News Release
Office of the Official Opposition

Reid questions Premier's sincerity to get Hebron talks restarted

Opposition Leader Gerry Reid says the premier’s announcement that exploratory talks have resumed on the Hebron-Ben Nevis project is positive news, however, he questions the timing of such an announcement just months before a provincial election.

"I have spoken to people involved with the oil and gas industry and I know that many of these companies are struggling because of the downturn in this sector of our economy," said Mr. Reid. "Much of this momentum and business loss can be directly attributed to the premier’s confrontational negotiating style and refusal to have serious and productive discussions with the petroleum industry.

"My position is that government should never have left the negotiating table in the first place. We’ve lost a year of productivity and many companies are already suffering from a lack of work. Exploration activity is way down as a result of the premier’s confrontational approach and industry is choosing to invest elsewhere. There is certainly a deal available on this project, but it takes a skilled negotiator to find the right balance, something the premier has failed to achieve.

"It is my understanding that these talks are just exploratory to see if there is a way to get back to the negotiating table. The premier knows this is an issue that has the potential to dog him through an election campaign. I hope he is serious about finding a solution to this impasse and this announcement is not just smoke and mirrors for political reasons to temporarily silence an issue going into an election."

Media Contact:
Darrell Mercer
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
709-729-6151 or 709-687-0477