Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When deciding today about which matter to raise in the House, one particular issue jumped off the page more than others. It’s one that I’d been informed about by a constituent who is very concerned about an issue that needs to be addressed by this House.
I would like to paint a picture. In the U.S., a year ago when the “Obamabuck” started to roll out to industry, government first failed to ensure that their stimulus was going to protect the machinery and jobs out there rather than the big, deep pockets of those in charge of those companies. They did manage to claw some of it back and then they worked very hard to ensure that they didn't make that mistake again.
Within the last year the government of New Brunswick backed ATCON with $50 million to ensure their business kept working, kept afloat, and certainly people in place in those jobs. One of the many conditions they attached was to ensure that ATCON, if they owed any money to any New Brunswick business, that they had to be paid first. In other words, if they had any large amounts of money, government money, going to support their company, they had to make sure it was going to protect the employees of those businesses and certainly the other companies that were working together in New Brunswick. A very clever position, I would say.
Which now brings me to the issue of today: what is the government doing for the North? Almost a year ago the Opportunities Fund was tapped into. As many will recall, it was $34 million accessed by Discovery Air. Which brings me even further. In recent days I have heard that there have been layoffs. One of their subsidiary companies, Great Slave Helicopters, has let a bunch of people go. I don’t know the details of the layoffs, because I’m an MLA; I don’t work within the company and I don’t know the details of those particular cases. What did the government do to protect and ensure these northern jobs would stay and be supported?
Other governments have shown wise choices about ensuring that when they’re giving out good money that it helps protect their local jobs. I think this is an important thing. Government money backed by this
government’s House needs to be ensured that it’s working for northern businesses. If we can’t protect our employees and our northern economy, who will? The issue really comes down to this: the Opportunities Fund needs to be working for all Northerners and there needs to be a clear message that says if we’re serious about stimulating our northern economy, we have to ensure that we’re protecting people.