Province Continues Relationship with
Greenland
I rise today in this Honourable House
to inform my colleagues of a trade mission to Greenland which
took place in October. This mission was led by Premier
Dunderdale as Minister of Natural Resources and myself as
Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and included
officials from both departments. This mission was an opportunity
to showcase Newfoundland and Labrador's oil and gas capabilities
and our highly-skilled service and supply sector.
The provincial delegation also
included the Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries
Association (NOIA), PF Collins, A. Harvey and Company Limited,
the Marine Institute and Cougar Helicopters. Our province has
previously participated in trade missions to Greenland and there
have also been multiple visits by Greenlanders to forge
relationships in Newfoundland and Labrador. In October, we were
able to further strengthen this relationship and examine areas
of mutual interest.
Meetings were held with a variety of
key government officials including Greenland's Premier and the
Premier's Executive Deputy Minister, the departments of Foreign
Affairs; Culture, Education, Research and Church Affairs; the
Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum; Finance and Industry and
Mineral Resources. We also met with Nunaoil; Nunaminerals; Royal
Arctic Lines; Air Greenland and TeleGreenland. Additional
meetings were held by the organizations traveling with us.
Our meetings centred on identifying
partnerships, particularly in the oil and gas sector. We also
explored opportunities in the areas of education, broadband
communication, boat building, consumer products and tourism.
Cultivating new, international
opportunities for industry growth and development in the
province is a top priority for our government.
Given the experience and expertise
gained over the last decade or so in harnessing our oil and gas
resources in a harsh-weather environment, the linkages between
Newfoundland and Labrador and Greenland presents an
extraordinary opportunity to collaborate and build on the
strengths of each other.
This is especially true as we assess
future development in our country's vast northern regions. As a
gateway to the North, we can play a vital role in research and
development, education and service and supply needs. We are
confident that our world-class industry has a great deal to
offer to support Arctic development while helping Greenland
maximize its oil and gas potential.
This in turn will contribute to the
continued expansion of our already successful oil and gas
operations, while ensuring future economic growth and prosperity
for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
2010 12 15
2:15 p.m.