Police don riot gear as N.L. Liberals make 2nd attempt at budget amid protests

The government of Newfoundland and Labrador appears poised to push ahead with its provincial budget Thursday even as opposing political parties have opted to stay out. 

The provincial NDP issued a press release at 10 a.m. NT saying its members would not attend the budget, as hundreds of fish harvesters protested outside Confederation Building in St. John's. Speaking to protesters before noon, Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeham announced his party would do the same.

The protest was met by dozens of Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers in riot gear, with tensions high throughout the morning.

"The premier has let the situation get out of control," said NDP Leader Jim Dinn in the press release. "If the premier had shown the same determination in resolving this issue even a year ago, as he has demonstrated in pushing his own agenda, we wouldn't need police in riot gear."

A spokesperson for the government sent a memo to reporters at 8 a.m., saying the budget would be going ahead. The usual "lock-in" for reporters — in which journalists can read budget documents and ask questions of politicians and officials — was rearranged after four of the province's media outlets opted not to cross the protest line together under police watch. A shorter briefing is being held at another location. 

The government had already cancelled similar briefings for unions, community leaders and others due to safety concerns. Those decisions were not relayed to media outlets.

Earlier in the morning, police were seen having a cordial conversation with protest leaders, urging them to avoid a repeat of Wednesday's raucous events — particularly with a court-ordered injunction now in place that prohibits protesters from blocking safe access to Confederation Building, which is both home to the legislature and the main government complex. 

Protest leader John Efford Jr. addressed the crowd a few minutes later.

"We're just going to make our presence known to the people that are going to work this morning. But we are going to be peaceful," he said over a megaphone. "Do not, do not get caught up in cat-calling. Do not get caught up in incitement. If anybody says anything to you today, say, 'Have a nice day.'"

The group of mostly fish harvesters has been protesting since early March on a number of conditions. For one, they want to be allowed to sell their catch to buyers outside the province. As it stands, they can sell only to buyers within the province at a price negotiated by the Fish, Food & Allied Workers union and the Association of Seafood Producers.

They also want processing limits lifted on independent fish plants to allow them to compete with the few companies that largely control processing in the province.

"Basically our message is free enterprise," Efford Jr. told CBC News on Thursday morning, adding the current system is "against what Canada believes in."

While the provincial government has committed to acting on both demands for the crab fishery — a lucrative but time-limited season that opens in the spring — the protesters say they want the concessions for all species. 

Efford said they feel the discussions have put all options on the table, but with crab season fast approaching, he wants to see concrete solutions.