News Release

The NDP Critic for Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation says government made the right move by quickly reversing the decision to take the word “culture” out of the department name. Now, says Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre), it’s time for the minister to take meaningful steps to ensure the support for culture that he professes in words is reflected in actions.

As the House of Assembly resumed for the Spring Session, NDP House Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi) had strong words for government’s approach to employment. Not only is government harming the economy by laying people off, she says, but its lack of planning and action means the situation will be even worse.

NDP Education Critic Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi) says that while it’s heartbreaking to hear about repeated problems with the current classroom inclusion program, she hopes recent media stories will combine with presentations to the Premier’s Task Force on Education Outcomes to force government to pay attention and deal with the problem.

The provincial government may spend millions of dollars a year to rent inferior housing, but doesn’t keep records that can confirm exactly how much.

NDP Health and Community Services Critic Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi) wants to know why there has been nothing but silence from government regarding an important report submitted to it last week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association.

NDP Health Critic Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi) says the provincial government should take very seriously a report released today by the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association calling for a comprehensive, transparent, non-partisan review of the province’s health facilities and services.

The NDP Critic for Justice and the Status of Women says that while the province’s new abortion buffer zone legislation doesn’t go quite as far as she would have liked, she is delighted to see that government kept its promise and included protection for all employees of abortion clinics in the regulations.

The provincial government’s decision to reduce the number of diabetes test strips patients are covered for is in direct opposition to last fall’s election promise and a pledge in their The Way Forward document, says NDP Health Critic Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi).

In the House of Assembly’s Question Period today, NDP Housing Critic Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre) tried once again to get answers from government about unregulated rooming and boarding house, many of which she says are in alarming and unsafe condition.

The NDP Tourism and Culture Critic says Bill 56 changing The Rooms Act could seriously damage some of our most important cultural institutions. Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre) says introducing the bill to the House of Assembly without consulting experts contravenes the existing legislation.