Thursday, November 14, 2013 House of Assembly My questions to Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works, regarding new vessels. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains. MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation and Works said yesterday that the RFP for two new ferries for Labrador would be ready before the end of this year. He also committed to 2016 as a date for the completion of the new vessels. I ask the minister: Will he release the details of the RFP, and what is the timeline between the release of the RFP and a tender being awarded for the new vessels? MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the RFP for the two ferries for the North Coast and the Straits of Labrador is a very complex RFP. As a matter of fact, the RFP that is being designed has never been done before in Canada, let alone in Newfoundland and Labrador. The RFP that we are doing there is going to be for a long-term service to the Straits and to the North Coast. So we are working on it. It is a very complex piece. As I said, I am hoping – I do not use the word commit – that it will be ready by the end of 2013, and we will get that out. Then we will be providing and hopefully meet our 2016 deadline. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Member for Torngat Mountains. MR. EDMUNDS: Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the minister ranted at my colleague, the Member for Cartwright – L’Anse au Clair, about separating Newfoundland and Labrador. I ask the minister: Being a representative from Labrador, do you believe that Labrador is entitled to the same quality of ferry service as the rest of the Province? MR. SPEAKER: The hon. the Minister of Transportation and Works. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. MCGRATH: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak as the Minister of Labrador Affairs, and I am very proud to be the Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs. SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear! MR. MCGRATH: I chose thirty-five years ago to move to Labrador and I have been there ever since. It has given me a very good living, but I do not distinguish a difference between the Island portion of the Province and Labrador. We are one Province, and this government gives equality to all of the Province. We will do our best for every one of our population.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 15:25:33 +0000