Sometimes I will read Oilweek - when I have the time and opportunity to do the articles justice.
The magazine provides the following description of itself:
Established in 1948, Oilweek is Canada’s leading publication covering the oil and gas industry. Dubbed “the oil and gas authority,” readers trust Oilweek to deliver insight, analysis and an in-depth understanding of issues and trends of importance to their business. With offices in both Calgary and Edmonton, Oilweek editors and reporters are tapped in to the communities that drive the business of energy in Canada.
Pay particular attention to the insight, analysis, and in-depth part as I describe what can only be described as an inaccurate,sensationalized, and self-serving article by Wes Reid.
The magazine says; Wes Reid: With his uniquely East Coast view, opining on events shaping the offshore industry.
Opining should not be confused with uneducated, incorrect, and myopic monologues.
First the article uses the following quote from Danny Williams to draw on:
"Believe me, I was quite prepared to stay on for another term," Williams said when he announced his departure. "But with the completion of the Lower Churchill deal, it is time for new ideas and new leadership."
When you start with that premise on the project - the magazine and Reid have nowhere to go but the land of propaganda.
At what time was the Lower Churchill deal completed?
If it actually was completed prior to Williams’s departure; then somebody is lying to the people. The Term Sheet was not supposed to be a signed, sealed, and delivered project.
The article also makes the following observations:
People of the Rock never undervalued his worth by calling him Danny Millions. The nickname, however, underrates his abilities.
It should be changed to Danny Billions, because through hardnosed bargaining and the legislation, he created a royalty and tax system that will see oil companies annually contribute, for a generation or more, billions of dollars to Newfoundland and Labrador´s treasury.
Before retiring from 10 years of turbulent politics, the last seven of which he spent as premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Williams led the Rock from rags to riches.
This should tell the reader where Reid's opining is going. Again the statements are inaccurate and incomplete. Lead the province from rags to riches? Then there are those revenues - non-renewable revenues from the oil sector. While Danny's policy did see the province buy an equity stake in the oil field - which I did support, he failed in something far more important. Williams walked away from a promise by Harper to remove those non-renewable resource royalties from the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. That one piece of incomplete business will ensure that future generations will not achieve full benefits from this resource - which will be exhausted when they become adults.
Williams lowered the flag when Paul Martin attempted to renege on the Atlantic Accord promises - yet he apparently cowered and ran when Harper took all the benefits away.
The next statement by Reid was:
Some appear convinced that Williams stepped down as premier only to step behind the curtain. Sue Kelland-Dyer can be counted among them and among Williams´ nemeses.
So according to Reid - I am one of Williams' nemeses.
Defined one way: A formidable and usually victorious opponent.
Thank you Wes - but I only go after policies which I believe are not good for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This opinion is based on significantly more information than Reid uses in his article.
I agreed with Williams taking on Martin.
I agreed with Williams taking equity for the people in the offshore oil sector.
I disagree with the Muskrat Falls deal with Emera.
I disagree with Williams walking away from Harper's promises.
Reid might not know this - because he did not talk to me before writing about me. He should have asked Danny - he could have told him that.
Reid continued on with the following statements:
"I believe his decision to leave was already made," Dyer stated on her blog.
The political pundit once handled communications for Newfoundland and Labrador´s Liberal Party. She printed the Williams quote: "I would take my own money and put it in if I could." Kelland-Dyer then wrote, "Now that he can put his money into it [left office], has he?"
Poorly punctuated and ambiguous, Kelland-Dyer´s prose seems to suggest that Williams quickly finalized the Upper Churchill deal to increase Emera´s share values so he, once free of office and possible conflict of interest, could profit from the arrangement by investing in Emera.
She wrote, "Was the deal so good for Emera-he actually left to do that? It was an ‘unexpected departure‘right? The chain of command was so set-that everybody else ran away from the leadership. And Kathy is ‘extremely‘ focused on ushering a deal through-that she is unable to debate."
The political pundit once handled communications for Newfoundland and Labrador´s Liberal Party. She printed the Williams quote: "I would take my own money and put it in if I could." Kelland-Dyer then wrote, "Now that he can put his money into it [left office], has he?"
Poorly punctuated and ambiguous, Kelland-Dyer´s prose seems to suggest that Williams quickly finalized the Upper Churchill deal to increase Emera´s share values so he, once free of office and possible conflict of interest, could profit from the arrangement by investing in Emera.
She wrote, "Was the deal so good for Emera-he actually left to do that? It was an ‘unexpected departure‘right? The chain of command was so set-that everybody else ran away from the leadership. And Kathy is ‘extremely‘ focused on ushering a deal through-that she is unable to debate."
First inaccuracy; I did not at any time handle communications for the Liberal Party.
Second inaccuracy; By quoting Williams I appeared to be saying...Well Mr. Reid, how about what Danny said himself, the absolutely unexpected exit from politics, and questions that should have seemed obvious for Reid himself to ask of Williams. Do not pontificate what is going on in my mind, Mr. Reid - you would not stand a chance.
Third inaccuracy; is the reference to Williams finalizing the Upper Churchill deal - I guess that one is just obvious. The fact that it was not picked up prior to posting or printing the story says much more about the knowledge of the writer, the editors, and the magazine itself - than the story could ever say about me.
When you want to write a one-sided and self-serving commentary - the least you could do is talk to the person you are attempting to undermine. This article is not worth the paper it is printed on - and serves as nothing but a rank amateur attempt at propaganda.
After reading this - what articles by Reid or the magazine should I put any stock in? That's something Oilweek might want to review.
1 comment:
This magazine and others in the group, and their writers will do anything to keep active the pattern of stunting the province of Newfoundland and Labrador's economic growth. Of course, they are only mouthing what the Federal Government wants, since the way things are orchestrated by that government, which sees pretty close to 100 per cent of our natural resources being shipped off in the raw state to destinations outside of NL, makes perfectly great sense to Ottawa.
It has created wonderful economies east of here in the other provinces; and the World as it relates to our fish, and those resources have assisted in populating the same areas of Canada, which were the beneficiaries of our resources, with a large numbers of immigrants, people who were accepted to Canada because of OUR natural resources which were orchestrated to work for the areas where they would go.
If the province of Newfoundland and Labrador could have kept its raw resources for its own use, then it would have had the industries created here and the immigrants who came to other parts of Canada over the years would have ended up in this province instead of where they ended up to work because of our resources.
Immigrants go where they are directed to go, Nowhere else!
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