Bluff called

A quick flashback to May of this year, for the record:

Innu demands could derail Lower Churchill deal: premier
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 5:44 PM NT

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams said Tuesday the Innu Nation's demands for compensation could scuttle the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project.

Williams said if the demands — which include reparations for hunting grounds and travel routes they lost due to flooding for the original Upper Churchill project 40 years ago — are too steep, the deal could be off.

"If in fact a deal — a Lower Churchill development — is contingent upon redress, then that may be a condition that we just cannot fulfil, and therefore it will be off the table," he told reporters.

Oh, that others had the same courage and ability to call certain bluffs.

And, oh yeah:

Williams said he doesn't like ultimatums, especially when they are tied to multibillion-dollar developments, and are made on the airwaves instead of at the bargaining table.

"Peter Penashue and his group should treat us with respect, as we treat them with respect," he said.

The provincial government hasn't made any money off the original Churchill deal either, so it doesn't make sense for the government to compensate the Innu, the premier said.

Without an Innu deal there can be no Lower Churchill deal, Williams said, adding that Penashue's decision to make statements on national radio undermines the negotiations with the province.

Yes, the perils of negotiating on the airwaves instead of the bargaining table. So very disrespectful.

What does Newfoundland and Labrador want?

Brendan Foley of Portugal Cove writes to today's Telegram:

However, the ABC policy has many inevitable consequences that have not been thought through. This is a dangerous time for the province and the nation. Every vote should be carefully weighted. After ABC comes D, as in divorce.

Is that what Canada wants? Is that what Newfoundland and Labrador wants?

No. And no. But that's what someone wants...

Closet NKOTB fans?

"Step by step, we are becoming masters of our own house." - ODP Danny Williams, August 22, 2007

"Step by step we are obtaining the certainty necessary to move forward with our project planning and further investment." - Wind-owner Ed Martin, September 26, 2008

You just know they'll be there when Middle-Aged Kids on the Block do the Salmon Festival in 2011 or so.

You regret the error (II); or, Danny v. Duplessis (V)

Duplessis:

A member of the Premier's staff one day came to the gallery and asked a reporter to publish a correction for an error that had appeared in one of his stories.

"Error?" said the reporter, "Not at all, I am sure that is what the Premier said."

"I am certain, too," replied the Premier's emissary. "I took down his statement in shorthand and that is what he said, all right. But he would like you to rectify it and let on that you made the error."

- Pierre Laporte, The True Face of Duplessis, 1960, p. 132

Danny.

The premier says he was misquoted. Danny williams [sic] today emphasized he did not say the nurses (sic) union came to the table during the most recent session with a new list of fiinancial [sic] demands. We had indicated he said they were new. He actually said it was a list of proposals that.(sic) carried financial costs. Today williams [sic] made sure the union knew what he actually said. He phoned debbie [sic] forward

Good help is so hard to find

Is there any particular reason, a body might naturally wonder, why an announcement on a health matter on Monday, and on a Smallwood-style business development announcement on Thursday, were issued by Executive Council (and posted to His sub-directory), instead of by the line departments of Health and Business, respectively?

You regret the error (I)

From the Ministry of Truth (typos and all):

Who Said What?
September 25, 2008

The premier says he was misquoted. Danny williams today emphasized he did not say the nurses union came to the table during the most recent session with a new list of fiinancial demands. We had indicated he said they were new. He actually said it was a list of proposals that.carried financial costs.

Today williams made sure the union knew what he actually said. He phoned debbie forward.

ODP is fond of calling people to, ahem, set the record straight, it seems:

Premier Williams has been known to personally call editors and letter writers who offer criticism of him and his government's decisions.

While his stated aim is to "set the record straight" the tactic probably leaves ordinary letter-writing citizens with the sense of "better be careful what you say because He is watching."

All across the province

NLMA President Starts Tour
September 22, 2008

The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association starts her President's tour across the province today, with her first stop this morning in Port aux Basques. Dr. Elizabeth Callahan assumed the role of President this summer in the midst of much turmoil in the province's medical community. Callahan says the tour offers doctors the opportunity to meet their new president, identify local issues, and network with colleagues. Callahan says it's also a good chance for the association to give updates on the work being done on important issues. She says there is a sense within the membership that serious reform of the health care system has to happen. She says doctors are seriously concerned about the general state of health care and she expects that to be front and centre throughout the week. Sessions take place in Port aux Basques, Stephenville and Corner Brook today, before moving on to central Newfoundland tomorrow.

Translation, please?

From the Western Star:

Jackman went on to call the service “an extension of the Trans-Canada”

What does that mean?

Why does no journalist, when faced with this utterly phatic language, ever, ever, ask the speaker what they mean, in legal or policy or other practical terms, when they say that the Marine Atlantic ferry is “an extension of the Trans-Canada”?

According to whom or what? (Hint: not the Terms of Union.)

Does it mean that same thing, and have the same implications — whatever they are — to say that the Sir Robert Bond is an extension of the Trans-Labrador Highway? or that [ANY OTHER FILL IN THE BLANK FERRY] is an extension of the [ANY OTHER FILL IN THE BLANK HIGHWAY]... even if the ferry in question is a provincially-run one?

Other than the obvious fact that a ferry extends, in a geographical and transportation sense, the highway that it connects to, what, exactly, are people driving at when they say that the Gulf ferry is “an extension of the Trans-Canada Highway”?

Or that it is “supposed to be an extension of the Trans-Canada Highway”? Supposed by what or whom?

Or that it “is our Trans-Canada Highway”? Funny, you would think that the Trans-Canada Highway would be our Trans-Canada Highway. Of course, if the ferry were our Trans-Canada Highway... the provincial government would be paying for it.

And speaking of extensions of highways, is that mythical “appropriate time” for Danny Williams-Government to sit down with Jean Charest and talk about linking Labrador and Quebec by road ever going to arrive? What better solution could there be to the supposed monopoly of Marine Atlantic than to break it? Build a second surface route two and from the island of Newfoundland. Integrate the province, in the form of Labrador, into the North American highway system.

Is “volatility” still a concern?

Or is it that some people would rather not give up their ability to fault Marine Atlantic and the federal government for just about everything?

Two-step

"First," Smallwood said, "announce that you are going to announce something."

"Then, you announce it."

Memo to CBC.CA

Isn't there an election on or something?

Negative charge

From a Peter Walsh piece in Saturday's Telegram, in which Michael Temelini comments on the astonishing parachute-candidate phenomenon in this year's federal election:

"That, to me, is why Lacey Lewis is there. Why would you put a Newfoundlander in the Labrador riding? It plays into all the negative (political) attitudes that Labradorians have toward Newfoundlanders."

It's an article of faith among the PWG-waving set that Labradorians have "negative attitudes" towards Newfoundlanders.

Of course, it's also an article of faith that Canada traded fish quotas for... well, fill in the following blank; the iterations of that myth are too many to count now:

Canada traded fish quotas for ____________________

Follow the (dear) Leader

This time I am following along, and voting Anything But Conservative.

- Tom Hedderson fulfills his weekly quota of in-calls, VOCM Backtalk, Tuesday.

30 days or its free

Date on the Final Report, Homestay Program: 2008 Review: June 2008

Date of the press release which announces the conclusion of the review and releases the consultant's report: September 16, 2008.

Minimum number of days by which Danny Williams-Government's "30 day" pledge has been broken in this case: 48.

Number of government-commissioned reports whose delayed release breaks the "30 day" pledge, so far in the month of September: 3.

Number of government-commissioned reports whose delayed release will break the "30 day" pledge, if the trend continues for the rest of the month of September: 6.

Somewhere in Hell, Satan is reaching for the thermostat remote

I think Newfoundland is treated pretty well in Ottawa.
— Radio host No Names Please, Monday.

NOT(X)=X, or, Denial is a river in Newfoundland

Among the many other truly surreal bits of Jerome! Kennedy's! exclamation! point! laden! appearance! 1867! Churchill Falls! Grace Harbour! on Nightline this evening was the following exchange with host Linda Swain, concerning alleged intimidation reported yesterday by CTV Newsnet:

Swain: They're not making this up are they?

Kennedy: Yes, they are!

Perhaps Minister Kennedy should have a chat with his supposed constituents.

Item: No Tory ties hurting Harbour Grace, councillor says

Item:

President pulls out
Liberal ties a political albatross for CCL, Oliver says

Jamie Baker
The Labradorian, December 17, 2007

Stan Oliver says a nagging health issue and his past Liberal affiliation left him with no choice but to step down as the president of the Combined Councils of Labrador (CCL).
It appears having close Liberal ties is not the most effective way to help advance the agenda of any kind of advocacy group in the province at this point in time - even a group that speaks for people of all political stripes in more than 30 Labrador communities.

"Everybody knows my political past. It's been extremely difficult for me sitting as the president to move the agenda forward," Mr. Oliver said of his decision to step aside after just under a year in the two-year job.

"If government would rather deal with somebody else at the helm, sometimes you've got to step aside."

Item:

Premier Williams has been known to personally call editors and letter writers who offer criticism of him and his government's decisions.

While his stated aim is to "set the record straight" the tactic probably leaves ordinary letter-writing citizens with the sense of "better be careful what you say because He is watching."

Related.

Forensic reconstruction

The crack textual analysis team here at Labradore hereby offers up a reconstruction of the Hon. Jerome Kennedy's talking points for his appearance on VOCM Nightline tonight:

From: EM
To: JK

• vindictive, vengeful, spiteful!
• 1867!
• Grace Harbour!
• Churchill Falls! Churchill Falls! Churchill Falls!
• Hibernia!
• 1931?
• Churchill Falls! CHURCHILL FALLS! CHURCHILL FALLS!

If asked about the CTV report:

• Nothing could be further from the truth!

It takes a village to deliver a speech

Well, you know, we’ve, you know, we’ve done a speech, a major speech, to the Board of Trade.

- O.D.P., when asked what he will be doing on the A.B.C. front.

Tom Rideout's former speech writer?

Shouldn’t we be more prideful? Shouldn’t we be more standuppy?

- A certain radio host, today

Performance art

Editorial changes

Original VOCM story and headline, early this afternoon:

Williams Craps on Harper
Sep 10, 2008

Premier Danny Williams talked puffins, promises broken and prosperity today as he took aim at Harper's Conservatives while relishing in the good fortune of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Williams began and ended his address to the St.John's Board of Trade with his anti-Conservative campaign. Even Buddy the Puffin, the old mascot of the defunct St.John's Maple Leafs, was on hand as Premier Williams told the Prime Minister to leave our provincial bird out of the campaign. He was referring to the Conservative ad concept which saw the puffin defecating on Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's shoulder.

On the economic front, Williams cited some of the financial success stories in his state of the province address, including the recent signing of Hebron.

As modified, later this afternoon:

Premier Takes ABC to Business Community
September 10, 2008

Premier Danny Williams talked puffins, promises broken and prosperity today as he took aim at Harper's Conservatives while relishing in the good fortune of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Williams began and ended his address to the St.John's Board of Trade with his anti-Conservative campaign. Even Buddy the Puffin, the old mascot of the defunct St.John's Maple Leafs, was on hand as Premier Williams told the Prime Minister to leave our provincial bird out of the campaign. He was referring to the Conservative ad concept which saw the puffin defecating on Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's shoulder.

On the economic front, Williams cited some of the financial success stories in his state of the province address, including the recent signing of Hebron.

The Letter (III)

Since the issue with Prime Minister Harper and Premier Williams on the Atlantic Accord, we have not looked to the federal government for assistance.

Jerome Kennedy, May 28, 2008

Of course not.

Jerome and Danny ain’t lookin’ for nothin’ from the federal government.

Except this stuff.

And autonomy.

Can't forget the autonomy.

Well, that, and... an early retirement and license buyback program for workers impacted by changes to the fishing industry; Canadian Custodial Management over fish stocks on the continental shelf outside Canada’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone; work to eliminate tariffs in international markets; actions to improve Newfoundland and Labrador’s access to international markets for seafood; WTO action to fight the ban on seal products; a revised and modern Fisheries Act which ensures that the Minister must take into account fishers’ adjacency and historical participation in the fishery as the highest priorities in making licensing and allocation decisions; trade and transfer decisions related to fish resources that give adjacent users, and those from historically dependent areas, priority access; a comprehensive framework agreement for the aquacultur industry in Canada; infrastructure development to ensure fishing industry expansion; a resolution to the controversy over lump-sum taxation; the exclusion of non-renewable natural resources from the Equalization formula; the removal of the fiscal capacity cap on Equalization revenues; options to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador is the principal beneficiary of its natural resources as stated in the Atlantic Accord; the transfer of Hibernia shares; the transfer of the Federal Government’s Net Profits Interest (NPI) to Newfoundland and Labrador; fallow-field legislation; a Federal Government loan guarantee for the Lower Churchill; the commitment of funds and legislative and regulatory measures for transmission lines in Labrador, to Newfoundland, and, if necessary, to the Maritimes; a new rapid reaction army battalion and uninhabited [sic] aerial vehicle squadron at 5 Wing Goose Bay; increased federal presence in Happy Valley-Goose Bay; JTF2 at 5 Wing Goose Bay; a new territorial defence battalion at CFS St. John’s; a sustainable health fund; 50/50 funding for catastrophic druge coverage; dedicated funding to reimburse the medical travel costs of residents of Aboriginal and Labrador communities; long term funding arrangements designed to improve the delivery and accessibility of health programs and services to Aboriginal peoples; equality for women; reinstatment of the Court Challenges Program; better child care benefits; research into the systemic barriers for women in our society; something to “address” the challenges being faced by Newfoundland and Labrador’s forestry sector; a climate change plan that will help further our province’s green energy initiatives; removal of CPI adjustments and fuel surcharges on Marine Atlantic fares; reduction of the to 15% below the 2006 level; designation of the Gulf ferry service as an essential service; the construction in Canada of new vessels to replace the aging gulf ferry fleet; regulatory amendments to facilitate the start of construction at Long Harbour by early 2009; federal/provincial cost-sharing on a 70/30 basis to replace Her Majesty’s Penitentiary; restoration of cultural and arts program funding; improved international air access to Newfoundland and Labrador; meaningful engagement of the Federal Government with provinces and territories to further address the broad range of housing issues facing the country; federal-provincial cost-sharing on a 70/30 basis to complete the replacement of the province’s water bomber fleet; new joint support ships; and a significant increase in the number of federal decision making executive positions and/or national or regional headquarters based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

But other than that, Jerome! and Our Dear Premier have not looked to the federal government for assistance.

Just autonomy.

One federal transfer payment, one federal-provincial cost-shared agreement, one federal program expense, and one federal civil servant at a time.

Soon, the federal transfer payments to, program expenses in, and federal payroll going out to Newfoundland and Labrador, and its people, will be so big we won't even need to be part of Canada any more.

The Letter (II)

After flirting with “hating” deadlines, ODP suddenly likes them again. Well, when he gets to set them:

I have sent similar letters to the leaders of the Liberal and Conservative parties. In order to help inform the voters of our province, we would appreciate your response by Tuesday, September 16, 2008.

The sharp-eyed grammarians will notice the curious shift in personal pronoun number between the two sentences.

The Letter (I)

It's nice to know that the Eighth Floor has found one of the three people in Capital City who can scan documents, save them as .pdf, and transmit them via the internets, but surely too goodness there's someone who could have saved the file out of its native format and into a searchable and copyable .pdf to begin with.

It's almost as if... almost as if... almost as if someone doesn't want the text copied and pasted, except through great manual labour, in the first place.

Really, now?

Last week, Trevor Taylor, who isn't Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture but plays one on the internet, released a study — is a "study" a "report"? — called Seafood Marketing Review Panel: Report of the Chairman.

The crazy, wacky, far-out thing is that the study — or report, if you will — is dated February 2008.

February this year had 29 days, which means that the study was released somewhere between 189 and 217 days after it was submitted to government.

So Liz, how's that search for unreleased government reports going, anyway?

And have you had any luck yet turning up a copy of the 30-days-or-it's-not policy?

The road to Petite Forte

Tourism Minister Clyde Jackman, commenting on the opening of the paved highway to Petite Forte, in his riding, last night on CBC Here and Now:

These are our rural communities. If we’re going to attract tourists to these communities, we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got a good infrastructure in place. And so, you know, those two reasons in particular, one from the tourism aspect and drawing people to these small communities, and secondly, there’s a safety issue around, we’ve got kids that travel these roads each day, and so, you know, they should have that good road network on which to travel.

But... but... but... the province paved this highway on a "go it alone" basis, without matching funding or the federal government kicking in "its fair share"?

How is this possible?

It's almost as if... almost as if... almost as if the provincial government has a double-standard when it comes to paving roads in Labrador or something.

But surely that can't be. Labrador, after all, is an integral part of the province.

Right?

The persistence of false memory

Last night CBC Here and Now played some of the feedback it got in response to the question they threw out, about how the late, lamented career of Loyola Hearn will be remembered.

One of the back-feeders commented:

How will I remember Loyola Hearn? The same way I remember John Efford. “Take it or leave it”, remember?

Um, no.

The caller or emailer will “remember” something that never happened.

Oopsie

"Joan, let's do something monumentally dunderdal— I mean, dunderheaded, dunderheaded, that will put the MUN autonomy story back on the front burner after nearly a month of quietly simmering on the back."

"Oh yes, Danny, let's! Let's totally do that!"

Why break a promise a little

... when you can break it a lot?

For the record, from the 2003 Danny Williams Party Blueprint:

"A Progressive Conservative government will ... release to the public every government-commissioned report within 30 days of receiving it, indicate the action government will take on a report's recommendations within 60 days, and ensure prompt public access to all government reports in hard copy and on the Internet"

Yesterday — which was September 8, 2008 — Clyde Jackman finally released a consultant's report by ArtsExperts.ca on the operations of the Arts and Culture centres across the province.

The headline on the press release is Province Receives Arts and Culture Centre Report.

The mail must be really, really slow from ArtsExperts.ca's offices in Montreal to Jackman's office in St. John's if he only just yesterday received it. The date on their report is July 4, 2008.

That is 67 days.

Sixty-seven days is not "within 30 days".

In fact, when Jackman says:

The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, said the department will now review the recommendations provided by the consultant, ArtsExperts.ca, and determine its future course of action.

it means he's already failed to "indicate the action government will take on a report's recommendations within 60 days". You can't very well "indicate" an action that you haven't yet "determined", can you?

Back on March 4th of this year, Rob Antle reported for The Telegram:

The Williams administration says its promised policy of making all government-commissioned reports public within 30 days of their completion remains in effect, despite some recent exceptions.

Officials in the premier's office said the government is now reviewing its files to see what other unreleased reports may be gathering dust.

"There are instances when that deadline simply cannot be met due to a variety of issues," Elizabeth Matthews, a spokeswoman for Premier Danny Williams, said Monday.

If the "policy... remains in effect", that must mean — right, Liz? — that it was put into effect in the first place.

In which case — right, Liz? — it should be no problem for anyone to obtain, or produce, a copy of said policy.

A month later, the intrepid Mr. Antle followed up his initial report, and on April 5th noted:

A search for government-commissioned reports that should have been made public under the Williams administration's promised 30-day rule has now exceeded 30 days, with no indication of whether any such reports exist, or when they will be released.

Officials in the premier's office did not provide information on the results of the search before deadline, following Telegram inquiries on the issue Thursday and Friday.

Given that it's now six months later, has this report on reports been completed yet?

Has it been released?

Hi, Liz!

Polling questions

Steve Outhouse and Geoff Meeker wonder who's behind a poll on the ABC campaign.

There's been a lot of wondering about polls in this corner in the past few years.

Like, for instance, who commissioned for the poll, conducted ca. 2005, which asked respondents questions about Newfoundland and Labrador separating from Canada?

If it had been a media poll, it would have been reported on: that's why media outlets commission polls.

If it had been a federal government poll, it would have been proactively disclosed.

A provincial government poll would have been released under Access to Information laws by now.

Who polled the population on separation from Canada, in the middle of a bitter federal-provincial dispute over equalization?

And why?

Weasel words

In Danny’s email to his side in the Bow-Wow Parliament, he states :

As we discussed in caucus, each of you is free to take your own position in the federal election campaign. There will be no consequences for doing so from a caucus perspective.

No consequences from a caucus perspective?

But what about from a Premier perspective?

It’s not as if Danny is above using weasel phrasing that looks like it means one thing on its face, and means another thing entirely in the Dannyverse.

Get up, stand up

The Word of Our Dan:

"The one thing that my cabinet ministers have done throughout is stood up for their constituents, for the electorate and the people they were elected to represent and they have done that."

Oh?

MR. SPEAKER: All those against the motion, please rise.

CLERK: Mr. Rideout; Ms Dunderdale; Mr. Ottenheimer; Mr. Hedderson; Mr. Sullivan; Mr. Jack Byrne; Mr. Shelley; Mr. Fitzgerald; Ms Sheila Osborne; Mr. O’Brien; Ms Burke; Ms Whalen; Mr. Jim Hodder; Mr. Hickey; Mr. Wiseman; Mr. French; Mr. Young; Mr. Hunter; Ms Johnson; Mr. Ridgley; Ms Goudie; Mr. Skinner; Mr. Oram; Ms Elizabeth Marshall.

Habitual action

According to the CBC:

Steve Kent, MHA for Mount Pearl North, would normally work for the federal Conservatives, but this year he says he will be actively working in his district — getting the word out that everything needs to be done to defeat Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government.

Someone should break that news to Steve Kent, delegate to the (federal) Liberal leadership convention in Montreal in 2006, and would-be (federal) Liberal candidate in 2000.

Sycophant of the Month: August 2008

Total number of ProvGov press releases issued in August: 129 (-12 from July)

Total number with the phrase "Williams Government": 4 (-1 from July.)

Sycophancy index: 3.1% (-0.5% from July)

August, like July, had two months with no WilliamsGovernment releases at all.

Last month's winner, Dave Denine, was slow off the mark. The first WilliamsGovernment release of the month was issued by none other than Danny Williams-Government himself, on August 4th. But that just made Denine crazy. He got on the board on the 7th, although it was a glance off Terry Loder's stick, and scored a pair on the 22nd — the first two-day pair by a single cabinet minister since Dianne Whalen back on May 7th.

No one else made it onto the big board, so after last month's tie, even after discounting for the Loder freak play, the August Sycophant of the Month: Dave Denine.

Honourary Mention for fluffing himself: Danny Williams-Government.