Progressive Conservatives pledge support for oil and gas industry

By Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice

January 29, 2021

The Progressive Conservatives cut a wide swath across central Newfoundland on Thursday as the calendar inched toward the halfway point of the 2021 election campaign. 

PC Leader Ches Crosbie was in the region for a pair of announcements, in Grand Falls-Windsor and Botwood. 

Before the day was out, Crosbie was scheduled to campaign in the district of Lewisporte-Twillingate with party candidate Rhonda Lee Simms. 

Flanked by Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans MHA Chris Tibbs and Exploits MHA Pleaman Forsey, Crosbie pledged his party’s support for the province’s oil and gas industry, in particular the offshore. 

“As the world becomes more selective in its choice of fuels, we have the oil the world ought to be choosing,” Crosbie said during the announcement in Grand Falls-Windsor. “We have the economics of large fields. We have low carbon emissions at point of extraction and rather low carbon intensity as fuels. 

“And we have an incredible, safe, experienced workforce needed to carry this industry into the future right here at home.” 

Crosbie said the only thingmissing from that picture is a provincial government that is willing to fight for the industry, pointing at low exploration bids as an example of this. 

Crosbie stressed that a government with the Conservatives at the helm is the right one to fill that gap 

“Today, I am here to tell you there is a better way and that’s where Progressive Conservatives come in,” he said. “While the Liberals have given up on our offshore, we have not.” 

The oil and gas sector wasn’t the only thing discussed in Grand Falls-Windsor. Crosbie expressed his support for the transition of the former mill lands and Grand Falls House to the town, as well as support for the Lionel Kelland Hospice and the restoration of lab services at the hospital. 

Crosbie also said the party’s blue book campaign platform would be released next week. 

Meanwhile, the Conservatives were also at the Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Care Centre in Botwood for a health-care announcement on Thursday. 

It was to reaffirm his party’s support for the return of 24-hour emergency services to the hospital and the PCs’ intention to restore that service

should they form the next provincial government. Earlier in the day, the Conservative party also put its support behind improving youth mental-health and addictions strategies in the province. 

Part of the Progressive Conservatives’ oil and gas pledge of support included an initiative to preserve current jobs and create new ones, and working to expand the industry while meeting emission targets and global climate change goals. 

Crosbie also committed to supporting workers on projects like West White Rose, Terra Nova and Bay du Nord by forging a new relationship with the federal government and seeking targeted provincial equity investments where needed. 

There will also be support for the Come By Chance refinery and moving its sale along, as well as the initiation of a joint feasibility study on the development of the province’s natural gas resources. 

Subscribe to our newsletter.

“This is an industry too important to our people, to our families and our economy just to let die,” said Tibbs.