Spinmeister Powers Come Clean

Tim Powers is reaching new levels of arrogance as he pontificates on the courage of Tweeters who are opposed to the Muskrat Falls deal.

He questions the courage of the convictions of many Newfoundland and Labrador bloggers and tweeters - because he says they will not go on his open-line show and talk to him directly.

He calls Twitter the cheap seats and tin-foil sales the activity.

Tim Powers you control the mic on your show - therefore one would have to be sufficiently confident that you will use it equitably to allow a contrary Nalcor opinion.

I have every reason to believe this is not the case. I would host your show on alternating dates and would invite people to call - the same way you do - but perhaps different people. In this way you do not control the mic at all times and therefore a thorough debate and discussion could be had.

The criticism's and altering positions that many of us hold and express through twitter and blogs are free from your prejudice interference and control. You can have a 3-4 minute conversation with me - then hang up and spin away for 2 hours. In a real debate this would not occur.

Today you were being challenged rightly on your contractual obligations as a lobbyist for Nalcor - to which predictably you answered in the affirmative - but only after the challenge occurred and also because that information is public - therefore readily available to all. You did however say that your company did work for Nalcor - not that you were the lobbyist.

So for the record:

 

Client name: Nalcor Energy

Lobbyist name: Timothy Powers, Consultant

Initial registration start date: 2006-09-18

Registration status: Active

Registration Number: 777504-14002

Client name: Alderon Iron Ore Corporation

Lobbyist name: Timothy Powers, Consultant

Initial registration start date: 2013-02-01

Registration status: Active

Registration Number: 777504-308605

 

So Mr. Powers you've got a bit of skin in this game and those seeking their positions in mining and energy are using your services to advance their case. 

 

I do have to ask though if you are not in violation of the lobbyist acts either federally or provincially by not adjusting your lobbyist registration activity to include allowing your clients preferential access to a talk show that operates in the jurisdiction where the clients do business.  When your clients come on your show and you carefully guide them through a series of questions - that will permit the advancement of their projects - is this not a lobbyist activity. 

 

For certain however - you are not an independent host of a program - totally arms length from the significant and costly projects being discussed. 

 

You then have the gall to question the courage of those people who choose not to participate in this lobby. Just think for a minute Tim - I or others could go on and do our stint - then you could allow other guests invited or otherwise to come on and spin their tale. In this way you are having the critics dealt with for your clients. Do you get it yet? 

 

Then there's always this:

 

Client name: Efficiency Nova Scotia Corporation

Lobbyist name: Timothy Powers, Consultant

Initial registration start date: 2013-08-21

Registration status: Active

Registration Number: 777504-319585

 

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

Who will be the next Premier? Do or Die Time!

There is little doubt that Dunderdale and Co. are on their way out - albeit a very long swan song. People across all walks are fed up with secrecy, arrogance, tribalism, and mismanagement. They are equally sick of the inept backbench and bumbling Ministers.

The costs to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador will be astronomical and potentially crippling within a decade. Those responsible - of course - will be long gone and pensioned. Probably Florida golfing in the winter - or taking residency in another Province - for many of them dreaming of the great Senate seat to come.

They know they are leaving a mess that they will not have to deal with. They know there will be no cash and mounting debt. They know there will be an aged population - with no ability to finance the basic social needs of health and housing. They know education will suffer as fewer and fewer schools remain viable - particularly in rural communities. They also know that urban cities and regional centres will be challenged even more with the lack of affordable housing filled aging seniors homes, and crime. They know the population will continue to decline and numbers of children will be way down as we lose our brightest from this and the next generation to jurisdictions with vision. They count on the inevitable province of Atlantica to ease the mourning Newfoundlanders - shattered by the loss of their beloved Island. They know that Labrador - the resource mecca - will either partner with their geographical mate Quebec or sit as a new Territory. They also believe it will not grow much unless that partnership is with Quebec - and thereby ensuring some resource wealth will actually be used in the Big Land.

I say "they" and I mean those with the real political power - the puppeteers - the ones who are not overly evident in day to day commentary, news, or the House of Assembly. They are the ones who pull "saviours" out of their hat - for the weary voters to "believe" in. They are the corporate elite who find democracy to be a hindrance however more civil than the dictatorship they long for. They are the ones with no political ideology rather an ideology based on finance - their own to be exact - and control of crown asset wealth. They are the ones who can trigger responses in politicians by having a cup of coffee with them, or a round of golf, or in most cases patting them on the head and telling them they are doing well. They are the ones who creep their way into the bureaucracy of governments - so they can guide their intellectually lazy political masters - in a direction that suits their real agendas. Every now and then one of "they" gets caught and some end up in jail - despite the throngs of underlings willing to cover or do time for them.

So what are we left with? Well unless something very drastic happens to our political system or somebody - who is not able to be bought or manipulated - accidentally wins a leadership and then government - we are stuck with the misfortune above.

Getting Newfoundland and Labrador back on the right track is going to take a lot of doing and the decisions are tough. It is going to take a backbone of steel to take the necessary actions. The next Premier would have to be able to say no to fish pirates, Ottawa, mining wannabes, oil companies, and individuals like Danny Williams, Ches Penney, Brian Tobin, Dean MacDonald and their ilk. The new Premier would have to use his/her vision to represent the electorate and have Mandela like integrity - to save this place.

The new Premier has to smarten-up the population and be exhilarated by public education and intelligent debate. The new Premier has to believe that smart people don't only reside in one Party but reside across the political spectrum. The new Premier must be confident enough that others may duly criticize and from that grow a more enlightened understanding. The new Premier must serve the people and Newfoundland and Labrador - not the multitudes of outstretched Party hands seeking their interests above all others.

The new Premier must return the ownership of information back to the people and believe that by doing that may bring opposition but in the end lead to right choices. The new Premier must lead by taking knowledge by the horns and understand when the bureaucracy has been infiltrated by special interests "they". The new Premier must encourage knowledge and understanding of policies, legislation, and contracts.

The new Premier must believe in and practice true democracy. The doors of his/her office are as open to one ordinary citizen as they are to the corporate elite (they) and Party players. The new Premier must insure integrity within our systems of advocacy and not seek the unnecessary protection of their office. The new Premier must believe in the freedom of the press, access to information, and the shareholders rights in a Crown Corporation. The new Premier should seek to uphold all democratic procedures both in the House of Assembly and the Elections process.

The new Premier must be willing to serve his/her Province first - not seek to make nice with a federal Party or other Provinces. The new Premier must be willing to turn his/her back on issues of save Canada, Ontario, Nova Scotia etc. - there is already a federal system for that. If by chance a development in our province benefits others as well - fair enough but the new Premier must seek the best deal for us.

The new Premier must respect the people and believe that he/she is working for them not the other way around. The new Premier must understand that he/she is spending our money and bartering our resources and not use these both as if he/she is doing us a favour. The new Premier must celebrate successes with the people - all the people - and be willing to take significant responsibility for costly errors made with the peoples money or resources.

Many people in politics come in for all the right reasons and before long succumb to partisanship, party brass, one political party whip or another. Many politicians start by feeling humble and end up hiding behind the sullied apron of an arrogant "leader". Many people get into politics because it's the best gig they will ever have and the time is right under a guaranteed win. These individuals will do and say whatever is necessary to keep such an undeserved windfall and chase the Cabinet carrot around the room until dizzy. There are others who get into politics through encouragement of Party brass - praising them as necessary to place another puppet onto their stage of manipulation.

If you really have it - if you really can serve, lead, and are out of manipulative reach - you should apply. Will the rest of you please leave?

1. Do you have the strength to stop this Muskrat deal?
2. Do you have the strength to employ the brightest of the bright without partisan filters?
3. Will you truly seek to strengthen the lives of our most vulnerable?
4. Will you conduct yourself through independent education, investigation, and thought?
5. Will you strip the bureaucracy of industrial insiders, resume distributors, and partisan nitwits?
6. Will you release information to the people without nonsense of "proprietary" interest?
7. Will you recognize all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as shareholders of our crown assets?
8. Will you be the designer not copier of legislative templates?
9. Will you really maximize value of resource development for the people?
10. Will you recognize that native resources such as water, energy, forests, and minerals are stationary and therefore - those wanting to exploit them will pay maximum value?
11. Will you really be the CEO of our wealth and maximize profits for the shareholders - regardless that the shareholders are all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians?
12. Will you promise to deliver services from our revenues that are reflective of what the people want to spend their money on?
13. Will you seek to employ the best candidates for any position regardless of their perceived political leanings?
14. Will you truly consult with the people before making budgetary choices?
15. Will you protect democracy from those who wish to dismantle it?
16. Will you protect the integrity of our electoral system?
17. Will you take charge of the fishery and do what in necessary to offset the failure of Confederation regarding this wild resource?
18. Will you develop rural Newfoundland and Labrador through tourism, infrastructure, industry, and population?
19. Will you - in good faith - deal with pensioners, the public service, health professionals, educators, police, firefighters, correctional officers, safety officials, sheriffs and judicial staff, and Newfoundland and Labrador businesses?
20. Will you seek advice within your province when at all possible and not rely on "experts" who will deliver your desired outcome?
21. Will you give every Newfoundland and Labrador family an acre of Crown Land?
22. Will you give taxation breaks, grants, loans, and infrastructure to small local companies in the same manner you will to outside large corporate interests?
23. Will you end poverty for children and families? Will you protect children from abuse?
24. Will you seek to strengthen our democracy by passing whistle blower legislation, recall legislation, and legislation banning corporate and union donations?
25. Will you protect the environment for future generations?
26. Will you protect the people through the establishment of necessary search and rescue assets?
27. Will you do what is necessary to protect our province from Ottawa and refuse to give up anything else?
28. Will you demand a proper equalization system and demand inclusion in all federal government trade deals?
29. Will you demand compensation for mismanagement of the fishery and demand that Canada take custodial control  of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap? Are you willing to do what comes next if they refuse?
30. Will you allow the media proper access to information? Will you tell the truth?

If you are not willing to do these things - what do you want? A job? We're not hiring!
If you are not willing to do these things - move over for those who will.
We are collapsing - right now we need a leader not a saviour.

Danny Willams - Alderon - Muskrat Falls

What's your opinion?

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics - Alderon 

Below please find a section under: Third Party Relationships - Conflict of Interest
 
Conflicts of interest arise where an individual’s position or responsibilities with the Company present an opportunity for personal gain apart from the normal rewards of employment, officership ordirectorship, to the detriment of the Company. They also arise where an individual’s personal interests are inconsistent with those of the Company and create conflicting loyalties. Such conflicting loyalties can cause an employee, director, officer or consultant to give preference to personal interests in situations where corporate responsibilities should come first. Employees, officers, directors and consultants of the Company shall perform the responsibilities of their positions on the basis of what is in the best interests of the Company and free from the influence of personal considerations and relationships. (emphasis added)

Quote by Danny Williams to Board of Trade - Reported by CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

"I most certainly would not jeopardize years of working for this province or my own personal reputation for the sake of Muskrat Falls or a mining company"

2011 Annual Report Alderon

Section: Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Alderon depends on a single mineral project.

The Kami Property accounts for all of Alderon's mineral resources and exclusively represents the current potential for the future generation of revenue. The costs, timing and complexities of upgrading the mineralized material at the Kami Property to proven and probable reserves may be greater than Alderon anticipates. Mineral exploration and development involves a high degree of risk that even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge cannot eliminate and few properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Any adverse development affecting the Kami Property will have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial position, results of operations and cash flows The successful start of mining operations at, and the development of, the Kami Property into a commercially viable mine cannot be assured.

Alderon needs to enter into contracts with external service and utility providers.

Mining, processing, development and exploration activities depend, to one degree or another, on adequate infrastructure. In order to develop a mine at the Kami Property, we will need to negotiate and conclude various agreements with external service and utility providers for rail transportation, power and port access, and these are important determinants that affect capital and operating costs. The inability to conclude any such agreements could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows and render the development of a mine on the Kami Property unviable.
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Danny Williams sits on the Board of Directors Alderon