Office of the Official Opposition 

For Immediate Release

St. John’s, NL (August 12, 2019) – PC Opposition fisheries critic Kevin Parsons said the announcement by federal fisheries minister Jonathan Wilkinson Tuesday morning is not the $400 million fisheries fund that Justin Trudeau promised Newfoundland and Labrador in 2015.

This is merely our share of an Atlantic provinces fisheries fund – a share we would have received anyway.

But the $400 million fisheries fund was different.  We were the only province to give up Minimum Processing Requirements (MPRs) as part of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).  We negotiated a $400 million fisheries investment fund, exclusive to Newfoundland and Labrador, as part of the agreement to relinquish MPRs.

And Justin Trudeau – campaigning as Liberal leader in 2015 – wrote to the province promising to honour it.  His letter specifically referenced “the $400 million fund” and stated: “The abolition of minimum processing requirements is clearly of great concern to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and your government’s support of the CETA was earned, in part, by a promise from the Government of Canada to help the industry adjust to the new reality.  That promise should be honoured.”

But months after the election (in March 2017), while she was the province’s federal cabinet representative, Judy Foote said the fisheries fund was dead.

“The Trudeau Liberals have not given Newfoundland and Labrador a single penny of the $400 million Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries fund that they promised,” said Parsons.

“With Mr. Trudeau out looking for our vote again, every Newfoundlander and Labradorian should ask him what became of the promise he made to us the last time he went looking for our vote.  Where is the $400 million Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries fund that he promised us?  Why has he failed to deliver on a commitment he made to our province in writing?”

Contacts:

Bradley Russell

Director of Policy and Research

(p) 1.709.729.3668

(c) 1.709.685.3161

BradleyRussell@gov.nl.ca

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