Does Andrew Furey understand the implications of
his plan to appoint a chief economic recovery officer who “would function
similarly to the chief medical officer of health”? If he does and he becomes
the next Premier, every individual, business, and union should worry about what
comes next.
In June, Furey announced that a chief economic recovery officer was key to getting the economy of the province back up and
running after the COVID-19 pandemic. John Abbott made a similar announcement
except that he drew no parallel with the functions of the Chief Medical Officer.
Did someone forget to check the arbitrary powers given that unelected official under
the “Public Health Protection and Promotion Act”, which requires deference to
neither the Premier nor the Cabinet?
Or does Furey perceive that the only way to deal
with the province’s fiscal condition is to assign to a single economic Czar the
right to impose draconian measures, however oppressive and arbitrary they may
be?
