Newfoundland a dictatorship?

[Birdy]

I like Rex Murphy.

Danny boy has gone too far

REX MURPHY

September 13, 2008

It's too bad Loyola Hearn, who was the Newfoundland minister in the Harper government, is not running again. After a long career in politics, he has decided to leave the game.

Mr. Hearn is a very decent man, a product of the great coastal stretch outside St. John's we call the Southern Shore. He is an "outport" man, just as Danny Williams is a "townie." The health of Newfoundland has always, by some peculiar chemistry, depended on a dynamic equilibrium of its outport and townie components.

Today, after the collapse of the cod fishery and with the near co-incidental explosion of offshore oil, the outport dimension of Newfoundland is almost in ruins, while St. John's and its suburbs are rich and active as never before. There are two Newfoundlands. The capital city and environs are in a fever of development, while vast stretches of coastal communities are inert and underpopulated, mere phantoms of what once they were.

Mr. Hearn's retirement deprives Newfoundland politics of a necessary voice, one suited by temperament and background to speak on the overwhelming subject of the accelerating extinction of Newfoundland's quintessential outport heritage.

This is not the only unhealthy imbalance in the province. There are 48 seats in the House of Assembly, and Mr. Williams owns 44 of them. The Liberals, with three, are the rump of a rump, and the NDP, with one, is a vapour. The numbers tell it: Mr. Williams is king of the Rock, the most powerful politician since Joey Smallwood. Newfoundland politics has shrunk to oil and Danny Williams.

There are only two ways of doing politics now: Mr. Williams's way, or no way at all. Those who cross him, in what he sees as "Newfoundland's interests," are given short shrift, and none too subtly derided as working against Newfoundland. This was a Smallwood turn, and the least attractive aspect of his quite mixed political qualities. In his last and bitter days, he turned Newfoundland politics into a one-man show incarnate.

That's why it was so very unfortunate that when Mr. Hearn - who, while he may not be as good a politician as Mr. Williams, is at least as honourable a Newfoundlander - said he was retiring, Mr. Williams issued this statement: "The one thing that my cabinet ministers have done throughout is stood up for their constituents, for the electorate and the people they were elected to represent and they have done that. And it's unfortunate in the last few years that Loyola hasn't done the same thing."

Oh, cut it out. This "standing up for Newfoundland" palaver is best administered in small doses, if at all. And it never fits the mouth of the person doing the "standing up." Furthermore, a difference of opinion, a clash of party interests, should never be categorized as a clash of patriotism. There is a jingoism of small places as well as of large. And Newfoundland is more susceptible to it than most. Newfoundlanders are ferociously fond of Newfoundland, but that very affection can play havoc with our judgment and our politics.

The idea that Mr. Hearn, because he disagreed with Mr. Williams, acted with less than honourable intent toward Newfoundland is ludicrous. Mr. Williams, in fact, is a much better man than his own statement would have you believe.

And now that the federal election is on, Mr. Williams has thrown himself with gale force into the campaign. He sent an e-mail to his entire caucus to determine whether they were on-side in his campaign against "Steve." And out of the 44, there was only one spine. It belongs to Elizabeth Marshall, who earlier - this is the distilled version - quit her cabinet job because she wasn't going to put up with the Premier running it for her. Only Ms. Marshall didn't respond with the ovine bleat, Yes, sir, yes sir, three bags full. The others signed on.

It's not Mr. Williams's quarrel with Stephen Harper that's at question. It's hauling into that quarrel all the rhetoric of "disloyalty" to Newfoundland, stirring the jingoistic fevers, and characterizing those on the other side as unworthy. Newfoundlanders have been lucky in past decades that, when we had strong premiers, we had strong ministers in Ottawa.

Danny Williams has reached such supremacy, however, that he has effectively become the only voice in Newfoundland politics. Mr. Hearn is gone. John Crosbie is in honorific heaven. And now there's only Danny. That's bad for us. It's bad for him, too, should he care to think about it.

He should look over history's shoulder and take in what happened to Joey Smallwood, a great premier who subtracted from his own legacy by succumbing to the vanity of power, the great corrosive self-flattery of believing that being in charge is the same thing as always being right.

I personally find Danny Williams a bit of a street fighter when it comes to politics. Sure an escape from the polite backroom handshakes is always welcomed, but realistically, I don't know how much bullying for your province is going to work. I'd be a little afraid if Stephane Dion were the one dealing with Danny's demands.

[Thorgnor]

You're seriously afraid of Newfounladnders and Labradorimuts?

[ollie]

There are only two ways of doing politics now: Mr. Williams's way, or no way at all.

Sounds like a minority government leader I know.

Rex Murphy is a pompous ass.

[Thorgnor]

Here here.

[Birdy]

No, i'm a little weary of his shoot'em from the hip or fuck'em style of politics, mostly in terms of equalization and the burden on other provinces and his own to deal with what his hot topic of today is. His answer to his provinces health care crises back in August was to airlift 1200+ cancer patients out of Newfoundland rather than pay and supply his specialists with what they require to ease their frustrations. Cool, in all of it's purpleness. I'm sure surrounding Maritime provinces health care systems aren't over burdened enough than to take on any and all Newfoundlanders with cancer. I suppose though when you're using tax payer money to advertise your on-going ridiculous school yard wars with the Prime Minister in local newspapers, there's really not enough money left alone for those provincial burden constituents known as cancer patients.

[Birdy]

Rex Murphy is no more pompous than any other national columner out there. That's what makes him great.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

i like Rex and think he's anything but pompous

[Birdy]

He's a little pompous. But if you're running a column in a national paper and act as a political commentator on national radio and tv, you surely have a pretty strong opinion on subjects. It sells you.

I thought Rex was pretty nice to Danny Williams in this article though considering the subject manner. If anyone is to receive the pompous insult, it should be Mr. Williams.

[d_rawk]

I think Rex Murphy is *way* more pompous than the average political commentator, but that is much of what I love about him. That and the particularity of his word choice. You can smell the smugness and self-satisfaction when he pulls a really apt or rare one out of his hat.

He had a good shot at being our PM, once. He was the federal nominee for the PCs, but had to back out because of finances.

[dancingbear]

No, i'm a little weary of his shoot'em from the hip or fuck'em style of politics, mostly in terms of equalization and the burden on other provinces and his own to deal with what his hot topic of today is. His answer to his provinces health care crises back in August was to airlift 1200+ cancer patients out of Newfoundland rather than pay and supply his specialists with what they require to ease their frustrations. Cool, in all of it's purpleness. I'm sure surrounding Maritime provinces health care systems aren't over burdened enough than to take on any and all Newfoundlanders with cancer. I suppose though when you're using tax payer money to advertise your on-going ridiculous school yard wars with the Prime Minister in local newspapers, there's really not enough money left alone for those provincial burden constituents known as cancer patients.

hey birdy.

as someone who lived in NL the past five years (just moved to BC) i have to say you have no idea what you are talking about. firstly, it was not danny who suggested to airlift patients but the health minister.

secondly have you been to NL lately? walk down the street and compare it to any other province (i've been to all but the territories) and you will see VAST discrepencies in our so called democracy. all is NOT equal.

danny is not a dictator. in fact he doesn't even take a salary but rather donates it back to the province.

NL was nearly about to delcare bankruptcy before he got into power. imagine the disaster of a province delcaring bankruptcy?

there is a reason he has a majority. he is good. he will actually answer a question, and stand up for what he believes in . 'taxpayer money' would be mine, and i am perfectly o.k. with how he spent it , and i'm IN healthcare. it helps relieve the ignorance of a really amazing province. most people i run into, CANADIAN people still do not know wheter it is st. john or john's.

what a breath of fresh air he is. someone saying not vote for my party, there have lied to a province. what other party leader has said do not vote for my party?

lastly, hearn sided with ottawa, easier for him in his cushy little spot he had, the comments were deserved.

sorry for the rant,

db

[Birdy]

no probs on the rant, Rex Murphy wrote the article. I agreed with him.

I totally understand that all is not equal by ANY means, Saskatchewan's just coming over the other side of equalization themselves. I never thought that equalization was actually supposed to totally equal. Obviously Quebec, Ontario and Alberta are going to be more prosperous considering resources and the jobs and economies that prosper because of it. I just don't like Danny's approach, I find the ABC totally offensive and childlike. And should the Liberals have remained in power and Harper weren't elected, I'm sure it would have been ABL instead (considering the road they were headed down during Paul Martin's last days).

I'm happy for NL'ers that they have someone who sticks up for them and isn't afraid to fight for what's right. Like I said, I just don't like how he fights and think he could probably make way more ground with Ottawa if he'd be a little more diplomatic. I've never been in a situation yet in my life where talking something out rationally doesn't help. I can't see how launching the ABC and then having a Conservative government elected is going to help the good people out east.

[dancingbear]

'

I've never been in a situation yet in my life where talking something out rationally doesn't help.

wow! you have met either very few people or have been really lucky! :content:

i hear what you are saying. but he plays hardball, and that is what the province needs.remember all this happened (the falg, the rants etc) AFTER talking. not as first line.

ABC is right on the money if you ask me.

don't get me wrong, i'm no fan of the other choices, but i cannot trust mr. harper. mr williams i can.

[Birdy]

That's cool. To each their own.

[Hux]

I'd be a little afraid if Stephane Dion were the one dealing with Danny's demands.

Oh dear...you've been watching too many Conservative ads. Do you have any knowledge of Dion's past fight with the separatists and Bouchard?

[Birdy]

Yes, he's a champion federalist, I'm well aware. I just don't think he could stand up past the first punch by Danny.

[Birdy]

hehehehe

[Thorgnor]

http://http://bp0.blogger.com/_wAK2AbRU4ds/RhMBFoMFiXI/AAAAAAAAAMk/IyWHscsB92M/s1600-h/Harper_and_Williams..jpg Edited October 7, 2008 by Guest
yeee-haw

[Thorgnor]