VOL. 3 ISSUE 20
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ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR — SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 15-21, 2005
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SPORTS 39
LIFE 17
OPINION PAGE 19
Ace pitcher Mario Tee raring to go
Saving one dog at a time
Noreen Golfman says theatres need funding too
The Rock, paper, scissors
LAST DRAW
Abitibi’s operations in province reportedly lose millions; hundreds more jobs on chopping block JEFF DUCHARME
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atural Resources Minister Ed Byrne says officials with Abitibi Consolidated have told him the paper machine slated to be shut down at the Grand Falls-Windsor mill makes money, a claim the company denies. The recent layoff of 56 workers at the central Newfoundland operation and the company’s plan to close one of its paper-making machines is just the first step in what will lead to further job cuts as Abitibi tries to restructure its provincial operations. The closure of the No. 7 paper machine could mean a further 250 high-paying jobs will be lost. Byrne has said the province is “serious” about revoking 60 per cent — 360,000 cubic metres — of the timber rights for the Grand Falls-Windsor operation if a machine is shut down. “If there’s not a two-machine operation in Grand Falls, which the legislation prescribes, then government has an obligation and a responsibility to evoke the powers in that legislation which would be to revoke their timber licenses on all Crown timber associated in that legislation,” Byrne tells The Independent. That legislation, Bill 27, is in force until 2010. The Grand Falls-Windsor mill is self-sufficient and doesn’t bring in any wood from off-island sources, but the Stephenville mill, also owned by Abitibi, imports 70 per cent of the 330,000 cubic metres of wood it requires to operate each year from the Maritimes and Labrador. If Abitibi were to keep the right to the timber that currently fuels the No. 7 machine at the Grand FallsWindsor mill, that wood could conceivably be used at the Stephenville operation, eliminating the costs associated with importing wood. Abitibi’s operations in the province may be losing money, but Byrne contends company officials have told him the No. 7 machine is cash positive. “It is, and they’ve said that to us — (No. 7 machine) is cash positive,” Byrne says. Sources within Abitibi, meantime, tell The Independent the Grand Falls-Windsor mill has been losing more than $1 million a month over the last two years. Abitibi Consolidated refuses to confirm the report, but Ross Hay-Roe, a pulp and paper analyst for 30 years, says the $1-million-a-month figure is in the ballpark. “I’ve heard of mills losing $1 million a month,” See “One of the worst performers,” page 2
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The premier would have starved these people out and probably destroyed rural Newfoundland and Labrador this summer by not allowing this fishery to proceed.” — Liberal MHA Gerry Reid
GALLERY 18
Michael Maguire from Connemara BUSINESS 29
Abitibi workers victims of ‘sick’ industry Life Story . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Paper Trail . . . . . . . . . . 9 Crossword . . . . . . . . . 33 Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Bill 20, which calls for a ban on smoking in all public places, including bars and bingo halls, comes into effect July 1. (From left) Angela Record, Andrea Chafe and Michael Walsh enjoy a cigarette in Erin’s Pub in St. John’s. Paul Daly/The Independent
Off federal radar
Other provinces reap benefits of Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil play; St. John’s mayor outraged over lack of local research work JAMIE BAKER
A
ndy Wells says he doesn’t know what it will take to “get it through their heads.” The St. John’s mayor, who attended the annual Houston oil show earlier this month, says he’s disgusted to learn that, despite constant lobbying, geophysical research related to the province’s offshore oil and gas industry is not being done here. While the province tries to develop the knowledge base for the oil and gas sector, Wells says high-end research jobs are instead based in places like Nova Scotia and Alberta. “I found out there are at least three doctoral theses being done in the geophysics of Newfoundland and Labrador — these doctor-
al theses are being done at universities in Nova Scotia. That really outraged me,” Wells tells The Independent. “I’m being told there could be as many as 50 jobs at the Bedford Institute (in Nova Scotia) in the geosciences business, and they’re all working in Newfoundland’s offshore.” Wells says developing high-end expertise in engineering and geosciences is crucial to continued job creation in the industry, particularly for young people. Despite that, while attending a recent Exxon-Mobil luncheon, Wells says he was told their research work in the Orphan Basin on the Grand Banks will actually be analyzed in Calgary. “There’s a lot of research being done in that area, but they’re not moving any people to Newfoundland. We’re expecting a fair bit of geophysical activity in the coming years. I think it’s time for some of these companies to
establish a proper research presence in this province as well.” Besides research work, he says he’s also been meeting with companies involved in manufacturing and servicing, and some of their work — which he also contends should be happening in Newfoundland — is being completed overseas. “Look, you’re talking about millions of dollars in servicing and fabrication that could and should be done in Newfoundland.” Wells lays much of the blame for the problem at the feet of the federal department of Natural Resources, and minister John Efford. Because this province represents the lion’s share of Atlantic Canada’s offshore oil and gas play, Wells says it’s time Natural Resources — which he maintains is handling work on the province’s offshore out of Nova Scotia — See “It boggles the mind,” page 4
Weapons may have led to hostage taking CLARE-MARIE GOSSE
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eo Puddister, president of the union representing staff at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary in St. John’s, says correctional officers suspect prisoners were planning to use homemade weapons and rope to take a hostage. On April 10, penitentiary staff discovered hidden weapons, some of which had been fashioned from metal parts of a ceiling. Puddister says one of the weapons, or “shanks,” was “probably one of the best honed shanks” ever found in the prison. “It even had a rope on it so you could wrap it around your wrist and it was fairly long, so it could be used as something like a sword,” he tells The Independent. It’s been a tough couple of weeks for staff at the medium-security penitentiary. The week before the weapons incident, an inmate being
held in the special handling unit (or SHU, as it’s known) became violent and caused an estimated $500 in damages. Staff at the unit (a high-security area for potentially violent prisoners) had to subdue the inmate with pepper spray. A 12-inch television was smashed, along with some lights, and damage was done to the windows protecting the officers’ control room. The inmate — who has since been charged with damage to property — was taken to hospital. Aside from the effects of the pepper spray, he wasn’t injured. As a result of the recent weapons discovery, four inmates have been charged. The prison entered the weekend in a state of full lockdown as staff continued to search cells. Recurring problems at the penitentiary have been blamed on an increase in drug abuse. Puddister, who worked as a correctional officer in the SHU for 15 years, says drugs like OxyContin play a big part in the volatility of See “Pen overcrowded,” page 2
Paul Daly/The Independent
MAY 15, 2005
2 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
Pen overcrowded: Puddister From page 1 inmates. He also says overcrowding is an issue, particularly in the wake of last year’s closure of the Salmonier Correctional Institution on the Salmonier Line about a 45minute drive east of St. John’s. “They had a capacity for 60 people and now that’s closed down, so the pen is overcrowded to make up for that. Other places around the island are also taking up some of the slack.” Puddister says prison staff are doing as much as they can, but “it’s not good times down there.” Mary Aylward, the pen’s assistant superintendent, says recent incidents have left staff tense. She admits dealing with the discovery of the weapons was difficult. Joined by correctional officer Lieut. Dave Hickey, Aylward moves down the hallways of the penitentiary, giving The Independent a tour of the SHU. Inside the walls of the prison by the lake the mood is calm but alert. The building is uncharacteristically silent as the only prisoners free to leave their cells during the lockdown are kitchen staff. The penitentiary’s segregation unit and SHU are side by side, divided by a control room with 24-hour video surveillance. It’s in this part of the prison that the instigators of the
recent incidents are being held. The SHU’s five cells are all empty. There’s little trace of the violent episode two weeks before. The only signs are a slightly damaged window and an empty space where the television used to be. Although Hickey says the SHU is used for restriction purposes, not as punishment (residents receive the usual privileges such as television and snack food), security is high and access to the outside world and other inmates is not allowed. “Lieut. Hickey and I will review every 30 days, the cases that are here to see if there are any changes in behaviour,” says Aylward. “They don’t want to be here for long periods of time and we try to discourage this area being open as much as possible, because it obviously ties up a lot of staff and it’s very restrictive for the inmate.” In contrast to the SHU, the segregation unit is full and some cells have more than one occupant. In the control room, monitored images of the cells show men lying in bunks and on mattresses as they while away long hours of isolation. The area remains closed to visitors for security reasons. On the way back to the main entrance of the penitentiary, Aylward says staff are sticking together.
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‘One of the worst performers’ From page 1
The Pen’s segregation unit has a special chair to hold down prisoners in danger of hurting themselves. Paul Daly/The Independent
“I have to say, under times of stress and trouble, our staff have a remarkable resiliency … everybody has been really upbeat because we understand how important it is for us to get the situation under control.”
says Hay-Roe. “I’ve heard of mills making $1 million a month. I know Grand Falls is one of the worst performers. I don’t know any numbers, but that’s no strain on my credibility to say, yeah, it’s probably losing a million a month.” Abitibi Consolidated reported losses of $51 million in the first three months of 2005. Seth Kursman, vice-president of communications for Abitibi, would only say the Newfoundland operation is “not viable” in its present form. “I want to be clear about this fact, we incurred substantial losses at the Grand Falls mill last year,” says Kursman. In 2003, the province estimates newsprint sales added $550 million to the economy. Abitibi officials have refused comment on the profitability of the No. 7 machine and the brewing dispute over timber rights. Roger Pike, spokesman for the Grand Falls-Windsor mill, says a number of operations will be consolidated in the coming months. Currently, the company’s three operations — the Grand Falls-Windsor mill, Stephenville mill and the woodlands operation — each have payroll, human resources and purchasing departments. There are 490 employees at Grand Falls-Windsor, 450 in the woodlands operation, and 290 at the Stephenville mill. “So we’re going to see if we can consolidate that into one integrated business for the island and with that will come job losses as well,” says Pike. He refused to give any numbers, but says the job losses could be in the “dozens.” Pike says operations in Grand Falls-Windsor have the highest labour costs in Abitibi’s stable of mills. But Hay-Roe says it’s not that simple and the age of the No. 7 machine is a factor. While it’s undergone major renovations, it’s still a 1930s vintage. “They’re probably thinking labour cost per ton, not per hour,” says Hay-Roe. The pulp and paper industry on the whole is suffering. The only mills not facing shutdowns are one-machine operations. “These smaller companies tend to run full when there is a surplus,” says Hay-Roe. “It’s the big guys, Abitibi and Bowater are the only two that are willing to close capacity, but somebody has to do it and they’re left holding the bag.” The North American newsprint market currently has a production overcapacity of approximately eight per cent. Since 1999, newsprint consumption has fallen almost 19 per cent. Newsprint sells for approximately $564 US a ton, compared to $650 US a ton more than a decade ago. Byrne says the North American market has nothing to do with what’s happening at Grand Falls-Windsor. He contends the majority of what’s produced there is sold to markets outside of North America — the Caribbean being one. The largest newsprint producer in the world, Abitibi has made some poorly timed purchases. In an effort to buy-up and control capacity, the company purchased one of its major competitors in 2000 — the U.S.-based firm Donohue — for $4.9 billion. “The more machines you own, the more flexibility you have in controlling, deciding where to reduce capacity,” says Hay-Roe. Not long after the purchase, the market began a downward spiral. “With hindsight, that was a mistake,” says Hay-Roe. According to Globe and Mail business columnist Eric Reguly, if newsprint prices don’t rebound soon, Abitibi’s restructuring efforts “may require a trip into bankruptcy.” It’s something that Hay-Roe echoes. “Yes, they’re heading in that direction,” says Hay-Roe. “I don’t think it’s imminent, but I think that that’s the way the industry is going ... No company can go on losing money at the rate that they’ve been losing money indefinitely — something has to change.”
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3
Power to the province With fuel costs rising and energy demand growing, province’s power needs could be ‘blowing in the wind’ By Jamie Baker The Independent
J.An
drew
s’05
“T
he answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind,” is a phrase often warbled in a famous Bob Dylan song, but it’s also becoming a pretty good catchphrase for companies interested in developing new electricity potential. With fuel costs having risen dramatically, and the demand for clean energy growing almost daily, wind power has become a key alternative energy possibility on the national and global scene. In Newfoundland and Labrador, where there’s no shortage of land or wind, the idea of setting up wind turbines to provide electricity has long been a bit of a novelty, but it’s starting to become more of an apparent necessity. One of the companies pushing forward with a “full blown” wind power project is Anemos Energy Corporation. The company, run by St. John’s natives and brothers Rob and Scott Parsons, has spent the last two years developing plans for a 10-megawatt, five- to 10-turbine wind farm near Bay Bulls, just off Shoal Bay Road. Rob, who notes “Anemos” is the Greek word for wind, says wind power wasn’t considered a viable option compared to fuel-generated plants until the price of oil sky rocketed. The high cost for establishing wind power has become more comparable to fuel-driven plants. “Keeping development costs down is key for us because we’re just two guys with humble beginnings … there are challenges but we’re taking it one step at a time,” Parsons tells The Independent. “We’re directly competing with the price of fuel. We can compete, though it’s marginal, but it’s about, again, keeping all costs low.” The Anemos project site has the advantages of being close to St. John’s, close to a substation and transmission lines, and having a road already in place. Development will start taking physical shape in the next few weeks with the establishment of a
meteorological monitoring tower at the site, followed by turbine installation next year. He says the construction process could create 10 to 20 jobs. Parsons hopes to be producing power by late 2006. “The tower will be kind of an exciting material development because, up to now, it’s all been paperwork. Once the tower is up and data is being recorded, we’ll definitely be rolling then.” Besides the Parsons brothers’ project, over the last three years nine other project proposals have been submitted to the provincial government for environmental assessment. Projects are being pursued in and near St. Brendan’s, Elliston, the Arches and Flat Hills on the Northern Peninsula, Ramea, and St. Lawrence. Projects are also being developed in Labrador at Charlottetown, Mary’s Harbour and Nain. All those projects combined would produce approximately 72 megawatts of power, or about two per cent of what the lower Churchill project is expected to produce — no great output compared to some mega-projects, but Parsons says it’s a start. And what’s more, he says, it’s entirely clean. The Anemos project, producing 32,000 megawatt hours annually, could eliminate the need for about eight million litres of fuel. “It’s clean energy that produces no pollutants or emissions whatsoever. Over a 20- or 30-year project lifespan, that’s a significant reduction in hydrocarbon emissions and fossil fuel use.” Admitting New“I’ve seen some of foundland and Labrador “isn’t on the these wind farms same part of the curve as say Ontario, Quewith the big turbec and Prince Edward Island in bines — they’re terms of attracting quite a sight.” developers to the province,” Parsons Rob Parsons says there are exciting wind power possibilities here. He even alludes to the potential for tourism development — after all, other major wind farms throughout the world, everywhere from the Netherlands to Palm Springs, are popular tourist traps. “I’ve seen some of these wind farms with the big turbines — they’re quite a sight.” As for his own project, he says the focus now is on acquiring low-interest financing and other capital investment, along with working out an agreement to sell the power, most likely to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro. The rate paid for the power, Parsons says, will be based on the average cost of the fuel used to generate electricity at Holyrood. “We’ve had preliminary communication with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, but we have to start becoming more involved with them and ironing out a power purchase agreement,” Parsons says. “We have a lot of work to do … we won’t be twiddling our thumbs.”
Markets prefer white meat; seal not yet in demand By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
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arassed by protesters and tormented by Mother Nature, the seal hunt is over and now the counting begins. Numbers are not yet available for this year’s hunt, but the quota of 319,000 animals is thought to have been taken. In 2004, there were 325,343 animals landed with young seals, or beaters, making up over 301,000 of the total. Young seals are most prized because the pelts are unscarred. There were also 2,698 penises, 105,814 flippers, 176,479 kilograms of meat and 756,617 kg of fat collected — figures up substantially from the 2003 mark. There are 12,228 commercial licenses in the province and 1,310 personal licenses. Frank Pinhorn of the Canadian Sealers’ Association says “very little” of the meat is actually landed. He admits the meat remains “underutilized. “There’s been a lot of effort put into it and it’s just a hard nut to crack, there’s no doubt about that,” says Pinhorn. North American and European markets aren’t fans of the oily dark seal meat, preferring white meat. Pinhorn says Asian markets don’t seem to have the same qualms when it comes to seal
11.59.X4” INDEPENDENT
Heidi Taylor of Taylor’s Seafood sells flippers near St. John’s harbour.
meat. There is, however, a market for the seal oil as a health-food supplement.
Paul Daly/The Independent
After the pelt, flippers, fat and other organs are removed from a young seal, only 10 to 12 pounds of meat remains. The carcass, he says,
are mostly skeleton with some meat along the spine. “There’s very little left,” says Pinhorn. “The (meat) yield on it is so low.” While demand for the penis is still strong among Asian communities that consider it a aphrodisiac, fewer have been taken in recent hunts because the price of pelts have increased, meaning that younger, immature animals make up most of the quota. The average price for a pelt is approximately $70, seal fat hovers around 20 cents a kilogram and 50 cents per flipper. “What the market looks for is organs that are in excess of eight inches — eight to 18 inches. And because we’re targeting younger seals, obviously the organs wouldn’t be an issue.” The sealers’ association is also looking into marketing seal as an alternative feed for cows. Garry Stenson, head of the marine mammal section of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in St. John’s, says any meat left on the ice eventually falls to the bottom of the ocean and becomes food for scavengers such as lobsters and sea lice. While the carcasses remain on the ice, what’s left over becomes a feast for birds such as seagulls. He says nature makes use of whatever is left behind. “Mother Nature always utilizes everything, it doesn’t matter what’s going on. You know what they say, nature abhors a vacuum.”
MAY 15, 2005
4 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
TRAVELLING RODEO
‘It boggles the mind’ From page 1 had a presence on the ground in Newfoundland. “There’s not a single person here aside from Efford’s own political staff,” Wells says. “It boggles the mind there’s such indifference by Efford as minister and that there’s such arrogance at the bureaucratic level towards this province. “We’re just not on the federal radar. I still think they see coming here as going to the colonies, you know.” Having been to numerous oil shows and meetings in recent years, Wells says it’s not hard to see, first-hand, how unaware the federal government is about some of the things happening in this province’s oil and gas sector. In fact, he says it’s to the point where maps being used in Canadian presentations don’t even show the province. “It’s the ultimate insult, or I guess it’s symbolic. You’re at an international show, and the bureaucrats can’t get it through their heads there is a province here, we’re producing 350,000 barrels of oil a day and we’re getting bigger and we’re an energy province.” As for what it will take to convince
St. John’s Mayor Andy Wells
the federal government and the oil companies to establish a solid research presence, Wells says is anyone’s guess. “The only thing you can do is do what I’m doing now and go to the media,” he says. “I have a paper trail of having written Efford three or four
Paul Daly/The Independent
times on some of these issues, and I’ve gotten stone-walled. I mean, what’s wrong? What am I missing here? What does the Atlantic Accord mean? Clearly, not a heck of a lot. “I guess you just got to keep hammering away at them.”
FFAW plans crab vote; Liberal critic says union ‘more compassionate than premier’ By Jamie Baker The Independent
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Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo, during the band’s St. John’s concert May 13, the start of the Newfoundland leg of their national tour. Paul Daly/The Independent
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t may not bring the complete end to the dispute, but there appears to be at least some movement in the ongoing battle between the provincial government and crab fishermen. Late last week, the Fish, Food and Allied Workers’ union announced plans to start negotiations with processors and buyers over the price of crab. The union also announced it would also hold a vote within days to decide whether to open the fishery. The crab fishery officially opened on April 9, but fishermen voted to tie up their boats in protest of government’s proposed raw materials sharing pilot project, which caps the amount of crab each plant can process based on resources in a region. Since that time, fishermen have taken crab to Nova Scotia, blockaded Placentia Bay and St. John’s Harbour, and practically shut down the House of Assembly. As of Friday, the provincial government wouldn’t comment on the developments.
Liberal Fisheries critic Gerry Reid welcomed the news, but says it is unfortunate the FFAW — as opposed to government — has to look after the needs of the rural economy. “I think Earl McCurdy and his people are far more compassionate for, not only their own membership, but for the rural communities in Newfoundland and Labrador — far more compassionate than the premier anyway,” Reid tells The Independent. “The premier would have starved these people out and probably destroyed rural Newfoundland and Labrador this summer by not allowing this fishery to proceed.” Last year, the crab fishery in this province was one of the most lucrative ever, with a landed value of more than $300 million. In terms of the overall rural economic picture, Reid says landed value is only part of the equation. “The spinoff of it all, I would suggest, is at least $500 million more than the landed value. The premier was willing to sacrifice that, simply to have his own way … it’s frightening really. Obviously, he’s listening to nobody.
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MHA Gerry Reid
“It’s a sad scenario to know that a fellow who’s elected by the people of the province has such disrespect for their views.” If the FFAW goes ahead with plans to negotiate prices with processors, it will mean, to a large measure, all parties will be working around the raw materials sharing system. And that’s fine by Reid, who says while there have been some touchy times, “we have never not landed every single pound of crab we were entitled to unless it was a natural phenomenon like soft shell. “I believe if this system is implemented, it will surely put fishermen back under the thumb of processors … it really and truly bothers me.” While hopes are high crab will soon start to be proceeded in the province, Reid says the fight is likely far from over. He called government’s decision to bring FFAW founder Richard Cashin in as an independent voice “the only thing Williams did right. “He’s someone the union can, at least, trust and the premier has stated publicly in the House of Assembly that he would live by the recommendation of Cashin. But I don’t have a lot of faith in those words because I’ve seen him make those statements before.” Meantime, the provincial government and the FFAW have both spent in the ballpark of $15,000 for advertising since the raw material sharing project was announced. The province’s latest round of newspaper advertising — a half-page advertisement in virtually every daily or weekly paper in Newfoundland and Labrador — cost an estimated $11,500. Another $3,000 to $4,000 was spent in community newspapers earlier in the dispute. “Properly done, you only do advertising when your message isn’t getting out,” says Alex Marland, communications director for the Fisheries department. “I’m certainly comfortable (with what we’ve spent)… if anything, we probably been not aggressive enough. “It’s just making sure people understand.” According to Lana Payne, spokesperson for the FFAW, the union has also spent about $15,000 in advertising — but compared to the amounts some unions spend during disputes, Payne says it’s hardly extravagant. “I’ve been here since 1991 and we’ve never really taken, never really done huge ad campaigns,” says Payne. “We feel that we’re effective at getting our message out … and we tend not to have a lot of problems getting the media interested in what we’re saying. As for government’s ads? “They have a much bigger pocketbook than we do,” Payne says. — With files from Stephanie Porter
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 5
Custodial management isn’t ‘janitorial service’; survey finds Canadians aren’t up on foreign overfishing By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
T
he recent high seas fisheries conference in St. John’s directed attention on Ottawa’s attempts to curb foreign overfishing, but a recent study reveals Canadians feel the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has fallen down on the job when it comes to communicating its efforts. The study included focus groups conducted by Environics Research Group across the country, with stops in Clarenville, Calgary, Toronto, Halifax and Nanaimo, B.C. David Bevan, an assistant deputy minister with DFO, says getting the information out has been difficult. “It’s clear we’re going to have to try and do more to get that message out about exactly what we’re doing and what the results are right now,” Bevan tells The Independent. A total of 15 illegal fishing citations have been issued to foreign trawlers operating outside the 200-mile limit to date this year — equal to the total number of citations issued in 2004.
Nine of the citations issued this year have been laid against three Spanish vessels. The area outside Canada’s 200-mile limit is controlled by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, and citations laid by Canadian observers must be upheld by a vessel’s flag state. Court action is then taken by the home country. Often ships face no penalties, the fines are insignificant, and results are rarely publicized. “That’s fair,” Bevan says of criticism over the lack of publicity in terms of what happens to foreign vessels when they return home. “We have some (citations) now that are pending that we’re waiting to see if our diplomatic efforts have, in fact, created the right type of response. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re (going) to see some significant change.” From the focus groups, it was clear the majority of Canadians neither understand the issues surrounding overfishing or aren’t aware of the actions being taken. One person thought custodial management was a
David Bevan, DFO assistant deputy minister, faces the media. Paul Daly/The Independent
“janitorial service. “They didn’t understand the concept of it and that’s not surprising since it hasn’t been clearly articulated in writ-
Attendance records
Vote attendance as of May 10
Just how often is your MP in the House of Commons? By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
I
f votes on bills are any indication, MP Gerry Byrne has the lowest attendance record of sitting Newfoundland and Labrador MPs in the House of Commons since the Liberals narrowly won the June 2004 election. The Commons tracks the attendance for votes, and which way Members of Parliament vote. While not required to attend every vote, questions do arise when an MP has a low attendance record. Many MPs declare themselves “constituency” politicians when challenged — meaning they spend time in their ridings working on local issues and can’t make themselves available for a vote in the Commons. The late Lawrence O’Brien had the lowest attendance rate overall, but he was receiving treatment for brain cancer that eventually took his life just before Christmas. May 24 has been set as the date of
the byelection in Labrador, but with the expected downfall of Paul Martin’s Liberal government on May 19 when MPs are slated to vote on the Liberal budget, the byelection would be cancelled and the race would become part of a general election. Each party has a “whip” that contacts MPs and demands their attendance at certain votes important to government’s agenda or survival. That will be the case May 24 when Martin’s Liberals bring their budget to the House for a vote. If the Liberals lose the “vote of nonconfidence,” Martin will have no choice but to dissolve government and call a general election. Currently, the NDP is supporting the Liberals based on changes they requested to the very budget that will likely bring down the government. The Conservative/Bloc Quebecois coalition defeated the Liberal government May 19 on a motion it believed to be a vote of non-confidence, but Martin and his Liberal government dismissed that claim and set this
Thursday as D-Day on Parliament Hill. The Liberals have 132 seats, NDP 19, the Conservatives 99, and the Bloc Quebecois, 54. There are three independents and one seat vacant — O’Brien’s — in the 308-seat House of Commons. Given the one-seat vacancy, the Liberals may need all of their 132 seats, including the Speaker, and the 19 NDP votes. Jack Layton’s party promised to back the government in return for additional social spending, plus the support of all three independents. Natural Resources Minister John Efford was absent from the House last week as he undergoes medical tests for his diabetes in St. John’s. Health concerns and a bumpy political ride in recent months have led Efford to ponder his political future. If the Conservative/Bloc Quebecois coalition brings down the Liberal minority government, Efford has said there’s a good chance, depending on his health, he won’t run again.
SHIPPING NEWS
K
MONDAY, MAY 9 Vessels arrived: Shamook, Canada, from sea; Teleost, Canada, from sea; Asl Sanderling, Canada, from Halifax; Maersk Placentia, Canada, from Terra Nova. Vessels departed: Cabot, Canada, to Montreal; Burin Sea, Canada, to Hibernia; Maersk Chignecto, Canada, to Terra Nova.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Vessels arrived: Maersk Norseman, Canada, from Hibernia; Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Canada, from Sea. Vessels departed: Appak, Canada, to St. Anthony; Teleost, Canada, to Sea. THURSDAY, MAY 12 Vessels arrived: Razna, Liberia, from Riga/ Russia; Atlantic Hawk, Canada, from White Rose; Cicero, Canada, from Montreal. Vessels departed: Irving Canada, Canada, to Maine; Atlantic
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte 44 of 83 votes 53 per cent attendance Lawrence O’Brien Deceased, Liberal Labrador 15 of 83 votes Norm Doyle Conservative St. John’s North 78 of 83 93 per cent Loyola Hearn Conservative St. John’s South
76 of 83 91 per cent Scott Simms Liberal Bonavista-Exploits 75 of 83 90 per cent John Efford Liberal cabinet minister Avalon 67 of 83 80 per cent Bill Matthews Liberal Random-Burin-St. George’s 64 of 83 77 per cent
579-STOG 77 Harv Harvey ey Road
Stoggers’ Pizza
eeping an eye on the comings and goings of the ships in St. John’s harbour. Information provided by the coast guard traffic centre.
TUESDAY, MAY 10 Vessels arrived: Geco Diamon, Panama, from USA; Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova; Oceanex Avalon, Canada, from Germany; Irving Canada, Canada, from St. John, N.B.; Covenant II, Canada, from fishing. Vessels departed: Burin Sea, Canada, to Terra Nova; Maersk Placentia, Canada, to White Rose; Appak, Canada, to St. Anthony; Asl Sanderling, Canada, to Corner Brook.
ing,” Bevan says. “I think that that’s been a problem with us all along in terms of what gets news attention and what doesn’t.”
Bevan says even the wheels of justice turn slowly in Canada. He’s been involved in a number of court cases this year that date back as far as 1995. Bevan says building European support against overfishing is more critical. Focus groups were also conducted in Europe. “In the EU, we are dealing with the need to push decision makers, politicians along a continuum. We’re getting there in some areas more quickly than others.” The other comment that repeatedly surfaced in the Canadian focus groups was that DFO is seen as being “gravely” understaffed. “There’s no question we’re stretched thin in many areas ... it’s been a challenge to focus resources.” Bevan says that’s not the case outside the 200-mile limit. “It’s covered to the point that I almost wish I had the same level of intimate knowledge about what’s going on in some of our domestic fisheries as I do in the NAFO regulatory area.”
The“best The “bestpizz zzain intown” town”is is
BACK!
Paul Daly/The Independent
Kingfisher, Canada, to Terra Nova; Maersk Norseman, Canada, to Hibernia; Shamook, Canada, to sea. FRIDAY, MAY 13 Vessels arrived: Maersk Placentia, Canada, to White Rose Field; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, Terra Nova. Vessels departed: Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Canada, to sea; Geco Diamond, Panama, to the Orphan Basin; Gulf Spirit I, Canada, to the Orphan Basin; Razna, Liberia, to the Flemish Cap; Cicero, Canada, to Montreal; Atlantic Hawk, Canada; to White Rose; Oceanex Avalon, Canada, to Montreal.
MAY 15, 2005
6 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
OUR VOICE
One more time I
have watched with interest and some distaste the passions and energies unleashed by the government’s recent plan to re-organize the relationship between seafood harvesters and processors in our province. I know too little (or maybe too much) to comment on the merits of the plan or the position of the harvesters and processors, but I cannot help but be moved to speak out again about the promise of aquaculture for this province. It was my overwhelming frustration at our own experiences in this industry that moved me to write my first column for The Independent. Five or six attempts since then and some very kind comments back from my faithful reader(s), and I find myself in the unanticipated position of columnist. So keeping in the theme of things that make me want to speak out, if one tenth the energy that has been spent on this new fishery plan was focused on aquaculture, in time the wild fishery would be a niche market and a secondary industry to aquaculture — and not that long a time. Pretty bold statement. Saying that in the basement boardroom of the
BRIAN DOBBIN
Publish or perish
province’s Fisheries and Aquaculture department would generally cause a smile, rolling of the eyes, or fidgeting of buttocks on the bright orange weave chairs. After almost 20 years involvement in the province’s aquaculture effort, I believe that statement more now than when I sat and listened raptly to the passionate dreams of Cabot Martin and Craig Dobbin in the late 1980s for the future of this new industry. I believe it now more than when I saw Johnathon Moir and his Seaforest team actually hatch and grow codfish and serve it to the St. John’s Board of Trade luncheon in the 1990s. I believe it especially now after investing $15 million in the industry in this new century and seeing millions of pounds of our farmed fish being snapped up by American buyers raving about its quality, and a new cod hatch-
ery sitting in Bay Roberts almost ready to produce up to 10 million new hatched cod a year. Ten million a year! That represents potentially more than 30,000 tonnes of grown codfish a year — from one hatchery. And yet with all these milestones, I spoke two weeks ago to a couple who represent what the future could be for us and listened to them tell me they were thinking of leaving the province. Doug and Jennifer Caines are responsible for the salmon growing operations in Pool’s Cove, a beautiful village of several hundred people on the south coast. Many times over the last five years I have brought potential investors to Pool’s Cove to show them what aquaculture could become in this province. Doug and Jennifer have a spectacular home perched on the cliffs above the cove, and you could smell the bustle of successful industry as you moved through the community. New equipment, houses well taken care of, and a positive energy that was palpable. A trip in the new boat to the cages out in the bay teeming with tens of thousands of large salmon is very visceral.
As a German partner said to me standing on the edge of the cage one glorious summer day as the fish were being fed and turning the water on top into a churning mass of seafood — “Now this is real business!” Being from the institutional investment industry, he meant this was business that you could see, feel, and taste. Since the receivers have moved into the management of the operations, Doug and Jennifer see the writing on the wall and recognize the coming end of what was a growing and profitable business. As I explained in my inaugural column, the brick wall facing the industry in Newfoundland and Labrador is the lack of financing available for growing out the crops over a 30-month period. Having been all over the world looking for a solution, I can say with authority it is a tough sell. The only real solution is our government, as was the case in successful places like Norway, Chile, and New Brunswick. What frustrates me is we are consuming so much energy on what can only be described as an earnest effort to regulate something that has evolved here over the last several hundred
years. When looking at industry to invest in Newfoundland in the last 10 years, the only one we did not examine was the wild fishery. It is not the future of seafood. What do I mean? Well let me tell you. In 1985 the province of Newfoundland began investing small amounts in aquaculture. It was the same year Chile made its first investment. Today Chile has an industry worth over $2 billion Cdn. In 1985 only two per cent of seafood consumed daily in the world was farmed. By 2000 it was over 40 per cent. In 1985, Canada was the world’s leading exporter of seafood. By 2000 we had slipped to eighth, overtaken by aquaculture producers like China, Norway, and Chile, the top three. This is not a crystal-ball situation. We are a natural place with numerous advantages for the aquaculture industry, not the least of which is our cod environment and infrastructure. If you do not believe the overwhelming majority of seafood in the coming future will be farmed, then go shoot yourself a wild cow and pick some leaves in the forest to have with it.
YOUR VOICE ‘Free lunches are never free’ Dear editor, While a member of the Grand Falls-Windsor council circa 1995, I remember our mayor coming back from an Abitibi mainland meeting with the joyous news that Abitibi had no intentions of ever downgrading our mill. Rather, they were going to make our Grand Falls facility the corner stone of their paper industry. I can still hear the magnificent solemnity of that pronouncement. God, it was awesome. Given the occurrence of recent developments regarding the Grand Falls mill with the proposed removal of No. 7 machine — the last of the original seven machines we had in this mill — and some nebulous statements about upgrading No. 3 machine, a.k.a. Moby Joe — I have just one question: if we here in Grand Falls-Windsor are the promised corner stone of the paper industry for
Abitibi Consolidated, where in the hell is the building in which the corner stone is to be embedded? I also believe this highlights a key concept: officials of large towns or any size municipality must avoid being wined and dined by big industries. Such spokespersons may have their egos stroked while our pockets are picked. They must always remember a company will support a town only as long as it serves the company’s bottom line. Free lunches are never free. This latest plan to remove 140 men from our mill proves the point. Every morsel of food, every drop of wine will be dearly paid for by our people in Grand Falls-Windsor. I wonder if such spokespersons ever thought that their final free meal would be our last supper. Aubrey Smith, Grand Falls-Windsor
Questioning Harper’s objective Dear editor, for the government’s head. The news reports this week regardBut Gomery has not yet reported ing the events in the House of his findings; he has not yet heard all Commons following the announce- the testimony. How will the Conment of Judy Sgro’s exoneration were servatives react if Gomery, in fact, illuminating to say the least. identifies the guilty parties and exonSeveral months ago, Stephen erates the innocent? Assuming they Harper’s Conservatives were howling have by that time succeeded in forcfor Sgro’s head on the basis of allega- ing an election and then forming a tions of impropriety and some accusa- government, would Harper and comtions from a particupany then be willlarly unsavoury pizing to apologize za parlour owner and give up power How will the who was subseon the basis that Conservatives react quently — finally power was obtained — deported back to under false preif Gomery, in fact, his native India. tences? Now, it appears I rather doubt it. identifies the guilty Sgro has been exonIn my view, I think erated. The reaction parties and exonerates Harper would just from the Conserv“take the money the innocent? atives? and run.” In essence, “conTherefore, Canagratulations, you beat the rap!” Ye dian voters need to study this lesson Gods! No word of apology, no contri- carefully. Heaven knows I am not a tion of any kind for having, apparent- Liberal supporter, but Harper scares ly, made false accusations! the bejeezus out of me. His objective, Cut to the present. Testimony at the as I have said before, appears to be Gomery inquiry is suggesting there power — at any cost. I find it difficult were some unsavoury goings on in to trust anyone who has such a singlethe Quebec wing of the Liberal Party. minded obsession. On the basis of these allegations, John Anderson, Harper’s Conservatives are howling Ottawa
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
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All aboard the omnibus F unny, the news that connects with the public. Crab boats have been bobbing on front pages for weeks, but the moment the Fisheries minister tries to explain his case with jellybeans and everyone makes a mad dash to the newspaper like a fat kid on a Smartie. NAPE brothers and sisters have cows to remember their strike; fishermen have jellybeans as a memory of their Dannybrook. Trevor Taylor attempted to break down the incredibly charged, complicated dispute between fish plants and crab fishermen — a standoff not seen in Newfoundland in recent times — with jellybeans. On a positive note, jellybeans were a much better choice than Gummy Bears, which, although more popular these days, are both stickier and squishier than jellybeans. Taylor’s quote went like this: “If I had 20 jellybeans …” The ridiculous analogy drifted quickly toward the rocks, where the point was lost to jellybean heaven. On a positive note, Trevor “Tip Top” Taylor still looks good, which is better than nothing. The TV news is riveting these days. The cameras caught security guards outside the House of Assembly’s public gallery asking protesters whether they were carrying knives or guns or jellybeans. It was feared the protesters would fire their jellybeans at government MHAs like little candy bullets to the head. When asked, the protesters willingly spilled their beans into outstretched hands, which was sweet of the protesters, considering the House’s metal detector doesn’t pick up sugar. Jellybeans are a much more colourful storyline than what’s going on in Ottawa these days, where Loyola Hearn is between a rock and hard place — the Rock, being Newfoundland and Labrador; the hard place being the Conservative Party of Canada. The sliver of space in the middle is Screwedville — population John Efford. There’s a vote coming up next
RYAN CLEARY
Fighting Newfoundlander
Thursday in the House of Commons. Boiled down: Hearn either stands by his people and votes for the new Atlantic Accord deal; or he votes with the party against the bill (and against his people) and brings down Liberal government. People, or party — which is it? That’s the question posed Friday by the prime minister, who dropped by Glenwood in central to scatter $100 million around a daycare. Danny Williams even said it: Loyola and Norm Doyle should vote to pass the
Loyola Hearn is between a rock and a hard place … The sliver of space in the middle is Screwedville — population John Efford. Atlantic Accord legislation. Their votes are crucial, Danny said. Only it’s not as simple as that. The two-page Accord deal was lumped in with 23 other provisions. There was so much baggage in the legislation that it had to be carried in a bus, as in omnibus bill. Some of the provisions — including one on the Kyoto environmental protocol — weren’t palatable to the opposition parties. Right up to Friday, Hearn and the Conservatives pleaded with the Liberals to remove the Accord and allow it to pass through the Commons as a separate piece of legislation. The Liberals wouldn’t hear of it. Question is, why not? Why didn’t the Liberals put the Accord in a standalone bill from the get-go?
If Danny was on his game, all he had to do was ask his new buddy Paul Martin to wrap the Accord in a separate package. The governing Liberals wouldn’t hear of it. Thing is, even if the Accord bill dies on the order paper, Conservative leader Stephen Harper has stated in writing he’ll pass the agreement — as is, where is — if his party wins the impending election. So what’s the big deal? And what’s Danny so pissed about? Well, there is the $3 million a week the province is missing out in terms of interest on the Accord money — which, again, isn’t in the bank. Ironically, it’s possible the Accord bill could pass faster — given the speed of the federal parliamentary system — if the Liberal government is defeated and the Conservatives win power. That still doesn’t explain why Danny is giving Hearn a hard time. Could be the premier is vicious at the MP for taking Fabian Manning’s side when the premier threw the MHA out of caucus. There once was a time when mavericks like John Efford and Walter Noel (How long ago was that?) stood apart from the MHA fold and were still welcome in caucus. Oh, how Manning probably longs for those bright days to come again once more. Come again they just may, just not on Danny’s watch. Speaking of the original maverick, Efford is nowhere to be seen these days. Is he sick, or sick of it? Like Hearn, Efford had a choice when it came to the Accord: side with his people or support the federal government. He chose wrong. Bets are Hearn will support his party and vote down the omnibus bill, and he’d be right to do so. The Liberal government does not deserve to live another day. The Accord will be passed, and the taste will be that much sweeter. Ryan Cleary is managing editor of The Independent. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 7
YOUR VOICE
Derrick Rowe
Women are interested in trades
Paul Daly/The Independent
FPI’s tentacles are far reaching Dear editor, After entertaining myself with Derrick Rowe’s address to the recent conference in St. John’s on governance of high seas fisheries, I realized we’re dealing with a spin doctor — a very good spin doctor. Conversely, I will nevertheless try to spin his words in favour of Harbour Breton and rural Newfoundland. Monumental task for sure. First of all, we Newfoundlanders certainly find new and innovative ways to shoot ourselves in the foot. Under the Wells administration, we suffered the largest economic catastrophe in our history to date — the cod moratorium. Just prior to that tumultuous time in our history, the entity we now know as FPI was spawned and is now hatching. The hostile takeover bid by John Risely saw then-CEO Vic Young ousted and replaced with FPI’s current CEO, Derrick Rowe. Yes Rowe, the very man who, according to his address to the international fisheries conference, wears several hats — NAFO commissioner, member of the special advisory panel to federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Geoff Regan, and CEO of FPI. This equates to putting the fox in charge of the hen house. The tentacles of FPI reach to all levels of government — both inside and outside Canada. Rowe is part of any decision of NAFO, he influences any decision the Fisheries and Oceans minister makes, while all the time helping Risely and FPI commit genocide with the resource. Rowe also said FPI fishes about 85 per cent of the total allowable catch for Canadian groundfish. With the closure of the Harbour Breton plant, I feel begins the onslaught of closures including Fortune, Burin and
Marystown in short order. The writing can be watched on Canada’s oceans. With the addition of each new factory-freezer trawler that FPI launches, the further away the fish plant jobs move. Once these landbased plants are closed, 85 per cent of the Canadian groundfish quota will be processed in China. FPI will not stop at the groundfish sector. The onslaught on the crab fishery is under way. It started in earnest with the awarding of a crab-processing license to Risely for St. Anthony. If Premier Danny Williams and Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor ram this raw material sharing plan down the throats of our crab fishermen, Risely will have his foot in the door of the crab industry. This will mark the beginning of the end of the crab resource for it too will be exported to China in very short order. According to Rowe, coastal communities continue to suffer hardships due to there being too many plants. Yet FPI is acquiring floating plants to catch the resource for Chinese processing. This problem of overcapacity exists because FPI continues to ship more and more product to China. I hope I have connected the dots well enough to show my fellow Newfoundlanders, who choose to live in coastal communities, that we are on the endangered species list — not the codfish. As you can see, the tentacles of FPI are far reaching. At a time when acquiring a processing license and crab quota is virtually impossible, FPI got one in Taylor’s district. I suggest to you, this shows the level of communication between our provincial government and FPI. We will not give up the fight, Mr. Rowe. It is just starting. Wade Tibbo, Harbour Breton
Dear editor, I am writing in response to an article that appeared in The Independent’s May 8-14 edition (Dictating that half of all trades apprentices should be women unrealistic, critics say.) In addressing issues raised by some industry and union spokespersons after the release of a report on women’s presence in trades, technology and operations by the women in resource development committee, the writer failed to reference important information contained in the report. The recommendation ensuring 50 per cent of new apprentices hired are women flows logically from the research that resulted in the report’s recommendations. At a Snail’s Pace pays detailed attention to a research survey completed recently in Newfoundland and Labrador: The Apprenticeship Experience: 2003 Survey of Registered Apprentices of Newfoundland and Labrador by the
Education Department. Among the survey’s findings: • Though female apprentices are slightly more successful than men in completing entry-level training, they have a much harder job logging hours. • Women find it harder than men to find trade-related employment. • A higher percentage of female apprentices report part-time employment, making it more difficult to log the required amount of hours. • Female apprentices are paid less for apparently no other reason than gender. • A much lower percentage of women than men reported they were affiliated with a trade union, noting that union affiliation can have important implications for apprentices. Our research reinforced these particular findings of the Education Department, and many more. Further, it identifies the many barriers standing in the way of women wanting to enter trades and technology.
At A Snail’s Pace indicates these barriers include everything from broader social barriers such as the lack of a public childcare system through to internal barriers that cause women to drop out of apprenticeships in higher percentages than men. The women in resource development committee will use the findings of its report to work with partners to locate potential women apprentices. We know the women are out there. We know their names. We can help industry and unions to get in touch with these women. We are already doing it. The success of the orientation to trades and technology program for women is an indication that despite what is quoted in your article, women are quite interested in getting into trades. Lorraine Michael, Executive director, women in resource development committee
BEAN BUST
Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor's used jellybeans to explain the province’s ongoing dispute with crab fishermen and their union. Protesters started carrying jellybeans as a result. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
What’s been ‘missing from our province’ Dear editor, I am a Newfoundland ex-pat living in Toronto. My brother first introduced me to the online version of your publication. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you and tell you just how glad I am that your newspaper exists. I (like
many of us who have moved away) tried to make a living in Newfoundland only to see all opportunities moving more and more to the mainland. Newfoundland pride has always been somewhat undefined by Newfoundlanders. It’s so nice to see a paper that
does not pander to business or political entities, but instead puts Newfoundland first — something that has traditionally been missing from our province. Keep up the good work, I’ll keep reading. Daniel Kennedy, Toronto
had a stupid look on my face. Look around at your cabinet ministers, Danny. Look at your caucus. Look at their faces. They are along for the ride too. They don’t want to be out in the cold. But they don’t want to get in a big wreck either. It’s scary being along for a ride like that. Take it from me. I tried humouring him. That calmed him down a little, but not much. This guy had something to prove. He was now clearly gambling that nothing would come looming out of the swirling snow, too late for us to stop. It was clear that his “pride” was more important to him than our safety. He wanted me to know that he was driving. Not me — him. It was terrifying. Parable aside, Danny, let me cut to the chase. Your brinkmanship with the crab fishermen, your tossing of Manning, your tossing of Beth Marshall, is diminishing every one of your caucus — especially your cabinet ministers. They look
like cowering toadies. Afraid to speak up. Merely along for the ride. I know some of them, so I know better. But that is not the way it looks. You campaigned as part of a team. I don’t see a team. I see a lot of people keeping their seats warm and their mouths shut on the happy side of the House. This cannot be making them happy. They sure don’t look happy. I wouldn’t be happy. I would feel obligated to stand up to you by now — just to preserve my own self-respect. If I had been elected to Team Danny you can bet your boots you would have tossed me by now. There are rules on the road you have chosen to travel, Danny. You would make a lot of people a lot less nervous if you looked — at least once in a while — like you respected them.
Dude, where’s my caucus D
anny, Danny, Danny … Here we are again: me writing you another letter. Sometimes I get the feeling you aren’t listening. Maybe a little story will work. Way back in my misspent youth, I found myself hitchhiking to Grand Falls in a snowstorm. It hadn’t started that way. It was sunny and cool when I left town. But I found myself, hours later, out in the cold between nowhere and nowhere. It was getting late in the day. It was snowing pretty heavily. It was getting dark. I was starting to worry. Then this late model, expensive car pulled over. Cool! I did a quick survey of the driver before I got in. You can never be too careful, Danny. He seemed fine. I got in to the lovely warm car, and we pulled out onto the highway. He seemed like a great guy. He appeared to be in his late 40s — a business type (unlike me in my army jacket and jeans). Talkative. He
IVAN MORGAN
Rant & Reason wanted to know what I was doing out on such an evening. I told him about the girl I was going to visit. He laughed and said she must be something. She was. It was snowing to beat the band, Danny. Getting worse by the minute. He was talking away and laughing. I started getting a little nervous. I thought he was driving a little fast for the conditions. He was flying through the swirling snow, visibility dwindling in the dusk. It was awkward. What was I going to say? It was his car. I had climbed aboard for my own reasons. Who was I to say anything? I caught the reflection of my face in the lowered sunvisor mirror. I
was pale and sombre looking. Why am I telling you this story, Danny? Because I have seen that same expression recently on the faces of your caucus members sitting around you in the House. They don’t look happy. Finally, when it was really starting to get dangerous, I resolved to say something. “Dude. Aren’t you going a little fast?” That made it worse. He got mad. Where did I get off, he yelled? Whose car is it? He went on and on about having driven that stretch of road since before I was in short pants. What did I know! He was pissed. He stepped on the gas, just to make the point. He could have freaked out, pulled over and tossed me back out into the cold. Then, I guess, I would have looked like Fabian Manning. I didn’t want to go out in the cold. It was too late for that. It was dark. Out there by myself I had no hope. So I
Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com
915 Topsail Road, Mt. Pearl 364-2423 Toll Free: 1-800-349-6999 email: sales@tuckeracura.com
MAY 15, 2005
8 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
For those about to rock
D
ave got a new Harley. Wayne got a new boat. It was a weekend of gain and JEFF DUCHARME loss. A Savage On this chilly May Saturday night, we sat in my buddy Dave’s shed in St. George’s in anticJourney ipation of the new toys arriving. The Harley in the back of the pickup and the boat towed behind. Ron, Dave’s father, had picked up what always had a barb to send my way. When he the b’ys had bought on eBay. thought I couldn’t understand him, he’d speak “Jeff, you’re here to welcome two new addi- in “mainlander.” Like he was flicking a switch, tions to the family and say goodbye to one,” he’d begin talking like so many of those said Wayne, his familiar grin cutting across his pompous twits who stumble off flights from up face, cheeks bulging. along. I smiled slowly. It was nice to see Wayne’s Freddy would throw his head back and laugh grin return, as trampled as it was. this wild, twisted laugh. It was a hard week, harder than anything He was a dear friend, a dear soul. should have to be. But times have never been Before the funeral, we gathered by the gas easy here — either at eking out a living or station like we had so many times before, but watching friends leave in search of work, wit- those were happier times. nessing a town whither and die. “I’m not going in that church. I can’t do it, The people of this tiny town nestled in St. won’t do it,” said one of the b’ys, who stands as George’s Bay are the finest people I’ve ever met big as a church and just as immovable. It was a — kind, warm, funny, and strong. On May 6, common refrain that day, uttered by many. they steeled themselves to bid farewell to Nothing could have been more mournful than Freddy Davis. On April 30, he’d been out in a what happened in the church on that May day tiny boat (so tiny it would fit in the pan of a — there are no words. pickup), when it capsized — not a lifejacket in The priest tried to draw parallels between sight, not one to be had. Freddy’s life and Jesus — “they both died at Infuriating, but not surprising. Nationally, this 33,” he said from the pulpit. I caught myself province has the most drowning deaths per capi- before laughing out loud — Freddy was beside ta. me in the pew, elbowing me in Freddy was far from a stuthe side and rolling his eyes. pid man, but on this night, for As the b’ys carried Freddy This place, this some reason, he was as dumb out of the church, Dave as a post and it cost him, and cranked the AC-DC on his island, is now a far us, dearly. truck stereo and then lit up the lesser place; it will Just hours after it happened, tires — two of Freddy’s the search began. favourite things: screeching laugh a lot less and and smoking tires with AC-DC “Just find him and bring him home,” I said to Dave when he cranked so loud your teeth ratweep a lot more. called me with the news. tled. I was in the Halifax airport After the formalities at the waiting for a flight to St. John’s. graveyard, with a cold wind blowing, we all I walked through the airport aimlessly. It was gathered around Freddy’s grey-metal coffin. so surreal — like being trapped in a shopping Somebody said something, but for the life of me mall — everything there to make one happy, but I can’t recall what. Just feet away, lay the body nothing capable of it. Hundreds of people every- of another dear friend who had drowned some where — never alone, but feeling as lonely as years ago — Joey. Two lost souls together. As one possibly could. each person left, they tapped Freddy’s coffin or Little sleep would come until Freddy was knelt and kissed the cold metal. Each of us then taken from the sea and brought home. walked up the hill where everyone gathered to Two days later, they found him and brought remember and hoist a few. him home. They laid him out in the green and Out in the boats, we played for hours in the white Catholic church that dominates the town’s waters of Bay St. George — all the while thinkcentre. ing about how much Freddy would have loved A true patriot, he adored his island home — Wayne’s new boat and that gleaming Harley he was in love with Newfoundland and she with now sitting in Dave’s backyard. him. But more than this island, he loved St. Having the time of our lives and forgetting for George’s, its people. You can take the boy out of a few moments the soul we had just lost, we still the bay, but you can’t take the bay out of the hadn’t learned — not a lifejacket in sight, not boy. one to be had. This place, this island, is now a far lesser place; it will laugh a lot less and weep a lot Jeff Ducharme is The Independent’s senior more. writer. A sense of humour few could match, Freddy jeff.ducharme@theindependent.ca
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LIFE STORY ‘Everyone wanted to dance with Derm’ “He said, ‘tragedy must go with this family,’” At the age of 17, Derm was playing in his father’s band, Uncle Tim’s Barn Dance, at the Knights of Columbus hall on Harvey Road in St. John’s, when By Clare-Marie Gosse the infamous fire of 1942 broke out. Ninety-nine peoThe Independent ple died, including his 19-year-old brother, Gus. Derm suffered minor burns and damage to his throat rtist and designer Derm Duggan lived a life due to smoke inhalation. of wonder and tragedy — but it was a life Later in life, his sister Margaret lost her 29-yearfuller than most people could dare hope to old son. have. Most devastating of all, however, was when Derm “A talent beyond your wildest dreams,” as his and Betty lost their only child, Gary, in a car accident wife Betty describes him, Derm was renowned for at the age of 18. adeptly turning his hand to anything — particularly “It was really hard for us both,” says Betty, “but if it was creative. Painting in really hard for him because I just about every medium talked a lot. I had a lot of possible, mural-making, friends — as he did as well building, inventing, dancing, — but I did a lot of talking performing as a ventriloand he always kept it in and quist, playing the piano and never wanted to talk about drumming. it.” “There wasn’t a thing, it A tragedy of that extent seemed to me, that Derm could rip a couple apart, but didn’t know something Betty and Derm soldiered about,” she says, sitting in through. Since their martheir front room, where riage in 1956, the pair pieces of his diversely-styled seemed destined to face work line the walls. life’s ups and downs togethHis favourite painting — Betty and Derm Duggan er. and the one he thought his Betty smiles self-conbest — a black and white watercolour of a strikingly sciously as she remembers meeting Derm — who beautiful Senorita that Betty says he whipped up in was 14 years her senior — for the first time at a St. less than an hour, gazes down, amidst the mostly John’s swimming pool, and later at a dance. Newfoundland images. “My parents, or my Dad especially, was having a Throughout his 78 years, Derm went from painting fit because … he was much too old. But everyone signs as a teenager, to owning his own design busi- grew to love him; I know my Mother loves him.” ness, illustrating books for writers such as Al The handsome, Dean Martin look-alike, was quite Clouston and Bob Tulk, and producing some of the a catch. most heartfelt paintings seen in Newfoundland and “He was the greatest dancer. Oh my God he was Labrador. fabulous. In the early days, now, when Derm was the But even more extraordinary than his seemingly man about town, he was the catch. You know what I effortless talent, which adorns shops, homes, books, mean? And everywhere we went, everyone wanted to businesses and buildings throughout the province, is dance with Derm.” how Derm’s wife describes him. Derm chose to dance the rest of his dances with “He was very humble, a very kind, gentle soul.” Betty, up until the day he passed away, after battling Betty tells tales of how he would repeatedly thank for eight years with liver disease. her for nursing him in the last few years of his life One of the brightest artists to come out of when he was “so, so sick.” She says he would always Newfoundland and Labrador, Derm Duggan died in dramatically praise her own artwork efforts, was the 2003, aged 78. On the morning of what was to be his point of contact for all the neighbourhood kids when last day, he was wheeled out from his home to a waitthey were stuck over homework, and was a shy but ing ambulance. mischievous comedian. “When we got over to the hospital he said, ‘Come He always had a kind word. here,’ gave me a kiss and said, ‘Thanks for every“He loved to be home and I went out a lot. I love to thing,’ and how much he loved me and gave me a pat be on the go … he always used to say, ‘Have a good and then, bump, just like that (he died).” time,’ and then when I was going, no matter where it Upon his desk in the basement (which is kept just was, he’d say, ‘My, you look gorgeous today, you’re as he left it), Betty later discovered a poem Derm had beautiful,’ and all of this stuff. And when you’d come written years ago. It read as a peaceful and expressive home he’s sitting there … I really miss that.” foreshadowing of his death. Derm’s gracious personality is the sort attributed to “I didn’t know that he had that … I put that on his a man who led a charmed existence, but in truth, his headstone with paint brushes sticking up and I also life was plagued with tragedy. put paintbrushes in his flowers.”
Dermot John Duggan 1925-2003
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MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 9
PAPER TRAIL
‘Saving the sunshine’ Daylight savings time, telephones, insurance, airplanes; papers document Newfoundland advances ALISHA MORRISSEY
T
hough technology and trends have always been slower arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador, newspapers have had a field day reporting on all the new advances. “They had telephones back in 1878?” read the headline in the March 11, 1955, edition of The Daily News. The story described the history of telephones in the province starting with the first telephone in 1878. “The first telephones, of which there is any record operated, between the house of John Delaney, post master general, and that of John Higgins in St. John’s on March 20th,” the story read. In 1921, the first long-distance line was installed from St. John’s to Carbonear. Local calling was available for the first time in Corner Brook in 1947. Connecting to an operator and asking “number please” ended in 1948, and by 1954 there were 18,500 telephones in the City of St. John’s. One intangible invention that has become a part of daily lives provincewide — although it’s not technically a machine — is insurance. The Evening Mercury’s 1885 paper — along with many others of the period — advertised fire insurance, flood insurance and life insurance. Companies like Royal Insurance of Liverpool, London and Province, and Union Mutual all bought the largest ads and each competed with each other’s rates. Daylight savings time was a major change for the province. It was first considered in 1909 and reported on by The Evening Chronicle. The story was called “Saving the sunshine,” and explained the British legislature was considering the idea. “More extended use and enjoyment of daylight during the summer months,” the article said in explaining the perks of the new initiative.
Paul Daly/The Independent
Talk of the towns Incorporation still a hard sell in many unincorporated communities; Byrne says municipal interest poll results ‘might be a bit high’ By Jamie Baker The Independent
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f you want to whip up a crowd in a community with a local service district, in some cases all it takes is the threat of incorporation. Fearing skyrocketing property taxes, residents in unincorporated communities often fight tooth and nail against the prospect of having a municipal council. There are currently 283 municipalities in the province, and approximately 180 local service districts. Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister Jack Byrne is, himself, the former mayor of Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove. He says most communities would probably put their fears of incorporation to rest if they looked at the overall picture. What people in many communities don’t realize, he says, is incorporation usually means more services, and at a comparable price.
“In local service districts, it’s a user-pay thing,” Byrne says. “If you have garbage collection … the cost for that is added up and divided amongst the residents and that’s what you pay. “Before we incorporated Logy Bay-Outer Cove, I was paying as much as $300 a year for garbage collection alone. In some municipalities now, you pay that for street lighting, snow clearing, garbage and water.” Byrne says he also spend a lot of time reminding people about the easier access municipalities have to government funding. “The federation of municipalities always brings up the assistance that government gives local service districts and they make a case of it. But if you compare the actual dollars, in incorporated areas the province puts in as much as $241 per capita and it’s around $56 in the local service districts — so local service districts are missing out on a fair chunk of bucks.”
Byrne says he’s also an advocate of improved service sharing. It was once said the Conception Bay North region had more fire trucks than the City of Montreal. Byrne says duplication of such services can often be costly and unnecessary. “Whenever I meet with communities, I always encourage towns or local service districts to come together and share the services. I was in an area recently where two communities were separated just by a sign, and they had two fire departments … the duplication of efforts is unreal sometimes.” Meantime, Byrne downplayed results of a poll conducted by the province’s federation of municipalities last week that showed only 43 per cent of current councillors and mayors are planning to seek re-election this fall. See “Backlogs of people,” page 10
“Although the difficulties arising out of the derangement of the present business hours may be formidable, that change proposed, offers so many advantages to the man that is worth a try.” In the Jan. 28, 1975 edition of The Daily News, the owner of Plaza Bowl in St. John’s learned technology isn’t all good. The first use of explosives in a robbery of a safe in the province was at the bowling alley. Thankfully, the safe was also technologically advanced and the thieves couldn’t break into it. The Royal Gazette seemed to have a fascination with new inventions and printed many stories about what was happening around the world in technology. Though the news was always late, it described a changing world. The Feb. 27, 1906 edition of the Gazette had a front-page story about a “remarkable flying machine,” or the Wright brother’s first working airplane. The first flight actually took place on Dec. 17, 1903 in Ohio. “A flying machine, or an aero plane, constructed by Messrs. Orville and Wilbur Wright has been propelled by its own power through the air for a distance of 24 miles in 38 minutes,” the story read. A description of the plane followed and it was pointed out clearly that patents in every country would soon be attained. Only a month later on March 27, 1906, the Gazette published a story about “Speaking by mail.” A new invention of tiny records, or postal cards, coated in a wax on one side allowed a person to say about 75 to 80 words and then mailed to the person you wanted to speak to. “When a card is placed in the phonopostal, which is a simple phonograph, a spoken message or song, delivered in front of the diaphragm, is recorded,” the story explained. The Evening Mercury printed ads for Singer sewing machines in every edition of the 1885 newspaper. The sewing machines had all the latest features, including a rocking foot pedal and reverse stitching. 2005 C - COUPE
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MAY 15, 2005
10 • INDEPENDENTNEWS By Jamie Baker The Independent
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f Placentia-St. Mary’s MHA Fabian Manning runs in the federal riding of Avalon it’s likely the final decision will be made based on what people in his current provincial district have to say. Manning spent last week conducting meetings in his home district. He says the purpose of those gatherings was to “give people greater comfort” with his current situation, but he admits he’s getting strong support in the Avalon riding to consider entering federal politics. “I’ve had many calls from people within the party and people within the federal party offering both political support and financial support — it’s given me some food for thought,” Manning tells The Independent. “But it’s never been my intention, from the beginning, to seek the federal nomination. I was elected to serve my district and be a part of the government. It wasn’t my choice to not be part of the PC caucus anymore.” The last few weeks have seen Manning caught in a firestorm. On May 2, he went public with his concerns on the proposed raw materials sharing system in the crab fishery, calling for more consultation and dialogue. That move resulted in Manning being stripped of his duties as parliamentary secretary for Education (and it’s $25,000 a year salary). Although he said he would remain on the Tory side of the House, just a few days later caucus voted him out, citing breach of trust. He now sits as an independent PC in the House of Assembly, behind NDP members Jack Harris and Randy Collins. With a possible federal election in the offing as a May 19 confidence vote approaches for Paul Martin’s minority government, the Avalon riding, currently held by Liberal and Natural Resources Minister John Efford, has been a political lightning rod. Efford, who suffers from diabetes, is considering not running this time around due to health issues — leaving the door wide open for candidates in all
Manning the phones MHA mum on running federally; talking with constituents
Fabian Manning
Paul Daly/The Independent
parties. It had originally been rumoured current Conservative St. John’s South MP Loyola Hearn was considering moving to Avalon. While Hearn denies he even
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gave the idea any thought, he figures Manning, if he ends up entering the federal realm, could have a very strong chance. “Avalon is a rural fishing riding so I think Fabian would do very well,” Hearn says. “What Fabian did, he did because he felt it was the right thing to do — he was simply expressing an opinion contrary to caucus, which many people often do.” While he’s being egged on by sup-
porters, Manning says he won’t let that distract him from his current role as an MHA. And part of that, he says, means talking face to face with people and keeping them informed. “People think I don’t have a secretary, that I don’t have an office and that I’m working out of my car, but that’s not the case,” Manning says. “Things are changed around in the House of Assembly, but not necessarily with my duty as member representing my district.
“The response has been very positive and I’m looking forward to the next couple of days and trying to develop an answer.” Manning also maintains, no matter how his own future turns out, the key right now is to resolve the crab dispute. “I don’t know where we’ll go from here, but hopefully we’ll get this thing resolved. If I end up being the casualty of the crab dispute of 2005, then so be it.”
Ten out of 1,000
Province’s track record in keeping immigrants not the best; more incentives needed By Stephanie Porter The Independent
I St. John’s • May 25, 2005 Gower Street Church – 8 pm: Adults $23, Children $15
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mmigration lawyer Nick Summers has represented well over 1,000 refugees in his 15 years in practice in St. John’s. More than half of those claims were successful, but he can “count on one hand” the number of refugees still in the capital city. Hundreds of others have moved out of province, generally to find work. “I don’t like seeing my clients, even the successful ones, they all have to leave,” he tells The Independent. “Certainly, there’s less than 10 of them in the city now. “We need some kind of an incentive to keep them here, whether that be jobs, education, training, something. They need some reason to come here and set down some roots.” Summers, also the national president of the Canadian Council of Refugees, says he will be participating, however possible, in the provincial government’s recently announced decision to develop a provincial immigration strategy. In making the announcement late last week, Joan Burke, minister of the Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, called the strategy an “aggressive approach” to attracting and retaining immigrants in this province. Summers greets the news with optimism. “This has to be positive. It’s good that they’re looking at it, and somebody’s looking at it … wish they’d done that 10 years ago,” he says. He warns, though, the emphasis
must first be put on enabling the province to provide what immigrants and refugees need once they arrive. “We do have a problem in keeping people here; we do have to be a little careful about throwing open the doors and welcoming people when we’re not ready for them.” A number of major things have to change within the province before newcomers will feel comfortable building a permanent life here. “The first step is training and jobs,” he says. “They need to be making money, or at least feeling like they’re working towards it.” INTENSE ECONOMIC PRESSURE Summers says new Canadians are under intense economic pressure, and often must take two or three jobs to make enough money to fit in, to send money home, to pay bribes to get people out of refugee camps and bring other family members to this country. “If they find one job here in St. John’s they’re lucky, they’re certainly not going to find two,” he says. “We don’t have factories working all night and that sort of thing.” The other difficulty, he says, is “a chicken and egg thing” — without an immigrant community to settle into, many people from other countries will head elsewhere. “We had a lot of people come here from Sudan,” says Summers. “Most of them have left now because there is no Sudanese community here. “A recent immigrant or refugee can feel extremely isolated … anything that makes it less stressful is good, and if they can go to Toronto and live in a
neighbourhood where everybody speaks their language …” The third issue Summers points to is bureaucracy. There are a number of refugees currently in Newfoundland — some well-educated, with skills needed in the province — who have been living in limbo for well over a year, unsure whether they will be permitted to stay. “I won’t say the bureaucrats are worse here than anywhere else — that kind of thing comes from above too … but the fact is we do have good people here but the system doesn’t let them stay.” Summers says it’s a step in the right direction that now, for the first time, Newfoundland and Labrador has one minister responsible for immigration — in the past, duties were shared between several departments, often with little communication between them. Summers uses Manitoba as an example of a province with a good track record in attracting, and retaining immigrants. “The government recognized many years ago they needed to attract people for the province to grow, and they have a minister in charge of immigration for the province. “There’s a lot of ethnic areas in Winnipeg now; they’ve reached that critical mass. They put a lot of money into organizations to train people and make them feel welcome and part of the community.” The province plans to release a discussion paper with regards to the immigration strategy in June, followed by public consultations in the fall.
‘Backlogs of people who want to be involved’ From page 9 Indicating that number “might be a bit high,” Byrne says he expects the interest to grow as elections draw near — but that doesn’t mean it’s not a concern. Government, in partnership with the federation, plans to launch a promotional campaign later this summer to encourage people to get involved in municipal politics. “I’m a former mayor so I can tell you it is a positive experience,” Byrne says. “There’s a lot of personal satisfaction to helping your community and
the people living in your community. I think that’s the type of thing we need to be promoting.” Although retaining as many current councillors and mayors is important, Byrne says it’s also crucial to bring new people into the business of running their communities. “There are many councillors and mayors out there that have been involved in municipal politics for 15, 20, 25 or 30 years — you can’t go to the well all the time. They feel they’ve contributed and now it’s time for some new blood.” Of course, not all towns are teetering
on the brink of oblivion in terms of interest. In Bay Roberts, the town’s director of development, tourism and recreation, Ron Delaney, says interest is higher than ever — to the point where some people are already in the process of launching campaigns. “We don’t have any shortage of people volunteering their time on our committees and what not — we actually have backlogs of people who want to be involved and council is no different,” Delaney says. “We’re in May and there is already a municipal election buzz out there.”
INDEPENDENTWORLD
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 15-21, 2005 — PAGE 11
Could a snap election bring stability? Every potential outcome could provide Canadians with a more reliable, more responsive government
Paul Martin
By Chantal Hébert Torstar wire service
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mong the tidbits of conventional wisdom floating around these days, few are more dubious than the notion that a snap spring election would necessarily result in a government less stable than the wobbly one currently in office. While it is likely that the next Parliament would house fewer Liberals and fewer federalist MPs from Quebec, that does not mean that its make-up would automatically lead to a more dysfunctional government. The only ingredient that is not really in the mix of a spring election is a Liberal majority government. Even under their best-case scenario, the federal Liberals are poised to lose seats in a campaign held between now and the summer. That knowledge has been at the core of Prime Minister Paul Martin’s frantic efforts to avoid a snap election. But every other potential outcome could provide Canadians with a more stable and possibly more responsive government. Consider: • A majority Conservative government
Paul Daly/The Independent
A decisive result in favour of the ting itself at the beck and call of the Bloc Conservatives is only slightly less unlike- Québécois. That would be the kiss of death ly than the advent of a Liberal majority. It of its hopes to secure a majority the next is mathematically difficult for a federal time around. party to secure a governing majority withInstead, a minority Conservative govout significant Quebec support. ernment could be expected to make it hard Conservative for the Liberals to prospects in that defeat it, by putting province are, at For the four federal leaders, forward popular best, calculated in middle-of-the road single digits these the day after the last election policies. Having days. much to prove to was the first day of the next many Canadians, a Still, if Ontario was to turn on the Harper government campaign. But that will not Liberals, the would have a strong Western Canada incentive in making be the case for all of them springboard of the a fragmented Conservative party Parliament work. after the next election. could help propel • A Liberal/NDP the party to a slim arrangement majority. Fewer Liberals could also add up to a lot • A minority Conservative government more New Democrats. In a House of Necessity would dictate that such a gov- Commons where no party emerged with a ernment steer a course closer to the centre strong plurality of seats, that could open than its natural instincts might otherwise the door to a coalition between the two dictate. Only at that price would it find parties or, at least, to a formal governing some essential allies across the floor of the arrangement of the kind that ensured staCommons. bility at Queen’s Park between 1985 and And, in spite of Liberal assertions to the 1987. contrary, it would have no interest in putA minority Liberal government that
could count on the NDP to bridge the numerical gap between it and a majority in the House would be more stable than the one we have now, even if it ultimately held fewer seats. For the four federal leaders, the day after the last election was the first day of the next campaign. But that will not be the case for all of them after the next election. The official opposition, whether it is Liberal or Conservative, will be looking for a new leader. Neither Martin nor Stephen Harper would survive an election defeat. Gilles Duceppe is already being courted to become the leader of the Parti Québécois. After the next election, those pressures and his interest in the job are both bound to increase. If he does make the jump, the Bloc will need time to replace a leader that has become its anchor. An opposition preoccupied with changing the guard would have a vested interest in making a minority Parliament last. For a merciful while, at least, the opposition would be less stable than the government. And that would be a major change. Chantal Hébert is a national affairs writer.
Georgia on Bush’s mind Country on shores of Black Sea is pivot point for U.S. strategic interests, including a non-Middle East source of oil NEW YORK
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eorgia, mythical home of the Golden Fleece, is a tiny mountainous country on the shores of the Black Sea that sometimes seems too small to contain the egos and fierce pride of its four million inhabitants. Last week it got a heady dose of attention that is sure to make Georgian hearts swell even larger with the conviction they are on the front lines of a new global movement. U.S. President George W. Bush came to celebrate the “Rose Revolution,” the peaceful uprising that overturned the country’s sclerotic, corrupt government last year. Georgia’s rose-tinted movement fuelled the new democratic fever that has swept across the old republics
STEPHEN HANDELMAN
Global Context of the former Soviet Union — from Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan — and seems likely to continue. The 150,000 cheering Georgians who greeted Bush in Tbilisi, the capital, inevitably became extras in the president’s “Freedom Crusade,” which he has established as the central goal of American foreign policy. “We are living in historic times when freedom is advancing, from the Black Sea to the Caspian, and to the Persian Gulf and
beyond,” said Bush. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili happily played along. “We welcome you as a freedom fighter,” he said, noting almost in passing that the new U.S.-Georgian partnership had nothing to do with “an oil pipeline … or any kind of military co-operation.” Well, no need to be cynical. But tiny Georgia is in fact a pivot point for some key U.S. strategic interests: a major pipeline set to carry oil from the Caspian Sea to a Turkish port on the Mediterranean passes through Georgian territory. The major virtue of that pipeline is that it not only provides a non-Middle East source of oil, but it avoids a competing route through Russia. Georgia is also an important link in
the spreading chain of recipients of U.S. military aid that Washington is creating from Central Asia to the Mediterranean as a buffer against Middle East uncertainties. That makes Russia, long the dominant player in the region, exceedingly nervous. Bush’s visit to Georgia “looked acceptable and constructive” and “did not fuel emotions,” claimed Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the Duma International Affairs Committee. “At present, Russia correctly understands” American moves on Russia’s southern flank, he said. Note that phrase: “at present.” It speaks volumes. Even so, Georgia was not about to let its moment pass. On the eve of the Bush visit, Saakashvili upped the ante in an
op ed article for The Washington Post, calling for a “new Yalta Conference” that would undo the damage of the infamous post-Second World War gathering that divided Europe into competing Cold War spheres. The conference, said Saakashvili, would be a “voluntary association of new European democracies” aimed, in effect, at eliminating the “last razorsharp splinters of the Soviet empire. ” Already on side, he claimed, were Romania and Ukraine. Saakashvili, educated at New York’s Columbia University, knows how to construct a clever phrase. It’s no accident that both Moscow and Washington politely chose to ignore his proposal. Continued on page 12
MAY 15, 2005
12 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
‘Bullying’ Bolton faces setback in U.N. quest Foreign relations panel declines to back Bush choice for ambassador WASHINGTON, D.C. By Tim Harper The Toronto Star
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n a stinging second-term slap at George W. Bush, a Republican senator broke ranks to declare he could not support the “bullying” John Bolton as the U.S. president’s ambassador to the United Nations. The scathing critique delivered by George Voinovich of Ohio prevented the Senate foreign relations committee from endorsing Bolton, but the committee agreed to send the nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation. Such a move is rare, but not without precedent. The judiciary committee did just that in 1991 when Clarence Thomas survived sexual harassment charges to win appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. Presidential choices for foreign policy posts, however, usually meet little opposition. But the Bolton debate has become a bitter battle over the perception of the United States in the world. Voinovich, a 68-year-old former Ohio governor and Cleveland mayor, said Bolton embodies all the negative qualities the world already associates with the U.S. under Bush foreign policy. “John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be,” Voinovich told the committee hearing. Voinovich said he would not back Bolton when the Senate convenes to vote on the nomination, and even some Republicans who backed him at the committee meeting did so with so many qualifications that the acerbic, plain-spoken Bolton could limp to the UN a badly-damaged envoy if he does win the nomination. “I believe that John Bolton would have been fired if he’d worked for a major corporation,” Voinovich said. He said America today is criticized worldwide
for arrogance, unilateralism, and a failure to listen and seek support from friends and allies. “But what message are we sending to the world community,” he asked, “when in the same breath we have sought to appoint an ambassador to the United Nations who himself has been accused of being arrogant, of not listening to his friends, of acting unilaterally, of bullying those who do not have the ability to properly defend themselves?” Bolton’s appointment would tell the world that the Bush administration is not interested in repairing relationships, he said, but needs someone with “sharp elbows” to deal with the world. “The United States can do better than John Bolton,” the Ohio senator said. Voinovich and the committee’s other nine Republicans voted to move Bolton’s nomination to the Senate, while the eight Democrats voted to defeat him. Voinovich said he sided with the majority because it would have been arrogant of him to vote with the Democrats and kill the nomination. In the Senate, there are 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and an independent who generally votes with Democrats. If the Democrats hold united in their opposition, six Republicans would have to join them to defeat the nomination. “It doesn’t appear that Mr. Bolton has the confidence of a majority of this committee and it would serve the president’s interests to take note of that,” Joe Biden of Delaware, the panel’s ranking Democrat, said in closing remarks. Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, after telling the committee she agreed only to send the nomination to the full Senate, said she had not decided how she would vote there. “Secretary Bolton’s actions were not always exemplary,” Republican chair Dick Lugar of Indiana said in support, but he said he broke no laws and breached no ethical guidelines. Bolton had faced charges of bullying subordi-
George W. Bush
Photocall Ireland
nates, trying to manipulate intelligence, seeking to have analysts dismissed if they did not provide what he wanted and showing disdain for the United Nations, the institution to which he has been nominated. The 56-year-old Bolton is undersecretary of state for arms control, and is identified with the unilateralist cabal in the Bush administration which includes U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney, U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the outgoing deputy defence secretary, Paul Wolfowitz. Bush wants him to shake up the UN and even Democrats on the foreign relations committee said
they believe the institution is in need of reform. They want chronic human rights abusers booted off UN human rights panels, more transparency in internal operations, and more thorough probes of the oil-for-food scandal and allegations of improprieties among peacekeepers. But, as Illinois Democrat Barak Obama pointed out, Bush has not outlined any reform agenda and if Bolton goes to the UN to try to take on the likes of Libya and Zimbabwe, they will only respond that he is a man with a UN-bashing agenda. “As a consequence of Mr. Bolton’s diminished credibility, I think he is going to be less effective in reforming the UN than if somebody else was selected,” Obama said. His backers maintain Bolton’s now well-known acidic manner and blunt style is just what is needed at the UN. “We’re not electing Mr. Peepers to go there and just be really happy, and drink tea with their pinkies up and just say all these meaningless things when we do need a straight talker, and someone who’s going to go there and shake it up,” said George Allen, a Republican from Virginia. The White House said it is confident Bolton will win the Senate vote and called for it as quickly as possible. “He is exactly the kind of person we need at the United Nations,” spokesman Scott McClellan said. “He brings a lot of unique qualifications to the position and a great amount of experience and passion, and sometimes a little bluntness.” The Senate vote is expected to be held before the Memorial Day recess later this month. Donnie Fowler, a Democratic strategist, told Fox News Bolton may still be confirmed, but will be a “wounded duck. “His whole career has not been about reforming the UN, but about tearing it down. “It’s like Bonnie and Clyde becoming bank tellers.”
‘New Yalta’ From page 11 Nevertheless, whether it’s called a “new Yalta” or “democracy promotion,” what Georgia and its allies are suggesting is nothing short of revolutionary. Among their targets for peaceful persuasion: the autocratic regime of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. That could take the currently intense, but quiet, competition between Moscow and Washington in the old Soviet lands to a touchy new level. The Russians are frantically trying to overhaul the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the association set up after 1991 to keep all the former Soviet republics under Moscow’s umbrella. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently argued that the CIS should redouble its efforts to fight terrorism and “extremism.” The new Ukrainian government has already poured cold water on the idea, saying it preferred to see the CIS as an economic partnership, at best. The new Georgia initiative may effectively kill it. Which means that after a long tumultuous decade, the landscape of the old
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Soviet Union is about to change dramatically. Again. But that won’t happen without a test of wills. Putin earlier this year called the breakup of the Soviet Union a “global catastrophe.” Russia has no intention of seeing its domination in Eurasia eclipsed: it is already leveraging its economic and political clout against Georgia by supporting the independence claims of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two autonomous territories that have broken away from Tbilisi. Whether Bush was aware of that conflict-in-the-making inside the CIS when he made his Tbilisi freedom speech, or was merely indulging in a flight of rhetoric, is impossible to say. Either way, his visit to Georgia was a historic moment. The question now is whether Washington’s self-interest in containing the region’s volatility will collide with the forces unleashed by the zealous Georgians – or be burned by them. 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 May 29.
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 13
VOICE FROMAWAY
A militiaman of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) passes a nearby shepherd, in Thiet, South Sudan.
AFP Photo/Eric Feferberg
Shadow of the big men On a visit to Sudan, St. John’s native Matthew LeRiche realized the wars in the country might be over, were it not for a few very charismatic, powerful men By Matthew LeRiche For the Independent
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rying to understand the politics of Sudan has taken up the vast majority of my time over the past few years. The wars of Sudan are supposedly over religion, natural resources, tribe, ethnicity, economic development, regionalism, justice and democracy — among other things. When you speak to a member of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), the largest Southern opposition armed/political group, you invariably hear the populist rhetoric of revolutionaries worldwide. I spent some time in Nairobi, Kenya, observing meetings between different Southern Sudanese stakeholders as they attempted to resolve grievances and conflicts. I also interviewed members of different armed groups and humanitarians active in the peace process. I was told by one SPLM negotiator, “we are fighting for the people of Sudan.” Then a representative of one of the SPLM’s main rivals (who oppose the government of Sudan as well) explained “we are fighting to bring justice to the people of southern Sudan.” A leader of a militia group — allied to the government — told me “we are fighting to protect our people from unfair domination.” Regardless of which group you speak with, the words used to explain the struggle are very much the same. Words they seem to believe; they have been willing to die and kill for them. But is it these emancipating ideals they are fighting for? UNDER THE MANGO TREE After my time in Nairobi, I went to Rumbek, touted as the capital of southern Sudan. Rumbek is a four-hour flight north from Nairobi, with a typical temperature of 40C. The city, controlled by the SPLM, consists of a red sand airstrip, three UN warehouses, a camp of military-style tents, several mud-and-brick buildings mostly destroyed by war, and a couple of hundred grass-roofed huts.
The town council is held under the mango tree at the SPLM offices, where demobilized youth soldiers have set up a bar. Back at the local camp where all the UN and expatriate staff live (in relative luxury — they even have satellite TV), I met with some peace workers who have been trying to bring the various warring factions in Sudan together for years. They spoke as if the whole war was the personal chess match of several figures: Dr. John Garang, leader of the SPLM; Omer El-Beshir, current president; Hassan al-Turabi, spiritual leader of the very powerful Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood; and many others. THE BIG MEN Over several Kenyan beers, the peace workers described how they were continually thwarted by what they saw as the personal ambitions of these leaders, who rule through coercion, fear and the gun. These are the “big men” of Sudan. These men are charismatic and dominating; their energy and conviction can be overwhelming and infectious. John Garang stands well over six feet tall and has a jovial oscillating voice. When he speaks, he looks directly into your eyes, and his presence sucks you in — which may explain how he has been able to bring many individuals and their splinter opposition movements back into the SPLM. Amazing, considering the angers and hatreds that inevitably developed throughout a long and horrible war. I thought back to the meetings in Nairobi and the history of Africa since the end of colonialism. I began to realize the current political situation in Sudan — the fighting in Darfur, the war between the SPLM and the government in the southern region, the Islamist politics of the north, the fighting within the different opposition movements, and the fighting between different tribes, clans and communities — all had to do with these big men.
I had heard the term “big men” used before, but until I heard the locals in Rumbek use it, I thought of it as a shallow, even trite, way to describe a very complicated conflict rooted in history and other political dynamics, not simply personality. It is true there is more than personal goals at play in the wars of Sudan, but I now believe that if not for the arrogance, pride and greed of the big men, the war would be over. In a hotel lobby in Nairobi I encountered my first big man; the commander of one of the Southern armed groups. As he walked toward me, his girth blocked out the very powerful noonday African sun. After meeting the desperately poor and hungry people who lived in Rumbek, I realize these men are the antithesis of the average, very polite, quiet and compassionate Sudanese. Unlike the average Sudanese, the big men are typically well educated, often with PhDs from prestigious Western schools. ULTIMATE POWER They are well fed, wealthy and have ultimate power over the future of Sudan. These men embody everything the term big men can mean, both figuratively and literally. Meeting the people of southern Sudan, who are tired of suffering; meeting the middle-level commanders in Nairobi, who seem genuinely interested in bringing about a better life for their oppressed people — and who conversed with each other as friends despite having been against each other in a war characterized by close and intimate fighting — only helped demonstrate the power of the big men. Even though they were not at the meetings in Nairobi or under the mango tree in Rumbek, the big men may as well have been. Their shadow and influence seem to be everywhere. Matthew LeRiche, from St. John’s, is studying in London, England. Do you know a Newfoundlander or Labradorian living away? Please e-mail editorial@theindependent.ca
Youth finds its voice on Darfur Torstar Wire Service By Carol Goar
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ook for green wristbands if you need a dose of hope in this season of political mudslinging and public cynicism. Thousands of students are wearing them. They mean that young people are taking a stand against the atrocities in Darfur. They mean that 20-somethings from Victoria to Montreal are organizing to tackle a crisis that has stymied world leaders and paralyzed the United Nations. Their bracelets are emblazoned with the words “Not On My Watch.” There could scarcely be a stronger — or more personal — response to Africa’s latest genocide than that. Ben Fine is one of the leaders of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). He is 22. He just completed his fourth year of chemical engineering at the University of Western Ontario and plans to head to MIT in the fall. Fine and the students aren’t waiting for
Ottawa to act. They’re raising money to support the African Union peacekeeping force already in Sudan and provide relief to the three million Darfuris driven out of their villages by brutal government-backed militias. They are speaking out in classrooms, pubs and campus clubs about the ethnic cleansing of Darfur and its sickening parallels to the Holocaust 60 years ago and the Rwandan genocide of 1994. They are using the Internet to build a worldwide network of students determined to force their governments to confront a disaster that is testing humanity’s conscience and its ability to protect innocent civilians. Fine is not a peace activist. “But if governments aren’t going to do what we think is right, then we have to do what we think is right.” Fine, who grew up in Toronto, thinks it’s partly his Jewish heritage that makes him so sensitive to what’s at stake in Darfur. He’s visited the death camps in Poland. The words “never again” are imprinted on his conscious-
ness. But he stresses that many of the leaders of STAND are not Jewish. The movement crosses ethnic and religious lines. Fine gives Prime Minister Paul Martin credit for raising the issue of Darfur at home and abroad; for going to Khartoum to put pressure on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to stop the killing; and for committing $180 million and a small peacekeeping team to Darfur. “But nothing concrete has happened,” he pointed out. “The conflict is still going on. The perpetrators haven’t been brought to justice.” Fine admits he is no specialist in international affairs. There might be other or better steps Canada could take. But announcing dribs and drabs of cash every few months, as Ottawa has been doing, won’t capture the world’s attention or end the bloodshed. “Call me a youthist,” Fine says, cheerfully inventing the word, “but if anyone’s going to bring about change, it will be our generation.”
MAY 15, 2005
14 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
A tale of a rat and a burger Family sues after rodent’s head found in Big Mac; McDonald’s denies negligence in food handling TORONTO By Tracey Tyler Torstar Wire Service
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t was a mixture of curiosity and discomfort as everyone assembled around the hood of the car, staring at the box containing a Big Mac. According to witnesses, Heath Miller, an assistant manager at the McDonald’s at Highway 401 and Weston Road, opened the box and lifted the bun. “I saw what looked to me like a mouse or rat,” Richard Zeppa, a Toronto kinesiologist who unwittingly
found himself in the middle of the bizarre scene, recalled in a statement read into the record for a court proceeding. “The mouse looked like it was browned or grilled or something,” added Halima Jama, who worked with Zeppa at a medical clinic on Dixon Rd. “It kind of looked like a rodent’s head,” said Miller, who inspected the burger following a customer complaint. He offered his description in transcripts filed with the Superior Court of Justice. In short order, the rodent went from a freezer to a laboratory to the centre of a $17.5 million lawsuit, which is winding
its way through court nearly six years after the June 24, 1999 incident. Few details have emerged until now. But the transcripts, filed in connection with an upcoming court hearing, flesh out some of the allegations and defences in the case, including competing theories of how the rat got in the burger. ‘DIDN’T FEEL RIGHT’ The controversy began when Jama’s younger sister, Ayan Abdi Jama, then 9, arrived at the fast-food restaurant with her mother and ordered a Big Mac. A few bites into her lunch, the Grade
4 student says she told her mother the position the results are privileged. “there was something wrong with the “Did you give any thought to trying burger.” to figure out whether any of your staff “The texture. Like, it didn’t feel members could have planted this rat right,” she would say later. head in the burger?” Charney asked A statement of claim filed on behalf Miller, the former assistant manager. of Ayan alleges she was served a Big “Don’t answer that question,” Dunn Mac containing the severed head of a said. rat, “complete with eyes, teeth, nose Mohamad said Ayan had an afterand whiskers.” noon dental appointment on June 24 The incident caused enduring trauma and asked her mother if they could stop and an emotional reaction that will like- at McDonald’s for lunch. After her ly reduce Ayan’s ability to pursue gain- daughter asked her to look at the Big ful employment, the Mac and she noticed claim alleges, adding she what appeared to be a suffers from panic, anxiclump of hair, Mohamad As with any ety and fear of eating in phoned two of her other public places. Zahra and good murder case, daughters, Her mother, Noora Halima, while Ayan was Mohamad, and younger opportunity is an throwing up. sister, Laila Jama, who In a statement, Halima are also claiming damJama said she asked issue — in this ages, have suffered as Zeppa and another cocase, opportunity worker to accompany well, the claim contends. In a statement of her to the restaurant and to plant a rat. defence, McDonald’s Zeppa drove all three of denies the allegations, them in his car. including any claim the Miller said he contactcompany was negligent or that the fam- ed McDonald’s customer relations ily was in any way injured. No trial has department for guidance and attempted taken place, but several procedural to take the Big Mac to the company’s issues, including the scope of the law- head office on Don Mills Rd. for analysuit, have worked their way up to the sis. Ontario Court of Appeal. He couldn’t drive everyone himself Last week, on the eve of a hearing because of “liability” issues and the before the appeal court, both sides family ended up taking the burger away agreed McDonald’s Corp., the chain’s with them. U.S. parent, would be cut out of the The family wasted no time in pursing case. a lawsuit, Dunn suggested. “Your client It’s still proceeding against walked out the door and told us that we McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada would hear from her lawyer,” he told Ltd. and Miller, now a York Region Charney at the hearings. police officer. Mohamad said she spoke later on June 24 with Charney, who arranged to RESTAURANT INVESTIGATION have the burger examined at a lab. In July, the Superior Court is expect- Among other things, the lab looked at ed to hear a motion from the plaintiffs, “staining” on the patty to determine if who want McDonald’s to produce fur- the head was cooked at the same time. ther documents, including reports of The Toronto Star reported in 2001 that investigations by the restaurant and its lab results showed the head was slipped insurance company. in later. The family alleges one or more employees of the restaurant at 2625 Weston Rd. inserted it into the hamburger and that the outlet had failed to implement proper security measures, leaving it vulnerable to food tampering. Last August, the family asked McDonald’s to agree in writing that neither Mohamad nor her daughters had anything to do with planting the January 1996: A New York City rodent in the sandwich. The company medical researcher claims he declined. found a fried rat’s tail in his son’s A month earlier, when McDonald’s McDonald’s Happy Meal. He is quality systems manager Rob Freeman convicted of trying to extort $5 was questioned under oath, company million (U.S.) from the restaurant lawyer Christopher Dunn said the chain. restaurant had no proof the family had committed a fraud. August 1997: William Smith “Is McDonald’s alleging that one or claims he found a condom in a more of the plaintiffs is responsible for Big Mac in Easton, Me. He files staging this incident? … I just want to suit in 1998. The case is disknow once and for all,” asked Ted missed in 2002. Charney, a lawyer representing the family. May 1998: Veronica Minor, of “At this stage, McDonald’s is not Boyceville, Wis., claims she bit making any allegation that your client into a condom that was inside a staged this incident,” Dunn said. McDonald’s chicken sandwich. “McDonald’s has no evidence at this She files suit in December 1998. point in time.” An out-of-court settlement is As with any good murder case, reached in 2000. opportunity is an issue — in this case, opportunity to plant a rat. February 2005: Ming Pao Daily McDonald’s witnesses spoke of how News reports that Chui Fung-fai each franchise is subject to unansues Kentucky Fried Chicken for nounced inspections. They also spent compensation, claiming a black much time with Charney discussing rat jumped from a ventilation pipe “chain of custody” of the typical hamand scratched her son’s face while burger, which, according to company they were eating at a KFC restaustandards, should take no longer than rant on July 30, 2004, in Hong 36 seconds to assemble. Precooked patKong. ties are thrown out after 30 minutes. Witnesses also acknowledged that April 2005: Police in San Jose, security cameras in each restaurant are Calif., charge Anna Ayala, 39, of generally trained on the public areas Las Vegas, Nev., with attempted and the safe, and that staff could theogrand larceny after she claimed retically take food into their locker she found a human finger in a room, insert something, then return the bowl of chili at a Wendy’s restauproduct to the kitchen. rant. McDonald’s launched an investigation the day of the incident, but takes
Fast-food lawsuits can be fickle or fruitful
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 15
16 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 15-21, 2005 — PAGE 17
Greyhound rescuer Lynnann Furlong.
Paul Daly/The Independent
‘One dog at a time’ ‘Crisis’ in Massachusetts: racetrack closing and 1,000 greyhounds homeless; Lynnanne Furlong hopes eight will come to this province STEPHANIE PORTER
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ynnanne Furlong says she’d always heard there were two things a couple should discuss before getting married: children and money. In her case, she had to add a third — children, money, and dogs. Furlong has been a dog lover her whole life. “I used to get mad at mom because she’d only let me have one dog at a time,” she tells The Independent. “I didn’t really think I was serious, but …” Furlong and her husband — if he wasn’t a dog person to begin with, he’s certainly become one — currently own three dogs. Cooper and Dolly are tall, lanky and elegant greyhounds; Buster is a friendly, and much shorter, pug. But Furlong is more than a dog owner. She’s one of a growing number of dog rescuers, and the passionate and seemingly tireless volunteer head of the Newfoundland chapter of Greyhound Pets of
Atlantic Canada. In 1999, Furlong already had two dogs when she “read something that brought tears” to her eyes. It was an article about the plight of greyhounds at many racetracks in the United States. Almost 40,000 of the dogs were being “retired” and euthanized every year; those alive to race could spend 23 hours a day in a crate. They began racing at 18 months; they could be retired any time after that if they weren’t fast enough. Few worked past age four. “I wasn’t looking for a third dog,” says Furlong, who had boxers at the time. “But the story broke my heart … I knew what a good life my two dogs had. My husband and I decided we’d make room.” She laughs, adding “and we had no kids at the time.” 20,000 A YEAR Today, Furlong says some 20,000 greyhounds a year are still put down — this, in spite of the efforts of many dog adoption agencies in the U.S. and Canada, and the closure of several tracks due to declining attendance.
Though she’s now the mother of an 18-month-old boy, Furlong remains committed to rescue. “I have two greyhounds of my own, and there’s usually a third kicking around while we wait for it to be time for it to go to its home,” she says. The drive to find safe, adoptive homes has kicked into high gear this month with the news a racetrack in Massachusetts is closing its gates forever, leaving 1,000 greyhounds with nowhere to go. “It’s a crisis,” she says. “We’re taking part in a massive rescue effort to adopt as many as we can.” She’s hoping to be able to place eight in Newfoundland. That doesn’t seem like a big number, but considering the first greyhound only came to the province in 1998 — there are 116 now, by Furlong’s count — it’s significant. Furlong gushes about the kind of pet greyhounds are — loving, docile, an indoor dog that’s generally good with children and other animals. “It’s not the kind of dog that’s going to be tearing around your house, barking,” she says. “They’re almost regal, very catlike in a sense.” That said, each dog has its own character traits, and Furlong and the other members of the organization try to match the personality of the pet to what the adoptive family is looking for. See “I could never,” page 19
LIVYERS
‘Dory mates’ Mother and son fish lobster in Fortune Bay
Tony Baker and his mother Audrey.
By Pam Ghent For The Independent
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udrey Baker is folding clothes, answering telephone calls and entertaining visitors in her spacious kitchen. Tony, her only son, relaxes at the bunker (local term for kitchen counter). They have an easy air. As Audrey likes to say, she and Tony are dory mates. Mother and son have been fishing together for five years since Tony returned from working away in Alberta, and the Great Lakes. “Dad was retiring,” Tony says of his father, a fisherman for more than 50 years, “and so I came home to fish with mom. “I really enjoyed that first year,” he says. “You said it was a lot better than working for someone else, remember? That it was a lot less stress.” Tony nods and his mother continues, “we work on the one mind.” “I’m glad I started this,” Tony says.
“Mom will soon be retiring, so I’m now the boss,” he jokes. He no longer needs to be away from his family for 10 months of the year, but there are still sacrifices. Tony’s home is in Seal Cove, and his mother lives in Harbour Mille — two communities in Fortune Bay. The pair lobster fishes from a cabin in the resettled community of Femme, about five miles northwest of Harbour Mille. It’s early into the season and the pair says things have already slowed down. “You never gets the full season,” Tony says of lobster fishing. “Well, you fish the full season, but you only pay for the gas, it’s the first three weeks you make your money.” “Fishing is a gamble,” Audrey adds. The mother and son have no complaints, although Audrey’s mother, Ethel Pardy, has a few. “I do a lot of crying,” she says of her daughter and grandson on days that blow. From her window, Pardy watches as their boat sails from the shelter of
the bay into the open waters towards Femme. Audrey has had a close call or two. Once, in bad weather, the line went around the blade and stopped the motor. They almost sank when, suddenly, the line came free. Another time, while fishing with her husband in a storm of southerly wind, a swell came in and knocked her into the cod nets. Worse, they couldn’t stop the boat because the cliffs were too close. Her husband had to get the boat to safety before he could help her. “After that,” Audrey laughs,” he offered to tie me on, but it has to be pretty extreme for me not to go out.” The cold doesn’t bother her, but Tony jokes that Mom isn’t as nimble as she used to be getting in and out of the boat. “I can still get in,” she answers. As Audrey prepares for another few weeks of fishing, she recalls how she’s See “I just,” page 19
MAY 15, 2005
18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
GALLERYPROFILE MICHAEL MAGUIRE Visual Artist
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s with all good decisions, it started with a pint in the pub and a chat with a friend. It was 1952, and 25-year-old Michael Maguire from Connemara, Ireland was on his way to visit England, but after hearing his friend’s plans to work in a strange place called Saskatchewan, Maguire decided to go along for the ride. After a year in Alberta and a road trip across North America, the pair decided to move on: his friend back home and Maguire off to investigate the land of the large cod fish. “I had memories,” he tells The Independent, “… my father was a physician in Ireland and he used to have great big, huge, two- three- and five-gallon bottles of cod liver oil.” Maguire travelled to The Rock and took a job working in a hospital in Twillingate. He met his future wife, Oula, set up as a dentist and made Newfoundland and Labrador his home. After delaying his artistic drive throughout the hectic years of raising a family of six boys, Maguire eventually got serious about painting in the 1980s. Today, May 15, the 78-year-old will put off his first major exhibition at Swilers Rugby Club in St. John’s from 2 to 6 p.m. “I painted when I was young … then after I got married, every time I got a room of my own to paint in a child came along and took it away, you know.” Maguire smiles, joking that his first big exhibition could well turn out to be his last. It’s clear, however, that the act of sketching and painting for him is much more important than exhibitions and sales. “I think it’s a mood thing, you know, the mood you’re in at the time. I paint mainly, en plein air (in the open air), as I call it, I paint outside. It’s peaceful and it has replaced fishing for me because I used to angle a lot, but now with my bad knees I can sit down and paint.” Using mainly acrylics, Maguire’s work focuses on capturing landscapes; spanning images from his old home, Ireland, his new home, Newfoundland, and his
vacation home, Spain. There is a sense of romantic, rugged loneliness to his creations and more often than not, each picture weaves a tale, revealing Maguire’s love for a story and a quote. Many of his paintings such as When I Mowed Pat Murphy’s Meadow and a series named The Fields of Athenry are based on old folk songs. Elements of the lyrics appear in little, detailed images, captured within the strong and vibrant
brush strokes of the overall pictures. Maguire says he paints for a love of the land — particularly Newfoundland. “It’s an uncomplicated country and it has an awful lot of beauty and it’s peaceful, it’s quiet, the people are excellent, wonderful people, you won’t get better any place.” A quote from Peter Pan’s creator, J. M. Barrie, appears at the bottom of Maguire’s blurb on the invitations for his
exhibition, perfectly summing up the spirit of his work as an artist capturing landscapes in this place where landscapes are often buried beneath the weather. “God gave us memory so that we may
have roses in December.” — Clare-Marie Gosse Michael Maguire’s exhibition From the Fields of Athenry to Cape St. Mary’s will shows, Sunday May 15, Swilers Rugby Club, 100 Crosbie Rd., St. John’s, 2-6 p.m.
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
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19
‘I could never turn my back’ From page 17 The adoptive process is careful and thorough. Those choosing to adopt must go through several meetings and then sign a contract — no one wants to rescue a dog, only to have him land in an unwelcome or unfriendly home. The dogs, bred to race and fed a diet of meat, have serious adjustments to make as they begin life as an indoor pet. “They do quite well, but you have to be aware, they’ve never lived in a house, never even seen a set of stairs,” says Furlong. “It would be like you or me picking up and moving to China, where you know nothing about the culture or the language.” BUILDING PLANS Furlong, who lives in the centre of St. John’s with a “postage stamp” backyard, looks forward to eventually moving to a new home with more land. She plans to build a kennel that can house more than a couple of dogs at a time. “Right now, we’re getting too big,” she says. “If there are a few dogs returned at once, we’re in trouble.” Furlong, a social worker, laughs as she says she works with child adoptions by day; dog adoptions evenings and weekends. Although she fantasizes about winning a million dollars, or finding a corporate sponsor to build a compound for her beloved dogs, for now she — and the organization’s other volunteers — do what they can as time and money allow. “It’s an endless effort — and it can get quite overwhelming and stressful. We have a lot of good volunteers, though we’ve lost some people along the way from burnout. “I am committed to the program long term. The bottom line for me is, every time I look into one of those faces … when they come up here, they’re so skinny, dirty, pathetic-looking, I could never turn my back. You just do it one dog at a time.” Visit www.gpac.ca
‘I just wants to be out there’ From page 17 spent every Mother’s Day but one in a fishing boat. “Only one in 20 years I didn’t have my rubber gear on and that was last year.” There was a northeast gale that grounded them for two days, and she spent the day washing and cooking. The pair begin their day in the boat at 5 a.m. and are back at the cabin by four in the afternoon. The day isn’t over. Tony and his father band lobsters and prepare the boats and bait while Audrey makes sure the laundry is done and bread is on to rise. She makes the beds before she heads off to work for the day on the Atlantic. “I’m going to miss it when I have to give it up,” she says quietly as she folds a pair of coveralls, her dress for two months of the year. “One thing I do enjoy is lobster fishing,” she says as she looks out her Backcove window towards the ocean. “I just wants to be out there.”
Robbie Thomas, general manager for the Resource Centre for the Arts.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Funding matters L
ast weekend the Resource Centre for the Arts (commonly known as the LSPU Hall or simply “the Hall”) staged a fundraiser to sustain its operations. The organizers believed inviting people to pay to watch the mayor of St. John’s get roasted by some of the finest comedic talent in this country was sheer marketing genius. Surely tickets would move faster than a city councillor’s thought pattern? But as it turned out, ticket sales were not only sluggish, they were downright impossible. Much to everyone’s surprise, normally sane supporters of the Hall started squawking at the idea of having anything to do with His Worship. Some climbed onto such high moral ground you’d think the Hall were roasting Ernst Zundel or Stephen Harper. But this is about the Hall, we said. You don’t have to vote for Andy if you don’t want to, but the Hall really needs your tax-deductible donation to keep the lights on and the staff fed. Besides, he is the mayor, after all, and odds are he’ll be mayor again. If we can engage his interest in the arts community we just might perform one of those transformational creative gestures only artists can do, that is, changing a swine into a sensitive aesthete. Well, you’d swear you were arranging a meeting of Ku Klux Klan: few of the usual suspects wanted any part of it, as if merely showing up would register support for a supermarket on every toxic waste site. To be fair, you have to attribute some of the resistance to arts benefit fatigue syndrome, which, as this column has observed before, many of us have been suffering from ever since the first purple crocus popped its reluctant head into the foggy air. But saying no to the Hall? That’s like turning your back on an accident victim. It’s practically immoral. Fortunately, enough good citizens
NOREEN GOLFMAN Standing Room Only eventually turned out to contribute to the event, filling the room in respectable numbers and with appreciative chatter and laughter. For their charitable generosity, they had the rare privilege of watching Mr. Wells turn on a spit, while roasters Pete ‘Snook’ Soucy, Mark Critch, Steve Cochrane, Mary Walsh, and even Andy’s long-suffering. but obviously loyal, secretary Betty Lewis basted him with relish. And the mayor responded with good humour and even a bit of mushy softhearted good will. DEVELOPER-FRIENDLY SKIN Indeed, the roast had the desired effect of burning off some of the mayor’s thick developer-friendly skin. Andy inched ever so cautiously towards committing city hall funds towards an ambitious capital improvement campaign, one that would promote both the restoration of the Hall to its former Victorian glory and a sparkling renovation to meet the design needs of the modern arts consumer. Just imagine it — a gorgeously refreshed Hall with comfortable seats, a welcoming bar, a refurbished art gallery, new theatre equipment — stateof-the-art mini arts and culture centre right downtown, where all the action is. Over the years, parts of the Hall have been patched and given the occasional shot of Botox, but after 30 years of heavy traffic as the thriving home of theatre arts, the building needs a major facelift. To their credit, the mayor and his council have already committed a helpful amount of money to the design study that produced the imaginative plans for the new site.
Meanwhile, back at the plant, it’s a job just to keep the building open. It is one thing to get project funding from various agencies to put on a play or host an art exhibition; it is quite another to find the dollars to pay staff to make the bookings, clean the sound board, wash the floors, manage the box office, and cover all the day-to-day costs of simply running the operations. COVERING EXPENSES Sure, box office sales go a distance towards covering these expenses, as they must, but it is totally unrealistic to expect a place like the Hall to run on a cost-recovery basis. Look at the size of the place and then think about the heating, phone, fax, and power bills. Even a modest complement of fulltime staff — less than a handful — need decent wages and the benefits available to anyone working in the civilized world. You could fill each of its 125 or so theatre seats every night of the year and you’d still need public funds to keep the lights on. Frankly, it’s a miracle the place has managed to stay upright all these years. Virtually no government program exists that supports the necessary capital costs of keeping the Hall fires burning. On a different scale, this same funding challenge confronts the Rooms, those big beige boxes on the hill that require considerably more than the Hall to keep the heat in circulation. After a year’s painful delay, the Rooms will be launched in another month or so, but
only because the provincial government has committed itself to a reasonably comfortable annual operating budget. The Rooms, no more than the Hall, will never be a cost-recovery operation and only a fool would expect otherwise. Governments at all levels make dazzling buildings like the Rooms happen all the time. The sheer scale of the operation demands their attention, and there is no existing heritage, arts or culture program that really fits the needs of such operational demands. Inevitably, governments manage to find the money outside of their usual program and funding envelopes. Smaller operations, like the Hall and its many cousins who require space and staff to keep good art flowing, can’t make the grand showcase claims of the Rooms and suffer constantly from the threat of collapse. There’s got to be another way. There’s got to be some recognition that we don’t want to live in a world where it’s the Rooms or nothing. Smaller operations need more modest but continuous support. Let’s develop those funding opportunities and let’s do it soon. Back to the future: how do all those Andy’s Inferno detractors think it all happens, anyway? Until there are more stable sources of support, there will be more benefits. Live with it or close the building. Noreen Golfman is a professor of literature and women’s studies at Memorial. Her next column will appear May 29.
MAY 15, 2005
20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
IN CAMERA
‘Worried to death’
Like many communities around the island, the ongoing crab dispute is having a deep impact in Cape Broyle on the Southern Shore, about an hour’s drive from St. John’s. As the fish plant remains idle and crab harvesters decide whether to head out to sea, the town’s residents feel the economic and emotional effects. Picture editor Paul Daly and senior editor Stephanie Porter spent a day in Cape Broyle. This is their report:
Captain Bill Hayden
T
he fish plant at the centre of the Town of Cape Broyle is eerily quiet, deserted and wrapped in damp, dense fog. Two boats, hundreds of cleanly stacked crab pots in each, bob quietly by the wharf; an empty Cape Broyle Sea Products, Ltd. transport truck is parked diagonally across the pavement. Most years, crab catches would be coming in by now, the plant would be revving up for a busy season of business, some 60 or 70 of the town’s residents hard at work sorting, cutting, cleaning. The ongoing crab dispute boiling between the provincial government and crab harvesters has left the building quiet for now, a quiet that’s reaching out and laying a nervous chill over much of the community. Not to say everyone is sitting inside, feet up. Just down the road from the plant, there’s another wharf, this time with
some activity. “We’ve got to hope the fishery is going to open, so we’ve got to keep the boat up,” says Bill Hayden, captain of the Lady Theresa H., as three men behind him move crab pots from the wharf to the boat’s deck, check ropes, and get the vessel in order. The Nova Scotia flag is flying from the boat’s mast, and Hayden hesitates as he says he’s decided to go ahead and pay the necessary $7,000 for a crab licence today. He’ll probably start harvesting within a week — and if he has to go to Nova Scotia to sell the catch, he will. Hayden says his $750,000-boat is costing him money every day it sits idle. “I’m not feeling very good, I can tell you that,” he says, grimly. “We’re worried to death … we just can’t get in the mood to do nothing. “This time last year, there was a good price put out (on crab), $2.48 a pound, and everybody was excited,
trying to make a few dollars.” He looks at the man directly behind him. “Last year, this fellow was jumping around, singing out all the time … now he’s got a sad face. “I’ve been fishing 35 years and it’s the worst year, it’s a really big worry. The wife is worried, the kids are listening to their parents talking and … they pick up on stuff.” Hayden, obviously frustrated, says
“I’ve been fishing 35 years and it’s the worst year, it’s a really big worry.” Bill Hayden
there’s “something right” about Fisheries Minister Trevor Taylor’s plan, but it puts too much power in the hands of processors, removes any competition. He can’t believe the whole situation hasn’t been resolved by now. “We’ve got to do something,” he says — but can only answer “I don’t know” when asked what that something might be. Cape Broyle, a popular stop on the Irish Loop drive, flourishes in the summer tourist season, offering hiking, boat tours and kayaking, with a handful of restaurants and places to stay. The hardware, grocery and convenience stores report a steady business year-round; Dalton’s Casket Manufacturing is reportedly busy; the local hair salon and other small businesses all have their clients. A handful of residents make the 45-minute-plus commute into St. John’s to work, a few more have found employment on the oil rigs. But the fish plant is the biggest sin-
gle employer for the town, with between 60 and 70 part-time workers at the height of the season. Marie O’Brien, a self-described “fighter” and mother of four, is one of them. She says she finds whatever work she can, at the Cape Broyle plant, and at the one in nearby Calvert. The crab, caplin and mackerel are usually enough to keep her busy from early May through early August — so busy she has nights with barely two hours’ sleep as she zips between operations. But there’s no sign of any work yet, and O’Brien — with half an EI cheque left before this year’s benefits run out — says she’s “going to need help.” She knows other plant workers whose EI has already dried up. “The mood here, well everyone’s worried, depressed,” she says. “But now, now everyone’s getting a bit scared. If this isn’t resolved, a lot of people will just bar up their houses and go.”
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 21
Josh O’Brien
Rick Hayden
Lisa Duggan manages the Ultramar gas station in Cape Broyle. During the course of her workday, she says she hears all sorts of opinion and discussion about the government’s crab plan — conversations she’d rather stay out of. She hears people in favour of the policy, and those against; some who think the boat owners just want an excess of money; some think plant workers are just after more hours. Either way, she says, “people are adamant. “It’s neighbour against neighbour, really,” she says. “I mean, this issue isn’t really dividing the community as such, not yet, but I can see it if it doesn’t settle down soon. “In another month, it could be big, when some people have nothing, I’d say for some the unemployment is really close to an end. It’s not really hitting yet, because the season is only starting, this week really. “They’re neighbours and every-
Marie O’Brien
thing else, but there you go, your friend is eating meat and potatoes, and you’re eating Kraft dinner.” When people come in to shop, Duggan has noticed, they’re sticking to the food basics. “They’re not getting anything fancy,” she finishes. Riverside Restaurant and Lounge — known to those in the area simply as “Harold’s” — overlooks the water and the silent plant. Rick Hayden, the establishment’s owner/operator (and son of Harold), stands just inside the door, cleaning plastic letters for the sign outside. Until the tourism season begins, Hayden relies on local traffic to keep his place going. But business is down 50 per cent from this time last year, he says, and he predicts it’ll be down another 10 per cent next week, if the crab dispute isn’t solved. “Everybody’s frustrated, everybody’s down, everybody’s in the dumps,” he says. “You get a few here and there that
drop in, just for conversation. But there’s no money in conversation.” Hayden, a Cape Broyle native, estimates the town’s population at 550, some 200 less than before the moratorium in the early 1990s. Hayden eases into a couple of familiar-sounding stories of relocation, of younger families deciding to move to town, or to another province. If the plant doesn’t rev up soon, Hayden predicts more depar-
“They’re neighbours and everything else, but there you go, your friend is eating meat and potatoes, and you’re eating Kraft dinner.” Lisa Duggan
tures. “You take all the small, all the new families out of here, we’ll be like Trepassey,” he says about the town another hour’s drive down the Southern Shore. “Jesus, 700 people are after leaving Trepassey, You can go there now, and buy a $60,000 house for $15,000.” And virtually all the restaurants and bars have closed up. As for his own business, Hayden shakes his head. “Down there, in the plant, there were probably 70 people working there, that aren’t working. What are they going to do? “They’re certainly not going to come here and eat.” Back on the wharf, Josh O’Brien is pulling on his gloves, getting ready to head out in the boat with his father to check their lobster pots lining the cove. It’s early in the season for lobster yet, cold, and O’Brien doesn’t count on finding much in the traps. But it’s
something to do on a foggy day — and a few dollars, if they’re in luck. The 19-year-old, from Cape Broyle, is enrolled in the business faculty at Memorial University. He’s doing some courses this summer, but will make time to head out for crab — if the boat goes — to make some extra money. But for a career, he’s thinking he’d like to get into marketing. “Not fishing, no way, I don’t want anything to do with it,” he says. “It’s not really for the youth. I think fishin’s on the way out.” The mood in the community this year is just strengthening his decision. “I mean, everybody’s in a panic up here now; it’s like, it’s craziness, everybody don’t know what to do, everybody thinks their livelihood’s going to end. “The community would be devastated without crab, I mean it would have to be. What else could happen?”
22 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
MAY 15, 2005
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 23
PowerPoint preaching Churches incorporating advanced technology, modern methods to spread message By Jamie Baker The Independent
T
he lights dim as the crowd holds its breath in anticipation of the show. As sound and music fills the air, the multimedia screen flashes to life and the production crew in the booth work to keep up with various aspects of what is sure to be another memorable performance. It may sound like a night at the theatre, but it’s actually how many church services taking place across the province are looking these days. Many faiths, most notably the Salvation Army and Pentecostal churches, are incorporating modern technology and professionalstyle production quality into their regular services. The result is a modern twist on “that ol’ time religion” and, as far as congregation attendance and enjoyment go, it seems to be working. “It’s very progressive,” says Pastor Jeff Payne of Bethesda Pentecostal in St. John’s. “We feel — from the Pentecostal perspective — our worship has to engage the culture and be culturally relevant. The church has always been kind of aggressive and contemporary, but today it’s like a dream.” Major Calvin Fudge, divisional secretary for programs with the Salvation Army in St. John’s, says it’s all about keeping up with the times and keeping people engaged. “What we’re doing is moving with the day and age we’re in — this kind of stuff is common wherever you go for presentations, whether it’s in a school setting or whatever,” Fudge says. “We’re trying to move into the same age … we want to be a church of the 21st century. It’s a modern means to do things.” A number of churches around the province are starting to catch on to these “modern means.” Many communities around the province have buildings that look more like amphitheatres than churches, and the equipment on hand is the best of the best. Microsoft PowerPoint is a popular tool for projecting song lyrics and illustrations, often used during sermons or speeches. Many services are videotaped, and the sound equipment — from PA
Pastor Jeff Payne of Bethesda Pentecostal in St. John’s
systems and instruments to wireless microphones — is absolutely top notch. “With PowerPoint, whatever you need can be pumped on the screen immediately,” Fudge says. “If, for example, I was preaching and wanted a clip from a video or movie to make my point, I can have that clip projected on the screen. Everything is on screen. “You only retain 10 per cent of what you hear, so when you can have visuals on the screen, it really adds something,” Payne says. One of the key parts of modern worship is music. In the Pentecostal churches, rarely will you hear anyone belting out dreary old-English hymns — music
is fresh and up-tempo adult contemporary and gospel. Many Pentecostal churches actually have a “band. “When I lead a worship here I have a band behind me that could play with any band in town — we have bass, guitars, leads, rhythms, acoustic, top notch keyboards … it’s like a concert,” Payne says. “People hear some of (the music) on the radio, and they can come to church and listen to the same type of music. It’s exciting, and it draws a crowd … they can relate to the music.” Of course, while technology allows new options of getting a message across, one of the dangers is that the message
Stuck in the middle
Brother T.I. Murphy Centre preparing to move; only question is where By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
T
he familiar Brother T. I. Murphy Centre for adult education at 95 Water St., downtown St. John’s, is preparing to relocate. Stuck between two major building projects and recently sold to the company that owns one of them — the King George V heritage property (King George Properties Inc.) — the not-forprofit learning facility doesn’t figure into the new construction plans. “We’re working with government at the moment,” Tim Turner, the centre’s administrative director, tells The Independent. “I don’t think there’s any likelihood that we’re going to stay here.” Although it’s refreshing to see major clean-up work being done on some of downtown’s older, more dilapidated buildings, the centre is having trouble finding a new home, particularly as it would require a large space. “We would like to stay in an area that would best suit our population,” says
Louise Hynes, a co-ordinator with the centre’s community arts program. “Downtown has been very successful that way; we’ve reached a lot of kids that need our help.” NO FINAL PLANS The current owners of the building the Murphy Centre is located in have yet to finalize plans for the property. “We’ve got all kinds of thoughts, but we can’t extrapolate and send them out,” says Guido Del Rizzo, one of the partners involved. “We’ve got a tenant in so we’re not in a mad rush for it.” Construction on the King George V building has already begun, but there have been some delays. “Basically we were going to go with a boutique hotel, but I think we scrapped that plan and we are going to investigate the possibility of putting luxury condos on it,” says Del Rizzo, adding the two buildings will be kept as separate properties. As the only learning centre of its kind in Newfoundland and Labrador, Brother
T.I Murphy has become invaluable for furthering the educations of many young adults between the ages of 17 and 30. Since 1986 the centre has provided free educational opportunities in basic adult education, high school qualifications and personal development. At another location on Torbay Road, career and employment support is offered and an art studio on Harbour Drive, around the corner from the Water Street location, houses a community arts program. “There’s about 200 on a waiting list,” Hynes says of the centre. “It’s very important to the kids that go there.” The property to the left of the Murphy Centre (123-125 Water St.) has just finished a careful, six-month demolition process to preserve some old components within the structure. Tom Williams, one of the owners, says his company, HarbourView Development, is currently reviewing two applications to develop the site as either a hotel or condominiums. The company hopes to move into the construction phase by fall this year.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
will get lost in the technological translation. And when it comes to matters of faith and religion, Fudge says there’s no room for style to overtake substance. “The danger is, sometimes, you can make stuff so fancy that it can look good but have no content — and if there’s no content it won’t capture anyone,” Fudge says. “We can have all the modern gadgets, but if we’re not preaching good news, reaching out to people and meeting their needs, we can have empty
churches even with all those gadgets.” Payne says the message is always central and traditional, but the medium must change for the message to remain effective. “If you do the same things you did 50 years ago, it’s difficult to get the people to come to church,” Payne says. “You can still have the benefits of the spiritual background and it can be exciting. “It’s a different approach, but it enhances our worship.”
24 • INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION
MAY 15, 2005
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 25
MAY 15, 2005
26 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
There’s no movie experience like it When the movie is in synch with the moment — like the electrifying flaming-match sequence that begins David t happened during my phone call to Lynch’s Wild at Heart — there’s no an official at the Cannes Film movie experience like it. None. Thankfully, flaming-wild behaviour Festival — after I’d promised them multiple forms, documents, old is never confined to the screen. Every reviews, letters from the publisher, and Cannes festival comes with the guaranvarious other attestations to my love of tee that someone you know will lose it. There was the rival critic, who tried the festival — that I decided that I wasto do a report for CBC-TV nearly n’t going to go this year. It just seemed too much. Thanks, I naked and blotto. There was the colleague who simply disappeared for said. I’ll get back to you. Such a sense of liberation. No more days, or the critic who never left his crushing crowds and crushing loneli- cushy hotel room for the entire festival. Stories about the festival are better ness; no more shrimp platters, purposeless parties, bad flicks or big, bruising than those inside the festival — like the egos looking to crush my little puny one about the young female executive with a boutique production company ego. And did I mention loneliness? During the festival, the 12-hour days who used the festival to make the are spent entirely in public, corny dia- rounds to get financing for her film logue or cheap chatter in your ears non- project, but to no avail. Waiting for her ride to a posh party stop, other faces in your face non-stop. And the loneliness creeps inside your one night, dressed to the nines, she was approached by a fat bones to create a cat in a big car. summer chill that’s … Assuming she was Assuming she was in hard to shake and an even older profesimpossible to in an even older sion than film proexplain. What? You duction, he rolled aren’t having a thorprofession than film down the window to oughly wonderful ask, “how much?” time, what with all production, he rolled “$1.2 million,” those shrimp to eat? down the window to said the lady. Already I miss it. Cannes officialRoad-weariness ask, “how much?” dom also contributes or cynicism often its share of stories. creeps into reports back from Cannes. It was an incessant One gala evening saw the wife of a senstruggle to avoid both when I covered ior French official, a regal woman with the festival for the Star in the ’90s. half the pearls from the Pacific around Cannes isn’t what it once was, became her neck, become separated from her a standard yap. Hollywood has taken husband. She was frantic, waving to over. The movies are worse than last him through the glass door that separatyear. It needs more Hollywood star ed them. “But I am Madame T.,” the poor power. I’m not invited to the right parties. I’m not invited to the wrong par- woman said in a heartbreaking way. “Yes, Madame T.,” said an usher, ties. I’m not invited to any parties at all. Even fellow Canadians are snubbing “and you are clearly outside.” The old days are gone when critics, me. Canadians! So, don’t go, and what happens? buffs and scholars stayed at the same There’s this unexpected longing for the hotel to argue about movies late into the place, and the festival. Seen at a dis- night. Critics now spend much of their tance — the distance of not being there time in isolation hammering away on — the festival has its spellbinding laptops. These days, the critical mass of moments, which, like the town itself, critical thinking comes courtesy of well-honed efforts from the film indussurvive each new celebrity onslaught. To start, there’s the morning screen- try’s press departments. Yet Cannes is where you can literally ing for the press that precedes each night’s gala showing for invited guests. bump into one of the great directors in Having done the red carpet thing, I film history — someone who still know it doesn’t compare to the morn- thinks of the festival as it was in the ing press screenings at the Grand ’50s and ’60s — who’ll stop in his or her tracks to explain why he/she shot Palais. Arriving at the screening in your such and such a scene the way it was semi-comatose state, due to whatever shot. Oh, they’ll talk forever until, looking personal calamity from the night at their watches, they realize they’re before, you find your favourite seat. You settle in — and wake up. As you late for a screening. Scusi, the director do, you get to hear some of the best jazz will say. Pardon. Must rush. Don’t you’ll ever hear — the festival has a want to be locked out. “But I am Jean-Luc,” says Jean-Luc, great DJ who still thinks it’s the ’30s — until the curtain opens on one of the now running late. “Yes, Jean-Luc,” says the usher, “and biggest movie screens on the planet. By this point, it’s impossible not to you are clearly outside.” What’s not to love? get caught up in the latest epic from Former movie critic Peter Goddard Bosnia’s greatest director ever. It’s too bad the movie will never open else- is now the Toronto Star’s visual arts critic. where. By Peter Goddard The Toronto Star
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Veteran movie critic suffers pangs of Cannes withdrawal; despite all the glitz and distractions, the French festival — running May 11-22 this year — still matters
Robert Lantos, Atom Egoyan, Colin Firth, Rachel Blanchard and Kevin Bacon pose for the photocall of Where the truth lies during the 58th International Film Festival in Cannes, France. Niviere/Lorenvu/Niko/Sipa
‘An unreal world’: notes from Cannes CANNES, France By Peter Howell The Toronto Star
They have context, meaning and points of view. I’ve always taught that you have to analyze pop culture by not just letting it sweep over you.” He defines a classic midnight movie as one from the 1970s that was so far from the mainstream, it couldn’t be seen in polite company during daylight hours. And yet these cult films all found an audience. Midnight movies as Samuels defines them essentially vanished with the rise of the VCR revolution of the 1980s. “There’s no margin any more,” Samuels said. “Anything that’s on the margin becomes the mainstream the next day.”
W
oody Allen has forged a career and an indelible persona out of being neurotic and depressed. He’s also well-known for his stamina as a filmmaker, reliably making a movie a year for the past 40 years. The two things are related, Allen said as he blinked into the cameras at the Cannes Film Festival, following the premiere of his movie Match Point. “It’s a distraction for me,” said Allen, who looked every one of his 69 years with his puzzled expression, grey suit and matching grey hair. “My whole life, I’m constantly fighting all kinds of depressions and terror and anxiety … If I’m writing and acting and directing and editing and adding music and then doing it again, it’s therapeutic for me.” He insisted his one-per-year filmmaking regimen isn’t due to force of habit and it’s certainly not for the money. He hasn’t been a major box-office draw for years, and now has trouble getting financing, which is why he made Match Point in London. “I do it for myself, and if people come and see the movie at the end and like it, I’m delighted. “If they don’t, I still have the benefit of living in an unreal world for a year. I’m able to create a world of fictional characters and beautiful women and charming men ... And then when that’s over, I have to return to real life. And that’s always full of terrible problems, so I create a new film and bury myself in it for that period of time.”
Woody Allen and wife Soon Yi arrive for the premier of the film Match Point. Kassner/face to face/iPhoto.ca
PREMIERE OF THE DEAD Atom Egoyan had the morning and afternoon late last week with the world premiere of his competition film Where the Truth Lies. But the midnight hour belonged to another Torontonian, Stuart Samuels, whose out-of-competition film Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream pays homage to cult flicks like David Lynch’s Eraserhead, and John Waters’ Pink Flamingos. Samuels, 65, a former professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a Toronto resident for the past eight years, takes a scholarly approach to something that many people dismiss as trash. Midnight movies transcend their humble beginnings by indicating how a society thinks, he says. “Things don’t just fall from the sky.
HIGH-FLYING GROMIT A giant inflatable dog rose over the Cannes beach last week, none other than Gromit of Wallace & Gromit fame, the popular claymation duo created by Britain’s Aardman Animations Ltd. The stunt was to promote the fall release of Wallace & Gromit movie, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, portions of which were shown to the press. If the preview laughter is anything to go by, the movie will prove to be as popular as Chicken Run, the previous Aardman creation. It takes two years to painstakingly film an Aardman movie. The movements of the clay models are so elaborate, just two minutes of film be shot per week. The Aardman team announced the impending production of their next film, called Crood Awakening. It will be written by Monty Python’s John Cleese, and it’s about “culture clash in the prehistoric age.” Don’t expect it any sooner than 2007.
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 27
CHEERS
EVENTS MAY 15 • The Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir In Recital, a special concert of solo, small ensemble vocal and instrumental performances by NSYC members aged 7-18, featuring cameo choral performances by all NSYC ensembles. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, 3 p.m. Tickets at the door. • Author Betty Organ will be signing copies of her book My Newfoundland and Labrador Counting Book From 6-9 p.m. at the Avalon Mall Flea Market. • From fire to rock: a presentation journey, presented by The Basilica’s 150th anniversary committee, 7:30 p.m., at The Lantern, Barnes Road. • Four artists — one vision. Exhibition and sale of original art by Randy Blundon, Julie Duff, Joan Roberts and Owen Whelan. Your Hearts Desire Gallery, 21 Patrick St., St. John’s, 1-5 p.m. • Blue Rodeo with Matt Mays and El Torpedo, Gander Community Centre, 8 p.m. • Book launch: Stories of Carbonear by Chris Rolton, 2-5 p.m., Old Railway Station, Carbonear, 7394477. MAY 17 • Creating your heart’s desire, a group study program, six weekly sessions. For further information 7384932. • Gander Dance School performs at the Gander Arts and Culture Centre, 7 p.m. MAY 18 • CBC Janeway Celebration Concert featuring Crush, Brothers in Stereo, Barry Canning, Colleen Power, The Novaks and more, hosted by Mark Critch. 8 p.m., Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium, Bonaventure Avenue, St. John’s.
• Stones in his Pockets, by Marie Jones, directed by Petrina Bromley, starring Aiden Flynn and Steve O’Connell. Rabbittown Theatre, St. John’s, 7:30 p.m., 739-8220. • St. James Men’s Service Club flea market 7-8:30 p.m., in the church basement, 330 Elizabeth Ave, St. John’s. • St. John’s Folk Arts Council folk night at the Ship Pub featuring Jill Porter, 9 p.m. • Gander Dance School performs at the Gander Arts and Culture Centre, 7 p.m. • Newfoundland Author Series: a reading by one of Newfoundland’s favourite and funniest story tellers, Otto Tucker, 7:30 p.m., second floor, A.C. Hunter Library, St. John’s. MAY 19 • M0xY productions presents Poor Superman. Frustrated by the lack of affection in his life, celebrated gay painter David McMillan returns to his beginnings as a waiter to find his lost creativity. Written by Brad Fraser, directed by Joshua Jamieson. LSPU Hall, 3 Victoria St., St. John’s, 8 p.m., 753-4531. • Active-Vision: classic silent films and other video presentations are shown with live, original, musical accompaniment. This month’s presentation: The General (1926) starring Buster Keaton with pre-show Betty Boop cartoon. Soundtrack performed live by Patrick Boyle (trumpet, guitar, clarinet, loops) and guest Elliot Dicks (drums), 8 p.m., Choral Room, MUN school of Music, St. John’s. Free admission, 368-0202. • Keep on Dancing, dance recital by Judy Knee Dance Company, St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m. • Corner Brook concert band, Corner Brook Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m.
Greg Cora of Australia and Kate Bechler, assistant food and beverage manager at the Fairmont enjoy a glass of Ati Rangi, a pinot noir from New Zealand, at a wine tasting class at the Fairmont May 12. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
MAY 20 • Keep on Dancing, dance recital by Judy Knee Dance Company, St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m. MAY 21 • 30 Plus Club monthly dance for singles over 30, St. John’s Curling Club, St. John’s. IN THE GALLERIES: • The Hand You’re Dealt, prints by Caroline Clarke, and Journey on the North Atlantic, prints and textiles by Sylvia Bendsza and Cecil Day open
They have Jacko, we have our Karly Kurls News pack gorging on the killer blonde By Antonia Zerbisias Torstar wire
N
ews directors are cancelling reporters’ vacations. Camera crews are on standby. Producers and editors are planning special coverage packages. It looks to be the hottest story of the summer. No, not a federal election but the release of Karla Homolka from prison eight weeks from now. Now here’s a story most Canadians can understand — and there isn’t a single bagful of dirty money or kickbacks anywhere in the telling. Instead, there’s good and evil, a photogenic central character and a sickening back story. No wonder there’s a movie about it — as if you hadn’t heard about Hollywood’s Deadly, billed as a “deeply disturbing true story.” Movie poster This look at convicted husband- film, Deadly. and-wife murderers “Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka’s psychological dance with death and depravity” has already benefited from hundreds of news stories, “exclusive previews” and other hype, well before its release. You can’t buy a marketing campaign like that, especially when you have provincial Liberals fuelling the hype by condemning the movie without seeing it or gathering all the facts. The news pack got its first taste of blood in mid-March when MacLean’s magazine published a 3,100-word piece on the killer blonde’s impending release. Since then, hardly a day has passed without stories appearing on TV or in print, stories that profess shock and awe that she will soon be out and about. What hypocrisy. Judging from their play on front pages or at the top of newscasts, the stories are clearly little more than tabloid-type ploys to boost audiences. What’s more, everybody’s got an “exclusive” — a nyah-nyah term for “we have an interview with Homolka’s high school principal and you don’t.” As if those tellings add anything to the public interest. Consider last Thursday’s Global News “exclusive” with Homolka’s father, who was heard but
not seen. The latest — that Homolka is apartment hunting in the Montreal neighbourhood of NotreDame-de-Grace — dominated the newscast. The package ran along with a mini-profile of the quarter, streeters with outraged residents (none of whom seemed to be francophones, who would be less likely to have heard of Homolka) and a tacky close-up of a Montreal transit map in case we didn’t know which part of town to henceforth avoid. That was followed by yet another story about Deadly, one that reminded us that Global had “exclusive” clips of the movie the previous Monday. The next day, the Toronto papers, including this one, all “matched” the Montreal story while CTV’s Canada AM ran a for the upcoming clip from Deadly, and a satellite interview with its producer Michael Sellers, neither of which could be deemed to be informative. It’s a cliché to say this but it’s true: it’s as if Bernardo and Homolka’s victims, 15-year-old Kristen French and 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy, are being victimized over and over again. But we in the media will have our feeding frenzy, won’t we? There’s even a media frenzy over the media frenzy. (Even writing this column makes me feel a little sleazy.) It’s as if we look longingly southward to the gang-plucks on Michael Jackson, or runaway brides, or Terry Schiavos, and say, “Hey, we too should be able to invade neighbourhoods, line up our satellite trucks and wave our boom mikes in peoples’ faces.” You can bet reporters will hound Homolka long after she walks. Not that her impending release doesn’t merit attention. This woman’s crimes, her manipulation of the legal system, and any potential threat she poses to the community are certainly worthy of scrutiny. But much of what is now making the news is exploitation and sensationalism. Fact is, Karla Homolka sells. Too bad so many people are buying what’s on offer.
May 15, 2-4 p.m. at the Craft Council Gallery, 59 Duckworth St., St. John’s. Both shows up until June 17. • With this Freedom, Elayne Greeley, Leyton Gallery of Fine Art, St. John’s, 722-7177. • La Raza, James Baird Gallery, Duckworth Street, St. John’s, until May 18, 726-4502. • Cultural Barometer: A statement on the state of the arts in Newfoundland and Labrador, until June 12, 2005, RCA Gallery, LSPU Hall, 753-4531. • Art in the Garden 2005: Paintings and Pixels by painter Betty Hall and
photographer Justin Hall, at MUN Botanical Garden from until May 29, 737-8590. • TexStyle: 17th annual textile studies graduate exhibition, Anna Templeton Centre, Duckworth Street, St. John’s. Until May 20. • In Full Bloom, new works by Gerry Squires, Frank LaPointe, Elena Popova, more, Red Ochre Gallery, Duckworth Street, St. John’s. • Things Bright and Wonderful, an exhibit of paintings by Bernice Blake, Balance Restaurant, LeMarchant Road, St. John’s.
28 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 15-21, 2005 — PAGE 29
The finished product as it goes through the rollers at the Abitibi mill in Grand Falls-Windsor.
Paul Daly/The Independent
Victim of ‘sick’ industry By Jeff Ducharme The Independent
Abitibi has cut 500 jobs since 1982 and closed two paper-making machines: Thistle
T
he Abitibi Consolidated mill in Grand Falls-Windsor may be celebrating its 100th anniversary, but the almost 20,000 residents have little to celebrate after the announcement of 56 layoffs and the warning of more cuts in the offing. Abitibi, the world’s largest manufacturer of newsprint, has two paper mills in the province — one in Grand Falls-Windsor and the other in Stephenville. The company is committed to closing the No. 7 machine in Grand Falls-Windsor, and creating a “one business, two-machine” model. The reorganization will also trim administrative staff as the company combines payroll, human resources, and purchasing departments. Roger Pike, spokesman for the Grand Falls-Windsor mill, says the company is a “victim” of a “sick” industry. The North American pulp and paper industry has been in steady decline since 1999 when prices began to plummet as newspaper readership fell and publishers scrambled to reduce costs.
“We’re confident that we have a very good future for Grand Falls and Stephenville and indeed for Newfoundland, but it’s going to be much smaller,” Pike tells The Independent. The total Abitibi payroll in the province is $72 million divided between the three operations — $35 million in Grand Falls-Windsor (490 employees), $16 million in woodlands operations (450 employees), and $21 million in Stephenville (290 employees). ‘GREAT DEPRESSIONS’ “It’s gone through great depressions,” says Pike of what the Grand Falls-Windsor mill has faced over the last century. “It’s gone through two world wars and it’s always been challenged and the mill will always be challenged as we move into the future with ups and downs in a very volatile world market place.” Liberal MHA Anna Thistle, representing the provincial district of Grand FallsBuchans, says Abitibi hasn’t changed its tune since it shutdown the first of four machines in 1989 with another machine shutdown not long after. Since 1982, she says, 500 people have been laid off at the mill.
“We have always lived with the threat that they will shut down machines,” says Thistle, who maintains the mill’s order books are full. From 1994 to 2004, Abitibi spent $167 million on capital projects at the Grand FallsWindsor mill, including $25 million on a new power canal, $32 million on environmental projects, and $6 million in refits to the imperiled No. 7 paper machine. Since 1982, Abitibi has spent $35 million on sivilculture. Much of that was cost-shared with the province and the federal government for a total of $75 million. The company will reach 45 million trees planted in total by year’s end. In its woodlands operation, $70 million has been spent over the last two decades on such things as road building and maintenance. It costs Abitibi approximately $3 million a year to maintain its vast network of woods roads. Abitibi pays $5 million a year in fire prevention tax and is responsible for any firefighting expenses on land it leases. The Grand Falls-Windsor mill alone pumps $45 million into the provincial econoSee “Not a nickel,” page 31
Crab cash
Plant worker compensation plan could cost province millions, no help expected from Ottawa By Jamie Baker The Independent
I
f history is any indication, it would be a hugely expensive proposition for the provincial government to compensate plant workers affected by the ongoing crab dispute. Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister Jack Byrne, whose department would be responsible for doling out compensation, estimates the cost could climb to the tens of millions of dollars, “depending on the number of people and how long it goes before we get a
resolution.” In 2003, the cod fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and along the northeast coast of the island was shut down, affecting 2,200 fishermen and plant workers. At the time, the federal government, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, pumped more than $50 million into a two-phase, two-year program to, first, extend employment insurance benefits for fishermen and plant workers through top-ups, folSee “We are going to pay,” page 30
Paul Daly/The Independent
MAY 15, 2005
30 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
Same old story
Unemployment remains high in province; particularly on Burin Peninsula By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
H
igh unemployment rates in Newfoundland and Labrador are nothing new. For the past three decades, the province has topped the scales across Canada, usually coming in with unemployment figures around 10 per cent above the national average. Most recent numbers put the province’s current unemployment rate at 18.8 per cent. Canada sits at 6.8 per cent. The next highest province is Prince Edward Island at 10.4 per cent. The lowest is Alberta with an unemployment rate of 3.5 per cent. For the most part, rates specific to each region in the province have stayed fairly consistent, although they have risen. One striking escalation in numbers can be seen on the Burin Peninsula and south coast — where the unemployment rate sits at almost 30 per cent, 10 points higher than last year. “I guess even despite the progress in Marystown with the White Rose (oil field), we’ve still got the highest rate,” says Rex Matthews, mayor of Grand Bank. “I think a lot of that would have a lot to do with the fish processing plant in Harbour Breton on the south coast.” The Harbour Breton plant was closed down last year, and a similar operation in Fortune was recently downsized. Matthews adds, however, that with the inshore fishery ready to open for the new season, many people will soon come off Employment Insurance. Construction on White Rose will be drawing to a close over the next few months and Matthews expresses concern about the effect
that might have on the area. “You take that out of the economy of the Burin Peninsula, it’s going to have drastic results.” Matthews sounds defeated as he considers the economic prospects for the south coast, a region so reliant on what the sea can offer in terms of oil and fish. The likelihood of attracting new businesses to an area with declining populations seems unrealistic. Unemployment rates St. John’s Avalon Burin Peninsula and south coast West Coast, Northern Peninsula and Labrador Central and northeast coast
2005 to date
2004
9.1% 12.6%
8.8% 11.4%
29.4%
20.7%
21.6%
20.0%
22.8%
19.6%
“It’s difficult when you have to start something new and different that has no, I guess, relationship to a marine environment and it’s going to be a major challenge in the years ahead to find gainful, meaningful employment for people that live in coastal communities.” Due to the problems in the province’s fishery, many towns have turned towards other means to boost their economies, such as tourism and manufacturing. Some towns, such as Stephenville, have inadvertently found themselves in the danger area of relying on one industry alone. While it was still up and running, the American air base at Stephenville was the heart and soul of the town. Today, employ-
FPI moves shareholders’ meeting to Toronto Fishery Products International Ltd. has announced its annual general will now be held in Toronto on May 24 after it cancelled its meeting last week due to concerns over protesters from Harbour Breton and Fortune — two communities where FPI closed plants recently. “In light of recent demonstrations in St. John’s and in anticipation of continued disruptions, the board has determined to reconvene the meeting
in Toronto. The need to relocate the annual general meeting is regrettable,” says Derrick Rowe, FPI’s CEO. FPI is still waiting for word from the province on the fate of its proposed sale of 40 per cent of its U.S.based marketing and value-added division. Provincial legislation could kill the deal as ownership is limited under the FPI Act.
ment revolves and mainly around the Abitibi paper mill, jobs with the College of the North Atlantic, the hospital and correctional facility. “It’s like a giant pyramid to me,” says Mike Tobin, chair of the Stephenville Economic Development Committee. “If you pull out that mill, I’m afraid that other things will collapse.” Often overshadowed by their neighbour, Corner Brook, Tobin says Stephenville’s economic aim is to try and divert more attention to the town, both in terms of facilities such as hospital departments and new businesses. He mentions the success of the fledgling yogurt manufacturers Wholesome Dairies. “They just opened here and I believe they’re employing 16 or 18 people. Now they’re not paying the rates of the mill, but it’s a fair rate for a town like ours. So that’s what we want to do, if we could bring in six like that or eight like that then there we go. Another 150 to 200 jobs here in Stephenville would do wonders.” Diana Temple, owner of Diana Temple Knits, says Stephenville’s main problem is a lack of available employees, due to both “brain drain” and an unwillingness to work for lower-wage jobs. She says she had to move her company three times because she couldn’t find the staff. Temple now operates in Springdale, about three hours away. “I would have died on the vine,” says Temple. “The people are not there (Stephenville); the buying population is not there. People are run scared. You’ve got government employees and you’ve got a few people working for Abitibi, plus the fact that Corner Brook is going gang busters and doing very well.” Advertising for help in Cape Broyle.
Paul Daly/The Independent
‘We are going to pay a very heavy price’ From page 29 lowed the second year by a community infrastructure program. At this point, Byrne says government is “looking at the logistics” of providing support to plant workers caught in the middle of a battle between government and fishermen over the implementation of raw material sharing. And because the issue is a regulatory matter in the processing sector, which falls under provincial jurisdiction, there likely won’t be any financial help from Ottawa in getting those plant workers through the year if the crab fishery doesn’t go ahead. “It could be as many as 6,000 people who would require this — we’re hoping we don’t have to do it, but we have to prepare for it,” Byrne tells The Independent. “We could very well be on our own … we’re trying to put something in place, depending on how fast we have to get this together. What type of a program it would be, those details are being worked out.” Humber–St. Barbe–Baie Verte MP Gerry Byrne was minister responsible for ACOA at the time of the 2003 codfishery crisis. If the province wants to provide adequate compensation for crab plant workers, Byrne says it won’t be easy or cheap, especially since displaced plant
workers would require a similar income to what they made processing crab. “It’s going to be huge … obviously the province will have to come forward with a comparable wage program so it’s going to be expensive and the province has acknowledged that,” Byrne says. “With the ACOA program, we basically paid the equivalent of $10 per hour on these projects, or about $400 a week.”
“If that includes shrimp plant workers … will the province be providing help to shrimp plant workers as well?” Gerry Byrne Byrne says he has “a whole bunch of questions” based on what he’s hearing from people in his riding about the province’s proposed compensation. Eligibility criteria, he says, is the chief concern in places like Englee “that haven’t processed any crab in two years,” and in St. Anthony, which has a spanking new processing license.
The areas for the east end of St. John's include: Elizabeth Ave west Lemarchant Rd./Lime St. Gower/Bond St. Signal Hill Rd. Churchill Sq. area Fox Ave. area Airport Heights area
Byrne says worries are also growing among workers in the shrimp sector. When fishermen voted to tie-up their boats in protest of raw material sharing for crab, the tie-up also included the northern shrimp fishery. If that happens, Byrne says the desperation of the situation, particularly in his own riding, will increase dramatically. “If the shrimp industry is shut down too, there’s what, 12,000 plant workers affected in the province? If that includes shrimp plant workers … will the province be providing help to shrimp plant workers as well?” St. John’s South MP Loyola Hearn says plant workers will desperately need compensation if there is no crab to process, adding the industry supplies crucial employment to more than just the processing sector. He says he’s been hearing from everyone from truckers and dockside monitors to restaurant and store owners who rely on work and cash from the crab industry to survive, and who won’t likely be compensated for their loss. “Every single sector I spoke to is hurting,” Hearn says. “It’s not just the fishermen affected here, it’s the entire rural economy. If we lose this year — and I don’t care whose fault it is or who has to do what to get there — we are going to pay a very heavy price.”
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 31
Female ‘force’ As a ‘business support system for women,’ NLOWE shows its members are equal to businessmen any day By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
W
atch out world. The force that is the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Woman Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) is focusing on educating its members towards business opportunities on an international scale. The eight-year-old organization, once looked upon solely as a support network for women starting up in small, local businesses, is determined to continue expanding. That means exploring options inside and outside the province, president Debbie Hanlon tells The Independent. “Women are becoming international players and we’re going to need as much support as we can get marketing … we’re not only about the small craft shops — of which there are lots and we’re very proud of them — but we’re also about global players on an international field.” Freshly appointed as president (from her previous position as first vice-president) Hanlon is grappling with nerves and excitement at the prospect of a year acting as the role model for an organization made up of some of the top female business big-wigs in Newfoundland and Labrador. As president of real estate company Coldwell Banker Hanlon and with heavy involvement in at least 10 other professional associations (not to mention being a young single mom), Hanlon is more than up to the job. In fact, as she speaks over the telephone from Halifax airport, she’s en route back to St. John’s after attending Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEO Awards. Hanlon was in the top 50, as was NLOWE’s previous president, Cindy Roma, CEO of Telelink Call Centre Inc., and seven others from Newfoundland and Labrador. Although women, particularly in this province, are beginning to make significant waves in the business world, Hanlon says there’s still a long
NLOWE president Debbie Hanlon
way to go. Case in point: only six of the top 50 CEOs honoured are women. “I go to get my hair done, of course, because it’s a glamourous affair,” says Hanlon, “and the first thing the lady says to me is, ‘What did your husband win?’ … and if you look at the top 50, I believe less than nine are women, so obviously there’s still a stigma attached to the top, top positions, you know.” NLOWE’s mandate as a “business support system for women” is to help remove that stigma. Since it evolved in 1997 out of the more socially focused Women’s Enterprise Bureau, the organization has built up a province-wide staff of 17 and
Not a ‘nickel or a penny’ From page 29 my — from bearings to light bulbs. While the mill generates 75 per cent of its own power requirements through a number of hydroelectric projects, the Stephenville operation has a $24 million yearly power bill. Grand Falls-Windsor purchases $5 million worth of power each year and another $4 million in bunker C oil — which has almost doubled in price in recent years. The province is currently trying to negotiate a power-purchase agreement with Abitibi that would help curtail costs. Natural Resources Minister Ed Byrne says the results of those negotiations should be known in the next month. “From our point of view on power, we’ve said to Abitibi that we’re prepared to sit down and negotiate a power-purchase agreement, but it must be for your operations in the province, which includes Stephenville and Grand Falls,” Byrne says. He says they haven’t given Abitibi a single “nickel or a penny” in the process, which includes the $1 mil-
lion the province had offered the company earlier this year. The province has threatened Abitibi with revoking its timber rights — 60 per cent of its current wood supply — on Crown lands if it doesn’t maintain a two-machine operation in Grand Falls-Windsor. While the global appetite for North American newsprint appears to have fallen off, newsprint shipments in the province remained steady and have even climbed. Since 2000, newsprint shipments from this province have hovered above or just below the North American average — peaking at just over 800,000 tonnes in 2000. Canada accounts for 23 per cent of the world’s newsprint production with the province sitting at 9.2 per cent — up from 6.9 per cent in 1990. “The growth areas are in China and the declining areas are in North America where there’s been a large penetration of the Internet,” Pike says. “The fact remains that the Grand Falls mills and the Stephenville mill have to compete in a marketplace that is perhaps the most volatile in history.”
Paul Daly/The Independent
has 11 board members. Open to all women from students to seniors — “you just have to be interested in business” — NLOWE provides over 500 members with business counselling, funding information, networking opportunities, business profiling and access to government subsidies. “Women have obviously been a repressed people,” says Hanlon. “We’ve been home raising families and taking care of home life more so than out there in the public, and a lot of the women were underpaid and it was difficult to get started, to realize their dreams. So NLOWE, I think, came out of a need.”
She adds her priorities as president, so far, revolve around promoting the cause and doubling the membership. “We’re 500 strong but I’d like to see it go to 1,000 because if every member brought in one member, there we are, you know? And we offer fabulous courses and training but there needs to be more focus on it and more focus on getting the message out to Labrador and remote parts, because they have their unique challenges.” Although a large group of smart women with strong opinions may be intimidating for many men in the business world, Hanlon says most people are just happy “to be doing business with good business people — and NLOWE helps create that. “Most of the women I do business with are multi-taskers and they can achieve so much more than men. It’s unbelievable actually. It’s in their demeanor and how they can handle; they can juggle a bunch of projects and still get things done. “I find a lot of the men I deal with, they’re focused in on one position and they do a great job — I’m not knocking anybody — but I think it comes from women’s ability to … be all those: partners, lovers, mothers, caregivers, you know, sisters, all tied up in one and I think it just gives us the natural ability to multi-task, which is an absolute key component to being a CEO.” As indomitable, unfazed and experienced as Hanlon is, even she admits to feeling the pressure of being the face of such a “tight ship” organization run by “great ladies.” She jokes she won’t feel comfortable going grocery shopping in a baseball cap and sweats anymore — at least for a while. “It’s a force now. I’m very proud to be part of it. I’m honoured that I was asked to be selected as president. It’s almost nerve wracking, you know? I speak to thousands of people, yet the other night at the conference (NLOWE 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards) my heart was bursting out of my chest. Because I realize it’s so prestigious.”
MAY 15, 2005
32 • INDEPENDENT BUSINESS
Tyrannosaurus treks Making model dinosaurs walk expanding business for Ontario firm By Rachel Ross The Toronto Star
T
he secrets of Jurassic Park are hidden in a non-descript Mississauga business park. That’s where Hall Train, a dinosaur master craftsman, builds beasts for a variety of museum exhibits and TV shows. And he’s looking to expand his business. “Eventually, everyone is going to want to have a dinosaur in their house,” says Train of Hall Train Studios, “especially when they can be made to be very realistic.” Chunks of grey clay litter his warehouse, along with fake bones, reference books, handmade tools and small dinosaur models from past projects. It’s like an inventor’s workshop and artists’ studio in one. His creations are more than just entertaining sculptures. One of Train’s primary goals is to stay true to the science. He has been lucky enough to work with some of the top palaeontologists in the world. Once an ad man who made movies with bendable, poseable figures, Train’s natural ability to sculpt realistic figures eventually led him to a career as a paleo-artist, building models for the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Maryland Science Center, the Discovery Channel and Universal Studios Theme Park. Train’s latest creation, a bio-mechanically correct, 6-foot, walking skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex goes on public display in New York at the American Museum of Natural History. Like much of his work, the mechanisms for the T-rex were built largely by trial and error. Sure, Train already knew exactly how the finished product had to work. He had been given very strict parameters by John Hutchinson of the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London. By studying the structure of the hind limbs of a Tyrannosaurus rex, Hutchinson built a computer simulation depicting the animal’s gait. Building a three-dimensional version of the simulation with a skeleton was a challenge, however. A mechanical engineer might have started such a project by working out some pertinent mathematical equations or sketching blueprints. But not Train. “I just sat on the back porch and made a bunch of big gears out of wood so I could figure out how to get the movement right in space. You don’t want to think too hard.” It’s more a process of “grabbing things and wiggling,” or “adding and building” until you get the movement just right. Train says he is inspired by John Harrison, an 18th-century clockmaker
A dinosaur model, not a T-rex, at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, in Drumheller, Alberta.
who solved one of the most vexing problems of his era: calculating longitude at sea. Harrison’s work, says Train, was much like his own. Both men have worked without a precedent and conse-
“We did it just like the Wright brothers did with their planes. Instead of trying to predict what would happen, we just built it.” Hall Train quently, a lot of what they do is made up as they go along. Train calls it “unintelligent design.” The phrase belies all the work that goes into his creations. T-rex’s little outside toe, for example,
has 50 mechanical parts all required to let the body part bend and flex just as it would on the real animal. “That was murder,” Train says. A small clay model of a brontotheres — which looks a bit like an angry rhinoceros — sits on a workbench in Hall’s workroom, in the shadow of a life-size model cut from sheets of foam. The full-scale version is in the early stages. You can still see much of the metal and plywood that make up the frame, which was designed on a computer to ensure the model will have adequate support. Slices of green foam are cut into cross sections of the dinosaur and hung off the metal frame. They’re arranged like slices of a loaf of bread, one beside the next. Train sculpts the foam using hand-made tools that look like oversized ping-pong paddles with raspy nodules attached to one side. He then adds clay to build up the muscles and add finer detail. Layers of silicon are painted over the clay, followed by
Paul Daly/The Independent
fibreglass. Once complete, the two outer layers are used to make a mould and the dinosaur is cast in plastic. The original armature from the foam is reused to support the hollow, plastic dino, and synthetic hair and paint is added as required. A clay model of a winged terasaur rests carefully on a separate table, limbs outstretched. It’s part of a Stanford University project to build a historically accurate version of terasaur that can fly. It’s such a monumental endeavour that National Geographic is documenting the design and construction of the creature. A couple of weeks ago, the Stanford team strapped a smaller terasaur model to the back of a truck and drove at 40 kilometres an hour while Train tweaked the design. Train wouldn’t be bothered with experimental wind tunnels. Then it was time to turn on the power fuselage and let the bird fly on its own. “We did it just like the Wright brothers did with their planes,” he says.
“Instead of trying to predict what would happen, we just built it.” Sure enough, the terasaur flew without crashing. It landed smoothly, Train says, right at his feet. The next step is getting the wings to flap. Train has also made models for theme parks. Train’s colossal adult triceratops greeted visitors to the Jurassic Park area at Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando for years. Ultimately the animatronic system was too complicated and costly to maintain. Parts wore out or needed recalibration. “Every time something went wrong with the animal, it had to be taken apart,” Train says. “It was a very ambitious thing.” Train says he learned valuable lessons about keeping things simple and subsequently turned down several requests for other intricate animatronic dinos. But he believes the technology will have its day.
Gadget can’t do everything well By Robert Cribb The Toronto Star
T
ransforming a plain old cellphone into a phone/camera/ PDA/instant-messaging/Websurfing/e-mail device is a delicate experiment. The bold ambition required to jam six gadgets into a single uber-unit comes with a danger. In attempting to do everything, you can do nothing particularly well. Such is the challenge of SwissArmy-knife electronic devices such as the Danger hiptop2, an all-in-one machine that promises to put a phone, digital camera, computer and other communications tools in your pocket. There’s courage in the endeavour, and a surprising degree of success in the execution. You can’t argue with the idea of bringing an array of communication tools into one mobile package. One device is always better than five scattered throughout your jackets and briefcases — as long as it actually does everything those other devices do, and just as well. The hiptop2 gives you a wireless Web browser, camera, phone, notepad, calendar, address book and calculator, and gets your e-mail, too. Whether you need all this as you saunter down the street or sit with beers in a neighbourhood pub is another matter. There’s such a thing as hyper-connectedness. And no one likes drinkmates who relentlessly check their email or take calls in the middle of good beer-drinking stories. Road warriors conducting business on the fly have a strong case. For the rest of us, it’s affectation and comfort. And those of us who grow uncomfortable after 10 minutes without checking e-mail need professional help, not an
enabling tool. Still, the hiptop2 does deliver wireless services in a reasonably pleasurable manner. The screen is large, bright and clear, a nice improvement on the comparatively small screens of most cellphone-based convergence gadgets. And the device’s scroll wheel is an inspired bit of navigational technology that quickly becomes intuitive. E-mail messaging is also much better than many phones offer, thanks to a creatively hidden and immensely useful keypad that lays out the entire alphabet.
The all-in-one Danger hiptop2.
Instead of the painstaking process of dealing with cellphone buttons responsible for three or four letters each, the hiptop2 lets you type out messages fairly quickly and easily. You may find the buttons a bit snug, but I had little trouble getting used to the keyboard. The relatively large screen also helps with Web surfing. Even so, the process of viewing websites on a phone is questionable even at the best of times. Unless you’re desperate to find a fact or check information online, the clumsiness of searching the Web on a phone renders the process virtually unjustifiable in my book. The images that slowly reveal themselves on the screen often appear in a dizzying, unorganized, unreadable for-
mat. You can’t get the rich array of content sized and designed for a big computer screen onto a small one. If it can’t be done any better than this, it’s time to let it go. The hiptop2 actually looks more like a digital camera than a phone. And the device’s usefulness as a camera is enhanced by the design. The pictures are fairly good for a cellphone camera — not nearly good enough for the family album but fine for e-mailing to family and friends. The large screen also helps with framing and viewing the shots. And it’s pristinely simple to grab a shot you like and fire it off via e-mail. A couple of scroll slides, a few keystrokes and you’re done. The phone, which can be easy to forget in the haystack of options, is functional but uninspiring. With all of these features, the hiptop2 is, well, a bit hippy. If you’ve been carrying around a tiny phone, this will feel a bit like a brick next to your ear. The signal was clear and steady in my tests. But I found some clunkiness. Typing out a phone number on the keypad is not as easy as using a standard cellphone keypad with larger number buttons. And, when you hold the phone to your ear, you inevitably press your cheek against the device’s screen. The screen becomes smudged constantly, a small but annoying flaw. On top of all of this are the standard PDA functions that work perfectly fine and allow you to gather all of your daily-ritual information. This is, no doubt, one-stop shopping for your communications needs. And you get a handy way of organizing your life and making sure you remember to meet your friends for beers. The trick is also remembering to leave the gadget at home when you go. Nobody likes a nerdy techno-gadget freak.
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENT BUSINESS • 33
WEEKLY DIVERSIONS ACROSS 1 Breathe convulsively 5 To the ___ degree 8 Peter Pan villain 12 Almost too energetic 17 ___ von Bismarck 18 “Eureka” relative 19 Hallowed 20 Make joyful 21 Rude one 22 Lullaby 24 Devilfish 25 U.K. actress Maggie 27 Desert 28 Representative of another country 29 Writer 31 Before, of yore 32 Such a ___ Journey (Mistry) 33 Imitate 34 Not prov. 35 Front of truck 36 Drink like a cat 39 University official in charge of records 43 French purse 44 Topic 46 ___ around the bush 47 Pickled herring 49 Knot again 50 Connections 51 Where “Corner Gas” is filmed (Sask.)
52 Tom Thomson, e.g. 54 Poet E.J. ___ 56 Picnic spoiler 57 Pretty portly 58 Encircle (with flowers) 60 Showy blooms 62 Cellular letters 65 Window alternative 66 Tapering flag 67 Pay attention to 68 As the crow ___ 69 Calico’s coat 70 Opposite sides of Earth 72 Links peg 73 Nine to five occupier 74 Mineral: suffix 75 The rest of the day? 76 Skier’s way up 78 Start for lateral 79 Radiant 82 Kitchen tool 85 Eastern Townships site of annual music festival 87 Vow 89 Role player 90 Balkan native 92 Thus 93 Inuit ancestor 94 Scheme 95 I problem? 96 Peru’s capital 97 Principle
98 “We’ll ___ and we’ll roar ...” 99 Not pos. 100 Incline DOWN 1 Sailors 2 Tiny particles 3 Impassive 4 Likeness of a person 5 Catch 6 The ones here 7 ___-kiri 8 She wrote Almost Japanese (1985) 9 Poet Erin (Search Procedures) 10 Yukon town 11 Hurricane hub 12 Early Quebec author (Maria Chapdelaine) 13 Ylang-___ (flower) 14 Pots and ___ 15 Ides accusation 16 Not plastic 23 Pompom shaker 26 Curved body parts 28 Corn unit 30 Bind with a promise to marry 32 Lake (Fr.) 34 Season 35 ___-aux-Os, Que. 36 Educated
37 French girlfriend 38 Equal 39 Baseball stat. 40 Poet’s twilight 41 Quebec peninsula 42 Path 43 Ottawa River tributary (2 wds.) 44 Attempts 45 Farm layers 48 Grand ___, N.B. 51 Deserves 52 Broom ___, Nfld. 53 Subsiding 55 Chest rattle 58 Float gently 59 Provoke 61 Alley 63 Genealogy word 64 Spots before your eyes? 66 Place for a pint 67 Fundy “flowerpots”: ___ Rocks 69 “___ he’s a jolly good ...” 71 Chums 73 It’s often jam-packed 74 Baby 76 Fulcrum for an oar 77 Tam in Toulouse 78 Citified 79 Saying 80 Place for the high-
born? 81 Molten material inside Earth
82 Matthew, to chums 83 Hurt 84 Astound
TAURUS - APRIL 21/MAY 21 You cannot be all things to all people, Taurus. The sooner you realize that you, too, have limitations, the happier you will be. Set aside time for yourself in the next few days. GEMINI - MAY 22/JUNE 21 Now is the ideal time for caution, Gemini. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to what you say and do. If you try to outsmart someone, it will come back to haunt you. CANCER - JUNE 22/JULY 22 You're smart, but a cocky attitude will not win fans, Cancer.You don't have much experience with financial matters, so let the
experts handle this area of your life. LEO - JULY 23/AUG. 23 So many ideas, so little time. Is it any wonder that you've been feeling frustrated lately? Be patient just a little while longer and things are sure to work out for the best. VIRGO - AUG. 24/SEPT. 22 No matter how much you may be tempted, Virgo, avoid getting involved with the rumor mill. It can get you into trouble faster than the blink of an eye. LIBRA - SEPT. 23/OCT. 23 Although you may have your suspicions about a coworker's poor work ethic, it's wise to keep your feelings to yourself, Libra. The right people will find out in time. SCORPIO - OCT. 24/NOV. 22 Quit worrying, Scorpio, After all,
90 Mar. follower 91 Eggy drink See solutions, page 36.
POET’S CORNER
WEEKLY STARS ARIES - MARCH 21/APR. 20 This is a good time for repairing bridges, Aries, especially personal ones. The more you worry about a situation, the worse it will seem. It's time to get positive.
85 Earthen pot 86 Nice nothing? 88 Horse colour
negative thoughts often lead to negative results. Put your fears behind you and get on with the week. Others will appreciate your effort. SAGITTARIUS NOV. 23/DEC. 21 Your natural instinct toward caution is in conflict with a desire to take a big risk. If it is a financial risk, you may want to listen to the reasonable half of your brain. Trouble brews. CAPRICORN DEC. 22/JAN. 20 You don't know what you want lately, Capricorn. Don't let a temporary dry spell in your cash flow limit your ability to live. Now is the time to be adventurous. AQUARIUS JAN. 21/FEB. 18 Your work and well-being are of most concern this week, Aquarius. However, there is a
danger that this preoccupation will mar your personal relationships. PISCES FEB. 19/MARCH 20 There will be a lot of talk occurring around you this week. Tune into what people are saying because some of it may ring true. FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS MAY 15 David Charvet, actor MAY 16 Tori Spelling, actress MAY 17 Dolly Parton, singer MAY 18 Chow Yun-Fat, actor MAY 19 Pete Townshend, musician MAY 20 Cher, singer/actress MAY 21 Mr.T, actor
O pale, o pale, lie you most lovely By R. S. James Crying terns and roving crows … Wheeling gulls above the tide, Ah, but the sorrow in me now … And where shall I bury my bride? Here where the sea frets with the weed Beyond the march of crested wave, Is this her bed so comfortless, Shall it be here her timeless grave? I hear the cold wind out of Lawn Carry the voices of the night, “Put her to rest where she loved to be With the wild green sea in sight.” So with her long, sweet dreaming there, I kissed her hands and quiet mouth, The crying gulls far over her, And the wild seas marching south. “O pale … O pale … Lie you most lovely, My salt kiss on you Beside the green sea.” A 1948 poem first published in the Poems of Newfoundland, a book edited by the late Michael Harrington.
34 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
MAY 15, 2005
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 35
MAY 15, 2005
36 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS
LPGA’s centrefold Californian Natalie Gulbis heats up fairways with her looks; golf’s answer to tennis’ Anna Kournikova WILLIAMSBURG, Va. By Jim Byers The Toronto Star
was called off because of the wet weather. But the following day, in cool and windy conditions that had most of the women bundled from head to toe, atalie Gulbis lines up a two-foot Gulbis strolled the course in a powder putt on the practice green at the blue short skirt and matching top. You Kingsmill Resort Course and could almost see the goose bumps from drains it. She backs up two feet and 50 yards away, but it didn’t stop her makes another. She retreats another two from patiently signing autographs for all feet to six feet from the cup and slides the 30 or 40 people who lined her path to her putt wide left. the clubhouse. There have been whisShe scrunches up her face for a split pers some of her fellow pros resent the second, then glances toward the ground attention being lavished on Gulbis or and notices a smudge of light brown dirt more accurately, the attention she’s on her sun-polished, golden legs. She sought. Gulbis looked incredulous when wets her fingers in her mouth, then asked if she’s faced any resentment. reaches down and wipes the offending “Not even close,” she says. “They all marks away. ask me, `When do I It’s important to putt get to come on your “I’m just trying to well on the LPGA show?’” Tour. It’s also impor“You know what I show that players tant, for some, to look love about Natalie is good. There are a coucan be attractive and that she’s a little ple of dozen women sponge,” says Canaathletic and good and dian Dawn Coeplayers on the practice green two days before Jones. “She’s a good have personality.” the Michelob Ultra kid. I think she’s great tourney in Virginia. for our tour.” Natalie Gulbis But Gulbis is the only As for her other one who has a telephointerests, she says she to lens charting her every grimace and collects swans and white tigers, listens bright smile. to everything from Creed and U2 to Jimi Wearing a short maroon skirt and a Hendrix, loves swap meets and reads white and maroon-striped golf shirt, everything from John Grisham to Gulbis has a TaylorMade cap in the Herman Hess. same shade and matching ribbons in her Gulbis has said she’s flattered to be hair, which she wears in a perfectly- compared with tennis player Anna braided ponytail. Her makeup is immac- Kournikova, the website download ulate and her dangly earrings look per- queen who never won a big tournament. fect for a 22-year-old California blonde. “She’s very beautiful and very sucGulbis isn’t the only glamour girl on cessful,” Gulbis says of Kournikova. the women’s golf circuit. Her friend “It’s always nice to be compared to Cristie Kerr, who has appeared on The someone who is so attractive.” Apprentice with high-roller Donald Gulbis is hoping to soon be known for Trump, is arguably just as attractive. being more than the Paris Hilton of the Grace Park might be the most elegant LPGA. So far this year, she’s 15th on the athlete you’ll ever see. But Gulbis is the money list and has two top-10 finishes. one who has taken her looks to a whole Meantime, Gulbis isn’t apologizing new level, publishing a calendar that for her marketing savvy. features her in skimpy swim attire or “I’m just trying to show that players working out. can be attractive and athletic and good She also stars in a Golf Channel real- and have personality,” she says. “I marity show that charts the ins and outs of ket myself hard and I’ve been very sucher relationship with Pittsburgh Steelers cessful in my endorsements and work quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and her very hard on my golf game. improving if still winless golf game. “So I really don’t have a whole lot to Gulbis was in full rain gear after play be ashamed of.”
N
Natalie Gulbis in the second round of the LPGA Welch's Fry's Championship at the Dell Urich Course in Arizona.
Darren Carroll/Icon SMI
Solution for crossword on page 33
‘Why is this happening again?’ From page 39 “My teammates,” Zaun continues. “I saw the replay and I could see it in their faces. I could see how concerned they were. How scared they were. Five guys came to the hospital. “It means the world to me, because a lot of times you feel you’re just coworkers. When people show a genuine interest in you as a person outside of the game, that’s special. That means more than anything else.” Zaun has accumulated nine-plus years of major league service, with eight organizations. This is the first time he has ever been a starting catcher. And until now, he had never heard some of the things about himself he is now hearing while he’s hurt. “I get a sense that people around here depend on me a little bit — more than I thought they would. It was nice to feel that for the first time in my career. But I can’t help but feel a little bit angry. Why is this happening again?” Again? The California native was promised the starting job in Kansas City in 2001. Then he tore his leg up. Since then he’s bounced around with four teams — until now. But this injury
won’t cost him a starting job. “When you’ve been a number two like I have my whole career, you don’t ever feel like people depend on you,” Zaun says. “That they’re expecting you out there and looking for you to do good things every day. For somebody to say that (my injury) is a loss to this team means a lot. Nobody’s ever said, ‘Wow, we really can’t afford to lose you.’ I’ve always been an afterthought kind of a guy to give somebody a day off.” When Zaun joined the Jays last April, his modest goal was to accumulate enough days to reach nine full years of service. On June 21, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, he will celebrate 10 years, earning the maximum major league pension when he retires. “That seems appropriate,” a smiling Zaun says of the convergence of endless summer and eternal pension in 41 days. “At least I’ll be active for it.” He’s getting ahead of himself. Zaun still has a long way to go, but the lessons learned in adversity will make the hard work of rehab easier to handle. He can still reach personal goals, plus he now knows who his friends are — and they’re everywhere.
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 37
MAY 15, 2005
38 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS OAKVILLE By Donovan Vincent The Toronto Star
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Athens Olympic gold medalist Adam van Koeverden of Oakville walks to the water with friend and rival Ben Fouhy of New Zealand . Hans Deryk/Toronto Star
A little friendly competition Two world-class kayakers have formed a close friendship while training, but Adam van Koeverden and Ben Fouhy will always be enemies on the water
akville kayaker and Olympic gold medallist Adam van Koeverden believes that to be the best you have to train with the best. Even if that means working out with New Zealand’s Ben Fouhy, the man who won the silver medal ahead of van Koeverden’s bronze in the 1,000-metre men’s kayak singles final in Athens last summer. Competitors on the international stage, the pair just finished training cheek by jowl for two weeks at Oakville’s Burloak Canoe Club in preparation for a World Cup regatta in Poland. Seeing them on the Oakville water, side-by-side, teeth clenched, eyes steely, and paddles working furiously, a casual observer might be surprised to learn the two men share a friendship off the water. The bond, they both agree, is born out of a mutual love for the sport, fierce drive, and desire to push oneself to the limit. “Adam’s a good guy and an awesome competitor, which he’s proven at the Olympic Games,” Fouhy says. “He’s an easy guy to get on with, and he trains really hard, so that’s the sort of person you want to be around when you’re coming up to a competition.” Their weekly training schedule goes
like this: 20 hours a week of paddling together — twice a day Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, once a day Wednesday and Saturday, with Sunday off — three or four hours a week in the gym, and about an hour or two a week running. In the past, Fouhy has been stronger than van Koeverden in longer distance races, van Koeverden more dominant in the shorter ones. ‘MUTUAL BENEFITS’ They say they decided to train together for “mutual benefits.” “What you have to realize is there’s not as much depth in terms of the K-1 in our own countries,” Fouhy says. “We’re competing against (kayakers) who have a lot of good K-1 paddlers in their countries who will push them in training. “If we give one or the other an advantage, well, that’s just the way it is because, for example, the Norwegians have a lot of good paddlers. “They are all training together.” If you don’t get in with the best athletes, you end up being left behind, he says. Van Koeverden, who also won the gold medal in Athens in the 500 (in which Fouhy didn’t compete), was last year’s winner of the Lou Marsh Award, had a first-place finish in a 1,000 World Cup event last year, and has been Canadian champion nearly 30 times in different kayaking and canoeing events. He’s in his fourth year racing as a sen-
ior. He met Fouhy at a World Cup event in Poland in 2003, where the Kiwi placed first to van Koeverden’s fifth in the 1,000. Fouhy also won a World Cup race in Gainsville, Ga., that same year in the same event. He has never been out of the medals in a World Cup race in his three years competing in international sprint kayaking. Van Koeverden says there’s a bit of a cat and mouse strategy at play when training with a competitor like Fouhy. “If we do 1,000 metres 10 times, then obviously you want to win one, but you don’t want to bust your gut on one, then have him beat you on nine. Every workout is competition,” he says. Both say the friendship has blossomed. When van Koeverden invited Fouhy to train with him in Oakville, he made arrangements with friends to provide accommodation for Fouhy and coach Darrell Bonetti. Van Koeverden also took Fouhy out on the town, introducing him to friends and taking him to Niagara Falls and Toronto spots like the CN Tower and Gretzky’s restaurant. But both know it will be all business come race day. “No hard feelings, but one of us is going to beat the other at the next competition and the competition after that,” van Koeverden says. “I wish him the best and obviously I hope to have my best race as well.”
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From page 40 Labrador Basketball Association executive director Bill Murphy explains, hockey and soccer are club-based sports, whereas basketball is largely school-based. In other words, for kids to compete in hockey or soccer, they have to register with a club, and subsequently pay the registration fee. This fee, because it is connected to program delivery from the national office, sees a portion go directly to the national association. While hockey registration numbers have decreased a bit lately, it’s still fairly strong because, hey, this is Canada we’re talking about here. Soccer numbers exploded a few years back and the sport is still riding that momentum. Therefore, these national associations are quite healthy. Compare that to basketball, and it all boils down to the fact that if a kid wants to play the sport, they usually have to get a game with his or her school team. In this scenario, the incentive, or necessity, to register with the provincial association, which is ultimately under the national umbrella, is low. School teams don’t necessarily have to be registered with the provincial basketball association to compete. Therein lies a challenge for basketball, at least in this province. In bigger provinces, like Ontario and British Columbia, basketball has become more club-oriented, so there will be little issues with implementing the Be One program. In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are a growing number of club-based organizations, but these are mostly confined to larger centres, such as the St. John’s-Metro region. Other areas, because of smaller populations, just don’t have the motivation to form a club. However, as schools keep closing and amalgamating to create larger educational institutions, even rural areas should consider the value of club-based basketball. For one thing, the larger a school becomes, the chances to play on a team during the growing years are decreased for many. Only a select few will get to play in this situation. A minor club system will enable more kids to play the game. It will also result, by default, in more talent. As they say, the cream will rise to the top. However, the Be One program will come with a price — a $20 jump in registration fees. That will mean a total of $35 to register a child with the provincial association and the Be One program. Relatively speaking, $20 is not that much. It’s safe to say Be One will not be an easy sell right off the bat, but as long as people see the big picture, coughing up the extra dough should be digestible. According to the national association, the Be One program is “designed specifically to strengthen our relationship with the more than one million Canadians who play the game of basketball. Eliminating this growing disconnect between Canada Basketball and our participants has been a major priority for the organization over the past year.” Canada Basketball plans on using incentive-based strategy to encourage Be One registration, with various merchandise or discounts for purchasing, being funneled back to the individual. But, I’m figuring the Nash-effect will be an even bigger incentive for some parents and children. Once it becomes “cool” to play a sport, and put up with whatever programs or regulations that come along with it, people will pay pretty much whatever, without so much as a second thought. Bobby White writes from Carbonear. bobbywhite@hotmail.com
MAY 15, 2005
INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 39
‘A big step’ From page 40
Mario Tee
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Super Mario With the senior baseball season just around the corner, ace pitcher Mario Tee says ‘June can’t come fast enough’ By Darcy MacRae The Independent
who’s one of the best pitchers in the province,” says Tee. “There’s no shame losing to Mike, he’s had some great seasons.” Throughout Tee’s undefeated run, there was a buzz at the ball park every time he took to the hill. There was so much hype surrounding his performance — on and off the field — by the end of it, Tee wasn’t entirely sad to see it come to a close. “It was disappointing, but a little relieving as well. I know it’s strange to say a loss was relieving, but as I kept winning there was pressure to keep the streak going. Losing that late in the regular season also gave me a blank slate to work with in the playoffs, which was pretty nice.”
M
ario Tee is counting the days until June 4. On that Saturday afternoon he will take to the mound to lead the Shamrocks against Holy Cross in the opening game of the 2005 St. John’s Senior Baseball League season. Given his love for the sport, it is little wonder Tee is chomping at the bit to get the new season under way. “I play a bit of hockey, but baseball is my sport. It’s been my sport for a while,” Tee tells The Independent. “Once the snow clears up, I just can’t wait to get out on the field … June can’t come fast enough.” Tee has already been pitching indoors for four weeks and has joined his Shamrocks’ teammates for six practices at St. Pat’s Field. He says the team is as close knit a group of athletes as you will find anywhere, and says the bond will help them contend for a third straight league championship. “We should be back in the hunt … we’ve got our core group back.” The 2005 season will be Tee’s fourth with the Shamrocks, and fifth in the St. John’s Senior League. Since first entering the circuit in 2001 with a Mount Pearl team, he has been one of its top pitchers. The 24-year-old right hander has been fooling batters with four effective pitches — fast ball, curve, slider and changeup. “He’s a pitcher who can hit his spots – he’s got exceptional control,” says Sean Gulliver, head coach of the Shamrocks. “He’s a guy who always pitches ahead in the count and that always puts him at an advantage. The fact that he can throw all four pitches at any time makes it difficult for hitters.” With his control and imposing pitch arsenal, Tee can be downright dominating on the mound. He has been so good in recent years he ran an undefeated streak that stretched almost two seasons. He went the entire 2003 campaign without losing a single contest and almost duplicated the feat in 2004 before a late season loss to the Guards. The one thing Tee remembers most about that game was the opposing pitcher who defeated him was a hurler just as capable of such a streak. “It ended against Mike Fifield,
“I know it’s strange to say a loss was relieving, but as I kept winning there was pressure to keep the streak going.” Mario Tee Once the playoffs began, Tee was again a dominating presence on the mound. He helped lead the Shamrocks to their second consecutive league crown. “Going out and doing it a second time was great. It was our goal all along. We were ecstatic. We were just as excited as the first year we won it.” While he prefers to discuss his teammate’s importance in winning the back-to-back titles, there is little doubt Tee has had a big part to play in the Shamrocks’ success. Any championship team needs an ace pitcher they can send out to win the big game, and that’s exactly what Tee gives his squad. “He’s been a huge part of it,” says Gulliver. “We always pride ourselves on our pitching and defence. We have a theory that if you pitch and defend well, you’ll win more often than you’ll lose. Having said that, Mario’s efforts have meant a lot.” Tee’s abilities have also landed him a spot on the St. John’s Caps all-star senior team, which has represented the province at the national championships
the past four seasons. On three of these occasions, Tee was given the ball early in the tournament in hopes of helping the team get off to a good start, but each time his team came away with a loss. It’s not as if he didn’t do his part to help the team win. In fact, he pitched well enough each time to come away with a victory. “He hasn’t gotten the wins at the national level like he has locally and provincially, but it’s not because he hasn’t pitched well,” says Gulliver. “He’s pitched well in the past three years, well enough to win, but we haven’t given him much offensive production.” In 2002, Tee shut-out British Columbia for seven innings before watching his team lose in extras. In 2003, he pitched well against an Ontario squad only to have his club’s defensive woes cost him the win. He nearly shutout a tough Saskatchewan team in 2004 (who later went on to win the silver medal), allowing just one run in seven innings. Unfortunately the Caps’ bats were silent on the day, and they were blanked 1-0. “It’s tough,” says Tee. “It stings a little bit; well actually it stings a lot, to lose at the national level despite getting so close. But you can walk away realizing you pitched a good game and the outcome could have went either way.” Despite the losses, Tee insists his experiences at nationals have been good ones. He says the fact the Caps beat the eventual gold-medal winners from Nova Scotia during the round robin portion last year shows they are capable of making an impact. “We’re only a hit or two away from really competing at nationals. With the core group we have this year, we have a medal on our mind. If we don’t come away with some medal around our necks, we’re going to be disappointed.” Regardless of what happens at the 2005 tourney, Tee knows one thing for sure — should he be given the chance to represent Newfoundland and Labrador at the national level again, he will do so with pride. “I’ve been to two Canada Games and four nationals with the Caps — anytime you can represent your province, it’s truly an honour.”
ranked players in Eastern Canada gave Locke even more exposure to Quebec League scouts. Several interviewed him during the event, with questions varying from his hockey aspirations to his ability to speak French. Like many players his age, he says the process was intimidating in the beginning. “At first I was nervous, but after you get one or two (interviews) under your belt they get a lot easier. You get better at speaking with them and answering their questions after a while.” After taking a look at the talent in Montreal — and realizing how well he did in head-to-head competition against them — Locke says he returned home with new confidence. “It was an honour to go up and be recognized as one of the top young guys in the province. It was nice to represent the province there. It’s exciting to know you’re up there, ranked in the top rounds.” As well-honed as Locke’s skills are on the ice, so too is his character. According to Babstock, Locke’s presence in the locker-room this past season and on the ice helped the Leafs stay together through stressful times. Babstock says that was the reason Locke was chosen to wear the captain’s “C.” “I named him my captain, that tells you how much I think of him,”
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Gregg Zaun was hit by Chicago White Sox Pedro Lopez’s knee as he slid into second base. Dick Loek/Toronto Star
Jays catcher Zaun learns people care TORONTO Richard Griffin The Toronto Star
I
n the grand scheme of Gregg Zaun’s 34 years, the pain of the moment balanced against important lessons learned from a scary collision on May 8, putting him on the disabled list with a concussion will eventually seem like a fair trade-off. On the downside, there are things he will never remember — like the jaw-to-knee contact with White Sox second baseman Pedro Lopez. On the upside, there are things he will never forget — like the emotional support he received from across North America. In the hours after the accident, which resulted in an overnight stay in hospital, Gregg’s wife Jamie remained busy collecting phone calls and e-mails wishing her husband well. “It’s been amazing,” Zaun says of the volume of concern. “I’ve got calls from people I played with.
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Scope
Time Cost Plan now for our Fall 2005 program Sept. 8 - Dec. 10 For further information, contact Jackie Collins 737-7977 or jcollins@mun.ca www.mun.ca/cmd
Memorial’s Centre for Management Development in partnership with the Academy for Project Management and York’s Schulich School of Business are offering you an opportunity to learn from some of the country’s leading facilitators and build your project management competencies. The Master’s Certificate in Project Management covers the fundamentals of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK™) in a format that appreciates your time limitations. You’ll learn to meet the daily challenges of project management with techniques and practices for managing projects of all sizes.
Faculty of Business Administration
Babstock says. “He’s a guy who is willing to work hard to reach his goals. He did a great job as captain. Together with assistant captains Matt Carroll, Ryan Smith, Brad Bussey and Pat O’Keefe, they ran the dressing room. It was their room.” While serving as team captain did bring new responsibilities and pressures, Locke says he enjoyed the role. Getting the team focused before a game and keeping everybody in check during crucial moments were aspects to which he quickly grew accustomed. “It was a big step,” Locke says. “But I like being a leader.” Locke has already begun weight training with personal trainer Bob Thompson in the hopes of adding more muscle to his six-foot, 175pound frame. He is also preparing himself for the possibility of moving to an entirely French community should a Quebec-based team select him in the draft. Although he admits he can’t speak French, Locke is willing to make the move anyway and tackle the language barrier the same way he’s taken on obstacles on the ice. “If it comes to that, I’ll go to a French community,” Locke says. “Usually if you go to a French community, you adapt to it quickly and after a little while you can speak some French. “I just want to further my hockey career and see where it takes me down the road.”
Guys I didn’t play with. People that I met out in Oregon when I lived there for a short time. The wellwishing has been overwhelming and it’s meant a lot to my family.” For a man who has spent his professional life battling inner demons and outside doubts, scrapping for a place on any major-league roster, year-to-year and beset by relentless personal insecurity, it would seem clear that despite the time he will spend rehabbing, in the long run, the positive lessons learned during this emotional rollercoaster will rule. “It’s overwhelming,” Zaun says, with glistening eyes. “You meet people, but you don’t realize how closely they follow you, because you don’t speak to them every day. As soon as people saw (the accident) on TV they’re calling to wish me well and see how I was doing. It’s just really touching.” More than the e-mails of friends and strangers was the concern of his fellow Jays. See “Why is this happening,” page 36
INDEPENDENTSPORTS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, MAY 15-21, 2005 — PAGE 40
Chad Locke at Brother O’Hehir Arena in St. John’s.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Locke on target
Chad Locke hopes to play major junior hockey this fall; a spot on the Fog Devils roster would be ideal By Darcy MacRae The Independent
R
ick Babstock doesn’t expect to see Chad Locke in a St. John’s Midget AAA Maple Leafs’ uniform next
season. In fact, the Leafs’ head coach sincerely hopes Locke is nowhere to be found when his team opens training camp next fall. It’s not that Babstock couldn’t use Locke — the Shea Height’s native led the team and the provincial midget AAA hockey league in scoring this year with 34 points in 19 games. Babstock wants to see Locke take the next step in his hockey career. “I thought he was ready (for major junior) last year,” Babstock tells The Independent. “He’s got all the tools required to play the game well. He’s a good skater, handles the puck well … his most
valuable asset is his vision. He sees the ice very well. His ability to utilize the individuals he plays with is outstanding. “He does all the things that are required to move to the next level.” Locke is one this province’s top prospects for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League midget draft slated for early June. He is expected to be taken in the second round, but at this point, it is impossible to know who will call his name. Although Babstock is confident Locke can crack just about any team’s lineup, he would like to see the 16-year-old land with a team that will give him a chance to demonstrate the skills that have made him a force at the midget AAA level. “If you’re picked by a team that’s making a run at the Memorial Cup, they’re not going to rely heavily on a 16- or17-yearold,” Babstock says. “Hopefully he’s going to get with a team that will develop what’s
there. I’ve been around the game for a long time and I can see he has the talent and desire to reach for the stars.” As far as Locke is concerned, he says he doesn’t really care who selects him in the draft just as long as he finds himself at a Quebec league training camp this summer. After thinking about the subject for a few minutes, he admits it would be nice to play near home with the expansion St. John’s Fog Devils. “It would be an honour to play in your home town,” Locke says. “Especially with me being from Shea Heights like Harold Druken. I think if I played with St. John’s, I’d get a lot of fan support.” Locke has been grabbing the attention of junior hockey scouts since he was a bantam player in the St. John’s Caps minor hockey system. After leading the provincial midget league in scoring this season, it came as no surprise that he was one of eight
Newfoundlanders who received an invite to the 2005 QMJHL Central Scouting Challenge. Along with Andrew White, Mark Yetman, Robert Stanley, Ryan Smith, Colin Escott and Pat O’Keefe (Matt Boland received an invitation but was unable to attend), Locke joined 120 of the top prospects eligible for this year’s draft in Montreal on April 23 and 24. Although the level of play was higher than what Locke was used to facing, he showed he could play with anybody by picking up four points in two games. “The hockey was good — every player was strong, there weren’t any weak players,” Locke says. “You’re competing against elite players; some of them are ranked pretty high.” Taking to the ice with several of the top See “A big step,” page 39
Nash-ing in
Canada Basketball hopes Steve Nash’s success, new program will entice more kids to ‘take it to the rim’
T
hey’re billing it as “Be One,” and if ever there was a time to capitalize on one player’s success in a team sport, Canada Basketball has the opportunity to do just that for the benefit of all. Administered through the provincial and territorial basketball associations, the Be One program is being launched this summer on the heels of perfect publicity from Canada’s own Steve Nash being selected as the NBA’s most
BOB WHITE
Bob the bayman valuable player. The Canadian association is figuring the exposure from Nash’s award will do wonders for the sport in this hockey-mad country, and I tend to agree.
Cool like a hockey player, Nash has managed to win basketball’s top individual award by playing the game the way James Naismith most likely envisioned over 100 years ago. The Canadian inventor would no doubt be proud to see a player like Nash, who has average athletic skills and size, but perfected his craft through hard work and creativity. He is someone to look up to, and a role model for any kid who has serious
hoop dreams. The Be One program is something that has been mulled over for quite some time on the national level and it remains to be seen how quickly the program will be successfully implemented in all regions of the country — but now is the time to start. Over the past number of years, Sport Canada has reduced its funding and basically sent the message to basketball and other sports to get their act
together and generate revenue like hockey and soccer. Those two sports raise millions each year from registration dollars, where money from each kid across the country goes into national coffers to fund programs, both elite and grassroots. On one hand, it’s not fair to compare basketball to hockey or soccer, because, as Newfoundland and See “The Nash effect,” page 38