Where are the necessary Questions

MR. SULLIVAN: I still cannot come to grips with how the Minister of Human Resources and Employment could be a member of a Catholic Women’s League.

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, to get back to this very serious issue at hand, it is a very serious issue. Why wouldn’t the Premier of this Province, why wouldn’t government, want Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to have a say, a fundamental say, into any major agreement?

When we are looking at this agreement, Mr. Speaker, we are looking at billions of dollars over the life of this agreement. We are looking at a mine and a mill with a smelter and refinery; we are looking at a multi-billion project. We do not want to say, when the deal is done, it is too late. We cannot correct the inequities of the Upper Churchill. We cannot correct them, as much as we have tried to do it, through the courts. It was ironclad, and we are seeing Hydro-Quebec show a profit this year of about $1.2 billion. That was their net profit of $1.2 billion, and we take a measly few million dollars out of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro; only for the dividends that we are taking now, and that is money, really, that Hydro has to borrow.

Historically to that - I might add, the government that signed it away was the Liberal Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. We do not want any major deal to go through without the scrutiny of this Legislature or the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. We have an opportunity here in this House to voice concerns on behalf of our constituents. All forty-eight districts represented by members in this House, and one soon to be, we hope. It is not represented, there was no by-election called, but forty-seven at the moment. We feel we are members who can represent their concerns, listen to them, convey to them aspects of this particular deal and have it debated here in a public forum.

What is wrong with informing the people of Newfoundland and Labrador about a deal? Is there something sinister? There seems to be something sinister when you do not want people to see it.

MR. MANNING: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the members opposite for the opportunity, by leave, to clue up my remarks.

Mr. Speaker, it is a very important topic to the people I represent. It is a very important topic to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. That is why it is very important that we bring it here to the floor of the House of Assembly. I know that there are members on that side of the House who want this brought here to the House of Assembly. I know that there are members there who want to fully debate it. I know there are members opposite who want to let the people of Newfoundland and Labrador know exactly what is in this deal before it is signed, sealed and delivered. Before our future is sold down the drain we want to make sure that this is a good deal for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We have seen deals in the past, Mr. Speaker. We have seen deals on the Lower Churchill. We have seen deals on Marystown. We have seen deals that have been signed; that have been too late once they are signed. We had Friede Goldman - I talked to a gentleman the other day who called it Freebie-Goldman. Well, we do not want a freebie-Inco. I say it is very important that we make sure we get a good deal for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and that we have a good deal brought here to the floor of the House of Assembly for a full and thorough debate before it is signed, and that is what these petitioners ask.

It is clear that real debate must occur on this proposed giveaway. Williams insisted that this is the only way to do resource deals. His rules are:

1. An unelected Premier cannot do resource deals
2. All information both with the parties involved and with caucus must be released to the media and public so we can decide.
3. Proper debate in the house.

Questions


None of this for the lower churchill - why?

Why did you lay the terms out for a multi billion dollar project and then immediately shoot back to the private sector?

Now that you don't have to file a statement of interests will you tell us if any of your investments will benefit in any way from this deal?

Do you promise not to invest in any company directly benefiting from this deal?