The following are speaking notes delivered at the Opening of the First Session of the 49th General Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador by Her Honour The Honourable Judy M. Foote, PC, ONL, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador:

Speech from the Throne

“Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Assembly:”

“As the representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I am pleased to welcome the newly elected members of the House of Assembly on the occasion of the opening of the First Session of the 49th General Assembly of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“In opening this session, we respectfully acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the ancestral homelands of many diverse populations of Indigenous people who have contributed to 9,000 years of history including the Beothuk on the Island of Newfoundland. Today, this province is home to diverse populations of Indigenous and other people. We also acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit.”

“The calling to serve the people of Newfoundland and Labrador is a special one, in which you put yourselves forward for the right to sit in this Honourable House to represent the people of your districts and to carry out the important work of the province. To serve in this Honourable House is a privilege earned by few. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians expect that the Members they el ...