We can't stop Muskrat now!

You know the old saying If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it.

We are the proverbial people spoken about.

Lie 1

We need the power

Lie 2

This is the cheapest alternative

Lie 3

We need to get around Quebec

Lie 4

Holyrood will be eliminated

Lie 5

It will cost 7-8 billion dollars

Lie 6

We need it for industry

Lie 7

We will own the transmission line to the Island

Lie 8

Ed Martin quit/retired

and now the biggest whopper of them all

Lie 9

We can't stop Muskrat now

For each and every lie above we had head-bobbing from ignorant MHA's and Ministers, we had a media in report but not research mode, and we had and have leaders who lead us down a garden path.

Each and every one of these lies was repeated, reported, repeated, reported, and repeated and reported.

Each and every one without a modicum of real and unfettered independent investigation.

The first big whopper - "we need the power" was one leader and the last big whopper  "we can't stop Muskrat now" from our current leader.

Both of them have tried to back up the statements with "input" from experts. The current expert Stan Marshall - riddled with government exempt conflict - has proclaimed "this is a boondoggle" but "we can't stop it now".

The first part of his statement "this is a boondoggle" is something that should be used in the Captain Obvious Hotels.com commercials. The second part "we can't stop it now" is coming without real proof or true independent review - that should be demanded by the people.

We suspect there has been/is some form of corruption going on. We know for certain incompetence has been abound and continues. We know we were lied to. Any reasonably minded person would say - it is time to stop the boondoggle, forensically audit the boondoggle, review the results publicly, and then look at all options.

Not here though. Lie repeat. Lie repeat. Lie report repeat.

It is unfathomable.

 

A lie told often enough becomes the truth. Vladimir Lenin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vladimirle132031.html

A lie told often enough becomes the truth. Vladimir Lenin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vladimirle132031.html

Doyle to Senate - A player in Harper's Lie Book

Norm Doyle is a nice guy. That is the general consensus of most who know him.

He did in fact do a very honourable thing when he donated a pension to charity. It was also very open and accountable in that where the money went was publicized to his constituents on a regular basis.

Norm was - I believe - a good constituency representative and made himself available. It was my experience that he also was above pure partisan zealotry as I am aware that he assisted people who were not openly conservative.

This is why - unlike with Loyola Hearn - I was shocked and saddened when Doyle sided with Harper - against the better interests of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Norm Doyle - at the end of his political career - chose his party and his leader instead of his province and her people. For this reason - I am not supportive of Mr. Doyle's appointment to the Senate. It is now my assumption that his votes in the Senate will be partisan and can be predicted to be against Newfoundland and Labrador when Harper wants it.

With respect to Harper's Lie Book - this Prime Minister guaranteed he would bring Canada into an elected Senate. He was harping on it for years if not over a decade. I heard some excuses from Steve - that Opposition MP's were delaying it etc. The PM has no problem shoving other legislation through - despite the pounding fists in the House of Commons. He now has a majority - and he could have pushed through a Bill to deal with an unelected, unaccountable, and inequitable Upper Chamber.

This would not suit Steve - so he will hang on to his power base and appoint Conservatives until he is blue in the face. Once he gets the Senate where he wants it - a massive Conservative majority - he might then revive his holier that thou attitude and advise Canadians that we need to move toward an elected body.

Stephen Harper is a liar. He has harmed our province to the tune of tens of billions of dollars and he will continue to do so. Premier Dunderdale has chosen to hold his hand and for pennies on the dollar agree to be his champion here at home.

For these reasons and others - I hoped that Doyle would have declined when the dirtied hand reached out to welcome him in.

Will Minister Tom Marshall lie? Yes! Will he mislead? Yes!

Minister Tom Marshall appeared on Open-Line Friday of last week. The purpose of the call was to attack through innuendo, misrepresentations, threats, and misinformation - the independent pharmacy owners in the province.

The irony was that he called to correct something Randy Simms (host) said in his preamble.

Quote by Marshall:

Randy, we're negotiating now. There's a chair at the table for CICPO. CICPO refused to show up. Randy, Premier Dunderdale wants lower electricity costs for the people in this province. She wants lower drug costs for the people of this province. People have no choice. If the doctor says they got to have drugs, they got to have them, Randy. And the cost of generic drugs in this country are higher than they are in the US and higher than they are in other OECD countries. And there's got to be a reason for that. And we've looked into it and other provinces have looked into it. And British Columbia and Alberta and Saskatchewan and Ontario and Quebec and Nova Scotia have all taken an approach to reduce the cost of generic drugs to their citizens, to their taxpayers.

First - if the Premier wants to lower drug costs in the province - the first line of attack would be the brand drugs that are increasing in cost every year. The fact is brand name drugs which represent over 70% of the costs of all drugs prescribed and dispensed are going up in costs year over year. The generic drugs which are currently the target of this PC government are going down every year. Further the generic partnership with pharmacy has what has been keeping dispensing fees low and allowing pharmacies particularly small independent rural dispensaries to offer essential extra services.

Making matters worse is that the Dunderdale government is hiding its intent relative to a trade deal between the EU and Canada which would see our province have to pay an additional 50 million dollars for essential medications - by agreeing to extend the patent protection for the brand drug companies. Canada and the EU are set to go back to the table just after our provincial election and this term forms part of what a proposed deal will include.

The end result of the PC government move is:

1. The price of drugs will actually go up for citizens and taxpayers.

2. Dispensing fees for most people will have to double or the pharmacies will close.

3. Delivery to seniors and those without transportation will cease or there will be a cost for such delivery.

4. Independent pharmacies will have to stop credit programs for prescription drugs - thereby causing people not to buy and take their medications in a timely manner. This non-compliance will cause the emergency rooms of hospitals to experience unsustainable traffic, re admissions to hospital, or worse.

5. The government drug card clients will have to call their MHA or social worker to have the necessary forms completed for continuity of their prescription drug cards, or to complete their annual tax returns (in order to qualify for the card).

6. It will cause independent pharmacies to cease filling "special authorization" drugs until the approval has been given by government. In that instance the patient will have to return to their doctor to have a prescription changed, go without their medication for up to one month until approval for payment has been achieved, or have to return to the hospital.

7. Prescribing errors made by physicians will have to be handled in a different manner. Currently our independent pharmacies are dealing with between 5 to 25 prescribing errors a day. When the mistake is caught by the pharmacist - the patient will then have to return to the doctor or hospital to have the correction made. If the patient wants the pharmacist to deal with the error for them - they will have to pay a fee based on the amount of time it takes for a pharmacy to contact the doctor, achieve contact with that doctor, the faxing of a new prescription, and the paper work required for the government for a change in prescription. Usually this takes the pharmacy between half an hour to 8 hours to achieve.

8. The pharmacy will have to charge for special packaging for patients who take multiple drugs for chronic illnesses.

9. The hours and availability of pharmacies will be reduced to make the necessary savings on human resources and other expenses.

10. Services such as reprinting of receipts for income tax purposes, transferring of files, supplying hospitals with drug reviews for patients (where the hospital already has the records) or communication with the drug card program for patients will have to be additionally charged.

These are but a few of the changes that will be experienced by patients under the government's plan. The most negative result will be the out and out closure of some pharmacies.

Tom Marshall is not telling the truth or he is completely incompetent on this file.

The government including Premier Dunderdale is hiding the truth from the people and the media need to call them out on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Deal (CETA) with the EU.

Marshall goes on to say the following:

We understand that in terms of the true cost of the drug that's been passed on by the pharmacy to the customer, it has markups on it running from 140 percent to 619 percent. They're very high markups. Now that's before you take their cost into, their expenses of operation into consideration. So what happened - this all started, Randy when the pharmacies announced they weren't going to honour the drug card anymore. They were going to make people pre-pay for their drugs and have to seek reimbursement from the government, which was totally unacceptable because people didn't have the money.

First the Minister talks about markups on drugs running from 140 to 619 percent. Where is the evidence of this? Pharmacy cannot change the price of drugs as the provincial government sets them under the provincial formulary. Further Minister Tom Marshall will not address the Dr. Wade Locke report completed on pharmacy - using actual financial data from pharmacies. This is a government who only a few days ago were holding Dr. Locke's opinion and study regarding Muskrat Falls as gospel - yet when it comes to a comprehensive Activity Based Costing study on pharmacy the Minister of Finance deliberately avoids it. This is a lie by omission.

This statement also points to pharmacy and says - they were going to have people unable to get their essential prescription drugs - this is absolutely false and further is exactly the opposite of what is true. It is the government everyday that prevents people from getting medications. Patients are released from hospital with prescriptions they cannot fill because the government prevents retail pharmacies from determining the validity of a special authorization - so instead it goes into government pharmacists in a bureaucratic setting. This in turn causes delays - up to one month - where people who on income assistance or fixed incomes such as seniors - cannot get their medications because the government has not approved them. In this case local independent pharmacies put it on account for the individual so that they can take their medications immediately thereby preventing re admissions into hospital or a trip to the emergency room. Our pharmacies never let patients leave without their drugs for reasons of inability to pay. This is one significant difference between the large corporate chains and our members.

Next the Minister uses this line:

They want to go to court, I think that's wonderful. Go to court and let it come out what the proper margins out, okay let it come out what the rebates are, let it come out why the true cost of the drugs are not being passed on and while the true cost of the drug to the pharmacy is not being passed on, we want to sit down with the pharmacists and we have sat down with the pharmacists and what we're trying to do is come up with an agreement. 

So the Minister of Finance thinks its wonderful that the CICPO wants to go to court. Well that's a mouthful in and of itself. Yes anything instead of meeting, talking, collaborating, and developing a superior policy. Then Minister Marshall - a lawyer - pretends that the issue being brought to court has something to do with generic drug pricing. The court case deals with two issues: a) whether or not the government had the right to alter a provider agreement unilaterally and second whether the "object" of PANL legislatively is valid. So once again he lies to or misleads the people regarding this very serious issue. Further the information he is seeking above is already available to him from the Dr. Wade Locke report. He once again says they are negotiating with pharmacists not pharmacies. This continued misrepresentation does not negate the fact that government signs provider agreements with corporations (legal entities) not pharmacists. If that is not the case then Wal-Mart, Shopper's Drug Mart, Lawton's and Costco could not be doing business with government.


Minister Marshall then takes the public down another twisted version of the facts:

And we've looked into it and other provinces have looked into it. And British Columbia and Alberta and Saskatchewan and Ontario and Quebec and Nova Scotia have all taken an approach to reduce the cost of generic drugs to their citizens, to their taxpayers.

Let's start with the fact that all provinces are using different models for remuneration and different approaches on the restructuring of generic drug costs. Ontario, which is what is law in Newfoundland and Labrador as it relates to generic pricing is the worst. It has caused the most damage to rural independent pharmacies and where ATM's are replacing the community pharmacy - in some cases now it will be LPN's. In Ontario now three independent pharmacy owners are running for the PC Party of Ontario in large part because of what the Liberal Ontario government has done with pharmacy and health issues generally. And here we have the PC government adopting failed Liberal policy out of Ontario.

Further in Ontario - consultations were had with the Ontario Pharmacists Association, the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores (CACDS) the Independent Pharmacists Association of Ontario and the Ontario Community Pharmacies Coalition. That is hardly a comparative for our province where the Premier and her Minister's keep saying we will only talk to PANL.


Then let's talk about British Columbia where a deal was struck between the Government, the BC Pharmacy Association and the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores. Once again broader consultation was held and a different remuneration formula was reached. Unfortunately - in BC as in Newfoundland and Labrador - the chains were pandered to while independent pharmacy was left behind. Lastly, at least the Government of BC acknowledges that no agreement reached with either the Pharmacy Association or the CACDS is binding on any individual business.

Then take the most ridiculous of Minister Marshall's comparisons - Quebec. In Quebec a pharmacy can only be owned by a pharmacist. This negates the concerns of independent owners as the government can only negotiate with them - large corporate interests are not permitted to own the dispensary. If Minister Marshall would like to entertain this idea - we would be more than happy to deal with that.

In Saskatchewan the government also reached an agreement between the Pharmacists' Association of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores - once again admitting that the strong lobby by the giant retailers and chains is unduly influencing policy development. But at least they admit it. In Newfoundland and Labrador they will not admit to the discussions with CACDS because to do so would mean the CICPO would have a rightful place to put it's arguments forward separately.

In Canada the chain drug stores and mass retailers are dictating provincial policy and it is leading to reduced and inferior services in rural communities. In our province with our geography and relatively small population - this means destruction to our rural communites and inner-city neighbourhoods. Minister Marshall and Premier Dunderdale had the chance to make a difference and derive policy based on local business and rural communities - instead they have chosen to follow the mess found in other Canadian provinces. This is not leadership - and there are not enough lies in the world to cover this up.

Finally Minister Marshall refers to the following:

Okay, they had a meeting set up with Minister Kennedy. Minister Kennedy was in the House. They walked out. They left about five minutes before Minister Kennedy came in. So don't give me that. 

The truth about this meeting will be addressed by those attending this meeting. Minister Marshall and I were not there so we cannot speak directly to it. Those who were in attendance will publicly discuss what happened to this meeting and why it did not occur. safe bet though that with pharmacy owners travelling anywhere from 1 km to 800 km's to attend the meeting did not leave under the circumstances the Minister has described. Either the Minister is misinformed or is lying.

Harper's 20 messages of Fear - Be very afraid Canada

Stephen Harper to Canadians

1. You do not want an election,

2. You really do not want an election,

3. Be afraid of them (all other political parties) - they are and always have been plotting a coalition,

4. Be afraid of a Liberal lead coalition with the Bloc,

5. Be afraid of the Bloc (even though he used them to prop up a previous budget),

6. Be afraid of an NDP lead coalition,

7. Coalitions are bad,

8. Be afraid of Michael Igfnatieff,

9. Be afraid of Jack Layton,

10. Be afraid of Gilles Duceppe,

11. Fear for the economy - unless I and only I can get a strong majority,

12. If Canada does not elect me - everything will fall apart,

13. Be afraid of everybody but me because they will spend too much (Harper outspends everybody),

14. Be afraid of not lowering tax on giant corporations (Exxon profits first quarter 11 billion dollars),

15. I will only answer 5 questions at media events (Mr. Transparency),

16. I lie so you won't be afraid of the truth (and he can't sell the truth),

17. Beware of Helena Guergis - for the "things" she has done (nothing proven whatsoever),

18. If you do not elect Conservative members your area "might" not be represented,

19. Love Republicans as you would love thou self,

20. Be very afraid of an open and accountable democracy.

Rowe says Manning - one of the superb candidates running...What's your take?

I just finished listening to Fabian Manning on back-talk with Bill Rowe.

I got the distinct feeling that Fabs wanted to stay as far away from ABC and Harper's lies as possible. Now how does somebody like Manning avoid the obvious?

He essentially called the people of rural communities - fools. Outside of brushing aside the elephant romping around the campaign office - Fabian decided that he will be concentrating on community needs and projects.

Specifically:
a) wharves
b) breakwaters
c) highways
d) stadiums

Old-time Joey politics - he went as far as to say Ottawa doesn't believe Canada stops in Nova Scotia like "we thought" - Ottawa - says Manning - believes it ends in Quebec.

So Manning concludes - there is no sense going to Ottawa to change attitudes - so he will go up and get what he can for his district.

If you listened carefully - you would hear - that Fabian was talking about ALL Ottawa politicos - including his own Harper. This you see would separate him from the treachery of standing with Harper when that liar removed a 10 billion dollar promise from our table.

Here's the deal Mr. Manning - you were gutless and worse you were a traitor when you stood shoulder to shoulder with Harper while he robbed the future from your children and mine by not allowing us to fully benefit from our non-renewable resource developments.

Do you have any idea how many wharves, bridges, roads, stadiums, schools, and hospitals one could build with 10 billion dollars?

Then there are the other lies! Remember the promise to take custodial control of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap?

Our fishery decimated by the federal government - when your own people have had to move away to work.

The loss of over 1/2 billion dollars a year from the ground-stocks.

And you Fabian Manning are going to talk about wharves?

You go to Ottawa to represent this province - and our place in Canada. The only thing Harper has said is that his government would give a loan guarantee or a financial equivalent to this province for the Lower Churchill - a promise/lie that all leaders have made. Guess what Fabian? The reason they all gave for giving the guarantee is so that Atlantic Canada can benefit from green reliable energy.

Let's put that in perspective - if Ottawa gives money to Quebec for one thing or another or to Nova Scotia for one thing or another - they do not find it necessary to say - we are doing this so it will benefit Newfoundland and Labrador.

Today on Bill Rowe - you confirmed for me - you are a broken political man. You have given up on changing our place in Canada - and you are starting to feel the disgust your people feel at your gutless and treacherous actions.

Hold off - people of the Avalon - we can get more than extensions to community EI projects - and we need people who will fix the wrongs that have been perpetrated on us.

I told you myself -I have never felt so betrayed as when you stood in the House of Commons and did the unthinkable and unforgiveable. You sold out your Newfoundland and Labrador.

I say to my children - over and over - Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's. Our Pride - Our People - Our Place

Tell me Fabian - was it worth it? That one moment where Stephen Harper paid attention to you - and let you stand next to him in the almighty House of Commons. Was it really worth it?

Fabian ends by saying "the good Lord willing" I will be successful.

Stephen Harper is a Liar - Terry Milewski CBC finally takes him on.

"my people love me" "all my people love me" says Ghadafi - as protests fill the streets of Libya.

 "the coalition says no" "the coalition said no to" to various budget measures says Harper - as his government was felled by elected representatives for CONTEMPT of parliament.

When Ghadafi does it - Harper and others says he's a delusional dictator.

When Harper does it - the media reports it and re-reports it and fails to correct the lies Harper continues to perpetrate on the people of Canada.

The only difference is - the people of Canada can throw Harper out politically, peacefully at a ballot box.

The media is doing a disservice to Canadians. We want to talk about issues -socio/economic and talk about trust, integrity, and demand that politicians obey the laws of this country.

CBC just had a political "panel" on the election consisting of Rob Russo, Bureau Chief Ottawa Canadian Press and Tasha Kheiriddin, columnist National Post.

They proceeded to talk about how "coalition" is the issue of the campaign and that the Liberals need to come up with one or two key messages like that to make a difference.

Who made "coalition" the issue of the campaign? They downplayed the role of social media and then went on to talk about the "coalition".

Finally Terry Milewski, senior correspondent Ottawa CBC has taken a stand and stood up to be counted. He has taken Harper to account on the created "coalition" issue and he pointed out that Harper is calling a "coalition" "illegitimate" now when Milewski added in "fact" Harper said the opposite during the Martin minority. He has called Harper out on this major inconsistency - which I would call a lie as he has done with Newfoundland and Labrador, income trusts, elected senates, and on being lawful.

In comparison the last question from a reporter - taken by Harper at a campaign event in Ontario was:

"what are you going to do to get the Maple Leafs back in the playoffs?" What a joke!

Evan Solomon drops a big ball - politicians on a polygraph new CBC Reality Show?

Tom Lukiwski Conservative MP - interviewed by Evan Solomon Power and Politics

Tom - was a Harper Conservative today - when not-answering a question about documents regarding policies on crime which do not attach a cost to them for implementation. He did not answer it again and again and at the same time talked about how the Liberals did the same thing when in office. Wow - guess what - Tom if you are the same as the Liberals - why did people elect you?

As for Evan - CBC - have a look at the interview - Evan not only managed to not get one answer - but absolutely did not take Tom to task and shut him down when he refused to answer the question. Evan provided an unpaid political announcement for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Can we possibly get a journalist, host, interviewer, reporter who will get the individual to answer or refuse the cheap political time on our dime.

And then there was the concentration by Evan to get the Liberal and NDP members to say that Bev Oda lied - why? Because Tom suggested he should focus on that.

Please CBC can we get somebody who will seek to find answers and get answers - or give the politician the correct response when they won't answer - shut them down.

Either Bev Oda lied or she has no ability to remember what she herself ordered. This is simple - fire her.

As for Harper - Evan - I have no problem - Stephen Harper lied. The Prime Minister is a liar.

By the way - how many of our sitting politicians would agree to a reality show where they are placed on a polygraph and asked questions about why they wanted to get elected, have they enriched themselves by doing so, have they helped any particular corporation get contracts....you get the picture. Then we can have ordinary citizens who speak out publicly - and ask why they are doing that.

This has got to be more entertaining than Peter MacKay pretending to be a soldier.

Come on CBC - see how many of them would take a polygraph. That should not offend them right? Surely Harper believes in polygraphs.