NOW IT’S DARIN KING’S TURN

On Tuesday, the Speaker of the House of Assembly arose and
read an unqualified apology to MHA Gerry Rogers, whom he ousted from the Legislature,
last week.  The eviction had been the result
of her unwitting association with a Facebook group against the Premier.  The facts of the matter are well known. 

Having apologized, the Speaker has restored the dignity of
his Office, one which is essential to the proper functioning of the Legislature,
in the face of a ruling that was simply wrong. 
He has also confirmed that as a person, he is capable of error and of
admitting to the same; a fact that will enhance his reputation as one capable
of conducting his duties without partisanship.

Ms. Rogers, in accepting the Speaker’s apology, told
reporters that he should also apologize to the people of the Province.  A more seasoned Member would know when a legitimate
grievance has been answered.

Still, the matter is not quite over.

Missing was the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Justice,
who led the charge against the Member, laid out a contrived case and demanded
the apology which led to the Speaker’s unjust ruling.  Darin King is remiss in not having followed
the Speaker’s lead. His silence suggests that he is not man enough to admit that
he, too, had erred; the Premier ought to have nodded in his direction, with
raised eyebrow.  There is always
Wednesday.

The Government may have taken the view, given the Speaker’s
admission of a highly publicized mistake, he had ‘taken one for the team’.  That would be an unfortunate conclusion. The
Speaker does not speak for the Government; that is the role of the Premier, the
Government House Leader or another Minister whom the Premier might designate.  Indeed, at this juncture, the Government, if it
possesses any smarts, will go out of its way to detract, from the Speaker, any
hint of partisanship; Ross Wiseman still has possession of his Office and there
are many more difficult days of partisan acrimony ahead.

In short, the Government needs to put this matter behind
it.  It has taken a bad bruising.  It must be painfully aware of that fact.  A wise Premier will bring the matter to a
complete end.  FULL STOP.   

The Government has fences to mend; with two and one-half
years left in the Tory mandate and big baggage piling up, the Premier needs to
conduct a re-set.  She should waste no
time; moreover, the public likes to see the odd mea culpa, especially from the righteous.  This is a good place to do it.

Besides, while the Speaker may not have earned the status of
social media gadfly, unlike some in the Tory Caucus, Minister King is at least
a frequent user.  He knew, or ought to
have known, the difference in the position he advanced and the real truth of Rogers
and her Facebook association. He has no excuse.

Having performed that duty to Gerry Rogers, to the Tory
Caucus and to the entire House of Assembly, the Government can try, again, to move
forward.   Minister King, you have a job to do.
Des Sullivan
Des Sullivan
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Uncle Gnarley is hosted by Des Sullivan, of St. John's. He is a businessman engaged over three decades in real estate management and development companies and in retail. He is currently a Director of Dorset Investments Limited and Donovan Holdings Limited. During his early career he served as Executive Assistant to Premier's Frank D. Moores (1975-1979) and Brian Peckford (1979-1985). He also served as a Part-Time Board Member on the Canada-Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB). Uncle Gnarley appears on the masthead representing serious and unambiguous positions on NL politics and public policy. Uncle Gnarley is a fiscal conservative possessing distinctly liberal values and a non-partisan persusasion. Those values and opinions underlie this writer's views on NL's politics, economy and society. Uncle Gnarley publishes Monday mornings and more often when events warrant.

REMEMBERING BILL MARSHALL

Bill left public life shortly after the signing of the Atlantic Accord and became a member of the Court of Appeal until his retirement in 2003. During his time on the court he was involved in a number of successful appeals which overturned wrongful convictions, for which he was recognized by Innocence Canada. Bill had a special place in his heart for the underdog.

Churchill Falls Explainer (Coles Notes version)

If CFLCo is required to maximize its profit, then CFLCo should sell its electricity to the highest bidder(s) on the most advantageous terms available.

END OF THE UPPER CHURCHILL POWER CONTRACT: IMPROVING OUR BARGAINING POWER

This is the most important set of negotiations we have engaged in since the Atlantic Accord and Hibernia. Despite being a small jurisdiction we proved to be smart and nimble enough to negotiate good deals on both. They have stood the test of time and have resulted in billions of dollars in royalties and created an industry which represents over a quarter of our economy. Will we prove to be smart and nimble enough to do the same with the Upper Churchill?

7 COMMENTS

  1. House Leader and Minister of Justice King is too arrogant for an apology. By attempting to settle the score with an instructed message to the Speaker, the Dunderdale Government continues its downwards spiral.

  2. Until the Premier has the guts to put King in his place, he wil make no apologies. For some reason, he is a threat to Dunderdale. Otherwise, he would have apologized to Ms. Rogers. King wants Dunderdale's job so bad, he can taste it. He is young and ambitious, and has a substantial amount of education compared to Dunderdale's high school diploma. However, if Dunderdale was smart, she would use the educated people around her in positions they have the appropriate experience that they initially brought to the table when they started. Darin King is no justice minister and has continued to prove that. Kennedy is no finance minister and that too has been proven. Any party is only as good as it's leader and with this party, the cracks are showing! It will only be a matter of time before the party, no doubt, led by either King or Kennedy, will draw their swords and cut Dunderdale loose. I really don't see her lasting until 2015….But then, I don't see this party governing after 2015!

  3. King might have more education then Dunderdale, yet for all of his supposed worldly knowledge last week he was a stunned-arse.

    King should be separated from House Leader and Justice Minister roles, he can barley do one let alone both at the same time.

    Chalk this up to 'too many hats syndrome' or a weak Cabinet overall for the NLPCs.

    As for King being the next leader of NLPCs, OK if they want ZERO seats in the next election proceed.

    He is beyond damaged goods now with his unapologetic, smug, arrogant, condescending attitude and needs to be schooled on reality and manners.

    Hiding with his tail between his legs by not even attending the HoA is dishonorable – good news when he returns to the HoA the Speaker should FORCE an apology out of him to Gerry Rogers or risk expulsion or complete removal as a MHA from the HoA.

    Camels back has already been broken by NLPCs 10 years of 'straw' in office – we the voters (camels) are now dehydrated because the most recent, last straw that broke democracy's back is subsequently on fire.

    Camel analogy is also apt for oil revenues – government handlers and shepherds have drained the oil camel dry with NO foresight.

    Alice the Camel had 5 humps
    PC's came along and there's now no humps(hope)
    Soon to be thrown out of off-ice
    Good riddance to such rubb-ish
    Dunderdale and King need to re-sign
    And not just because of Face-Gate

  4. The Speaker, by apologizing, may be signaling to the people of the province that he is taking a measure of independence, away from the Government…and rightly so. He is no longer a Tory, in that role and it is incumbent on him, going forward, to always demonstrate his impartiality in the House and beyond.

    Meanwhile, Darin King, should offer an absolute and unequivocal apology to both the HOA, and to Ms Rogers, for using his position to make a patently false allegation. It was ludicrous to try and equate the rantings of some idiot with Ms Rogers' being supportive of such stupidity in the first place…but, more ominously, Mr. King used his own House Speaker role to try and bully another member.

    Shame on you, Mr. King, for being so willing abuse your position to malign another member. The honourable thing for you to do is to step down and consign yourself to the back benches. You are clearly not worthy of such power and authority if you are going to use it in such an abominable manner.