Darin King 'bewildered' by Corner Brook fire truck kerfuffle

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Darin King says Corner Brook Mayor Charles Pender is not telling the whole story when it comes to a recent decision by city council to purchase a new fire truck, and that his unrelenting criticism of the provincial government is unwarranted.

In and interview that aired Wednesday morning on the Corner Brook Morning Show, King said the city has not applied for funding under a special assistance program administered by his department.

He also suggested that many other municipalities are in a more dire situation than Corner Brook, which is replacing what King described as a "backup vehicle."

"To be frank with you, I'm a little bit bewildered as to how this has become such an issue," King said, referring to Pender's jabs at the provincial government in media interviews and on social media.

"They haven't taken our advice and submitted an application for assistance."

Lack of clarity, forthrightness

City council voted recently to pay the entire cost of a new fire truck, estimated at half-a-million dollars, with Pender saying the decision was necessary because assistance from the province was rejected.

King bristled at that notion, saying there has been a "lack of clarity and forthrightness" on the part of the mayor and his council.

King said the city was denied "emergency funding" after officials deemed the situation was not urgent. What's more, he said there is no emergency fund for such purchases. 

But he said the city was encouraged to apply for a share of the $5 million made available for the purchase of trucks.

King's officials are now assessing those applications, and some decisions are expected to be made in the coming weeks.

Corner Brook never applied, minister says

But nowhere in that list of applications is one from Corner Brook, said King.

"Maybe the mayor needs to explain to the residents of Corner Brook why over the last two weeks, in spite of being encouraged to apply, he has not submitted an application seeking financial assistance," he said.

Since 2003, King said the province has approved more than $700,000 to assist Corner Brook with the purchase of a new ladder truck and pumper truck.

He said the mayor's criticism is disappointing, and even a bit absurd. 

"I consider it akin to somebody criticizing an employer for not giving him a job when he hasn't even submitted an application," King said. 

"It just sounds a little ridiculous to me."