VOL. 3 ISSUE 10
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ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR — SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 6-13, 2005
OPINION 19 Noreen enters The Gates of New York
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LIFE 17
Social life of Florida snowbirds
Joel Hynes on his book, his family and himself
KIWANIS KEYS
Nine-year-old Peyton Morrissey of St. John’s took home three awards at the Kiwanis Music Festival in St. John’s. Thousands of aspiring young musicians have participated in the festival over its 54-year history. A final celebration is slated for Tuesday, March 8. Paul Daly/The Independent
Matter of time
Lack of oil spill cleanup equipment could lead to catastrophe; latest spill still a mystery JEFF DUCHARME
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nvironment Minister Tom Osborne says the mystery oil slick washing up on the shores of the Avalon Peninsula is tragic, but the lack of oil spill cleanup equipment here
means the province could someday face an environmental crisis the likes of the Exxon Valdez. In 1989, the super tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound off Alaska, spilling 53 million gallons of oil into the pristine environment. The area is still recovering. Osborne says the federal government only has the capacity to clean up a 10,000-tonne oil spill in 72 hours. He
‘We absolutely need success’ New shrimp tariff deal with Europe considered crucial
says the average tanker sailing in waters off Newfoundland and Labrador carries 100,000 tonnes. “That’s 10 per cent in 72 hours, what do you do with the rest?” Transport Canada has yet to pinpoint the source of the most recent spill, which has resulted in the death of thousands of seabirds. The spill has been tracked to an area occupied by an esti-
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Would you bet your country on the possibility that the crazy folks in Pyongyang might not hit Toronto when they aimed for Chicago?” — Peter A. Brown, Columnist with the Orlando Sentinel, See page 11.
JAMIE BAKER
SPORTS 29
MUN wrestlers grapple with each other. McGuinness says. “Without it, it would be very difficult for the processing sector and the fishermen’s representatives to come to a reasonable price (with the 20 per cent tariff) to make it worthwhile to go out and harvest — we absolutely need success.” In 2004, the 7,000 tonne tariff cut off was met by mid-July, but this year — with demand for shrimp product Continued on page 2
Shipping News . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Paper Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
of cargo ships, says the size of the spill would rule out a bilge tank. He says the more likely scenario is the spill originated from the much larger “slop” tanks, where water and oil collects after the main oil storage tanks are cleaned. “That’s far too much oil,” says HyeContinued on page 2
Coming to Terms Ottawa’s attempt to close agriculture station raises questions about relevancy of Terms of Union STEPHANIE PORTER
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possible new deal to change the tariff system on Canadian shrimp products exported to Europe is expected to have a major impact on the Newfoundland and Labrador industry. Canadian cooked and peeled shrimp exports to the European Union are subject to a tariff of six per cent for the first 7,000 tonnes — any export beyond that amount is subject to a whopping 20 per cent tariff, which makes shrimp export to Europe practically unviable. Fisheries Council of Canada president Patrick McGuinness is among those leading a charge to at least double the six per cent bar to 14,000 tonnes. After meetings with European officials in Brussels on Feb. 21, McGuinness is confident the increase will happen. If it doesn’t, he tells The Independent the Canadian shrimp industry could face major problems. “If we aren’t successful in getting the increased quota, it’s going to be a disaster for the industry,”
mated 100 ships. Testing showed the contamination was a combination of bilge (waste) water and heavy crude. A bilge tank is where a ship’s runoff from the deck — water, engine fuel and oil residue — is collected. Capt. Klaus Hye-Knudsen, an instructor at the Marine Institute in St. John’s and a former crewmember and skipper
s the impassioned protests against closing the agricultural research station in Mount Pearl continued last week, the conditions of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Confederation with Canada were once again front and centre. Provincial Natural Resources Minister Ed Byrne vowed to reverse the federal government’s decision — and ensure the research capacity of Agriculture Canada is maintained in the province — by invoking the Terms of Union. “We’re well aware the provincial agriculture station was part of the Terms of Union with the Government of Canada,” Byrne told The Independent in a recent interview. He went on to refer to the 1949 document as the “cornerstone” of the effort to keep the facility. Whether the constitutional arguments made a difference or not, on Friday Byrne issued a statement saying he had received a “firm commitment” from Ottawa that agricultural research activities in the province will not be downgraded — and fieldwork will continue to be carried out on the Brookfield Road land.
Historian John FitzGerald, a professor at Memorial and expert in Newfoundland’s Confederation, says Byrne was right to use the Terms of Union in his case. “This is a responsibility of the Government of Canada and they don’t have the right to unilaterally (make this kind of decision). “If Terms of Union can be so easily breached and broken, well, I mean, we’ve got a list of them we’d like to change too.” The current situation raises questions frequently asked these days: are the Terms of Union, signed more than 50 years ago, still relevant today? Is Canada playing by its own rules? Is it time to revisit the Terms — and is that even possible? FitzGerald argues the Terms of Union (also known as the Newfoundland Act) were flawed right from the beginning. They “were imposed on us,” he says. “They were never approved by the people of Newfoundland; it was an appointed delegation by an appointed government went off and came up with these terms. “Now we’re spending the next 50 years tinkering with the mechanism to hold Ottawa’s feet to the fire when it suddenly and arbitrarily says, ‘We’re Continued on page 5
FEBRUARY 20, 2005
2 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
‘Cuts into profit’ From page 1 increasing in Europe — the quota was realized by January. McGuinness figures the new quota will get the go-ahead when the issue is presented to the European Council of Ministers on March 16. Once it gets the green light, it will probably take until late summer or early fall for the change to take effect. “Those quotas being utilized by July and January, it tells you there’s something not working well here. Increasing the quota is mutually beneficial, both to the Canadian industry in exporting the product and to the European industry that imports the product and processes it into consumer-ready products.” Although there has been opposition to the new quota from Greenland-based companies that feel they can meet the European demand, McGuinness says quality is also an issue. Canadian shrimp is brought to shore fresh where it’s cooked, peeled and frozen. In other countries — including Greenland — shrimp is caught and frozen aboard freezer trawlers, brought to shore where it’s
thawed, processed and frozen again. “Some of the major retailers of chilled sandwiches in the UK are demanding single frozen raw material, so that means they basically have to come to Canada.” St. John’s South MP Loyola Hearn has long been an advocate of reducing the tariff and eliminating it altogether. He says if foreign nations are expecting co-operation in Canadian ports, it’s time they allow Canadian shrimp to enter the European market without being at a competitive disadvantage. “It affects the industry a tremendous amount because any tariff creates an uneven playing field. It cuts into profit, in some cases, to the point where it’s just not feasible to be operating.” In the end, solving the tariff problem, he says, will come down to government will. “The department asks itself, ‘Are we going to kick up over fish and cause a stir with countries that sell us or buy whatever? It’s only fish and it’s only Newfoundland — who cares about them.’ That’s always been the attitude.”
Bilge spill has more impact on birds than on fish From page 1 Knudsen. “The ship would be half sunk with oil if it had that much oil (in the bilge), unless they had a leak to an oil tank that poured into the bilges.” Between January 2002 and May 2004, Transport Canada collected a total of $826,000 in fines from ships that polluted waters off Newfoundland and Labrador. The biggest fine issued in Canada was $170,000 to the Olga in 2004 for the release of an “oily substance” off Cape Race. Transport Canada spokeswoman Tracey Hennessey says progress is being made when higher fines are levied against such ships as the Olga. “… when you get a precedent set like that, further cases carry more weight when you’re arguing for higher fines.” From November to March, the federal government has three surveillance flights a week patrolling East Coast waters for oil spills. There’s one flight a week over the remainder off the year. New technology will allow crews to see 25 miles (they can currently only see
Note The Independent neglected to credit Sheilagh O’Leary for the picture of Duane Andrews on page 13 of last week’s edition. Sorry Sheilagh!
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two miles) on either side of the plane, increasing slick detection. Satellite pictures are also used to detect spills. While thousands of birds are expected to die as a result of the spill, Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist Jerry Payne says fish likely won’t suffer any ill effects. He’s done research where fish have been kept under oil spills for months. While the fish suffered some organ damage, they survived. The biggest danger is to fish larvae. A spill of 50,000 tonnes or less can kill up to one tonne of larvae. “For all intents and purposes, with a bilge spill, the bird impact would be … more important then say potential impacts on fish, either direct effects on fish themselves or tainting on fishery resources,” says Payne. He says inshore shellfish can be impacted if the oil leaches into the sediment, but the biggest fear is gear and fish can be “tainted” with an oily smell. “You have this perception about a major (spill), in terms of gear fouling, that could have (impacts) for markets.” Bill C-15, currently before the Senate, will set a minimum fine of $500,000 for ships that pollute waters off Canada. The maximum fine is currently $1 million, but the largest fine ever handed down was $170,000 in 2004. John Bennett, a senior policy advisor with the Sierra Club of Canada, an environmental organization, says increasing fines is a good step, but often charges
are never laid and prosecutions are hard to stick. “Even if you collected $1 million, would that put the 10,000 birds back — I don’t think so,” says Bennett. “They should just be charged for the pump-out whether they do it or not and that way there’s no advantage to dumping the spill at sea.” Most ships that pollute the province’s shoreline travel the international shipping lanes between Europe and the United States, and never dock in Canada. The cost of pumping out a bilge tank varies, but Paul Reiser of Crosbie Industrial in St. John’s says his company charges on average $100 per hour for the truck and 13 cents a litre to pump out the waste. “It’s only the older vessels that require their bilge work and stuff done and like I say that can vary from a few hundred gallons to a few thousand gallons.” Osborne says shipping companies see Canada as a “safe haven for dumping” because the risk of getting caught is low and fines are nominal. He says the average fine in the U.S. is $1 million. Hye-Knudsen says the reason for the illegal dumping is quite simple. “In the same way that you’re under pressure in your workplace to follow certain rules or get the job done,” he says, “so is the (captain) under pressure to run the ship without incurring unnecessary expenses.”
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3
Pot luck
Marijuana getting stronger; RCMP lecturing professionals, other forces, about potency and awareness
says Conohan, adding there are risks to long-term pot smoking, but growing the plants can also be harmful. Growing marijuana requires a certain level of humidity, which creates toners beware: the pot of today ideal conditions for mould growth. apparently isn’t the flower Exposure to airborne particles, pestipower drug of the 1960s. The cides and fungicides can also lead to RCMP drug unit in New- health problems. foundland and Labrador has been “It’s quite dangerous, as a matter of advising people of the rise in potency fact. Kids can suffer some really ill levels of the active ingredient in mari- effects,” Conohan says. “The kids are juana that creates the “high,” and how it breathing it in, or anybody really, in the can harm the user. area where it’s being grown.” Const. Steve Conohan with the Josh is a 29-year-old occasional pot RCMP’s drug unit smoker who asked lectures other offithat his real name cers, police forces, not be printed. He social workers and says the marijuana professionals about available today is marijuana. “definitely” stronger Conohan says than it was 10 years levels of THC ago when he began (tetrahydrocanniexperimenting with Const. Steve Conohan bol) — or the psythe drug. choactive ingredient But Josh considers found in pot — is the strength to be a rising dramatically Average THC benefit. (tetrahydrocannibol) content in the province. “Because you “The pot of today don’t need to inhale 1980: 1 per cent 2003: 9.6 per cent is not the pot of 1988: 1.6 per cent 2005: 10-13 per cent as much as you many years ago,” 1998: 5.9 per cent would, because it’s Conohan tells The harmful to take in Highest level ever recorded in the province Independent. any kind of smoke in — 23 per cent, on the streets of St. John’s “A lot of times we your body,” he says. Source: RCMP take a cavalier atti“So if you’re smoktude towards it ing 10 joints to get because we think it’s a soft drug and it’s high, you’re obviously putting more harmless.” pollutants in your body.” He says stronger pot is being grown Josh has conflicting feelings on the indoors by cross-breeding varieties, drug, saying that pot should be legal, weeding out males before pollination, but after living with a daily-pot smoker, hydroponic growing and manipulating he thinks it makes people lazy and intensity of lights. paranoid. Health and Welfare Canada receives Josh says he likes to smoke a joint 85,000 to 100,000 samples of marijua- when camping or at a concert. “But just na to test for THC content per year, to do it on a daily basis is kind of bor-
ALISHA MORRISSEY
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“The pot of today is not the pot of many years ago.”
ing.” Back at RCMP headquarters in St. John’s, Conohan says it’s impossible to estimate how much pot is circulating throughout the province. “It changes from day to day and that’s the thing with the drug market. It’s so fluid.” He also couldn’t say how many arrests have been made to date this year relating to marijuana, referring to several large busts in 2004 — including Operation Bullwinkle, which “ate up” a lot of the RCMP’s resources. The June 2004 operation, led by the RCMP in this province, was carried out by 120 officers with 20 police forces. The bust saw the seizure of approximately 300 pounds of marijuana and 32 arrests in three provinces — including
13 in Newfoundland and Labrador. In recent days, the killing of four RCMP officers in Alberta on March 3 while investigating a marijuana growoperation on a rural farm shows the dangers of trying to curb the trafficking of the illegal drug. Gerry Lynch, assistant commissioner for the RCMP in this province, says grow-operations are big business — even in Newfoundland and Labrador. “There’s a lot of money that comes with these operations and with that comes violence.” Conohan says the RCMP generally target larger trafficking operations and have a more difficult time figuring out the identity of individual smokers. “It’s really hard to put a finger on who is smoking pot,” Conohan says.
“It’d be really hard to point a finger and say, ‘Well, this demographic is using it, and this one isn’t.” Statistics released in July 2004, reveal more than 10 million Canadians have smoked pot at least once. Josh says he believes most people have tried smoking pot and is surprised the “non-aggressive” drug isn’t more accepted. “There’s still people of the opinion that it’s the wrong thing … the main thing is that it’s illegal. The law is against it,” he says. “I know people who are parents and authority figures, I know people who are judges, I know people who are lawyers and, of course, all of these people do it on their own and they can’t admit to that.”
‘It would have shut down the industry’ Tory MHA who owns personal care home says government had ‘no choice’ but to provide sprinkler assistance By Jamie Baker The Independent
time if a fire breaks out. “When fires occur in these facilities, multiple injuries and deaths happen — it’s a simple as that,” Hollett says. “If we had a case like that here, where there might be multiple deaths and injuries, I wouldn’t want someone to look at me and say, ‘Couldn’t you have done something?’ Well, we’re doing something.”
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ory MHA Paul Oram says his government had no choice but to provide financial help for personal care homes to install sprinkler systems. Oram is also the owner of Oram’s Birch View Manor, a 51-bed personalcare facility in Glovertown. He says the cost of upgrading, in some cases, would be well in excess of $100,000 — a cost he says the owners of few personal-care homes could have handled. Late last week, the Health Department offered to pay 75 per cent of the cost of installing sprinkler systems, to a maximum of $75,000 for each home. The money is directed at the 88 homes ordered to install systems by provincial Fire Commissioner Fred Hollett in March 2003. They had two years to comply with the order. Homeowners will qualify for the program if they were subject to the 2003 order. Speaking as the owner of a personalcare home, Oram says government had little choice. “I think government realized they had to look at helping personal care homes — these homes just can’t afford to do this work on their own. I think it would have shut down the industry, basically,” Oram tells The Independent. “For our facility in Glovertown, we had quotes from $100,000 to $160,000 — it’s a lot of money. The personal care home industry is very marginal in terms
“I wouldn’t want someone to look at me and say, ‘Couldn’t you have done something?’ Well, we’re doing something.” Fred Hollett, Fire Commissioner
Mildred Piercey of St. John’s is a resident of Hillcrest Estates in Mount Pearl, a personal care home that, unlike 84 others in the province, has an installed sprinkler system. Paul Daly/The Independent
of the profit that you make.” Acknowledging the opposition often associated with government pumping public money into private ventures, Oram says in the case of personal care homes it’s a necessary investment. “Personal care homes save the gov-
ernment millions of dollars every year — it’s the most efficient and effective way to care for seniors. The fact I’m in government doesn’t matter … I’m still an advocate for personal care homes.” Of the 88 homes originally ordered to install sprinklers, Hollett says only four
completed the work in the two-year time frame. Hollett says the original order was made in the interest of safety for seniors who — due to physical and sometimes psychological complications — might not be able to get out of a building in
Now government has offered the assistance, Hollett says he’s prepared to make arrangements to accommodate homes in getting the upgrades made as long as they contact him directly and lay out a detailed plan of action, including the name of the contractor hired to install sprinklers. “If I have that, I’ll grant an extension. Lacking that, I’ll have no choice but to carry on with court action if that’s what it comes to.” There are 94 personal care homes and 18 community care homes in the province, housing residents who require Level 1 and Level 2 care as a result of age or mental and physical disabilities.
MARCH 6, 2005
4 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
Weird science
Funding cuts will impact number of scientists; federal officials say baby-boom bubble will soften impact By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
the amount it spends on expensive scientific equipment. “There’s no tendency at this point to federal Fisheries official says pull everything out of one location or natural attrition of department another,” he says. “So we’re centralizscientists will negate any lay- ing those sorts of things, but we’re not offs as a result of the $154-million contemplating moving fishermen and funding cut over five years announced scientists apart.” in the 2005 federal budget. Federal Fisheries will also move Critics, however, say away from researchOttawa is gutting its ing a single species science budget at a “We’re going to have towards multi-species time when it’s needed research and an to hire a lot of fishmost. The budget for ecosystem-based stock assessment alone approach. eries scientists in will be cut by $5 milRetired DFO scienlion by 2010. tist Edward Sandethe coming years.” David Bevan, assisman says the tant deputy minister of approach, which David Bevin Fisheries and Oceans takes a broader look in Ottawa, says the at how species interdepartment is currently going through a act within the environment and with “baby-boom bubble” with the average other species, is much more involved age of the department’s scientists hover- than traditional research. ing at around 45. “They’re talking about lowering the “So these adjustments over a five- amount of people involved on one hand year period are certainly not going to be and giving us a much more involved requiring massive layoffs or anything task,” says Sandeman, adding he suplike that,” Bevan tells The Independent. ports the ecosystem approach as long as Bevan says science will remain in St. the resources are in place. John’s, but he couldn’t say to what “To my mind, it’s impossible to do it extent. He says some labs will be cen- with less people unless you’re really tralized so the department can reduce selective on the few things you’re going
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Retired DFO scientist Edward Sandeman.
to work on.” Bevan says the department will also look at creating more partnerships between the private sector and its scientists in a bid to curb costs. Ransom Myers, a biology professor
Newfoundland and Labrador First Party readying for convention By Jamie Baker The Independent
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he Newfoundland and Labrador First Party is alive and well and planning a convention before this summer, says president Tom Hickey. The party is not yet registered federally, but Hickey says they’re signing up members and registration is expected to take place once the convention is done. The party was originally launched this past fall during the height of the Atlantic Accord fracas. Although he calls the Atlantic Accord a “fair deal,” Hickey says the issue is only the tip of the iceberg. “The Atlantic Accord is a snapshot in a time, not the answer to all our ills — NL First Party president Tom Hickey. what does it do for rural Newfoundland or the fishery, the heart and soul of the addressed. province? Newfoundland and “If we keep the status quo, in five Labrador will die if we stop at the years from now, there’ll be 15 to 25 per Atlantic Accord,” Hickey tells The cent less communities — without the Independent. fishery, it’s going to die,” Wilcox says. Former party president Fred Wilcox “The fishery is so far gone, it stepped down in requires international January for perintervention with for“If we fail within the sonal reasons, but eign overfishing and is still involved system we have, we will rebuilding stocks — I with the party. He don’t see anyone on the aggressively pursue admits the signing scene in the mainstream (independence).” of the Atlantic parties that will put that Accord may have on the radar screen.” taken some gusto Although the party Tom Hickey out of the swelling has been labelled as a nationalist pride within the province. separatist movement by some, Hickey “People were saying, ‘we’ve got the says separation is not a platform a Accord, now the streets will be paved party can just throw around — but that with gold.’ Well I’ll tell you what — doesn’t mean the party will back down wait until our provincial budget.” from the idea. While the party is targeting resource “It’s right there in our brochure — if development within the province, we fail within the system we have, we Wilcox and Hickey agree the fishery is will aggressively pursue an independthe next big ticket issue that needs to be ent Newfoundland and Labrador. It’s
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not just idle words — it’s a fact.” Wilcox says the party membership will decide the direction of the party. “Let the people that are part of the party decide what it is to be — in other words, think independently and think there has to be another way other than the mainstream parties.” Although provincial issues are of concern to the party, for now Hickey says the focus is on the federal scene. “Registering provincially is not on the horizon at this point in time … our whole purpose of existence is federal. We have to convince people of Newfoundland and Labrador that it’s time a united stand was taken.” “This party will take off in time, but it’s a matter of timing and it’s a matter of growing,” Wilcox adds. “I’m not sure if Newfoundland and Labrador is ready yet, but I think it will come to a point where there’s enough unpopular things happening … that we will say we’re going another way.”
Paul Daly/The Independent
at Dalhousie and a member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, says private partnerships are fine as long as the independence of the science is maintained. He says there’s also concern that multi-
species work will result in some species falling through the cracks. “Outside of Newfoundland, there are cases I know of where the research was done, but the people providing the research (funding) demanded the answers before the research was carried out,” says Myers. Sandeman says such partnerships have been ongoing for years. “There are some things that these partnerships work well with particularly technological types of things ... even some research projects work well,” says Sandeman. Partnerships where industry supplies the ship and government provides the scientists have worked well in the past, he says, but “one of the fears” is the research can be flawed and directed to a predetermined outcome. “It’s our job (as scientists) to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Bevan says considering the amount of retirements the department expects over the next few years, fishery science would be a good career choice. “We’re going to have to hire a lot of fisheries scientists in the coming years and if you’re a kid going into university now, by the time you get out there’s going to be a lot more attrition then we have cuts.”
NEWS BRIEFS Close to the vest An additional $222 million may have been promised by the federal government in the 2005 budget for marine port security, but officials won’t say how much will be spent in which provinces. Peter Coyles, spokesman for the federal Transportation Department, tells The Independent further information will be available to the public as time passes, but much of the security spending information will be kept under wraps in an effort to protect Canada’s ports. He says provincial breakdowns are “not possible. “We want to inform Canadians on the direction where we’re headed — how we’re trying to increase and maintain the security that we already have in place here in Canada,” Coyles says. “However, we have to keep some things close to the vest so that people aren’t completely sure of what security measures are.” He says some of the $222 million has already been allocated to midshore patrol vessels and a new emergency response team for the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway, “additional regulatory inspections” and increased federal presence in ports. Coyles says there has been no set budget for marine security. Rather for the past five years there has been one grant of $630 million. — Alisha Morrissey
Request denied When researcher David Fox suggested the provincial government seek
legal advice over the repayment of royalties from Ottawa for the use of airspace above Newfoundland and Labrador, government had a legal opinion drawn up. The province, however, refuses to release the opinion. A spokesman from the premier’s office says such legal advice usually isn’t released. According to Fox, a retired engineer and former CEO of the St. John’s Port Authority, the province could charge Ottawa more than $4 billion in lost revenue. He based his research on commercial, military and international flights through 500,000 kilometres of airspace over the province between 1949 and 1996 — when NavCanada, a private company, took over the regulatory regime. In correspondence between Fox and John Cummings, deputy-minister of Justice, Fox requested a copy of the legal advice. Cummings turned down the request, saying the document was confidential. “Only in exceptional cases is the legal advice provided to the Crown made known to third parties. In this particular case I believe it is more appropriate that the information would remain confidential.” Fox says the use of airspace — and the royalties paid by those using it — wasn’t included in the Terms of Union with Canada. Because of this omission, he says, the province is loosing approximately $74,000,000 a year in royalty fees and should demand royalties from Ottawa including retroactive payments and interest of two per cent per month. — Alisha Morrissey
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 5
You can go home again
Dozens of come home years scheduled for summer 2005; towns expect populations to double for two weeks By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
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om and Doris Knott are finally going home to Port aux Basques … for a two-week vacation. The Knotts live in Fort Nelson, B.C. This year the couple has planned a vacation to coincide with Port aux Basques’ come home year and Tom’s sister’s 25th anniversary party. “Tom was involved with the fishery and we all know where that ended,” Doris tells The Independent. “So we packed up our belongings, sold most of everything else and moved out west and here we are 11 years later.” She says she can’t wait to get back and visit Port aux Basques, Corner Brook and St. John’s. “It will be a time to re-visit old haunts, meet old friends and just to have fun in our old home town.” Doris says her grown children may not visit the province this summer. “(They) have families of their own now and the cost of getting home … can place limitations on some.” Port aux Basques is one of dozens of communities holding come home year celebrations this summer. Torbay, Grand Falls-Windsor, Cartwright, Spaniard’s Bay, Tilton, Upper Island Cove and Burnt Island — to name a few — have scheduled at least two weeks each to celebrate the people who live there and away. Ted Janes, vice-chair of the come home year committee for Port aux Basques, says every 10 years since 1985 the community holds a two-week celebration — slated this year for July
23 to Aug. 6. Events will include New Year’s Eve in July, block parties and a Marine Atlantic cruise. “Last time we drew about 5,000 former residents and we’re expecting somewhere in the same vicinity again,” says Janes. “We expect the population to double over the two-week period.” He says the come-home festival will bring a pretty penny to the community. “But it’s also good for the spirit of the town — people getting together. It’s just a good celebration of community and all that implies.” Janes says many of the people on his mailing list are now living in Alberta, the United States and Nova Scotia. “Newfoundlanders, by our nature, we’ve been moving out of our province for decades … we’re really a migratory lot by nature,” he says. “They have very strong ties to their home community and most of them try to maintain some connection with those ties.” Tom Knott’s sister, Kathy Strickland and her family will travel from Nova Scotia to Port aux Basques to celebrate her 25th wedding anniversary. “Our anniversary is actually Aug. 16, but … we decided to move it up to Aug. 5, seeing as so many family and friends will be home.” Strickland says her family goes home every year for a few days, but the ferry is expensive. “But when you want to get home, money is no object,” she says. “When the boat rounds Channel Head and you see the homes, it makes me swell with pride.” Ann Benoit, event co-ordinator for
People heading home to Francois, Newfoundland.
St. Alban’s come home year, has many activities planned to keep the more than 1,000 former residents busy during the weeks of July 8-24. “All these people are away and they’re … putting down roots in all parts of Canada, so it’s nice when they come back home,” Benoit says. “Besides the boost it gives to the economy, it’s just nice when friends
Rhoda Hayward/The Independent
and family return.” She says she hopes to have “a good crowd. “In the invitations that I’ve sent out … I think, my God, almost every second person must be in Fort McMurray.” She says people left the community, located on the south coast, to look for work. “People just tried to work and do
what they could do,” Benoit says. “People had to move just to find employment and just to have a life and something for their families.” As for coming home, she says there’s an atmosphere of excitement in all the letters and e-mails she’s received about the event. “Everybody is very, very anxious to get back for a little visit.”
SHIPPING NEWS
K
eeping an eye on the comings and goings of the ships in St. John’s harbour. Information provided by the coast guard traffic centre. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Vessels arrived: Emma, Norway, from sea. Vessels departed: ASL Sanderling, Canada, to Corner Brook; Emma, Norway, to sea. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
TUESDAY, MARCH 1 Vessels arrived: Ontika, Estonia, from sea;
‘Things we just handed over’ Continued from page 1 going to end this, do this …’” Only three provinces negotiated their own specific terms of union with Canada: British Columbia (1871), Prince Edward Island (1873), and Newfoundland and Labrador (1949). Each of the three union documents sets forth clauses pertaining to public services, lays the legal and political groundwork for transition into Canada, and outlines financial arrangements and subsidies. While the documents have much in common, the late date of Newfoundland’s sets it apart. “There is no province to really compare it to because all of them happened much earlier, before they really knew the value of minerals and iron ore and civil aviation and international trade and fisheries,” FitzGerald tells The Independent. “And we have all the baggage from having been a country, in law, in practice, in history, in custom and in discourse.” Stephen May, a lawyer with Patterson Palmer Law in St. John’s, wrote a paper for the province’s Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening our place in Canada called The Terms of Union: an analysis of their current relevance. ‘SOCIAL CONTRACT’ He says the Terms of Union are a “social contract,” and achieved the same goal for Newfoundland and Labrador as the other documents did for B.C. and P.E.I. “Newfoundland was looking to join a federation with its constitution,” he says. “Who should be responsible for what was clarified, together with transitional provisions … to ease Newfoundland and Labrador as a separate entity with its own laws into the constitutional framework.” Of the 50 individual terms of the Newfoundland Act, there are a few that are, quite obviously, no longer useful. As May wrote in his report, “a review of various terms of union reveals that many have no or limited influence on the current political, economic and social affairs of the province.” Term 31, for example, states Canada will take over public services such as the railway (signed away in the 1980s Roads for Rails agreement), the Newfoundland Hotel (sold to private interests), and
civil aviation (most airports are now privately-run). The need for term 46 — which protects the province’s right to manufacture and sell margarine or oleomargarine — has also passed. Term 22, which deals with the fisheries, allowed Newfoundland to enforce its own fisheries laws for a transition period of five years; then all responsibility would be handed over to Canada. The Terms of Union have only been amended twice: to officially rename the province Newfoundland and Labrador; and to abolish the province’s denominational school system (assured in Term 17) after the 1997 referendum. But May stops short of saying the document is completely irrelevant. He points to sections that are still pertinent: protecting the number of seats this province has in Parliament; recognizing Labrador as part of the province; the commitment to maintain boat service between North Sydney and Port aux Basques; and that the province’s natural resources (those on land, at least) belong to Newfoundland and Labrador. “So, there’s still some constitutional relevance depending on issues that may arise,” May says. He adds the Terms remain a historical document, reflective of the time, that fulfilled its mandate. “For the most part, the Terms of Union were meant to be a transitional document that the terms would be temporary.” FitzGerald is more passionate about the subject, advocating changing parts of the Terms to better allow Newfoundland to “regulate its relationship with the federal government. “There are so many bad things that happened to us because of omissions in the Terms of Union,” he says. “There was no clause requiring Ottawa to have even three per cent of the civil service stationed in this province … and we’re 13 per cent of the Canadian military — no requirement for 13 per cent of military spending to go to this province. “There are things we just handed over.” Although it is possible to revisit and amend the Terms of Union, May warns it wouldn’t be an easy, or friendly process. “It means you’d have to revisit the Constitution and that involves more than (this province),” he says. “You’ll come into a situation where you’re having to renegotiate terms for everyone.”
Algonova, Canada, from Dartmouth; Maersk Norseman, Canada, from Hibernia; Nain Banker, Canada, from fishing. Vessels departed: Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, to Terra Nova; Cicero, Canada, to Montreal; Ontika, Estonia, to sea; Maersk Norseman, Canada, to Hibernia; ASL Sanderling, Canada, to Corner Brook. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 Vessels arrived: Maersk Chancellor, Canada, from White Rose; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, from Terra Nova; Maersk
Nascopie, Canada, from Hibernia. Vessels departed: Algonova, Canada, to Halifax; Maersk Chancellor, Canada, to Terra Nova. THURSDAY, MARCH 3 Vessels arrived: None Vessels departed: Burin Sea, Canada, to Terra Nova; Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Canada, to the west coast of Newfoundland; Appak, Canada, to fishing. FRIDAY, MARCH 4 No report
MARCH 6, 2005
6 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
OUR VOICE
Lessons from the Emerald Isle “G
reat weather, eh?” he said with a twinkle. Hailstones the size of quarters slammed off the roof of the taxi and it was immediately obvious why getting a cab in Dublin can often be a challenge. Freakish February weather is one of many ways I’m reminded of St. John’s when in Dublin city, and after travelling across Ireland for the last year it’s not hard to see where a large part of our cultural influence comes from. Times are good on the Emerald Isle. The economy continues to churn along, the currency is strong, and — most vividly — there is a why-not attitude that explains a lot of the success they’ve had over the last decade, which, of course, is not news. Several years ago the Irish-Newfoundland partnership was created between governments to try and transplant some of the Irish lessons to our province. How have we done so far? Well, I can only make a personal judgment based on my experience planning an international resort modelled on Humber Valley near Corner Brook. This is a bit backwards I know — exporting our success over there — but after a year of work in Ireland there are
BRIAN DOBBIN
Publish or perish some comparisons as to why a project like this is so much easier to do outside Newfoundland and Labrador. The Ireland development is called Lough Key Resort and is in County Roscommon in western Ireland. Lough Key is a large lake on the Shannon River and the forest surrounding the lake has been a national park for almost 40 years. With a history on site dating back to 1,500 years before Christ, ancient castles and 400-year-old oak trees, the area is what we imagine Ireland to be. Indeed, it is a profound experience for an Irish descendant as you walk on the ground and learn the history of your forefathers. Add some golf courses, villas, hotel, spa, restaurants and shops, and you have an international resort with Knock airport less than 30 minutes away for our charters to land. By the way, people in Dublin think Roscommon is the Newfoundland of Ireland,
passed over by the Celtic Tiger. A great site yes, but no better than Humber Valley and the costs are considerably higher. So why is it so much easier to do business there? Well, the first reason is the Irish government. The project qualifies for a special state tax status. If an Irish income earner buys property from us there, they can claim a significant portion of the cost as tax relief. The tax break is so attractive that a large portion of the resort’s properties for sale are already spoken for by brokers and advisors for clients in Ireland who are after the tax status — and we don’t officially start sales until September. Compare that to Humber Valley, where of the first 350 properties sold, only one was sold to a Canadian. No tax breaks from Uncle Ottawa. Last week I spent two days meeting five major banks in Dublin, and their keenness for our business was highlighted by the level of management personnel meeting with us, the fresh coffee and biscuits laid out in each boardroom, and by comments like “What do we need to do to get your business?”
Those comments were usually followed by awkward silence as we picked our jaws up off the table. With the Humber Valley project we still have no project banking — no operational line of credit, no mortgages on our facilities, and a hard time getting home mortgages for our wealthy international clients. That’s after investing over $80 million of private money into the project so far. It has proven impossible for the major bank’s credit committee members in the Bay Street boardrooms to conceive of anything in Newfoundland and Labrador being worth the numbers that we have on our statements. BACK AND FORTH Finally, after a year of preparation, we submitted our planning documents to the local and regional government planning departments in Ireland this past December. Three months later we have a response, which we have four weeks to respond to, and then they have four weeks to respond back to us. Everyone is optimistic the planning permission will be in place by June — six months after initial submission — and this is on a site so steeped in history
the archeological survey alone cost over $100,000. Including our initial planning application and our expansion application, we are now well over four years into the process with the Newfoundland and Labrador government — and still not out. So what’s the point? Well, these differences highlight one thing — Ireland is its own country. If they were still the ass-end of a larger English governance, I doubt very much they would have the progressive programs and incentives they enjoy today, and I suspect a lot of their time would be spent complaining about their position in the larger group. Sound familiar? Kudos to their attitude and psychology, the most important difference I see. And by the way, they are still Irish — in other words, you know that part of Newfoundlanders that hates to see another get ahead — well, spend some time in Ireland if you want to know where it came from. At the same time, it’s been overcome. In a future column I plan to compare how things work in the tiny country of St. Kitt’s, where we’re planning our third resort project. They make the Irish seem stuck in the last century.
YOUR VOICE
‘Waving a red flag in front of a bull’ Dear editor, The letter to the editor by Donna Boardway (The Indy: only newspaper I buy, Feb. 20 edition of The Independent) is a perfect illustration of the kind of irksome patronizing that makes the cursed newfie word such an abomination. While admitting to being aware that some Newfoundlanders find this label insulting and demeaning, she nevertheless presumes to judge that as being of no account. She’s met many Newfoundlanders, she says, who do not mind being called a newfie. No doubt, back in her homeland she would find many blacks who do not mind being called a nigger, but to be called so by a visiting Newfoundlander, they might be expected to take some exception. That ugly word emblazoned in big red letters on the side of her boat is not only a gross insult to the boat itself and to the thousands of Newfoundlanders whose culture is synonymous with boats and the sea, but it’s like waving a red rag in front of a bull. Even if it offended only one person, it would be sufficient cause to dismiss it as being appropriate for her
intended use. The depth of Boardway’s lack of understanding of the implications of the manner in which she uses this word couldn’t be shown more clearly than in her comments, “We bought a bay boat just for fishing here and named her after this province. The boat was named out of respect for this province and the people who live here.” Indeed! She’s not only given her boat a new name, she’s given our province a new name also. Her appealing to nice Jeff Ducharme’s understanding of this type of mentality in defiance of horrid Ryan Cleary’s repudiation of it, more than the flaunting of her audaciousness, is what made me not able to let this pass. Like her friends on the west coast, I welcome Boardway and her husband to our beautiful province, but I expect, in return, the respect which the history and the culture of this ancient land deserves, even if they might require a little effort in learning. Good intentions notwithstanding, newfieism in all its stereotypical manifestations simply does not cut it. Lloyd C. Rees, Conception Bay South
The ‘Adrienne Clarkson Cup’ Dear editor, John’s Recreational Women’s League, My favourite newspaper, The etc. We receive virtually no news Independent, celebrated the run up to about these women. International Women’s Week with a Years ago I played women’s hockey great photo by Rhonda Hayward of on grass. Since coming to Canada, I the Roncalli girls have noticed a long hockey team (Feb. 27 drought in the media Your writer passed when it comes to edition). Yeah! The headline of the related hockey. I up the opportunity women’s article included the won’t be playing, but I to tell us about the do look forward to the following, “Described as ‘fast and elegant,’ pages (and other leaders and stars. sports the women’s game is sports media) finally drawing attention.” coming to life as they But women’s hockey drew far too report fully on the great women’s little of writer Darcy MacRae’s atten- game. tion. In the article I read through 14 of Oh yes, there was a second woman the total 21 1/2 column inches before mentioned in the article, our very spethere was any reference to women’s cial Governor General Adrienne hockey. In the remaining seven inch- Clarkson. My vote would go for the es, I learned the name of one woman Adrienne Clarkson Cup to be competwho plays here, Deborah Bourden, but ed for by any women’s team that had in the same article seven men were a feeder system that’s genuinely named. Your writer passed up the accessible to any interested girl, opportunity to tell us about the leaders regardless of income. and stars of the women’s teams who Joan Scott, are affiliated with schools, with the St. St John’s
AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR
P.O. Box 5891, Stn.C, St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1C 5X4 Ph: 709-726-4639 • Fax: 709-726-8499 www.theindependent.ca • editorial@theindependent.ca The Independent is published by The Sunday Independent, Inc. in St. John’s. It is an independent newspaper covering the news, issues and current affairs that affect the people of Newfoundland & Labrador.
PUBLISHER Brian Dobbin MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Cleary SENIOR EDITOR Stephanie Porter PICTURE EDITOR Paul Daly
All material in The Independent is copyrighted and the property of The Independent or the writers and photographers who produced the material. Any use or reproduction of this material without permission is prohibited under the Canadian Copyright Act. • © 2005 The Independent • Canada Post Agreement # 40871083
The Independent welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be 300 words in length or less and include full name, mailing address and daytime contact numbers. Letters may be edited for length, content and legal considerations. Send your letters in care of The Independent, P.O. Box 5891, Station C, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5X4 or e-mail us at editorial@theindependent.ca
Stirling press O
n moonlit nights when the stars above Logy Bay Road take the stage, the beam from the tip of Geoff Stirling’s personal pyramid steals the show. The pyramid, a wooden one, is actually the roof of a warehouse situated behind The Newfoundland Herald building in east end St. John’s, near the turnoff to Robin Hood Bay Dump. The pyramid’s tip is transparent, and, at night, a beam shoots clean and bloodless into the celestial body. Some say the beam is a simple light; others say it’s more likely a special laser carrying messages to alien passers-by: a map of our genetic code perhaps; a complete history of earth, its occupants and ages; Einstein codes, Shakespeare prose; two hours of taped greetings from Stirling’s head, glued, a little off centre, to the body of Captain Newfoundland flying horizontally over Conception Bay, cape fluttering in the wind, NTV stamped in the bottom corner. The Stirling dimension is a fascinating one. Retired from the day-to-day slog, Stirling could drive up at any moment in a fire-engine red Ferrari, studded tires clawing the asphalt. A scarecrow often occupies the passenger seat. The seat, in fact, is the scarecrow: a pair of pants laid on the bum rest; shirt pulled over the back support; bandanna around the neck brace; hat draped over the top. Some say the scarecrow is to ward off potential kidnappers. Stirling is said to have more money than he could spend in a dozen lifetimes, which he may have a chance to do if his thoughts on reincarnation are correct. Others say Stirling keeps a suit of Newfoundland clothes handy in the off chance Fidel drops by for a smoke and a chat and a change from the camouflages. “Hey buddy, how are ya?” Stirling likes to ask the extras in his movie that is our lives. At 84 or thereabouts, Stirling has as much energy as he ever had. He started the Sunday Herald, a tabloid newspaper back then, with a printing press he bought off Smallwood. Stirling suc-
RYAN CLEARY
Fighting Newfoundlander ceeded where Smallwood failed and made a newspaper work — a supermarket tabloid in the days before supermarkets. Stirling did funny things like air-drop newspapers to the sealers on the ice. The stunt wasn’t to sell papers — sealers didn’t have two pennies to rub together — but for publicity. And it worked; we’re still talking about it today. In his book, No Holds Barred, John Crosbie writes about working for Stirling in the summer of 1948. A referendum had just been held — responsible government took 69,400 votes, to 64,066 for Confederation with Canada, and 22,311 for the Commission of Government. Crosbie spent the summer in Stirling’s St. John’s apartment, where equipment had been set up to allow responsible government/economic union forces to listen in on long-distance calls between confederates in Newfoundland and their Canadian counterparts. Wrote Crosbie, The object was to prove our suspicions that Smallwood
Geoff Stirling in his 20s.
and the confederates were being secretly financed by the Government of Canada or the Liberal Party of Canada. I didn’t uncover the desired proof, but I did get to listen in on some amusing and intimate conversations — philanderers talking to their married girlfriends, that sort of thing. Crosbie is still going strong himself, demonstrating at town council meetings in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, shouting down the mayor and councillors, calling for the return of democratic government at 74 years of age with the gusto of a first-year university student. Stirling, Crosbie, Smallwood, Baker, Jamieson, Peckford: our list of characters is endless. There was a time when Richard Cashin may have been included on that list; he could give a rousing speech worth listening too. But Cashin retired years ago from the fishermen’s union and hasn’t said much since. He was recently appointed chair of the new fish processing licencing board, an entity billed as the way to remove political influence from the granting of plant licences (which must be hard to do when the minister still has the final say). Surprisingly, Cashin didn’t open his mouth when Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor gave a crab processing licence last week to St. Anthony, a community in his own district. Taylor said he had no choice — the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal had ordered Taylor to reconsider the matter of the licence. Taylor could have referred the case to the Supreme Court of Canada, but he chose not to. Facts aside, the perception stinks. Where have all our characters gone? Where are the fearless Newfoundlanders with the guts to stand up for what’s right and just? Speak up now, step forward and be heard. Alas, some are dead; some are older; some have lost the spark. And then some lucky stars never fade. Instead of the Churchill, maybe it’s pyramid power we should be harnessing. Ryan Cleary is managing editor of The Independent. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 7
John Efford had a farm … uh oh Federal cabinet minister criticized yet again for handling of a provincial issue
T
here was a daycare in Edmonton. They did a very silly thing there. They left a baby asleep and went home for the weekend. Oops. As you can imagine, there was hell to pay. Then I read they did it again. This time they left a kid unattended outside. Oops again. Now there’s one less daycare in Edmonton. That’s the way it goes. You can often live down one big mistake, but if you keep screwing up, eventually you’re going to go down. That’s true for running a daycare — and it’s also true in politics. I thought about that daycare when I read Axel Miesen of Memorial University and Natural Resources Minister Ed Byrne say they had no idea what John Efford was talking about regarding the reassignment of the staff at the experimental farm. Efford had announced the farm was being closed to “save money,” but told the press the “silver lining” was that all the jobs would be kept. The staff could all go work at the university.
IVAN MORGAN
Rant & reason
That statement turned out to be totally unfounded. Local officials were angry and bewildered (their words). I thought about that daycare as I followed this flap in the media. I hear Efford wasn’t happy when he learned what the Agriculture Department had told him didn’t jibe with the truth. I bet. I wonder who’s giving Efford his advice. I wonder why he’s taking it. Can he afford to keep stumbling like this? From where I sit it looks as if — once again — he was told to bring bad news to the province. And it looks as if, once again, he did so, without doing his research. It looks as if, once again, he exercised spectacularly bad political judgement. Is someone in the Martin administration yanking his chain?
I realize this is the second column I have written about Efford in as many months. I am not Efford bashing. I do wonder, however, why he keeps doing things like this. Let’s have a look how this issue was handled. First things first: if Brian Tobin taught his followers anything, it was that a successful politician doesn’t give bad news. Had it been me, I would have had one of my people drop this little gem in Byrne’s lap. Let him come out howling with the bad news. Then I would have been ready with my research done to deflect the fuss. OK, so Efford is not Tobin — to his credit. So he should be bloody sure he had his facts straight. Here’s a guy who’s already blown it once — big time. “Take it or leave it” still echoes around his head whenever I see him on the TV. He cannot afford to blow it again. If I was Efford, I’d be mighty worried. This whole confusion — rightly or wrongly — made him look like he was not “in the loop.” Again. If you are the
point man in Ottawa for the federal government, you have to always look like you are “in the loop.” That’s political talk for knowing what you’re talking about.
Tobin always looked and acted like he knew what he was talking about. He wouldn’t have touched this story with a 10-foot pole. Tobin always looked and acted like he knew what he was talking about. He wouldn’t have touched this story with a 10-foot pole. Some bureaucrat would have been sent down with the bad news. If you are the senior federal minister for the province, it’s also a good idea to
look like you’re on our side. Imagine being told that, while every province has an experimental farm, in order to save money the federal Agriculture Department is going to close the one in your province. Hello? Might this not have set of an alarm bell in someone’s head in Efford’s political office? And the good news? It might have been a good idea to see if the people you proclaim are going to save the day knew what you were talking about. A phone call would have fixed this. They are all in the book. The way I see it, Efford’s first instinct ought to have been to tell his cabinet counterpart that he wasn’t going to close our only experimental farm. And even if he was convinced that it had to be done, he ought to have had his facts straight. Instead, figuratively speaking, it looks like he has left another youngster unattended. Not good. Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com
SEA BIRDS COME ASHORE
YOUR VOICE ‘Put down other newspapers’ Dear editor, I am writing in response to Victoria Wells-Smith’s column (No kids for me, just Cadillacs) in the Feb. 27 edition of The Independent. I have to say even though WellsSmith’s column is fairly new, so far she’s done a good job. I work parttime on weekends at a gas station in Corner Brook trying to keep myself going through university. It’s there that I read The Independent. I have to say it’s one of the best things, as far as newspapers go, in Newfoundland. I am a pessimist at heart, and I have to say, it was nice to hear something positive coming from a newspaper column, especially when most news is about who’s on trial, and the collapse
of an economy(s). The line, “Sometimes you have to give a person, a place, an idea or even a moment a chance and you may find something that influences your life in a positive way,” was great. Just like the sentence says, most people don’t give new things a try. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with some things (some people) today. Through my eyes, that sentence could read as a mentality or advertisement for The Independent newspaper, about how maybe some people should put down other newspapers and read The Independent. Joe Mitchell, Corner Brook
‘Delighted’ with coverage Dear editor, My wife and I are delighted with Stephanie Porter’s double-page spread (Photographic memories, Feb. 27 edition of The Independent). The two stories were a pleasant surprise, as Stephanie hardly took any notes and I wasn’t expecting such pleasantries. Obviously she has a great memory. Thanks very much! Please thank Rhonda Hayward for her photo. I liked that too. I’ve had several phone calls. Great! Frank Kennedy St. John’s
‘The real story’ Dear editor, I’m an avid reader of The Independent, even though it has not always been kind to NAPE, the union I represent. Sometimes, Mr. Cleary, you call a spade a spade. Having said that, I take exception to a couple of things you said in a recent column (Separation point, Feb. 20 edition). To begin with, I don’t agree that the outcome of the public sector strike last April was good for anyone. It was bad for public services and the people who depend on them, for the economy, and for 20,000 families. You said the premier beat us “squarely.” Well, he certainly didn’t beat us “fairly.” Things weren’t going his way, so he changed the rules. He used the power of the legislature to take away the rights of 20,000 people. And he broke a promise, a promise he made in public to our members in 2001. The premier made quite a fuss recently about the prime minister and a promise. Well, the prime minister kept his promise. Now it’s time for Premier Williams to keep his promise and reopen negotiations for the NAPE members he legislated back to work in 2004. He also promised not to lay off workers, yet layoffs continue. We expect him to keep that promise, too. Mr. Cleary, I also take exception to your comments that cuts to the public sector will be tough on workers but not deadly as, in your words, “the bureaucracy always carries a few extra pounds to weather a storm.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Cuts are already having a negative effect on public services. We are already cut to the bone. The system is on the verge of collapse. Just ask the people of rural Newfoundland, where most of the cuts are taking place. Recently I attended the signing of the Atlantic Accord. The premier and
the finance minister stood on the stage, and they clapped each other on the back and said what a great day it was for Newfoundland and Labrador. They said we have reason to feel proud. They said we’re doing this for our children’s children. Well, I for one am sick to death of hearing about our children’s children. Let’s start caring about the people who are working today, and their children. LARGE OIL PROJECTIONS This government has already hurt a lot of people. The premier said that was because he had no money. Well, the provincial government has received an up-front payment of $2 billion in equalization payments, and it will receive an additional amount over eight years estimated at $600 million, for a total of $2.6 billion. This is all new money. Should the province come out of equalization and stay out, it will also receive transition payments estimated at more than $2.5 billion over seven years; and it gets to keep the $2 billion advance. The provincial government is projecting provincial oil revenue at $850 million a year, though at today’s oil prices, a more accurate projection is $1 billion a year. In comparison, last year provincial oil revenues were $235 million. If money was the premier’s excuse before, what’s his excuse now? He has none. Soon we will see this is not a matter of fiscal responsibility, it’s a matter of this government’s negative attitude towards working people. Should the provincial government bring down a budget that continues to break promises, slash services, and take away people’s jobs, what they should feel, Mr. Cleary, is shame. That’s the real story here. Leo Puddister, NAPE president
Greg Robertson of the Canadian Wildlife Service holds a dead Black Guillemot, a sea bird, at Environment Canada offices in St. John's. It is one of many birds to wash ashore due to large oil spill off the north east Avalon. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
‘Loath’ to help City of St. John’s Editor’s note: the following letter was received by The Independent just prior to the March 3 deal bringing the Fog Devils to Mile One next season. Dear editor, Whenever I stay in a motel in St. John’s, the motel adds three per cent to the cost of the room and sends it to the city to help it pay for Mile One stadium. It doesn’t matter if I am in St. John’s for a medical appointment, or if I am there to see an event at the stadium, I still have to pay the levy. It is great politics for city parents to make outsiders pay for the stadium, and fairness is not an issue.
But when the city has the opportunity to rent the building and refuses, as it did with the negotiations with the Fog Devils, it really makes me loath to pass over three to four loonies a day to the city to help them when they won’t help themselves. It is absolute nonsense for the city to say they are better off leaving the building empty than they are renting it. It was ridiculous for the city to be in competition with a private business for the hockey team in the first place, and the current impasse is nothing but a show of muscle and spite for having their franchise bid rejected by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
When Andy Wells and the councillors give the province the we-are-protectingthe-taxpayers or the no-subsidies-forprivate-business political sound bites there is something they do not mention. It is my tax dollars that help build the provincial services that are based in St. John’s. Not only do I have to pay to go to St. John’s to have my heart checked, I have to help operate a stadium while I am there. And St. John’s Sports and Entertainment won’t even lend a hand, preferring to stick it to the Fog Devils rather than operate my arena. Jim King, Corner Brook
Efford: ‘politically neutered messenger’ Dear editor, MP John Efford didn’t show up for the gun registry vote on behalf of this province. He didn’t support the province’s best interests on the question of fishery protection. He didn’t help, and was actually a liability for this province, regarding its most recent Atlantic Accord discussions with Ottawa, and was prepared to leave $2 billion on the table (remember the take-it-or-leave-it line). Once again, it has to be repeated that John Efford needs to be recalled, or his electorate should tell him to resign and seek a personal confidence vote on his work as our man at the table to date — before he locks the doors, turns off the lights and boards his yacht, leaving this province in dry dock. Another file, the one on the agricultural research centre in Mount Pearl, has been pronounced dead in this province while our man was on the watch, indeed around the decision table. (Wonder how he voted!) He couldn’t even muster permission, wouldn’t insist from that same table that he give the province a heads up — not a word from our “you can depend on/trust me” John, and the “I have the province’s best interests at heart” John. That decision had to be made months ago ... not a word. John Efford is an embarrassment; he’s a high priced, politically neutered messenger. Having said that, and to give the muted devil his due, he was able to arrange for a few suits, really important suits though, to come and conduct a provincial psychological decompression exercise on us all on the
John Efford
heels of the news in this latest edition of the Efford take-it-or-leave-it journal. But he is not totally without mercy, and he still has some pull in Ottawa. He was able to offer some solace to the people about to lose their jobs at the agricultural research centre — that they will probably be absorbed by Memorial University. That promise should make these people feel warm and fuzzy. At least their best interests are being shadowed by Efford, because I’m fairly sure
Paul Daly/The Independent
that it was Efford who recently said “we can take his word to the bank.” It makes me feel good! To the people of his electoral district, please call John home, he’s in a tailspin, he’s an embarrassment. Send someone to Ottawa with some observable sense of self respect, let alone any sense of responsibility for representing “the best interests” of this province — and not his own. Ron Tizzard, Paradise
MARCH 6, 2005
8 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
Interrupt Toni-Marie, get a painted rock in the head
PAPER TRAIL
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ately, I’ve been thinking of moving. It’s not that my current JEFF DUCHARME abode isn’t a fun place to live. A Savage There are early morning visits from lost fools looking for some of my felJourney low tenants and when the summer nights are lovely, the neighbours gather across the street and gossip. harbour master not allowing inflatable “It’s like Coronation Street,” said a dinghies in the harbour. buddy after noticing the gang across For my part, I tried to explain to the way on their lawn chairs. them how paddling across the harbour Yup, a good neighbourhood with after an evening of frivolity downtown good neighbours. would be the perfect capper to a perBut a buddy of mine has offered me fect evening. Yes, there could be the a place across St. John’s harbour on odd casualty, but the making of such the south side, the same side as the legendary adventures often requires a Irving Oil tanks. The decision on mov- casualty or two. ing hinges on whether the current tenThe only pressing concern would be ant decides to leave. It seems he being sucked into the bubble’s vortex decides he wants to move around this of sewage and unable to get away — time every year — winter depresses even the coast guard would think him and the isolation causes him to twice before responding to an SOS yearn for a home closer to downtown. from the bubble. Then again, that may The biggest issue surrounding such be a moot point since the ships may a relocation would be have already exhausted the fact that I don’t their fuel budget idling have a car — an in the harbour and the It remains to be absolute must when best you’d be able to living on that side of hope for is a life-ring seen if hitting a St. John’s harbour. thrown from shore. But cars are finanPossibly the greatest floating turd in cial black holes — obstacle to navigating money pits. the harbour could across the bubble would A few years ago, a be dodging the debris send a dinghy gentleman in that the bubble spews Montreal decided to out — condoms, sanito the bottom. sell his car and take tary napkins and, of nothing but taxis and course, the dreaded public transportation floating turd. for a year. The end result was that he “Turd ahoy!” saved 60 per cent of what it would “And captain, she’s bigger than a have cost him to drive a car for a year. growler.” Those savings were based on stayAnd, like icebergs, the portion of the ing, for the most part, in the downtown turd that can be seen above the water is core and not taking long weekend taxi only, well, the tip of the turd. We all rides with the kids to the cottage. know that most of it rests well below But the idea of living across the har- the waterline. bour, being able to look out The It remains to be seen if hitting a Narrows or back across the harbour at floating turd in the harbour could send the city skyline, really does fire up the a dinghy to the bottom. A last minute artisan in me. Maybe I’ll set-up a card turd-avoidance maneuver, if not proptable on sunny weekends, don the salt- erly executed, could result in the and-pepper sweater, scribble nautical dinghy capsizing. poems on beach rocks and flog them Now being a responsible dinghy to hapless tourists as they make their owner and operator, there would be trek to Fort Amherst. (For out-of- lifejackets on board for each passentowners, that’s across The Narrows ger. If, for some reason, a passenger from Signal Hill.) ended up in the harbour without a If the “ohhhs and ahhhs” uttered by proper personal floatation device, each the gaggles of passing tourists get too passenger would be instructed to reach annoying and interrupt my evening for an armful of feminine hygiene napviewing of Toni Marie’s weather fore- kins as a last resort. cast, then any unsold inventory of Some have suggested that the plaspainted rocks will be heaved with tic dinghy couldn’t possibly hold up to gusto in their direction. the chemical cocktail that is the water of St. John’s harbour, but considering 20-MINUTE ROW the condoms in the harbour seem to Transportation across the bay have the half-life of a CANDU nuclear shouldn’t be that complicated. And reactor, then certainly an inflatable while I haven’t done the (as politicians rubber dingy can withstand the same are so fond of saying) due diligence, it toxic waters. would seem that an inflatable dinghy So if you’re walking down by the from Canadian Tire would solve the harbour one evening and hear sea transportation issue nicely. It would shanties emanating from out on the only be a 20-minute row on a calm water, don’t panic, it’s not the ghost of day. Stormier days would require con- some long-dead sea captain. It’s just siderably more effort. me making my way across the harNow, the whole issue of getting bour, bravely navigating the turdacross the harbour to work has sparked infested waters on my way home. some rather spirited conversations within my circle of friends and repro- Jeff Ducharme is The Independent’s bates. They don’t think such a plan senior writer. could work — something about the jeff.ducharme@theindependent.ca
‘Time for the Iron Woman’ By Alisha Morrissey The Independent omen’s roles have changed greatly in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1925 when they were granted the right to vote. The Daily News in St. John’s ran a headline, but no story, on March 10, 1925: “Woman Franchise Bill Passes Second Reading Without Dissenting Voice.” Though there were several page-long letters to the editor from both men and women — with opinions for and against a woman’s right to vote — there were no further stories on the topic for months after that initial headline. Fifty years later the United Nations declared 1975 International Women’s Year. An article in the Harbour Breton Foghorn on Jan. 31, 1975 touched on the programs paid for by the UN to educate women about workforce options. The article said that more than 40,000 Newfoundland and Labrador women — one quarter of the province’s female population at the time — made up 28 per cent of the overall workforce. “As women workers within the capitalist system, they face the added problem of being systematically regulated to the lowest paying job categories, and in addition they are expected to hold down the job of housework and children,” the Foghorn story read. The article went on to explain about a booklet and conferences prepared, with UN funding, in honour of International Woman’s Year. “Some women on the south coast might find the article on fisheries workers particularly interesting as it includes their involvement with the fisheries from ‘the flakes’ to the present methods of work in the ‘fresh-fish plants.’” Women filled traditional gender roles, The Foghorn explained, working in clerical, domestic and service areas, medical and teaching positions and, of course, the fishery. Traditional work roles were also observed in St. John’s in 1975. The Jan. 31, 1975 edition of The Daily News showed a photograph of Phyllis Upshall, a former taxi driver, who went into the convenience store business after “she found that men weren’t ready for a lady taxi driver.” At the time, Upshall said she planned to one day open a cabstand with only female drivers. The Daily News ran a bi-weekly feature that included a few pages of news from Labrador. On Jan. 30, 1975 the Labrador section of the paper ran two
The Daily News printed this 1975 advertisement celebrating International Woman’s Year.
stories about changes to the way women lived there. “It’s time for the ‘Iron Woman,’” read one headline. The story explained that by 1977 Wabush mines would be in a position to hire women to work underground. “All literature printed to date has been written describing ‘iron man and iron ore’ — the time for the ‘iron woman’ has arrived.” However, four females employees who worked in the office didn’t want the opportunity to work side by side with the men. “They felt it was a man’s job,” the story read. Another article written for the Labrador section of the same edition revealed that 15 per cent of cases before the courts in 1975 related to divorce. Before 1971, a woman couldn’t
divorce her husband in the province unless she had proof that he had committed adultery. In the years following, a woman could file for divorce, but the couple had to be separated for a minimum of three years and, according to the article, “regardless of who is suing for divorce, if property is registered in the name of the male — wife and children got nothing.” The article explained 40 per cent of divorces filed were on the basis of mental or physical cruelty. Life for women in the 1970s wasn’t all bad if there was money in the home. Advertisements in The Daily News from 1975 to 1976 included slogans like, “For the woman on the go,” pitches to sell Roy-Gibson appliances — featuring ovens and fridges behind the smiling sketch of a beautiful woman in a classic display pose.
LIFE STORY
‘Wonderful role model’ Grace Butt: playwright, author, poet, anti-Confederate, pioneer By Jamie Baker The Independent
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ew writers in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history have made an impact like Grace Butt. Born in Brigus in 1909, Butt was renowned for her long storied career as an author, playwright and poet. Her life resume contains a litany of firsts. Another well-known author, Helen Porter, knew and worked with Butt for years. Porter says she will probably best remember her friend for the way she lived. “The biggest thing I could say about her is that she was a wonderful role model in her life and in her writing,” Porter tells The Independent. “She was an admirable and honourable woman, very truthful and no meanness whatsoever.” After getting an early start to her writing career, by the age of 28 Butt founded the St. John’s players in 1937. In 1945, the company produced her first full-length, three-act play, The Road Through Melton. “I think this was the first full-length drama written and directed by a native Newfoundlander who still lived here. “That was very encouraging for me as a writer — she was very much a pioneer.” In one of many interesting tidbits about Butt’s life, during that time she was the first director for American actor Hal Holbrook. Holbrook, who is best known for his television roles on Designing Women and Evening Shade, as well as movie roles in The Majestic, Men of Honour, The Firm and Wall Street, was stationed at Fort Pepperell and was a member of Butt’s St. John’s Players during his time in Newfoundland. “She always laughed and said she should take some credit for his fine career because he was only in his early 20s when she met him.” As a writer and a director, Butt also worked with the Newfoundland Travelling Theatre Company, the
Grace Butt
Amalgamated Artists and the Basement theatre of the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre. She was a driving force behind the start-up of the Dominion Drama Festival. Among her works brought to life were: The Newfoundland Pageant (1974), Part of the Man (1969), which debuted at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, and Faces of Women in 1982. Butt also went on to write various pieces for the stage, radio and television. In 1947 she wrote True Newfoundlanders for radio to celebrate the Cabot anniversary; Gently Falling Flakes and The People’s House, both of which were stage plays produced by CBC Radio; and the radio documentary The Fall of Responsible Government (aired in 1976). In 1968 she wrote the documentary The Great Birds for television and received commissions to created documentaries such as Heart’s Content. “She was a playwright, but she was also a poet. The book of poetry I remember best was called Point Blank and it was published with Lillian Bouzane.” Butt’s work won her numerous awards and honours, including the Lydia Campbell Writing Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council in 1986. Aside from a number
of provincial Arts and Letters awards for drama, poetry and essay work, Butt was also presented with an honourary doctor of letters degree from Memorial University in 1981. While writing represents a large chunk of her legacy, Porter says Butt was much more than just an author. She was also an activist and a feminist role model. “Grace and her husband Bert Butt, a well-known politician and activist, were both very much involved in the antiConfederate fight. She was a very strong Newfoundland nationalist, but I think she came to terms with Confederation later,” Porter says. “Grace and Bert were very outspoken — a lot of her work was political.” Besides being a leader among women authors in Newfoundland, Butt is also widely believed to be the first woman in the province to hold a driver’s licence. “She was her own person. She worked as a teacher before she got married, and she once told me she wanted to continue teaching — this was in the 1930s at Holloway School — so she wrote a letter to the board because it was very unusual for a married woman to work as a teacher in those days. They turned her down because it was unthinkable she would be taking a job away from a man.” Porter, who worked alongside Butt at the Gosling Memorial Library and the Arts and Culture Centre Library (a job from which Butt retired in 1973), says she will also remember her friend’s commitment to her family. “All through the years she was writing, she had a full time job and two daughters … she was a remarkable person.” Grace Butt passed away on Jan. 22, 2005 at the age of 95. As a fitting gesture of remembrance, friends were asked to purchase a book by a Newfoundland author. Background information on some of Butt’s work was retrieved from the Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage web site.
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 9
Golden cod
NEWS IN BRIEF
Marine Protected Area about to be established in southern Labrador
Date rape drug alert
HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY By Bert Pomeroy For The Independent
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has expressed “tremendous concern” about the use of Rohypnol (also known as the date-rape drug) as a tool used by sexual predators in St. John’s. Rohypnol, a central nervous system depressant, is prescribed for treatment of sleep disorders and costs approximately $25 to $30 a pill on the street. The drug, which can incapacitate a victim within 15 to 20 minutes, is colourless, tasteless and odourless. It can be dropped into alcoholic drinks by a predator and can leave a victim with no recollection of events for up to 12 hours. Sgt. Paula Walsh, spokeswoman for
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he most genetically distinct population of Atlantic cod is closer to becoming protected under Canada’s Oceans Act. The cod exist almost entirely inside Gilbert Bay on Labrador’s southeast coast. Having a range of 60 square kilometres, the 70,000 metric tonnes of fish are characteristically reddish-brown or golden, unlike their cousins further offshore, says Jason Simms, an ocean biologist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in St. John’s. “They are resident to the bay, although they are not restricted from leaving,” Simms tells The Independent. “We’re not sure why they remain in the bay — there is a lot we don’t know.” What is known is the cod spawn in shallow water in the upper confines of the bay during late May and June. After spawning, the mature fish migrate to the outer region to feed. During early fall, they migrate back to the spawning grounds where they remain until the following season. Gilbert Bay is one of five regions in Atlantic Canada, and one of two in Newfoundland and Labrador, expected to be designated as a Marine Protected Area by the end of the year. The designation, says Simms, would help protect the rare species of cod, its key habitats and supporting ecosystem. The move to protect the fish began in 1999 when residents from the nearby communities of Williams Harbour and Port Hope Simpson approached DFO to see if the bay could be designated as a Marine Protected Area. “They were concerned about the stock being overfished,” says Simms. “They sent us a proposal, and we decided to have a look at it.” Two years later, in 2001, the Gilbert Bay Steering Committee was formed, with representation from a cross-section of interests, including fishermen, DFO, municipalities, Memorial University, the Labrador Métis Nation, provincial government and the Southeastern Aurora Development Corporation. “The committee collected more information, and recommended to (DFO) that we should start looking at a management plan with a goal of designating
Golden cod found in Gilbert Bay, Labrador
the bay as a protected area,” Simms says. The recommendation was accepted, and the first draft of a plan was started in March 2003. A year later, the draft was submitted to DFO, and a consultant was hired this past fall to “pull all of it together into one document,” Simms says. “We now have a plan that is being reviewed.” The committee has recommended the boundary for the proposed Marine Protected Area include the entire range of the Gilbert Bay cod. Within the boundary, three separate zones have been created to reflect differences among physical environments and habitats. Correspondingly different management measures are recommended for each zone. Regulations to govern activity within each zone are in the drafting stages, and should be submitted to the Justice Department within months, says Simms, who helped co-ordinate the project. The proposed regulations allow the use of motorized and non-motorized vessels in all three zones, as are sealing activities and the construction of wharves — if the applicable licenses for these activities have been obtained. It is proposed the regulations contain a general prohibition against the disturbance, damage, destruction or removal of any living marine organism or any part of its habitat within the area. However, some activities, such as scientific research, monitoring and specific
the Constabulary, says there are indications the pills are widely available downtown. “It’s very difficult to definitively provide a statistic that can indicate the extent of this problem,” she tells The Independent. “Of course, those statistics would only be based on the number of complaints received.” Walsh says police are trying to pass along a message of understanding to victims , but they must contact police as soon as they suspect something has happened. Because Rohypnol passes through a person’s system within 12 to 24 hours and victims often wait a few days to come forward, there’s often no proof the drug was used in an assault. — Alisha Morrissey
DFO photo
types of fishing, may be allowed to occur within the area, as may other activities required for specific over-riding purposes, such as public safety and security. Andrew Strugnell is a fisherman from Port Hope Simpson who drags scallops in Gilbert Bay for a couple of months each year. Designating the bay as a protected area, he says, is necessary to preserve the cod stock. “It’s a good thing,” he says. “We got to do what we can to protect that fish.” While there will be restrictions, Strugnell, who also serves on the steering committee, says he’s confident the limited scallop fishery will have little impact on the cod. “The scallop (dragging) is not hurting,” he says. “I’m only up there a couple of days a week for eight or nine weeks — there’s only one other person (fishing) there. There are not a lot of scallops there.” Under the proposed regulations, all commercial fishing activity will be prohibited in zone one of the boundary — the area of highest concentration of cod. The zone also contains the spawning grounds, and is the over-winter habitat for the fish. Only recreational angling for salmon, trout and arctic char will be permitted in this zone. Commercial and recreational fishing will still be permitted in the other two zones. Simms says he’s excited about seeing the bay become a designated protected area.
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MARCH 6, 2005
10 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
Ship shape Coast guard ship Wilfred Templeman may be taken out of service and not replaced — or maybe not By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
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ederal documents show Ottawa has pegged the “latest retirement date” of the Wilfred Templeman at 2006 and 2011 for the Teleost — two Department of Fisheries and Oceans research vessels based out of St. John’s. While there’s a chance the Templeman won’t be replaced, the Teleost may be in for a refit. DFO received $276 million in the 2005 federal budget to build six new Canadian Coast Guard vessels — two offshore scientific vessels and four smaller mid-shore patrol vessels. There are currently four scientific offshore vessels in Canada — the two stationed in St. John’s, one in Nova Scotia and one in B.C. Built in 1988, the Teleost is the newest. Each ship has a crew of approximately 20. David Bevin, assistant deputy minister of DFO in Ottawa, tells The Independent the Atlantic fleet will get one of the two new offshore science ships, but one of three existing ships — either the Wilfred Templeman, Teleost, or N.S.-based Alfred Needler — in the east coast’s aging fleet will be taken out of service and not replaced. Bevin says
the new vessel will be stationed at the “most efficient location.” He wouldn’t say if that location is in Newfoundland or Labrador. The decision is under review. MAJOR RETROFIT The remaining vessel will undergo a major retrofit — likely the Teleost because of its relatively young age. “They’re going to have an evaluation of the existing three to pick the best vessel — it will most likely be the newest — that’ll stay and then (we’ll) deal with the refits as necessary on that one and then they’ll have a brand-new vessel and that should help us with minimization of our downtime due to breakdowns and maintenance,” Bevan says. Both the Needler and Templeman are more than 20 years old. “We’ve lost a lot of sea days in the last little while due to the age of these vessels and newer vessels will help us (avoid that).” Only a handful of ships in the coast guard fleet are less than 10 years old. Most vessels in the fleet were built in the 1970s and ’80s. The fleet has 108 ships with 45 classified as “large vessels.” The Shamook, an inshore research vessel is also stationed in St. John’s and
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its retirement date is slated for this year. The icebreakers Henry Larson, Ann Harvey, J. E. Bernier and cutters Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Leonard J. Cowley and Cape Roger also call St. John’s home. The J E. Bernier was slated to be taken out of service in 2004 and the Cape Roger is to face the same fate in 2007. There are four multi-tasked lifeboats stationed across the island. Bevan says federal fisheries and the coast guard are moving towards a more “zonal” system. “They don’t have the vessel attached to any region, it’s for all Atlantic surveys.” Federal Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan has already gone on the record calling for the ships to be built in Canada, a move that could benefit the shipyards in Marystown and St. John’s. Currently, says Bevan, the fleet spends far too much time tied to the dock in St. John’s because of mechanical problems or scheduled maintenance. “Hopefully with two more able vessels, we’ll be able to get the work done,” he says. “We’re confident that we can get the (same amount of) work done with a better vessel, better platforms.”
Leonard J Crowley in the Marystown Shipyard
Paul Daly /The Independent
First response may not be best Unlike Europe and U.S., Canada leaves it to vessel owners to launch first attack against oil spills By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
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he federal government says it has no plans to change its East Coast oil spill response regime that leaves vessel owners in charge of first response, even though the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation recommended a policy change in 2003. “Europe doesn’t allow that,” former provincial Environment minister Kevin Aylward tells The Independent. He led a delegation of provincial government, industry and non-government representatives to London and Galicia, Spain in 2003. In 2002, the oil tanker Prestige broke up off the coast of Spain, polluting more than 900 kilometres of coastline and affecting 20,000 people directly tied to the fishery there. “The U.S. doesn’t allow that, but Canada so far is allowing the responder to deal with the issue instead of them taking control of responding to the issue.” In the report, the federation expressed concern that any response to an oil spill may not be adequate, especially if the vessel is foreign-owned. While the polluter is responsible in the U.S. and EU, the federation expressed concern the current regime only involves the Canadian Coast Guard if the response by the ship’s
owners is judged inadequate. Wayne Halley of the Canadian Coast Guard admits there isn’t a timeframe whereby if the responder doesn’t act fast enough the coast guard will step up. “We monitor the incident right from the very start and essentially we’re ready to roll right away,” says Halley. “... based on the incident we would start moving resources right away. If we arrive on the scene and the polluters representatives are already there and doing something, then we would stand back if our resources aren’t needed.” SOURCE NOT DETERMINED In November, the Terra Nova oil rig had two spills totalling more than 165,000 litres of crude. Last week, oiled sea birds began washing up in areas on the Avalon Peninsula. The source of the oil spill hasn’t been determined and wildlife experts estimate thousands of birds will die as a result. In 1990, the federal government identified Placentia Bay as the spot most at risk for an oil spill in Canada. The area is home to the Whiffen Head transshipment facility and the Come By Chance oil refinery. Just 10 minutes after an oil spill — depending on weather conditions and water temperature — one ton of spilled oil can cover a radius of 50 kilometres. A number of environmental groups
have been pushing for protected safe areas — marine locations where leaking tankers and the oil could be contained. Tracey Hennessey of Transport Canada says while there are no specific protected areas, there is a policy in place. “Every emergency situation is assessed on an individual basis, but a tanker would be directed to the safest possible area aimed at protecting the safety of the crew, protecting the vessel and, of course, protecting the environment.” Canada sees about 20,000 oil tankers move in and out of ports across the country, with more than 80 per cent in eastern Canadian waters. In 2000, 29 million tonnes of crude and two million tonnes of fuel oil were imported using tankers. In addition, 9.9 million tonnes of crude oil and 9.2 million tonnes of fuel oil were shipped in the domestic market. Single hulled tankers are being phased out around the world, but many older ones still ply their trade in Canadian waters. In 1993, Transport Canada put regulations in place that any new tankers built or “receiving substantial modifications” be double hulled. By 2015, only double-hulled tankers will be allowed in Canadian waters. Aylward says this is not just a provincial concern. “It’s not just Newfoundland and Labrador’s coast, it’s Canada’s coast.”
INDEPENDENTWORLD
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 6-13, 2005 — PAGE 11
Prime Minister Paul Martin meeting with President George W. Bush in the White House Rose Garden in Washington in 2004.
Jason Reed/Reuters
Canadian airspace, but our lives An American view: Florida newspaper columnist says Paul Martin’s stance on missile defence ‘childlike’ By Peter A. Brown The Orlando Sentinel
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iving next to the world's only superpower must be frustrating for the folks north of the border who don’t share our views, values and fears. Yet the idea that Canada could demand America consult with its leaders before we shoot down a missile aimed at the United States that is over Canadian soil is the most ridiculous notion I have heard in some time. That, however, is Canada’s position entering Tuesday’s meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over the U.S. proposed anti-ballistic-missile system. “This is our airspace; we’re a sovereign nation, and you don’t intrude on a sovereign nation’s airspace without seeking permission,” Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin said. His stance evidences a childlike quality that assumes Ottawa has the ability to man-
date something that it can’t possibly heed its national interest. If the Canadians enforce — requiring launch approval for don’t like it, too bad. In the real world, the United States to defend itself. It show- there is nothing they can do about it. cases surprising naivete about the logistics President Bush has decided to go ahead involved — most with the missileimportant the lack of defense system. If This is one of those times the time — that would make Democrats giving the Canadians can’t stop him from when the United States such power a practical doing so, only a impossibility. foreign leader with must heed its interest. If Therefore, it makes it a highly inflated difficult to take the sense of his own the Canadians don’t like Canadians, who are influence would America’s biggest traddelude himself into it, too bad. In the real ing partner and historic thinking he can. world, there is nothing ally, seriously on the Bush asked the many other matters on Canadians to parthey can do about it. which we disagree. ticipate in the projIf Martin is serious, ect, given our geohe ought to have a long talk with himself graphic proximity. Under that scenario, about the world in which he lives. Even if Canadians would be in the control center it evokes the image of the Ugly American of such a system. popular with U.S. critics, this is one of But Martin, apparently playing to his those times when the United States must anti-American domestic political audience,
declined the invitation, which is certainly his prerogative. The Canadians — and it’s not just their leaders — are still angry at the Bush administration over Iraq. Public opinion polls show that almost half the Canadian people view the United States unfavorably. In fact, Rice has postponed plans to visit Canada, but Canadian officials asked for a neutral-site meeting with her to smooth things over. It’s not just over Iraq that we disagree. There are a host of issues — fundamental issues such as the proper level of taxation and size of government programs and lifestyle matters such as gay marriage, legalized drug use and the role of religion in society. But those are matters on which we can happily disagree. After all, each of us can live as we choose on our own sides of the border. However, it is on external matters, such Please see ‘Maybe Martin’ page 12
Super power in waiting
As Beijing grows increasingly suspicious of Western intentions, it may back into a role as a rival, or hostile, superpower NEW YORK By Stephen Handelman For The Independent
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f you ask a White House official or any of Washington’s senior intelligence analysts what they consider to be the greatest long-term threat to U.S. stability, the answer might surprise anyone expecting to hear the bynow traditional apocalyptic warnings about global terrorism. The real danger, they would say, is China. “It’s an open secret in Washington,” says Kishore Mahbubani, who was Singapore’s veteran ambassador to the United Nations until last year. “The emergence of China as a potential rival
STEPHEN HANDELMAN
Global context is considered the next big threat to the U.S. — and China knows this too.” China’s had “superpower-in-waiting” status partly as a function of the sheer size of its geographical reach, population (1.2 billion and growing) and the dramatic transformation of its economy since the Cold War ended. But the slow, steady expansion of its military force has tipped the balance for anxious Washington geo-strategists. It explains the bitter quarrel surfacing
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this month between the U.S. and Europe over whether to lift a ban on sales of military technology to China imposed more than 15 years ago, in response to the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. The U.S. wants arms sanctions to remain; the Europeans want sales to resume. MILITARY EXPANSION The quarrel is more serious than the transatlantic fireworks over Iraq. The Americans say the Chinese military buildup is already the most extensive in the world. They single out plans to build 23 amphibious assault ships, 13 attack submarines, and other upgrades in the navy and air force. The Europeans agree that Chinese
military expansion is worrisome; but they point out that blocking foreign technology sales will have only a marginal impact. Besides, they argue, keeping the Tiananmen-era ban in place because of a perceived new threat diminishes the credibility of sanctions. Targeted countries will believe nothing they do will ever get them off the hook, so why bother to pay attention? (Saddam Hussein’s lackeys used to argue the same thing.) But the U.S. has a point. China’s military transformation, combined with its increasingly aggressive trade policies, is creating a new power dynamic in a region already anxious about rising Chinese influence from Japan to Taiwan.
From its earliest days Memorial University has been central to the social, cultural and economic life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Since it’s beginning, Memorial
And unchecked, China is likely to travel further towards projecting its military and economic power in the 21st century. U.S. Vice Adm. Lowell E. Jacoby, in testimony before the U.S. Senate, predicted Chinese nucleartipped missiles will soon be “capable of targeting U.S. and allied military installations” in the region – and, by 2015, on the North American continent. Skeptics argue the Chinese “threat” is a fantasy. China historically has been loath to extend its influence beyond its region. The irony, however, is that as Beijing grows increasingly suspicious of Western intentions, it may back in to a role as a rival, or hostile, superpower. Please see ‘Must manage’ page 12
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MARCH 6, 2005
12 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
North Korea seeks hefty price for giving up nukes SEOUL, South Korea Reuters
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Shown here at the height of his 1980s popularity, singer Michael Jackson finds himself in the press for all the wrong reasons these days. Jackson, accused of 10 counts of child abuse, has pled innocent on all counts. His trial continues next week in California. Paul Daly/The Independent
LOOK WHO’S COMING TO TOWN
ll North Korea probably wants in return for giving up its nuclear weapons is a little respect, some peace of mind and a whole lot of money. Analysts say Pyongyang had raised the stakes in the diplomatic push to coax it back to the bargaining table when it announced for the first time on Feb. 10 it had nuclear weapons. The North has played brinkmanship before. In 1994 it found it could receive aid worth possibly billions of dollars in return for backing down from its nuclear ambitions. North Korea is a poor and isolated country that has trouble feeding its people and keeping the lights on at night. Despite its dire needs, leader Kim Jong-il has spent heavily to develop nuclear weapons and he expects a hefty return on the investment. “Their number one priority is survival, regime survival and Kim Jongil’s survival,” says Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum CSIS, a prominent think-tank on Asian affairs. Analysts say one of Pyongyang’s long-term goals is to establish diplomatic ties with the United States, a breakthrough which it hopes would open the door for international investment and aid. North Korea can turn to South Korea, which has tried to build up economic ties in exchange for better diplomatic relations. China, its main benefactor and Japan, can also play prominent roles. North Korea watcher Douglas Shin
says Pyongyang’s nuclear boast could be aimed at getting as much as $10 billion in compensation for scrapping its weapons program. The five parties, which have been negotiating with North Korea want a diplomatic agreement that will halt its nuclear program, dismantle its existing weapons and do so in a verifiable way. All agree an arms race in Northeast Asia would be costly and an armed conflict devastating. Three rounds of six-party talks, including North and South Korea, China, the United States, Japan and
“Their number one priority is survival, regime survival and Kim Jong-il’s survival.” Ralph Cossa Russia, took place before they stalled last year without progress. Proliferation experts said it was likely the North had one or two nuclear weapons, but it could have as many as 10. When the North made its nuclear weapons boast on Feb. 10, it said it was pulling out of the six-party talks. Pyongyang has since hinted at returning if Washington showed “sincerity.” U.S. officials met directly with the North within the framework of the sixway talks and officials from President George W. Bush’s administration have stated Washington has no hostile intentions towards North Korea. “North Korea needs to be able to say
Maybe Martin is just venting Continued from page 11 as how much to depend on international organizations like the United Nations to solve world problems, that the differences can get testy. Canada and America have had a relationship similar to an old-style Catholic marriage — the partners may fight but they understand they are destined to be joined together forever, for better or for worse. So the Bush administration is going forward with its plans to begin construction of the anti-ballistic-missile shield despite mixed results in testing parts of the system. And the Canadians, who have historically lived under the U.S. defense umbrella, seem to feel they are under no real threat of attack. The U.S. desire for a shield originated during the Cold War when the Soviet Union was the perceived threat. But, in today’s terrorism-anxious world, those who suggest that an anti-missile shield
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that it didn’t bow down and negotiate given its ‘military-first’ Songun policy,” says Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University. The bargaining table can be lucrative for the North. In 1994, when it threatened to pull out of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and barred International Atomic Energy Agency officials from inspecting its Yongbyon plutonium reprocessing plant, an international consortium struck a deal to freeze and eliminate Pyongyang’s nuclear facilities. In exchange, the energy-starved country got large heavy-fuel oil shipments and ground was broken on two light-water nuclear reactors. Then South Korean president Kim Dae-jung launched his “sunshine policy,” that provided the North with economic incentives in exchange for better bilateral ties. But in October 2002, Washington accused North Korea of cheating on the deal and operating a second, secret atomic weapons program based on highly enriched uranium. Pyongyang denied that, but then kicked out international inspectors and restarted the plutonium program at Yongbyon. The light-water reactors were never built and the reclusive state sank deeper into isolation. Cossa, of CSIS, says a main player in any settlement will be South Korea. He applauds the “sunshine policy,” but says the Seoul administration of President Roh Moo-hyun had not done enough to seek reciprocity. “South Korea is using too short a stick. The donkey can eat the carrot without getting up.”
Paul Martin
might be superfluous, even if it is workable, ignore the new reality. The spread of nukes to rogue states such as North Korea and, perhaps Iran, argues for creating such a shield. Meanwhile, the prudent Canadian might wonder about the reliability of, say, North Korean technology. Would you bet your country on the possibility that the crazy folks in Pyongyang might not hit Toronto when they aimed for
Chicago? Hey, if Canadians want to take their chances, who are we to say otherwise? On the other hand, it’s laughable that an American commander might have to check with Ottawa for permission to fire when he’s alerted to an incoming attack from a missile streaking across Canadian soil. I hope the Canadians are just venting. They have their reasons, after all: the bleakness of the continuing cold this time of year, or their unhappiness over the cancellation of the National Hockey League season. If they are serious, though, that is no laughing matter. It would be a shame for that Catholic couple to divorce. But there are some things in a marriage — even one of convenience — that are sacred. Being able to defend yourself is one of them. Peter A. Brown is columnist a for the Orlando Sentinel. His article was reprinted with permission.
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Continued from page 11 “Anywhere you go in China, officials believe 100 per cent that the U.S. bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade during the Balkans war was deliberate,” reports Mahbubani, who identifies the perception gap in his justpublished book Beyond the Age of Innocence: Rebuilding Trust Between America and the World. As the title suggests, Mahbubani believes the U.S. needs to mollify fears
about its own intentions — particularly in the emerging giants of China and India. The potential for dangerously crossed signals, he warned in New York recently, is far greater than the overanalyzed rivalry between Islam and the West. “The U.S. needs to do much more to change its image overseas,” says Mahbubani. “But every country as well has to manage its own relationship with the U.S. better.” That’s good advice. Both the Chinese military expansion and the heated-up
quarrel between Europe and Washington (Congress threatened this week to restrict technology sales to Europe) offer a way to put Ottawa’s missile defence decision last week in context. GROPING FOR POLICY The critics who successfully lobbied for opting out of North American missile defence are congratulating themselves for keeping Canada out of a U.S. “space weapons” program and thereby avoid endorsement of Washington’s terrorism-fixated foreign policy. In fact, they may have knocked Canada out of the policy-making loop in Washington’s deepest concern — of which the missiles represent just one strategic element: the struggle to cope with growing Chinese military and economic competition in the Western hemisphere. Canada is groping towards its own China policy. Prime Minister Paul Martin is pushing his own pet project: the “L20” plan to bring together China and leaders of emerging economies with industrial nations. But Canadian policy-making on China is likely to be overshadowed by U.S. moves to checkmate Beijing where it can. After the missile decision, Canada’s ability to influence Washington over continental security issues, and by extension allow its voice to be heard on the Great China Question, may now have decreased. That should bother anyone fearful for Canadian sovereignty. Stephen Handelman is a columnist for TIME Canada based in New York. He can be reached at shandel@ix.netcom.com. His next column for The Independent will appear March 20.
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 13
Country at risk of direct attack: General Bigger threat than during Cold War; need planes to lift troops and equipment By Graham Fraser The Toronto Star
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anada’s military planners have to consider the country a potential location for armed conflict, the chief of the defence staff says. “What we have to do in order to be responsive is start treating Canada as an operational theatre,” Gen. R.J. Hillier told the Conference of Defence Associations Institute seminar recently. “In some respects, Canada and Canadians, despite their not being fully au fait with it, are at more risk now of direct attack than they have ever been during the Cold War itself.” He says since Sept. 11, 2001, it has been clear the Canadian Forces have to treat Canada as an operational theatre if they are to be able to respond to a direct attack. Hillier says that to be more effective, the
Canadian Forces have to develop what the military calls “a strategic lift capacity” — meaning planes that can transport troops and equipment — in order to deploy troops. “The question is whether we have to own it, or whether we can assure ourselves of it,” he says. “I have to tell you I come from the school that if there is any way we can assure ourselves of the lift and responsiveness that we need without owning, that’s the route I would recommend.” Later, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci suggested that Canada would be wiser to have its own airlift capacity rather than renting or leasing planes from other countries. “To respond to future crises, it is likely that Canadian Forces will require their own aircraft,” he says. “I can think of nothing that would contribute more to Canada’s 3-D (defence, diplomacy and
General Rick Hillier
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Gerry Lynch called the shooting deaths of four RCMP officers in Alberta “a tragic loss” for the Canadian law enforcement community during a news conference in St. John’s on March 4. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Canadian police alarmed by booming marijuana trade OTTAWA By David Ljunggren Reuters
“We need the judges to understand that when they give those little fines to somebody who is involved in grow-ops it sends a message that ‘Go ahead, go with a grow-op, you’re going to make big bucks’,” Canadian Professional Police anadian police are increasingly worried by the desta- Association president Tony Cannavino says. bilizing effect of a multibillion-dollar illegal marijuaPolice in the central province of Ontario say they have na industry, which they call a “plague on our society.” seized pot plants worth $12.4 billion in the last four years but Four Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were shot are only able to dismantle between 10 percent and 50 per dead last week at a farm in northwestern Alberta that was the cent of grow-ops. The problem is acute in major cities which site of a suspected marijuana growing operation, or “grow- have other drug problems. op.” “Besides marijuana, there’s still (crystal) meth, ecstasy, Estimates for the value of the trade vary cocaine and heroin to address,” says Ron widely and some experts say it is worth $10 Allen of the Mounties’ anti-drug unit in billion Cdn a year. The main center is British Another problem for Toronto. Columbia, where criminals export potent mar“But if we focused all the forces in the ijuana to the United States. GTA (greater Toronto area) solely on police is that grow “The issue of grow-ops is not a ma-and-pa marijuana, we still wouldn’t get a handle industry, as we’ve been saying for a number of on it. It’s that large,” he tells Reuters. ops are often years. These are major serious threats to our Another problem for police is that booby-trapped society ... and major organized crime in many grow-ops are often booby-trapped cases is involved,” says Commissioner “Some places there are wires attached Giuliano Zaccardelli, Canada’s top Mountie. to 12-gauge (shot) guns and if you step on “This is really a plague on our society now. This isn’t just the wire you’re going to get killed. In other places you’ll see happening in small communities, it’s happening throughout bear traps, electrical devices, chemical devices,” Cannavino the country,” he says. says. Police say penalties for those involved are too lenient and Last November the federal government proposed a bill to complain they do not have enough officers to tackle the often decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, ingenious criminals involved in the trade. an idea which police chiefs oppose. The new law would also In January 2004, police discovered 30,000 pot plants stiffen penalties for grow-ops. worth more than $30 million growing in a former brewery in Pot activists said the Alberta killings in fact showed the the city of Barrie near Toronto. need to legalize the drug. In 2001, Mounties unearthed a grow-op in six rail cars “If it were legal and the government regulated its sale and buried in a remote Manitoba field, complete with their own distribution all of these problems would disappear, including power and water system to grow about 1,400 plants at a time. the potential for violence and death,” says Marc Emery, a One senior police official says current laws against grow- leading pro-pot advocate. ops were too weak and complains judges often let criminals off with fines.
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development) foreign policy approach than a steady flow of Canadian air lifters with Maple Leafs on their side delivering humanitarian aid, whether to South East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Haiti or elsewhere.” Cellucci says little about Canada’s refusal to participate in ballistic missile defence, except to say the U.S. had always hoped that Canada would participate. ”Canada and the United States have a longstanding military relationship,” he says. “We will continue that relationship.” Other speakers at the conference were not so diplomatic.John Noble, a former diplomat who is now director of research for the Centre for Trade Policy and Law, called Prime Minister Paul Martin’s decision “a public relations disaster on all fronts.” Photo courtesy DND Reprinted by The Independent with permission.
MARCH 6, 2005
14 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
African films go digital to buck system The annual Fespaco African film festival — the biggest cultural event on the continent — wraps up March 6 OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso Reuters
ducer Bhekizizwe Peterson. “We will show it in schools and churches on DVD. It’s not only important commercially, but very enriching culturally.” One way to tackle the decline of permanent cinemas in Africa’s remote rural areas is to use mobile cinemas. During Fespaco, four mobile cinemas have been used in Ouagadougou. Equipped with digital projectors, they are part of a donor-funded initiative to bring films to rural audiences. After the festival, they will go to neighbours Benin, Niger and Mali, visiting selected villages once a fortnight. Since 2001, 1.5 million West Africans have seen films this way. Fespaco’s directors are also going digital for art’s sake, like South Africa’s Teddy Mattera, director of Max and Mona.
F
or African filmmakers, the future is digital. Cash-strapped, creative and keen to reach wider audiences, the continent’s directors have been turning to digital technology as a low-cost, viable alternative that also offers valid artistic reasons for its use. Several of the films on show this week at Africa’s Fespaco film festival in Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest countries but for eight days the centre of the continent’s cinematic universe, are shot in digital. “Digital is democratizing film in Africa,” says Idrissa Ouedraogo, the famed Burkinabe director and backer of Sous la Clarte de la Lune (Under the Moon’s Light), one of 20 feature films in competition for Fespaco’s top prize. Sous La Clarte de la Lune is part of a wave of low-budget, criticallyacclaimed African films that use digital technology. REVOLUTIONARY Digital cameras are cheaper and the film can be stored on computer hard drives, edited and distributed for a fraction of the costs involved with traditional 35 mm prints. Versatile digital formats have already revolutionized production. Kenya and Nigeria have developed prolific and profitable video markets of low-budget, low-quality films. And digital technology could also be an answer to distribution headaches. African films make up just one per cent of movies seen on the continent. Most cinemas from Cape Town to Nairobi to Lagos run Hollywood block-
A scene from African filmmaker Idrissa Ouedraogo's contribution to the film 11'09”01 – September 11 (2002), a compilation of 11 short films by directors from around the world, all dealing with the aftermath of the terrorist attaks on the U.S.
busters, martial arts flicks or action movies. Now, African filmmakers working in digital have to undergo an expensive conversion to 35 mm film to screen their films. Ouedraogo’s Association of African Directors and Producers aims to change that by converting cinemas in Burkina Faso to digital. Three have been done
and a fourth is planned. “Digital is for tomorrow,” says the director. “We have no choice if we want to see African films in the cinema.” Getting the films onto screens is just part of the problem. For many Africans, a night at the movies is an impossible dream — both because of cost and the lack of theatres. Burkina Faso, home of Fespaco, has
just 55 cinemas for a population of 12 million and the latest survey from 2002 showed only 34 of those cinemas worked. Zulu Love Letter, a South African Fespaco film about the truth and reconciliation commission, is looking for new outlets. “You’ve got to find new ways of getting people to see the film,” says pro-
AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM “It gave Teddy a lot more freedom to experiment as a first-time feature film director,” says producer Tendeka Matatu. “Digital technology frees filmmakers from financial constraints and allows them to perfect their craft and experiment with their creativity,” he says. But for many young African filmmakers, digital will always be more a necessity than a choice. “I learned to work in 35mm, but it’s an impossible dream today,” says Ouedraogo. “Today’s digital cameras are so much cheaper that it means anyone can become a director. There will be plenty of bad films as well as good. But that’s not what’s important for the moment. First we need the quantity, after that, quality will come.”
Suicides quarter of Russian army deaths MOSCOW, March 4 (Reuters) — A quarter of soldiers who died in the Russian army last year killed themselves, a top officer was quoted as saying on Friday, in a further sign of the morale crisis in the country's forces. Bullying and underfunding have wrecked morale in Russia's army, once the country's pride and joy as a victor in the Second World War. Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily quoted Lieutenant-General Viktor Buslovsky as saying suicide accounted for 24.6 percent of the 932 killed soldiers last year. He did not provide comparative figures but the paper said the number had risen. Russia's 1.3-million strong military is mainly staffed by conscripts, despite promises to scrap the draft, which is widely avoided. Buslovsky says only 4 to 6 percent of potential recruits from Moscow and St Petersburg actually served. In an attempt to increase the intake, parliament is working on a law abolishing exemptions for policemen and emergency workers from the draft. But Buslovsky says the armed forces were so underfunded that 34 percent of officers lived below the poverty line, a situation worsened by only 40 percent of their wives having jobs. Crimes committed by officers rose last year to 807 from 695 in 2003, with 20 to 30 percent of military crimes linked to the institutional bullying that makes many conscripts so keen to avoid serving. In the latest example of mistreatment, one recruit died of pneumonia after being forced to stand outside in winter cold for hours, media report, while 18 fellow conscripts had been hospitalized.
Spain considers equal rights to throne MADRID, Spain (Reuters) — Spanish princesses could have the same rights as their brothers to ascend to the throne in the future. The idea is part of the Socialist government's campaign to extend equal opportunities for women in all levels of public and professional life. While not banning women from the throne as Japan does, Spain gives precedence to the male line. There is no suggestion heir-to-thethrone Prince Felipe will step aside in favor of his two older sisters, but a change would affect his children. “Women have led a spectacular social change in Spain in the last 25 years ... but they do not yet occupy the place that is their due,” Labor Minister Jesus Caldera says. Ministers agreed to seek an opinion from the State Council — a body made up of elder statesmen, former ministers, judges and civil servants. Prince Felipe, 37, married television journalist Letizia Ortiz last May and has no children. His sisters Elena, 41, and Cristina, 39, have five between them — four of them boys — and one on the way.
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 15
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MARCH 6, 2005
16 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
VOICE FROM AWAY
‘Great time to be in Boston’
St. John’s-native Ian Everard has two circles of friends in Beantown: locals he’s met and a large group of Newfoundlanders By Stephanie Porter The Independent
“I recently attended a surprise Newfie party a girl from Boston threw for her Newfoundland boyfriend because he missed home so much after being back for Christmas,” Everard says. “She decided she would try to bring a bit of Newfoundland to him by gathering up as many Newfoundlanders as she could and having a little get together — in typical fashion we all shared a number of acquaintances from growing up in St John’s. “Just the other day a friend from Boston commented on how all the Newfie parties ended up in the kitchen. Now if that doesn’t make you feel like you’re back at home, what will?” Everard says more than a few people he runs into ask him if he’s Irish — when he says he’s from Newfoundland, he’s surprised some people don’t know where it is.
I
an Everard says Boston is like a “giant St. John’s, a coastal city, with similar culture and history, and a large Irish population. There’s also a lot of Newfoundlanders around. “I think a lot of Newfoundlanders come to Boston because it is the closest major U.S. city to Newfoundland and it is easily accessible,” he tells The Independent. “Also I think … it was a case where one or two Newfoundlanders came here and they helped friends and schoolmates with job searches, places to stay … and it just became a widening circle of friends willing to help out others.” Everard is part of that circle. Everard, who grew up in the west end of St. John’s, has a bachelor of arts degree from Memorial and a commerce degree from St. Mary’s University in Halifax. After a few years in the working world, he decided to “step in to the then-booming IT market” and completed a program at the Information Technology Institute (ITI) in Halifax. After graduating from ITI, Everard investigated various job markets, travelled, and visited friends across Canada and the U.S. He made a final stop to visit friends in Boston, in 2000. “I decided this was the place for me and immediately began a frantic job search,” he says. RECURRING THEME “I stayed with some fellow Newfoundlanders while I looked for a job and after a short search, a friend of mine — who also happened to be a Newfoundlander — set me up with a job. “I guess the recurring theme here is that my friends from Newfoundland always look out for each other.” The Internet boom has come and gone, and so have many of Everard’s colleagues and friends. He switched jobs, too, and is currently a software engineer for a financial services company. He says he now considers the American city home, and he’d like to
These are good days for professional sports in Boston, with the Red Sox and the Patriots both winning big this year. If only the Bruins were on the ice … Rob Tringali/Digital Image
stay in Boston as long as possible. Everard says he picked his new home for a number of reasons. It’s close to home — family and friends can visit easily, and he can return home without too much expense as well. Also, “having come from a smaller city like St John’s, it’s not hard to find new things to do in Boston, be it going out to eat at one of the many restau-
rants, bars, or pubs, checking out one of the professional sports teams, or just sightseeing. 86-YEAR DROUGHT “It happens to be a great time to be in Boston. The Patriots have won three Super Bowls and the Red Sox ended their 86-year World Series drought during my time here. Maybe the influx of
INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS 89 million more GENEVA (Reuters) — A further 89 million people in Africa could be infected by the HIV virus by 2025 unless the world takes tougher measures to stem the epidemic on the hard-hit continent, the United Nations says. The worst case scenario, which projects a fourfold increase in deaths from the killer disease over 20 years, was one of three contained in a report by the UNAIDS agency. Even with strong control program - at a cumulative cost of $200 billion - 46 million new infections are forecast in Africa during the period. Some 25 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are already living with HIV/AIDS, 70 per cent of the total number worldwide. The virus affects around five per cent of the adult population and the epidemic has orphaned some 11 million children.
Paying for disarmament WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) — Pakistan’s government wants to buy heavy weapons from tribesmen in a volatile region near the Afghan border where security forces are hunting al-Qaeda militants, an official says. The offer to purchase missiles, rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns is aimed at defusing tension in South Waziristan, an area where hundreds of militants hid after the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The government had offered market prices for heavy arms, including machine guns and mortars.
Officials say the tribesmen promised to discuss the offer at a traditional assembly or jirga on March 10. Weapons flooded into the region in the 1980s when the United States and Pakistan armed Pashtun tribes and foreign fighters seeking to end the Soviet occupation of neighbouring Afghanistan.
Get married, anyway SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Singaporean couples may not be happy with their partners, but they will marry them anyway, a global survey on relationships shows. The poll of 716 couples who planned to wed showed that 39 per cent were unhappy in their relationships, the highest proportion of nine societies surveyed by a U.S.-based marriage and family therapy organization. The poll is the latest unflattering survey of ardour in a wealthy population that chases what is known in local parlance as the “Five Cs”: career, condominium, club, credit cards and cars. Birth rates hit a record low in 2004 and an annual survey by condom-maker Durex has ranked Singapore for three straight years near the bottom of its list of sexually active nations. In the latest survey, only 14 per cent of Singaporians described themselves as “very happy” with their partners, the lowest of the regions surveyed and compared with 48 per cent in the United States. Professor David Olson said couples in Singapore — an island of 4.2 million people — may be suffering because of a reluctance to speak their minds about problems to avoid confrontation.
Newfoundlanders was a good luck charm for the city.” Everard says he has two circles of friends in Boston: local friends he’s met since moving Stateside, and a “fairly large” group from all over Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The latter group usually gets together for events like birthday parties, concerts and Thanksgiving dinners.
‘FAKEST IRISH ACCENT’ “I did have a girl tell me I had the fakest Irish accent she had ever heard, and when I told her the difference it turned out she was a New Englander who did her graduate work at MUN. She was slightly embarrassed, but it was a funny coincidence.” In spite of all these encounters, Everard is still surprised when he travels home at Christmas or attends a concert (Great Big Sea, for example) in Boston, at how many Newfoundlanders there actually are in the Boston area — often people he knew from home and weren’t aware they were in town. And for all the familiar faces, Boston still isn’t quite like home. “I do miss … when I am home I can always count on the fact that I can go out and be sure to run into some friends around town,” he says. “Whereas in Boston people are a little less friendly and most times you are just another face in the crowd. “A symptom of living in a big American city, I suspect.” Do you know a Newfoundlander or Labradorian living away? Please drop us an e-mail at editorial@theindependent.ca.
INDEPENDENTLIFE
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 6-12, 2005 — PAGE 17
‘Can’t knock sobriety’ Joel Hynes on his relationships with his book, his family and himself … oh, and the Winterset nomination (which he didn’t want to talk about) By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
T
he best thing about meeting Joel Hynes is being able to pick his brain, which is full of all the genius, degradation and hilarity found in his darkly comic debut novel Down to the Dirt. The next best thing is discovering he doesn’t take himself anywhere near as seriously as other people seem to portray him. “I’m a really sarcastic person,” he says, settling onto a bar stool with a cup of tea and a smoke. “Most of my humour is sarcasm and that doesn’t necessarily translate well in a news text.”
Hynes admits people might be more inclined to cast him in dark roles. He doesn’t mind. “I guess I can relate to (them) because I’ve been f---ing way down there on the bottom and you know I’ve been on the top too and the top can’t count for much if you haven’t spent very much time at the bottom.” His most high-profile part lately was as the “ridiculous” and “highly comedic” Nick Crocker, a grave digger with a fetish for coffin sex in CBC’s Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. Since the pilot episode aired late January, the show has been officially picked up for at least another six episodes and possibly a Christmas special. Hynes’ girlfriend of six years, Sherry White (an award-winning writer and mother of their three-year-old son Percy) also stars in the show and will screenwrite the film version of Down to the Dirt, slated to be produced by Newfound Films. Fittingly, Hynes will be playing the selfdestructive Keith. He says he’s come a long way since fitting the profile of his protagonist.
AN ‘EXORCISM’ As a writer and actor, Hynes has a track record for depicting dark and screwed up characters, which is no more apparent than in Down to the Dirt, published in 2004 by Killick Press. He calls his novel an “exorcism,” which “is pretty much all true.” The book continues to be hugely successful, generating attention in the form of international book deals, awards and an upcoming movie. (Hynes also starred in a stage adaptation.) ‘SOBERED UP’ The story follows Keith Kavanagh from his early teens spent in outport Newfound“I sobered up. I’ve been four years sober land to his early 20s. now, so I was a pretty heavy drinker for a Amongst other things: he loses his virlong time. I’ve been really productive since ginity at age 13 to an older woman; sets the then so I can’t knock sobriety at all.” scattered thing on fire; gets thrown out by He also says he has a better relationship, his parents; unsuccessfully tries to mercythese days, with his parents who still live in kill a dying cat; gets busted by his girlhis hometown of Calvert. For the most part, friend Natasha’s dad for stealing his vibrahe says he’s lost touch with the Southern tor; and winds up popping Demerol in his Shore. St. John’s apartment after unsuccessfully “You know, you can go up now trying to convince Natasha to come back Christmas time and all the pressure’s off because you can just let him (Percy) loose home from Halifax by wandering that city and all the attention goes in a drunken oblivion to him. And they’ve and throwing up at her made the extra effort feet. “Most of my humour because of him and the “If I come out and say old man’s after mellowit was autobiographical, is sarcasm and that ing out a lot.” I shit all over my own A father by day, Hynes character, so who can doesn’t necessarily is a writer by night, saysay anything about what translate well in a ing he gets most of his I said about others?” work done between 10 Despite the unfortunews text.” p.m. and 3 a.m. nate saga of Keith He’s currently working Kavanagh, Hynes takes Joel Hynes on his latest novel — affront at the idea that another episodic dark the character might be comedy — and says he an unhappy or dark perjust met his first deadline. sonality. “Well you know, when I done Keith “It’s about a year spent downtown, barKavanagh on stage, in my own mind I tending and f---ing up … bartending is a great job. You can blast all your favourite found him to be happy and straightforward music and get people drunk. You have disand straight up and easy going in a lot of posable income and you’re around the ways. It’s just that other people’s shit got in party all the time.” his way, you know what I mean?” Fans of Keith Kavanagh — especially He laughs — “This is the thing, if the the one who told Hynes they had trouble world could be this way and you could let sleeping for worrying over Keith’s fate at me be f---ing easy going … Keith always the end of the book — will also be relieved had a grin on his face about stuff.”
Percy and Joel Hynes shovelling the snow.
to hear the author hasn’t forgotten about his popular alter ego. “He’s in the new book. He’s like a peripheral kind of secondary character who pops up every now and again … he’s got this permanent smile on his face for some reason. I don’t go into it very much, I just felt a need to … it came up so much with readers and stuff like that. What the f--- is going to become of poor old Keith?” If Hynes is any reflection, then fans needn’t worry. In July he signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins Canada who will be reissuing Down to the Dirt in April 2005 — across Canada, the States and even a translation for the Serbian market. It’s also
Paul Daly/The Independent
being sold as an audio book to local company, Rattling Books. In addition to winning the 2003 Percy Janes First Novel Award, Down to the Dirt was recently shortlisted for the prestigious Winterset Award alongside books by authors Ed Riche and Ramona Dearing. The ceremony will be held Mar. 17 at Government House. Like the poor poison-ingesting cat Keith desperately tries to pound out of its misery — one of the most memorable parts of the book — Down to the Dirt just won’t stay down. That’s a good thing. For the indestructible cat, Puss, it definitely wasn’t.
LIVYERS
Harbour Mille, Fortune Bay, has exactly 77 mailboxes; meet the lady who looks after them By Pam Pardy-Ghent For The Independent
E
mmie Pardy walks to work most mornings, Monday through Saturday, in the tiny outport community where she lives and works. She greets those she encounters with a kind word and wide smile. Her unique laughter carries on a windy day. Emmie is the local postmistress, keeper of the 77 post office boxes in Harbour Mille, Fortune Bay. She distributes flyers and bills, love letters, Dear John notes and, of course, cheques. She jokes with locals when mailboxes are filled with “occupant” letters from city funer-
Emmie Pardy
al homes and the like. “Is there something I don’t know about?” asks a local picking up mail from a funeral home advertising its
services. “Yes,” answers Emmie. “They were talking to your wife and she’s gonna kill you for sure today, so they sent that down for you!” Emmie’s laughter is contagious, spreading to those waiting in the small area outside her wicket, people waiting for money orders, stamps, or their chance to stand and chat. Madam Postmistress is more to this community than the keeper of the spare mailbox keys, and money-order master. For many, she’s a social support, a constant. Emmie knows all, and keeps more secrets than most here have ever known.
She cashes cheques and helps pay bills. She reads correspondence to those who forget their glasses. Trouble with remembering a postal code? No worries, Emmie can riddle off most. She knows how to get a package to its destination on time, and she makes suggestions. “Can you make this a little smaller? It will cost you less.” Mille helps local folks send Newfoundland treats to lovers and husbands working away in other provinces like Alberta. KNOWS EVERYONE She plasters the walls around the tiny post office with photos of children and local artwork. She posts thank-yous,
and birth announcements and other community happenings for news-hungry eyes. Emmie knows everyone and everything, and yet she has a way that makes everyone feel as if they’re the first person she has spoken with all day. But she’s more than the centre of the morning attention in this out-of-the-way outport. Emmie wears more hats than most. She’s a community motivator, rallying to start a weight loss class for women and teenagers. Emmie and her girl friends were attending weight loss classes in Marystown, an hour’s drive away, when See “Daily dose,” page 22
MARCH 6, 2005
18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
Endless laundry
Barb Hunt’s latest work examines the women’s movement — Then and Now By Stephanie Porter The Independent
B
arb Hunt describes her newest work as “a crazy, funny piece, half serious, ironic … and a little risky because I have no idea what it’s going to look like.” The installation will be three laundry-drying racks stacked on top of one another, draped with dozens of blue socks, which will be set up for the first time this weekend (she’s only tried a small-scale version before). It’s a take off, she says, of Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s Endless Column. “My point is kind of, if you want to see a real endless column, you should look at women’s laundry piles,” she says with a laugh. “It is kind of old-fashioned feminist, because we know now that a lot of men do laundry, we do see men reversing roles with women, but … when I look around the world, I see women do a lot of the clean-up, and I use that word metaphorically as well.” Hunt’s version of Endless Column is
one of two pieces she’ll show as part of Then and Now, a group exhibit exploring the women’s movement. Curated by Bonnie Leyton, the show opens in St. John’s March 6, two days before International Women’s Day. Other accomplished artists, including Andrea Cooper, Rachel Ryan and Shirley Greer (known for her work with neckties) will take part. If Column is old-school feminist, Hunt says her second piece for the show makes a more modern statement. Party Dresses is a series of dresses, hung in a row. They come from Merrymound School in Winnipeg, where Hunt used to teach delinquent adolescents. “They had these old ’50s party dresses and the girls used to dress up in them. And the nuns took them away; they didn’t like these teenaged girls dressing up as adult women and pretending to be glamorous and sexy.” Hunt rescued a garbage bag full of the dresses. When the old, ripped, garments are hung up, separated from the girls who wore them, they “have a poignant quality to me … the girls I
was teaching were victims, too, of sometimes horrible violence. “I thought that was so empowering (for the girls to dress up). I’m quite a contemporary feminist and I think that it’s OK for girls to dress like girls and I think there’s a great power in femininity and sexuality and we should celebrate all this stuff.” Hunt, originally from Winnipeg, is an assistant professor in the visual arts program at Sir Wilfred Grenfell in Corner Brook. Her work is often largescale, sculptural, and thought provoking — more and more political, she says, as time goes on. She’s knit landmines out of pink wool; embroidered camouflage army fatigues with pink thread; made camouflaged-coloured material out of lace — all of which serve to feminize, and personalize, icons of war. In another piece, Folly, she used scraps of military uniforms to create a floral-designed quilt. Other recurring themes for Hunt include death, mourning and remembrance. (“People in Newfoundland remember people really well,” she says.)
Paul Daly/The Independent
“Some people write letters to the editor, I express things with my hands,” she says. “I use words to teach, to talk about the work, but there are no words to talk about some of these issues I feel really strongly about.” She credits Leyton — who threw Hunt a house party in the early ’90s — for introducing her to her adopted home of Newfoundland. “It was when I had a show at Eastern Edge Gallery (in St. John’s),” Hunt says. “And everyone was so nice — I’d never met Newfoundlanders before — it influenced my decision to apply for
You don’t need to travel far to find the ultimate retreat.
the job at Grenfell.” While many still think of feminism as “that ’70s man-hating stuff,” Hunt says the movement has grown to include many viewpoints and differences. “When I use the f-word, I try to define it for people,” she says. “The food, the part that nourished us, is just this basic, let’s have things more equal.” Then and Now opens March 6, 2-4 p.m. at the Craft Council Gallery, Devon House, St. John’s. It continues until April 8.
By hook or by crook The Hook Peninsula, County Wexford By Billy Colfer Cork University Press, 2004 Guest book review By John FitzGerald
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illy Colfer is a cultural geographer living in Slade, County Wexford. He is a master at studying the interplay between the land, the geographical locations of settlement and human activity, and at making these things immediately relevant, in plain language, to a wide audience. When Billy Colfer visited St. John’s in June 2000, he held a large audience spellbound as he spoke on the connections between the Hook Peninsula and Newfoundland. The Hook Peninsula in Ireland is one of the important places from which many Newfoundland families came during the great migration of peoples to the New World in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Most Newfoundlanders have used the expression “by hook or by crook,” without really knowing what it means. The phrase refers not to getting something done by any means, fair or foul. Instead, “by hook or by crooke” is a set of navigational directions for vessels entering the port of Waterford. In order to safely negotiate the strong current of the combined Suir, Barrow and Nore rivers which flow out through the approaches to Waterford harbour, you must bear close to the Hook Peninsula on the east side or by the village of Crooke to the west. The middle of the stream will push you back out to sea. Now we have Colfer’s book, which tells the story of the Hook and along the way makes many observations of riveting interest to readers on this side of the Atlantic. Colfer’s The Hook is a stunningly beautiful book, profusely illustrated with 400 large full-colour plates, pictures, charts and maps, depicting everything from the Anglo-Normans to medieval landscapes, ancient farmlands, modern towns, the interplay of maritime and defensive concerns with the human history of the Hook. The names of coastal fishing points around the Hook Peninsula are remarkably akin to our own Newfoundland place names: Sally’s Garden, Boyce’s Bay, White Bay, Jumbo’s Hole, Long Rock, The Hall Bay, Hayrick Bay, Rum Hole, and Jim’s Gut, to name a few. In this book, the content and images are rich. The stories of Dunbrody and Tintern Abbeys, the Hook Lighthouse (at 1,000 years old, the oldest in Europe), and Loftus Hall (supposedly “the most haunted house in Ireland”) are told. Colfer also has a special section in this book on the Hook’s specific connections with Newfoundland, and his documentation is rich of the emigration to Talamh an Eisc (the Irish name for Newfoundland, literally “the fishing ground”). The Colclough (pronounced Coke-lee) family of Tintern is in here, represented in Newfoundland by the alarmist Chief Justice Caesar Colclough who appears in our own Judge Prowse’s History. Colfer even notes Wexford’s historical connection with Yellowbelly Corner in St. John’s (which, in case you don’t know it, is the northeast corner of the intersection where George Street runs into Water Street). In short, if you’re looking for one of the sources of this province’s cultural origins, you’ll find it in The Hook. Colfer’s The Hook Peninsula is a masterpiece. It has been acclaimed as the most complete historical, social, geographical, cultural, and pictorial study of any region of Ireland. Its general excellence now sets the bar very high for future work by cultural geographers, and it is a worthy companion to the internationally-successful Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape, edited by Colfer’s friend and well-known historian Kevin Whelan, who studied at Memorial University with Dr. John Mannion, the leading authority on Newfoundland’s Irish connection. In the past decade in Newfoundland there has been a resurgence of interest in our history and our cultures, their origins and connections. If you are a genealogy buff or have one in the family, or if you are interested in Ireland and/or Newfoundland and their historical connections with other parts of the world, or if you simply want a visually and intellectually lavish reading experience, get The Hook. Few books are a must-read, but this one certainly is. John FitzGerald teaches History and Education at Memorial University.
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19
A host of orange gates … D
uring a working trip to Ontario a couple of weekends ago, I got to thinking about flying down to New York City for a couple of days. Normally I would not entertain such a thought during the academic year, but this time I was lured by one highly publicized event that made the trip both appealing and necessary — the public art project commonly known as The Gates. I wasn’t alone. To the US Customs agent who flicked through my passport at La Guardia Airport all I had to say was “The Gates” to justify the purpose of my visit. I hadn’t planned on saying that, but in the instant of the journey it was the most natural thing to blurt out. Judging by his bored and jaded look, I reckoned the agent had heard that line so many times in the previous week he was way beyond suspecting Canadians of terrorism. IMPOSSIBLE DREAM The Gates were the impossible dream of an eccentric and wildly imaginative couple, Christo and his wife JeanneClaude. Their wacky concept began in 1979 and was finally executed for 16 days in February. The idea is both ridiculously mad and elegantly simple: the couple proposed 7,500 modestly sized human-scaled gates to be constructed in Central Park over 23 miles of walkways. Hanging from each and every one of them would be what they called saffron cloth panels, but to anyone’s naked eye the panels were clearly the colour of tangerine orange. The result was unforgettably stunning. In the leafless midwinter expanse of one of the most famous cultivated landscapes in the world, 7,500 orange panels fluttering in the chilly breezes transformed both the park and everyone who encountered it. Hundreds of journalists were following Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux around a New York hotel that weekend, hoping for a lucky photo opportunity and a resolution to the NHL negotiation
NOREEN GOLFMAN Standing Room Only stalemate. But thousands more were pouring into Central Park from all over the world to witness this amazing and temporary phenomenon, partly amazing because it was so temporary. Everywhere you looked, people were flashing and clicking their cameras for more permanent records of the event, an amusing and understandable irony. We all wanted hard glossy evidence of having been there, although no four-by-six image could ever remotely capture the magic buzz of the experience, the transient shifting play of light and wind on fabric. This isn’t the first project of such ambition that Christo and his partner have managed to realize. They are by now quite famous for the sheer outrageousness of their achievements, having wrapped forests of trees, whole islands, famous bridges, and even the Berlin Reichstag in huge panels of billowing cloth. But the massive scale of the Central Park project and the very fact of its naked exposure in one of the busiest, densest, most commercial capitals of the world generated enormous interest. A MILLION SPECTATORS New York officials now claim over a million people came to see The Gates over those 16 February days. The fluttering orange panels were in sight from a hundred streets around the park and from thousands of apartment windows. The project was big, fun, and, best of all, it was free. Of course, you can’t please everyone and one person’s dream is another person’s waste of time. Some notable critics wrote that the panels looked like shower curtains; others accused Christo and Jeanne-Claude of vanity and narcissism; and still others dismissed the
Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates in Central Park, New York City. Wolfgang Volz photos
whole thing as a trite exercise in mass delusion. But those of us walking around the park on a cold sunny February day were clearly on the side of pleasure. From our persistently idiotic smiles we could have been accused of sharing some weird Zen art experience, delighting in the fact that not only were we all there together to see The Gates but we
liked what we saw: that is, an otherwise dreary landscape transformed first by a long and winding ribbon of panels and then by the smiling witnesses who came to admire it. As with everything else about this huge project, the choice of colour was deliberate. The effect of so much fluid orange symmetry evoked Tibetan prayer flags, making the throngs who
crowded the park seem even more serene and respectful than usual. This whole thing got me thinking. What would Christo dream right here at home? Imagine wrapping Gros Morne in thousands of panels of saffron cloth for, say, 10 days in July; how about covering Lake Melville in Labrador for two weeks in March; covering Signal Hill in orange or wrapping St John’s City Hall (including the parking garage) in green in May, long before leaves have started to form on any nearby shrubs? Of course, these propositions are so bizarre they are laughable. But that’s how teams of bureaucrats and city councillors reacted in New York for years before some of them started to get it. Sure, it took 25 years of patient persuasion, but gradually Christo convinced enough people that his startlingly wacky vision was worth sharing. Who’s laughing now? The New York City experiment was one of the most memorable art experiences anyone could have had — unpretentious and unframed, off the wall and right in the park. Why don’t we invite Christo and Jeanne-Claude to consider dressing up this gorgeously remote side pocket of the continent? Think of what they could do to an iceberg in the spring. We all know the mayor of St. John’s favours the Tibetan cause. He hoisted the sun-rising Tibetan flag at city hall a few years ago, offending a Chinese delegation or two in the process, and so he’s halfway there already. Moreover, anyone who supported as wacky an idea as Mile One Stadium must surely be up for a little oversized building wrapping. Anything Christo and Jeanne-Claude now execute will draw huge crowds, to anywhere and from anywhere. I’m not joking. Once you’ve seen 7,500 gates at a glance, tossing their panels in sprightly dance, you start to think big. Noreen Golfman is a professor of women’s studies and literature at Memorial. Her next column will appear March 20.
Straight white male 20-something feminist H
ello boys and girls. This week’s column is brought to you by the letter F. There are lots of F words — firetruck, feather, fork, feminist. Can you say them with me? Ready! Go! Firetruck. Feather. Fork. Feminist. What? You can’t say the last one? Why not? Well, who told you it was a dirty word? Seriously, folks, an awful lot of people seem to have some sort of deep-seated aversion to the word “feminist,” and I can’t understand why. Guys, I ask you, is it because the word conjures up images of Amazonian-type women who might think the human race would get along just fine, as long as the world’s sperm banks are periodically restocked? Warriorprincesses who could probably beat any of us in an arm wrestle? Girls — yes, I know quite a few women who are as dead set against that word as are many men. Are you against the word feminist because you don’t want to be lumped in with those few women who might actually be in favour of phasing out all but the most basic of man’s roles here on earth? We’d be just important enough (I almost typed the word “impotent”) to fill a couple of teaspoons. Function fulfilled, we’d be shoved out to sea on an ice floe. Well, we all know what happens when the water is really cold. Right, guys? Somewhere along the line, someone decided that taking that kind of drastic action — climbing out onto the left wing and seeing how far you can walk before you fall off — is what it means to be, not only a feminist, but a plain old everyday activist, too. A stirrer of the pot; a flinger of poop in the general direction of whatever fan is closest. And, apparently, nobody likes an activist. But I’m an activist, and most
ADAM WARREN From the hip
Somewhere along the line, someone decided that taking that kind of drastic action —climbing out onto the left wing and seeing how far you can walk before you fall off — is what it means to be, not only a feminist, but a plain old everyday activist, too. folks seem to like me just fine. Quite a few of my friends are activists. Given they’re my friends, I must think they’re pretty OK, too. So somebody likes them, even if it is just little ol’ me. Now, here’s the kicker: I’m not just a plain old, everyday activist at all. I’m also a feminist. I am a straight, white, male, 20-something feminist. I know some of you are probably raising an eyebrow right now. If that really struck you as strange, you might even be raising both of them. And maybe a very special finger to boot. But how can I possibly be a feminist? That’s something I’ve wondered about for quite a while myself. So let’s just talk this out, and I’ll see what I can
come up with. First of all, unless there have been some very dramatic changes since I showered this morning, I don’t think I have what I used to see as the necessary physical equipment to join the club. (Sorry, no penises beyond this point.) Besides, feminists are angry, sign-waving, power-suit wearing lesbians. Aren’t they? Or, could I possibly have been misinformed … I think perhaps, I was. But even if the anger and the sign waving and the power-suits and the lesbianism are not so much requirements as options, I still find myself lacking a vagina. So what am I left with?
that last the longest — the most powerful ones — are the ones with the simplest principles at the core. Respect. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. That I have. And where femi-
nism is concerned, it’s not everything. But it’s a great place to start. Adam Warren’s column appears every second week.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY I’m left with certain beliefs: equal pay, for equal work; equal opportunity to get the jobs for which women will then be equally paid; an acceptance of the need for personal space and privacy. Above all, an end to sexual harassment and violence against women. Do you know who commits that violence? Who decides whether a woman will get hired because she undoes the top button of her blouse, or because she’s actually the best person for the job? Whether she gets hired at all? Who holds those positions? I bet you know as well as I do. Those positions are held by a majority of straight white males. That violence is committed by a majority of straight white males. Men like me. Men like me, who are not me. No sir. No ma’am. Not me. Because I’m a feminist. This thing has been around for a long time. It’s not some fly-by-night, in-andout movement. And, in my humble, distinctly male opinion, the movements
Literature to listen to From Newfoundland & Labrador
Audio and MP3 CDs • Michael Crummey • Wilfred Grenfell
• Robin McGrath • Susan Rendell
• Janis Spence • Agnes Walsh
AVAILABLE AT FRED’S AND ONLINE
www.rattlingbooks.com
MARCH 6, 2005
20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
IN CAMERA
Free as a snowbird
Above: the Pier in St. Petersburg, Fla. with a view of both the city and the Gulf of Mexico is a popular place for tourists and locals. Right: Evelyn and Winston Hollett of Norris Arm (semi-retired from A&F Hollett), and Owen Peyton, of Botwood (retired from Abitibi-Price, Grand Falls) enjoy getting together for an evening meal in Gulfport, Florida.
Betty Peyton and her husband, Hughie, live half the year in Norris Arm and the other half in Largo, near St. Pete’s. They love the Florida life, although two things could make it better: a daily dose of CBC news and the little church back home. Independent picture editor Paul Daly travelled to Florida recently; these are his photographs. ClareMarie Gosse writes from St. John’s.
PAUL DALY
A
t a certain time of year the increasingly not-so rare Newfoundland and Labrador snowbird cocks its head and sniffs the wind. It senses a definite chill in the October breeze and turns to its mate with a wordless gesture understood by thousands of its North American counterparts. The gesture says its time to check the direct bank deposits and travel insurance, give the house keys to a neighbour for safekeeping, pack up the car and fly south. Ah, the life of a snowbird. “It’s a wonderful life: Newfoundland in the spring and the summer and down here in the winter,” says Betty Peyton. “If I could take the
CBC news and our little church in Norris Arm here with me I’d be quite happy.” Peyton chats with The Independent via telephone because she and her husband, Hughie, are currently in Largo, near St. Petersburg, Fla., where they spend up to six months a year during the coldest winter months — usually with a trip back home for Christmas with the grandkids. “There are thousands and thousands of parks here. We have lawns and fruit trees and it’s beautiful, very beautiful.” Peyton says there are also “thousands” of other retirees like her (55 and over) staying in the many mobile home parks and condominium complexes in the St. Petersburg area. And that’s just counting Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. ‘BIG SOCIAL LIFE’ “We have a big social life here. We
have each other down here and we enjoy each other. We play cards and we … have dinner parties and they stay for cards after. “We come for the weather. We walk all the time, there’s parks everywhere and there’s a heated swimming pool here in the park and we swim a lot. The shopping’s wonderful.” Canadians living west of Ontario tend to travel to California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas, states that are becoming popular as long-term winter getaways. East of Ontario, snowbirds choose Florida as their destination of choice. The state averages 361 days of sunshine a year, drawing snowbirds for one to six months at a time — spending an estimated $1.4 billion every winter (definitely not bird feed). Socializing is a daily routine for the many Florida snowbirds (birds of a feather … ). The Newfoundland and
Labrador Society of Florida keeps residents from here in touch through dinners, luncheons and fundraising events. Jim Russell, former MHA for the Lewisport-area, is president of the society. He says at least 50 other Newfoundlanders and Labradorians live in the 264-unit condominium complex, where he lives with his partner, Mary. FUNDRAISERS Russell expects up to 400 people to attend the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day picnic. The event, like so many others, benefits friends and neighbours at home in this province. The society donates money every year to the Janeway Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada and Shriners Hospitals for Children. “The way we raise money is through
our memberships ($4 US a year),” says Russell. “We have some ticket draws and most of our prizes are donated. For example, at our dinner and dance in February we had a miniature wheelbarrow full of Newfoundland goodies and we sold tickets on it.” Arranging to spend months of the year outside Canada isn’t always straightforward. As well as having to make arrangements for property left behind — in Florida and in Newfoundland and Labrador — travel insurance is a big concern. Here in Canada, the average health plan generally covers up to $400 Cdn a day in hospital care. Health care costs are much higher in the United States, where the average hospital stay can run thousands of dollars. Emergency travel medical insurance is a must. Continued on page 21
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 21
Above: Betty Peyton of Norris Arm checks her mail as she winters in Largo, Florida.
Above: There’s something for everybody on Gulfport Beach, including relaxing in the sunshine and enjoying the rhythm of the waves as Hughie and Betty Peyton of Norris Arm do. Below: A dinner and dance sold out, as most events planned by the Newfoundland Society in the St. Pete’s area do.
Above: Amongst all things American, Canadian magazines provide a welcome perspective, especially when they include reports on Newfoundland and Labrador. Below: Bill Baker, of Botwood, former co-owner of B&M Paving, is enjoying plenty of time for rounds of golf at the Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club in Pineallis County, Florida
Continued from page 20 “As one gets older it becomes a lot more expensive,” says Russell. “If you have a heart problem, for example, most insurers, if not all insurance companies, won’t insure you for that. They refer to it as a pre-existing condition and if something should happen connected to the heart down here, your insurance will not cover you.”
Russell says he knows people who have stopped snowbirding because of poor health and rising insurance premiums. Bill Baker, a 64-year-old retired construction company owner from central Newfoundland, admits to worrying about the increasing cost of health coverage, but he’d still recommend snowbirding. He and his wife have been leaving the winter behind for 14 years. Baker
says he doesn’t mind the snow too much, but his wife isn’t keen on it. He also enjoys a regular game of golf — year round. He says he appreciates both Newfoundland and Florida. “Wherever I am I feel like I’m home and I never long to be either place. It’s just when the cold weather comes in the fall you’ll say ‘Well oh, it’ll soon be time to move now because it’s getting too cold.’”
MARCH 6, 2005
22 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
WEEKLY DIVERSIONS ACROSS 1 Actress Nelligan 5 Recedes 9 Swindle 13 A great deal 17 First man 18 Pew, e.g. 19 Highland miss 20 Foil relative 21 Essential 23 Begin 25 Plead 26 A Secord 28 On the ___ hand ... 29 Articulate 30 Chunk of ice 31 Italian one 32 Pen name of Hardy Boys author McFarlane 35 Quebec comedian Yvon ___ 38 Man. summer time 41 Reverent response 42 N. Zealand parrot 43 Last mo. 44 Arctic fish 45 Delivery vehicle 46 Construct 50 Grease and ___ 51 Outer: prefix 52 Newt 53 You get it at a pump 54 Painter, author of A Prairie Boy’s Winter 56 Job extra 58 Bed (Fr.)
59 Pierre’s foot 60 Where to find Nassau 63 He was #4 on ice 64 Appropriate 65 Bowler or beret 68 Beethoven wrote “f¸r” her 69 The “dismal science” 72 Japanese sash 73 Go off kilter 74 City of SW France 75 First lady 76 “___ or not to be ...” 77 Got into a stew? 78 Observe a special day 82 Favoured (with “with”) 83 You in Yamaska 84 “Mr. Hockey” 85 Small amount 86 Give new guns to 89 Flora and ___ 91 Beginning 95 Contract, for one 97 The sincerest form of flattery 99 Goddess of Earth 100 Europe’s highest active volcano 101 “And thereby hangs a ___” 102 Not for 103 Kind of tidings 104 Faculty head
105 Type of tissue 106 Kind of tide DOWN 1 Golfer Lorie 2 Alta. town at U.S. border 3 Knowing what not to say 4 Man. town at U.S. border 5 Term paper 6 Drummer’s part 7 Lawyers, as a whole 8 Fashions 9 Shallow prairie lake 10 B.C. painter Emily 11 Turkey to Taiwan 12 Flavour enhancer 13 Largo synonym 14 Moonfish 15 Head for the Riviera? 16 Prophet 22 Comedian Cullen 24 Charged particles 27 Rainbow shape 30 Stand 31 Supermarket code 32 A Broadfoot 33 Invention of Kroitor, Ferguson and Kerr 34 One who appreciates different cultures 35 Charger’s acquisition 36 N.B. summer time 37 Sheep-like
38 It’s wasted on children? 39 Lady of Lille 40 Tough trip 42 Czech novelist 44 “Kisiskatchewani Sipi” is “swift-flowing river” in this language 46 French farm 47 Domed northern shelter 48 Stone marker 49 Start for turf or naut 50 Liberals 55 Toward the opponent’s end 57 ___ Braintree, Man. 60 ___ carotene 61 Dismounted 62 Close up 64 Number of dots in a quincunx 66 French priest 67 Fit to be ___ 70 Pool tool 71 Allot 74 Home prov. of 1 Down 76 The Dalai Lama, e.g. 78 Arrive 79 Himalayan kingdom 80 Sexsmith of song 81 Expects 82 Mens ___ in corpore sano 83 Stair part
85 Discourage 86 Sturdy wool fibre 87 Equal (Fr.)
88 Sphere 89 Fair (esp. U.K.) 90 A McGarrigle
WEEKLY STARS ARIES MARCH 21/APR. 20 You have put off certain tasks for too long, and now there can be no more excuses for procrastination. You know that if you apply yourself consistently, Aries, you will get the job done. TAURUS APR. 21/MAY 21 The most important thing for this week is for you to make an effort to stay cheerful. You have the tendency to fear the worst, Taurus, but things will work out for the best. GEMINI MAY 22/JUNE 21 If you need help with a project, ask for it. You are surrounded with positive energy from friends; you’d be a fool not to want to take advantage of their assistance. CANCER JUNE 22/JULY 22 If you want to move up in the
world, Cancer, now is the time to get yourself noticed. It doesn’t matter how much talent you have, you have to get your name out to the masses. LEO JULY 23/AUG. 23 Nothing is worse than telling a lie, Leo. Keep that in mind as you head through the week and are faced with uncomfortable situations. The truth is always the better option. VIRGO AUG. 24/SEPT. 22 You will only get where you want to go if you make the sacrifices necessary to start the journey, Virgo. Get rid of negative thinking, pack your bags and set out on an adventure. LIBRA SEPT. 23/OCT. 23 Others will soon find out about your “secretive” plans, Libra.
91 ___ monster (lizard) 92 Trig function 93 Jot
94 Make short cuts 96 Intermediate: prefix 98 PC cousin
Daily dose of Emmie There’s no use trying to disguise them anymore, and this begs the question, “What do you need to hide anyway?” SCORPIO OCT. 24/NOV. 22 If you let others take advantage of your willingness to work hard, they certainly will, Scorpio. It’s one thing to be dedicated, but quite another to be wasting your time. SAGITTARIUS NOV. 23/DEC. 21 You don’t lack confidence, Sagittarius, but are you using it wisely? Don’t fiddle time away on wasteful things ... put your creative thoughts into action. CAPRICORN DEC. 22/JAN. 20 You don’t need to explain why you’ve done certain things lately, Capricorn. As long as you’re confident with your decisions, others
will respect your choices. AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 If you turn on the charm this week, you’ll get what you want, Aquarius. Surprisingly, what you want is also what you deserve for being so dedicated lately. PISCES FEB. 19/MARCH 20 If you need to get things done this week, don’t appeal to others’ decency or common sense. Money talks — illustrate the bottom line. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MARCH 6 Shaquille O’Neal, Athlete MARCH 7 Wanda Sykes, Comic MARCH 8 Kathy Ireland, Model MARCH 9 Gillian Anderson, Actress MARCH 10 Lance Burton, Magician MARCH 11 Rupert Murdoch, Business Mogul
From page 17 they thought of residents back home who couldn’t attend the meetings — due either to high transportation costs, or poor weather. And so the local weight loss class was born. People from here and surrounding communities come together every Thursday night to support one another, and, of course, lose weight. There are 21 people in the class, ranging in age from 12 to 71. Three members have reached their goal weight since the classes began a year ago. In total, 418 pounds have been lost. Emmie is also on the Come Home Year 2005 committee. She’s a scriptwriter, working on a concert for the summer festivities. Best of all for the audience, she’s an actor. On stage, she has caught bloomers on fire and forced a doctor to pronounce her hubby dead so she could make it to bingo on time. Emmie heads off to work again for another nine-tofive day. She travels a route she has travelled for 22 years. People smile as they see her stroll down the road. Their day will also soon start. Within half an hour, the mail will be sorted and the people of Harbour Mille will begin to fill the tiny post office porch to gather their days deliveries, and receive their daily dose of Emmie.
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 6-12, 2005 — PAGE 23
Irish eyes are watching Ireland-Newfoundland partnership going well in cultural and educational links; vice-chair looking forward to increased funding and business opportunities By Stephanie Porter The Independent
Innovation and Trade says they’re also looking forward to the increased funding this coming fiscal year — but cautions, until the budget is released, here will be at least a few Irish eyes watch- there are no guarantees. ing when Newfoundland and Labrador’s Kirwan has made a dozen trips to Newfoundland provincial budget comes down later this since he first came with Bruton for the Cabot 500 month. celebrations. “It might be putting it too strong to Walter Kirwan of the Dublin-based Ireland- say I fell in love with the place, but I developed a Newfoundland Partnership says he, for one, hopes strong affection, affinity for it,” he says. Danny Williams makes good on his promise to He’ll be in the province again this week — his triple the funding for the Newfoundland-based 12th visit, he guesses — to give a talk at the counterpart organization. Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel, sponsored by the Kirwan says Williams made the agreement in Irish Newfoundland Association, titled Social, ecoprinciple when he was in Ireland last July. nomic and political development in Ireland 1945This past November, that agreement was put in 2005. an official press release from the Department of Before his retirement last July, Kirwan was a Innovation, Trade and Rural Development: the high-profile senior civil servant for over 30 years, annual funding for the Ireland Business under seven leaders of government, primarily in Partnership office in St. John’s would be increased the area of European Union and Northern Ireland to $300,000 from $100,000. affairs. “The funding on the Newfoundland side was Though retired, Kirwan has been following the just about enough to keep the office going. They recent events in Northern Ireland — including the didn’t have the space for much in the way of pro- recent stabbing in a bar brawl and bank heist — gram financing,” Kirwan tells The Independent closely. from Dublin. “The atmosphere in Ireland is nervous, again,” “We’re very happy with how far the premier’s he says. “The whole peace process was based on gone. If you’re in a situation where you’re looking the idea the IRA was moving towards becoming a very carefully at your public finances, it’s a pretty sort of old comrades association. But there isn’t good outcome.” evidence there of that happening. As Kirwan points out, the added funding helps “(Working towards peace) has been a long story. lessen the gap between the financial commitments It could be another 10 years of more before we of the two governments. have it fully sorted.” “Our (funding) is about Kirwan says he does miss 300,000 Euro a year (about his government work at “So there is some $500,000 Cdn), and our office times, but retired “deliberatecosts are about 100,000 Euro of ly at 60” to devote himself to real business being that.” The Ireland office has two leisure and interests, of which done but we’d be full-time staff and an intern; the Newfoundland is one. Newfoundland office, one direcThere is already a fairly interested in tor. long list of Ireland-Newexpanding that.” Walter Kirwan has been foundland initiatives underinvolved with the Irish side of the way, which Kirwan is quick Walter Kirwan partnership since 1996, when to highlight. He’s helped then-premier Brian Tobin signed organize a Festival of the Sea, the original memorandum of an arts and culture event to be understanding with John Bruton, then-Irish prime held alternate years in Ireland and Newfoundland minister. The MOU has been renewed twice since, (it’s in Waterford and area starting this May). most recently by Williams and current Irish Prime There are a number of educational partnerships Minister, Bertie Ahearn, in July. in marine research and student exchanges. The goal of the partnership is to explore and pro“A recent MOU was signed between some peomote cultural, educational and business links ple at Memorial and University College of Cork,” between Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador. Kirwan says. “The new maritime college at Cork, And while the cultural and educational sectors they’ve been flying in some expertise from seem to be well on track, Kirwan would like to see Newfoundland in terms of developing their trainmore business activity. ing, on-line training for fishermen.” “While we’re relatively happy with where we’ve He also says there is business and knowledge gotten in the business area, we’d like to be further,” being exchanged about the “electronic tagging of he says. “The truth is, that’s the one that’s a little fish” — a Newfoundland-based product is selling more difficult to pull together. quite well on his side of the Atlantic. “And that will be one of the things with the “So there is some real business being done but increased funding in Newfoundland and with the we’d be interested in expanding that.” new director (to be publicly announced soon) and Kirwan will speak March 8, 8 p.m., at the all will give us fresh impetus in that area.” Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel — part of the annuA spokesperson for the Department of al Irish week activities.
T
Waterford, Ireland (above) and its “twin” city, St. John’s.
Paul Daly/The Independent
Out of the fog Deal between Fog Devils and city may turn Mile One’s fortunes around By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
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obert Bishop, finance chair for St. John’s Sports and Entertainment (SJSE), says signing a contract with the Fog Devils should see the beginning of a financial turnaround for Mile One Stadium. The recent agreement between the two parties came none too soon, considering SJSE chairman Keith Coombs tells The Independent he had been contacted by the East Coast Hockey League, which had expressed an interest in St. John’s. “They basically contacted us, we didn’t contact them,” he says. To the relief of hockey fans, however, a deal
was signed March 3, that will see Mile One share profits equally with the Fog Devils — who are contracted to play in the facility for five years — without the risk of accruing any additional losses. In its fourth year of operation, Bishop says Mile One is ready to start recovering from its weight of debt. “We certainly anticipate that,” he says. “We’ve a lot more concerts lined up for the coming year than there ever has been before and other events. “A lot of these buildings, it took a lot longer than that before they got on their feet. One I’m fairly familiar with is the Halifax Metro Continued on page 24
Craig Dobbin, president of the Fog Devils (and brother of Devils’ CEO Derm Dobbin) and Keith Coombs, Chair of St. John’s Sports and Entertainment. Paul Daly/The Independent
MARCH 6, 2005
24 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
Planning your savings early can bring you a sunny retirement.
Paul Daly/The Independent
Building a nest egg More and more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are investing in RRSPs, although they should probably start saving earlier By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
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he first of March has come and gone and with it the deadline for Canadians to pay into Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs). According to Statistics Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador is relatively on par with other provinces, with roughly 60 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women (at an average age of 44) paying into an RRSP fund. A total of $255 million was saved in 2003. “It’s about the best vehicle in Canada that the government provides for people to save for retirement,” Glen Noonan, a financial representative with Berkshire
Investment Group in Mount Pearl, tells The Independent. RRSPs are a government-offered form of tax relief, helping the high numbers of baby-boomers and their offspring save towards retirement by allowing people to invest a percentage of their earnings and keep any profits made — without having to pay tax. DEDUCTIONS “Firstly, you get a tax deduction for doing it. Secondly, your earnings that accumulate through your RRSP contributions are sheltered. That means you don’t have to expose your earnings to income tax on a yearly basis. Thirdly, you kind of build up a nest egg — depending on the nature of your invest-
ment — to help supplement your retirement.” On average, Noonan says most Newfoundlanders and Labradorians don’t seem to start thinking about an RRSP until they’re in their 30s. “They’re in their 30s because their priorities before that would be trying to get into a house, you know, and some of them they usually don’t think about this until they’re married.” In the business 17 years, Noonan says people don’t start thinking about saving for the future at an early enough age — a mistake he made himself. “I always had a criticism. I used to teach school one time, you know, and I think that business in high school should be given more emphasis than it is. It
should be part of the high school program.” RRSP payments can be made either monthly, in one lump sum at the end of the year, or a combination of both. “If you had contributed, let’s say $250 a month, for instance, that would be $3,000 and you’re allowed to contribute $5,000, then I would call you and tell you that you’re allowed to contribute $5,000 and would you like to do that? But there are still more people that contribute to RRSPs after the year is over.” AVOIDING PITFALLS Although paying into an RRSP sounds like an immediate way to make significant tax savings, Noonan says it’s necessary to put a long-term plan in
place to avoid tax pitfalls when it comes to taking the money out. The money is accessible at any time, but by Dec. 1 of an RRSP contributor’s 69th year, the rules change. “You must put another vehicle in place to proceed to take your RRSPs out. It doesn’t mean they have to be out, it means the wheels have to be put in motion … into a RRIF (Registered Retirement Income Fund) or an annuity. “So you could be 85 years old for instance and still drawing out on your RRSPs. The trick is, if you bought an RRSP today you should try to find a way to flip it, because if you can save today and not cost yourself tomorrow by flipping that out to an open investment then you’ve really beat the system.”
Unfair to focus on Mile One’s money problems From page 23
son showed a deficit of almost $1 million — in addition to the $700,000 yearly subsidy forked Centre, I mean, that opened up back in the early over by the city. ’70s and it was only four or five years ago that Bishop says he hopes to release the financial they made their first profit so to speak.” statements later this week. Besides a debt of around Shannie Duff, veteran city $17 million — accumulated as councillor and a member of a result of the $50-million cost SJSE, says she thinks it’s of constructing the stadium unfair to focus on Mile One’s “We’ve a lot more and conference centre — Mile money problems. concerts lined up One is running a deficit of “I doubt if there is a piece of almost $5 million due to operpublic infrastructure similar to for the coming year ating costs since opening in that anywhere in North 2001. America that is not requiring than there ever has “That ($5 million) had built some level of public subsidy,” up over a number of years. Duff says. been before and The biggest single contribu“You have it there because it tion to that was the 2000/2001 generates a lot of things … it other events.” fiscal year when we were was built as a really strong actually operating two buildpiece of municipal infrastrucRobert Bishop, SJSE ings. We still had the old ture to support our ability to Memorial Stadium and we attract major conventions, to were also responsible for a lot attract trade shows to attract of the operating costs prior to the opening of major entertainment. It builds hotels when you Mile One and the convention centre.” have conventions. Although the most recent financial statements “The fact that we have that facility has, I think, (June 1, 2003 to May 31, 2004) are running late had an important part to play in generating new and Bishop is reluctant to comment on that hotel construction. The two go together and year’s deficit until SJSE’s board has been that’s a legitimate public role, to provide public informed, he says the loss follows the same pat- infrastructure, so to expect that to be a profit centern as in previous years. ter is a little naïve and it wouldn’t be substantiatThe auditors report for the 2003 operating sea- ed anywhere.”
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 25
By Jamie Baker The Independent
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t’s everywhere. It seems you can’t walk into a public place these days without the all-seeing eye of a video camera trained on your every move. Shopping malls, grocery stores, convenience stores, coffee shops, even government buildings and schools all seem to have security personnel, cameras, alarm systems, metal detectors, electronic keys and any number of methods of protection in place. Some workplaces are installing video cameras as a method of monitoring what goes on within their walls. But this is Newfoundland and Labrador, widely renowned as a safe place, chalk full of honest folk. Is there a need for this? Businesses definitely think so. Darlene McKay of Atlantic Wholesalers, which supplies Dominion stores, says outlets across the country lose a significant amount annually through theft, and surveillance measures are making a difference. In the interest of privacy, she also says there are postings in place to make people aware the cameras are on. “These surveillance cameras are necessary — studies prove it reduces theft,” McKay tells The Independent. “With the cameras … and the postings in place, it not only combats theft, but it ensures our customers and employees are in safe environment.” As a professional videographer, Perry Mercer, owner of Main Event Video Productions in Mount Pearl, uses cameras everyday as a tool of the trade. While he understands the need for security measures, even he admits to being “a little apprehensive” in certain situations. But Mercer says people are probably more worried about potential misunderstandings than of being “caught in the act.
“Some people are more afraid they might be seen doing something that could be misconstrued — if cameras were out in more plain sight, people could probably deal with it better than when they’re hidden.” An employee of a St. John’s area call-centre, who asked to remain anonymous, says videotaping is going far beyond the realm of protecting the public interest. “We’re being videotaped at work — I think it’s ridiculous,” she says. “I was there for about a week when one of my co-workers alerted me to ‘Be careful, you’re being watched.’ “I’d quit, but jobs don’t grow on
can just walk into the building.” There are currently 60 agencies and 900 agents licensed to provide various means of security in the province under the Private Investigation and Security Services Act. Of that, there are 650 uniformed security guards — that doesn’t include in-house employee security used by some businesses such as WalMart. There is no way of knowing how many video cameras are in operation in St. John’s or in the province. David Thompson, a philosophy professor with Memorial University in St. John’s, admits video cameras are a cost-effective, easy technical fix for specific problems like vandalism and theft, but he worries the cure might sometimes be worse than the illness. “I think we have a dream of a crimeless society — this is not an ideal to aim at,” Thompson says. “Our goal should be to keep crime to a minimum without crime-suppression methods becoming themselves more noxious than the crimes.” He says cameras are not the only problem — they’re only part of a “generalized system of surveillance” that collects information about people. “A society without privacy would be without intimacy, political discussion, or even the search for truth. Without privacy there can be no freedom, and hence no justice.” Alex McGruer of McGruer Agencies Ltd. (an Alliance Security dealer) has been in the business for more than 20 years. McGruer is also the local representative for the Canadian Alarm and Security Association. The need for better security and surveillance, he says, starts with the lack of policing resources available to combat problems head-on. McGruer says people are probably a little paranoid with the constant stream of break-ins and robberies, but worries some big security companies are using fear to stimulate business — something he’s totally against. “(They) will show pictures of a pretty little girl sleeping in bed and a lovely mommy walking around in her nightgown — they’ll tell you ‘These are the things that are of value to you, you need our alarm system to protect them.’ “But we don’t do that — we protect your stuff. If someone wanted to hurt you or your family they’d come through your window … and you wouldn’t know what hit you.”
EYE
SPY Increased security needs mean Big Brother is always watching, but are we going too far trees … it’s still pretty creepy though.” Some schools and school buses in the province are also getting the video bug. Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association president Fred Douglas says the measures are necessary to ensure the safety of students and the protection of public property. “With bullying, drugs, vandalism and so on, it’s important we be able to keep tabs on that for protection of students and property,” Douglas says. “I don’t think it’s an invasion of privacy — it’s a public building in public hallways.” Douglas says if schools had the resources to hire adequate staff, there would be reduced need for surveillance in school hallways. “Here we are with our most precious resource, our children, in a situation where, in some cases, anybody
Wanted in connection with a credit card theft, this individual was caught by “Big Brother” using a stolen card at an ATM. Anyone who can identify the individual is asked to contact police. RNC photos
The video cameras at a local corner store caught this man on tape using a credit card that was stolen from a gym in St. John’s. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the RNC. RNC photos
26 • INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION
MARCH 6, 2005
MARCH 6, 2005
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 27
MARCH 6, 2005
28 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
Inuksuk I keeps on shrimping
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
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he ship that launched 1,000 protests is still fishing shrimp off Newfoundland and Labrador’s southwest coast. The Inuksuk I has been hired by the Harbour Grace Shrimp Company to fish its quota of 119 tonnes of shrimp. The Baffin Fisheries Coalition struck a deal with Ottawa in 2004 to allow the coalition to re-flag a foreign vessel, causing a storm of controversy because it set the precedent of allowing a foreign vessel inside the 200mile limit. The ship in question is the formerly Estonian flagged Salles — which has since been re-flagged. The Inuksuk I is a 65-metre trawler and was registered in Canada in late June 2004. It’s owned by a Canadian company called Nataanaq Fisheries Ltd. The coalition also has a 4,200 tonne turbot quota in the Davis Strait. The Baffin Fisheries Coalition — a group representing 11 Nunavut fishing communities — owns a 4,000 tonne turbot quota and is using the Inuksuk 1 to fish it. The catches could be worth up to $40 million. The coalition will land 15 per cent of the profit. The Inuksuk 1 was previously called the Salles and fished shrimp in international waters on the nose of the Grand Banks. Officials with Fisheries and Oceans say there are no records of the Salles having been cited for illegal fishing. Denmark, the same country that represents Greenland, overfished its shrimp quota in 2003 by 10 times the limit set by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization. — Jeff Ducharme
The Newfoundland (all breed) Kennel Club held a dog show at St. Kevin’s Parish Hall March 5-6 in Goulds. From left: Zero, Icon, Demon, Huddie and Summer make time in their schedules for a photo opportunity. Paul Daly/The Independent
EVENTS MARCH 6 • 4Play2, Masonic Temple, 6 Cathedral St. 8 p.m. Four writers are given the same first line and the same two props. Four directors work on the four scenes with four actors over 24 hours. Featuring music by Jill Porter. $15. 753-7900. • Bob the Builder and Barney, Mile One Stadium. Two shows, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., 576-7657. • To help celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Basilica Cathedral, the committee presents a
free concert with the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir (NYSC). 7:15 p.m. • UNICEF craft fair and flea market, Avalon Mall. Craft fair 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and flea market 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 726-8459. MARCH 7 • Irish Newfoundland Association presents a free public talk by Dr. Patrick Walsh, former chair of Arts Council of Ireland, who will give An Overview of Irish Art in the 20th cen-
tury. The Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel, 8 p.m. • Open mic with Jim Bellows, Fat Cat Blues and Jazz Bar, George St., 10 p.m. 739-5554.
Newfoundland Partnership, who will give a personal perspective on Social, Economic and Political Development in Ireland 1945-2005, 8 p.m. The Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel.
MARCH 8 • Kiwanis Music Festival presents Celebration, St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, $10 ($8 Senior/Student), 729-3900. • Irish Newfoundland Association presents a free public talk by Walter Kirwan, vice-chair of the Ireland-
MARCH 9 • Non-fiction class eight weeks, qualified teachers. 754-3250. • Ten Thousand Welcomes: the Biggest Kitchen Party, St. John’s Convention Center, featuring Jim Fidler, Pamela Morgan, Colleen Power, Darrell Power, Hugh Scott,
and Ron Hynes, backed by an all-star band. Also the Shawn Silver Irish Dancers. 8 p.m. Tickets $22.50 available at the Mile One Box office. 5767657. • Council for the arts in Mount Pearl, 7:30 p.m. Sir James Pearl Room, Mount Pearl City Hall. Anyone working in the arts (professional or amateur) who feels they would benefit from being part of a Mount Pearl arts network are invited to attend. Contact Christine at 364-7495.
What’s good for Norwegians … This province can learn a lot from Norway in reaping offshore resource benefits; education and innovation must be pushed By Jamie Baker The Independent
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f Newfoundland and Labrador is going to realize the full benefit from offshore oil resources, economist Wade Locke of Memorial University says the province can learn a lot from Norway’s pursuit of better social and economic research. At first glance, the province and Norway are considerably alike. Both feature resource-driven economies focused on fishing, forestry, mining and hydroelectric power. Both have populations that are widely spread out in hard-to-reach areas, making service provision a challenge, and neither is renowned for its manufacturing prowess. The province and Norway also boast an oil and gas industry that represents about a quarter of their gross domestic product (GDP), the sum of all goods and services produced. But that’s where the similarities end. Despite being so alike, Norway is recognized globally as being a have state, while Newfoundland and Labrador is widely seen as a have-not. Locke tells The Independent a big factor in the success of Norway’s oil and gas industry was “getting in early,” but the country has also been able to gain a lot from pushing education and innovation, which he says the province should put more focus on. “Norway became experts in things like building concrete platforms or directional drilling, for example, that could be exported around the world,” Locke tells The Independent. “As a result of doing that, they overcame problems with the quality of their own resources and they were able to further exploit benefits for their people. “What you really need (in Newfoundland and
Labrador) is some kind of legitimate research institute that focuses on the social and economic aspects of oil and gas.” The impact of oil and gas on Norway’s GDP equates to about $66,000 per person. Despite producing a similar amount of resource per capita, Newfoundland’s industry shows a GDP per person impact of $33,000 — half that of Norway. THE WHOLE PICTURE But Locke says simply producing a quantity of resource is not the whole picture – in order to capitalize on an industry, he says, it’s important to understand it from all angles. Not knowing what the social and economic challenges are, he adds, makes those problems difficult to address. “From societal and economic perspective we need to figure out what’s in our best interests to do. We need to make sure there’s a lot more research being done, not only on the engineering and geophysical side, but on the social and economic side too – the people doing that here, you can count them on one or two hands.” By recognizing the importance of knowledge and research into those issues, Locke says Norway has been able to extract more rent from its resources. And what’s good for the Norwegians could be good for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. “If we need particular skill sets or particular groups of people with experience and skills that are not here, let’s understand what that is and maybe we can get them here. “We have to deal with issues in Newfoundland’s oil and gas sector from a social and economic perspective and figure out what we need to do … to take full advantage our oil and gas reserves before they disappear.”
A LITTLE OF YOUR TIME IS ALL WE ASK. CONQUERING THE UNIVERSE IS OPTIONAL. Think it requires heroic efforts to be a Big Brother or Big Sister? Think again. It simply means sharing a few moments with a child. Play catch. Build a doghouse. Or help take on mutant invaders from the planet Krang. That’s all it takes to transform a mere mortal like yourself into a super hero who can make a world of difference in a child’s life. For more information...
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland 1-877-513KIDS (5437) www.helpingkids.ca
INDEPENDENTSPORTS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 6-12, 2005 — PAGE 29
MUN wrestlers Marco Chiaramonte and Kerri-Anne Evely.
Paul Daly photos/The Independent
Grappling with it Memorial wrestlers compete this weekend at national championships By Darcy MacRae For The Independent
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ew can question the dedication of a university athlete. Finding enough time for classes, studying, practicing and weekend games is a challenge for the most prepared student athlete. For most, there’s the satisfaction of hearing the roar of the crowd after scoring a big goal or hitting a key shot. The incentive for burning the candle at both ends may be the adrenaline rush of bringing fans to their feet. But not all university athletes receive such admiration and praise. Games such as hockey, basketball and soccer certainly attract fanfare, but a sport like wrestling often goes unnoticed until an athlete has accomplished something truly great. The fact that university grapplers usually fly under the radar makes the dedication of Memorial’s wrestling team even more surprising. The 16 men and women in the squad love the sport, competing just as hard in an empty gym as a full one. The team practices two to three times a week at the combat room in Memorial’s old phys-ed building. The room may be small, dimly lit and cramped, but it gives the impression that serious athletes train here. The entire floor is covered with thick, padded mats that are quickly put to use once the wrestlers get down to business. Bodies literally fly in every direction once practice starts, as men and women get slammed to the floor with thunderous force. On one particular evening in late February, wrestlers Marco Chiaramonte and KerriAnne Evely began a rigorous sparring session before much of the team had arrived, executing many of the same moves that have led to their individual successes this season. “Marco and Kerri-Anne are very similar,” says Glen Clarke, head coach of the Memorial wrestling team. “Both of them are very tenacious and well conditioned. They work really hard.” Evely, 20, demonstrates her quickness early in the training session, lunging at Chiaramonte and quickly hooking her right
hand behind his left leg while wrapping her left hand tightly around his waist. With a quick tug, she sweeps his legs off the ground and sends the 26-year-old Chiaramonte to the mat. “I train with the guys a lot,” Evely tells The Independent. “It helps me stay on top of my game.” Evely and Chiaramonte are two of the 10 Memorial wrestlers who used strong performances at the AUS championships in Fredericton on Feb. 19 to qualify for the CIS championships. Considering the club only has 16 members in total, the achievement pays even more tribute to an already dedicated group of athletes. “We have a good program,” Chiaramonte says. “This year we changed our training
structure a lot. We do a lot of drilling and wrestling, and it’s made a big difference.” Joining Evely and Chiaramonte at the national championships are Lisa Martin, Carla Bryant, Kellee Melendy, Allison Rockwood, Liam Kelly and Andrew Stansbury. Joanne Hall and Lawrence Hynes also qualified for the event, but were forced to drop out due to injury. Although all eight healthy wrestlers will certainly continue to demonstrate their grit and determination once they take to the national stage, Clarke admits that Evely and Chiaramonte are the school’s top bets for medal success. “Kerri has a limited range of skills at this point, but she’s only been with us for three years and before that only had half a year of
high school wrestling. Despite her limited range, she’s very good with what she has. She doesn’t give up easily either,” Clarke says. “Marco has a couple of really good moves, if he can catch people with them, the match is over.” Chiaramonte demonstrates exactly what his coach is referring to during practice when he locks horns with teammate Murray Payne. Early on, both men relied on upper body strength to grapple for positioning before Chiaramonte ducked suddenly and wrapped both arms around Payne’s right leg, hauling him to the floor. The move is one of many Chiaramonte has mastered, thanks in part to the Portugal’s Cove native’s background in judo. “I’ve been wrestling for six years, but before that I was in judo. Having a strong background in judo helped me with my shoulder throws and foot sweeps, which are two of my favourite moves,” says Chiaramonte. “They’re both grappling sports, you throw guys around in both. But in judo you go for arm bars and chokes while in wrestling you look for pins and technical points. They’re very similar, but the rules are different.” Evely doesn’t have Chiaramonte’s experience with grappling sports, but her desire to achieve has helped her make up for her lack of mat time. For her, the physical side of the sport has come easily — it’s her mental game that needs work. “I believe I have the physical capabilities, but I have to be mentally sharp,” says the Carbonear native. “You try to look past the nervousness and realize there’s a lot of excitement too. It’s a big adrenaline rush.” Evely and Chiaramonte joined their teammates in diligent training all week, as they prepared for the national championships at Brock University in St. Catharine’s, Ont. They left St. John’s on March 3 and began competition the next day, with the event wrapping up on March 6. While Clarke would love to see one of his wrestlers bring home the first national medal in team history, he’s already proud of what his team accomplished this season. Darcy_8888@hotmail.com
The most important goal Quebec kids aren’t much different than ours — on the ice or off
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ven though I’ve never been a Habs fan, hats off to Jean Beliveau, the former Montreal Canadiens star known to many as Gentleman Jean. Over 30 years ago, Beliveau and some like-minded individuals got the ball rolling on an exchange program — based in sports, but focused on culture — that was ultimately adopted by the federal government, and still exists today. The program is designed to bring teams from different parts of the country together, with friendship being the most important element. Funded with federal tax dollars, and administered by the Canada Sports Friendship Exchange Program under
BOB WHITE
Bob the bayman Heritage Canada, whatever money spent over the years on delivering the program has been well spent. I’m sure many people would agree that sometimes our tax dollars are squandered or used improperly (case in point, sponsorship program), but the exchange program does not fall under those categories. Last week, a pee wee hockey team from Aylmer, Quebec travelled to
Conception Bay North on the first leg of the exchange trip. I was happy, and fortunate, to be involved in this wonderful union of spirit, camaraderie and friendly competition. With kids in the 11-13 age group, visiting a far-off place is quite an experience. And yes, this province is considered a remote outpost — albeit an increasingly exotic one — in other regions of Canada. The parents, coaches and children were thrilled to be here, the very first visit for the majority of them. It was quite revealing to listen to their sincere delight in experiencing our culture. They kept saying this place was “cool” (the ultimate compliment from a kid).
It was also refreshing for us as hosts because it gave us a renewed sense of self-worth — there’s a good reason we love this place so much, even though we sometimes get down on ourselves. The exchange kids dealt with being away from home in different ways, as I’m sure the CBN players will do when we visit Aylmer (a bilingual town on the Quebec side of the Ottawa river near the Quebec-Ontario border). Homesickness and not having Mom and Dad around was tough at times, but the boys had a blast, and so did we. In typical fashion, our host families went out of their way to make the Aylmer children feel as welcome as
possible. Our hospitality is like our registered trademark, our defining trait that visitors first speak of when recounting their Newfoundland and Labrador experience. Forget about the Newfie jokes, we can take them. We can also show you a real good time. The hockey was fun, not stressed like it can too often become when winning is considered the only path. Both teams went through the obligatory head-trip, thinking the other team was much better and they were going to get smoked. The games showed both teams were evenly matched, which added to the pleasure of the experience. If one See “A healthy,” page 31
MARCH 6, 2005
30 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS
Hockey ‘Saint’ Lethbridge’s Rebecca Russell impresses fans south of the border with her skills and personality; a recent tie against Harvard University was particularly sweet By Darcy MacRae For The Independent
from the rink. Well liked by her teammates and Saint fans, the 22-year-old was named the Saints’ captain before the ebecca Russell has made quite a beginning of the 2004-05 season. name for herself at St. Lawrence “She’s just such a positive person,” University in Canton, a small Flanagan says. “She carries that persontown in upstate New York. ality trait onto the ice and continues to For the past four years, she’s played a work extremely hard. She wants to perkey role in making the St. Lawrence fect her game and get better. She’s the Saints a national power kind of kid you in NCAA Division 1 love to have on Women’s hockey. With your team.” “What brought me her smooth skating It has been a here is that it’s a stride, soft passes and long road to starhard, accurate shot, dom for Russell. hockey school in Russell has become an She left her homeoffensive force capable town of a hockey town.” of lifting her team to Lethbridge near Rebecca Russell victory practically by Clarenville at 16 to herself. attend Berkshire “We’ve been riding High School in on her coat tails this year,” says Paul Massachusetts, in hopes of catching the Flanagan, head coach of the Saints. attention of NCAA scouts. It didn’t take “When she’s productive, we usually long for Russell to get noticed, and by come away with a win. The team goes as the spring of 2001 she began receiving Rebecca goes.” offers from several Division 1 schools. While her skills get her noticed on the St. Lawrence’s offer of a free educaice, Russell’s friendly demeanour and tion and a cosy, quiet campus attracted bright smile demand attention away Russell’s attention. Canton is about an
R
hour’s drive from the Canadian border. The community’s resemblance to her own hometown also played a big role in her final decision. “What brought me here is that it’s a hockey school in a hockey town,” Russell tells The Independent. “Hockey is the only Division 1 program at our school (all other athletic teams at St. Lawrence compete in Division 3) and the town and school really support it.” Russell made an immediate impact at St. Lawrence, picking up 21 points in 32 games as a rookie. By her third year, she was second in team scoring with 54 points and was well on her way to becoming one of the top female hockey players in the NCAA. Despite the obvious achievements, Russell says there were a lot of things that took some getting used to during her early days at St. Lawrence. “It’s a big step from prep school to NCAA hockey,” says Russell. “But the biggest thing was adjusting to college life. It took me a while to get used to managing my time right.” By the time her senior year rolled around this past fall, Russell was settling in nicely as both a top athlete and student. She’s nearing completion of a degree in psychology, and on the ice she’s never been better. She sits atop her team’s scoring race by 20 points and has already picked up more points this season than she did in all of last season. Her outstanding statistics only tell part of the story. Russell’s leadership capabilities have become more and more evident as the season progresses. She was at her best during a Saints’ Feb. 19 home game versus Harvard, an opponent St. Lawrence had lost five straight against and hadn’t defeated in more than two years. In front of close to 1,000 fans, the two teams battled back and forth like a pair of top ranked prizefighters, trading blow for blow the entire game. With little more than six minutes to go in the contest, St. Lawrence trailed the visitors 43, with Harvard about to take to the powerplay. While most on the Saints’ bench were hoping just to kill the penalty, Russell had other ideas. During a timeout, she reminded her teammates how many times they had lost to Harvard and how important it was not to let it happen again. Russell
Lethbridge native Rebecca Russell.
then took to the ice for the short-handed situation, and proceeded to set up teammate Chelsea Grills for the game-tying goal with a beautiful cross-crease pass on a perfectly executed two-on-one. With the crowd roaring, St. Lawrence and Harvard continued to slug it out for the remainder of the game, but neither side was able to bulge the twine again. But by the time the final seconds ticked off the clock, Russell and her teammates celebrated the end of a frustrating losing streak. “They’re the team who has held us back for the past couple of seasons,” says Russell. “It would have been better to beat them, but to tie them felt good too. It was great to snap that losing streak.” Tying Harvard not only solidified the Saints’ No. 5 spot in the national rankings, it also taught them that their longtime rivals could be beaten. “In the past, when we heard the word Harvard, our confidence level dropped,” Russell says. “Tying them lets our team know that we can compete with them.” The game with Harvard was also special for another reason — 30 of Russell’s family and friends travelled to Canton to watch the game, as well as the previous night’s contest versus Brown University. The visit was a total surprise to Russell, who wasn’t expecting anyone. “There usually aren’t many people in the rink during the warm up, but I could hear a large crowd cheering and clap-
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2003
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WORKERS WIN WHEN WE BUY LOCAL • FRANK TAYLOR OF THE CAW SPEAKS OUT FOR RETAIL WORKERS • WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION: MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES • THE LABOUR RELATIONS AGENCY MEDIATION MAN: JOE O’NEILL • IN THE SPOTLIGHT: NANCY RICHE • YOUTH & WORKPLACE SAFETY • RELUCTANT HEROES: THE ST. JOHN’S REGIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS • WORKPLACE SEXUAL HARASSMENT: NO JOKE • THE FOX GUARDING THE HENHOUSE: ARE THE OIL COMPANIES CALLING THE SHOTS? • DANNY WILLIAMS: WORKING TO BECOME PREMIER •LOBLAW’S STADIUM DEVELOPMENT: GOOD FOR WORKERS • HIBERNIA WIN HUGE VICTORY FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS • THE WORKING POOR: GOOD PEOPLE WITH A HARD LIFE • ANNA THISTLE-MINISTER OF LABOUR • THE MINIMUM WAGE: RAISE IT NOW! • LABOUR HISTORY:THE TRAGEDY OF ST. LAWRENCE • PASSPORT TO SAFETY • WHEN THE JOB OVERWHELMS YOU • TOM HANLON OF NAPE • THE YOUNG WORKERS’ VOICE • RURAL NEWFOUNDLAND: LET’S STOP THE BLEEDING • THE HUMAN TOUCH: A TRIBUTE TO OUR NURSES • VOISEY’S BAY:MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS • THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM • THE OCEAN RANGER • LABOUR HISTORY: EARLY STRUGGLES OF WOMEN • WORKING WITH HUMOR • THE MARYSTOWN SHIPYARD: BUILDING A BRIGHT FUTURE • COAKER & THE FISHERMEN’S PROTECTIVE UNION • BILL PARSONS: OFFSHORE OIL & GAS BENEFITS:WHERE ARE THEY? • UP CLOSE: WAYNE LUCAS OF CUPE • THE CONFEDERATION DEBATE: DISPLACED, MISPLACED & OUT OF PLACE • HEALTH CARE SURVEY: PUBLIC OR PRIVATE HEALTH CARE? • STRESS: OBSTACLE OR OPPORTUNITY • BANKING: IT’S ALL ABOUT PEOPLE … OR IS IT? • LABOUR DAY • WORKPLACE EDUCATION: BACK AT THE BOOKS • UP CLOSE: WAYNE RALPH OF THE UFCW • THE (UN)EMPLOYED: WORKERS WITHOUT
ping. Then when I stepped off the ice, they went into an uproar. I was thinking ‘Who are these people’, then I looked up and saw a big Newfoundland flag and about 30 people (including her mother, father and sister),” says Russell. “It was great to play in front of them. The Harvard game was really exciting, I’m glad they got to see it.” With the losing streak versus Harvard over, Russell and her teammates are focused on returning to the NCAA Frozen Four, the Division 1 Championship Tournament. The Saints finished third at the prestigious event last season, and hope to qualify again this year. When the season ends, Russell will focus her attention on finishing her degree before making a trip to Lethbridge to spend some time with her family and friends. She will also continue training for hockey, in preparation for what will be her first pro season next fall. Russell has spoken to several teams in the National Women’s Hockey League, and is a virtual lock to be a part of the seven-team circuit next season. The only question is where she will bring her outstanding skills and positive attitude. “I had contact with a few coaches from the NWHL,” she says. “I have options, I just have to decide what’s best for me.”
UMBER 2 VOLUME 2, N
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MAG AZIN E
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IST GUEST COLUMNstey Reg An A New Era of? n a Govern ce
PAY EQUITY Lawyer Sheilas Greene battle for justice ILL THE CUFFER QU Workplace questions answered
DAY IN THE LIFE er
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DAY OF MOURNING
Work Devilers or ’ C
Enough! Death & Injuries
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Minim um W a Safety ge No Way to 3220 “UP CLOSE” Student Live l Gu es s of Du George Kean nne A t Columnist cadem W of theSU WA City y, St. M ayne Luca ador s a r y ’s l Lab 3Ps l Upin Labr Close rador arle WestHIT Y MJualia Salter E LABOUR MSHAOReRand rgie Hancock y Collin An Early Voic s
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WORK • JACK HARRIS • UP CLOSE: ELAINE PRICE • SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT: TURNING THINGS AROUND WITH HUMOUR • A DAY IN THE LIFE: THE CITY OF ST. JOHN’S REFUSE COLLECTOR S • THE UNRECOGNIZED STRUGGLE OF HOME CARE WORKERS • THE GROUP OF SIX BILLION AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE G8 SUMMIT • UP CLOSE: DEBBIE FORWARD OF THE NURSES UNION • OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY AVOID HEARING LOSS • COLLEGE GRADUATE WORKING WITH THE UNITED NATIONS • WORKERS DAY OF MOURNING: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE • A DAY IN THE LIFE: CORRECTION OFFICERS OF HM PENITENTIARY • UP CLOSE: EARLE MCCURDY OF THE FFAW/CAW • Q AND A WITH PREMIER ROGER GRIMES: CANDID QUESTIONS CANDID ANSWERS • WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: DEVIL OR ANGEL • COMMISSIONAIRES: PRIDE THROUGH PSAC • NO WAY TO LIVE: GETTING POORER ON THE MINIMUM WAGE • PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS? • VOICE FROM THE PAST JOSEPH R. SMALLWOOD: BURN YOUR BOATS? • UP CLOSE: MARGIE HANCOCK • WORKPLACE SAFETY 3220 DUNNE MEMORIAL ACADEMY ST. MARY’S • VICKI STOKES ON THE JOB AT CORNER BROOK PULP AND PAPER • UP CLOSE: FRED DOUGLAS OF THE NLTA • SOCIAL WORKER KAREN BABB ON THE FRONT LINES • ABORIGINAL LABRADORIANS IN THE WAGE EARNING WORLD • THE DOMINION STORE LOCKOUT • GUEST COLUMNIST LORRAINE MICHAEL OF THE WRDC • UP CLOSE: GUS DOYLE AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL • DAY IN THE LIFE WITH A SEALER HAYWARD REID • UP CLOSE: GEORGE KEAN OF THE UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA • INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY • SECOND DAY ON THE JOB WAS HIS LAST • REG ANSTEY OF THE FEDERATION OF LABOUR • WORKING IN THE ARTS • BIG BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT POLICY: PUTTING THE BOOTS TO WORKERS •GUEST COLUMNIST: PATRICIA DODD OF THE INJURED WORKERS ASSOCIATION • GIMME THE MONEY! THE IMPACT OF ARMED ROBBERIES ON EMPLOYEES • UP CLOSE: TOM RETIEFFE OF THE CEP • THE CUFFER QUILL: DAVE MORRIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS • UP CLOSE: Q & A WITH NAPE’S LEO PUDDISTER • GUEST COLUMNIST SHARON KING PUT HEALTHCARE BACK ON COURSE! • THE WORKING REALITIES OF WRITERS • WHEN SEX WORKS: A CALL FOR WORKER SOLIDARITY • GUEST COLUMNIST ANN MARIE HANN OF WHSCC • JUNIOR RESOURCE COMPANIES: OUR PROSPECTS ARE GOOD! • THE SMOKING BAN A HAZY ISSUE • UP CLOSE: ANN GEEHAN PRESIDENT OF THE IBEW LOCAL 2330 • UP CLOSE: DAVE PEARCE OF TEAMSTERS • THE IRISH TIGER & ICELAND: WHICH ONE WILL WORK HERE • UNEMPLOYED RIGHTS, WHERE? • THE SOUTHERN CROSS SINKING • GUEST COLUMNIST JEANNIE BALDWIN OF PSAC
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INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 31
SPORTS IN BRIEF Bain makes offer for NHL: source NEW YORK (Reuters) — Buyout giant Bain Capital and sports consulting group Game Plan International have made a tentative $3 billion-plus offer for the troubled National Hockey League, which would create a new corporate structure, a source familiar with the situation says. Boston-based Bain, whose senior partner Stephen Pagliuca is co-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team, was invited to pitch what was described
as a “conceptual presentation” to the NHL in New York, the source says. “The meeting was at the request of the NHL and was essentially a conceptual look at how a new entity might maximize value for the league,” says the source, who asked to remain unnamed. The NHL cancelled the 2004-2005 hockey season last month after team owners and players failed to reach a new labour agreement. Last year, Forbes magazine valued the league at $4.9 billion, which pegs each team at about $163 million. Under the Bain plan, the NHL would
be operated as one company with franchise outlets, helping to spread the revenues evenly between all the teams. Bain, one of the world’s largest leveraged buyout firms with about $17 billion in assets under management, declined to comment.
stapled to reduce his ballooning waistline, a Colombian doctor says. Maradona, 44, is deciding whether to have surgery in the picturesque port city of Cartagena on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
stomach stapled
OAKLAND, Calif., (Reuters) — Jennifer Capriati has pulled out of next week’s tournament at Indian Wells because she still hasn’t fully recovered from surgery on her right shoulder,
Tennis-Capriati pulls Maradona may have out of Indian Wells Colombia (Reuters) — Former Argentina World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona may have his stomach
A healthy future for curling From page 29 team had been significantly better than the other, it would have made a dent in the abilities of both teams to get along as famously as they did. In the end, friendships off the ice will be the lasting legacy of this exchange, and there’s no goal to be scored that can possibly be as important. ••• With the exception of seeing several replays of that magnificent championship-winning shot by Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones, I never had the opportunity to catch much of the Scott Tournament of Hearts. I didn’t get to St. John’s to sit in Mile One and view it live, nor did I watch it on TV. In my case, it wasn’t the fault of CBC’s inadequate coverage, but a busy schedule and not
much desire to take in the action. For those peeved-off fans who vociferously decried the lack of prime tube time, and to the organizers who by all accounts put off a solid event, your frustrations are understandable. It’s pretty bad when the story of the lack of coverage almost gets as much airtime as the action itself. The good news is curling fans are very passionate, which points to a healthy future for the game. Look for the game to increase in popularity and become more lucrative for those who excel at it. As long as they don’t get greedy like their on-ice cousins, professional curlers can expect to keep earning decent dough. And they don’t even have to train during the off-season. Bobby White writes from Carbonear. whitebobby@yahoo.com
WTA spokeswoman Gina Capulong says. Three-time grand slam winner and former world No. 1 Capriati hasn’t played since losing in the second round of Philadelphia last November. She underwent an operation on Jan. 28. Capulong said the 28-year-old American is unsure when she will return. Indian Wells still features the world’s top three players — Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova — as well as 2003 champion Kim Clijsters. It begins on March 9.
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MARCH 6, 2005
32 • INDEPENDENTART
GALLERYPROFILE JULIE DUFF Visual Artist
T
he paintings of artist Julie Duff leap off the canvas in a burst of colour, tempting the viewer to drop everything — including their cold and grey daily life — to search for a world of sunshine and warmth. “I find them very cheerful,” Duff tells The Independent, as she sits alongside her display at the Cynthia I. Noel Gallery in St. John’s. “That’s what I think when you sell your paintings, you’re OK with it because hopefully it will cheer somebody else up. I also like the idea that if you look at the painting you think, ‘Oh that’s a place I’d like to be.’” With her use of vibrant shades, Duff captures a sense of the beauty and tranquility of nature through acrylic and watercolour. “Landscapes and floral, that’s my main thing. Landscapes — I like working with light, shadows and sunlight, winter themes and that sort of thing. Floral — flowers are just so beautiful and I like bright colours.” Duff moved to St. John’s from Winnipeg in 1988. As a full-time accountant, she was a late initiate to the world of art, only realizing her talent in 1997 after enrolling in classes. She now exhibits regularly with the Newfoundland and Labrador Art Association and is a member of the organization’s executive. “I love art, it’s something I’ve always been interested in and I decided to start taking some classes and from the first class I fell totally in love with it and haven’t stopped painting since.” She says one of the most motivating experiences in her relatively short artistic career was visiting France last summer on a painting excursion. Not only did it give Duff the chance to capture a different kind of scenery, but she also got to see, firsthand, the work of her
favourite artist, Claude Monet. “I love the impressionists so seeing all their work you know, it was just so overwhelming. I knew it
would be exciting, but it was like 10 times … They were so big and they’re so beautifully framed. “It’s the beauty of it. When you
see paintings they just move something in you.” Duff is currently exhibiting her work as a guest artist with the
Cynthia I. Noel Gallery for the month of March. — Clare-Marie Gosse
The Gallery is a regular feature in The Independent. For information, or to submit proposals, please call (709) 726-4639, or e-mail editorial@theindependent.ca