Murphy: Danny boy has gone too far (1)
Posted on 13 September 2008 by Jack
It’s too bad Loyola Hearn, who was the Newfoundland minister in the Harper government, is not running again. After a long career in politics, he has decided to leave the game.
Mr. Hearn is a very decent man, a product of the great coastal stretch outside St. John’s we call the Southern Shore. He is an “outport” man, just as Danny Williams is a “townie.” The health of Newfoundland has always, by some peculiar chemistry, depended on a dynamic equilibrium of its outport and townie components.
Today, after the collapse of the cod fishery and with the near co-incidental explosion of offshore oil, the outport dimension of Newfoundland is almost in ruins, while St. John’s and its suburbs are rich and active as never before. There are two Newfoundlands. The capital city and environs are in a fever of development, while vast stretches of coastal communities are inert and underpopulated, mere phantoms of what once they were.
Mr. Hearn’s retirement deprives Newfoundland politics of a necessary voice, one suited by temperament and background to speak on the overwhelming subject of the accelerating extinction of Newfoundland’s quintessential outport heritage.
This is not the only unhealthy imbalance in the province. There are 48 seats in the House of Assembly, and Mr. Williams owns 44 of them. The Liberals, with three, are the rump of a rump, and the NDP, with one, is a vapour. The numbers tell it: Mr. Williams is king of the Rock, the most powerful politician since Joey Smallwood. Newfoundland politics has shrunk to oil and Danny Williams.
Popularity: 19% [?]
September 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Kudos to Rex Murphy for pointing out Danny Williams is mainly about a ‘power play’ after the likes of what Joey Smallwood represented. More it’s about balking the Atlantic Accord reworked formula in the interests of both NFLD/Labrador AND Canada. I agree with Mr. Murphy how Danny Williams has crossed an unacceptable line at the slurs he’s slung at the Prime Minister. Notice: a sole lady has stood up against Williams by resigning and another well respected politician has called it quits. Williams is out of his depth and in my view this boils down to finding legal ways to evade paying appropriate taxes on Nfld.’s newfound sector prosperity. I don’t know who Danny Williams is plugging for, but it’s not for NFLD./Labrador NOR FOR CANADA AS AN ENTITY. He has clear patriotism problems and that hasn’t been identified as yet.
September 13th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
It is called demagoguery. Danny Williams now considers himself, whether he realizes it or not, a demagogue!
September 13th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Mr. Williams reminds me of the snotty nosed kid that won the debating contest but wants to continue to rub it into the faces of the losing contestants.
Time to pack this BS in Mr. Williams and work at ensuring that Newfoundland and Labradorians outside of the capital’s boundaries will share in the oil revenue predicted to come gushing your way.
September 13th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Mike Duffy had a poll result yesterday which indicated more than 60% of Newfoundlanders think that Danny’s ABC position is harmful for Newfoundland.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Williams makes me laugh. It has never been made clear by the media but what Danny is actually saying is “No Newfoundlanders in Harper’s cabinet — none! I won’t stand for it and if it happens my head will explode and everyone else can take the blame.”
He’s just noise and I expect the people of the rock know that. They get a laugh out of him too.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
maybe it’s time for a mutiny on the Rock? Man overboard! Preferably Williams. Our Newfoundland dinner guests last evening feel that there are some younger candidates who would could replace the Captain.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
And you can rest assured that if the poll was 60%, it’s probably 80% in reality, with the other 20% afraid to answer.
Danny Mc-Millions is so far off-side in this one that it must be an embarrassment to Newfoundlander’s everywhere.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Isn’t Jack Layton on zee trail promising Danny Williams his revenue return to the tune of $10 billion? Then Williams apparently offered to cover the arts cuts? As I read somewhere (and I loathe personal comparisons) but both are Ralph Nader wannabees. I’m not knocking Ralph Nader, but they’re all Taliban Jacks, still confused and all. I hope we don’t all (or the politicians) reinvent the agenda to the extent that we face extinction! Naw, this dream team wouldn’t do that! Don Quixote would be more serious than that. It really is to laugh. But the sad fact is, many hopeless people are gullible and will buy their “snake oil.”
I was speaking to a Spanish-Canadian yesterday and she is totally convinced that Harper purchased a missiles system for the north from the Americans, shortly after he was elected and not only it didn’t work, but Canada’s out $15 billion dollars. She reads the Spanish press in this country. Anybody know anything about that? Whose working the immigrant communities? Lot of votes there are going to get lost through misinformation.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I e-mailed my local Conservative riding office and just got a return call registering me for Harper’s London Convention Centre address, Monday, Sept. 15 at approx. 6.p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. He won’t be taking questions according to the caller. Is that usual? From experience, will audience members be allowed to speak one on one after the address. How best to line up for this? Or is it likely to be an on-stage, off-stage event?
September 13th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
“Whose working the immigrant communities? Lot of votes there are going to get lost through misinformation.”
Hypenated Canadian historically vote Liberal. They get it pounded into their heads from day one that only a Liberal government will ensure they continue to receive fair treatment by their new country. My guess is that it is not conservative minded individuals who are filling them with their irrational and unfounded fear of a Conservative government. Take it from there.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I was just watching CTV newsnet and Robert Fife said that Danny Williams has been intimidating conservative supporters into not supporting the Harper gov’t. Fife claimed to have heard this before but to actually hear it first hand from the folks in Newfoundland really opened his eyes. Fife claimed that folks there felt Williams was behaving like a man with too much power.
An interview between the CTV anchor woman and a former PC Fisheries Cabinet minister followed Fife’s remarks.
I got the impression that Newfoundlanders don’t like what Williams is doing.
Did anyone else see this bit?
September 13th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Yes, I also listened with interest. Hopefully Robert Fife can report to Canadians the intimidation that Newfoundlanders are experiencing. The MSM need to do the right thing and expose the fear that Danny Williams is promoting. From what I have witnessed on TV, they have a very angry premier with too much power. The people of NFLD deserve better.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
They now have the recording of Robert Fife reporting on the climate of fear in Newfoundland up on CTV news net.
Dannt Williams is very vindictive and angry.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Here you go, Fay:
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/election-2008/fight-for-nl/#clip92376
There are two clips that follow each other.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
btdt - a press report several months back indicated the Tories were in dialogue with immigrant communities on a regular basis. This was months ago. It didn’t say what the nature of the dialogue or content was.
For instance, PM Harper himself attended the opening of the new mosque in Calgary praising its commitment to peaceful programs, to that effect.
But other reports indicated talks were happening around the GTA, in particular. Didn’t mention if it involved the harem communities all supported by the welfare state.
I remember reading in MSM under the Liberals’ administration, how welfare payments for individuals were approx. $40,000. How often did that happen, one wonders? That would be considered welfare fraud and how extensive is this.
Yes, immigrants buy the Liberal rhetoric as do many citizens. Even now on the streets (course I’m in liberal domaine) they really do believe Liberals will follow through on their promises and average citizen doesn’t know what carbon shift/shaft involves. Maybe they think it’s coal for their Christmas stocking?
All my direct impressions, you understand. From more than a few conversations.
September 13th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
And wasn’t that highly entertaining? I just finished listening.
I can’t wait for Crosby to weigh in.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
WOW , This is happening in Canada ? This is scary . I heard of some people doing this to some recent immigrants when I was very young but it’s hard to believe this is going on in this country in this day and age . Threatening peoples businesses and communities is third world politics . I think the police should be monitoring the polling stations on election day in Newfoundland.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
It’s all that fine ocean air bringing out the best in everyone.
Newfoundlanders scared? That’s hard to believe.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Crosby weighing in would bring this “dull stuff” to life now.
That’s what’s really missing — any kind of a “passion quotient” other than Danny Williams whining he wants the whole sandbox to himself.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Another thought: In order to take Williams’ mind off his troubles, can’t somebody ask him why gas prices at Canadian pumps jumped on average between 15 -18 cents/litre? Did Ike have something to do with that?
September 14th, 2008 at 12:56 am
He used to be Danny Millions.
Then he became Danny Blowfish.
Now he’s Danny Mugabe.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:35 am
I’m following this too. If anyone finds any links in MSM to Williams’ alleged intimidation tactics other than the ones at CTV, please let me know! Thanks.