“The criticism can sometimes be relentless, and from a small handful of
people, but they tend to be very loud and scathing, and personal, and
mean”
These words from Kathy Dunderdale during a recent media interview.
These small handful of people - which she points out does not include the official opposition - are bothering the Premier.
Relentless: Yes that is due to the House of Assembly being closed. There is no role for the people - the electorate if their legislature is not operating.
Relentless: Yes in that the Premier is unable to defend policy positions that will affect generations to come.
Relentless: Yes in that the Premier is - herself - a hypocrite - in that she personally attacks those who legitimately oppose her.
What is Criticism? Why are there severe judgements, comments, or unfavourable reviews of the Premier's policies?
This is not hyper criticism - this is not just a fault-finding mission - or an act of unjust or unreasonable criticism.
We are people - intelligent people - who are able to use our own minds and our own knowledge to form an educated opinion.
What the Premier demonstrates is fear - fear of being challenged or tested. She is guilty of hyper criticism and desperately trying to find fault with those who fairly criticize her in her professional capacity.
I know very little of Kathy Dunderdale's personal life and am not interested in knowing it. The Premier's commentary presumes she knows something of the personal lives of her critics. In this respect I would hope that these are just statements of ignorance or rumour and not from misusing a data-base.
The problem this Premier has is two-fold. Clearly the thought of a "loud" "relentless" democracy is not what she signed up for - too bad wrong country if that's the case and second - her inability to articulate and defend her policies leaves her vulnerable - which she attempts to correct with insults and not education.
As an employee of mine the Premier should understand that when she says that the job is humbling - it might help to look up the word first - prior to such an utterance.
As an employee of mine and yours - she should understand that her "favorite" people are not to receive partisan preference.
Her job entails that she listen to criticism fairly and with an open-mind as she is responsible for making very important decisions regarding resources we all own. I am a shareholder of Nalcor and I have a right to say that Ed Martin is not doing a good job - and is not putting the best interests of the people first.
I have a right to criticize an energy deal - when I am certain - that I know more than she does on the issues. Perhaps - I suggest again - she should debate some of her critics - and see how she feels about a subject when ordinary Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are talking instead of failed senior bureaucrats.
I further suggest to the Premier that she tries the private sector for employment and let others meddle in her affairs in an effort to have her fired. She might then feel the wrath of the power brokers she so relies on.
Perhaps the media would offer some time for those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have been speaking publicly about policy issues long before some of her Cabinet thought they would like to try politics as a career.
I am not being paid by the taxpayer or electorate - the Premier is.
I would suggest she grow up - but I would prefer that she wise up.
3 comments:
Hi Sue...I guess some people would be considered to be your peanut gallery too!
Wonder why you did not make comments about the Premier's reference about the gallery being "personal and mean"??
I believe I did WM - guess you did not read it. The Premier is very personal in her attacks.
Sue, the Premier doth protest too much! She has set herself up for strong criticism simply by her action, or more accurately, her inaction since the election. Of course, prior to the election, she did nothing to protest Ottawa's decision to close the MSRC and, in the HOA, last spring, was nearly incoherent when confronted with hard questions by Yvonne Jones about Muskrat Falls.
Okay, she did spend much of the summer sending her Cabinet ministers around handing out goodies prior to....you guessed it...a provincial election. Oops, I guess that could be misconstrued as criticism too! Sorry, Premier!
The point is that this Premier has shown no real initiative, no real intelligence in responding to major issues, and an inability to face her critics, either inside or outside the HOA. If we are naive enough and foolish enough to believe that this gives her a free pass, then shame on us! If she can't accept that there are many intelligent people who care deeply about the way she is "non-governing" this province, shame on Permier Dunderdale!!
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