Media perceptions...

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Last night's episode of Politics with Don Newman on CBC Newsworld highlighted an all-too common issue related to the media coverage of the NDP in this country.

Jack Layton appeared as a guest on the show and had to answer to Newman's claim that there was a "rift" within the party regarding the "Harper Billion Dollar Offer" to the provinces. The Federal party's position is clear: This hand out is insignificant compared to the damage that Harper's corporate tax cuts and softwood lumber deal have had on our economy as a whole. The billion dollar bail-out only reinforces the NDP's belief that they have mismanaged the economy during their term, and they cannot be trusted to continue with this fiscal policy in the next budget, despite this $1 billion 'goodwill gesture'.

Unfortunately, this supposed "rift" arises because Manitoba Premier Gary Doer supports the handout. What the CBC (and other media outlets) are missing is that Gary Doer, as Premier of Manitoba is answering to those that elected him, the citizens of Manitoba. While there are certainly provincial arguments supporting and opposing his position, his decision is made from a completely different perspective than that of the Federal party. The National wing of the party looks at the net benefits received by all Canadians, not just an individual province.

This is common sense to the media, it seems, when the other two parties are involved. The recent "cozying up" of Shawn Graham and Harper goes unnoticed, or is even praised as "smart politicking". You do not see the media perpetuating a false agenda and highlighting a "rift" between the provincial and federal wings of the Liberal party. There is no criticism or questioning of Stephane Dion's leadership when a Liberal Premier supports a Harper initiative. For the most part, Provincial and Federal governments are viewed as largely separate entities, with only slight ties to their counterparts in other jurisdictions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Newfoundland and Labrador, where Conservative premier Danny Williams is supporting the "ABC" (Anybody but Conservative) ticket in the upcoming Federal election.

This current issue regarding Doer and Layton's stances does not reflect any wedge in NDP unity, or a loosening of party solidarity, like the so-called "liberal" media would like to try and suggest. It is simply a case of "what is good for one is not in the best interests of all". It happens all the time, at all levels of government and in every party. The news media knows this, and has a duty to treat the NDP as it would the other parties, instead of manufacturing controversy and holding us to a different standard.

-FR NDP

Harper's Mini-Marshall Plan

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Happy New (Democratic) Year everybody! I trust that the holidays went well from you.

WARNING - Beware of eager Prime Minister's bearing gifts!

Yesterday, in a prelude to today's First Ministers' supper, Mr. Harper came to New Brunswick to announce a $1 billion package to help communities adjust to recent job losses. It makes sense to have the announcement in New Brunswick - Shawn Graham is busy trying to appease Harper in order to gain future favours, Graham is the chair of the First Ministers' group, and New Brunswick has been hit hard with significant losses in the forestry industry. Why Harper chose to make the announcement at a busy mill near Fredericton in Minister Greg Thompson's (CPC) riding when he could have gone to an impacted area in another part of the province, I don't know. I guess he had his reasons.

A billion dollars is a lot of money, but I have issues.

First, one would (and indeed, should) expect that our Prime Minister was well aware of the problem before it reached this level. With trusted advisors and his much-touted Economics degree behind him, couldn't he have seen the problem developing: what with the poorly handled softwood lumber deal, the monumental financial failure of US subprime mortgages, crisis in the asset-backed commercial paper throughout North America, a failure of US foreign policy, rising US government debt due to poor foreign and domestic policy, to mention a few? The rise in the Canadian dollar speaks not so much to the strength of the Canadian economy, but to economic decline in the US. Indeed, now key economists in the US are talking of recession. Given the importance of our exports to the US market and our government's almost-worship of all things American, the combination of a high dollar and a US recession will most certainly hurt our manufacturing and resource-export industries. In fact, we are now seeing an overall loss in jobs in both Canada and in New Brunswick (CBC Report). Why then, did Harper wait this long to formulate this "plan"?

Second, if this is really an issue about the Canadian economy, if Harper is really standing up for the regular people in Canada (recall the Tim Horton's versus Starbucks commentary), then he must realize that this is an economic issue and that the economy lasts longer than any one political party. Why then did he tie this adjustment spending to Opposition support of his spring budget? Why did he choose to wait to make this announcement the day before his supper with the First Ministers? I don't think it is reasonable to play politics with people's livelihoods!

Third, we should know that this is $1 billion for the whole economy including a fixed transfer of $10 million to each province and an additional transfer based on population - and this is spread over 3 years. New Brunswick may get $30 million over 3 years. I've read that the salary loss at the AbitibiBowater mill alone is $24 million annually. The salary losses in the auto industry in Ontario alone are probably more than $1 billion annually. More peculiar perhaps, is that booming Alberta will likely get more money than New Brunswick. (Then again, Mr. Harper is from Alberta, he has a lot of friends in the oil industry in Alberta, and he did sign the "Alberta First" letter in 2001 - which makes him Canada's first separatist Prime Minister by the way!)

I'm also concerned on a different level. New Brunswick has seen this sort of aimless bailout before. The temporary success has normally come from a significant transfer of resources to a large forestry company who set-up shop for as long as it can arrange for government help. It sounds a lot like McKenna's call-centre job creation strategy.

I had a discussion with a news producer today, and we both asked the same question, "If this money is for "retraining," then what exactly are we retraining people for?" Indeed, what is Harper's concept of the new-and-better Canadian economy, and more germane to us, what is Graham's idea? Saying we'll be "self-sufficient" and that we'll see strong growth in the north does not mean it will magically happen.

We need direction. Should we look at retraining and relocation as a method of dealing with the projected labour shortage in southern NB? If we really want to develop the north, why don't we consider sending some of the natural gas from Sussex northwards? Should the north look into tourism and eco-tourism? Can we use some of this funding to invest in literacy programs that saw funding cuts because of Harper's earlier decisions? Can the Natural Resource Minister sit down with the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners and workers from the forestry industry to see what plans might develop? Can we use this funding to provide tax breaks for individuals willing to invest in new community-based business initiatives?

We don't know, and Graham doesn't seem to want to tell us. Instead, we are told that some of the money Harper will give us (if only the Opposition supports him) may even be used to improve broadband internet access. Great news, except that at $40/month for service, it likely wouldn't be high on my list of necessary services if I had no job!

We want leaders, but we are infested with politicians. AHHHHHHH!

Other news:

Keep the members of STU Faculty and CUPE workers at NBCC in your thoughts as they walk the picket lines.

On an issue we raised a while ago, it seems that there will be a probe into the unfortunate death of Ashley Smith, a Moncton native whose death is linked to her time in an Ontario prison (CBC Report). We have to realize that prison is not necessarily the appropriate method of caring for people who suffer from mental illness.

A Holiday Greeting

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Rob Moir and the Fundy Royal NDP would like to wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season.

May you value this important time with friends and family. We wish each and all a very Merry Christmas and look forward to a very prosperous and progressive 2008!

Petitcodiac River Survey

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Hi one and all;

Please drop us a note if you have been called by Thinkwell Research for a survey regarding the proposed restoration of the Peticodiac River. We'd like to know what sort of questions they were asking and who hired them for this research.

Mark Twain on War

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For the first time in a very long while, Canada finds itself embroiled in war while celebrating Christmas. Mark Twain, a famous American writer wrote a very moving piece on the subject of war, called "The War Prayer." It was also made into an animated short (warning ... not necessarily for children). It certainly makes you think about what we ask for.

Another Demo

Hi all. These last few days have been busy what with the Throne Speech coming out. I find it amusing that "throne" is a euphamism for "toilet" but maybe that's just a lack of sleep.

Please consider attending the following event - I can't go as I am teaching classes.

From: Anne Robichaud [NBFL/FTTNB] [mailto:fttnbfl@nbnet.nb.ca]
Sent: November 28, 2007 9:56 AM
To: Anne Robichaud
Subject: Demonstration

Sisters and Brothers;

I am sending this message on behalf of CEP Local 689 of UPM in Miramichi.

They are organizing a demonstration in front of the Legislature this Friday at 10 a.m. They want the Department of Natural Resources to make a commitment to keep the harvested wood in the province.

They are asking for your support. Please join them this Friday [30 Nov.]and please pass on this message to your members.

Self-Sufficiency and the Status Quo

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I sent this to the Telegraph Journal but thay haven't published it yet. Given today is the day for Graham's Throne speech, and his government's attitude toward UNBSJ, I thought I'd get it off my chest.

*Note: an edited version of this letter has since been published in the Tuesday, December 4th, edition of the Telegraph Journal, page A4.

I understand that the PSE Commission’s Report is just a report, and that while it has been received by the government, that does not mean that it has become government policy.

That said, please forgive me for being less-than-enthusiastic when Minister Doherty ‘appreciates’ all our hard work to defend the rights of southern New Brunswickers to have access to a university education, and even graces us with his assurance that there will remain a “university presence” in Saint John. (I can name my cat, “Dog” and invite you to my house to see a Dog, but it will still be a cat nonetheless.)

I am perplexed however at the continuous battle cry that “the status quo is not an option.” Apparently it is obvious to many that we can’t do things the same way.

Here’s what we were doing at UNBSJ, at least until this over-priced and ill-conceived report came in.

We were giving students an excellent education that was leading many of them to successful employment in a shifting economy. We were leading the charge on internationalizing our campus, thereby contributing to immigration and global diversity in southern New Brunswick. We were actively engaged in research that was useful to industry, the government, non-governmental organizations, and to academics. We, both faculty and students, were participating in community events, sharing our skills and interests throughout the region. We were leading the charge for transfer credits across similar institutions (both national and international) and between institutions of different types (e.g., combined university and college programs). We were efficient, because this was all done on a shoestring budget.

If my understanding of the self-sufficiency agenda is correct, isn’t what we were doing exactly what we should be doing? Perhaps what the government should realize is that UNBSJ’s status quo is exactly the option we want.

Fundy Royal NDP congratulates distinguished MP's

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The Fundy Royal NDP Riding Association would like to acknowledge the accomplishments of Bill Blaikie, the soon-to-be retiring NDP MP from Elmwood-Transcona (Manitoba). Mr. Blaikie has been voted by members in the house as the "Best Parliamentarian" for the second year in a row in an annual MacLean's Magazine survey. In addition to this, Mr. Joe Comartin, NDP MP for Windsor—Tecumseh has been acknowledged as the "Most Knowledgeable" Member of Parliament, Mr. Charlie Angus, NDP MP for Timmins—James Bay was deemed to be the "Most Helpful", and Mr. Peter Stoffer, NDP MP for Sackville-Eastern Shore was selected as "Most Collegial". Mr. Comartin is in fact featured a few posts down in this blog, in a YouTube video from CBC's Politics With Don Newman, addressing the issue of youth crime against our own MP, Rob Moore (CPC), and we invite you to watch this video.

The fact that four of the six awards went to NDP MP's shows the commitment that our party representatives have in doing the job that we, the citizens, have sent them to perform. It is even more remarkable that the NDP received such praise from the 151 respondents, when there are currently 30 NDP MP's in the 308 Member House. This demonstrates the level of respect that the NDP has earned from its colleagues in other parties.

The members of the Fundy Royal Riding Association fully believe that Fundy Royal deserves representation worthy of its people. As Mr. Blaikie rightly states in the MacLean's interview, "They don't elect you so you can be in every event in the riding. They elect you to go to Parliament. This is where you punch in."

It is about time that Fundy Royal got its 'punch in' in Ottawa, as our voices are not being heard under the current Conservative government. We are confident that Rob Moir will follow in the examples provided by Mr. Blaikie, Mr. Comartin, Mr. Angus, and Mr. Stoffer when he is elected as the NDP MP in Fundy Royal.


Fundy Royal NDP Executive