The Congress of People’s Deputies

A Dunville man had an interesting experience at the House of Assembly on Monday Budget Day. As Dave Bartlett reports for The Telegram today:

Jeremiah Perry drove in from Dunville, Placentia Bay, Monday to hear Finance Minister Tom Marshall deliver his budget speech.

[…]

There were free seats in the gallery Monday, but Perry was turned away.

"The security are saying, 'Oh, no, no it's invitation only," he told The Telegram from the lobby of Confederation building where he mingled with reporters and others interested in the budget.

[…]

Perry's MHA, Justice Minister Felix Collins, also spoke to The Telegram.

"I had no idea there was either constituent of mine here from Dunville," he said. But Collins said as far as he knows seating in the gallery is reserved for invited guests and each MHA and minister only has one or two invites to give out.

For the record, from The Party’s 2003 election platform:

“My government will provide real financial management, real transparency, and real accountability. Ours will be a new approach, and one which will benefit every Newfoundlander and Labradorian in a positive and powerful way.”- Danny Williams

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have grown tired of the flurry of closed-door, invitation-only consultations in recent years that were little more than "telling and selling" exercises.

• Under a Progressive Conservative government, the House of Assembly will play a key role in enabling real public dialogue that will have a genuine influence on government policies and priorities.

• A Progressive Conservative government will adopt an open legislative process to allow maximum consultation with groups and individuals in open forums, particularly through legislative committees.

• Legislative committees will be able to call government ministers, senior civil servants and experts outside government to provide information and analysis in public sessions so that committee members and the public can benefit from informed opinion on specific issues.

• Committees will be expected to meet regularly outside St. John's to provide better access to the general public and to encourage greater participation by individuals and groups.

• A Progressive Conservative government will increase the power of the public to influence its agenda and actions through social partnerships with families, communities, voluntary and charitable organizations, professional organizations, business, labour, and cultural organizations.

• Finally, the House of Assembly itself will have an open and accessible atmosphere, with light-touch security and a feeling of public ownership.