2018 - shiny and new - filled with dirt and betrayal

2018 will be an interesting year. In some ways it's already been that.

I look forward to new challenges and some open discussion about the leadership of our Province and the lengths to which some politicians will go to cover-up their dirt.

Sometimes - we all go through times of muted thought. Sometimes we try to protect innocent people from political carnage - only to find out they too are up to their necks in it.

In Newfoundland and Labrador - getting perks from politicians means you have to do some work for them. This is the kind of work that they want to keep their hands clean while at the same time entrap (maybe should use a different word) those doing their dastardly deeds.

The perks can range from contracts to recognition of some sort. In each case it is something that the person they use - wants very badly.

Friend - 1 : a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another person. Merriam Webster's Dictionary

This is always the most difficult. 

In life you have to trust sometime - but as we get older we know that trust is usually broken as lobsters crawl up that barrel. 

Special friends - those who have been a part of your life for period of time - possess the ability to hurt you - if you let them. Sadly this is also a learned lesson. 

There are those who remain - as few as that may be - and they are in for the long haul. 

It is however a fascinating study of human nature - so to speak. 

So this year shall be the year of exploring such individuals. The politicians will be easy. Others more difficult - and others will be litigation. 

There are difficult subject areas to be explored. 

1. Opioids and Addiction - and the real human fall-out for innocents and their families,
2. Muskrat Falls - how to keep the ball rolling even after it has been deemed a "boondoggle" 
3. How to get a politician to fall in line
4. The Justice system and how it continues to be corrupt on so many levels
5. How politicians get others to do their bidding - on the dirty stuff
6. The Me Too phenomenon and what the Liberals might need to clean up
7. On the way to becoming the Premier and staying there
8. Could some of the tragic murders in our province been avoided and the fall guy or gal
9. Conflicts of Interest and how they are effectively covered-up
10. The political choices we have and whether a new choice is needed  

Then there are surprises - those who you started off distrusting - actually proving to be trustworthy.

Be cautious of who is holding your quarters because as soon as they get four quarters they will change them for a dollar.      

Alexis A. Davis

When a loss is a big win

The media spin was typical and unfortunately dismissive of a very important win in the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal.

The headlines to this story could have - should have been much more interesting.

Example: Brad Cabana's Appeal denied

Yes the Appeal by Cabana was dismissed but the real story is the Appeal's Court take on costs.

Appeal's Court Justices Malcolm Rowe, Gail Welsh, and Michael Harrington helped define a very real and important principle in justice.

These exemplary jurists did rule the applications judge was wrong to award the defendants costs against Cabana — two counsel for the government and one each for Nalcor and CF(L)Co. 

They ruled instead in favour of good people interested in the public well-being.

They rules that Cabana's interests were not for personal gain but rather for the good of society.

They sent a clear message to government, Crown Corporations, and other heavy hitters that the Court will not automatically squash the little guy for challenging a serious public issue. 

We all know now what many of us have been preaching for some time about Muskrat Falls - it is an absolute mess. It is going to cost a fortune and we have once again subjected future generations to the enormous costs of either corrupt or incompetent activities.

Brad took his fight a different way - he tried valiantly to protect the people from their leadership.

We should take note today that three Appeals Court Judges found that Brad Cabana's motives were pure.

Tell me - can we say that about the politicians and corporate executives involved in Muskrat Falls?

Minister Shea wears the shame of her Colleague?

The House of Assembly Hypocrisy

We can all agree that violence against girls, young women, and women must be stopped - and therefore any actions of governments to move that agenda foward is positive. 

The problem is Minister Shea - and it's a big problem - you cannot expect anybody to believe that this effort is sincere - when your colleague the Minister of Finance - stood recently in the House of Assembly and praised a sexual offender - because he happened to win a hockey game. 

You must deal with that issue frankly - this person praised by your colleague was at the time of the praise already convicted of raping two young women and subsequently plead guilty to raping another young woman in her sleep. 

You can't as the Minister responsible for the Status of Women - refuse to address this unacceptable behavior (congratulating Mark Yetman Goalie CeeBees - Sexual Offender) by your colleague. If you do not apologize for these statements in the House of Assembly and apologize to the young women who were victims of Yetman - then your Ministerial Statement today rings hollow. 

I can't single Minister Shea out here - as many others in the House from all sides - sit silently. Shame. 


Here is the Hansard of a Ministerial Statement today by Joan Shea:

MS SHEA: Mr. Speaker, I rise in this hon. House today to provide an update on the progress of Atlantic Canada’s CyberSafe Girl Initiative. 

In August 2010, the Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women held their first annual meeting and at this time they shared concerns on cyber-violence. 

Cyber-violence is the use of the Internet to harm or intimidate another person and includes name calling, teasing, threatening, starting rumours, posting embarrassing or degrading pictures, or encouraging violence. Acts of cyber-violence take place through e-mail, social media Web sites such as Facebook or Twitter, blogs and on-line games. 

To address this disturbing issue, the Atlantic ministers committed to creating an initiative that provides educational tools to youth, parents and educators. 

From this commitment, the CyberSafe Girl Initiative was developed. This initiative focuses on creating awareness and preventing cyber-violence being perpetrated against young girls on-line. The Atlantic Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women were pleased to officially launch the CyberSafe Girl Initiative campaign in St. John’s on October 11, 2012 – International Day of the Girl.
Through the CyberSafe Girl Initiative, a Web site and three fact sheets were developed to promote safe Internet usage for young girls. These fact sheets, entitled 10 Tips for Girls, 10 Tips for Parents, and What Everybody Needs to Know, are available throughout Atlantic Canada. In our Province, the Department of Education assisted with the distribution of the CyberSafe Girl fact sheets earlier this month to Newfoundland and Labrador schools with students in Grades 7 to 9. 

The CyberSafe Girl Initiative was also recently showcased during the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York on March 6. During this international event, two of the Atlantic Canadian Status of Women Ministers presented background information on the initiative and highlighted interactive components, including the fact sheets and Web site, to emphasize that ending cyber-violence against girls is a global effort; one that our Province is proud to be part of. 

Mr. Speaker, the Atlantic Ministers will continue to make progress and spread the word with this initiative in the collective effort to end cyber-violence. I encourage all families in Newfoundland and Labrador to join this effort by reviewing these fact sheets and visiting cybersafegirl.ca to learn more about cyber safety. 

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