Kudos to Antle and Cochrane - Exercise in Accountability

Rob Antle and Dave Cochrane - two CBC journalists - are to be commended for scratching the surface of PC hypocrisy. Their story today deals with promises made by the Tories in 2003 regarding electoral reform - and the promises broken regarding same. You can read their story HERE.

The bravado and chest-thumping of Danny Williams in 2002-2003 - came with it - promises to do many things differently than the Liberals.

Party leadership contests and the financing of same was absent in legislation and Williams promised to fix it. It did not get fixed.

This is a serious matter - no doubt - but pales in comparison to other promises of change made by then Opposition leader Danny Williams.

These two journalists have begun the process - I hope they continue the probe by reviewing promises on - energy, mining, forestry, and fishery. The people deserve to know - if not by the Tories or Opposition - then by the media - what exactly was promised on natural resource developments.

The information is all there - the only thing missing - the direct questions to the government on why they did not live up to the promises they made.

The commentary on the fishery, the paper mills, the mining sector, and energy was very aggressive and designed to make people believe that we would get more benefits under natural resource development than we would have under the Liberals.

The continued pouncing on the governing Liberals by Williams and rat-pack was specific and aimed toward the ear of the voter.

What should we have expected over the decade that followed 2003? How many long-term jobs from industrial development? How many projects where "construction" was not the objective - but permanent well paying trades positions was the objective?

The Tories have stripped away at the value of resources for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, they have ushered in closures of many industrial operations, failed to improve our place in Canada, and squandered billions of our oil revenues.

So hats off to Cochrane and Antle - let's keep the accountability coming.

I do have one small critique - you state that, "This is the party’s first contested leadership race in nearly two decades, and the first chance for the Tories to play by the rules they promised to implement while in opposition." 

It's not a contested race yet.

Students from St. John's Metro bussed to Rural Communities?

So there are empty seats in some of our rural schools.

Some of these facilities are fairly new or renovated.

Why not send kids from Mount Pearl, St. John's, and Paradise to such schools that fall within a 45 minute trip - one way.

In this way we can sustain essential K-12 in our rural areas and cut down on the need to build new schools in St. John's Metro.

On this point - are we currently sending youth who have been expelled from St. John's Metro to schools in rural communities nearby?

I want to see our new big, bold, and bulging new catch-all singular school board be creative and use the facilities we already have.

Surely the urban crowd should do their bit to be efficient and support our outports.

What are the economics around this proposal?

Dangerous highways and roads in Newfoundland and Labrador

Since posting

Tracey's Disgraces - The Roads to Aquaculture and Energy 

I have received dozens of emails and comments to the blog on other regions of Newfoundland and Labrador with less than adequate and in most cases outright dangerous roads and highways. 

Let everybody in our province get a visual of your roads and highways. 

Send your emails and pics to sue.kellanddyer@gmail.com 

I will post them on the blog - and you can remain anonymous if you are fearful of repercussion.

Clearly this "have" province has a long way to go before really being able to boast that title. 

A mathematical equation created by Ottawa to direct equalization where it wants is not the same as "real" progress in our province. 

Thanks for all your comments,

Sue

Rural Broadband Initiative expanded - how about the bundles?

The people of St. John's Metro and larger regional centres are inundated with bundles.

How does one get a bundle if they use one company for telephone and then need another for highspeed?

What about those who want the Aliant connection as they have always had for their telephone - however Aliant only has dialup in the area?

Rural initiatives? Forced choice? Surely it is not equal access right?

Danny, Dean, and Brian Flip this Utility.

Still is a "Solid Gold" idea - right?

Make it expensive, make it confusing, make it political, make the system unstable.

Somebody is getting rich and you are paying the tab.

Regional Cooperation = Robbing Newfoundland and Labrador

The word "regional" flows from the lips of our provincial Tories much too loosely.

First of all I must remind each and every one of you accepting a salary from us and stating that for that salary you represent us - that your job is NOT regional growth.

Nova Scotia - New Brunswick - Prince Edward Island and Quebec "region' have their own politicians as well as federal representatives.

Regional to us has meant - the giveaway of the Upper Churchill, the giveaway of fisheries stocks, the giveaway of our people, the giveaway of our secondary processing of minerals, and the giveaway of refining for our top grade oil.

Regional cooperation has not returned resources and people from other provinces including the "region".

We have sent our people to Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia,  and Prince Edward Island for work. What do they do? Well they process and refine fish, oil, gas, and minerals in these provinces.

We have sent 5000 MW's of power to Quebec at outrageous prices and in return they have created tens of thousands of jobs that we cannot qualify for.

We do not have the transportation infrastructure that other provinces in our region do. In fact our transportation has seen the elimination of railway, inadequate ferry service to Canada, and inadequate search and rescue assets.

We do not have the population growth and size of other provinces and yet we continue to export raw resources and minerals.

Now they want cooperation in order they may take even more hydro resources. We will subsidize power going to Nova Scotia. Why? They (Ottawa included) feel that Muskrat Falls is a good project so we can do OUR SHARE in the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Listen up - the 5000 MW's 5 BILLION Watts that we send from the Upper Churchill is the largest per-capita contribution to greening up in Canada. It is now time to do what we do for us.

We cannot be a "have province" in a region of "have-nots" that have more jobs, people, and infrastructure that we do. Where is our equivalent population growth or where is the lowering of our average age?

How about our cooperation on our fisheries resources?

What did we ultimately get in return? What did we give up? What other provinces benefited from the giveaway of fish stocks to foreign nations? How many communities have we lost?

Tourism numbers - how many tourists in the other provinces in our region? How many do we see?

Regional cooperation has always been a one way benefit and it has not been for us.

Tell me - what have we received from our historic cooperation (giveaway) of our resources? Nothing other than loss of communities, resources, and people.

Then there is Labrador - what can I say? Missing one gold plated highway, search and rescue resources, two smelters, four refineries, and hydro power for all communities.

Define Moratorium

Moratorium - A SUSPENSION of Activity

So that's where we are? A suspension of activity?

This suspension of activity has caused the loss of over 40,000 people from our province.
This suspension of activity has caused the death or near-death of some rural communities.
This suspension of activity has caused the loss of relationships and breakup of families.
This suspension of activity has caused the closure of secondary related business and industry.

Moratorium sounds so - clinical - and in some ways hopeful.

This word is not appropriate for the loss of our cod fishery/ground stocks.
This word does not do justice in defining the catastrophic damage caused due to "suspension" of activity.

Somehow Canada - Ottawa - the Feds - have convinced many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that it's our fault or at the least we are partially to blame.

Listening to Canada - or federal politicians from other provinces make this claim - is - what I can expect. Listening to our own politicians and experts making the same claim is sickening.

So how did Canadian and Newfoundland and Labrador politicians get away with the largest socio/enviro mess ever seen in this country?

1. Announce a moratorium in 1992 and claim that stocks will recover - should have been fixed by 2002. (DID NOT HAPPEN)

2. Announce programs to bridge the gap for fishermen, plantworkers, and communities (DID NOT begin to COVER LOSS)

3. Increase Fisheries Science (DID NOT HAPPEN)

4. Retirement Packages (DID NOT HAPPEN)

5. Then they slowly got us used to words like rationalization, down-sizing, and right-sizing - carefully explaining to us that the fishery was never meant to handle that many people. (BUNK)

6. From there we went to dumping FPI and eliminating marketing.

7. They closed one plant - most other plants and workers shut-up - they feared they would be next.

8. They have and continue to pit one community against another.

9. Downloading federal fishery support services to the province.

10. Pit offshore against inshore - recreational against commercial.

11. Use municipal politicians by offering pavement, arenas, tourism dollars, and water/sewer.

12. Commit to one study after another to delay any real action.

13. Pit urban residents against rural residents.

14. Promote and focus on non-renewable oil assets.

15. Above all - convince us - we were greedy, we took all the fish, and we destroyed ourselves.

16. Marginalize people like Gus Etchegary and Phil Earle.

17. Eliminate the people left with EI changes.

18. Give all fish to kingpins.

19. Over utilization of other stocks.

All of this while the FACT remains that management was the responsibility of the federal government. They were negligent. As a result we were harmed. Therefore we need compensation. 1 billion a year until the stocks return.

The Ministers of Fishery we have had federal and provincial are too gutless, ignorant, or complicit to do what is needed.

The Joy of Industrial Collapse - Dunderdale/Harper Alliance

I can only sit in amazement as I watch politicians attempt to turn another fiasco into a blessing.

One mill down - ah that's alright - in fact it's better for the region.

Two mills down - ah that's alright - we will attract more by not having the mill here.

Three mills down - sure that's a hat trick - great all round.

One fish plant goes - fine makes the other ones stronger.

Two plants down - rationalization is occurring - Great!

Three plants down - marvelous let's do more aquaculture.

Four plants down - now we are getting somewhere.

Five plants down - well you knew that would happen.

Six plants down - perfect St. John`s and Mount Pearl are booming!!

Now with all this industry gone - we will surely need more power - don`t you see it?

While we are at it - let's downsize Search and Rescue surely this must be good.

Or better yet let's back out of 70 billion in federal shipbuilding work because Kiewit is too busy - that's good news right? 

How about cuts to the Canada Food Inspection Agency in Newfoundland and Labrador - great - marvelous!

Cuts to DFO - fisheries science - yay!

How about the loss of Veteran's Affairs office in Corner Brook - rolls right along with the mill. Perfect!

How about ACOA and the federal parks - downsize - rightsize - marginalize Newfoundland and Labrador - hip hip hooray!

How about cuts to the community access programs - Yes that is wonderful news for rural towns!

Now let's focus on EI - yes that will help Newfoundland and Labrador.

Or maybe the (un)equalization formula - made in Quebec to punish Newfoundland and Labrador.

So what's next? Old Harry?

Can't wait the future looks very bright indeed.

We can be the hippest, coolest, youngest province to become non-existent.

Stop being so negative - emphasize all these positives!! 

The Romance is Over - NL on Death Watch

As I sat down the other morning - looked at the beautiful blue sky and dancing ocean - something happened.

I was listening to CBC Radio to a story about Quinlan's fishplant in Bay de Verde. Primarily it was regarding the import of workers from Thailand to process crab.

The "shock" value is they could not find 20 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to take the employment - rate of pay $12/hr.

Here are my questions:

1. How much does it cost to bring 20 Thai workers to Canada?

2. How much does it cost to house and feed them?

3. Where is the FFAW on this story?

4. What is up people?

So I gulped hard and listened to another story about an Otto Young from Twillingate and how he has essentially turned an old beauty salon and couple of outbuildings into cabins for tourists looking for icebergs and scenery.

It also talked about Otto's later in life discovery that he was a model boat builder and artist. Very folksy, charming, and romantic - it really turned my stomach.

Yes that's right - it made me feel ill.

There is nothing charming, quaint, or pleasantly poetic about a place - my country - Newfoundland and Labrador becoming extinct.

I am actually tired - exhausted - from fighting for the survival of one of the greatest food baskets in the world - our fishery.

The story about Otto would have normally warmed my heart and promoted feelings of pride - but today - after a month where we've seen a half dozen fish plants were eulogized - it just rubbed me very wrong.

I watch Darin King - the latest political clone of ineptness - blabber on and on about nothing and everything. I - Darin - am a Minister - and may yet be the next Premier - thinks he.

The ladies, Kathy - Joan - and Susan are like a trio of hen peckers on a partisan journey of retribution. They have the power to destroy and so far a fine job is being done.

Kathy was muttering something the other day about Harper and the fact he represents all Canadians whether they voted for him or not. Well Kathy - if he took a page from your book he would learn he is not being vengeful enough. 

So now we are on death watch for the Corner Brook mill - time for the violinists to begin.

The same old garbage will spew - it is not the end for Corner Brook - we will recover - we will recover.

Meanwhile as more industries are lost weekly - the apparent need for power increases?

We must take our collective ostrich head out of the sand and boot these people out. We are going to leave nothing but debt and leave our children and grandchildren destitute.

Our culture so rich and unique - disappearing - under the watchful eye of the House of Assembly.

Emera Party carries on in Barbados - Stop this Deal!

Listen up all Newfoundland and Labrador MHA's - for once - just once actually commit to due diligence.

Is Emera - a company we want to do business with?

The last post dealt with growing tensions in Nova Scotia and the party hearty Emera executives.

This post takes the party further south as we go "Island Hopping" with Emera.

What a mess Newfoundland and Labrador - and this is something we avoided years ago. Do not let this company into our province. They are already in and buying local companies - stop this now.

The Halifax Media Co-op contains a very telling story on Emera: Read Full Article Press Here

Here are some snippets:

Emera, the Nova Scotia-based company with a penchant for electricity generation, moved fast onto the scene in Barbados, purchasing a 38 per cent share in the largely nationally-owned BLP in May 2010, and another 41 per cent in January 2011. When shares in BLP were trading at $12 on the Barbados stock market, Emera, which has been making ambitious purchases and clocking record profits since 2010, offered BLP shareholders $25 per share – an offer they could not refuse.

Later, an investigation by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), Barbados' regulatory body, suggested that BLP shares were devastatingly undervalued, and should have been priced in the $40-50 range. Writers at “Barbados Underground”, one of the nations' most read independent media sites, suspected something was amiss with the deal. The FTC, as regulator of BLP's power rates prior to the sale to Emera, would have been well informed of BLP's assets and net worth. To emerge post-sale saying that Emera had purchased a more valuable company than they thought they had is suspicious indeed.

This isn't Emera's first Caribbean purchase, nor is it Emera's first brush with controversy in the islands. The company already has a controlling interest in the Grand Bahamas Power Company, the monopoly service provider to about 20,000 customers on the island of Grand Bahama. Purchased in 2009, its relationships on the island of Grand Bahamas have been anything but easy. Operation Justice Bahamas (OJB), a grassroots organization, has gathered over 5,000 signatures from disgruntled customers who have cried foul over skyrocketing power bills.
OJB's actions forced the Bahamian government into action, and an investigation into Emera's business practices, including hundreds of allegations of overpricing, “guess-timation,” and destructive power surges, is ongoing. Sarah MacDonald, Emera's chief officer in the Caribbean, suggested that difficulties in meter reading were related to the fact that over 8,000 Bahamians did not have a postal address, an allegation that OJB dismisses as a “slap in the face.”
OJB is hoping the governmental investigation is the first step towards a class-action lawsuit against Emera.

“They are, in my words, driving the people into poverty. And they are causing people to lose business.” says Troy Garvey of OJB.

 “People are crying out every day” because of the skyrocketing power bills in the Barbados, says Carson Cardogan. “They're writing letters to the newspapers and the call-in programs. And it's having a very deleterious effect on the lives of many Barbadians.”

For the moment, Bahamians and Barbadians, and Nova Scotians, find themselves beholden to Emera's bottom line, a situation that to some – such as Abitibi, NewPage and their hundreds of out of work employees – has already become untenable. Nova Scotians will remember that two of NSPI's largest industrial clients, prior to massive downsizing and bailouts in the case of Abitibi, and bankruptcy in the case of Newpage, made very public mention of the fact that escalating power bills were driving them to ruin. While critics of the two companies suggested mismanagement as the more likely cause of their dire straights, it does beg the question, in Nova Scotia and beyond...

Is Emera bad for business?

Below please read a comment from a citizen of Barbados:

But Mr. Howe…you put a smile *smirk* on my face with your words. Guess I am not such a “fraud” any more when I question what is going on at Barbados Light & Power since Emera raised its head in these parts. Heard through the grapevine too…and please! this might only be a rumour but…Emera has stopped all their great and promised plans to upgrade Barbados Light & Power’s plant – some of them literally in mid-air for they were actually started under local contractors. Everyone just sent home overnight…no reason, no date for recommencing, no nutting. Because of this, the island is running out of power in a kind of a way, and they (BL&P) “has a plan” – to shut off certain pockets of areas across the island in order to save power…so homes and businesses are sometimes going a whole day without electricity.

Of course, we all know rumours run rampant in these little islands…so whilst I am it…here’s another…rumour also has it that Emera are the ones basically demanding yet another hike in rates. Or else? No more upgrading is the answer – that is what!!.

Oh! but that is not all …there are worse rumours…one being that Emera saw in Barbados a gullible lot of people, easy pickings as they say, and moved in swiftly to take the sheep by their ropes ’cause there were no horns to worry about.

But then…what do I know…just a consumer is all I am…and one who every time she screams about what kind of bills I am paying, is made to feel that it is all because I do not wish to pay my same and love to just keep power on willy-nilly. What gets to me is that yes! I have done all the tests, turning off this and that and testing how fast the metre turn round and round, had a professional electrician at my side too….and there is absolutely nothing wrong with my equipment….even went away for a month and turned everything off, pulled every plug and only left on one energy saving fridge (well excuse me fuh dat!)…and still got an enormous bill.

So to raise a bill from a fluctuating bill that approximates $300 a month in 2009, to $700 in 2010, to $1,800 (US is half those amounts Mr. Lowe) in 2011 (by the way the latter amount when the price of oil was down, down, down) when all we at this residence have done is make further adjustments to “save on energy” still does not seem right to me, and personally I do not feel it takes a rocket scientist to figure that out! Hence my veins bursting at the seams. Mostly I guess because I doan like de smell of rat!!!

What is worse and even ‘chuped’ as we say in the islands…is that when comparing with consumers who are using more, their bills are less in many instances. Mind you, companies are suffering something even worse…one business not too far from where I live got a whopping $23,000 bill this last month as compared to about half of that from the previous. I see this as targeting certain homes and businesses on some months in certain areas – a sort of “let’s play the dopes” strategy. The ‘interim bill’ being the great umbrella under which much is hidden. Let us continue to confuse the sheep syndrome if you ask me. And all this time, Emera and the BL&P seem not to be concerned whether Barbadians will lose jobs when companies can no longer afford to run, or when Barbadians like myself will have to rely on candles, gas stoves and no fridge. Because they are now apparently saying “give the rates a hike or else”. Back to the dark ages we go on this wonderfully developed Caribbean island of ours and that will definitely augur well with our tourism business…our biggest earner when it comes to dollars and no sense!

Those who love Emera now, raise yuh hand!! Those who think that Emera and BL&P gine get their way again, also raise yuh hand! I simply rest my case and shall wait with bated breath to see what happens over the next few weeks, months, possibly years.

By the way my fellow countrymen, the real worrying rumour is…there is not enough power to deal with Barbados coming out of BL&P….hmmm.
___________________________________________________

So Newfoundlanders and Labradorians - please look very closely at this proposed deal and shut it down.

Do not let yet another offshore Corporate control any of our natural renewable resources.

Premier Prepared to Punish People of Marystown?

Watching Kathy Dunderdale threaten Kiewit on the news the other night would be laughable if not so terribly serious.

The Premier suggested that she or "we" would not be held hostage to a company - and if the company did not back off - she would shop the contract outside the province.

If she punishes Kiewit and builds a ferry or ferries outside the province - who does she think will hurt?

How much did Kiewit pay for the shipyard?

Yes how much indeed - that was after Friede Goldman Newfoundland filed for bankruptcy protection after themselves buying the yard for a buck from the province.

This government seems hell-bent on punishing our people or at other times local companies.

Where was this punitive position when Kiewit dropped our chance at 20 billion in work from the feds?

As I recall the government particularly the Premier and Minister for Business thought it was wonderful as that meant Kiewit was so busy with work in the province that they could not entertain billions of dollars in federal work.

The Premier now seems determined to get rid of that problem and maybe move that work offshore.

From the Hansard April 12th 2011 

MR. DALLEY: Mr. Speaker, the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy has been ongoing for a number of years. Our government and my department have been fully engaged with Peter Kiewit Sons through a series of meetings, discussions, and very open communication. We were advised late last week that Peter Kiewit Sons has decided to withdraw from the process.


They have cited publicly that their reason for withdrawing is the fact that they have too much work. They are not in a position right now to focus on the bid. As a result of securing some recent contracts and as a result of opportunities that are coming up in the Province, Peter Kiewit Sons feel they want to focus on that work, focus on hiring Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and, Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased with the decision. 
PREMIER DUNDERDALE: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was a young woman growing up in Burin when Marystown Shipyard was constructed. I understand the importance of that facility to all of the people on the Burin Peninsula.

Mr. Speaker, is it not a wonderful thing that Kiewit can walk away from a thirty-five year contract bidding because they are so overwhelmed with work? There is so much going on right here in this Province that they do not have the capacity to take on more work.

What happened to all that love I wonder? Now it's a threat and she may very well remove the work from Marystown.

We are being ripped apart rural community by rural community, industry by industry, resource by resource. 

Water Bomber returns to Seal Cove - Fortune Bay - Fire

The hills remain burning behind Seal Cove Fortune Bay at this hour.

A couple of wind shifts seen the fire start to burn back and up the peninsula.

The Water Bomber has returned to help in the ongoing efforts to quench the blaze.

Dunderdale Government using Hakapik on Local Business

Fisheries Minister Darin King says the PR war between governments and anti-sealing activists is changing. In recent weeks, King has had ”very positive” meetings with two different animal rights groups. — Photo by Joe Gibbons/The Telegram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note that the Fisheries Minister has met more times - in one year - with those attempting to kill our seal fishery than the Minister of Health has met with 65 Newfoundland and Labrador Business Owners over four years.

Government Imposed Contract will Harm Independent Pharmacy - CICPO

 

 

CICPO Release

 

Notice to Editors: 16/04/2012

 

Please be advised that the Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners is preparing information for a News Conference on Thursday or Friday of this week.

This conference will outline the catastrophic losses to independent pharmacy from both the agreement imposed by government and the changes to generic prices forced by legislation. 

 

Please note that an amending agreement was executed on April 14-2012 and delivered to pharmacies yesterday afternoon. 

 

There is no tentative agreement and there is no ratification process for pharmacies.

Initially government stated it was making changes to generic drug pricing and would reinvest in pharmacies. The government has since made further changes in an imposed amending agreement that will see negative changes to the reimbursement of dispensing fees. 

 

Currently there is a “proposal” in place regarding “underserviced” areas regarding an annual reimbursement for qualifying pharmacies. Today there is no agreement on the terms and conditions of such reimbursement.

 

Further the administration for pharmacies respecting the change in their computer systems to reflect the imposed agreement could not be completed between yesterday afternoon and this morning at opening. This is causing significant confusion as patients fill their prescriptions today. 

 

The Council will advise editors of the time and place of the conference and the attendees for interview. 

 

At this point the only comment from the Council is:

 

Phil O’Keefe Director of Third Party Relations CICPO

 

“Our worst fears have materialized; independent pharmacy and the people they serve have been dealt a crippling blow. We are incensed that an agreement was reached without ratification of the businesses it will impact; and in fact was signed by the President of the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, Sandra Carey, who does not own or operate a pharmacy in Newfoundland and Labrador. The government has imposed an agreement which will allow the chain drugstores and mass retailers to survive while inequitably harming independent pharmacy”. 

Our politicians are Lying - Lying - and Lying again!

Everybody loves to see ex-pats return home to Newfoundland and Labrador.

It's the one excitement we get - compared to the pain and anguish of outmigration and the family consequences it brings.

Follow this:

A 35 year old leaves home - the fishery is no longer viable in his/her community. The person moves to Ontario or Alberta for work. At first the family stays behind - they can't sell their home - it's not worth anything anymore. As the months drag on with no prospects of the fishery recovering -those months become years and the family is suffering from the continued absence of a parent or spouse.

That 35 year old is now 38 and is either going through a divorce or is in the process of moving the family to Alberta or Ontario in an effort to save the relationship.

If divorce happens - the family is split - one spouse is trying to keep the homestead going in Newfoundland and Labrador within a community that can not hang on without the fishery. The children will be shuffled across the country - while both spouses seek a new relationship and perhaps a new family.

If the family moves - other family members are left behind. Grandpa and Grandma who planned to live with their children in older years now move into a government subsidized home. Aunts, uncles, and cousins lose touch and lose the all important sense of family that's felt in a rural community.

So far we have the taxpayer and the future generation gone - left behind are retirees that will require more government assistance in order to replace what would have been provided by the family.

Worse the children who have moved away with the parents are no longer going to grow into Newfoundland and Labrador taxpayers and their grandparents needs; medical, transport, and care will be paid for by children of those who have stayed.

So the 35 year old who moved to Alberta and Ontario is lost to our tax base - as they spend productive tax years in another province. They pay for seniors care in Alberta or Ontario and nothing to the care of seniors in this province.

Eventually the 35 year old retires having spent 20 years of productivity somewhere else. Driving the economy of Alberta or Ontario. Driving the population and tax growth. Driving more seats in the House of Commons.

At 65 the person repatriates to Newfoundland and Labrador. They are on retirement income and in a very different tax bracket. As that person gains chronic and then debilitating illnesses - the taxpayer of Newfoundland and Labrador take on the health and drug costs. The taxpayer of Newfoundland and Labrador take on the cost of homecare or residency in a personal care home. The person who left at 35 did not contribute to the tax base for these essential services. That is left to the young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who remain home to work.

As the oil goes and continued resource giveaways come home to roost - young Newfoundlanders and Labradorians cannot afford the tax necessary to maintain essential health, transport, and education services. Off they go - to upper or western Canada while Newfoundland and Labrador slips into economic distress - the Greece of 2041.

Upper Churchill will save us? No it won't and that's why politicians won't and can't deal with the truth.

Canada is like a starving vampire - and the only blood it thirsts is the life-blood of Newfoundland and Labrador - and so far we are keeping it satisfied.

“When truth is replaced by silence,the silence is a lie.”
Yevgeny Yevtushenko

Loyola Sullivan and his "messiah’s fisheries salvation"

Please read below a response by Dr. Phil Earle to Loyola Sullivan's address to the NL Employers' Council. 

The Sullivan's presentations this week, at the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers’ Council’s annual awards luncheon and appearances in the media, has been nothing but public deception. L Sullivan’s speech preposterously pontificated the salvation of our fishing industry and our fisher people. His pronouncements are nothing more than that of a personal, brain locked, cooperate philosophy, one which is destroying our Fishery.

The knowledge that explains the truth in the facts of the references that Mr. Sullivan used to support his messiah’s fisheries salvation of "the only way forward in the fishery’ ' is to modernize it the way I'm telling you', is not the saving of our fisheries future but it’s result will be, if followed, it’s tragedy. This is a destructive corporate philosophy,.. and efforts must be made to try and dissuade the influence it may have on Minister King and our government, dissuade them from giving what’s left of our resource over to OCI.

Imagine the audacity of saying that they know how to save and improve the fishery when they are directly responsible for closing numerous plants in 5 years, pitting our coastal people against each other...Marystown against Fortune, the trawlermen against trawlermen, saying members of the union are at odds with their union leaders. All the while they are sending fish out of here not processed, giving value added jobs by the thousands to elsewhere, and wanting all they can get to be FFT processed or given to Asia raw.

They have pitted industry people against each other, say that the government is harming them and the industry, and that we have an attitude in the province, of fishing like we did in the past and it is holding us back, all of which will destroy the Industry! The fact of it is what they are doing, from their powerful position in the industry, will lead to its total collapse... if.... our governments continue allowing them to rule the roost.

If OCI is allow to dictate the future of how we harvest and process our fish at home, in 10 years they will be out of business themselves, as will the industry as we know it. All that will remain will be the royalties they will receive from having Spanish fleets, and the like, fish their quotas. That is if there is anything left.

Imagine saying our government is not letting them compete with the rest of the world, when it has been their style of ineffectual competing which is destroying the stocks, harvesters, plant workers and their coastal way of life.

I get this image of our fishery... of a sock you missed in the washing machine, which is in the machine the next time you go to wash...a little squeezed up ball at the bottom and you reach in and take it out ....a cold, wet, bedraggled item. Our fishery is this beat up overlooked trashed out piece, of what was once part of something much, much larger, but is now something uncomfortable to touch or be involved with. And we have made it that way.

I hope to god, for the sake of our children and grandchildren that our government sees through this insanity of the ‘running of our fishery’ by the corporate book of modernization and success...because that will be, if permitted, the ruining of the fishery through the monopoly of greed and the insatiable wants of self.

Mother Nature has protected our fish stocks for eons, saving them from predations, diseases, shifts of temperatures and currents, the ice ages and the drift of continents ...but in all her wisdom she is not able to save our fish from fools. Only governments can do that.

Phil Earle

Will the Stock Market govern your Pharmacy Care?

Please take the time to visit the Pharmacy Blog to read the latest on pharmacy.

Today's story deals with what could happen when chain drugstores and mass retailers control pharmacy.

PRESS HERE

Dr. Phil Earle weighs in on OCI and Exporting Policy

Dear Minister King, Jan 31/2012

At a time when both you and the Premier have made comments recently, pertaining to what power or right our government has on influencing NL companies which export our resources, I would like to communicate my concern on our practice of exporting raw and partially processed fish to foreign markets.

No doubt in some situations it would be appropriate for private companies to export raw, or otherwise partially processed products, out of our province. In this situation the company makes a profit, provides some jobs here and generally adds to the GDP of the province. However it is a totally different situation for the province, our government, our GDP and our people if the bulk, or large amounts, of these resources are shipped in this manner.

An example of this point is unfolding right now in our mining industry with the opening of the new mine in Labrador, where one company bidding for the contract, wants to ship out raw ore creating 200 jobs, and another who wants to produce concentrate pellets here creating 1700 jobs. The value added jobs and economic input into the communities of Labrador by our processing of the ore , may not provide the company with a big % of profit, but it will have multiple, far reaching positive affects into the future of the province, even after the mine is gone.

The fisheries equivalent to this situation is the shipping out of our unprocessed and partially processed fish to China and EU countries, such as that which our province is now facing with the OCI. Naturally a company that ships out some raw fish, gets a high % of profit, creates some jobs and adds some value to the province. But shipping out the bulk of our resource in this manner destroys many more jobs then it creates, creates little, or zero, value added affect for our coastal communities and province.

On the other hand a company that processes ashore and then sells to higher end market’s in places like the USA and UK would create 100's of processing and value added jobs, and add over all wealth to our communities and our province. This over all increased value, provided to our people, would further input and strengthen our infrastructure, support and lift our coastal towns and spirit.

Dr. Phil Earle

OCI and Advice to Minister King

Below is a letter to Fisheries Minister Darin King from the Fisheries Community Alliance

January25th/2012

Hon.Darin King,

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture,

St. John's, NL

Dear Minister,

                       Over the last few weeks the request of OCI to export unprocessed fish and the expected response of our Government have occupied the minds of fishery participants in the Province. We understand your decision will be made public in the near future and we therefore wish to consolidate the views of the Fisheries Community Alliance on the subject and inform the Minister accordingly.

1)  Following detailed discussions with marketing experts in Europe, North America and Asia we have identified the current state of resources in various fish exporting countries and the demands of the main importers and exporters of fish products by species in those countries. There is no doubt there is a market for round fish for direct consumption in Asia, especially for small, undersized round fish. But that market has existed for the centuries. There is also a market for large fish that is processed into finished products for the US or EU market and the value of which is increased through injection of 15/20 percent water into fillets. We can provide you with the formula used in

Asia.

2) The quality of exports of Asian seafood products is now being seriously questioned by US authorities and a US Senate Committee is about to be formed to deal with problem.

3) There was and still is a very strong market for processed primary and secondary fishery products in Europe, the US, Canada, Asia and some South American Countries. There are well over a one and half billion people in those countries who are sophisticated seafood consumers paying prices far exceeding  those in China or Vietnam. There should not be a problem in that market to sell a miniscule quantity of yellowtail fillets if a N&L fish exporter had an effective marketing and sales

organization.

4) The Deloitte verification of OCI losses must be further investigated. Not as far as its accuracy is concerned but the question is, does it include the costs of its FFT harvesting, landing frozen fillets in Bay Roberts and later trucking to Marystown plant. Then having thawed the fish, processed it in the largest and most expensive plant in N&L in terms of fixed costs, the operators surely had to know it would be difficult to compete with harvesting by an efficient wet-fish trawler and processing in a smaller and far less expensive plant. This would have avoided exporting badly needed N&L processing jobs.

5) Exporting unprocessed  fish by OCI will result in a mass demand by all harvesters to export their catch and the resultant loss of thousands of plant processing jobs. That loss will be permanent and we will lose the processing expertize that has taken 70 years to develop and train those workers.

6) The growing export of unprocessed fish which includes an increased percentage of small, undersized fish will destroy any hope whatever of rebuilding our once huge groundfishery.  It is an undeniable fact that without restoration of the groundfishery fishing communities in N&L will not survive. Federal and Provincial authorities by granting the licenses to export large and small, undersized fish are contributing to the demise of the N&L fishery. The Province must take a leadership role in stopping this activity and seriously promoting the resource rebuilding process by confronting the Canadian Government on major issues being discussed in the Free Trade negotiations with the EU, NAFO fisheries mismanagement and DFO reduction in N&L fisheries management

responsibilities and particularly in the area of fishery science capability and the retention of necessary top level scientists and technologists.

We sincerely hope our Government will take into consideration the major impact the continuation of exports of unprocessed fish will have on the fishing population of N&L. We, the members of the Fisheries Community Alliance are convinced it will eventually destroy what's left of our diminishing resource and the survival of many N&L fishing communities.

Yours very truly,
Gus Etchegary

Chair

Fisheries Community Alliance.

The House of Dis-Assembly - Get your Act(s) Together

Okay now maybe I get it. If the House of Assembly were opened now - the questions would be primarily about closures, downsizing, rationalizing, outsourcing, and generally the disassembling of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Seal Harvest
Fish Plants
Shipbuilding
Fabrication
Old Harry
New Energy
Old Stephen
New Stephen
Lost Jobs
Lost Communities
Lost Plants
Abandoned Proposals
Federal Cuts
Marine Atlantic
Paper Mills
Aging Population

If Danny were Premier now would he admit the Hip and Coolest Province in this Country today is Nova Scotia? He should - he has been a real part of their growth. Try and compare the headlines over the past year for Nova Scotia and then do the same for Newfoundland and Labrador.

No worries the House of Dis-Assembly has more important things to deal with - like perhaps how much money each side gets to generate no ideas, no questions, and from our government - how low can we go? The reality is - they each have a compliment of staff - plenty to do what is necessary to keep this government in check. Is it fair? No probably not - but get on with it - with the numbers you have there is no trouble challenging this government.

They should remember all the bloggers - most have other jobs - look at the questions they generate, the news stories they cause, the talk shows they fuel and all that for what? Okay Stephen (NL Blogroll) we need you to head up a committee on this. The government spends more time on the local Bloggers sites than searching through the policy papers, News Releases, or studies generated by the Opposition parties.

And finally this recommendation: your new bedtime story should be a Chapter of the Auditor General's Annual Report. Happy Reading.

80,000 people lost from coastal NL Letter to Minister King

Please find below a response to Minister Darin King from Dr. Phil Earl regarding the OCI situation.

Dear Minister King, Jan 10/12

As you can see, and not surprising, the quick response from OCI to our government’s announcement of refusing their request to ship out more unprocessed fish is one that can be likened to blackmail.

Their reaction is typical of the philosophy of the ASP corporations which are all about their own concerns of bottom lines and profits. If these corporations are permitted to continue dominating our provinces fishing industry and have inordinate influence with governments the future of the fishery and any hope of saving costal NL is doomed. The first, and main, duty and philosophy of our government should be to protect the jobs and peoples of our coastal fishing communities and not companies whose success appears to be also the success of the ‘industry’. How can their ‘industry’ success be success if at the same time it destroys the fisher people, their communities and the resource itself? The government must step in now to protect the resource for the future of our people.

Everything under the sun has been done and given to corporations for the holiness of saving and protecting their success and propagation. To the point where what was zero unprocessed fish shipped out a few years ago by FPI, is today 75% of shell and 80% of ground fish being shipped out. This fact alone is enough to explain all that has befallen our coastal plants and their workers in the past four years.

Stopping the exemption, as you have done, is the first step, reversing all the rest of the ‘unprocessed exemptions’ must be started, it is the only way that will give any air to the chance of restoring our Industry. This action may appear to be what would break the companies, if some can’t handle it then they would fold but that would only create the chance for others, smaller operations with different approaches, to be successful. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Regardless of my rambled, incomplete, remarks one over all description of the whole situation can be truthfully summarized. What OCI pertains to in the Industry is that group of corporations which cry out in every possible manner and way, at any cost to anything else or anyone else in their way, to continue their selective, personal or collective existence. On the other side of the balance scale in this situation is the survival of the fish stocks and the dependent fishers and their communities. That’s a fact.

We have been watching the tipping of these scales for 20 years, where stocks have disappeared, not recovered, 80,000 people lost from coastal NL and 40,000 fisheries jobs gone to hell, and a great part of this is due to what governments have allowed corporations to do on their end if the scales.

If you are really serious about wanting to protect the welfare of our fishers, our coastal peoples and saving our fishing heritage and culture you, our government, must act now and show the leadership that can save it. You are the government, you are the people. You cannot be directed by the chosen, corporate powerful, wealthy few, you must take your direction from the people. The people who are Newfoundland and Labrador. God be with you to do the right thing.

Respectfully

Philip Earle