Minister's Speaking Notes

The following are speaking notes for Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, delivered at the establishment of Regional Economic Development Boards for Zones 15 and 17:

I am delighted to be here today. The Discovery Regional Development Board and the Baccalieu Board of Economic Development Corporation are the first regional economic development boards to be officially established on the island portion of the province. This signifies a significant step forward towards achieving a new approach to regional economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Let me begin by congratulating you. The provisional boards that developed the structure of the permanent board worked countless hours to get us to this point.

Within your zone, all community and economic development groups have contributed through a public consultation process to developing the structure for the permanent board. The board structure reflects the balance of organizational and community interests necessary for effective economic development decision making in this zone. The election of the regional economic development board members is being taken very seriously by all involved. There is a clear recognition that this is a new way of doing business.

The transition process is now completed. Communities, businesses and economic development organizations and interests have a new and effective means to coordinate their efforts and maximize resources. Economic development initiatives will be identified and funded according to the priorities and goals established for your zone. Government support will still be necessary, but it will be provided through a partnership with the community; not through top-down decision making.

A strategic plan will be developed by the regional economic development board over the coming months. The planning process will build on the opportunities identified as having potential for long-term economic viability in this region. It will build on the goals of communities, organizations and residents. It will be action-oriented, to create new wealth and sustainable employment for the people of this zone. It will enable government and the community to set clear development targets and measure performance in achieving them.

I would like to stress, as well, that I believe economic development activities should be aggressively pursued while this planning process is taking place. I know that you would agree that we cannot put economic development on hold. As viable development initiatives are identified, I am confident that the board will proceed immediately to seek the support necessary to implement them as resources permit.

This process is moving rapidly throughout the province. Four of the five Labrador zones have now established their permanent boards. On the island, 13 provisional boards have completed their work and 11 have their permanent boards in place. On the Southern Avalon, after extensive consultation with groups in the region, I have agreed to the division of Zone 18 to reflect the distinct economic interests within the original zone. Zone 18 will now extend as far east as Salmonier Line, and communities from Bay Bulls to Riverhead will constitute Zone 20. This change does not affect the boundaries of zones 15 or 17. I am delighted to see the diversity of interests coming to the table to develop their zones. Throughout our province volunteers from business, labour, municipalities, economic development groups, education and training institutions, and other economic development stakeholders, are putting their names forward for election to regional economic development boards. There is no clearer expression of commitment to the future of their community, their region and their province. I commend them for their vision, their leadership and their contribution.

Today as we welcome the new regional economic development board in this zone we also thank the outgoing provisional board members. If the new approach to regional development is to build on strengths within each zone, the organization to lead this process had to be structured to represent the characteristics of each zone. Bringing together groups and interests who have often not worked together previously is not always easy, but you have done it. Consulting with the public to maximize input, and incorporating the results of public consultation into the final structure, has taken innovation and compromise.

For those who have gone on to become members on the regional economic development board, and for new members, good luck in the important work ahead of you. For organizations and individuals not on the board, but committed to long-term economic development, I encourage you to play an active role in planning and implementing development initiatives in this zone.

Again, I congratulate all of you on your accomplishments to date. I encourage you to continue your volunteer effort, and I commit my personal support and that of my department and of the provincial government. Let us work together. The challenge is great but the reward will be a stronger Newfoundland and Labrador. I look forward, as I am sure you do, to making that a reality.