Harper and Coleman eerily similar

Continuing from my post yesterday - the Conservative edge of politics both here and in Ottawa has adopted an arrogant dictatorial sharpness that is cutting the electorate patience to the core.

Harper has amped his manliness up by intellectually going after our Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice - Beverly McLachlin; a frontal lobe competition our Prime Minister will soon regret.

But really the most concerning, revealing, and consistent trait of Harper is his refusal to communicate; at least in a way that is normal for a mature democracy.

At the basic core of this fellow is a stereo-typical troglodyte - a being so caught up in self-preservation that he appears paranoid. With his basic refusal to accept some science as real - he may easily believe that Mansbridge, Soloman, Martin or any Ottawa journalist are the dinosaurs waiting to pounce.

Sadly - as Canadians - we have failed by generally treating the PM's dismissal of unfettered scrums or appearances on national network political programs - as normal. Harper's protective communication goons have effectively removed their boss from open media access. The man has also annihilated the First Minister's conference. Why meet openly with Canada's real leaders - the Premiers of the federation.

The PMO has become a term that we have become too familiar with - as it's not Harper who is responsible for the bad deeds. The PMO said this and that. Media now reports regularly on what the PMO says - not what the PM says. In this regard the media is failing in its duty to the people of our country. The photo-ops carefully planned and executed are dutifully reported by the Hill's men and women - who have otherwise been trained to probe and ask questions in an open environment.

So what does all this have to do with Frank Coleman? You should seriously consider that question and look at what we've been handed by the chosen one to date. The training of our media here has already begun.

The Twang from Abroad Powers - Martin - and Dalley

yet another short post...

I'm starting to wonder what the inside scoop is on future employers for certain of our public figures. Take for instance the Newfoundland and Labrador lost son Tim Powers - the Ontarian in him has certainly taken hold with his "ehs" and Ed Martin and Dawn Dalley of Nalcor - they are turning right into Haligonians (not a flower) with their "folks" this and "folks" that.

Hows (notice my change here) about some fun not funny speculation eh?

Tim the Conservative Voice Powers might be lining up to take on a federal seat - or even Dunderdale's job - after all - Upper Canada - needs some "trained" Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to carry the Ottawa torch. Maybe he is back to "burn all the boats" particularly with his Crosbie heritage.

Then there's Ed and Dawn perhaps not in Orlando  (not a singing group) preparing for a change of employer as Halifax based Emera continues its privatization march throughout our land - hauling natural resource wealth from the health and education budgets of our province and into the outstretched and "well connected" arms of the elite offshore.

If Kathy is listening to Ed and Ed marches to Williams Symphony No. 5 - then the fluid movement of redundancies will continue to mount for the 3 amigos.

Quite the state we have here - fibre optical illusions - power/s ball jackpot - and one continuing joke on us the people.

The next couple of years are going to be dandy. I wonder what's in the offing for us "gull"ible people.

Wonder what the New Dawn's Agreement 2014 will look like. I should look toward the Mc"Cleods" where James and Cathy MacBennett may be talking.

Will CBC or CTV or Mulcair or Trudeau step-up?

So the Prime Minister - who attended  the annual Jewish Negav Dinner and fundraiser in Toronto this week - is giddy with talks of freedom and democracy. The 3500 in attendance must have been ignoring the fact that Stephen J Harper is doing more to destroy democracy than all Canadian leaders before him combined.

Our PM is no doubt - excessively partisan - and that may be considered politics as usual - but the rest of his behavior is not. Canada has changed drastically and negatively under his leadership.

He aligns himself with the USA - on issues of crime, punishment, guns, and jails while distancing himself from the USA on matters of progressive peace talks and actions.

If you recognize Canada today - you must not have been watching for the past 50 years.

Stephen Harper has neutered and spayed the country's media. Stephen Harper has ignored and diminished the importance of provinces and territories in our confederation.

No man is an island - with the exception of our Prime Minister. He rules as a king not as a parliamentarian. He serves himself not the people. He does not take the provinces seriously and punishes those who do not fall at his knees.

The most disturbing parts of this entire situation are that politicians representing other parties federally and provincial politicians are letting him away with eroding our democracy and the national media is allowing him to control all communication with Canadians.

We are currently in the middle of an embarrassing perhaps criminal situation with the Senate scandal - and his office is right in the middle of it. While I appreciate the efforts of Tom Mulcair to expose him in the House of Commons - I do not appreciate Harper's ability to keep it contained to that location.

Our Prime Minister dictates where and when the media can have access to him. He dictates who may ask questions of him and how many questions may be asked. He refuses to appear on either national network and answer for himself. He sends other people out to speculate on his thoughts, reasoning, and actions. The national media is promoting rather than deterring his behavior by allowing this to continue.

All members of the House of Commons who are not elected Conservatives should take their seats and say nothing until the Prime Minister agrees to normal media relations and explains himself to Canadians. If the Prime Minister continues to act like a dictator then all members of the HOC should stand outside the chamber and refuse to enter until he does so. This is newsworthy and is not controlled by Harper. The media should refuse to cover any News coming out of the government - particularly out of the Prime Minister's office - until he agrees to resume normal media relations.

So while Power and Politics (CBC) and Power Play (CTV) present themselves as "must see political-affairs program" and "daily marquee political program" respectively - neither have been successful in getting Harper to join them on the program regarding his role in the Duffy affair. The RCMP have taken emails and correspondence from the PMO and the PCO and speculation is abound on the role Harper may have played. The one thing missing is Harper - telling us himself - under media scrutiny - without limitations.

Our two national television networks have a responsibility to bring us the news - all the news - not just what Harper permits. I no longer am interested in "political panels" using ESP to tell us what's in Harper's mind. I am no longer interested in parliamentary secretaries, backbenchers, or even Ministers speaking scripted verse from Stephen's HOC Bible. I am interested in our Members of Parliament and our national media doing their jobs. This madness must stop and Harper must face his bosses - us.  

I am not interested in hearing that Harper will have a migratory bird sanctuary in Israel named after him - nor am I interested in what sports teams he likes - or his woefully lacking musical talent - or that he and his wife like Pandas - we employ him to run the affairs of our country and to report to us on that.

If either Mulcair or Trudeau want the reins - show us what you're made of and restore our democracy.

Ross Reid - bringing down another PC Party?

Yesterday - the big announcement from the White House on the Parkway - Ross Reid becomes new Chief of Staff for Premier Dunderdale.

More curious - however - were his duties in the "new" role.

Rossie is apparently going to play a "key role in policy development".

Is that what a Chief of Staff does?

How about Rossie has always been involved in policy and has been involved in much of the mess this government has produced?

He moves smoothly from politician to democracy fighter to "adviser" to Williams/Dunderdale - then pops out of his job - we pay him for - to run election campaigns - then hops back to a government position again. Well now he is the Chief of Staff - what will that mean to us - the people who pay his salary?

1. Select and supervise (control) staff?
2. Control access to the Premier's office? that should be good...
3. Manage communications and flow of information? kind of like a Bill 29 human back-up
4. Negotiate with different departments - or external groups to achieve Dunderdale's agenda? (protect the Muskrat Falls development)

Rossie is now at the beck and call of the Premier? My guess he's running the place and has been for a while. The question is will Rossie use his experience in "allegedly" helping to democratize regimes such as Afghanistan - to allow democracy back in our province?

Please advise us - Madame Premier - Queen of the Muskrat - what has Ross Reid done for the past decade and what will he be doing differently now? Details please...

For people like Kent and Lane - Reid's new title might bring them brief but needed hope that their parties death may have been greatly exaggerated and for the ladies in waiting Shea and Sullivan - Ross may provide a brief relief from the Premier's busy social agenda  (Garden parties - where they present and restate already committed dollars, festivals where they can sing their own praises, BBQ's where the roasting is more friendly, or travelling the world in search of Waldo).

Rossie's Policies - that has the potential to be an ward winning election jingle - Perhaps VOCM could have one of the talk shows sponsored by Rossie's Policies.

Perhaps the people who elected Bonnie Hickey knew something I didn't know at the time. Perhaps they knew the real Ross Reid - perhaps they knew he should have gone away with the Mulroney PC's. He was at one time the "advisor" to Mulroney right? Perhaps Ross can become "National Director" of the NL PC's? Perhaps Ross can be part of another destruction of a Progressive Conservative Party? Not to worry with people like Kent, King, and Kennedy  the CARP (Conservative Alliance Reform Party) of NL might be right around the corner. Maybe Len Simms can play the "MacKay" role this time round.

Harper meets Homer - D'oh!

It's just as well Prime Minister Harper move in with the Simpson's and give Homer a hand.

D'oh!

Harper now has advised us lowly Canadians from his temporary political hide-out in South America - that he knows why Wright gave Duffy the cash. He says Nigel did it to reimburse taxpayers.

D'oh!

Jeez - how stunned are we - of course that's why Nigel did it.

Harper - the man that Nigel hid the payment from is now going to be perfectly upfront and honest about why he did the deed?

D'oh!

So Nigel hid the news from Harper because?

D'oh!

Nigel could not possibly know that it would damage his confident, his boss, and his friend?

D'oh!

Nigel could not see any problem with gifting a Senator as Chief of Staff for the Prime Minister?

D'oh!

Nigel could not see any problem with gifting him so Mike could repay the taxpayers before the scandal in the Senate worsened?

D'oh!

But we can all breathe a sigh of relief as the Prime Minister knows what was in the head of Nigel - and it was pure.

We can all breathe a sigh of relief because the Prime Minister started talking again - albeit under his restrictions - to the media.

Just as Homer would:

[Meeting the Media] Please don't eat me! I have a Chief of Staff, Cabinet, and Senators. Eat them!

Take them by the scruff of their political necks and heave em out!

Somehow the Ottawa painted picture of Newfoundland and Labrador fishermen and stamps has become obscured by graffiti depicting overstuffed Senators with stamps and EI Referees doling money to the Conservatives.

My oh my and the right-wing fundamentalist Harper Cabinet would have Canadians believe that ordinary citizens are trying to bilk (Obtain or withhold money by deceit or without justification; cheat or defraud) Employment Insurance funds. There us some irony here, don't you think?

Take them by the scruff of their kiss-the-baby political necks and heave em out - is probably the best advice after a Victoria Day weekend filled with anything but Royal Protocol.

The Queen herself is being usurped as Senators and Senior Staff of the PMO flaunt their entitlements of riches whether the receiver or the giver.

Today comes word from the Canadian Press and CBC that many Chairpersons of the Board of Referees who adjudicate EI appeals are giving political contributions to the Conservatives both before and after their plum patronage appointment.

Now what chance does an unemployed have to successfully appeal a rejection by the EI crowd? How do we know if what plays into their demonstrated partisan and arbitrary minds when some poor soul seeks to collect a legal entitlement? How could we know? The perception of potential conflict is there - that's why there are rules.

Now Harper claims he wants to tighten up on EI claims and apparently quota's are attached to the catch. So what should an ordinary oilskin believe?

Well how about this little scunchion from the CP article

The government appointed John Buddy Wiens of Morden, Man., as a chairman of the EI referees board for the Winnipeg district in April 2008. Elections Canada records show Wiens made three donations — totalling $1,500 — to the Portage-Lisgar Conservative riding association in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

'You got me'

In a telephone interview, Wiens confirmed he made the donations, but said no one told him it was against the rules. He said he did not recall reading the section of the EI referees boards' handbook about political activities.
"No, I'm sorry. You got me," Wiens said. "I'm totally by surprise."

Rodney Balkwill of Brandon, Man., was named a chairman of the EI referees board in February 2009. Elections Canada records show Balkwill made a single donation of $250 to the 2011 election campaign of Conservative MP Merv Tweed.
It was Tweed's idea that he sit on the board, Balkwill said.

_________________________________

If you look at the mandate - a key phrase is obvious:

The Employment Insurance Boards of Referees (EIBR) function as a first-level, independent, administrative tribunal mandated to provide fair and impartial quasi-judicial hearings of appeals of Employment Insurance decisions. (emphasis added)

_________________________________

Donations to politicians both before and after appointments really squeezes the sticky filaments out of the quasi-judicial cucumber and leaves it more vulnerable to prey of the partisan.

And so the Harper Accountability Act continues as the three ring circus reaches new popularity. The addition of clowns, pigs, high-wire performances, and jugglers really seems to have caught the attention of the people. Everybody is just holding their breath for the next one to jump into the pool from about 50 metres up.

If Wallin, Duffy, or Wright had spent a week fishing the North Atlantic in a sea - I'd say they worked hard for their entitlements. But these pontificating buffoons should crawl back to the private sector and peddle their acts there. They should be joined by the Prime Minister - where his corporate buddies may hire him - but unlikely to really let him near projections.

Right now there should be an independent review of the "independent reviews" that were done for hard-working Canadians who were denied Employment Insurance.

Power of the People and Twitter being used to Oust Harper

A tremendous social media campaign is happening on Twitter.

The #pmharpermustresign hash tag is exploding and taking Canada Trends by storm.

This has lead to a petition to Oust the Prime Minister. The Petition is PRESS HERE

About 1 Canadian a minute is signing on.

This of course follows the resignations of Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy from the Conservative Caucus of Senate and Nigel Wright as the Chief of Staff of the PMO.

It appears that Canadians may have had enough.

How long before the people of Newfoundland and Labrador do the same to Kathy Dunderdale and Co.?

It certainly has already begun.

Why say NO to Peter Penashue? Vote ABC

Please read the following very carefully:

"Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendements to my campaign return. 

During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the Former Official Agent."

The above can be found at Peter Penashue's latest Election Campaign website.

Now let's examine the true character Mr. Penashue wants to portray.
While he and other Conservatives want us all to believe that only Labrador should look at his record - they deliberately forget that he was also a federal Minister representing the entire province. Therefore we should all scrutinize very carefully what this person is all about.

The statement he makes above is not subject of his personal opinion - rather he presents it as fact.

1. Who has determined that a "mistake" was made?

2. Has it been determined that the actions in question were in fact a "mistake"?

3. Who has determined that Mr. Bowers is an "inexperienced volunteer"?

4. What does "inexperienced volunteer mean"?

5. What education and experience does Mr. Bowers have?

6. Through evaluation of Mr. Bowers education and experience - should a reasonably minded person or a legal authority accept that Mr. Bowers did not have the education and experience to be a volunteer?

7. Through evaluation of Mr. Bowers education and experience - should a reasonably minded person or a legal authority come to the conclusion that Mr. Bowers should have reasonably been aware of the governing legislation?

8. Considering the public office that Mr. Penashue was seeking, was successful in achieving, resigned from and is seeking again including being a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada - is it acceptable that Mr. Penashue was "unaware" of donations being made to his campaign? Is it acceptable that he did not know or ignored the type of donations being made to his campaign?

9. The term Mr. Penashue uses to describe donations is "ineligible". Considering Corporate donations to political parties and candidates are illegal in Canada - why is the term ineligible used? While it might be somewhat understandable that a personal contribution (which is legal) may sometimes - with enthusiasm be a little more that the eligible amount - there is no question that there is only one class of contributor. There have been reasons given why corporate contributions are illegal - therefore we must respect our democratic protections and ensure that we follow the Elections Act. Why would a man seeking federal public office not fully understand and protect against this type of activity?

10. The fact that Mr. Penashue seeks to hide behind a volunteer that he chose and understates the severity of breaching laws regarding federal elections - certainly demonstrates what he might do if given the privilege of public office again and even more so as a Cabinet Minister. How can one be an advisor of the legislature when one disrespects legislation?

Say no to Peter Penashue and I respectfully ask that you vote ABC.

Mr. Penashue and Mr. Harper must learn that they cannot buy our democracy and rule over instead of serve us - the electorate.

Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendments to my campaign return.
During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the former Official Agent.
- See more at: http://deliveringforlabrador.ca/#sthash.aJ1sEhje.dpuf

Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendments to my campaign return.
During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the former Official Agent.
- See more at: http://deliveringforlabrador.ca/#sthash.aJ1sEhje.dpuf

Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendments to my campaign return.
During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the former Official Agent.
- See more at: http://deliveringforlabrador.ca/#sthash.aJ1sEhje.dpuf

Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendments to my campaign return.
During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the former Official Agent.
- See more at: http://deliveringforlabrador.ca/#sthash.aJ1sEhje.dpuf

Due to mistakes that were made by an inexperienced volunteer in filing the Elections Canada return from the last campaign, I appointed a new Official Agent to work with Elections Canada to make any needed amendments to my campaign return.
During the examination we became aware that there were ineligible donations accepted by the former Official Agent.
- See more at: http://deliveringforlabrador.ca/#sthash.aJ1sEhje.dpufle

Personal reality Cheque for Bowers - Where's Penney?

Personal cheques are documents used to access funds from an individual's checking account.

Seems pretty straight forward right?

Well not really if you listen to Reginald Bowers - the campaign manager and official agent for Peter Penashue in the last federal election.

You see Mr. Bowers when asked by CBC about Corporate Contributions to a federal campaign and reminding him that such contributions are illegal - responded by saying they were personal - corporate cheques. 

After his alleged illegal activity and the successful election of his candidate Mr. Penashue - Bowers received an appointment to the CNLOPB. 

Now Bowers claims he unintentionally accepted these "personal"/"corporate" cheques cause you know right?

According to their site the CNLOPB believes it does this: 

"Pursuant to the legislation, the C-NLOPB has four regulatory mandates: Safety, Environmental Protection, Resource Management and Industrial Benefits. The Board regulates exploration licences, significant discovery licences, and production licenses covering an area of 7,365,000 hectares; that is an area of about two-thirds of the size of the island portion of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Now what do you think the chances are that Mr. Bowers could unintentionally have fooled up something there?

His apparent complete disregard for or claimed inability to understand legislation relative to Elections Canada - possibly the most important laws to protect our democracy - should set off alarm bells.

According to a Telegram Story of December 2011  

“(Bowers) is an economic development officer with extensive experience in regional economic development. His business experience and educational background have allowed him the opportunity to be heavily involved in consultation processes and gain in-depth knowledge of many government programs and policies. He is active in the community, having participated in numerous local groups and serving on local boards. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Memorial University of Newfoundland.”

Okay so if he holds a Commerce Degree from MU and he does not understand the difference in Personal and Corporate Cheques - then the University has some serious review to do. In the alternate Mr. Bowers is a liar. 

On the basis of this information should all work of Mr. Bowers be reviewed where any government monies, employment, or programs were involved?

And what of the Pennecon connection? Put a mic in front of Ches Penney and ask him if ignorance is an excuse for breaking the law. Ask him why the company violated the Elections Canada Act.

It is time for all Canadians to take a personal reality check and determine if we want to continue to allow our democracy to be destroyed - same is true and doubled in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Harper = Pavlov & Media = Dog

Robert Fife CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief tweeted the following this morning:

Robert Fife ‏@RobertFife

PM Harper delivers major foreign policy speech in NYC & meets Palestinian and Israeli leaders but refuses to talk to Cdn media. 

Oh what a shock - Harper says no to Canada's media. Yet these media stations, papers, and reporters continue to cover whatever is thrown to them by the PMO. 

I think it's possible - based on Harper's actions - that he too may have been subject to behavioral study when he was a young and budding right wing fanatic. 

In either case Harper loves behavioral science and he loves his subjects of study - the media. 

Imagine going through a federal election campaign and stating that he would only answer 5 questions a day. Imagine telling the media he will not address them while calling them for a news conference. Yet this is the case time and time again. 

Harper started by recognizing the signals that caused media to respond. He changed that by not answering questions when media expected he would. He then went on to teach them that by covering  PMO releases and events they would be rewarded by a determined number of questions. It has almost become a competition among the journalists to see who Harper will recognize. 

Harper will - as he has already done with much of Canadiana - eliminate normal media relations and guide them into a White House briefing style of coverage. 

It is long since time that the journalists find the courage necessary to present Canadians with information and facts. If this means behavioral change in Stephen Harper so-be-it. The media must become intelligence scientists and the PM's behavior their subject of study. 

Canada has sunk to new lows as Harper lies and deceives without consequence and our children watch his office as something to aspire to. 

The country needs a dozen like Terry Milewski of the CBC - if not then a dozen who will stand behind him as he breaks Harper's Pavlovian experiment.

Trudeau will be the next PM

The timing is right and Justin Trudeau has his homework done. I predict he will become the next Prime Minister of Canada.

Here are the factors:

1. Harper is destroying Canada as a right wing fanatic.

2. Mulcair will not solidify but rather he will confuse the NDP base.

3. Quebec support of NDP will shift to Trudeau.

4. Trudeau's message is simple, genuine, and achievable: my father left me with a beautiful country and I want to do the same for my children.

5. He has political smarts.

6. He will get the necessary hype from the media.

7. He dominates the social networks meaning youth will vote in numbers unseen before.

8. He has the generational attraction from the 50 plus who adored his father.

9. He is a Liberal in the true sense of the philosophy.

10. He will attract Canadians who enjoy seeing Canada as a respected global leader.

11. He will attract Canadians who want their politicians to stay out of the bedrooms of the nation.

12. He will attract Canadians who want their universal health care system enhanced not dismantled.

13. He will attract Canadians who are disgusted with Americanization of the country.

14. He will attract Canadians who want to see peacekeeping not war making.

15. He looks young but has a wealth of experience. Fresh, vibrant, energetic, and honest.

16. The media will enjoy accessibility - something stripped by Harper. This will result in mass media attention.

17. Strong but not as central dominated government as his father supported.

18. Arts and Culture will return to the fore.

19. Environmental prowess linked with industrial opportunities.

20. His innate sense of equality for all peoples. 

As for winning the Party leadership - yes - because Liberals are looking for somebody who can win.

Historical Patterns of Arrogance - Rae Drops In

VOCM has posted the following news story:

Despite recent polls showing a surge in popularity for the NDP, federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae believes his party will form the government in 2015. The NDP is now the official opposition and soaring in the polls both federally and provincially. Rae was in Newfoundland this week. Though he doesn't dismiss the polls, he believes the next federal election will reflect historical patterns in voting.
________________________________________________________

So Bob Rae - interim - outgoing - and apparently very arrogant leader of the Federal Liberals - believes that "his" political club will win because we the people historically have voted for it. Never you mind about the NDP says Rae - we have the historical right to power. It's our turn - full stop.

So you and I and anybody who has ever voted Liberal will resurrect the grand old party because we should.

Now that's almost as good as Rae's opinion on the Muskrat Falls proposed project with Emera. He - speaking on behalf of his party - is throwing support behind the deal. Why? Well I don't know - but Rae states, “Newfoundland is rich in hydro-electricity, and it's not right that hydro-electricity should be cooped up in one of part of the country and not be able to be used for Newfoundlanders and in the rest of the country”. This quote provided by CBC in an interview between Rae and reporter Dave Cochrane.

So the main thing for the Liberal leader is that Newfoundland and Labrador resources continue to leave our province to accommodate the growth of other provinces?

Rae should understand there are many resources "cooped up" in other areas of the country and we in Newfoundland and Labrador have not and will not benefit from them. What about all those federal jobs "cooped up" in Central Canada?

The entitlement of rule according to Rae extends to ignoring the position of the provincial Liberals - who he was actually touring with - by adding  “I think that’s what important is that the provincial Liberals are doing their job because they are the people on the ground who are going to have to be assessing exactly how much it’s going to cost, and how it’s going to be financed.” So his support of the project has not been altered by the work the provincial Liberals are doing? Then who is Rae listening to? What is he basing his support on?

So as yet - I have not been given one "rae"son to follow "historical" patterns of voting - to the contrary I have every reason to reject "historical" patterns of arrogance.

Rae should stop the rhetoric and walk into the heart of Quebec and ask them to open the power corridor - or better yet walk into Newfoundland and Labrador with a promise to promote the big land as an industrial hub for companies producing finished product such as the aluminum giants "cooped" up in Quebec. In that way we use our own resources to achieve maximum gain for us.

The people of this province have every reason to avoid historical patterns Bob - and you should be cognizant of that.

Drunk Driving Ex-Premier Cooks Expense Claims?

On June 24th Sue's Blog posted the following:

If one wants to get Stephen Harper's attention, respect, and support do three things:

Drink and Drive, increase taxes for ordinary Canadians and be at your lowest political popularity .

For all the anti-crime, longer prison sentences, and making criminals pay - Stephen Harper apparently will have no problem appointing a convicted drunk driver to the lofty post of High Commissioner to Britain.

Media reports today suggest that Harper is ready to announce the Gordon Campbell position.

Mug Shots Hawaii 

At two times the legal alcohol limit in Hawaii - former BC Premier Gordon Campbell - looks happily under the influence in his mug shots.

So if that qualification for such a title is not enough - add the fact that when the Premier resigned - he did so after he mislead the people on his party's plans relative to the previous election on HST. His popularity plummeted among the voting public.

Well done - so I guess Harper believes in rehabilitation - and if they complete a program - they too can become a foreign official.

For instance perhaps all those rioters in BC could follow the path of Campbell and rise to the top of society in just a few short years. 

And best of all - because Harper is appointing a former Liberal - the convict appointment will be non-partisan.

So for those families who have had their lives changed forever by a drunk driver - what do you think?

For Stephen Harper - breaking the law, misleading the electorate, or just lying are great attributes for high posts.

_________________________________________________________

So Liar Harper went ahead with this appointment - clearly sending a "tough on crime" message - and now word comes that High Commissioner Campbell has expense issues in his new post.

"Foreign Affairs Canada has altered an online record of hospitality expense claims for the high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Gordon Campbell, citing “clerical errors.”

The revised reports, posted on the department’s website under proactive disclosure rules, cut the top diplomat’s claims in half — from the original $67,296 posted to the current $33,975.
At least six dinners and receptions were either eliminated or reduced after a report on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics detailed how Campbell’s claims were nearly three times more than those of any other Canadian ambassador posted abroad." Please read the complete CBC report HERE

Stephen Harper is a liar and further continues to demonstrate extremely poor judgement at best and preferential treatment of the elite at worst. Throw this bum out. Please Gordon Campbell - resign - you have not learned your lesson yet and the taxpayers continue to pay for it.

Rex Murphy Blows It in the National Post

Rex Murphy - Newfoundland and Labrador's Mano'Words stings critics of the Oil Sands while ignoring the elephant in the room. From there - Rex proceeds to demonstrate why he needs to come home more often and talk to the impacted people, their families, and their communities.

Below is an excerpt from Rex's Column in the National Post. Oil sands are a triumph for the human 'environment'.

In my view, this is the first and deepest justification for Fort Mac and the oil industry. Jobs are essential for the human environment — for a woman’s or a man’s sense of self-reliance and independence. By this, I mean the right to be able to obtain what you need for yourself and your family from what you have honestly earned. Being able, because you are employed, to stay off welfare, to turn aside from handouts — this is good for the environment of human dignity.

It mightn’t have the smug appeal of a panda face, and you will not see it on the vivid posters of the Sierra Club or Greenpeace, but having a job and earning a living is a great thing. Those who have been out of work know what a cruel “environment” that is — an emotional and psychological assault of frightful power. So we should celebrate some of the contributions that the oil sands have already made to the fundamental human environments of so many Canadians.

I have thought, and thought again, of my own province of Newfoundland, caught in the great calamity of the fisheries’ close-down in the 1990s, and how providential it was that “out West,” an oil economy was booming at the same time. Many Newfoundlanders (and Maritimers) migrated there in a time of real need.

Great social misery was averted because of the oil boom and Newfoundland’s related offshore developments: Thousands of divorces never happened, thousands of families didn’t break up, thousands of men and women didn’t fall into the trap of depression and worse, which so often attends long-term unemployment — because there was a great oil industry that allowed them the wherewithal to feed their families. It is a great story of modern Confederation: How Alberta, in particular, modified and mitigated the misery of Newfoundland — and other places.
__________________________________________________________________

Let's start this way Rex - jobs at all costs is one of the main reasons your homeland has suffered. It is the reason we delivered raw resources to other provinces in Canada - while no secondary processing occurred.

Next Rex - your idea that human 'environment' consists primarily of the ability to get a job - be self-reliant - and stay off welfare is ignorance at its finest. Bring on the asbestos right Rex? There are concerns of the human 'environment' - Rex - that include our children's right to clean water, air, and a safe food supply. When our parents are gluttonous of resources regardless of how they are extracted, developed, or utilized so we as the children can guarantee that our family has income - does come at a price. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who were 'employed' during the development of the Upper Churchill were happily employed, self-reliant and off welfare - yet left 100 years of misery in its wake. If developed, utilized, and contracted properly - your homies would be enjoying an additional $Billion a year - but hey it was great that we employed a few while it was being built.

Finally Rex - the fisheries example you use on our collective back - is the one that takes your entire argument and destroys it. You say the Oil Sands have been a savior to Newfoundland and Labrador after the shut-down of the fisheries in the 1990's. You use the worst man-made environmental disaster on our planet (the loss of the ground stocks) to show how great it is that we have yet another environment to potentially destroy. Perfect Rex - that is very sound judgement.

On this issue of the Oil Sands preventing thousands of divorces, thousands of family break-ups, thousands of people suffering from depression, and worse outcomes - here you are most ignorant.

There have been too many divorces - thousands of family break-ups, significant cases of depression and worse because they had to move away from Newfoundland and Labrador. Rex - people had to leave their homes - now worthless - as the community essentially died - people left their aging parents to the life of a private or public care home as they were not here to care for them (as is the rural way), children had one parent as many could not afford to move the family, and yes oh yes there was and is depression abound. That's not to mention how many of our people have lost their young lives tragically either on the job or on the great Canadian highway on their way to the job. These children who have left with their parents are lost to us as is their employable futures and the tax base.

As we enter into an aging demographic and retiring Newfoundlanders and Labradorians migrate home to live out their lives - they leave all their productive tax in Alberta.

Maybe it's time to move home Rex - get assimilated - and then rewrite this column.

Now that you have found the oil sands - keep looking to find the tar sands.

Conservatives - Enlarged Underground Stems with Cheese Curds

Pierre Poutine - Peter has cheese curds and gravy over his well fried tubers.

These enlarged underground stems are a perfect definition of today's Conservatives.

So Pierre apparently is being compared to Frank Valeriote the Liberal MP from Guelph whose campaign did not follow rules when making robocalls.

Let's examine the two situations. I can't believe this is necessary - but after watching the national media - here goes.

So Frank's campaign conducted some robocalls for the purpose of telling the electorate of Guelph that the Conservative candidate is opposed to abortion.

Okay - is he opposed to abortion? Is Marty Burke opposed to abortion?

The message was sent improperly and should not have been done that way. Were the voters duped? Were the voters lied to in order that they not vote?

Now Pierre's efforts was to advise people that there polling station had changed location. The call was supposed to be from Elections Canada.

Elections Canada did not make the calls so who did? Pierre Poutine? Did Pierre lie to voters? Did Pierre attempt to stop people from voting? Were the polling stations moved?

Now I am supposed to compare these two.

Anything but the truth.

Bullying Works and Bullying is Rewarded - Right Premier?

The attitude of the Dunderdale administration is progressively getting worse. The underlying message is "we have the power" and apparently they will abuse it.

When we speak of bullies - we think of somebody who might be physically imposing or somebody who surrounds him/herself with goon-like followers. When we speak of bullies we think of people who abuse their perceived power by forcing people to accept their point of view or actions.

Bully is (noun): A person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.
Bullying is (verb):  Use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force him or her to do what one wants.

Darin King continues to maintain his actions toward the FFAW. It is bullying - and he is a bully.
Kathy Dunderdale and Jerome Kennedy continue to force the Emera deal on Muskrat Falls down our throats - by bullying people who speak up against it.

Look at Stephen Harper - a bully and a liar - he also is the Prime Minister.

If our society accepts this continued behavior by our elected public servants - we cannot feign shock at the actions of children when bullying one another.

By accepting the unacceptable behavior of our politicians - we say to our children - bully bully and bully some more. If your child follows the lead of these politicians - they can expect that they may be elected, rise to the position of Cabinet Minister and may even become Premier.

By permitting our politicians to act this way - and in fact rewarding them with re-election - the message is clear for bullies - keep it up - you too can rise to the top.

Bullying, Lying, Cheating, Abusing Power - Our Leaders

To lead people, walk beside them … As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate … When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!
Lao-Tzu

Which category do you believe our Premier and our Prime Minister would fall under?

Parents teach their children:

Not to lie - Do our leaders lie?

Don't Bully - Do our leaders bully?

Do not Break the Law - Do our leaders break the law?

Do not Cheat - Do our leaders cheat?

Listen to Others - Do our leaders listen?

Do not Abuse Power - Do our leaders abuse power?

As we review the values we have taught or are teaching our children - do we worry that we are setting them up for failure? It is clear that our leaders do not practice these basic principles and yet they have risen to the top of our society.

Manning - Hynes - J Byrne - Sullivan RMG spending Election 2011

Below please find - part of a post filed by Kady O'Malley for the CBC on the Inside Politics Blog.

As you read this - you may wonder if any Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative candidates used this company during the last federal election?

The following is taken from the list as supplied by Kady's post.

Avalon - Fabian Manning 3/28/2011 RMG $15,000

Bonavista - Gander - Grand Falls-Windsor - Aaron Hynes 4/25/2011 RMG $11,469

St. John's East - Jerry Byrne

RMG $15,000

St. John's South - Mount Pearl - Loyola Sullivan 4/25/2011 RMG $15,000
UPDATED - Robocalls Watch: Conservative Party linked to calls directing voters to different polling stations

• February 27, 2012 1:10 PM
• By Kady O'Malley

Breaking as we speak (or, in this case, type): What could very well turn out to be a major  development -- or, at the very least, an intriguing new angle -- on the robocalls controversy, courtesy of the Toronto Star: 

Callers on behalf of the federal Conservative Party were instructed in the days before last year's election to read scripts telling voters that Elections Canada had changed their voting locations, say telephone operators who worked for a Thunder Bay-based call centre. 

These weren't "robo-calls," as automated pre-recorded voice messages as commonly known. They were live real-time calls made into ridings across Canada, the callers say.  

In a new twist on new growing allegations of political "dirty tricks," three former employees of RMG -- Responsive Marketing Group Inc.'s call centre in Thunder Bay -- told the Star about the scripts. 

 A fourth remembered directing people to voting stations but did not remember passing on any message that a voting station had changed. However, one employee was so concerned that something was amiss she says she reported it to her supervisor at the RMG site, to the RCMP office in Thunder Bay and to a toll-free Elections Canada number at the time.

Read the full story here. 

A caveat, though: Unlike the calls in Guelph -- and, allegedly, in other ridings as well -- in which the caller (or, in some cases, the recorded message) stated that it was from Elections Canada, these staffers were apparently working off a script that had them explicitly identify themselves as calling from the Conservative Party, which would seem a somewhat risky practice if the intent was to misdirect supporters of other parties to the wrong polling station. 

Not only would non-Conservative voters be sceptical of any information coming from the party, they would also be far more likely to remember the source if that information turned out to be false.

Interestingly, RMG -- which is a major supplier of phone-related services to the Conservative Party, and has been credited with doing much of the data harvesting that went into the creation and maintenance of CIMS, the party's much-envied voter ID database -- also surfaced as a possible source of potentially, if inadvertently, misleading phone calls purportedly made "on behalf of the prime minister" last year, which asked whether the respondent believed it was important to "support the state of Israel" as I reported at the time here. 

(For the record, a Conservative spokesperson eventually confirmed that the calls were authorized by the party, but did not provide the name of the firm that conducted the outreach campaign.)  

Harper's Police State - Your Canada

The warnings about this right wing zealot went unheeded by Canadians during the last election. The media did their part by allowing this deceptive operative (aka our Prime Minister) to only answer a limited number of questions per-day (prescribed by Harper).

Harper - flanked by weak Progressive Conservatives like Peter MacKay - is free to change the face of Canada. When Justin Trudeau actually showed some guts and took Harper on - the media or what they have become - focused on the dissimilarity of Justin to Pierre Elliott. How about what the young MP was talking about?

Trudeau knows that Canada is heading to a place the majority of us do not want to go. The small minority of right wing fundamentalists must not be allowed to destroy our country. Jim Flaherty our current Minister of Finance will continue with the Common Sense Revolution until he is permanently removed from any position of power. The comparison of Ontario to Greece - from an economic perspective - is not something that happened under the current Ontario administration. The mess in Ontario was started by Flaherty when a provincial Minister. Flaherty has a country under his feet because previous administrations regulated banking and our economic system in a manner that protected it. Flaherty will destroy it.

Let's fully understand the danger we are facing.

1. Spying on Canadians by a police force the PM seems to want to control.
2. In total contrast to number 1 where the PM says the government should have such controls - the same man eliminates the gun registry so as NOT to control law fearing Canadians.
3. Use the armed forces personnel to do searches on political opponents.
4. Control the media through a fundamental shift of access.
5. Election spending laws - who cares? PM does not!
6. Robotic calls forging the identity of the Elections Office
7. Eliminate public funding for elections to diminish opposition chances at election.
8. Lying to parliament.
9. Preparing to dismantle universal health care.
10. Taking money from Seniors.

This is a short list of the regime we have democratically elected.

Let me predict that if this PM feels there is any possibility that his chances of re-election are slim - he may very well proceed in making changes to the elections laws.

Young Justin Trudeau - sounded a real alarm and I expect the NDP, Liberal, and Green Parties to fight this government with everything they have. If they are not up to it - move over and let the young MP's do what is necessary to save this country.

It's no longer funny to be living in a Harper State.