LEST WE FORGET

How do you say thank you to those who fought for freedom?

How do you say thank you to one who lost their own life to allow for another to live free?  

How do you say thank you to those who fought to protect democracy but never lived to vote?

How do you say thank you to the mothers of children who enlisted in their teens - underage - and never lived to thank their mothers.

How do you say thanks to those men and women who continue to serve our country regardless of the mission and regardless of who is making the decisions?

How do we thank our Veterans?

LEST WE FORGET

We Vote,

We participate in our Political Process,

We do not take our democracy for granted,

We fight to protect what they have fought to enable,

We fight by speaking up when anybody threatens our freedom,

We remind those we elect that they are there for the people not themselves,

We instruct those we elect that all financial and social resources are available for our Veterans when needed – as needed.

Thank you to our Veterans – I will never forget.

Sue

 

You did it too...

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?

Look at what Mexico did. Press HERE 

Merry Christmas

So this is Christmas - what have we done?

Let me start by wishing you all a very beautiful holiday filled with family time and love.

I look forward to the New Year and hoping we can all do the best we can to make this place the best that it can be.

The future in the eyes of the children must be carefully nurtured with only them in mind.

We must continue to do better for the seniors of Newfoundland and Labrador who invested their lives before us.

May the greed and lust for power be muted by a sense of public duty and honour.

May your neighbour be well this year and may you ensure the well being of another person.

These are but a few wishes made much more real by action we can and should take.

Thank you to all those who are working over Christmas ensuring essential public services are met.

Animal Hero - Salmonier Nature Park

Every now and then you witness something really touching.

This morning I awoke to see a murder of crows diving on something in the marsh across the road from my house.

I got the binoculars and noticed a snowy owl standing in the grass.

I went over to see the bird in order to determine if it was injured.

Here's the picture:

I called the Dept. of Wildlife and heard back from a staff member of the Salmonier Nature Park. They arrived very quickly and rescued this beautiful creature. It appeared to be suffering from hunger and was weak but did not appear to be too injured.

Thanks to the wonderful staffer at the park.

Here's the picture:

What a lovely person he is - I think his name is Rod. Special thanks to Rod for rescuing this gorgeous snowy owl.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight

The Christmas tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador burns very bright. This year there are beautiful stories of people helping one another.

Christmas cards supporting causes like the Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House adorn mantles throughout our wonderful province. Turkeys and Hampers are on their way to families who need some help this year. Communities are reaching out to families to lend a helping hand and meals are being cooked to share with those who may have been alone otherwise.

The Children's Wish Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador are working hard to make wishes come true for kids who are facing health concerns. Families, friends and neighbours are helping those who have lost a loved one.

The Salvation Army Kettles are present and hopefully filled to help families have a warm and cheer filled Christmas. Eg Walters and the Community Food Sharing Association are working very hard to fill bellies all year round.

Many individuals, employee groups, and companies have come together to each help a couple of families to have a wonderful and joyous time this season.

Christmas carols are being played and concerts performed to bring the gift of music to people all across Newfoundland and Labrador.

There are homemade pickles, jams, cakes, cookies, sweetbread, and suet pudding.

There are mummers, choirs, and raffles and of course all kinds of crafts made from wood - stone - seal - wool.

People are coming and going from rural to urban and urban to rural.

Smells of Turkey and Ham are wafting through the air - spilling from the oven vent to the nippy wind outside.

Snow sparkles - icicles hang playfully from rock cliffs and the combers do their thing in the sea of blue.

Yes there are polar bears, moose, caribou, rabbits and partridge running around and wood stoves are burning.

Christmas trees are decorated and stockings are hung.

Children young and old are excited waiting for Santa and family get-togethers.

This Christmas take the time to reflect, to help another, to love your family and friends, and to enjoy stories and song.

A special thank you goes out to those who must work this week - the health professionals, staff of our hospitals and clinics, corrections, police, ambulance, and firemen and women, those working in retail like gas stations and convenience stores, those working in the industrial sector offshore and on, ferry operators, hydro workers, highway and roads maintenance, those working in long-term and personal care homes, and those in the news media and anybody else I have not mentioned.

Stay safe out there - drive carefully and don't drink and drive. Watch out for pedestrians and keep your pets safe.

Dunderdale - Self Service trumping Public Service

On the heels of another devastating poll result Dunderdale backbenchers and Ministers are hip-hip-hooraying the failing Premier.

Minister Kevin O'Brien is quoted as saying "he is encouraged to see the polls have somewhat stabilized". Stabilized at 26% for the party and 22% for their leader."

O'Brien is happy that they may not lose the party completely?

He's happy that as yet they are not wiped off the political map?

Will O'Brien confirm today that he will run again under a Dunderdale party in 2015? Or is he simply doing the loyal thing by standing behind his leader knowing his pension is in the bag and he's on his way out.

Certainly politicians like Kent, Lane, Collins and a few others will want something - anything to change in order to keep the best gig they'll ever have.

Marshall, Kennedy, Hedderson etc. have accepted the writing on the wall and are trying to maintain some form of reputation on their way to the bottom. This is not likely to be the case as people expected them to show integrity, guts, and independent thought.

Dunderdale must be aware that certain PC's are looking to take a walk across the aisle. She must have some idea of who they are. They'll be coming two-by-two to the Liberal Ark in an attempt to preserve themselves - that is after all what many of them are all about.

As for Kathy Dunderdale, the Telegram story says they received an emailed statement from the Premier's Office which said - she won't quit and added "We will not focus on speculation and rumours. We will continue to focus on listening to the priorities of our people and planning for our future."

They must be listening to "priorities" because they are certainly not listening to the "people". This is very serious and should be treated more so by the Premier, her Cabinet and backbench. They have no moral authority to govern anymore and worse they are carrying on with the largest project in our history while she and her party are in last place - representing a 1/4 of the people. This - demonstrates Dunderdale's arrogance and feeling of entitlement. If she was - as she so often claims - "humbled" by the support of the people she should now be "ashamed" of what she has done to that support - and resign. It no longer matters if her caucus supports her - the people don't and many of her caucus that want to extend their political office benefits are gonna jump.

It is time for Dunderdale to go and the Muskrat deal should be halted until a new government can be put in place. The PC's are clearly no longer serving the people - therefore they must be serving themselves.

Lois and Clark need to get voting for their Iron Lady

That crack pair of superhero and journalist protecting the province of Newfoundland and Labrador had better get auto-clicking to protect the Iron Lady.

Let me see Mr. Marshall - were you referring to the Oxford trained chemist who studied under a Nobel Prize winner? You mean the Barrister Thatcher? Were you referring to the lady who did some damage to the Falklands?

No? You were referring to who? The Iron Lady?

The only thing Margaret and Kathy will ever have in common is that both will have resigned due to unpopular policy and power struggles in their respective parties.

The Iron Lady indeed! Let me see I can see a Lied Piper, an Alice in Wonderland, a Snowed White, of course the Three Refined Mice, and the Valiant Little Spin Tailor.

People may have had their opinions of Kathy Dunderdale and likewise Tom Marshall - all of that may have changed for Minister Marshall as he gushed the words Iron Lady.

Do I hear a Joan of Arc next coming from the lips of our Minister of un-natural resources?

Enjoy Your Christmas Your Family and Friends

The Beauty of the North - A Christmas Treasure

Putin - Harper - Dunderdale - Same Thing?

So three young women protesting the Putin regime in Russia have been found guilty of hooliganism. They have been sentenced to two years in jail.

Harper must be envious - if only he could get this much control. Don't be surprised when he does exactly that - as this is proper order in society.

Time to wake up - really - governments afraid of students, scientists, peaceful protesters, and average citizens will make sure they are intimidated, prosecuted, sued and otherwise harassed to bring them in line.

Do you really believe we are that far behind Putin? Think again. While we are at it - how about attempted control of the media? Harper is great at that - comparable to his buddy Putin.

As for our own government - well they are out and out opposed to transparency - freedom of speech - and open debate. They must control anything and everything relative to information and policy. They now want to make sure that when you contact your MHA about a problem - personal and private - it must go through scanning at the partisan level.

Putin - Harper - Dunderdale three very bad peas in a pod clinging desperately to power - afraid of people - but legislating control. We are certainly regressing and that can only be to satisfy dictatorial politicians and the corporate masters they serve.