The provincial Liberals' complete disarray following the Progressive Conservative landslide victory is highlighting an important political point in Newfoundland and Labrador: we have a very powerful government on our hands.
While voters have overwhelmingly approved of the Williams Administration, the plain truth of the matter is that our current government has an increased ability to pursue its agenda whether we like it or not.
The government's successful and popular first term notwithstanding, there is absolutely no guarantee that Danny Williams will lead us in a direction that is best for the province. And although this administration has set precedence in several areas of accountability, it remains a glaring fact that there is little official opposition in the House of Assembly. This is a threatening reality.
Williams has decided, perhaps intelligently, not to call the House to session until next year, making the most recent session the shortest on record. The argument given is that it will give the new members of cabinet, and all MHAs for that matter, a chance to get used to their new jobs and co-workers. And although it is good practice to give newcomers time to adapt, we are presented with an extended period of relative silence in the political arena. Who knows what our representatives will be up to between now and Spring?
The hope is, of course, that the media will be our eyes, ears, and mouths in the realm of public policy during this time. Indeed, the media is in many ways our new 'official opposition.' They are the people on the ground who gather intelligence and report back to the public. They also, in theory, offer citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions. And as our economy grows and citizens become more savvy to the ever-growing encroachment of digital TV and Internet access, more people have louder voices and more views can be expressed.
But who are the people who run the media? We have our publication editors, at least one of whom appears to have targeted the small market niche of Williams-skeptics. Then, of course, we have our television and radio news coverage with intermittent commentary, as well as those mysterious bloggers - of which anyone can become.
All of these people have their own motives and values, and have the potential to influence the views and opinions of large numbers of people. But there are only so many of them to go around. They can only represent so many views, and well all know that mistakes can be made by even the most well-meaning folk.
What, then, are we lowly voters to do? We have taken on the heavy responsibility of holding to task both a government that has done well by us and media outlets that love to harass and question the powers-that-be. The government has a leader that gets into spats with these local news reporters and it can't be denied that this sells papers (and is thus potentially desirable). The real question is How do we mediate these two sides?
Well, what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are faced with right now is a good government with little official opposition and a good set of media who need money to stay afloat. Neither of these parties can be fully trusted to represent effectively the views of the people by themselves, nor together. Our responsibility, then, is to be good citizens and demand that these two opposing forces are influenced equally by our thoughts and desires.
Every grievance should have its place in the pages of a local newspaper. Open line shows should always be jammed with callers. While some opinions may be misguided and others extreme in their approach, they all contribute to the overall mood and zeitgeist of this place. The media's task is to compile these views into an overall picture of what the general population wants our province to achieve. The government must then pay attention and act on what it sees and hears.
Our job as the general population is to be honest with ourselves and with others. We must not be afraid to speak our minds. We should take others' opinions in stride and set an example for our government and media by listening to our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We are all in this together and there has never been a better opportunity to make a difference.
Showing posts with label newfoundland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newfoundland. Show all posts
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
what we know we don't know
I am from the province of Newfoundand and Labrador, Canada. Currently there is a dispute between our premier, Danny Williams, and the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. Williams has been very vocal about a perceived injustice committed by the PM.
The issue is that Mr. Harper promised, in writing, to uphold an agreement made by his predecessor with the province which states that NL will receive 100% of its offshore revenues regardless of the existing federal equalization formula. (The equalization formula disperses funds throughout the provinces to maintain a national standard of services. It is revised every few years.)
Newfoundland and Labradorians are mostly very supportive of Williams' stance, while much of the rest of Canada has the impression that the premier is whining and asking for more than his fair share. This national view is based on historic impressions of NL as a province of complainers who want handouts and are not willing to work for them. Most Newfoundland and Labradorians, of course, reject this notion.
Many Canadians have, through the national media, condemned Williams' response to Harper's action as irresponsible and child-like. Several commentators and experts alike have expressed the view that Williams' is bad for the provincial economy. It is through these commentaries that the gaps in Canadians' understanding and knowledge of Newfoundland and Labrador become evident.
There is a factual misconception that Newfoundland and Labrador is a drain on the Canadian economy. A major independent study has shown that NL actually contributes billions of dollars to Canada's coffers. As well, it is widely believed that most Newfoundland and Labradorians are dumb or slow-witted. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this can be seen by the high-profile posts held by NLers in government, business, media, and the arts.
This is the root of the problem. But the ignorance behind the headlines today in Canada is with regard to our premier, Danny Williams.
Williams was elected Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2003 in a landslide victory, and his ratings have been at historic levels for most of his tenure. To those outside of the province, this fact coupled with the premier's national image as a 'scrapper,' it must seem as though the citizens of this province are supporting him simply because he is 'standing up for the little guy.'
While this is certainly part of the premier's popularity, what those outside the province don't seem to know is that there is much more behind his high ratings in the polls.
Danny Williams is from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador's capital city. And while it is the capital city, it has a relatively small population. For this reason, Williams' varied public life is well known, and many (if not most) citizens are likely separated from the premier by no more than three degrees. The strong sense community which defines the province has enabled knowledge of Williams' track record to spread across the province by word of mouth.
In other words, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador know Danny Williams well. He is trusted by a people who value keeping one's word, and have a history of viciously voting out politicians who turn their backs on the province. Because Williams has shown time and time again that he has the best interests of the province at heart, his ratings remain high.
And for those who prefer to base their opinions on empirical data rather than subjective intuition, the Williams administration has, in its first four years in office, shown that it can produce meaningful results. A brief look at just a few of the government's achievements since taking power can give some insight into the effectiveness of Williams' leadership.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the second province in Canada to have established a comprehensive poverty reduction plan. The province has pledged to reduce its poverty level from the highest in the country to the lowest by 2015. There are measurable goals in place and action is already being taken through violence awareness programs, a healthy living strategy, increased funding for education on all levels, and job creation initiatives, to name a few.
To spur business investment, the Williams administration has set up an office dedicated to addressing the issues confronting businesses of all sizes. The government is using a proven model from British Columbia to reduce 'red tape' by 50% and has already made considerable changes in this area. As well, the 2007 provincial budget announced that the government has reduced provincial income tax levels from the highest in Atlantic Canada to the lowest.
In light of a devastated fishery -- once the life-blood of the province -- the government is supporting economic diversification. Funding has been increased and is being strategically spent in the arts, aquaculture, and tourism, among many others. Business trade missions sponsored by the government to nearby trading partners as well as countries like Iceland, Ireland, and the Netherlands, are commonplace. And at the top of the premier's priorities is the energy sector.
The province's offshore oil reserves are a major source of revenue, and while talks regarding a fourth major project have been stalled by the premier, there are conservative expectations that new exploration will continue to reveal deposits well into the future. In fact, one might speculate that it is for this reason that Williams' wishes to secure 100% of oil revenues into the future.
Of course, no matter how much oil is lying off of Newfoundland's rugged shores, it will still run out someday. And the premier knows this. The province is therefore posed to release a long-awaited energy plan. The plan will outline the government's stance toward investors in the energy sector, as well as set up an energy corporation that will house the existing crown electricy company as well as other energy initiatives.
The plan appears to be to maximize non-renewable revenues in the short term while investing in newer, renewable sources of energy such as hydro and wind power. The province has decided to take on a major hydro project in Labrador instead of giving the contract to an outside organization. This should allow the province to receive maximum benefits from the project.
It remains important to Williams' and the province, however, that the Atlantic Accord continues to guarantee 100% of offshore revenues. Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest per-capita debt in Canada, and the oil will not be in the ground forever, so the crux of the argument is that this is the province's chance to attain self-sufficiency.
Many in the province feel historically ill-treated by its parent country, Canada. There are several examples of how the province has been denied opportunities to improve its economy. And compounding the problem is an underlying misinterpretation of Newfoundland and Labradorians as unintelligent whiners.
With school children in provinces like Quebec and Ontario growing up taunting each other with calls of "you big Newf," not even knowing its origins, how will the country ever cure its ignorance towards one of the most intriguing provinces in the Federation?
The issue is that Mr. Harper promised, in writing, to uphold an agreement made by his predecessor with the province which states that NL will receive 100% of its offshore revenues regardless of the existing federal equalization formula. (The equalization formula disperses funds throughout the provinces to maintain a national standard of services. It is revised every few years.)
Newfoundland and Labradorians are mostly very supportive of Williams' stance, while much of the rest of Canada has the impression that the premier is whining and asking for more than his fair share. This national view is based on historic impressions of NL as a province of complainers who want handouts and are not willing to work for them. Most Newfoundland and Labradorians, of course, reject this notion.
Many Canadians have, through the national media, condemned Williams' response to Harper's action as irresponsible and child-like. Several commentators and experts alike have expressed the view that Williams' is bad for the provincial economy. It is through these commentaries that the gaps in Canadians' understanding and knowledge of Newfoundland and Labrador become evident.
There is a factual misconception that Newfoundland and Labrador is a drain on the Canadian economy. A major independent study has shown that NL actually contributes billions of dollars to Canada's coffers. As well, it is widely believed that most Newfoundland and Labradorians are dumb or slow-witted. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this can be seen by the high-profile posts held by NLers in government, business, media, and the arts.
This is the root of the problem. But the ignorance behind the headlines today in Canada is with regard to our premier, Danny Williams.
Williams was elected Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2003 in a landslide victory, and his ratings have been at historic levels for most of his tenure. To those outside of the province, this fact coupled with the premier's national image as a 'scrapper,' it must seem as though the citizens of this province are supporting him simply because he is 'standing up for the little guy.'
While this is certainly part of the premier's popularity, what those outside the province don't seem to know is that there is much more behind his high ratings in the polls.
Danny Williams is from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador's capital city. And while it is the capital city, it has a relatively small population. For this reason, Williams' varied public life is well known, and many (if not most) citizens are likely separated from the premier by no more than three degrees. The strong sense community which defines the province has enabled knowledge of Williams' track record to spread across the province by word of mouth.
In other words, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador know Danny Williams well. He is trusted by a people who value keeping one's word, and have a history of viciously voting out politicians who turn their backs on the province. Because Williams has shown time and time again that he has the best interests of the province at heart, his ratings remain high.
And for those who prefer to base their opinions on empirical data rather than subjective intuition, the Williams administration has, in its first four years in office, shown that it can produce meaningful results. A brief look at just a few of the government's achievements since taking power can give some insight into the effectiveness of Williams' leadership.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the second province in Canada to have established a comprehensive poverty reduction plan. The province has pledged to reduce its poverty level from the highest in the country to the lowest by 2015. There are measurable goals in place and action is already being taken through violence awareness programs, a healthy living strategy, increased funding for education on all levels, and job creation initiatives, to name a few.
To spur business investment, the Williams administration has set up an office dedicated to addressing the issues confronting businesses of all sizes. The government is using a proven model from British Columbia to reduce 'red tape' by 50% and has already made considerable changes in this area. As well, the 2007 provincial budget announced that the government has reduced provincial income tax levels from the highest in Atlantic Canada to the lowest.
In light of a devastated fishery -- once the life-blood of the province -- the government is supporting economic diversification. Funding has been increased and is being strategically spent in the arts, aquaculture, and tourism, among many others. Business trade missions sponsored by the government to nearby trading partners as well as countries like Iceland, Ireland, and the Netherlands, are commonplace. And at the top of the premier's priorities is the energy sector.
The province's offshore oil reserves are a major source of revenue, and while talks regarding a fourth major project have been stalled by the premier, there are conservative expectations that new exploration will continue to reveal deposits well into the future. In fact, one might speculate that it is for this reason that Williams' wishes to secure 100% of oil revenues into the future.
Of course, no matter how much oil is lying off of Newfoundland's rugged shores, it will still run out someday. And the premier knows this. The province is therefore posed to release a long-awaited energy plan. The plan will outline the government's stance toward investors in the energy sector, as well as set up an energy corporation that will house the existing crown electricy company as well as other energy initiatives.
The plan appears to be to maximize non-renewable revenues in the short term while investing in newer, renewable sources of energy such as hydro and wind power. The province has decided to take on a major hydro project in Labrador instead of giving the contract to an outside organization. This should allow the province to receive maximum benefits from the project.
It remains important to Williams' and the province, however, that the Atlantic Accord continues to guarantee 100% of offshore revenues. Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest per-capita debt in Canada, and the oil will not be in the ground forever, so the crux of the argument is that this is the province's chance to attain self-sufficiency.
Many in the province feel historically ill-treated by its parent country, Canada. There are several examples of how the province has been denied opportunities to improve its economy. And compounding the problem is an underlying misinterpretation of Newfoundland and Labradorians as unintelligent whiners.
With school children in provinces like Quebec and Ontario growing up taunting each other with calls of "you big Newf," not even knowing its origins, how will the country ever cure its ignorance towards one of the most intriguing provinces in the Federation?
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