I believe Beth has been working within an environment that doesn't want her around. Its clear to me that she had to stay quiet about it TO THE PUBLIC but I bet she stood up (once again) to the Premier and has been sidelined for it. Beth is in survival mode... waiting for Danny to finish his reign. I hope she remain around.
We wonder - as a people - how things like the House of Assembly scandal happen. Primarily they happen because our political system teaches us to "stay quiet" - "keep you powder dry" - "air your dirty laundry inside the party". This mentality has driven many a good person from seeking public office.
There are times when we should call it like we see it - I don't mean private one on one conversations (off the record) as we have witnessed recently with Judy Foote and before her Tom Marshall. When political parties and MHA's are acting improperly as it relates to our money and our province - we should speak up.
The person who left the comment above - obviously has respect for Beth Marshall and believes she is capable of being a good representative and Cabinet Minister. I do not disagree - until last week I was regularly asking the Premier - on the blog - why Beth continues to be overlooked during Cabinet shuffles.
Marshall is a professional and intellectually has much to offer in service to the people and her province - but she doesn't have the guts. Sure she stood up to Danny and resigned - but much too quietly - if we are not going to get the benefit of Marshall in Cabinet - we need to know why.
The other issue for Marshall is what she chooses to stand for. Before us today is one example of blatant disregard for the public purse and blatant use of taxpayer dollars to buy votes. When it comes to the people's treasury - that is Ms. Marshall's area. This is what she had no problem doing from the relative comfort of her Auditor General's chair - and she should feel the same need to expose from the caucus chair.
If Danny refuses to let Beth perform at her level - she has alternatives - she can make a stand. There is a benefit in this for the people as we can really understand how our Premier is operating. Danny has a duty to find and utilize the best talent we elect in their areas of strength. Obviously accounting and finance is Marshall's calling - and she - more than anybody else - is responsible for getting the current dirt out but as a vocal AG - now she needs to be a vocal MHA.
There is no doubt our party system in the province and country discourages people from speaking out when there are important issues on the table. None so evident when Efford chose the Prime Minister and not his province and people during the Atlantic Accord - Loyola Hearn chose the bureaucracy instead of Newfoundland and Labrador when he backed out of his promise to us - that custodial management would be achieved on the nose and tail of Grand Banks and Flemish Cap - and these are but a couple of examples we have suffered over the past five decades.
We have people in the PC caucus that know better regarding the fishery - but they have shut-up disappeared - Harry Harding - Roger Fitzgerald - Charlene Johnson - and even Trevor Taylor. I think Roger has given up - gone into early retirement and not up for the fight. Charlene and Harry are so in awe of the Premier - the thought of just being able to clap - giggle - and cheer for Danny in the House is good enough for them. And Trevor - well there's really no excuse other than he likes the office - he loves Cabinet and what it does for his own personal achievement record. Meanwhile thousands of our people leave to find work - families and communities destroyed because the party - not the people - come first.
On the situation with the constituency bonus - we need to know if our belt-tightening scrooge of a Finance Minister - Loyola Sullivan - knew what was coming in the report. Why did Loyola take the $2875 payment - why did he say nothing? Oh the party loyalty is gone to the extreme - while personal rackets such as those between Grimes - Efford - and Dumeresque could be avoided - real issues must be tackled straight-up.
And what's worse - this extends to people who are not even elected. If you speak out against obvious policy apathy and just ridiculous statements by members on either side - there is nothing you can offer the party.
In the long run the people are bettered by those who have and use a voice - and so would the party - but the immediacy of political office is all that's considered when some fool (politician or staffer) is sent out to personally attack and ridicule those citizens who speak freely.If one states that neither party is doing anything concrete to deal with the fishery - there is no place for that person in politics. The people of the province genuinely approve of a person speaking out - it's what exposes the messes - hopefully before it is too late. The political parties shun the same people because they are not capable of dealing with a challenge or finding a solution to whatever the problem is. If however a person speaks badly of only one side - the other is hot to trot to keep them close - butter them up - encourage through praise - the continuation of a partisan attack.
This more than anything else has hurt our province.
When Danny says - he has the best people working on this or that - what he means is the best people among his list of people acceptable to him - those who openly support his every position - the same is true of Reid - and all other Premier's or leaders before them.
So when Danny says, "we should be more like Quebec and fight for the province not a partisan position" - he should understand that he is admitting Newfoundland and Labrador has yet to have a real leader.
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