“I am warning you. Don’t make me wear my pikachu costume.” Demonstrations at Memorial University and at Nalcor headquarters on Friday show the extent to which Newfoundland politics has become little more than irrelevant stunts staged chiefly for the personal amusement of the folks with the expensive cellphones. The protesters
Continue readingTag: Lorraine Michael
The Sir Robert Bond Papers: Supporting and Opposing #nlpoli
If you get any kind of enjoyment at all out of watch people tie themselves in knots, point out to a New Democrat that their party supports Muskrat Falls.Oooo – eee you are in for a ride.But let’s make it clear. The provincial New Democrats …
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: She’s a class act all the way #nlpoli
The House of Assembly closed on Tuesday, likely for the last time before the next election. Sure, Premier Paul Davis said he may call the House back in the fall for a quick amendment to a law, but for most members, Tuesday was the last day of the session. And
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Contending Political Strategies #nlpoli
Starting last Friday, the ironically-named Conservatives currently running the place started holding a series of “pre-budget” announcements. They started with news that to deal with the massive financial crisis they would be dumping 77 and a half teaching positions in the provincial school system. About twice that many would retire,
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Gimme that Old-Time Reaction #nlpoli
The only news to come out of the New Democratic Party convention this past weekend is that the party now has not one but two leaders. Earle won’t be looking for a seat in the House before the next election. As a result, Lorraine Michael remains the leader of the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Anti-democratic, regressive, and unprincipled #nlpoli
The idea of reducing the size of the province’s legislature because the provincial government has a massive financial crisis didn’t get any smarter when the provincial government announced its plan on Thursday to slash the House from 48 seats to 36. People who want to start government cutbacks at the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Cluck, cluck, cluck #nlpoli
Say what you want about Lorraine Michael, but you have to admit that she knows what she wants to do. Lorraine has spent her adult life as an advocate. That’s another word for someone who talks about things. She’s done it quite a bit and, as she made clear Tuesday,
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Lorraine says good-bye, sort of #nlpoli
Her voice tinged with emotion, Lorraine Michael announced to a gaggle of reporters and her supporters at Confederation Building on Tuesday that she would step down as party leader as soon as the party could find a replacement. Lorraine would stay on in politics, though, and promised to run in
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The Void #nlpoli
For its last editorial of 2014, the Telegram decided to discuss the fate of the province’s New Democrats. A quick summary: things were good for the Dippers. Now things are not so good. This isn’t just a local thing. It’s happening nationally. Lorraine Michael has said in year-end interviews she
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Decisive Moments in Politics #nlpoli
The NDP are down five points, the Liberals are up two and the Conservatives are up three, according to the latest Corporate Research Associates poll. Voters are abandoning the New Democrats who are down by one third from 15 points to 10. The Liberals and the Conservatives picked up those
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Another inside deal #nlpoli
If you want to get a sense of how the New Democratic Party convention actually ran last weekend, take a few minutes and listen to Tony Adey’s interview on CBC’s Corner Brook Morning Show. Adey attended the convention but announced afterward that he was leaving the party. Adey believes that
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The left-wing conservatives #nlpoli
In 2010, the provincial Conservatives had a chance to reinvigorate their party in time for the 2011 general election. They deliberately stuck with an interim leader in order to avoid what they considered a potentially decisive leadership contest. After the 2011 election, the Conservatives kept Kathy Dunderdale, even though she’s
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Grits gain from Cons and Dippers #nlpoli
Premier Kathy Dunderdale doesn’t govern by polls. That’s what she told reporters – yet again – as they asked her about yet another poll that showed the provincial Conservatives aren’t doing so well with eligible voters. Then Kathy explained to reporters that the polls told her that she and her
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Softball #nlpoli
No wonder the Conservatives are smiling a lot these days. Not only have the New Democrats imploded as an effective political force but their leader has decided her job is to serve as a cheerleader for the government. (Read more…)
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: The New Lorraine Party #nlpoli
Make no mistake. This is not your New Democratic Party. For those who are active members, they cannot even say that it is “our party”. It’s hers. (Read more…)
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Delusional Hat Trick: Lorraine, Trevor, and Ryan #nlpoli
No sooner had Lorraine Michael pronounced the New Democratic caucus back together again than two of its members announced that they would leave and sit in the House of Assembly as independent New Democrat members of the legislature. Dale Kirby and Christopher Mitchelmore made the announcement in separate media statements
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Opposition Syndrome #nlpoli
Politics is often about compromise. Compromises are great when they work. They suck when they don’t. The provincial New Democrats spent a week in a leadership crisis that climaxed with a two-day caucus retreat complete with a hired, professional meeting facilitator. The result is the worst possible solution for the
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: Osborne joins the Liberals #nlpoli
Not surprisingly, long-serving St. John’s South MHA Tom Osborne has joined the Liberals. Forget all the stuff about what party he fits with. Forget all the foolishness coming from the New Democrats. Osborne’s choice reflects a canny political assessment view of the political landscape not as it is now, but
Continue readingThe Sir Robert Bond Papers: A Celebration of Excellence #nlpoli
For the second day in a row, CBC Radio’s On the Go had a go at Frank Fagan, the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. Or as host Ted Blades described him on Tuesday, another old, white guy. In Wednesday Blades decided to interview NDP leader Lorraine Michael.
Continue readingPressing Politics: The NL Big Picture: NDP Tops Tories in New Poll, Liberals Showing Signs of Return
It has certainly been an interesting couple of days. On Wednesday I published a blog which argued that for the first time in post-confederation NL history, the upcoming provincial election in 2015 would be wide open race between three parties. … Continue reading →
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