Ponder, if you will, the President and CEO of NOIA, one Leslie Galway, walking along the St. John's waterfront musing with Peter Walsh of CBC television on the need to increase exploration for oil and gas offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.
A problem was identified, yet no solutions were discussed.
Now ponder an agreement signed on Friday between the Government of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada to streamline regulations in the Nova Scotia offshore area. Reducing the regulatory burden without lessening environmental and other needed controls has been a concern for the oil industry for some time. Nova Scotia managed to get it done in time for this weekend's Atlantic Energy Forum, held this weekend in Halifax. Here's a link to a news release from the Nova Scotia government on the results of the forum.
Go visit the Newfoundland and Labrador government website and find any mention last week of the forum. It is possible I just missed it.
It does seem odd, though, that this week - in oil and gas week - the whole business of promoting exploration and streamlining the regulatory process has not been played up more by local industry representatives, like NOIA, and the provincial natural resources minister, Ed Byrne.
Incidentally, who is the guest speaker at NOIA's Oil and Gas Week Lunch this year? Loyola Sullivan, provincial minister of finance and president of treasury board.