"The closure of the Harbour Breton plant will devastate the economy of the entire Connaigre peninsula," said Oliver Langdon, MHA for the District of Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune. "Government has a role to play to ensure the future of the plant and the families who have been impacted due to the closure. Hearing the Minister’s comments in the House today, I am afraid that government has no plan to deal with this issue.

"If government does not act, the plant will close forever in Harbour Breton and it is likely that other plants in Fortune and Bonavista could close in the future. FPI wants to eliminate these operations and it is the responsibility of government to protect the industry and the workforce in rural Newfoundland and Labrador."

Gerry Reid, Opposition Critic for Fisheries and Aquaculture, questioned the government concerning their involvement in the process. "It is obvious that government was not on top of this issue and did not intervene to protect the workers of this province. The resource off our coast belongs to the people of the province and FPI was established by an act of government. There is certainly a role for government to play to ensure these plants continue to operate. This government must get involved, develop a plan and ensure the long-term viability of the processing industry in the province."

Opposition Justice Critic Kelvin Parsons wants to know why government refuses to release details of a legal opinion it has received concerning the plant closure and possible violations of the FPI Act. "The Premier committed this morning to a free vote in the legislature on this issue," said Parsons. "In questioning this afternoon, however, the Minister of Justice refused to provide information on the issue so that Members could assess the situation. This is not helpful to the people of Harbour Breton."