NLIS 3
July 25, 2002
(Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs)
 

Minister says Ottawa�s transportation priorities should include Trans-Labrador Highway

Any plan to expand and improve the Trans-Canada Highway system should also include upgrading and completing the Trans-Labrador Highway, and other important northern routes in the country, says Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ernie McLean.

The minister was responding to a report in the July 18 issue of the National Post, which indicates that members of Prime Minister Jean Chretien�s Cabinet are urging him to "expand the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes across the country as his political legacy." The Prime Minister is open to the idea, and expects it would also help promote national unity, according to Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal, the article states.

"Expanding the Trans-Canada Highway would be a great project, and it certainly would create a lasting legacy for the Prime Minister," said Minister McLean. "However, such a plan should also include an integrated highway system for Northern Canada. Completing the Trans-Labrador Highway, and other northern routes, to national standards, would do more to promote national unity than just simply expanding the Trans-Canada Highway."

Improved highway systems in northern Canada would help foster social and economic growth, resulting in huge benefits for the entire country, the minister said.

"Completing and expanding routes like the Trans-Labrador Highway is vital to the economic and social growth of northern communities, much the same as the Trans-Canada Highway does for southern parts of the country," Mr. McLean said. "A plan that includes expanding the Trans-Canada Highway and improving and enhancing northern routes would create an even more lasting legacy for the Prime Minister, and would do more to promote national unity."

Media contact: Bert Pomeroy, Communications, (709) 896-8668.

2002 07 25                               11:35 a.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement