Article content“He’s not disclosing who the lead negotiator is, when he comes and goes, that he doesn’t disclose when one of his chief legal advisors comes and goes, that they can’t trust the process,” said Hogan.Article content“When they wanted a referendum, and he broke that promise, and when they want the deal to come back to the House Assembly before it’s finalized, and he refuses to do it.”Article contentDecorum on the docketArticle contentWhile Churchill Falls dominated much of the discussion on Oct. 29 — and most of the week — there was still plenty to talk about.Article contentOne of those things was decorum in the House of Assembly.Article contentA day earlier, NDP MHA Sheilagh O’Leary was removed from the floor after she refused to take back a comment about “untruths” being spoken in the House during an exchange with NL Housing Minister Chris Tibbs.Article contentArticle contentA point of order over unparliamentary language was ruled on by Speaker of the House Paul Lane, who found that the language used by either member wasn’t directed at a member of the House directly.Article contentLater in Question Period, a trio of MHAs had their speaking privileges removed over a lack of decorum.Article contentLane paused the debate multiple times to remind politicians that things were going to improve under his watch.Article content NDP leader Jim Dinn Photo by Nicholas Mercer/The TelegramArticle contentHousing concernsArticle contentWhen it was his turn to speak. NDP Leader Jim Dinn took the time to ask about housing and what the provincial government is doing to address the need for alternative housing options.Article contentHe suggested, amongst other things, conducting a study to see if the old Waterford Hospital could be an option to help people as Horizons 106 prepares to close.Article content“An opportunity now exists to renovate and transform the former Waterford Hospital site into a publicly owned and operated affordable, supportive, and transitional housing,” said Dinn.Article contentTibbs wouldn’t commit to that, but instead said that the province has taken great strides to make sure people have the housing they need.Article contentArticle content“I will take a look at any building along the way to see if it can be repurposed; to see if it is feasible to repurpose any building across this province and to utilize it in the best form possible,” said Tibbs.Article content“We also had a responsibility to the people of the province. I want to make sure that every vulnerable person is taken care of across the province, but at the same time, we also have a fiscal responsibility to the people and the taxpayers of this province.Article content“We’re going to continue to do so.”Article contentWith the closure of Question Period, the House of Assembly ended the first week of the fall sitting.Article contentWhile Wakeham’s Progressive Conservatives touted the work they’ve done to make things more affordable for the province, with things like the removal of the provincial gas tax at the top of the list, the opposition hopes they’ve made enough of an attempt to dissuade the government enough to rethink their Churchill Falls plans.Article content“I hope we’ve made headway in convincing the premier to rethink how he’s moving forward with this Churchill Falls file,” added Hogan.Article content
NL Conservatives chide Liberals over voting against new Churchill Falls deal
