Take the PC SMELL TEST

Jobs Jobs Jobs

Let's go back to the theory that a monkey can make a deal to give away natural resources.

Okay where are we?

1. Unprocessed fish
2. Unprocessed ore
3. Energy fuelling industry somewhere else
4. Unprocessed oil
5. Unused gas
6. Pulp and Paper gone gone gone - we are subsidizing what's left.

Where will this get us?

Where is the value to future generations?

Why is our population stagnant?

Why is our population aging quicker?

The PC government were screeching and bawling about natural resource giveaways in 2001-2002.

They never shut-up - Voisey's Bay - not one ounce - Grimes was giving away the Lower Churchill - they said - they moaned about the loss of fish processing. Since? Nothing. Ship it off - dig it up give it away. They talk about all the jobs being created to build the great Muskrat project - the people employed to build it won't be able to afford to pay for the power once it's done. Our great oil resources benefiting refineries everywhere but here - no processing. How about ship building - oh yeah the Tories were hot to trot on that in 2002 - how are we doing?

The media is doing what? They are great at attacking ordinary people - they come at them with a vengeance. They are running around sorting out what the NDP and Liberal policies are - without figuring out what the people who are in control of the government - right now are doing.

The most serious of questions and debate on Muskrat has all been precipitated by bloggers and letters to the editor.

My God - we are more interested in if the Libs and NDP would stop Muskrat than we are in figuring out if we even can.

There is no real critique of the Gil and Ed Executive duo. The geniuses of budgeting and project management.

I know more about when the media are getting together for a political pow wow at a club - or what type of bow-tie to expect - or who is watching what sports team than I gain knowledge from something they are writing about a real issue. I see more tweets regarding who is watching who at media conference - and who gets their names raised publicly by a politician.

So a simple question - if the government said it wanted to demolish Cabot Tower - knock down all the schools and flatten all the hospitals - would you line up for the job?

Does it really matter to you what the job is - or what it means for our future?

And here we are today sizing up Kent, Ottenheimer, and Davis - to what - become a Premier? Really? This after we sized up Coleman, Barry, and Bennett. This after the Marshall Premier pension and the Dunderdale Premier pension and the Williams Premier pension. By the time we are through the already underfunded plans will need to cover almost every Tory sitting - at the Premier's level.

The real fascination for many of the media - is "will Marjorie be attending the next swearing in"? Or will Tony the Tory ever find a kind word for the Liberals? Or the most favorite one - what does Danny think about this or that - who is Danny supporting - is Danny going to get a new hockey team? Is Danny going to rename his subdivision?Or maybe - will Len and Ross get their jobs back after the next election?

We owe our children much more than this.

Something stinks - can you smell it?

Minister Jerome Kennedy - Running Interference?

Let's look at the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Mill situation using logic.

Minister Jerome Kennedy is accusing Gerry Byrne MP of escalating the situation. He says that what Byrne is doing is not helpful.

The Premier made her position clear - let the union and company work out their issues.

So when Kennedy stated that the mill was on the "verge of bankruptcy" - he demonstrated hypocrisy and absolutely acted contrary to the Premier's wishes.

First of all - Joesph Kruger the owner of the mill - did not state publicly that the mill was on the "verge of bankruptcy". This means either Kennedy was negligent and out of his authority when he made the statement - or Kennedy was speaking with the full approval of Kruger.

If it is the first - Kennedy has done more harm than anybody else could with respect to the continued operation of the mill and if it is the second - then the Minister is acting as an agent of the company.

If Joseph Kruger wanted to cause a panic in the workforce of the mill - in order to gain an unfair contract - he certainly was backed up by the Minister.

If the mill is - in fact - on the "verge of bankruptcy" then let that statement come from Kruger himself. In that way the bankers, the city, workers, and taxpayers will take note and judge their actions accordingly.

But the Minister was very cute what he said was "based on what we know" the mill is on the "verge of bankruptcy" - leaving the province clear in the event the statement was found to be false or misleading.

If the statement is misleading or false it serves only to pressure employees to accept something/anything in a panic.

If the statement is true then it should have been made by Kruger himself - followed by absolute direction such as entering a process with suppliers, banks, and the union to prevent bankruptcy and determine a long-term viability plan.

Instead the only thing Kruger did was to deliver an ultimatum which essentially said that a deal MUST be reached with the union by this Friday or the mill would close.

In normal circumstances the union may have seen this as a negotiation tactic of a hardball capitalist. But the circumstances were changed by ministerial interference when Kennedy made reference to bankruptcy.

There is no doubt the Gerry Byrne is a political animal from the Tobin era. He was raised by him (politically speaking) - and no doubt has learned how to talk to the electorate - like him. On this issue though what Byrne has offered up is probably helpful - at least to the workers. Byrne was discussing like he usually does - with reports and figures - a topic that is of great importance to his constituents.

I have no idea what Kennedy was doing - but I'm guessing based on the "information available to me" that he was running interference for Kruger. The Minister should know that Kruger is not a part of his electorate.

Dunderdale Mentality Revealed after CBC Investigation

The CBC investigative report on Search and Rescue protocols employed during the search for Burton Winters may have ultimately revealed a mentality endemic to the Dunderdale administration.

CBC reports today that the Dunderdale government is only now looking for copies of the military audio recordings - despite the government's claim they completed a review of the failed search and rescue.

One must wonder if that detail is something Kathy Dunderdale did not want to face if a meeting scheduled with Burton's grandmother and former search and rescue coordinator Clarence Peddle - proceeded.

The Dunderdale administration believes that it has ALL the information on ALL decisions despite the loud and clear voices of competent citizens on many issues - that they do not.

The Dunderdale government has claimed to have done its "review" and "due diligence"on an number of files:

1. Fishery
2. Muskrat Falls
3. Pharmacy
4. Paper Mills/Industry
5. Health

If the above examples are held alongside the province's review of the Burton Winters failed search and rescue - one might conclude that Dunderdale and company do not want ALL the information.

One might also conclude that Dunderdale is deliberately keeping at bay experts in all these areas if those experts are not under the direct control of government.

This is an extremely dangerous mindset and one that raises the question - WHY?

Ordinary citizens, the media, and organizations must continue questioning the Dunderdale government in order to prevent catastrophic errors made by people who are too ignorant, arrogant, or complicit to make the best choices for our future.

Dunderdale and Company - Partisan? Disinterested? Incompetent?

The attitude of disinterest, boredom, annoyance and/or anger of many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians toward the fishery, fishermen, and plant workers is a mistake.

The politicians from all parties have played a very partisan and dangerous game with the people of our province as it relates to this resource and bureaucrats both provincially and federally have made it worse by juggling death versus dealing with the continued problem.

The fishery is our history and should be our future - but in order for that to be the case a number of things have to happen.

1. Our history in the fishery must be fully and publicly disclosed and discussed so that all people in our province can learn to respect, value, and protect this vital renewable resource.

2. An injury has occurred and our province - communities and people - are the injured party. We need to assess the injury, determine the party/ies that caused the injury, value the injury, and then do what is necessary to achieve compensation for the injury.

3. Based on the compensation arrangements the province must move forward to develop plans for recovery, science, enforcement, community, environmental and the future.

4. Further these plans must be broken down to include; immediate actions, medium term actions, and long term actions. One to fifty years would be appropriate.

5.The province must desist making new arrangements with "processors" that want to export raw material and must move toward harvesters co-ops and redevelop a marketing division for products either processed or unprocessed of this resource.

The "rationalization" of the fishery which government and others claim is occurring is nothing more that a desperate response to a disastrous situation which has yet to be dealt with properly. Each and every week we are hearing of the closure or downsizing of plants and facilities and communities losing their primary employer.

This is not a sustainable answer to what will bring economic disaster.

Dr. Phil Earle and Gus Etchegary are not sounding the very loud alarm bells for no reason and these retired individuals are not as passionate as they are without reasoned concern. They are as worried as you should be.

The moratorium of our stocks began in 1992 - this caused a massive upheaval in this resource sector and we lost about 80,000 people from our workforce and most from our province altogether.

We should have experienced significant recovery by 2002 and should have been on our way to sustained recovery. This according to the people responsible for managing the resource.

We all know this did not happen and now we are in 2012 - with no reasonable end in sight.

To alleviate the loss of our ground fish sector - we increased the catch of our shellfish. We all know this is not a good thing and eventually will cause further catastrophic consequences.

Despite the catch increase in other species - thousands of people were removed from this fishery and no doubt hundreds of our rural communities have suffered.

Throughout this mess - the kingpins of the fishery needed to maintain and grow profits - so fisheries policy has revolved around keeping them afloat. The latest of course is to give them stocks without the necessity to process. This has resulted in further losses to the people in general but the continued wealth building for those already so endowed.

If you can get your head around the problem it equates to a loss of a billion dollars a year plus the loss of people, loss of communities and devalued assets.

Try and consider the following. Let's say you lost your job in St. John's or Metro - no doubt you would feel the pinch and be worried about your next paycheck - just like the people displaced on the Burin Peninsula. Let's add that you had been at the same job for 20 or so years and have invested in things like a house or property. If you went to sell that asset in St. John's Metro you would enjoy an increase in the value of your asset upon sale. Now for one moment put yourself in a rural community that has just lost it's only significant employer - and then you needed to sell your house. You would suffer major losses as the equity you built would disappear - as the market was no longer there for resale.

Also consider that with the low unemployment rate in St. John's Metro - you may be able to find another job to make ends meet - while the person in the rural community would not have that option. In your case you may be able to keep your home - or sell for a profit and downsize - whereas the person in the rural community would have to sell their property, move and not even have the option to rent out their home - NO Market.

Some of the more fortunate ones in the affected community may be in a position to retire - thereby staying in their own home - that is if they are not still indebted. Let's say they can stay in their own home and actually live another 20 or so years. What services will remain where they live? What will they do with no family remaining in the community? None of these issues are a problem in St. John's Metro - YET.

You see the losses resulting from a collapsed fishery will hurt us all. The worst is yet to come - if we do not fix the problem.

This is only the tip of the iceberg.

For those who are still in their productive work life - the choice will be to move away and find work elsewhere. Where will they pay tax? What will happen with their children? Will they ever come back?  Will we lose a significant number of our next generation? If we do - who will pay for the seniors left behind? Who will pay for the increase in personal care home usage? Who will pay the medical bills of an aging population besieged with chronic illnesses - more prevalent in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Then factor in all the boomers who moved away 20 years ago when the fishery first collapsed. Many of these people will return home upon retirement after having paid all their taxes to another province. That places an increased burden on a taxation system that did not receive the benefit of their taxes for the past 20 years. How will these shortfalls be covered?

What about resettlement? You know that government is always looking at that when their finance gurus are explaining the problem mentioned above. Are we going to resettle 100 or more communities? How much will that cost? Where will they move to? If we pick 5 regional centres and move them all there - what will be the increased burden on those cities or towns?

If not resettlement how does government pay for the upkeep of thousands of kilometres of roads - deteriorating badly? How does government afford to keep reasonable health services in those communities?

Now let's talk about the taboo - OIL - what happens when that oil is gone? When will it be gone? What will happen to our cities and regional towns? We have lost two mills, mines, and may lose our last mill. We will have no oil sector and the fishery will be dead.

I will guarantee one thing - if the future plays out as discussed above - the leaders - our politicians of the present day will not be around. They may retire in Florida on the lucrative pension we provide them. They may move to a - then recovered Ontario. Their children will be provided for. Kathy Dunderdale may huff and puff every time her choices are questioned - but she WILL have a pension.

Our biggest problem is that our politically based system is very similar to a quick-buck corporation - concentrate on the now - the next few years - the next election. Unfortunately they see this as their job instead of being the keepers of our future.

If we build Muskrat now - there will be lots of jobs now and make them look good. Unfortunately there are no measurable numbers of long term jobs but there is certainly measurable long term debt. So while the shareholders of Emera will enjoy increased profits through guaranteed returns - we the owners, the taxpayers and ratepayers will suffer.

Our system of immediate political rewards, needs, and votes is also costing us at the Federal level. Right now - I am convinced that Stephen Harper can strip our province of every benefit of "con"federation - and Dunderdale will let it happen as long as the loan guarantee carrot exists. 

We need vision and we need it now.

We need leadership and we need it now.

We need a plan and we need it now.

We need action and we need it now.

These games - childish political games - played by incompetent, disinterested, and/or partisan people with an need to satisfy the next polling period - will destroy us.

These politicians who through their own words, excuses, and frustration cause you and me to detest the fishery with them.

You think you can afford to not care about the fishery? Think again.

Ownership of Newfoundland and Labrador - it`s all in the Shoulder Twitch

A twitch of the shoulder here and another twitch of the other shoulder there and we should be able to sort out who owns us. Seems the shoulder twitching is catchy. 

The Fishery


This was initially given up under Confederation. Prior to confederation we owned the inshore - we gave that up. Then when the Law of the Sea came into affect in 1982 nations got an 200 mile exclusive economic zone. Had we not joined Canada all of that would have been ours. As it is the fish quotas are owned by the people of Canada and we are told we cannot fish.

The commercial media and even the public broadcaster have bought into the downsizing, rightsizing, and rationalizing rhetoric and the associated propaganda.

We were a fishing nation - now we are not a nation and the fish are gone - at least from our people.

We have lost hundreds of communities and tens of thousands of people. We have left fishers and plant workers high and dry in communities where their homes are now worth 1/10 th their replacement value.

Year by year - decade by decade incompetent and disinterested politicians and bureaucrats both federal and provincial have slowly eroded the fabric of who we are. They have taken the pride from people - split families up - exported our working population to Ontario and Alberta - and watched idly by while we were getting screwed.

In the nineties we were faced with a moratorium which was to last 10 years - 20 years later it is still in place. There has been no compensation for the mismanagement yet the federal government was responsible for it.

This costs us 1 billion dollars a year - and we just sit back - and let it all happen - or worse complain about the whining of those directly impacted and the communities that are dissolving because of it.

We talk about urbanization and the "natural" "progression" of people moving to urban centres particularly St. John's Metro - as if it were a badge of honour and a right of passage.

Then as we watched the destruction of FPI and the turnover to the "private" sector. We seen the dismantling of our marketing arm and the continued requests to diminish processing responsibilities here.

Every time we turn on the news we hear one Sullivan or another talking about one quota or another - locking out fishers and partnerships in other companies.

We watched Loyola Sullivan be the ambassador of fish for the PM that lied to us on equalization - and he did what? Well whatever it he gained by running here and there globetrotting must be of value now as he joins the other Sullivan boys who together with Ches Penney continue to gobble up what's left.

We lost 80,000 people and lose 1 billion a year - hello - are we home anymore?

I wonder if they manage to get all processing plants shut down - are they even going to employ Newfoundlanders and Labradorians fishers on their vessels that will never land their catch in our province?

I am sure they could make an argument that our people want wages that are too much - wait that's happening now right?

There are only a couple of other fish merchants left in the province and between them they control it all.

Oil and Gas

Well we gave that up too under Confederation - even though we did not know the resources were there. If we remained a nation - we would own it under the Law of the Sea.

Canada owns the oil and gas resources offshore and we had to kill ourselves fighting to even get participation in it. Unfortunately we were not allowed to process our own oil as there were other refineries in the Maritimes and Quebec that had to be satisfied first.

That has cost us billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. Oh well!

Then for years we had the feds clawing it all back - then we got a break - then Stephen took away fairness once again.

How's our price of oil and gas these days? Oh yeah - expensive - yet we own so much right?


Ship Building

Well we are the people of the sea right? The rowers of the dories and the ocean experts - with a Centre of Excellence in the Marine Institute.

Well then what is going on with Marystown? It should be like the Irving shipyard by now. It should be quadruple the size and we should have several thousand people working there - continually.

Funny how even now - we do not have the infrastructure to build all 3 modules for the Hebron project. Why is that?

Newfoundland and Labrador and more particularly Marystown and Keiwit and Sons were in the running for the 25 billion dollar federal shipbuilding contract. 25 years of work - an entire generation - thousands of jobs. Then - inexplicably - Kiewit pulls out of the bid - citing Human Resource issues. This is what Keiwit says about itself: "We have virtually unlimited bonding capacity and are one of the few construction firms able to compete for billion-dollar mega-projects".

I am curious about another thing - based on what Kiewit says here: "Kiewit has served the power generation market for more than 30 years. We bring in-depth expertise to deliver power projects using engineer-procure-construct (EPC), design-build, design-assist and traditional bid-build models. We've helped clients meet the challenge of changing power consumption trends and generating strategies by building “run-of-the-river” hydroelectric, nuclear and geothermal power plants, as well as cogeneration, combined-cycle and waste-to-energy generation and resource facilities. Through our subsidiary Kiewit Power Engineers Co., we provide a complete array of design and engineering services for major power plant projects that set industry standards for quality design and superior function worldwide." Is there some reason Marystown and Kiewit could not complete this work for the proposed development of Muskrat Falls? This might knock out Quebec and Nova Scotia firms but hey we are supposed to employ as many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as we can right?

Back to shipbuilding - the federal contract has since been awarded to the Nova Scotia consortium.

Forestry - Pulp and Paper

From 3 to 1 - pulp and paper operations. The loss of two major employers from Central and Western Newfoundland.

We had 20 years to look at converting these mills to produce other products - we had 20 years to discuss with Abitibi what other options were available. There were other options.

First we turned the forest resources over to these companies - then hydro assets - and through clear-cutting we were in trouble. The now Premier - then Minister went ahead and expropriated the community (accidentally) then went through a process of getting control of assets.

With Stephenville and Grand Falls-Windsor now industrial toast - Corner Brook's Krugar mill is now at the initial layoff stage - and government is "hoping" they remain committed. The Premier feels that "Mr. Krugar" will look at everything - in order to stay.

The Premier must now realize that corporations are not in the business of delivering government programs. Corporations are in the business of making money for their shareholders.

Begging Mr. Krugar won't change what will happen. Perhaps some vision would.

Newfoundland and Labrador must find industry for our forest resources and we still need a complete forestry use plan.

We must look at all types of trees and look at what could be produced by them - this type of manufacturing should be promoted and supported.

We must look into the future and see what products will be produced and needed and then utilize our resource sustainably. This includes tourism and seasonal potentials.

Energy Resources (renewable)

Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the richest pieces of geography on the planet. The renewable energy resources are tremendous and varied.

Hydro-electric
Wind
Wave
Tidal
Thermal
Hydrogen
Wood

Our history of development has seen significant successes and significant failures. The Upper Churchill development was on time - on budget - and remains one of the best large hydro projects in the world. Unfortunately, this project has and continues to cost the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. As successful as the actual physical project was it was equally unsuccessful with respect to benefits for our province.

This administration appears hell-bent on doing that again. If we proceed this way - the development of Gull Island must be seen as a private project where the same multi-millionaires are going after the ownership.

Assets that were developed for use domestically have worked out much better. Bay d'Espoir is a jewel in our system and has been already paid off.

The truth is we have been ignoring all other forms of renewable energy - with the exception of when the Government of Italy wanted to sell us our own wind. In that case - Nalcor was singing the praises and giving away.

Labrador has been ignored - the value of the Upper Churchill is so great that the Labrador highway should be paved with gold - 4 lanes of it - and divided by a silver barrier.

Parts of Labrador still using diesel means there is no room to consider Holyrood first - that is just obscene. Communities in Labrador having to purchase power from Hydro-Quebec is even more obscene.

Can you imagine our wealth if the Upper Churchill was netting us a billion a year and the ground stocks were doing the same? What a wonderful future for our children. But no - this Premier, her former boss Williams and the rest of the gang want to give away what's left. 

The 2041 question remains unanswered by all politicians and Nalcor. Dean and Brian made the Upper Churchill deal worse. 

Crown Lands  

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha - work for nothing.

Opposition Parties seek Opposition Movement

The opportunity is there for the Opposition parties in Newfoundland and Labrador - to make a difference.

The people of this province are upset that Muskrat is being rammed down their throats by people who are drunk on power and obsessed by it.

The people of this province are upset that the Auditor General is once again being hindered - leaving us to wonder who is making and how they are making decisions on the expenditure of billions of dollars.

The people of this province are upset that the Public Accounts Committee has not met in public for 6 years despite the fact that each party had at least one MHA taken off to a prison cell for criminal behavior regarding the use of public funds.

The people of this province are upset that Chief Justice Green's report on the whole mess and accountability has been essentially trashed - while each party points fingers here or there.

The people of this province are upset that kissing up to Stephen Harper by a weak Premier has resulted in continued cuts by the feds. When they are not cutting they are increasing costs for people travelling on the Island's Trans Canada Highway - the Marine Atlantic Ferry.

 The people of Labrador need a highway - a real highway before the Island based government strips yet more valuable resources - in return for temporary employment.

The people of the province are upset that industry continues to downsize or close - paper mills and fish plants.

The people of rural communities are upset that they are being forsaken for the temporary wealth of St. John's Metro from non-renewable offshore resources owned by the feds.

The people of this province are upset that Search and Rescue and Fisheries science are being diminished and tinkered with - like we are second class participants in (Con)federation.

The people of this province are upset that shipbuilding is not king in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

The people of this province are upset that speaking out against a policy of the DunWill government may mean personal consequences. (This is the same crew that were hyped on Whistle Blower legislation) Ha ha ha ha.

The people of this province are upset that Vickie Kaminski seems to spend more time apologizing for continued incompetence, errors, and trouble with our health care system - than doing what she was employed to do - clean it up.

So what then are the Opposition doing?

While Michael is noticeable and relevant on some Health Care issues - they are traditional core NDP positions and do not require a great deal more than repetition. The caucus has one wanna be leader who appears to fancy himself a Jack intellectual. He definitely has the arrogant bit down and definitely believes that people look way up to him.

The Liberals remain fractured with some hoping for a Messiah and others believing they might have a leader already. They might - but that leader must demonstrate it. He must - above all - lead; that's going to take competent and willing staff - exceptional research and then ultimately standing for something.

As a result they are all waiting for the people to cause the opposition they need - in order that a partisan bandwagon may form.

This is exactly what Len Simms was the beneficiary of when the Power of the People took it to Clyde on privatization.

Right now it appears that Opposition members wait for some event organized by a labour group, professional body, or by like-minded citizens and then ask to be invited.

There are some journalists in the province stepping up to the plate and many well-known public figures are weighing in. Ordinary citizens who are not currently consumed by fear that speaking out will make them a "target" of government - are doing their part. The only problem for the Opposition parties is that - as yet - they have not come together.

The opposition parties appear frustrated that there is no pack to follow - so they take a wait and see approach. Right now - we need courageous Opposition members and leadership - in the same way we needed it during the Upper Churchill fiasco.

There is no doubt that Premier Dunderdale is out of her league as it relates to open public debate and therefore hides behind her power.

There is no doubt that decisions are not being made using the best possible information as Dunderdale's government hides behind a curtain and thwarts established processes such as the PUB.

There is no doubt that the Dunderdale government utilizes the skills of a human resource like Ross Reid to control messaging and democracy.

There is no doubt that fear is the optimal choice of persuasion when your mouth can't utter an informed position.

There is no doubt that arrogance is rampant within the regime and that most backbenchers are puppets - hanging on to the best gig they will ever get.

There is no doubt that the PC's claim that all who oppose them are partisan naysayers - is weakened everyday - as more and more well known Tories fall among the aforementioned group.

Right now - sadly - it also appears there is no doubt that the Opposition parties are seeking an opposition movement - that they can follow.

As I write this - I know from experience that all of them would just like me to shut-up. Let's see what punishment they dish out this time. Or as Ches Crosbie may put it - how are they planning to piss on me at every opportunity - when I'm not in the room.

I can assure the reader that the seals are leaving more than cods gutless. Keep clapping and flapping.

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.

Ross Wiseman sent out to Ease the Pain - in yet another attempt to COVER-UP

Well who knew? Ross says everything is A-Okay in Newfoundland and Labrador. Hard to know how long he was on the air - after I spoke of the shipbuilding fiasco. 

Amazing to what lengths a fellow Newfoundlander and Labradorian will go to cover-up ineptness and the loss of our resources to benefit another province. 

I can assure you they have no pride and do not give a damn about what happens here. 

If either of the shipbuilding contracts goes to Nova Scotia the Emera deal must be stopped.

If either of the shipbuilding contracts goes to Nova Scotia our politicians should be fired out. 

We will actually have to take to the streets or allow a few millionaires to rob us blind. 

The purpose of Wiseman's call was to talk to us about how good we have it. Just because we lost two paper mills and lost the fishery - and we are about to giveaway Muskrat Falls - we should all be happy. 

Just because we will be fuelling the Nova Scotia economy instead of our own - we should all be happy. What about Old Harry or the Romaine River?

We continue to be the only place that loses population and loses most of our youth to other provinces. 

Ross Wiseman - bury your head in shame. History will do it if you won't.

Ross Wiseman your job is not to spin to protect your party and yourself - your job is to advance our province for our people.

Line-ups New Energy? What's Important?

iPhone 4 HERE
AHL Hockey
Justin Bieber
Future Shop Sale
To see Kate's wedding dress

Rolling Stones
Playoffs NFL
Playoffs Basketball

Lineups to VOTE? Sleeping overnight outside your polling station? Pushing people to get to the ballot box first? Pre-order your ballot months in advance? Getting a family member to wait in line for you - so you can be first to vote? 42% did not VOTE

Pretty sad isn't it.

New Energy

Rural Newfoundland and the Big Land - Sick of Tory Times

Tory Times are Hard Times is a thought resonating throughout rural Newfoundland and Labrador this election. The true blue - taking from you - is all that most rural communities are seeing in this province.

There is a change in the air and it's a little like Confederation - if my Dad's memories serve me well. The Townies versus the Baymen is what is going on. Tens of thousands of people sick of the Oil wealth that evades them. Tens of thousands of people understanding that the Dunderdale administration is not interested in their future - they are interested in the game of politics. Baymen sick of being treated like second class citizens in their resource rich communities.

The Townies are huddled in St. John's metro dictating the direction - and dishing out some scraps to the rural towns during the election period. Typical, merchant mentality hiding in the back allies of the Capital's downtown counting money from construction and engineering - I think there was over $170,000 donated from like firms to the Tories last year. No wonder!

Public Relations morphing into "independent" polling gurus - predicting the end is near for anything not PC. Yes the media - talk shows - any place they can spin.

The pulse however is beating a little differently than the power brokers like to see. The blood is back in the veins of the fishermen, the loggers, and miners. The spine is there and starting to show it's true strength - the pullers of the oars in this vast land. The Labradorians rich in minerals/ores and hydro potential - polluted by the greed of the townies who absolutely refuse to allow benefit for the people.

The entire townie entourage condemning the fishery from whence they came and salivating at every drop of oil stripped from the future. The poor townies - they do not understand that without the bay there is no town and their children have no future. The poor townies - they do not understand the Big Land and their frustration if not downright anger at the energy "experts" telling them that yet another hydro development is necessary for the Island and now Nova Scotia.

No I think they really get it - and thank God they do. Who wins government - is controlled outside the overpass and the Baymen and Labradorians can control the outcome.

When the oil is gone - and it's coming fast - where do the townies turn? They can turn to the bay where their fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians watched their communities collapse, their houses devalued, their jobs disappear, their children flee to Alberta, and their voices go unheard and ask them for their help - they are going to need it; that is unless this government is defeated and policies are developed and implemented that will secure not eliminate our future.

The Tory mentality of fighting with pensioners, front-line health care workers, small business owners, and people without financial prowess - is very obvious. Just look at what they had money for and then tell the 22,000 public service pensioners to beg somewhere else. 

Yes Tory Times are Hard Times even when we are "have" and oil is being exploited.

The Overpass Syndrome in Reverse - Rural NL taking back the Power

This election is starting to get real interesting. The Overpass syndrome is starting to reverse. Rural Newfoundland and Labrador is starting to move toward "it's our turn", and so it is.

You see the PC's and NDP can fight it out in St. John's Metro while rural districts can win the day by voting Liberal. The platforms are gearing up and policies are coming out. For rural communities and districts the message from the Liberals and leader Kevin Aylward is that it's time for oil wealth to be used to revitalize the rest of the province. It's time to deal with the fishery, the paper-mills, mining, renewable energy, and tourism.

If rural Newfoundland and Labrador wants to reverse the trend of outmigration, chronic unemployment, loss of industry, and diminishing services in health and education - then they vote Liberal and invest the oil wealth outside of St. John's Metro. With six percent unemployment in St. John's Metro and over twenty-five per cent in other regions there are plenty of reasons to take control of the seats in the House of Assembly.

From a Labrador perspective, the Lower Churchill could be focused on industrial development and clean hydro for all the Big Land with revenues generated to be spent primarily on an adjacent basis.
Labrador could reach it's real potential and not continually be hearing - we'll get you next time around. When one thinks that Muskrat Falls is being developed to remove Holyrood and provide Nova Scotia with cheaper power - Labradorians are hard pressed to see that anything has changed. The truth is Labrador should not allow anymore development of its hydro resources unless they get at least 10 permanent jobs a megawatt. Labrador will get the temporary construction jobs regardless of what the deal is - they need a longer term agenda. This is something they might get under the Liberals this time around.

The Tories cannot demonstrate the need for Muskrat - at least not for the need they suggest. The Tories are routinely telling people and groups to go away, stop getting on talk-show programs, stop protesting, do as we say, do not oppose, and if you want anything do not speak against us. The Tories are pointing accusatory fingers when the Liberals promise a needed increase for public service pensioners but do not at all question how they spend and on what. The Tories have abandoned the fishery, abandoned the paper towns, abandoned rural communities, abandoned ordinary Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, abandoned the Big Land, and increased cronyism and the public service by 20 per cent.

Yes the time for the overpass syndrome to be reversed is now - and I believe it may just happen. There's nothing better for arrogance than a swift kick by rural Newfoundland and the Big Land.

50 reasons to Leave Canada Let's see if Harper can find More

It's been a real blast - let's remember next Memorial Day while they are blowing off the celebratory Fireworks in Upper Canada. Lest we Forget! Who will answer the roll call tomorrow? Not the spineless jellyfish standing next to Harper and Dunderdale.

1. Loss of Cod Stocks

2. Loss of Fishers

3. Loss of Fishers families

4. Loss of Hundreds of Communities

5. Loss of Hundreds of Thousands of people

6. Loss of ownership of offshore resources (both fishery and oil/gas)

7. Loss of Railway

8. Loss of  dozens of fish plants

9. Loss of Upper Churchill water rights and power

10. Loss of Lighthouses

11. Loss of Airline

12. Loss of Airports

13. Loss of Bases

14. Loss of Paper mills

15. Loss of Culture

16. Loss of Flags

17. Loss of coastal Ferry Services

18. Loss of Food Fishery

19. Loss of Pork industry

20. Loss of Independence

21. Loss of Cobalt (exported)

22. Loss of Bakeries

23. Loss of many Independent Grocers

24. Loss of many Independent large Retailers

25. Loss of Bottling plant

26. Loss of Community hospitals and clinics

27. Loss of traditional seal fishery

28. Loss of Zinc (exported)

29. Loss of Copper (exported)

30. Loss of Iron Ore (exported)

31. Loss of Gold (exported)

32. Loss of Silver (exported)

33. Loss of Fluorspar (exported)

34. Loss of Sawmills

35. Loss of Helicopter Company

36. Loss of Capelin Stocks

37. Loss of Nickel (exported)

38. Loss of Currency

39. Loss of Banks

40. Loss of Military installations

41. Loss of Air Space

42. Loss of Manufacturing plants

43. Loss of Shipping Routes

44. Loss of Nose and Tail of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap

45. Loss of fisheries supply companies

46. Loss of Wild Salmon industry

47. Loss of Schools

48. Loss of Inshore Fishery (traditional gear)

49. Loss of our Pride and Identity

50. Loss of our Youth - seeking jobs elsewhere.



Send me more of your memories - and the losses we have suffered since Confederation.

State of our Democracy

The Liberals are broke - after 8 years - still broke. Why? In almost a decade the party brass have been unable to raise money - why?

For the population of our fair province this is a very bad state of affairs. We essentially have no Opposition and are not likely to get any soon unless some significant changes are made.

The first couple of years - I get it - after a crushing defeat to the PC's. Then you go inside - wipe it all out and begin to attract new ideas and people to the table. The next two years you promote your changes and start to put the party back together. That did not happen. Okay then we expect in the following four years for sure this would be done. What happened? Who is running the show? What changes have been made? Have you alienated more people than you have attracted?

Now they will need another four years - for what? Their turn? By the time that rolls around there won't be an asset or resource left to work with. Unfortunately - the Liberals lack of desire or inability to turn things around means the virtual dictatorship continues.

This means things like the fibre-optic fiasco and the Lower Churchill legacy of shame will go unchallenged in any real way by the other parties. It means questions will not be asked and very big mistakes will be made.

Consider what has taken place. We have lost two paper mills - the fishery is all but collapsed for our rural communites, partisanship has ruled the day on appointments to key government positions and on contracts divied out without tenders such as the fibre-optic deal to Danny's one-time and maybe now partner Dean MacDonald and the smoke lawsuit to Danny's old law-firm - promises of transparency have been forgotten - critics threatened both publicly and privately - House of Assembly means nothing - promises of openness and debate on resource developments renaged on - billions in losses of federal equalization dollars - no plan for further industrial development - no redress on the Upper Churchill - empty promises to hold the federal government to account - and significant decisions being made by an "unelected" premier.

It is plainly obvious that there is tremendous opportunity for real opposition - yet there has been none. The media really have nothing to work with - other than go with the flow. There are some journalists attempting to make a stab at some issues - but they are lost in a sea of oblivion where we the people are not given any real alternatives. How many times has one of you heard the following; "we don't like what the PC's are doing but who will we vote for?"

The Liberals and NDP for their part are doing nothing to attract the 37% undecided vote which is made more obvious by voter apathy. Who is to blame? Well if we listen to their spokespeople - they are not to blame. It's like being in a state of perpetual pregnancy - there is no gestation period - and some day just some day something new will emerge.

There is a problem with this theory - a problem which is escaping the Liberals and the NDP - we can't wait around for you. Too much damage will be done in the interim by people drunk on power - filled with unjustified arrogance - who will do a deal without any input all because there is no opposition. That's why I know there is no passion in any of our elected members for if there were they would find a way to prevent this situation.

If the Opposition were strong then a high school principal - a leader - refused to debate issues during an election would be summarily dismissed as an opportunist, a yes man, and one without real democratic principles. If the Opposition were strong - Danny would not be able to fly back in during a by-election without proper ridicule for being a hypocrite.

We the people must find another way to stop the horrific decisions being made by this unopposed government and stop the destruction of our future.
 

The Premier's Energetic Little Blue Book

As we await our long overdue Energy Plan - I wonder if it will reflect the commitments made in the last Blue Book?


Let's have a peek - shall we?

Newfoundland and Labrador is an energy rich Province. Our energy resources provide a strong and secure base to meet our energy needs and to attract private sector investment to resource developments and manufacturing industries in the Province.

Let's take this one - attract private sector investment to resource developments and manufacturing industries...Those industries - still waiting - still waiting...

Implement an energy plan to ensure that all energy sources are used first to provide a reliable, affordable supply of power for domestic use and for Province-wide economic development, and then to take advantage of business opportunities in export markets to sell energy that is excess to our needs on terms that secure maximum benefits for the Province.

Implement? You have not even released it yet. Now this one would mean that Lower Churchill would be used for Province-wide economic development...Where is that development??? Why are we counting on export first???

Retain Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro as a Crown corporation with a mandate to support the Province's economy by providing reliable, clean energy at competitive prices, and making sure that its customers receive the best possible service for their money, while retaining well-paying, quality jobs (seasonal or otherwise) in the Province, as is their mandate.

So far that is somewhat intact - except we are privatizing our generation - and instead of profiting from it ourselves - we will pay people like say - the Italian Government. Better stop those giveaways of our wind-power Premier.

A main objective of a Progressive Conservative government is to secure maximum benefits for the Province from the development of our hydroelectricity resources.

If this is true - you will not export the power - Ontario does not need more industry - we do - and maximum benefits for the province does not necessarily mean maximum profits.

In particular, further development of the hydroelectricity potential on the Churchill River system must bring real and long-term benefits to the people of the Province and make a strong contribution to the Province's economy.

First of all let me remind you that you stated there would be no further dealings with Quebec unless resolve was found on the Upper Churchill - and real long-term benefits means industry from resources right???

Promote industrial development and meet domestic energy demand in Labrador and then on the Island of Newfoundland.

What have we done to accomplish this? Maybe Kevin O'Brien Minister of Business or Trevor Taylor Minister of Industry or Kathy Dunderdale Minister of Natural Resources and/or even the Premier - real Minister of everything can show is how they have promoted industrial development for Labrador or the Island using Lower Churchill Power.

Export surplus energy at market value, and on terms that will allow for recall to meet energy demand in the Province.

That is the only thing we see you working on Premier - now please tell us why the "best team" cannot come up with one industrial customer for the best energy in the world - hydro - and particularly with the Lower Churchill - one of the best remaining projects in Canada!!

Now Premier you can start living up to your promises...

Where is the gas royalty regime and where is the media?

You know you are in trouble when the people of the province do not see a draft of the gas royalty regime formula before - at the same time - or at least a month after the major oil gurus do.

Danny let that little one slip when on Mike Duffy Live a while ago. Another key part of the energy plan revealed or at least partially revealed to the public - after the fact. Wind power contracts - we have not seen the terms. No talking to the Metis on their wind project until after the plan is released. Then there is that stuff about LNG terminals. Uranium - hydro - wind - tidal - wave - new legislation new corporation but no energy plan.

Where is the Opposition?
Where are the various media?

I am not seeing any hard news - while human interest stories - carnage - and prepared news releases and court reports are available.

What's happening in the pulp and paper sector?
What's the latest on out-migration - not just the stats - the story?
The fishery? It's on it's way to be owned by Iceland and Nova Scotia!

There is nothing being asked - our news is reactive and the rest is just reporting.

How is it hundreds of thousands of adults watch tens of thousands of educated youth leave Newfoundland and Labrador and the most they can muster is complaining at the coffee shop?

Then again - the leadership is non-existent!

Quebec uses subsidies to save and upgrade a paper mill...

Here we go again - "the Quebec Program" is successful in saving and updating the pulp and paper industry in that province.

Kruger will invest 200 million while Quebec will contribute $20-million non-refundable subsidy from the province, a $30-million energy-efficiency grant from Hydro-Québec and a $50-million loan from Investment Quebec.

In this way - Quebec has saved many high paying industry jobs - a renewed industry with the latest technology - and achieve significant energy efficiencies. The de-inking plant reduces the plants energy consumption of power by 46 MW's - and that 20% reduction equals almost 25,000 households.

The Company News Release says:

Mr. Bernard Routhier, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Kruger, emphasized that this project will allow the company to improve its competitive position while offering its customers papers with high recycled fiber content. “Almost half of the fiber currently being used in our mills’ manufacturing processes is recycled. This project, in addition to our other recent initiatives, allows us to improve our environmental balance sheet even more,” says Mr. Routhier.

and

The project will create 200 full-time jobs with a total payroll of $50 million during construction, while purchases of goods and services are estimated to be $125 million.

This is great news for Trois-Rivières - now Danny et al how about Stephenville and Grand Falls-Windsor?

Just a shift away from pension...

Former Stephenville mill workers ask Minister Clyde Jackman what's going on!

Mr.Clyde Jackman
Minister of Environment
Confederation Building
P.O. Box 8700
St.John's NL.
A1B 4J6


Mr. Jackman;

This is Ken Thibeau the First Vice President of CEP Local 1093 in Stephenville.

Our executive and our general membership of displaced mill workers would like you to advise and update us on the status of the Stephenville Mill environmental cleanup and decommissioning.

Abitibi Consolidated registered their undertaking plan with your department on August 7th 2006 and you announced the release of the project on October 6th 2006. According to their 23 page submission, the decommissioning was scheduled to commence in 2006 with the Phase II ESA to be done from July to October of 2006.

Presently there is no indication at the site that the environmental remediation has begun. Surely if this was the private property of an average citizen pressure would have been applied by your department long ago to have this work completed. In particular, considering the vast amount of contamination of various types at the former mill site, we assumed you would give this issue more priority. We had provided former Minister Byrne with a 2 page listing of known site pollution in April of 2006.

I should not have to remind you, but I will, that our Union Membership is under a contractual right to 2 year re-call until October 28th 2007 and that 1 shift of work would enable some of our members to achieve a semblance of a retirement pension. In this regard we have an arbitration case pending against Abitibi at great expense to this Local union. However, if your department and your government continues this apparent collusion and cooperation with Abitibi by allowing this delay to continue beyond the expiration of our contractual rights, our efforts and incurred expense will be in vain.

Therefore I shall expect your prompt response on this urgent issue for our Members!

Yours truly,

Ken Thibeau
First Vice President
CEP Local 1093
Stephenville NL.

More Abitibi assets going to the block....

Now listen-up just in case our Minister of Business - Minister of Natural Resources - the Premier - the Leader of the Opposition - and Anna Thistle - miss it...

I can certainly see that happening - WAKE UP!

Abitibi is looking at selling it energy related assets:

READ THIS from the Fort Frances Times

MONTREAL —Abitibi-Consolidated Inc.’s drive to profitability could lead it to transfer the electricity generation assets of nearly half its mills in the coming years to a new joint venture being set up to hold the newsprint company’s Ontario hydroelectric plants.

Abitibi announced last month it will own 75 percent of the venture, to be called the ACH Limited Partnership, with the remainder owned by the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec.

“Over time, I think we’ll look not only at the Quebec assets but all assets in the company as possible enters into the new Abitibi Hydro.”

Maybe more of our hydro-resources can be owned by Quebec right???

Are you out there? Are you listening? Do you care?
From what I have witnessed regarding the pulp and paper sector - the politicians are "not all over it" - and apparently very "naive".

“Over time, I think we’ll look not only at the Quebec assets but all assets in the company as possible enters into the new Abitibi Hydro.”

A former mill worker - replies to the Premier...

The CEP Local 1093 has sent a copy of this letter for posting.

As always Sue's Blog will accept and post letters on the important mill issue.

Dear Danny,

First of all, let me thank you for the other knife in my back! It goes well with the knives I've received from Abitibi Consolidated, the Town Council, the Townspeople and other people from your caucus! Was I surprised at your cowardness, no! Was I disappointed, yes! I've had 4 people confront me since your little show on VOCM, Feb.6, 2007. Throwing it in my face again and again and again! Am I mad, yes! Royally pissed off! I still have to live in this town buddy and I'm trying to raise my family here, but people like you make it very hard to survive when you spread lies! Yes Danny, lies! Not politically naive, but lies!!!!
May I remind you of your press release dated Dec. 9, 2005 which was posted on VOCM for a little while until it got hauled off.


"Abitibi-Consolidated was entertaining a new proposal from the union yesterday, and Premier Danny Williams had made a pitch to company brass to accept it."

"Natural Resources Minister Ed Byrne says the union has put it's best foot forward."

You can correct me on this one because I'm going on memory until I can find it in the archives, but I remember you saying something along the lines of.... "when we give Abitibi what they want, they raise the bar. It's like sand shifting under your feet." Again, correct me if I'm wrong on that one!!

You sir, of all people, know that Abitibi had no intentions of running the mill in Stephenville! All they wanted was the deal from the union so they could take it to their other mills! Using words in their documents such as "notwithstanding", "supercede", and then finally "replace". They would tell us, "that's not what we meant", but you're smart enough to know that it doesn't matter what they meant, what matters is what's on the paper when it's signed! Then it's a legal binding document, with no recourse but to put up with it! Abitibi always was the trend setter in the industry! When negotiations came around, it was always Abitibi who started and when it was over , the other paper companies would follow suit! Much the same as Stora Enso did with their employees after Abitibi failed to obtain that deal from us! They went after it and they got it! Since that time many employees have left that company and financially hurt Stora Enso bought another mill in Brazil for $425 million. Go figure that one out!

The whole time you guys were negotiating with local management, Abitibi's spokesperson Seth Kursman was telling the world that the mill was shutting down! "As far as we're concerned, the mill in Stephenville will shut in October." That is what he was saying and yet negotiations were still going on at the local level. They wanted to save $15 a ton, which amounted to about $3.2 million a year! Our document to the company saved them that without them having to put in a single cent! It obviously wasn't about dollars and cents but about breaking the contract! Something you know a lot about!

In closing, I would like to say that you are not a very trustworthy man and I hope that Stephen Harper tells you that he was being politically naive when he made that deal with you, because I haven't seen anything good come out of you since you've been in office! Nothing on my plate but taxes and misery and for what! Wait lines in hospitals are longer than ever, people from this area having to drive to Deer Lake to catch a flight to go to work and risk the chance of having an accident on our poor highway from Stephenville to Corner Brook! What good is $2.2 billion if you're not going to spend it! Why don't you do something good for a change for the people of OUR province, and I mean everyone in the province, not just a select few! Do your job, stop promoting Alberta and start promoting Newfoundland and Labrador!

Thank you for your time!

Brian Prosper
Former mill employee and current member of the union executive!

Copy of Story on VOCM PRESS HERE

Now back to the important issues...The Merger...

Danny said yesterday he thinks the merger of Abitibi and Bowater may be a good thing - and Kathy Dunderdale said the union says it does not expect the merger will affect Newfoundland and Labrador.

Let's look at what industry analysts are saying:

These two quotes from the Globe and Mail online:

"It's more a cost-reduction story than a revenue-enhancement story."

The Bowater-Abitibi merger should "theoretically reduce capacity and improve the real price of newsprint," Mr. Rowland said.

The article talks about the real concerns in the pulp and paper sector - competition with China - quality and changes in paper products and reduction in demand.

There is no question that BowaterAbitibi - if the regulatory bodies approve the merger - will be reviewing all assets in the new company. If the analysts are correct and the objective is to reduce capacity - we should be out of the gate early.

Considering one of the two new headquarters will be in Quebec - we can expect the lobby to keep capacity there will be intense - equally true of Ontario.

We need to start our lobby efforts now - for both Stephenville and Grand Falls - Windsor. Next week is too late - and burying our political heads in the sand will not help.

There are positives in both mills that we should be promoting - and government should be pro-active and not re-active as it relates to discussions with the company. With all the by-elections on the go - particularly in Port au Port - you had better get some action and commitments from all the candidates. They are all just keeping their heads low and hoping the announcement will just fade to the background.

Get some real answers now - before it is too late. We must have our research done - we have to know what our competition in Quebec and Ontario are planning to offer.