The first installment of Manning Sound Bites deals with the Minister's propensity to blame others or avoid answering at all - questions regarding background, experience, and suitability for the job.
Today we will deal with - listening.
As Paul Davis touts that his administration will listen to the people - one would expect Ms. Manning to be a good listener.
This sound bite and the others I will write about all come from Ms. Manning's interview with David Cochrane (On Point). Listen HERE
Cochrane: You mentioned just a few minutes ago that you're contemplating legislative changes as part of the public safety Agenda. I guess I'm curious - how do you plan to advance that public safety agenda where you're not elected because legislative changes are legislation which has to be done in the House of Assembly. So you can't table legislation - you can't champion it and you can't debate it in the House. How do you make this work from outside the legislature.
Manning: Well I'd just like to correct you a little - on one point there. I'm certainly sitting at the Cabinet table and I'm certainly able to champion legislative changes at the Cabinet table.
The first thing Manning does is correct Cochrane on something that he was not incorrect on. Cochrane was surely referring to all the things she could not do in the House and asked her specifically what she could do outside the House. Sitting at a Cabinet table is not in the House of Assembly and Cochrane's reference was certainly championing inside the House. You should also note the continued condescending tone Ms. Manning uses with Cochrane with phrases - such as "I'd just like to correct you a little". The Minister comes across as patting a little child on the head and helping to correct the mistakes they might make.
The Minister continued...
Manning: You're absolutely right I will not be sitting in the House until such time as I'm elected and I'm looking forward to having that happen as soon as possible.
Right after applying a little correction she points out on the matter of her not sitting in the House - that Cochrane is absolutely right. Wow - she gave Cochrane that one - imagine he was right that she would not be sitting in the House. It was a perfect display of patting the child on the head and encouraging them for at least getting half of his statement right.
Secondly of course is the false and misleading statement that she's looking forward to getting elected as soon as possible. Clearly Ms. Manning has chosen to avoid that opportunity - and very publicly so. The Minister is NOT listening to the people and neither is Premier Davis. It is abundantly clear the people want her to seek election now - in one of the by-elections. That will not happen.
On the continued claim that Minister Manning is under unusual scrutiny - well yes if you compare it to an elected MHA moving into a Ministerial portfolio. The people of the province usually provide a honeymoon period - wherein they mostly overlook flubs - however - this individual received an extraordinary appointment. When the Premier reached outside the body elect and plucked this person out of thin air - there is no honeymoon - as the extraordinary talents and experience she must possess for such an extraordinary appointment would mean she's hit the ground running right?
To date Minister Manning is not demonstrating a real talent for listening - instead the message seems to be - look at me - I am polished - listen to me - I am well-spoken - and by all means understand that I empathize with anybody beneath my station. Arrogance and unjustified superiority? Ms. Manning comes across as feeling entitled - and as such why should she have to justify anything?
Ms. Manning does not seem to understand the basic premise of her position. She is there to serve the people not to address her subjects from a respectable distance.
Showing posts with label pork barrel politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pork barrel politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Saturday, February 04, 2012
VOCM - Voice of Conservative Media
Welcome to Tim Powers the latest to join the Voice of Conservative Media
I wonder what his take will be on Nalcor and the Need for Power for Canada?
I wonder what his take will be on Nalcor and the Need for Power for Canada?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Reason for Apathy in Politics
Senator Lavigne guilty of fraud, breach of trust
11/03/2011 1:28:51 PM
CBC News
An Ontario Superior Court judge has found Senator Raymond Lavigne guilty of fraud related to false travel expenses and breach of trust for having his staff do work at his home.
An Ontario Superior Court judge has found Senator Raymond Lavigne guilty of fraud related to false travel expenses and breach of trust for having his staff do work at his home.
On the fraud charge, Judge Robert Smith found Lavigne guilty of defrauding the government of $10,120.50.
He determined that Lavigne "knowingly submitted false claims" for reimbursement of expenses for car travel between Ottawa and Montreal. Smith found that Lavigne made claims for costs he had not incurred.
He was overpaid in some reimbursement claims, "thereby affecting the government's pecuniary interest."
Since he was barred from the Senate in 2007, Lavigne has cost taxpayers more than $700,000.
Bev Oda et al
There's a case against the government for breach of privilege after it refused to hand over detailed cost estimates of its anti-crime agenda, and a minister may have misled MPs, House of Commons Speaker Peter Milliken said Wednesday in a ruling reasserting Parliament's authority.
Milliken ruled there was a "prima facie breach of privilege" -- in other words, enough evidence to send two separate motions back to MPs to decide the next step.
One motion complained the government is refusing to give financial information to the House and the other alleged International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda may have misled a Commons committee.
Milliken ruled there was a "prima facie breach of privilege" -- in other words, enough evidence to send two separate motions back to MPs to decide the next step.
One motion complained the government is refusing to give financial information to the House and the other alleged International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda may have misled a Commons committee.
For the first time dealmaker Karlheinz Schreiber sits down in front of television cameras to answer questions about his secretive past and about his relationship with former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Schreiber goes on the record to tell Linden MacIntyre about the $300,000 the former Prime Minister received from him, where that money came from and the fallout, both public and private, that ensued from it.
The program illustrates why their relationship was so controversial and why numerous questions about it have remained unanswered until now.
The program illustrates why their relationship was so controversial and why numerous questions about it have remained unanswered until now.
The sponsorship scandal tainted members of the Liberal Party and politics in Quebec. In its aftermath, there have been a few convictions and in Parliament, there came a call for the politicians to find ways to govern with accountability.
It all started with rumours and whispers about a fund that had been set up in the wake of the 1995 referendum on Quebec sovereignty to help promote federalism. The money was supposed to be used to raise Canada's profile in Quebec.
- DETAILS: Gomery Report's major findings
But it wasn't clear how the money was handed out: there were no application forms for this fund that was supposed to help pay the costs of social and cultural events and programs. There were rumours that the money was little more than a vehicle to reward loyal Liberal supporters.
By the early spring of 2002, then prime minister Jean Chrétien was forced to address the issue. The Globe and Mail – under the Access to Information Act – tried to find out why the government paid $550,000 to advertising firm Groupaction Marketing for a report that could not be found. No one at Public Works or the company could explain it.
Jim Walsh, a former Liberal cabinet minister in Newfoundland and Labrador, has been sentenced to 22 months in jail for his part in a spending scandal that rocked the province.
The other former politicians who have already been convicted of fraud-related charges in the spending scandal include:
- Wally Andersen, former Liberal, who received 15 months jail time.
- Randy Collins, former New Democrat, who will be sentenced Jan. 15.
- Ed Byrne, former Progressive Conservative, who was sentenced to two years, less a day.
Independent MLA Trevor Zinck and former members Richard Hurlburt, Russell MacKinnon and David Wilson all face charges of fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.
Zinck also faces two counts of theft over $5,000.
British Columbia's premier was fined $913 US (about $1,350 Cdn) Monday after pleading no contest to a drunk driving charge in Hawaii.
Gordon Campbell was not in the court for the hearing. He was represented by a lawyer, who paid the penalty on his behalf.
"Mr. Campbell is sufficiently embarrassed and ashamed for what he did, as well he should be," said Maui District Judge Reinette Cooper.
The premier was also ordered to take part in a 14-hour substance abuse program, and undergo an assessment for alcoholism. His lawyer said Campbell has already completed both in Canada.
Maui police arrested Campbell Jan. 10 as he returned from the home of friends. They said he was speeding and swerving on the highway. Campbell's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit, according to court records.
appointments handed out by the Conservative government over the past two years.
Liberal MPs Wayne Easter and Alexandra Mendes handed out "patronage awards" to various Conservative MPs, ministers and senators during a news conference in Ottawa on Tuesday.
The MPs said Prime Minister Stephen Harper keeps appointing Tory insiders to plum positions despite his campaign pledge to end such practices.
"The message is clear: If you run for the Conservatives, work for the Conservatives and give to the Conservatives, they will reward you with paid gigs backed by taxpayer dollars," Easter said.
Easter cited 386 job appointments since 2008 that went to Tories, which he said represented about a fifth of federal appointments since the last election.
It's been a steady parade of Progressive Conservatives getting provincial government appointments since the Alward government took power last fall.
Don Desserud, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, said the Tories should put a halt to all the patronage appointments.
"In terms of the public's expectations this is not exactly what they thought was going to happen and therefore there is going to be disappointment," Desserud said.
When the Tories were on the opposition benches, Alward and his senior MLAs hammered the Liberals for their patronage appointments.
But the Alward government has not backed away from the trend.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government is being accused of old-style patronage for naming an aide to ex-premier Danny Williams to the offshore oil and gas regulator.
Natural Resources Minister Shawn Skinner shrugged off the criticism Thursday, saying Elizabeth Matthews, former communications director for Williams, is a "great" choice for vice-chairperson of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board.
Opposition parties and environmental observers pounced on the fact Matthews has no obvious environmental or offshore qualifications.
Skinner didn´t deny that lack of experience. Instead, he stressed that Matthews is a communicator who understands the inner workings of government policy.
Natural Resources Minister Shawn Skinner shrugged off the criticism Thursday, saying Elizabeth Matthews, former communications director for Williams, is a "great" choice for vice-chairperson of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board.
Opposition parties and environmental observers pounced on the fact Matthews has no obvious environmental or offshore qualifications.
Skinner didn´t deny that lack of experience. Instead, he stressed that Matthews is a communicator who understands the inner workings of government policy.
A former Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet minister has vowed to repay tens of thousands of dollars used to pay for wine, art and other items.
Paul Dicks, a finance and justice minister in former Liberal governments, said in a statement Thursday he will voluntarily pay back sums cited last month in a scathing report by Auditor General John Noseworthy.
Noseworthy found that Dicks had claimed $59,753 in artwork during the 1998 and 2000 fiscal years, and had also claimed over a number of years alcohol purchases — including imported wine — totalling $34,145.
Dicks's alcohol purchases, none of which involved meals, were by far the largest charges of their kind in Noseworthy's review of 15 years of constituency allowance claims.
The audit found Dicks claimed jewelry, books and a Cartier pen through his allowance. Dicks was one of nine politicians found to have used constituency allowance funds on personal items.
May 31, 2005
Identifying the challenges and optimizing the opportunities in the business community are key to the future success of Newfoundland and Labrador, said Premier Danny Williams today as he announced the establishment of the Business Advisory Board. The board will provide advice to the Premier and government regarding matters of economic development and business in the province.
"The establishment of this board will complement the Department of Business and will perform the important function of advising government of the trends of today’s economy and the future possibilities for our economy," said Premier Williams. "I am very pleased that some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most dynamic, experienced and successful business people have agreed to participate on the Business Advisory Board. Membership consists of a wide cross-section of regions and industries such as IT, tourism, communications and the service industry."
The newly established Business Advisory Board will report to the Department of Business and will meet throughout the year and provide advice and recommendations to government.
"The establishment of this board will complement the Department of Business and will perform the important function of advising government of the trends of today’s economy and the future possibilities for our economy," said Premier Williams. "I am very pleased that some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most dynamic, experienced and successful business people have agreed to participate on the Business Advisory Board. Membership consists of a wide cross-section of regions and industries such as IT, tourism, communications and the service industry."
The newly established Business Advisory Board will report to the Department of Business and will meet throughout the year and provide advice and recommendations to government.
(one of the appointments)
Dean MacDonald
In August 2004, Mr. MacDonald became President and Chief Executive Officer of Persona Communications Corp., a privately-held company with national outlets in cablevision and Internet services. In the past, Mr. MacDonald has served in the capacity of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Rogers Cable Inc. and President of Cable Atlantic Inc., where he was a Director and minority shareholder for 18 years.
In August 2004, Mr. MacDonald became President and Chief Executive Officer of Persona Communications Corp., a privately-held company with national outlets in cablevision and Internet services. In the past, Mr. MacDonald has served in the capacity of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Rogers Cable Inc. and President of Cable Atlantic Inc., where he was a Director and minority shareholder for 18 years.
So then what happened - well there was the fibre-optic cash - that the Auditor General just questioned. That was after the two, Dean and Danny under Cable Atlantic benefitted from another government contract when Brian Tobin was in office.
After both contracts the companies were sold/merged with mainland firms.
Then there are the lies and lies - broken promises etc.
Harper - equalization
Williams - paper mills
Harper - Income Trusts
Williams - redress the Upper Churchill
Harper - elected senate
Williams - openness and accountability resource developments
Harper - no more patronage
Williams - transparency
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
We are so Lucky that the Filthy Rich will work for Free
Have we really sunk this low?
Our democracy in both Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador is at risk - and ironically at a time when countries that have suffered decades of dictators are struggling, fighting, and giving their lives to achieve freedom.
Oh we should be ashamed as our people have already paid the price to achieve this precarious assembly of rights and freedoms that we allow our politicians to so recklessly dismantle it. And what is our response? Apathy and a feeling of hopelessness or just laziness - as we let others make decisions so threatening to our future.
We are lead around by a partisan harness ready to jump on anybody for trying to protect the future of our children - who are depending on our participation for their very survival. Whose responsibility is it to ensure proper development of precious natural resources? We cannot respond - that is what we elect governments for - what if that government is not acting in our best interests? How would we know?
Today - we are witnessing such abhorrent behavior like the patronage appointment of Elizabeth Matthews - following a string of many years of such appointments to various government posts. We are witnessing contracts to Williams old law firm and fibre-optic presents. Federally we have a Prime Minister who lied to this province and now a Prime Minister who leads a party that broke the law - regarding of all things the Elections Act.
These people - your governments and political representatives no longer respect the people. They treat us like fools - they treat us with disdain - they treat us as an unfortunate blockage between natural resources we own and the multi-millionaires who want every piece of it.
Who do you believe would get a meeting first - one of us people or a corporation wanting a piece of the action?
We are only necessary to flock like sheep to the polling booth election after election - so that when the polls close the faceless nameless greed can start up again and enjoy sipping from our wealth served in great portions by the people we elect to represent us.
How much is enough? It is never enough - these leaches will not stop sucking until every drip of life is taken from this wonderful place. They will not stop - they will send in lobbyists, or set-up one of their own to do their bidding in the peoples House of Assembly. They will crawl around in the backrooms of arrogant power - at all times trying to separate you from your future in order that they may take it.
We have people in this province who do not have two nickels to rub together - struggling week over week - but will trip over each other to go cheer for some politician or another.
We have half a million people living here and probably many times more than that who have been forced to leave their home to find work while filthy rich "shareholders" sit in ivory towers somewhere counting our wealth - that has been shuffled to their pockets.
We have been stripped of our forests, fish, water resources (hydro), minerals, communities, and people. We have been stripped of our pride and through social experimentation by people like Dr. Doug House slowly disappointed - just slow enough to avoid a political uprising.
I remember when the Liberals privatized a good number of our provincial parks. Natural areas of leisure for our families - built by the taxpayers and then unceremoniously dumped to the private sector who now treat these vast tracks of land and natural wealth as their own. Oh boy - Tom Osborne went off his head - he vowed to get them back. I guess that did not happen - I'm surprised the rest of the pristine areas have not yet been turned over to golf enthusiasts.
How much did it cost to buy the Southlands? How much was the Wilds turned over for? How much is enough? They will never have enough and now they are after more rivers - more power - they will want money from you to fish in a pond or pick a berry on the barrens. They will take and take and take - while we are expected to worship the filthy rich while they continue to work for "free". Free indeed - stop this now or you will not own the bit of ground you walk on - or the water that either surrounds you wholly or as a peninsula.
Any body catch the Minister of Fisheries today? Every day - day in - day out - they continue to walk over us until there is nothing left. Are you sure you want that outcome?
Our democracy in both Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador is at risk - and ironically at a time when countries that have suffered decades of dictators are struggling, fighting, and giving their lives to achieve freedom.
Oh we should be ashamed as our people have already paid the price to achieve this precarious assembly of rights and freedoms that we allow our politicians to so recklessly dismantle it. And what is our response? Apathy and a feeling of hopelessness or just laziness - as we let others make decisions so threatening to our future.
We are lead around by a partisan harness ready to jump on anybody for trying to protect the future of our children - who are depending on our participation for their very survival. Whose responsibility is it to ensure proper development of precious natural resources? We cannot respond - that is what we elect governments for - what if that government is not acting in our best interests? How would we know?
Today - we are witnessing such abhorrent behavior like the patronage appointment of Elizabeth Matthews - following a string of many years of such appointments to various government posts. We are witnessing contracts to Williams old law firm and fibre-optic presents. Federally we have a Prime Minister who lied to this province and now a Prime Minister who leads a party that broke the law - regarding of all things the Elections Act.
These people - your governments and political representatives no longer respect the people. They treat us like fools - they treat us with disdain - they treat us as an unfortunate blockage between natural resources we own and the multi-millionaires who want every piece of it.
Who do you believe would get a meeting first - one of us people or a corporation wanting a piece of the action?
We are only necessary to flock like sheep to the polling booth election after election - so that when the polls close the faceless nameless greed can start up again and enjoy sipping from our wealth served in great portions by the people we elect to represent us.
How much is enough? It is never enough - these leaches will not stop sucking until every drip of life is taken from this wonderful place. They will not stop - they will send in lobbyists, or set-up one of their own to do their bidding in the peoples House of Assembly. They will crawl around in the backrooms of arrogant power - at all times trying to separate you from your future in order that they may take it.
We have people in this province who do not have two nickels to rub together - struggling week over week - but will trip over each other to go cheer for some politician or another.
We have half a million people living here and probably many times more than that who have been forced to leave their home to find work while filthy rich "shareholders" sit in ivory towers somewhere counting our wealth - that has been shuffled to their pockets.
We have been stripped of our forests, fish, water resources (hydro), minerals, communities, and people. We have been stripped of our pride and through social experimentation by people like Dr. Doug House slowly disappointed - just slow enough to avoid a political uprising.
I remember when the Liberals privatized a good number of our provincial parks. Natural areas of leisure for our families - built by the taxpayers and then unceremoniously dumped to the private sector who now treat these vast tracks of land and natural wealth as their own. Oh boy - Tom Osborne went off his head - he vowed to get them back. I guess that did not happen - I'm surprised the rest of the pristine areas have not yet been turned over to golf enthusiasts.
How much did it cost to buy the Southlands? How much was the Wilds turned over for? How much is enough? They will never have enough and now they are after more rivers - more power - they will want money from you to fish in a pond or pick a berry on the barrens. They will take and take and take - while we are expected to worship the filthy rich while they continue to work for "free". Free indeed - stop this now or you will not own the bit of ground you walk on - or the water that either surrounds you wholly or as a peninsula.
Any body catch the Minister of Fisheries today? Every day - day in - day out - they continue to walk over us until there is nothing left. Are you sure you want that outcome?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Is this a Pork Barrel?
A pork barrel,The term is commonly used as a political metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents or campaign contributors.
Let's look at the situation in its very basic form.
According to government - they wanted to own strands on a fibre optic network.
According to Dean MacDonald a consortium of Persona - MTS Allstream - and Rogers wanted to build a second fibre optic infrastructure in the province.
Aliant currently operates one fibre optic facility.
If government wants to own strands - then issue a Request for Proposals outlining specifically what government wants - for how long - including what additional services and maintenance may be required.
No - not here - not in Newfoundland and Labrador - the place of Kings - where our piece of geography is essentially owned and controlled by various families.
There is no consortium! There is an owner of the new fibre-optic infrastructure (Persona) and clients purchasing/renting/leasing strands.
It was pointed out originally by government that the consortium of MTS Allstream - Rogers - and Persona required government investment. It was later learned - that was based on a consultant's (Electronic Warfare Associates - Canada Ltd.) report which stated in part:
"Persona has declined to disclose its financial statements for the reason that they are privately held company and that they are involved in many other projects in other parts of the country which are not of concern to this project."
I guess Bragg Communications had no problem having a look before they agreed to buy them right?
This is it in a nutshell - Dean MacDonald wanted Persona to build and own a fibre optic network in Newfoundland and Labrador. He found two parties who would buy/rent/lease strands from the new infrastructure - he then wanted the government to invest 15 million in the deal - thereby gaining another client for the strands and additional value for Persona. That does not include the maintenance management fee and risk for catastrophic failure + renegotiated positions in 20 years.
Dean asked his buddy's government for the investment and got it. Now Persona is being sold having just reached the legal deal with government for the initial investment and other services. Dean will gain personally from his buddy's government investment.
The government should not have travelled this route and should have issued an RFP. There is more than a potential conflict here - there is an ethical conflict.
Dean MacDonald having brokered the deal with his buddy's government - is now involved in the sale of that same company to a wholly owned subsidiary of Bragg Communications in Nova Scotia.
The best part is - they only just signed the legal papers - yet the network is almost built. The Auditor General is "reviewing" the deal - but the legal papers are signed.
Regardless of the advantages Williams or Taylor espouse regarding cost savings - there was no reason for an RFP not to be issued - and there is no proof that an RFP would not have netted a better deal.
We were clearly told that all parties who could be in this "consortium" were. First of all it is not a consortium - secondly - the entirety of Persona is being sold to Bragg Communications - why couldn't they be involved in the so-called original consortium.
This was a flipper for MacDonald who had just come off the sale of Cable Atlantic to Rogers - shortly after invested in the purchase of Persona - and is now flipping it in 2007 - with increased value partially paid for by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
What a crock - people - what a crock.
We have not seen the complete deal with Persona and there are many serious questions that need to be asked - regarding maintenance and equipment to convert the dark fibres to lit fibres - and the risks associated with catastrophic failure. Also - how much of the network (strands) percentage-wise will we but/rent/lease? Will the complete contract be released?
And Trev is on open-line trying to commend the deal.
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