSON: Mr. Speaker, if he read further, there is a special consideration for ferries. Ferries, as we know, provide a valuable service to people on islands to make sure that they can get back and forth in a timely fashion. As a minister, I have the flexibility to make sure that we get a ferry in and out on time.

In this particular case, the ferry was on dry dock, there were more repairs that needed to be done. I considered that an emergency and therefore proceeded to make sure that the work was done and the ferry was out back in service, so that the people that it served could get the ferry service as was necessary.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of the Straits & White Bay North.

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, we all know the fishery in the Province has not thrived under this government. In fact, government’s own numbers show there has been a 22 per cent decline in our fishery from 2008-2009. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed nearly a year ago to help reshape the fishery to make it more viable. Two of the players, the FFAW and ASP, are now publicly calling upon government to fast track this agreement as they feel there has been little or no progress to deal with the challenges currently hitting our fishery.

So I ask the minister: Why has there not been more of a push by him and his department to ensure that the parties are vigilantly at the table and making progress on this critical agreement?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. JACKMAN: Mr. Speaker, I am going to take the hon. member back to a little chronology of timelines. A letter went to both parties on December 17; we met with them on December 30; had the reports on January 22; February 12 got the follow-up reports; met with Minister Shea on February 15; pushed to have the financial reports, Mr. Speaker, and received them on March 10; had the committee meet with them on March 18, and, Mr. Speaker, we had a bit of a lull then. It was called getting the price set so that we could get the fishery started.

Mr. Speaker, the steering committee met about two weeks ago. They are meeting again this week, and last week. This morning I met with the chair of the committee, Dr. Tom Clift, and indicated to him that we want to see a submission of some sort on the anniversary of this MOU, which was signed on July 11, Mr. Speaker. Up until July 11, and starting as of now, the steering committee will be meeting pretty regularly; probably on a biweekly basis, Mr. Speaker. I offered to him this morning that any supports that he needs from our department we will be there, Mr. Speaker. If he considers that non-progress, I do not know what he is thinking then.

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, the Gulf of Mexico experience has shown us that the technology of capping a deepwater oil well after a blowout is primitive and experimental. Mr. Speaker, no matter how good an oil company’s and other associated industry’s technology might be at this moment at pumping oil, there is no one with any ability to stop a deepwater spill.

So, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why are we continuing drilling in deep water when the worldwide industry does not have effective, timely means for capping a blowout at such depths?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this government, as well as the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, are very concerned about what happens in our waters and on our land with regard to environmental risk. Mr. Speaker, that is why we have legislation through our environmental agencies and departments, both federally and provincially; it is why we have an independent arm’s-length board under the auspices of both the federal and provincial government who monitors what goes on in the offshore and why our standards are very, very high.

Mr. Speaker, the offshore board, the C-NLOPB have laid on an extra layer of surveillance and accountability in terms of the deepwater exploration well that is currently being drilled in the offshore. Mr. Speaker, we see what is happening in the Gulf, we are very concerned. We are paying very, very close attention to what is happening in our offshore.

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 know that the C-NLOPB is putting as many safety measures in place as possible; that is not the question. We had a good briefing from them today and I realize that. However, Mr. Speaker, we do have a problem if a blowout happens. We are already reaping billions of dollars in revenue from oil production, Mr. Speaker. We now have first oil from North Amethyst and the potential of oil will remain out in the Orphan Basin while we wait until we can safely drill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: Why are we in such a hurry to drill in deepwater before knowing what happened in the Gulf of Mexico and before we have the technology to cap wells if an accident happens?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we do not have enough information coming out of the Gulf of Mexico at this point in time to be really sure, or to be sure at all or to understand clearly what caused the accident there.

This project drilling in the Orphan Basin has been in the planning stages for years, Mr. Speaker. This is not a knee-jerk reaction that took place, that we had the ability to drill so go drill. There is a significant amount of planning that goes into this activity.

Mr. Speaker, we are currently undertaking a review of our oil spill prevention regulations, rules legislation, also a review of our response. If there are other activities, or regulations, or recommendations coming out of that report that we need to modify how we are doing this work, Mr. Speaker, we are certainly going to give that very serious attention.

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 say to the Deputy Premier, Mr. Speaker, that we have plenty of information coming out of the Gulf of Mexico. The thing we know is that if a blowout happens in deepwater, the industry does not have the technology to stop that blowout.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House of Commons, an NDP Opposition motion was passed unanimously to review federal offshore drilling regulations. Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons will be conducting a thorough review and revision of all relevant federal laws, regulations and policies regarding the development of unconventional sources of oil and gas, including deepwater oil, in the broadest possible consultation with all interested stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Premier: If he will recognize the need to participate in this review and commit to represent our concerns regarding deepwater exploration as this review takes place?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Deputy Premier.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for the Leader of the NDP to recognize who holds jurisdiction over the offshore and how the work is done. If there are legislative changes that are going to be required to the Atlantic Accord Act and with regard to safety and environment, Mr. Speaker, it requires the involvement of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador because this is a joint responsibility shared with ourselves and with the federal government.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The time allotted for questions and answers has expired.