O these mixed emotions, and what they reveal to me about myself.
I was innocent once: in the late 80s, when I began my career, I was a Quakerlike Mr. Sunshine in my belief that fair dealing was the only way to trade and exchange. Now, with my more realism-tainted thinking and what I call coincidentally a cultured wisdom of the snake, I feel regret for what NL is going through and at the same time contempt for its slapheaded 'leading lights'. Doubly so because I'm Québécois who stands to gain from what's happening AND I'm an electrical engineer.
All this reinforces my sense of things: the present hydro 'deal' being discussed is not something to be expected of two parties of any sense or merit; but there comes a time when one side gives so much away without being under dire threat and against all reason ... that side deserves all its losses and the contempt of onlookers.
As for interprovincial trade barriers: they've been an issue since forever, and Canadians would GREATLY benefit for a new Mulroney to bring the provinces together to at least identify and publish what those barriers are! Right now, different business-industrial segments are aware of what affects THEM; but no one at large has a sense of what it all adds up to.
Je ne reproche pas à un chien d'aboyer. Legault et Sabia avaient un plan et ont atteint leurs objectifs. Bravo.
S'il existe une expression en français pour cela, je ne le sais pas.
Comme les Québécois(es) des années 1960, les Terre-Neuvien(ne)s et les Labradorien(ne)s d'aujourd'hui doivent décider de prendre le contrôle de leur province ou de rester des Newfis aux yeux de tous, y compris d'eux-mêmes
Lowered trade barriers for Nfld would be a HUGE benefit for the province, for both fishery and oil business. We would get a chance to trade more easily with the largest economy in the world and in history.
If we get locked in on this deal now, we are giving up another part of independent trade ability to another jurisdiction of Canada. What a huge mistake! Maybe thats why Quebec is going for this deal now - because they see the way the wind is blowing for trade south of the border. They want to lock us in so they control the resource.
Furey is trying to paint Trump and company as Bogeymen. Trump's core policy is actually to minimize government intervention in the economy (hence DOGE).
The more government intervenes in the economy, the worse the economy becomes. Just look at the mess Nfld has made with their interventions with the crab industry every spring. Arguably, the best performing economy in the US right is Utah. And they have the least government intervention.
Not just AF. The demonising of Trump is across the board in Canada, with a couple of exceptions.
In this deal, we have a simple and old split in NL policy. For one group, we settle for giving over control of resources for a few jobs and relatively little revenue. This is very much a status quo, conservative approach. The other view is ambitious and outward and forward looking.
In this case, one of the knock-on consequences of the attitude behind this deal is that we accept all the things we give up and the opportunities that are often never considered.
Another way to look at things is that the period between 1972 and 2003 was a revolutionary time. Since 2003 we are intensely conservative again, across the board. Very much a status quo place with all three parties in one way or another reflecting those deeply conservative social, economic, and political attitudes about who has power, who exercises it, and in whose interest.
That's why we have seen a decline in democratic institutions, increased government secrecy, a generally anti-democratic approach and overall a much more autocrat/authoritarian attitude.
And people really should see the incredibly strong contradiction between Furey and his love of the phrase transformational change when his administration is deeply conservative to the point of reaction.
O these mixed emotions, and what they reveal to me about myself.
I was innocent once: in the late 80s, when I began my career, I was a Quakerlike Mr. Sunshine in my belief that fair dealing was the only way to trade and exchange. Now, with my more realism-tainted thinking and what I call coincidentally a cultured wisdom of the snake, I feel regret for what NL is going through and at the same time contempt for its slapheaded 'leading lights'. Doubly so because I'm Québécois who stands to gain from what's happening AND I'm an electrical engineer.
All this reinforces my sense of things: the present hydro 'deal' being discussed is not something to be expected of two parties of any sense or merit; but there comes a time when one side gives so much away without being under dire threat and against all reason ... that side deserves all its losses and the contempt of onlookers.
As for interprovincial trade barriers: they've been an issue since forever, and Canadians would GREATLY benefit for a new Mulroney to bring the provinces together to at least identify and publish what those barriers are! Right now, different business-industrial segments are aware of what affects THEM; but no one at large has a sense of what it all adds up to.
Which is a damn shame.
Je ne reproche pas à un chien d'aboyer. Legault et Sabia avaient un plan et ont atteint leurs objectifs. Bravo.
S'il existe une expression en français pour cela, je ne le sais pas.
Comme les Québécois(es) des années 1960, les Terre-Neuvien(ne)s et les Labradorien(ne)s d'aujourd'hui doivent décider de prendre le contrôle de leur province ou de rester des Newfis aux yeux de tous, y compris d'eux-mêmes
Great Article Ed!
Lowered trade barriers for Nfld would be a HUGE benefit for the province, for both fishery and oil business. We would get a chance to trade more easily with the largest economy in the world and in history.
If we get locked in on this deal now, we are giving up another part of independent trade ability to another jurisdiction of Canada. What a huge mistake! Maybe thats why Quebec is going for this deal now - because they see the way the wind is blowing for trade south of the border. They want to lock us in so they control the resource.
Furey is trying to paint Trump and company as Bogeymen. Trump's core policy is actually to minimize government intervention in the economy (hence DOGE).
The more government intervenes in the economy, the worse the economy becomes. Just look at the mess Nfld has made with their interventions with the crab industry every spring. Arguably, the best performing economy in the US right is Utah. And they have the least government intervention.
We better wake up. We are getting screwed again.
Gerard:
Not just AF. The demonising of Trump is across the board in Canada, with a couple of exceptions.
In this deal, we have a simple and old split in NL policy. For one group, we settle for giving over control of resources for a few jobs and relatively little revenue. This is very much a status quo, conservative approach. The other view is ambitious and outward and forward looking.
In this case, one of the knock-on consequences of the attitude behind this deal is that we accept all the things we give up and the opportunities that are often never considered.
Another way to look at things is that the period between 1972 and 2003 was a revolutionary time. Since 2003 we are intensely conservative again, across the board. Very much a status quo place with all three parties in one way or another reflecting those deeply conservative social, economic, and political attitudes about who has power, who exercises it, and in whose interest.
That's why we have seen a decline in democratic institutions, increased government secrecy, a generally anti-democratic approach and overall a much more autocrat/authoritarian attitude.
And people really should see the incredibly strong contradiction between Furey and his love of the phrase transformational change when his administration is deeply conservative to the point of reaction.