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NLIS 3 September 29, 2004 (Executive Council) Premier Williams promotes positive attitude to stimulate growth of Atlantic region Growing the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador in partnership with the rest of the Atlantic provinces was a key area of focus for Premier Danny Williams, when he spoke at the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council (APEC) Summit in Moncton on Tuesday, September 28. "APEC is an important organization which will help the provinces of Atlantic Canada collectively move forward with a strong and effective agenda for economic growth," said Premier Williams. "I was pleased to participate in the Premiers Panel and to put forward our province's vision for economic growth and job creation. We are a resource-rich province, with valuable assets which we must market to the country and the world." Premier Williams told the group that one of the most important tools required to promote the region and further our economic growth is a positive, aggressive attitude. "Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are famous for our generosity and kind disposition and our strong work ethic. What we need more than anything is to build on these strengths and approach the future with a can-do attitude," said the premier. "We have world-class assets and unlimited potential, and it is time we embrace an attitude which demonstrates our pride in these assets. We need to stand up and show the world what we have to offer, with confidence and passion." The premier outlined for the conference the challenges that must be addressed and opportunities that are yet to be realized for Newfoundland and Labrador. "My vision for our province is one which capitalizes on our world-class assets and natural resources, our skilled and educated workforce and our strong potential for economic growth," added the premier. "Our government is committed to facilitating small and medium sized business growth, while also focusing on big ticket items like a renewed deal from the Atlantic Accord and developing the Lower Churchill. We have the talent, the ideas, the resources and the drive, and together this can be a winning combination for our province. The time has come to capitalize on our strengths and fulfill the destiny of Newfoundland and Labrador." The premier highlighted Newfoundland and Labrador's expertise in marine technology and ocean sciences, thriving oil and gas industry, attractive and competitive business incentives, and the life-style advantages of working and living in the province. Premier Williams said that the Atlantic provinces should continue to work together where commonality of interests and goals exist for the benefit of the entire region. "Each of the four provinces have unique characteristics, challenges and opportunities. The key is to identify those areas where we can work together to further the economic growth and prospects for Atlantic Canada. We can also work to market this region to a broader audience, as we continue in our efforts to attract the world to live, work and play in Atlantic Canada." A full copy of Premier Williams' address to APEC is attached. Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709)729-3960 or (709)690-5500.
Premier Danny Williams
Please check against delivery Thank you very much Madame Chair, fellow premiers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning and thank you for the opportunity to be here with you today, and for allowing my fellow colleagues and I to participate in this outstanding summit, which has been organized by Elizabeth Beale and the members of APEC. The people of Newfoundland and Labrador are grateful for your efforts and look forward to receiving the fruits of your labour. I am very pleased to announce here today that there are two recent events that are leading economic indicators that Newfoundland and Labrador is very close to becoming a "have" province. First, just 2 days ago on the West Coast of our province in my district of Humber West, we have a new multimillionaire with a net worth of $17 million. He just won the Atlantic Lotto! We have finally found the way to attract capital to our province! Second, on the east coast of the province in St. John�s, we are days away from opening our very own Keg Restaurant. It just doesn�t get any better than that! We have arrived! But seriously, I am told that I only have 12 minutes on a topic that is dear to my heart and something I could on about for hours. I consider myself very privileged to be the leader of the resource-rich, culturally unique and breath-takingly beautiful province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Since entering public life, I have often been asked why I would choose this lifestyle when right now I could be off enjoying a relaxing, worry free life style. I admit there are mornings I ponder the same question. Well let me set the record straight here today. I got involved in public life to make a real difference in the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and I plan to achieve that goal by putting our province on the road to fiscal health, prosperity and success. This is what motivates me every single day when I go into my office on Confederation Hill. A very important component in fulfilling this goal - of realizing the true potential of our province - is the work we do together as Atlantic Premiers and Atlantic Canadians. I firmly believe that working in partnership can prove to be an effective and productive exercise. This must be done while recognizing the unique and distinctive challenges and opportunities of our individual jurisdictions. The time has come for the rest of Canada to sit up and take notice of this wonderful, thriving region which has so much to offer. But we cannot expect this to miraculously occur without hard work, innovative ideas and determination. We must lead the way. The people in this room today - the politicians, the business community, educators and others - we must provide the strong leadership, clear vision and creative thinking to capture the attention of the federal government, the rest of Canada and the world. We must collectively work together to promote our talent, market our strengths and cultivate the opportunities which lie before us. Let me first quote from the inaugural speech of a former Newfoundlander who has certainly summed up the new approach which we have already adopted and commenced in my province. Dianne Keldermenn, the new President of the Atlantic Provinces� Chambers of Commerce, challenged the Atlantic Premiers to action and said: "The time for navel gazing is in the past. It is now time for action. We have come to realize that the �we�ve always done it this way, or the acceptance of the outside world�s view of us, or the dependence on someone else to fix it for us� excuses limit our progress. We have to accept that the only thing holding us back is our attitude. It�s time to stand up, take charge, and begin the task of building the Atlantic region as a vibrant place to do business, to create opportunity, to live, work and invest. Urgency must be our energy." Ladies and gentlemen, this is singularly the most important component of our economy growth in our region - a positive, take charge, can-do attitude, by every Atlantic Canadian not just a few of us. A recognition by Atlantic Canadians that we live in the best region in the best country in the world and that our people and our skills and our resources are second to none. The time is now to think big, act big and proceed with confidence. Just last week we showcased our new attitude in Newfoundland and Labrador, with our new approach to development of the Lower Churchill. Previously, we would bow our heads and sheepishly ask others to develop our project because we were too poor to do it ourselves. We should not apologize for having a world-class asset, to develop clean, hydroelectric energy. We should not apologize because we have a product that several of our sister provinces need badly as well as our American friends and allies. We should not apologize that this is a renewable revenue-producing annuity that can be financed on its own merit. Instead, we have called for Expressions of Interests by anyone who wants to be our partner or can provide expertise so that we can develop this project for the maximum benefit of our province and our people. We are saying to the world, come and join us, work with us, combine your ideas, expertise and capital with ours, rather than have Newfoundland and Labrador held ransom for another bad deal. We must believe in ourselves if we expect others to believe in us. We must take control of our agenda and then open our doors for business. Let me take a few minutes to tell you why my province is such a great place to do business and why I believe in a bright future for Newfoundland and Labrador. In our province, we are blessed with some of the most outstanding natural resources in the country. World-class mineral deposits. World-class hydroelectric projects, world-class oil and gas reserves, and a world-class fishery, which with proper federal management will bounce back. Our province has the unique geographical benefit of being strategically located, poised as a natural gateway between North America and the European Union. This provides a significant commercial location as we are less than five hours from London and three hours to Boston. With our unique time zone, we can easily serve Europe and North America in the same business day. We have one of the most versatile labour forces in Canada and 70% of that force between the ages of 25 and 44 have some form of post secondary education. Newfoundland and Labrador spends more on Education per capita than any other province in the country and we have the largest university east of Montreal with enrollment of 16,000. Memorial University and the province are at the forefront of marine technology innovation and we are world leaders in ocean technology research. This is a strength we must and we will capitalize on. Dedicated research and development facilities at Memorial include:
- a world-class centrifuge for geotechnical
testing at 100 times the earth�s gravity And, the lifestyle advantages in Newfoundland and Labrador are similar to our friends in Atlantic Canada, and second to none to anywhere in the world.
Newfoundland and Labrador has the lowest crime rate in Canada, and all in one day you can see whales, icebergs, bird sanctuaries and some of the oldest historic sites in North America. Where else in the world could you have all of that? People from Europe are now paying $300,000 an acre for land a half hour outside of Corner Brook on the west coast. And our tourism industry is taking off in times when other places are suffering from global events. We continue to enjoy success because we are marketing the best kept secret in the world. KPMG rates our capital city as one of the lowest cost locations to do business in North America, Europe, Australia or Japan. St. John�s has a 14% cost advantage over average U.S. businesses. Canadian Business Magazine ranked St. John�s # 3 in Canada as a place to business last year. Do I believe in the future of my province? You bet I do. As Oprah Winfrey once said, "When I look into the future it is so bright, it burns my eyes." Between1997 and 2003 real GDP grew by an average of 6.5% per year, the highest in the country. But there is a problem. We also have the highest per capita debt in the country and forecasted deficits of nearly $1 billion a year for the next four years. Our fiscal agents and our Royal Commission tell is that our debt is unsustainable. But we didn�t need to hear that from them - we know we must do something to address this problem. And we did. In March we brought down a tough budget that impacted everyone in our province. We cut expenditures, raised fees, cancelled or deferred capital projects and imposed a 2 year wage freeze on our public sector employees. And we still have highest child poverty in the country, the lowest personal incomes, the highest levels of personal debt and the highest rates of unemployment. Bobby Kennedy was correct when he said "GDP measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile." We certainly have challenges back home, but our bigger problem is our arrangement with the federal government. If we did not get a revised Atlantic Accord, the federal government�s share of all revenues from our offshore resources would be 86% and the province�s share just 14%. Since 1997, our oil industry has provided revenues of 96 billion. Over the same period the province has averaged less than $50 million a year. Our return on the rich Voisey�s Bay deposit is 5% while the federal government takes 95%. Quebec receives 80% of the profit from the Upper Churchill to the benefit of the federal government who in turn provides less in equalization to Quebec. Thankfully, we have a federal government which is recognizing the serious inequity and I thank those who have supported me in correcting an injustice which will ultimately benefit us all. In Atlantic Canada, we must all work together for the common good. We are a region with enormous potential and we should herald the successes of our sister provinces. A win for one province is a win for the entire region. A one-size fits all solution does not work, but where we have commonality of interest we should and must work together. Generating economic activity takes hard work and creativity and that is what this conference is all about. Those who know my history in the private sector will know that growing business is where my experience is and where my focus lies. This conference is about partnerships. Partnerships between governments, business, labour, educators, communities and others. It includes meaningful and significant participation from the federal government and a strengthened and effective ACOA which focusses on smart and strategic investment. If we are as a region to take our rightful place on the national stage, we must work together for success while at the same time recognizing and appreciating the uniqueness of our individual provinces. Elizabeth Beale and APEC have laid out a blueprint for growth of the regional economy. It deals with flexibility, strategic partnerships, strategic focus, infrastructure, competition and ultimately the need to grow the top line. It was presented to the Atlantic Premiers and is a wonderful working document for discussion of the critical priorities. In looking to the future, we must think big and small. We must continue to look to mega-projects with a view to maximizing local benefits, opportunities and returns. But more importantly, we must focus on small and medium size business � creating and fostering the environment necessary to grow these enterprises which are the heart and sole, and engines that drive our provincial economies. Government must reduce red tape, promote competitive tax regimes, attract capital and invest in transportation and technology infrastructure, to ease the heavy burden of struggling small enterprises. Winston Churchill once said that "I never worry about action, but only about inaction." Well, it is time for action. We have the call to arms from Diane Keldermenn. We have the blueprint from Elizabeth Beale. We have the people, the will, the expertise and the assets. With a positive can-do in Atlantic Canada, we can lead the country, the continent and the world. So let�s just do it! Thank you. 2004 09 29 12:10 p.m. |
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