Russell Wangersky - Tom Marshall - Muskrat Falls

Russell Wangersky hits a home run in this weekend's Telegram. The column titled, "Now things are getting nasty", demonstrates yet again the attitude of our elected representatives.

This piece takes on a letter submitted to the paper by Finance Minister, Tom Marshall. More particularly it challenges one specific point Marshall makes. The quote being discussed is: “I suspect Mr. Jones is not really interested in seeing Newfoundland and Labrador reach its true potential by moving forward with large-scale energy developments that are clearly in the best interests of this province.”

The Mr. Jones referred to is Telegram columnist - Brian Jones. Jones has been appropriately and fairly challenging the proposed deal between Emera and Nalcor - to develop Muskrat Falls.

Wangersky finds the statement "out of character" for Marshall who Russell describes this way: "Tom Marshall is usually one of the province’s more moderate ministers. He doesn’t boil over in House of Assembly debates or question period, and when he’s faced with something that he views to be inaccurate, he will usually find a plain and almost soft-spoken way to correct the record."

If you have had direct dealings with Tom Marshall - you may have experienced the same sort of Jekyll and Hyde. I find the Minister does appear pleasant, polite, understanding, and overall level-headed. If you - however - do not come around to his "thinking" or "position" on an issue - he will become aloof, disinterested, and yes as nasty as the best of em.

From my continued observation of both Brian Jones and Tom Marshall - I "suspect" if either of them has an hidden agenda, it is Marshall. In fact most all the PC MHA's are behaving in the same way. The difference of course is that Jones is not asking to spend 8 billion dollars belonging to you and I - Marshall is. If the Minister feels the expenditure is a good investment - he and his colleagues have failed to prove that to the majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The PC's will berate, intimidate, insult, and sometimes even sue former Cabinet Ministers, former MHA's,  professionals, bloggers, talk show participants, the media, and the public at large - if they question the logic and viability of this proposed energy deal. This despite our history of poor resource deals and the history of corruption globally when billions of dollars are involved.

You see it is not the job of Brian Jones to sell this Emera/Nalcor fiasco - while it is his and all of our jobs to challenge it. The job of "con"vincing belongs to the government - to date they have failed. I "suspect" that the deal is so bad that it cannot be sold on its merits.

I "suspect" that absent the physical warfare - the Dunderdale administration is reducing itself to partisan tribalism. This is Newfoundland and Labrador not Afghanistan and I "suspect" that one senior official of this government has all kinds of experience in countries that deter open and free debate through ridicule and otherwise interference in the lives of those who challenge them.

I "suspect" that from the Railway to Churchill Falls - generations of these merchants continue to call the shots - and they do not want ordinary people to stand in the way of their wealth building.

I further "suspect" that the government, Nalcor, departments, and the PC Party have done numerous public opinion polls on this deal - where are they? Where's MQO when you need them? I "suspect" they might be just around the corner - with I "suspect" a less-than-scientific poll.