Trev’s argument in a nutshell, paraphrased by your humble e-scribbler:
- “Any intelligent person” would have seen that an independent review of the air ambulance service would lead to government shifting the airplane from St. Anthony, however, it was only through Taylor’s political intervention that the ambulance stayed in St. Anthony.
- Oh yes, and I brought $163 million to the district and [some people] claimed I did nothing. You elected the other guys.
- Live with your f*ck up.
Methinks not.
But the logic is inescapable: Taylor is effectively taking responsible for the circumstances that existed before the relocation. If any “intelligent person’ could have foreseen the service needed to be moved, then only Trevor’s political arguments based on something other than the most effective and efficient operation of the service kept it in what Trevor suggests would be the wrong place, were it not for political interference.
Interesting.
Curiously, he makes no reference to the fact that the review recommending relocation was structured in such a way as to support that conclusion already, not as an independent and open-ended review on the efficient operation of the air ambulance service.
Oh yes and it is all about money:
During that time I had the complete and unwavering support of the Premier for viable legitimate investments in the district, to the tune of $163 million during the six years we were in government, one of the biggest investments in any district in the province.And then he finishes with a heartfelt “f- you to his former constituents:
The district voted for change, change is what you are getting.Trevor’s letter also suggests that there was a deep-seated dissatisfaction with Taylor and no shortage of deep animosity between Taylor and his constituents.Taylor’s letter speaks volumes about how he and his colleagues operate: pork, for one, and if you read between the lines, payback for the other.
The current administration is viciously partisan in a way not seen in this province since the 1960s.
Maybe that’s why it feels like 1970.
-srbp-
10 comments:
It was political interference that kept the Air Ambulance there while Trevor held the seat. It was the same political interference that kept it there when Decker and Tobin held the seat. Moving the plane wasn't payback for voting Liberal. I think it's more accurate to say that with Trevor gone, politics no longer impeded a long overdue move.
If it was true that Liberal seats were/ are being starved out, then how should we explain all the money being spent in Yvonne's riding? There's no political benefit to spending money there.
Even if Danny really was Jesus, the South Coast and the Straits would still vote Liberal. It's congenital
If it was true that Liberal seats were/ are being starved out, then how should we explain all the money being spent in Yvonne's riding?
All what money? Is Danny Williams-Government doing anything in particular in Yvonne's district that ANY government wouldn't have done? Can you quantify that amount?
If anything, hers is a case which proves the porkbarrel at work: Danny Williams-Government has delayed the new school in the Straits to try and sway votes in a provincial election, and, bizarrely, a federal one. Danny Williams-Government doesn't seem inclined to include "Phase II" of the TLH in any of the grand widening schemes. And of course Danny Williams-Government ferrymandered the coastal marine service in Labrador, in a way that caused economic harm to southern Labrador, in order to placate Lewisporte, represented, as it then was, by transport minister Tom Rideout.
Nice try, cain but your apologia is based on faulty premises.
First of all it assumes Trevor is right.
Second, it assumes that now there is a correct answer. Again, since you are basing it on a set-up consultant's report designed to reach a pre-determined outcome, you don't have a solid basis on which to rely.
Third, you need to look closely at the amount of money being spent in opposition districts to confirm "all that money". look more closely and you'll see carrots and sticks; the opps get something but it's nothing in comparison to the lavish sums spent on neighbouring districts.
That contrast is of much greater political advantage.
Fourth, when you have to fall back on fatalism, then you really don't have much. The south coast didn't vote Liberal last time. One district stayed but everything else went blue.
Take a look at the detailed analysis of spending done by WJM there at labradore and - if your eyes are open - you'll see a very different world from the one you described.
Cartwright L'anse aux Claire (ie South Coast and the Straits) did vote Liberal. It's Yvonne's riding.
As to the decision to move the plane being based only on one predetermined report, that is not true. If you dig around a bit, you'll find that it was also studied at the time of the merger that created Labrador Grenfell Health. The clear consensus was: move the service to Goose Bay.
If go back even further to the time that the new hospital was built in Goose Bay, you'll find it was studied then too. The consensus was: given that the new hospital will replace St. Anthony as the regional hospital for Labrador, the Air Ambulance should move to Goose Bay.
The bottom line is that politics was what kept the plane there. Ernie MacLean and Wally Andersen lobbied hard to have the service moved but ran up against the same shit that kept it in St. Anthony while Taylor was there.
1. Take a look at the amount spent in CLAC versus others and you'll see the point.
I thought you meant the south coast of the Island.
2. The decision was made based on the most recent report which was a set-up.
Even if it was examined within LG or a dozen times before that, that still doesn't mean anything. The location of the province-wide service needs to be evaluated on a wider basis.
All you've described for me is political pushing and pulling to get pork into one district by taking something from another.
3. If you look at the cases last year that were the pretext for this relocation, they were a result of one thing:
- lack of backup. One ambulance down for repairs and the other tasked. The basing of the a/c had exactly zilch to do with it.
Fundamentally, the problem was organizational and managerial. That won't be solved with the relocation of the aircraft to Goose Bay AND the addition of a new team.
4. You'll find confirmation of that fact in the upcoming announcement of arrangements to fly medevac from lab West to Quebec using Quebec resources.
Like I said, nice try but basically this is still a service that is being decided on entirely political/partisan bases versus effective management.
And just today, we discover that the second team won't be in palce for some time.
That just reminded me of this other point that goes against your argument in favour of the current political put-up job.
The aircraft in Goose Bay will have to fly to St. John's to pick up a med crew and then fly to the destination.
Conceivably that would mean leaving Goose, flying to St. John's, going back to Goose and then heading to Sin Jawn's again.
heck, the team can't even stay certified by being in Goose. They have to come out to a major centre.
If this decision was done on the basis of effective service, the a/c would all be based in St. John's with the teams deployed temporarily as needed.
The move to Goose was purely political. Trevor admitted it in a backwards way but he still admitted it.
The location of the province-wide service needs to be evaluated on a wider basis.
Is it me, but does anyone else think that your pronouncements are completely out to lunch when you read that quote?
For instance, you go on to say...
Fundamentally, the problem was organizational and managerial. That won't be solved with the relocation of the aircraft to Goose Bay AND the addition of a new team.
How can you say that when there is no evaluation available on a province wide service? Afterall you slaged Cain for even bringing up points that you shot down because there was no province wide evaluation..amazing!
Then you say... If this decision was done on the basis of effective service, the a/c would all be based in St. John's with the teams deployed temporarily as needed.
Again maybe you are correct...but you have no basis or experitise to spout off on these types of operational matters. But again, why should that stop you!
Wondering if you would like to omment on this:
The decision was made based on the most recent report which was a set-up.
A set-up?? Care to elaborate on that. I am sure the consultant would like to read your comments that assumes that he was "set-up"
If you are going to throw out these types of allegations at least you should back up the claim
Basically, it is just you.
Your comments stem from the fact you obviously didn't read any of the background on this, including Drodge's report and the announcement of the relocation.
your right Ed...nowhere in the Drodge report did I read that he was being set up
Well, since you haven't read the report, you wouldn't have seen anything in it at all.
Try reading the report (page two for the terms of reference, is a good starting point) and then maybe you'd like to take issue with my comments based on something other than your indigestion.
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