Government visits Lab. West

A whole slew of provincial Cabinet ministers descended on Wabush Airport last Tuesday afternoon-a day after Wabush Mines laid off 125 of its unionized workers.

The five included: Kathy Dunderdale (Natural Resources), John Hickey (Labrador Affairs), Patty Pottle (Aboriginal Affairs), Susan Sullivan (Human Resources, Labour and Employment) and Dianne Whalen (Municipal Affairs).

The mining industry in Labrador West has taken a big hit since the global financial crisis prompting the Iron Ore Company of Canada to put the brakes on an expansion project with a price tag well over a half billion dollars, as well as a planned one-month shutdown for its operations this summer.

"We've seen two areas of the province that have been directly affected by the downturn in the economy and it's important people know that we are here for the communities," said Minister Dunderdale shortly after arriving in Wabush.

Dunderdale assures she is in tune with the happenings in Labrador West. She noted she had been keeping contact with both mayors and has met with the union leadership in December.

"Now that the layoffs are into effect, the reality comes home and it's unsettling for people," Dunderdale added. "So, it's important to be in the community and be present for the people here. The message is 'we are in this together.' I mean, we are not going to walk away from this we are going to support the people and do what we can to bridge the transition."

The five Cabinet ministers met with Town Councils, mining company officials and union executives before they left Wednesday.

As for the delays with the new hospital and the completion of the unfinished Trans Labrador Highway, the minister is not making any big promises on how speedy those infrastructure projects will transpire.

"We are moving as quickly as we can, and remember these things have all been approved," she said. "But the engineering needs to get done and other details. It's important to do it properly. We don't want to end up-certainly the community doesn't want to end up-at the end of the day with something that's badly designed because it was too rushed. But as much pressure as we can put on will be done to move that [hospital] forward and to get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible. It is important to us."