Fisherman's Road

As New Democratic critic for Post-Secondary Education, I gave the following one-minute statement in the House of Commons on Thursday (May 30). Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The average student debt in this country — in terms of federal and provincial loans — stands at $28,000. This is how Canadians are expected to begin their careers. I say expected,  because if the debt isn't bad enough — the unemployment rate for young Canadians is 14.5 per cent, more than double — double — other age groups. This is the first generation of young Canadians not to live as well as their parents — pensions and benefits, for example, are under constant attack.  Canadians students have much to talk about and they'll get the chance to do that this week during the annual general meeting of the Canadian Federation of Students, Canada's oldest and largest student organization.  On behalf of New Democrats, I welcome student representatives from across the country and say YOUR fight — for

As New Democrat critic for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, I posed the following question today (May 29th) in the House of Commons. Atlantic Canadians want economic development - instead, ACOA is becoming a home for Conservative mismanagement and ethical breaches. Yesterday, Conservatives had the audacity to claim they didn't rig the ACOA hiring process. But the report clearly stated, "decisions in the hiring process were based on Mr. MacAdam's circumstances as a minister's staff member." And then the Defence Minister's chief of staff interfered, and changed the report. So let's try again, Mr. Speaker. What consequences did the minister's chief of staff face for this attempted cover-up?

  I gave the following speech Tuesday (May 28th) in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, I stand in opposition to the bill, the short title of which is the “Canadian museum of history act." The bill would amend the Museums Act to create a new crown corporation called the “Canadian museum of history," which would replace the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The bill also sets out the purpose of the new Canadian museum of history. In other words, the Canadian Museum of Civilization would be refocused and rebranded. That is a scary thought, the thought of any Conservative rebranding initiative is frightening. When I heard about this legislation, my first thought was that the Conservatives planned to put a big a blue C on the side of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, representing the Conservative action plan or, as more and more Canadians like to call it, the Conservative inaction plan. However, that is another speech. Maybe the Conservatives woul

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2013    MINISTER MACKAY’S VERY OWN PATRONAGE AND COVER-UP SCANDAL OTTAWA – As Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues to be embroiled in the Senate expense scandal, which has already forced his Chief of Staff and two senior Senators to resign, the Conservative Defence Minister has some explaining of his own to do, said Ryan Cleary (St. John’s South—Mount Pearl), NDP critic for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “It's like the Defence Minister is trying to keep up with his boss with his very own patronage scandal and cover-up,” said Cleary.  “ACOA’s rules were rigged to hire the Minister’s political aide – when caught, his Chief of Staff stepped in to whitewash a report to cover up this interference.” The Chronicle-Herald has revealed that Minister MacKay’s Chief of Staff ordered a report by the Public Service Commission be amended to delete any reference to “outside influence” in the hiring of this Minister’s staf

I gave the following speech on Monday (May 27th) in the House of Commons.  Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier . I stand in support of Bill C-54 , an act to amend the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act in relation to mental disorder. The bill's short title is the “Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act." To be more specific, New Democrats support the bill so that it can be further studied in committee. It merits further study. Cutting to the chase, this bill amends the legislative framework applicable to mental disorder in the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act. It amends the legislation to specify that the safety of the public is the paramount consideration in the decision-making process. I repeat, because this is key, that public safety must be paramount in the decision-making process. The bill also creates a mechanism by which Canadians who are found not criminally responsib

I posed the following question today (May 28th) in the House of Commons. The Defence Minister is trying to keep up with his boss with his very own patronage scandal and coverup. ACOA's rules were rigged - they were rigged, Mr. Speaker - to hire the Defence Minister's political aide. That's clear. These agencies are supposed to help with crucial regional economic development. Instead, ACOA has become a home for Conservative partisan abuses. Mr. Speaker, Where is the accountability? And what consequences did the minister's chief of staff face for this attempted coverup?

I posed the following question today (May 24th) in the House of Commons. The patronage scandals don't end at social secuity - not by a long shot, Mr. Speaker. We now know that senior officials with ACOA rigged hiring rules - they rigged the rules, Mr. Speaker - so friends and political staff of the now Minister of Defence could get work. That in itself is reprehensible. But the fact that the minister is washing her hands of the matter is worse. Canadians deserve answers. How about an answer to this question, Mr. Speaker: Has the minister investigated why ACOA staff bent the rules for Conservative insiders? Why did they break the rules in the first place?

I gave the following statement today (May 24th) in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay homage to the greatest of Newfoundland and Labrador journalists/columnists and satirists - the fearless Ray Guy. Joey Smallwood, the province’s first premier, ruled like an emperor for more than two decades. Using weapons like political intimidation, Smallwood’s influence extended to every nook and cranny and went largely unchecked. Until Ray Guy. Ray had a Mark Twain-meets outport Newfoundland and Labrador genius to his writing. He decided early on that the only course was to perhaps “giggle the bastards to death” Ray Guy was a fierce Newfoundlander and a bayman in the very best sense of the word. He probably couldn’t put an arse in a cat – but the boy could write. In the words of Rex Murphy, Ray Guy stripped the blinkers from our eyes and said, “see, there is something noble and strong and valuable in the Newfoundlander as he was and as he is, and in his

I gave the following 10-minute speech Wednesday (May 22nd) in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to our Indian ancestry, the people of Newfoundland - that's Newfoundland in particular, not so much Labrador - haven't been overly proud. We are not proud because the aboriginal people of the island of Newfoundland, the Beothuk, have been officially extinct for nearly two centuries. Known as the Lost People of Newfoundland, the Beothuk were ravaged by massacres, epidemics and territorial losses, until - by the early 19th century - the group is said to have been completely wiped out. Some first nations would dispute the claim that the Beothuk are extinct. There is a belief in Mi'kmaq oral history that as white incomers tightened their control of Newfoundland, the Beothuk fled to the mainland and integrated with neighbouring groups. In other words, among us all there is Beothuk blood somewhere in our genes through the marriages that took

I posed the following question today (May 22nd) in the House of Commons. Mr. Speaker, It's not enough that they're going after unemployed Canadians. Conservatives are also misusing regional economic development agencies to help their Conservative insider friends. Officials at ACOA rigged hiring rules — yes, Mr. Speaker, rigged rules — to ensure that a failed Conservative candidate and former political aids got jobs. The process was so bad that the Public Service Commission revoked two of the appointments. Mr. Speaker, When will they stop using ACOA as an old-boys club and return to the mandate of providing jobs and economic opportunities for Atlantic Canadians?

Anglican priest Sandra Tilley read from You May Know Them as Sea Urchins, Ma'am — Ray Guy's 1976 selection of writings —during a Celebration and Thanksgiving of his life Saturday in St. John's. Guy, a celebrated writer/journalist, died May 14th.  This Dear and Fine Country  Well, we made it once again, boys! Winter is over. Oh, but there is still snow on the ground. So what? It hasn't got a chance. It is living in jeopardy from day to day. We should pity it because it will soon be ready for the funeral parlor. It is only a matter of another few weeks and we shall see it disappear into brown and foaming brooks; we shall see the meadows burning green and spangled with little piss-a-beds like tiny yellow suns. Winter is over. Oh, but there is still ice on the water. So what? the globe is turning and nothing can stop it, not even Ottawa. We are revolving into light. The fisherman tars his boat on the beach and is heated by two suns, one in the sky and a

We’ll be ridin’ CN busses Editor’s note: The following article, written by Independent columnist Ray Guy, appeared in the Oct. 6, 1967 edition of The Evening Telegram .  The story, about the end of the passenger rail service in Newfoundland, won Guy the National Newspaper award for the best feature story in Canada in 1967. The story was reprinted in Independent newspaper in November, 2004. Photo by Paul Daly.  “What? By train!” asked the surprised CN ticket agent when I phoned for reservations. “Right,” said I. “St. John’s to Port aux Basques. And return the next day. No, I’m not travelling on a pass.” No shame to the poor man. Well he might marvel. The CN still gets some passengers undertaking the 547-mile trek but one asking for a double dose with no time off for a rest cure between must be a rarity. Even the Royal Commission on Transportation has declined an invitation by the railway unions to try it just ONE way. The Telegram rushed me in where royal commiss