Dear Editor: I am just back home from enjoying a three-night stint at my cabin in God’s country at Frenchman’s Pond and I’m inclined to comment on the ruling PCs’ latest blunder.
While not in the least concerned about bears having barbarized the two plum trees at my cabin, I’m at the same time pleased to learn hard-hearted government members are engaged in fruitless damage control.
Tom Osborne’s long-considered departure from the PC ranks has resulted in an array of amusing renditions by government members frantically scrambling to protect their queen bee — if for no other reason than to find later favour.
Finding themselves well on the way to wearing out their welcome, the Dunderdale-dominated PCs are not yet prepared to openly admit the errors of their ways.
Their maintaining of a secretive agenda going forward — the essence of the backward Bill-29 — imposed by a powerful majority-party vote is proving every bit to be a guarantee of their downfall.
I’m left ever more fearful what’s in store with respect to the long-ago promised new regional hospital slated for Corner Brook.
Will it ever become a reality and what will it mean for the political future of a once-strong politician pushing for the project?
I’ve always believed every politician’s first and foremost obligation should be towards his or her constituents — those who provided them with the political voice. Party loyalty should, without exception, be a secondary consideration when making decisions in the governing process.
After all, how else can the public be assured of receiving proper representation if their MHA is being forced to act first for the benefit of their party?
May I suggest Tom Osborne is on the right and proper track, contrary to what his former party chooses to demonstrate. The error of their ways is confirmed by their diminishing support in the polls.
My bet is that leading up to the next election, Dunderdale will be forced to adjust her fault-ridden governing methods in favour of a style friendlier to the general population.
The once respectful provincial Tories, who easily earned election victories by showing concern for people’s wishes, have now taken on a stubborn, couldn’t-care-less attitude towards those who put them in power.
The notion that ordinary people don’t know what’s good or bad for them and require being constantly dictated to will only foster mistrust and loss of support.
We’ve got to get back to the basics, back under the control of an informed population, not one kept in the dark.
The decision as to which candidate we elect must be based on information readily at our disposal, not filtered and one-sided.
Melvyn (Lou) Smith, Christopher’s Cove, Summerside, Bay of Islands
