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Judy Foote, Opposition Critic for Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
and MHA for the District of Grand Bank, says news of former Workplace,
Health and Safety Compensation Commission (WHSCC) CEO Ann Marie Hann's new
appointment in Calgary has her once again challenging the premier for his
actions and his inaction on contributing to the increasing out-migration of
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
Hann was the CEO of the WHSCC when Premier Williams refused to renew her
contract, eventually forcing her outside the province to seek employment.
She is one of a steady stream of thousands who have taken up work in other
provinces in the past several years because of a lack of opportunities here
in the province.
"It is a shame to lose such a well-respected individual and a very
capable person," says Foote, adding that the premier's decision not to keep
Hann at the helm of the WHSCC for no reason other than politics is
unfortunate and very telling of his overall approach. "As I watch the
ongoing fiasco with the Max Reulokke case, I wonder if he is not trying to
do the same with this professional, and if so why? Will Mr. Reulokke be
forced to take his talents and his experience to another province where he
will be recognized for his capabilities as was the case with Ms. Hann? It is
time the premier acted in a manner that is in the province's best interests
and the bests interests of those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who want
to work and continue to make a contribution in their province.
Aside from the many individuals the premier has personally tangled with
and fired for no good reason, the Liberal MHA states that it is the
inability of this government, under the leadership of Premier Williams, to
put in place strategies that will generate economic development
opportunities across the province, particularly in rural areas, that is a
strong contributing factor to out-migration. "While there may be some hot
spots, as in the St. John's metro area, this is mainly attributable to oil
related projects that had been launched by the former Liberal government.
Three years into his mandate, this premier cannot point to one example where
his approach has resulted in significant employment opportunities in this
province.
"Unfortunately, especially for those who live in rural Newfoundland and
Labrador, while the premier has talked the talk he has not walked the walk.
His commitment to rural Newfoundland and Labrador has been nothing but a sad
string of very little action and this has left many people in many
communities frustrated and disappointed, with no choice but to move. I see
firsthand and hear from others that the level of out-migration is shocking
and that many communities are being reduced to ghost towns. Regrettably,
when he was on the election trail, the premier enticed voters with the
fool's gold promise that his leadership knows success, expects success and
gets success. So many who were taken in are now are being forced to leave
the province and are wondering what happened to that promised success."
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