ST. JOHN’S, NL – PC leadership candidate Ches Crosbie believes united action by Newfoundland and Labrador’s politicians is needed to reverse the federal government’s recent Arctic surf clam decision.
In February, Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced a new Arctic surf clam licence has been granted to an Indigenous group with 25 per cent of the quota re-allocated from Clearwater Seafoods.
Clearwater primarily processes the species at its facility in Grand Bank while also employing people from this province on its clam vessels.
Crosbie has written an open letter addressed to all three legislature party leaders in which he calls for an all-party delegation to unite, travel to Ottawa and demand Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reverse the decision.
“This needless attack on our rural economy and our way of life can be defeated by an all-party show of unity,” Crosbie wrote in the letter, which he circulated along with a news release on Wednesday, March 8.
“I call on the leaders of the three official parties in the legislature to set aside their disagreements and join hands across the aisle to demand a meeting with the prime minister, travel to Ottawa, and not leave until the meeting is held.”
Crosbie suggested the inclusion of local and union representatives, along with independent MHA Paul Lane, would further empower the delegation.
He is requesting the House of Assembly pass a unanimous resolution in support of an all-party delegation and suspend sittings until the meeting with the prime minister has occurred.
