September 20, 2016

For Immediate Release

Where's the CETA Fisheries Renewal Funding? Have the Liberals Given Up On It?

The provincial government announcement‎ on Monday of $1.8 million under the 'Seafood Innovation and Transition program' has the Official Opposition asking whether the long-promised $400 million CETA fisheries renewal funding is coming soon or off the table.

"There's a big difference between the $1.8 million just announced and the $400 million that had been promised," said Official Opposition fisheries critic Kevin Parsons.

"The $400 million federal-provincial program that the previous administration negotiated and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to honour has never materialized under the Ball Liberals. Now is the time when the funding is needed, so our fisheries industry can revitalize and diversify their operations to ensure they are as prepared as possible to compete for new opportunities in advance of the imminent Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement," said Parsons.

"Fisheries renewal would position Newfoundland and Labrador companies and communities for opportunities, economic return and jobs over the long term. Missing that boat would be missing a huge opportunity to prepare Newfoundland and Labrador to maximize returns in our fishing industry, and that would be a huge mistake," he said.

"We've heard nothing from the Ball Liberals to indicate this CETA fisheries renewal funding is on its way into the hands of those who were expecting to be able to use it long before now," he said. "The clock is ticking, and $1.8 million pales in comparison to the hundreds of millions that had been promised. This is our fishing industry, and the Ball Liberals cannot afford to miss opportunities to revitalize it and secure the future for many thousands of our people."

"When will the Ball Liberals tell us the status of the CETA fisheries renewal fund?" he asked. "Have the Ball Liberals given up on it, despite Prime Minister Trudeau's commitment to our leader, Paul Davis, or will they be able to announce it before much more time is lost?"

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Media Contact:

Heather MacLean, Director of Communications, Office of the Official Opposition,

(709) 729 6105, heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca