Province
Législature
Session
Type de discours
Date du discours
Locuteur
Fonction du locuteur
Parti politique
Terre-Neuve et Labrador
47e 
1e 
Discours du Trône
5 mars 2012
John C. Crosbie
Lieutenant-Gouverneur
PC

Celebrating Our Heritage
Diamond Jubilee

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly, it was on a Wednesday, the 6th of 
February 1952 – just a week after my 21st birthday – that King George VI passed away. His 
eldest daughter, only 25 at the time, inherited a burden of responsibility the weight of which none 
of us can truly comprehend. Canada was the very first Commonwealth realm to proclaim Her 
Majesty’s accession to the throne, with a prayer that God would bless our new Queen “with long 
and happy years to reign over us.” Long and happy years they have indeed been, and throughout 
2012, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will join others around the world in celebrating a very 
rare Diamond Jubilee. Once as Princess and three times as Queen, Her Majesty has honoured 
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with a visit. As we embark on a year of commemorations, we 
convey to Her Majesty not only our joy, gratitude and profound respect, but also our hopes and 
prayers for the years to come. As the prayer in the third verse of the Royal Anthem states: “Thy 
choicest gifts in store, / On Her be pleased to pour; / Long may She reign: / May She defend our 
laws, / And ever give us cause / To sing with heart and voice / God save The Queen.”

The Colonial Building
Of our many Sovereigns, only one other marked a Diamond Jubilee: Queen Victoria, who 
reigned for 63 years and seven months. It was in the tenth year of Victoria’s reign, 1847, that 
construction began on the Colonial Building, the site where Responsible Government was given 
to Newfoundland in 1855. In the coming year, My Government will advance the restoration of 
this historic site, which also served as our province’s first official legislature. Once restored, the 
Colonial Building will be a flagship Provincial Historic Site, a place where residents of and 
visitors to Newfoundland and Labrador can step back through those ionic columns to learn about 
our unique and colourful history interpreted within.

Soldiers, Sacrifices and Security
Ours is a history written with the blood of sacrifice. The freedoms we cherish were purchased by 
heroic Newfoundlanders and Labradorians willing to lay down their lives that others might reap 
from the crimson soil a harvest of peace. From Beaumont-Hamel to Suvla Bay, the stories are 
told of valour unsurpassed. To all who suffered and all who died, we owe our gratitude and 
honour. It is atop their proud shoulders that we stand tall. This year marks the 200th anniversary 
of the War of 1812, where the Newfoundland Regiment – as it was then called – served gallantly 
in what is now Ontario and in the United States in the battles of Crysler’s Farm in 1813 and 
Lundy’s Lane at Niagara Falls in 1814. A century later, our soldiers’ heroism was immortalized 
at such places as Gallipoli in 1915, Beaumont-Hamel in 1916 and Masnières in 1917. As the 
100th anniversary of World War I approaches, My Government is working with others both 
locally and internationally to develop initiatives by which we will commemorate, as we must, the 
sacrifices of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who served. 

Even today, our sons and daughters are serving to secure peace and save lives. On the front lines 
overseas and in training missions here at home, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are stepping 
into harm’s way to deliver others from peril. Whether in combat or preparation for combat, as 
protectors of the peace or guardians of the vulnerable, they deserve our gratitude and our 
admiration for all they do. 

Just as Newfoundland and Labrador has played a strategic role in national and international 
defence in times past, we can play a strategic role in times to come. We urge the Government of 
Canada to take full advantage of our strengths by investing in defence infrastructure and 
initiatives at key centres such as 5 Wing Goose Bay, 9 Wing Gander and Canadian Forces Station 
St. John’s on our country’s easternmost flank. 

Canada has a responsibility, not only to ensure the security of our nation’s coasts, but also to 
ensure the safety of those who travel them. Whether it is fishers sailing the seas in boats or rig 
workers skimming the seas in helicopters, people are not unjustified in expecting the Government 
of Canada to provide the resources to enable Coast Guard and Search and Rescue personnel to 
respond promptly and effectively to emergencies. 

Sadly, there are times when searches end tragically. We as a people have witnessed far too many 
terrible endings. While each and every tragedy is profoundly felt by the loved ones of those it 
touches, some grip the hearts of people far and wide. Such has been the impact of the death of 14-
year-old Burton Winters in January on the icy coast near Makkovik. Newfoundlanders and 
Labradorians will never forget Burton’s fierce determination to get back home to the ones he 
loved. We are heartbroken by his loss. We mourn for the many like Burton whose lives have been 
so tragically cut short. Even in recent days, we have been reminded how swiftly a tragedy can 
strike. We also share the burden of those who brave the elements to search for the missing, 
putting their own lives in jeopardy to focus on others. Sometimes, even the most vigorous and 
valiant rescue efforts are unsuccessful. As we remember those we miss, let us also honour those 
whose extraordinary efforts are dedicated to bringing people home. Sons, daughters and friends 
of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians serve bravely in vital Search and Rescue capacities. As we 
pause for a moment now to reflect on those we have lost, let us also remember those who serve 
and commend them for their selfless dedication. 

(A MOMENT OF SILENCE) 
 
Energized for the Future
A New Mandate

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly, the responsibility for representing the best 
interests and legitimate aspirations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians rests on the shoulders 
of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Elected with a fresh and decisive mandate in 
October of 2011, My Government is fully prepared to bear that responsibility with new energy 
and firm resolve. Our Premier is celebrating our province’s strengths and vigorously pursuing 
new opportunities for growth in dealings with Canada’s other First Ministers, American 
Governors and leaders of industry both nationally and internationally. The people of our province 
share this determination to realize our full potential. How far we have come already! We have 
finally embraced our newfound status as one of Canada’s leading economies, buoyed with 
confidence and optimism that we are poised to witness successes unprecedented in 
Newfoundland and Labrador’s history.

Those successes hinge on the choices we make today. Whether we are talking about 30 years 
from now, or ten years from now, or two years from now, the future we reap will be determined 
by the seeds we sow – the choices we make – right here, right now. We will not allow poor 
choices based on failed philosophies and narrow agendas to reverse every gain we have worked 
so hard to achieve and squander the very opportunities that our approach this past eight years has 
made possible. 

Three Objectives Moving Forward 
To ensure Newfoundland and Labrador takes maximum advantage of the unprecedented 
opportunities before us right now, My Government will focus this year on three principal 
objectives: 
*	The first is to refocus the Government’s approach to the delivery of services to the people 
of Newfoundland and Labrador.
*	The second is to give Newfoundlanders and Labradorians the added support they may 
require to seize career opportunities.
*	The third is to improve the conditions that give businesses and communities the power to 
grow.

These three objectives encompass everything our Government does, so this year’s strategy is an 
ambitious one. What follows are some details of the ways My Government intends to make 
progress on all three of these objectives in the year ahead.

Focused on Priorities
Accountable, Adaptable, Responsive Government

Refocusing the Government’s approach to service delivery is vital. The world is changing. 
Technology is advancing. Governments must adapt. Public service delivery in the 21st century 
does not have to be complicated. It must be focused. It must be flexible. It must be responsive to 
the needs of our people and receptive to feedback from those it serves. It must be transparent and 
accountable. 

My Government’s commitment to accountability is solid. This is the Government that proclaimed 
the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and strengthened its provisions. This is 
the Government that introduced the Transparency and Accountability Act and the Lobbyist 
Registration Act. This is the Government that opened the books of the House of Assembly to the 
Auditor General, commissioned the Green Report and led the implementation of its sweeping 
recommendations to overhaul House of Assembly operations. This is the Government that began 
legislating and publishing performance-based plans and progress reports from government 
departments and agencies. This is the Government that commissioned Justice Margaret Cameron 
to inquire into failures of hormone receptor testing and recommend sweeping reforms, and then 
took action to implement those recommendations. This is the Government that has repeatedly 
earned the praise of the Auditor General for exceeding targets in acting on the recommendations 
of the annual reports of this independent office of the House of Assembly. My Government will 
build on this solid record by bringing forward amendments to the Public Tender Act and the 
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

A Clear Focus on Priorities 
Just as My Government will strengthen accountability, it will also take measures to ensure public 
service delivery is versatile to adapt to people’s changing needs, user-friendly and clearly focused 
on priorities. Each department will undertake a structured review of departmental functions to 
identify opportunities to do things better. These reviews will be complemented by cross-
departmental studies and ongoing reviews of the province’s Regional Health Authorities. The 
objective is to ensure all the Government’s personnel and resources are focused first and 
foremost on delivering high-priority services and achieving high-priority goals. This process will 
identify not only the current best practices for service delivery but also innovative approaches to 
deliver services more effectively. 

A Responsible Approach to Fiscal Management 
My Government’s 2011 policy Blue Book makes a commitment that: “The pace of growth of 
public investments must be sustainable. Our commitment to fiscal sustainability is firm. In 
implementing the commitments identified in this Blue Book and in fulfilling our responsibilities 
as a Government, we will ensure annual provincial expenditures do not grow beyond the level 
our economy can sustain.” My Government stands by these words. 

When facing the global recession two years ago, My Government opted to take a long-term, 
multi-year approach to fiscal management. It opted to bridge the period of decline in private 
sector activity by accelerating the pace of growth in public investments, knowing it would be 
racketing back the rate of growth once the recession was over. This was the right approach, and it 
worked. The two-year period of accelerated growth did precisely what it was intended to do. No 
province weathered the downturn more successfully than Newfoundland and Labrador. Bank of 
Canada Governor Mark Carney said our approach served as a model for the country. Now that 
the recession has ended and private sector activity in the province is rebounding, this is the right 
time to contain the pace of public investment growth to ensure we continue to live within our 
fiscal means. 

Just as a multi-year approach enabled us to bridge a short-term dip in private sector activity, it 
can also enable us to bridge the short-term dip in public sector revenue we are facing in the next 
two years. My Government has prepared Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to expect revenues 
to dip in 2012 and 2013 as federal payments under the Atlantic Accord end, two offshore 
platforms are taken offline for refits and the volume of oil production is reduced. To achieve 
balanced budgets in those two years, the province would need to reduce expenditures so 
precipitously that critical services could be compromised. Rather than take such a rigid, short-
sighted approach, My Government has opted once again to take a long-term, multi-year approach 
to fiscal management. It is determined to achieve efficiencies and to maximize the value of every 
public dollar spent; but to ensure vital programs are not compromised when revenues swing due 
to circumstances beyond its control, My Government has established a longer-term debt 
reduction target. Already, it has reduced the province’s burden of debt by more than a third from 
a high of $12 billion to an estimated $7.7 billion at March 31, 2012, diverting hundreds of 
millions from interest payments to high-priority initiatives and tax relief. Improving 
Newfoundland and Labrador’s debt position even more in the next ten years to achieve the same 
per-capita debt as the Canadian average is a goal the province can reach through discipline in 
spending and the allocation of a significant portion of surpluses to debt reduction, while allowing 
for periodic deficits. Debt reduction is not an end in and of itself, but a means of strengthening 
our economy to leave our children a legacy of growth. This is the responsible way forward, and 
Newfoundland and Labrador will be stronger for taking it. 

Health Care Advances 
In moving forward with a long-term, multi-year approach, My Government remains committed to 
the delivery of health care services, a critical area of provincial responsibility. In fact, My 
Government has been improving health care delivery to such an extent that Newfoundland and 
Labrador, once a laggard, is now a leader in cardiac care. We know that having access to the best 
tools to diagnose and treat cardiac disease is crucial in our province, and our investments reflect 
our commitment. The redevelopment of two of our cardiac catheterization laboratories in Eastern 
Health and the addition of a third cath lab is enabling us to treat more cardiac patients from 
throughout the province. We have also invested in the latest in new technologies when it comes 
to cardiac care, which is key to recruiting cardiologists. Health care professionals are travelling to 
this province to learn best practices in cardiac surgery. Imagine that! 

My Government is taking the lead to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador becomes a centre of 
excellence in other health disciplines as well and raises the bar nationally in the delivery of health 
care services. Every health care dollar must be spent as effectively as possible, particularly in 
light of changes the Federal Government is imposing on future health transfers which will 
constrain growth in our share. Our Premier, with her colleagues at the Council of the Federation 
meeting in January, established a national Health Care Innovation Working Group to drive 
collaboration and innovation to provide better care for seniors and all Canadians. Our Minister of 
Health and Community Services just fulfilled two election commitments by announcing 
strategies to reduce wait times for emergency departments and hip and knee joint replacement 
surgeries. 

My Government will also be making strategic investments in the Long-Term Care and 
Community Supports Services sector to address the significant growth in the home support 
program and ensure existing and new clients receive the care required. As promised in the Blue 
Book, policy improvements are being developed that, firstly, will realign patient care funding so 
it is based on a patient’s assessed need and, secondly, will create options for receiving that care 
from family members. My Government will introduce legislation to ensure that clients of our 
drug programs pay less for generic drugs. At the same time, we are in dialogue with the 
Pharmacy Association to mitigate the impact of reduced revenues to pharmacies, especially small 
pharmacies in rural areas. In these and other ways, My Government will build in the year ahead 
on the major advances it has made in health care delivery in the past eight years. 

Child Protection 
Another critical area of provincial responsibility is child protection, which My Government has 
strengthened through the creation three years ago of the new Department of Child, Youth and 
Family Services. The Department will complete the transfer of all staff from the Regional Health 
Authorities this month and is moving toward full implementation of improved service delivery. 
With the new Children and Youth Care and Protection Act now proclaimed, My Government 
will better serve the varied and complex needs of children and youth. A key component of this 
plan involves fundamental changes to our foster care system, providing greater supports for foster 
parents in recognition of the vital role they play in caring for children most at risk. In addition, 
the child protection program will provide services and supports to families to address children at 
risk and help them remain in their own homes. For those who cannot be returned to their families, 
My Government will make it easier for these children to be adopted into permanent homes. These 
improvements to our child protection system illustrate the advances we can achieve throughout 
the public service by focusing more clearly on priorities. Complementing these initiatives will be 
ongoing efforts to combat bullying and child exploitation. 

Ready to Work
Career Opportunities and Labour Supply

The second objective My Government will focus on this year is to make it easier for employers to 
attract the skilled workers they require while making it easier for individuals to find the skilled 
careers they need. Through an unprecedented series of investments in public post-secondary 
education, My Government has already given Newfoundland and Labrador students the best 
student aid program and among the lowest tuition fees in the country. Over the course of the four-
year term ahead, My Government will continue to hold the line on tuition fee increases at 
Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic and shift the balance from student loans 
to grants. 

In the skilled trades, graduates require on-the-job experience and professional certification. In 
this year’s Budget, My Government is introducing and expanding programs to help apprentices 
progress through to journeyperson status. We are increasing employer participation and 
employment opportunities for apprentices. We are increasing employment opportunities within 
government; we are increasing opportunities for seasoned workers to become certified, for 
training and advanced training for under-represented groups; and we are increasing awareness of 
the benefits of hiring apprentices. We are also providing additional supports and plans to address 
barriers for apprentices and journeypersons. 

We are continuing to improve the participation rates of women in non-traditional skilled trades. 
Having established the Office of Women Apprenticeship, My Government will work to finalize 
Gender Equity Plans for the Hebron project, Hibernia South, the St. Lawrence fluorspar mine 
reactivation project and the proposed Alderon project, among others. We will also continue 
review and compliance monitoring for approved Gender Equity Plans including Vale Inco’s Long 
Harbour operation, the Rambler Mines project, and the Labrador Iron Mines and Tata Steel 
Minerals Canada operations in Labrador. All future resource development projects in the 
province will require such provisions. 

There are tremendous opportunities in our province for women, not only in the skilled trades, but 
also in business. To help support women entrepreneurs and encourage young women to pursue 
future careers in business, My Government will build on its partnership with the Newfoundland 
and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) to advance the Business 
Connections program. Together, they will link women-led businesses with specific opportunities 
on the local, national and international stage. Some of these opportunities will relate to the major 
industrial projects on our horizon. 

Some industrial employers will face challenges finding local workers. My Government will move 
forward this year to create a Workforce Development Secretariat to link industrial development 
and employment opportunities with people who are ready to do the work. While we will work 
vigorously to ensure Newfoundlanders and Labradorians benefit first and fully from these 
employment opportunities, other workers will also be required. As people move here from 
outside the province to meet labour market needs, we will welcome them with open arms, 
encouraging them to sink down deep roots and make Newfoundland and Labrador home. We 
have finally started to turn the corner toward population growth, and we look forward to building 
on those gains. 

Recognizing that the foundations for personal achievement are established in childhood, My 
Government will build on the unprecedented investments of the past eight years to further 
advance the quality and breadth of our province’s K-12 education system. 

Two additional initiatives will help people to capitalize on new opportunities in our province. My 
Government will be moving forward with a Provincial Strategy for the Inclusion of People with 
Disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador. It will also be releasing a new poverty reduction 
action plan. Both strategies will include measures to assist people who wish to make the 
transition to employment.

Power to Grow
Strength Through Diversification

The third objective My Government will focus on this year is to fuel sustainable economic 
growth. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians understand the importance of diversification for 
growth. Ours was once an economy grounded exclusively on the export of fish. As recently as the 
nineteen nineties, we learned how devastating a sharp decline in that one sector could be for 
hundreds of our communities and tens of thousands of our people. Today, because of 
diversification, some regions are buffered against the consequences of sharp downward spikes in 
the demand or supply of specific export commodities. With a broad base plus provincial support, 
both Stephenville and Grand Falls-Windsor were able to weather the loss of their pulp and paper 
industries. When communities experience losses of employment in major industries, My 
Government remains determined to work with the people of these communities to minimize the 
impacts. This Government has a record of standing steadfastly beside towns facing struggles, 
rolling up its sleeves and finding solutions. But My Government’s principal strategy is to be 
proactive, fortifying our regions against such downturns by broadening and diversifying the 
economic foundations to enhance our regions’ long-term stability. There are several approaches 
we can take. Innovation is one of the most powerful. 

The “Blue” Economy 
BMO Capital Markets, in its Blue Book for February 2012, reported, “The mood among our 
customers in Newfoundland & Labrador is definitely more optimistic than it was just six months 
ago”. The report went on to give one of the reasons for this optimism, stating that: “The province 
is also becoming a key centre for innovation. As the host for the Ocean Sciences Centre at 
Memorial University and a growing expertise on oil & gas, deep water drilling and deep water 
exploration, Newfoundland & Labrador now boasts some of the best ocean science expertise in 
the world.” 

My Government is implementing a five-year, $28 million ocean technology strategy to 
collaborate with our local cluster in support of its goal to increase the value of our “blue” 
economy to a billion dollars by 2015. Ocean technology products, services and expertise are 
being marketed, not just nationally, but around the world, and Newfoundland and Labrador is 
establishing itself as an epicentre of ocean technology. Through sustained partnerships with 
educational and research institutions and industry, the province will support innovators from the 
idea phase through initial business start-up to commercialization. A partnership with Memorial 
University’s Genesis Centre has already helped with the development of five new ocean 
technology companies. Our significant investment in C-CORE will enhance our capacity to 
engage in northern resource development projects, leveraging our unique location and established 
strength in developing solutions for harsh environments. We look forward to continued 
collaboration with Memorial University, its Marine Institute and Oceans Advance to further 
enhance the research and industrial capacity of our vibrant sector. 

Innovation Enhancement 
In other leading-edge sectors, such as life sciences and green technologies, knowledge-driven 
advances are turning heads toward Newfoundland and Labrador. Investments in Memorial 
University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the Fisheries and Marine Institute 
will position Newfoundland and Labrador for innovation and growth. The province’s Research & 
Development Corporation will continue to foster partnerships with industry and academia and 
drive for success in priority areas such as ocean technology, energy and mining. My Government 
is also encouraging the private sector to invest in innovation to enhance the competitiveness of 
local enterprises, large and small. Expanded incentives under My Government’s Innovation 
Strategy are driving growth, not only in larger centres but in rural communities as well. 

The Fisheries 
The province’s billion-dollar fishing industry remains among Newfoundland and Labrador’s 
most important. While there are significant challenges in some areas of the fisheries, My 
Government has been working vigorously to build partnerships and find solutions to these 
challenges. The fishing industry has been studied for decades. We have a good understanding of 
the structural deficiencies that serve as impediments to progress. To effect change, we need the 
collective will to come together for a common purpose, to set aside old agendas and work 
together to address the core problems. My Government is there. It is imperative that all partners 
come to the table with a firm resolve to move forward. 

Sometimes, with so much focus on the challenges, people lose sight of the opportunities available 
in global seafood markets and the successes we are achieving in building a stronger fishing 
industry. Under the province’s Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program, we will 
continue to fund industry-led development projects in the fishing industry, leveraging additional 
dollars to drive research and development. Newfoundland and Labrador is rapidly becoming the 
growth centre in Canada for aquaculture, an important contributor to our economy in rural and 
coastal communities. Continuing investments in aquaculture will enhance bio-security to 
safeguard our reputation for product excellence in this growing industry. The new Coastal and 
Ocean Management Strategy and Policy Framework will advance growth in ocean industries by 
balancing interests and safeguarding ecosystems. The province is working with fish processing 
companies on the establishment of seafood sales consortia. Better market intelligence, export 
development and targeted promotion will enable this province to increase the value, and enhance 
the economic benefits, of this billion-dollar industry for the people of the province. 

Industries, Regions and Communities 
In other sectors as well, Newfoundland and Labrador is growing. The gross value of mineral 
shipments is forecast to exceed $5.6 billion in 2012, while corporate investments in mineral 
exploration, which hit a record high of $172 million in 2011, are projected to reach $234 million 
in 2012. Like shipments and exploration, mining-related employment is also expected to reach a 
record high this year. 

Across all sectors, the level of private sector investment in Newfoundland and Labrador this year 
is projected to exceed $8 billion, and public capital spending this year will continue to be 
significant. Economic activity in our province this year will be white hot. 

Over the past eight years, My Government has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure to 
improve the quality of life in our communities and lay a solid foundation for new investment. The 
Trans-Labrador Highway is among the most exciting initiatives to happen in our province’s 
history, and its completion remains among My Government’s highest priorities. As part of 
continuing to invest in the growth of communities and regions, My Government is developing a 
new formula for municipal support which recognizes the contemporary nature of municipal 
governance and is equitable and transparent. My Government is also encouraging communities to 
work in partnership with their neighbours to share service delivery wherever possible so that we 
can take advantage of economies of scale, enhance capacity and promote growth. Through 
collaboration and innovation, communities will be better able to deliver high-priority services to 
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Volunteers and non-profit organizations also have a vital role to play in delivering services within 
communities, strengthening community infrastructure and drawing people together just as such 
organizations have been doing so effectively for centuries. My Government will work 
collaboratively with the community organizations to develop innovative approaches to the 
increasingly complex challenges our people and communities face; it will introduce 
accountability provisions that measure performance outcomes and help community organizations 
improve their overall impact; and it will investigate new initiatives that reward results. It will 
nurture partnerships between and among community, academic, private sector and government 
bodies because it believes that effective collaboration has the power to make real change and 
enhance the overall quality of life in our province. 

From the smallest partnership to the largest project, Newfoundland and Labrador is growing. 
Hebron is expected to make up some of that new growth as the proponents take the last 
regulatory step before project sanction. The ramp-up of Hebron construction at Bull Arm and 
other locations will further drive growth and confidence. Together with Vale Inco’s Long 
Harbour project, Hebron fabrication demonstrates our capacity to add value to commodity 
industries and enjoy the benefits of skills transfers. Having negotiated equity partnerships in three 
offshore projects, My Government has established an international reputation for strength and 
proficiency in the energy sector. 

The Shift to Renewable Energy 
We are about to take our energy sector leadership to new heights by advancing another project in 
our energy warehouse. Among the most important things Newfoundland and Labrador can do to 
fortify and grow our economy is to shift from nonrenewable sources of fuel purchased on the 
world market to renewable sources of fuel generated here at home. Wide swings in the price of 
oil mean instability for jurisdictions that rely on oil to meet power needs. Muskrat Falls gives us 
an alternative to fossil fuel – an alternative that is not only more stable but also less expensive 
than any other option. 

The development of Muskrat Falls is needed to meet the electricity needs of individuals, families 
and businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the least-cost means of meeting those 
electricity needs. The project will have the added benefit of transitioning our province from 
reliance on greenhouse gas-producing fuels to clean, green, renewable energy. 

The Muskrat Falls development proposal has received more advance scrutiny than any other 
project in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history. It has been on the drawing board for decades. 
Later this year, My Government will make its sanction decision. A number of significant factors 
will inform the Government’s decision, including these: 
*	In June 2011, the Government asked the province’s Public Utilities Board to review and 
report on whether the Muskrat Falls project represents the least-cost option for the supply 
of power to Island Interconnected customers compared to the Isolated Island development 
option. The deadline for the final PUB report is March 31, 2012.
*	In August 2011, the Environmental Assessment Joint Review Panel released its report on 
the Muskrat Falls generation project. The Government is completing its review of the 
panel report, including its recommendations, and will communicate its decision in the 
coming months. The Labrador-Island Link and the Maritime Link are also registered for 
joint Federal/Provincial Environmental Assessment.
*	In August 2011, the Governments of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova 
Scotia signed a Memorandum of Agreement to provide a loan guarantee for the Muskrat 
Falls project.
*	In September 2011, Nalcor released an independent review of the Muskrat Falls project 
undertaken by Navigant Consulting. The review validated the proposed development of 
Muskrat Falls and the Labrador-Island Link as the long-term, least-cost supply option for 
electricity consumers on the island of Newfoundland.
*	In November 2011, the official signing of the Innu Land Claims Agreement-in-Principle, 
the Lower Churchill Impacts and Benefits Agreement, and the Upper Churchill Redress 
Agreement occurred.
*	In February 2012, as part of the PUB review, Manitoba Hydro Inc. released its report that 
analyzed two generation expansion alternatives: Muskrat Falls, and an Isolated Island 
system. Manitoba Hydro concluded that Muskrat Falls is the least-cost option to supply 
power to customers on the Island to meet anticipated load growth.
*	Last week, the Consumer Advocate affirmed the conclusion of Manitoba Hydro that 
Muskrat Falls is the least-cost option for supplying energy to the province. 

If the Government decides to sanction the project, it will then take the required actions, such as 
bringing forward the requisite legislation during 2012-13 so the project can move forward.  
Partisan campaigns must not colour the Government’s decision. Neither unreasonable attacks nor 
fear to act should deny people the power they need at the lowest cost. Failure to take the right 
course of action today would be no different than taking the wrong course of action a generation 
ago.

Muskrat Falls will be a decisive step toward energy self-reliance, positioning the province not 
only for Gull Island development later on, but also for the return of control of the Upper 
Churchill to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2041. In the decades to come, there will be sufficient 
renewable energy in Labrador to fuel unprecedented growth throughout our province. Not only 
will we have the natural resource commodities, the skilled workforce, the culture of innovation 
and the solid backbone of reliable infrastructure that developers require, but we will also have 
inexpensive power in bountiful supply. What we do not use, we can sell to buyers hungry for 
power, generating revenue to grow our province and benefit our people.

The Best is Yet to Come
Newfoundland and Labrador is ideally positioned to achieve growth the like of which the 
province has never seen and few in the province ever imagined. This growth is neither fortuitous 
nor inevitable. It will be achieved only if we continue to make sound decisions and resist the calls 
to sell ourselves short for lesser gains. It will be achieved only if people park their divisive 
agendas and come together to partner for growth. This is true in all sectors, including the 
fisheries. Surely it is time to put Newfoundland and Labrador’s best interests first, to forego the 
negativity and to focus on people so no one is left behind. My Government has been given a 
decisive mandate to steer the course and to build on the solid foundation it has established. By 
creating a healthy climate for business growth and innovation, by supporting individuals as they 
reach out to grasp the opportunities before them and by sharpening the focus of the public service 
to concentrate on addressing high priorities, My Government can ensure the peak in economic 
performance we are enjoying today becomes the new high plateau on which we build a more 
prosperous society for our children and grandchildren. Considering how far we have come 
already, we are right to be optimistic, right to be confident and right to believe that the best is 
indeed yet to come for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly, estimates of expenditure will be laid before 
you in due course and you will be asked to grant supply to Her Majesty.

I invoke God’s blessing upon you as you commence this new Session.

May Divine Providence guide you in your deliberation.