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.