If you ever – ever – decide you have something to give to improve this place and offer yourself up for provincial election, remember that, if successful, you will face endless intransigence and boorish behaviour.
Though it pains me to document that behaviour, it’s worth illustrating what a waste our political process can be.
Thursday, Tory MHA Barry Petten asked Liberal Environment Minister Eddie Joyce how much the federal carbon tax would likely add to the costs of a family of four. He asked five times.
Here are Joyce’s (thankfully abbreviated) answers.
No. 1: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the question. I just find it strange; we went through Estimates this morning, I think he asked two questions. Two questions, on the whole environment. And here he is today, up grandstanding, Mr. Speaker… as I said before, Mr. Speaker, I was here this morning. I offered the member from Mount Pearl-Southlands the opportunity to speak, any time, any question. He asked two questions I think it was, could be three, I’m not sure. … The critic who just asked the questions, Mr. Speaker, never asked one question today on carbon tax. Not one…”
Though it pains me to document that behaviour, it’s worth illustrating what a waste our political process can be.
No. 2: “Mr. Speaker, as we said before, this is something that was put in by the federal government, Mr. Speaker, and part of that is that we can make a made-in-Newfoundland-and-Labrador problem here Mr. Speaker, and the solution in Newfoundland. If not, as I said before, the federal government will come in with a backstop. So, we’re working with the industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, we’re working with all the stakeholders… to benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians — unlike Muskrat Falls will be the biggest (inaudible).”
Answer No. 3: “Once again, Mr. Speaker, I can say as many times as the member wants me to say: we’re developing a plan for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. This carbon tax was put in by the federal government who told all the provinces that by Jan. 1, 2019, if you don’t have a plan, we will put a backstop in. … Mr. Speaker, we will be presenting a plan. I said it before, this kicks in Jan. 1, 2019. There will be a plan presented to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The member opposite is quite welcome, Mr. Speaker, once the plan is out there, to ask any questions he’d like.”
No. 4: “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll tell you one thing that was straightforward, Mr. Speaker: $18 million for Humber Valley Paving when he was executive assistant to the minister of Transportation and Works. Mr. Speaker, I’ll tell you one thing, and I said it before to the member opposite, he can stand here — and I said the plan will be put in for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We will have discretion on the plan. … I say to the member opposite: did you agree with Humber Valley Paving when you were executive assistant to the minister waiting for the new premier to come in, when $18 million was released by three sentences, Mr. Speaker? That’s the difference of this side. We’ll do a plan; we’ll do a comprehensive plan. …”
No. 5: “Mr. Speaker, I can say one thing, at least we have friends in Ottawa. Those friends in Ottawa are putting $540 million in capital works in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador for water and sewer, Mr. Speaker. We have a fishery fund, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you $100 million. Mr. Speaker, I’m glad we got friends in Ottawa. As we said, when the carbon tax rolls in the four cents left will be eliminated from the gas tax… and I’ll say to the member opposite, I take offence when you say — when you say we have, I have, no details, all the work that’s done by the officials. … Never asked a question about how many staff are there, how many people, what type of work they’re doing, is there any increase in funding? It’s shameful for you to …”
All that played very well to the cheap seats of Joyce’s own party, who clapped and interjected.
How does it play to you, paying customers?
Russell Wangersky can be reached at [email protected] — Twitter: @wangersky.
