Province paid $200 to strip posters calling on Premier Dwight Ball to resign

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador faces an almost $2-billion deficit this year but still spent about $200 to rip down posters calling on Premier Dwight Ball to resign.

Transportation Minister Al Hawkins says department staff made an “operational decision” to take down dozens of posters on lamp standards near the legislature.

The posters featuring a photo of Ball and the word — ‘Resign’ — appeared over the weekend but were taken down by early Monday morning.

Hawkins says he may have advised a different course had the decision come through his office.

Activists protesting the province’s tax-hiking budget say they put up the posters and will take more action.

The premier’s popularity has nose-dived since the budget was introduced in April, but says his office had no role in the decision.