LIBERALS SHOULD RETHINK LEADERSHIP DECISION

The decision by the Liberal Party to ignore candidate John
Abbott’s request to “stop the clock” on the May 9th leadership vote is both
disrespectful and unwise. Yes, the public wants to see the ‘arse end’ of Dwight
Ball as quickly as possible, but his unsuitability was recognized, including by
his own Caucus, long before now. A few more weeks won’t matter didley squat.


More importantly, the Liberal Party should make sure that the
process applied to replacing Ball is fair, dignified and respectful to the candidates
– and to the public, too. If not them, who does a political Party serve?

The Liberals’ are forgetting that the fairness of the
selection process is inextricably linked to the next Premier’s legitimacy. The
public is watching; their metric of winning leadership may be just a bit
different than that of the Party’s insiders.

Let’s not kid ourselves. There are darn few who haven’t
figured out that Andrew Furey is the “establishment man”. The announcement of
his candidacy, attended by all but two members of the Liberal Caucus, and an
assortment of other worthies, may well constitute an unmistakable message that
their idea of “process” is allowing the “contest” to proceed- at all; not that
it should also be fair. But a warning: the public has a nose for arrogance.

The Tories suffer from the same malady; Danny Williams’
arbitrariness around the Tories’ handpicked successor to Kathy Dunderdale –
Frank Coleman – reeked of the same dismissal of Party members’ capacity to
think for themselves. We know how that worked out.


The Liberal Party is also guided by senior officials beholden
to shadowdy “guiding hands”. All parties have their quota of people blinded by
ambition – and stupidity. In this context, a “we know best” mantra really means
that the winner has already been chosen! The arrogance is not uncommon. It’s
just too common.

John Abbott is a relative unknown in the Liberal Party. Many
will recognize Andrew Furey’s father, the Senator, before they will recognize
him. But Liberals are not being asked to vote for his father. Furey’s
credentials seem impressive enough except, this time, the Liberal Party is
actually very fortunate to have two contenders whose accomplishments are worth
a spot in any Party’s window.

When the public should be given every opportunity to know both
men, especially in the face of an historic shutdown over COVID-19, when the
normal machinations of social and political interaction are prohibited,
Liberals insiders are saying, in effect, this aberrant status quo suits us just
fine!

In place of rushing the chosen one to power, Liberals ought to
be looking for ways to expose each candidate’s ideas, what they are committed
to, what they understand about the province’s desperate financial position,
their solutions, and if either has a commitment to policies that should be
aired now. The candidates should not only be tested; all the stops should be
pulled to make the Leadership contest exactly that – a “contest”.
Right now, public meetings are de rigueur; “social distancing”
runs contrary to notions of political familiarization.

What is it that the Liberals don’t understand?

Rodney Mercer, chief returning officer for the race has
resigned his position in response to the Party’s intransigence. MHA Pam Parsons
has suggested that “the last thing people in her district are thinking about is
electing a new leader.”  On Friday, Andrew Furey released a statement indicating that he would support a decision to suspend the race, reversing his earlier position.

Other Liberals have expressed similar sentiments.

The Liberals should take this weekend to rethink a flawed
decision. Some may harbour notions that the cloud that formed over five years of
Dwight Ball will magically disappear. 

Perhaps one near death experience wasn’t
enough.

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?

38 COMMENTS

  1. Why not have Dwight take a walk over to Government House, meet with the Lady Governor, and request that Ches and Alison take over the show? This would save the continuing embarrassment of the sad sack Liberals, in office.

  2. "(W)ho does a political Party serve?"

    "(W)ho does a political Party serve?"

    "(W)ho does a political Party serve?"

    "(W)ho does a political Party serve?"

    In my last letter to The Telegram, I ended my insightful(?) submission with the phrase — "PC or Liberal — same difference".

    Does that answer the question?

    • In 1969 the Who shook up we of the new arrogant generation with:

      Meet the new boss,
      Same as the old boss
      Won't get fooled again.

      I will let history judge if that is true. Will NL be fooled again this time?

  3. I had little knowledge or opinion on either candidate but that rapidly changed this week.

    Furey can't see the forest for the trees. He was faithfully following the Party's judgement on maintaining the leadership race and really that is all the damning evidence most of us need to confirm this guy is just a Party tool doing what he's told. He is merely a face intended to win an election and after that the shadowy figures take over – the same ones that have gotten frustrated with Ball's less than stellar performance.

    It's clear that Abbott is far wiser and is far less controlled by the backroom powers who own the Liberal Party. This is the most vital truth to power this province needs! Abbott would be much more valuable to the ordinary people of the province than Furey.

    Is this Liberal leadership a closed race? Can average schmoes like me who are not party members find a way to sign up and support Abbott? Anyone know how that works?

  4. Yes,maybe Fuery is in the same position that Frank Coleman, or Cathy Dunderdale for that matter. She was anointed by the boss, first as a care taker, then she liked the job so much after the first couple of weeks that she was told to stay, she had the job. Coleman was in a similar position he was told by the boss that the job was his, after Marshall left. Davis was not much different, he ra n against little Steve, and Ottimheir was told his best before date had expired, so the chosen one was Davis. And of course way in over his head, so far over he didn't need a justice minister, he knew all there was to know from his days on the beat, plus a little help from the Chief. I will just say that Ball served his time as a MHA twice, and his time as leader of the opposition. And I guess to best describe him when he became premier, he was like Peckford, when he resigned, he never had the recklessness,or guts to do what needed to be done for the economy. Guess Ball is in the same boat to put us on a firm fincincial footing after muskrat. So that's the last 4 or 5 premiers. Now Ball has said he served his time, and time to move on, and of course when he resigned and called for a new leader, the virus was not on anyone's radar, except maybe for China.

    The interesting thing it seems that almost no one wants the job. And I wouldn't blame them now, especially since the muskrat, the virus, and the oil prices. Don't think Chess is too gung-ho, since he called for his leadership review last year, for this coming June. So maybe Furey is the chosen one by the establishment, but not sure if it is the liberal caucus, as UG eluded to. So I know little or nothing about Furey, except he is a surgeon, did the broken earth thing, and his father is a senator. What support he has from the establishment, I have no idea, except I did briefly view Brad Covana blog briefly, and according to Brad he has been chosen by the establishment. Now as for Abbott as I said before, I don't know of him from Adam. But I did check briefly on what he had to say at the Cameron Inquiry. He said the Dept of Health of which he was Deputy, or assistant deputy at the time, that he could not interfere or tell Easten Health what to do. He said there was a fine line between them that he could not cross, therefore he was not responsible for what went wrong with the testing. He proclaimed that he could not step on their toes. Don't these words sound familiar, with the pass relationship between nalcor,the Dept of Natural Resources, or the Dept. of Finance. Sounds to me he was spared, or would have said if he were Deputy of NR, I can't step on Nalcor's toes or tell them what to do. So maybe he is not this great saviour, or fearless leader that some try and make him out to be. I don't really think anyone wants the job, so we are saying now, maybe Ball is as good as anyone on the horizon, in this critical time. But I would like for them to be campaigning and see what they would do, and what they are made of especially in this fincincial crisis time.

    I might add that from in our TV briefings, the 3 persons giving those briefings on the virus, are adequately qualified , I might add, wether you agree with them or not. The minister of Health is a surgeon, he might know something about health care, the infectious disease person is a doctor, as one might expect, and the premier is a pharmist, a business man, and a seasoned politican with connections to the federal govt. How many much larger provinces can claim the same qualified persons at the top of govt. in this virus environment. Note even the greatest democracy on earth can claim that, says Joe blow.

    • Easy to find the telegram on line. Just wanted to add that after skimming through it, Dr. Haggis was one of 5 doctors named in that case, and saw the 2 others. But they are just accusations and everyone is innocent in this land until found guilty in a court of law. I am supposed to have a colonoscopy every 5 years but usually go 6 or 7 years as I don't like blunt or sharp foreign objects that might puncture my colon by mistake. I just hope the Dr. has good eyesight and a steady hand, and doesn't make a mistake says Joe blow.

    • Agree Joe, most avoid the scope as unpleasant. My scope in 2015(the prior one 19 years earlier, as no one told me it should be checked), turned up a precancerous polop in fall of 2015. In early 2016 my wife asked her doctor for a scope, having some symptoms of issues. The doctor said no, there are risks. A repeat request got the same answer. By Oct 2017, she is diagnosed with 4 colon cancer! 10% chance to cure it. 4th major operation next month,2 already in St John's, 1 in Houston (my expense), this one in Halifax, and the most serious yet. Add the 15 or so round of toxic chemo, and the cost, to me and our health care, maybe total of some 300,000.00
      A scope in time may have caught this at stage 1, with 90 % chance of a cure instead of 10%, and a cost of 30,000.00
      When first telling oncology here of this, I was told "Take it up with John Haggie, Minister of Health. Swamped under, so never did that.
      Winston Adams

  5. DOW down 24 %, March heading for worst month since 1931.Loss this week , 3rd worst on record. The power of a little virus.
    Should I cancel my bet with PENG2, will I owe him 200, or he owe me 1.00
    West Texas at 22.50, what did Tom budget?
    Cod liver oil was 5.oo a bl in the 1930s, and they have not turned on thoil taps yet….heading for 10.oo likley and maybe cheaper than cod liver oil in the Depression. Serious business, hey b'y
    Lablanc shows saving for MFs from offsetting Holyrood oil at abut 150 million or so! Leblanc should have waited a few more weeks before releasing.
    Much talk of flattening the virus curve,one said they planking it.
    What did Leblanc say about our peak load curve? We should plant it? PENG2 should find his comments on that?Maybe he already did? Even Nfld now talking about the virus curve, but for 20 years, the winter peak curve ignored here, and still is. How come, after this Inquiry, and 16 million spent?
    Winston

  6. The Premier of NL's job description for the coming years is to protect the province and the people as we must negotiate insolvency. Who will best serve those interests?

    Of the two Liberal candidates, I'd think it's Abbott hands down. However, we need all political parties to start addressing this inevitable outcome and to do so honestly.

    A leader masquerading the business and political elites such as the law firms, the medical profession, the public sector unions, etc is there only to line the pockets of those interest groups at the expense of the rest of us. We need a leader who will come out point blank and show that they will protect the people who don't have direct connections, lobbyists and marketing budgets.

  7. OMG, if I had any doubts about the Digger's far right agenda, his latest piece banishes any doubts.
    The piece, whose author, being one of Trumps toadies it seems.
    The piece suggests this virus may have been intentionally been used by China to knock down western economies and make China # 1.
    Now this virus, so I read, attacks 1 in 150 people to the brain. The chance so far in Canada you get this is less than 1 in 100, and then to attack the brain, the overall chance is maybe less than 1 in 1000, maybe less than 1 in 10,000. The brain being naturally protected should be as good as the design of the North Spur, 1 in 10,000 from failure……but… look at Leblanc's report to find anything on mitigating that risk, doubt if even PENG2 can find 5 words on it?

    So, we have the Digger, living in BC,digging frantically,but is gone totally bonkers, cookoo, cracked, crazy, a nut case,…Bruno multiplied buy 100.
    He is loony,foolish, a mental case, a menace on the Internet, with conspiracy theories.

    Was there some pathogen in those Sprung cucumbers that got absorbed in his system? He was never the same after the Sprung Palace scandal, with wearing gold chains, smoking cigars, leaving his beloved province, moving west, and joining the cult of Trump.

    China is too use this pandemic for opportunity to advance it's position in manufacturing, new technologies, greener energy maybe. China wants for the world to see "Made in China" as a symbol of pride.
    In other words,(as I see it), China is copying America, where "Made in USA" has for a century has been a sign of quality. And too, China intends to be generous to poor countries, donating face masks, ventilators etc. Has not the USA long promoted itself in times of natural disasters with food stamped "USA" for all the world to see it's generosity?

    Now with Trumps failure to see the virus danger, and the DOW tanking,and re-election at risk, and GM, Ford and other to go in a war mode, to attack a virus, while China has seemingly licked this virus in China, the USA under Trump is the laughing stock of the world. America is led by an idiot,supported by idiots, permitting China to leapfrog ahead.
    Is that a conspiracy to destroy the USA? China needs the USA, it's biggest customer for products.
    The USA is failing in it's capitalist market system, outdone by communists, billionaire communists at that.
    Now did this virus get airborne, cross the Pacific with the trade winds, and land in Peckford's back yard? Or was it delivered by a drone?

    Surely the Digger should get tested, pronto. Combining the Virus 19 with the Sprung cucumber pathogen is likely fatal.
    Winston Adams

  8. The upside is that bankruptcy will result in some grown-ups finally being put in charge, and the issues regarding both the chronically incompetent and corrupted governance of NL as well as the desperately-needed paring down of the per capita most bloated, costly, cronyized and nepotized public service in all of Canada will finally be decisively resolved.

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/covid-oil-newfoundland-labrador-economy-1.5505161

  9. Not sure I agree with the underlying premise of this article, UG.

    First, a political party doesn’t serve the public – it serves its members as defined in the party constitution. I don’t understand how holding a remote leadership campaign disadvantages either candidate – the rules are the same for both, so it is a level playing field. What is different about this leadership campaign is that ANY resident can register to vote for the premier-elect – essentially this becomes a referendum on who will be a candidate for premier in the next provincial election. In actual fact, our political system provides no guarantee of a free vote for party leader –but this is the closet we have ever come to a free vote for party leader in our history.

    Either way, the leadership campaign can proceed or be delayed (I don’t care either way) – the mistake of the Liberal Party, candidates and supporters would be wavering on decisions rendered, as that would be effectively pandering and shows weak leadership, of which we have had too much in the past numbers of years.

    From a practical standpoint – no matter what candidate wins or when, DB will still be the effective premier in the HoA as the new premier-elect won’t have a seat. Also, DB has said he will stay around until the election – which is now due in 1yr or less, so there would be no discontinuity in dealing with the collapse provincial finances, COVID19 etc. Claims of discontinuities in leadership in the HoA are fear mongering, simply put – there is no reason to think that DB would be relegated to a back seat during the data transfer to the new Liberal leader.

    And credit to Joe – he actually self-researched something I posted and educated himself on a topic of dire importance to the province, maybe others should do it more often. At least now Joe is informed and can make a decision uninfluenced by others when it comes to the leadership campaign.

    PENG2

    • PENG2, you are "unsure" if you agree with the premise of the article.
      Your comment almost reads if Dr Furey wrote it. And you say little to support the premise but lots to counter it, suggesting you are, on the balance, opposed to the premise, not unsure at all.
      You say it's a level playing field.
      My view: Furey has built up a public persona (Bruno claims to have this as well):for Furey, a surgeon, a good surgeon ( much in question by the online doctor reviews). He has been much in the public with his Broken Earth charity. And a fried of Jersey Paddick, hooting from Nalcor. He is a Liberal back room boy. He has a father a Senator in Ottawa. He is miles ahead in public recogician.
      Abbott is little known. I recall his attempt to make the Heath Care Dept more efficient, and was shut down by Ball. His name was n the Cameron Inquiry.
      Abbott seems to have some grid, and I would like to hear his Plans, and Furey's Plan also. Furey seem to hide behind his computer screen, whereas Abbott addressed his concerns via the media, and on TV.
      PENG2, you especially blame the Nfld public more than DW or Nalcor for the MFs boondoggle. You expected the public to be informed on the complex MFs issues. Yet here, with this "democracy from home" Furey preference, it seems we will hear little of the ideas of either contender. Much like Joe Blow running against Ches or Ball. We probably know more of Joe's thoughts for our province than either Furey or Abbott. At least Joe asks about levelling our peak winter load on the grid, not hearing this from Furey or Abbott.
      So I suggest you think a little more on this virtual voting, and give some weight to what these two ombrees stand for. And when either of them says he will have the best experts to advise him, who are these experts? Are they the elites with hidden faces, that fund them?
      Are your views inconsistent with what you have said about having an informed public? "Nflders are too green to burn". We all will to be too green if not hearing the ideas of these two. Perhaps apart from the early 1930s, never has our situation been more serious, and no time for coronations, is my view.
      Winston Adams

    • WA @ 12:19:

      Again, you misquote me – never 1x did I ever suggest that the public should have understood the complex issues of MF, just that they should have educated themselves to the dissenting opinions. The public's unwillingness to educate themselves is evidenced by the fact that there are still to this day elected members of the HoA who voted for MF in 2011.

      Having said that, I never passed judgement on timing of this campaign 1 way or the other – I just took issue with the way UG presented his article and posed a few counter points in that the campaign can proceed and mos tof the worries are nonsense. Reread what I wrote – I was clear in saying that:
      [start]
      Either way, the leadership campaign can proceed or be delayed (I don’t care either way) – the mistake of the Liberal Party, candidates and supporters would be wavering on decisions rendered, as that would be effectively pandering and shows weak leadership, of which we have had too much in the past numbers of years.
      [end]

      If you or other are so worried about Furey being the appointed 'One', for the 1st time in history EVERY resident in the province of age can vote for the leader of a political party. My other question to you, if furey is more or less appointed by the establishment – how is that any different than Crosbie in 2018?

      The most important thing to remember – we are not voting for the premier of the province now, we are voting for premier-elect. A vote for the premier comes within the next 12 months – this is a big different, especially since the opposition can bring down the government at their will.

      The public would do well to pay attention and ignore the voter pandering that is about to come our way.

      PENG2

    • Thanks Peng2, but you just demoted me by several decibels. I learned to read and write, but not to spell 60 odd years ago, and was blessed with a very good memory that I don't need to do much research, if I heard it before. My computer skills are not great, but BTW, I bought my first computer in 1982 in Baltimore, a Commadore 64, that I still have, but uses a little more modern one, which does hamper my research skills sometimes. I was also using the latest radar technology of the day in the early sixties. Yes, some forget, but not I, says Joe blow.

    • I would suggest that in these times of crisis, the House needs to form a coalition type administration, of those best qualified amongst elected representatives, to carry NL through the storm, which is upon us. Diversions, Party Leadership events, Rathole politics, etc. are not what the Public needs, and can stomach. I am pleasantly surprised how even some of the Tory leaders across the Country, are showing a "greater good" attitude. (Even Ches is showing promise). Gather your resources, let's get through the gale, Onward!

    • Joe, not sure if PENG2, while an engineer, knows that decibels is a log scale,so 1 decibel reduction is 10 fold, (if I have it right).
      PENG2 is probably right, that I do not quote him word for word,(not like I was quoting Churchill) but from my general impression of his meanings.

      Yes he says residents should inform themselves, but that assumes the information is to be found, and accurate. Leblanc put that fallacy to rest; propaganda mostly by Nalcor, doctored engineering reports etc.
      Only a very few could decipher the truth. PENG2 was one of them , but was, and remains under the cone of silence, with Maxwell smart and 99.
      Does PENG2 intend to disclose his identity sometime in the future, so that Bruno can't call him a troll?
      Too bad he didn't take a pubic stand on the North Spur.That would take grit, but an honoured stand on principle. Perhaps financially , he is not in good shape, and would suffer from retribution by govn , Nalcor, friends, whoever?
      Winston Adams

    • PENG2, no response?
      1. where is the public to get informed information on the important ideas of Furey and Abbott via this home voting model?
      2 Did not Leblanc confirm the vast array of misleading public information by Nalcor and govn,(and also there was the elite business, contractors) as to the great MFs scheme, so only a few, including you, AJ and MFCCC crowd, and a few others saw the truth? Does this not reduce the weight of you argument that the public could have educated themselves? Educated with false and misleading information, is not being informed with facts.
      4. You have reasons to be anonymous. Can you state them? Will you eventually go public with your name here on UG? If not, why not?
      5. You seem obsessed,repeating that about 6 MFs cheerleaders are still MHAs. Agree that is sad and troublesome. But should you engage more on engineering issues that still plague MFs project and our energy policy and plan going forward?
      Winston Adams

    • WA @ 10:52:

      1) Not hard at all – and for what it is worth, I would never trust anything sent out by either candidate when making my decision. Unfortunately many will do just that – and claim after the fact they we duped because they listened to only self-serving propaganda (sounds just like MF, right?). I was listening to VOCM the day after the Inquiry report was released and Madore made a very telling statement – it was to the effect ‘if I had only listened to what the some in the public were saying instead of following the government words’.

      2) Not at all – all the public needed to see was that there was dissenting opinions. I don’t buy into the argument that the public was misinformed – the public wasn’t informed at all because most never bothered to look at either the facts or the propaganda except repeat ‘DW said it was good, so lets do it’. The fact that 20% knew and figured the truth means the other 80% could have if they wanted – but the 'energy warehouse' was all the majority wanted at all costs.

      4) No comment

      5) This is also related to #2, obviously the public still isn’t informed – and show little desire to become informed.

      Maybe a little bit of math is inorder – MF at $6-7b would have meant $0.10/kWhr over 57yrs (more or less $500m per year repayment). Even if MF was delivered on budget and ontime it was still going to raise electricity rates and be uneconomical – I think the media at the time of sanction quoted rates of $0.165/KWhr post MF.

      As for Engineering, it was always clear the LIL and the ML were undersized for UC power transfer and the geography was going to cause problems for O/M – no surprises with that.

      More or less, the public now has buyers remorse and are still trying to deflect blame. The public needs to smarten up – it is the public that creates the arrogance of those like EM, DW and allows those types to run amok etc.

      PENG2

    • WA @ 10:52:

      Ok, I know google.ca isnt the end all and be all of research, but I put 'Andrew Furey' into my google, 8 links down at 'ratemds.com' gives me this from June 2019 (i skipped anything in 2020 due to leadership race):
      [start]
      'Lacks communications skills' and 'doesn't take the time to talk to patients'…these things are a LARGE part of helping people–and he doesn't do it? 'Always in a hurry to get to the next patient'…why? Doesn't want to be bothered with people? Money? I wonder whether he HAS TO do "wonderful humanitarian work" to justify his presence in the world. Maybe it all adds up to a halfway decent doctor–in some way that escapes me. There are some serious deficiencies here, just on the basics.
      [end]

      Likewise, a simple google of Abbott tells us he was the 'Bown' at Dept Health during the events of the Cameron Inquiry.

      Very easy to become educated, IF you want to. No excuses from the public for self loathing or remorse are valid.

      PENG2

    • Sometimes you give pretty good answers PENG2. On Furey and Abbott, there are many negative pieces on Furey, you give a classic observations of a patient. On Abbott, the comparison to Bown may be good, not sure of the details with him. With Bown, his name appeared in Leblanc list and it tool a while to connect the dots why he was an important witness. In Ont, in his position , he could have given Directives to our power companies to reduce power consumption and peak demand by 2 % a year,causing CDM, instead he enables the boondoggle which plans by Stratton, the forecaster, is to increase inefficient baseboard heating.
      But how could the public get informed on that? Not from Take Charge and Nfld Power? a complex web, many green as you say,but who was enlightening the public. It was so one sided, that I cannot blame the public as much as you do.
      Winston

  10. Notwithstanding his ridiculous attempt at self-importance, why would the CROWN PRINCE OF BULLSHIT… GERRY BYRNE… be speaking to the federal FISHERIES minister about Marine Atlantic?

    https://vocm.com/2020/03/21/marine-atlantic-must-continue-as-is/

    Passenger ferry services on Canadian waters provided by agencies such as Marine Atlantic are regulated by Transport Canada, so the CPOBS Byrne should be speaking with the federal Minister of Transport Marc Garneau… instead of wasting his time and our tax dollars trying to impress the rubes who are stunned enough to keep voting for that abject quantity over and over again.

    • Let's not get too technical, old' buddy, in splitting hairs between the minister of federal transport and the minister of fisheries and Oceans, and the Crown Prince. Yes the Transport minister may regulate shipping , but the Minister of fisheries and Oceans controls the Ocean activities, including the Canadian Coast Guard. With the ice season fast approaching on the Gulf and the ferries requiring ice breaking assistance, the minister of Oceans and CCG may well be calling the shots in providing resources to keep the ferries moving. Just saying, says average Joe.

    • Don't be so bloody daft, conflating COVID-19 with ice conditions in the gulf.

      If shipping is impacted by COBID-19, either because ship's crews are too sick to work or chandlers and dockworkers are off sick or vessels have to be commandeered as hospital ships or what have you, there's SFA a shit-little like Gerry Byrne can do about it, despite his ridiculous self-important grandstanding.

      That cheesy bugger is just trying to cash in on some of the free COVID-19 publicity, and that de facto government propaganda mouthpiece VOCM is only too glad to oblige.

      Gerry Byrne… christ almighty… this basket case of a province is so royally fuckered.

  11. Hydroxychloroquinne or the trump cure. I mentioned it a week or so ago, as a cure for malaria and a couple of other viral or bacterial diseases. The digger had a piece on it, and of course on all the media. They have used it in China. I also mentioned a couple weeks ago that trump looked like the walking dead, but now back to his old self. He deneyed that he had been tested, but admitted today that he has been tested twice, but what would you expect from a germaphobic and a pathalography liar. If the truth were known, he has probably been tested every second day, and probably tested positive, thus the walking dead. But then he self mecdicated, or maybe with his doctor took the wonder drug, hydroxychloroquinne. If it works the person is on the mend in 5 days ( see the diggers piece today) and over it in a week. Will this be the wonder drug, or just antidotal evidence wonders Joe blow.