Danny's Legacy (II)

From the Public Accounts, 2001-2015, passim, a chart of an abstract of the provincial debt and other liabilities, by category, as per yesterday evening's chart, but with the addition of contractual obligations. Values are in $-billion.

 

 

Contractual Obligations are described thusly in Note 11 to the Public Accounts:

 

 

Danny's Legacy

From the Public Accounts, 2001-2015, passim, a chart of an abstract of the provincial debt and other liabilities, by category. Values are in $-billion.

Kentergarten

On consultation (V)

Paul Davis, March 17, 2015:

MR. BALL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

Well, last year government delivered its Budget on March 27.  The year before that it was March 26, but this year the Premier has not said when he will introduce his Budget.

 

I ask the Premier: When will this year's Budget be introduced to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?

 

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Premier.

 

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

 

PREMIER DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

I thank the hon. member for his question on this.  We know that it is on the minds of people.  The Minister of Finance has said repeatedly that we would not be bringing down our Budget until after the federal government brings down their budget, which we do not have an exact date now but we know it is expected to be some time in the first or second week of April.  Following that time we will bring down the provincial Budget.

 

In recent weeks, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and other ministers in our government have been travelling throughout Newfoundland and Labrador consulting with the public, consulting with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.  We have been encouraging people to participate in the consultative process, either in person or online, and we have been asking people to share their views on the Budget process that we are currently undertaking.

 

I can tell you it is a comprehensive process that has been undertaken, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to receiving and presenting that Budget in April.

 

On consultation (IV)

Tracey Perry, December 10, 2008:

MS PERRY: With a net debt forecast of $9.2 billion by March of 2009, during a global economic recession, we have done an outstanding job governing this great Province. Ten short years ago our net debt to GDP ratio was 70.2 per cent. With Progressive Conservative leadership, governance and policies, this will soon be down to 27.5 per cent. Outstanding indeed!

Although we will not fully escape the global downturn, we are moving ahead. Again, using the Coast of Bays as an example, let's take a look at aquaculture. The fish are already in the water swimming. By the time they are harvested, the global recession - we should be coming out of it. We are anticipating the announcement of new developments and investments in the near future, so great things are happening in my rural, remote district.

Our policies will provide economic stimulus through investing in information technology, innovation, research and development, aquaculture, and business attraction. However, we must all realize it is imperative for government to continue to be prudent and responsible with the public purse. While there is significant good news, we do recognize that all is not rosy.

...

Now back to today's motion seeking a summit. Mr. Speaker, this government will act on interventions as they become necessary, and it will be in consultation with the greatest economic minds and expertise in the Province, the country, and within the G-20 nations. At this juncture we do not need to waste time, money and resources organizing a one-day blitz when the door is always open for input from the public at any time. We have many venues to consult, including the business caucus, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and the list goes on. We all have e-mail, too, and anyone with innovative ideas or advice is welcome to send it to us at any time, on any issue. Should our situation drastically worsen, perhaps this issue can be revisited, but for now staying the course is yielding the best results any jurisdiction can expect in a global recession. I would also challenge that an invited guest list to a summit is not as inclusive as the methods now in place.

Mr. Speaker, there is no one I would rather have as the captain of my ship than our hon. Premier, Danny Williams.

On consultation (III)

Steve Kent, January 21, 2015:

MR. KENT: I  sincerely think that we can achieve everything that an all-party committee could potentially achieve through the process we are going to roll out in the weeks ahead.  It will be a full, Province-wide consultation process and everybody in the Province is welcome to get involved.  We want to consult with over 500,000 people in the Province, not just politicians.  We want to engage the public, not just all the parties that are represented in this House.

On consultation (II)

Keith Hutchings, May 22, 2008:

MR. HUTCHINGS: What did this government and this minister do in the Budget this year in 2008? We eliminated the 15 per cent insurance tax, took it off the books. One of the other items we heard in our consultations around the Island and in Labrador, in terms of the business community and driving the economy, was the payroll tax that is currently being paid. Employers said: That is burdensome to us in some regards. Can that be moved? So this government moved from a threshold of $600,000 to $1 million. So, over 300 employers basically do not pay that tax any more.

Mr. Speaker, we went out, consulted, listened to stakeholders, listened to what they have to say, and indeed proceeded to act on that. That is what we did in this Budget in 2008.

...

Another $4 million dollars will be spent to increase teaching resources, $2.5 million to implement the recommendations of the ISSP and Pathways Report, so we are moving forward. As pointed out earlier, as well, for my colleague who spoke prior, this is an initiative by the minister and the government that identified a need, consulted, and then moved forward to deal with it. That is how this government operates, Mr. Speaker.

On consultation (I)

David Brazil, May 4, 2015:

MR. BRAZIL: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

I want to make it clear to the hon. Leader of the Opposition that any time we consult with the general public, regardless of what issue it is, it is never a waste of time, Mr. Speaker.

 

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

 

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

 

MR. BRAZIL: It is very important for us, and particularly me, as a minister, to assess exactly what –

 

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Oh, oh!

 

MR. SPEAKER: Order, please!

 

MR. BRAZIL: – people think is the type of service we can provide, and outline to them exactly what our financial restrictions may be, or our challenges, and see if they can be part of not only outlining what should be done, but how they can be partners in that, Mr. Speaker.

 

So when we open up dialogue as an open government, we engage the general public to come in and that is how we will solve the problems in this Province and engage people by having a better service for the people of Labrador and every other service we offer in this Province.

 

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.