(June 15, 2022) – David Brazil, PC Official Opposition Leader and MHA for Conception Bay East-Bell Island, says yet another example has come to light of the Furey Government’s reluctance to be transparent with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

A report published by allNewfoundlandLabrador shows a number of decisions made by Furey and his cabinet have been shielded from the public for months. Among the revelations is a new “Churchill River Energy Analysis Team” chaired by Brenden Paddick.

“The Furey administration didn’t think a team appointed to study energy on the Churchill River, headed by a close personal friend, was of interest to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Given the huge implications for any development on the Churchill on Newfoundland and Labrador’s past, present, and future, that is simply not acceptable,” said Brazil.

“The Premier hid the Greene report during the 2021 election, he is currently hiding the Rothschilds Report from public eyes, and now he simply doesn’t seem to believe disclosure of conversations of future hydroelectric development on the Churchill River is relevant to the public interest. He’s completely wrong and completely out of touch with the people of our province.”

The report goes on to note dozens of Furey’s own decisions have been shielded from public and not posted publicly until the media outlet chased government to the privacy commissioner – and still many records have not been posted and remain hidden.

“The Premier didn’t disclose the creation of a cabinet committee on cyber security created in late 2021. He didn’t disclose that it was his decision, not the decision of the board of the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information, to terminate the employment of their former CEO,” said Brazil.

“Transparency with the public is a fundamental principle of holding public office. Again and again and again and again, we find this Premier has no regard for the public interest and wants to shield his decision making from the people of our province. It is not good enough. The Premier must stand before the people of the province, explain this situation, and commit to total transparency on Cabinet decisions.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca