Averill Baker Article from the Charter newspaper
For anyone who hasn't read this article it speaks volumes on the true story of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. So much for the belief that NL is a drain on Canada I guess. Read on and you will see why many of us feel that an independent NL would be the best NL (not even considering non-financial reasons may want out).
And lo, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians led all the rest
Cross Examination by Averill Baker
The Charter
The last line in the poem Abou Ben Adam reads, “And Lo Ben Adam’s name led all the rest.” Amen.
Figures were released three weeks ago identifying the provinces that contribute the most to the Canadian economy in exports to foreign countries and lo Newfoundlanders and Labradorians led all the rest – again. But, this time, it’s in spades, as the gamblers say, with the one-eyed-jack-of-diamonds-and-the-devil-close-behind way.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians now contribute more to the Canadian economy per capita than any other Canadians to such a remarkable degree that it makes one feel sympathy toward Canadians from other provinces.
Other Canadians who look at these recent figures must feel embarrassed that Newfoundlanders are, in economic terms, contributing so much more than they are to the Canadian economy.
Canadians in Ontario and Alberta must feel like they’re on unemployment insurance with Newfoundlanders paying the bill.
Quebecers and Maritimers must feel they are on welfare with Newfoundlanders paying the bill.
In economic terms each Newfoundlander is now worth four Canadians from other provinces.
It’s becoming embarrassing.
And what is just as embarrassing is that historically, since 1949, this province, on average, on a per capita basis, has led all other Canadians in contributions to the Canadian economy. Of course, the billion dollars of power that we export indirectly to the United States shows up as Quebec’s power on the official figures. That’s one billion dollars of exports that must be taken from the Quebec column and counted as coming from this province.
Oh yeah, says the economist, we lead every other province on a per person basis with just over a half a million people - of course Newfoundlanders and Labradorians lead the rest of Canada. Also we have always exported practically everything we produce - wood, pulp and paper, minerals, fish, and now oil. That is why we have always contributed more to the Canadian economy than any other Canadians on a per capita basis.
And that is why some people sometimes suggest that we would have been better off had we not joined Canada or if we were today to separate from Canada. On the economic yardstick this province is in a far better position to separate and print its own money – just like we did prior to joining Canada.
The Export Development Corporation in releasing its figures last month claimed that this province is now exporting about $4 billion of crude oil to the United States. It points out that Statistics Canada figures, used by the provincial government, are incorrect. Those incorrect figures, used by provincial governments and Ottawa, show that most of our exports of crude oil are going to other Canadian provinces for refining. The Export Development Corporation claims in their end of July report that in fact most of our crude is being shipped to the United States for refining and not to Canadian refineries. I believe the Export Development Corporation.
Together with the power through Quebec, these adjustments are necessary to get to the truth about our exports to foreign nations.
Some of our offshore crude and all of Voisey’s Bay nickel are shipped within Canada for processing and cannot be counted in values of exports. Voisey’s Bay nickel and Duck Pond copper and zinc, and iron ore, will lead exports of minerals next year. Where is Duck Pond you might ask? It’s around Trout Pond, which is next to a smaller pond called Goose Pond.
The Newfoundland separatist makes a valid point in saying that if we were not a part of Canada all of our exports would be to foreign nations. Then look at the fantastic economic position we would be in.
Maybe Major Peter Cashin and Malcolm Hollett were right in 1948.
The only thing missing today is the quality of politician we had years ago - from the records of the National Convention and Hansard, quality politicians like Peter Cashin, Malcolm Hollett, Gordon Bradley, Joey Smallwood, James Chaulker, Dr. Jim McGrath, Dr. Fred Rowe, Bill Rowe, Charlie Ballam, C. Max Lane, Ed Roberts, John Crosbie, James McGrath, Clyde Wells, Nathaniel Noel, Bill Marshall, Dr. Noel Murphy, Ambrose Peddle, Jack Pickersgill, Dr. Frecker, Tom Hickey, John Lundrigan, Jim Morgan etc. etc.
Yes, today we do have some outstanding politicians, like Danny Williams, but they are like hen’s teeth – they’re hard to find.
32 comments:
Uh huh. You wish.
Hey if you obviiously are too lazy to do your own research on this. The official numbers are available to anyone who wants to take the time to dig them up.
Sorry for the telling you the trugh and making your mis-conceptions an inconvenice to your attitude anon.
She's right. Canuckistan wanted NL for one reason only... To import NL resource materials sans duty fees (no national boundaries = no tarriffs). However, I have to disagree with Ms. Baker's assessment of Smallwood's, Wells', and Crosbie's political abilities... Smallwood was a moronic puppet, played by the feds and local officials/business folk for the fool that he was, while Wells and Crosbie joined the political game for their own personal gain. I don't believe for a minute that those two ever once placed NL's interests ahead of their own.
Anyway, hurry up and get the revolt under way. The rifle's been collecting dust for too long... :-)
"'We must do something' is the unanimous refrain. 'You begin' is the deadening refrain."
-Walter Dwight, The Saving Sense
Maybe NL should convert from its religious roots, Catholic/Protestant, to Islam. Still waiting to see who will be the first "freedom fighter." NLP wants to but doesn't have the fortitude, neither does the Patriot. Self deluding intellectuals never seem to want to get blood on their hands. Would it really be any different if those leading the charge are quoting Castro and Che? Probably only for those leftists at the top, eh?
Again,
"'We must do something' is the unanimous refrain. 'You begin' is the deadening refrain."
-Walter Dwight, The Saving Sense
Maybe you guys are correct to wait for someone to come down from the mainland to start your revolution?
How many ESSO gas stations have ceased operations due to lack of business because of the boycott? How many foreign trawlers have been blown up or hijacked while refueling or re-supplying in St. John's harbour?
Eh? What's that? None? 0? How Canadian, a big fat Tim Horton's donut.
Yet again...
"'We must do something' is the unanimous refrain. 'You begin' is the deadening refrain."
-Walter Dwight, The Saving Sense
Having lived here all my life, I'm smart enough to know that NL'ians will support you wholeheartedly on an issue one minute, then turn their backs on you a second before the moment of confrontation. I've seen it happen too many times on various smaller issues over the years. So it's not that I "don't have the fortitude", I'm just not stupid enough to walk into a fight when the fortitude of my fellow combatants is highly questionable.
Now let me ask a question of you edgar... Why do you condescendingly criticize the words and actions of people such as myself, patriot, et al instead of helping to rally more supporters to the 'cause'? You obviously don't want any "blood on your hands" either because all you do is look at those of us who say "We need to do something..." and scream "Then do something ya bunch of pansies!" While I prefer to err on the side of caution, you are simply a coward who'd rather sit on the sidelines and coddle his ego by quoting that same, tired Walter Dwight line.
Well... Either that, or you're just a pole-smoking federalist who wants to maintain NL's status quo and are attempting to smother any revolutonary spark before it can blaze out of control.
Sure. Everyone knows the Nlians are waiting from someone from the mainland to start "their revolution"
Aren't you lucky you joined Canada!!
Can anyone find these figures? Not that I doubt Ms. Baker, I'd just like to look at the numbers and I'm having a hard time finding it on google.
After Ste Averill of Baker got North and South Korea confused the other week, among other things, I would ALWAYS carefully examine and cross-check what she writes.
How many ESSO gas stations have closed in NL due to not a single litre of gasoline being sold since the Exxon pullout? Is that not a 'cause' that you could wrap your pink, green and white around?
How many foreign trawlers/factory freezer ships have been hijacked/comandeered/torched or what have you while re-supplying in St. John's harbour? Is that not another example of a cause?
When Danny Williams lowered the flag there were quite a few in Canada who voiced their displeasure, many more who supported his move, and guess what, it worked!
Have you learned nothing from the anti-seal activists? Look how organized they are. Whether or not they are right doesn't matter. What matters is that their methods are working and they are getting their message out and they are winning. First in the seafood markets in the US and now within the EU. But go ahead, bury your head in the sand and act like it isn't happening. Their methods are working, there is a lesson here.
Is there a NL lobby group set up with members who will support political party A, B, or C as long as they will bring into Parliament legislation which favours, for example, removal of oil resources from the EQ formula, custodial management, and end to bottom trawling? Such a lobby group so powerful that it could gaurantee, yes gaurantee party A, B, or C all 7 NL federal seats? Such a group so powerful that it could forge alliances with NS, NB and PEI to do the same? Want an example of such a group? Look at the now defunct Reform party? In 20 years they went from a grassroots party organizing out of church basements passing a hat around to pay for gas money and hotel rooms to getting their man elected to the highest office in Canada, PM Stephen Harper. This is where Patriot, et al, rail on about how terrible a PM he is, another Bush lackie, blah blah blah, totally missing the point that he was put there by a group because he supported some of their interests.
This is why I am critically condescending. Myles has an audience and instead of using his pen and his intellect to mobilize for a just cause he mostly criticizes. He has to rise above the rhetoric, rise above wanting to replace one perceived oppressor while quoting 2 other non-libertarians, Che and Castro. If he was serious about sparking a revolution why not quote those that inspire free will such as:
FDR "The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the goverment." or "There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still."
Theodore Roosevelt " Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind." or "The human body has two ends on it: one to create with and one to sit on. Sometimes people get their ends reversed. When this happens they need a kick in the seat of the pants!" or " Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big."
Jefferson: "Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you." or "Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." or "Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong."
If a lobby group such as I mentioned above were around I would join and support it financially, as long as its goal was for NL to remain as a province of Canada. Why? Fifty years ago my father would take a dump and then take the pail across the road and fling it into the sea. I am 37 and can remember people in our part of town doing such a thing. I am grateful for the education, roads, health care and other infrastucture that was provided for the first 40 years of confederation from the taxpayers of Canada when NL were in a deficit situation in regards to goods and services provided to the Dominion. I understand that it is a bone of contention for some since they seem only to dwell on the past 10-15 years. I just don't agree with their premise. NL's time will come again, we need better leaders, something to rally behind and most important of all, faith. Maybe this is the wrong forum for what I have said. Maybe those who are intent on going back to the past are beyond listening and this is their forum. If so Myles, you can delete this post. But, I think we have to start winning at the Canadian Parliamentary level. I have faith that NL can. I have seen more instances of success than failure when it comes to my brothers and sisters.
NLP, if we were to meet in person you would no doubt go away saying I was a condescending federalist. But, you would definitely not call me a coward. God Bless.
Edgar
I have posted the blog below that Patriot wrote a week or more ago looking for people, maybe to start a revolution somewhere down the road, after diplomacy through the blog route has failed. Patriot did not get one response, maybe you could be the first to respond. I think you would be the perfect candidate, from what I read from on your opinion of everyone elsespost to this blog.
Edgar despite everything you say, I still respect your time you spend formulating your ideas and posting; and your right to critize the rest of us. I think you might posses the right attributes to assemble a group and to get things done.Thank you.
Hi all, Web Talk has just launched a new web site (see link on the right side of this page).
The site is intended to serve as a meeting place for those who are interested in formulating new ideas and planning a new direction for Newfoundland and Labrador's future.
New Members Only Web Site Launched
The site is open to members only and will serve as a place to post and discuss ideas as well as to assist in organizing individuals who wish to help enrich the Newfoundland and Labrador experience, both inside and potentially outside, of the Canadian Dominion.
Check out our link to register.
posted by Patriot @ 4:01 PM 0 comments
WJM,
I always carefully ignore the comments of anyone who's 'BOUGHT' like yourself, as well.
They normally have a hidden, self-satisfying/servicing agenda.
ABC
Anon,
I'm glad you think I didn't get one response on the members group. Ignorance is bliss I guess. If you only knew how quickly it was coming together you'd crap.
Patriot
Sorry! I believe you misconstrued my posting.
I was formulating my opinion on the number of comments you received on the post. Yes - Sometimes things are not as they appear to be and I am happy for that.
Patriot you know Ignorance is bliss, but, just think, how was I supposed to know when there were O comments registered, that is where that opinion came from and I was unhappy because of it. But Patriot I will BE AS HAPPY AND JOYOUS as you will be, if you can manage to get it together. It is about time that we all got it together for the sake of our Labrador and Newfoundland population.
In the meantime you are doing a fantastic job by keeping this blog going. Your time and patience are appreciated by me, make no doubt about that. Thanks you for all the crap you go through from posters to this blog. It is uncalled for. It sure shows that you have stamina.
So Sorry patriot if I offended you, that was not the reason for my last post, it was more to urge Edgar on to give you a hand, since Edgar has been trying to urge others to stop talking and make action. So, I wanted to say to Edgar, you too stop talking and make action.
Believe me Patriot your blog is the first thing that meets my eyes in the morning and the last thing in the evening. Again Thank You for everything that you are doing, it is long overdue.
Sorry for being a little short with you on that last comment Anon. Between the day job, keeping Web Talk moving and working with the folks to get the members group off the ground it's been a crazy week.
In response to the fact that there are zero comments on the piece announcing the new site, there is a good reason for that. I have set the system to not allow any comments on the article as I want people to go to the link on the left of hte page if they are interested in joining rather than commenting on it in this forum.
I hope that clears it up, again my apologies for being a little curt and you'll be happy to hear that it is moving along much faster and better than I have hoped. We have some very strong minded and talented folks who are really stepping up to the plate and making things move.
Patriot
Thanks for the explanation. Knowledge is a wonderful thing.
Patriot,
where are they moving...
"The site is open to members only and will serve as a place to post and discuss ideas as well as to assist in organizing individuals who wish to help enrich the Newfoundland and Labrador experience, both inside and potentially outside, of the Canadian Dominion."
The last line gives me pause. How can you be both inside and potentially outside the Dominion of Canada? Half the members want to remain in Canada, the other half want their own Republic. Which is it? Where is it going to land? In or out? Nationalists or free market capitalists? Just curious.
Are there any good forums/blogs out their regarding improving NL's role in confederation only? Links anyone? I have difficulty focusing on two opposite ends of a spectrum. Me being a Canadian citizen I am not interested in furthering the NL Republic route.
"Here is my advice as we begin the century that will lead to 2081. First, guard the freedom of ideas at all costs. Be alert that dictators have always played on the natural human tendency to blame others and to oversimplify. And don't regard yourself as a guardian of freedom unless you respect and preserve the rights of people you disagree with to free, public, unhampered expression." ~Gerard K. O'Neill, 2081
Edgar
I could be speaking on a differnt direct topic than the one you asked the question on, but my answer will indirectly touch on your topic anyway.
Edgar - Wherever we move it can't be any worse than the country that we are in now, Canada, I mean in the develop World.
We have been raped and pillaged of our resources for Canada and the World, through hoodwinking and other non-transparent means, we have had not been the beneficiary of any of the high paying federal jobs and military positions that have enriched the other provinces greatly with handsome salaries; and as a result we now have to resort to moving again out of this province in droves. Matter, of fact, there have been at least 100,000 of us who have departed from our beautiful province in the past 12 years. And, no doubt, these 100,000 have produced many more citizens for the places to which they moved. We were the loser there as well.
Please don't tell me that this wasn't orchestrated by the provinces involved, when they were planning for the free trade economy. There were many people in the political and corporation circles who knew what would be happening with a province like Newfoundland and Labrador and the resources both natural and human contained within that province. They knew at the time when they were planning the free trade economy that we, as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were still unaware - some might say stupid. They also knew of the mass exodus that would occur as a result of their planning of economies for the future of Canada.
see
http://www.edc.ca/english/docs/news/2006/mediaroom_10945.htm
Patriot - When I wrote my last post, I first wanted to PREVIEW it, since it was just a sketch of what I had wanted to say. But when I pressed Preview to scan it, it flew into cyberspace right to your site. Since I am no expert in the technology world, nor the world of Engligh which keeps changing with the tides, I didn't know how to retrieve it from your site.
Is there a way of retrieving a post when this happens? Or is the only remedy to ensure that it doesn't fly into cyberspace before it is previewed to type it up in a Word Perfect file, do the amendments there, then copy the document and paste it to this Comment Site?
I find the comment site to this program, for me, at least, very unreliable, as to what will happen when I want to Preview what I have written. Maybe my hands are faster than my eyes. Whatever the case it is a problem for me.
For what it's worth anonymous, I always, well mostly type stuff up in word, review, think, edit, cut n past.
Brian thanks for your advice on your method of posting to the blogs. I appreciate it.
But " you say "Think". Brian - the only way I will rethink Canada is if Canada's Prime Minister and its politicians sit down with our Premier Williams and come up with a way to restore jobs to make economies here - high paying Federal jobs, and add a military base here in Labrador and Newfoundland. Also, of course, if Ottawa's politicians become more mindful of our resources, all three, human,renewable and non-renewable, that show respect for this province and its people. Mindful in a way that sees those resources working for our province, so that we can have parity with the rest of the country, not poverty which we see now to be the case, and enable us to remain in this beautiful, bountiful province. Ottawa is of the mindset that the resources of Labrador and Newfoundland are for the use, ONLY, of the other provinces and the world. Remember Ottawa deserves the biggest portion of blame for the fact Quebec, not Labrador and Newfoundland became the primary beneficiary of the Upper Churchill Hydro Electric Project. Ottawa has given away quotas of our fish resource for all kinds of clout in the world. And Ottawa would not join hands with the province of Labrador and Newfoundland in seeing that Quebec provided a corridor to transport the hydroelectric power from the mighty Upper Churchill Project. Matter, of fact, the Upper Churchill hydroelectric energy should never have been transported anywhere other than it should have stayed in Labrador to have created long-lasting economies there. We all know that Industry goes to where there are raw materials and energy.
Any place else in Canada which had an Energy source to be developed and sold to other parts of Canada and the world had unencumbered access to corridors across Canada for transportation. They encountered no problems with transportation corridors at all and they became rich from the resources that were contained within their borders, not true for Labrador and Newfoundland though. The other provinces were granted corridors across this nation for their Oil ,Gas, Coal and hydroelectric. No restrictions were added. As a result the other provinces endowed with energy sources have flourished and have built strong economies. And here we are in Labrador and Newfoundland still languishing and emptying of all our resources and our people fifty-seven years after joining Canada. And it is only because of the structure of Canadian politics. Why did Ottawa see fit to do it to us?
Please do not blame this solely on the politicians of Newfoundland and Labrador. "Yes" , NL politicians do deserve part of the blame, but not all of it. Ottawa should have been the enabler when it came to us getting a fair share for our resources so that we could have had structured economies here. Now, as a result, of the mess created over the past 57 years, we are not only being emptied of our natural resources, we are also being emptied of our human resource, our people. I conclude there is NO DEMOCRACY in Canada for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, only sorrow.
Hi anon,
Yes, in theory I could remove the post. Having said that (and not to say you aren't an honest person)without any way of actually knowing that you are the one who posted it and not some other anon user, I'm afraid I can't.
I hope you understand. If I were to remove a post simply because someone said they had posted it and wanted it down, I would leave the site open to the potential for someone to have another person's comments deleted.
If you wan't to change anything in your comments perhaps the best route would be to post another comment with the corrections.
Just an addendum to my last post to anonymous.
I did not mean to critic anyone’s writing or posts. My only intent was to convey my process of posting; I have hit the send button then regretted some things I have written, so hence the THINK term
Brian
Thanks! Good advice.
Ahhhh..same old..same old...never ever did see a bunch of micks EVER get together on anything other than a rollicking good time at the pub or tarring and feathering somebody they think crossed them. Tell what I found interesting: The fact that a union leader in this province had a well known terrorist here as his guest while he was at logger heads with Williams. Tell you another interesting thing: Before Newfoundland entered Canada, they belonged to Britain. This place was NEVER independant and let me tell ya, things always look easier until you get what you want. At that point you end up with unstable regimes run by madmen like Castro et al. One other thought: If you think for one second that Canada is going to allow any sort of coup here you are all seriously deluded. Gee, let me see, isn't the leader of the Canadian army from....NEWFOUNDLAND??? Yeah, as my Irish mum used to say...lots of strong talk from a weak stomach. Now go have a pint and get along kids.
Yes!!! The last post says it all..way to go!!
Well, let me tell you Anon, I am a Newfoundlander and Labradorian who comes from English ancestry on both sides, and I agree with my Irish brethren 100 per cent. What is contained in a nationality or a religion anyway? Nothing - we are all human-beings after all and we should treat others with respect and equality.
I will say though, there has to be a subtle Revolution in this province. By subtle I mean, I only want to see parity achieved in Newfoundland and Labrador with Canada, through negotiations with words, not blood.
Parity will not come otherwise, since we have lost too much ground. Negotiations to get a little more control of our resources so that those resources can benefit this province, negotiations to ask for more of the high-paying Federal jobs that Ottawa has padded the other provinces with, negotiations to get Military installations based here, installations more befitting of the approximate 10 per cent personnel this province provides to the Armed Forces. We want to be equal to the rest of Canada. Why not? We are deserving of equal treatment. We, after all, are one of the ten provinces, and we were loaded with natural resources that have been benefiting the rest of Canada for 57 years already.
This province needs a few diplomats. Not instigators and shit disturbers. Real honest to God idea people with vision and the ability to find a middle ground with all of Canada. Newfoundlanders need to think less 'Ottawa' and more 'Canada' when seeking 'parity' as you say. Indeed the rest of Canada should be your support system in your quest for reclaiming a significant percentage of your resources. As for the natural resources and control etc..the maritimes would love that also. Nova Scotia has given a whole lot for much longer than Newfoundland as has New Brunswick and PEI. If you were to ask any province in Canada that is NOT Ontario, Alberta or Quebec, they would all say unequivocally that they are holding the dirty end of the stick in all federal affairs. One other thing I was thinking, there is a sad obsession with government jobs in Canada. Perhaps it's time to stop wanting that and to start finding ways to attract investors to this place and make it self supporting. The manufacturing sector here is pretty much non-existent. You will never fix in five minutes what it took, as you say, fifty seven years to break. If you don't start now, then it will never happen. Like someone used to say to me: If not now,when? Time to get over it and get cracking!
Newfoundland and Labrador's resources that were lost to Canada were Fish, Hydroelectric, Minerals and Oil. What were Nova Scotia's and PEI's?
Nova Scotia has at least 2 military bases, Newfoundland and Labrador not one.
Nova Scotia has about 17 Federal Regional Offices, Newfoundland and Labrador not one. These federal offices provide hundreds and hundreds of high paying jobs to Nova Scotians.
Nova Scotia has a railway, Newfoundland doesn't.
There is much more, but I think you will get the message.
I get the message. Here is a thought: Nova Scotians also have a more diverse cultural mix, as well as a regular working discourse with the United States. Maritimers in general have HAD to work with other people from other places and other cultures for a good long time. I'm gonna tell you that the poverty suffered by many Nova Scotians is not forgotten. The difference is how that province was founded and by whom. There is much to be said for an open society but I think YOU get MY message.
Anon - Thanks I also get the message. I believe Nova Scotia should have a great economy, but so do I think Newfoundland and Labrador should have a great economy given the resources that we were endowed with.
The resources of Newfoundland and Labrador, such as nickel go to Sudbury, Ontario and Thompson, Manitoba to keep these smelters opened so that those cities get to live another day.
Newfoundland and Labrador's sweet crude go to Imperial Oil, Halifax, Nova Scotia and Irving Oil, Saint John, New Brunswick to be refined there. Not one barrel of this sweet crude can be refined in Newfoundland and Labrador until both these companies say they cannot handle anymore.
I want every province in this country to have great economies, but I also want this province to have a great economy as well. I am not against the sharing of these resources with the rest of Canada, but first I want a good economy created here and then what is left over from our resources can be sent out to our sister provinces. I hope Anon you can see my point.
To reiterate I am not at all against Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Ontario or any other province, I want parity for this province within Canada. After all Canada is tauted to be the best country in the world. Everyone's opinion outside of Canada is that it is a fair and square country, but it isn't so for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Because, we were the last province to enter the Federation of Canada should not have doomed us. The fact that we had so many natural resources should have ensured our future.
All we want Anon is fair and equal treatment.
You and I are not as far apart as it would at first appear. I feel we both want the best for this province. There is another Island Province, PEI and you hardly ever hear a gripe from them. They are small but successful. There is a bit of fighting with New Brunswick regarding the lobster etc but by and large it's the 'working together' thing I was trying to emphasize. The 'us' and 'them' mentality that is isolating and ultimately the undoing of anything productive here. In times past it may have been romantic to have had rogues and scallywags in charge but now it's a different world and a settled province. Now these sorts are criminals. People here are so hesitant to do anything to remove those in power who are stealing from them. I find it appalling how much the media and justice department are controlled by a small group of the same people year after year after year. It has started dawning on me that perhaps the federal government has knowingly appointed certain people in immoveable positions ( justices etc ) so that change would be next to impossible to achieve for the public. As far as the Provincial government is concerned, lets just say that desperate groups of people tend to vote for the person pouring the most gravy on the beef. Bullshit will always be bullshit and if someone is spewing an instant fix then you know it's a lie. Danny Williams is not the only snake oil salesman out there. Indeed, by the time the next election rolls around there will be another to take his place. If people here are diminishing the theft within government that has recently been discovered, then how in the heck will they ever clean up what's wrong in their relationship with Upper Canada? Newfoundlanders don't have as many enemies in the maritimes as they think. Perhaps it would be an interesting experiment to look at other provinces and see what has worked for them. I can tell you this much, it will take more than foot stomping and anger to get what you want. You mentioned all the things Nova Scotia has that you don't. I can tell you, it's not because Upper Canada loves us to bits. The answer to your quandery is to find out why Nova Scotia has what is has. Ask them. Then you will know what needs to be done.
I would like to address something you mentioned earlier. You mentioned the resources that Newfoundland has produced and then posed a question: What were Nova Scotia's and PEI's? I will tell you that Gas and oil weren't always the fuel of choice and at one time Nova Scotia was a major contributor in Canada and part of the US of coal. In fact, I lost a cousin in a mine explosion in Springhill. My family were all miners and fisherman so I know resources in that province. Nova Scotia is a producer of gypsum and the list is longer. Suffice to say this entire country is rich in minerals. As for PEI, natural resources are not only taken from the sea and the ground. They are human beings. Tourism. As for the railway in Nova Scotia, it's mostly gone. The only reason some semblance of it remains is because we are connected by land to the rest of Canada. Newfoundland needs that connection. Thngs are changing in this province and change is afoot, I just hope everyone here is ready for it.
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