A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Today, as the Canadian military begins to arrive in Newfoundland to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Igor, 4 days after the storm has passed. I'd like to express the thanks of Newfoundlanders across the island for the assistance of these fine men and women (no doubt a large percentage of whom are from this beautiful place). Our thanks for their efforts goes without saying, but once again we see the effects of Ottawa's political decisions impacting our province. Not to maintain a military presence here in the province is inexcusable.

As military assets are being sent in from other parts of Canada it's once again clear that it only makes sense for Canada, if it does indeed consider NL to be a part of the Country at all, to station a sizable contingent of personnel and equipment from all branches of the service here in this isolated outpost on the North Atlantic.

This is a place that not only makes up Canada's Eastern most Ocean border approaches but, due to its location, is prone to major weather events. Thankfully most of those events are not as terrible as the most recent one. Ottawa's continued refusal to ensure a military presence here, on the border of the nation itself, says a lot about its attitude toward Newfoundland and Labrador as well as its motives for where military bases ARE maintained.

Something else that says a lot are the images of Igor's aftermath. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.