Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal commented today on the recent federal budget which did not mention or make financial provision for a post TAGS strategy. "The federal Minister of Human Resources Development, Pierre Pettigrew, has indicated that the objective is to move toward regular programming to address the needs of post TAGS clients. I have impressed upon Minister Pettigrew that existing programs cannot begin to address the seriousness of the situation facing displaced fish harvesters and plant workers. As I have said before, this is an extraordinary situation which requires an extraordinary response on the part of the federal government."

"The federal government needs to proceed immediately to put in place the structure and resources for a substantive and effective post TAGS response," Minister Tulk noted. "With the existing program set to terminate in August, timing on this issue is now critical for the many residents and communities of this province who have been so deeply affected by the groundfish crisis."

Minister Tulk noted that he was encouraged by Minister Mifflin's recent comments which suggest that funding will be in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars. It is clear from Minister Mifflin's remarks that he recognizes the federal government's responsibility and the need for a substantive response outside of regular programming.

The minister also noted that with the recent submission of the Harrigan Report, a Human Resources Development Canada study of the anticipated impact of the termination of TAGS on individuals and communities, the federal government has the full context and direction for working on a new post TAGS strategy. "Mr. Harrigan, a person from Ontario, obviously recognized the serious crisis this province is facing. Mr. Harrigan, appointed by the federal government from the outside looking in, saw the tremendous social and economic upheaval caused by the mismanagement of successive national governments. His report sets out an obvious course of direction for the federal government to pursue. After all of that, the federal government has to move and move quickly to relieve the enormous stress our people are feeling as a result of the uncertainty caused by this crisis."

Contact: Karen McCarthy (709) 729-3610.