English as she is spoke

From Monday's House of Assembly proceedings, these little gems:

Mr. Speaker, this government has been engaged with our federal counterparts. This is a number one priority, the Trans-Labrador Highway, for the Department of Transportation and Works and for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"A" number one priority?

How many "number one" priorities is it possible to have simultaneously?

Moving along:

We have had a number of meetings, and I can say with all confidence today, Mr. Speaker, that at the end of the day here, we will see the hard surfacing of the Trans-Labrador Highway start as early as next June.

Ahh... the subtleties and nuance of the English language.

"As early as", of course, is a very, very, very different thing from "by".

"By" as in:

In fact, the then minister, Mr. Speaker, predicted an agreement by June

Or "by" as in:

Hickey hopes the final deal will be inked before Christmas.

Or "by" as in:

Minister Cannon... also committed to sign an agreement by the end of the year

Or "by" as in this amusing bit from the October 2, 2006, edition of The Labradorian, p. A3:

"I also spoke with the minister and told him I would be in Ottawa certainly by by mid-October to look at these issues and have this agreement signed by the end of October or the first of November."