Atlantic Ministers meeting in St. John�s on automobile insurance issues

Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands, is meeting in St. John�s today and tomorrow with Atlantic provinces ministers to discuss automobile insurance issues. Minister Noel invited his counterparts to St. John�s to discuss what governments may be able to do to help moderate sharply increasing insurance rates in the four Atlantic jurisdictions.

Consultation processes are currently taking place in three of the four provinces. They began in Newfoundland and Labrador with the issuance of government�s Proposals for Automobile Insurance Reform last October. The ministers will review insurance system alternatives and examine proposals being developed for an Atlantic Harmonized Insurance Act.

The ministers will be available to meet with media representatives at the conclusion of the meeting at the Fairmont Hotel at approximately 2:30pm on Friday, March 22, 2002.

Present at these meetings will be David Morse, Minister of Environment and Labour of Nova Scotia; Bradley Green, Q.C., Minister of Justice in New Brunswick; Jeffery E. Lantz, Attorney General of Prince Edward Island, and Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Media contact: Simon N. Lono, Communications (709) 729-7938.

2002 03 21                       11:50 a.m.