A couple of recent posts included the invented word “stragedy”. As some of you figured out, it’s a deliberate combination of strategy and tragedy that reflects the strategic tragedy and the tragic strategy that the provincial Conservatives have been following lately. That’s what it is, really: a tragedy. A political
Continue readingAuthor: Ed Hollett
The Sir Robert Bond Papers: Spending Comparisons #nlpoli
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released its annual summary of health care spending health care last week. This is a pretty basic collection of numbers that show how much money we spend on health care, whether it is from provincial, federal, or private sources. The report made the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Mind-Numbing Sameness #nlpoli
The Conservatives were looking to the by-election in Conception bay South to break their losing streak. As it seems now as voters in the district head to the polls on Wednesday, Premier Paul Davis is already conceding that CBS is heading Liberal. He spoke to reporters [CBC Here and Now,
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: More political stragedy #nlpoli
Paul Davis started out as Premier talking about his plan to run a national competition to find a communications director for his office. There’s been no mention of Davis’ missing communications director as he and his office blunder through the Manning mess. Then suddenly, on Monday, the talk of a
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: A renaissance feast for Christmas #nlpoli
Fans of politics in Newfoundland and Labrador have two excellent books that should be at the top of their Christmas gift lists this year. First among unequals: the premier, politics, and policy in Newfoundland and Labrador is a collection of 12 essays on different aspects of recent politics with an
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Devil’s Snare #nlpoli
The latest eruption of the Manning political controversy volcano is evidence of many things. Not the least is that Premier Paul Davis and his team have a monumental problem in their organization. It’s the one that steps in to manage political crises. Davis and his crew don’t have one. So
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Public Service and Bad Judgment #nlpoli
Shortly after she was appointed to cabinet, Judy Manning told CBC that she was taking a significant cut in pay from her solo law practice to take the new job as an unelected minister. “I’m doing this from a public service perspective,” Manning said at the time. That was part
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The October 2014 NTV/MQO Poll Numbers #nlpoli
NTV commissioned NTV to poll opinion about the provincial Conservatives a month after Paul Davis took over as Premier. The party choice numbers are simple enough: Liberals at 37, Conservatives at 16, the NDP at just six percent, and undecided at 40. Leadership numbers Put Dwight Ball of the Liberals
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Things that raise alarm bells #nlpoli
As it becomes more clear that the two recent murders of Canadian soldiers had less to do with terrorism and more to do with people who are otherwise screwed up, the RCMP commissioner issues a media statement claiming the police have a video that links one murder to “ideological and
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: “We are an island economy” and other nonsense #nlpoli
CBC’s On Point this weekend delivered up some all-too-familiar conversation on the budget and a political panel talking about Judy Manning but sometimes you have to look closely at things to appreciate the value in public comments by politicians and reporters. In an interview with David Cochrane, finance minister Ross
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: A Greek Tragedy #nlpoli
While you are busily mulling over the possible implications the drop in oil prices might have on the provincial government’s budgets, distract yourself by pondering some of the other implications of low oil prices on the provincial economy. The Paris-based International Energy Agency thinks that about 25% of Canadian energy
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: At the going down of the sun, and in the morning… #nlpoli
We will remember them. Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent Corporal Nathan Cirillo -srbp-
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Get the police out of politics and politics out of the police #nlpoli
They just don’t look like recruiting ads. That’s the most striking thing about a series of television ads airing in Newfoundland and Labrador. There’s no sense of an invitation to come and join the group. At least, there’s nothing of that in the images themselves. Consider the number of shots
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Call of Duty meets Police Academy #nlpoli
It’s hard to imagine a more politically tone-deaf set of ads than the three currently in circulation by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary ostensibly as part of a recruiting campaign. The 15 – , 30 – , and 60-second spots are all similar. They start with a shot of the police
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Oil and the budget #nlpoli
Lots of people are wondering what the changes to the price of oil will do to the provincial budget. It will have an impact: no doubt about that. But trying to figure out what the provincial budget numbers will look like is a wee bit more complicated. (Read more…)
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Double-down Locke #nlpoli
“I didn’t see this coming,” Memorial University economist Wade Locke told the Telegram’s James McLeod the other day. Locke was talking about the dramatic drop in oil prices over the past week and a half. The day before, Locke was on VOCM’s morning talk show dismissing this low oil price
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: International expert on key Muskrat Falls feature to deliver public talk #nlpoli
People interested in one of the big geological uncertainties that could affect the Muskrat Falls dam will have a chancer to hear from an international expert later this month. Dr. Stig Bernander,an international expert on quick clay landslides, will deliver a public talk at the LSPU Hall, on Victoria Street,
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: What’s in a name? Justice edition #nlpoli
Premier Paul Davis changed the name of the justice department to “public safety”. The local chapter of the Canadian Bar Association wrote a letter to Davis. They complained that the government had changed the name of the department without making clear what the new department would do. So after a
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Election Stragedy #nlpoli
Charlene Johnson quit the legislature first. The chief electoral office has been plugging special ballot voting in the seat she vacated since the early part of October. For those who don’t know, you can vote in Newfoundland and Labrador up to 30 days before the writ drops in any election.
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Manning – Coleman Correlation #nlpoli
Some people who read The Independent last week thought that there was a debate going on between Hans Rollmann and Drew Brown over Judy Manning’s appointment as attorney general and minister of justice, public safety, and whatever-the-department-name-will-be-tomorrow. There wasn’t. The pair agreed on everything, except one minor issue. (Read more…)
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