Think of it as another type of mother’s day:
"The reality is that a friendly dictatorship definitely applies in this case."
Resulting legislative dysfunction is "quite shocking," [Memorial University political science professor Alex Marland] said.
"A number of the parliamentary principles that are supposed to occur don't occur here. The biggest problem is the lack of opposition and the lack of scrutiny of government operations."
Three things:
One: there’s nothing friendly about the sort of nasty, mean-spirited, vicious, petty, personal digs quoted in this Canadian Press piece running across Canada this weekend. They may not be friendly but they have been very much par for the course since 2001.
Two: Marland ought to know how dysfunctional politics is these days in Newfoundland and Labrador. He used to be a comms director in Williams’ administration.
Three: Irony is referring to a Quebec judge making palpable errors in the context of the Abitibi expropriation TARFU.
-srbp-
Head Shaker Update: The Globe headline on this CP story makes it sound like the Old Man just dropped the writ: “Williams seeks third term as Newfoundland’s premier”.
The next election isn’t due until October 2011. A lot can change in the time between now and then.