The silence is deafening regarding the immediate future of the province’s oil and gas industry, according to the MHA for a district highly dependent on the sector.
Helen Conway Ottenheimer, MHA for Harbour Main, says that’s only exacerbating the stress and worry for workers and their families. She states she’s been fielding an increasing number of calls from constituents who are worried about their jobs or have already lost them.
Conway Ottenheimer calls the situation a crisis, both financially and mentally. She says people are in dire straits, worried about their jobs and future.
She contends her district accounts for the highest percentage of trades workers in the province, with hundreds relying on oil exploration and production for their livelihoods. She says it’s a desperate situation that’s only getting worse as long as no plan is forthcoming.
Conway Ottenheimer is calling on Premier Andrew Furey to fulfill a commitment to openness and transparency by providing a thorough update on the government’s strategy for the industry.
She adds an investment from the federal government is not too much to ask, given the billions in proceeds Ottawa has received over the years from Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore activity.