The Liberals released their Platform this afternoon (Thursday, February 4, 2021).
I have not had a chance to plow through the NDP plan but I will and the PC plan when it comes out.
I will say that there is a lot of long term vision in this document. I did not reproduce all the highlights.
There are incredible initiatives that are in others’ wheelhouse and I will let them comment on them if they choose. The initiatives on gender equity and aboriginal reconciliation and partnership, in particular, stand out.
The word sustainable appears 20 times and needs to be on all our lips as we move forward together.
This document is a roadmap that does gloss over the challenges we face with eliminating the $1.8 Billion deficit but it does put it out there and indicates that the government knows it has work to do.
Whoever is elected will need the support of their caucus, opposition, and all of us to pull our ship off the rocks, patch the holes and then get to work rebuilding the good ship Newfoundland and Labrador.
Overall Premier Andrew Furey, this a good indication of the heading we need to set our compass to. Well done.
Please take the time to have a read. A link is at the end of this post to a copy that I have highlighted.
1/ Given the Province’s current debt burden of over $16 Billion and with an annual deficit of $1.8 Billion, our plan for the Province focuses on economic and social growth that will make real improvements in people’s lives without further jeopardizing our financial footing.
2/ The Government commits to responsible debt management and will take steps to better manage that debt.
3/The Government will continue to work with the Federal Government to ensure that ratepayers do not bear the cost of the Muskrat Falls project and to identify opportunities for Newfoundland and Labrador to become the battery that powers the Eastern Seaboard
4/ hire the Province’s first Chief Economic Recovery Officer (CERO) – a non-partisan civil servant who will oversee the implementation of initiatives designed to grow our provincial economy for the future.
5/ expand access to healthcare in rural and remote regions of the Province through investments in eHealth/telemedicine
infrastructure, including mental health and pharmacy services
6/ A Government under Premier Furey’s leadership will make living a healthy, physically active life easier for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians through the introduction of the Promoting Physical Activity (PPA) tax credit.
7/ Our Government will make Newfoundland and Labrador a healthy place to live, work, visit, and raise a family or grow a business.
7/The Government will task the Department of Education to lead this work with educators, experts in the field, and community organizations to rework the health curriculum and update it with the most recent findings on exercise, nutrition, substance use/abuse, relationship building, mental health, and sexual health
8/ Our Government will focus on entrepreneurship in schools across the Province, providing the education and inspiration for the next generation of innovators and founders creating a focus on entrepreneurship and new business creation in schools, Memorial University, and CNA.
9/ our Government will continue to improve educational opportunities for young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians seeking to enter the technology industry.
10/ We will develop a Remote Workers Pilot Project to increase long-term stays in and relocations to NL. Our Government will launch a marketing campaign consistent with our award-winning tourism campaigns to showcase Newfoundland and Labrador as a remote working destination of choice.
11/ Government will launch a Come Home Year 2022 campaign to accelerate growth in our tourism industry by targeting ex-pats and their families, and anyone seeking to explore Newfoundland and Labrador.
12/ work to position Newfoundland and Labrador as a national leader on immigrant settlement and retention.
• Our efforts will involve expanding opportunities for and further nurturing a sense of belonging among, newcomers to our Province.
• The Furey Government will collaborate with the Federal Government to add more categories aimed at addressing specific labour market shortages in Newfoundland and Labrador, in order to cultivate growth industries, thereby creating more employment opportunities and increasing our population.
• The Government will triple our provincial immigration target from 1,700 to 5,100 newcomers per year by 2026, aligning with the federal immigration targets.
13/ Focus on Attracting Film and Television Production. The government will promote creative and cultural industries as a priority growth area in our evolving economy.
14/ A clustered approach will create partnerships, synergies, and network effects that will propel the Province’s technology sector forward. Industry-specific tech clusters will drive investment in new businesses, create high-paying jobs and help strengthen our existing industries and communities
15/ We will collaborate with academia, the private sector, and the NL Innovation Council in the creation of “NL 2030”, a roadmap for research and development activity in the Province.
16/ Our Government will continue to support our vital oil and gas workers while collaborating with the private sector to ensure that our Province’s clean resources are developed in a responsible, sustainable fashion.
17/ We are committed to supporting and growing the province’s wild-caught fishing industry, guided by knowledge from DFO science, fish harvesters, and from other industry stakeholders
18/ The Government will strategically invest in the Province’s aquaculture industry so that it will have the competitive advantages it needs to succeed in the global marketplace Opportunities exist for NL to create new value, and capture more value, from processing and manufacturing right here at home.
19/ By investing in our educational institutions, fostering diversity in our industries, and building basic infrastructure, the Government will create the conditions necessary for Newfoundland and Labrador to realize its full potential as a global startup destination
20/ our Government will create InvestNL, a one-stop trade desk for investors to access opportunities in the Province.
21/ The government will require contractors bidding on Government of Newfoundland and Labrador infrastructure projects to prioritize the hiring of qualified workers based in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The complete platform can be found here: takeactionnl.com/dataandreports/nl-liberals-platform.pdf