Danny was right!

Danny was absolutely right when he said that Ottawa would be watching and Stephen Harper's government would be taking a message from last week's by-elections. As quoted by CTV News:

Williams said the victories send a strong message that Newfoundlanders support his fight to wrestle more revenue from Ottawa through a revised eqalization formula.

"It's basically saying to Ottawa that the people are supporting this government when it comes to the question of equalization," Williams told 50 supporters at a community centre in Witless Bay, a coastal community in the Ferryland district, a half-hour drive south of St. John's.

"If I had ... my butt whipped here tonight in these three byelections, he (Prime Minister Stephen Harper) would be watching very closely. If he's a good politician, he certainly does take notice."

Responding to a planted soft-ball question in the snoozefest that is Friday morning's House of Commons Question Period, Harper's local viceroy interpreted the by-election results:

Mr. Colin Mayes (Okanagan—Shuswap, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore clearly opposes the transparency, accountability and empowerment of stakeholders that would result from the modernizing of the Fisheries Act.

Will the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans bow to the NDP's crass political games or will he deliver what is right for Canadian fishermen? Will he ensure that these public resources are managed for and in collaboration with Canadians?

Hon. Loyola Hearn (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am working with my willing colleagues on both sides of the House and with my provincial counterparts, industry, first nations and NGOs to ensure we do a good job on modernizing the act, protecting the fishery and fish resources, which are public, not private resources.

Most people are willing to work with us because they know the act should be modernized, except the NDP members who as usual are off track. I heard them brag earlier about winning a single seat in Ontario yesterday, while they were wiped out in three elections in Newfoundland, where the Progressive Conservatives had three landslide victories.

There you have it.

The three provincial by-elections in Newfoundland were a repudiation of the federal NDP and, by necessary implication, an endorsement of the Harper federal Conservatives.

Danny's message is received in Ottawa, loud and muddled.

On to Humber Valley and Labrador West.