For Immediate Release
30 August, 2023
NDP MHA Jordan Brown (Labrador West) is calling on government to put the people of the province at the forefront of wind hydrogen development and not just those looking to profit from public resources. Brown says the government’s lack of real consultation with communities and organizations that represent workers is creating more unanswered questions.
“People living in communities directly impacted by these projects are concerned that little effort was made to consult or inform them about what these projects mean for their hunting grounds, their sightlines, and their local environment,” said Brown. “On top of that, the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour was not consulted on the evaluation process for wind hydrogen bids so we do not have confidence the government hasn’t guaranteed that these projects are going to create good union jobs.”
The NL NDP says the current government’s haste to establish a wind hydrogen industry in the province, and clear lack of adequate consultation, makes it difficult to be enthused about an industry that’s touted as the next economic saviour.
“We have seen on a number of occasions, be it Muskrat Falls or a poorly thought out greenhouse, what happens when a sitting government rushes into an industry without putting workers and communities first,” said Brown. “Transparent benefit agreement processes are important. They ensure that natural resources are exploited, and not the people to whom the resources rightfully belong.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca