A very unwritten rule

Warning: This post contains lots of snide parenthetical remarks.

Ryan Cleary, having no doubt exhaustively researched the subject, proclaims in the pages of his organ this week:

There’s an unwritten rule in Newfoundland politics that retired/defeated MHAs are to go quietly into the night.

Funny rule, that. Does it apply to John Crosbie?

Efford should end the farce
John C. Crosbie
The Telegram
June 12, 2005

I write about the controversial May 19 votes in the House of Commons on the original February annual budget, and also on the additional $4.6-billion NDP-Liberal budget. [...]


Prime minister must keep his word
John C. Crosbie
The Telegram
July 18, 2004

I write in connection with the very important and interesting Telegram Forum article by Roland Martin, published in the July 7 edition of The Telegram and headlined "What does 100 per cent of offshore revenues mean?" [...]


Offshore revenues: Most important issue
John C. Crosbie
The Western Star
June 26, 2004

Dear Editor: I write with reference to the most important election campaign issue affecting Newfoundland and Labrador - what revenues we can expect from our offshore resources under the terms of the Atlantic Accord and the positions taken by the Canadian national parties? [...]

to cite just three of the most recent of several dozen letters and opinion pieces that Crosbie has penned since he went quietly into the night (and not to cite numerous TV and radio appearances, including his fascinating insights offered on CBC Radio Noon on January 11th.)

Cleary continues:

Then there’s the late Frank Moores, the first to pack it up and beat it to the mainland, followed by the two Brians — Peckford and Tobin. You don’t hear much from them these days...

Oh? How many A. Brian Peckfords, former Premiers of a province that is not B.C., live in, and write letters to editors postmarked, "Qualicum Beach, B.C."?

Rothstein hearing: success or failure?
A. Brian Peckford
National Post
March 1, 2006

This truly is an historic day in Canada. For the first time in our history, elected representatives of the people get the opportunity to question a Supreme Court nominee. And while there are those who scoff at this first step in greater accountability in Ottawa, it replaces minor baby steps, delay, procrastination and elitism by recent federal governments. [...]


Black gold 'not surprising'
A. Brian Peckford
National Post
November 17, 2005

It is very encouraging to see that there are strong indications that more commercial oil will be discovered at the Hibernia structure off the island of Newfoundland. To those of us who were involved in offshore energy policy in Newfoundland, before, during and after the initial Hibernia discovery, this latest news is really not really surprising. [...]


Jack Layton's unprincipled stand
A. Brian Peckford
National Post
November 5, 2005

Is there anyone decrying the reprehensible conduct of Mr. Layton and the NDP, who think that trading off ethics and honesty in government is defensible if even more money is committed to health care?

to cite just three of thirty or more of this particular author's literary works, most of which have been published in the past four years.

If Ryan Cleary was the researcher and student of Newfoundland's rich history that he aspires to be, he would immediately recall the example of Joey Smallwood, who absolutely could not stay retired (Liberal Reform, the national unity tour) until forced to by medical conditions beyond his control. Not only did he not go quietly, for as long as possible he went as unquietly as possible.

Cleary continues, from above:

...although, to be fair, Tobin, chief executive of Consolidated Thompson, did say last month he was no longer pursuing plans to purchase Wabush Mines, in favour of a Quebec development. There’s a loyal Newfoundlander.

It may come as a shock to Cleary, who is clearly a devotee of Glorious Leader's Enver Hoxha-inspired "No More Giveaways - You Owe Us!" Five Year Plan, but "loyal Newfoundlander" or not, Tobin (who is Chairman of the Board, not CEO, but some newspapers don't need no stinkin' facts) is under no moral obligation to buy anything.

(And of course, if he did, The Newfoundland Weekly Separatist would probably trumpet the headline "Wabush Mines Taken Over by Quebec-Based Company", even if head office is in Toronto.)

If Cleary aspires to be a journalist, on top of his being a researcher and a student of Newfoundland history, he'd ask Glorious Leader (if Glorious Leader is returning his calls these days; it is so hard to keep track of these things) and Brian Tobin what impact Glorious Leader's sabre-rattling over industrial power rates had on Consolidated Thompson's decision to pull back.
(He might also ask about the fairness of his expectation that Lac Bloom iron ore be processed in Labrador; after all, isn't there also an unwritten rule that ore must never cross a provincial border? Or does it only work in one direction? Perhaps there's a big sign reading "Sens unique" at the Fermont border now?)

And the head of all, as you might say, is when Cleary cites this example of the application of his "rule":

Even Chuck Furey, who had a tendency to go off at the mouth, got a post as chief electoral officer, a bureaucratic position that most definitely doesn’t suit his car salesman ways.

This Chuck Furey? This Chuck Furey? Come right off it, THIS CHUCK FUREY?

(And if Cleary was a journalist of any calibre larger than BB, he'd be asking: what is a former Cabinet minister doing as Chief Electoral Officer? What are three former politicians doing drawing electoral boundaries? Is this as aberrant and abhorrent a state of affairs that Glorious Leader has created, as even a cursory examination of historical and cross-jurisdictional practices would inevitably lead you to conclude?)

So this "unwritten rule" of Ryan Cleary's must be really, really, really unwritten.

Or maybe, just maybe, it only applies to those recovering politicians who dare commit the sin of gainsaying Glorious Leader. Those recovering politicans, unconverted heathens and apostates of the True Faith of Newfoundlandism and Townie Tory Talamh-an-Eisc Nationalism, yeah, they should ride off into their pensionable sunset, shut up, and stay that way.