New PC leader will come from Outside

The PC race - so to speak - is remarkably active.

A party at 20% in the polls usually finds it tough to grab serious interest from the outside - but this time it's different. There's significant cash and wealth on the line.

The Liberals have elected a competent, successful, professional - who just happens not to be one of the backroom elite. The money - old and new - and the political establishment in Newfoundland and Labrador were not successful in electing their candidate for Liberal leader. As I've said before - Dwight Ball is a people's leader and will be a people's Premier after the next election.

So - the boy's club - thinking they could count on taking over the Liberal Party in the wake of a disastrous performance by the current government - were left surprised. Up until a few months ago - if all else failed they might have gone the Jack Harris/NDP route.

There is no doubt the boys will be very careful this time around. They need somebody who can make corporate resource giveaways look like the people just won the lottery. Considering most of the current PC MHA's don't have that "X"factor - most not even considered Cabinet material - the new leader has to be a savior.

If the boys had managed to own the Liberal Party the PC's would be doing the usual government on the way out thing - where a few sitting members would run as caretaker while they sit out a new Liberal rule.

So what's likely then?

Inside we can see possibly:
                             Team King
                             Team Dalley
                             Team Davis
Commoners
Outside it may be the:
                             Team Barry McDonald Tobin
                             Team Powers Penney Sullivans
Establishment
I suspect Danny may be either  - as either can meet his needs - as a citizen.

Marshall - who has always been there - just in case - oops correcter is now the Interim Premier leaving him to stay neutral - so to speak - that is continue to help usher for the feature film. Marshall - interim of everything (thereby confirming the lack of depth in the back bench) gets to have the title - be the boss - and protect the boat until a new skipper can be found.

Powers - who so coincidentally was introduced as a guest VOCM talkshow host over the past year - is now known more broadly by the electorate. He's well known in the lobbyist and corporate masters arena.

Barry - is a provincial character - fish merchant - I believe is a Gates type individual - wherein if we give him all the money - all the fish - all resources - he'd be happy to give some back to what he considers worthwhile causes and people. Competition not needed.

Both have enemies and both represent the establishment.

Question is which one can they sell to the people? Maybe neither - so they will be looking further afield for a back-up just in case.

At this time I predict - the new leader will come from the outside - in order that the resource giveaways keep a coming.

This is going to be a real test for the people of the province. Do they support the establishment  merchant or the leader of the people?

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.