The Weakest Link

It's real easy to beat up on Gerry Reid today - the polls are miserable for the Liberals - to say the least.

As the Leader of the Official Opposition - Gerry's pay is a little more - but he's certainly not compensated for the load placed on his shoulders.

There is no doubt - now - to people who care about the existence of a Liberal Party and who genuinely want to rebuild it - from the bottom up - with complete top-down replacement - that the policies and the people delivering them are not resonating with the voters.

This is not just Gerry Reid - he just wears it. First of all almost half of people who will at least admit they will vote Liberal - will not back their leader - they choose Danny or are undecided. That's a tough one for the party and it's advisers - who chose to place Gerry Reid up-front despite the numbers showing he is lagging behind the party. That was and is a a strategical error in the Liberal campaign. Secondly the Liberal policies (such as they are)are not being supported by Liberals let alone the general population. Thirdly "New Liberalism" is an oxymoron if delivered by Gerry Reid - Danny Dumeresque - Rex Gibbons - John Efford - Norm Whelan - Walter Noel - and Roger Grimes. "New Liberalism" must fall to the party supporters - who clearly want a change in the old "party".

So while Gerry wears the shirt - the rest of them are responsible for manufacturing it.

There are real issues out there to challenge the Premier on - but if the communications director and other staffers and executive - don't see immediate media interest - it is placed on the back-burner. Currently there Liberal leadership seems to take direction from the media - which ultimately traps them into Danny's message. Generally speaking the local "journalists" are frightened to death - disinterested - and/or incapable of doing the necessary investigative pieces needed in a democracy - when the Opposition is weak. There are some exceptions - usually in the Telegram or on the Fisheries Broadcast. Outside of that - we get carnage - school opening - doggy-doo - red herrings - and an update of government News Releases.

The whole cable-gate fibre-optic fiasco would be hammered by Opposition and media alike in any other province. But since Kelvin Parsons made the slip in the House of Assembly of saying - the deal might be alright - while challenging the process - not a word. The Liberal caucus has buried it.

The energy plan that has been promised time and time again - has still not been released - despite the announcement of a wind project - the issuing of a draft on the gas royalty regime - to the major oil and gas players - but not to the public or media. The energy plan still in hiding despite the continuation of Lower Churchill discussions - and work in the field. Without that plan we cannot know what this government believes will be the energy needs for Newfoundland and Labrador for the next 50 years. Therefore the direction for the Lower Churchill is cart before the horse. But the Libs say nothing and worse have not released any suggestions of their own.

The sale of FPI - and the disregard of this government respecting the value of the marketing arm - and it's disposal to Nova Scotia. The joke of a fisheries conference and the continued out-migration of our people caused by the instability in this our most valuable natural renewable resource.

Instead of hammering and hammering on the Stephenville mill or the situation with the Metis - they continue to fall all over the Hebron MOU and the Premier's position with the oil magnates.

Inconsistency in policy by this Premier when it comes to equity positions and demands for processing facilities - goes unchallenged.

The non-response to the restructuring of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro - and what the real potential problems might be. The piece meal privatization of generation projects such as the wind project - which sees Newfoundlanders and Labradorians paying the Italian Government for energy.

To hold a News Conference to say - we will lower fees for your automobile - seems a little shallow when compared to the astronomical decisions which have to be made.

It still amazes me that cling-ons of the Liberal Party - demand to keep control - and do - despite the outright rejection of the voters. This is what happened to the federal Tories and if this continues here - there will be a wipe-out of this Liberal Party.

MHA Roland Butler was just on VOCM talking about matters in his district - when Randy Simms asked him about the poll. He answered "...we can't ignore what the polls are saying..." well yes Roland - unfortunately the Party is ignoring what the polls have been and are saying - that is the problem. Roland also mentioned the polling is done with 400 or so people - no - that's wrong - they alter the numbers every other poll - this time over 800 people were polled. This is something the staffers might have advised him on.

The Liberal Party has chosen to promote its weakest link heading into this fall election - I only hope there are Liberals who are seeking office - who reject this decision and keep their feet firmly on the ground in their chosen districts - and stick to what works for their particular constituency. Remember people - there are and could be some backbench members that will have less of a voice than a strong Opposition member.

Although the numbers for the PC Party are astronomical - Danny is still ahead of his party - that's something neither the Liberals nor the NDP can campaign on. The NDP may hang on to their traditional vote and may even take some from the Liberals - but Lorraine's leadership is limited to maintaining the one seat the Party has kept - primarily because Signal Hill - Quidi Vidi has become a seat of entitlement for the NDP - something which also must change.

I await with interest to see if the hold-up in the St. John's East Tory nomination - is not being held to "Marshall" the cable guy's agenda. Will we see Ken or Steve come forward in the next couple of days? Despite Jerome Kennedy's billing as the star winger - the center-man has yet to emerge for the Ballard - oops I mean William's team.

For Newfoundland and Labrador - the loss in not restricted to the Liberals imploding - it may also include the loss of the Lower Churchill as a key growth potential for Labrador - as the Premier gets drunker on "power".