Throne Speech Highlights PROVINCE HOUSE The Guardian

Lt.-Gov. Barbara Hagerman inspects the honour guard before entering Province House to deliver the Throne Speech, opening the Legislature for the fall session.

Throne Speech 2009 Highlights:

Health Care
-    Legislation will be introduced to establish a new arm's-length organization, Health P.E.I., to deliver health services on P.E.I.
-    A new team-based model of care will be piloted in five health care centres across the Island
-    In the winter of 2010, the province will introduce return-in-service grants to assist Island paramedics who upgrade their training to the level of Advanced Care Paramedic

Education
-    The province will partner with Holland College to initiate a new Regional Training Centre in West Prince. It will offer a number of programs to be the social and economic needs of the region.
-    In the coming year, government will conduct a comprehensive review of the early childhood sector to establish a vision and long-term strategy for the sector
-    An additional 80 half-year public internships will be established in January as a result of the immense popularity of the 50 full-time internships offered earlier this fall.
-    The province will invest $2.5 million to launch a Community Internship Program to create 150 internships in community and non-profit organizations

Communities and Rural P.E.I.
-    Three regional business centres will be established in rural areas of P.E.I. to provide Island firms with one-stop access to government programs and services. Government will invite federal and community partners to co-locate their economic and community development activities in these centres.
-    Significant changes will be made to the Employment Standards Act
-    A Settlement Strategy will be released shortly that will outline a plan for government to work with over 40 partners to enhance settlement services for new Islanders

Primary Industries
-    Over the coming months, government plans to develop funding programs to help farmers reduce their operating costs, create new crop and revenue opportunities  and provide environmental benefits to the Island. These initiatives will centre on enhanced crop diversification and renewable energy opportunities.
-    In 2010, government will create a Cultural Explosion Strategy to make P.E.I. Canada’s East Coast tourism cultural capital. The strategy will place particular emphasis on increased visitation in the late spring and early fall. It will work to enhance existing festivals and events as well as create new ones.
-    Government has allocated $2 million to work with Island fishers and processors and with the federal government toward product development, technology innovation and marketing

Environment and Energy
-    A new Pesticides Control Act will be introduced that will ban a number of pesticides and ensure others are used only by trained commercial operators under strict conditions
-    An implementation plan has been developed for the recommendations in the 2008 Commission on Nitrates in Groundwater. This will be carried out in the coming year and beyond.
-    In 2010, additional funding will be given to watershed groups
-    Government will exempt environmentally sensitive land from ownership limits of the Lands Protection Act. This will encourage farmers to take sensitive land out of crop production, enhancing the protection of those lands.
-    Government has been able to secure additional federal funding for the Office of Energy Efficiency. This will allow an additional 3,500 Islanders to be offered the Low-Income Loan Program for energy saving renovations and upgrades to their homes.

Other new initiatives
-    Cell phones and hand held devices will be banned in changes to the Highway Traffic Act
-    The Tobacco Health Care Costs Recovery Act will permit the province to pursue possible action to recover damages from large tobacco companies
-    Government will begin consultations this fall on gift card legislation to guard against the exploitation of the generosity of Islanders
-    Consultations will be held to develop a new Pension Benefits Act for introduction in the fall of 2010