When listening to the radio, watching television or reading the newspapers about events in this province, there seems to be a missing link. One that bridges all that information together and provides a way for people to contribute, express or lobby their concerns in their own time. After-all, this is our home and everyone cannot fit in Lukie's boat and paddle their way to Upper Canada, nor should we!
The pathetic answer to any questions posed by the Opposition during Question Period.
If we can assume that what the Tories did while in office is what got them booted from office, then surely we can assume doing the same thing will bring the same result for the sitting Liberals.
Here is how it goes.
The PC's are in office. They make a patronage appointment. The Liberals and NDP call them out on it and say that it's not acceptable.
As part of the Party Platform the Liberals say they will get rid of patronage appointments.
The Liberals form government and commence patronage appointments.
When challenged in the House by a PC member - the answer is "you did it too".
When you remove all the glitter and bring it back to the basics - this is Newfoundland and Labrador politics.
The story behind the Appointments Commission is a good one. Perhaps Dwight would like to share that and many more stories.
While we are at it lets talk about the continuation of the boondoggle called Muskrat. Another "you did it too" situation?
Since 2006 Sue's Blog has been warning through posts about the disastrous Muskrat Falls project.
Bits and pieces of the Inquiry refer to critics of the project - not being experts.
Let's take that at face value and reflect upon the experts.
Clearly the highly paid experts were wrong in many areas of assessment. Clearly they failed initially to project and overcome engineering and design difficulties regarding the site. Clearly the project is a failure on every measurable level.
Miraculously the non-experts were right in many areas of assessment. Miraculously the non-experts did not miss the peculiarities of the site engineering. Miraculously they were successful in assessing the Muskrat Falls deal was horrific.
Now the other non-experts (politicians) were clearly incapable of understanding what the experts were concluding. They were clearly unable to see the massive flaws in the deal and the engineering. They were clearly non-experts listening to paid experts -most of whom will not likely suffer from this boondoggle.
For what use is an expert - if the person acting on an "experts" advice would not be independently be able to see the potential flaws? What's worse - the politicians refused to listen to critics - ignored or worse subjected the non-experts to terms such as partisans, naysayers, and conspiracy theorists.
There were opportunities to engage the citizenry but they were not afforded.
Citizen groups should have been provided funding throughout the processes from conception to sanction. This funding could have provided the non-expert politicians with real concerns, real hazards, and real findings from the non-expert citizenry.
Further this size of a deal should have gone through a referendum process where - the citizen non-experts were given the opportunity to promote and educate regarding their points of view and real concerns.
You see if the non-expert politicians felt expert enough to make the legislative commitment - they should have allowed the non-expert citizenry a real opportunity to be heard.
None of the politicians did this. No political party did this.
Declining population, increasing efficiencies in housing and appliances, closure of two mills, numerous fish plants, schools, clinics etc are examples of reasonable considerations to determine future power supply requirements.
Muskrat Falls versus the entire Lower Churchill or even Gull Island begged the question why choose Muskrat.
Emera owning ANY part of our domestic distribution system is illogical and not to our benefit. It will increase prices.
Dealing with Emera - a company that could be the subject of a hostile or welcome takeover - particularly when Hydro-Quebec is the touted enemy - and could easily consume Emera minus Nova Scotia Power - was a poor choice.
The critical removal of alternate energy sources into the future was naive at best and corrupt at worst.
The engineering challenges - poorly thought out, considered, or even dealt with was another red flag for a layman.
The power needs of Labrador - routinely and as is usual dismissed including but not limited to plugging an industry of substance into the new supply - another red flag.
The continued interference with the Public Utilities Board - when they are the stop gap for consumers - yet another red flag.
Budgets that were routinely over - became the norm - raising another red flag.
The lack of knowledge of many MHA's regarding the history of the hydro-potentials in Labrador was and continues to be a very disturbing situation.
The obvious angst of indigenous peoples despite the approval by some of their leaders should have been addressed.
This is but a short list of how a citizen could have been and some citizens were very concerned about this failed project.
The decision by Dwight Ball and the Liberal government to push through the remainder of the project without thorough analysis and public input into other options - just continued the madness that is Muskrat.
The Inquiry is a political decision to thwart anger of consumers and taxpayers away from the current government and will do nothing to demonstrate the mess that occurred after they took office.
The EXperts they say? Funny how the naysayers, conspiracy theorists, partisan hacks, and all other names given to critics of the project - were miraculously right.
As I write today the folly continues and we are made to look more the fools than we already are.
2018 will be an interesting year. In some ways it's already been that.
I look forward to new challenges and some open discussion about the leadership of our Province and the lengths to which some politicians will go to cover-up their dirt.
Sometimes - we all go through times of muted thought. Sometimes we try to protect innocent people from political carnage - only to find out they too are up to their necks in it.
In Newfoundland and Labrador - getting perks from politicians means you have to do some work for them. This is the kind of work that they want to keep their hands clean while at the same time entrap (maybe should use a different word) those doing their dastardly deeds.
The perks can range from contracts to recognition of some sort. In each case it is something that the person they use - wants very badly.
Friend - 1 : a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another person. Merriam Webster's Dictionary This is always the most difficult. In life you have to trust sometime - but as we get older we know that trust is usually broken as lobsters crawl up that barrel. Special friends - those who have been a part of your life for period of time - possess the ability to hurt you - if you let them. Sadly this is also a learned lesson. There are those who remain - as few as that may be - and they are in for the long haul. It is however a fascinating study of human nature - so to speak. So this year shall be the year of exploring such individuals. The politicians will be easy. Others more difficult - and others will be litigation. There are difficult subject areas to be explored. 1. Opioids and Addiction - and the real human fall-out for innocents and their families, 2. Muskrat Falls - how to keep the ball rolling even after it has been deemed a "boondoggle" 3. How to get a politician to fall in line 4. The Justice system and how it continues to be corrupt on so many levels 5. How politicians get others to do their bidding - on the dirty stuff 6. The Me Too phenomenon and what the Liberals might need to clean up 7. On the way to becoming the Premier and staying there 8. Could some of the tragic murders in our province been avoided and the fall guy or gal 9. Conflicts of Interest and how they are effectively covered-up 10. The political choices we have and whether a new choice is needed Then there are surprises - those who you started off distrusting - actually proving to be trustworthy.
Be cautious of who is holding your quarters because as soon as they get four quarters they will change them for a dollar.
Puerto Rico as you have all probably heard by now - is essentially bankrupt - on fiscal life support - in need of massive bailout. It is considered impoverished.
Newfoundland and Labrador on the other hand is designated as a "have province". That puts us ahead of the provinces collecting equalization.
In the 2017-2018 year, the following provinces will receive equalization payments:
Quebec ($11.081 billion) (please note this amount) program designed to suit them.
Manitoba ($1.820 billion)
Nova Scotia ($1.779 billion)
New Brunswick ($1.760 billion)
Ontario ($1.424 billion)
Prince Edward Island ($390 million)
Back to Puerto Rico
Outstanding debt: 70 billion
Population: 3.4 million
$20,588 per person
Unemployment 10%
Newfoundland and Labrador
Outstanding debt: 13 billion
Population: 528,000
$24,621 per person
Unemployment 15%
This does not include the 13 billion dollar boondoggle Muskrat.
Both Puerto Rico and Newfoundland and Labrador see migration to the continental parts of their countries - both permanently and for temporary work.
Puerto Rico and Newfoundland and Labrador are losing population.
Puerto Rico's aging demographics are much healthier than Newfoundland and Labrador's
We must also consider that Newfoundland and Labrador receives as all provinces do - transfer payments for programs such as health and education not so much for Puerto Rico.
There is a three-pronged problem here.
The first is the understanding or lack thereof of the Equalization program. I have discussed this briefly in a previous post.
The second is that even the reasonable or equitable (to some degree) parts of equalization - leaves us essentially bankrupt because although we have the resources to generate tax, royalties, revenues - we have mismanaged the resources so badly that what equalization considers we should generate from resources - we don't actually generate from them. (oil revenues unfair part)
The third problem is the absolute ignorance deliberate or otherwise of our politicians - refusing to actually understand the mess we are in.
And these same people continue to permit spending on Muskrat Falls.
The people of Puerto Rico just like the people of Newfoundland and Labrador love where they live and want to stay. However both jurisdictions are likely to see significant migration to their respective "mainlands" simply to survive and thrive.
Note to Labradorians - my use of the word "mainland" does not refer to you. I recognize the difference.
Yesterday Sue's Blog focused on the journalistic style of James McLeod in his story headlined "Nalcor audit won’t be done before retirement: AG".
Today let's look at some of the other information we can take from this interview.
The AG Terry Paddon is retiring at months end. He leaves behind an unfinished audit of specific operations of Nalcor.
The story does not tell us some important things.
How far along is the audit?
When did Paddon expect to finish it when it began?
Did he run into unforeseen difficulties in attaining the information he needed?
Was it Paddon's intent to finish the audit before he retired?
What does Paddon think the cost will be to finish it?
Is it more costly under a new Auditor General than if he completed it before he retired?
Did he find anything worth noting now?
Terry Paddon is one of those nice people. Not much - I've ever seen in his personality that would put people off. He is a professional by designation and as best I could tell - took his role seriously.
Paddon - however - missed a couple of key areas in his tenure with the Department of Finance and as Auditor General. He missed some real activity regarding the Federal - Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act (Equalization) - despite being alerted to it.
Equalization - as the program is normally referred to - primarily has been to the benefit of Quebec. The program which Stephen Harper promised he would change but then did not - I assume was kept whole for Quebec.
Harper's promise to remove royalties from non-renewable resources from the formula - would have meant that our oil revenues could have served to improve the lives of future generations so much more. That was a digression. (still angry at CPC for deliberately conning Newfoundland and Labrador and "Seantor" Manning's standing at Harper's side as he did it)
BREAKING NEWS
Many people may not have noticed - but Hydro-Quebec does a significant
amount of public program spending. They have been doing that for
decades. Why is the question....
ANSWER
Back in 2000 Stephane Dion then President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs appeared on Bill Rowe's Open-Line. I asked questions the Minister could not answer on line - so he did as he promised - wrote me the answers to my questions.
Below is the response:
"On the question of the treatment of Churchill Falls under the Equalization program, it should be noted that an adjustment has been made in the calculation of Equalization payments since 1982 which takes into account how Churchill Falls hydro is priced. Equalization payments are based on the relative ability of each province to raise taxes; and the Churchill Falls adjustment shifts some capacity to tax hydro sites from Newfoundland to Quebec. The net effect is to reduce Quebec's annual Equalization payments while raising Newfoundland's. Furthermore, to the extent that profits from Churchill Falls translate into profits to Hydro Quebec that are remitted to the Quebec government, these too have the effect of lowering Quebec's Equalization."
Right from the get-go we were being further penalized on the Upper Churchill - while Quebec reaped even more benefits. Then the formula was changed to reflect the real contract (albeit not enough in my opinion).
Were we ever compensated for the past - NO.
The real kicker though was found accidentally in the last sentence of Dion's response. "Furthermore, to the extent that profits from Churchill Falls
translate into profits to Hydro Quebec that are remitted to the Quebec
government, these too have the effect of lowering Quebec's
Equalization."
That little remark was an eye opener for anybody watching Hydro-Quebec - as I certainly was.
The hundreds of News Releases coming out of Hydro-Quebec in those years were phenomenal. Now it made sense. Before profit - expenses come out. If Hydro-Quebec delivered or helped to deliver public programming on behalf of the Government of Quebec - they lowered their profits - while the province of Quebec saved equalization money - which gave the province even more to spend on public programs.
In short - Hydro-Quebec making billions off our resource - reduced their profits - lowered remitances to the government - in some years almost to zero - to avoid the loss of equalization. This in turn exponentially increased the value from Labrador resources for Quebec.
At the time Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro was making money and was remitting profits to Newfoundland and Labrador. At the time we could have taken advantage of the same. Today Nalcor is not "profitable" - only by force of the PUB, our laws, and oil activity. Nalcor never did do the investment and development that Hydro-Quebec has successfully.
Terry Paddon was aware of this and we did nothing. We sat on our hands and did nothing.
The political and media spin in Newfoundland and Labrador became we MUST become a "have" province. The romantic - naive - irrelevant title of "have". The "have being based on a formula that could see a financially destitute province be "have" while a thriving growing super power province be "have not".
Let me be more clear: Quebec has an unemployment rate of 6% Newfoundland and Labrador is at almost 15%. The population in NL was 530,854 in 1971 and 528,817 in 2017 meanwhile the population in Quebec was 6,137,305 in 1971 and 8,394,034 in 2017. Provincial debt NL is $23,052 per person while in Quebec it is $22,104. This does not include the albatross of 13 Billion for Muskrat Falls. Then we take into account that Nalcor is not financing all it's own obligations - we put in a fair chunk and it is only barely profitable because of oil operations. When compared to Hydro-Quebec which has hundreds of millions in profits - without oil revenues.
Paddon failed by not describing what equalization truly is and how the system works. It's not all his fault - but political masters should not have had that much say.
The media - should really get its collective act together and do some real reporting. It should make itself knowledgeable about important issues and policies before it puts out fluff - this denying the people of balanced information on which they can make a decision.
It is no longer acceptable to have zero leadership in politics and zero accountability of the news media.
We are broke. We continue to repeat mistakes. We continue to dream without doing anything that remotely will help us achieve our dream of prosperous future.
By the way - are there any MHA's willing to wade in to this discussion or members of our "press corps"?
James McLeod presented a news story on October 7th in the Telegram.
It was headlined "Nalcor audit won’t be done before retirement: AG"
As usual - pose a question - get an answer - print answer. No follow-up, no definitions of terms used, and no independent thought respecting the answer.
I'll get into Auditor General in another post - but for now - let's watch this "journalistic" masterpiece unfold.
The conversation between the two must have wandered into the need for a forensic audit. McLeod reports as follows on that question:
Paddon
was cautious when talking about a potential forensic audit for Muskrat
Falls. He said he knows it wouldn’t be cheap though.
“I’m not quite sure that the word ‘forensic audit’ is
appropriate. I mean, I think really what people are looking for is for
somebody to go in and look at, perhaps, the decision-making process and
the execution process, and those sorts of things,” he said.
“It would take a lot of time and a lot of resources. The outcome? I have no idea what the outcome would be.”
IN MY OPINION HERE IS WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ASKED AND ANSWERED:
1. Paddon was cautious but did say it wouldn't be cheap though. Question: what's cheap? why are you cautious?
2. Paddon was not quite sure that the word 'forensic audit' is appropriate.
Question: why is it not appropriate? what part of a forensic audit would be inappropriate?
3. Paddon believes he knows what critics are calling for - decision making and execution process Question: how does that fall out of the purview of a forensic audit? Why do you believe "people" are only looking at those components?
4. Paddon believes it would take a lot of time and a lot of resources. Questions: How much time would this forensic audit need? How much would it cost. Cost relative to what? What might be the cost of NOT doing it?
5. Paddon has no idea what the outcome would be. Question: is that perhaps why people want one done? Is the reason you can't speculate on the outcome because you do not know what perimeters would be set?
and of course: Based on the doubling of the costs, hidden documents, continued extension on time-table for completion, independent contractors information hidden from shareholder. Don't these things present a red-flag to an accountant?
AFTER THIS MCLEOD SHOULD HAVE SOUGHT ANOTHER ACCOUNTING SOURCE AND ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS.
Now let's do a bit of research ourselves and see if a forensic audit is exactly what we are asking for and know that we need.
Forensic auditing is a specialization within the field of accounting, and forensic auditors often provide expert testimony during trial proceedings. Most large accounting firms have a forensic auditing department.
The audit covers a wide range of investigative activities performed by accountants. The process may also include serving as an expert witness in a fraud trial.
The investigation process follows a similar path as a regular audit of financial statements. The steps can include planning, review and a report. If the investigation was undertaken to discover the presence of fraud, evidence is presented to uncover or disprove the fraud and determine the amount of the damages suffered. The findings are presented to the client — and possibly the court should the case go that far.
During the planning stage, the forensic auditing team establishes
objectives, such as identifying if fraud has been committed, how long it
has been going on, the parties involved, quantifying the financial loss
and providing fraud prevention measures. While gathering evidence, the
team collects evidence in the proper manner in order for it to be used
in a court case. There are various techniques used to gather evidence. A
report is produced for the client with the findings. Lastly, those
involved in the forensic audit may be asked to present their findings to
the court.
Forensic audits uncover several types of fraud. The most common involves
theft, including cash, inventory and fraudulent payments. Another type
of fraud is corruption, such as a conflict of interest, bribery and
extortion. The last major category is financial statement fraud. This
relates to misstatements of the financials of a company.
There are many other sites - but this should suffice to ensure that what we are asking for is exactly what we want and need.
This blog has already posted the RED FLAGS post on the need for a forensic audit.
McLeod should have put to a few known critics - the responses of the Auditor General and get another take on it.
This - let me find a source who has a title and a designation - and I can write a news piece is flawed and can lead to the readership relying too much value on the information presented.
This is the spin of spin and is yet another artificial deterrent to completing a forensic audit and attempting to curtail increased calls for a forensic audit.
It seems to me there are many people who just want this whole sordid mess to disappear. Unfortunately for them - social media is alive and growing.
Russell Wangersky should know better. He likes to wax poetic. He likes to believe that his columns are of intellectual value. His current column titled: 22 words with a very big bite is not intellectual but is naively romantic.
This is yet another example of Telegram employees giving a pass to politicians regarding Muskrat.
Since Dwight Ball orated - to an elite corporate community - that his government will conduct a public inquiry on the boondoggle - Telegram employees have been joining in an attempt to calm the seas of public dissent. When I say joining - I don't mean collaborating - I mean they are buying the government spin.
His piece begins with the sentence: "The single dirtiest trick played on electrical customers in this province hasn’t hit home yet. But it will."
Wangersky's assumption that the Muskrat disaster is a dirty trick played on consumers is downplaying the obvious gross negligence, the continued and often deliberate obfuscation, the real engineering concerns, the failure of equipment before the project is even finished, the doubling of the budget, the unending changes to project completion dates, and the number of red flags that demand a forensic audit. It also negates the real possibility of criminal negligence, fraud, and bribery.
When the World Bank blacklisted SNC Lavalin and its subsidiaries in 2013 from "bidding on its global projects under its fraud and corruption policy" - while Wangersky proclaims "..dirtiest trick.." - is irresponsible.
Muskrat Falls stinks to the high heavens - it must be stopped. How do we know that documents are not being shredded as we speak?
There remains a number of executives at Nalcor who have been there since sanctioning. How is this even possible? How is it possible that we paid a king's ransom for Ed Martin?
So when Wangersky describes this fiasco as a dirty trick - he brings to mind events like fooling a candidates supporters into showing up at the wrong location. This is not a dirty trick.
The most offensive and irresponsible part of this column is his concluding thought: "It’s water over the dam. The money’s gone anyway. The best thing we can
do is to learn from the mistake, allow for independent oversight and not
step in a pile of crap like this again."
I can only conclude that this intelligent and thinking human being must be bored with Muskrat, be suffering writers block, or simply and inexplicably buying the Tobinesque spin delivered by Dwight Ball.
Learn from this mistake? How? By suffering bankruptcy? It's water over the dam? How does Russell know what we would be responsible for if illegal activities were found during a forensic audit? How does Russell know that the assets could not be used for another deal? He doesn't know.
The Upper Churchill is a fiasco because of the contractual and economic contracts. The Upper Churchill is significantly successful in it's construction. It was on time and on budget. It stands as one of the best hydro facilities in the world.
So here's what we learned. What we did right in development of the Upper Churchill - on time and on budget - we completely reversed for Muskrat Falls. The stinging and gross minimal return for Newfoundland and Labrador on the Upper Churchill - we repeat for Muskrat.
If you went back 20 years and said we are going to repeat the mistakes of Churchill Falls - politicians would have been politically lynched.
Now that the main stream media in Newfoundland and Labrador have been exposed for their unquestioning support of Danny Williams Muskrat fiasco - the line is "water over the dam"?
Let's watch the same media as they spin the lines of the current failed administration. Watch as they play dirty tricks and marginalize the critics of this continued boondoggle. Watch as they contort to explain that giving away Gull Island to Quebec is going to be a good thing.
Telegram employee James McLeod has come out with a challenge - wait no - more than a challenge - an ultimatum "..put up, or shut up".
Yes the "reporter" who appears to have a similar love-hate relationship with Tweeters to that of one Mr. Trump - has determined what our real problem is.
All "serious, credible.." people need to step up and run for political office. They need to give up their "...paycheque, your own reputation, your own comfortable lifestyle" and throw their hat in the ring. If they do not - McLeod demands they be honest and go away out of it.
First of all the "people" James talks about as credible - are as determined by him. They are people who have a paycheck apparently a comfortable one and a "reputation" - supposedly good. There are many of them according to our newspaper sleuth - he's talked to dozens.
Then there is this jewel: "There are other reasons to stay on the sidelines, too: the demands of an
unsympathetic press corps, ..."
1. the demands of an unsympathetic press corps
There was a break in my writing here - my belly was hurting from laughter.
Which definition of unsympathetic is James using?
a) not feeling, showing, or expressing sympathy
Can't be that one. I would suggest that rightly most express sympathy when a politician has a family or life event of tragedy.
b) not showing approval or favor toward an idea or action
Maybe that one - in which case I would say the majority of media have been very sympathetic both of Muskrat Falls and the current fiasco of a Public Inquiry - as the project continues to motor on.
c) not friendly or cooperative; unlikable
Maybe this one - but again the opposite is true. Many of our "reporters" "journalists" "columnists" and "announcers" are very cooperative and friendly to politicians. They have actually fawned over many of them - like Danny, Tom, Danny, the other Brian, Danny.
The "unsympathetic press corps" he speaks of does not exist in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Well no - that's not true - they are a very unsympathetic press corps to critics of the government - critics of Muskrat Falls. Many of them have tried in every way to marginalize such critics and have used words such as partisans, naysayers, and conspiracy theorists. How nasty....
I can assure Mr. McLeod - that many good private citizens - who have given freely of their time, effort, and intelligence to try and persuade a fawning media and public to beware of things like our current Muskrat boondoggle have risked their reputations, their paycheques, their "comfortable" lives and that of their families. The political parties, their trolls, their indoctrinated, their minions have on many occasions joined with or used the media to disparage "good" people.
He concludes this meandering thought by saying "politics is hard". Hard? Hard how? Hard to go to BBQ's in the rain? Hard to pound your hands in the House of Assembly? Hard to vote ignorantly on legislation? Hard to file for your allowances? Hard to keep up with Twitter or to block people from their Twitter accounts? Hard? Hard to make changes to your own pension plans? Hard to walk the streets once every 4 years? Really James - is that what you call hard? Hard is - an announcement like: I have ordered the shutdown of Muskrat Falls until a forensic audit and a review of project engineering is complete. It is really really easy to say - got to finish it now - cause it's almost done.
If you want to do a journalistic piece - I can recommend several.
1. Research and compare the various proposals to develop the Lower Churchill or any part thereof.
2. Research and compare the various hydro projects completed in Newfoundland and Labrador - their costs, engineering, contracts, the generation and associated transmission.
3. How did Danny Williams and Ed Martin pull the wool over media eyes regarding the many excuses for Muskrat Falls.
4. Do a complete expose of political parties in Newfoundland and Labrador and how they control the pool of MHA's and keep good people out.
5. Investigate and report on the Federal - Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and how Quebec has used/uses Hydro to their advantage while our province watches on the sidelines.
I can ascertain from your articles that you know very little about the real history of Hydro and are therefore unable to ask the questions necessary to get information the public needs. This is true of the majority of your colleagues in the "press corps".
I challenge you and your colleagues to research your topic or stop writing.
I believe having a robust, knowledgeable, and fearless media would go a long way to improving the lot of our province. It might help "good" people feel more comfortable about running.
As for "good" people running. The media of Newfoundland and Labrador chased Danny Williams year after year until he ran. He was promoted without test, he was glorified by the media before "past the overpass" had ever laid eyes on him. He was touted by the media - he was put on a pedestal by the media - before he ever ran. I get the feeling you're gearing up to promote another messiah as perhaps leaked to you by the Liberal Party. The media in Newfoundland and Labrador are famous for creating messiahs and the childlike rumour mills for one millionaire after another.
The media has virtually controlled the sound bites,
the desired quotes, and the forum in which "good" people could
communicate. The good news is that Twitter, Blogs, and Facebook make
communication among citizens much more accessible.
Hook line and sinker comes to mind with the flurry of media reporting positively on the announcement of a Public Inquiry into the Muskrat Falls debacle.
Ironically - they too are taken off the hook for the disastrous, corrupt, misleading, inefficient, and incompetent boondoggle.
Most media here in the province acted as a facilitator for all the Muskrat spin of the Tories and now that the "naysayers", "partisans", and "conspiracy theorists" have been proven right - the media - like the politicians just want it to go away.
The media are wearing a bit of this fiasco and it would be very convenient for them - to have those memories fade.
Was Tobin in for the dinner? Did he help out with this media spin farce? After all the 3 amigos are known for this type of thing.
In either case let's take a review. Pam Frampton's article ends with this sentence: "All I can figure is that the 29 per cent who support Davis are the same
misguided lot still waiting for Danny Williams to return as our one true
messiah." This follows Frampton's own headline, "Hallelujah — Muskrat Falls inquiry’s a go".
Handel would be proud.
Frampton could have and should have mused about the venue for the announcement and the audience it was personally delivered to.
The Muskrat frenzy continued in earnest - while chowing down the meal the latest Messiah had prepared for them. For them religion is money - the Messiah is the facilitator of the money - and the Hallelujah is the message that the money will continue.
Frampton stayed away from the obvious - that is - this type of announcement on a situation that has all the potential of bankrupting the province should have been done in a public forum.
Frampton then waded into the latest polls on the politico and marched right up on the pulpit and decreed that 29% of people who support Paul Davis must be the same "misguided" ones who supported Danny Williams.
That is laughable - the "misguided" ones? Is that the percentage who supported Danny Williams - or was there a tremendous number of more "misguided" people at the time? You are making fun of them?
I'd say it's a tad likely that the media were as enthralled with that Messiah as the "misguided" ones you speak of.
Frampton's jubilation regarding the reactionary - too little to late - non-detailed - Tobinesque announcement that happened to be given to an elite Muskrat skinned audience - is naive. It is not an acceptable response of a journalist, a political commentator, or a columnist.
There were so many questions that needed - no begged - to be asked.
1. Why is it too late to stop the project? - details please
2. Why not begin with a forensic audit? - details please
3. How does any of this protect the indigenous people? - details please
4. Why is the Premier using a political fundraiser to announce a Public Inquiry?
5. Why did the Premier change his mind on the timing of the Inquiry? details please
6. What are the plans with Gull Island and Quebec? details please
7. Why are you not stopping the project until Inquiry is complete - considering the continued and serious questions regarding the North Spur - and the potential to uncover corruption or fraudulent activity? details please
and so many more...
The fact that a significant number of Newfoundland and Labrador media fall in the category that Frampton calls "the misguided lot still waiting for Danny Williams to return as our one true
messiah" - albeit more focused on the Galway messiah and Costco's second coming - demonstrates one reason as to why we are in this mess now.
Ball needed an exit, Frampton needed to believe that in some way her much too late need to question the Muskrat boondoggle - played some role in getting an Inquiry called, the Muskrat elite needed reassurance, and the media generally just want the past to go away.
Next up - James McLeod and his call to so-called naysayers, partisans, and conspiracy theorists to prove their love of Newfoundland and Labrador - followed by Wangersky's learn from our mistakes lecture.
Last night was a spectacle to behold. Dwight Ball's Muskrat dinner was something to forget - if we could.
First let me thank some of the media for tweeting the latest Liberal Party function. Last night was a show of support for Dwight Ball by the party - thereby connecting themselves fully to his disastrous performance on the job.
From a media perspective - any journalist who is willing to portray that what the public (used to be naysayers, partisans, and conspiracy theorists) wants is an Inquiry is ignoring the so-called longstanding opposers to the project.
The indigenous people want the project to stop completely and they want specific material on the North Spur.
The longstanding opposers to the project want and are demanding a forensic audit now.
I believe most want the project to stop until an audit is complete so as the people can review all options for Muskrat Falls.
There is a strong belief that there is corruption, incompetence, straight up lies, hidden information, and incomplete data - regarding the project.
VOCM's question of the day - treats the public as if they got what they wanted with the announcement of an Inquiry. Then it encourages the public (based on that false assumption) to say what they want to find out from an Inquiry. Table #8 was Steele Hotels.
Then there is the permanent speaking note for Ball. "It's too late to stop it now". Then couched in - if I could I would tomorrow. Dwight Ball is just lying here. He uses Stan Marshall to back him up - so that he won't be responsible for that decision.
An Inquiry is going to review a project that will destroy us economically. An Inquiry is like reading a postmortem report. This is not what's going to get us out of this fiasco.
Next thing Ball's managers do is craft a little bit of we will get our way out of this through a new relationship with Quebec. In plain language - we are going cap in hand - completely vulnerable - to a savvy hydro giant to seek help. It means we are giving something else away.
Unbelievably but yet so - the amateur drafter of the speech must have been told that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are so gullible that if we throw in a Donald Trump reference - it will dissuade the discussion of looking at new political options. It must have taken Dwight's administrators some time to get him to understand how he could use the "specter" of "populism".
Finally let's look at the forum used to make such an announcement. Ball did not look to the media for live air-time to talk to the people and present factual data on why the project cannot be stopped or why an Inquiry is better than a forensic audit. He did not use a live appearance to explain why doing a forensic audit now and then being guided by those results to look at options - one being an Inquiry is not the right choice..
So Ball decided - or it was decided for him (he does not make decisions) that a Liberal Party fundraiser was to become a de facto branch of government that can be used when necessary to conduct government business. This is not an issue for the party - it is an issue for the province and her people. This was a disrespectful, idiotic, arrogant and despicable choice of forum.
As $500 a plate meals were served to those thriving off Muskrat - Ball thought he was talking to the people? No he was simply reassuring the corporate elite that despite what the people want - the project would continue and a forensic audit would be avoided right now.
All in all this was a kick in the face to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador - and Ball does not mind being used to do this.
Dwight Ball lied last night. Dwight Ball lies all the time.
After he takes his knocks for this - the Party will present an alternative to his leadership - so they can carry on.
As for Siobhon Coady - her absence from all these "decisions" is an attempt to preserve her for another term.
Why Dwight Ball is doing this? I'd have to really look at who he is indebted to and for what. I can assuredly and confidently tell you he is a liar.
The combined collection of material from those opposed to Muskrat Falls is starting to become a file that ends up on a shelf to collect dust.
There are enough reasons to demand the immediate shut down of the project and the immediate start-up of a forensic audit.
This will not be accomplished through this blog, any other blogs, tweets of discontent, letters to the editor, or calls to a radio program.
The only way to accomplish this is to provide new leadership - now. The coming together of people for a common goal - regardless of their past political stripes or non-stripes.
Being right is not a happy place right now. Many of us were right in our past assessments of Muskrat Falls. It is actually miserable to be right and will remain so until some real change occurs.
Dwight Ball - Danny Williams and the elite making a killing off this project and have thick skin with respect to keeping this "boondoggle" going.
They do not fear repercussion - Danny's already out of politics and Dwight will soon be. The Corporate elite just want to keep taking our money and the money of our kids and grand-kids and great grand kids The debt, the burden, and the mess will remain long after they are deceased from old age - unless we stop it now.
A - alliance of like minded people
C - coordination of action required
T - target the politicians who want to be re-elected
I - imminent understanding that they will be thrown from office at next election
O - onslaught of activities designed to raise awareness and participation
N - network with people from all around Newfoundland and Labrador
I like George Murphy - always have. Right now he is encouraging all of us to write the PUB to protest the Hydro proposed increase. It is an action and it will be felt - however this will not rid us of the burden - it will simply shift the debt from the ratepayer to the taxpayer. We need action to rid us of Muskrat Falls and do what we can to mitigate losses.
So the day of action is here. Who is going to stand up and join with others to provide leadership and a future for Newfoundland and Labrador?
The taxpayers of Newfoundland and Labrador cannot afford the burden of a 30 billion dollar debt. This is what successive governments have done to us - and we are allowing it.
Demand the immediate cessation of Muskrat Falls until a complete forensic audit and financial investigation is complete on the project to date. Then we can look at what alternatives and choices we have. Anything short of that is philosophical discussion that nets us nothing more than an historical record of misery - just like the Upper Churchill.
So much is known now about the Muskrat Falls fiasco - that even with the information we do not have - we know we've been had.
The perplexing question is how do we stop it?
Dwight Ball, Danny Williams, and those making fortunes on our bankrupt backs are counting on 2 things.
The first is apathy and the second is disorganization.
Let's talk about apathy. In the last CRA Poll of "decided" voters the Liberals held 40%, the PC's held 33%, the NDP held 24%, the Labrador Party 2% and the Greens (not a provincial party) held 1%.
Now the reality is that the undecided/refused was 43%, therefore the Liberals have support of 22.8% the PC's have support of 18.8%, the NDP have support of 13.6%, the Labrador Party have support of 1.1% and the Greens have support of .57%.
Part of this can be attributed to apathy and that suits the politicians just fine. Despite their protestations that voter participation should be higher - they are doing nothing really to entice those who either are sick of politicians or those who could care less.
Next we get to disorganization - a large chunk of that 43% undecided/refused are people who want to participate - but are so fed up with the big three choices that they can't commit to anything. They are also discouraged by the improbability that any new or marginal party would stand a chance.
There are twitter and blog trolls whose job it is to discourage active democratic movement - by simply saying things like "that won't work" "can't be done" "extremists and naysayers" etc.
Politicians are currently comfortable that this is all it will take to keep a real democratic movement from going forward. Why are they comfortable? Because the opposition to them is disorganized.
We have talented bloggers, intelligent tweeters, backroom experts, and call show gurus. They come from varied backgrounds and have personalities that are as diverse as you can get. They certainly have enough wherewithal to begin a new political movement. They could form a Cabinet that would make the current crew and the PC's before them look like rank amateurs.
For the most part - these people - many of whom have had political affiliations in the past - do not put Party in front of Province. They will take aim at the real issues and let rip.
The government (regardless of which one) will attempt to take some of them out with political appointments or engage them in another way to diminish the pool of articulate opposition.
In Quebec and other provinces - political movements are seen as advantageous and are encouraged. In Newfoundland and Labrador we have oodles of political minions who will take great pleasure in knocking them down. They don't have the capability to take them down on wits - so they get involved in name calling like "naysayer", "partisan", and/or "conspiracy theorists".
The other favourite pastime in Newfoundland and Labrador is to turn one of these people who oppose government against another who opposes government. This is done subtly - someone who knows someone says this about someone. You know - I'm sure you've all heard it. Then there is the politicians go-to, try and negatively impact the life of one of their antagonists. Yes - they do this - all the time.
The not-so-subtle approach is to just have a number of minions go beyond the normal types of insults and question a person's sanity - publicly. They also bring out "experts" to try and downplay the findings of a blogger - regardless of the validity. This public approach is also designed to deter others from becoming involved.
This is what we are dealing with. This is real.
Until the bloggers, the Tweeters, the backroom experts, and the call-show gurus (unofficial opposition) get together and plan some real action under real leadership - Muskrat and every other fiasco will continue.
We won't have a province left - but thanks to social media we'll have an historical account of the opposition.
You know the old saying If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it.
We are the proverbial people spoken about.
Lie 1
We need the power
Lie 2
This is the cheapest alternative
Lie 3
We need to get around Quebec
Lie 4
Holyrood will be eliminated
Lie 5
It will cost 7-8 billion dollars
Lie 6
We need it for industry
Lie 7
We will own the transmission line to the Island
Lie 8
Ed Martin quit/retired
and now the biggest whopper of them all
Lie 9
We can't stop Muskrat now
For each and every lie above we had head-bobbing from ignorant MHA's and Ministers, we had a media in report but not research mode, and we had and have leaders who lead us down a garden path.
Each and every one of these lies was repeated, reported, repeated, reported, and repeated and reported.
Each and every one without a modicum of real and unfettered independent investigation.
The first big whopper - "we need the power" was one leader and the last big whopper "we can't stop Muskrat now" from our current leader.
Both of them have tried to back up the statements with "input" from experts. The current expert Stan Marshall - riddled with government exempt conflict - has proclaimed "this is a boondoggle" but "we can't stop it now".
The first part of his statement "this is a boondoggle" is something that should be used in the Captain Obvious Hotels.com commercials. The second part "we can't stop it now" is coming without real proof or true independent review - that should be demanded by the people.
We suspect there has been/is some form of corruption going on. We know for certain incompetence has been abound and continues. We know we were lied to. Any reasonably minded person would say - it is time to stop the boondoggle, forensically audit the boondoggle, review the results publicly, and then look at all options.
Not here though. Lie repeat. Lie repeat. Lie report repeat.
It is unfathomable.
A lie told often enough becomes the truth.
Vladimir Lenin Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vladimirle132031.html
A lie told often enough becomes the truth.
Vladimir Lenin Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/v/vladimirle132031.html
That story resulted in some twitter commentary, opposition and support - including Maggie Burton - a candidate for St. John's City Council.
Ms. Burton appears to favour a change that would allow non-citizens to vote.
I tweeted back and forth with Ms. Burton - and found that her agreement with allowing such a change to law was more wrapped up in the warm and fuzzy - not the law, the intent of citizenship, and without polling the citizens she wants support from.
One of her first responses to me is that other cities are looking at it - and referenced the CBC story.
Followed my "it's not fair"
Followed by "it's not a radical idea"
So I got down to it. I asked some questions, put out my own opinion and why I held that opinion - and outside an interlude with a Permanent Resident of Canada - living in Newfoundland and Labrador - the tweets back and forth between myself and Ms. Burton ran on.
The self-identified Permanent Resident attempted to depict me as somebody who was opposed to him having and voicing an opinion. A Permanent Resident in Canada is protected by the Charter and laws - they just can't vote or stand for election. He knew this when he signed up for that status.
The conversation with Ms. Burton raised some serious concerns for me as a citizen - regarding the ability of a warm and fuzzy lobby to make politicians jump on a bandwagon of ignorance. That is to say the implications of such a change were not examined thoroughly - and in spite of this - a person running for office was willing to go to battle for such a concept.
The CBC for their part should have broadened the story to get opinions and feelings of citizens who are opposed to such a change and outline their reasons for that stance.
Here's the real deal:
What permanent residents can do
As a permanent resident, you have the right to:
get most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including health care coverage,
protection under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
You must pay taxes and respect all Canadian laws at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.
What permanent residents cannot do
You are not allowed to:
vote or run for political office,
hold some jobs that need a high-level security clearance.
This is pretty straight-forward and is known by those who choose a Permanent Resident status. The Government of Canada encourages PR's to apply for Canadian Citizenship.
Why is this important?
The act of incorporating creates a new legal entity called a corporation, commonly referred to as a “company”. Your corporation will have the same rights and obligations under Canadian law as a natural person.
Corporations are a person under the law - but like Permanent residents are not citizens therefore cannot vote or run for office.
Corporations have for years complained using the same arguments as a Permanent Resident - they reside in the municipality, contribute to the municipality and pay tax in the municipality. They too want the right to vote. Once you take away the citizenship requirement for voting and standing for election - you open up significant issues and ones that will be challenged. In the CBC story one such Permanent Resident - Philippa Jones - claims she is not a citizen of Canada but she lives in St. John's so therefore a citizen of St. John's. Patently false and wrong. She resides in St. John's. She is a resident not a citizen of St. John's. You are either a Canadian citizen or not. This does not break down to to a provincial or municipal level. It is one or the other. I'd like to be a citizen of Newfoundland and Labrador - skip the Canada part - however this would take a referendum with defined boundaries and rules. That's the way it is. Further - this lobby wants the right to vote but not the right to seek electoral office. This is absurd - and once again - open the can of worms and see what happens next. As a Permanent Resident - there are numerous benefits and rights - but the right to vote and seek electoral office is reserved for citizens. One pays tax because they are employed and they pay property tax because they own property. These are choices. If one wants to vote - however - they must be a citizen. If they want to have or achieve a high level security clearance they must be a citizen. I can guarantee that corporations with the same claims of paying tax - residing in - contributing to a municipality will attempt again to get the right to vote. If we change the status of a Permanent Resident to allow them to vote - all kinds of challenges to include other "persons" will begin. The CBC should have been more thorough, Maggie Burton should have polled the citizens on their thoughts, and Permanent Residents should apply for citizenship - and in the event they already have wait until they take the Oath of Citizenship.
There are reasons for these rules and law - and we should not forget them for a warm and fuzzy lobby.
The title includes both Danny Williams and Dwight Ball - as Williams started the Muskrat mess and Ball seems determined to finish it.
The domino affect for Newfoundland and Labrador of this disastrous, ill-conceived, potentially corrupt project is astounding.
1. the astronomical debt burden on taxpayers and ratepayers
2. the questionable engineering to date on the project
3. the unquestionable loss of population that will occur
4. the unquestionable decimation of disposable income for a significant percentage of people
5. the unquestionable destruction of small/medium sized businesses relying on disposable income
6. the unquestionable increase in unemployment (already at third world levels)
7. the unquestionable reduction in essential services - as government seeks to find savings
8. the unquestionable increase in poverty - particularly seniors on fixed income and children
9. the unquestionable rise in taxation that will have to be introduced should energy subsidies occur
10. the unquestionable giveaway of more resources to try an offset 1-9 above
This project will be successful as the driving factor for out-migration and those remaining will have to shop at Costco or Walmart to survive - thereby eliminating and NL or even Canadian company existence.
Many of our abnormally high aging population will be left here as their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren move to more economically stable province, States or countries.
Rural Newfoundland and Labrador will be decimated at a greater pace.
Health care, education, and social safety nets will not be maintainable at today's level - let alone advance.
Crime, drug addictions, and suicides will - in my opinion - be on the rise.
Meanwhile the fat-cats will be enjoying the wealth attained through the destruction of our province.
The fat-cats don't care - for the most part that's why they're fat-cats.
More seniors homes and long-term care will be needed as they cannot live at home with assistance from their children (who are gone) - yet there is no money to do this.
As younger taxpayers/ratepayers leave Newfoundland and Labrador the taxation and revenue needed to fulfill debt obligations will be shared among fewer people.
This is the catastrophic position we are in.
Ball - for his part - will not stop Muskrat and conduct a forensic audit and truly examine all options. Muskrat has consumed him and many of his colleagues. Ball - instead - will hold out on making a decision - any decision - as is his norm. This will cost us - our province.
Williams is running around complaining about infrastructure St. John's is "unfairly" imposing on him - and taking potshots at Dobbin - another "leader" of the business community.
Ball's biggest concern about seeking leadership, winning leadership, seeking elected office as the Premier - is whether or not the Townie big corporate community would accept him and take him seriously. He is working extremely hard to win their approval.
In my opinion - Williams for his part is unwilling to accept criticism - of any type and will parade around like a litigation happy snapping turtle.
The current crop of MHA's and. Ministers are primarily incompetent as it relates to policy areas such as energy, education, and health - to name but a few.
The government backbenchers are as probing as our media was during the Muskrat cheer-leading days.
The Official Opposition is in free-fall having promoted and backed the Muskrat fiasco - including Kent who opportunistically found another source of grand public servant pay - as leadership hopes or return to Ministerial prominence was fading like the caplin stock. Leadership potential is about as good as chicken left on the counter for 2 days.
The NDP is nowhere in sight - as it finishes its dismantling to start anew. Now that the union workers have completed a fair chunk of the Muskrat fiasco - it might be okay now to throw out a few jabs.
The Danny dominoes were lined up when the Liberals took power - and the dominoes are now falling quickly after Dwight pushed the first one.
As I said in my last post - time is NOT on our side.
This guest feature by PlanetNL certainly has no problem getting our power rates to 30 cents - even while using conservative estimates.
As Sue's blog has pointed out many times - population - is and has been a real problem since the Fisheries Moratorium. That one disaster cost our province at least 100,000 people between the 1992 and now. It was the destruction of a resource fundamental to us being solvent and growing.
The PlanetNL feature has not yet accounted for that part of the problem.
30-35 cent power does not yet include the out-migration - that will absolutely grow exponentially as power becomes unaffordable.It does not yet include the significant numbers of those who will move to fixed income status as our population ages abnormally - without offsetting numbers of babies and youth.
None of the soon-to-be pensioners have a plan that accommodates 4 or 5 times increase in power rates. None of the government administered programs such as CPP or the OAS were designed to deal with this runaway price on an essential such as power.
Any attempt by government to subsidize those on low fixed incomes means that those taxpayers/ratepayers left will be subject to even more expense.
Small to Medium size businesses - not in the industrial sector - will be unable to pay the electric bill without passing it to a consumer who cannot afford to pay it.
I expect the next installment from PlanetNL to contain pretty catastrophic projections for cost of power as the author includes some of these other factors into the equation.
I won't say I look forward to reading it - but I look forward to seeing real data and realistic projections finally coming to the fore. We as a people are closing our collective eyes - holding our breath - as we await the boom about to fall directly on top of us. It is likely to suck all the goodwill, hope, and trust out of us as we try and find a way to save this place from complete devastation.
How do we fix this?
Well as a province that has the 4th largest utility in the country and the second largest underground power station in the world - and possessing first class natural renewable and non-renewable natural resources - we also - unarguably - have had the worst management of those resources.
To fix this - we must stop Muskrat Falls now. We must show the fortitude necessary to withstand corporate leeches who will be up-in-arms that their undeserving gravy train will end. We must conduct a forensic audit and use all the legal tools necessary to rid ourselves of the Emera deal.
Finishing Muskrat and continuing on with this fiasco means we will have to give away our remaining resources - rightfully belonging to our future generations - to simply stay afloat. Pushing this out is not an alternative.
This is going to need read leadership, guts, and tenacity. This is going to require a wholesale change in our thinking and if the current politicians will not do it -They must be told to get out of the way.
Stan Marshall - who has some qualifications for success in the sector (primarily in regulated utilities with reasonable guarantees of profitability) has been of little value here as:
1) he failed to replace some executive in Nalcor,
2) he remains in an otherwise (government exempted) conflict of interest situation with his personal interests in competing entities.
3) he failed to report existing reports in a timely manner
4) he has not demonstrated the extreme due diligence needed right now (does not know enough about independent contractors)
5) he has failed to call for a forensic audit despite the red flags
6) he is not engaged enough to make Nalcor his only and first priority
The entire executive of Nalcor must be replaced and we must name a new Board of Directors. The government must stop Muskrat Falls immediately and bring in forensic auditors. When that is completed - government must review all options and lay them on the table for the people and then utilize a referendum on those choices.
In the coming months we should expect to see government trying to bail itself out with a new potential regarding Gull Island. Do not let them explore touching this asset until we have decided a complete course of action for Muskrat. They will GIVE AWAY another resource if we let them.
This is a time when we need all our people to pull on the same oar and use our brightest minds to seek a solution - not based on 4 year elections and inadequate solutions.
Right now Dwight Ball is not engaging with all such people. He is playing a political game with lots of spin to save his political hide and whatever else he may be engaged in.
The Corporate Muskrat world is working hard to find a suitable replacement for Ball - should he not be able to continue to deliver for them while maintaining the ability to be reelected.
The MHA's in the House of Assembly had better buckle down and demand answers and become at least somewhat educated on hydro-power and our history. As it sits now they are woefully ignorant of the situation we are in and possess no ability to fix it.
Do you want a future for your kids and grand-kids in Newfoundland and Labrador? If so speak now.
Either Newfoundland and Labrador will return to being a wonderful place for all of us to live and raise families in or it will remain a playground for the super-rich to extract more personal wealth from.
Time is not on our side.
When I see the media focus on the Dobbin/Williams racket or the where's Costco game - I acknowledge we are have a tough road ahead and the odds of us surviving are pretty minuscule.
