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.

Watch out for the NDP on Muskrat Falls - Here's Why

The United Steel Workers of America - Toronto - $20,000 to the NDP NL - the largest single donation to any party in 2010.

The United Steel Workers Union - Etobicoke - $20,000 to the NDP NL - the largest single donation to any party in 2009.

The UFCW International Union CLC - Washington DC - $10,000 - tied for the largest single donation to any political party 2008.

I will say this - to give away Muskrat Falls for short term jobs and no long term industrial jobs in Labrador is not acceptable. This certainly calls into question - how the NDP will position themselves on the Muskrat Falls issue - when these unions want construction and service work.

Maybe that's why most of us are confused on where the NDP stands on the issue. We do know that the NDP in Nova Scotia is for it and we do know that the federal NDP support it - so Lorraine Michael is going to have to state her position clearly.

What makes matters worse is that in 2007 the burden of labour contributions to the NDP NL fell to local unions - however that has since moved to the national and international unions.

Waiting for Public Pensioners to Die - Dunderdale's Policy Choice

Sometimes the "shock and awe" approach is the only thing left to fight an obvious injustice and unfairness.

Such is the case with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Sector Pensioners'.

I understand their Association (NLPSPA) held a public meeting last night in St. John's and there was a full house. Apparently Jim Morgan was a speaker and rallied the troops - to take action to get resolve.

I also spoke at a similar event of theirs a few years back and suggested the same things - a real action against government - until an equitable resolution was found.

This group comprises of many who dedicated their lives and careers to public service - at a time when oil was not the player it is now.

There is no question or argument to be had to deny these individuals a living pension with increases that reflect the actual cost of living - today - not based on 20 years ago.

You see this problem was caused by a number of things - Joey Smallwood did not collect premiums from workers - Frank Moores collected and then spent all the employee contributions for operations of government such as roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools - Peckford who stopped spending the contributions but did nothing to start refunding the unfunded mess left by the first two - Clyde Wells who did the actuarial studies that identified the mess of the pension plans - Brian Tobin and Roger Grimes who began the process of funding the unfunded and underfunded portions for future pensioners and Danny Williams who carried on with the refunding of the plans with monies accrued from the federal Martin administration (all since lost because of the Harper administration) and the market meltdown. None of them however have done anything to index the pensions for those who lost that investment potential when government spent all their premiums.

Yes this is a mess and Dunderdale - as with Williams - has the ability to do something about it with oil money - yet have decided instead to wait for these pensioners to die. Does that sound harsh, jaw-dropping, even cruel? Well these are our realities and the "shock and awe" of the statement should be delivered to the public and MHA's on a daily basis. Insurance, pensions, and other financial instruments are all based on actuarials defining life expectancy of you and me. There really is no other way to determine the future costs of pensions and the ability of plans to survive.

People who have just been pensioned or are on that cusp are working with their unions - such as NAPE and CUPE to ensure they will have a livable pension and show very little concern for those living - in many cases - below the poverty line.

Kathy Dunderdale, Cabinet, and Caucus should deal with the plight of these people - but they know by the numbers - that most of the problem will expire within a couple of terms of government. The Unions know the same thing. The question is - will our society work toward ignoring this unfairness or will we all stand up and instruct our governments and unions to allow these people to live the rest of their lives comfortably - without having to choose between heat and food - or clothing and gas?

In many respect this is not dissimilar to the fishery - and the social experimental number crunching that sees government policy both federal and provincial remove relatively small numbers of people year over year from that industry - so as not to cause an uproar or political war. Destroying one community at a time seems to be the plan - so that there are never enough to stand together and protest - for fear if they did their community would be next. Yes we have seen tens of thousands of people leave our province - displaced by government mismanagement of the resource - with their elderly parents left behind. This in turn places additional strain on the budget as the family structure of care is stripped away piece by piece.

Kathy Dunderdale shows very little promise of developing policies that will serve us well over the short medium or long term. The Premier has missed many significant opportunities to find efficiencies and divert savings into programs which could save our fiscal behind and allow our population to thrive in the future and in retirement. Dunderdale and her colleagues are too engrossed with partisan politics to accept very good and well meaning advice - choosing instead to enrich those who tow the line - regardless of how weathered and weak that line may be.

Unfortunately - despite the very large potential of the pensioners' voice - the association itself remains politically cautious and therefore unsuccessful.

Equally as unfortunate - the politicians of the day - are more concerned about thumping the dented desks in the House of Assembly - than hearing the voices of reason and compassion.

Newfoundland and Labrador had better change it's partisan ways very soon - or another generation will be left with crippling debt, inferior resource contracts, incalculable social needs, and no ability to build a way back out.

Meanwhile - the pensions and benefits of politicians continue to be superior. No need to worry there.

Anne of Green Fables joins Heather Mills (McCartney)

in protest over the seal harvest.

In an unanticipated move - Anne (PEI Tourism) is joining the ranks of Heather Mills (McCartney)in the fight to stop the seal harvest. It seems the Green Fables are seriously impaired by people who don't approve of the hunt - and Anne is asking the DFO to protect her interests - and leave the Island while the harvest is going on.

According to DFO officials the protesters and "observers" camp in PEI because of geography. ??? OK Therefore DFO feels it's important that they are there to answer questions about the harvest. ???

This is what the executive director of the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association - Ed Frenette - said to CBC about the harvest and his obvious support for the well-being of fishers from other Provinces.

"We've had responses from people around the world saying they refuse to come to P.E.I. during tourism season because they view us as being the killers of seals, when in fact we're not."

Another clear example of trying to have the best of both worlds while pitching any negatives to Newfoundland and Labrador. The PEI Fishermen's Association should just come out with it - do they support the seal harvest or not? Fish or cut bait guys or you are no better than the money grabbing organizations that make their living slitting our economic throats.

So Little Anne is on a mission to boot the DFO off the Island and take a crack at her neighbours in Newfoundland and Labrador while she's at it. In fact if you use your imagination and add a few more tragic moments to the story - one could see Heather Mills playing the role of Anne for a summer or two.

In either case the next time you think of vacationing in PEI - think about the less than hospitable Anne (PEI Tourism) - and how she feels about Newfoundland and Labrador.