Monday, November 16, 2009 8:48 AM
Give peace a chance
Tim Powers
It was with some delight as, I am finding my own peace in the East being home in St. John's now, that I read Roy MacGregor's article on Canada - Newfoundland relations. MacGregor, as is often the case with his work, is on the right track and most of his analysis is on the mark.
One matter that doesn't get enough attention in Roy's work-up are the efforts of Peter Mackay, Newfoundland's Nova Scotia-born and elected representative in the cabinet. After federal Tories were slaughtered in Newfoundland by Premier Danny Williams's highly effective 2008 Anything But Conservative campaign, Peter was given the unenviable job of redeveloping relations between Ottawa and St. John's. He has done fine work.
Peter - not being from Newfoundland, free of the history of our Balkan like fights, being affable yet strong of character and the central minister for economic development in Atlantic Canada - has possessed all elements necessary to help forge peace. Not being an electoral threat or subject to them in my home province, Peter has had the latitude to act effectively. He also shares a sporting background with Premier Williams that has helped them connect.
You can't cause change until a relationship exists to affect it. Peter, among others, has enabled a more functional relationship with Newfoundland and Labrador. For that many of us are grateful.
Going forward, Newfoundland and Labrador need to come up with strong Conservative candidates to contest the seats here in the next election. That will be much easier if there is not a dedicated campaign against them - anyone with a pulse and a brain knows that. Putting a senator in cabinet to represent us is only a short-term solution. We need to look longer and farther to build back the federal Conservative party in Newfoundland, which arguably has been in transition since John Crosbie's retirement from federal politics.
Newfoundland and Labrador, through the collective work of federal and provincial Tory governments past and present, has the opportunity to be a real economic powerhouse something that will not only benefit us but all of Canada. We need that spirit of co-operation again to keep the Rock rolling.
