A walk on Signal Hill
The more we discuss alternatives, the more we seem to return to the same old game that’s played with worn-out party logos behind which elites make the decisions.
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Solidarity and paying my dues
If you can afford to look at this budget in the abstract, you’re well off enough that you can pay a bigger share.
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Sexual harassment is not a “dead issue”
A recent candidates’ debate for the federal riding of Avalon revealed just how entrenched sexism is in our political institutions, and how old boys’ clubs do no credit to anyone.
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Labour unions rally against privatization
The government’s recent announcement it will privatize long-term care through public-private partnerships has the labour movement and both opposition parties crying foul, arguing people must come before profit.
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The (os)Borne Identity
A little rant on floor crossing
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Dey took de-bate
Failure to allow debate and dialogue will have far greater consequences than this government realizes
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Mumbo Jumbo and Fuddle Duddle
Mumbo Jumbo and Fuddle Duddle – as synonyms go, here comes trouble! A column not in defense of the Muskrat Falls protesters in Lake Melville but in defense of decent dissent in politics – “I might not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll fight to the death your right to say it”
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Quebec election PQ’ed my interest
Brandon has a few insights into the Quebec election, how it could have been different, and the lessons we can learn from Quebec (and other mature democracies)
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Likelihood of NDP/Liberal merger shrinks
With two of the leading contenders for the leadership of the federal NDP party now saying that they do not support a Liberal / NDP merger at this time, the odds of the “unite-the-left” movement making headway anytime soon is now quite slim. “I’m firmly opposed to any talk of merger with the Liberals,” leadership hopeful Thomas Mulcair said on CTV’s Question Period this past Snday. Brian Topp, who is also running for leadership, said no to a merger now, saying the NDP “don’t have to become Liberals to win.” Read more at the National Post. Source: National Post
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… and the Winners are …
The ballots have been counted and results are in. The PCs, as expected, won their third majority government in Newfoundland and Labrador by winning 37 seats (56% of the popular vote). The Liberal party made a gain of 2 seats to hold on to official opposition status by winning 6 seats in total (19% of the popular vote). The NDP made party history by winning 5 seats in total (and 25% of the popular vote). For a list of district-by-district winners for the 2011 Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial election, along with their share of the vote, click here. Kathy Dunderdale becomes the first woman elected Premier in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history, and the 2nd ever in Canada.
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Everybody Wins!
Some post-election thoughts from Kieran Hanley
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Election Round-up: This is it!
On the cusp of Voting Day, a final analysis of the 2011 General Election…
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NL Election 2011: The Final Week
Newfoundland and Labrador is entering its final full week of its provincial election campaign, and VOCM is giving an update on where the leaders will be today. PC Leader Kathy Dunderdale will begin this week’s campaign in St. John’s with a visit to the Independent Living Resource Centre on Escasoni Place. She’s then heading off to the west coast where she will campaign with Wally Young in Rocky Harbour and Darryl Kelly in Deer Lake. Liberal Leader Kevin Aylward is focusing his energies today in St. George’s-Stephenville East where he’s hoping to win back the district he held for 18 years away from incumbent, Joan Burke. NDP Leader Lorraine Michael is making an announcement this morning at 11 at her campaign office concerning the 2014 Health Accord. Michael will be joined by Megan Leslie, the NDP MP for Halifax. Stay tuned this week for TheIndependent.ca’s review of the three political…
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The debate over Health Care
“I think the minister is denying the fact that we do have a mess and when I say that it’s not my word people inside the health care system are continually saying to me: our health care system is a mess,” said NDP Lorraine Michael during yesterday’s debate on the health care system. Michael, who believes there are major problems with our system, is calling for a full independent review of it. Health Minister Jerome Kennedy says an independent review would inevitably lead to recommendations that rural services should be cut. “There was an external review done in 2004 and if we had followed the recommendations at that time then there would be no rural health care left,” said Kennedy. “I really don’t know why Ms. Michael believes a review today would be any different … They’ll try to streamline and create efficiencies,” he said. “I can predict that that’s…
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The Party Platforms
Liberal, NDP, and PC plans for Newfoundland and Labrador post October 11
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The PCs: Smooth Sailing
Barring a monumental collapse in support, the party will be just fine heading into their 3rd consecutive majority government.
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Liberals make promise to public service pensioners
Liberal Leader Kevin Aylward has promised to provide a one-time increase to public sector pensioners of 2.5 per cent, and then make annual increases equivalent to the Consumer Price Index up to 2 per cent. Currently, the public service pensions are not indexed. Aylward was speaking to a rally organized by the members of the Public Sector Pensioners Association, who had congregated at the Confederation Building. The association has had a lengthy battle with government to get an increase for public service pensioners but has been unable to secure extra funding. “Healthy pension plans for all retirees is a critical part of supporting the seniors of our province,” said Aylward. Source: CBC
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Opposition questions report in Muskrat Falls
The Opposition is questioning an independent report which has given the Muskrat Falls development the thumbs-up. Liberal Leader Kevin Aylward says there was a flaw in the mandate of the report: Navigant (the consultant) was commissioned to look at what Nalcor has already done, and Aylward says Nalcor has only considered one option. If they form the government, Aylward says the Liberals will halt the spending, stop the contracts and set-up an independent process to look at all of the power options. Meanwhile Nalcor CEO Ed Martin says Navigant looked at the same alternative energy options as Nalcor did. He says Navigant came in to try and find something wrong, and they didn’t. Source: VOCM
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Election Round-up: Four weeks to go
TheIndependent.ca counts down the weeks to the provincial election with a quick’n’dirty roundup of what’s happening on the campaign trails…
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Poll says PC support holding, while the NDP gaining ground
A newly released poll pegs PC support in Newfoundland and Labrador at 54 percent of voter support, while the NDP were up to 24 percent from 20 percent some months ago; the Liberal Party remained at 22 percent. The poll was conducted between Aug. 15 — the day after Kevin Aylward was appointed leader of the Liberal party — and Aug. 31, the last day of a string of high-profile spending announcements that the governing Tories have made this summer. Premier and PC leader Kathy Dunderdale was pleased with the numbers, as was NDP’s Lorraine Michael whose party moved into 2nd place for the first time. Liberal leader Aylward took the poll results in stride, saying that the Liberals intend to fight for every seat in the province. “This means to me that there is work to do, but I can say this with the candidates that we have now…
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