January 7, 1998
(Executive Council)

Premier Brian Tobin delivers "Prospects '98"

Premier Brian Tobin stated today that important decisions on Voisey's Bay development and the Lower Churchill await the people of Newfoundland and Labrador early in the New Year.

In his annual state of the province address, entitled "Prospects `98 - The Future is in Our Hands", the premier repeated the government's position that, unless the smelter/refinery is built in this province, there will be no mine at Voisey's Bay. He also called upon the people of the province to clearly reject any development of the mine unless the smelter/refinery complex proceeds at the same time.

"If we allow the ovoid to be mined without a smelter development, I do not believe that a smelter/refinery will ever be built at Argentia," said the premier. "Our position is straightforward and clear: we will negotiate full and fair benefits for our province before this project begins."

Similarly, the premier said that a decision will have to be made soon on whether to enter into formal negotiations with the Government of Quebec on Lower Churchill development. The premier outlined some of the objectives that must be met prior to any formal negotiations beginning.

"Whatever happens, there will be no repeat of the Upper Churchill contract," said the premier.

The premier also highlighted some of the progress the government has made since its election two years ago.

"In the last year, the government was called upon to make several decisions that were difficult, but necessary, to achieve," said the premier. These included:

• a break in the deadlock on school reform by taking a clear question back to the people on Term 17,

• a precedent-setting land claims agreement with the Labrador Inuit Association that will soon lead us to an agreement-in-principal,

• a $340 million Trans Labrador Highway Agreement,

• an amendment to the Human Rights Code to guarantee non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,

• the first French language school board for the province,

• a Transshipment facility at Whiffen Head,

• private buyers for both the Marystown Shipyard and Newfoundland Farm Products,

• lowering our sales tax from 19.8 to 15 per cent.

• a government-wide Program Review exercise that cut costs, reduced personnel and put in place a three-year budget strategy to move us to balanced budget.

"Prospects '98 - The Future is in Our Hands" has been distributed throughout the province and is available on the Government Web Site (www.gov.nl.ca) under What's New. This is in keeping with the commitment in last March's The Record to Date - a report of the progress government had made on its platform commitments - to continue with updates on the government's progress throughout its mandate.

Contact: Heidi Bonnell, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960.