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Judy Foote, Opposition Critic for Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
and MHA for the District of Grand Bank, is asking government how they plan
to deal with the negative impact of high fuel costs on the provincial
economy. "Consumers and businesses throughout the province find themselves
in difficult circumstances as a result of increasing fuel costs," said Ms.
Foote. "Because of the rural nature of much of Newfoundland and Labrador,
the cost of transporting goods and providing services has increased
dramatically. If businesses are to survive, they will have no choice but to
recover those added costs meaning consumers in all areas of the province
will pay more for their goods. Given the trend of the increasing fuel costs
over the past months, it is inconceivable how government can continue to
benefit from windfall profits and not acknowledge the negative impacts on
every other sector of the economy.
"Even as people do their part to cut back on fuel consumption, like car
pooling, there are activities they have to do including driving to work,
driving children to school and heating their homes. Now is the time for
government to act, not when businesses throughout the province have to close
their doors because consumers cannot afford to spend money on things other
than necessities. Without a plan by government to lessen the burden,
businesses will surely feel the impact of this reduced spending. I fear the
damage this will cause to the economy of the province, especially in rural
communities, maybe be irreparable.
"Government should have been prepared for this turn of events and been
prepared to alleviate the negative impacts on society that accompany such
dramatic increases in fuel costs. Unfortunately, it appears that this
government has no plan to deal with this alarming situation. Instead of
ignoring the plight in which people throughout the province are finding
themselves, Premier Williams should take the lead and show that he is
concerned about how difficult it has become for Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to cope in the face of increased fuel costs. Unless he shows
leadership on this issue, everyone in this province will suffer.
"This government has been silent in dealing with the high cost of gas and
oil. While the Premier has said the government has a draft energy plan, that
will do nothing to alleviate the hardships being felt by the people of the
province today. As for the draft energy plan, why not share it with the
public, something he appears unwilling to do. Now is the time to release
this plan and request feedback from Newfoundlanders and Labradorians . The
fact that he won’t is worrisome. Residents and businesses of this province
need to know what government’s plan will be to deal with these energy
issues. It is absolutely essential that whatever plan is put in place takes
into account the unique nature of the rural areas of our province. Without
that, we may see more people and businesses leaving rural areas, something
we simply cannot afford."
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