Commission of Government 2.0

The economic mess of Newfoundland and Labrador should be compared to the Great Depression - and we should soon realize that a bailout will become necessary.

The bailout required will not be restricted to financial but administrative as well.

The causes of the Great Depression are well established but the Muskrat Depression is something else again. It is representative of governments bereft of ideas, talent, capabilities, sound judgement while possibly being full of malfeasance.

We have now successfully repeated monumental mistakes of the past. By majority we do not know our history -  for reasons of disinterest, ignorance, the lack of educational direction, and ineffective journalism.

Can we ever return to the modern version of "responsible government"? What will our options be to come out of Commission of Government 2.0 - after it occurs?

In 2017 descriptive words such as "Commission of Government" will not be used. More diplomacy will be required as the Canadian Government steps in as the British did in 1934.

In the 1940's the choices were continued and reformed Commission, return to Responsible Government or to become a Canadian province.

In the Commission of Government 2.0 the choices to exit may be a provincially run system within Canada, join in an Atlantic Union, (the Island with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick and Labrador with Quebec) or if we say so a choice to leave Canada.

This sounds harsh - and no doubt the words I use above will be avoided and top level spin will put the situation in a different light. Ball has already started with the word "mitigate" and we should expect the word cooperate with other provinces - particularly Quebec and Nova Scotia to soon follow.

As with the Great Depression - the Muskrat Depression will question our ability ro govern ourselves and also highlight the massive economic woes that will leave us no other choice but to cooperate. We will be made to feel less than capable, less than who we are, and unable to be left on our own to survive.

Our Terms of Union with Canada were and are weak - they are reflective of a population that was coerced into giving up our sovereignty for pennies on the dollar (for our resources) in return for things such as the baby bonus. We will be made to feel inept and question our own selves and our abilities.

There's no doubt the fish merchants of the 40's and the Muskrat merchants of 2017 are very much alike and for their own direct gain they will sell out their fellow citizens in a heartbeat.

By placing Tom Osborne in the finance portfolio - we have basically committed to a bureaucracy run government. Maintaining Siobhan Coady in the resources portfolio we have committed to the Muskrat elite continuing the unstoppable but yet destructive Muskrat fiasco. Aboriginal issues that Lisa Dempster looks forward to dealing with comes with the caveat that the Premier has always found her "whiny". Perhaps the Premier feels the actions of the Land Protectors are "whiny" and therefore whiners should stick together,   

Perhaps Gerry Byrne has shown interest in the inevitable leadership race and therefore placed in the guaranteed to lose Fisheries portfolio.

Being a little more wily - Canada will not transparently step on our turf - it will do so in the nicest possible way - saving us from ourselves - while sticking it to our independence.

Wherever the 3 amigos exist (Williams, MacDonald, and Tobin) Williams overtly PC - Tobin overtly Liberal - MacDonald swinging as is necessary) we are getting the shaft.

As in the original Commission of Government there are untouchable issues. For the original it was denominational education  - the Commission felt it should change - become efficient and economically sustainable - however the churches (the all powerful in NL at the time) would not have it. In the modern Commission of Government 2.0 - where it's obvious Muskrat should be halted - it will be the one thing that will keep going as the Muskrat elite hold a power similar to the churches in the 1940's.

When I tweeted the other day that the only potential NL had left was that the "undecided" voters hold a lead in the polls at 33% - I meant it. If it was sustained and a new party emerged supporting the fundamental belief in responsible government - we could remove ourselves from the clutches of the Canadian wolf. That does not mean separation necessarily but does mean we will right our track and allow NL to survive for generations to come.

The bouncing back and forth between PC and Liberal will destroy us and the NDP that is disinterested in truly expanding and having ideas outside the historical position of Tommy Douglas - has left us in a place where taking a completely different chance on a new entity is not only palpable but desirable.

We do have people among us who are capable and truly understand the meaning of public service. People who are intelligent, creative, caring and dependable.

I can see right now that we are for all intents and purposes in the Commission of Government 2.0 - and if you watch the Federal government and the local Liberals closely you can see that too.

The only question that remains is how will we come out of it and what choices will we have?

We must act quickly or the Muskrat elite will remove all but one choice from our future.

Ball is the perfect candidate to move us through to Commission of Government 2.0 as he is the text book case of a "leader" needing somebody - anybody - to tell him what to do. Right now he is vulnerable to the worst of political scoundrels unless he himself is one also.

There is NO doubt Muskrat should be stopped now and we should use our place in Canada to recoup monies wasted via the failure of successive Canadian governments to pay us for the loss of our fishery.

There is no doubt a forensic audit should be done immediately on Muskrat Falls - to determine if there are people to be fired, investigated, and possibly charged. This cannot wait until the "completion" that is lunacy.

There is no doubt that Muskrat must be stopped to allow further investigation into the engineering of the project and potentially life threatening circumstances at the spur.

Our government is weak, the Opposition parties are weak, the Cabinet is weak, and we now must be strong.




 

Will OUR MP's protect OUR interests?

Right now all eyes should be focused on our MP's in Ottawa. This is a most important period in federal politics as Prime Minister Harper is on a fly and lie mission.

Yes we need to know about the Senate scandal, corruption, incompetence, and possible illegal activities. We need Harper to be grilled on his judgement in character, his continued lies, and the real deal relative to election fraud and his continued "management" of the media.

So Harper hops on a plane and takes off to do a free trade deal with the European Union (CETA) on the first day of the House of Commons. Yes it's another avoidance of accountability and transparency by our PM - but it may be much worse than that.

The CETA framework - en route to becoming a trade deal - may contain one of the worst concessions ever made by a country. Big Pharma or Brand drug companies have lobbied very hard to extend patent rights in Canada and if they have succeeded the cost to Canadians is unbelievable. If the PM has allowed a three year extension on patents - the number of generic drugs scheduled to make their entrance into our pharmaceutical sector will be significantly delayed.

The provinces who have spent the last three years destroying the generic marketplace and seriously harming our local pharmacies to "save" dollars will have all those "savings" eliminated and still be losing more.

I know it is important that our Opposition MP's probe the Senate fiasco and seek accountability - but it must not be used to avoid discussion of this trade deal. The pharmaceutical piece of this agreement is one negative component but there are others including potential issues for fishermen and farmers.

We must NOT let our MP's be silent - they must be more aggressive on CETA than they plan to be on the Senate mess. If not - they are doing all of us a great disservice and more they will contribute to the gouging of Canadians on prescription drugs.

The fact that Harper is attempting to control media yet again and is running away from the Senate scandal and our parliament in par for the course. He is a liar, cheat, and does not believe in accountability.

Right now our MP's need to earn their salaries and benefits by doing the job we elected them to do. 

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.

Broken Promises to Newfoundland and Labrador - Divorce Please

I see Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal MP's are gearing up for a spring election. They have started by using the national party's "Five Years of Harper : Broken Promises" list. 

First of all I want to thank them for the obvious - Stephen Harper does not tell the truth - he lies. They have compiled a partial list of promises broken - and no doubt it reiterates in a not so direct way - that Stephen Harper lies.

For Newfoundlanders and Labradorians - that have suffered "broken promises" lies since CONfederation - this is not news.

For the people of our province -there are two things troubling about this list:

The first is the list itself - the focuses - the missed elements,

The second is the Liberals do not say what THEY will DO about the issues noted in the list.

Let's look at some of the "list"

29. Replace CAIS with separate farm income stabilization and disaster relief programs that are simpler and more responsive.

Government Action: Broken. The Conservatives simply changed the name of the program but farmers say it’s no easier to use.

30. Commit to adding an additional $500 million annually to farm support programs.

Government Action: Broken. Although they committed the money early on, overall support for farm support programs has dropped.

31. Get the $5B in softwood lumber tariffs back.

Government Action: Broken.

33. Extend the two hundred mile limit to the edge of the Continental Shelf, the nose and tail of the Grand Banks, and the Flemish Cap in the North Atlantic.

Government Action: Broken.

57. Make the Canadian Coast Guard as a stand-alone agency.

Government Action: Broken. It remains a Special Operating Agency as the previous government had made it.

83. Achieve permanent changes to the equalization formula.

Government Action: Broken. The “permanent” changes lasted one year before they were changed again.

88. Make the Senate an effective, independent, and democratically elected body that equitably represents all regions.

Government Action: Broken

90. Make all votes in Parliament, except the budget and main estimates, “free votes” for ordinary Members of Parliament.

Government Action: Broken.

98. Recruit 13,000 additional regular forces and 10,000 additional reserve forces personnel.

Government Action: Broken.

112. Modernize the administration of our fisheries to ensure greater focus on conservation and using administrative sanctions, rather than court proceedings, to deal with violations.

Government Action: Broken. The new Fisheries Act died when Stephen Harper called an early election in 2008 – the bill has not been re-introduced.

113. Work with Western Canadian grain farmers to ensure that the results of the barley plebiscite are respected and that they are given the freedom to choose whether to sell grain on the open market or through the Canadian Wheat Board.

Government Action: Broken.

116. Assert Canada's rights over our Arctic waters, including the Northwest Passage

Government Action: Broken. The Conservatives released yet another “Arctic strategy” in 2010 while failing to fulfill their past promises for the North. They continue to insult the people of the North with more empty promises and rhetoric.

117. Reforming or Abolishing the Senate.

Government Action: Broken. Stephen Harper broke his pledge to only appoint elected Senators, instead he appointed 38 Senators - all Conservatives - just since the last election.

Let's have a quick review of the "broken promises" above. Numbers 29, 30, and 113 are relative to farming and if you read them carefully - the Liberals focus will probably remain on the Prairies for vote gains and breakthroughs in those farming provinces. Remember now - the Government of Canada does not manage or control the farming sector and is not responsible for weather phenomenon, world commodity prices etc. but they actually demonstrate through cash and incentives more for that sector that they do for a renewable resource (the fishery) they were directly responsible for managing. They throw around 500 million additional in farm support programs.

This has been no different than the Liberals when they held government.

Promise needed by all parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador 1 billion a year or find the fish. What will the Liberals do for the fishery? What have they broken promises on in the past relative to the fishery?

Number 31 deals with getting the 5 billion dollars back for the softwood tariffs fiasco with the United States. The Liberals presumably are all for going after that money - yet I hear no commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador to give our 5 billion back for the devastation of the ground fish stocks.

Promise needed by all parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - at least 500 million a year for 10 years for loss of industry, people, employment and communities resulting from fisheries mismanagement.

Now number 33 is one of my favorites - dealing with extending the 200 mile limit to the nose and tail of the Grand Banks and the Flemish Cap. Wow are the Liberals really complaining about that promise broken? They invented it. Then we compare the note that only says "broken" to that promise to the note attached to number 116 see below.

116. Assert Canada's rights over our Arctic waters, including the Northwest Passage

Government Action: Broken. The Conservatives released yet another “Arctic strategy” in 2010 while failing to fulfill their past promises for the North. They continue to insult the people of the North with more empty promises and rhetoric.

Now which one to you think the Libs will focus on the Arctic or the nose and tail?

Promise needed by all political parties to Newfoundland and Labrador - extend the jurisdiction and assert our rights on the fish stocks. 

CONfederation the Libs and Conservatives have never recognized that they now have a new east coast and it is not Nova Scotia.

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - real presence and real response times to protect our fishers and offshore workers.

Now number 83 deserves it's own separate post but nevertheless "equalization" - the Libs apparently disappointed in not achieving permanent changes to that formula. I'm glad it was not permanent - it's costing us 10 billion dollars. We beat (figuratively speaking) 2 billion out of Lib Paul Martin only to lose it to Stephen Harper's lies and Manning's absence of backbone.

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - the removal of non-renewable resource revenues from the formula before the oil is gone and our childrens' future destroyed.

Numbers 88 and 117 deals with promises on Senate Reform - they can't be serious - the Libs are telling us that we should be angry that the Senate is not elected, not equal, and not effective. Best I can tell they are simply annoyed that the Cons now have majority in this dysfunctional waste of money. The Upper House - the brain trust of our people - the intellectual haven - right Fabian?

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - elected, equal, and effective Senate or abolish it and find a way for provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador get a real vote on major issues affecting us. This structure of both Parliament and the Senate is killing us.

Number 90 deals with "free votes" in the House of Commons - and the Libs are apparently complaining about this "broken promise" - sure you are. We should have been in an election by now.

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - any issue including budget and estimates that would negatively affect a region or province - must be allowed to be a free vote. These MP's are elected to represent their people - period - full stop.

Number 98 deals with additional armed forces personnel both full service and reservists. Now everybody say after me "Happy Valley - Goose Bay" One can quickly note that neither the Libs or the Cons are committed to this.

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador - Happy Valley - Goose Bay priority number 1 and we will not tolerate any more delays. Further some creative presence in Stephenville focused around the port and airport would be necessary.

Number 112 needs to be reprinted here

Modernize the administration of our fisheries to ensure greater focus on conservation and using administrative sanctions, rather than court proceedings, to deal with violations.

Government Action: Broken. The new Fisheries Act died when Stephen Harper
called an early election in 2008 – the bill has not been re-introduced.

Yes let's all administrate the violators into submission - Is that the best you can do relative to the fishery?

Promise needed by all political parties this election to Newfoundland and Labrador -once again pass over the 5 billion and an additional 1 billion annually or find the fish.

Now even this short review gives us the voters enough to work with and reminds the MP's and wannabe MP's that talk is cheap and the idea of going to Ottawa is not to get yourselves atop the agenda but rather do what it is you were elected to do. Get the job done or move over.

 How many Newfoundland and Labrador MP's does it take to change a light bulb?

One to talk about the light bulb - one to promise to change it  - one to shop for a new light bulb - one to put up a ladder - one to study if that's the best approach - one to call for public consultations - one to ask questions of the government about changing the bulb - and the last to remind us that the Conservatives promised to change it and didn't. Oh we are one short!