Minister Hutchings unwittingly questions Muskrat

In a VOCM story today Minister Hutchings is responding to Federal Minister Gail Shea regarding the shrimp quota disaster.

As is usually the case from this PC Government the Minister talks about how good we are doing and what good confederation children we are. In part he says:

...in 2007 there were 187 licensed fish plants; today there are 86, and at the peak in the '80s there were 250. He says the province has stepped in with the fisheries loan guarantee program and a host of others to give harvesters the ability to access capital or to buy out, all of which is consolidation and rationalization.

Yes there we have it. So in short - Look at us - we have downsized, cut, rationalized and sold out - so why can't we have more shrimp?

So this province has lost 164 fish plants, 2 pulp and paper mills, several mines and recently a shoe factory - we need more power? So this province has lost 50,000 people but we need more power? Our population has aged with many of our young families moving to other provinces and countries for work and we need more power for the seniors left behind? All of our houses are modern and energy efficient as are the appliances in them - so we need more power?

Better yet Hutchings alludes to even more rationalization meaning less fish plants - and we need more power?

Muskrat = somebody needs more money and they'll have the suckers of Newfoundland and Labrador pay for it.

Hutchings has no problem speaking confidently about rationalization - he just has a problem being rational. Kindly stop the BS - and while your at it - if you are seeking re-election you might want to tone down the - we are going to shut-down things to do better thing.

Innovative PC's - Kent? I think not!

Here we are the great "energy warehouse" hydro-powerhouse - and yet?

There they are - the little Northern Nation of Iceland humming along with half our population and resources.

So what's new?

The Icelandic company Even has purchased, and in the next few months intends to set up, 200 new express electric-car charging stations around the country.

According to plans outlined by the government, 10 percent of cars should rely on sustainable fuels by 2020. Currently, however, it is not very practical to own an electric car in Iceland as there are very few charging stations, most of them located in the capital area.

Oh yes they are even complaining because they are behind Norway - you know the land of Statoil of which Danny Williams thinks Nalcor is like.

As of May 2014, a total of 30,319 plug-in electric vehicles have been registered in Norway, of which, 95% are all-electric vehicles. The registered plug-in electric fleet consists of 28,827 all-electric passenger and light-duty vehicles, and 1,492 plug-in hybrids.

From September 2013 to March 2014, five times an electric car has ranked as the top selling new car in the country. The Tesla Model S has been the top selling new car three times, twice in 2013, first in September and again in December.

AND  Among the existing government incentives, all-electric cars are exempt in Norway from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including purchase taxes...

Did we have a chance to be in on this action? You bet we did. What did we do about it? Nothing! The partisan brains allow only partisan activity. They will drive Steve Kent or his supporters to robo vote on a VOCM poll - diligent, fervent, and maniacal interest in that - while opportunities pass us by.

Innovation? I think not. So as we lose and lose more business interests in our province - somehow the nation of Iceland keeps plugging into this innovation.

In Newfoundland and Labrador - our government is still trying to figure out how to keep the power on. We have the physical resources but we lack the visionary leadership to do anything but give them away.

As we have learned this week - companies know how to suck the money out of this government and use it to advance themselves without regard for the people who financed them...