Last weeks events have me rattled. Not about the unending reactionary fishery policy and protests but about the embarrassing display on how the House of Assembly was hijacked. While the House is supposedly sacrosanct….the inability to protect our institution needs further review. POGG did not prevail and this is troubling. Dramatics aside, we can certainly imagine what would happen if the French farmers decided to detour their tractors from the Champs-Élysées and head to the French Parliament to block their democratic proceedings. Opening their Legislature would certainly take precedence over the next day Court Injunction.
Everyone except our authorities seemed to know what was coming at them that morning. 2 horses, hastily clad RNC with the Chief paying a surprise visit donning his casual issued toque. Embarrassing and unprepared to say the least. When our House is prevented from doing its constitutional obligation things can slip on the slope pretty quick.
This is not about the right to protest and certainly not about a group drinking Tim’s and stoking a barrel on the parking lot of Strawberry Marsh Rd. It is about our authorities ensuring business in OUR House is not interrupted.
This is a really balanced and impartial article on the state of the fishing industry in NL today.
I hope it becomes required reading within the Premier Furey and Minister Loveless's offices.
One small quibble:
Your statement "Open competition would take many fish harvesters and processors out of the business entirely or see their operations absorbed into larger and potentially foreign-owned businesses. Hundreds of fishplant workers would lose their only way to earn a living. Communities would disappear as well as the only local industry vanished. Government has no policy that would encourage local businesses to grow in their place, but that is another issue."
needs some elaboration.
Harvester workers are made up of two groups, enterpriser owners and crew members. There may be a few enterprise owners that will fold, but they may have folded anyway. As long as there is fish to catch the crew members will still need to be employed.
Similarly, in the processing sector, A few inefficient processing plants may change hands. but the workers will continue to be employed by new owners. In fact we may see some growth and revitalization of existing rural communities.
We have a shortage of plant workers and are importing some foreign workers. This practice is even more pronounced in the Maritimes.
With the continuing supply of crab, a 300% or greater increase in northern cod, and a massive supply of redfish in the Gulf and on the South Coast, growth and expansion should be the norm for the next few years. Unless, of course, as you correctly point out, the Provincial Government screws up yet again.
Great article Ed! This summaries all the issues. This government is completely tone deaf to what is happening on the ground in the fishery. Their attempt to pour gas on the fire Wednesday by sending the communications person into the crowd for a photo opt backfired big time. It was clearly an attempt to incite the crowd. It was cheap politics.
There are many jurisdictions in the western world who take the opposite approach that we take, when it comes to business and economic growth. Take for example Utah. It is written into their Constitution. For example, it is against the law in Utah to restrain trade, or create, or attempt to create, a monopoly. They have one of the best economies in North America - partly because their government gets out of the way as much as possible. Our government approach is opposite - get involved in everything, control everything, have the govt hand (and taxpayer money) into everything. Make no wonder our unemployment rate stays over 15%. Make no wonder we are accumulating massive debt and deficits for the next generation.
Free Enterprise must prevail.
Article XII, Section 20 [Free market system as state policy -- Restraint of trade and
monopolies prohibited.]
It is the policy of the state of Utah that a free market system shall govern trade and commerce in
this state to promote the dispersion of economic and political power and the general welfare of all
the people. Each contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy in restraint
of trade or commerce is prohibited. Except as otherwise provided by statute, it is also prohibited for
any person to monopolize, attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or
persons to monopolize any part of trade or commerce.
Thanks for the opportunity Ed…
Last weeks events have me rattled. Not about the unending reactionary fishery policy and protests but about the embarrassing display on how the House of Assembly was hijacked. While the House is supposedly sacrosanct….the inability to protect our institution needs further review. POGG did not prevail and this is troubling. Dramatics aside, we can certainly imagine what would happen if the French farmers decided to detour their tractors from the Champs-Élysées and head to the French Parliament to block their democratic proceedings. Opening their Legislature would certainly take precedence over the next day Court Injunction.
Everyone except our authorities seemed to know what was coming at them that morning. 2 horses, hastily clad RNC with the Chief paying a surprise visit donning his casual issued toque. Embarrassing and unprepared to say the least. When our House is prevented from doing its constitutional obligation things can slip on the slope pretty quick.
This is not about the right to protest and certainly not about a group drinking Tim’s and stoking a barrel on the parking lot of Strawberry Marsh Rd. It is about our authorities ensuring business in OUR House is not interrupted.
Brilliant article Ed.
This is a really balanced and impartial article on the state of the fishing industry in NL today.
I hope it becomes required reading within the Premier Furey and Minister Loveless's offices.
One small quibble:
Your statement "Open competition would take many fish harvesters and processors out of the business entirely or see their operations absorbed into larger and potentially foreign-owned businesses. Hundreds of fishplant workers would lose their only way to earn a living. Communities would disappear as well as the only local industry vanished. Government has no policy that would encourage local businesses to grow in their place, but that is another issue."
needs some elaboration.
Harvester workers are made up of two groups, enterpriser owners and crew members. There may be a few enterprise owners that will fold, but they may have folded anyway. As long as there is fish to catch the crew members will still need to be employed.
Similarly, in the processing sector, A few inefficient processing plants may change hands. but the workers will continue to be employed by new owners. In fact we may see some growth and revitalization of existing rural communities.
We have a shortage of plant workers and are importing some foreign workers. This practice is even more pronounced in the Maritimes.
With the continuing supply of crab, a 300% or greater increase in northern cod, and a massive supply of redfish in the Gulf and on the South Coast, growth and expansion should be the norm for the next few years. Unless, of course, as you correctly point out, the Provincial Government screws up yet again.
Great insights. Past issues and challenges cast shadows now. In many ways, however, we quietly support the status quo.
We must discuss.
Great article Ed! This summaries all the issues. This government is completely tone deaf to what is happening on the ground in the fishery. Their attempt to pour gas on the fire Wednesday by sending the communications person into the crowd for a photo opt backfired big time. It was clearly an attempt to incite the crowd. It was cheap politics.
There are many jurisdictions in the western world who take the opposite approach that we take, when it comes to business and economic growth. Take for example Utah. It is written into their Constitution. For example, it is against the law in Utah to restrain trade, or create, or attempt to create, a monopoly. They have one of the best economies in North America - partly because their government gets out of the way as much as possible. Our government approach is opposite - get involved in everything, control everything, have the govt hand (and taxpayer money) into everything. Make no wonder our unemployment rate stays over 15%. Make no wonder we are accumulating massive debt and deficits for the next generation.
Free Enterprise must prevail.
Article XII, Section 20 [Free market system as state policy -- Restraint of trade and
monopolies prohibited.]
It is the policy of the state of Utah that a free market system shall govern trade and commerce in
this state to promote the dispersion of economic and political power and the general welfare of all
the people. Each contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy in restraint
of trade or commerce is prohibited. Except as otherwise provided by statute, it is also prohibited for
any person to monopolize, attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or
persons to monopolize any part of trade or commerce.