Gutless - Cold - Unbecoming his office

The Truth and Reconciliation Report was released today.

 I am sickened - heartbroken - and disgusted with the truth.

It may be midnight - but I have to write - I have to say something.

Let me start with this: The picture below says it all.



Yes Mr. Mulcair - your expression is perfect. Disgust!

Bernard Valcourt remained sitting while Justice Murray Sinclair announced the recommendation that an inquiry be held on missing and murdered indigenous women.

The gutless gesture says a great deal about Valcourt - but then again his judgement in the past has been the same.

Is he appropriate to be the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs? No - and I believe he should resign.

How any human being could sit and witness a truth as was presented today by the Commission and not be deeply moved and anxious to find reconciliation - is not fathomable.






The Government of Canada under the leadership of Stephen Harper should recognize there is no way to deflect from the word genocide. This was genocide.

Stephen Harper avoided that acknowledgement today and therefore I believe he is gutless - cold - and displays behavior unbecoming his office.

Children were systematically removed from their families and placed in deplorable conditions existing in the residential schools.

Children died and families were unaware of how and where they were buried.

Children were raped, beaten, and abused in a deliberate attempt to separate them from their culture.

This is inarguable.

Have we become so desensitized under the Harper government - that we can turn our heads and not look this genocide in the eye?

I believe an olive branch was offered by the Commission to the Government of Canada and through them the people of Canada. Stephen Harper today rejected that offer and instead talked about budgetary commitments.

Please Canada reject the Conservative Party of Canada this fall. Please Canada let reconciliation begin. Please Canada recognize that people like Harper and Valcourt have no place in our Parliament. Look at gentlemen like Paul Martin and Joe Clark who despite their political differences - stand tall and accept the truth.

Canada has never been the same since Stephen Harper was elected and today emphasized the chasm between the citizens of Canada and their Prime Minister.

Take a copy of the picture above in your purse or wallet when you go to the ballot box - and look at it just before you mark your X.

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.

Oilweek Magazine and the National Enquirer - Can you Tell the Difference?

Sometimes I will read Oilweek - when I have the time and opportunity to do the articles justice.  

The magazine provides the following description of itself: 

Established in 1948, Oilweek is Canada’s leading publication covering the oil and gas industry. Dubbed “the oil and gas authority,” readers trust Oilweek to deliver insight, analysis and an in-depth understanding of issues and trends of importance to their business. With offices in both Calgary and Edmonton, Oilweek editors and reporters are tapped in to the communities that drive the business of energy in Canada.

Pay particular attention to the insight, analysis, and in-depth part as I describe what can only be described as an inaccurate,sensationalized, and self-serving article by Wes Reid.  

The magazine says; Wes Reid: With his uniquely East Coast view, opining on events shaping the offshore industry.  

Opining should not be confused with uneducated, incorrect, and myopic monologues.  

First the article uses the following quote from Danny Williams to draw on:

"Believe me, I was quite prepared to stay on for another term," Williams said when he announced his departure. "But with the completion of the Lower Churchill deal, it is time for new ideas and new leadership."

When you start with that premise on the project - the magazine and Reid have nowhere to go but the land of propaganda.

  

At what time was the Lower Churchill deal completed? 

If it actually was completed prior to Williams’s departure; then somebody is lying to the people. The Term Sheet was not supposed to be a signed, sealed, and delivered project. 

The article also makes the following observations: 

People of the Rock never undervalued his worth by calling him Danny Millions. The nickname, however, underrates his abilities.

It should be changed to Danny Billions, because through hardnosed bargaining and the legislation, he created a royalty and tax system that will see oil companies annually contribute, for a generation or more, billions of dollars to Newfoundland and Labrador´s treasury.

Before retiring from 10 years of turbulent politics, the last seven of which he spent as premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Williams led the Rock from rags to riches.

This should tell the reader where Reid's opining is going. Again the statements are inaccurate and incomplete. Lead the province from rags to riches? Then there are those revenues - non-renewable revenues from the oil sector. While Danny's policy did see the province buy an equity stake in the oil field - which I did support, he failed in something far more important. Williams walked away from a promise by Harper to remove those non-renewable resource royalties from the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act. That one piece of incomplete business will ensure that future generations will not achieve full benefits from this resource - which will be exhausted when they become adults. 

Williams lowered the flag when Paul Martin attempted to renege on the Atlantic Accord promises - yet he apparently cowered and ran when Harper took all the benefits away. 

The next statement by Reid was:

Some appear convinced that Williams stepped down as premier only to step behind the curtain. Sue Kelland-Dyer can be counted among them and among Williams´ nemeses.

So according to Reid - I am one of Williams' nemeses.

Defined one way: A formidable and usually victorious opponent.

Thank you Wes - but I only go after policies which I believe are not good for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. This opinion is based on significantly more information than Reid uses in his article.

I agreed with Williams taking on Martin.

I agreed with Williams taking equity for the people in the offshore oil sector.

I disagree with the Muskrat Falls deal with Emera.

I disagree with Williams walking away from Harper's promises.

Reid might not know this - because he did not talk to me before writing about me. He should have asked Danny - he could have told him that. 

Reid continued on with the following statements:

"I believe his decision to leave was already made," Dyer stated on her blog.
The political pundit once handled communications for Newfoundland and Labrador´s Liberal Party. She printed the Williams quote: "I would take my own money and put it in if I could." Kelland-Dyer then wrote, "Now that he can put his money into it [left office], has he?"

Poorly punctuated and ambiguous, Kelland-Dyer´s prose seems to suggest that Williams quickly finalized the Upper Churchill deal to increase Emera´s share values so he, once free of office and possible conflict of interest, could profit from the arrangement by investing in Emera.

She wrote, "Was the deal so good for Emera-he actually left to do that? It was an ‘unexpected departure‘right? The chain of command was so set-that everybody else ran away from the leadership. And Kathy is ‘extremely‘ focused on ushering a deal through-that she is unable to debate."

First inaccuracy; I did not at any time handle communications for the Liberal Party. 

Second inaccuracy; By quoting Williams I appeared to be saying...Well Mr. Reid, how about what Danny said himself, the absolutely unexpected exit from politics, and questions that should have seemed obvious for Reid himself to ask of Williams. Do not pontificate what is going on in my mind, Mr. Reid - you would not stand a chance.

Third inaccuracy; is the reference to Williams finalizing the Upper Churchill deal - I guess that one is just obvious. The fact that it was not picked up prior to posting or printing the story says much more about the knowledge of the writer, the editors, and the magazine itself - than the story could ever say about me. 

When you want to write a one-sided and self-serving commentary - the least you could do is talk to the person you are attempting to undermine. This article is not worth the paper it is printed on - and serves as nothing but a rank amateur attempt at propaganda. 

After reading this - what articles by Reid or the magazine should I put any stock in? That's something Oilweek might want to review.

Political Prostitution and the Escalator that won't Quit

Political Prostitution

 

  

           

Millions for Transportation from the Telegram

This picture demonstrates better than I could ever put into words - why Newfoundland and Labrador has - since Confederation been treated with disdain and disrespect by the Government of Canada.

That escalator gets more photo time than the Premier. The last time was "we got it - we got it" only to be followed by Stephen Harper removing 5 times that we achieved from Paul Martin and the Liberals. So here is Susan "we got it - we got it" we have to wonder when the other shoe will drop.

Quite a deal the feds got - take away 10 billion give back 40 million.