Some thoughts from Simon Lono on civil discourse.
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The real political division in society is between authoritarians and libertarians.
The number of women in elected office in Newfoundland and Labrador remains below the numbers one would expect based on changes in society over the past 40 years.
Why is that?
Maybe, it's a choice.Luana Maroja is a biology professor at Williams College, a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts.
From 2006 to early 2010, Simon Lono wrote Offal News, a commentary on local politics, debating, and whatever caught Simon's eye.
When Jack Harris quit as leader of the provincial New Democratic Party, Simon turned his sharp eye to Harris' legacy. Simon respected differences of opinion but he had no time for anyone who fell below the high standards that Simon set for himself.
Harris jumped to federal politics not long after and represented St. John's East until he was defeated by Nick Whelan in 2015. Since Harris announced last week that he wanted to be the NDP candidate again, here's a second look at Simon's obituary for Harris' provincial political career.
The House of Assembly will have to deliver a budget that keeps access to new public debt for the foreseeable future. The politicians must satisfy the bond-rating agencies, not the voters.
Parties don't matter. Ideologies don't matter. Voters don't matter.
That is the essence of politics in Newfoundland and Labrador in the early 21st century.
Simon Lono - husband, father, grandfather, advocate, orator, writer, mentor, friend - died Friday, May 24, 2019.
He was 56.When our friends are alive, we do not spend time thinking about the past. We do not think about how we met them, about all the things we did with them, or why it is that we like them.
An inherently unstable minority legislature where the parties have a history of finding political agreement through public spending is not exactly a recipe for tough decisions.
Lib
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PC
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NDP
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Ind
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Forecast
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19
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18
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1
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2
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Range
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+/- 2
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+/- 3
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+/- 1
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- 1
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Actual
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20
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15
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3
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2
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The prospect of a minority government coupled with the need to pass a budget in the legislature after the election could produce a long, hot summer of political manoeuvring.Mainstreet Research released its poll on the Newfoundland and Labrador election. It basically shows what Abacus and Forum showed, which is a slightly Conservative lead in overall vote intention.
Public ignorance of our political system is a scourge. Tackling that is the first step to meaningful electoral reform in Newfoundland and Labrador. The second priority is to make sure the players do not set the rules for everyone, as they have done repeatedly, and disastrously, since 2003. Most of all, we need to get on with reform, as soon as possible.While there are many good reasons for electoral reform in Newfoundland and Labrador, most of the recent talk of changes to how elections run in the province is from people who want to give an advantage to a party they like.
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Liberal
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Conservative
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New Democrat
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No Choice
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Abacus Feb-18
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22
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18
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12
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48
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Abacus May-18
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22
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24
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13
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41
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MQO Apr-19
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25
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20
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06
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47
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Abacus May-19
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29
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33
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12
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21
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While the MQO poll shows the Liberals in the lead, a new poll from Abacus - released with an hour of this appearing - will likely show that since the debate, the political landscape of the province has changed dramatically.
Detailed poll data courtesy MQO Research Click image to enlarge |
The financial reality confronting any administration after May 16 is the same regardless of which party wins the election.The government is unlikely to balance the budget in 2022, regardless of who wins the 2019 election.
Election turn-out has been declining steadily for provincial elections since the mid-1990s. The 2019 general election is on track to show a record low turn-out at 44% of eligible voters.
Party share of eligible vote had declined in the same period. The Liberal victory in 2015 went against the pattern since Confederation of an increased turn-out in an election in which the government changes hands.
Click to enlarge |
From fixed election dates to the number of candidates that run in an election, what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians believe about one of the basic institutions of their democracy is as much myth and rumour as reality.
Here are some facts to help you navigate the world of post-Confederation elections in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Conservative and Liberal Muskrat Falls rate mitigation plans are the same. Both include magical assumptions of revenue. Both omit crucial details.
Note: Some people asked on Monday for comment or analysis of the two plans to mitigate Muskrat Falls' impact on provincial electricity rates.
This is an abbreviated summary of the two plans and some issues flowing from it. A more substantive analysis will come on Monday 22 April 2019 with the publication here of the SRBP rate mitigation proposal called "Restoring Power."