(March 15, 2021) – PC Leader Ches Crosbie says Andrew Furey has a duty to show what evidence he used to call his reckless election in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Premier has been hiding the modeling used to inform his decision behind a bogus claim of cabinet confidentiality. Last year, the modeling was front and center during public COVID-19 briefings, but now it is, apparently, a confidential cabinet document.

Crosbie says that excuse doesn’t hold water. “Andrew Furey’s decision to call an election in the dead of winter, in the middle of a pandemic was his alone,” said Crosbie. “That means he has a responsibility to justify his actions to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, not hide behind the lame excuse of cabinet confidentiality.”

Crosbie says Andrew Furey is doing the public a disservice by keeping the modeling a secret. The PC leader noted that the Premier referenced the modeling in a public briefing on February 9.

“Either the modeling the Premier referenced in February doesn’t exist and he intentionally misled the public, or the Premier is hiding COVID-19 data from the people of the province,” said Crosbie. “Either way, it’s a problem.”

Crosbie says that by continuing to keep so much information secret, the Premier is eroding confidence in public health and the Liberal government.

“It’s time for Andrew Furey to finally be honest with the people of the province on the evidence used to make this election call – was it public health or his desire to hide the Greene Report that set his decision?” asked Crosbie.

The PC leader pointed out the Premier’s refusal to share the modeling data is just the latest in a long list of transparency failures, including hiding the Greene Report and failing to disclose that an American company was being paid to cut the Newfoundland and Labrador healthcare system.
 

Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Communications

(p) (709) 769-2216

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