Roger Grimes insists he's not

Roger Grimes insists he's not encouraging Newfoundland fishermen to break the law. He's just going to use all his power to make sure they suffer no consequences if they do. Why can't people figure that out?

Closer to home, Opposition Leader Danny Williams accuses Grimes of being reckless, and failing in his duty to uphold the law.

"This government shirked that responsibility when the premier enticed people to break the law."

But Grimes says he never encouraged anyone to break the law; only that he supports any form of protest that gets the fishery opened.

After question period, Grimes repeated his claim that provincial officials will not help prosecute anyone caught fishing illegally, and his government will stand with the fishermen.

"I'm telling you we will find a way to defend, and support and protect the people involved in this because we are so convinced that they are right."

Grimes won't say what those measures are, but his government will help if fishermen are arrested.

Meanwhile, the head of the fishermens' union says he's had discussions with Grimes about a "protest" fishery:

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers union is supporting controversial comments from Premier Roger Grimes.

He says his government will try to protect anyone who defies Ottawa by fishing for cod in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where the fishery has been closed.

Grimes said he'll even go so far as to introduce provincial legislation to permit a limited cod fishery in the area.

The premier's promise isn't new to Earle McCurdy, the president of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers, who says the two have talked about a possible protest fishery since Ottawa announced the cod closure nearly two weeks ago.

Pathetic. Grimes reminds me of Zarko the troll, from Zach Cohen's blog, who regularly questions whether the Holocaust happened and accuses Jews of running the US government, but recoils at any suggestion he's anti-Semitic. Neither of them are willing to take any real responsibility for their comments.

Posted by damian at May 7, 2003 07:24 AM