Jeers: to Christmas spammings. Now that Christmas has passed, perhaps businesses and professional groups could take a step back and think about their new method of Christmas greetings. E-cards may be a simple way to get a seasonal greeting out to customers and clients, but they’re less personal than an email from a deposed Libyan millionaire offering to share his fortune with you. After the third set of singing corporate reindeer, you just start deleting the things unread.
Cheers: to playing both sides of the same game. Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin expects to “book” $650 million to $750 million as a result of its central role in the construction of the Muskrat Falls project, according to The Globe and Mail, making a good return of green on the Dunderdale government’s clean, green hydro project. But that doesn’t mean the same company isn’t hedging its bets when it comes to shale gas and electrical generation in the United States. There’s this, from a Dec. 18 news release (the day after Premier Kathy Dunderdale’s announcement that Muskrat Falls had been sanctioned): “SNC-Lavalin in joint venture with Skanska, has been awarded a contract for the Newark Energy Center, a 655-MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant in New Jersey. SNC-Lavalin is providing engineering, procurement, start-up and commissioning services, while Skanska is responsible for construction and site management. ‘We are proud to support a project that will provide clean, efficient and dependable electricity to the northern New Jersey grid, while bringing new jobs and revenue to Newark,’ said Patrick Lamarre, executive vice-president, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.” Indeed. The price tag for the Newark plant? Local reports say US$750 million, which is slightly less than the $7.7 billion Muskrat Falls venture. Guess New Jersey’s off our potential customer list.
Jeers: to looking bad. Here’s a slightly private jeer to a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. On a Friday morning when you’re driving one of those marked ghost cars that are supposed to be nabbing drivers for traffic violations, it’s probably not a good idea to roll through red lights without stopping or slowing, or to make a series of turns without bothering to put on your turn signal. You’re not exactly setting a good example for the rest of the driving public, n’est-ce pas?
Jeers: to what passes for debate in the House. In one single day in the December filibuster, two different Conservative MHAs argued that MHA Yvonne Jones had her “knickers in a knot” or “in a bunch.” Jones managed to use the word “weasel” 11 times, and in many different applications. Really, that’s all you need to know about how “honourable” members spend their time. No word yet on whether anybody’s mother wears army boots.
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