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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, today is the last day of this sitting of the House of Assembly and a number of outstanding issues, I guess, we feel still need to be addressed. Over the past session, we have raised dozens of issues, and before moving on today to some new issues we would like to ask the government to provide some updates on things that we have raised earlier and have not received the information.

First of all to the Minister of Finance I ask: Can you provide an update on the negotiations with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association and the time frames as to when an agreement may be reached?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Government has been conducting negotiations with the NLMA. We had hoped to conclude the negotiations by the end of May, but unfortunately we were unable to do that. There has been a change of leadership. There is a new president; Dr. O’Shea has taken over from Dr. Lewis. The Executive Director of the NLMA is presently outside of the Province but has indicated he would like to get back and further the discussions upon his return, and that will happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Natural Resources advised the House several weeks ago that a German company had visited the former AbitibiBowater mill in Grand Falls-Windsor and was evaluating whether to submit a business plan for the property. Of course, we heard comments from the Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Renewal at the time that downplayed that option and we heard comments from the Minister of Transportation and Works that their intention was really to dismantle the property.

I ask the minister today: Have you heard anything since regarding this company’s interest in the former mill properties in Grand Falls-Windsor and where that is proceeding?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, late last week we received a business plan from this company. It is currently undergoing assessment by us, the Department of Finance and the Department of Business. We do not have anything further to report at this time, Mr. Speaker, until that analysis is completed.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education travelled to Qatar this week to visit the College of the North Atlantic campus in that country. We know that there are many questions related to the $5 million in staff overpayments.

I ask the minister, Mr. Speaker: If this trip is related to those overpayments and will this issue be discussed and does it relate to the contracts or the further contracts between this Province and Qatar?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education is presently in Qatar attending the graduation ceremonies at Qatar, and along with that, also the meetings for the Joint Oversight Board.

I am not aware of the agenda for the Joint Oversight Board, but I do know that the analysis that is being conducted or has been requested by government is certainly one that will be discussed with the Joint Oversight Board when it is available, to discuss the possible overpayment or the overpayment and the causes for the overpayment and certainly what we would need to do on a go-forward basis. I am not sure if it is on the agenda this week or not, or maybe it is put off until the report has been received.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last week, as well, the Minister of Education committed to look into regulations at the College of the North Atlantic that blocked Early Childhood Education students from transferring credits from a private college into our own public college system, even though both are governed and certified by Department of Education standards.

I ask the minister: If this investigation was completed and the situation has been corrected?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, and Government House Leader.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, this is certainly something, as a department, we are interested in having completed as well. I am not aware that the inquiry or the investigation has been completed and the results are known at this time, but certainly it is something that, once the Department of Education has their work done, that the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services will be receiving that information.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have been several months in the Province now with an Acting Child and Youth Advocate. We raised this issue in this session of the House.

I ask the minister: When will a permanent Advocate be chosen for this position?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. F. COLLINS: Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that, again, the chief Advocate reports to the House and not to this minister or any other minister, but I do understand that the recruitment process is well underway. I think a candidate is being considered. I would assume that a decision will be made very shortly.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance committed to speaking with his counterparts from other provinces regarding the online casino gambling through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation before agreeing to bring it to this Province. We realize these meetings happened last week.

I ask the minister: Did you discuss the online casino gambling proposal at those meetings, and is this something that will be introduced in Newfoundland and Labrador?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The answer to the question is, obviously, yes. I was in Prince Edward Island and I did have discussions with the other finance ministers, the Atlantic finance ministers. We had a discussion about what they want to do with online gambling, and where the department is doing an analysis, and in due course I shall bring this forward to my colleagues and government will make a decision in due course on how it wishes to go forward.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, striking support workers on the Burin Peninsula have been on strike since last year because the provincial government refuses to treat them the same as all the other bargaining units within the public service. They have been on strike through the fall session of this Legislature, through Christmas, through Easter, into the spring, and right to the closure of this session.

I ask the minister: When will you give these workers a settlement and include them under the same bargaining agreement clauses as others that work within the system so that they can get this strike over with and go back to work?

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. MARSHALL: Mr. Speaker, as I have said in this House on many occasions, government is not the employer here. Government is merely the negotiator under the provisions of the Public Service Collective Bargaining Act. Discussions have been ongoing as recently as within the last couple of weeks. Discussions continue to unfold and if there