Budget 2013

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi) says today’s fiscal update demonstrates the harm inflicted on the province by government’s ill-considered and hasty cutbacks earlier this year.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi) says government should time the release of its mid-year financial update to allow for it to be debated in the House of Assembly.

MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Leader of the Third Party.

MS MICHAEL: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 NDP Justice Critic Gerry Rogers introduced a Private Member's Motion which called on Government to reinstate the Family Violence Intervention Court.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi) wants to know what the delay has been in following through on a budget announcement which would have seen a cabinet minister lose his extra pay and return to the back benches of government.

NDP Environment and Conservation Critic George Murphy (MHA, St. John’s East) is reiterating concerns about the Budget cuts that eliminated staff positions at the province’s ecological reserves and parks.

NDP Advanced Education and Skills critic Dale Kirby (MHA, St. John’s North) says the dozens of Employment Assistance Services offices closing as of this weekend will be sorely missed by jobseekers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Further, says Kirby, he sees no way for government to provide equivalent services, with fewer staff, to everyone who used the centres.

NDP Justice Critic Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre) says government needs to drop the platitudes and take real action to end violence against women and girls.
Rogers was responding to a news release from government which affirms government’s commitment to end violence against women and to encourage women’s leadership.

NDP Justice Critic Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre) says the latest round of budget cut reversals is further proof that very little thought went into government’s irresponsible budget cuts.

Media reports today say the Department of Justice will rehire 25 people laid off just weeks ago.

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi) says anyone who hoped to learn anything solid about Muskrat Falls at Nalcor’s Annual General Meeting left, as she did, feeling they had heard nothing new.