Is Democracy Dead or Just on Life Support?

What’s happened to democracy in Canada? Is it still alive and kicking, on life support, or as many now believe, truly dead?

On the federal level we have a Prime Minister in office that believes he can simply dismiss the elected representatives of the people with a phone call any time the heat is too much for him. The public continues to rail against his undemocratic actions while the PM simply circles his hand picked team power brokers and does as he pleases.

It’s an attitude that has become more and more prevalent throughout politics in Canada. Examples of the growing belief by elected officials that they have “absolute” power can be found right across Canada and at all levels of government.

Take the example of the government of New Brunswick and its determined effort to sell off the provinces publicly owned power utility.

The Graham government in New Brunswick was elected on a platform that promised not to privatize NB Power. It was a platform plank that helped propel them into office. Now, in their first term of office the Premier and his Liberal caucus are hell bent on doing the exact opposite of what they were elected to do.

Tens of thousands of citizens have joined an online group opposing the sale and even though the group, on a per capita basis, is 6 times larger than one fighting the prorogation of Parliament, the Graham government is refusing to listen.

Protests are held on a daily basis at the Legislature and in front of MLA offices yet they refuse to listen.

Letters, emails, phone calls and public confrontations with members of the Graham government, by the hundreds, are happening daily yet they refuse to listen.

The volume of letters to local papers and the public opinion polls show that a vast majority of the public is opposed to the sale. Court challenges have been brought forward and native groups are seeking an injunction to stop the sale yet they still move forward with the planned sale.

What does that say about democracy other than sounding the death knell?

The Graham government is claiming they are not privatizing the utility because they are selling it to another crown corporation, even though that corporation is owned by the Quebec government, not the New Brunswick government. Clearly this is a case of quoting the letter of their platform over its clear intent”.

They are also claiming that their recent decision not to sell the transmission capacity is a case of them “listening to the people” but is it really? When you consider that they are not selling the poles but giving up all the capacity on those lines to Hydro-Quebec for eternity the self serving hair splitting taking place in New Brunswick is flagrant.

As with the proroguing of parliament, the actions of Premier Graham are clearly self serving. They are certainly not intended to serve the public interest.

In recent days elected MLAs in New Brunswick have even resorted to attacking the voting public to whom they should be answerable.

According to several witnesses, MLA Wally Stiles, a Cabinet Minister in the Graham government, told protestors outside his constituency office in Petitcodiac on Monday, “If you f--king a--holes think you are going to win this you had better think again! And I am f--king well going to run for the Liberal Party again!"

Stiles later got into an altercation with a resident in a local restaurant. The situation had to be brought under control by a retired RCMP officer who happened to be dining in the establishment at the time.

These sorts of incidents are becoming more and more prevalent among elected MLAs each day.

When the Stiles situation was brought to the attention of Premier Graham and members of his cabinet the only response came from Energy Minister, Jack Keir who, in addition to showing no concern about the actions of someone representing his government appeared to indicate that because this writer is a Newfoundlander I must be unemployed. Either that or when he said, “…Come on over, we'll see if we can help you land a job?” I have to wonder if he was actually offering me something to gain my silence?

Indeed, the sort of undemocratic and unprofessional actions we’ve seen in Ottawa lately are spreading like wildfire across the entire Country and it’s a slippery slope when those elected to office respond to their constituents, as both Premier Graham and his Energy Minister recently did, by saying they intend to do what they want regardless of the feelings of the public because:

“I'm not concerned. Politics wasn't a career for me.” – Minister Jack Keir

By Myles Higgins

STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN

I was asked by a reader if I would be willing to post his views on the Churchill Falls situation here at Web Talk. As usual I'm more than happy to help stand up for this province in any way I can.

Here is the original link: CLICK


Friday, January 22, 2010
STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN

I find myself even more distracted than usual tonight. I have been trying to finish a very engaging piece of fiction that a friend was kind enough to mail me as a Christmas present.

As much as I would like to finish the last few pages, the phone did not stop ringing all evening. The topic of discussion has been the television news tonight and the Premier’s comments about Hydro Quebec, the new court challenge and the New Brunswick Power Deal 2.0.

As I indicated on Wednesday, this new deal, according to Hydro Quebec’s president, will continue to give the company a near-monopoly on the transmission of electric power out of Atlantic Canada on existing lines. With new hydro and wind energy projects on the downstream, Hydro Quebec has the market sewn up. As I posted yesterday, Jean Charest knows that Quebec’s future, its independence, is all connected to being the continent's largest supplier of green energy.

This leaves Newfoundland and Labrador in a fairly precarious position. Developing the Lower Churchill will certainly be difficult but it may even leave us at a disadvantage in 2041, when the 65 year contract expires.

For the same reasons as Quebec, we must find a way to unleash the potential of our hydro and wind energy; it will provide us with a timeless renewable source of income for generations to come. When Hibernia is an empty hole beneath the seabed of the Atlantic, when Voisey's Bay is as silent as the Dominion Mines in Bell Island, the mighty Churchill will still be churning out hydro electricity.

Most of the calls tonight were from past Liberal associates who were trying to convince me of the folly of my ways. The message was simple: that Danny Williams is going to cost us any deal with Quebec. That we need to negotiate a resolution to this impasse. That the right approach would soften Quebec and we could be partners in the long run.

A typical Liberal approach, I fear: go cap in hand. Take what we are given and be happy we got it. I have been immersed in this approach for most of my life. A mismatch for a party of the centre-left that subscribes to many of my long-held social and economic views.

I supported the creation of Nalcor. I supported an energy corporation when Paul Dicks proposed it as he sought the leadership of the Liberal Party, and I support it today. I support the investment of our tax dollars for equity positions in our offshore resources. I support challenging the 1969 Churchill Falls Agreement, which was initially designed to last only 40 years, from 1976 (the year Churchill Falls power came on-stream), to 2016. In particular, the current challenge by Nalcor in the Quebec Courts that will examine for the first time the mysterious 21st century renewal clause that allowed for the automatic renewal of the contract, without negotiations, for another 25 years starting in 2016. And it wanted a guaranteed, sub- bargain basement price even lower than the original price paid before the renewal.

I could sing the praises of the government’s approach from the rooftops. I do not see that as partisan, any more than I felt supporting the Premier on reforming the Atlantic Accord in 2005 was partisan.

However, this time it may be partisan, and personal, because it means that once again I am out of step with the myopic Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. I am forced to stand up for what I believe in and reject the poisonous cool-aid that folks like Danny Dumeresque and Roger Grimes are spewing out these days.

I encourage folks to call the opposition office, to challenge these Liberals on their controversial and baseless views. This is not about Danny Williams giving his legal buddies in Montreal some cash, this is not about Danny Williams' ego, this is not about bargaining skills. It is about building a logical case in the hope of forcing a resolution to the straitjacket that prevents us from breaking free of the 2016 “blackmail clause” and transmitting Lower Churchill power through Quebec, or New Brunswick, to other markets.

These Liberals are entitled to their opinions, but they're not entitled to their own facts.

By Peter Whittle

Newfoundland and Labrador Commits $1million for Haiti Relief

Premier Danny Williams, of Newfoundland and Labrador, today expressed heartfelt sadness upon receiving news of the devastating earthquake that plagued the country of Haiti on Tuesday.

“On behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, I express our sincerest condolences and compassion to the people of Haiti, especially to the families of the bereaved and those injured in the earthquake and its aftershocks,” said Premier Williams. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals and families who have been impacted and I encourage individuals in Newfoundland and Labrador to contribute to the relief efforts to the best of their ability. I have also placed a call to Governor General Michaëlle Jean to express to her my deepest empathy for the people of her native country and the many friends and family who remain there during this terrible time.”

Premier Williams announced the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will contribute $1 million towards the urgent relief effort now underway in Haiti.

“People all around the world, including those in Newfoundland and Labrador, are united as we come together and assist the people of Haiti in the aftermath of this devastating earthquake,” said Premier Williams. “Our thoughts and prayers are also with those who have embarked on the rescue and relief mission. We hope their strength, courage and compassion brings solace to the human suffering and loss in Haiti.”