when Newfoundland and Labrador’s population drops by one half of one percent would be like waiting for government to lower gas prices by half a cent.
Not gonna happen.
But government will raise prices by a little more than a quarter of a cent. Such is the sensitivity of the government gas pricing fixing scheme when the prices aren’t in the consumer interest.
And cabinet ministers will issue news releases when the population estimates go up by a comparably small amount. Last summer, then-finance minister Tom Marshall issued a news release heralding a growth in population of a mere 171 people.
Thus far, not a peep on an estimated population drop of 264.
That could be because the growth in population – triggered as it was by the recession – could now turn once more in population decline as the western world comes out of a recession.
And while the current administration likes to claim credit for things they didn’t do – oil revenues and increased population for two examples – they seldom like to take responsibility for stuff they do.
Funny that, iddn’t it?
-srbp-