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tables – in government, business, industry, and community. We’re Renewable resources, including wind, tidal and hydro, can assist
doing this by undertaking initiatives to build, strengthen and other provinces to meet their energy needs and greenhouse gas
advance leadership of women in our province. reduction targets. Increasing electricity exports may require
transmission upgrades or new transmission lines.
Darin King:
Creating a national pharmacare program for all Canadians is an Government participates in regional and federal, provincial and
important issue to the Building Trades. How do we ensure this territorial working groups and committees to advance
gets on the election agenda and what can provinces – like opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador renewable energy
Newfoundland and Labrador – do to make that happen? exports. The province, through the Atlantic Regional Clean Power
Planning Committee, is working to develop a roadmap to use more
Dwight Ball:
clean power and improve transmission networks in the Atlantic
Health care systems across Canada are being impacted by many
region.
pressures including an aging population. In Newfoundland and
Labrador, provincial demographics are changing as people 65 Our energy projects can be developed and have a positive impact
years and over make up more than 20 per cent of the population on environmental and climate concerns. At the same time,
and consume at least 50 per cent of the health care costs. The developing these projects will require skilled trades and workers
province also has the highest median age in the country, and for construction and operation.
incidents of chronic disease continue to rise.
Darin King:
Efficient and high quality health care and job creation are key We’ve been trying to get pipeline projects built for awhile and not
priorities for all provincial and territorial governments. As Premier, having much success. We now have Bill 69. What would you do
I am proud of the significant health care infrastructure investments differently from other politicians to get these projects moving and
we have made in the province. We are expanding and transforming to re-gain investor confidence in Canada – as a place that’s open
our services with a new acute care hospital in Corner Brook that for business?
will be attached to a 145 bed long-term care home. We’re also
Dwight Ball:
building and a new state-of-the-art adult mental health and
To compete in a global industry we must be diligent in ensuring
addictions facility in St. John’s. This work reflects our unwavering
the regulatory environment governing our natural resources
commitment to support the changing face of health care and
industries is prudent and balanced. That is why we have been
delivers on our promise in our plan, The Way Forward: A Vision for
working with the Federal Government for changes to Bill C-69.
Sustainability and Growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
As part of The Way Forward, our Advance 2030 plan for growth in
In July, Canada’s Premiers gathered for the Council of the
the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industry outlines our
Federation Conference, which presented an opportunity to share
continued commitment to develop our valuable resources,
perspectives and experiences on important matters in delivering
enhance our competitiveness, and strengthen our position in an
better services and better outcomes for Newfoundlanders and
environmentally acceptable manner as an industry global leader.
Labradorians and all Canadians. During the conference, I lead a
meeting on health care which included a discussion on a national The oil and gas industry has played a pivotal role in the growth
pharmacare program. I asked all provincial leaders to make a and development of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy over
personal pledge to press all federal parties to make this a priority the past two decades. Our province is also a highly attractive
and election issue going into the fall federal election. exploration destination and a globally competitive mining
jurisdiction. We have a large and diversified minerals industry that
We're the only country in the G7 that doesn’t have a national
provides a wide variety of commodities to the world market. Our
pharmacare program. As costs continue to increase, provincial
access to tidewater gives our province the ability to facilitate the
and territorial Premiers are collectively discussing how the Federal
transportation of these resources to markets globally.
Government can help address health care needs in Canada. It’s
about affordability, it's about accessibility and it’s about making Our mining and mineral exploration companies directly provide
sure we have equality across the country high-paying jobs to more than 7000 men and women throughout
the province. Expenditures by these companies find their way into
Darin King:
all corners of Newfoundland and Labrador and throughout Canada.
You have been advocating for energy transmission and a trade
corridor through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to get off coal. We are carefully and cautiously reviewing the amendments to Bill
How do you balance out the need for energy projects vs. C-69 clause by clause to determine the impact they will have on
environmental and climate concerns and ensuring workers aren’t our province’s natural resource development and will continue to
left behind? champion the development of our natural resources. We will not
give up on lobbying the Federal Government on Bill C-69 to ensure
Dwight Ball:
we can develop our resources in a sustainable manner while
Our government is committed to working with industry and
receiving the maximum value of our resources for the people of
stakeholders to develop a renewable energy strategy that is
this province.
focused on creating employment opportunities and further
positioning the province as an energy hub. Our province has an Darin King:
abundance of untapped potential in our natural resources which How important is skills development and apprenticeships to
can support both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in moving off Canada and what is your government doing to attract, train and
of coal and supply them with clean green energy from our province. retain people in the skilled trades in NL?

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