Furey failing at transparency with release of video aimed at supper-hour news, prof says

Premier Andrew Furey's decisionto outline his government's response to areport on Newfoundland and Labrador's dire economic situationvia a video is being criticized for a lack of transparency and a stifling of public dialogue.

The video, billed as a "state of the province" address,is set to be released publicly at 6 p.m. NT Thursday, coinciding with supper-hour television news broadcasts in the province.CBCproducers will review the video before choosing whichparts of it will air onHere & Now.

There will be no time allotted on Thursday for reporters to ask Furey questions about the video, a move rankling the Official Opposition.

"It's surprising and a little disappointing for an administration that touts itself on openness and transparency," said David Brazil, the interim leader of he Progressive Conservatives, on Thursday.

Journalists will have an opportunity to ask Furey questions on Friday at 10 a.m. NT.

Brazil saidthat delay may amplify any public apprehension or stress stemming from Furey's video, particularly when there's an opportunity, in the age of social media, to provideimmediate clarity.

"Why wouldn't you deal with it? If you're going to be open and transparent and upfront with people, and we all know we have many challenges here, why not do it head-on?" he said.

The PCs aren't the only ones scratching their heads over the video, which comes one week after the expansive fiscal report The Big Reset was released, the end product of the premier's economic task force, chaired by Moya Greene.

"Ithink it's odd," said Russell Williams, a professor of political science at Memorial University.

"Ithink the government needs to start engaging a little more directly with citizens and maybe with members of the media as well. Government should be making itself more available to discuss both the recommendations of the Greene report but their own plans for what they're going to do about the situation the province is in."

Increase transparency: Greene report

The report is a no-holds-barred take on the state of Newfoundland and Labrador, a province awash in debt and on the brink of insolvency. The report lays out a series of recommendations, with everything from tax hikes to deep cuts, to climb out of that fiscal hole.

Among thoserecommendations is one calling for more transparency forgovernmentdecision-making.

"Many government decisions leave members of the public shaking their heads," the report says.

"When the decision-making process isn't open and transparent, those outside of it tend to conclude that decisions were not made in the general interest. Transparency is the best way to regain public trust."

This governmentis actually less communicative than previous governments.- Russell Williams

The report concludes that transparency and accountability have to be increased.

Releasing a video to respond to the report "seems to fly in the face of that recommendation," said Williams, a noted critic of the closed-door meetings that led to the Greene report's creation.

Thatprocess, combined with Thursday's video, "makes it feel like the government doesn't really want to talk to anyone about this." he said.

On Wednesday, the province curtailed media questions at the weekly COVID-19 briefings, which typically involve the premier, health ministerand chief medical officer of health.

Previously, reporters were allowed to ask at least five questions during the briefings. On Wednesday, the provincial government permanently lowered that to three questions, "in the interest of time," according to a spokesperson for the premier.

Williams said Furey's Liberal government has had a pattern of diminishing media access.

"This governmentis actually less communicative than previous governments.They're really trying to tamp down on access to the government and what kinds of questions can be asked."

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