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Opposition Leader Roger Grimes says continued discussions are needed to
bring a successful conclusion to the current Atlantic Accord talks and both
the Premier and Prime Minister should return to the negotiating table.
"After being briefed by government officials on the latest proposal put
forward by the federal government, there continues to be disagreement
between the province and Ottawa and further clarification is needed on
several issues," said Mr. Grimes. "We have seen the federal offer in
writing, now it is time for the province to put its position in writing to
the federal government and make it public.
"Everyone in the province understands that we want 100 per cent of our
offshore revenues outside of equalization clawback. This means we can keep
all of our revenues from our offshore and our equalization payments.
However, there continues to be confusion surrounding timeframes and monetary
conditions. To ensure maximum clarity on all issues, it is now time for the
Premier to submit a proposal outlining this province’s demands.
"I am also suggesting that the Premier sit down with the province’s four
liberal Members of Parliament to ensure everyone is on the same page. By
working together, our federal representatives and the Premier could approach
the Prime Minister with a united front. I believe this could help repair
some of the federal-provincial relationships that may have been strained
over the past couple of weeks.
"This issue is of great importance to the people of the province. Every
avenue must be explored to ensure that this deal is finalized. The only way
to get this done is for both sides to get back to the table."
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