Released Friday, January 27, 2012
NDP Labour Critic Dale Kirby (MHA, St. John’s North) says he will be closely watching the upcoming statutory review of the legislation governing the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission. His main hope is that serious issues facing the Commission’s ability to protect injured workers in the future will be adequately addressed.
“Our province’s economy and labour market are undergoing major changes, and these will become more profound in the years to come,” says Kirby. “I hope the commissioners will recognize this and consider strong, sustainable, forward-thinking direction for our system of workers’ compensation. Workers and employers in this province deserve a system that is more responsive to their needs.”
Kirby hopes that new legislation will increase the maximum compensable income to better reflect the province’s changing economy. In addition, he says, “We need an increased sensitivity to the devastation caused by occupational diseases, and a reflection of that in compensation for victims. Regulations should also include a more sensible regional approach to labour market re-entry, and early and safe return to work arrangements that better support and promote the rehabilitation of injured workers.
“I am looking forward to seeing these issues recognized and incorporated into the recommendations,” says Kirby. “I look forward to giving the review committee a more detailed presentation outlining my concerns.”
Saturday, 28 January, 2012
Kirby outlines expectations for statutory review of WHSCC
Sunday, 22 January, 2012
Town Hall Meeting Agenda
- Sign-in and Refreshments 7:00 pm - 7:20 pm
- Welcome and Introductions 7:20 pm – 7:30 pm
- MHA Update 7:30 pm – 7:50 pm
- Open Question and Dialogue Session 7:50 pm – 8:20 pm
- Closing Remarks 8:20 pm - 8:25 pm
- Socializing & Informal Discussion 8:25 pm - 8:50 pm
Tuesday, 17 January, 2012
Government must help engineering students
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
NDP Advanced Education and Skills critic Dale Kirby (MHA, St. John’s North) is calling on government to help engineering students needing work term placements.
“This term more than 100 engineering students are having trouble getting a placement for their scheduled work term,” says Kirby. “With more big industrial projects developing in this province than ever before, I hope government would see both the immediate and the long term benefits of helping these young people get invaluable workplace experience.”
Due to changes in the engineering program, says Kirby, there are currently more than the usual number of students looking for a temporary placement this term. It is this change that has caused the shortfall of placements.
Kirby says government has to help deal with this increase in demand for work term placements.
“The goal of the cooperative education program is to give young engineering students practical experience so they will graduate as the highly qualified and knowledgeable professionals we need in this province,” says Kirby. “We are going to need these young people and their expertise. I hope government will see that investing in these short term placements is money well spent.”
Sunday, 15 January, 2012
A call to debate Muskrat Falls
Last week on CBC's On Point program, I challenged representatives from the other political parties on the need to have a proper debate about the Muskrat Falls project. The full program is available online here. The segment I appear in starts about 8 min 10 secs into the program.
As I mentioned in the show, government's decision on the Muskrat Falls Project is probably the most important one to be made by our provincial government in my lifetime. I can't think of an exception. The implications for the cost of power, for provincial spending, and increasing the size of the provincial debt will impact Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for generations.
Instead of fully debating Muskrat Falls with all of the necessary information, our government appears to be intent on barreling ahead and making a decision with piecemeal information in hand. Premier Dunderdale has her foot on the accelerator and she has indicated that there will be no slowing down, no matter how concerned anyone is about how fast she is driving her agenda on Muskrat Falls.
The thing is, Premier Dunderdale and her government know they have a big problem on their hands.
The problem is that the more we learn about the Muskrat Falls project, the more it is studied, the more is scrutinized, the more it appears that the plan for the Muskrat Falls project is fraught with very high risks, that alternatives have not been properly examined, and that more and more citizens are becoming aware of these problems.
Last summer, Muskrat Falls failed a joint federal/provincial environmental review. More recently, government has rejected a request from the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for the additional time needed to conduct a thorough review of the project. Moreover, with each passing week there are more and more individuals raising questions and expressing reservations about Muskrat.
My colleagues and I in the provincial NDP Caucus are calling for a Special Session of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly to ensure a full review and debate of the Muskrat Falls project.
Special Sessions of the Legislature were called to change the Fishery Products International Limited Act and to debate the Voisey's Bay Agreement. We need to have a Special Session of the House of Assembly to ensure that the Muskrat Falls project is economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and to the benefit of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tuesday, 10 January, 2012
Our democratic deficit - Private member’s bills
Memorial University of Newfoundland political science professor Alex Marland penned a timely article in the Canadian Parliamentary Review last fall. The piece raises a number of questions about the operations and functions of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, including its diminishing status under the current government.
The following excerpt on private member’s bills illustrates the need for democratic reform in our province (emphasis added by me):
Members who do not belong to cabinet have a small influence on public policy and have a more limited legislative presence than is the case in other provinces. In other parliamentary systems, members introduce a private member’s bill to propose legislation in an attempt to raise public awareness of issues and to hold the government to account. In Newfoundland, non-cabinet members may speak for 15 minutes on Wednesdays (the designated private members day) when they can introduce motions, which could include urging policy change.
But unlike other legislatures, the rules for a private member’s bill require completion of all three readings in the same day, and the resulting impossibility of meeting such a stringent requirement is symbolic of the strength of the political executive and the lack of effective opposition. Consequently a private member’s bill has never been passed.
Sunday, 1 January, 2012
The difference a year makes
Last year was a life-changing year for me, like no other year before it. There were a number of notable developments in my academic work at Memorial University of Newfoundland, my political work with the New Democratic Party, and my personal life, but two events clearly stand atop the others.
On October 11, 2011, voters elected me to represent the district of St. John's North in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. After the election, I was named the New Democratic Party critic for Education, Advanced Education and Skills, Status of Persons with Disabilities, Youth Engagement, Labour, the Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission, and the Labour Relations Agency. I'm looking forward to working for my constituents over the next four years, and continuing to build our Party across the province.
(Swearing-in ceremony at Government House with Lt.-Gov. John Crosbie on November 9, 2011)
On May 14, 2011, Leigh gave birth to our son Kieran Arthur Kirby. Born a month earlier than he was scheduled to arrive, Kieran was 5 lbs 9 oz. Every day he finds a special way to remind us why we looked forward to his arrival with so much anticipation.
Wednesday, 28 December, 2011
Early learning needs action, not public relations
Released Earlier Today
December 28, 2011
Early learning needs action, not public relations
NDP Education Critic Dale Kirby (MHA, St. John's North) reacted with disbelief today to a government announcement of a $100,000 public relations campaign to promote the value of play-based learning.
“Does Minister Jackman really think anyone in this province who has anything to do with early childhood education needs to be told about the importance of play-based learning? What our children need is a solid commitment to their early years, not another government-funded public relations campaign,” Kirby said today.
“The families of Newfoundland and Labrador have had enough platitudes and nice talk,” he added. “Parents and early childhood educators alike already know 'that learning begins at birth and continues throughout the pre-school years,' as Minister Jackman says in his release.
“The ministers involved are insulting parents with yet another information campaign, when what the children of this province need – and need now – is a concrete plan for early learning programs and a clear strategy .with timelines for universal publicly-funded and administered child care programs.”
A recent national report, The Early Years Study 3, ranked Newfoundland and Labrador lowest in the country on its early childhood programs.
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For more information, contact Jean Graham, ph. 693-9172.
