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Peter Fenwick

About Peter Fenwick

Peter Fenwick is a freelance journalist and commentator who operates a Bed and Breakfast at Cape St. George, Newfoundland. He is a the former Director of Communications and Publications for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies and continues to do occasional work for the institute. In the nineties Mr. Fenwick was a columnist for the two daily newspapers in Newfoundland, the St. John’s Telegram and the Corner Brook Western Star. He was also an editorial board member of the St. John’s Telegram for six years. For the past twelve years he has been a panelist on the CBC Newfoundland Supper Hour television program. Mr. Fenwick is a former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party, and was the first NDP member elected to the provincial House of Assembly in 1984. He has had an extensive career in education, both as a high school teacher and as a social sciences instructor at the Stephenville Campus of the College of the North Atlantic. Mr. Fenwick was a member of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Board of Regents for six years and chaired the finance committee, the audit committee and the ad hoc committee on financial prospects. He was also a charter member of Newfoundland Premier’s Advisory Council on Social Development, a citizens group charged with advising the provincial government on social policy. Mr. Fenwick received his undergraduate education at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, now Concordia, and was awarded a Masters in Arts in Political Science from Memorial University of Newfoundland. A Rotarian, he is actively involved in community activities on the west coast of Newfoundland, and has been an honorary Patron of the Newfoundland chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Is the Newfoundland Fishery Finally Modernizing?

By | August 18th, 2010|Op-ed|

Late last year FPI announced the closure of Harbour Breton, one of its chain of ground fish plants along the south coast of Newfoundland & Labrador. This time, the government refused to invoke the provisions of the legislation that would force FPI to keep the antiquated plant running. To do so would trigger a clause forcing the government to cover FPI’s losses at Harbour Breton. For Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor this would be the abandonment of the current government’s fisheries policy that refuses to subsidize the fishing industry. As Peter fenwick, AIMS’ Fellow on Fisheries and Newfoundland Issues, explains in this commentary - if the Newfoundland government does indeed stay this course the fishing industry may eventually evolve into the modern industry it can be.

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Rules for Oil & Gas

By | February 28th, 2006|Op-ed|

The Newfoundland government should use the KISS rule while playing in the oil and gas field - 'Keep It Stable and Straightforward'. AIMS Fellow Peter Fenwick explains why in this commentary.

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Less is More When Governments Respond to Stephenville Mill Closure

By | December 16th, 2005|Op-ed|

The last ditch effort by the Newfoundland and Labrador government to keep the Stephenville mill open failed. That's not to say the government won't try to use millions of dollars to entice another operator to re-open it. In this commentary, Newfoundland's Peter Fenwick says there's a much better way to spend that money.

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Brain Drain or Brain Gain?

By | November 23rd, 2005|Op-ed|

Emigration is a hot issue in rural communities around Atlantic Canada. Many a politician has fought an election on promises to bring the emigrants home. In this Commentary, Peter Fenwick, AIMS Fellow with responsibility for Fisheries and Issues in Newfoundland, takes a closer look at this philosophy.

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Which is more valuable, the paper or the power?

By | October 31st, 2005|Op-ed|

In this Commentary, AIMS Research Fellow Peter Fenwick asks what role the government should take in propping up uneconomic paper mills. His conclusion suggests the future product of such mills may be power, not paper.

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Short-term Job Gains will cost Newfoundlanders millions of dollars

By | May 10th, 2005|Op-ed|

AIMS Research Fellow Peter Fenwick says Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is making a big mistake on offshore development. Fenwick says Williams is pushing for short-term jobs and economic activity, instead of waiting for the bigger royalty cheque when the project starts production.

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The Return to Profligacy

By | March 30th, 2005|Op-ed|

Hidden behind the mountain of extra federal money in Newfoundland and Labrador's budget is the awful truth that the provincial government plans to keep piling more and more debt upon the taxpayers of the province at close to half a billion dollars a year for the foreseeable future. The highest indebted taxpayers in the country will become even more crippled by the mountain of debt being piled upon them.

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When fighting poverty, a hand up is needed more than a hand out

By | December 3rd, 2004|Op-ed|

Atlantic Canada may fall victim to the very campaign designed to help its citizens improve their economic fortunes. Instead of giving a hand out, as suggested by Campaign 2000 (an anti poverty group), AIMS Research Fellow, Peter Fenwick is challenging policy makers and community leaders to take advantage of our region’s competitive advantages. Create more jobs and you will create prosperity says Fenwick, and, contrary to the questionable numbers cited by Campaign 2000, Fenwick concludes this is exactly what Canadians have been doing – with demonstrable positive results.

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Newfoundland’s Showdown with its Unions

By | April 6th, 2004|Op-ed|

Newfoundland’s Showdown with its Unions. April 6, 2004. In a battle reminiscent of the Winnipeg general strike, close to 20,000 public service workers in Newfoundland walked off the job April 1st in the largest job action in provincial history. Hospitals, highways workers, general government workers and many school board support staff have set up picket lines from Cape Spear to Nain Labrador. Although the unions walked out over the monetary terms of a new collective agreement, the fight is more about what shape the new Newfoundland economy will take. The unions are reeling from the recently tabled budget that proposed laying off 4000 public employees over four years, an eighth of the provincial public service. And while those cuts will hurt, it is difficult to see what else the government could do.

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Newfoundland and Labrador AG’s “Fiscal Realism”

By | November 24th, 2003|Op-ed|

Newfoundland’s Auditor General John Noseworthy has been painting with numbers, and the resulting picture is very bleak indeed. “Fiscal Realism” has proved especially shocking as Newfoundlanders are made more aware of the distinctions between “cash” deficits and accrued deficits. Peter Fenwick comments from Newfoundland.

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