Williams lowers expectations for Lower Churchill...again

In an interview with The Telegram, Premier Danny Williams admits there are considerable hurdles to overcome in developing the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project. The story isn't available online.  [Amended;  by request, we've removed the article from the post. If it turns up online, we'll supply a link.]

Williams repeated his January estimate that the chances of the project going ahead are 50/50.

"Well, at best that would be late 2009," said Williams. "We're going through the environmental process. We're attempting to reach agreement with the Labrador Innu. I'm optimistic that can happen. (Then we'll
decide) what the nature of the project will be and get the financials in place and be ready to rock'n'roll."

Take that statement as being an admission the project is unlikely to proceed at all. The crucial element is project financing. If that isn't even being reviewed until 2009 - at the earliest - then it's a well as saying the project is not happening in the near future.

In the interview Williams exaggerates the development issues, referring to them as hurdles, and claiming that the hurdles are larger than on other mega-projects either under development or under consideration in the province. The other projects are all private sector ones.

The development issues aren't larger.

It all boils down to markets for the power and financing to make it happen.

In 2005, Williams rejected a joint project with Ontario and Quebec which would have seen both provinces purchase the power and assist in the financing and construction.

Williams rejected the proposal without explanation, inserting instead a so-called "go-it-alone" option which had not be evaluated by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro or government officials before it was publicly announced. However, even in announcing his own idea of having the provincial government build project on its own, he left the door open to equity partners.

Shortly after he went to the federal government looking for a loan guarantee, still insisting the provincial government would build the Lower Churchill project - estimated to cost between $6.0 and $9.0 billion - on its own.

Despite receiving no such commitment from Stephen Harper, Williams insisted Harper promised a loan guarantee and used it as part of his political feud with his fellow Conservative first minister.

Williams has announced only two potential customers for Lower Churchill power. The State of Rhode Island and Nova Scotia's Emera have signed separate memoranda of understanding committing to explore the possibility of purchasing Lower Churchill power.

Beyond that, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has had no serious discussions with potential external customers for the project's estimated 2800 megawatts. Even the plan to sell power to eastern Newfoundland - covering at least $2.0 billion of the total project cost - is contingent on the project going forward. That idea, floated by natural resources minister Kathy Dunderdale just before last fall's provincial election seemed to confuse the radio host interviewing her at the time since she insisted the plan wouldn't increase electrical power rates on the Avalon peninsula.

The Lower Churchill project figured prominently in several campaign announcements both during last year's Summer of Love pre-election spending spree and in the energy plan campaign prop.

There are some factual errors in the Peter Walsh story. The Wells administration came close to a deal on the Lower Churchill in the early 1990s, however political issues at the time and changed economic circumstances scuttled the negotiations.

Brian Tobin used development on Churchill River as the start of a re-election campaign he started in 1998. Ultimately none of his promised development occurred.

Roger Grimes had a tentative deal to develop the Lower Churchill but it was scuttled by political opposition within his own caucus and cabinet, heightened by the dramatic resignation of Hydro chairman and Williams associate Dean Macdonald from the Hydro board.

Walsh also repeats a claim that the 1969 Churchill Falls deal has produced $19 billion in revenue for Hydro Quebec versus $1.0 billion for Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro. Those figures are not substantiated by any factual analysis. It is, however, a popular myth.

-srbp-

Letter on student personal info leak contains misleading information

A draft letter Eastern School District plans to send parents of 28,000 children affected by a leaked of personal information contains at least one major factual error and includes misleading information.

The letter states:  "The computers are password protected, thus limiting the potential for unauthorized users to access this information."

Computer security experts have already said publicly that the passwords would provide a minor, temporary inconvenience to anyone wanting to find out what was behind the password.

As well, the letter repeats the contents of the news release issued earlier in the week by referring to the relatively low risk of someone using a student's personal information to access a student's medical file.

That really isn't the threat.  The potential exists for fraud against the medical care commission based on identity theft or of fraudulent prescriptions being passed in a student's name. The possibility of accessing a particular student's medical records remains relatively low.

The letter also refers to laptops being stolen for the hardware value, yet school district officials do not know who stole the computers in this case.  They are speculating.

The letter likely won't reach parents until Monday - eight days after the theft -  and four days after the letter was posted to the Internet by the school district.  It contains no new information and merely repeats the contents of the news release.

There's no explanation as to why it took the school district officials so long to cut and paste a letter to parents that contains nothing more than what had already been sent to hundreds of thousands of people unaffected by the incident, via the release.

In a release earlier this week, the district said it notified provincial government officials and the police about the theft and would begin notifying parents - at the end of the process - now that a news release had been issued and individuals and organizations, some of them not directly affected, had already been advised of the incident.

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I knew Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was a friend of mine.

And you, Ms. Lohan, are no Marilyn Monroe.

-srbp-

Come by Chance refinery owner studying expansion options

Harvest Energy has engaged SNC Lavalin to review three options aimed at expanding production capacity at a 30 year old medium sour crude refinery (API 29-30, 2.2 to 2.5% sulphur) at Come by Chance, Newfoundland, according to Reuters. 

The refinery currently process 115,000 barrels per day.  The options, each reportedly costed at around US$1.0 billion, would bring the capacity to at least 155,000 barrels per day.

The project would be sanctioned by late 2008 with completion by 2010/2011.

According to Reuters, Harvest Energy:

... is studying a major expansion of processing capacity, a project to convert about 30,000 barrels a day of low-value residual fuel oil into more valuable low-sulphur diesel or gasoline, as well as installation of new equipment that would allow it to process heavier grades of crude oil.

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The Saturday Morning Funnies

1.  nottawa, as usual, with few words but devastating impact: a bunch of short snappers on Connie patronage appoints, Ralph Nader and asymmetrical federalism.

2. labradore, as usual with a few more words, but equally devastating impact:  Danny Williams record for keeping the legislature closed.

3.  Almost immediate update:  The current provincial administration seems to have problems with two things:  keeping personal records and keeping personal records private.

This idea from google would be awesome.

Except that no one in the provincial government knows what google is.

It's a bit of a local, inside joke, but follow the links and you'll get it.

Staff working for office of the Chief Information Officer were baffled last week trying to figure out how they could possibly fit health records on every resident of the province into google, left.

-srbp-

A mixed reaction

On the one hand, it's an awesome local-boy-made good story whereby a  - well - local boy created the largest helicopter company in the world.

It's rags-to-riches.

It's all sorts of other stuff that is worth celebrating and holding out as an example of what can be done when you put your mind to it.

Then, after his death, his family sold it and made a mint.

The family contributed mightily to the community in many ways and selling the company is as sound a business decision as the family made in building it.  CHC stands as an example of what local entrepreneurs can do.

But then on the other hand, it's kinda hard not to notice that the guy heralded as a "patriot" packed up his company and relocated it out of Newfoundland and Labrador. As a result, he deprived the provincial treasury of  untold millions in corporate tax revenue, personal income taxes of the headquarters employees and likely a few other bits of miscellaneous revenue.

There was nary a boo about it from the provincial banker at the time, Loyola Sullivan.  Nor was there boo from Sullivan's boss. 

Nope.

But when a supposedly evil telephone company, not previously owned by Danny Williams, did something supposedly evil to the provincial treasury, now that was another story.  Loyola Sullivan issued a news release about the impact Aliant's income trust restructure would have on the bank accounts of a province then only three years away from "have" status.

If we banned hypocrisy, some politicians would have nothing to say.

So bravo, progeny of Craig Dobbin and the share-holders of the now publicly traded CHC, for making a mint.

So bravo Craig for building a company up from nothing but a few provincial government contracts and parlaying it into being the largest helicopter outfit on the planet, bar none.

Look down from heaven and likely wince at the irony John Crosbie was right after all:  you can tell the Newfoundlanders in Heaven;  they're the only one's complaining what a crime it is they have to be "here" instead of "home". 

Yes, the hallmark of the great "patriot".  Discuss the glories of Newfoundland while you earn a living out west.

And as a last note in this rambling Saturday morning opener, let's try some trivia:

1. What was the name of Craig Dobbin's helicopter company, the one that started it all?
2. Where did he get the inspiration for the name?
3. What's the connection between that name and the Danny Williams logo (which the provincial government still thinks is a "brand")?

There are no prizes, yet but we'll likely soon start a serious set of contests with bondpapers giveaways.

-srbp-

T'Railway inspections completed; some bridges closed and re-opened over space of one to two days

The provincial environment department has finished inspections of 125 bridges and trestles along the former railway line and a number are closed until further notice.

Closed are:

1. Glide Brook
2. Middle Brook
3. Barry Brook
4. Fischells Brook
5. Robinsons River East
6. Robinsons River West
7. Flat Bay
8. Morris Brook
9. Codroy North

Mary Anne Brook and Black Duck Brook, closed earlier in the week are being re-opened.

Morris Brook was identified by Transport Canada inspectors as "gone', meaning the bridge had collapsed or been removed.

Glide Brook was previously identified by the province as having passed inspection.

Here's a comparison of the final provincial list and the 18 bridges identified by Transport Canada:

Serial	EnvCon	Transport Canada	Comments
1.	Robinson River East	Robinson River East	Closed by EnvCon
2.	Robinson River West		Closed by EnvCon
3.	Glide Brook		Closed by EnvCon, despite previously being inspected and cleared
4.	Middle Brook	Middle Brook	Closed by EnvCon
5.	Barry Brook	Barry Brook	Closed by EnvCon
6.	Fischells Brook	Fischells Brook	Closed by EnvCon
7.	Flat Bay		Closed by EnvCon
8.	Morris Brook	Morris Brook	Closed by EnvCon Noted as "gone" by TC
9.	Codroy Branch North	Codroy Branch North	Closed by EnvCon TC concerns on pipes and abutment;  opened by EnvCon
10.		Codroy Branch South	Opened by EnvCon
11.		Little River	Opened by EnvCon
12.		Bear Cove (Old Bridge)	Opened by EnvCon
13.		Robaires River East	Closed by EnvCon, 19 Feb 08 Opened by EnvCon, 20 Feb 08
14.		Howley River	Closed by EnvCon, 19 Feb 08 Opened by EnvCon, 20 Feb 08
15.		Mary Ann Brook	Closed by EnvCon, 19 Feb 08 Opened by EnvCon, 22 Feb 08
16.		North Brook	Opened by EnvCon
17.		Robinson Brook East	Opened by EnvCon
18.		Main East	Opened by EnvCon
19.		Journis Brook	Opened by EnvCon
20.		Eel Brook -	TC- deck gone Opened by EnvCon
21.		Wolfe Brook –	TC- abutments Opened by EnvCon
22.	Black Duck Brook		Closed by EnvCon, 19 Feb 08 Opened by EnvCon, 22 Feb 08
23.		Seal Cove-Indian Pond	Demolished by EnvCon following contact by TC, based on public complaint, summer 2007
24.	Stephenville Main Gut		Closed by provincial government, November 2006

 

The provincial government has not provided a clear reconciliation between the two and the series of releases this week have been confusing.  For example, the list of closed bridges issued on 22 February lists closed bridges in two different places.  Some bridges have been announced as closed by engineering inspection only to have the same bridges cleared and re-opened a day or two later by a "further assessment".

No explanation has been offered by the provincial government of the changes in engineering assessment of some structures over the space of one or two days.

At the same time, Transport Canada's list erroneously refers to Monis Brook, when it is actually Morris Brook.  TC's list also refers to Robinsons River East and Robinsons Brook East.

The provincial environment department still has to respond to Transport Canada's letter of 11 February which requested an action plan to deal with the 18 bridges it identified as being hazardous.  A Transport Canada spokesman told CBC Radio on Thursday that for some structures a signed clearance by a structural engineer will be required to clear the bridge under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.

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Breast cancer numbers larger than previously announced

More than 1,000 women have been re-tested as part of the breast cancer testing scandal at Eastern Health and of those, 322 have died.

That's more than double the number previously announced.

The new figures come from a high-level government committee which was appointed last year to co-ordinate the provincial government's participation in the Cameron Inquiry.

Take a look at the scrum tape, posted with CBC's story on the government announcement.

Notice that reporters asked direct, relevant questions about the number deceased patients who were tested and what their test results showed. The reporters are asking more informed questions because they are more informed, but notice that neither health minister Ross Wiseman nor Eastern health's chief operations officer could answer the question.

Well, not that they couldn't answer the question.  They just wouldn't.  They decided that sorting out the answer to the commission to answer the reporters' question on a case by case basis.

Take a look at the terms of reference for the Cameron Inquiry, though and you won't see a direction to undertake such a detailed examination. Notice that when David Cochrane puts the hard question again about 12 minutes into the 15 minute session, Wiseman shifts his answer.  Now, Wiseman says, there is a process involved and that a certain update is being provided.  Additional detail will follow.

Those are two dramatically different answers.

One is that the information and analysis is for someone else to prepare.

The second is that we'll do that work next and there will be further updates as analysis is finished.

Bear in mind that this newser wasn't intended to release hard news about the revised death numbers.

Take a look at the official government news release.  As we've seen with the workers comp infosec leak, the news release is structured to bury hard information down the page. The news release wants to draw attention to the $2.3 million being spent to create organizations and policies that were - obviously - seriously flawed or previously didn't exist.

Watch Wiseman when he gets the question about patients.  He speaks about the impact on families and the desire to make sure that no one else goes through this kind of thing.

That it never happens again.

The standard Williams administration response once a problem is exposed.

You'd never know that Wiseman and his predecessors have been involved in this entire process since it was first discovered internally, let alone since it became public.

That's the conflict of interest that sits behind this newser and every other comment Wiseman makes about breast cancer screening. The Cameron Inquiry will be examining what Wiseman and his predecessors did in this matter.  He's being very careful about what he says publicly since he will likely have to deal with questions under oath at some point.  he's also likely to be deposed in the class action lawsuit that sits out there.

He's working to polish the public perception of him and the administration in advance of the legal work to come.  It's a nice - if a bit obvious - bit of litigation public relations.

And that Mr. Thompson they keep referring to in the scrum?  He's part of the issues management campaign as well.  The former top civil servant was sent in last May to run the health department and  - at the same time - to serve as secretary to cabinet for health issues management.

It's in that job - issues management related to Cameron and the breast cancer law suit - that led to the numbers released today.  Government is trying to figure out the extent of their liability.  And to some extent or other they are managing the flow of public information to put themselves in the best possible light.

Government has been kicked around a bit and they've started to counteract that.  There are new faces at Eastern Health, an old face returned from Environment and Conservation and a reportedly closer relationship between the top levels of government and Eastern Health's comms branch.  They've started to talk out radio interviews with sweet talk, for example, or inject the concern and compassionate face you saw Wiseman offering.  They want you to see Wiseman the fixer rather than the guy who bumbled his way through the announcement of the Cameron Inquiry by sticking Fred Kasirye out there as a sacrificial offering.

And it's that history of bumbling that makes you wonder:  has actually taken on outside counsel  - litigation or crisis PR experts - to help with the damage control.

You see, they might be doing this stuff on their own, but government's never shown an ability to polish a knob with quite this degree of subtlety.  They've usually resorted to shooting off a toe or two.

-srbp-

Just say no to another cable guy

Newbie councillor Ron Ellsworth wants to replace Doc O'Keefe as deputy mayor of St. John's.

Doc will be going after the mayor's chair to replace Andy Wells.

Okay.

Doc is probably best known lately for the entirely childish game of trying to wring an apology out of Ellsworth for something that wasn't even worth mentioning.

When O'Keefe isn't chasing his tail, he's talking about stuff like gas prices - which city council can do nothing about - or flip flopping on snow clearing.

Ron Ellsworth would be a fine replacement for Doc O'Keefe. 'Round these parts, the opinion used to be different, but the longer Ellsworth been in public view, the less impressive he's turned out to be. His lame-assed excuses during the now infamous secret salary raise caper turned out to closer to real attitude to public money.

Thus far on council, the Ward 4 fellow has shown himself to be a less than stellar performer. For a guy who keeps trying to play at being a fiscally responsible councillor, he turned into an apologist for pouring millions of public money into the Wells-Coombs Memorial Money Pit, a.k.a Mile One.

Ellsworth said that as a businessman he wouldn't drop a dime on the thing since it will never turn a profit. But as a councillor he's willing to pour millions of your tax dollars and mine into the loser. CBC has it right, if by "fiscally minded" they mean that Ellsworth doesn't mind overburdening the fiscal capacity of taxpayers with wasteful spending, like Mile One.

On that count alone, Ellsworth would show himself to be a fitting replacement for Doc as deputy mayor.

That is, it would be enough if we didn't know that Ron commissioned a poll a while back testing the waters for his real goal: a run at the mayor's chair.

CBC radio asked Ron about the poll.

Ron denied knowing anything about it.

Then a couple of days later he recovered his memory and fessed up.

Interesting in hindsight that Ellsworth, who is reputedly tight with the Premier, commissioned the poll on his own political future - and then fibbed about it - around the same time that the Public Service Commission posted ads looking for new public utilities commissioners and a chief executive officer.

That's the competition that ultimately went in the dustbin.

Andy Wells was subsequently appointed to the PUB's top job, sans the conveniently halted competition.

Anyway, to make sure there is no misunderstanding:

There's just no way Ron Ellsworth deserves to be re-elected as a councillor let alone deputy mayor.

His performance over the last year or so as a councillor has shown he's just like the majority on council. They have managed to leave the city in a fiscally-sorry, undemocratic state. He's shown his willingness to continue the bad practices of the past and he hasn't made any positive changes at the same time.

Fibbing about the poll and his scripted media interviews don't help persuade that Ellsworth is anything other than packaged.

The city needs a substantive change.

Andy Wells' departure started it.

Electing Ron Ellsworth as deputy mayor - let alone the prospect of His Worship the Doc - would demolish any chance of improving city council.

-srbp-

"It's an underlying attitude"

Indeed it is, or so the minister responsible for the status of women claims with respect to comments recently by federal fish minister Loyola Hearn.

"I think we have a clear example here of a government that does not respect women," Burke told reporters.

There's no question the Harper Conservatives run against the grain of typical Canadian attitudes toward women. But Burke is a Jane-come-lately to this view, given that she, her Boss and her cabinet and caucus colleagues campaigned to put Hearn and his friends into office in the last federal general election.

Let's not forget that, please.

If Burke and her associates hadn't voted against the wishes of the majority of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in 2006, we wouldn't be having this political sideshow right now. She wouldn't be dragging airtime being a hypocrite. She'd be explaining why a school board in St. John's still hasn't notified parents directly affected by a massive information security theft involving their childrens' personal information.

But that would be to digress...

When it comes to underlying attitudes, though, progressive-thinking people in Newfoundland and Labrador might do well to ask Burke why she so heartily endorses a reactionary, pro-natalist policy that offers women a bounty for bearing children.

It's hard to imagine a more blatantly sexist policy announced by any recent Canadian government, other than the separatist Parti Quebecois.

It's also hard to argue with Burke's comment when she said "It's an underlying attitude." Comments are usually a guide to underlying attitudes.

The only problem for Burke is that the political mud she's flung at Loyola Hearn and Stephen Harper splashes back on Burke and her own colleagues for two reasons:

First because she and her friends helped put Harper and company in office last time despite evidence at the time of what she finds so objectionable now.

and...

Second, because she and her colleagues have at least one policy that is equally deserving of the same condemnation she's using against Hearn.

Not much we can do about it, though.

On the one hand, if we outlawed hypocrisy in public comments, some politicians wouldn't have anything to say.

But then on the other hand, comments usually betray an underlying attitude.

Turns out Burke was right, after all.

-srbp-

Info on 28,000 school children stolen from school board

This story takes on a whole different character when one of the children involved is yours.

Well, likely yours since four days after the theft, the school authorities have still not notified parents.

It takes on a whole different character when the story breaks four days after the incident.

It takes on another character altogether when the school board's first priority was everything but notifying parents.

"We have notified all authorities and school administrators and have also taken immediate action with our landlord at Atlantic Place to strengthen our physical security measures.”

As of this writing - 10:30 PM, four days after the theft - there has been no contact from the school board concerning my child.  There was no notification from his school.  Our family learned of this incident from news media.

And let's get this clear:  like all other recent thefts of personal information from provincial government computers (including people hired as consultants) this is an extremely serious matter. 

The delays in public notification as well as the bland assurances that all is well are not only unacceptable, they are entirely unsubstantiated by the facts of the matter. Sure there is concern, but evidently there was no sufficient concern prior to these series of thefts for government officials to double check their various information security and physical security policies.

Eastern School District's news release stated the following:

Eastern School District has consulted with the Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and MCP Commission. The stolen computers are password protected, thus limiting access to information. Additionally, the Eastern School District has been advised by the MCP Commission that access to individual medical records is not at risk.

Try a google search for "Windows password recovery".  You'll get a million or more hits for tips and software to help recover passwords from software like the software most likely used by the school board to manage bus schedules. The data in this instance was not encrypted. 

Limited access to information?

In a pig's eye.

Ask the people whose medical records were exposed to the Internet as a result of lax security policies at the workers compensation agency.

There are serious questions now about the physical security at school board offices since they obviously failed.

Since neither the school board officials nor police know who stole the laptops, they have no basis on which to provide an assessment of the likely personal security threat resulting from this incident. They can make a guess, develop a theory, but until the thieves are apprehended we simply have no idea what possibly will happen to the information.

Access to individual medical records may not be a risk, but armed with a prescription pad, a child's personal data and an MCP number, a druggie thief may be able to obtain prescriptions for a number of different drugs.

Of course, we have no way of knowing at this point what other information was on the computers since school board officials either aren't sure or they haven't disclosed it.

-srbp-

The answer is simple: it's polling time

“Why are they doing this? I think the answer is simple. Voting time is here again. And if that’s the case, let’s be careful where we mark our X.”

Employment minister Shawn Skinner, speaking to the St. John's Board of Trade Luncheon

20 Feb 2008

Since last weekend, Danny Williams and his cabinet ministers have been hammering away relentlessly at the federal government generally and federal regional minister Loyola Hearn in particular.

There has been no shortage of blatant hypocrisy, as in the Premier criticizing the practice of announcing announcements previously announced.

There has also been no shortage of the truly bizarre, such as the minister responsible for the status women chastising Hearn for a comment she never heard herself but received second or third hand.  Attacking anyone based on speculation is never an acceptable practice. It is even more reprehensible when the minister responsible for the status of women is part of a cabinet which has, as a matter of policy, reduced women to the status of brood mares.  There's a bootie call of $1000 to every women who bears a live child in this province, the whole policy based on the claim by the Premier that "we can't be a die-ing race."  [Edit;  run-on sentence]

Sexist?

You betcha.

A sign of a systemic set of attitudes about women and ethnicity that need to be stamped out? 

You tell me.

Shawn Skinner's comments noted above are especially worthy of note since they come from a fellow who not so long ago was talking about the need for co-operation with the feds, despite whatever political feuds were going on.  He was soundly and severely chastised for that, apparently and made to issue a humiliating public apology for what amounts to speaking simple truth to power.

They are also noteworthy because Skinner is himself part of an exercise that is not far removed from what he accuses Hearn of doing.

Right off the bat, let's confirm that the people of Newfoundland and Labrador are smart enough to know a federal election is coming and that politicians are announcing money hither and yon as part of the run up to open campaigning.

They don't need Danny Williams and Shawn Skinner to point this out since, just last summer, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador were treated to Skinner and Williams doing exactly that.  Indeed they did so much of it that the pair, along with their cabinet colleagues are now faced with a set of public expectations that Williams, Skinner and the rest are now busily trying to tamp down.

At the same time, they are part of cabinet which is facing an ongoing series of bad news. 

-  Security leaks in the computer management system they built by recreating the Moores-era computer services agency renowned for its lack of service and efficiency. 

-  A public inquiry into breast cancer screening and the seemingly endless stream of own-goals being scored by officials despite (as a result of?) reputedly very high level political interventions on how to handle things. 

-  Scores of bridges and trestles in varying states of disrepair in a department whose minister admits that the department doesn't carry out regular inspections of them, a minister who also says she was surprised to learn of the problems despite the fact that her officials were aware of the problems as long ago as last summer.

-  An agreement to develop the Hebron offshore project which, despite the pre-election hype given to it last summer, seems to be unduly delayed for unspecified reasons.

There are other issues both local and province-wide to add to the whole mess.

So with all that, the one thing - the only thing - provincial cabinet ministers seem able to do is take swipes at Hearn.

Why are they doing this, you may ask mirroring Shawn Skinner?

The answer is simple;  it is polling season. 

Corporate Research Associates started in the field late last week, oddly at the same time that the slaps at Hearn started.

The current administration, which has always been unduly sensitive to fluctuations of polling, has nothing else to lay in front of the public.  Either that or their comms apparatus is overwhelmed with the string of problems that they have no time to devote to the usual, intense quarterly knob shining.

Turd polishing  - regarded as a useless activity equal to knob shining among PR professionals - is apparently taking priority.

Instead, the poll goosing crowd have taken to the only tool in their arsenal that might counteract the onslaught of "bad" news:  the attack on a foreign demon or a traitor.  They are hoping people will be distracted for a couple of weeks, that the news media will carry some suitable stories and maybe people will be feeling just a wee bit positively inclined towards the government when the CRA pollsters call.

There are public spending announcements - like road work all over the place - to supplement the effort but the core of the provincial government effort seems to be the distraction of poking at Hearn.

We'll know if it worked in a couple of weeks when CRA releases it's results.

But in the meantime, Skinner and his colleagues need not fear.  Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, who historically vote anybody but Conservative in federal elections, don't need to be reminded to make their voting choices carefully.

And they don't need to be warned against politicians who come bearing gifts to court their support.

They don't need to be warned against that kind of cynical effort at vote manipulation.

They have had more than enough experience with it over the past four years from provincial politicians.

-srbp-

On the one hand. On the other hand.

A St. John's couple is struggling to find home care at an affordable price.

CBC broke the story, one that appears to be typical of other retired people:

An elderly St. John's couple says they could be forced into bankruptcy to get the home care they need.

Pensioner Patrick Connors, 78, and his wife of 55 years, Shirley, live on a combined monthly income of just $2,100.

But Connors said they would have to give up more than half of that — and go into debt — to qualify for government-managed home care.

Health minister Ross Wiseman acknowledged government has been aware of the problems with what he termed the "financial tool" for at least two years.

Wiseman, though, did not say he expected the policy to be changed, but said an announcement could be made later this year.

Until then, he said the Connors will have to work with Eastern Health officials to try to meet their home care needs.

So that's the one hand.

Hmmm.

Wiseman's boss told reporters last week in Corner Brook:

“People need to understand government cannot write a cheque for everything,” said Williams. “We can’t be all things to all people.”

“On the other hand, even in poor times, we have tried to do the best we could for people who were, for lack of a better term, in poorer positions.”

Uh huh.

How exactly are we supposed to reconcile those two positions?

Well, on the one hand...

But, on the other hand...

Bet this elderly gentleman and his wife don't feel like he's been getting a hand at all.

A finger maybe, but certainly not the whole hand.

-srbp-

Curiouser bridge stuff

Two of the T'Railway bridges announced yesterday as being closed have been opened after what the provincial government describes as "a further engineering assessment".

Didn't engineers do an on-site inspection the first time?

Here's what the provincial environment ministry said just 24 hours ago:

Deer Lake east to Gaff Topsails (13 structures)
All 13 structures have been inspected.  Eleven have been determined safe and are re-opened to the public.  Howley River and Mary Anne Brook were two of the 14 structures identified by Transport Canada. Engineers have determined they are to remain closed. [bold added]

Deer Lake west to Stephenville (16 structures)
All 16 structures have been inspected. Fourteen have been determined safe and are re-opened to the public. Robaires Brook was one of the 14 structures identified by Transport Canada and engineers have determined it is to remain closed. In addition, engineers have determined that the trestle at Black Duck Brook will remain closed.

Today, we get this:

Howley River and Robaires Brook have been determined safe, following a further engineering assessment, and are re-opened to the public.

Interestingly, these two bridges were identified by Transport Canada as being of concern.

So engineers determined the first time that the bridges would be closed. 

Why did they change their minds?

-srbp-

Announcing old government money, the provincial version

Provincial cabinet ministers apparently didn't like Loyola Hearn's announcement on 16 February of $1.5 million in ACOA money for redecking and other safety work on the T'Railway bridges.

Some have even gone so far as to suggest it was part of a federal plot.

Pish posh.

The provincial government announced its share of that same three way agreement on Monday, February 18. The provincial cash, like the federal cash, was committed in the budget from 2007. Neither announced it by agreement with the T'Railways council;  they were holding off to have a major event later this spring.  That story is in the Wednesday Telegram, although it isn't available online.

But if the provincial government felt a little off about Hearn's announcement they could have easily dealt with it in another way, rather than whine about Hearn's little publicity coup.  After all, tourism czar Clyde Jackman - himself a former environment and conversation minister  - was the lead provincial minister at the same convention Hearn attended.  Maybe he missed the reminder in his briefing note.

And it's not like this T'Railways bridge issue is new, either.

As the Telegram reported on Saturday, Transport Canada received complaints last summer about a bridge at Indian Pond in Seal Cove, Conception Bay.  They inspected and asked provincial officials to take action to repair or remove. 

The provincial government opted to remove the bridge.

Federal officials then began an inspection of 109 other sites in the province to determine which T'railways structures, if any, fell under the provisions of the Navigable Waters Act.  Of the 109, they found 42 that met the legislation's requirements.  Of those 42, 14 were of sufficient concern that the feds asked for a remediation plan.  They also noted four other specific structures about which their inspectors had some concern.

One of the bridges - at Morris Brook, erroneously called Monis Brook in one document  - had collapsed entirely. It was reported by Transport Canada as "gone".

-srbp-

The 18 + bridges/trestles

Update:  For a complete picture, cross-reference the list in this post with the bridges mentioned in the provincial government's Tuesday release.  You will see several discrepancies noted in an earlier Bond Papers post:

1.  Of the 18 bridges originally identified by Transport Canada

-  three have failed provincial government safety inspections (Howley River, Mary Ann(e) Brook and Robaires River East); and,

-  two have passed (Eel Brook appears to have had its decking replaced;  Stephenville Main East was passed but there is no indication of what TC originally found).

2.  The remainder have not yet been inspected.

3.  The provincial government Tuesday news release makes at least two mistakes:

-  It consistently, incorrectly refers to 14 bridges from Transport Canada when in fact there were 18 named specifically.  The release actually identifies 17 bridges as having been mentioned by TC.

-  It includes main Brook as a bridge mentioned by TC.  Main Brook is not on the 11 Feb Transport Canada list.

4.  Provincial inspections have found one additional problem bridge (Black Duck Brook).

5.  One bridge on the TC list is identified as "gone" meaning it doesn't exist.  The provincial release makes no notice of this.  It also does not explain why the T'Railways website lists 132 bridges and trestles while the department's news release refers to only 125.

Update, update:  The Telegram carried a list of the 14 bridges in its story on Saturday, 16 February.  When a link turns up, we'll post it.  Bond Papers obtained its information from another source.

Original post continues:

Bond Papers has obtained a list of the 18 bridges and trestles identified in a letter from Transport Canada to the provincial government as posing a hazard to the public.

Transport Canada officials noted that the list of bridges on non-navigable waters was not considered definitive. They referred to a significant number of structures inspected being in advanced state of disrepair. They also stated that they had not conducted a detailed structural analysis of the bridges and trestles.

Altogether, officials of the navigable waters protection program inspected 109 structures to determine which fell under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. They found 42 in total fell under the Act.

Transport Canada identified 18 which showed structural problems and requested the provincial environment department prepare a plan to repair or remove the structures as they posed a public hazard. Fourteen fell under the NWPA while four were not. The Monis Brook bridge is identified by Transport Canada as "gone".

The environment department closed all 132 bridges and trestles on the T'Railway entirely on its own initiative on February 14 and began its own program of inspections.

It is unclear from provincial government statements if all 132 bridges and trestles are being subjected to a detailed structural analysis or if that work is being confined to the 18 specified by Transport Canada.

The 18 bridges and trestles are:

1. Robinson River East
2. Middle Brook
3. Little River
4. Barry Brook
5. Bear Cove (Old Bridge)
6. Robaires River East
7. Codroy Branch South
8. Howley River
9. Mary Ann Brook
10. North Brook
11. Robinson Brook East
12. Main East
13. Fishells River
14. Journis Brook
15. Eel Brook - deck gone
16. Wolfe Brook – Abutments
17. Codroy Branch North – Multiple pipes abutment
18. Monis Brook – gone

A news release issued late Tuesday by environment minister Charlene Johnson and tourism minister Clyde Jackman (a former environment minister) erroneously refers to 14 bridges identified by Transport Canada as posing public safety issues.

The provincial government release indicates that Eel Brook has been cleared by provincial inspectors, however it is interesting to note that the Transport Canada inspection only noted the absence of decking for this structure. An ongoing decking project by the T'railways Council may have dealt with that issue after the federal inspection was completed.

The provincial government has closed Howley River, Mary Ann(e) Brook and Robaires River East, thereby confirming the Transport Canada engineers' assessment. As well, the province has closed Black Duck Brook bridge.

There is a discrepancy between the Transport Canada list and the provincial government's new release. The release states:

The trestles at Stephenville Main East and Main Brook were two of the structures identified by Transport Canada; however, engineers have determined them safe and they are re-opened to the public.

Main East is identified as structure number 12 in the list above. There is no mention at all of Main Brook in Transport Canada's February 11 correspondence.

-srbp-

Provgov inspectors keep 4 bridges closed; information in gov release incomplete

While the T'Railway website identifies 132 old bridges and trestles as comprising the linear park, a news release from the provincial environment and conservation department late Tuesday refers to only 125.

Of the 82 inspections reported as completed by provincial government engineers, 78 have been re-opened while four remain closed.

It is unclear from the provincial government news release if these four are part of the 18 that Transport Canada identified as being of concern or if they are new.  The release refers to 14 structures identified by Transport Canada but the total numbers mentioned in individual sections of the release and attributed to Transport Canada add up to 17.

At this time, bridges/trestles at Howley River, Mary Anne Brook, Robaires Brook (identified by Transport Canada) and Black Duck Brook remain closed.  Black Duck Brook was apparently not identified by Transport Canada.  Three of the bridges identified by Transport Canada have been cleared by the provincial inspections.

According to the news release 43 inspections have not been completed and those bridges/trestles remain closed.

-srbp-

Old whine in old skins, or it takes one to know one

Danny Williams told reporters today that he doesn't like Loyola Hearn announcing what Williams thinks is "old money".

He thinks it's disingenuous since, as Williams alone characterizes, there's an effort to make people believe it's new money that Heanr's been announcing.

Goodness knows, Bond Papers isn't a big fan of Loyola Hearn, but the only disingenuousness here is coming from Williams.

Firstly, the only person talking about misleading people is Williams and that's one of his old tactics: Williams makes an accusation and then treats his accusation as if it were fact. He puts words in others' mouths or falsely attributes motives. Ask Roger Grimes for example, or your humble e-scribbler about it. Just because Danny says it doesn't make it a fact.

Secondly, when it comes to the old Tobinite trick of reannouncing announcements previously announced, there is no one better at it than Danny Williams himself. Here's a link - from three years ago - that makes the point with tons of evidence. Times haven't changed, at least for the provincial government.

In the case of the money for the Trailway, the money is as old as the provincial money that goes with it; the cash just wasn't publicly announced before. Williams is likely just miffed that in the CRA polling period he's saddled with a bunch of bad news while Hearn managed to get one over on him.

Danny just discovered what it feels like to get politically goosed in Gander. Ask Steve Harper about it. No one in the public should like these petty political ganes, but, this little episode is a reminder to the ordinary people of the province that the Danny-Steve feud is just tiresome and silly.

-srbp-

Alright so go already

Andy's finally gone.

But this was the top story in the province last night complete with Cochrane and a live remote?

Or the front page of the province's major daily, complete with colour photos of the colourful soon-to-be former mayor?

In departing, Wells couldn't resist his trademark personal attacks on anyone and everyone he doesn't like.  They were nitwits, dimwits and nutbars.

And Wells asked rhetorically if the city was worse off for his term of office, citing the stadium development and mail-in balloting as two of his legacies.

Well, mail-in balloting isn't something Wells should crow about.  The system contains major flaws in both its design and execution that leave it ripe for vote fraud. If nothing else, it is a system which favours incumbents and there is no surprise that in the 2005 municipal general election, very few new faces turned up in the council chamber.

One of those old faces - deputy mayor Dennis O'Keefe - appears to be the leading contender to replace Wells. That hardly bodes well for a municipal government that is in desperate need of a major change.  O'Keefe's pet projects are two things that are, at best, sidelines for a municipality:  gas prices and cruise ships.

Meanwhile, the city's core lines of business, namely municipal services and infrastructure, haven't garnered the sort of attention they deserve.  O'Keefe only lately started to talk about snow clearing.

And that's pretty much in keeping with the Wells legacy. faced with obvious problems in municipal infrastructure during the last election, Wells' approach was to attack one candidate personally, calling him a nitwit, and to dismiss public concern about water lines in the downtown that created a lake at one end of Duckworth Street and an improvised fountain in the middle of the other end of one of the oldest streets in the Oldest City.

Let's not even discuss the stadium controversy and the Mile One centre.  The former dragged on incessantly and the latter has proven to be a giant sinkhole into which the city drops at least $2.0 million annually just to keep it afloat.

Ultimately though, the change council needs is to get rid of the crass personal attacks and the petty personal issues that have tended to crop up with annoying frequency in the chambers. O'Keefe kept the legacy alive a couple of weeks ago, demanding an apology for nothing and wasting time in a public meeting for an issue that wasn't an issue at all.

And ultimately, that is Wells' legacy in the lack of civility in the conduct of city business.

The city is better off seeing the back of Andy Wells.  If the Premier wants him to run the public utilities board then fine.

Taking Andy out as mayor might well be Danny Williams' greatest service to the citizens of St. John's.  He couldn't do it in a municipal election a decade ago, but if he's used his cabinet to achieve the same end, then good on him.

See ya later, Andy.

-srbp-

Addendum:

Just for the heck of it, here's a reprint of a post from the 2005 municipal election that turned out to be very popular.

How the Boor stole the election

Every Jawn
down in Jawn-ville
Loved their city alot...

But the Boor
who was mayor of Sin Jawn-ville
did not!

The Boor hated Jawn-ville! The whole of the city.
He detested each Jawn, loathed each Jawn-dog and -kitty.
As he sat in his office, he'd think day and night
of another sly scheme to shag Sin Jawns just right.

And when Jawns looked to vote in the mail-in election,
the Boor figured out how to screw Jawn selection.
"I'll just send out the ballots to Jawns who are dead.
And send more to addresses of Jawns who have fled.

"I'll make sure there is no one to check who has voted."
Then he grinned a Boor grin. "I'll call out the devoted."
While the Boor knew that some of the Jawns thought him crass,
there were others who worshipped His Worship's Boor-ass.

He could count on those Jawns to do just as he wanted.
They would cheer. They would heckle.

They'd vote Boor, undaunted.

The Boor sat contented on his mayoral throne,
surveying Jawn councillors he'd soon see gone.

There could not be a chance that the Jawn-ville election
would deny the Blahblahs their new concrete erection.
And those Jawn-agitators who'd clog voting pipes
with some anti-Boor Jawn-viller councillor types?

Those Jawns would need gagging. They'd need a distraction.
The city's procedures would give such compaction.
So the Boor urged that Jawns-bunch to file an appeal.

He smiled knowing Jawn-ville town rules would congeal
and his friendly White Board would keep every Jawn busy,
as they'd file and they'd write in a paperwork tizzy.

By the time that the board that was whiter than White
decided Jawn-queries were beyond its might,
all the votes would be cast and the Jawns would be knackered.
and the Blahblah store floor would be duly shellackered.

Then the Boor called some Boor-loving Jawns on the phone.
Told them they could set just the right Jawn-council tone.
If they'd tackle his foes then the Boor would print ads
to tell all the Jawns their incumbents were bad.

And the Boor grin grew wider, then wider than wide.
As he walked from his office, he beamed with Boor-pride.
He drove through the streets in his SUV truck,
smiling at every Jawn, as he mouthed the word: "Schmuck".

If public safety is really so important, Charlene...

Five years after Auditor General John Noseworthy criticised the provincial government for not following its own policy on road bridge inspections, environment and conservation minister Charlene Johnson admitted on Monday that her department does not carry out regular inspections of the 132 bridges and trestles of the Newfoundland T'Railway.

Johnson ordered all bridges to be inspected starting this week, with the work being carried out by engineers, conservation officers and other parks officials. It isn't clear if professional engineers or certified technicians will inspect all bridges or what portion of the inspections  - if any - will be carried out by the park officers and wildlife officers.

Johnson said her department relied on public complaints from trail users to keep track of the condition of the bridges. She cited only one example of an inspection, in 2006, of the Main Gut trestle near Stephenville.

She gave no indication how this complaints-based system ensured proper maintenance.  Trail users might well observe crumbling decking but few would take the time to observe structural features of a bridge, even if they were engineers trained and experienced enough to understand what they were looking for in determining the health of a railway bridge.

Johnson did express surprise at learning of problems with the bridges.  The bridges were built and maintained for the Newfoundland Railway which ceased operation under a federal-provincial agreement 20 years ago.

In 2003, Auditor General John Noseworthy slammed the public works department for its inspections of 823 road bridges in the province. Noseworthy found that more than 50% of the bridges (379 of 715) requiring inspection every two years had not been inspected within the period set down in departmental policy. Of those 379, 47  - 12% - had a rating of poor or unsafe.

Noseworthy noted a policy to be applied to proper maintenance and risk reduction:

Bridge inspection is necessary to determine the safety of bridges on our highways and to determine required maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement. In order for the Department to apply a risk model to determine the priority and frequency of bridge inspections and to determine the priority for maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement, it requires detailed information about each of its 715 bridges.

In several interviews on Monday, Johnson insisted that public safety was of paramount importance to her department.  She told talk radio host Bill Rowe that "a person's life is the most important thing and we're not going to jeopardize that."

Rowe praised Johnson for her prompt action, despite her admission earlier in the day that her department had not conducted regular inspections of the bridges at any time.  "The woman jumps on things quickly," said Rowe.

The closure of 132 bridges and trestles coupled with an emergency inspection of the structures was triggered by a Transport Canada report that highlighted problems with 14 of the bridges that cross navigable waters. Another four, not over navigable waters, were also mentioned. That represents about 13% of the total number of structures.

The federal report, sent to the provincial government on February 11, did not demand closure of any structures but instead requested an action plan be delivered by 11 March on dealing with the 14 most troublesome bridges and trestles.

Johnson's hasty order to close all bridges and trestles may be a clue to the provincial government's lack of information on the conditions of the trailway infrastructure.

Her decision has caused consternation among trail users, especially snow mobile operators and tourism operators who depend on the trail for some portion of their annual business.

-srbp-

Peckford remembers Abery

Bond Papers received the following today from Larry Peckford about the passing of Cy Abery. it is a straightforward yet eloquent comment on the nature of public service and public servants. 

Larry included a statement issued on 17 February by his brother, former Premier Brian Peckford.

With Larry's permission, here's the full text of the e-mail with the attached message:

I never met Cyril Abery. I do know that he was part of a group of incredibly talented public servants who served the province during the difficult negotiations on the Atlantic Accord. The province was well served by the likes of Cyril Abery and others who served with distinction at that time. We do well to promote and remember these fine individuals.  Public servants, particularly at senior levels,  are too often the unsung heroes of much that goes on in Government and the attraction and retention of high calibre people is essential to good public administration. Public servants often in the face of considerable challenge, keep a high degree of sanity in government operations and maintain the machinery of government at critical points in time.

Brian's remembrance below is well deserved.

Larry Peckford

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

February 17, 2008

The Passing of Cyril J. Abery

Like all of his friends and acquaintances I was shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of 'Cy' Abery.

This passing must not go un-noticed!!!!

Here was a Newfoundlander who served his Province, Government and Premier with intellect, integrity and great loyalty. As my deputy minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, he acted as chief advisor on many important issues of constitutional reform which marked the 1980's as a watershed in the development of public policy in the Province.

His insight and breadth of knowledge on constitutional matters was invaluable to the Government and to me personally. And who can forget his steady hand as chair of the public servant offshore negotiating team during the difficult and intricate Atlantic Accord negotiations?

Modest and well liked among his peers across Canada, and not one to blow his own horn, I wish to exclaim and extol the contributions of Cy Abery, one of the unsung architects of Newfoundland's advancement within the Canadian family.

Honourable A. Brian Peckford P. C

Province doesn't regularly inspect its own bridges

"We understand the inconvenience of the closure of these structures; however, public safety has to be our number one priority," said Minister Johnson.

But...

Environment Minister Charlene Johnson said today the province does not conduct routine safety assessments of structures on the T’Railway, which is a provincial park.

“There’s no regular inspections, no,” Johnson said in response to questions from reporters.

-srbp-

Atlantic Accord among his professional legacies

Cyril Abery, the man who chaired the negotiating team for the real Atlantic Accord passed away on February 18, 2008.  He was 71 years old.

Abery is seen in the photo at left, in the dark blue suit whit his left hand resting on Brian Mulroney's chair. The photo is of the official federal and provincial negotiating teams plus the first ministers and energy ministers who signed the 1985 Atlantic Accord.

Here's the official obituary:

Cyril J. Abery died suddenly at his home in St. John’s on February 15, 2008. He will be missed by his loving companion Lynn Verge, his sister Joyce Goss and daughters Mary-Patricia and Anne-Marie, his sister and brother-in-law Sylvia and Clyde Pretty and their son Keith, and his sister-in-law Dorothy Abery and her daughter Jane. He was predeceased by his parents Richard and Stella (Neville) Abery and also his brother Dennis Abery.

An economist by profession, he worked for many years in senior public service positions with the Government of Newfoundland, serving as Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Chairman and CEO of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Corporation. Under Premier Brian Peckford he chaired the offshore public service negotiating team that succeeded in getting the Atlantic Accord. He taught economics and public policy at Memorial University of Newfoundland and, after retirement from Hydro, served as Deputy Mayor of Conception Bay South. He was a proud Newfoundlander and loved to walk in and around St. John’s.

At his request, there will be no funeral or memorial service. People wishing to honour his memory may do so by planting and tending a tree (chestnuts and copper beech were favourites of his) or by making a donation to the East Coast Trail Association.

To send a message of condolence or sign the memorial guest book, please visit www.carnells.com.

-srbp-

The Bond Store

The most recent addition to the right hand navigation column is The Bond Store, the place to find exclusive Bond Papers tees, caps, and other tchotchke.

Bond Papers fans have been asking for some time how they can show their loyalty to the home of irreverent political commentary beyond being one of the 11,500 readers each month who visit the blog.

Well, now they have a way.

There are shirts that display the current bondpapers logo, like the golf shirt at left. You can also find mugs and mousepads, totebags and Sir Robert Cuddles, the official bear mascot of Bond Papers.

There are also shirts and other items that display the real flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland.  The pink, white and green is fine for some.  But if you want the old Dominion flag from the days of Sir Robert, then look no more. 

Bond Store is run through cafepress.com, the online tchotchke phenomenon. The reason is simple:  it's the only one of its type out there.

If someone knows of a local alternative then by all means let us know; we'll make the switch.

As the demand grows, we'll add more items and more designs to the store all in an effort to meet fan demand.

In the meantime:  show your colours. 

Bond Papers goods will be the must-have items in 2008.

-srbp-

The poverty of "We so po'" political rhetoric

“People need to understand government cannot write a cheque for everything,” said Williams. “We can’t be all things to all people.”

“On the other hand, even in poor times, we have tried to do the best we could for people who were, for lack of a better term, in poorer positions.”

Those were some comments made by the Premier to news media in Corner Brook after a two day cabinet retreat.

The first reaction would be to wonder when, over the past four years, has the provincial government actually experienced "poor times".

Almost two decades ago, the province did experience poor times.  All three major economic engines were tanking simultaneously.  The economic output and the government debt, on an accrual basis, were virtually the same number. The western world faced the worst recession since the Great Depression and the federal government, long the saviour of provinces in hard times, had to tackle its own debt and revenue problems.

Since 2003, however, the province has experienced unprecedented levels of economic growth and provincial coffers have consistently swelled.  This has been due entirely to policies established before 2003 and, in the case of oil, to the benefit of development deals for offshore oil and gas which the premier derided as 'give-aways' in his election campaign. He has tried repeatedly to claim credit for the current economic success and a great many have fallen for the misrepresentation.

At the same time, however, the provincial government has tried, since 2003, to poor-mouth its own finances whenever the public started to get wind of the windfalls in the treasury.

The truth has been different for the "we so po" mantra.

 Government net spending in the past four years has grown by 35%. The provincial government outspends every other province, save Alberta, on a per capita basis. The direct and Crown debt has grown as well, by some $500 million.  Newfoundland and Labrador will become a "have" province this year, meaning that for the first time since Confederation, the provincial government will have enough money coming from its own revenue sources to meet its needs without Equalization hand-outs.

This next fiscal year will likely be no different.  Finance minister Tom Marshall told reporters at the same news conference mentioned above that spending on social programs - health, education and social services - will top 70% of government outlays in FY 2008.  That's a 5% increase from the 2007 budget.

At the same time, the provincial government has not reduced the debt load borne by its residents.  With a record surplus of nearly $900 million in FY 2007, the finance minister does not plan to retire much of the debt. He will pay cash for $345 million in capital spending rather than borrow the money as originally planned.

And overall, the developments Danny Williams derided as "give-aways" will drop into the treasury in just one year alone as much cash or more than his single hand-out from Ottawa in 2005. Voisey's Bay, Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose:  $2.0 billion in taxes and royalties in 2007.

Marshall does talk of producing a net debt of $10.8 billion at the end of the fiscal year, but one must read carefully to see what exactly he means by that term "net debt".  What Marshall refers to is the difference between the total liabilities of the provincial government and all its assets.  It is not a reference to money owed to banks and so forth since this is only part of what the government's liabilities are.  Most of us understand the idea of debt and borrowing, but this phrase "net debt" is a little different.

Here's how Marshall described it last fall:

Once we account for the change in capital assets, the balance will reduce the province’s net debt.

The total liabilities will stay the same, at around $13 billion.  Right now, the total assets of the province offset that to produce a net debt (i.e. assets less liabilities) of around $11.6 billion.

Marshall will spend about $150 million on White Rose shares.  Those assets plus any other assets associated with them - like say the oil itself - will be added to the province's asset pile.  Marshall puts a value on that of roughly $800 million.  That's how he will reduce the net debt to $10.8 billion.

Get it?

The liabilities don't change.  The actual amounts owing in borrowings won't change much either.  They just add a few more assets to the equation, ones that in truth will vary in value over time.

On paper, the debt goes down.  However, the only way the provincial government would truly attack the annual cost of servicing the debt would be to pay off the loans.

Instead of concrete action, we have this sort of lip service:

“We are hearing people say they want us to take a balanced approach,” said Marshall. “I’ve been asking people to take a look at how much debt we have and how it affects us ... The auditor general has commented on that. He put out a report which talked about the fiscal position of the province and talked about this $733 million (interest paid annually by the province on its debt) as an ‘interest bite’ — it’s the people’s money being spent on interest and I think all of us would rather see that go into health and education and other public services.”

Lip servicing doesn't pay the debts.

Rather, the whole "we so po'" schtick is just a smokescreen behind which the current administration follows a familiar pattern of spending. They trot out the debt when they want to discourage people from seeing more money spent on things they might want so that the cabinet can spend public money on things that it wants.

Some of those things, like say the gigantic money pit in western Labrador are the sort of partisan political waste we haven't seen in this province in decades. Others, like the energy corporation are notions that have never been fully thought through let alone explained to the public or anyone else. Still others are dubious investments of public cash like the fibreoptic deal.

Somewhere in there, good things do get done.  Good things get done in every administration either by design or by accident.

But for the most part the provincial government remains dedicated to obfuscation instead of transparency and of passing the buck instead of accountability and responsibility.

Only a government bent on hiding the reality and of denying proper public input into spending decisions would even  consider using the word "poor" to describe the provincial government's piggy bank over the past four years.

-srbp-

I spy...

a Hickey-up.

Oh, and another trough.

News outlets across the province are reporting provincial cabinet minister John Hickey's latest attack on the federal Conservatives and their promises to save Goose bay using political pork from Ottawa.

In the photo at right Hickey holds up a signed contract for the federal contribution to finishing the Trans Labrador Highway. Not.

Hickey campaigned not once but twice for Harper candidates (2005 in the by-election and then the 2005/06 general election) so it's strange he is quite so critical at the people he used to support. [Corrected dates]

What no one seems to have picked up on is the reason why Hickey suddenly issued a news release from the provincial government's propaganda service on this issue at this particular moment.

There are clues buried in a report by the Telegram. Since it isn't online, we'll include it below.

But let's give the whole story here.

A group representing the Town of Happy Valley-Goose bay recently took a trip to Ottawa. They saw the lights, saw the sights and saw some people, including officials of the defence department and Loyola Hearn.

When they got back they issued this news release:

PRESS RELEASE – February 11, 2008 Happy Valley - Goose Bay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mayor and Councillors from the Town of Happy Valley - Goose Bay meet with Federal Politicians and Senior Policy Advisors in Ottawa

“It was an excellent opportunity to not only attend the Northern Lights Conference and Trade Show, but also to meet with a number of officials to discuss concerns affecting the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.” said Mayor Leo Abbass.

While in Ottawa last month, Mayor Abbass, Councillor Madelyn Kelly, Councillor Bill Mackey and the Director of Economic Development Karen Wheeler met with senior policy advisors with the Department of National Defence. The delegation was assured that the commitments made by the Conservative Government remain as previously stated. The Canada First Defence Plan will be released shortly and will determine the priorities of the Department of National Defence for the next twenty years. With the emphasis on Northern Sovereignty and domestic defence, 5 Wing Goose Bay is strategically important to this plan.

While meeting with Minister Loyola Hearn, he also reiterated that the status quo remains for 5 Wing Goose Bay. Other topics discussed with the Minister included the Trans Labrador Highway, strategic location of Happy Valley-Goose Bay in relation to the North, and marketing of 5 Wing Goose Bay.

-30-

Now ignore for a moment the fact it is a piece of junk writing. Just focus on the content.

Like say the sentence in the middle of the second paragraph the Conservative commitments are intact. There is a defence plan coming and news will be contained in that document.

On top of that there's the reference to a successful meeting with Loyola Hearn to discuss issues like paving the Trans Labrador Highway.

There's the cause for Hickey's irk: his constituents and political allies went off to Capital City and made some new friends and renewed some old acquaintanceships. And they talked about a bunch of things Hickey himself is responsible for - like the highway - and, quel horreur, these ordinary folk from the wilds of Labrador appear to have gotten somewhere all without the help of their regional party boss, John Hickey.

That has got to be embarrassing for the guy who is still trying to deal with a defamation lawsuit against Roger Grimes a whole year after the thing was filed. It's got to be even more embarrassing given that this is the first solo news release Hickey has been issued since his cabinet demotion after the last election.

And it's gotta be super duper embarrassing given that Hickey's new portfolio means he doesn't have anything else to do but focus entirely on things like Goose bay, the Trans Labrador Highway and figuring out how to explain those holes in Labrador West where the hospital was supposed to go weren't really just Danny Williams campaigning with public money.

Yes, a few people from Goose Bay just appear to have gotten more traction in Ottawa than a whole cabinet minister whose sole job is to do the things they did.

This whole thing is just another embarrassing political Hickey-up.

Hickey's solution is to issue a news release which just makes the thing even more embarrassing:

It is anticipated the Federal Government will soon release its long-awaited defence strategy. Minister Hickey said the strategy should see Prime Minister Stephen Harper follow through on the commitment to 5 Wing Goose Bay, which he made in a letter to the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, dated January 4, 2006.

"5 Wing Goose Bay has the world-class facilities, it has the needed infrastructure, and it has the people of Labrador supporting the developments committed to by Prime Minister Harper," said Minister Hickey. "With our low-lying mountains and vast acres of unoccupied forest, virtually any condition or real-life situation can be simulated in central Labrador."

If you didn't see the original release from Leo Abbass and the crew that went to Ottawa, you'd never likely know that there was a defence strategy coming. Hickey mention's it seems like he's trying to take some credit or pass on some new information, after he's just finished pushing for it - or should we say appearing to push for it - in the release. Now that people know what really happened, Hickey's release seems even weaker than it first did.

Then the last paragraph just returns us to the joys of Springfield and its entirely imaginary world. You see, apparently Goose Bay is such an amazing place that, according to John Hickey, just about any real-life situation can be recreated in the miles of forest and hills of north-central Labrador. That would make it ideal for training of some kind.

So, John, can we recreate the hills and desert conditions of Afghanistan near Goose Bay?

Yes, we can since Goose Bay is now a holographic projection apparently.

And Robert Picardo will deliver medical services in Lab West courtesy of the mobile emitter now that Voyager is off the air and he's out of a job.

Hickey's probably got that release in the hopper.

-srbp-

The Telegram

Saturday, February 16, 2008, p. A5

Politics

"Labrador MHA wants federal government to fulfil promises for 5 Wing
Goose Bay"

Everton McLean

Despite strong words from the minister of Labrador Affairs on the lack
of federal action expanding the military presence at 5 Wing Goose Bay,
the mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay said he's content that promises
will be fulfilled soon.

John Hickey, MHA for Lake Melville and Minister of Labrador Affairs,
said in a news release Friday that it was unacceptable for the federal
government not to have fulfilled commitments to place personnel at the
military facility.

He listed promises for a 650-man rapid action army battalion and an
unstaffed aerial vehicle squadron among things not carried out. He said
the promises were in a letter to Premier Danny Williams from January
2006.

"To not meet this commitment in a timely manner would be nothing less
than a betrayal to the people of Labrador," Hickey stated.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor Leo Abbass, who, along with council
members, met with Newfoundland region minister Loyola Hearn and
Department of National Defence policy advisers last week, said the
federal officials told him the commitments were still coming. He said
Hearn reaffirmed those commitments personally.

He said he understands a defence plan is being completed and he feels
confident there will be provisions made for 5 Wing. Particularly, he
said he expects there to be an unstaffed aerial vehicle squadron
implemented, based on the strategic importance of the area.

However, he did say he expected more being done in Goose Bay by this
time.

Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for Hearn, said the minister told him the
commitments to Labrador are still on the agenda. However, he said those
promises are part of a four-year mandate, and the government is only in
Year 2 of that mandate.

"The minister has indicated all the comments we've made in terms of 5
Wing Goose Bay are still commitments of our government."

John Hickey could not be reached for comment Friday.

emclean@thetelegram.com

I spy a trough...

I spy with my little eye a trough into which desperate politicians root for pork and votes.

Just five days after Transport Canada forces the provincial government to take care of its responsibilities for bridges and trestles along the T'Railway, Loyola Hearn turns up at a Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador event with cash to fix things up.

$1.5 million in cash from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The feds are dropping cash from a business development agency into a provincial park?

From which program?

And by what application, Loyola?

Hmmmm.

This is very suspicious, what with the federal Conservatives gearing up for an election.

-srbp-

Oh Lord, shoot me now.

The latest utterances on the breast cancer inquiry, courtesy of Voice of the Cabinet Minister.

Danny Williams respects the decision.

We may all rest easy;  what else was he supposed to do?

According to VOCM: "Health Minister Ross Wiseman says the ruling will allow the Commission to get on with its work."

Now these two comments are interesting given that both men could have - at any point - directed Eastern Health to turn over the reports.  At the very least, had they exercised their powers earlier they would have saved everyone the embarrassment of watching Eastern Health officials testify under oath that the board's position was basically an invented crock of nonsense.

The whole fiasco just makes you wonder.

And if that wasn't enough, take a look at acting Eastern Health chief executive Louise Jones' latest offering:  according to VOCM, she is now thankful for the court decision. Apparently, Eastern Health couldn't make such a decision on its own.

Couldn't make a decision to release documents that she and her colleagues in senior management knew weren't peer reviews in conformance with corporate policy and couldn't be quality assurance reviews since there is no quality assurance policy/program at Eastern.

Wow.

This little VOCM report is a collection of penetrating insights into the obvious, vapid comments that make Paris Hilton seem like a Rocket Scientist and what appears to be the third entirely different strategic talking point in as many days for Jones.

None of it bodes well for public faith in the health care system.

One can only imagine what the talking points will be once the inquiry is underway and Wiseman is under oath.

-srbp-