Rural Newfoundland is also an economic engine

I recently wrote a letter to the editor concerning the closures of the Employment Assistance Services (EAS) offices in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, which are very important in areas where jobs are scarce.

I also criticized the Tory government for not being very kind to rural Newfoundland and Labrador and said the closing of these offices will have a negative effect on our province. Despite what Premier Kathy Dunderdale said on March 22, that there are no cuts to EAS, only streamlining, for the life of me I cannot see how the closing of 70plus offices in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and the layoff of 226 highly skilled workers will not have a drastic effect on residents trying to find employment.

If Premier Dunderdale believes her statement to be true, then she has spent too much time inside the overpass and the MHAs who we sent in to represent us on the government side are not doing the job that we sent them in to do.

They must be reminded of our dissatisfaction with them when their job comes up for renewal.

The closures of these EAS offices will leave a void that will not be filled by the so-called streamlining.

While reading my letter online from one of our papers, there was a lot of feedback from others and one comment I found very offensive and felt I had to share it.

It came from “a business man” and reads as follows: “Frankly, as a taxpayer and citizen, I unequivocally do not care about rural Newfoundland. I live in the city, and there are lots of jobs in the city. I am an investor, and I don't have any business interests in rural Newfoundland. So as far as I am concerned, rural Newfoundland should sink or swim on it merits. Personally, I want it to sink, simply because I have businesses in the city, and if rural Newfoundland dies, then I will get more customers. I am a loyal Tory supporter, and I support the decisions of this government. I support Muskrat Falls; I support the elimination of the Employment Assistance Services. I support the export of raw fish, and I support CETA. I am a Newfoundland taxpayer and voter, and I don't care about rural Newfoundland. So while the author of this article may be unhappy with the Tories, unless his position is backed by the majority of the electorate, then his position is meaningless. Frankly, because rural Newfoundland has so few voters, the majority is best served by simply ignoring the interests of rural Newfoundland. I certainly do.”

This comment didn’t bother me as such (as I have a tough skin) but he was referring to everybody who lived in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. I would like to remind this writer that there would no capital city named St. John’s if it wasn’t for the rural communities of New- foundland and Labrador, which originated here for the fish 500 years ago and settled where the fish was. The merchants settled in St. John’s and amassed their wealth by feeding off the outport communities

He says that he is a loyal Tory supporter and agrees with everything that they do. I was once a loyal Tory supporter but, unlike him, I am able to think for myself. I quit the Tory party because I didn’t like some of the things they were doing to rural Newfoundland and Labrador (too many to mention here).

He stated that because rural Newfoundland and Labrador has such few voters they don’t matter.

I would remind him that there are enough voters in rural Newfoundland and Labrador to upset the apple cart, and that could very well happen next election.

This letter is not intended against all people inside the overpass; I have many friends there, but it only takes a few rotten apples, like him, to spoil it for the rest.

The people in rural Newfoundland and Labrador are the people who harvest our natural renewable resources: forestry, fishery and farming, that bring a lot of new dollars to our province. St. John’s is flourishing now because of the oil, but what will happen when it’s gone?

We in rural Newfoundland and Labrador will still be around when the oil is gone, not because of the help we are getting from this government, but because of our resilience and determination to survive through good times and bad times, the same as we have done for 500 years.

I am very proud to have always made a living in rural Newfoundland and Labrador and will be here until I die, holding my head high!