Pre-emptive rebuttal #nlpoli
This excerpt from Tuesday’s federal budget speech seems aimed at province’s like Newfoundland and Labrador where the government promised the same day that they’d be piling up more debt on…
Ed Hollett
The problem with no problem #nlpoli
Dwight Ball is the latest Liberal to emerge from the candidate protection program. He popped up on NTV on Monday evening to tell us all two things: First, he thinks…
The Political Game of Stupidity #nlpoli
Last week, the provincial Liberals came out of the candidate protection program to talk about the Dunphy shooting. Liberal justice critic Andrew Parsons told Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that his party…
Has anyone seen the Liberals lately? #nlpoli
This editorial by Craig Westcott originally appeared in The Pearl newspaper and is re-produced here with permission. Two of the most serious issues to hit Newfoundland and Labrador in some…
Goldilocks and the three mayors #nlpoli
Almost a week after we all got a peek at the new provincial electoral boundaries, things have settled down in some areas and the insanity has exploded in others. Over…
Minority Report #nlpoli
One of the police officers responsible for the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary’s Twitter presence did an interview with CBC’s Anthony Germain last Friday. The online CBC story that came out of…
Politics, the police, and tragedy #nlpoli
Last October, Premier Paul Davis appointed Lynn Moore to his new advisory council on crime. Moore is in private practice these days but, as the little profile Davis’ office appended…
Political Boundary Issues #nlpoli
Some people thought that the electoral boundaries commission wouldn’t get its job done within 120 days. On Friday, those people found out that was a pretty silly hope on their…
The week from hell #nlpoli
You gotta feel for police chief Bill Janes and the rest of the men and women of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. All this happened between Sunday, April 5, 2015 and…
The irresponsible rush to judgment #nlpoli
For those not involved but deeply concerned about the events in Mitchell’s Brook on Easter Sunday, one of the more disturbing aspects of the Dunphy shooting has been the ease…
For the Quebec lovers #nlpoli
We’ve got two recent pieces on events in Quebec. Don Macpherson explains why the student “strikes” aren’t really strikes at all. And for all those people still cheering about the…
The Dunphy Shooting: serious questions #nlpoli
Question Number 1: Who has been trying to spin the story by feeding both David Cochrane and Fred Hutton with confidential information? The standard police position is to withhold all…
Soothsayer #nlpoli
Wade Locke has had a profound impact on public policy in this province like no academic since Parzival Copes. Locke has been intimately involved with Conservative policy since 2003. He…
The New Chainsaw Earle #nlpoli
Carol Furlong had the good fortune to be the head of the province’s largest public sector union at a time when the provincial government had more cash than it knew…
Rumpole and the Judge’s Wage #nlpoli
How hard can it be to figure out what Provincial Court Judges should get paid to do their work dispensing justice all around the province? Apparently, it can be quite…
The sky is falling. Or not. #nlpoli
First they claimed the budget consultation would be way later than usual. So your humble e-scribbler worked it out. Turns out it wasn’t later than usual. Then they said the…
More like a snapshot than a panorama #nlpoli
Last week, a group called Samara released the results of its research on Canadians and politics. Democracy 360 they called it. The media locally covered it, if for no other…
More of the same. It’s the economy. And, … #nlpoli
Past behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour. If that’s the case, then lots of people are getting their knickers in a very great bunch over nothing when it…
The ongoing saga of the remittance economy #nlpoli
A downturn in the economy in Saskatchewan and Alberta caused by falling oil prices will affect Newfoundland and Labrador. This is hardly surprising. Regular readers will know the phenomenon as…
Letto to speak on access legislation #nlpoli
Commissioner Doug Letto will be speaking to the Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society at the Fluvarium, March 27, 2015 at 12:30 PM. Doug will be…