Desperate Dunderdale Disingenuous?

The Premier chose Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador to extend a challenge to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Prove her wrong on Muskrat?

First Ms. Dunderdale - the challenge is to you not the voters who pay your salary or the ratepayers who pay for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. You prove that this and only this proposed development of Muskrat Falls is the best option for us. You prove that the costs are acceptable. You prove that there is an urgent need for power on the Island. You prove the benefits for us of green energy for Nova Scotia. You prove that there is not a better deal to be had. You prove that there are not other and better options. To date - you have not proven these things. To date - you have had reports based on your government's and Nalcor's assumptions.

Now let's take it a little further. You want citizens of the province to prove why the deal is bad. Okay let's say we accept the challenge - will you and your government allot public funds for other research to be completed? Will you and your government provide access to ALL information you are using to make your decisions on? Your government and Nalcor have spent tens of millions of dollars of our money to prove out your theory - now give us the equivalent to prove you wrong.

This is not unheard of and unreasonable - it was offered to ordinary citizens and groups regarding the development of the White Rose field. That is a non-renewable resource that we are not bearing the debt of - Muskrat is renewable and will put us in severe debt - that we will service.

Last week you took it a step further - you gave a speech of fear to the Board of Trade. In that address you made many statements about Quebec and Hydro-Quebec. Prove those statements. Prove that the fear is warranted.

Let's just say this - the following are basic reasons why people oppose this deal:

1. Some citizens simply do not want the river dammed. They do not need to prove anything to hold that ideology.

2. Labradorians have expressed that they will not receive enough benefit from the development - as those who are adjacent to it. They do not need to prove that the benefits do not satisfy them.

3. Your primary reason for this proposed deal has changed more times than we can reasonably keep track of. You pick which one of these paths to disprove.

4. You have not proven that we need this power for the Island. The statements be they referring to 2017 or 2019 as the time when we will not be able to service the Island's power needs are troubling and should cause grave concern regarding the planning competency of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

5. The continued statement about us contributing to "greening up" Canada is one of the most ignorant statements I have ever heard. You do some research and tell us what our current contribution of 5000 MW's from the Upper Churchill equates to on a per-capita basis of "greening up".

6. You made contemptuous in your BOT speech that Hydro-Quebec in your words: "Think about that! Does anybody have any confidence that, when mines in this province go to Hydro-Québec looking for energy for development in Labrador, they are going to get the best industrial rates in Atlantic Canada? Not likely. Hydro Quebec’s history is to seek the best deal for itself..." Yes Premier that is the point and we want you to prove that this current proposed deal is the best for us.

7. You are not the Premier of Atlantic Canada (Atlantica) or the Premier of mining companies or publicly traded companies you are the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. Prove that what you are doing is best for us - not them.

8. Prove that you are supplying ALL information to us and that none is being withheld.

9. The people are concerned that they are being bullied into this deal - wherein if you ask questions or are opposed to this proposed undertaking - they will be called partisan, naysayers, armchair critics, or worse. The people are concerned that there may be opposition to the deal inside the walls of Nalcor and government but they cannot speak for fear of repercussion. The same could be true for businesses and organizations who rely on government support either fiscally or from a policy perspective.

10. You have not proven that other options for generation or development of any part of the Lower Churchill are not more beneficial than the deal you have proposed.

Either you are being sincere or disingenuous when you challenge the people who employ you. If you are serious - show us the cash, the human resources, and process to respond to your challenge. If not this is just more smoke to cover a rotten deal.

The Story of George Murphy - much more than gas prices!

Everybody knows George - he is the wonderful person that keeps us regularly up to date on home heating fuel and gas prices. This he does for his fellow citizens - at no charge - and is ultimately more valuable than our paid consumer representative.

George has also over the years plunked himself in the middle of other important issues concerning Newfoundland and Labrador - again at no charge. George cares about other people - no doubt about it. He cares so much the Liberals (in their usual way) used his services - at no charge.

George is a tested and true Newfoundlander and Labradorian - he deserves all the accolades he gets for the "public service" he provides. You see that really is public service and not self service. The Liberals need to gut the house and return the party back to the people. There are many George's out there - good people - who have proven their worth and love for this province.

Now George recently ran in a by-election and placed a respectable second - but George deserved to win. If it was based on public profile and service - and not on Danny's leftover team  - Brazil probably would have placed second. The Liberals continued to receive the same message - clean house - rid yourselves of the regurgitated, recycled, faceless, inner sanctum dwellers - who are just waiting for their turn again.


The Libs - sitting in wait - honestly- sitting waiting sitting waiting - for the Tories to fail. That is the lump sum ambition of what is left over there. Meanwhile more and more philosophically inclined Libs sit and wait for the Party to clean itself up. It is looking disheveled, worn, weary, and most of all lazy. They feel they are entitled to government.

The Liberals recycling of past politicos and "party-executive" program - if adopted by the provinces multi materials stewardship board - would put to shame the best efforts of green advocates.

Who does this party belong to anyway? Maybe they will tell us. The latest tour of the Province in an effort to "consult" with people is really a public relations exercise - have they listened before?

George is a good fellow - and he is now with the NDP - hope he is being respected. Because I believe in democracy - I can never say - the NDP will not win - but there has not been enough effort into building and attracting - rather just repeating the social messages of Tommy Douglas. Douglas was extraordinary - and as one voice he brought many together and thereby pushed progressive policies through.

Ultimately I suppose the story of George demonstrates the public is not requiring the best - but whatever the partisan chef serves up. In this case it was a PC. Now because I love Bell Island so much - this causes me more grief. Bell Island has always had real promise and has always been let down. Listening to Mayor Gary Gosine speak passionately of his Tickle home is as hard as listening to Gus on the fishery. Why? Because they deserve to be listened to but they are drowned out by partisan mules delivering the message of those addicted to power but allergic to service.

It's too easy for us townies to say "resettle" - to whatever community might be in difficulty. It is too easy for Islanders to say "Labrador has to understand they have little population and have to share their wealth of natural resources". That's just us being lazy and that laziness makes it easy to be partisan. All you have to do is join the chant. That's how a boy from the interior of the island - who has seen more spruce bud-worms than cod can Randy on about there is not enough fish and rural Newfoundland and Labrador just has to suck it up.

Women and men of this province - we have to step to the plate - take our precious democracy seriously - do not seek a messiah - but rather proven Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who just feel it in the gut when our province and her people hurt. We have to take a turn at bat - so that a Brad Cabana cannot be the top news story over the real issues facing us. We have to get to first base and demand our media to - bring us the real goods. How will we know when we are on our way home? When people like George Murphy are not used by the likes of what's left of the Liberal club - when we elect people based on real positions and demonstrated commitment - not somebody who calls Randy, Bill, or Paddy and says I am a first time caller and I'm running for the Williams team. How about when we take stewardship to mean something more than a word on a sign and when we say as parents - it is not good enough to put a roof over their heads and food in their bellies - rather protect our children for all your worth from the partisan power brokers and the bobble heads who follow them.

If you do not protect the next generation - your children from this - most of these politicos won't. They make sure their children have a prosperous future another way - and that hurts us all.

Hats off George and I hope you don't mind that I "used" you for this blog post. I did so with all good intentions.

Harper touts a "Green Canada" what he means is "Green Canadians"

Stephen Harper is touting that Canada will become a "world leader in the fight" against climate change.

This at the APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Australia.

First of all you you have to get past the skepticism that Harper who was a real doubter - not that long ago - that human induced climate change was even real.

Then and far worse than this however - is his ability to give up on principles he claims to hold - for a vote. He either lied to get votes in Newfoundland and Labrador - Nova Scotia - and Saskatchewan before the last federal election or he gave up on staunchly held economic policy to get votes in Ontario and Quebec in the next election.

Stephen Harper is not that special - in fact he believes that breaking a promise to millions of people is not that big a deal - if it means he can form a majority government.

The truth is this self-proclaimed protector of democracy and champion of openness and accountability has done everything to shed that image.

Let's get to Newfoundland and Labrador - Nova Scotia - and Saskatchewan first:

To the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador - before the last federal election - Harper wrote and signed this:

"We will remove non-renewable natural resource revenue from the equalization formula to encourage the development of economic growth in the non-renewable resource sectors across Canada."

Stephen Harper - Prime Minister of Canada - lied. It's as simple as that. And he did it to gain votes in the last election or to gain votes in the next election.

To make matters worse - the feds and Harper tried to blame the provinces for his lie - by saying the provinces could not agree. Harper knew that before he made the promise and the changes he did make to the equalization formula do not enjoy the agreement by the provinces either. Further the equalization program is unilaterally federal. Adding more fuel to the fire - Harper is an economist and fully understood the promise he made - and fully understands the negative financial repercussions to Nova Scotia - Saskatchewan - and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Let's throw into this mix the changes to Income Trusts - which once again the Prime Minister lied about. This lie impacted seniors and their retirement funds from coast to coast to coast.

The Mr. accountability and protector of democracy - hauls a newly re-elected Liberal (David Emerson) a deceiver in his own right - and places him in a Conservative Cabinet - over long-standing Reform/Alliance/PC members who gave Harper his wings to begin with. Then because major regions in Montreal did not elect a Conservative - he drags up multiple-time defeated candidate Michael Fortier - still unelected - and places him in Cabinet ahead of duly elected members. This is the face of Prince Edward Island remaining without direct representation in Cabinet as the Province did not elect any Conservatives. So a city can have a person dragged into Cabinet but a province cannot?

Now Harper is out trying to "con"vince other nations that Canada will do this or do that on climate change ad greenhouse gas emissions? Let me say to people in these other nations - that anything Harper promised to do - means nothing if Harper needs a vote in Alberta for a majority.

The only thing remotely "green" about Harper is relative to anybody who believes a word he says anymore.