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Showing posts from November, 2012

Weekly update from the Commons - #8 Nov. 26th-30th, 2012

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ACOA minster's rosy economic outlook 'ironic' given program and loan cuts: Cleary

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EI wait time benchmark raised to 28 days from 21; officials have no idea why or when change made

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Conservative axe continues to fall on Atlantic Canada

Conservative axe continues to fall on Atlantic Canada NOVEMBER 29, 2012 St. John`s – Newfoundland and Labrador’s two federal NDP MPs are outraged at the disproportionate federal job cuts in Atlantic Canada, and are calling on the Harper Conservatives to immediately halt their attack on the East Coast. “This report eliminates any doubt that the Harper Conservatives have it out for Atlantic Canada,” says Cleary (St. John’s South-Mount Pearl), chair of the Atlantic caucus and critic for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. “The East Coast job cuts – on top of the recent 25 per cent slash to ACOA grants - are yet another example of how the Harper government is abandoning Atlantic Canadians.” "It's disturbing to see the same pattern with the Harper Conservatives that we saw with the Liberal cut-backs in the 90's and Newfoundland and Labrador receiving disproportionate cuts. When you combine this with the attack on EI that hurts seasonal workers and seasonal

Conservatives have defeatist attitude towards Atlantic Canada

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Santa came to Town

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The city was on wheels this afternoon with the Downtown St. John’s Christmas Parade — the largest annual event in NL and the biggest parade east of Montreal. From his traditional fly over St. John's dangling by an arm from a helicopter, to his sleigh ride down Duckworth Street, Santa sure knows how to make a downtown entrance.

No student left behind

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Weekly update from the Commons - Nov. 19th-23rd, 2012

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NL and the Confederation debate

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The above advertisement was published in the late 1940s in the St. John's-based, pro-Confederation newspaper - the Confederate . And no better way to tee up Greg Malone's new book, Don't tell the Newfoundlanders : The True Story of Newfoundland's Confederation with Canada. I look forward to the read. I have no doubt Newfoundland was maneureved into Confederation - the evidence is overwhelming. But then we Newfoundlanders were a highly maneurerable bunch back then, as evidenced by the above ad. *** No doubt Confederation with Canada  was seen as llucrative. Ted Russell was a cabinet minister in the very first provincial government after Canada glued itself to us. According to the 2005 book, Uncle Mose, The Life of Ted Russell , by Elizabeth Miller, during its first year in office, the Joey administration did something Russell would later refer to as “very dishonest,” something for which Ottawa still hasn’t “forgiven us,” and from which “the people of New

'Chances are that far greater bay is the one you're in now'

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NDP MP Ryan Cleary (St. John's South-Mount Pearl) stands with Erin McCarthy, valedictorian of the graduating class of St. Kevin's High School in the Goulds Wednesday (Nov. 14th), following the distribution of awards and diplomas . NL comedian Rick Mercer had some interesting advice for Memorial University graduates during a convocation address in 2005 , when he was awarded an honourary Doctor of Letters. His advice came down to one word - moisturize.  "If you take anything with you today, take that advice," Mercer said. "You will thank me down the road. Remember, your skin is an organ." And so I related that story to St. Kevin's graduates Wednesday evening in the Goulds, along with my own advice about never forgetting where you come from, or the fact we're all ambassadors for Newfoundland and Labrador. I also told the more than 100 fine young graduates that no matter where they travel in this world, there is no better place than Newfound

Weekly update from the Commons - Nov. 5 to 9, 2012

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Penashue questioned in the House of Commons

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The following four questions were posed today (Nov. 6th) in the House of Commons to Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Peter Penashue, NL's representative in the federal cabinet. Penashue, who rarely takes to his feet in the Commons, was initially caught off guard with the direct questioning. He answered only one of the four questions, the final one being about his controversial election spending.

Weekly Update from the Commons - Oct. 29th to Nov. 2nd, 2012

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When will Cons release 'real' F-35 numbers?

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I posed the following question today (Nov. 2nd) in the House of Commons regarding the ongoing F-35 fighter jet controversy.