N.L. party to celebrate 'have' status won't be grandiose
Last Updated: Thursday, February 19, 2009 | 5:24 PM NT
CBC News
Premier Danny Williams is scaling back plans to celebrate Newfoundland and Labrador becoming a "have" province.
Williams was planning an extravagant provincewide celebration to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Confederation with Canada this spring, but given the tough economic times, Williams said the original plan might have been over the top.
"Well we would have had a lovely full day of celebration, a holiday, a recognition of our culture and have several cultural venues all around the province, but that maybe, for want of a better term, is too grandiose at this particular point in time," Williams said.
Last year, oil revenue pushed the province into have status for the first time.
Williams was going to close schools for the day, and pay for celebrations across the province.
But since he hatched that plan last fall, a paper mill has closed, mines have made cut backs and the provincial government has plunged into deficit. Williams said the province will still celebrate have status and Confederation on the same day.
"We may find another format or we may reshape it in another manner. Again it's about doing something tastefully and we don't want to offend anybody under these circumstances."
