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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the government today made an announcement around air ambulance services in the Province. I have a copy of the report here, which, Mr. Speaker, I feel is a very simplistic report to a very complex and critical problem that exists in air ambulance services in Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, Mr. Speaker, if you look at the decision that was made today you would think that government completely missed the boat in filling the gaps in air ambulance services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister today, because looking through the report in the sketchy information that is there, it is telling us immediately that 63 per cent of the medevacs being provided in this Province will now not be serviced with the change in location. We were asking, Minister, for your government to fix this problem by adding a third air medevac aircraft. Why have you chosen to just shift an aircraft and not fix the gaps in the system?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

A decision like this is never easy. We are aware of the effect on people in the St. Anthony area and we are aware of the consequences, Mr. Speaker, of making decisions, but decisions have to be made. We have to make strategic investments and we have to utilize the money that we have to achieve the best possible results.

Mr. Speaker, this is the same Leader of the Opposition who, on December 15, presented a petition of 3,000 people from the Labrador region asking to have an air ambulance service in Labrador. We have now provided the air ambulance service in Labrador. We have invested $8 million in a new plane to replace the old plane in St. John’s, and we are putting a second medical flight services team in Labrador. I thought she would have been happy today, but I guess I was right yesterday when I said she would not like the decision.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will continue to raise issues on gaps in services in this Province, whether they be in Labrador or whether they be created by your government somewhere else in the Province.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister today, because addressing the critical gap of air ambulance services in Labrador is very important and needed to be done, but I ask you minister: Why you choose to do it at the peril of other patients in this Province who need air ambulance services and not invest the money to ensure the proper resources were there?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I indicated yesterday, on November 27 I met with the councils in the Labrador region. I met with the two families who were very severely affected by what they described as the failure of the air ambulance system. Mr. Speaker, having regard to that human toil and having regard to the issues raised, on December 14 I indicated that we would have a review conducted. On December 15, the petition was presented from the people of Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, I indicated at that point in time that we would hire a consultation with a view to taking the politics out of it. The consultant’s reasons, Mr. Speaker, for suggesting the move were quite simple. One is that the population of the Labrador region is approximately 26,000 people, the population of St. Anthony is 2,450 people, with a population in the rural secretariat region of St. Anthony-Port au Choix of 13,000 people. So we have twice as many people in the Labrador area, Mr. Speaker. Secondly, the flight statistics show that twice as many flights are coming out of Labrador as are coming out of St. Anthony, and some of those flights out of St. Anthony are from the Southeast Coast of Labrador.

So, Mr. Speaker, what we have done here today, having regard to the problems that have arisen in the Labrador region, and three specific incidents come to mind, we have, Mr. Speaker, made a decision that we feel is in the best interest of the people of this Province.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, the minister should realize that every life is important, and ensuring services for every person in this Province is important. We do not want what has been happening in Labrador in the last year to be happening somewhere else in this Province, a year later, minister.

So I ask you: Why was there no consideration given in the terms of reference to look at how this is going to impact upon Central Newfoundland or Western Newfoundland, which are two areas that have used that same air medevac aircraft?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in relation to the private member’s motion that was brought forward by the Opposition, we outlined how we are trying to address, strategically, needs throughout this Province and our commitment to rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker, what we have done with this particular decision is to try to address the immediate needs in Labrador. The plane will still come to St. Anthony. It will come from Happy Valley-Goose Bay. It is centrally located. The Innu Nation, Mr. Speaker, the Nunatsiavut Government support this decision. What we are trying to do, Mr. Speaker, is use our resources as best as possible.

What the consultant did state, Mr. Speaker, I want to make this clear, in case the Leader of the Opposition has conveniently forgot it, the consultant said if there is a third aircraft it should be in Deer Lake. Not one in St. Anthony, not one in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but in Deer Lake, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and St. John’s, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What the study did not address in its simplistic format was the fact that: What are going to be the response times around the Province when we still have just two aircraft? All the minister did today was shuffle an airplane from one runway to the other runway. My concern is, how do you fix the gaps in service? Where is the demand, who is going to provide it, and why is it your government can put $15 million into collar caribou in this Province and cannot spend $8 million on a third air medevac for the people of this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we are spending approximately $2.6 billion a year on health care, up $1 billion from a number of years ago and up significantly from when the Liberals were in government.

Mr. Speaker, it is not a matter of simply saying a third aircraft is required. We will continue to have discussions. We will continue to study this issue.

MS JONES: (Inaudible).

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, can I –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member for her co-operation.

The hon. the minister.

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So, what we are looking at, Mr. Speaker, is: How do we address the situation for the Province as a whole, but specifically the people of Labrador right now, the situations that have arisen in Goose Bay, the situations that have unfortunately arisen in Lab West?

This plane is centrally located. It will be able to serve now the people of Northern Labrador, Southern Labrador and Lab West. Again, Mr. Speaker, there are approximately twice as many flights or pickups in the area as there are coming out of St. Anthony which involves the Southeast Coast of the Labrador flights; and secondly, Mr. Speaker, it serves a much greater population.

Also, we have significant industry going on in Labrador right now. What we have to be able to do, Mr. Speaker, is identify the areas of risk and try to address those issues. That is what we are doing.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think the Leader of the NDP said it best yesterday in a statement that she made when she said that this government wants the federal government to set up additional search and rescue capacity in St. John’s, but not lessen its service in Gander.

I say to the government: How could you be so hypocritical in your own approach in providing emergency response services to the people of this Province that you would singularly just move an aircraft from one runway to another runway in hopes of fixing a very critical problem that have claimed the lives of people in this Province?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So now I take it from the comments of the Leader of the Opposition that she does not want the plane in Labrador. Is that what I am hearing here today? That is what I appear to be hearing, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is not, again, simply a matter of transferring an airplane. We are moving a team of twelve medical flight service people to Happy Valley-Goose Bay so that there will be trained paramedics and specialized nurses on the flight. These people will rotate between St. John’s at the tertiary care centre to obtain the clinical exposure they need. Secondly, Mr. Speaker - and this seems to be conveniently forgotten by the Leader of the Opposition - we indicated today that we are going to invest $8 million in a new plane to replace the plane in St. John’s.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, the fact that she does not get everything she wants, but what I say to the Leader of the Opposition is: Be careful what you ask for, sometimes you get it.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Mr. Speaker, it is not about what I want, but I say to you minister: I want an aircraft in Goose Bay. I want two aircraft on the Island portion of the Province and I want them because the people need the service. What you fail to do in your simplistic report –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS JONES: - was study the fact and the need of where gaps are in this Province and omitted, omitted looking at all of Central Newfoundland, all of the West Coast of Newfoundland.

I ask you today, Minister: Do you feel that your solution will be the solution that prevents people from losing their lives in this Province because there will not be an air medevac service?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I say to the hon. member you cannot ask questions and shout at somebody who is trying to give an answer. I also ask members to my left for their co-operation so as the minister might be identified to provide his answer.

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

MR. KENNEDY: I just want to make sure I understand this now, Mr. Speaker, from the Leader of the Opposition. So she is okay with the plane in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, okay with the plane in St. John’s but what she is saying is there should be a third plane in Deer Lake. Now if I have that correct, that -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. KENNEDY: A third one in Deer Lake is what the consultant’s report said.

In any event, Mr. Speaker –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY - there are other issues that have to be looked at here, and basically the issues that we are looking at today are a significant investment. This is a significant investment. It is a significant announcement.

The Leader of the Opposition stood up on December 15, and misled this House by presenting a petition with her own heading that did not reflect what the people of Labrador said. Have you forgotten that I say to you? Then, Mr. Speaker, she stands up and says: Well, we want a plane in St. Anthony and in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Well, Mr. Speaker, what we have done is made a significant investment today. I thought again, in my naivety, that it would be well received, I guess not. Mr. Speaker, I assume that the people of Labrador will recognize this as government’s commitment to them.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to remind the minister, Mr. Speaker, that I am not the one being short-sighted here, but I do want to ask him this question.

I want to ask him why his government was not prepared to invest the money for a third air ambulance in this Province when it is clearly necessary based on the cases that we have seen in the last two years. I ask him: Where in this study it indicates that a third air ambulance was not necessary and not required?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Yes, Mr. Speaker, we looked at where planes will be required. There has to be a plane in St. John’s because we have a specialized neonatal unit at the Janeway which has to fly with the plane whenever they proceed to pick up neonates, and I understand there could be between fifty and sixty trips a year. So that is the first plane that has to be in St. John’s. Also, in relation to the training for the medical flight service individuals as they rotate through the clinical services at the Health Sciences - first plane.

The second question is we have these issues in Labrador; we take these issues seriously. I have met with these families, Mr. Speaker, and I can tell you there was a significant impact upon me. What happens, what we look at, is that we are having the difficulties in Labrador. We hired a consultant. Maybe, Mr. Speaker, simplistic is not the word, maybe the answer is simple. Maybe when you look at the flight statistics and you look at the population, it is that simple that a second plane should be located in Happy Valley-Goose Bay as it is. We also looked at Lab West; the consultant made a recommendation and we accept that recommendation.

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.

Today is a very sad day for the residents of The Straits & White Bay North, but they are use to sad days in recent years under this government.

On February of 2009, there was a news release put out by Trevor Taylor, the MHA and the then Minister of Transportation, saying that the reasoning that Dr. Thomas used back in the mid-1950s to base an aircraft in Northern Newfoundland, still holds true today. He noted that St. Anthony is located in the center of the Province making it a logical location -

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. DEAN: The center of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, yes, for those who do not understand the geography.

Also, the Member for St. Barbe suggested that its location here in the region will undoubtedly continue to serve the people of the Province well; that was just a little over a year ago. Since that time –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to complete his question.

MR. DEAN: Yes, I will, Mr. Speaker.

I am assuming that a decision with such a negative impact would have been discussed with the town. So, I ask the minister today: When was the community notified of this devastating decision?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As I have indicated, after the consultant was retained and the terms of reference were outlined, the consultant met with the mayor of St. Anthony, I understand – I do not know but council – and met with the mayors of the other areas. I replied to a letter from the mayor of St. Anthony myself. However, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the actual announcement today, the announcement was made in a decision that was communicated during a press release, and like everyone else, they were notified at the same time.

Mr. Speaker, the last couple of days there have been discussions in this House, and I think it has been fairly clear as to the nature of these discussions. Today, we made our decision and that is what we have to do, Mr. Speaker, as a government and as ministers is make decisions. We made it based on a consultant’s report.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, the point has already tried to be made that 63 per cent of this Province today has a lesser service than it had yesterday once this move is made.

AN HON. MEMBER: That is not true.

MR. DEAN: It is true.

Given that –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DEAN: Read the report!

Given that this here –

AN HON. MEMBER: Explain it.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DEAN: Explain it? My explanation, Mr. Speaker, is that when an air ambulance service, a second air ambulance service has to be called and St. John’s is busy, it will come out of Goose Bay instead of St. Anthony, and that is an hour longer to Gander by the way.

Given that this air medevac service is administered by the Labrador-Grenfell Health Board and given that this move is within their boundaries, I would ask the minister again: Were they a part of the decision-making process to move this air ambulance?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have to say I am a bit confused by the numbers being put forward by the Liberal Opposition – not that they have ever been concerned about the facts. When I look at the number of flights, we have a total number of pickups, in the spreadsheets I am looking at, of approximately 1,133. We have 150 in St. Anthony; 18 per cent of them are coming out of the Southeast Coast for another thirty. So we have 120 out of St. Anthony themselves; eighty of those people are residents of St. Anthony and that region.

So, Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the numbers are coming from. Labrador-Grenfell was involved in the discussion. They certainly knew what was going on, Mr. Speaker, but as a government and as a Cabinet, we make these decisions in the best interest of the people of this Province.

The Member for The Straits & White Bay North, he knew this was ongoing. I did not receive any submissions from him. I have not received any letters from him (inaudible) -

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. DEAN: Mr. Speaker, you cannot get an answer to a question in the House, let alone consideration to a submission.

Nevertheless, the statistics are what they are. Sixty-three per cent, Mr. Speaker, of the medevac service in this Province today come out of other places across the Island, being Gander, Deer Lake, Burgeo, and so on, and the Northern Peninsula and Southern Labrador. When the aircraft is relocated to Goose Bay, those 63 per cent respondents out of Goose Bay will obviously take longer.

My question was not answered. Probably the minister would consider it again: Was the Grenfell board a part of this decision-making process?

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

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I met with the CEO of Labrador-Grenfell a couple of days ago. He was in here – I guess it was yesterday - for the Cameron update and we had a discussion as to what was going on, Mr. Speaker. The CEO was aware of what was transpiring. The boards, Mr. Speaker, have been – again, I assume the CEO will be in contact with the boards. This decision has been looked at. We have had discussions over the last period of time and, Mr. Speaker, what we have done - I come back to the basic facts here. There are twice as many flights out of Labrador, we have incidents out of Labrador, and the population of Labrador is 26,000 people as opposed to 2,400 people in St. Anthony.

These are the basic facts upon which the decision was made, Mr. Speaker. Again, having regard to the size of Labrador and the problems we have encountered, we felt that this is the best decision, based on the consultant’s report.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MR. DEAN: I realize, Mr. Speaker, sometimes it is difficult for a city person to get their head around rural Newfoundland, so I will not beat statistics any further. No wonder Trevor Taylor would have left.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DEAN: You know, who would have the stomach to stay and watch their government tear the district apart.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. DEAN: This report talks about transporting –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to ask his question.

MR. DEAN: The report talks about transporting patients from the South Coast of Labrador to Goose Bay and St. John’s, instead of St. Anthony. It sounds like we are planning to shut the hospital down, practically.

So I would ask the minister if he could answer this question: What does this mean now for the future of the hospital in St. Anthony?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The one point I will continue to make is that we have to make strategic investments. We have to utilize the money that we have in the best way we can. I have indicated on numerous occasions that we would talk to the people and discuss with the people want they want. What we are doing here is responding to the needs of the people.

Now, Mr. Speaker, if I could refer earlier today as to how we utilize our money. Earlier this week the Newfoundland Medical Association said it would cost $80 million to reach a deal with them. The Premier and Minister of Finance challenged them on that. Today it comes out, Mr. Speaker, that Mr. Ritter says he admits that the figure of $80 million may be significantly higher, and it is possible that the government figures are accurate, but we do not know for sure. Here we have the doctors misleading us now. So what happens, Mr. Speaker, is we have to make sure that we utilize the money as best we can, and when we have the doctors trying to double figures like that and slide it by the public, we cannot let that (inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, Eastern Health confirmed that frontline workers were accessing patient files without permission to do so. As a result, disciplinary action was taken and two individuals were suspended without pay for three months. We have been dealing with the case of a patient, Mr. Speaker, at the Gander hospital whose medical files were inappropriately accessed by her ex-husband’s girlfriend who was an employee of Central Health. We wrote the health authority on a number of occasions, we asked for an investigation into this file and they did admit that there was a breach of privacy. We asked for disciplinary action to be taken and none was.

I ask the minister today: Why is there no standard policies throughout the four health boards involving patient confidentiality?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

One of the issues that we are dealing with in these privacy concerns, Mr. Speaker, is obviously the standardization of policies. That is certainly going to take time. What we saw yesterday was Eastern Health move quickly to deal with the privacy breaches. We have the Personal Health Information Act, Mr. Speaker, which is expected to be proclaimed later this year. So this act will govern the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information in our Province.

Under the act, Mr. Speaker, custodians of personal health information, which is Eastern Health or Central Health, are required to have safeguards in place to prevent breaches in privacy. Mr. Speaker, obviously this should not have occurred and Eastern Health has taken action. I would certainly check into that situation with Central Health, but, Mr. Speaker, the good news is, is that it was found out quickly and acted upon quickly and that is the way that the health system is trying to respond.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the case in Central Newfoundland, Central Health did confirm that this was in fact a breach of privacy on behalf of this individual, yet no action was taken. In a letter to the patient, Mr. Speaker, they did express that they had told this employee that they were not permitted to check the files any more.

I ask the minister - I am prepared to give him all the information I have regarding that patient and all the correspondence with Central Health. I ask you, minister, if you would investigate it and ensure that the proper disciplinary action is taken inside of that health board as it was in Eastern Health?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition wishes to supply me with the information I certainly will review it. As for what has taken place to this point, I cannot speak to it. When I saw yesterday - when I had this same member yesterday get up and quote me a conversation from March 12 as if it took place earlier this week, than I do not have any reason to trust the accuracy of what she says to me. So once I have a review of it, Mr. Speaker, I will consult with officials and see where it is going.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

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

MS JONES: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister, the full docket is on the way across the House of Assembly to you and I expect -

MR. KENNEDY: (Inaudible).

MS JONES: Yes I do.

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I ask the hon. member to pose her question.

MS JONES: I do, I say to the minister, I have had it for some time. I have been dealing with this case for nearly two years.

Mr. Speaker, Eastern Health has announced that they conduct regular audits of patient files to ensure confidentiality. I ask the minister: Is a similar audit conducted in the three other health board regions and other government agencies, such as RNC and social services, to ensure the privacy of clients?

I have been waiting that long to get responses from Central Health I had to go back -

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this government has obviously outlined our concern for privacy. We brought in the Access To Information And Protection Of Privacy Act. We are going to proclaim the Personal Health Information Act. We are well aware, Mr. Speaker, of the privacy concerns, and these are issues that I am sure that the CEOs of the various health authorities are also very concerned about.

Now, Mr. Speaker, as the minister has outlined on page, I think it is 438 or 448 of the Cameron inquiry, I have an oversight role, but, Mr. Speaker, it is not the role of the minister to be involving myself in the operational day-to-day activities of the health authorities. Mr. Speaker, if a situation has not been handled properly – and it is not simply the Leader of the Opposition using these materials for her own motives – then we will look at it and see what is going on. If it concerns me, and once there is a review, we will get back.

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.

My questions are for the Minister of Health and Community Services. He said earlier in Question Period that he had made things very clear with regard to the air ambulance situation. Well, it is not clear to me yet, so I still have some questions. The report commissioned by government asked the consultant to consider only whether an aircraft should be in St. Anthony, Happy Valley-Goose Bay or Labrador City. Consequently, the consultant does not give an opinion regarding a third aircraft. He only says that if there were a third aircraft it should be located in Deer Lake.

I have to ask the minister, Mr. Speaker: Why the terms of reference did not ask for a comprehensive review of air ambulance services in this Province, including recommendations regarding the need for a third aircraft?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. the Minister of Health and Community Services.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, at pages 7 and 8 of the report the consultant has a heading, number 11, Third Aircraft, and looks at the analysis of the pick up and destination statistics of the Western portion of the Province.

Mr. Speaker, the consultant was asked to look at the need for a third aircraft based on the fact that the Liberals – and I cannot remember if the Member for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi was involved in this because she has only raised this, this week, that I am aware of. Mr. Speaker, they were saying we should have one in St. Anthony and we should have one in Labrador.

Now, Mr. Speaker, what we had to first look at was if there is a second aircraft, or there is a second aircraft, where should it be? If there is a third aircraft, to dispel the notion put forward by the Opposition that we needed airplanes in every place in this Province, that if there was a third aircraft, where would it be? So there is a full section there. It outlines statistics, looks at the situation as it exists, and recommends if there was a third aircraft (inaudible).

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.

The minister continues to be disingenuous with some of his answers, because this is not a full review of the air ambulance services, and that is what I am asking about. He has said that we have to fit our resources. Well, Mr. Speaker, as I have said publicly and has been reported in the media, I find the government is being two-faced. This government is rightfully demanding that the federal government place additional search and rescue in St. John’s without sacrificing services already in place in Gander, yet, Mr. Speaker, the same government turns around and plays a cynical political shell game by moving vital air ambulance services around, instead of adding resources for a third aircraft.

I ask the minister, Mr. Speaker, why this government is not practicing what it preaches by putting a third dedicated air ambulance in this Province?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The consultant, Mr. Speaker, at page 2 of his report, indicated quite clearly that this is not an analysis of the complete air ambulance system in the Province. As a result of the situations that were arising in Labrador we had to address them, we had to move quickly, and he looked at the situation of the second medical flight service team and looked at the placement of an air ambulance.

Now, Mr. Speaker, as I said a few minutes ago, if the NDP wants us to give everything to everyone – do you want us to give the doctors their $145 million also? Because money does grow on trees, I say to the Leader of the New Democratic Party.

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.

The minister has actually given me an answer here that means something to me. My point is exactly what he just said. This is a knee-jerk reaction to a crisis instead of coming up with a whole plan for the long term. That is my problem.

Mr. Speaker, today’s decision potentially places lives at risk in Western Newfoundland and the Northern Peninsula.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: The air ambulance was originally stationed in St. Anthony for a reason. So I ask the minister to explain to the people of Western Newfoundland and the Northern Peninsula why they are less needing today than they were yesterday?

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

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MR. KENNEDY: Mr. Speaker, I guess you just cannot please some people. Today, this is a major advancement in air ambulance in this Province, a new airplane costing $8 million to replace one –

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MR. KENNEDY: I would rather be disingenuous than dishonest. That is the way I would put it, Mr. Speaker.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

AN HON. MEMBER: (Inaudible).

MR. KENNEDY: Can I answer the question?

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Is the hon. member rising on a point of order?

MS MICHAEL: Yes, I am.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for the District of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, on a point of order.

MS MICHAEL: I am asking if I can –

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

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

MS MICHAEL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want clarification as to whether or not the minister has said I am dishonest. It read that way to me, Sir.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

I do not know if the hon. member wants to respond, but the Chair did not hear the hon. member say that the hon. member was dishonest. The member made a statement saying that he would rather be disingenuous than dishonest, is the way that I understood it, but I will gladly review the tapes if the hon. member thinks that what I understood is wrong, and if the hon. member meant anything different than that I am sure that he will be an hon. member and withdraw his remarks.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

Is the hon. member rising on a new point of order?

MS MICHAEL: To make a response, Mr. Speaker, to extend why I am calling for the point of order.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

MS MICHAEL: I am, yes, because, Mr. Speaker –

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The Chair has heard the hon. member’s point of order. The Chair has responded to the hon. member’s point of order.

I ask the hon. member if she is rising on a new point of order. If she is, I will recognize the hon. member; if not, I will respond to the former point of order that was made.

Is the hon. member rising on a new point of order?

MS MICHAEL: A new point of order, Mr. Speaker.

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

MS MICHAEL: The point of order is phrased in a question. I saw the minister point his hand in my direction when he made his comment. Does action go with words, Mr. Speaker, in a point of order?

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

The hon. Government House Leader, to that point of order.

MS BURKE: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

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

MS BURKE: Mr. Speaker, certainly our contention on this side of the House is that as the hon. minister was answering the question today he was speaking about himself. He said he would rather be disingenuous as opposed to being dishonest.

Many times within the House we speak with our hands, with our arms, and he was doing just that. Mr. Speaker, there were no derogatory comments made toward the Leader of the Third Party.

MR. SPEAKER: The Chair has heard the point of order. The Chair has already indicated that it will review the tapes, both the video and the audio tapes, and if there is a need to respond it will respond later today or at another sitting.