Scribblings of a Corner Boy -
Myopia and delusionary are wrong attributes for a pragmatic premier.
I'd like to be a psychic and have on my books well known writer/cartoonist Peter Pickersgill, also known as PIC. Perhaps I would be able to help him with his almost paranoiac obsession with premier Danny Williams.
Peter, for some deep-rooted reasons (best known only to PIC himself) seems to dislike everything about the premier and his cabinet, making Williams his regular scapegoat. One can almost see the red steam spewing from his ears.
Pickgersgill's writings and sketches often ooze sweet Liberal (capital L) nectar and his current mission appears obvious - a relentles attack on Danny's credibility as a leader.
It is not surprising that PIC, with his sketch pen, would crap all over the premier (i.e. read his column - A myopia leading to delusion- Nov.10 Compass).
What else can we expect from the son of a former and long-time Liberal MP the late Jack Pickersgill? Mr. Pickersgill died Nov.14, 1997 after a lengthy distinguished career as a politician and Canadian statesman.
Winnipeg and Ottawa
Despite spending a lot of his adult life in Salvage, we must remember PIC is not even an (Island-born) Newfoundlander, one of da boys! His genes, I think are rooted in Winnipeg and Ottawa. His highly respected father the Honourable Jack was a political friend of Joey Smallwood in the years when Smallwood sold the shop (to coin a familiar slogan) giving majority control of the Upper Churchill to Quebec.
It is that sickening preposterous 65-year deal signed in 1969 with the then Quebec Premier Jean Lesage. In Ottawa his federal Liberal supporters looked on- including a young Pierre Trudeau.
The deal is netting Quebec billions ($1.7 billion last year) that's billion with a B while Newfoundland and Labrador gets mere millions yearly ($63 million last year). Power that is bought from our province for a quarter of a cent per kilowatt-hour is then re-sold by Hydro-Quebec for up to 36 times the price they pay.
Ironically the current federal Conservative Party under the leadership of PM Stephen Harper is doing the same (looking on) our dispute over the Lower Churchill project, while watching New Brunswick sell out its birthright and the public assets of its people to Quebec at Newfoundland's peril.
Deaf ears blind eyes
PIC needs to realize his bi-monthly rants in the province's print media are reaching Williams' supporters and are obviously falling on deaf ears and blind eyes. What else could he possibly expect from an electorate that is well over 80 per cent in favour of the current administration? I would assume in districts all over the province, even in his own district he is viewed only as an upstart or maw mouth, to coin an old Newfoundland expression.
If I were his doctor or psychic I would advise PIC to take a long break, sing a few verses of Barry William's (no relationship to Danny) song, All by myself and perhaps invite Yvonne Jones to join him and his wife Lisa for a weekend in his summer residence on the point at Salvage for a plate of red lobster. Who knows then he very well might be invited to join the now tiny red machine and in the next provincial election he could run in the exact Liberal riding his popular and respected father Jack did- namely Bonavista-Twillingate.
It would be an obvious extension for his dislike for Danny that he demonstrates often in his bi-weekly columns and in his celebrated cartoons.
Perhaps Peter PIC should invite pseudo Randy Simms along. He, Yvonne and Liberal-supporter Randy would have lots to talk about especially mutual admirations.
Deserving of respect
Ever since I was nine years old Newfoundland has been considered to be the poor cousin of Canada. Premier after Premier, beginning with Joey in 1949 fought and clawed their way trying to make this island home a have province. Not until Williams took office did we ever see such a dramatic surge in confidence as a people as witnessed in the past few years.
Danny Williams deserves our respect for being a relentless fighter for this province. He assumed power at a very different and much more demanding time than any of his predecessors.
The development of the offshore oil empire began to turn this province around dramatically, lowering our debt and easing our dependence on Ottawa. He's currently involved in a fight to take the next big leap, the development of the lower Churchill. How anyone can fault him for his vigorous approach to fight the inequity-problem with Hydro Quebec is beyond my comprehension. Even though he probably knows in his heart Quebec won't renegotiate the upper Churchill contract, he set a plan in motion to officially ask that province to look at its joint inequity anyway.
PIC and other Danny pundits soon forgot the mess this province was in when Williams decided to run. After the election he dug in. He championed the infamous Atlantic accord (remember the "we got it" chant)? tackled the staggering inherited debt, courageously faced the unions, stabilized teachers' pensions, boldly-exposed the Health Corporation "breast cancer "fiasco; took on the Abitibi-Price paper giant, challenged Ottawa's unfair treatment (winning the ABC campaign) and promised "no more giveaways." He created NALCOR while wrestling a small equity share of the giant offshore oil projects (Hibernia and White Rose) despite the opposition of giant multinationals like MOBIL Oil. All these decisions are sane, sober, pragmatic and realistic.
Newfoundland and Labrador is in politically strong hands now and for the immediate future. Hands of a brilliant, capable Newfoundlander, who before being elected premier spent 30 years as a successful lawyer and businessman. It is well known that in whatever he does, Danny Williams plays for keeps. A political columnist elsewhere wrote; "his tough-guy reputation goes back to when he was a robust kid playing hockey in St. John's. Anyone who played against or with him realized Danny doesn't like to lose."
Part-timer Pickersgill (PIC) and those who often refer to their premier as Danny Chevez, Danny millions, a premier whose myopic and delusionary with overpass eyeglasses, need to honestly reflect on the failings of former premiers Joey Smallwood, Frank Moores, Brian Peckford, (remember Sprung?) Clyde Wells, Brian Tobin, Tom Rideout, and Roger Grimes.
From my side of the overpass I prefer Danny - with his relentless warrior inside. He is a leader in a class of his own, our nationally recognized premier who isn't afraid to battle Big Oil or the cold, calculating enemy of Newfoundland and Labrador - Stephen Harper.
It is no wonder a staggering 80 per cent in this province trust and respects the premier - it makes sense to me.
Bill Westcott writes from Florida.
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