Muskrat Chill and Dunderdale's Parkas

CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador ran a clip on their late night broadcast of Premier Kathy Dunderdale commenting on the latest CRA poll results.

The quote from Dunderdale was:

"When you take on stewardship you have to be prepared to make difficult decisions sometimes that aren't popular but it's always nice when you have support of the majority of people, we have that and I'm grateful for it."

First of all the Premier and her government do not have support of the majority of people - they are governing because in "a snapshot in time" in October the majority of people who voted supported them.

Now considering the Premier claims she does not govern based on polls - I suggest she does not use popularity as a reason.

The "difficult decisions sometimes that aren't popular" piece as Dunderdale and her colleagues would phrase it - leaves me very perplexed. The erosion of support is based on difficult and unpopular decisions?

Let's see - so the Muskrat Falls fiasco is a difficult decision that is unpopular?

Decisions on what?

Is this a confirmation that polls are taking place internally on the Emera deal and they are not showing favourably?

There is no doubt that this proposed energy project is causing a significant drop in the popularity of the Premier and her government. Now come the tough questions versus the tough decisions.

1. British Columbia forced a referendum on HST through a tool in their democracy chest and the government had to live with the consequences. The harmonized sales tax policy is similar to the Muskrat Falls development deal in that it involves changes that affect consumers on mass and revenue streams for government. Will this government allow democracy to govern and call a referendum on this deal?

2. What can be done to force a referendum on this issue?

3. Considering this one project could amass a debt load equivalent to our entire debt now - is it not appropriate for the Premier and her government to seek permission over and above a "snapshot in time" result in October?

4. Considering very significant information on this deal and financial consequences were not known at the time of the last provincial election - how does the Premier feel she has vetted the public on it?

5. Will former PC and Liberal Cabinet Ministers step to the plate as former Premier Bill Vander Zalm did in British Columbia and rally the people to demand a referendum?

The Muskrat Chill refuses to thaw and the relationship between people and the government is getting frosty. The Premier can choose to pile on parkas or warm up to the people she is "humbled" to represent.