April 21, 1998
(Executive Council)

All Party Committee on post-TAGS goes to Ottawa

An all party committee of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador is going to Ottawa to impress on the national parties of the House of Commons the need for a post-TAGS program.

The committee, which is chaired by Beaton Tulk in his capacity as Government House leader, will impress upon the federal parties the importance and urgency of a post-TAGS program.

"We want to make sure the federal caucuses are aware of the independent, objective reviews of the impacts of the groundfish closures, including the Harrigan Report and the Commons Standing Committee hearings. These have documented the enormous impacts the closure of the groundfishery is having on rural areas of the province," said Mr. Tulk. "It is the federal government's responsibility to develop an effective post-TAGS response program."

The all party committee, which will travel to Ottawa, is the result of a private members motion presented to the House of Assembly by Gerry Reid, MHA for Twillingate - Fogo. The motion was supported by all members of the House of Assembly and called for the establishment of a well structured and substantive response program to replace TAGS which includes: income replacement, economic diversification, employment adjustment and training linked to job opportunities, early retirement options for older workers, and a licence buyback program.

The members of the all party committee include:

Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, MHA - Bonavista North
John Efford, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, MHA - Port de Grave
Jack Harris, Leader of the NDP, MHA - Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.
Loyola Sullivan, Opposition House Leader, MHA - Ferryland
Paul Shelly, MHA - Baie Verte
Roger Fitzgerald, MHA - Bonavista South
Mary Hodder, MHA - Burin-Placentia West
Yvonne Jones, MHA - L'Anse au Clair
Wally Andersen, MHA - Torngat Mountains
Gerry Reid, MHA - Twillingate and Fogo

Attached is a copy of the resolution passed in the House of Assembly on April 1, 1998.

WHEREAS the recovery of the fishery is slower than expected and foreign quota reallocations are not the solution;

AND WHEREAS families and communities in Newfoundland and Labrador are in crisis and independent, objective reviews of the impact of the groundfish closures, including the Harrigan Report and the Baker Report, clearly appreciate the enormous impact on rural areas of the province;

AND WHEREAS a continuation of TAGS, in its current form, is not a solution and regular programming is unable to address the problem;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this House of Assembly calls upon the Federal Government to accept its responsibility and put in place a well structured and substantive response program to replace TAGS which includes: income replacement, economic diversification, employment adjustment and training linked to job opportunities, early retirement options for older workers, and a licence buyback program.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an all Party Committee of the House of Assembly convey this province's concerns to all federal political party caucuses.

Contact: Minister Beaton Tulk, Ottawa (613) 560-7000.

Scott Reid, Minister's Office, St. John's, (709) 729-4570.