NB Power

Regular readers, particularly those of the Newfoundland variety, may wonder why there's absolutely nothing on this site, to date, about the proposed Hydro-Quebec purchase of NB Power assets, which is not only the most newsworthy and controversial issue in New Brunswick, but has led to much rustling of feathers and rattling of sabres in Newfoundland & Labrador, as well as PEI and Nova Scotia. It threatened to derail an Atlantic Premiers meeting this past week, although a cynic might argue that the meeting itself - held in Churchill Falls - was nothing more than a botched photo op for its host, anyway.

The short answer - I'm still reading about it. And there's plenty to read.

If, like me, you honestly don't yet know what to make of the thing, here are two pieces that are worth reading. The first, from David Campbell's blog, It's The Economy, Stupid asks what those who are fighting against the deal might actually be fighting for, while Lynda McGibbons' column in the Times & Transcript laments the inevitable shame and victimhood to which New Brunswickers, like her fellow Newfoundlanders are apparently about to be subjected.

I'll leave to each of you to read those or any other articles that seem relevant, but here's a pattern that's quickly emerging from all that I've read to date:

Those writing in favour of this deal (who appear to be the minority both in New Brunswick and elsewhere) seem to have coherent statistics and financial arguments to back up whatever they're advancing as rationale for entering into this agreement. Those against, appear to have a well-stocked arsenal of emotional rants, historical baggage and the rhetorical weaponry of pride and prejudice.

There's no doubt which of those wins any political debate in my neck of the woods - facts won't stand a chance.

As a federalist - and one who has never met a decentralist with whom I wouldn't argue on just about anything - I find it abhorrent that the constituent members of our federation exist within such a power imbalance as to see neighbouring provinces buying one another's crown corporations. There's added irony in that the first move in this direction comes from Quebec - the one jurisdiction that cries like a baby over any hint of intrusion by way of outside spending. Surely if the Government of Quebec is allowed to spend and manage billions of dollars in New Brunswick, the Government of Canada can, on other files, do likewise in Quebec. It also bothers me to think that the first and only regulatory body that might possibly have jurisidction to regulate a future conflict between provinces in this area is actually an American one - although that remains a hypothetical and tenuous eventuality under any circumstances.

On the flipside, those very individuals who would rally for pride of local owenership, should, for consistency's sake, be equally disturbed about the South Korean government purchasing Newfoundland's only oil refinery, should they not? And what about all of the billions of dollars of New Brunswick public debt accumulating in the hands of American banks and Chinese bondholders? Surely those things must tug at the heart strings of pride and patriotism, too? If New Brunswickers fear something of theirs being controlled by outsiders, surely that's a bigger issue than the future status of their power utility.

As I said at the outset, I have yet to be convinced that this deal is in the long term best interests of New Brunswick. But the more its detractors speak and write, the more unconvinced I am that it isn't.

PS - anyone with links to further suggested reading material can post it in the comments section below. Something tells me we'll be reading and writing about this one for a long while to come.

Flash floods and flashbacks

Memo to Newfoundland & Labrador's journalists, radio hosts, and particularly local politicans of all party stripes and all levels of government.

This is how governments in this country are supposed to deal with Disaster Financial Assistance.

More here, and a reminder on how not to, here, and here.

Panderdemic

One of the founding principles of politics in Newfoundland & Labrador is that being popular is far, far more important than being right. Under Danny Williams, this principle has been elevated to the enth degree. The justification for any government action is retroactively provided by way of polling numbers in the media, as opposed to less relevant things, like evidence.

Health Minister Jerome Kennedy, today, takes that axiom to a level that even Danny Williams mightn't dare - overturning medical advice to re-prioritize H1N1 vaccination recipients on his own gut instinct because - wait for it - because sometimes society's expectations should trump medical advice.

Wow. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dannystan has a whole new Danny.

Distance. Education.

How's this for convenient?

"I’m not even aware of the timeline Memorial is working on. I have no idea when they are planning on announcing a new presidency."

- Education Minister Darin King, in today's Western Star

"An announcement is expected Wednesday regarding a new president for Newfoundland and Labrador's only university."

- the CBC, a few hours later.

More bafflegab

Education Minister Darin King, on the importance of getting legislation right:

“We have to make sure, when we pass the legislation, we have good solid research done,” said the minister. “The day it becomes adopted, it becomes law. We certainly don’t want to adopt piece of legislation and make it a law that is, in actual fact, going to restrict or inhibit Grenfell’s ability to succeed. It’s a very important piece of work and we’re giving it due diligence and making sure, when we’re ready to bring it forward, it’s done right.”

- Education Minister Darrin King,

in today's Western Star

This is the same legislation that this Minister of Education has been dragging his heels on ever since the last Minister of Education was relieved of her responsibility of dragging her heels on it, on a go-backward basis:

"We are just at the point, I guess, with a busy schedule in the house of assembly and certainly the tedious work in developing the legislation, that we didn't have sufficient time … for the full debate that it deserved"

- Former Education Minister Joan Burke,

CBC News, July 11, 2008

Well, we wouldn't want this important legislation to be brought forward without being "done right". Afterall, we've seen that episode before.

When Busy Ms. Burke was the Education Minister (and let's never forget how busy she was) she lamented the busy schedule of the House of Assembly. Now, as House Leader, she's doing her best to make sure the House is never all that busy again.

Here's an education, of sorts, for the province's Education Ministers, past and present.

All that "tedious work", the "full debate", the "importance" , the "solid research" and the "due dilligence" involved in this or any other piece of government legislation - it's the reason we have a legislature.

Now get back to work. The lot of you.

The Powers of personification

I was having a hard time this morning deciding which of Roy MacGregor's two pieces in today's Globe and Mail were more worthy of debunking.

Then my friend Tim Powers stepped up and made the choice a little easier. In Tim's puff piece on the miracle work of Peter MacKay, he floats this tired old canard:

"You can't cause change until a relationship exists to affect it. Peter, among others, has enabled a more functional relationship with Newfoundland and Labrador. For that many of us are grateful."

Let's get something straight here. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister Peter MacKay, the Conservative caucus, the Party or quite possibly the whole of the Canadian Government may have a dysfunctional relationship with Premier Danny Williams. That does not mean that any of them, jointly or severally, necessarily has a dysfunctional relationship with Newfoundland and Labrador.

UPDATE: Paul Wells looks at MacGregor's piece from another angle. And coins a great phrase in his comments section...