Last week we seen the end of a record setting filibuster in the House of Assembly.
The debate was cut short by the PC's in the house through closure.
Bill 29 an Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was and is a very controversial piece of House business. The crux of the concern is the reduction of access to information.
The Newfoundland and Labrador electorate is still suffering trust issues from the constituency allowance spending scandal - which ultimately sent 4 former MHA's to jail. One of the convicted was Ed Byrne - a PC MHA who became a Cabinet Minister and Deputy Premier under the Danny Williams administration.
In large part - the entire criminal fiasco was caused by not allowing the Auditor General to review the expenditures of the MHA's. The concept of maximized transparency and access to information was touted by Danny Williams as a hallmark of his government - of which current Premier Kathy Dunderdale served in Cabinet and as the Deputy Premier.
Any changes to law which would diminish - in any way - transparency and access should concern Kathy Dunderdale a great deal. It - however - did not phase her - apparently it did not even interest her.
Instead of being a leader by explaining to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador why her government wants to change the access to information law - she ran away. Dunderdale was here:
The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador,
will be the keynote speaker at the sixth annual Memorial University Calgary
Affinity Dinner tomorrow (Wednesday, June 13) at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel
in Calgary. The dinner begins at 7:00 p.m. MDT, with the Premier scheduled
to speak at approximately 8:30 p.m.
The theme of the keynote address is Bold and Tenacious: Driving Growth
and Prosperity in the New Newfoundland and Labrador.
Oh I can hear the tapping of partisan twitter characters already. They will suggest that this event was planned for some time and it is an important piece of business for our province.
Let's say we accept this rationale completely.
No problem, the Bill did not have to be called until the Premier returned. Or in the alternate - the debate did not have to be shut down until the Premier returned.
When so many people and media in the province were calling foul on this Bill - Kathy had a choice - she chose to run away. Do you really think she will take any responsibility for soaring power rates and massive debt if the Emera deal proceeds?
Dunderdale is not a leader - she is simply facilitating a plan.
1 comment:
Typical of Dunderdale. Whenever an issue arises, she is nowhere to be found. She will eventually get around to saying something inane but is constantly hiding from these kinds of issues.
She is simply facilitating the demise of this PC administration and the installation of Dean as Premier....if the Liberal Party is simply power-hungry, and the people of this province play the fool yet again.
Post a Comment