Today the NDP Caucus is questioning government’s persistent giveaways to large corporations. NDP Leader Gerry Rogers says that Canopy Growth, the largest cannabis producer in the world, will get to keep up to $40 million in withheld remittances from the provincial government.
“That’s money that government won’t have for schools, roads, and health care,” Rogers said in Question Period. “I ask the Minister, what will he do concretely to support our own local producers who are working hard to establish similar businesses around the province?”
“Are giveaways to large corporations, such as $40 million to Canopy Growth, $45 million to Grieg Aqua, and $1 million to S&P Data, to create low-paying jobs his idea of economic development?” Rogers asked the Premier.
Government has also given a $1 million contract to controversial international firm McKinsey & Company to attempt to do in three months what government has failed to do in three years, which is advance the economic development of the province.
“As usual, government has revealed few details on the scope of the work the company has been contracted to do,” Rogers said.
“I ask the Premier, will he table the RFP for this work, the engagement letter with a detailed work plan and deliverables, so the people of the province have a clear idea of what we are paying for?”
NDP House Leader Lorraine Michael says that while government has announced its carbon pricing approach, it has exempted offshore oil exploration.
“We all need to do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Michael said.
“I ask the Premier, why do we still need to subsidize multinational oil corporations that have profited so much from our resources and plan to continue doing so in the future?”
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