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?

Danny Williams Confirms Emera Deal a Giveaway

The following is a partial transcript of Danny Williams as a guest on Out of the Fog as Leader of the Party on December 04 - 2002

Question - Krista Rudofsky: Now Premier Roger Grimes has stated that a deal with the Lower Churchill does seem imminent, from what you know of the details you have heard about, how does Newfoundland and Labrador fare in that deal?

Answer - Danny Williams: Well you know, we are very concerned about it as a Party and I think that is indicated by the people of the province, there are lots of major issues. I mean the fact that any deal with Quebec does not address the Upper Churchill is a very serious issue for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Once bitten twice shy, you know people in Newfoundland and Labrador realize that you know, Quebec gets 2 million dollars a day in profits from the Upper Churchill. I mean what that could do for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in 20 days it would be $40 million, what that could do for health care, education, or jobs.

The issue of recall is important, we in fact will be able to buy our own power back for more expensive than what we sold it to them in the first place, it is going to cost us more to get our own power back.....

Today in Question Period the Premier (Roger Grimes) confirmed that there is only going to be 50 long term jobs created in our province. Whereas the Premier of Quebec is saying that, Bernard Landry is saying, this is a blessing from Heaven, there is going to be numerous jobs and opportunities for Quebeckers, so once again it appears that we are giving it away, we are selling it out...

______________________________________________________________

The Emera deal sells cheaper power to Nova Scotia, provides 50 long term jobs for our province and does not address the Upper Churchill. The Progressive Conservatives, Danny, Kathy, Jerome and all the caucus members must have been misleading the people of the province in 2002 right?

During the same interview - Williams addressed ownership as well. I will post that next.

The New Canada - Halifax to represent the Region

We all know that Halifax is seen (at least quietly) as the center of our universe. You might have heard St. John's City Councillor - Shannie Duff - on CBC this morning raising concerns over the latest Conference Board of Canada Report titled "Mission Possible Successful Canadian Cities".

There is no doubt the Conference Board has summarily dismissed St. John's and in fact this Province when it comes to new policy for Canadian Cities. If we take the report as a document the feds will listen to (and they will) - we have to be worried.

We could be looking at policy for transportation infrastructure - federal jobs and crown agencies - municipal infrastructure - educational institutes - and federal funding - being focused even more on Halifax.



Halifax is what the Conference Board calls one of the HUB cities.
Please Read below for a section of the Report

Policy Implications: Defining the Focus

In highlighting the distinctive needs of Canada’s big cities and the unique economic contribution of Canada’s hub cities identified through our convergence research, this volume makes a strong case for prioritizing this combined group of cities—which we identify as major cities (Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa–Gatineau, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver)—for national strategic investment and focus. Smaller cities and towns, and indeed the country as a whole, will thrive fully when their growth is fuelled by that of the country’s major cities. Helping Canada’s major cities reach their potential is therefore a win-win proposition for all citizens. A wider endorsement of this view by citizens and leaders alike will open the way for a more strategic approach to investment in Canada’s major cities.

You will also note that all provinces have a "major city" except the Atlantic Region which has been restricted to Nova Scotia and Halifax...and then there's this little tidbit for Canada's "Major Cities".

Canada’s major cities are critical to our national prosperity, yet they face significant challenges that limit their potential.Our major cities bear the costs of a growing urban population and expanding economy, but lack the fiscal capacity to meet their needs or to maximize their potential. Booming populations and sprawling development create congestion, environmental and health challenges unique to cities.

The challenges of managing growth are exacerbated by the deteriorating state of Canada’s urban infrastructure. Estimates of the national infrastructure gap ranged, in 2003, from $50 billion to $125 billion, with municipalities owning the largest stake in this gap. Canada’s present systems of municipal governance fail to provide cities with the organizational structures and decision-making capacity necessary for strategic planning and regional coordination.

The decisions that cities and provinces make about development patterns,
transportation, utilities standards, building codes and industrial planning will have profound environmental impacts. Canada’s major city-regions are competing for investment and jobs against other major city-regions around the world. Unless
governments and their civic partners support the kind of initiatives that are boosting the international rankings of competitor cities, prospects of improving the
record of Canadian cities are not good.

You know - I am just a little sick of our province being crucified by Canadian Institutions - and now the Conference Board weighs in on this ridiculous concept.

I hope there will be some response to this before Newfoundland and Labrador becomes a virtual appendage to Atlantica under the stewardship of Halifax.

Please see a copy of the Report HERE

It is interesting to note how this report came to be:

The Canada Project had its genesis in 2002 at The Conference Board of Canada’s annual Canadian Conference—a meeting of senior public and private sector leaders at which participants are invited to share their most pressing concerns about
Canada’s present challenges and future prospects.
Many of the leaders at this meeting raised the same underlying issue: that Canada was floundering in a state of public policy drift at a time that called out for national strategic action in the face of rising global competition.
And thus, The Canada Project was born.
Now, almost four years later—thanks to the $2.4 million invested by business and government organizations, the $1.0 million contributed by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the effort and expertise invested by some of Canada’s top researchers and professionals—we present this four-volume compendium of the results of our work.
Here are the list of sponsors for the Project:
Note the Lead Investor was CIBC
Academic Research Funding Partner: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Accenture Inc.
Alberta Ministry of Municipal Affairs
ATB Financial
Banque Nationale du Canada
BCE Inc.
Bombardier Transportation
British Columbia Ministry of Community Services
Business Development Bank of Canada
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canam Group Inc.
CGI Group Inc.
Deloitte & Touche LLP
DuPont Canada
EnCana Corporation
Ernst & Young LLP
Forest Products Association of Canada
General Electric Canada Inc.
George Weston Limited
Harris Steel Group Inc.
IBM Canada Ltd.
Imperial Oil Limited
Lafarge Canada Inc.
Manulife Financial Corporation
Mercer Delta Consulting Limited
Microsoft Canada Co.
Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Power Corporation of Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
RBC Financial Group
SaskEnergy Incorporated
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.
Social Sciences and Humanities .
Research Council of Canada
Sun Life Financial Inc.
Syncrude Canada Ltd.
TD Bank Financial Group
TELUS Corporation
The Bank of Nova Scotia
The Co-operators Group Limited
Toronto Hydro Corporation
TransAlta Corporation
UBS Securities Canada Inc.
Unilever Canada Inc.
Xerox Canada Ltd.

It is time to move on this!

Loblaws cutting Administrative Staff by 20%

How much trouble is Loblaws in?
How will it affect employees in Newfoundland and Labrador?

These are questions our local media should keep on eye on over the next few months.

Loblaws is facing stiff competition from Wal-Mart as that retail giant continues to expand it's grocery offerings.

There may be more store closures to come as Loblaws faces a difficult uphill battle to correct it's market position.

If any of Sue's Blog Readers have any info on stores or management in this province - send an email.