CBC's Point of View with Rex Murphy was very telling this week. I invite you all to listen to it HERE
Get your pencils out and mark down how many times Murphy says Newfoundland or Newfoundlanders without any reference to Labrador. Despite the CBC's caption below the video: The National's Rex Murphy looks at Kathy Dunderdale's exit from the top
post of the government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In case you missed
his latest essay, click on the video above to watch. Murphy refuses to say Labrador.
If Mr. Murphy has a problem with the constitutional name change precipitated by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador - maybe he should tell us.
Now let's get to the content of his opinion on Premier Dunderdale's resignation. At least we know his is an opinion and not news - as Mr. McLeod of the Telegram likes to do.
He makes the following points:
1. Kathy Dunderdale following her own script on leaving
2. There was no political or personal scandal or turbulence to make her step aside
3. The "heavy recent storm" caused her problems - with a blackout
4. Sane response to political difficulties
For Rex to believe that rushing back from a vacation in Florida - with rumours abound on potential defections and caucus dissatisfaction - to quit - a few months after a convention wherein there was "solid support" - was a person following their own script is detached.
To believe that Dunderdale was not experiencing extreme turbulence following downed polls not poles - is detached.
To say that part of her misfortune was rolling blackouts from a "heavy recent storm" is detached and just out-in-out incorrect.
To say that the Premier's was a sane response to political difficulties - must mean she was daft. The easier way to deal with it was to listen to the loud voices of the people of Newfoundland AND Labrador telling her they did not like her direction. Only a less than sane person keeps banging their head of the same wall of resistance over and over again while expecting a different outcome.
Perhaps Rex Murphy should seek the PC leadership:
1. He displays arrogance
2. He likes to spin
3. He could care less what the people think - it's Newfoundland - not Newfoundland and Labrador
4. His dismissal of Labrador for the benefit of the Island of Newfoundland
Really Mr. Murphy if this is the best you can do - perhaps you should follow Ms. Dunderdale.
Showing posts with label point of view. Show all posts
Showing posts with label point of view. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sesquipedalian Rex Murphy pontificates on the "silent crisis" in Rural NL Get off your arse Rex!
The best example of actions speak louder than words is Rex Murphy. His discussions with himself are renowned and really for most a form of amusement. Murphy has made his way in Upper Canada by simply talking - but then again he is not alone there - that's the problem.
Below you will find a story from VOCM news today. In it Murphy continues to talk about what others should do - but does nothing - himself - to fix the problems in Newfoundland and Labrador.
He pontificates about what opposition parties should concentrate on - in order to stop the rubber-stamping of the status quo.
First - it appears Murphy missed the entire election and that his media colleagues were pontificating that the Liberals were only focusing on the rural divide and problems in outport communities. Somehow Rex missed that.
As a Rhodes Scholar - Mr. Murphy - might like to get his hands dirty and do some of the work required to correct the problems. Perhaps Mr. Murphy would shut-up talking about it and do something. Perhaps Mr. Murphy should leave Upper Canada and take up permanent residence here in the province - then make a living by developing and implementing progressive policy.
Rex should spend some of his time explaining - in plain English - what he would do to correct the fishery - without fighting with Ottawa. Did you miss something Rex? Ottawa or the feds are responsible for the collapse of the stocks and it is costing our rural people and their communities over a billion dollars a year. Perhaps Rex would like to address the inequities of the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act (equalization) - by explaining why the program is designed for Quebec. Perhaps Rex would like to address the hydro-electric sector in our province and discuss how ludicrous it is for us to focus on "greening up" Canada - when we already pump 5,000 MW's from the Upper Churchill to Canada.
Newfoundland and Labrador is in a "silent" crisis Murphy says. Nothing silent about it Rex - however people such as yourself who would rather moan about it instead of rolling up your sleeves - do not help the situation.
While his words are sexy to other sesquipedalian commentators - his virility weakens when actions are required.
Murphy knows full well how difficult it is to fight a dictator - he tried and lost when he challenged Joey and ran as a PC. He sought and achieved a Tory nomination but then withdrew from lack of funds. Murphy knows.
We have many people in this province who fight this battle on the ground daily. It is not easy - nor is it simple. But rural communities have been front and center in our discussions and we are fighting hard for them.
Murphy would be better off examining how inaccurate polls were used to diminish Liberal votes and to demoralize voters generally. He would be better off examining the media coverage - of which he is a part - that exacerbated the questionable polling and rendered the election process useless.
If he were in the outports today - he might hear the following - get off your arse - stop whining - and do something about it. Go yell at Stephen Harper and educate the Upper Canadian elite about the abuse of Newfoundland and Labrador within the "con"federation.
VOCM story below:
One of the sharpest political pundits in the country suggests it's time the province's opposition parties start addressing the questions raised by the depopulation of rural Newfoundland. In Saturday's National Post, Rex Murphy breaks down the results of the provincial election and concludes that Newfoundland and Labrador is a province in denial. Murphy says the province is facing a crisis and that the Liberals and NDP have to build policy that is "more than about oil or fights with the federal government." Murphy says the two opposition parties have to work towards building an identity that appeals to the entire province, and develop policy that addresses the "crisis" that is being created by the evacuation of the outports and shrinking economic activity outside the St. John's oil boom. Murphy says Newfoundland is in a silent crisis that began with the closure of the inshore commercial fishery 20 years ago. Murphy says the fact that none of the parties had the courage to address the questions posed by that crisis, may partly explain why voters as he puts it; "simply rubber-stamped the status quo" in last week's election.
Below you will find a story from VOCM news today. In it Murphy continues to talk about what others should do - but does nothing - himself - to fix the problems in Newfoundland and Labrador.
He pontificates about what opposition parties should concentrate on - in order to stop the rubber-stamping of the status quo.
First - it appears Murphy missed the entire election and that his media colleagues were pontificating that the Liberals were only focusing on the rural divide and problems in outport communities. Somehow Rex missed that.
As a Rhodes Scholar - Mr. Murphy - might like to get his hands dirty and do some of the work required to correct the problems. Perhaps Mr. Murphy would shut-up talking about it and do something. Perhaps Mr. Murphy should leave Upper Canada and take up permanent residence here in the province - then make a living by developing and implementing progressive policy.
Rex should spend some of his time explaining - in plain English - what he would do to correct the fishery - without fighting with Ottawa. Did you miss something Rex? Ottawa or the feds are responsible for the collapse of the stocks and it is costing our rural people and their communities over a billion dollars a year. Perhaps Rex would like to address the inequities of the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act (equalization) - by explaining why the program is designed for Quebec. Perhaps Rex would like to address the hydro-electric sector in our province and discuss how ludicrous it is for us to focus on "greening up" Canada - when we already pump 5,000 MW's from the Upper Churchill to Canada.
Newfoundland and Labrador is in a "silent" crisis Murphy says. Nothing silent about it Rex - however people such as yourself who would rather moan about it instead of rolling up your sleeves - do not help the situation.
While his words are sexy to other sesquipedalian commentators - his virility weakens when actions are required.
Murphy knows full well how difficult it is to fight a dictator - he tried and lost when he challenged Joey and ran as a PC. He sought and achieved a Tory nomination but then withdrew from lack of funds. Murphy knows.
We have many people in this province who fight this battle on the ground daily. It is not easy - nor is it simple. But rural communities have been front and center in our discussions and we are fighting hard for them.
Murphy would be better off examining how inaccurate polls were used to diminish Liberal votes and to demoralize voters generally. He would be better off examining the media coverage - of which he is a part - that exacerbated the questionable polling and rendered the election process useless.
If he were in the outports today - he might hear the following - get off your arse - stop whining - and do something about it. Go yell at Stephen Harper and educate the Upper Canadian elite about the abuse of Newfoundland and Labrador within the "con"federation.
VOCM story below:
One of the sharpest political pundits in the country suggests it's time the province's opposition parties start addressing the questions raised by the depopulation of rural Newfoundland. In Saturday's National Post, Rex Murphy breaks down the results of the provincial election and concludes that Newfoundland and Labrador is a province in denial. Murphy says the province is facing a crisis and that the Liberals and NDP have to build policy that is "more than about oil or fights with the federal government." Murphy says the two opposition parties have to work towards building an identity that appeals to the entire province, and develop policy that addresses the "crisis" that is being created by the evacuation of the outports and shrinking economic activity outside the St. John's oil boom. Murphy says Newfoundland is in a silent crisis that began with the closure of the inshore commercial fishery 20 years ago. Murphy says the fact that none of the parties had the courage to address the questions posed by that crisis, may partly explain why voters as he puts it; "simply rubber-stamped the status quo" in last week's election.
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