The Newfoundland and Labrador First Party(NL-First) recently announced the selection of a new party leader following a respectable federal election debut that saw the upstart party capture 1.7% of the popular vote.
The new party leader, Wayne Bennett, who ran as a candidate for Humber-St. Barbe Baie-Verte replaces outgoing leader, Tom Hickey, who led the party since its inception in 2005 and is stepping down due to health concerns.
During the federal campaign Bennett garnered 3.7% voter support in the Liberal stronghold held by incumbent Gerry Byrne, who captured nearly 68% of the vote. Bennett's showing was considered a respectable debut in a riding where even the more widely recognized Conservative and NDP brands were limited to minimal support.
Mr. Bennett, who retired from the Canadian Forces after 32 years is currently 51 and is seen by party insiders as a leader who brings with him a lot of fresh new ideas and who can help the party move forward by building on the momentum of their most recent efforts.
Former leader, Tom Hickey, who was a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for 30 years and is recognized as the last surviving member of the “Three Wisemen”, the only three MHAs sitting in opposition to Premier Joey Smallwood during one of his more popular terms as Premier, has said he will continue to work with the party going forward and sees a bright future for the NL-First team.
Mr. Hickey hopes to take on an active role in developing the party’s riding associations and in growing the party’s financial and volunteer machinery in preparation for the next federal campaign.
Looks like Tweedle-Dee is replacing Tweedle-Dum. The NL First Party has made it nowhere in the past four-five years of smashing its head into the wall because it has nothing resembling aware or responsible leadership.
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Please give the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party time; even though the idea was touted for nearly 5 years, the seed only got planted for the first time in this 2008 Federal Election.
ReplyDeleteIf things don't change federally you can be sure this party will grow exponentially in the next Federal Election.
What I have heard from the people responsible for this party is that they want Newfoundland and Labrador to have a better deal within Canada, if that better deal does not occur within the next 4 years, you can be sure this party will become much stronger.
The electorate of Newfoundland and Labrador want equality with the rest of Canada, and it has only been for the past 3 years or so, since the Atlantic Accord debacle, that they have become angry enough to say to themselves things have to change, we have to wake up from our 59 year sleep and face reality. They have said to themselves, we have had so many natural resources here in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the ideal location to have created industry from the primary and secondary processing of those resources, but instead they are not working for us, those resources are creating economies in the other regions of Canada. They are asking themselves questions, are we complacent? Do we need to speak up and voice our opinion? After asking those questions of themselves, they have decided that they have to displace their attribute of complacency and they have to speak up in their most voiferious of voices. They have said to themselves finally, if things do not change over this term in Ottawa, WELL THEN we will have to do something about it.
I want to say here that I would like to thank Mr. Tom Hickey for having had the WILLPOWER and MINDSET to have set up the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party and I would like to thank the gentlemen who took the responsibility to put their names on the ballot in the Federal Election of October 14, 2008.
I personally would like to thank Greg Byrne and Les Coultas, two gentlemen who I had the pleasure of meeting. I voted for Les Coultas and I supported Greg Byrne, Les Coultas happened to be in my District. Even though I didn't meet the others who ran, I would like to Thank all of them on behalf of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Thank You very Much genltemen. In the meantime I would like to thank all of the people who put their name forth to run in this past Federal Election and wish them well in the future.
I know that all the people who ran for the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party in this past Federal Election would like for things to change for the better in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as much as I do. They want EQUALITY with the rest of Canada the same as I do. And I am sure if they see that change occur over the next 4 years, they would be as pleased as punch and would quickly come to the conclusion that a new party isn't needed, but if the change does not come, I am sure they will put their names forth again and this time the electorate of Newfoundland and Labrador will want to put their X in the box for the Newfoundland and Labrador First Party.
Thanks gentlemen for putting your names forth, you all have Newfoundland and Labrador foremost in your hearts.
Yes a Flower Seed does not grow overnight into a blossoming flower and nor does a the seed of a New Federal Political Party.
Be Proud of Yourselves Gentlemen, You Have Done a Great Job!
Thanks to the $10 to $11 Billion which the province of Newfoundland and Labrador was deprived off, through the non-exclusion of our non-renewable natural resources in the equalization formula.
We were not asking for the hundreds of Billions of dollars which we lost from the non-development of our resources in the past, which other areas of Canada capitalized on, we were just asking for a little break in the future of not having our non-renewables added to the equalization formula.
What a bunch of meanies we became tangled up with 59 years ago, to whom we gave both our natural and human resources but only to learn after we asked for a little break with our non-renewable resources, they OUTRIGHT disallowed us and because of it made us feel like DIRT.
The idea for the party was not touted 4-5 years ago - it's actually been a party for 4-5 years. And they have squandered all that time. If anyone is personally responsible it's Tom Hickey who's been leader for nearly that whole period.
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