Budget cuts as well as the oil and gas industry were top of mind in what was a loud day in the House of Assembly.

Question Period was almost skipped entirely, as Speaker Scott Reid accidentally jumped from Minister Statements to Presenting Reports by Standing and Select Committees. Cabinet Ministers jokingly shouted, “We wish.”

Coady: no money except on external resources to move project forward.

Crosbie: how much of this round does minister expect will be awarded to NL business and workers?

Coady: working with Equnior to move project along, hasn’t been sanctioned. Agreement on opportunity for NLers

— Ben Murphy (@BenMurphy590) November 19, 2019

Opposition Leader Ches Crosbie questioned Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady on the Bay du Nord project first, before she was later questioned on letting the Bull Arm site sit idly for two years.

Coady says they’re working hard to find a full-time tenant and they are down to negotiating with two companies on a long-term lease.

The Minister was fired up when taking questions on the site, slamming the opposition by saying she was shocked and couldn’t believe the opposition was not supporting the Advance 2030 plan.

There was much more chirping coming from both sides of the House today, as at points it was difficult to hear the questions and answers.

Finance Critic Tony Wakeham grilled Finance Minister Tom Osborne about the plans for $617-million in budget cuts, and whether government plans to close hospitals and schools.

While Osborne has eased off government’s firm stance on reaching surplus by 2022-23, he maintains that he refuses to close a hospital to reach that target.

Dinn Questions Government on Controversial Development

 

NDP Member Jim Dinn questioned the provincial government on ongoing work taking place at Ragged Beach in Witless Bay.

Local residents raised concerns earlier this year when an excavator showed up on the site. Officials with the town indicated that work was ongoing to address erosion in the area, but residents fear it’s part of efforts to develop the area—something which has been the focus of ongoing debate in the community.

Jim Dinn raised the matter with Minister Derek Bragg in the House of Assembly this afternoon.

Dinn says more excavation is taking place at the beach this week and wanted to know in the face of what he calls serious environmental concerns, why the minister is allowing further development on Ragged Beach.

Minister Bragg says there are two projects ongoing: erosion protection—which falls under the Environmental Assessment Process—and upgrades he says fall under the Urban-Rural Planning Act.

Dinn wants the minister to place a 12-month moratorium on all development on Ragged Beach.