Ken McDonald

[Newfoundlanders Missing at Sea, November 24th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to speak to members of this House about two young men missing at sea off the coast of Newfoundland. Adolfo, better known as Tommy Ferreira, and Michael Gill left Lawrence Harbour to hunt turr on Saturday, November 13, and sadly, despite the best efforts of rescue crews, have not yet returned home.

To the members of the Canadian Coast Guard, the RCMP, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, boat owners and fish harvesters who have aided and who continue to aid in the search for these two men, we say “thank you” for doing what most of us can only imagine as being a heart-wrenching job.

It is incumbent on us as a government to ensure that those who go to sea are safe and will return home to their families each night. We must continue to change our rules and policies to ensure the safety of every person out on our waters.

To the families and friends of these two young boys, I want to extend thoughts and prayers from the constituents in Avalon and indeed from all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

May God be with them.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1, June 11th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, when I hear a Conservative stand up and speak about spending and the deficit, I recall how the finance critic, the member for Carleton, would stand up day after day and say we are spending too much and helping too much. I wonder if the member could answer in a truthful way which program that we brought in during this pandemic the Conservatives would cut or give less money to.

It is fine to talk about what happened in 2008, but the world has never seen the likes of the pandemic that hit the globe the way it did a year and a half ago. Which program would he not support? Which program would he eliminate, and what class of people would be hurt the most by doing this?

[George Murphy, June 9th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of George Murphy, who passed away suddenly at the young age of 58 this past weekend. Every Newfoundlander and Labradorian knew George Murphy. He had a unique personality with a contagious smile and always a story to tell.

George was known in our province as the gas guru. With his expert knowledge, he would give us the inside scoop on the weekly price of gas, even in the middle of an election campaign or in the middle of a pandemic.

George was a well-known taxi driver and business manager for Jiffy Cabs. His personality and passion for our province brought him to the House of Assembly as the MHA for St. John's East from 2011 to 2015. In the recent provincial election he ran in his home district of Harbour Main for the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.

George will be remembered as the loving husband to his wife, Joy, a wonderful father and grandfather. He was generous, a passionate man and above all else a gentle soul. George was taken from us way too soon. His legacy will live on.

I say to George, “Rest easy, my friend.”

[Fisheries and Oceans, April 27th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, do members know that 90% of Canadian seafood goes through small craft harbours, and Canada's fish harvesters depend on these facilities to support their livelihoods? My constituents do. Small craft harbours in my riding are the lifeblood of rural communities and industry hubs for shipping, trade, fishing, recreation and other marine sectors.

Can the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans tell us what our government is doing to invest in small craft harbours?

[Kenny Williams, April 23rd, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Kenny Williams, who recently passed away at the age of 69 after a long dignified struggle with ALS.

Kenny was a son, husband, father, grandfather and a friend to everyone who knew him. However, most people knew him from his 30-years of service to the hockey community on the southern shore and throughout the province.

Kenny was a founding member of the committee that worked to get the Southern Shore Arena built in 1986 and worked as the stadium manager for over 30 years. He served on boards for minor, junior, senior and women’s hockey.

In 2005, he received the Gold Stick Pin for his years of service on the board of directors with HockeyNL. He was inducted into the Newfoundland & Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. He became a life member of HockeyNL and received the Hockey Canada Order of Merit in 2017.

Kenny was passionate about hockey and about giving back to his community. I want to honour his legacy and thank him for a life service to his community and indeed our province.

[Kenny Williams, April 23rd, 2021]

Madam Speaker, today, I pay tribute to the life of Kenny Williams, who recently passed away at the age of 69 after a long, dignified struggle with ALS.

Kenny was a son, husband, father, grandfather and friend to everyone who knew him. However, most people knew Kenny from his 30-years of service to the hockey community on the southern shore and throughout the province.

Kenny was a founding member of the committee that worked to get the Southern Shore Arena built in 1986, and worked as the stadium manager for over 30 years. He served on boards for minor, junior, senior and women's hockey.

[Business of Supply, February 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, income is what determines the level of GIS a senior or couple may receive. By adding this increase, would that threshold be moved so they would not lose their GIS? Here in Newfoundland and Labrador, if one receives the GIS, they go on the provincial drug program. If that is lost, they have to pay for the drugs themselves or have insurance.

Would that threshold be moved, as well, to accommodate seniors being able to stay on provincial drug plans?

[Fisheries and Oceans, February 18th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, with the world's longest coastline and connected to three oceans, Canada is well positioned to be a global leader in the blue economy, an economy that creates good, middle-class jobs while ensuring healthy oceans and sustainable ocean industries.

Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard please tell the House what our government is doing to grow our blue economy?

[Roger Nugent, December 2nd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, Roger Nugent of Conception Bay South, a son, a loving husband and friend, passed away at the age of 60.

Roger was a good friend of mine. As kids, we started school together, and we graduated high school alongside one another in 1976. He was a great guy who was always up for a laugh or a lark, but was never one to cause trouble. He was a man who loved hunting, fishing or anything to do with the great outdoors.

Over the years, I spent a lot of time in the Nugent family home. I was always welcomed and made to feel safe. Roger is missed by many, but especially by his loving wife, Bernice; his parents, Tony and Ursula; his brothers and sisters, Kenny, Terry, Debbie and Joy; and of course his best buddy, his dog, Chipper.

Roger, my friend, will be missed. May God bless him.

[Committees of the House, November 20th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following three reports of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans: the first report is entitled “Striped Bass in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence and Miramichi River: Striking a Delicate Balance”; the second report is entitled “Aquatic Invasive Species: A National Priority”; and the third report is entitled “In Hot Water—Lobster and Snow Crab in Eastern Canada”.

I would like to thank all members of the committee, our clerk, analysts and indeed all our staff for their hard work on these reports. The co-operation and collaboration of all members is something of which our committee is quite proud.