John Hickey

From the proceedings of the Bow-Wow Parliament, May 27, 2008:

MR. HICKEY: I can say this, Mr. Speaker, having been involved in this particular file with the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs no later than yesterday in a teleconference with union officials in Ottawa, that our base in Goose Bay, I am sad to say, is in jeopardy under the Conservative Government in Ottawa. The regional minister, Minister Hearn, should be ashamed. He should be ashamed! Never has he set foot on Labrador soil, Mr. Speaker, since he has been a regional minister. Never set foot on Labrador soil, Mr. Speaker! The disdain that we are seeing on behalf of the federal government toward this Province is absolutely ridiculous, disgusting, I say, Mr. Speaker. The promises that we were made about the 650 troops, the UAV squadron, all gone out the window, just like the Atlantic Accord; another unkept promise by the Harper government. I can say to the people of this Province, that anybody who wants to support Stephen Harper and the Conservative government, they need to really take a serious check. Because I can tell you what, this federal government has done nothing for our bases in this Province. It has done nothing for the issues that surround us here in this Province, Mr. Speaker. I have to say, the hon. Loyola Hearn, in my view, is less than honourable by the fact that he has yet to step foot on Labrador soil.