Fish harvesters forced government to delay its new budget. Here's how we got there
Public servants blocked from entering Confederation Building and clashes with police forced government to wait
What was supposed to be a regular day of regular business at Confederation Building in St. John's on Wednesday turned out to be anything but.
The provincial budget was supposed to be tabled, setting the financial outlook for Newfoundland and Labrador for the next year.
That generally means a budget lock-in where political parties, reporters, unions and community stakeholders get the opportunity to read through the document before it's officially ushered in during an afternoon session inside the House of Assembly.
Instead, anyone hoping to get a glimpse of the budget on Wednesday was turned away.
Hundreds of fish harvesters — many travelling from far outside St. John's — converged on Confederation Building in the early morning hours with one plan: delaying the budget speech, in which Finance Minister Siobhan Coady will outline the agenda for the governing Liberals.
Continued pushback
It's far from the first time fish harvesters have tried to force the government to listen.
The 1992 closing of the cod fishery saw clashes and heated exchanges between harvesters and politicians, summarized in a now iconic moment between then federal fisheries minister John Crosbie and fishermen on a wharf in Bay Bulls.
Today, the crab fishery is the primary earner for those who continue the centuries-old tradition of providing for their families from the ocean.
But as the times change, so too does the fishery.
Harvesters want more freedom. They want to be able to sell their catch — crab or otherwise — to any buyer that will have them.
At the heart of perennial issues is a complex and heavily regulated industry that involves numerous parties. The system has evolved over the years to keep the seafood business viable, but also responsive to job needs in rural areas.
The Fish, Food & Allied Workers union, which represents both harvesters and processing plant workers, have been calling their current request "free enterprise."
For the time being, harvesters are forced to sell their catch to processing companies inside Newfoundland and Labrador. They say the lack of competition is hurting their bottom line.
But there has been some progress.
Looming crab season
Harvesters, the union and government officials want to avoid another delayed crab season.
A year ago harvesters held tough for weeks, keeping their boats tied to docks instead of hitting the open water for the beginning of the lucrative snow crab season.
A dispute over the price of $2.20 per pound prompted the FFAW to walk away from the bargaining table with the Association of Seafood Producers, which represents owners of processing plants.
Eventually cooler heads prevailed and the season began, but time lost on the water was hard to gain back.
This year, the provincial government is listening a little closer and price negotiations continue between the FFAW and ASP ahead of this year's crab season.
Harvesters have stood on the steps of Confederation Building for weeks and flooded the public galleries of the House of Assembly to have their voices heard.
On more than one occasion Speaker Derek Bennett had the public galleries cleared as protesters disrupted House proceedings and refused to comply with Bennett's orders to sit quietly.
This week, Fisheries Minister Elvis Loveless did commit to seeking outside buyers for the crab harvest and to lifting processing caps on fish plants — another demand called for by the fisheries union.
But it's not enough for the union or its members.
Harvesters have said the is protest is not just about crab. They want the ability to sell any species to any buyer.
On Wednesday, the government won an injunction in Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court against demonstrating harvesters. Leaders of the movement say their protest is far from over.
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