Political Realist

Optimism or Pessimism - Neither
Realism!
I read with interest Offal News post "A New Year's Resolution - Optimism"
I enjoy the debate with Simon and this would be no exception. I am one of the guilty Simon speaks of in his column published in the Telegram, January 06.
The state of Newfoundland and Labrador you see has to be someones fault. It does not happen on its own. Simon says it shows us as weak or stupid if we always talk in these terms. That's correct but I would add sometimes lazy with our politics and disinterested in anything which does not affect the individual directly.
Weak - yes in that we have let Canada walk all over is in this confederation - netting us a "have not" status with a "have" set of natural resources.
It is a fact that our fishery was mismanaged by Ottawa.
It is a fact that Ottawa destroyed our hydro potential and market by not forcing Quebec to allow a corridor for power sales.
It is a fact we get very little in the way of federal jobs and agencies.
It is a fact that equalization has been used to haul away significant benefits from our non-renewable and renewable resources.
It is a fact we have never had a judge appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada.
It is a fact that we get screwed politically because we have 7 seats.
and on and on...
These are not theories.
We are stupid - well I would use the words "deliberately ignorant" as we have all the smarts and talent in the world but we don't bother and want others to take care of that for us - unless it directly impacts us individually.
When Ottawa is going to hold a judicial inquiry on the salmon stocks on the Fraser River - surely to god we should have one right?
No - because Loyola Hearn is weak and we are not doing anything to make him act.
The riches of Newfoundland and Labrador are tremendous - and it is my opinion that we are the richest piece of geography in North America - yet we have mass outmigration.
Somebody is to blame - and when it's Ottawa I will say it and when it's us I will say that too. But if we say nothing then we are just floating in oblivion where bad things continue to happen and nobody knows why. That is not acceptable!
Then there are the corporates Simon mentions - people say they are out to do us in. I should hope so Simon or they are not doing their corporate job. They are in the business to make money and they need our assets to do it. So when they start shipping wholesale our resources to China, Ontario, the States or elsewhere - they clearly are gonna do us in to maximize the profits. Our job, is to maximise the resources for the people - and if that means beating them with a hard negotiating stick - so be it. But we must be willing to use our own resources wisely to attract investment. Example: If we ship our hydro to Quebec, Ontario, New England or Nova Scotia - we have chosen to ship our competitive edge away. That would be us "being stupid". If we use the power to attract industry - they will come. That would be us "being smart".
Don't worry this does not lead to a dead end but leads to recognition that we must take hold of our future and wrestle it from those who want to use everything they can get from us - including our people.
It's somebody's damn fault - and from now on it should not be ours. When that is the case - you will hear stories of success not stories of who is to blame for the failure.