Media - Marshall - Muskrat

Let's all go back to 2002/2003 when Danny Williams was the coming of the savior. The Liberals were on their way out and the Tories were in a fit of hyperbole. The local media were chewing it up and spitting it out.

So let's find out if even the basic levels of investigation and balance exists in our current crop of journalists.

How about we get these basic questions answered.

What did the polls look like in March of 2003? Where did the Tories and Liberals sit?
What were the polls on leadership in that same time frame?

When you finish gathering that information - have a look at the House of Assembly Hansard and the statements coming out of the Tory Opposition - including Danny Williams.

From that information - please answer the following:

1. Did Danny Williams and his Opposition colleagues state that because of the polls the government had no mandate to carry on?

2. Did Danny Williams and his Opposition colleagues state that because Roger Grimes was not an "elected" Premier - he did not have the mandate to strike any resource deals?

3. Did Danny Williams and his Opposition colleagues suggest that Grimes and his government were afraid to take such deals to the public in an election?

4. Did Danny Williams and his Opposition colleagues hammer on the following points:
          a) The findings of the Auditor General with respect to similar issues that AG Terry Paddon is
              talking about now
          b) The development of the Lower Churchill and Voisey's Bay and the mandate of former         
              Premier Brian Tobin with respect to any deal - any change of promise or term of a deal
          c) The unfunded pension liabilities
          d) The deficit and debt
          e) the secrecy of the government

The information is all there. Will the media hold them accountable?

How about this - Dunderdale was elected based on a proposed agreement with Emera - the deal changed before sanction - and while their polling tanked. If this was 2003 and Danny Williams was addressing then Premier Roger Grimes - what would have been said?

Well that information is there. The Liberals did not have a mandate to change the terms outlined by former Premier Brian Tobin on Voisey's Bay.

Premier Marshall and his government need to take the changed agreement on Muskrat to the people in the form of a general election. They need to stop proceeding with this project unless they can renew their mandate. More particularly as Danny Williams would have said: Mr. Marshall you are not an elected Premier.

To make matters worse - soon we will have gone through 4 Premiers for one project - to sanction.