NEWS RELEASE
Office of the Official Opposition
For Immediate Release
Environment Minister confirms once again that she is not doing her job
Environment and Conservation Minister Charlene Johnson confirmed again today that she is not completing her due diligence as a minister by staying on top of environmental issues in the province, specifically when it comes to the potential for an offshore oil spill in Placentia Bay, says Opposition House Leader Kelvin Parsons. The issue was raised earlier today in the House of Assembly.
As reported yesterday by CBC, federal regulations were changed in April that reduced the number of staff required on tugboats in Placentia Bay. The minister admitted today that she didn’t know about these changes, three weeks after she was asked questions about tugboat infrastructure in the House of Assembly.
“Even after she was challenged in the House of Assembly on this issue three weeks ago, the minister still did not complete her due diligence in getting information from the federal government,” said Mr. Parsons. “She finally called the federal minister today to inquire about the regulation changes, but these calls should have been made weeks, if not months ago.
“While offshore oil spills may not be the first responsibility of the provincial Minister of Environment, she should certainly make it a priority and become interested enough to find out what the federal government is doing to protect our province. With the spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the disaster that is taking place in that region, I would expect our provincial representatives to become involved and provide input into these matters. Sitting back and letting someone else make the decisions without question regarding oil spills off our coast again shows we are unprepared to deal with a spill should one take place. This is simply unacceptable!”- 30 -
Media Contact:
Darrell Mercer
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Office of the Official Opposition
Tel: (709) 729-6151 or (709) 687-0477