 |
|
|
PHOTO & SLIDESHOW GALLERIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Last updated at 8:31 AM on 04/02/09 |
Outlook strong despite recession: O'Brien 
JAMES MCLEOD
The Telegram
|
 |
| Government Services Minister Kevin O'Brien is optimistic that Newfoundland and Labrador's economy will weather the recession. — Photo by James McLeod/The Telegram |
|
Government Services Minister Kevin O’Brien said Tuesday Newfoundland and Labrador will be sheltered from the worst of the recession and the important thing is for people to stay positive.
Speaking to the Canadian Home Builders’ Association on Tuesday, O’Brien said construction will remain a pillar of the economy and he asked his audience to always hold on to optimism when thinking about the economy.
“We have to instill confidence in the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and they will spend and that’s the key,” O’Brien said. “These people here, you know, stimulate the economy.”
Part of the cause for optimism, according to O’Brien, was that economic policies in the past several years had already pre-emptively pumped stimulus into the economy.
He said a combination of tax cuts and infrastructure spending has already stoked the economic fires in a way that will cut through the worst of the recession’s effects.
“These are all things that various leaders across the world are talking about now. We have ours up and running now since 2004. We have things in the hopper. We have things getting started — our stimulus package is working,” he said.
Keith Ryan, president of the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association, Eastern Newfoundland, radiated that optimism.
Ryan said business has been booming, and while the home-building market has been decimated in other parts of North America, it is simply leveling off here.
“We think we’re in good times. Our builders are operating at 125 per cent capacity meaning houses they pre-sold in 2008 didn’t get finished and will be completed in 2009,” Ryan said. “Even if they didn’t get any work, whatsoever, they still have enough work to keep very busy in 2009.”
jmcleod@thetelegram.com
|
04/02/09
|
Comments: |
|
This Conversation is Moderated. What is moderation?
|
| What does moderation mean? |
 |
The Telegram is committed to encouraging intelligent discourse among our readers and to creating a forum where diverse views and opinions on a wide range of topics can be aired. The forum you are in now is a result of our continuing efforts to facilitate a dynamic online conversation among our readers.
This is a moderated conversation. Once a reader follows the steps to register and submit his or her comment it goes to a moderator for the website. Once it has been approved, your comment will be displayed on the website. A comment may be edited or deleted for reasons of content or language.
All readers wishing to join a conversation must first sign in and agree to the Terms of Usage, which explain the rules of acceptable content.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J Ennis from St.Johns, NL writes: What a snow job being piled upon the people of this Province. Mr.Ryan,we all know the real reason home-building is a year behind,'there weren't any workers available to finish them. They were driven out of the province by a Danny Williams government that has done absolutely zilch in five years to keep them working at home. As for Minister O'Brien's stimulus package,it is non-existent and wouldn't stimulate a fruit-fly.
|
| Posted 04/02/2009 at 12:37 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
The Last Word from NL writes: J Ennis,
How were the workers driven out of the province by Williams? If there weren't any workers, it would be a reflection on what builders here are paying. Last time I checked, the provincial govt doesn't control those wages.
Wake up and stop blaming government for everything.
|
| Posted 04/02/2009 at 2:04 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
A Voter from St. Johns, NL writes: True enough, people left since they could earn a better buck in other locations. Now with the down turn in the economy these missing workers can return and take the positions left vacant. All you hear on the radio is trade school advertisments. What we will have is more trades people then work soon.
People with years behind them are being let go. I am thinking that these people will be happy to take a position in this province at half the wage they made when away. They still have bills to pay, and a job is a job is a job at the end of the day.
Cost of living here is far less at the end of the day. Try paying $3500.00 a month in rent here on these wages. Thats the reason people are paid more in other locations. We are getting off pretty easy at the end of the day. Put off the toys, and get a grip. Danny or his go to boy Stevie have nothing to do with it. The market dictates, not either of them.
|
| Posted 04/02/2009 at 8:09 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
|
Darrell from NL writes: Mr. O'Brien, in regards to your speech in regards to the construction industry, you should be congratulated in regards to recognizing how important our homebuilders are in regards to the local economy in regards to future employment in regards to Newfoundland and Labrador.
|
| Posted 04/02/2009 at 8:30 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
| ALERT US ABOUT THIS COMMENT |
|
Please let us know if this reader's comment breaks the rules explained in the Terms of Usage and is obscene, abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, defamatory, profane or racially offensive by selecting the appropriate option to describe the problem.
Do not use this to complain about comments that don't break the rules, for example those comments that you disagree with or contain spelling errors or multiple postings.
|
|
|
NOTE
The management of this site emphasizes that it is in no way liable for persons, physical or legal, who are hosted here. Moreover, the managers of this site may not be held liable for errors and omissions that may slip into the information displayed in these reader comments. Everyone who submits a comment should read, understand and agree to the Terms of Usage for this section.
|
|
|
|
|
|
