Enormous dividends #nlpoli
Back when he was in another cabinet job, Premier Tom Marshall made some comments about dividends from Muskrat Falls. Let’s take a look at them. (Read more…)
Tom Marshall
Premier Confusing #nlpoli
Premier Tom Marshall has been in cabinet since 2003. He’s held pretty well all the big portfolios connected to Muskrat Falls, including natural resources and finance. He should know details…
The Whizzo Quality Assortment #nlpoli
On the outside, the spring budget for 2014 looks like a delicious assortment of goodies for everyone. You can tell it is delectable because everyone is shouting for joy and…
How do they run things? Budget Lead-Up #nlpoli
Finance minister Charlene Johnson will read the new provincial budget speech on Thursday. In keeping with the provincial Conservative tradition, though, they’ve been announcing bits and pieces of the budget…
The Insiders #nlpoli
The story of the 2014 provincial Conservative Party leadership contest is a study in politics on its most basic level. It is a story of those with influence and of…
Nalcor Oversight #nlpoli
The provincial government will be establishing a committee of senior public servants to co-ordinate information on Muskrat Falls for cabinet. VOCM faithfully reported Premier Tom Marshall’s comments to reporters outside…
All hail the Glorious Leader Trope #nlpoli
“Province to deliver on promise of whistleblower law” read the headline for the CBC’s online story about the provincial government throne speech read Wednesday in the House of Assembly. About…
Budget consultations and other political insanity #nlpoli
This year it is Charlene Johnson’s turn to host a series of meetings across the province that the provincial Conservatives cynically tout as a way for people to have some…
The Vibrant Unsustainable Super Energy Debt Warehouse #nlpoli
The Conservatives used to say that Newfoundland and Labrador was eastern North America’s energy warehouse. Once Danny Williams ran for the hills and left Kathy Dunderdale in charge, she kicked…
Political Mummers’ Parade on Monday #nlpoli
Finance minister Tom Marshall will present his mid-year financial update on Monday. It is supposed to be a way of bringing everyone up to date on how the annual budget…
O brother… #nlpoli
There are times when the talk in the province sounds a bit like the soundtrack to a movie, a comedy to be precise. On Monday, finance minister Tom Marshall sounded…
Governing by polls: fracking version #nlpoli
There’s something wonderfully cute about the blind, unquestioning boosterism you get from some of the more aggressive groups of young political party supporters. All parties have them: the L’il Liberals,…
Like water for muskrats #nlpoli
Wednesday it was Kathy Dunderdale. Thursday, they sent Tom Marshall to chat with Bill Rowe on Open Line to do damage control in the wake of two huge setbacks for…
Not exactly, there, Tom, b’y #nlpoli
As part of the orchestrated campaign to attack the people making the comments instead of the comments themselves , finance minister Tom Marshall trotted out in front of the news…
Marshall’s release doesn’t match DBRS public statements #nlpoli
Simply put, Tom Marshall’s most recent news release about the report by Dominion Bond Rating Service doesn’t match what the bond rating agency said in a news release about the…
The Art of Budget Forecasting #nlpoli
The provincial government set its budget this year based on an oil price forecast of US$124 a barrel in 2012. As we move up on the midway point in the…
Diversifying the economy and slowing things down #nlpoli
Paul Oram was a colourful politician. Well, colourful in the sense that he flamed out very quickly. Regular readers of these scribbles will remember him as the guy who had…
A fresh smear of lipstick #nlpoli
CBC’s online version got the story right from the most recent episode of On Point with David Cochrane: Natural Resources Minister Jerome Kennedy says the Newfoundland and Labrador government is…
Arrogance, thy name is Tom Marshall #nlpoli
Speaking on VOCM’s Open Line on Tuesday, finance minister Tom Marshall explained what will happen in the House of Assembly during the Muskrat Falls debate coming up in June: The…