The Corner Brook economist has been vocal in his desire to see an honest and balanced review of oil and gas development, particularly as it applies to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Tuesday, Bruce spoke to a select group of invited guests, mainly from the business, financial and academic sectors.
The meeting was not open to the public.
His message was echoed by those attending the meeting, which was organized by the Corner Brook Port Corporation, which partnered with the Oil and Gas Committee of the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade.
There has been a public anti-fracking message in Newfoundland and Labrador of late, while the other side of the debate — the oil and gas industry itself as well as indirect sectors such as business — has been less vocal.
Accountant Steve Lowden recently moved to Corner Brook. He said he loves the place, and does not want to see the population decline or the average age continue to climb. Many of the issues outlined by the anti-fracking movement are not directly related to the oil and gas industry, he said, but will come with any significant development.
“Presumably we want development?” Lowden asked.
That was a point raised Tuesday in relation to opposition to fracking along the Port au Port Peninsula, where homeowners have placed signs in their yards. Bruce said more than 40 per cent of the people in the Port au Port area have incomes based on government transfers — whether it be old age pension, employment insurance or other. Lowden wonders what it would take for those people to stop being OK with their complacency or whether it they can realize they could be better off with oil and gas development.
Bruce said there is no realization that things will become progressively worse over time if there is nothing to boost the economy of rural Newfoundland. Eventually there will be a significant decrease in services provided to rural areas.
Trina Burden, a residential developer, urged people to speak up in support of oil and gas development. She said she was nervous about doing so, but that she received a lot of positive feedback as opposed to the criticism she anticipated.
Board of Trade president Chris Noseworthy said it appears government has already predicted the demise of rural Newfoundland. He referred to the recent attention paid to a decrease in obstetric beds at the new regional hospital. The reasoning provided by Health and Community Services Minister Steve Kent is that the region’s population is declining and increasing in age so there will be fewer births in the years to come.
The Corner Brook economist has been vocal in his desire to see an honest and balanced review of oil and gas development, particularly as it applies to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Tuesday, Bruce spoke to a select group of invited guests, mainly from the business, financial and academic sectors.
The meeting was not open to the public.
His message was echoed by those attending the meeting, which was organized by the Corner Brook Port Corporation, which partnered with the Oil and Gas Committee of the Greater Corner Brook Board of Trade.
There has been a public anti-fracking message in Newfoundland and Labrador of late, while the other side of the debate — the oil and gas industry itself as well as indirect sectors such as business — has been less vocal.
Accountant Steve Lowden recently moved to Corner Brook. He said he loves the place, and does not want to see the population decline or the average age continue to climb. Many of the issues outlined by the anti-fracking movement are not directly related to the oil and gas industry, he said, but will come with any significant development.
“Presumably we want development?” Lowden asked.
That was a point raised Tuesday in relation to opposition to fracking along the Port au Port Peninsula, where homeowners have placed signs in their yards. Bruce said more than 40 per cent of the people in the Port au Port area have incomes based on government transfers — whether it be old age pension, employment insurance or other. Lowden wonders what it would take for those people to stop being OK with their complacency or whether it they can realize they could be better off with oil and gas development.
Bruce said there is no realization that things will become progressively worse over time if there is nothing to boost the economy of rural Newfoundland. Eventually there will be a significant decrease in services provided to rural areas.
Trina Burden, a residential developer, urged people to speak up in support of oil and gas development. She said she was nervous about doing so, but that she received a lot of positive feedback as opposed to the criticism she anticipated.
Board of Trade president Chris Noseworthy said it appears government has already predicted the demise of rural Newfoundland. He referred to the recent attention paid to a decrease in obstetric beds at the new regional hospital. The reasoning provided by Health and Community Services Minister Steve Kent is that the region’s population is declining and increasing in age so there will be fewer births in the years to come.
