November 22nd, 2023
>> THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. HAPPY WEDNESDAY AND SAYING HELLO TO EVERYONE IN DISTRICT ATE. AND HELLO. WELCOME TO GUESTS IN THE GALLERY. THE NURSES UNION AND FORMER MLA. WELCOME TO ALL OUR OTHER GUESTS AND MADAME SPEAKER, AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOUR CALENDAR BUT OURS ARE FILLING UP WITH INVITATIONS TO FUNCTIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND ONE OF MY FAVOURITES IS T WOMEN’S INSTITUTE YULETIDE GALA WHICH IS TOMORROW NIGHT AND YOU’VE ATTENDED IT BEFORE AND IT’S QUITE A FUNDRAISER AND IT’S A GREAT EVENT SO I
WOULD LIKE TO WISH THEM A HUGE SUCCESS TOMORROW EVENING. ALSO MADAME SPEAKER, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE POTATO AGM AND GIVE GREETINGS TO POTATO FARMERS ON WHAT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL YEAR. ALL THE NUMBERS AREN’T IN YET BUT PRETTY GOOD AND I WANT TO SA THANK YOU TO A COUPLE RETIRING DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD. JASON HAYDEN AND CHAD ROBERTSON AS THEY SERVED THEIR TIME AND ARE STEPPING AWAY AND WELCOMING THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THAT. WITH THAT, OUR ROADS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE THIS MORNING. I WANT TO GIVE THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND
HIS CREW A BIG APPLAUD BECAUSE HE WAS CRITICIZED YESTERDAY BUT IT’S TREMENDOUS TODAY. WITH THAT, WHEN YOU ARE O THE ROADS BE MINDFUL OF THE CHANGING CONDITIONS AND TAKE YOUR TIME, THERE IS NEVER A
POST OUT AND UP UNTIL DECEER 12th THEY ARE GOING TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS AGAIN FOR FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED AND IT’S A GROUP THAT TRAVELS RIGHT ACROSS PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ON CHRISTMAS MORNING DELIVERING PRESENTS AND FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED AND IT’S A GREAT PROGRAM. I DID PARTICIPATE IN IT IN THE PAST AND JUST TO SEE THE SURPRISE WITH SANTA KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND HAVING A TREAT FOR THEM. SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY MADE MY CHRISTMAS SO I HOPE ANY ONE OUT THERE WHO FES THE NEEDTO PLEASE APPLY ONLINE. ON THE WEBPAGE. FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD
LIKE TO DONATE TO THAT PROGRAM I’M SURE THEY WOULD ALSO WELCOME THAT. WITH THAT, I WISH EVERYONE A GREAT DAY IN THE HOUSE. >> THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK MY COLLEAGUES, CAMPBELL GAGE AND EVELYN. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE PEOPLE IN THE GALLERY FROM THE NURSES UNION AND OF COURSE ALL OF THE PEOPLE GATHERING TODAY. THANK YOU F BEING HERE. EVERYONE TUNING IN FROM ACROSS THE ISLAND AND ESPECIALLY THOSE IN VICTORIA PARK. THIS WEEKEND I KNOW AS WAS MENTIONED, THINGS ARE FILLING UP, CALENDARS ARE FILLING UP, ALL KINDS
OF FUN OF EVENTS HAPPENING ACROSS THE ISLAND AND THIS SATURDAY IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITES, THE INDIGENOUS ARTISAN CHRISTMAS MARKET HELD FROM TEN TO FIVE AT THE CONFEDERATION CENTRE OF THE ARTS. OVER 50 MAKE MOM ARTISANS WHO WILL BE THERE SHARING THEIR INCREDIBLE TALENT AND CRAFTSMANSHIP. ADMISSION ISFREE AND YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE BEAUTIFUL QUILL WORK, BASKETS, CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, APPAREL AND MUCH MORE. AND MADAME SPEAKER, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, SALLY FROM BARNYARD ORGANICS HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS THE 2024 CANADA SCHOLAR. IN THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY, IT’S A SCHOLARSHIP THAT AWARDS SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WITH FUNDS TO
TRAVEL THE WORLD EXPLORING A SPECIFIC TOPIC RELATED TO AGRICULTURE AND BRINGING INFORMATION BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY. SALLY’S TOPIC IS ON CROPPING ROTATION PARTICULARLY UNDER ORGANIC OR REGENERATIVE PRACTICES. THIS WEEK SHE WILL TRAVEL TO REGINA AND IN MARCH TO BRAZIL TO MEET THE OTHER SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD DOING THE SAME PROJECT FOLLOWED BY TEN WEEKS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO STUDY HER CHOSEN TOPIC. ANYONE WHO KNOWS SALLY KNOWS HOW PASSIONATE SHE IS ABOUT FARMING WHAT A STRONG ADVOCATE SHE HAS FOR FARMING PRACTICES ESPECIALLY IN THIS ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE. SHE IS A
FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH AS SHE PASSIONATELY TRIES TOEEP RMING A STRONG FORCE IN THE PROVINCE AND THE SCHOLARSHIP IS SPONSORED BY THE PEI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SO ALL OF US IN HERE WOULD WISH HER THE BEST ON THAT EXCITING PROJECT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE WHAT SHE BRINGS BACK TO US AND SHARE WITH US HERE. ONE LAST QUICK POINT. SANTA’S ANGELS. WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL COUNCILLOR I WORKED DILIGENTLY WAS SENT HIS ANGELS SO I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEM AND ALL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE USING THEIR TIME, RESOURCES
AND GATHERINGEVERODY ELSE’ TIMES AND RESOURCES TO MAKE CHRISTMAS A LITTLE BRIGHTER FOR PEOPLE WHO COULD USE IT SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE DOING THAT WORK AND SANTA’S ANGELS IS AN INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE OF THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER, GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL THE VIEWERS AT HOME AND ALL THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT ONE. WHILE I’M ON MY FEET I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GOOD WORK OF STAFF FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, LANDS AND COMMUNITIES. HELPING ISLANDERS CAN BE CHALLENGING AT THE BEST OF TIMES. BU WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP IT CAN MAKE
ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD TO THAT PERSON. LAST WEEK I BECAME AWARE OF AN EMERGENCY PASSING SITUATION IN MY DISTRICT WITH CONSTITUENTS. I CONNECTED THAT INDIVIDUAL WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND I’M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE MATTER WAS ABLE TO BE RESOLVED SUCCESSFULLY. I LATER GOT A MESSAGE FROM THE INDIVIDUAL THANKING THE STAFF FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIFE WITH THAT DECISION. I KNOW THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN OUR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WORK VE HARD TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ISLANDERS AND
IT’S NOT ALWAYS A THANKFUL TASK. TODAY, I WANT TO EXTEND THANKS TO THE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND ITS DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO. THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. >> THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION IN EARLY YEARS. >> A PLEASURE TO RISE TODAY. WELCOME BACK TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES HERE IN THE HOUSE. THANK YOU TO THOSE ATTENDING HERE IN THE GALLERY AND HELLO TO THOSE TUNING IN FROM ACROSS THE ISLAND BUT SPECIFICALLY IN DISTRICT NINE, CHARLOTTETOWN, HILLSBORO PARK. VELY THE GREATEST DISTRICT ON PEI. THIS IS A BUSY WEEK AND ISLAND SCHOOLS. TEACHERS ACROSS THE PROVINCE WORKING
ON THEIR FINAL ASSESSMENT AND STARTING TO PREPARE FOR REPORT CARS, — CARDS, PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS ARE HAPPENING, TO MY FULL DAYS FOR OUR TEACHERS AND A VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. ALSO THIS IS KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WEEK FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BRANCH SO IF YOUR CHILD IS ELIGIBLE TO START KINDERGARTEN NEXT SEPTEMBER THIS THE WEEK TO GET THEM REGISTERED EITHER BY GOING ONLINE TO YOUR SCHOOL WEBSITE OR BUY CONTACTING THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION DIRECTLY. IT’S IMPORTANT OF COURSE FOR FAMILIES TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN SO THAT WE CAN PROPERLY PREPARE AND PLAN FOR THE NEXT
YEAR. THANK YOU. >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE. >> THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. I DON’T GET UP TO DO GREETINGS MUCH BUT I WILL START OFF WITH THE GALLERY, IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU. SECONDLY TO THE RESIDENCE, THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND I’M GETTI UP TODAY BECAUSE IT’S MY MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY AND TO EMBARRASS HER I WILL DO GREETINGS TODAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM. I WON’T SAYING, THAT WOULD BE WAY MORE THAN WHAT ANY OF US CAN HANDLE IN HERE. WHILE I’M UP HERE, HELLO TO MY GRANDMOTHER AND A DEAR FRIEND OF OUR FAMILY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE TODAY AND WATCHING AT HOME ESPECIALLY THOSE IN DISTRICT 21, SUMMERSIDE WILMONT, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE GREATEST DISTRICT IS, WE WON’T USE THAT TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE OUT THERE KNOW THAT THE 44th ANNUAL SWEARING IN OF THE JUNIOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL TODAY AT 6:30 AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS. MYIME ON COUNCIL, MY FAVOURITE TIME SEEING KIDS COME IN FROM THE JUNIOR HIGH AND GET SWORN IN. IT’S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. MY NEPHEW IS ONE OF THEM SO… AND THE DEADLINE, NOVEMBER 27th IS
COMING CLOSE FOR ENTERING INTO THE SANTA CLAUS PARADE IN SUMMERSIDE. I WANTED TO GET AS MANY FOLKS IN AS WE CAN, IT’S ALWAYS A GREAT SHOW. PUT ON BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SOMETHING ALSO WANT TO BRING AWARENESS TO IS AMY WHO WORKS AT A SCHOOL AND WENT OUT ON HER OWN TO PROCURE HOCKEY GEAR FOR A COUPLE YOUNG STUDENTS, SECURING ICE TIME SO THEY CAN GET ON AND TRY HOCKEY AND ALL THAT. IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS EXTRA HOCKEY GEAR FOR YOUNG KIDS TEN TO 12 YEARS OLD, REACH OUT AND I CAN GET YOU
IN TOUCH WITH HER. THANK YOU. >> ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE. >> THANK YOU. GREETINGS TO THE WONDERFUL CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT 24. I KNOW THAT MOST OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE BUSY WITH EVENTS ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ENTER THE MOST FESTIVE TIME OF THE YEAR FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS OF LAST WEEK, FOR THE EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE. MANY VENDORS AND SHOPPERS TOOK PART IN THIS WONDERFUL FAIR. THEY HAD MANY VENDORS WITH FRESH-BAKED ITEMS AND MANY ARTISANS SELLING THE MOST CREATIVE ITEMS. THIS YEAR’S FAIR WAS A REAL SUCCESS, CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL THAT TOOK PART IN THAT. MADAME SPEAKER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEND A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE WONDERFUL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN FROM PARISH HALL MAKING OVER 1000 MEET PIES FOR THEIR FUNDRAISER. THEY DO THIS ACTIVITY EVERY YEAR AND IF THEY HAVE MORE TIME AND MORE HANDS THEY WOULD SELL EVEN MORE. BUT A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS GOES OUT TO THEM FOR TAKING THE TI EVERY YEAR TO DO THIS. MADAME SPEAKER, THEY ARE AMONG THE BEST PEI MEAT PIES. A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO PAUL, YOU ARE A FAITHFUL WALK THIS — WATCHER OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
THE PREMIER HAVE THE HONOUR OF MEETING THEM DOING OUR CAMPAIGN IN APRIL AND THEY WERE VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS VISIT. PAULA HAS BEEN LIVING WITH CANCER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW BUT IS THE MOST POSITIVE PERSON THAT I KNOW. KEEP GOING PAULA, YOU ARE A REAL TROOPER. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A SPECIAL HELLO TO PAU WHO I KNOW IS WATCHING TODAY AND ALSO MY AUNTIE PAULINE. LASTLY, MY SHOUT OUT GOES TO A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DO LOTS OF FUNDRAISING WHO SUPPORT YOUTH GROUPS ACROSS THE PROVINCE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE ABOUT
OVER $15,000 THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS FOR DIFFERENT YOUTH GROUPS THROUGHOUT THIS PROVINCE. THANK YOU. >> NEW HAVEN-ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE IN THE GALLERY. AND THE PEI NURSES UNION AND OF COURSE EVERYONE ELSE. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. AND I AM AT RISK OF BEING TAUNTED INTO SINGING BUT WANT TO WISH MY SON, DAN, A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY. HE TURNS 30 TODAY. MY BABY TURNS 30 TODAY MADAME SPEAKER AND HE HAPPENS TO BE HOME ON THE ISLAND AT THE MOMENT. HE LIVES IN TORONTO BUT IS HERE TODAY
AND HE’S HAVING LUNCH WITH HIS BIG BTHER SOMHERE, I DON’T KNOW. ANYWAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DAN. YOU ARE MUCH LOVED AND IT’S LOVELY TO HAVE YOU HERE AT HOME. ALSO, TODAY IS NATIONAL HOUSING DAY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD A ROUGH DAY. SOMEONE IN OUR OFFICE WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS BUT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME SAID THAT WAS A DIFFICULT DAY BUT I’M GOING HOME NOW, I AM GOING HOME TO MY HOUSE NOW AND IMAGINE IFOU ARE HAVING A ROUGH DAY AND YOU HAD NOWHERE TO GO HOME TO. I
DON’T KNOW WHY BUT IT WAS A MOMENT WHEN THAT REALLY STRUCK HOME FOR ME. PROBABLY MANY OF YOU WHO CAME INTO THE HOUSE KNOW THIS BUT SOMEONE HAD WRITTEN HOMELESS ON THE PATHWAY ON THE WAY INTO THE LEGISLATURE. AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET IN OUR PRIVILEGE THAT BEING ABLE TO GO HOME OFFERS A SENSE OF STABILITY AND PHYSICAL STABILITY TO DEAL WITH ALL OF LIFE’S CHALLENGES. IF YOU ARE WITHOUT A HOME IT MAKES LIFE SO VERY DIFFICULT AND HOUSING IS NOT JUST A BASIC RATE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR WELL-BEING. SO ON THIS NATIONAL
HOUSING DAY I WOULD LIKE US ALL TO REMEMBER THOSE WITHOUT HOMES AND WHAT THEY DEAL WITH DAY AFTER DAY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. A PLEASURE TO RISE TODAY. WELCOME TO MY COLLEAGUES. AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE GALLERY. WATCHING FOM DISTRICT 1. TODAY, I WAS AT THE FUNERAL FOR REVEREND BARB WAGNER AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION OF LIFE WITH GREAT MUSIC. I RECONNECTED WITH SOME PEOPLE I HAVEN’T SEEN IN A LONG TIME. ONE OF THEM WAS GEORGE MASON AND HE IS A PERSON WITH A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SOMETHING HE’S ALWAYS SAID IS
OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN OR OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. AND MAYBE I CAN REFER TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY STAFF FOR THE GRAMMAR ON THAT ONE BUT HE CLAIMS IT’S WIT. AT THE FUNERAL, MARK DOUGLAS WAS THERE WHO PLAYS THE PIPES AND HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB. PEEKING OF PIPERS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT DANCING WITH THE STARS, SO, THIS YEAR, THERE WERE A COUPLE CNSTITUENTS, WHO DID A FANTASTIC JOB WITH COLOURFUL AND DANCE AND PETER MCDOUGALL WHO IS ALSO A PIPER DID A FANTASTIC JOB BUT I SHOULD MENTION THAT ERIC MCPHAIL WHO
IS OF COURSE GETTING THE JUDGE CHOICE AWARD. I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE HIM OFFICIALLY AND TOGETHER THEY RAISED TENS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION. MADAME SPEAKER, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE PIPERS RYAN AND SARA SIMPSON. AT THE REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY, PIPERS ARE A STABLE. MATT MCLEAN DOES AN AMAZING JOB EVERY YEAR. EITHER RYAN OR SARAH PLAYING ON THE CLIFFS OVERLOOKING THE WATER , USUALLY OVER A STIFF BREEZE AND SARAH DID A FANTASTIC JOB THIS YEAR BUT THEY ALSO DID A PRESENTATION AT THE VISITOR CENTRE. CANADIAN PIPERS AND PIPE TUNES ON THE
WESTERN FRONT. THIS WAS A LECTURE AND A BAGPIPE RECITAL. AND I DIDN’T CATCH ALL OF IT BUT IT’S INCREDIBLE SO I THINK TO ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO REACH OUT FOR THEM. LASTLY, THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME, ONE OF THE FAVOURITE HOCKEY ORGANIZATIONS, THE MATRIX LAST WEEKEND, DOING VERY WELL, MY SON WAS PLAYING ON DO YOU 15 TEAM, THEY NARROWLY LOST IN THAT ONE TIE AND ALMOST MADE THE QUARTERFINALS WHICH IS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT THE WESTERN REBELS, THEY WERE TIED FOR FOURTH, THAT IS THE NEW U16 ON THE ISLAND AND THEY WENT RIGHT
TO THE SEMIFINALS AND HAD A NARROW LOSS THERE SO KUDOS TO THEM AND THAT GREAT HOCKEY ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. >> THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM TIME VALLEY-SHERBROOKE. >> WELCOME TO THOSE JOINING US IN THE GALLERY THIS MORNING. AND THOSE WATCHING FROM DISTINCT 23, SHIRLEY MACARTHUR. ON THE WAY DOWN I STOPPED IN TO WISH MARJORIE SUMMERS A TRAVELLERS REST. A VERY HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY BUT SHE MUST HAVE BEEN OUT CELEBRATING BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT AT HOME SO I WILL JUST SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARJORIE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A BUSINESS, WHICH YOU
PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY BECAUSE I NEEDED THEIR SERVICES LAST NIGHT. I WAS DOWN IN THE HONOURABLE ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS AREA FOR HOCKEY PRACTICE WITH FOUR YOUNG LADIES HAVING HOCKEY PRACTICE. THANK YOU TO SEAN WHO IN MOMENTS AFTER A VERY QUICK PHONE CALL SHOWED UP AND GOT US BACK SAFE AN SOUND. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. >> IT’S A PLEASURE TO RISE HERE THIS AFTERNOON. TO SAY HELLO AND A SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE ACROSS THE PROVINCE. THE BEST DISTRICT IN PEI. WITH THAT, IT’S ALWAYS INTERESTING WHEN WE HEAR PEOPLE STAND
UP, IT SHOWS THE PRIDE AND HONOUR THAT EACH ONE OF US HAVE IN THIS LEGISLATURE IN REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA. CERTAINLY WANTED TO SAY HELLO TO THOSE IN THE GALLERY HERE. ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU. LAST EVENING I HAD THE HONOUR TO ATTEND THE CANADIAN TECHNICAL ASPHALT ASSOCIATION MEETING AND BANQUE AND IT’S THE FIRST TIME THAT THE UC TAA HAS BEEN HOSTED HERE IN THE PROVINCE SINCE 2006. AT THAT TIME THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION WAS ALSO FROM THE WESTERN PART OF THE PROVINCE. AND IT WAS INTERESTING PEEKING FROM RIGHT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND
ONE’S THERE FROM RIGHT ACROSS CANADA. THE CMMEN WAIT – MADE WAS THAT THEY HAVE THIS CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR BUT THAT THE ONLY TIME THAT A MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION IN ANY AREA OF THE COUNTRY EVER ATTENDED HAS BEEN IN INCE EDWARD ISLAND BACK IN 2006 AND AGAIN LAST EVENING AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO STAFF INVOLVED FROM RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT WAS A FANTASTIC EVENT. IT WAS ORGANIZED SO WELL. THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. >> IT’S A PLEASURE TO RISE AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE IN THE GALLERY TODAY. I WOULD LIKE
TO WELCOME ALL THOSE WATCHING FROM ALL ACROSS THE ISLAND BUT ESPECIALLY FROM DISTRICT 22. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION WITH MICHELLE HERE IN THE GALLEY THAT I DID ATTEND THAT MEETING LAST NIGHT IN CORNWALL WHICH WAS AN HONOUR FOR ME TO BE THERE. IT WAS LOVELY TO MEET THOSE GRANDPARENTS BUT I MET THEM IN THE PAST AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THEM AGAIN. WE HAD A LOVELY SPEAKER THERE WHO IS SHARING HER STORY. RAISED BY HER GRANDPARENTS IN ANY WAY IT WAS A LOVELY EVENING. TODAY IS NATIONAL HOUSING DAY, RECOGNIZING WORK DONE AND WORK
THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR EVERYONE IN CANADA. AS THE MLA FOR SUMMERSIDE DISTRICT 22 I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THISOPPORTNITYO RECOGNIZE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. IN SUMMERSIDE FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT THEY DO BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK WOMEN AND CHILDREN SEEKING A SAFE SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING CAN FIND THAT RIGHT IN SUMMERSIDE, DISTRICT 22. THE SERVICE LIGHT HOPE PROVIDES IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDERS. MARKY FOWLER. SUSAN AND THE MANAGER THERE NOW, JODY AS WELL AS ADAM FROM THE
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ALSO KNOWN AS THE PDG. FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO I AM PROUD TO SHOW OFF THE DAY THE HOUSE OF THE HERO AND THANK THEM. IS IN A BEAUTIFUL? I CAN’T DO THAT. SORRY, I WAS TOLD I COULD. SORRY, I CAN’T DO THAT. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I THOUGHT I COULD BUT ANYWAYS I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOYSND GIRLS CLU OF SUMMERSIDE AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS AND THE PROVINCE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THIS PROJECT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> I
KNOW YOU PROBABLY ALL WANT TO BE HERE TILL THE NEW YEAR BUT CAN WE PLEASE LIMIT OUR GREETINGS TO 452nd. THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE WHO WENT OVER. IF YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY, DO IT IN A MEMBER STATEMENT OR MINISTER STATEMENT, PLEASE. WE DO HAVE WORK TO DO AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ACCOMPLISHED. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY, DISTRICT FOUR IS THE VERY BEST DISTRICT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS STARTING WITH RESPONSE? SORRY, I DID IT AGAIN. MEMBER STATEMENTS. THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN-BELVEDERE. >> THANK YOU
NORMALLY MY MEMBERS DAMON’S ARE QUICK BUT TODAY I WROTE A BIT OF A LONGER ONE. I’M A LITTLE NERVOUS. I RISE TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT A LOCAL BAKERY IN CHARLOTTETOWN FORMALLY SHERWOOD BEGINNING IN 1987 WITH ROB AND ELAINE. IS STARTED AS A WHOLESALE BAKERY SUPPLYING LOCAL RESTAURANTS WITH BREAD AND OTHER BAKED GOODS BUT GREW INTO A BAKERY THAT PROVIDED BONDS AND THINGS TO ALL. THEY SEND A SPECIAL ALWAYS ON HIS WAY TO OUR TABLE DURING SUNDAY DINNER. I WAS A REGULAR RAISING THREE BOYS BUT NOT JUST ME, I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN ONE OF ANDREW’S FRIENDS
WAS VISITING AND I WAS MAKING CINNAMON BUNS. WE WERE IN THE KITCHEN CHATTING, AND IAS INFORMED THAT HIS MOM ALSO MADE HOMEMADE CINNAMON BUNS. HERS WERE PICKED UP AT BUNS AND THINGS. AND SHE WAS NOT WRONG. I ALWAYS REMEMBERED WHEN THEY WERE AT THE GOLF COURSE AND■Kz4C WOULD MAKE BREAKFAST BEFORE THEY LEFT. THEY DECLINED. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY EAT AT THE GOLF COURSE BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE BEST TOAST. I WAS CURIOUS AS TO FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TOAST WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE BEST TOAST WAS MADE FROM BUNS AND THINGS. AND
THAT BUNS AND THINGS WAS THE SUPPLIER OF BELVEDERE GOLF COURSE. THERE WOULD BE MANY CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD SHARE SIMILAR STORIES AND IN ADDITION TO BAKED GOODS THEY OFFERED PREMADE MEALS AT A DELI COUNTER WITH DELICIOUS SUBS AND SANDWICHES. IN 2014 ROB AND ELAINE RETURNED TO PEI TO WORK IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS. IN 2017 BILL BECAME AN OWNER AND OPERATOR. AFTER HIS PARENTS RETIREMENT FROM THE BUSINESS, THEY OPEN THE BAKERY IN 1987 WITH HARD WORK, QUALITY PRODUCTS AND A COMMUNITY FOCUS. THEY GREW THAT BAKER INTO THRIVING BUSINESS AND AN ICON IN OUR COMMUNITY.
TODAY THERE SON BILL CONTINUES WITH THE SAME VALUES. HE CONTINUES TO WORK HARD AND PERSEVERE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. HE HAS EXPANDED TO OPEN A SECOND STORE. HE HAS CONTINUED TO BE A STRONG SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING FORMS OF GIVING BACK IN MANY AREAS AS HE IS ALSO THE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SITS ON THE BOARD. I ALWAYS NEW THAT IT WAS A GREAT PRODUCT. BUT I AM EXPIRED — AM INSPIRED FROM WHAT I HEAR IN THE COMMUNITY, THEIR GENEROSITY IS OVERWHEING. SUPPORTING LOCAL SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS, CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND
THOSE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS THAT I KNOW ABOUT THEM. TIMES ARE DIFFICULT BUT THIS COMMUNITY BUSINESS HAS MAINTAINED ITS DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 36 YEARS AND I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THERE OR 36 MORE YEARS TO COME, THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU. STARTING WITH MY NOMINATION SPEECH IN 2011 PROVINCIAL ELECTION I’VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE USING TECHNOLOGY TO PROME PRIMARY CARE. WHEN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FINALLY BROUGHT FORWARD THE MAPLE SERVICE IT WAS A HUGE STEP FORWARD SO WELL CANVASSING I RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK ESPECIALLY LONG ISLAND FAMILIES WITH OR WITHOUT A FAMILY
DOCTOR THAT FOUND IT EFFICIENT AND CONVENIENT AS A PRIMARY CARE STEPPINGSTONE. AND THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO REFER PATIENTS DO IN PERSON PHYSICIAN APPOINTMENTS WHEN NEEDED AND WAS WORKING WELL. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT AS THE DESIRE TO USE THE SERVICE HAS EXPANDED THE ABILITY TOCCESS IT HAS DECLINED. AT A CONSTITUENT CONTACT RECENTLY TRYING TO ACCESS MAPLE UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR FOUR DAYS IN A ROW BEING TOLD EACH TIME THAT MAPLE HAS CANCELLED THE CONSULTATION DUE TO HIGH VOLUME. EVENTUALLY GOING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND WAITED FOR SEVEN HOURS TO SEE A DOCTOR AND GET A PRESCRIPTION. ALSO,
PEOPLE WITH FAMILY DOCTORS MUST STILL PAY FOR ACCESS TO MAPLE EVEN THOUGH OUR GOVERNMENT PROMISED THAT IT WOULD PAY FOR ACCESS FOR ALL. REPORTEDLY THE PROVINCE — PROBLEMS ARE DUE TO THE INABILITY TO CALL ON DOCTORS BECAUSE OF BUDGET AND R TAP IAVE FAITH THAT THEY WILL BE SOUGHT SOON UNDER THIS LEADERSHIP. I STILL BELIEVE THIS WILL PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OR SPECIALIST CARE, I SHOULD SAY AND I’VE INTRODUCED A MOTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO THAT EFFECT. AUDIO AND VISUAL CONSULTATION IS SCRATCHING THE SURFACE. CONNECTING DEVICES ALLOWING
FOR MORE EXAMINATION AND ISLANDERS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THEM TO HELP SOLVE OUR PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE. THANK YOU. >> I RISE TODAY TO BRING ATTENTION TODAY TO A MATTER OF MOST IMPORTANCE RAISED BY A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WITHIN OUR PROCESS. THIS YOUNG INDIVIDUAL HAS EXPRESSED COMPELLING CONCERNS REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES FACED BY STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL. HER INSIGHT SHARING LIGHT AROUND RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF OUR ISLAND USE AS WE HEAR THE VOICE OF THE NEXT GENERATION, IT’S IMPERATIVE FOR US TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AFFECTING O STENTS. SHE
IS AN ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PART OF MR TRAINOR’S POLITICAL STUDIES CLASS AND GATHERING MEANINGFUL PROJECTS AS PART OF HER PROJECT SHARED HER THOUGHTS AND INSIGHTS ABOUT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. I WILL READ HER WORDS EXACTLY AS SHE PROVIDED THEM. JUST LAST NIGHT. ON ONE EMERGING ISSUE, I’M QUOTING, THE LACK OF SUPPORT RIGHT NOW IS AN ISSUE THATEEPS A RISING AND IS VERY CONCERNING. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE SIGNIFICANT CONCERN FROM PEI AS THEY ARE EVERYWHERE. MANY INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLE WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS
PERCEPTION THAT THE SUPPORTS AVAILABLE ON PEI ARE NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED. THESE COULD BE DUE TO A LACK OF RESOURCES, LONG WAIT TIMES FOR THERAPY, A SHORTAGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. IT’S ESSENTIAL TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO ENSURE THAT ERYO WHO NEEDS HELP CAN RECEIVE IT. IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS COULD INVOLVE A FEW STEPS INCREASING THE FUNDS WHICH COULD HELP BE ABLE TO HIRE MORE PROFESSIONAL TO REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR THERAPY AND PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THOSE STRUGGLING. IT’S ALSO CRUCIAL TO SPREAD AWARENESS OF MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND DON’T FEEL ALONE. EVER SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED AND ENDED PEOPLE ARE FEELING MORE ISOLATED AND STRUGGLING MORE THAN EVER. EVEN WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY AT OU NGERTIPS WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE FEELING ALONE AND NEEDING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK FACE-TO-FACE ABOUT THE ISSUE. MORE CARE NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. EVEN CREATING SUPPORT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY OR EVEN HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE ISLAND FOR PEOPLE MY AGE OR AROUND THE SAME AGE AS MY PEERS WITH MORE SUPPORTS AND HIGH SCHOOLS. WOULD PROPOSE THAT YOU GIVE THESE IDEAS
SERIOUS THOUGHT AND SUPPORT A POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION TARGET IN 2024. I ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE RECOMMENDATION AND TAKE STEPS TO HELP THEM WORK THROUGH THEIR MANY CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMPORTANT WORDS AND I’M LISTENING. >> QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS BEGINNING WITH RESPONSES TO THE NOTICE. THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> TNK Y MADAME SPEAER. QUESTION FOR THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT OUR PROVINCES IN THE MIDDLE OF A WORSENING CRISIS AND THAT IS HEALTHCARE. IT’S A CHALLENGE THAT AFFECTS EVERY FAMILY OR NEARLY EVERY FAMILY
ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND QUITE FRANKLY IT’S HEARTBREAKING. I HAVE MET WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO BADLY WANT THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE TREATED AND YET THEY CARE WE SHOULD RELY ON JUST IS NOT THERE. YESTERDAY I ASKED THE MINISTER ABOUT ACCEPTABLE WAIT TIMES FOR E-COMMERCE SERVICES AND OF COURSE, NO ANSWER AND FRANKLY I’M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THIS IS WORSE THAN DOING NOTHING. I’M BINNING TO THINK THAT THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS TO THE GREAT CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE HERE ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. ARE THE CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES ACCEPTABLE TO THIS
NO ANSWER? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. THANK YOU MEMBER FOR THE QUESTION. OBVIOUSLY MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG FILE AND WE’VE DONE A FEW THINGS OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO IMPROVE SERVICES. AGAIN, IN TALKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT THOSE ON THE WAITLIST WE DO REGULARLY CHECK ON THEM. TO ENSURE WHEN THEY ARE ON THE WAITLIST, HOW THEY ARE DOING SO IT’S A CONSTANT MONITORING OF THAT WAITLIST THAT WE DO HAVE. WE DO HAVE LOTS OF SERVICES SUCH AS THE MENTAL HEALTH WALK-IN CLINIC THAT ARE VERY EFFECTIVE THAT WE PUT UP TWO YEARS AGO SO AGAIN
I WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE MENTAL HEALTH FILE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ARE THE CURRENT LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACCEPTABLE? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. AGAIN, HOW TO SAY ACCEPTABLE? IT WOULD BE A JUDGEMENT CALL ON A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I KNEW AGAIN WE HAD THE MENTAL HEALTH DAY PROGRAM, SHOWING UP THIS YEAR IN JANUARY WITH 81 PARTICIPANTS. THE PROGRAM WAS VERY EFFECTIVE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO STAY AT HOME. DURING MY TOUR THEY WERE THE FIRST BOOKING, IT WAS A SOLUTION BASED TOUR BUT THEY WANTED TO
TALK TO US AND TELL US HOW EFFECTIVE IT’S BEEN AND TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. THANK YOU. >>HANYOU. THE FACTS ARE AVAILABLE. UNWILLING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THEN I WILL DO MY BEST. ACCORDING TO THE ANNUAL REPORT ABOUT ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WITHIN THE SEVEN DAY PERIOD AND THAT SEVEN-DAY PERIOD IS THE TARGET SET BY HEALTH PEI. THEREFORE THEY ARE FEELING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WHO NEED COMMUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MORE THAN 78 PERCENT OF THE TIME HE IS FEELING THEM. AND IT’S A TERRIBLE PERFORMANCE. BUT EVEN MORE IT’S AN ABSOLUTELY
TRAGIC RESPONSE TO THE HEARTBREAK BY SO MANY. THERE IS NO ANSWER THAT JUSTIFIES SUCH A POOR AND INADEQUATE RESPONSE TO THE VERY REAL NEEDS THAT SO MANY AUDITORS WHO WANT HELP. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. I THINK I AM DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS. >> IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE MENTAL HEALTH UNITS, I MENTIONED IT BEFORE IN THE HOUSE. MY OTHER COUNTERPART IN THE OTHER PROVINCES WERE QUITE A WHAT — AMAZED WE COULD STAND UP THAT PROGRAM AND SERVICE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY AFTER DISCHARGE THAT WE FOLLOW UP WITH OVER 1000 ISLANDERS EVERY
YEAR AFTER THEY LEAVE THE HOSPITAL WHICH IS SCIENTIFICALLY THE MOST CRITICAL TIME TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THESE PATIENTS SO THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION THAT REALLY HAD NO RESPONSE FROM A NO ANSWER AND MY VIEWS ON THIS GOVERNMENT ARE NOW SHIFTING. I’M STARTING TO REALIZE THAT THE DO-NOTHING APPROACH OF THIS GOVERNMENT IS DUE ENTIRELY TO THIS GOVERNMENT’S INABILITY TO ANSWER ANY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. MAYBE IT’S A LACK OF IMAGINATION, MAYBE IT’S AN INABILITY TO TRULY COMPREHEND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, IN 2022, 2023 NEARLY 70 PERCENT
OF ISLANDERS SEEKING COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES WERE NOT HELPED WITHIN A SEVEN-DAY PERIOD AND AGAIN THIS IS SUCH A POOR CORD. SUCH A FAILU. SO SADLY THAT IT HURT SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. HOW IS THIS ACCEPTABLE? >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, MAKING A LISTING OF SOMETHING THAT WE’VE DONE IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS. STRUCTURED HOUSING, EMERGENCY CLINICS WHICH WILL BE OPEN AND OF COURSE MOBILE MENTAL HEALTH. I DISAGREE, WE ARE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. YESTERDAY IN QUESTION PERIOD ASKED QUESTIONS AROUND
THIS, THEY COULD NOT TELL US WHO RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENT WHICH WAS RATHER ASTOUNDING BUT LATER THAT DAY IN A MEDIA SCRUM HE SAID THEY PROVIDED NUMBERS THAT CAME DOWN TO SINGLE DIGITS. MINISTER, DO YOU STILL STAND BY THAT STATEMENT THAT THERE HAS ONLY BEEN LESS THAN TEN GRADUATES WHO APPLIED AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR MONEY? >> THANK YOU. I DO APPRECIATE THE QUESTION WITH 987 MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET I’M SURE I CAN GIVE YOU AN ANSWER ON EVERY SPEND WITHIN HEALTHCARE BUT AGAIN AND CHECKING THE NUMBERS IT IS ABOUT 18 PEOPLE BUT PAYDAY IS TODAY SO THEY
ARE TELLING ME THAT FIVE OR SIX WILL BE DEALT WITH AND I THINK THE MEMBER FOR THE QUESTIONS. I FED THREE NURSES REACH OUT TO ME ALREADY TODAY AND MADE SURE WE ARE IN CONTACT AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR THE NURSES. >> EIGTEEN SOUNDS LIK A BIGGER NUMBER THAN SINGLE DIGITS. IN FACT, I THINK IT’S CLOSER TO 30 WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CHECK. MAYBE THEY WILL GET SOME TODAY AND I FIND IT RATHER ASTOUNDING THAT HE THINKS THAT 13,000 OR 18,000 OR $16,000 IS A TRIVIAL AMOUNT OF
MONEY. IT’S A LOT OF MONEY TO A GRADUATE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT. I’VE ASKED QUESTIONS TO NURSE CROWDS AND YOU ARE AWARE OF THOSE NUMBERS. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY APPLIED OUT OF THE 18 WHOHAVET RECEIVED MONEY BUT HOW MANY DID APPLIED? >> THANK YOU. I DO APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, ABSOLUTELY WE WANT TO PAY THESE NURSES AND IT’S FRUSTRATING TO HEAR WHEN THEY ARE NOT GETTING PAID IN A TIMELY FASHION. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR BOTH THE UNION AND HEALTH PEI ARE BOTH MAD AT ME TODAY. THAT I WAS NOT BLAMING ANY ONE.
BACK TO THE COMMENTS IN THE MEDIA, I DID SAY I AM NOT BLAMING EITHER PARTY IT’S JUST FRUSTRATING. AGAIN WE HAVE TO RESPECT THE BARGAINING PROCESS AND ALL THE INTRICACIES OF THAT BUT AGAIN I DO FEEL FOR THOSE NURSES AND I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU WE NEED TO PAY THEM AS BEST WE CAN BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY AND SATISFIED IN THEIR JOB. THANK YOU. >> MAYBE I WILL INFORM THE MINISTER THAT IT’S ABOUT 55 ON THAT LIST. I DON’T KNOW WHY THAT WAS SUCH A HARD NUMBER BUT ALSO DURING THAT MEDIA SCRUM
THE REASON FOR THE DELAYS IN GETTING THESE WAS BECAUSE THE UNION OF HEALTH PEI STATED THEY WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN 2 COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS. DOES THE MINISTER KNOWHE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT AND A RETURN FOR WORK SERVICE AGREEMENT AND CAN THEY EXPLAIN WHY THEY FEEL THE NURSES UNION IS TO BLAME FOR THESE NOT GETTING THEIR BONUS BECAUSE OF THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN I WAS NOT BLAMING ANYBODY. THERE WERE 2 GROUPS, AN EMPLOYER AND A UNION AND AGAIN WE WANTED TO FOLLOW ALL THE RULES OF THAT PROCESS. IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE RETURN IN THE
SERVICE AGREEMENT, WHILE THE OTHER COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT WAS IN PLACE AND WHEN IT BECAME TIME TO ISSUEHE PAYMENTS WE WORKED HARD ON THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT AND I’M VERY PROUD THAT WE GOT IT OVER THE FINISH LINE. SO AGAIN WE DO VALUE OUR NURSES. WE WANT TO WORK THROUGH IT WITH THEM. WE WILL WORK THROUGH THESE CASES AS BEST WE CAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNION AND EMPLOYER, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MINISTER. I APPRECIATE NOT BLAMING THEM ANYMORE BUT YOU DID BLAME THEM YESTERDAY. MINISTER, I’M ALSO HEARING YOUR DEPARTMENT WILL DETERMINE WHERE THEY WANT TO FULFIL
THEIR GRADUATE RETURN FOR WORK SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH HEALTHEI SERVICES. ALSO THAT THESE NURSES WENT TO POSITIONS WHILE NUMEROUS HAVE VACANCIES CAUSINGXTRA STRESS ON THOSE SHORTAGES. CAN THE MINISTER CONFIRM THAT DECIDES FULL-TIME VACANCY, THAT PART-TIME NURSE IN VACANCIES ARE FILLED AND ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR THE BONUSES? >> THANK YOU. THE FORMER MINISTER OF HEALTH, THE MEMBER SHOULD KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THE EMPLOYER. WE DO NOT DIRECT ORAKE THOSE HIRES. SO THAT QUESTION IS NOT PROPERLY DIRECTED AT ME AT WHERE WE PUT NURSES WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, THANK YOU. >> MINISTER, IF I RECALL YOU ARE THE
MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HEALTH PEI. THAT’S YOUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY. IT’S THE DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. MADAME SPEAKER, THIS HAS BECOME A COMPLETE DEBACLE. IT REEKS OF THE PREMIER — PREVIOUS MINISTERS RESPONSIBILITY, NEGLECT. AND ONE WOULD THINK THIS GOVERNMENT WOULD LEARN FROM THAT PARTICULAR MESS YET HERE WE GO AGAIN. ANOTHER BONUS BILL THOUGHT OUT, ILL DELIVERED, INCONSISTENT AND EVERYONE IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU MINISTER. ONCE BEEN, TWICE SHY, SURELY CAN FIGURE THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT. WHY WOULD THE MINISTER AND HIS … NOT DEVELOP A PROCESS WHERE THEY WOULD ACTUALLY FILL
THESE POSITIONS? >> THANK YOU. AN AGAIN I THINK WE ALL SUPPORT INCENTIVE FOR JOB VACANCIES WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. IT IS A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET. WE’VE SEEN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AGAIN LEAPFROG EACH OTHER SO WE NEED TO KEEP OUR ISLAND GRADUATES HERE BUT ALL OUR EXISTING STAFF. IT’S VERY IMPORTANT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AND AGAIN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH WITH OUR UNIONS, HOWEVER THEY MAY BE TO PROVIDE THE BEST COMPENSATION. WE ALL WANTTHE SAMEHING. I WANT THE SAME THING, HAPPY EMPLOYEES, SATISFIED EMPLOYEES AND BREAKING BARRIERS ON PEI. >> MINISTER DO LITTLE OVER HERE
SEEMS TO THINK THAT IT’S GREAT TO SAY THESE THINGS BUT YOU HAVE TO DELIVER ON THEM. IN A RECENT PRESS RELEASE THE NURSES UNION STATED THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MISLEADING INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS RECENTLY. DOES HE AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT OR CAN HE CLARIFY WHY THEY MIGHT PUT THIS IN A PRESS RELEASE. EXPLAIN THIS. >> THANK YOU. BACK TO THE FORMER MINISTER OF HEALTH. OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU DO A MEDIA SCRUM THEY DON’T USE ALL YOUR COMMENTS IN THE REPORT BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER SAYING I’M
NOT BLAMING ANYONE, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT. AND I WAS CLEAR ABOUT SAYING I’M NOT BLAMING ANY ONE. I FEEL FOR THOSE NURSES WHO WANT TO GET PAID, THEY ARE TOUGH E-MAILS TO GET AND YOU WANT TO AGAIN HELP THESE PEOPLE, WE MADE A PROMISE TO THEM AND WE NEED TO FULFIL THAT PROMISE AND WE NEED TOORK I ORD WITH OUR UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, THANK YOU. >> QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. I TOOK A LOOK, 35,000 PEOPLE WAITING FOR A FAMILY DOCTOR. ONE IN FIVE ISLANDERS. SINCE THAT NUMB
— YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED, THAT NUMBER HAS SOARED. WE SEE A GOVERNMENT DOING NOTHING TO ADDRESS ACCESS TO BASIC HEALTHCARE. WHAT IS AN ACCEPTABLE NUMBER OF ISLANDERSITHO A FAMI DOCTOR? >> THANK YOU. OBVIOUSLY THE REAL ANSWER IS ZERO. WE OF HIS THEY KNOW THAT. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. YOU’VE SEEN A LOT OF BARRIERS COME DOWN, VERY PLEASED OF WHAT THE SURGEONS DID ALLOWING THAT FIRST SEVEN COUNTRIES. IT HELPED SOLVE OUR RESIDENCY PLACEMENT ISSUE AS WELL SO KUDOS TO OUR COLLEGES THAT ARE BRINGING DOWN BARRIERS FOR US IN ORDER TO INCREASE THAT WORK POOL
THAT USED TO HAVE A POOL OF CANDIDATES THIS SMALL AND IS NOW THIS BIG. A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR PHYSICIAN AND HEALTHCARE GROUPS. >> YOU CAN SAY THAT AND KUDOS TO THEM FOR OPENING THINGS UP BUT WE’VE HEARD THIS YEAR AND YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS WE ARE DOING THIS AND WE ARE DOING THIS AND THE NUMBERS GROWING, TRIPLING AND DOUBLING. I’M LOOKING AT THE NURSES RIGHT NOW FROM 2021 TO 22, NURSING AND MPS ACCORDING TO HEALTH PEI, AND 2021, 1862, 1847. IT’S GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTN. WOULD YOU CONFIRM THEY ARE GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION
FOR OUR NURSES IN OUR SYSTEM WITH HEALTH PEI? >> THANK YOU. AGAIN WE FED THIS ISSUE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRACKING AND WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE UNION ON INTERPRETING THOSE NUMBERS WITH REGARDS TO FULL-TIME, CASUAL, PERMANENT AND ALL THE CLASSIFICATIONS SO AGAIN IT IS ALL THOSE BARRIERS BEING MOVED DOWN, INCREASING THE NURSING SIDE. AGAIN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TEN YEARS AGO ANDHAS NOT BEEN DONE BUT WE ARE DOING IT NOW, THANK YOU. >> THIS WAS JUST REPORTED ON THE LAST WEEK FROM HEALTH PEI BUT HOW MY SUPPOSED INTERPRET THIS, IT’S ONE LINE
THAT SAYS DO YOU WANT THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN LINE? IT WENT FROM 126 TO 121. PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT LINE IN THIS BOOK BECAUSE I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT. IS IT THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING PART TIME MINISTER, EXPLAIN YOURSELF? >> THANK YOU. AGAIN IT’S ALMOST LIKE A QUESTION OF WHAT TIME IT IS. IT DOES CHANGE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. I KNOW WE’VE HAD A FEW FAMILY PHYSICIANS MOVE TO HOSPITAL POSITIONS SO THEY HAVE NOT LEFT PEI AND ARE STILL WITHIN OUR SYSTEM AND HAVE THAT CHOICE TO MAKE ABOUT HAVING ONE SERVED WITHIN OUR SYSTEM SO THE NUMBERS DO CHANGE
AND AGAIN WE HAVE SOME POSITIVE RECRUITING NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR AND WHAT EXCITES ME AGAIN IS NOW IT’S THE PATHWAY, NOT FISHING IN THE SAME POND ANYMORE, A LOT MO OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO BEAUTIFUL PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. >> STARTING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS NOW. WE HAVE FAMILY DOCTORS WILLING TO HOSPITALS. MY NEXT QUESTION IS WHY WE’RE THERE 76 PEOPLE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM LAST NIGHT IF WE HAVE ALL OF THESE WORKING INDIVIDUALS. I DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE EMERGENCY ROOM’S? IS IT NURSES? IS A FAMILY DOCTORS MOVING?Bl■ó■ ISN’T MOVING FROM FROM
HOSPITALS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE FOR ISLANDERS? SIXTEEN HOUR WAIT TIMES IS OUR GOAL, WE ARE AT 75 HOURS WHERE PEOPLE ARE WAITING IN TH AREA TO GET INTO THE HOSPITAL. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? >> THANK YOU. I’M NOT SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. AGAIN, I AM NOT A MEDICAL EXPERT BUT I DON’T BELIEVE OUR HOSPITAL IS WORKING EVERY DEPARTMENT, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. WE HAVE SEEN MASSIVE POPULATION GROWTH, I’VE SAID IT BEFORE, 6000 PEOPLE PER YEAR OR WHATEVER IT IS REQUIRING A NEW POSITION EVERY 80 DAYS TO KEEP UP WITH THAT
INFLUX OF PEOPLE SO THAT IS IN ANSWER TO YOUR GROWING POPULATION REGISTRY. SO AGAIN WE AR FIGHTING AGAINST THE CURRENT OF POPULATION GROWTH, THERE IS NO DOUBT. >> YOU KNOW WHERE ALL OF THEM DON’T WORK IS THE ICU IN SUMMERSIDE. HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED THE PRESSURES? MINISTER, LAST YEAR THERE WAS 96,000 VISITS TO OUR EMERGENCY ROOM, BEFORE THAT IT WAS 78,000. WHY IS THIS NUMBER BALLOONING? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL AND DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBERS AT ALL? >> THANK YOU. I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD STAT FROM YOU FROM 155,000 PEOPLE
TO 175,000 SO EVERYTHING FROM GROCERY STORE TO ER VISITS TO TRIPS TO THE DMV ARE GOING UP. THAT’S PRETTY IS E TO DO. >> QUICK QUESTION FOR THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. HOW MANY DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTERS OF HEALTH ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AT THE APARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HEALTH PEI AND HAVE THE NUMBER CHANGED SINCE 2019. >> I DON’T UNDERSTAND THE PREMISE OF THE QUESTION. AGAI I WILL STAND HERE FOREVER AND DEFEND OUR STAFF AT HEALTH PEI AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY MY DEPUTY IS THE FIRST PERSON IN THE PARKING GARAGE
AT THIS FACILITY, EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I CAN ENSURE YOU THAT MY TWO ASSISTANT DEPUTY’S ARE ALSO SOME OF THE LAST TO LEAVE SO WE HAVE A STRONG STAFF OF BOTH AT HEALTH PEI AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND THEY WORK THEIR TAILS OFF, THANK YOU. >> I FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HELP ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND DOES NOT KNOW THAT NUMBER. >> MEMBERS. >> THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ARE THERE ANY AT HEALTH PEI? >> EXCUSE ME, I DIDN’T REALLY HEAR THE FULL QUESTION BUT AGAIN WE
CAN GET INTO TITLE AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AGAIN, THERE ARE DIRECTORS, LEADERS OF PHYSICIAN CARE, MEDICAL AFFAIRS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH SO I COULD TABLE THE CHART IF THAT’S WHAT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WANTS. >> I WILL OF — ASK YOU OFFICIALLY, WILL YOU TABLE IN THIS HOUSE… >> THANK YOU. I REALLY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE LINE OF QUESTIONING. I GUESS WE ARE QUESTIONING THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR HEALTH SYSTEM AGAIN. THESE ARE HARD-WORKING PEOPLE, I’M SURE IT’S PROBABLY EVEN IN THE ANNUAL REPORT SO WE DO HAVE GOOD STAFF THERE. OVER 6000 EMPLOYEES SO WE NEED
A STRONG EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM. THEY DO A GREAT JOB AND THEY DO WORK 24/7, SEVEN DAYS A WAY. >> THE INDIVIDUALS WHO USE A CENTRE WILL NOT DISAPPEAR IF WE CLOSE IT THEY NEED HELP. >> QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF HOUSING. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY. WHEN WILL WE SEE AN INCREASE TREND IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING THATILL PVIDE SAFE HOUSING FOR ISLANDERS? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. IT’S A GREAT QUESTION. I APPRECIATE IT. OUR EMGENCY SHELTERS CUT PARTICULARLY THE PARK STREET SHELTER WAS A RESPONSE TO A SITUATION ON THE GROUND. SOMETHING URGENT
THAT HAD TO BE DONE. I THINK THAT WE RECOGNIZE NOW THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER IS A LAST RESORT. AND IF WE CAN PREVENT PEOPLE FROM USING EMERGENCY SHELTERS THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF RECOVERING AND GETTING BACK INTO STABLE HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY. WE A VERY MU FOCUSED ON SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING NOW. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO PROCURE MORE SPACES AND I HOPE TO HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE. BUT I CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THE PREMISE OF YOUR QUESTION, FIRST OF ALL, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON THAT AND
WORKING HARD IN THAT DIRECTION. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME EAKER. I APPRECIATE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TRY NAPLES ANNOUNCEMENT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT GOVERNMENT IS FAILING AT TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE ISLANDERS. WE NEED MORE ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH SPORT WA TIMES FOR DEFAULTS ARE FAR TOO LONG. I’VE HEARD FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN TOLD WHEN THEY CALL THAT THEY NEED TO WAIT WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE READY TO GET HELP, HELP HAS TO BE THERE NOW. THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH
BEDS AND NOT ENOUGH TRANSITIONAL ADDICTIONS SERVICES TO HELP ISLANDERS RECOVER AFTER DETOX. QUESTION TRINITY MINISTER OF HEALTH. WILL YOU NEATLY MOVE RESOURCES TO THE TRANSITIONAL UNITS ANDAn■ STUFF THEM ACCORDINGLY. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNS. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. AND I AGAIN AGREE THAT WE DO HAVE A CRISIS ON OUR HANDS HERE IN TERMS OF DRUG USE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN PEI. WHEN YOU ARE IN THE HEALTH FILE YOU LEARN SOME THINGS, SUCH AS THE PRESENCE OF FENTANYL, WHEN IT HITS ANY PROVINCE, THE DEATH AND HARM SKYROCKETS. LAST YEAR IN
THE US ALONE, FENTANYL KILLED MANY AMERICAN CITIZENS. AND WHEN I VISITED THE CERE I DID COME HOME TO MY KIDS AND I SAID YOU JUST CANNOT EXPERIMENT ANYMORE. THE CLIFF IS TOO CLOSE TO WHAT YOU DO. SO AGAIN WE RECOGNIZE THOSE CHALLENGES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS ON PEI. IT IS COME TO HOURS SURE. SO I’M CONFIDENT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE IN NEED. THANK YOU. >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THAT WAS NOT MY QUESTION. MY COMMUNITY IS
ALSO DEALING WITH PUBLICDRUG USE AND DANGEROUS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA LIKE NEEDLES BEING LEFT IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES. DO YOU KNOW WHAT COULD HELP? SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO DECREASE PUBLIC DRUG USE IS? SOMETHING OUR CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER, DR MORRISON HAS TOLD US THAT SHE SUPPORTS IN OUR PROVIDENCE NEEDS. OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES. QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH. WHEN WILL YOU IDENTIFY ANOTHER LOCATION FOR AN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITE TO HELP MY COMMUNITY STAY SAFE FROM DANGERS — DANGEROUS DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE DO NOT DIE OF DRUG OVERDOSES. The Speaker:
HONOABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER, AND THANK YOU MEMBER FOR THE QUESTION. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT AND OPS IS TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. WE WERE AGAIN DISAPPOINTED THAT OUR APPLICATION WAS NOT ACCEPTED THIS IS A VALUABLE SERVICE AND IT SAVES LIVES. AND BACK TRENT YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT WHEN THEY ARE READY TO GET TREATMENT, EVEN THEN PARTICIPATING IN OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES INDICATES THAT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP YET AND THAT THEY WANT TO STAY AS HEALTHY AS THEY CAN WHILE THEY ARE UNG UNTIL THEY
ARE READY TO MAKE THAT BIG STEP. I WOULD AGREE WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF AND OPS SITE. IT IS EVIDENCE-BASED AND PROVEN TO SAVE LIVES. THANK YOU. >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. TODAY IS NATIONAL HOUSING DAY, AND YESTERDAY IN OUR RESPONSE TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET I EMPHASIZED THAT THE GOVERNMENT THAT CONTINUES TO PURSUE AGGRESSIVE POPULATION GROWTH WITHOUT AN ASSOCIATED PLAN FOR MEETING EXPENDED — EXPANDED HOUSING HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION NEEDS ISREATG A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. WE JUST ARE THE MINISTERS SAY WE NEW — NEED A NEW GP
EVERY 80 DAYS. BUT CURRENT RATES FOR POPULATION GROWTH, FOR WHICH I WILL REMIND THIS HOUSE THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLAN TO DEAL WITH WHATSOEVER, WE NEED TO BUILD AT LEAST 2,000 UNITS OF HOUSING EVERY YEAR. AND THAT IS JUST TO MAINTAIN THE AWFUL SITUATION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH VACANCY RATES BEING VERY LOW AND SKYROCKETING RATES AND HOUSING PRICES. QUESTION TO THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSING. WHAT STRATEGIES BEYOND BUILDING YOU — NEW UNITS, WHICH TAKES TIME AND A LOT OF MONEY, IS YOUR GOVERNMENT PUTTING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
RIGHT NOW. >> The Speaker: MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. IT IS A LOADED QUESTION. I CAN STAND HERE AND SPEAK FOR AN HOUR, PROBABLY. BUT LET US LET THE CAPITAL BUDGET SPEAK FOR ITSEL WE ARE INCREASING THE CAPITAL SPANNED BY ABOUT 30% OVER LAST YEAR’S 35 YEAR ESTIMATE. I WAS CRITICIZED IN THIS HOUSE IN THE SPRING, ORDER ONE FOR HOUSING STARTS IN THIS PROVINCE BEING LOW. I CAN SAY WE’VE HAD A GREAT QUARTER TWO A THREE AND WE ARE ON TRACK. QUARTER THREE IS IN FACT THE BEST QUARTER FOR
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HOUSING STARTS IN THIS PROD — PROVINCE FOR 40 YEARS. MATCHED ONLY IN 2019. SO THERE ARE MANY THINGS HAPPENING. HOUSING IS A COMPLEX ISSUE. INCREASE STARTS, MANY FACETS WE NEED TO WORK ON. CERTAINLY LABOUR CONSTRAINTS ARE ONES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, BUT WERE MOVING IN THEIGHT DIRECTION WITH PROGRAMS, SERVICES, INVESTMENT, MONEY. THIS GOVERNMENT IS RESPONDING AND WE ARE STARTING TO SEE RESULTS. >> THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT? >> MADAME SPEAKER, THE RESULTS I’M SEEING IS THAT WERE FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND IN MEETING THE
NEEDS OF THE GROWING POPULATION. THIS IS A GOVERNMENT THAT HAS ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE HOUSING CRISIS BYy FAILING TO AT ON THE RENTAL REGISTRY. FAILING TO ACT ON ESSENTIAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ON PROPERTIES THAT THEY OWN AND RUN. FAILING TO ACT IN THE CRITICAL NEED FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND TRANSITNAL USING. FAILING TO ACT ON HOMELESSNESS. FAILING TO BUILD MORE PUBLIC HOUSING, SIMPLY FAILING FOR YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. TO THE SAME MINISTER. SHIRT, THERE IS MORE MONEY THIS YEAR THEN THE PITIFUL AMOUNTS THAT MOST PREVIOUS CAPITAL BUDGETS HAVE GIVEN US, BUT GIVEN THIS GOVERNMENT’S DISMAL
RECORD ON ACTUALLY GETTING THINGS DONE, WHY SHOULD ISLANDERS HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE THAT THIS EXTRA MONEY WILL MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE? >> MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN SPE TO AT LENGTH. BUT LET ME SAY, WE HAVE BUILT HUNDREDS OF NEW PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS SINCE 2019. WE’VE PURCHASED HUNDREDS OF NEW UNITS. WE ARE CURRENTLY BUILDING HUNDREDS OF NEW UNITS. THE NUMBER OF SUBSIDIZED UNITS IN THIS PROVINCE HAS DOUBLED TO ALMOST 3500. 3500 SUBSIDIZED UNITS FROM THIS PROVINCE. WE AREN’T MAKING INVESTMENTS ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. THE NUMBER OF
SHELTEREDS IN THIS PROVINCE HAS GONE FROM ALMOST NONE TO 105. WE’VE HAD FEW SUPPORTIVE AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING UNITS HERE. WE HAVE ABOUT 54 NOW. THERE ARE 40 UNDER CONSTRUCTION AS WE SPEAK. WERE MOVING AHEAD ON ALL FRONTS, MADAME SPEAKER. I COULD GO ON, BUT I SEE YOU CHECKING YOUR CLOCK. >> HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED AT LEAST 2,000 UNITS EVERY YEAR JUST TO KEEP UP. AND THE NUMBER THAT THE MINISTERS CITED FOR THIRD QUARTERS, WHICH I.kTr>1syw/ HAV, AND THE 20,193rd QUARTER THERE WAS THE
BEST — 571 THEN. SO WE ARE IN THAT BALL PARK FOR THIS QUARTER — BUT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR WE ARE NOT. WE DESPERATELY NEED AN IMAGINATIVE AND BOLD SOLUTIONS. NOT JUST INVESTMENTS TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET QUOTE START COMPLETE OR INITIATE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT INITIATE MEANS. 560 NEW BUILDS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THAT’S A HUNDRED AND 12 BUILDS PER YEAR USING MY HONOURABLE MEERS GREATATH SKILLS. WHEN WE NEED OVER 2,000 FOR THE SAME MINISTER. OUR HOUSING NEEDS ARE IMMEDIATE AND THEY ARE SEVERE. WHAT IS YOUR GOVERNMENT DOING TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAMS
OR OUR HOUSING CORPORATION ASSETS, OR BRINGING FORWARD REGULATORY CHANGES, WHICH WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND AGAIN RIGHT NOW. >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. AND I BELIEVE MEMBERS OF THIS HOUSE AND MAYBE STAFF ARE IN OTTAWA RIGHT NOW MEETING WITH THE FEDERAL HOUSING MINISTER. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL KINDS OF INNOVATIVE THINGS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT INDUSTRY IS RESPONDING IN THIS PROVINCE. IT IS INCREDIBLE THE WAY THAT PRIVATE BUSINESS WILL RESPOND TRAINING NEEDS ON THE GROUND. THEY’RE ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING THOUGHT — THINGS HAPPENING
IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO RESPOND TRAINING THE NEEDS IN THIS PROVINCE, BASED ON THE CONSTRAINTS WE HAVE, IN THOSE CONSTRAINTS ARE UNIVERSAL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND I WOULD SAY THAT CERTAINLY LABOUR IS ONEF THE. AND THAT IS THE SAME ACROSS CANADA. BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A SHORTFALL BETWEEN WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE. THAT IS SYSTEMIC AND WERE WORKING TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES. BUT WE ARE TRACKING HOUSING STARTS ABOUT EQUAL TO LAST YEAR AND THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD COME TO A SURPRISE TO SOME IN THIS HOUSE
WHO HAVE RAISED ALARM BELLS IN THE SPRING SITTING OF THIS LEGISLATURE. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM SURREY ELRA. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. NUMEROUS CONSTITUENTS HAVE — CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN ON THE FAMILY DOCTOR WAITLIST FOR YEARS AND THAT MEANS THEY MUST USE MAPLE CLINICS OR EMERGENCY CARE FOR THEIR HEALTH NEEDS. ONE OF THOSE CONSTITUENTS HAS BEEN TRYING TO ACCESS MAPLE FOR OVERç A MONTH NOW. AND EACH TIME THAT THEY DO THEIR REQUEST FOR SERVICE APPOINTMENT GETS CANCELLED AFTER SOMETIMES MORE THAN THREE HOURS. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A UNIQUE PROBLEM IS MY
HONOURABLE COLLEAGUE HERE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER IN HIS STATEMENT. MY QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS WIDESPREAD AN ISSUE IS ACCESSING MAPLE FOR ISLANDERS? >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THE UTILIZATION OF MAPLE HAS DOUBLED OVER THE PAST YEAR. WE DO RECOGNIZE THE TIME OUT ISSUE. ESPECIALLYNONDAYS AND IDAYS. THING — THESE SEEM TO BE THE WORST TWO DAYS OF CRIME — TRYING TO ACCESS THE SYSTEM. I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE THAT IT IS ACTUALLY WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, AND MY
FAMILY HAS HAD SOME GOOD EXPERIENCE ON GETTING THROUGH AFTER SUPPER ON WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. I’LL PROBABLY CREATE ANOTHER BUBBLE BY MENTIONING THAT. BUT IT DOES HAVE IT’S SURGES IN THE SYSTEM. IT’S NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR PRIMARY CARE. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM SURREY ELMIRA. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER, AND THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR THAT INFORMATION. THE BACKLOG ON MAPLE IS FROM ISLANDERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY DOCTOR. AND THOSE THAT DEW HAVE A FAMILY DOCTOR BUT CANNOT GET APPOINTMENTS TO SEE THEM. I AM HEARING
THESE CONCERNS FROM PEOPLE RIGHT ACROSS THE PROVINCE THESE WAIT TIMES ARE UNACCEPTABLE. SO MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS, MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT GOING TO DO TO ALLEVIATE THESE BACKLOGS. >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLSS. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. IT’S A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE ABOUT MAPLE. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE IS A REFERRAL PATH FOR MAPLE TO A PRIMARY ACCESS CLINIC FOR SERVICE. THE HONOURABLE MEMBER DID MENTION PRESCRIPTION RENEWAL IN HIS STATEMENT TODAY. AND I THINK WE STRUGGLED TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW,
EVEN THOUGH PHARMACY BOSSES QUITE WELL KNOWN, AND I GET THE ODD E-MAIL ABOUT RENEWAL. SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK WITH THEIR PHARMACIST BEFORE THEY DO. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEMS INCREASING AND WE NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON IT. AND SOME OF OUR REGULATORY PATHWAYS WILL EXPAND OUR APPOINTMENT POOL IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. >> THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM SURREY ELMIRA. YOUR SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. THERE ARE MORE PLATFORMS BEING USED BY ISLANDERS TO ACCESS SOME LEVEL OF HEALTHCARE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE START DOING IT
IN LARGER NUMBERS, THE RESULT IS THAT IT BOGS DOWN T STEM A ENDS UP AT BECOMING SOMEWHAT OF A DIGITAL WAITING ROOM. IF WE WANT TO USE MORE SERVICES LIKE MAPLE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WORKING WELL WHEN ISLANDERS NEED THEM. IF WE DON’T THEN THIS PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE, WHICH INCREASES PRESSURE ACROSS OUR ENTIRE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, INCLUDING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, AT WHAT POINT CAN ISLANDERS USING MAPLE EXPECT TO SEE SOME OF THESE BACKLOGS GET THROUGH? >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH
AND WELLNESS. >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE HAVE ON BOARD ANOTHER FIVE ADDITIONAL PHYSICIANS TO HELP WITH THE VOLUMES OF MAPLE. THEY STILL MAINTAIN THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH HEALTH PEI. SO IT’S EXTRA WORK FOR THEM, SO TO SPEAK. IT’S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE ATLANTIC REGISTRY AND THAT THOSE POSITIONS CAN NOW PROVIDE VIRTUAL CARE FOR OTHER PROVINCES AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EXPAND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I THINK PLACES LIKE NORTHERN ONTARIO OR THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES MAY BENEFIT FROM THAT. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. >> THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM TYNE VALLEY SHERBROOKE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER.
OUR INDUSTRY GENERATES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR THE PROVINCE EACH YEAR. THERE IS A SPIN BY THE TRAINERS AND THE OWNERS AND PEOPLE ATTENDING THE RACES AND THERE’S SUSPENDED REGULAR SERVICES LIKE LOCAL FEED STORES AND VETERINARIANS. THE QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, DOES THE PROVINCE REMAIN COMMITTED TO GROWING THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND SPINOFFS FROM THIS VENTURE? >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. YES. THIS IS RECOGNIZED IN PEI IS A CULTURALLY ADVANCED INDUSTRY THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING AND HAVE SUPPORTED IN THE PAST. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE GOING FORWARD.
>> The Speaker: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM TYNE VALLEY SHERBROOKE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. THESE ARE SPLIT IN TWO TRACKS AND… WITH ABOUT 28 OF THE DATES OUT OF OVER 100 DATES HAPPENING IN SUMMERSIDE THIS SEASON. SOME OF SAIDHERE IS ROOM TO GROW THIS MARKET EVEN FURTHER IN SUMMERSIDE. QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF FINANCE. HOW IS THE PROVINCE WORKING WITH RED SHORES ON THE INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP THE HARNESS RACING MARKET EVEN MORE IN SUMMERSIDE? >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE? >> I THINK=u WHERE THIS LAND ISN THE HANDS OF THE PEI HARNESS RACING INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATION, THAT IS WHY THAT WAS CREATED, SO THEY CAN LOOK TO DEVELOP INDUSTRY AND DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE SAYING YOU WANT TO SEE DONE. THAT I WHERE THE PROVINCE WOULD HAND THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM TO GROW IT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRINCESS COUNTY HORSES CLUB UP YOUR WAY. THAT’S WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT LIES. THANK YOU. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM TYNE VALLEY SHERBROOKE, YOUR SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY. >> MADAME SPEAKER, I THINK A REASONABLE SOLUTION CAN BE REACHED HERE. SEEING THINGS MOVE TO LATER IN THE SEASON LIKE NOVEMBER WOULD COMPROMISE THE EFFORTS… WHICH WOULD
BENEFIT THE ECONOMY EVEN FURTHER. QUESTION TO THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, WHAT WILL YOU DO TO HELP REACH A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THE INDUSTRY AND HAVE MORE RACE STATES IN SUMMERSIDE… >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. WE WANT TO SEE EVERYONE SUCCEED IN THIS INDUSTRY, OBVIOUSLY. AND I THINK I WAS UPDATED ON THIS AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE RACE DATE ADDED THIS YEAR. AND I THINK TWO RACE DATES ADDED NEXT YEAR. AND I THINK THE WAY THAT IS BEING HANDLED IS BEEEN THE PEI HARNESS RACING INDUSTRY SO THEY
FIND A CONTRACT AND MAKE AN AGREEMENT. SO AGAIN, THOSE PIECES ARE HANDLED BY THE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. IF THERE IS DISAGREEMENT OR THE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION IS NOT HEARING PRINCE COUNTY, THEN I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. BUT I WOULD EXPECT THE INDUSTRY ITSELF SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THESE PIECES. THANK YOU. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. FINAL QUESTION. >> QUESTION FOR THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, THE MINISTER ADMITS THAT THE OPEN DRUG USE POLICY I AT THE — POLICY AT THE CHARLOTTETOWN CENTRE WAS A LEGAL. HE WAS THE CHIEF LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THIS PROVINCE AND THE MINISTER SAID THIS WAS A LEGAL. AS THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, AND WAS THIS A CRIME? >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE MINISTER OF JUSTICE. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. AS WE WRAP UP THE QUESTIONS TODAY, MADAME SPEAKER, QUESTION ABT THE DRUG USE AT THE OUTREACH CENTRE IS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. AND ONE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE. AND WE SUPPORT OUR POLICE, MADAME SPEAKER, CHARLOTTETOWN POLICE WHO ARE DEALING WITH THIS. AT MY RECENT F. PT’S WE DISCUSS THIS. IT WAS BROUGHT
UP BY EVERY MINISTER ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, MADAME SPEAKER, ABOUT THEIR SITUATION. HOW THEY DEAL WITH DRUG USE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND IT IS FRUSTRATING FOR EVERYONE, MADAME PEAKER. BUT IT IS NOT THE ADDICTS WERE TRYING TO GET, MADAME SPEAKER. WERE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ADDICTIONS. THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY, MADAME SPEAKER, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. >> END OF — QUESTION PERIOD. STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTER’S? >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. MADAME SPEAKER, WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SINCE WE STARTED ON OUR PAST TRAIN AND ZERO. STAFF
IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE STUDIED BESTPRACTICES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD TO MAKE IMPORTANT LEADING CHANGES WITH EXPERTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND CLEANTECH. AND WE WANT… TO THAT END I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE A PARTNERSHIP WITH ISLAND INNOVATION. ISLAND FACILITATES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY LEAD CHANGE FOR ISLANDERS WORLDWIDE. I SPOKE THIS YEAR AT THEIR VIRTUAL SUMMIT THAT HAD 10,000 ATTENDEES, INCLUDING POLICYMAKERS AND ACADEMICS AND NGO’S. AND I SPOKE IN PERSON AT THEIR ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE ISLANDS FORUM THIS PAST YEAR. I SHARED STORIESF PEI’S LEADERSHIP AND WIND AND CLEANTECH. I SHARED OUR CHALLENGES WITH EXTREME WEATHER
AND COASTAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. AT THE END OF THE EVENT I INVITED MY COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE WORLD BACK HERE TO OUR PROVINCE. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND WILL HOST THE FIRST ANNUAL GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE ISLAND SUMMIT MAY 2024. >> THE SUMMIT WILL BRING TOGETHER INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS, POLICYMAKERS, INDUSTRY LEADERS, TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WITH HELP FROM THE CANADIAN CENTRE OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND UPEI ISLAND STUDIES PROGRAM. AND WE WILL PUT ON A WORLD-CLASS EVENT. MADAME SPEAKER, KINGS COUNTY IDEAL LOCATION FOR SUCH AN EVENT IS BUILT IN RECENT PARTNERSHIP WITH PEI TO ASSESS GEORGETOWN AS PEI’S FIRST NET
ZERO COMMUNITY. UNDERSTANDING HOW TOWN SOON — USE ENERGY WILL HELP REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS AND HELP ISLANDERS BECOME MORE ENERGY RESILIENT. THIS WILL SET US UP TO BECOME THE FIRST NET ZERO COMMUNITY. WE WILL ROLL OUT THE LESSONS LEARNED IN GEORGETOWN TO OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PROVINCE. ARE MOVING ALONG THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WINDFARM, GENERATING CLEAN ENERGY FOR KINGS COUNTY. MADAME SPEAKER THERE ARE WORLD LEADING ENERGY ADVANCES HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHOWCASING TO THE WORLD OUR SUCCESS IN 2024. THANK YOU. >> THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY
POINT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAME SPEAKER. PERSONALLY THIS IS AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT. AND I LOOK FORRD TO IT NEXT MAIN. I BELIEVE IT IS. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING THAT SUMMIT. I ALSO AM GOING TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND ENCOURAGED I AM BY SOME OF THE RECENT STATEMENTS BY THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT ENERGY AND CLIMATE ACTION. INDEED IT IS A RARE DAY IN THIS LEGISLATURE, MADAME SPEAKER. I MEAN THIS MOST SINCERELY. I HAVE LISTENED TO THE MINISTER MAKE STATEMENTS ON MOST RECENTLY THE PLASTIC ISSUE THAT WE DEALING WITH HERE NATIONWIDE IN THE SITUATION THAT
PEI FINDS ITSE IN. UT ALSO,’S STATEMENTS REGARDING HOW WE HAVE TO THINK LONG TERM AND HOW SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE HERE ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ARE VERY INDICATIVE OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AND HOW WE CAN AND ACTUALLY IN SOME WAYS ARE A LEADER HERE ON PEI. AND THE FACT THAT WE WILL BE HOSTING THE FIRST-EVER GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY ISLAND SUMMIT IS A THINK A PERFECT FIT. AND I CONGRATULATE THE MINISTER FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN HERE ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. ISLANDS ARE VERY INSTRUCTIVE WHE IT COMES TO DEALING WITH LIMITS. OUR BORDERS ARE
DEFINED. WE KNOW WE ARE NOT INFINITE AND FOR ME, ISLANDS — SMALL ISLAND STATES HAVE OFTEN BEEN LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD IN DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BECAUSE OF THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE LIMITS. FOR ME THE SUMMIT HOLDS THE POTENTIAL OF DEALING WITH THE BIGGEST POLICY CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME. WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE TWO COMPETING POLICIES THAT ARE ACCEPTED ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN GOVERNMENT. WHICH IS WE NEED TO GROW THE ONOMY AND WE HAVE TO SUSTAIN THENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THOSE TWO THINGS SOMETIMES WORK TOGETHER, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT. AND ISLANDS ARE A PLACE
WHERE YOU SEE THOSE LIMITS AND THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF ISLAND STATES THAT HAVE COLLAPSED BECAUSE THEY OVERSHOT THEIR LIMITS. SO I REALIZE I AM GETTING CLOSE TO MY TIME HERE, MADAME SPEAKER, AND I DO NOT WANT TO GET SLAPPED AS I DID YESTERDAY, BUT PERFECTLY AND APPROPRIATELY. I DID WANT TO THANK — TAKE S OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEÛfxA& MINISTER. I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE, MADAME SPEAKER. >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOP MINT AND SENIORS. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. IT’S A PLEASURE TO RISE TODAY AND TO DO THIS STATEMENT. WE ALL NEED
TO HELP SOMETIMES AND WHETHER IT IS ONE OF SMALLER CHALLENGES LIKE WHERE TO OBTAIN A SPECIFIC PERMIT, OR A CRISIS SITUATION, 211 IS THERE. 211 PEI IS A FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL REFERRAL SERVICE THAT MAKE SOCIAL, COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE ISLAND MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASIER TO NAVIGATE FOR ALL ISLANDERS.P IT CONNECTS US TO VITAL RESOURCES 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR. AND IT IS AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 240 LANGUAGES. 211 PEI REFERS ISLANDERS TRYING NEARLY 1400 PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. FROM MORE THAN 400 SERVICE PROVIDERS, A FEW EXAMPLES INCLUDE ADDICTIONS AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT,
PARENTING PROGRAMS, EMPLOENT AND TRAINING, DISABILITY SUPPORTS AND SUPPORTS FOR SENIORS TO HELP THEM MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. FROM APRIL 2,022 THROUGH MARCH 2023, 211 PEI RECEIVED MORE THAN 15,000 CALLS. MORE THAN 115,000 WEBSITE VISITS THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN CRITICAL TO ISLANDERS THROUGH DISASTER RESPONSES. PROVIDING CRUCIAL INFORMATION DURING BOTH COVID 19ANDEMIC AND IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE FIONA. IT IS CLEAR THAT 211 IS THERE FOR ISLANDERS IN NEED OF SUMMER TO TURN. THEY CAN SPEAK ONE-ON-ONE WITH STAFF WHO TAKE THE TIME TO TRULY LISTEN. HELP THEM PROBLEM SOLVE AND POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR RESOURCES
THAT WILL MEET THEIR NEEDS. 2— 211 IS PART OF THE CANADIAN 211 NETWORK. PROVIDED IN COLLABORATION WITH UNITED WAY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. A TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNER WHO ADMINISRS THE SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THIS GOVERNMENT. WE SHARED A COMMITMENT TO MAKING ISLAND COMMUNITIES STRONGER AND SAFER. MADAME SPEAKER, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT GOVERNMENT RECENTLY SIGNED A THREE YEAR FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED WAY PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND TO ENSURE THE VALUABLE SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE. LIFE CAN BE HARD. BUT FINDING HELP CAN BE EASY. ANYONE CAN ACCESS SERVICES ANY TIME BY DIALLING 2— 211
ONLINE, OR PE SLASHDOT/2/1/1 SLASHDOT. /–/SEE A PERIOD. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. AND IF ANYONE WANTS THAT CLARIFIED, I CAN DO THAT. 2-11.CA. THAT WILL DO IT? OKAY. THANK YOU. >> HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY? >> THANK YOU. YESTERDAY THE MINISTERS TALKED ABOUT NO ISLAND SENIORS WERE HUNGRY FOR… BECAUSE THEY’RE CALLING 2-11. AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SERVICE. THIS IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ON THAT PAGE. THIS IS A SERVICE PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER. ISLANDERS CAN REMEMBER. DIAL 2-11 IF YOU NEED HELP. THIS GOVERNMENT IS LUCKY THE UNITED WAY IS THERE AND TOOK THE SONG.
AND I’M GLAD THEY SIGNED A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS. BECAUSE THE UNITED WAY DOES SO MUCH IN OUR COMMUNITY. ON FRIDAY NIGHT THEIR FUNDRAISING TILL 11:00 O’CLOCK AT NIGHT FOR THE BASETBALL GA. ALTHOUGH HER FUNDING THIS PROGRAM, WE HAVE TO DO MORE FOR THE UNITED WAY AND I’M TELLING GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW TO GIVE THEM SOME MORE OPERATIONAL MONEY, BECAUSE THEY DO MORE THAN WE KNOW. AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THAT. ON THIS SERVICE IS REALLY A GAME CHANGER. WHEN PEOPLE NEED THE CONFIDENCE TO CALL SOMEWHERE. WHEN THEY WANT TO
REMAIN ANONYMOUS THEY CAN DIA 2-11. THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. SO MINISTER, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROGRAM. >> HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER IN TO THE MINISTER FOR BRINGI IS FOARD TOD. I WOULD TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, NOT ONLY IS 2-11 CRITICAL TO ISLANDERS, IT’S CRITICAL TO GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE THEY DO SO MUCH TO GET OUT THE WORD AND HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE AND ALSO — ALL THOSE CRUCIAL THINGS. I’M NOT SURE WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT THAT 2-1 — 211 SERVICE. AND I’M NOT SURE HOW
THEY KEEP UP, HONESTLY. THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THEY HELP WITH, MORE THAN 15,000 CALLS IS INCREDIBLE. AND I KNOW THAT ALL WE NEED SOMETIMES IS AN EAR AND FOR SOMEONE TO HELP US TO NAVIGATE A SYSTEM. SO I WOULD SAY THAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO FOR PEOPLE. AND I CANNOT SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHOUT SAYING THAT I CAN IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOUR 2— WHEN YOU’RE 211 AND YOU’RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE. WHEN THERE’S NOT A A SERVICE OR PROGRAM THERE. SO I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK THE MINISTER FOR THIS ANNOUNCMENT. I’D LIKE TO THANK 2114 THEIR GREAT WORK. A THREE YEAR FUNDING AGREEMENT IS CRUCIAL FOR ORGANIZATIONS. I KNOW THAT OFTEN OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ARE FUNDED THROUGH OJECT-BASED FDING, WHICH MAKES THEM JUMP THROUGH HOOPS AND CREATE CREATES THE WHEEL ALL OVER AGAIN. BUT THEY JUST KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS. WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT WOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY BUT THEY’RE FORCED TO CREATE A NEW PROJECT BASED ON CERTAIN FUNDING CRITERIA. SO I THINK THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US DO THIS WITH MORE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THANK
YOU. >> HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. TODAY MARKS NATIONAL HOUSING DAY. UNDERSCORING THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT HOUSING PLAYS IN THE LIVES OF CANADIANS. FOR GENERATIONS HOMEOWNERSHIP WAS A RITE OF PASSAGE. THEY GUARANTEE AND COMMON MILESTONE OF ADULT HOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO A TIGHT HOUSING MARKET, LARGE DOWN PAYMENTS AND HIGH MORTGAGE RATES, IT’S NO LONGER A GUARANTEE FOR THIS GENERATION. THE PROVINCE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND WANTS TO HELP ISLANDERS OBTAIN HOMEOWNERSHIP. THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED RENT TO OWN PROGRAM, WE ARE
HELPING ISLANDERS WHO WISH TO MOVE OUT OF THE RENTAL MARKET AND IN TO HOMEOWNERSHIP, AND TODAY I’M PLEAED TO ANNOUNCE — ANNOUNCE A NEW HOUSING PROGRAM THAT WILL ASSIST LOW TO MODERATE INCOME ISLANDERS TO BUY A HOUSE. THE NEW CLOSING COST SUPPORT PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE ISLANDERS UP TO $2,500 TOWARDS A CLOSING COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE PURCHASE OF THEIR FIRST HOME. COSTS SUCH AS INSURANCE FEES, LEGAL FEES AND TAXES. IN THE PROGRAM CAN BE USED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PROVINCES DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. TO BE ELIGIBLE, APPLICANTS MUST BE A CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT OF CANADA,
A FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER AND HAVE AN ANNUAL USEHOLD INCOM OF $100,000 ARE LESS. APPLICATIONS FOR THE CLOTHING COST SUPPORT PROGRAM WILL BE OPEN DECEMBER 1st THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING, LANDING COMMUNITIES WEBSITE. TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT, ALONG WITH OUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION FOR ISLANDERS ON THE HOUSING REGISTRY, PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES TO SUPPORT PRIVATE HOUSING TO ELEMENTS, AND REDUCING RED TAPE FOR THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT GOVERNMENT IS SHOWING OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING A HOUSING MARKET THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. MADAME SPEAKER, I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR MANY
PARTNERS IN HOUSING, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, DEVELOPERS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, LANDLORDS AND TENANTS. HOUSING IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. >> The Speaker: THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT IS ALL GREAT IF YOU CAN EVER REMOVE — REMOTELY GET INTO POSITION TO BUY A HOUSE. AND THAT IS WHAT I’M HEARING. THAT PEOPLE CANNOT EVEN REMOTELY GO HOUSE SHOPPING. IT USED TO BE SUCH A THING THAT WE DID AT A TIME, THEY CAN’T EVEN DO
THAT. THEY CAN’T EVEN FATHOM THAT. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS GOOD, I HOPE PEOPLE ENJOY THE MONEY, BUT IT JUST SHOWS HOW FURTHER OUT OF TOUCH THIS GOVERNMENT IS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT THERE. WERE LOSING RENTAL HOUSING MARKETS. WE ARE LOSING RENTAL HOUSING IN MY COMMUNITY. WE HAVE RENTAL UNITS MOVING TO CONDOMINIUMS. IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT GOING TO COVER IT UP ON THE SIDE AND WILL NOT COVER IT UP FOR ME. I HOPE PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT,UT WE ARE SO FAR
OUT OF TOUCH. WE DO NOT HAVE A HOUSING PLAN ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. WE DO NOT HAVE A HOUSING PLAN. ON NATIONAL HOUSING DAY WILL BE NICE IF THE MINISTER COULD STAND UP AND SAY THAT’S WHERE WE KNOW WE ARE GOING. SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, MINISTER. >> HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. I’ LIKE TO THANK THE MINISTER FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS PROGRAM. HOMEOWNERSHIP IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPOSSIBLE, AND AS WAS MENTIONED, SO MANY ARE NOT EVEN ABLE TO AFFORD WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED
A STARTER HOME NOT THAT LONG AGO. NOT THAT LONG AGO AT ALL. AND PEOPLE WHO WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE HOMES, OR HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS, THERE WAS ALWAYS IN MY MINDS THIS CONTINUUM. YOU BY YOUR STARTER HOME AND YOU GROW YOUR FAMILIES. THIS TRAJECTORY THAT WE HAVE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. AND THAT DOES NOT REALLY EXIST ANYMORE. AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE A HOME AND DO STAY THERE BECAUSE YOUR LUCKY TO HAVE THAT. SO HAPPY TO HEAR ANOTHER PROGRAM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THESE
COSTS. FOR ME THE DEVIL IS IN5190■;qc=E DETAILS. LOOKING AT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THERE. BECAUSE I KNOW FROM SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO MEAN, HAVING BEEN EXCLUDED FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING AT THIS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THANK GOVERNMENT FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. LET US KEEP THEM COMING. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. >> The Speaker: PRESENTING AND RECEIVING PETITIONS? TABLING OF DOCUMENTS? THE÷9 HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> BY LVE OHE HOUSE I BEG TO TABLE AN ARTICLE WITH A GRAPHIC QUOTED SOCIETY NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD NOT BACKWARDS, AND
IT POINTS OUT THAT WE NEED AN END TO… AND LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT VOICES ARE RESPECTED AND HEARD. AND MY MOVE IS SECONDED BY THE LEADER OF SAID… WE ASK THAT IT BE TABLED. >> The Speaker: SHALL IT CARRY? THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SENIORS. B MADAME SPEAKER, I BY LEAVE OF THE HOUSE, I BAKE LEAD TO TABLE A COPY OF A LETTER THAT I SENT TRAINING MY FEDERAL COUNTERPARTS OF FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH ASKS TO FORM A JOINT WORKING GROUP TO ASSESS THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS AND IMPACTS OF A GUARANTEED BASIC
INCOME PROGRAM IN PEI. I AM ALSO INCLUDING THE ATTACHMENT SENT ALONG WITH THE LETTER COALITION CANADA, A PROPOSAL FOR A GUARANTEED INCOME BENEFIT IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. AND I MOVE SECONDED BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AT THE SAID DOCUMENT BE NOW RECEIVED AND JULY ON THE TABLE. >> The Speaker: SHALL IT CARRY? REPORTS BY COMMITTEES? THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> THANK YOU MADAME SPEAKER. AS A CHAIR OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE RULES OF PRIVATE BILLS AND PRIVILEGES AND FOLLOWING A RECEIPT OF THE REPORT ON PRIVATE BILL 200 OF THE COMMITTEE ON
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21st, MY MOVE IS SECONDED BY THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> The Speaker: SHALL IT CARRY? >> AS A RESULT OF ITS DELIBERATION YOUR COMMITTEE IS PLEASED TO MAKE T FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. ONE, YOUR COMMITTEE HAVING CONSIDERED PRIVATE BILL NUMBER 200, AND ACT TO AMEND AN ACT TO INCORPORATE AMALGAMATED … FINDS IT TO BE PRIVATE IN NATURE AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE RECEIPT OF THE BILL BE SET AT $80. THANK YOU, MADAME SPEAKER. >> The Speaker: INTRODUCTION OF
GOVERNMENT BILLS. MOTIONS OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT ORDERS THAN GOVERNMENT. THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> MADAME SPEAKER, MY MOVE SECONDED BY THE MEMBER OF CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYAY THAT E TENTH ORDER OF THE DAY BE NOW READ. >> The Speaker: SHALL IT CARRY? >> ORDER NUMBER 10, AN ACT TO AMEND… IN COMMITTEE. >> The Speaker: HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> I ASKED THAT THE HOUSE TO ABSOLVING TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WHOLE BILL. >> The Speaker: SHALL IT CARRY? HONOURABLE DEPUTIES SPEAKER, PLEASE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE TO HOLD. >> The Chair: THE HOUSE IS N THE COMMITTEE
OF THE WHOLE HOUSE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL TO BE… HONOURABLE MEMBER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING A MOTION TO BRING A STRANGER TO THE FLO? >> I WOULD. >> The Chair: SHALL IT CARRY? WELCOME BACK, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TITLE FOR ANSWERS. >> IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK. ROBERT GODFREY, DIRECTOR POLICY AND RESEARCH FOR THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION. >> THANK YOU. HONOURABLE MEMBERS, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF DEBATING AN AMENDMENT. TO SUBSECTION 33 OF THE BILL. AND I HAVE MY LIST CLEARED. HONOURABLE MEMBER? >> The Speaker: — >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I
HAVE A QUESTION TO THE MOVER OF THIS MOTION. ON THE DELETION… FOR THE PEACE THAT WE HAD IN THE ORIGINAL, THEROVISIONS THAT GOVERNMENT, OR THE MINISTER MAY SUPPORT TEMPORARILY THOSE BUSINESSES TO TRANSITION ON THAT, WHY DID YOU REMOVE THAT FROM YOUR AMENDMENT? >> MINISTER, WORKFORCE AND ADVANCED LEARNING POPULATION? >> THANK YOU CATCHER, AND THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE WANT TO HELP BUSINESSES WHEN WE MAKE ANY KIND OF CHANGES THAT IMPACT THEM. THIS PARTICULAR ITEM HERE DOES NOT NEED TO BE CHECKED. WE CAN SET UP PROGRAMS AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHEN
THIS MOVES FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. BUT WE HAVE PUT IT IN OUR ORIGINAL AMENDMENT DUE TO CONSULTATIONS WITH PRIMARILY IN THIS CASE THE BUSINESS SECTOR. AND WITH THE CHAMBERS THAT REPRESENT DID BUSINESS ACROSS THE ISLAND. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN OUR DRAFT AND SOMETHING WE PRESENTED TO THEM. SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY THOUGHT WAS HELPFUL. TO ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER BUSINESSES IN PARTICULARC:zcP®)T MIGHT HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY WITH VARY FEW EMPLOYEES AND THOSE THAT ARE OPEN FOR SHORTER SEASONS. SO, HOW WOULD YOUR AMENDMENT SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES. >> THE MINISTER OF WORKFORCE, ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >>
THANK YOU, CHAIR. AGAIN, WE ARE COMMITTING TO FIND WAYS TO HELP BUSINESSESS W MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. >> SO YOU ARE SAYING TODAY — WE CAN ONLY TAKE YOU FOR YOUR WORD. THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT BUSINESSES THROUGH THIS TRANSITION IN SOME WAY SHAPE OR FORM. >> CAN I JUST ANSWER? >> YOUR BILL DOES NOT COMMIT ANY SUPPORT, RIGHT? >> NO. I’M ASKING ABOUT HER AMENDMENT. HER AMENDMENT DELETES THE CLAUSE — A SECTION IN THE CLAUSE. AN HOUR AMENDMENT THAT ASKS FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT. >> MINISTER WORKFORCE, ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT
ANY COMMUNITY CREW OR ORGANIZATION OR BUSINESS WHEN WE MOVE BILLS FORWARD. AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT AND GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE IT’S NOT GOING TO BE ONE DEPARTMENT NECESSARILY, THAT WILL FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES GOING FORWARD. >> The Chair: … >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I GUESS I AM ONLY ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE, AS I SAY. BUT BACK IN THE CONSULTATION PROCESS THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE PUT IN SPECIFICALLY TO HELP THOSE BUSINESSES. IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN IT IS NOT IN LEGISLATION FOR ME TO FEEL COMFORTABLE
DOING THIS. AND THAT IS NOT TO SAY I DO NOT TRUSTOU AND YOUR ABILITIES TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO HELP, BUT I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE IF THAT — IN YOUR AMENDMENT IF IT DID NOT DELETE THAT PARTICULAR CLAUSE. >> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT? NEW HAVEN, ROCKY POINT. >> WE HAD A FAIRLY LENGTHY DISCUSSION YESTERDAY ON THE ACTUAL PRACTICAL IMPLICATION — IMPLICATIONS ON THE AMENDMENT AS IT IS WORED AND PRESENTED. AND I’M WONDERING WHETHER I CAN ASK THE PROMOTER OR THE STRANGER TO GIVE US THEIR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE AMENDMENT,
AS IT’S CURRENTLY WRITTEN, WOULD HAVE ON THE ABILITY OF ISLAND WORKERS TO RECEIVE PAID SICK DAYS? >> The Speaker: PROMOTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? >> I’M NOT SURE WHICH COMMITMENT TO REFERRING TO PICK THE ONE WE ARE PRESENTLY DISCUSSING? >> SORT OF AN OMNIBUS AMENDMENT. >> RIGHT NOW, IT IS MY UNDSTANDING THATE’RE DISCUSSING THE AMENDMENT PUT FORWARDñ BY THE MINISTER OF WORKFORCE ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> I DON’T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT IT’S THE FIRST THREE PARTS. >> THERE’S QUITE A NUMBER OF PIECES OF IT. >> I THINK IT’S
THE TOP SECTION WHERE IS TALKING ABOUT AFTER A YEAR ONE DAY AND TWO YEARS ANOTHER DAY. CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR INTERPRETATION OF PRACTICALLY WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IN TERMS OF ISLAND WORKERS GETTING PAID SICK DAYS? >> WHAT MY INTERPRETATION IS OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED SUBSECTION IS THAT THEY WOULD NOT GET THREE PAID — OR BE ENTITLED TO THREE PAID SICK DAYS UNTIL THREE YEARS AFTER EMPLOYMENT BEGAN. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT. IT WOULD BE ACCUMULATED OVER THOSE THREE YEARS. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT? >> THANK YOU. MAYBE IT’S A QUESTION FOR
THE MINISTER WHO BROUGHT THE AMENDMENTS FORWARD. IT IS SILENT. THE AMENDMENTS ARE SILENT ON WHAT HAPPENS FOLLOWING THESE EARS. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF EXACTLY WHAT THE AMENDMENT AS WRITTEN WOULD MEAN. I HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION FROM THE BILL. BUT CAN I ASK THE MOVER OF THE AMENDMENT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON YEAR FOUR? CAN YOU EVER ACCUMULATE MORE THAN THREE DAYS? IF YOU USE THREE DAYS SICK LEAVE, LET’S ASSUME THE GENEROUS INTERPRETATION OF THE BILL, THAT YOU HAVE THREE PAID SICK DAYS AFER THREE YEAR CAN YOU EVER ACCUMULATE ANOTHER SICK DAY? BECAUSE
THE AMENDMENT IS UNCLEAR TO ME ON THAT. >> The Chair: MINISTER WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT? MINISTER WORKFORCE ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY FOR SURE THAT EVERYONE PROBABLY GOT A LITTLE CONFUSED WITH. SO WE ARE SAYING THAT THE EMPLOYEE — IT’S AN ENTITLEMENT. AFTER ONE YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT YOU WOULD GET ONE UP TO 12 MONTH. AFTER TWO’S YOU BE EITLE TRONIC TWO AND AFTER 36, ENTITLED TRONIC THREE. SHOULD YOU GET ILL AND YOU USE YOUR THREE DAYS, THEN YOU GET THEIza%w&Z#D THREE DAYS. YOU’RE
ENTITLED TO THAT. YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THOSE BENEFITS YOU GET AS AN EMPLEE. IF WE USE THE OTHER WORDING, IT IMPLIES AN ADDITION. THREE PLUS THREE PLUS THREE — THAT’S WHAT CARRYOVER WOULD HAVE MEANT TO ME AS AN EMPLOYEE IN MY LAST CAREER. I CAN JUST KEEP PATTING. BUT THE ENTITLEMENT IS THAT THEY WI ALWAYS HAVE THREE PAID SICK DAYS PER YEAR AFTER THE 36 MONTHS. >> NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> I APPRECIATE HOW THE MINISTER INTERPRETS THESE AMENDMENTS. I AM NOT SO SURE. THERE IS NOTHING, NO PROVISION IN THESE AMENDMENTS. NOR IF YOU ADD
UP THE BILL AS AMENDED, ASSUMING THIS WOULD PASS, IT IS SILENT ON WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THREE YEARS. YES, IT SAYS AFTER THREE YEARS YOU CAN ACCUMULATE UP TO THREE SICK DAYS. BUT IF YOU USE THEM IN YEAR FOUR THERE’S NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR YOU WILL START TO COMMIT LATE AGAIN. AND TO ME THAT’S A BIG PROBLEM. CAN YOU ASSURE THE HOUSE — I THINK PERHAPS WE NEED A LEGAL OPINION ON THIS. BECAUSE IT’S AGAIN SILENT ON WHAT HAPPENS. >> LET ME ASK THE MINISTER OF WORKFORCE AND ADVANCED — WORKFORCE AND ADVANCED
LEARNING AND POPULATION TO TALK ABOUT YOUR LEGAL OPTIONS. >> WE’VE REVIEWED THIS EXTENSIVELY. AND WE’VE HAD PEOPLE HELP US WORK THROUGH THIS FOR SURE. WHEN WE SAY THE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED AND THEY HAVE IT, IT’S NOT ACCUMULATED. SO WHEN THEY COME. IF THEY START AN EMPLOYMENT ON JANUARY 1, 3 YEARS FROM JANUARY 1, THEY HAVE THOSE THREE DAYS. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO ACCUMULATE THAT. YOU’RE GIVEN THREE DAYS. THAT WHAT YOU ARE ENTITLED TO AFTER 36 MONTHS OF WORK. SO IF YOU USE THEM DURING THAT TIMEFRAME YOU HAD YOUR THREE PAID SICK DAYS AND THE
NEXT YEAR YOU HAVE THREE PAID SICK DAYS AGAIN BAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU’VE WORKED HERSELF TO BE ENTITLED TO. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> AT THE RISK OF GOING IN CIRCLES HERE, TO ME THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL IN THE WAY THAT THESE AMENDMENTS ARE WRITTEN WHICH ACTUALLY CONFIRMS WHAT THE MINISTER HAS JUST DESCRIBED. I APPRECIATE THAT IS HOW YOU INTERPRET IT MINISTER, BUT THE SCENARIO I HAVE USED AND IS THE MINISTER REITERATED AROUND USING ALL OF YOUR SICK DAYS IN YEAR FR, THE IS NOTHING IN THIS BILL THAT PROVIDES ME WITH COMFORT
AND CONFIDENCE THAT IN FUTURE YEARS, FURTHER DAYS WILL BE ACCUMULATED. I’M QUITE SURE THAT’S THE INTENTION OF WHAT THE MINISTER WANTS TO HAPPEN, AND I AM NOT DOUBTING THAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE — I WOULD LOVE A DIFFERENT EXPLANATION OTHER THAN IF WE USE ALL THE DAYS IN YEAR FOUR, CAN YOU SHOW ME IN THIS AMENDMENT WHAT CLAUSE TELLS ME THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR OF MY EMPLOYMENT, NOT YEAR ONE OF MY EMPLOYMENT, BUT IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR OF MY EMPLOYMENT I WILL GET ANOTHER SICK DAY. CAN YOU SHOW ME THE CLAUSE? >> The Chair:
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION AGAIN? THE MINISTER WORKFORCE ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> IN CLASS FOUR IT INDICATES ENTITLEMENTS. ENTITLEMENT MEANS THEY WILL HAVE THAT. AFTER ONE YEAR YOU ARE ENTITLED TO ONE DAY AND TWO AND SUCH. I THINK THAT IS ALL. I DON’T HAVE MUCH ELSE TO ADD. >> The Chair: SHALL THE AMENDMENT CARRY? I HEARD BOTH SIDES. I’M ASKING FOR A SHOW OF HANDS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOUR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. ALL THOSE AGAINST THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. THE AMENDMENT IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, MEMBERS. WE ARE ON
SECTION FOUR. MINISTER OF WORKFORCE ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> I HAVE AN AMENDMENT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE FOR SECTION FOUR OF BILL 106. AS AMENDED BY THE DELETION OF THE WORDS EARLIER OF THE DATES IT MAY BE FIXED BY PROCLAMATION OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, 180 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF ROYAL ASSENT. AND THE SUBSTITUTION OF THE WORD ON A DATE THAT MAY BE FIXED BY PROCLAMATION OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL. AND I MADE TWO COPIES. >> ALRIGHT. MEMBERS CUT COPIES OF THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED. >> CHAIR, MAY ASK A QUESTION ON THIS
AMENDMENT? >> The Chair: MEMBERS,Kg. IT’S BEING DISTRIBUTIVE THE PROMTER OF THE BILL WILL ASK THE MINISTER FOR CLARIFICATION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS AMENDMENT TO THAT PARTICULAR SECTION? >> MINISTER OF WORKFORCE ADVANCED POPULATION? >> WE WANTED TO HAVE A CNCE BUILD GOOD MESSAGING, GOOD SUPPORT AND APPROPRIATE REGULATIONS FOR THIS. SO ARE IN ORDER TO DO THAT THOSE THINGS TAKE TIME. WE WANT TO DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR ISLANDERS AS BEST WE CAN. KNOWING THAT IT SOMETIMES TAKES SOME TIME TO GET INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS GOING, WE WANT TO HAVE THAT IN
PLACE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT WELL. >> The Chair: PROMOTER? >> WHEN YOU SAY SUPPORTS, DOES THAT MEAN FINANCIAL SUPPORT TRONIC BUSINESSES? DOES THAT MEAN ON A TEMPORARY BASIS? >> The Chair: MINISTER WORKFORCE ADVANCED LEARNING AND POPULATION. >> EVERYTHING IN THIS BILL AROUND COMMUNICATION AND SUCH WOULD GO WITH THAT. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. >> WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT SECTION THREE, WE JUST PASSED THE AMENDMENT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. I NEED TO GO BACK AND PASS THE FULL SECTION AFTER AMENDED. >> I HAVE AN AMENDMENT FOR SECTION THREE. WOULD
YOU RATHER ME WAIT UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO PASS? >> HONOURABLE MEMBERS, WE WILL DEAL WITH THIS AMENDMENT AND ONE WE GO BACK TO CARRY THE FULL SECTION THREE WE WILL MAKE AN AMENDMENT AT THAT TIME. MY APOLOGIES. WE WILL CARRY ON WITH SECTION FOUR AND THEN WE WILL GO BACK TRONIC SECTION THREE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AMENDMENT? SHALL THE AMENDMENT CARRY? >> I DID HAVE MY HAND UP. >> NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE CHANGE BEING MADE HERE IS THAT THE PROCLAMATION WOULD BE 180 DAYS
AFTER THE ROYAL ASSENT. SUBSTITUTED ON A DAY THAT… ESSENTIALLY — WE KNOW BECAUSE THIS IS HAPPEN WITH PREVIOUS BILLS IN THIS HOUSE, THAT THAT’S AN OPEN ENDED STATEMENT, WHICH MEANS THAT IT CAN BE PROCLAIMED WHENEVER,R PERHAPS NEVER TO THE FUTURE. AND I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT THAT — I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE REASON WHY THIS CHANGES BEING MADE. >> THE PROMOTER ASKED THAT SAME QUESTION. >> MY APOLOGIES. MY APOLOGIES CATCHER. >> The Chair: ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AMENDMENT? SHALL THE AMENDMENT CARRY? SHOW OF HANDS ON
THE AMENDMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOUR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. ALL AGAINST? OKAY,, THE AMENDMENT IS CARRIED. >> ANYWAY, I WILL PRESENT MY AMENDMENT. SO DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE AMENDMENT? THANK YOU. >> The Chair: YES, PLEASE. >> YEAH, OKAY. MOVED THAT BILL 106 IS AMENDED BY SUBSECTION 3.3 OF THE 106 IS AMENDED BY THE DELETION OF THE PROPOSED SUBSECTION 22.25 AND THE SUBSTITUTION TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING: RATE OF PAY, 5, AN EMPLOYER MUST PAY AN EMPLOYEE WHO TAKES LEAVE UNDER SUBSECTION 4 AN AMOUNT MONEY EQUAL TO AT LEAST THE AMOUNT
CALCULATED BY MULTIPLYING THE PERIOD OF THE LEAVE AND THE AVERAGE DAYS PAY WHERE THE AVERAGE DAY’S PAY IS DETERMINED BY THE FORMULA, AMOUNT PAID DIVIDED BY DAYS WORKED. WHERE AMOUNT PAID IS THE AMOUNT PAID OR PAYABLE TO THE EMPLOYEE FOR WORK THAT IS DONE DURING AND PAY THAT IS EARNED WITHIN THE 30-DAY CALENDAR PERIOD PROCEEDING THE LEAVE, EXCLUDING PAY IN LOU OF GRATUITIES OR BENEFITS AND DAYS WORKED IS THE NUMBER OF DAYS THE EMPLOYEE WORKED OR EARNED PAY EXCLUDING PAY IN LOU OF VACATION, GRATUITIES OR BENEFITS WITHIN THAT 30-DAY PERIOD, AND I BELIEVE THE CLERK
HAS COPIES OF THAT AMENDMENT. >> The Chair: THANK YOU, MEMBERS. HONOURABLE MEMBER, WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE A QUICK RECESS TO SEE I YOURMENDMENT IS ACTUALLY IN ORDER, AND THEN WE’LL COME BACK WITH A RULING. >> The Chair: ALL RIGHT, HONOURABLE MEMBERS, WE’RE BACK. WE JUST WARRANTED TO CONFIRM THAT IT WASN’T IMPACTING SOMETHING THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN QUESTION LOOT BY THE PAST AMENDMENT. SO THE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY’S AMENDMENT IS IN ORDER. AND THE COPIES ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED. ALL RIGHT, HONOURABLE MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT? ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS ON THIS AMENDMENT? NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT? >> THANK YOU, CHAIR, SO THE WAY THAT WORK HAS I DID INVOLVED OVER RECENTLY ANYWAYS, THAT PEOPLE NO LONGER ENTER A JOB OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OR WHATEVER, I’M SAYING THAT FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIFE, THAT’S VERY UNUSUAL THESE DAYS. IT USED TO BE ABSOLUTELY THE GIVEN. BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE. AND THIS AMENDMENT IS DESIGNED TO BE ABLE T CAPTURE ALL OF THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH CANADIANS, ISLANDERS IN OUR CASE, NOW WORK SO THAT THEY WOULD STILL QUALIFY FOR PAID SICK DAYS,
BECAUSE IT’S UP — I BELIEVE THAT EVERY SINGLE ISLAND WORKER DESERVES TO HAVE PAID SICK DAYS. AND THE WAY THE ORIGINAL BILL WAS DRAFTED DOES NOT INCLUDE PEOE WHO WORK IN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GIG ECONOMY WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TWO OR THREE JOBS. THAT’S A VERY, VY COMON WAY TO MAKE YOUR LIVING THESE DAYS. TWO OF MY OWN CHILDREN DO THAT. AND GIVEN THAT YOU CAN’T SAY AFTER FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT IN A PARTICULAR JOB FOR A YEAR, YOU HAVE EARNED YOURSELF ONE PAID SICK DAY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE WILL NEVER EVER GET TO THAT POSITIONER BECAUSE THEY
DON’T HAVE A SINGLE JOB. HOWEVER, THEY’RE WORKING 40, 50, 60 HOURS A WEEK IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS PEOPLE WHO ARE PAID PIECEWORK, I’M THINKING HERE, FOR EXAMPLE, FKS W PICK BERRIES. AND THEY ARE NOT PAID A RATE OF PAY PER HOUR. THEY ARE NOT PAID A SALARY. THEY ARE PAID FOR A PARTICULAR JOB TO GET DONE. THAT’S WORK, IT’S HARD WORK. AND, YET, THOSE PEOPLE WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE LEGISLATION AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS. SO THIS MOTION, THIS AMENDMENT, EXCUSE ME, CHAIR, IS DESIGNED FOR — TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
LEGISLATION CAPTURES ALL POTENTIAL FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT ON PRCE EDWARD ISLAND, AND, THEREFORE, DRAFTS PAID SICK DAYS FOR EVERY SINGLE ISLAND WORKER, WHICH IS, TO MY MIND, A REALLY IMPORTANT THING. >> The Chair: THANK YOU, HO. MEMBERS, WE’RE GOING TO NOW REPORT PROGRESS. AND SWITCH OVER TO THIRD PARTY TIME. >> THE CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE SPEAKER TAKE THE CHAIR AND THE CHAIR REPORT PROGRESS AND CONSIDER — AND. >> The Chair: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> The Chair: MADAM SPEAKER, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HAS CONSIDERATION BILL AN ACT TO AMEN THE
AND LEAVE REPORT THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS MADE SOME PROGRESS AND I MOVE THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY. OH, HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> HONOURABLE MEMBER, I MOVE, SECONDED BY THE LEADER TO THIRD PARTY, THAT THE 11th ORDER OF THE DAY BE NOW READ. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> ORDER NUMBER LEFT ARE, AN ACT TO AAMEND THE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT , BILL NUMBER 107. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBER
FROM NEW HAVEN, ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, I MOVE THAT THIS HOUSE RESOLVE INTO A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SAID BILL. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHAIR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, PLEASE. >> The Chair: IS HOUSE IS NOW INTO A COMMITTEE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ACT TO BE INTENTIONAL AN ACT TO AMEND THE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT NUMBER 2. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING A STRANGE ONTO THE FLOOR? >> YES, I DO. I DON’T SEE HER. >> The
Chair: THERE’S A STRANGER IN THE AUDIENCE. SHALL IT BE GRANTED? >> GRANTED. >> The Chair: GRANTED, YES, GO AHEAD. CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. >> MICHELLE PATTERSON, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND REEVERYONE FOR THE THIRD PARTY. >> The Chair: THANK YOU. SO WE’RE JUST DOING GENERAL QUESTIONS ON THE ACT. AND SO I THINK IF IT’S THE WILL OF THE COMMITTEE, WE’LL JUST CONTINUE ALONG THOSE LINES. ANYBODY HAVE ANY GENERAL QUESTIONS? LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> SO THE BILL, SO THIS IS A — BACALLY THE SAME BILL ASKING FOR THE SAME THINGS, THERE ARE
SOME DIFFERENCES IN IT. PRIOR TO LEADING UP TO THIS, WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION INITIATED BY YOU ABOUT SAYING, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH BELL, WE’D LIKE TO SEE ONE OF THEM GET ACROSS THE LINE. SO I JUST NEED SOME CLARITY ON IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THEN WHY WOULD YOU, TO DATE, BRING FOUR AMENDMENTS TO OUR BILL? YOU BROUGHT ONE FORWARD. IT’S CURRENTLY UNDER DEBATE. AND THENOU SAD YOU HAD THREE MORE. IF YOU HAD YOUR OWN BILL COMING OUT AFTERWARDS. HOW — CAN YOU JUSTIFY WHY YOU WOULD DO THAT? >> YEAH, AND I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTION. I WAS GOING TO SEND A TEXT, ACTUALLY, BEFORE I CAME UP AND T. >> I’M SITTING RIGHT HERE. >> SO IN OUR — >> The Chair: ORDER. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. IN OUR DISCUSSION, I HAD INITIATED THAT DISCUSSION TO LET YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, I WANT ONE OF THESE BILLS TO PASS, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME AMENDMENTS TO COME FORWARD, BECAUSE DESPITE WHICH BILL PASSED, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS THE BEST THAT IT POSSIBLY COULD BE, DEPENDING WHICH BILL CAME FIRST. AND UNFORTUNATELY TIMING TODAY, WE RAN
OUT OF TIME, AND THAT STILL STANDS, WHICHEVER ONE PASSES, WE WANT PAGE BY PAGE, WHICHEVER ONE PASSES FIRST, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHOSE PASSES AS LONG AS IT’S THE BEST THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR BILL REGARDING ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD? >> YEAH. WE DIDN’T MAKE IT TOO PRESCRIPTIVE, ONLY BECAUSE WE, YO KNO WE KNOW IS GOVERNMENT THAT HAS THE PURSE STRINGS, WHICH THAT WILL — THAT KIND OF HAS ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO KNOW WHICH BUSINESSES
THEY WANT TO SUPPORT, BUT THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM IS IN SECTION 3.10. NO, YES, RIGHT? >> YEAH. >> 3.10. DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT OUT. >> YES, PLEASE. >> SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION 12, THE MINISTER MAY IMPLEMENT A FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYERS TO HELP THEM ADAPT TO ANY INCREASED COST ASSOCIATED WITH PAID SICK LEAVE PROVIDE UNDER UNSECTION 4. SUBSECTION 4. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> SO THAT’S SIMILAR TO WHAT PROVISION THAT WE HAVE IN OURS IN, THE SENSE THAT THERE — OURS WAS
THAT THE GOVERNMENT — OR THE MINISTER MAY PROVIDE SOME TEMPORARY FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN A TRANSITION PERIOD. DID YOU HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MINISTER OF WORKFORCE AND ADVANCED LEARNING ON THAT PARTICULAR CLAUSE? >> NO. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> SO HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH — WITH THAT CUSE? WHAT DID YOU CONSULT WITH? WHAT LEGAL COUNSEL GAVE YOU THE ADVICE THAT THAT CLAUSE WOULD ACTUALLY WORK? >> SO WHERE — I’M GOING TO — I’LL START HERE AND LET YOU TAKE OVER IF THERE’S ANYTHING. WHERE WE LANDED WAS THAT WAS BASED ON
THE SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR WORKERS DURING THE COVID PERIOD, WHICH WAS CALLED, OH — THE FUND THAT WAS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE IF THEY WERE SICK. >> The Chair: INTERVENTION, MINISTER OF FINANCE. >> I JUST CAN’T REMEMBER IF NAME OF THE FUND. >> COVID SUPPORT. >> COVID SUPPORT PROGRAM, YEAH. SO THERE WERE FUNDS IN THERE THAT WE HAD KIND OF SAID ALL ALONG, WHY NOT USE THAT FUND FOR SICK DAYS, AND SO THAT’S WHERE THAT IDEA INITIALLY CAME FROM. AND THEN I DON’T KNOW IF THERE’S ANYTHING. >> YEAH. I THINK THAT EXPLAINS IT.
THESE ARE JUST PROVISIONS THEY DON’T MANDATE THE MINISTER, BECAUSE WE’RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. BRINGING A BILL FORWARD. BUT THEY DO — I THINK THEY WERE WELL RECEIVED BY THE EMPLOYERS GROUPS AS WELL, TO KIND OF POINT TO THE MINISTER PROVIDING SUPPORT. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. >> SO HAVE THERE IS SOME SIMILARITIES TO THE ONE WE HAD — THE PROVISION WE HAD IN OUR AMENDMENT. AND OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS DELETED WITH AN AMENDMENT PUT FORWARD. AND WHEN I QUESTIONED THAT — BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. ESPECIALLY IN THE MA AND PA
SHOPS WHO HAVE A LOW NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. I’M NOT LOOKING AT WAL-MART, I’M LOOKING MORE AT THE IMPACT OF THE M A AND PA SHOPS, THAT I OPEN YEAR ROUND ORICS MONTHS OF THE YEAR OR EIGHT MONTHS OF THE YEAR, WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SO WE GOT RESPONSE, THE MINISTER, I GUESS MY — I HAD MY OWN THOUGHTS ON IT. BUT THE MINISTER BASICALLY COMMITTED THAT THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING THEY POSSIBLY COULD TO UP THOSE BUSINESSES, AND I SAID I’D HAVE TO TAKE HER WORD ON IT, OBVIOUSLY, BECUSET WAS TAKEN OUT. THERE’S NOTHING IN THERE
WITH THAT PROVISION SAYING THAT THEY WOULD DO IT OR MAY DO IT. BUT I’M WONDERING NOW, BECAUSE MY — WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME WAS THAT IT PROBABLY — IT WOULDN’T HOLD, THAT PROVISION WOULD NOT HOLD, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW YOURS WOULD HOLD ANY MORE THAN THE CLAUSE THAT WE HAD IN, WHICH WAS VERY SIMILAR. >> I GUESS WE SHALL SEE. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION. >> TRUE. I MEAN, THERE MAY BE AN AMENDMENT COMING. I’M MONTH SURE. NOT I’M NOT SURE. BUT JUST FOR NOW. >> The Chair: AND DOES ANYONE
ELSE SPEAKING GENERAL QUESTIONS? IS IT THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE THAT THE BILL BE READ CLAUSE BY CLAUSE? WOULD WE LIKE TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION? ALL RIGHT. SHALL THE BILL CARRY? >> NO. >> The Chair: OKAY. I THINK WE’LL HAVE TO GET SOME MORE CLARIFICATION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOUR SAY YEA. >> YEA. >> The Chair: AND I’M JUST CARRYING THE BILL. OKAY, SO ONE PERSON WAS CARRIED. ALL THOSE AGAINST, SAY NAY. >> NAY >> The Chair: THE NAYS DO HAVE IT. IN MY OPINION. SO… >> SORRY, YEAH, Mr. CHAIR, I MOVE THE SPEAKER TAKE
THE CHAIR AND THAT THE CHAIR PUT THE BILL NOT RECOMMENDED. >> The Chair: OKAY. SHALL IT CARRY? MADAM SPEAKER, AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE, HAVING HAD UNDER CONSIDERATION THE BILL TO BE OFFICIALS AN ACT TO AMEND THE EMPLOYMENT STANDART NUMBER 2, I MAKE LEAVE THAT THE REPORT THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS THROUGH THE SAID BILL AND DOES NOT SECOND MEND TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY AND I MOVE THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? A RECORDED DIVISION HAS BEEN REQUESTED. SO SERGEANT AT ARMS, YOU CAN
RING THE BELL. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBERS, ALL THOSE VOTING AGAINST THE REPORT OF COMMITTEE, PLEASE STAND. >> THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY, THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT, AND THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM O’LEARY AND INVERNESS. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: MEMBERS, ALL THOSE VOTING IN FAVOUR OF THE REPORT OF COMMITTEE, THE PLEASE STAND. , PLEASE STAND. >> THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND EARLY YEARS, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, JUSTIND PUBLIC SAFETY,
THE HONOURABLE MEMBER — SORRY, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND CLIMATE ACTION, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WINSLOW, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ARE WORKFORCE, ADVANCED LEARNING AND ON POPULATION, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SENIORS, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND TRADE, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM SUMMERSIDE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FROM RUSTICO EMERALD, T HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM TYNE VALLEY, HER WOOBROOK AND THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM BELVEDERE. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MINISTERS, THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE HAS PASSED. HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAY AN
ROCKY POINT. >> SORRY, MADAM SPEAKER, I MOVE SECONDED BY THE LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY THAT THE 12th ORDER OF THE DAY BE NOW READ. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> ACT TO AMEND THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT BILL NUMBER 108 FOR SECOND READING. >> n. Darlene Compton: NOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I MOVE THAT THIS COMMITTEE RESOLVE ITSELF INTO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE BILL. OH, SORRY, I MOVE THAT THE BILL BE NOW READ FOR A SECOND TIME. >> Hon. Darlene Compton:
SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> BILL NUMBER 108, AN A ACT TO AMEND RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT. READ A END TIME. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN, ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR YOUR INDULGENCE. I MOVE THIS HOUSE NOW RESOLVE INTO A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SAID BILL. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CRIED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM WEST EMERALD, PLEASE CHAIR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. >> THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. >> THE COMMIT OF THE WHOLE HOUSE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE
BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TOO AMEND THE RESIDENCE TENANCY ACT, BILL NUMBER 08. WOULD YOU LIKE THE BRING A STRANGE OR ON THE FLOOR? >> YES. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: IS IT GRANTED? >> GRANTED. >> The Chair: ALL RIGHT. HELLO, STRANGER. IF YOU PLEASE — COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND POSITION FOR THE RECORD. >> MICHELLE PATTERSON, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND RESEARCH FOR THE THIRD PARTY. >> The Chair: THANK YOU. IS IT THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE THAT THE BILL NOW BE READ CLAUSE BY CLAUSE? GENERAL QUESTIONS. IT IS, THEN, SEEING NO OBJECTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? ACTUALLY, PROKER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT? >> SURE. SO THIS AMENDMENT PROPOSES TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM, WHICH WAS PUT INTO PLACE IN 2021, GIVEN THAT WE WERE — WE HAD SUCH LOW VACANCY RATES AND WHEN PEOPLE WERE BEING EVICTED FOR RENOVATION PURPOSES, THERE WASN’T ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THEM TO LIVE. GIVEN THE VACANCY RATE HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN WORSE, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT, DESPITE THEACT ERE ARE PROTECTIONS NOW WITH THE RTA, WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THIS PROTECTION FOR TENANTS UNTIL THE VACANCY RATE IMPROVES, WHICH — FOR ONE YEAR,
FOR ONE YEAR. >> The Chair: THANK YOU, PROMOTER. I HAVE NO NO ONE ON MY LIST RIGHT NOW. MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> SO I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THE ORIGINAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS MORATORIUM. AND OBVIOUSLY I WASN’T HERE AT THE TIME. BUT I WONDER IF WE COULD JUST GO OVER SOME OF THE RATIONALE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MORATORIUM AT THE TIME. >> YEAH, SURE. SO AT THE TIME, AND I’M SORRY IF I’M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, LET ME KNOW, YOU CAN STOP ME IN MID-SENTENCE IF I’M
NOT. SO AT THE TIME, WE WERE SEEING PEOPLE GETTING EVICTED WITHOUT ANY SORT OF PROTECTION IN PLACE. BEFORE THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT WAS PUT IN. AND SO AT THAT TIME, WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT TO PASS, BEFORE IT WAS THE RENTAL OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ACT AND THERE WEREN’T THE PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS IN THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO SAY — WHO NOW IN THE NEW RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT, WE DO HAVE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL AFTER SUCH AN EVENT, AND THERE ARE SOME HOOPS FOR OTHER LANDLORDS TO JUMP THROUGH WHEN THEY ARE PLANNING A
RENOVATION, SO THERE ARE THINGS IN PLACE TO PROTECTENAN, INCLUDING RENTAL CAPS AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO WE WERE PLEASED WITH THAT WHEN THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT WAS PUT INTO PLACE. WE FIND OURSELVES NOW IN A POSITION WHERE THE VACANCY RATE HAS GOTTEN WORSE. AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, GIVEN THAT WE DON’T HAVE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO, THOSE PROTECTIONS IN THE RTA ARE RATHER A MOOT POINT IF YOU DON’T HA A PLACE TO GO, AND SO WE THOUGHT THAT UNTIL SUCH A TIME — WELL, WE GIVE IT A YEAR TO SEE WHERE
WE END UP IN NOVEMBER 2024, TO SEE IF THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT IT’S BASICALLY JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE DON’T SEE OUR NUMBERS OF TENANTS INCREASE BASED ON PEOPLE BEING RENO — EVICTED FOR RENOVATIONS. >> The Chair: MINISTERF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> YEAH, SO I’M WONDERING AT THE TIME, WAS THERE A — WAS THERE A SENSE THAT PEOPLE WERE BEING EVICTED OR THAT THE EVICTIONS FORENOVION PURPOSES WAS BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE OR BEING ABUSED AS A WAY TO — AS — FOR LANDLORDS IN BAD FAITH TO GET RID OF TENANTS? >> THANK YOU,
CHAIR. YOU KNOW, THERE’S — THERE’S NOT — IT’S NOT ALWAYS IN BAD FAITH THAT THESE THINGS HAPPEN, BUT THERE ARE CASES WHERE IT WAS IN BAD FAITH THAT THESE THINGS HAPPENED. AND SO PEOPLE WOULD FIND THEMSELVES EVICTED AND THEN SEE THEIR APARTMENTS BEING ADVERTISED FOR, YOU KNOW, HIGHER RENTS, WHICH WOULD BE MORE CONTROLLED NOW UNDER THE RESIDENTIAL TANCY ACT OF COURSE. >> RIGHT. >> BUT, AGAIN, GIVEN THERE’S NO HOUSING STOCKER OR OTHER UNITS FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO, YEAH, WE KIND OF — NOT THAT WE’RE IN THE SAME POSITION, WE’RE CERTAINLY NOT, BUT THAT VACANCY
RATE IS REALLY HINDERING US FROM SEEING THE BENEFITS OF IN YOU RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT. >> The Chair: MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> AND SO IN ARRIVING AT YOUR POSITION THAT WE NEED TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM, HAVE WE CONSIDERED ALL OF THE PROVISIONS THAT EXIST IN THE NEW ACT AND HOW, AS A WHOLE, HOW THEY PROTECT TENANTS? >> The Chair: PROMOTER, GO RIGHT AHEAD. >> JUST GO RIGHT AHEAD? THANKS, CHAIR. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THAT WAS A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD IN OUR OFFICE. ABOUT– AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT
THIS AMENDMENT, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KIND OF THOUGHT OF FIRST. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE KIND OF HAVING EARLY DISCUSSIONS ON SOMETHING AND YOU’RE BRAINSTORMING, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE INUR NE OFFICE BROUGHT, WITH THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT, NOTHING IS PERFECT. IT’S NOT GOING TO PROTECT TENANTS FROM RENT INCREASES THEY CAN’T AFFORD, BUT IT’S GOING TO PUT THAT CAP, AND PEOPLE CAN KIND OF FIND COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO PAY RENT THAT GO ABOVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT. THEY KIND OF KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. LANDLORDS KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS. AND SO — I KIND OF LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. >> The Chair: CONSIDERING ALL THE PROVISIONS OF A WHOLE PROTECTING TENANTS AGAINST BAD FAITH RENT EVICTIONS. >> YEAH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT IN ACTION, TO SEE HOW THESE PROTECTIONS DO, HOW FAR THEY DO GO. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, IT’S THAT VACANCY RATE THAT’S HINDERING US FROM KIND OF SEEING, THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON’T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO. >> The Chair: MINISTER MINISTER, ANOTHER QUESTION? HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES.
>> WHAT I’M HEARING IS YOU DON’T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROVISIONS A INADEQUATE FOR PROTECTIONS. AND THAT IT WOULD POSSIBLY BE PRUDENT JUST TO EVALUATE HOW THE PROVISIONS ARE WORKING, BUT YOU’RE CONCERNED THAT IF THEY’RE NOT WORKING, AND PEOPLE ARE BEING PUT OUT, THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO GO, THAT’S THE CONCERN, RIGHT? AM I CORRECT? >> I DON’T KNOW. >> WELL, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO ALLOW THE ACT SOME TIME TO — TO WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE SYSTEM. TO TEST THE ACT. TO SEE IF IT’S ACTUALLY
PROVIDING ADEQUATE PROTECTION, BUT YOU FEEL THAT — THIS IS WHAT I HEARD, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG, BUT YOU FEEL THAT IT’S BETTER IF WE JUST EXTEND THE DEADLINE, THE MORATORIUM, BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO FIND OUT? IF IT’S ACTUALLY WORKING? >> THANK YOU, SORRY, CHAIR. NO, NO. SO THE RESIDENTIA TENANCY ACT, AS IT IS, YOU KNOW, PERFECT? NO. BUT MUCH BETTER, AND WE DO BELIEVE THE TENANTS HAVE THAT PROTECTION. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU GET FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL BACK TO YOUR APARTMENT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A
PLACE TO GO WHILE YOUR APARTMENT IS GETTING WORKED ON. >> YEAH. >> YOU KNOW? AND SO IT’S NOT — THIS ISN’T ABOUT THE MERITS OF THE RTA. IT’S — AND THE PROTECTIONS. I GUESS THE PROTECTIONS, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT ACT WE WOULD REALLY BE UNDER AT THIS POINT. I SHOULDN’T SAY THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN PROTECTIONS. HOWEVER, THERE’S NOWHERE FOR PEOPLE TOO I THA MEANTIME. AND SO REGARDLESS OF THE PROTECTIONS THAT ARE THERE, IF PEOPLE DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, THEY ALMOST DON’T MATTER. >> SO I DO HAVE OTHERS ON THE LIST. >> SURE.
>> The Chair: MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND TRADE. >> I’M JUST WONDERING — THANK YOU, CHAIR. I’M JUST WONDERING WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS MISSING IN THE CURRENT ACT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD WARRANT THIS EXTENSION? >> THERE’S NOTHING MISSING FROM THE ACT. IT’S JUST THE LOW VACANCY RATE. >> OKAY. >> THAT, LIKE, IN THE NEW RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT, AND YOU KNOW THIS, I’M SORRY, THE NEW RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT GIVES A COUPLE OF PROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS, AND ONE OF THEM BEING IF YOU GET EVICTED FOR RENOVATION PURPOSES, YOU GET A FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL
WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE, YOU CAN GO BACK AND SAY YAY OR NAY TO THAT, AND THERE’S NO ASTRONOMICAL RENT INCREASE A HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THAT PROTECTION IS THERE, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL. JUST THE POINT BEING THAT THE VACANCY RATE IS SO LOW THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING — IF THEY’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND ANOTHER PLACE EVEN, LIKE, THEY JUST HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE REN REMEMBER VICTED, THEY’RE BASICALLY HOMELESS. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE RTA. OF COURSE, THERE ARE STILL THINGS IN PLACE. IF THE BUILDING IS FALLING APART, YOU HAVE TO FIX IT. BUT
IT’S JUST THOSE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO WAIT A LITTLE BE BIT LONGER UNTIL WE SEE A HEALTHIER VACANCY RATE. THAT’S THE POINT OF IT. >> The Chair: THE MINISTER OF ECONOMIC. >> IS THERE ANYTHING TO PROVE THAT MADE YOU BELIEVE THAT THE BILL IS NOT CAPABLE OF MANAGING THIS PROCESS? ANYTHING THAT I — ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THAT WOULD…? >> YEAH, I THINK JUST TO REITERATE, IT’S JUST THAT LOW VACANCY RATE. WE KNOW HOW MUCH TROUBLE INDIVIDUALS ARE HAVING GETTING A HOME. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY THE BILL. THE BILL HAS A
LOT OF GOOD BRO VISIONS THAT WILL WORK WELL ONCE WE REACH THAT HEALTHY VACANCY RATE. THIS PROVISION IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO TENANTS WHILE THAT VACANCY RATE IS SO, SO LOW RIGHT NOW. >>HANYOU. >> The Chair: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? OH, MINISTER — OR MEMBER FROM SUMMERSIDE WILLMONT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO IF I GET IT CORRECT, THE ORIGINAL MORATORIUM THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD WAS BROUGHT FORWARD WHILE THE ACT WAS BEING DEVELOPED. THE ACT IS THERE NOW, IT’S WORKING, BUT YOU WANT TO EXTEND IT A YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOW VACANCY RATE? >> YEAH. >>
SO IT’S WORKING IT’S WOING NOW. WE GOT A — A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT WE HEARD ABOUT. BUT WE WANT TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE WHILE THAT WAS BEING DEVELOPED ANOTHER YEAR JUST BECAUSE THE VACANCY RATE IS LOW? THAT’S WHAT I’M HEARING? >> YES. BUT ACTUALLY, THE ACT WAS PASSED TO WITH THIS CLAUSE INCLUDED. SO BEFORE THE ACT WAS PASSED, WE PUT THIS MORATORIUM IN PLACE, AND AFTER THE ACT WAS PASSED, KEPT THE MORATORIUM IN PLACE A YEAR AGO BECAUSEHE VACANCY RATE WAS LOW. THAT WAS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR IT. SO
THIS YEAR — AND WE PUT IT IN FOR A YEAR SO WE COULD REASSESS IN ONE YEAR, AND WE’RE BACK AND THE VACANCY RATE IS ACTUALLY LOWER, SO WE PROPOSE EXTENDING IT ANOTHER YEAR, AND THEN LETTING THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT WORK AS IT DOES ONCE WE HAVE A VACANCY RATE THAT’S LOWER. WHICH I THINK, CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG, IS 3, 4, 5%. THE RATE NOW WE’RE LOOKING AT 1%, IF THAT. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> The Chair: MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> THANK YOU FOR BRICKING THIS FORWARD. I MET WITH THE FIGHT
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS IS THEIR NUMBER ONE THING. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. THIS IS THEIR NUMBER ONE THING THAT THEY’RE SEEING ON THE GROUND. THEY’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN ACT NOT WORKING. LIKE, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE BEING PUT OUT, AND THAT’S THE MESSAGE THAT I GOT LOUD AND CLEAR. HAVE YOU TALKED TO — AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. THAT ARE ON THE STREETS. ANYWAY, HAVE YOU TALKED TO THAT GROUP AND WHAT WERE — WAS WHAT THE WAS MESSAGE TO THE MOVER OF THIS
BILL? >> WE DID TALK TO THIS GROUP, AND SAME MESSAGE, THIS WAS THE TOP PRIORITY. AND WE’RE VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, GIVEN THE LOW VACANCY RATE. YOU KNOW, THEY DID — THEY DIDN’T MENTION — FROM CONVERSATIONS I HAD, THERE WAS REALLY NO MENTION OF THE — WHETHER IT BE THE RESIDENTIAL ACT, OR THE RTA, THERE WAS NO EVENING MANY OF THAT. IT’S SIMPLY THE VACANCY RATE IS SO LOW, TENANTS ARE — THEY’RE TERRIFIED. ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS IS WE HEAR FROM TENANTS WHO HAVE ISSUES IN THEIR APARTMENT, BUT THEY’RE TOO SCARED TO SAY
ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY’RE SCARED THEY’LL GET EVICTED FOR RENOVATION PURPOSES, SO WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN FEAR THAT IF THEY ASK TO HAVE SOME FAIRLY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OR IF THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM, THEY’RE SCARED TO BRING IT FORWARD BECAUSE THEY’RE SCARED THEY’RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO LEAVE THEIR APARTMENT AND WHERE WILL THEY GO. IT A HUGE STRUGGLE FOR TENANTS RIGHT NOW, WHETHER THEY BE ACTUALLY IMPACTED OR NOT, JUST THAT FEAR, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY THING — THERE’S BEEN SO MUCH CHANGES IN THE RENTAL WORLD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT TENANTS ARE
REALLY SCARED RIGHT NOW, AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY MAD A LOT OF FAITH IN. OF COURSE, PEOPLE ARE DIVIDE IN WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT. SOME THINK IT’S GREAT AND OTHERS HAVE SOME ISSUES AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT’S JUST THAT VACANCY RATE THAT HAS PEOPLE SCARED. >> YEAH. ThChair: MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> YEAH, AND THAT’S WHAT I HEARD, THAT IT WAS — JUST BECAUSE WE PASSED LEGISLATION, AND WE HERE FROM THE TAX OFFICER THAT WE DON’T HAVE THE ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE PROVINCE TO ENFORCE A
LOT OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN HERE. HAS THE MINISTER JUST SAID WE’RE NOT GIVING THIS BILL ENOUGH TIME TO SEE IF IT’S WORKING? I SAY THAT WE DON’T — WHAT I’M HEARING IS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RENO-VICTED WILL NOT COME FORWARD WITH WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT. DO YOU GET THE SAME IMPRESSION, THAT’S HOW IT’S BEEN WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE RENO VICTED OR LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES IN PEI? >> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT. >> WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE SAYING, HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANYBODY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO? HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PUT OUT FOR
VARIOUS REASONS OR WHATEVER, IS THERE ANY EXAMPLES OF THAT HAPPENING? >> ABSOLUTELY. AND WHEN THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY’RE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROTECTIONS THAT THE R TESTIMONY A OFFER. THEY’RE JUST SIMPLY SAYIN WHERE AM I GOING TO GO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN’T STOP ALL RENOVATIONS OF COURSE. RIGHT? BECAUSE IT DOES KIND OF STOP THE ONES THAT IT CAN. IT’S NOT A GOOD EXPLANATION. BUT THIS NOT GOING TO STOP ALL RENOVATIONS, BUT IT IS A STEP TOWARDS HELPING PEOPLE IN THAT CASE. BUT, YEAH, LIKE I SAID, THEY’RE NOT ARGUING THE MERITS
— THEIR NOT MENTIONING RTA AT ALL. THEY’RE JUST PLEADING WITH WHERE DO WE GO, WHERE DO WE GO, WHAT DO WE DO? SO THAS — WE DON’T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT LEGISLATION. IT’S DESPERATION. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> SO — AND TALKING TO THE GROUP AND OTHERS, WHEN YOU’RE USING — YOU SHOULD NEVER — AND LANDLORDS, THEY DON’T — THIS IS THE LAST STEP, IS TO COME IN WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO LEAVE THE UNIT TO RENOVATE. A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE DONE AND THE PERSON DOES NOT HAVE TO LEAVE. SO IT SHOULDN’T BE
USED, AND I THINK WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE, IT WAS BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE TO MAKE CHANGES AND WHAT NOT IN A UNIT. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, THAT BEFORE — THE LANDLORDS USED THIS, THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THE RENOVATIONS WITHOUT REMOVING THE TENANT? >> YEAH. AND I HAVE HEARD OF — THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE HAVING TO LEAVE WHEN THE RENOVATIONS WEREN’T NECESSARILY WORTH HAVING TO MOVE OUT FOR. SO THIS IS JUST AN ADD LAYER OF PROTECTION. >> The Chair: MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> WHEN I TALKED
TO THE GROUP, THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY AREA, BROWNS COURT AND DIFFERENT PLACES, THAT ARE MARGINALIZED, AND THEY — THEY’RE LIVING HERE, AND THEY’RE LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS. SO THEY’RE SCARED, AND THAT’S WHAT I’M HEARING ABOUT, IS THEY’RE PETRIFIED. YOU ARE HEARING THE SAME THING, THAT REPO VICTIONS AFFECT DISPROPORTIONATELY MARGINALIZED PEOPLE? >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT’S WHERE WE SEE THE ACT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OFTEN STANDING UP FOR MORE MARGINALIZED GROUPS, BECAUSE THEY’RE THE ONES THAT TEND TO BE, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING, STATISTICALLY, MORE PRECARIOUSLY EMPLOYED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A NEWCOMER TO THE PROVINCE. AND IF THERE’S
A LANGUAGE BARRIER THERE TOO, IF THERE’S A BARRIER TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF OR EVEN TO TRY TO MAKE OTHER PROVISIONS FOR YOURSELF, TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO LIVE, THAT LANGUAGE BARRIER, SO ABSOLUTELY I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. >> The Chair: MEMBER FROM CHARLOTTETOWN WEST ROYALTY. >> AND I’M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, AND I WAS LOOKING AT IT TOO, AND NOT BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW IF THETA IORKING OR NOT WORKING, THE MINISTER MENTIONED BAD FAITH, GOOD FAITH, IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS WE’RE HEARING THIS IS STILL A PROBLEM
IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. THIS IS NOT PUTTING ANYTHING OUT. >> IT’S JUST ADDING PROTECTIONS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE SCARED BECAUSE WE SCREWED UP THE RENTAL NUMBERS IN OUR PROVINCE. AND THERE’S NO PLACE TO LIVE. SO I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, MEMBER, BAUSE I AM JUST AS WORRIED, AND I SEE PEOPLE LIVING IN CONDITIONS, AND THEY DO NOT NEED THIS TO WORRY ABOUT TOO. SO I WILL SUPPORT YOUR GREAT AMENENT HERE TO PUT THIS IN PLACE UNTIL WE CAN SEE THAT THE RTA WORKS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THIS AMENDMENT, AND I SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IT IS
ABOUT PEOPLE, AND IT IS ABOUT PPLE WITHOUT A VOICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> The Chair: MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES. >> YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I’VE HEARD IT’S STATED HERE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. AND IT’S BEEN THREE WEEKS SINCE THE BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED. YOU WOULD THINK IF THERE WAS A PENTUP DEMAND FOR LARGE RENOVATIONS THAT REQUIRE PEOPLE TO BE EVICTED FOM THEIR APARTMENTS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT PEOPLE WOULD COME FORWARD. AND THEY HAVE NOT. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES. THERE IS NO DEMAND MORE THIS AT
THE MOMENT. AND I WOULD CONTEND THAT WITH THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE IN HERE, THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG SO FAR TO THE PROTECTION OF THE TENANTS THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR ANY LANDLORD TO PROPOSE A RENOVATION SO SIGNIFICANT THAT THE TENANT WOULD NEED TO BE EVICTED. BUT IT BEARS POINTING OUT THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS DCRETION TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE UNIT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE VACATED TO DO THE RENOVATIONS. NOW, IT ONLY MAKES ANSWER, GIVEN THAT THE — THAT THE LANDLORDS CAN ONLY INCREASE THEIR RENT BY A MAXIMUM OF 6% A
YEAR, IF THEY WERE TO GET THREE ALLOWABLE AND THREE — GREATER THAN ALLOWABLE, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO WAIT UNTIL THE UNIT IS VACANT. I THINK THAT THE PROVISIONS ARE SO RIGOROUS IN HERE THAT THERE WILL BE — IT CANNOT BE ABUSED, AND I’VE HEARD THIS DESCRIBED AS STILL BEING A PROBLEM, BUT I DON’T SEE IT. SO CAN YOU ELABORATE ON HOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE’S FEARS OF BEING RENO VICTED IS ONE THINKING, BUT IT’S LEGALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO HAPPEN NO YOU. AND THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT INTERIM PERIOD OR THE MORATORIUM TORQUE BRING INHESE
PROVISIONS. I THINK THEY’RE STRONG ENOUGH. BUT I’M STILL WAITING TO HEAR SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. >> WELL, I GUESS I — I’VE KIND OF SAID ALL THAT THERE IS TO SAY ON THIS. I GUESS ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS OFTEN, PEOPLE — PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS REACH OUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS. RIGHT? SO WE WERE SAYING — >> BUT WHO — WHO WOULD REACH OUT TO WHO? >> WELL, YOU WERE JUST SAYING WHO DID YOU SAY NO AND REACHED OUT TO, THE DIRECTOR OR TO YOUR DEPARTMENT? >>A. >> OKAY. >> NO ONE HAS ASKED
TO RENO VICT ANYBODY. >> I GUESS TO THAT, I SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE — THIS WAS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE, AND WE’VE HEARD FROM ALL OF THE ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT THIS REALLY WAS IMPORTANT. AND SO IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW — AND JUST ON MY DRIVE TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE AMOUNT OF HOMELESSNESS I SEE ON A DAILY BASIS IS GROWING, AND I’M NOT SAYING IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF THIS. CERTAINLY THERE’S LOTS OF REASONS FOR IT. BUT ANY SINGLE
MEASURE THAT WE CAN TAKE IN HERE TO PROTECT PEOPLE’S HOMES, I’M WILLING TO DO. AND THIS IS ONE THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH TENANTS EVERY SINGLE DAY, THIS IS WHAT THEY TELL US MATTERS RIGHT NOW. AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THEM. >> The Chair: SMALL THE BILL CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> The Chair: ALL FOR, SAY YEA. >> YEA. >> The Chair: ALL AGAINST, SAY NAY. >> NAY. >> The Chair: I’M GOING TO ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS. ALL FOR, SAY YEA. RAISE YOUR HAN >> I’LL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU CHAIR. >> The Chair:
YOU CAN DO THAT, MEMBER, BUT I’LL LET THE SPEAKER LOOK AFTER THAT ONE. ALL THOSE AGAINST, RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE BILL HAS BEEN — IS NOT RECOMMENDED. >> Mr. CHAIR, I MOVE THE SPEAKER TAKE THE CHAIR AND THAT THE SPEAKER MOVE THE BILL NOT RECOMMENDED. >> The Chair: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> The Chair: MAD SPEAKER, AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE HAVING UNDER CONSIDERATION THE BILL, AN ACT TO AMEND THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCY ACT, I MAKE LEAVE TO REPORT THAT COMMITTEE HAS GONE THROUGH THE SAIDILL AND DOES NOT
RECOMMEND SAYING TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. I MOVE THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SO CARRIED. RECORDED DIVISION HAS BEEN REQUESTED. SERGEANT — DEPUTY SERGEANT, YOU MAY RING THE BL. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: MEMBERS, A UP THOSE VOTING AGAINST REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE STAND. >> THE HONOURABLE LEAD OF OR OF THIS THIRD PARTY, THE HONOURABLE LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM O’LEARY INVERNESS. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: ALL THOSE VOTING IN FAVOUR OF THE REPORT, PLEASE STAND. >> THE HONOURABLE
MINISTER OF FINANCE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF CULTURE, JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND CLIMATE ACTION, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FOR CHARLOTTETOWN WINSLOW, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER OF FISHERIES, TOURISM, SPORT AND CULTURE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF WORKFORCE, ADVANCED LEARNING POPULATION, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SENIORS, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING, LAND AND COMMUNITIES, THE HOURABLE MINISTEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND TRADE. THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FROM UPPERSIDE WILLMONT, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FROM RUSTICO EMERALD, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FROM SURREY, ELMIRA, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FROM TYNE VALLEY, SHERBROOKE, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER
FROM BELVEDERE. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MINISTER HONOURABLE MEMBERS, THE REPORT FROM COMMITTEE HAS PASSED. >> The Chair: I CALL, SECONDED BY LEADER OF THE THIRD PARTY, MOTION 7EN. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? >> CARRIED. >> QUESTION ON NUMBER 77, THE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT MOVED SECONDED BY THE LEAD OR EVER THIRD PARTY THE FOLLOWING MOTION, WHERE’S THE CONSIDERATION TRAIL IS WIDELY CONSIDERED TO BE A PROVINCIAL TREASURE, THE UNIQUE EXPANDS ALL THE ENTIRE PROVINCE, WHEREAS THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL IS ACTIVE FOR TRANSPORTATION IN OUR PROVINCE TO WHICH MANY OTHER ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS
CONNECT, AND WHEREAS THERE ARE MULTIPLE BENEFITS INCLUDING HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE A FORHE TRANSRTATION ACROSS OUR ENTIRE PROVINCE. AND WHEREAS THE AREA OF SPECIALTIAL TOURISM IS GROWING RAPIDLY AND WHEREAS PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND IS ALREADY BEING RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD AS AN IDEAL PLACE TO ENJOY SUCH EXTERIOR VACATIONS ENJOYING THE PEACE AND TRANQUILLY OF THE TRAIL, AND WHEREAS TOURISM PEI SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZED THE ATTRIBUTES OF DEVELOPING TOURISM RELATED TO ACTIVE PARTICIPATION SAYING IN THEIR STRATEGY, WHLIST YOU CAN WALKINGND BIKING TRAIL STRATEGY WITH THE OUTCOME OF INCREASED NUMBER OF VISITORS THROUGH WHERE THE MAIN
ACTIVITY IS EXPERIENCED IN WALKING AND/OR BIKING TRAILS, WITH THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM NORMAL TRAVELERS WITH SIGNIFICANT 30 PLUS NIGHT STAY, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THIS LEGISLATURE EXPRESS ITS SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL IN ITS CURRENT FORM AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THIS LEGISLATURE URGE GOVERNMENT NOT TO GRANT ACCESS TO ANY PART OF THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL TO ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES OTHER THAN THAT ALREDY DESIGNATED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM NEW HAVEN ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM SPEAKER, IT’S A PLEASURE RISE THIS AFTERNOON
AND SPEAK TO THIS MOTION. WE’VE COVERED QUITE A LOT OF TOPICS IN THAT LEGISLATURE AND I’M QUITE SURE THAT I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SITS IN THIS HOUSE WHO HAS OPINION CONTACTED ON A REGULAR BASIS BY FOLKS WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL AND THE USE OF A THE TVS ON IT. IT’S A VERY HOT TOPIC IN OUR PROVINCE, AND I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO DEBATE THIS, MADAM SPEAKER, SO I’M GOG TOPEND THE TIME I HAVE TO READ A PRESS REHEAT BROUGHT OUT YESTERDAY BY ISLAND TRAILS, AND TITLE OF
THEIR PRESS RELEASE IS ISLAND TRAILS IS SEEKING CONFIRMATION THAT THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL WILL REMAIN A GREENWAY. AND IT OUTLINE THE HISTORY OF THE TRAIL I’M GOING TO READ THROUGH FIRST PART OF THE PRESS RELEASE IN THE TIME THAT I HAVE. IN 1989, CNR, CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY, ANNOUNCED IT WAS ABANDONING THE RAILWAY LINE IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. THREE ISLANDERS, DON DEACON, GORDON, AND GORDON McQUEEN AND IAN SCOTT, COLLABORATED TO FORM A NEW ORGANIZATION T BLD THE WALKING AND CYCLING TRAIL ON THE OLD RAIL BED. THIS ORGANIZATION BECAME KNOWN AS THE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND TRAILS AND ISLAND
TRAILS. ISLAND TRAILS IS PROUD OF WHAT IT HAS ACHIEVED SINCE THEN. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CANADA — WITH TRANSCANADA TRAIL AND THE GOVERNMENT OF PEI, A NEW WORLD CLASS ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ROUTE WAS CREATED. , THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL. SEVERAL ISLAND TRAILS MEMBERS PLAY KEY ROLES — PLAYED KEY ROLES IN THE TRAIL BUILDING PROCESS THAT WORKED FIRST WITH THE PEI GOVERNMENT SORTING OUT LAND ACQUISITIS AND REBUILDING THE TRAIL BED TO ACCOMMODATE WALKERS AND CYCLIST. HE ALSO RESEARCHED AND DESIGNED 150 TRAIL INTERPRETATION SIGNS ALLOCATED ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE TRAIL. WHEN DOUG RETIRED, HE CONTINUED TO WORK AS
A VOLUNTEER WITH ISLAND TRAILS. LEO GILL FOLLOWED IN DOUG’S FOOTSTEPS AND HE ALSO MOVED TO THE ISLAND TRAILS BOARD WHEN HE RETIRED. THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL AND ISLAND TRAILS BOTH TURNED 30 IN 2024. MY SON’S BIRTHDAY. 30 YEARS OLD AND ISLAND TRAILS, THE SAME AGE. INIALL THE CFEDERAON TRAIL EXTENDED FROM TIG NICHE TO ELMIRA, A DISTANCE OF 273 KILOMETRES, BUT IN YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, THE GOVERNMENT OF PEI SUPPORTED BY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM TRANSCANADA TRAIL ADDED A SPUR LINE FROM CARDIGAN TO GEORGETOWN, ANOTHER SPUR LINE FROM HARMONY JUNCTION TO SURREY AND YET ANOTHER SPUR LINE FROM EMERALD
JUNCTION TO BORDEN. IN 2024, THANKS TO $1 MILLION DONATED FROM THE GARFIELD WESTERN FOUNDATION AND AN ADDITIONAL 4 00,000 CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TRANSCANADA TRAIL, A NEW TRAIL SECTION FROM IONNA TO CHARLOTTETOWN WAS COMPLETED. SUBSEQUENTLY, A SQUARE FROM LAKE VERDICT TO SQUID RIVER WAS COMPLETED GIVING THE CONFEDERATION TRAIL A LOT TOTAL ELECTION OF 240 KILOMETRES, THE WHOLE TRAIL WITH ALL THE SPURS 450. THE CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TRANSCANADA TRAIL EXCEEDED $3 MILLION OVER THIS TIME PERIOD, A MASVE GIFT. THE 1 MILLION GIFT FROM THE GARFIELD WESTERN FOUNDATION IN 2004, HOWEVER, CAME WITH SOME STRINGS ATTACHED. THE WESTIN
FAMILY WANT ASSURANCES THAT T TRA WLD REMAIN A GREENWAY INTO PERPETUITY. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE. >> MADAME SPEAKER, SECOND BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE THE HOUSE DO NOT RESOLVE ITSELF — TO THE INDEPENDENCE- CONSIDERATION THIS BILL. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? HONOURABLE DEPUTY COMMISSION — MISSIONER, PLEASE — >> TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE ENACTMENT END — AMEND — AMANDA PLANNING AT MCMASTER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THE STATEMENT TO THE FLOOR? >> YES, PLEASE. >> SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. WELCOME. WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TITLE,
PLEASE. >> AND MEGAN WILLIAMS, MANAGER OF — PLANNING LAND DIVISION. >> THANK YOU. MINISTRY OR ANY OPENING COMMENTS? >> NO I DON’T. WE CAN GET RIGHT INTO IT. >> HONOURABLE MEMBERS — OR CAUSED BY CLOGGED? >> INAUDIBLE >> >> >> I’M JUST WONDERING YOU CAN TELL US WHAT INITIATED THIS BILL AND WHAT THE EXPECTED IMPLICATIONS — WHAT IMPLICATIONS THESE CHANGES WILL HAVE? >>O W RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM SEVERAL MINUTES ABOUT THESE AND DEVELOPERS — AND SO IN ORDER TO ADJUST AN AMENDMENT THIS IS THE ADDRESS — THIS IS ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS WE ARE BRINGING
FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I’M WONDERING IF YOU COULD CONSULT WITH PLANNERS ON BEI AND IF SO WEATHER FEEDBACK WAS, SOME OF THE GENERAL COMMENTS? >> SO WE HAVE PLANNERS ON STAFF THAT WORK TOGETHER WILL LAWYERS TO PUT THIS AMENDMENT TOGETHER. WE ALSO SENT A CONSULTATION DRAFT OVER TWO MINUTES POLITY SO THEY HELPED — WE SENT IT TO THE FEDERATION OF PEI MINUTES ABILITIES, SPOKEN WITH IRA SEE — D SOHE CANGES REALLY ONLY APPEARED TO ADDRESS A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF APPEALS. AND SO I’M WONDERING HOW THIS — HOW YOU SEE THIS CHANGING TIMEFRAME FOR
APPEAL? >> IT IS GOING TO PROVIDE CLARITY FOR THE PIL WHEN THEY COME IN THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS. — AND SEE WE’RE GOING TO TO CONSIDER YOUR APPEALS WITHOUT WILL BE THE PROCESS. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY? >> THANK YOU, CHAIR,. FORGIVE ME IF YOU SAY THIS OR IF THERE’S AN OBVIOUS THING BUT HOW DOES THAT CHANGE FROM THE WAY WE DO THIS NOW. >> I DON’T KNOW WHERE — RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU IF THAT IS OKAY. >> The
Chair: — HE CURRENTLY SAYS ANYONE WHO IS DISSATISFIED — SO IT IS BASICALLY THERE IS NO DEFINITION OF WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT A NOTICE OF APPEAL. IN THIS, WHILE IT DOES NARROWING THE DEFINITION SOMEWHAT, IT’S ALL FAIRLY BROAD AND SOME OF THE GROUPS I CAN ALSO BE DEFINED. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY? >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SERVICE OF THAT POINT, MINISTER, IS THAT BEFORE THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION WOULD — WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH PROCESS, WITHOUT ME THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE HEARD? LIKE EVERY APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED WOULD HAVE A PROCESS TO
IT? IS THAT… >> I THINK YOU ARE CORRECT, YEAH,. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY? >> THANK YOU. I FEEL LIKE THE QUESTION HAS ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED. THAT — >> I THINK THEY SET THEIR OWN SCHEDULE YES, AND WE ARE NOT INTENDING TO — WITH THIS BILL ARE NOT INTENDING TO DEFINE ANY TIMELINES FOR THEM >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY ONE MORE THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO? >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I’M WONDERING, IN THIS LEGISLATION, ARE YOU TRYING TO ADDRESS OUTLIERS FROM HOLDING HOUSE DEVELOPMENTS UP OR MAKE LIKE IS THIS
GOING TO HELP WITH ANYTHING THAT MIGHT GET IN THE WAY OF — GETTING DEVELOP AND GOING, IS THIS GOING TO KIND OF HELP THAT PROCESS? >> THAT IS THE INTENT HERE, YES. >> The Chair: MEMBER FROM TOWN WEST ROYALTIES. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO YOU SAID THAT YOU SEND THIS TO IRAC. COULD YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK WAS? >> GENERALLY POSITIVE. AND, YEAH,, I WOULD SAY THEY ARE IN FAVOUR OF IT. I THINK THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THEY SEE SOME — FROM PEOPLE WHO — CERTAINLY WOULDN’T BE DESCRIBED AS GRIEVED — YOU WILL
PROBABLY RECOGNIZE THAT IT DOES HOLD A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT — HOLD UP A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND IN THE CASE OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE DELAYED FOR YEARS SOMETIMES IT CERTAINLY ADDS TO THE COST OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS ULTIMATELY , ULTIMATELY PASSED ON TO TENANTS, PROBABLY. AND, YEAH, SO GENERALLY WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION IN THERE IN SUPPORT OF ITS IN — OF THE AMENDMENT. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> COULD YOU TABLE THEIR FEEDBACK? >> IF THEY HAD THAT IN WRITTEN FORM, YES. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> YOU HAVE IT
CURRENTLY IN WRITTEN FORM? >> I DON’T KNOW. YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR THAT BUT IF IT’S SOMETHING WE HAVE WE CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE. >> The Chair: >> SPEAKER-09: — CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> SO WE DON’T KNOW IF WE HAVE IT HIM HIM WERE VOLUME AND OTHER THINGS, THIS IS SOMETHING I DISCUSSED WITH THEM PERSONALLY BUT IT’S PART OF CONSULTATION ON THIS AMENDMENT, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS ON PAPER. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> I TALK TO THEM TOO ABOUT — I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE —
I WANT TO SOLVE THE ISSUE TOO OF FRIVOLOUS — AND I MEAN, WE ARE IN — WE ARE IN THAT TOGETHER. WE NEED CONSTRUCTION. BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW IS THAT — WAS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH IRAC ABOUT — IRAC ABOUT AND THEN IRAC CAME BACK AND SAID THIS WILL HELP OR RELIGIOUS CONGREGATION AND PASSING? THE TIME TO FIGURE OUT IF WE CAN MAKE THIS STRONGER, BETTER, IF THIS IS DOING OR — WHAT IT’S INTENDED TO DO? >> AS THE MINISTER SAID, THE RESPONSE WE RECEIVED WAS FAVOURABLE. HAVEN’T REVIEWED TO
THE CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM EDBACK THAT WE H SCENE FROM IRAC WAS POSITIVE. TO CONNECT THROUGH THE CONSULTATION RECORDS TO SEE IF WE DID GET SOMETHING IN RIDING FROM THEM AND THEN WE CAN CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> WHAT OTHER RECORDS DID YOU RECEIVE FROM FEEDBACK? CAN YOU TABLE ALL THE RECORDS OF FEEDBACK FOR THIS BILL — ARE THIS AMENDMENT. >> I THINK WE RECEIVED ABOUT 30 RESPONSES. THEY SHOULD ALL BE WRITTEN AND WE CAN TAKE A LOOK. >> The Cir: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY ONE MORNING I CAN SWITCH YOU BACK
ON. >> WE JUST DON’T KNOW IF IRAC — THAT’S A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT BECAUSE THROUGH THEM — LANCASTER’S MOVING OFF OF THAT FOR A SECOND, WHAT WAS — I RECEIVED A THING THE SAME THE MINISTRY RECEIVED ABOUT THE MUNICIPALITIES COMING TOGETHER POTENTIALLY. HOW WILL THIS — WILL THIS AFFECT MINUTES POLITY BYLAWS IN ANY WAY OR ANYTHING? WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW? >> KNOW. IT ONLY AFFECTS THE APPEALS PROCESS FOR IRAC. >> The Chair: SUMMERSIDE – WILMOT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR, THE CONVERSATION BEFORE THAT I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS, AND DID
— I’M — I HAVE A LARGE BUILDER IN MY AREA AS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND I’M QUITE SURE THERE WATCHING ON MY — ONLINE RHT N. AND SO GOING FORWARD, IF SOMEONE HAD A PROJECT THAT WAS — AND APPEAL CAN BE PUT IN BY SOMEONE THAT IS NOT — >> THAT’S RIGHT. THAT’S THE PURPOSE OF THIS. IN THEORY RIGHT NOW IF I’M UNHAPPY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY OF SUMMERSIDE I CAN — HAS APPROVED I CAN SUBMIT A NOTICE OF APPEAL TO IRAC AND GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS SO THIS AMENENTUTS THE ONUS ON
THE OPULENCE TO JUSTIFY THAT WE ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. >> The Chair: SUMMERSIDE – WILMOT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THAT, I WAS A PERFECT EXAMINATION, THAT WILL SATISFY A LOT OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY? >> SO I AM WONDERING WHEN THE CONSULTATION WAS DONE ON THIS BILL, WAS IT DONE ON DOES THIS AMENDMENT OR WHERE THERE’S — WEATHER A WIDER CONSULTATION DONE ON IT? >> IT WAS JUST THE AMENDMENT. >> OKAY. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> SO THERE WAS A QUICK
TURNAROUND, YOU SAID NOVEMBER 7th IT WENT OUT? >> I THINK IT WAS THAT WE CONSULTATION PERIOD, TWO OR THREE WEEKS. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. HE FEEL THAT WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR ISLANDERS TO CONTRIBUTE? >> ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE DID RECEIVE QUITE A BIT OF — WE FELT THAT THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH THE MUNICIPA — MUNICIAL POLITY — THE FEDERATION OF PEI MISS POLITY IS THAT IT ENCOURAGES TO GET THIS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SEEING THAT, I DO HAVE THE NUMBERS FOR THE NUMBER OF IMPRESSIONS SO THE
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN GIVING THE INFO PEI CHANNELS, X, FACEBOOK AND LINKEDIN, WE HAD 92,561st IMPRESSIONS, SO THAT A LITTLE NUMBERS — THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OUR CONTENT BEING DISPLAYED. FOR TARGETS FOR — TOTAL NUMBER OF UNIQUE PEOPLE WITH SOLAR CONTENT. AND 739 ENGAGEMENTS. SO LIKES, REACTIONS, COMMENTS, SHARES ET CETERA. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS NORMALLY ADDRESSED BY GOVERNMENT? I’VE NEVER HEARD OF BOTH NUMBER IS BEING USED BEFORE. >> B1 IS THAT SO. IT’S NICE AFTER YOU HAVE A NUMBER, THANK YOU. >> I DO HAVE
ONE QUICK COMMENT AND WHETHER IN GENERAL FROM WHAT I’M HEARING FROM PLANNERS IS THAT THERE IS NO REAL CONRNS WITH THIS, THAT IT’S PRETTY — THEY JUST HOPE THAT IT HAS THE — THEY’RE NOT SURE SURE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS, THEY ARE HOPEFUL. SAWHORSE WITH THAT — >> WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE. >> ALWAYS. YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR, I’M GOOD. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> THANK YOU. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PERMITS HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY THE PROVISIONS IN THE CURRENT LAW? >> WOULD WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS ON THAT? LIKE,… GOING BACK —
>> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> LAST YEAR AND IF YOU HAVE THE NUMBER TWO YEARS BEFORE — >> I THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY WE DON’T HAVE THAT. WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK IRAC FOR NUMBER OF APPEALS THEY RECEIVED ON BUILDING PERMITS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN THINK OF ONE EXAMPLE LET’S SAY A LARGE — WITH THE UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING THE PROPOSED OVER HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND THE DEVELOPERS ARE BACK WITH A NEW PLAN WITH MUCH MORE’S DENSITY BECAUSE IT ONLY MAKES SENSE NOW AFTER ALL THIS TIME TO DO THE PROJECT
WITH MORE DENSITY AND THE COSTS HAVE ESCALATED SO MUCH BETWEEN THE TIME A PROPOSAL ON DEVELOPMENT TO A DECISION FROM IRAC FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT, WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IT’S AN ENTIRELY FINANCIAL SCENARIO NOW. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> YEAH, MEAN I KNOW THAT SOME BIG BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, BUT WHEN WE DON’T HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE — THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY SIMPLE — TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THIS LEGISLATURE WITH, TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE, ME PROJECTS HAVE BEEN
— AND IT’S A GOOD NUMBER THAT I THINK ISLANDERS SHOULD KNOW TOO AND ITS — YOU HAVE A RANGE OF HOW MANY YOU DEALT WITH LUST WE’RE — LAST YEAR WITH YOU BEFORE? >> I DON’T KNOW. I CAN ONL GOY MY OWN OCCURRENCE IS ANY COUNSEL, THE CITY OF CHARLOTTETOWN — AND IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE ORDER OF 446 PER YEAR. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. SURE WHAT DOES IT “IN GOOD FAITH MEAN?” BECAUSE WHEN YOU TO — YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT FOR OTHER PROJECTS AND WHO DETERMINES WHETHER AN APPEAL
IS MADE IN GOOD FAITH OR NOT? >> THAT WOULD BE IRAC. >> The Chair: CHARLOETOW – WEST ROYALTY. >> AND MINISTER WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN YOUR EYES, WHAT IN GOOD FAITH MEANS? >> THAT THE STATE AGREES — FOR THE APPEAL ARE IN FACT THE REAL REASONS FOR THE APPEAL, RATHER THAN USING IT FOR THE APPEAL PROCESS FOR OTHER PURPOSES. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> BUT ISN’T THAT WHY WE HAVE IRAC? >> TO ADJUDICATE WHETHER IT’S IN GOOD FAITH? >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROLTY. >> THEY’RE THE ONES MAKING THE DECISIONS,
ARE THEY NOT? >> I THINK THEY ARE EMPOWERED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> THE REASON WHY I ASK IS WHY NOT INCLUDE A PROVISION THAT IRAC MADE AN APPEAL IF IT IS DETERMINED TO BE FRIVOLOUS OR SPACIOUS? >> THEY CAN DISMISS APPEALS. THE OFTEN DO. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> BUT WHY NOT TAKE THAT FURTHER — THEY ARE MAKING THE DECISION, WHY NOT LOOK AT THAT, AND WA THAT SOMETHING YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU CONSULTED? >> I THINK THAT IS WHAT THIS GIVES THEM THE ABILITY
TO DO IS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE APPELLANT IS AN AGGRIEVED PERSON AND IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY ARE NOT THE END UP YOU CAN BE DISMISSED. IN ONE OF THOSE IS, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL WHO’S PERSONALLY AFFECTED, I THINK THE CLAUSE YOU’RE LOOKING AT IS 27.1 THE WORKS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IN GOOD FAITH BELIEVES THIS IS GOING TO AFCT THE REASONABLE ENJOYMENT OF THE INDIVIDUALS PROPERTY, SO THAT’S THE INDIVIDUAL LAW. THAT THE TERMINATION THAT IRAC WOULD MAKE ON EACH CASE. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> AND AGAIN
I ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE HERE SO THAT IT IS ACTUALLY WORKING. WANT TO SEA BUILDING PRODUCTS CO., WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY STAFF. WOULD YOU OPEN DO IN THE FUTURE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE BIG — WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO LOOKING AT — IF THIS DOESN’T HAVE THE INTENDED CONSEQUENCES, WOULD YOU BE LOOKING AT FURTHER GOING AHEAD MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THERE, LEAH VALDEZ BUILDING PERMITS ARE BEING — ARE BEING LOOKED AT?
>> ONE HUNDRED%. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> BECAUSE THERE ARE WAYS THAT — IF SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER PLACE AS A FRIEND AND ANOTHER PLACE AND SAYS, HEY, PUT THIS BILL IS MY DEAL THROUGH — YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? UNDERSTANDING FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DO THAT — IT’S GOOD THAT THE MINISTER IS LOOKING INTO THIS AND I THINK I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT. >> The Chair: SHALL THE BILL CARRY? CARRIED. THANK YOU. WHOM >> The Chair: I MOVED THE TITLE, AN ACT TO AMEND THE PLANNG A NUER 2 CHIAT CARRY?
CARRIED — SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. MR CHAIR AND MOVE THAT — THAT THE CHAIR REPORT THE APPEAL — BILL AGREED WITHOUT AMENDMENT YOU ENJOY IT CARRY? CARRIED. >> The Chair: BUT I’M A SPEAKER THAT CHAIR AND — AN ACT TO AMEND THE PLANNING ACT NUMBER 2 I — COMMITTEE HAS — AGREED TO THE SAME WITHOUT AMENDMENT. I MOVED THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? — >> MADAME SPEAKER, I MOVE TO 19 BY THE MINISTER OF FINANCE THAT THE FIRST ORDER OF THE DAY WE NOW READ. >>
Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. >> >> Hon. Darlene Compton: HONOURABLE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE. >> MADAME SPEAKER, I MOVE IN 19 BY THE SECOND — MATTER OF FINANCE THAT THE HOUSE DO NOW RESOLVE ITSELF AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A GRANT OF CAPITOL SUPPLY — TO HIS MAJESTY. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. THE PD SPEAKER COMPANIES CHAIRED THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. ‘S >> THE HOUSE IS NOW — CONSIDER THE GRANT OF CAPITOL SUPPLY HIS MAJESTY. MINISTER WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OF BRINGING
IT TO THE FLOOR? SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. >> WELCOME PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TITLE. >> JORDAN MCNALLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FISCAL MANAGEMENT >> The Chair: WELCOME. MINISTER DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO TABLE? >> I FEEL LIKE MY OPENING COMMENTS WERE PROBABLY DONE YESTERDAY. >> The Chair: I SUSPECT IT . >> I WON’TASTE EVERYONE’S TIME BUT I DO HAVE AN INTRODUCTION — TO MAKE. >> The Chair: ALL RIGHT. THE CLASS WILL DO — GIVE COPIES TO EVERYBODY. WE WERE — WERE GOING TO START ON PAGE 5, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE —
EXPENDITURE AGRICULTURE. EQUIPMENT AND OTHER CAPITOL ASSETS ARE PREPARATIONS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SYSTEM MODERNIZATION, WOMEN PURPOSES, EQUIPMENT 50,000, ID SYSTEM MODERNIZATION COMMITTEE TUSAND 0, TOTAL EQUIPMENT AND OTHER CAPITOL ASSETS 128,100. IRRE-INVERNESS. >> YES, MINISTER. ‘S ON CAPITOL ASSETS, 128,000, NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT BY ANY MEANS BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME SENSE OF THAT EQUIPMENT — MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE AGRICULTURE INSURANCE CORPORATION HAD A REQUEST IN FOR SOME SUPPORTS FOR VEHICLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BECSE THEY ARE OUT TRAVELLING — AND WE ARE HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE ADDING PRICES ON PROGRAM IN TO
THE AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE CORPORATION. SAW MY GOING WITH A SUCTION THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PAY MARRIAGE TO THE INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS OR THERE’S NO MONEY FOR IT — VEHICLES? >> YES SO AGRICULTURAL — INSURANCE CORPORATION IS OUR CROWN CORPORATION >> SO THEY DON’T FOLLOW THEIR CAPITAL BUDGET IN ANY. >> NO CURRENTLY THEY DO NOT. APOPRIATE BIL IS JUST FOR DEPARTMENTS. AND CERTAIN CROWN CORPORATION TRI-COUNTY CORPORATION OR INNOVATION PEI IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. I THINK THERE IS SOME ARE WORKING THERE TO BE DONE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE POLICY IS ON VEHICLES VERSUS MILEAGE. >> I THINK
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON. I KNOW I HAD A CHAT WITH MY DEPUTY MINISTER BECAUSE I WAS SEEING TT THERE WERE A FEW INCLUDING THE CAPITOL BUDGET — SO THERE I SOMETHING THEY’RE LOOKING AT. BUT, OF COURSE, THE LAW — THEY’RE — THEY’RE STILL GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, — THEY’RE STILL CERTAINLY OVERSIGHT BY GOVERNMENT. BUT — >> The Chair: O’LEARY – INVERNESS. >> SO WHAT INVENTORY PEI BE ANOTHER ONE — >> THEY ARE >> ARE YOU CONFUSED ME. SURE THEY DO BUT THERE RICULTURAL INSURANCE CORPORATION OR GRAIN ELEVATOR DOES NOT? >> GOVERNMENT
ACTUALLY OWNS A PORTION — SO THAT’S WHY THE APPROPRIATION GOES TO THE DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN TOWARDS PORTION. >> The Chair: O’LEARY – INVERNESS. >> SO WITHIN THE AGRICULTURE ELEVATOR AND THE — >> EL STOP HERE BECAUSE I THINK THIS COULD PROBABLY GO ON FOR A WHILE AND WATCH BEFORE US IS THE X. MANAGER FOR AGRICULTURE, RIGHT, THAT’S WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW. I THINK YOU HAVE VALID POINTS, I’M NOT — AND I THINK THAT IS A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW BEFORE US IS — UNLESS I AM WRONG ON THIS
IS WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW, IS THAT RIGHT? >> THAT’S RIGHT. >> The Chair: END. >> I CERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO BE DIFFICULT ABOUT BIG — BUT I’M STILL SAYING THE PROVINCE OWNS CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS, CORPORATIONS AND IT FALLS UNDER — I’M ASKING THE QUESTION LET’S — >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> SENS — IS THE FIRST ONE IN THE BOOK AND IT’S NOT A BIG SPANISH WORKOUT WE’RE LOOKING AT — 200 MILLION-DOLLAR THINGS — SWEETENED HAVE ENERGY AND TIME TO FOCUS ON THE FIRST THINGS. BUT THERE ARE SO IMPORTANT THING THAT
— I SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET HERE THERE IS MONEY SET ASIDE TO BUY SOME TPE. WONDERING HOW MANY YOU PLAN TO APPLY — — ACQUIRE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. >> THE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR IS FOR TWO ULTIMATE — ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> HOW MUCH DOES AN ATV RUN THESE DAYS? >> I’M NOT SURE THE COST BREAKDOWN BETWEEN THE TWO ATVS. BUT THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR 20 — 2024. The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO THE 50,000 IN A RECURRING
THING — BUT WE HAVE SOME EXTRA EXPENDITURES TS TIME SO — CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THAT AND WHAT IT IS GOING TO ACCOMPLISH? >> SO AGRICULTURE HAD A BUNCH OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY RUN. AND E. CRM BASICALLY ALLOWS FOR ONE CENTRAL REPOSITORY OR CLIENT INFORMATION ACROSS VARIOUS PROGRAMS. SO IT IS A WAY THAT THEY CAN TRACK THE CLIENT INFORMATION A LITTLE B LATER CENTRALLY. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> THA YOU JDAN. SO COMPARED TO THE LAST OF THE BUDGET, THIS DEPARTMENT WAS AGRICULTURE AND LAND AND NOW IS AGRICULTURE.
I’M WONDERING WHEN THE LOSS OF POSSIBILITY WHETHER WE WILL — THE FUNDING THAT HAS SEEMED TO GO ON — WAS THERE NO FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAND PORTION OF THE DEPARTMENT PREVIOUSLY? >> MOST OF THE LAND PORTION — AND THEN — THEY WERE NEW ADDITIONS IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE DEPARTMENT BUT ESSENTIALLY BE OWNED BY PEI AS PART OF THE FEET. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU. WE’RE ALL AWARE OF OUR CHANGING CLIMATE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS VARIOUS PARTS OF OUR LIVES AND ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY. BUT I WOULD CULTURES CLEARLY
WHEN THAT HAPPENS A LOT. IS THERE NOTHING IS CAPITOL BUDGETS TO SUPPORT — AND I’M THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GREENHOUSES. AND OUR GROWING SEASON EXPANDS AND THAT IS ONE OF THE FEW SILVER LININGS THAT WE HAV HERE RELAD TO CLIMATE CHANGE, IS THERE MONEY BEING SET ASIDE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT? AND EXPAND OUR GROWING SEASON HERE BY PROVIDING GRASS FOR EXAMPLE FOR GREENHOUSES? >> IF THERE IS A GRANT PROGRAM IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE OPERATING BUDGET SO THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS CAPITOL BUDGET FOR GOVERNMENT OWNED GREENHOUSES YOUR MIND ONLY THING THAT COMES TO HAVE
— COME TO MIND IS — FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE NURSERY. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT’S INVOLVED IN TT EXNSION B NO BARGAIN PROGRAM WOULD FALL UNDER CAPITOL EXPENDITURE. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN ROCKY >> FINAL QUESTION. I ASKED THE MINISTRY YESTERDAY AND I THINK MAYBE TWO DAYS AGO ABOUT LAND BANK INITIATIVE. WITH THAT FALL ON THEIR THIS SECTION OR WILL THERE BE UNDER HOUSING AND LAND? >> THERE ARE ANY CAPITAL EXPENSES — — IT MIGHT DEPEND ON WHAT — GLAND BACK PROGRAM. SO THERE IS A BUFFER ZONE BUYBACK PROGRAM — THAT’S ALL
ON THE ENVIRONMENT. AND THEN — NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT I’M GOOD FOR THIS SECTION, THANK YOU. >> The Chair: SHALL THE PRESSURE — CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDINGS, PREPARATIONS PROVIDED FOR CAPITOL IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION. MY APOLOGIES WE ARE NOW IN EDUCATION. CAPITAL REPAIRS FOR — 4 MILLION, DISCUSSION WHEN A PATIENT, 45 MILLION, 880,000. — THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDINGS 49 MONEY ON 888,000 ANY QUESTIONS? LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> SO WE HAD $4 MILLION BUDGET TO LAST YEAR AND WE OVERSPENT BY ALMOST A MILLION MARK WONDERING IF YOU CANNOT THAT’S WHY WE DON’T ASSESS THEM THAT HIGHER
AMOUNT OF THE FOUR-POINT IN MILLION THIS COMING YEAR? >> YES SO THERE WAS PRESSURES LAST YEAR THAT LAST YEAR’S BUDGET S 4. INCLUDING ALL CAPITAL REPAIRS WHICH WAS IN SEALING POWER PLACEMENTS. SO THERE WAS A BIT OF PRESSURE WITH COST EXHALATIONS IN THE SPECIFIC PROJECT SO WE BUMP THAT UP A BIT. THE DEPARTMENT IS ALLOCATED — IT JUST UNDER THE NEXT LINE CONCESSION AND RENOVATIONS, 6 MILLION FOR THE NEW SCHOOL REVITALIZATION FUND. IT’S A SIMILAR TYPE THING. ITS CAPITAL REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS AND YOU CAN KIND OF VIEW BOTH LAND SUMMARILY BUT THERE IS A BUMP
UP OF 6 MILLION OVER ALL THAT WOULD BE TO ADDRESS CATCHING UP ON SOME CAPITOL REPAIRS AND — OR IF THEY ARE LARGER CAPITOL REPAIRS — SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, IT’S A TEN MILLION-DOLLAR A LOCATION. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I’M WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE US A LIST OF SCHOOLS AND PROJECTS THAT OUR SCANNER — SLATED TO BE REPAIRED THIS YEAR? >> YES. NEITHER THE –‘S ELLIOTT RIVER, MONTAGUE AND — THOSE ARE THE PRODUCT AT OUR UPCOMING IN THE FISCAL YE. SOME OF THEM ARE
TO BE GOING TO BE COMPLETED HIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR, THE MAJOR CAPITOL REPAIR PROJECTS. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO WE DON’T — THERE ARE A LOT OF REPAIRS NEEDED ABOUT — ACROSS THE PROVINCE IN A LOT OF SCHOOLS AMONG JUST WONDERING WHAT THE TOTAL VALUE OF REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NECESSARY? >> I WOULDN’T HAVE THE TOTAL DOLLAR VALUE. I KNOW THAT — THERE IS QUITE A FEW REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED BUT THEY DON’T S A DOLL VALUE. REALLY THAT WOULD BE DETERMINED IF THE PROJECT WAS SET
TO GO AHEAD, THEY WOULD HAVE >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND SO WHEN — WE HAVE AN IDEA WIN THESE REPAIRS WOULD HAPPEN? IT WOULDN’T HAPPEN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE ONES YOU HAVE STATED GOAL HAVING A SUMMERTIME SO IT DOESN’T DISRUPT THE SCHOOL YEAR? >> YEAH, LIKE THE MAJOR SCHOOL CAPITOL REPAIRS THAT I LISTED AND THEY ARE MAJOR SCHOOL REPAIRS AND THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED TO OCCUR DURING SCHOOL SEASONS SO THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN DURING THE SUMMER. SUMMER TO — REPAIRS, IF THEY ARE MINOR IN NATURE UNDER THAT CAPITOL
REPAIR BUCKET OR THE NEW SCHOOL REVITALIZATION FUNDS HOW THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO OCCUR DURING SCHOOL. I’M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT THE DETERMINANT BUT I KNOW IT CAN HAPPEN SO, YEAH. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THIS MIGHT BE GOING OFF THE CAPITOL BUDGETS TRAIN A BIT JUST L ME KNOW IF IT IS WHEN I’M WONDERING ABOUT SAFETY PROCESSES IN PLACE IF THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS HAPPENING DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, IS THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE PROVINCE TO ENSURE STUDENT SAFETY? >> I DON’T THINK
IT’S SEPARATED IN TERMS OF COSTING. I KNOW THERE IS — WOULD FORM HER ON THE PROJECT ITSELF AND I WOULD BE INCLUDED IN A COST ESTIMATE ESPECIALLY FOR A MAJOR SCHOOL CAPITOL REPAIR. WELL I GUESS YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT REPAIRS THAT ARE HAPPENING DURING SCHOO. SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS TRACKED SEPARATELY BUT IT WOULD BE A COST IF YOU ARE — >> The Chair: HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF YOUR JUST SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT. LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> LOOKING AT THE GEORGETOWN PROJECT, IT’S BACK TO .1 MILLION IN THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1954
AND THEREFORE LIKELY HAS ADDRESSED BOTH WALLS. WOULD THOSE BE THIS-MAK WITHOUT BE OVER SUMMER BREAK? >> I THINK THIS ONE WOULD HAPPEN INSIDE THE SCHOOL YEAR. >> IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO. >> YES, I ACTUALLY HAVE IT HERE. SO IT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE SUMMER OF 2024-2025 >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> THANK YOU. GUESS I’LL START WITH THE SCHOOL VENTILATION UPGRADES. AND WE — WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, DOCTOR ABOUT TEN SCHOOLS THAT NEED UPGRADES. IN THE NOTES, IT SAYS WORK BEGAN IN 2001 — 2021-2022 AND IS EXPECTED — BUT HAS
BEEN DELAYED YOU TO INDUSTRY CAPACITY. IT IS STILL DELAYED? >> I THINK THERE ARE FOUR BARTENDERS OUT TWO PROJECTS THAT — PARTY WAS TENDERED WITH NO BIDS. SO IT WAS PURCHASED — POSTED IN EARLY NOVEMBER. — RIVER AND THERE WERE NO BILL — BED. AND PARKSIDE IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED IN 2024 AS WELL. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> SO DID THOSE TWO SCHOOLS GASPARD DALE AND VERNON RIVER KASLO THIS-MAK DID THOSE TWO SCHOOLS CALLED FOR BIT MORE THAN ONCE? >> ARDELL AND GLENN WERE VERY? BY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT >> MINISTER COULD
YOU GUARANTEE THOSE LAST TWO SCHOOLS AT LEAST GET STARTED OR GET GOING BUT I GUESS THAT’S KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE. >> I THINK THEY ARE TRYING. I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO >> The Chair: ONE MORE CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY AND THEN WE CAN MO ON. >> YEA AND I GUESS I’LL JUST MAYBE URGE THE MINISTER AND I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING, I KNOW EVERYTHING IS THERE BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT AND THIS IS I GUESS BROUGHT ON BY, YOU KNOW, REPORTS AND WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT ABOUT IN HERE. WHEN IS — WHEN THE
TENDER CLOSE AND IS IT OPEN RIGHT NOW? >> I KNOW IS POSTED NOVEMBER 2nd BUT I WILL LOOK UP THE CLOSE DATE ON MY NOTES BUT IT WOULD BE PUBLIC AND THEIR >> The Chair: ALL RIGHT. >> MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT THE SCHOOL REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. AND NO ONE WILL THINK WHEN I WAS MINISTER OF EDUCATION, I FOUND THAT SO MUCH MONEY WAS ALWAYS OUT IN TO THE BIG PROJECTS THAT NONE OF THE SMALL — I SORT COMPLIANT PATIENT — FUTURE FACING EVER GOT TO IT AND THERE WERE THINGS LIKE — PAINTING THE ENTRANCEWAY OF THE
SCHOOL, MAYBE MINOR WERE BAWLING — REMODELING, REPLACING RELAYS THAT WERE DATED, BE SORT OF THINGS. SOMETIMES THERE WERE BATHROOMS I HAD GAPS IN THE STALLS — OTHER CATCHES MIGHT HAVE A MUSIC ROOM LIKE NEXT ONE OTHER THING BUT THEY COULD NEVER MAKE IT UP ON THE PRIORITY LIST. IS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL REVITALIZATION PROGRAM? >> YES. >> YES, IT IS REALLY TO — IT WOULD BE BETWEEN — IT WOULD BE UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO PRIORITIZE WHAT IS BEING DONE BUT YET THE INTENT IS BASICALLY DO CATCH UP ON CAPITOL REPAIRS THAT
NEED TO BE DONE SO WHETHER THERE WILL WILL GO SEVERAL PROJECTS FURTHER UP ON THE LISTS YET TO BE DERMID BUT THAT IS INTENT BASICALLY THAT MORE CAPITAL REPAIRS CAN BE DONE FROM THEIR LIST OF VARIETIES RUSTICO-EMERALD. >> YES THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION — THAT WOULD BE DOING THE PRIORITIZATION BASE OF FEEDBACK BY GROUPS LIKE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ASSOCIATION AND THE COURSE BUT BUT THE TEACHERS AND THE MINISTRATION THEIRSELVES — >> BASICALLY THE PARAMETERS OF THE FUND IS THAT ANYTHING TH CAN’T BE ACMPLISHE IN THE EXISTING 4 MILLION CAPITAL REPAIRS FUND BUT IT WOULDN’T
BE SO LARGE AS MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT — >> The Chair: RUSTICO – EMERALD. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THERE IS A GREAT PROGRAM. IS ONE THAT I WAS PUSHING FOR WHEN I WAS MINISTER AND IT’S NICE TO SEE FORMALIZED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> UNDERSTOOD AS SINCE ABOUT ELLIOTT RIVER, IT’S NOT IN MY DISTRICT BUT MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS KIDS GO THERE. I SEE THAT THERE ARE MILLION DOLLARS THERE TO COMPLETE THAT WILL BE IN 2024 BUT THE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 2021. THIS WONDERING WHETHER
IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO TAKE BACK — TAKE THAT LONG? >> I CAN’T SPEAK TO WENDY WERE TO KNOW COMPLETION DATE WAS. I KNOW WITH IT WHEN HE OCCURRING DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, IT IS A CHALLENGE TO GO ANY FASTER. BUT I KNOW THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS EXCITED TO BE 14.2 MILLION STARTING IN DECEMBER 2021, FINALIZING IN SUMMER 2024. >> The Chair: NEW HAVEN – ROCKY POINT. >> THANK YOU. THERE’S A LOT OF COMMITTED — COMMITTEES IN PEI BUT I THINK CORNWALL IS EITHER THE FASTEST OR ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING COMMUNITIES AND I’M WONDERING
WHETHER — WITH THIS INCLUDE NEW CLASSROOMS. LIKE ALL OF THE RENOVATIONS WOULD INCLUDE ADDITIONS OF NEW CLSROO PRESUMABLY IN CONSTRUCTION? >> IT DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT. LIKE ELLIOT RIVER FOR EXAMPLE SPECIFICALLY THERE IS A 7000 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION. WHEREAS SOME PROJECTS MAY JUST HAVE THEIR LARGE CAPITOL PROJECT THEY DIDN’T NECESSARILY NEED AN EXPANSION WHEN IT COMES TO MIND IS GEORGETOWN, FOR EXAMPLE. I DON’T BELIEVE THERE IS AN EXPANSION BUT IT WAS JUST THE NEED FOR QUITE A FEW RENOVATIONS WITHIN THE SCHOOL >> I AM GOOD. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY.
>> SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT QUEEN CHARLOTTE. SO IN THE MINISTER’S MANDATE LETTERS IT SAYS TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO ALLEVIATE SPACE PRESSURES AT QUEEN CHARLOTTE. BUT HERE IT SAYS WERE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2027. ISHAT MEDIATE? >> WELL I THINK IT’S AN IMMEDIATE AS YOU CAN IN CONSTRUCTION THESE DAYS. THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A PLANNING PROCESS IN THE — ENGINEERING, DESIGN. AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT, SO… >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> SO I WILL TAKE THAT MAYBE AS I KNOW. CAPITAL PROJECTS — IF YOUR TALK ABOUT MOBILE AND THERE WAS TALK ABOUT
HER ABOUT MOBILE ERE ARE NO MORE WELLS CURRENTLY IN QUEEN CHARLOTTE. THERE ARE OTHER MOBILES OUT IN SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING USED OR HAVE BEEN ATTACHED TO SCHOOLS BUT NONE OF THEM ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. SHOW >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> THE INITIAL PLANS WILL START NEXT YEAR, THERE’S AN EASY THING TO PUT IN THERE BUT A LOOK AT QUEEN CHARLOTTE AND THERE IS NO BACKYARD COUNTERS NO FRONT YARD, THERE’S A PARKING LOT THAT JUST GOT PAID. WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITHOUT TOO BECAUSE WHEN — THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO GO. HOW DO
WE KNOW THAT THE PLANNING, LIKE, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN INVEST $79 I DON’T KNOW IT’S GOING TO GO? >> THAT 17 MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECTS — — I WOULD CONSIDER THAT REALLY GOOD TURNAROUND IN CONSTRUCTION OF THAT MAGNITUDE. BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING SAT ON A PLANNING EXCEPTION COMMITTEE ON STRATFORD SCHOOL HOW HE CAN SEE THAT YOU WANT TO CONSULT WITH TEACHERS THAT CONSULT WITH THE SCHOO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ALLOCATION OF SPACE IS DONE PROPERLY THAT ADJACENCIES ARE DONE WELL SO THAT THERE IS GOOD FLOW WITHIN THAT ADDITIONAL SPACE. SO THERE’S
A LOT OF CONSIDERATION THERE. FROM STAFF AND OTHERS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY. >> GREAT. I AGREEND THAT’S FUTURISTIC BUT IN THE SHORT TERM WHEN YOU SAID THAT THERE IS $1 MILLION FOR MORE BLLS AND THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE PRESSURE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY — THINGS GET DELAYED ALL THE TIME IN THIS MINISTRY AS WE JUST FOUND OUT HERE. ARE THOSE MOBILES, ARE ANY OF THEM GOING TO QUEEN CHARLOTTE? >> THE MEMBER HAS IT ALREADY THAT HE IS UNAWARE OF WHERE THEY ARE GOING. >> I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT
WOULD PUBLIC SCHOOLS BRANDWOOD MADE THE DECISION, RIGHT. SO THERE IS SOMETHING — WE GIVE THEM THE MONEY THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND IS UNDER THEIR OVERSIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO PUT THEM. >> The Chair: CHARLOTTETOWN – WEST ROYALTY ONE MORE. >> YES SURE BUT THE MANDATE LETTER OF THE MINISTER — IT SAYS THE WORD “IMMEDIATE. HOW DO I KNOW THAT THAT IS GOING TO GET THAT IMMEDIATELY THE SCHOOL — THERE SO MANY KIDS AT THE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, NEEDS IMMEDIATE HELP. HOW DO I REMEMBER THAT THE VARIATIONS? >> WELL YOU CAN —
THE MONEY THINK ON THE MOBILESRE BEING — THE MAN — THAT’S GOOD TURNAROUND. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW? I WOULD — I WOULD TALK TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BRANCH AND THE NEW BOARD BECAUSE IT WILL BE — OUR JOB IS TO PUT THE MONEY IN THERE FOR THEM. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR I’M LOOKING AT THE MONTAGUE CONSOLIDATED WHERE IT SAYS ON TH $10,000 TO COMPLETE AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED BY 12023. WHICH THIS LAST WINTER. SO I’M WONDERING WHAT’S LEFT ARE WHAT THE
HOLDUP THERE IS? >> WINTER 2023 WOULD BE THIS WINTER SO IT’S EXPECTED TO BE DONE THIS WINTER. THE 100 K. OR NEXT YEAR IS REALLY JUST WHAT THEY CALL A DEFICIENCY PHASE. IF THERE IS ANYTHING AFTER THE RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED THAT’S WHAT THE 100 K. IS FOR >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> SO IN CASE SOMETHING ELSE COMES UP, HOW WOULD >> YES USUALLY THERE IS A SMALL PERIOD AFTER CONSTRUCTION WHERE THE SCHOOL IS READY TO BE FULLY UTILIZED BUT THERE MAY BE COMPANIES WANT TO WALK YOU SEE
ADDRESSED AND IS CLED A DEFICIENCY PHASE WHERE THE CONTRACTOR NEED TO COME BACK INTO CORRECTIONAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OVER. >> The Chair:EADE OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> SO WHEN DO WE EXPECT THAT PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED? >> THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED US WITH DETAILS THAT WOULD BE WINTER 2023. I GUESS THIS WINTER. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU. SO THE SCHOOLS VENTILATION UPGRADES HAVE TO MILLION DOLLARS IN 2024-25 SO THIS WORK IS ONLY DONE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. I WONDER WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE RENOVATION AND OTHER RENOVATIONS THAT WE DO
ALL YEAR LONG? >> TO ME IT WOULD BE IF EITHER THAT THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS RUN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL SO IT AFFECT MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE SCHOOL WHEREAS HERE MAY BE REPLACING A BOILER OR SOMETHING THAT CONTAINUTSIDE THE LEARNING AREA THAT IT COULD BE REPLACED DURING SCHOOL WHEREAS VENTILATION KIND OF RUN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT NEED IMMEDIATE AGGRESSOR THE VENTILATION SYSTEM TO MEET THE CURRENT STAARDS AND I KNOW REQUEST WAS TO HAVE BEGUN AND THERE’S LONG TIME AGO. I’M SURPRISED THAT MANY
OF THE SCHOOLS ARE STILL ON THIS LIST. FROM WANDERING WITH OF THESE TEN SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED? >> THAT LIST IS ON THE TEN SCHOOLS — OF THEIR SCHOOLS CURRENTLY OPERATING WITHOUT A VENTILATION SYSTEM? >> I DON’T HAVE THE DETAILS TO SPEAK TO THAT TO BE HONEST. WE COULD FIND OUT AND GET BACK TO YOU. >> The Chair: LEADER OF THE THIRD-PARTY. >> I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. I THINK THAT THAT’S — I MEAN , THAT’S CAUSE FOR ALARM IF THERE ARE SCHOOLS WITHOUT VENTILATION SYSTEMS RIGHT NOW. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION FAST.
AND HAVE ALREADY SAID I’VE ALWAYS HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU DON’T — YOU ARE NOT SURE — I’M WONDERING IF THERE IS SOMETHING THEY CAN TAKE BACK OR IF THERES SOMETHI THAT YOU LEAVE IN THE HANDS OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PERHAPS? >> YES, BECAUSE IT’S A PURCHASE NEXT YEAR IS CERTAINLY NOT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AT THIS MOMENT — POINTS. UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION THERE IS A LARGE UNDER SPENT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, OVER $1 MILON. I’M WONDERING WHAT PROJECTS THAT WERE PLANNED DID NOT GET COMPLETED OR STARTED? >> SO ONE OF THE PRODUCTS
UNDER THAT IS MONTAGUE CONSULTANT — CONSOLIDATED WHICH IS WRAPPING UP IN THE CURRENT FIAL YEAR AND THAT ACTION CAME IN — ACTUALLY CAME IN UNDER BUDGET. ANOTHER UNDERSTAND OR DELAYED EXPENDING IS THE SHERWOOD SCHOOL REPLACEMENT. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IN LARGER SCHOOL PROJECTS, TIMING CAN SWING QUITE A BIT ESPECIALLY WITH PROJECTS LIKE SHERWOOD SCHOOL ARE STRATFORD SCHOOL. SO STRATFORD IS ANOTHER ONE WAS COMING COMING TO BE 100 UNDER BUDGET. SAVED BY THE BELL. >> The Chair: THANK YOU MEMBERS. >> MR CHAIR I — >> The Chair: CHALLA DECARIE? CARRIED. MA’AM, SPEAKER — UNDER CONSIDERATION
THE GRANT OF CAPITALS APPLIED TO HIS MAJESTY. — COMMITTEE HAS MADE SOME PRRESS AND — I MOVE THAT THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE BE ADOPTED. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY? CARRIED. HONOURABLE MEMBER FROM SUMMERSIDE – WILMOT THE GOVERNMENT WEB THE — >> BE RECESS UNTIL THURSDAY NOVEMBER THE 23rd. >> Hon. Darlene Compton: SHALL IT CARRY A? CARRIED. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
