Dunderdale's omission

Making an obligatory appearance on Voice of the Cabinet Minister this afternoon, Kathy Dundedale talked up the mining industry in Newfoundland. and Labrador.

She talked about Nugget Pond. She talke about uranium exploration all across the island. and Labrador. She talked about the potential of Labrador West. Boy, if only you could smelt potential.

She boasted that mining employment in the province stands at 3100 person-years, one presumes, annually.

And she talked about ongoing nickel exploration around Voisey's Bay.

The one thing she did not mention?

Voisey's Bay itself.

According to the latest figures from VBNC, last fall there were 421 people employed in the company's Labrador operations, and even more in Newfoundland.

And according to Danny Williams, Voisey's Bay was the biggest "giveaway" since Churchill Falls.

That orthodoxy must not be questioned, even if VBNC, assuming (wrongly) for the sake of argument that all its jobs are full-time, year-round ones directly attributed to the mining industry, would account for a third of the province's mining employment.

And it must be questioned, even if VBNC, the greatest "giveaway" since blah blah blah holes you can drive a truck through blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, employs more people than South Hibernia, Hebron-Ben Nevis, the Lower Churchill, and the Stephenville paper mill.