2005-07-03

JULY 3, 2005 Jennifer Hickey For The Independent

M

arijuana activists claim there’s nothing wrong with driving stoned, although police argue otherwise.

Chris Bennett, a cannabis reform activist employed by POT-TV in Vancouver, a station that promotes pot, admits to driving stoned on occasion, but doesn’t recommend it.

“I feel safe in a car with a stoned driver, but I would never lobby for pot driving. It’s a factor which depends on the individual,” he tells The Independent in a telephone interview.

Even when a person is under the influence of a soft drug, it’s hard to know for sure. Police forces test for marijuana in the blood and urine, Bennett says, not impairment at the scene. He says the tests can’t tell precisely when a joint was smoked. Tests do not prove conclusively the person is impaired there and then behind the wheel.

As much as activists insist that driving under the influence of pot is as safe as sober driving, Const. Lester Parsons of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary argues otherwise.

“It’s like alcohol.” Parsons says.

“Alcohol affects the brain. Two thirds of alcohol consumed goes to your brain, and it’s no different than drugs.

It affects your motor skills, and makes you impaired.”

POT-IMPAIRED Criminal charges against a potimpaired driver would be the same as charges laid against a drunk driver.

The Criminal Code of Canada states that any driver influenced by alcohol or drugs is to be detained.

The difference is while a person can be charged for failing a beathalizer, there’s no such test for pot smoking.

Parsons says the Constabulary doesn’t keep statistics on the number of drivers charged in recent years with driving under the influence of pot. He says the force only keeps stats under the broader heading of impaired driving — which covers drugs and alcohol. There’s no further breakdown.

Constabulary officers are trained to observe the flow of traffic to recognize the signs of impaired driving.

The same signs exist for drugs or alcohol. An officer will look for erratic driving patterns, and upon pulling a car over, signs of impairment — not drugs or alcohol specifically.

If the breathalyzer test is passed, but the driver still shows signs of impairment, further tests are adminis-

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3

Driving stoned How do police tell if a driver is wrecked behind the wheel? And even if they are, is that a bad thing?

tered to test sobriety — including touching the nose, walking a straight line, and picking up keys.

“Being under the influence of alcohol and drugs is basically the same thing,” Parsons says. “You have the same signs. If we notice that the person has slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes, but pass the breathalyzer we can make the demand that they come back here (to the station) for further testing.”

Although the highs from alcohol and drugs are different, they both affect judgment. Parsons says drug use does not facilitate safe driving.

The police officer is adamant in stressing that getting in a car with a

drug-influenced driver, or driving stoned, is highly dangerous.

“Comparing alcohol to drugs is like comparing apples to apples. The impairment factor is the same. My comment is that if you are smoking a joint, or having even one beer, don’t drive.”

SAFER DRIVERS Marc Emery, a well-known marijuana activist and editor of Cannabis Culture magazine in B.C., admits to driving stoned, saying drivers under the influence of pot are safer drivers.

“I have smoked marijuana for 25 years and have driven my car safely without incident for that entire time,”

he says. “Drivers that smoke marijuana drive slower, are more patient, are not in any way prone to road rage, and more interested in the process of getting there rather than being goal oriented in getting to the goal or final destination.

“Marijuana influenced drivers are conservative, cautious and thoughtful.”

Emery has been arrested on many occasions for smoking pot in public and leading protests for legalization.

Lawrence Avery, an addictions counsellor with Health and Community Services, St. John’s region, also says smoking pot is unsafe for a driver.

“When you talk about driving under the influence of any narcotic, including marijuana, the levels of impairment are quite great, your reaction times, your ability to problem solve,” Avery says, adding the department doesn’t promote pot driving.

“The more you use of any type of substance, the greater the probability that the risk will be there for getting yourself into a situation where you’re not going to respond properly while behind the wheel.”

Jennifer Hickey is a journalism intern from the Bay St. George campus of College of the North Atlantic.

‘John Cabot should have been shot’

I

n the summertime, nothing suits your average newspaper reader like a bit of harmless slops.

Go ahead, let Dictator Dan run us to hell yet again in another handbasket.

Let the perils of Oxycontin, the rigours of deficit financing, the flummeries of Ottawa and the bestialities of American triumphalism go hang for a spell.

When it’s warm enough to sit outside in your singlet, what you want is something light. Or “lite” as the advertising geniuses would have it. Lite beer, lite opera, pizza lite, and lite heavy metal.

Of course, with some journals what you get is a year-round diet of harmless slops. Not so with a weekly chronicle of consequence like The Independent, which you now hold in your erudite hooks. There you’ll find a careful measure of lite only when lite is wanted.

Which brings us to Our Navigators, a summer contest now running with the whimsical aim of selecting the Top 10 Newfoundlanders who ever were. Yes, I know. You find yourself getting lite in the head already.

There, I’ve said it and I’m glad. I thought it best to lay my cards on the table. Because I got roped in as one of the judges for this gladsome enterprise.

I always wanted to be a judge, but I never had the Latin for it.

It strikes me that judging is easy.

Being a criminal — or a journalist —

RAY GUY

A poke in the eye now there’s what’s hard.

And now here I am in the company of other scriveners — ink-stained wretches and one historian — preparing for some summer-lite judging. Ho hum. Stand out of my sun and peel me another turnip, would you?

So please get to work and put your backs to nominating candidates for Our Navigators ... the Top 10. The harder you toil the easier we load of Supreme Justices will have it. Look at Mr. Justice Clyde Wells, as he now is, a face still as unseamed as a baby’s bottom.

It was only minutes after my own appointment to the bench that I realized I would surely face the problem of the Antichrist from Gambo. Little Joey, remember him? No, junior, Joey Smallwood was not the Kaiser of Germany when the Great War broke out and your parents had just returned from the Napoleonic Wars.

This rising generation is the most muddled and ignorant I ever saw in recent history. Tell them of a time when New Gower Street was famed for its whorehouses and they ask if that’s

where City Hall now stands.

I’m afraid our precious heritage is pretty wispy with this lot.

But we digress. Many of you will nominate J. Smallwood. I detested his intestines when he lived and I’m still not sure he’s dead right now due to the absence of a wooden stake and a burial at a crossroads.

So could I be fair in the judging? Of course I can. I will apply Joey’s own standards.

“Hitler, Adolph Hitler, was a Great Man!” declared Premier J.R.S. on one notable occasion.

“Not a great human being, perhaps,” Joey added by way of expansion. “Not a great personality, not great morally, not great spiritually ... but great in the sense that he brought great change, for good or evil, to his country. Hitler was a great man.”

Smallwood then went on to hold up the dictators Mussolini of Italy, Franco of Spain and Salazar of Portugal as examples of “great men” in the same whimsical sense as he had defined dear Adolph. He made this capricious speech in the House of Assembly.

When the word reached the Royal Canadian Legion, some toppled out of wheelchairs with the shock, others readied imaginary bayonets, and not a few decided they might vote Tory the next trip to the well.

If I had to pick 10 of our greatest

Adolph Hitler

Navigators my summer would be ruined. It would involve a few licks of work. That’s why I say the judging is easy.

I would tend to choose the whole population of Newfoundland at particular times in history.

(Damn history, anyway. John Cabot should have been shot. Pretty well everything after that dozy slut was a disaster.)

But the first boatloads of settlers to come to Newfoundland, overseas with monsters in them to shores where other monsters waited … I think them hero-

ic. Not the lace-collared ponces who get all the credit in books. But the sniveling, scurvied, toothless, ragged rank and file who were dragged along to make up the load.

A few centuries later there was another lurch from here to the westward. An emigration that, one way or another, involved the whole population. The adventurers toward the Boston States ... from quiet nooks in the rocks to the roaration of Boston, Philadelphia and New York.

And then, early in the 1900s, the population of Newfoundland flung another wave eastward across the waves to a Europe terrible in mud and flames.

That Confederation business in 1949 made Navigators if not heroes of everyone ... the half who elected to chance Canada as much as the half who chose to stand on the rock, all other ground being sinking sand.

So I would find it the devil of a job to pick one or 10 persons out of whole populations at particular times.

Well, with a gun to the head, maybe brave little Tommy. No, not Ricketts but Picco. Tommy Picco, 12 years of age when he bested the hideous and monstrous giant squid off Portugal Cove, C.B. We have heard tell of “Jack the Giant See “We’re not afraid,” page 5

4 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

JULY 3, 2005

Surfing the campaign trail Municipal election candidates reach out to voters via Internet

By Alisha Morrissey The Independent

A

ndy Wells admits he’s no “hightech whiz,” but he knows the benefits of electronic campaign

tools.

The mayor of St. John’s says he took a traditional door-to-door strategy when campaigning in 2001, but also had a website for voters to peruse in their own time.

At the end of the campaign, he remembers his site had between 3,000 and 4,000 recorded hits — “which was kind of surprising you know,” Wells tells The Independent. “I didn’t think that many people would log on to see how the candidates stood on the issues.”

With only three months before the Sept. 27 municipal election, campaign signs are already starting to pop up in east end St. John’s. They aren’t traditional signs, however, with a candidate’s face smiling above a campaign slogan.

Rather, the signs these days are addresses to web pages like www.ward4.ca Ron Ellsworth, owner of the signs, is using technology to his advantage in starting out early as a candidate in the Ward 4 race.

“At this point there’s not a lot of interest in municipal elections so we’re trying to create a little awareness, trying to create a bit of interest and expose Ron Ellsworth to the general public,” Ellsworth says.

He says the signs will hopefully garner enough attention so people will tale

Paul Daly/The Independent

a look at the website at their convenience. He says he’s tracked about 50 hits a day for the last seven weeks.

“The problem with print media, all of us have a very short attention span when we’re reading anything … at least

Digging up the past

A

ncient treasures excavated five and cannon balls. years ago from the ground The idea of spot archeology was beneath where The Rooms scrapped because the continuity of the stands today will eventually be dis- site couldn’t be determined without played in the building’s basement, digging the entire area. where a permanent exhibit will be built, “There were dozens, I think probably officials say. about 30 archeologists working at the Penny Houlden, director for The time … so all the archeology that’s Rooms provincial within the footprint museum, says the of the building has “When The Rooms original idea was for been undertaken, all the old fort to be an were in the very initial the recording has ongoing archeological been done,” Houlden dig in the facility’s stages of planning one says. “The stone basement — an idea foundations were reof the ideas was yes, moved for restorainspired by a Montreal museum where wouldn’t it be wonder- tion later on and the an archeological dig is bulk of the archeoful to have an ongoing logical restorations ongoing.

“When The Rooms not impacted archeological dig in were were in the very initial by the building and stages of planning one so we simply sandthe basement.” of the ideas was yes, bagged them for wouldn’t it be wonpreservation while Penny Houlden derful to have an the building was ongoing archeological under construction. dig in the basement,” Houlden tells The “The next stage for us is to go back Independent. and remove the sandbags, consolidate However, the province’s archeologi- the archeological remains and prepare cal department suggested a full excava- the area for exhibit development.” tion rather than spot digs in places For now, a small exhibit will be where the building would come in con- placed in the fourth-floor lobby of The tact with the fort below.

Rooms. Houlden says the basement Excavation began in March 2000, will eventually be turned into an exhibiand more than 200,000 artifacts were tion space showing off the former fort. found — including rare coins, clothes, — Alisha Morrissey

GENERAL MANAGER John Moores john.moores@theindependent.ca 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 Website: www.theindependent.ca

OPERATIONS CONSULTANT Wilson Hiscock wilson.hiscock@theindependent.ca

MANAGER, SALES & MARKETING Andrew Best andrew.best@theindependent.ca

CIRCULATION MANAGER Derek Frampton derek.frampton@theindependent.ca

PRODUCTION MANAGER John Andrews john.andrews@theindependent.ca

sales@theindependent.ca • production@theindependent.ca • circulation@theindependent.ca

this way with the website they can read a little bit today and a little bit later.”

Ellsworth says he will use more traditional campaign methods leading up to the election.

This year’s municipal election in the

capital city will involve more technology than ever — scanners will be used to count ballots and barcode readers will read elections forms.

Mount Pearl Mayor Steve Kent has been using technology — including a

longstanding website and e-mail-outs to citizens — to promote himself since his first election in 1997.

“Technology plays a greater role in our daily lives, regardless of what field you’re in. Public life is no exception and a lot of residents’ concerns that I deal with are through e-mail,” he says, including more and more senior citizens who are becoming more computer savvy.

“In recent months I have probably received more correspondence from residents through e-mail than any other form of correspondence.”

In the end, Kent, who plans to run again, says an election is won on legwork.

“The bottom line is if you want to win an election in our community, you have to get out and knock on doors and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

Conception Bay South Mayor Ron Smith hasn’t officially thrown his hat in the ring, but says it’s likely he’ll run again this fall.

While he’s not sure how he will canvass, Smith says it’s possible he’ll use a website or other electronic media to campaign.

“One of the biggest things is getting people out to vote and I think that we’re in a time when people are, unfortunately due to other levels of politics, that people are becoming complacent.”

He says it’s likely in larger centres of the province electronic balloting will be a reality in this election or the next.

“We won’t be doing it this time but I think, perhaps,, that maybe by the next election that may be standard in many of the larger centres.”

Hard to come by

Figures on foreign fishing citations aren’t for public consumption

By Alisha Morrissey The Independent

T

he federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the organization that oversees fishing outside Canada’s 200-mile limit are refusing to release a top-10 list of foreign trawlers with the most illegal fishing citations.

Johanne Fischer, executive secretary for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) secretariat, says the names of vessels that have had illegal fishing citations levelled against them are confidential.

“The member countries have very different opinions on what’s supposed to be public and what’s not,” Fischer tells The Independent from her office in Dartmouth, N.S. “So as you can imagine, in such a case they always go with the smallest denominator, which is by all means, keep the names of vessels confidential.”

Phil Jenkins, spokesman for DFO in Ottawa, says there is no official top-10 list.

“We do not have any most-wanted or worst offenders or any sort of gunslinging terms like that,” Jenkins says.

“I mean we pay attention to vessels — we pay more attention to the ones that

get cited more often — but we haven’t created a top 10 or a top 20 or anything like that. Anyone who is overfishing or breaking some NAFO rules is of interest to us and not any one particular list of top 10 or top 20.”

A federal government website, www.overfishing.gc.ca, provides a list of citations against vessels by the date the citations were issued, but only covers the 2004/2005 period.

From that list, as well as an Independent investigation, the vessels cited most frequently over the past two years include the Spanish trawler Puente Sabaris and the Latvian vessel Atlas — each with four citations levelled against them in the past two years.

The Spanish vessels Xinzo, Maria Eugenia G, as well as the Lithuanian vessel Borgin and Portugal’s Aveirense, were each cited three times in the past two years.

Ten foreign vessels have received 21 citations to date this year for illegal fishing outside Canada’s 200-mile limit — surpassing last year’s total of 15.

Five of the 10 vessels cited since Jan. 1 are Spanish.

Under NAFO rules, Canada cannot arrest ships for breaking the rules.

Rather, it’s up to the home country of a vessel charged with illegal fishing to

follow through with court action.

John Joy, marine lawyer and fisheries advocate, says public light should be shed on fishing violations.

“I find that really weird that they won’t provide that. It’s a public investigation by a public authority,” Joy says.

“The thing is, it (NAFO) is an international mechanism to control overfishing and these are big boys, these are major ship owners, it’s million-dollar operations and if they’re cited it’s something that should be, should appear as public information and you should be able to get at it.”

Besides serving as a deterrent to illegal fishing, publicity reminds DFO “there’s somebody watching” and keeps the topic in the public mind, Joy says.

“In most criminal law I think that one of the greatest deterrents is … when someone is convicted,” he says.

“To my mind it’s a big public-policy issue and it’s not like you’re invading the privacy of someone who’s been shoplifting or something like that.”

Over the past decade, more than 300 citations have been issued against foreign vessels. Most of the citations were issued without publicity, often against boats that have been cited frequently, but face no penalty in their home country.

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 5

Lucid lobbying

T

he provincial Lobbyist Registration Act was given royal assent on May 19 and the Justice Department is in the process of creating an on-line registry to regulate the activity of lobbyists in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Billy Hickey, department spokesman, says by the fall all lobbyists will be required to register.

“Right now we’re taking care of the administrative pieces,” he tells The Independent. “We have to set up a registry, hire a commissioner and undertake some public education.

“Basically it’s trying to make the whole process of lobbying more

transparent, so people know who’s trying to effect public policy and for who.”

The act is aimed primarily at regulating lobbyists who are paid to advocate on behalf of a client seeking to influence how government collects and spends public funds. People representing their own personal concerns will not be expected to register.

Lobbyists will be expected to operate under a code of conduct, by reporting their activities and filing their objectives. “Significant penalties,” will be imposed against anyone violating the regulations.

– Clare-Marie Gosse

‘We’re not afraid of nudding!’

From page 3

John Efford and Danny Williams

Paul Daly/The Independent

Political blood sport Federal and provincial politicians try to get along; it isn’t always easy

By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent

S

ince the federal election a year ago, Newfoundland and Labrador has seen hot politics and hotter political tempers, but one thing everyone seems to agree on: it’s been a year to remember.

Premier Danny Williams is still smarting from some of the verbal backlashes he’s received of late, particularly from St. John’s South MP Loyola Hearn.

Hearn, a federal Conservative, resoundingly criticized Williams for ejecting Fabian Manning, MHA for Placentia and St. Mary’s, from the provincial Tory caucus during the recent crab dispute.

“Mr Hearn basically stuck his nose into provincial affairs,” says Williams, adding he was criticized for his governing style and compared to past “singleminded” premiers.

“Mr. Hearn then came back and made comments like, ‘If Mr. Williams continues with that style of leadership then he won’t have a caucus,’” Williams tell The Independent.

The premier says Hearn’s comments were “untoward,” “improper” and the party was “taken aback.”

On the other end of the scale, Williams says relations with Prime Minister Paul Martin have “improved dramatically” over the last five months since the “hard-nosed” Atlantic Accord negotiations.

Chris Dunn, a political scientist with Memorial University, says although the province has always had its fair share of tumultuous political years, “ever since the earliest part of 2004, it’s been quite unprecedented.”

Relationships between the premier, his ministers, and the province’s federal representatives have been colourful to say the least. Mammoth issues, such as the Atlantic Accord, tried the patience of just about everyone involved and some of the mud thrown hit hard enough to leave marks.

Ever since federal Natural Resources

Minister John Efford uttered the fateful words, “take it, or leave it,” verbal back and forths between politicians have kept the public rapt.

Williams says he hasn’t seen or heard from Efford — who suffers from diabetes — in months.

“Due to Mr. Efford’s sickness he’s been virtually non-existent. You know, I placed calls and I haven’t been speaking with him … whether he’ll be continuing on, it appears that he probably won’t.”

As the province enters summer with a fat Accord cheque in hand (possibly as soon as Monday), is all the sniping coming to an end? How important is it to maintain strong provincial/federal relationships?

Despite Hearn’s recent “verbal-run ins” with Williams, he seems to have moved on.

“Sometimes you get some pettiness involved and personalities get involved,” says Hearn. “A few times during the year there was some sniping going back and forth, but that’s OK, that’s part of it. It means you’re doing something, because the only people who are not talked about and who never get into trouble are those who do absolutely nothing.”

In May, Hearn and his colleague, Norm Doyle, MP for St. John’s North, were vocally criticized by Williams for siding with their party in a House of Commons vote against a budget bill. If the bill was defeated, the action could have potentially brought down the Liberal government, jeopardizing the Atlantic Accord agreement.

The Conservatives voted for the particular bill containing the Accord, however, and Doyle and Hearn say there was never any danger of the Liberal’s falling.

“Most of that was just, I guess, perception rather than reality,” says Hearn.

Hearn and Doyle stress the importance of maintaining close relationships with the provincial government.

“I think the premier and the cabinet are doing a tremendous job for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and we support him in any way we can,”

says Doyle.

Scott Simms, Liberal MP for Bonavista-Gander-Grand Falls-Windsor, says people should always come before party affiliation.

Simms and Bill Matthews, MP for Random-Burin-St. George’s, defied their federal party and voted in support of last fall’s opposition motion for Newfoundland and Labrador’s Accord revenues.

Efford, along with Gerry Byrne, Liberal MP for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte, stuck to party lines.

“The premier actually said to me one time, ‘Partisan politics are for election campaigns,’ says Simms, “and I totally agree, but not everybody does.”

He adds he and the premier have different ways of operating — Williams is renowned for his head-strong approach — but “at the end of the day we want what’s best for Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Byrne, with almost 10 years of provincial and federal experience, says the issue of political relationships is a topic “he’s very glad to talk about.

“I quickly experienced that some people choose to make this a blood sport … really what this all boils down to is people have got to get along with people; personalities got to deal with personalities and egos got to understand egos.”

Byrne says having a Newfoundland and Labrador office in Ottawa — which, until recently, was staffed by Bill Rowe and is currently pending a replacement — was a “Godsend.”

Williams says replacing Rowe was temporarily put off while the province waited to see if the minority government was going to fall.

“That’s something we will now step up as a priority,” he says.

Dunn says political relations seem to be changing of late and in the absence of Rowe (“the paradox is the first appointee and the only appointee so far has come back a stronger Newfoundland nationalist than he left”), Williams is not only premier, but has become regional federal minister as well.

SHIPPING NEWS Keeping an eye on the comings and goings of the ships in St. John’s harbour.

Information provided by the coast guard traffic centre.

MONDAY, JUNE 27 Vessels arrived: ASL Sanderling, Canada, from Halifax; Anticosti, Canada, from Sea; Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova.

Vessels departed: Atlantic Hawk, Canada, to White Rose; NFLD Alert, Canada, to Fishing; Atlantic Osprey,

Canada, to Sea; Maersk Nascopie, Canada, to Hibernia.

Vessels departed: Cicero, Canada, to Corner Brook.

TUESDAY, JUNE 28 Vessels departed: Atlantic Eagle, Canada, to Terra Nova; ASL Sanderling, Canada, to Halifax.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 Vessels arrived: Wilfred Templeman, Canada, Canada from sea; Jean Charcot, Britain, from sea; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, from Terra Nova; Cabot, Canada, from Montreal; Gulf Spirit 1, Canada, from Flemish Cap; Vizon De Eza, Spain, from sea.

Vessels departed: Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 Vessels arrived: Maersk Placentia, Canada, from Hibernia; Leonard J. Cowley, Canada, from Sea; Maersk Norseman, Canada, from Hibernia.

Killer.” Few of us are cognizant of our own Tom. Not too many details are known except that one day in 1873 “brave little Tommy” as he is invariably called, was out off Portugal Cove in a fishing boat with two others.

Suddenly, two huge and terrible tentacles encompassed that frail craft and commenced to draw it down toward that awful parrot-like beak set between two pitiless staring eyes the size of dinner plates.

And did young Tommy panic?

And did young Tommy cry? And did young Tommy drop to his knees and wail to a Higher Power to save him?

No, sir. Young Tommy did not.

Young Tommy grabbed up an axe and hacked off two of the monstrous tentacles shouting as the leviathan of the deep slunk away: “Tell the doctor a Bayman sent ya!” Or so I firmly believe in my heart that such utterance was made.

That squid, children, was probably the length of two school busses.

When I was a reporter (a bit later in history) I saw one laid out in a marine lab. The sight was astonishing, the stench such, that I’ve been a trifle cross-eyed ever since.

One of young Tom’s tentacles fed the Picco dogs for the winter. The

other was pickled by Rev. Moses Harvey and sent off to London. So my Navigator would be Tom Picco.

He may stand for the rest of us because the rest of us wanly believe that Newfoundlanders are always like that.

At the 2000 Millennium broadcast from the St. John’s waterfront, one young kid was asked if he was afraid of a great worldwide computer crash and all that sort of thing.

“Naa,” said the little jeezler, prompted or not. “We’re Newfoundlanders. We’re not afraid of nudding!”

And so we like to believe that if the devil in hell, himself, popped up there’d be some one spring to the fore and say, “No, Sir. Not one step further.” Viking berserk.

Look back in history and there’s lots of proof that, in time of peril, the Newfoundland mind narrows wonderfully to the task at hand and the energy and the fury becomes so focused, the blinkers to all else so complete, that other people can understand it no better than to call us stunned newfies.

Now, I must lie back in the sun, and contemplate the judging. Please pass me my drink. Please pass me my tasty judicial dainties. Calamari rings? No thanks. I say they’re squid and I say to hell with them.

6 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

JULY 3, 2005

OUR VOICE

Time for the mice to roar A

fter pushing for months to get a good representation in print of what happened to our Terra Nova oil benefits, the response to our story on the Tobin/Cheney meeting was underwhelming to say the least. Brian’s comments left on the newsroom answering machine were entertaining, and Chuck’s letter in this issue does a fine job of backpedalling, but the public response I personally got was more along the line of “what do you expect?” Well, I expect a lot more.

By the way, in defense of my editor, this was not a Ryan Smearyism (nice phrasing, Mr. Tobin). I pushed the story myself. Thank goodness about seven years ago there was a lack of seating at Greensleeves one lunch hour. Andy Wells sat down with Cabot Martin and I as we ranted about the province folding to Halliburton and Petro-Canada on the Terra Nova benefits. That lunch led to Cabot becoming the city’s oil advisor for a time and Andy launching the lawsuit that challenged the giveaway. I know

BRIAN DOBBIN

Publish or perish

all about that too — the action was executed by Cabot and my partner and lawyer, Chris Sullivan, for the princely sum of $5,000, a fraction of the true cost.

We ate the rest of the cost because we were personally outraged at what had transpired. Chuck says in his letter that “after weeks of intense discussions” the province agreed to back off the move for “temporary jobs.”

Temporary jobs?

Who did they have “intense discussions” with for a few weeks? Lawyers on how to assume the development if abandoned by Petro Canada? Other oil harvesters who could take the project over with the province?

Note to bureaucrats: in business, once the party on the other side of the table has spent hundreds of millions

on exploration and planning — you have them over a barrel.

Not the other way around. But how can you expect a group with no bottom line background to innately understand this. Thankfully, Danny knows all about where the soft spots are in a dispute or negotiation.

Sweet Jesus, I remember well at the time pleading with the provincial government at many levels to get some perspective on what they were doing in the fossil-fuel business. This was at the same time the Taiwanese government was in the province trying to get someone from our government to take their offers of industrial investment seriously. After being introduced to the Taiwanese representatives by Judy Foote, and working with them for a number of years (they remain our largest investors in the aquaculture industry), I had a front row seat to the debacle.

It took place as the complete lack of perspective in our senior government officials led to disaster after disaster in attempts to get some real invest-

ment and expertise in our industries.

The whole Taiwanese story is a much longer read, so I’ll save it for the future and get back to the point.

Suffice to say I became intimately aware of the deficiencies in our system of governance, namely a bad combination of ignorance and institutional arrogance — the old if-it-saysdeputy-minister-on-my-door, I-mustknow-what-I’m-talking-about syndrome.

NOT BAD PEOPLE As I bleated in a previous column, the people are not bad people, but the system we have of letting politicians and career civil servants make multibillion dollar decisions is a very bad one … destined for deals like Terra Nova’s.

Once again, why can’t we look at a system where people who actually know what they are talking about make the decisions — a smaller group of ministers with expertise who are appointed and would not be convinced after “weeks of intense discus-

sions” to give away hundreds of millions if not billions that had been promised in return for our oil.

My original column for this week was to be about the incredible men who sacrificed themselves on July 1st, 1916, and in doing so, I believe set a course for our country that led to bankruptcy over a decade later — gutted of our brightest and bravest, thanks to English hubris and Newfoundland honour. A turn in our history we have still not recovered from and a very unfortunate overlap with Canada Day. After seeing the lack of reaction to the Petro-Canada story, I wonder if the terrible outmigration we had in the mid 1990s is our generation’s version of Beaumont Hamel … perhaps our lions have mostly left. Doesn’t anyone get upset about this stuff? Or is it better to save it for the shed and moan over a few beers about the inevitability of it all? At some stage where do we look to solve our problems if not in the mirror? When are the mice going to roar?

YOUR VOICE

Lisa Moore in Iceland.

Fight for destiny — or lose it Dear editor, As a young person on the verge of graduating from Memorial I believe that if Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, especially of my generation, do not fight to control this province’s destiny we will lose it. What has inspired this is my attempt to gain some understanding of our province’s past.

Part of the reason I write has to do with issues raised in the documentary Hard Rock and Water. I found the premise of the documentary quite interesting and absolutely agree with Lisa Moore that Newfoundland and Labrador has to be more economically self-sufficient. She maintains, quite rightly, that Newfoundland has a strong, distinct, and independent culture that makes us a “nation.” Culture, however, is not the only aspect that forges a nation. The notion of a shared national past and collective memory makes a huge part of any nation. The collective memory that Moore and the producers wish to maintain is based on shaky historical pretenses and victimization.

Firstly, the impression I am given is it seems that at some point in Newfoundland’s history (excluding Labrador of course) we lived in an independent “country” where roads were paved with gold and gumdrops fell out of the sky. There still seems to be a debate whether Newfoundland was an independent country or a selfgoverning dominion. So when Newfoundland was the only “nation in history to vote away its nationhood … for a piece of bread,” they also fail to mention that Newfoundland was under the control of a British-controlled Commission Government after it lost the right to responsible government in 1934, as our patriotic St. John’s political and economic elite ran us into bankruptcy and had no problem in giv-

ing our landward resources to foreign capitalists. The only thing that Newfoundland’s last prime minister, Frederick Alderdice, had to say about losing our independence was to the effect of we were now in the care of Britain. There was no great uprising when we lost our aforementioned “nationhood.” The only riots seen were from people trying to get a piece of bread from our “nation’s” elite just before the loss of responsible government.

Secondly, the history that they did present smacked of victimhood — not nationhood. I do not know of any nationalist who has presented their past as one of victimization. This longing for an independent Newfoundland, is a bit like crying over split milk. I think that we have to stand together as a proud nation in order to get our just dues out of Confederation and our natural resources. Hence, I think this sense of “woe is us” is why we’ve hardly any faith in ourselves as we think the world has done us wrong. So we have to depend on the benevolent St. John’s elite (i.e. Danny Williams) to lead us to the promised land. Why don’t we examine people and organizations like William Coaker and the Fishermen’s Protective Union, who were mentioned briefly, to demonstrate that we can control our resources in a sustainable and co-operative manner? Instead it seems that not adopting Coaker’s fishery reforms was another example of “we screwed it up again.”

This is why I’ve seen Hard Rock and Water twice and enjoyed it. It raises very interesting questions concerning Newfoundland and Labrador’s past, but also to look to more successful islands like Iceland to stimulate a sorrowfully needed debate on the future in Newfoundland and Labrador.

John Matchim, Paradise

AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

P.O. Box 5891, Stn.C, St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, A1C 5X4 Ph: 709-726-4639 • Fax: 709-726-8499 www.theindependent.ca • editorial@theindependent.ca The Independent is published by The Sunday Independent, Inc. in St. John’s. It is an independent newspaper covering the news, issues and current affairs that affect the people of Newfoundland & Labrador.

PUBLISHER Brian Dobbin MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Cleary SENIOR EDITOR Stephanie Porter PICTURE EDITOR Paul Daly

All material in The Independent is copyrighted and the property of The Independent or the writers and photographers who produced the material. Any use or reproduction of this material without permission is prohibited under the Canadian Copyright Act. • © 2005 The Independent • Canada Post Agreement # 40871083

The Independent welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be 300 words in length or less and include full name, mailing address and daytime contact numbers.

Letters may be edited for length, content and legal considerations. Send your letters in care of The Independent, P.O. Box 5891, Station C, St. John’s, NL, A1C 5X4 or e-mail us at editorial@theindependent.ca

Anger management T

hese are angry times in Newfoundland. Anger drifts in the wind, settling on TV clips and newspaper columns like a light mist, turning words cold and bitter. The lilacs are in full bloom but even they can’t lighten the paragraphs.

There’s no comfort here, not with Harbour Breton’s future fresh in the grave. That isn’t quite right either; more like the community has been buried alive. Its lungs are still drawing breath, but eventually the air will run out. Until then, residents will scratch the inside of their outport coffin and scream for dear sweet life.

No one hears them anymore, the same way no one heard the fishes cry, and now they’re gone.

Sing the song of Harbour Breton, the town’s been left to rot. How depressing is that?

And so the anger builds.

The people of the once-great fishing town will spend their end days sprucing up the community hall and patching the government wharf. The make-work will last as long as they do.

Make-work is all they have left, the best governments can do. The poor bastards will at least have their stamps — their dignity will be gone, but EI claims will be renewed. What a slap in the face to Harbour Breton and finger to the rest of us.

How is it we’re not rioting in the streets?

But then any riot would have to be organized enough to unleash at three different locations simultaneously — Confederation Building, FPI headquarters, and the House of Commons. And riots aren’t organized.

To re-phrase: how is it we’re not coordinating protests in the streets?

There are three guilty parties in this sordid tale. To Danny first, because he’s sensitive and, out of respect, shouldn’t be made to wait. There’s no denying the premier’s success with the offshore oil file, not when we need a shovel to deposit the Accord money in the bank.

RYAN CLEARY

Fighting Newfoundlander First things first. Williams is taking care of the province’s money woes. No doubt the lower Churchill deal will go through soon enough, and natural gas will come on tap after that. Our cash crunch may be over for a spell, and we’ll have Williams, the dealmaker, to thank for that.

But the real treasure isn’t the crude — it’s the quotas. It used to be that Newfoundlanders saw cod jigging as a birthright. That was a lie. Turns out we don’t own the fish in the sea either.

Williams should not have accepted any deal involving Harbour Breton until a fish quota was in his hand.

The fish are actually owned by companies like FPI. Take the fact it’s been 13 years since the northern cod fishery was shut down. Absorb this: FPI still holds the rights to its northern cod quota. It will apparently retain those rights — like every quota holder — in perpetuity, forever and a day.

Not the communities, not the province, not the people — but the company.

If a fish plant, which is regulated by the province, fails to operate for two years it looses its processing licence; not so with a fish quota, which falls under federal jurisdiction.

Williams should not have accepted any deal involving Harbour Breton until a fish quota was in his hand.

What’s a fish plant without fish?

Williams, or a leader after him, will have to take Ottawa to task for handing away control of the fish — a common property resource gifted to Canada with Confederation. Theoretically, there’s nothing to stop a country such as China or Japan or Russia or the U.S. from buying up every fish, born or unborn, on the Grand Banks.

Newfoundlanders will never control our destiny.

The province already set the precedent earlier this year by buying back quota for the Arnold’s Cove plant for $3.5 million.

That money should have never been spent. At one time, principles such as historical dependency and adjacency came into play with the awarding of a quota. Shouldn’t those same principles be applied to the decision whether a company can keep that quota?

In the case of Harbour Breton, Williams could have forced Ottawa to turn over quota the same way he forced the feds to come up with a better Accord deal. He chose not to — a mistake.

No one can criticize Williams for setting up targets and knocking them down, but how far down the priority list is the fishery? And will there be any fish left when he gets to it?

The feds are guilty of a host of sins, including letting the quotas slip away in the first place. As for FPI, it’s a business — it’s not supposed to have a conscience, which brings the blame back to Williams.

The premier is fixated on energy.

Fair enough, but bring in competent lieutenants to handle the other battles.

Regain the rights to the fish, take the bull by the horns, and find a way for the stocks to rejuvenate. Take control of the Banks and secure the future of rural Newfoundland and Labrador It’s not the oil that will ultimately save this place, but the fish.

Ryan Cleary is managing editor of The Independent. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 7

Look, up in the sky…

It’s a roto-tiller, it’s a tractor, it’s a Vickers Vimy

N

ever discount the power of hope. It makes us all do irrational things. It makes us do human things — things that don’t defy reason, but transcend it.

I had every intention this week of writing about Steve Fossett and Mark Rebholz and their replica Vickers Vimy. I was going to write about the insensitivity of asking the brave men and women of 103 Search and Rescue Squadron to be at the ready to risk their lives to rescue these wealthy adventurers if their romantic pipedreams run up against the reality that is the North Atlantic. Should these people, who have families, have to risk their lives so that rich men can get their jollies?

I was going to write about all that.

Then I saw it.

I was lying on my deck the other afternoon, half asleep, soaking up some much needed sun, when I heard an odd sound. Opening one eye, I listened. It sounded like a roto-tiller. No. Maybe a tractor?

IVAN MORGAN

Rant & reason But it was coming from above — a flying tractor?

Then she sailed over the trees into view. The Vickers Vimy, in all her glory. My heart leapt. It is beautiful! I could see the two pilots peering down from their open cockpit. I jumped up to get a better view.

As an inveterate plane watcher, I know you have to move fast. Blink and you will miss the F-18s. I impatiently told my friend to look. Hurry up. She got up. There was no need to hurry. The contraption flew about as fast as a tractor. It slowly, ever so slowly, drifted out over Conception Bay, hanging dreamlike in the clear blue June afternoon sky. Then, banking lazily to the left, it gently glided out of view.

It took my heart with it. It fired my imagination. It made me think of Alcock and Brown, who must have been impossibly confident and brave.

They didn’t have 103 Search and Rescue. It made me think of Newfoundland in 1919, when, if the newspapers are to be believed (and those were dark times, when they didn’t have The Independent), confidence in the future was a pervasive public sentiment.

It made me think of Newfoundland and Labrador today. It made me think of how much has changed. It made me think of how much hasn’t. We have an identity crisis. We have three flags. Are we Canadian?

Are we Newfoundlanders? Why aren’t we Icelandic? We have amenities that our ancestors in 1919 could only dream of, yet we seem to have lost confidence in the future. Where is the sense of adventure? Where is the hope? What happened to our collective sense that we are all moving forward? Today we

think we are hard done by. The people who watched Alcock and Brown take off were about to mark the fifth anniversary of the wholesale slaughter of their young men at Beaumont Hamel. Our young men are healthy and strong and safe.

Yet we suffer from a collective malaise. We have hydroelectric power we don’t profit from. We have oil that makes others vastly wealthy. We have a fish company that we paid for. It is now quietly but purposefully dismantling our fishing industry so they can engage the help of Chinese labour to make themselves rich. We spawn government after government in hope, only to see them spiral down into failure.

It’s pretty depressing.

And then along come these two fools strapped into what is, in reality, a kite with a gas engine bolted to the front.

And they want to fly across the North Atlantic in it.

My head told me to write everything I mentioned at the top of this column.

My heart told me otherwise. The website for this adventure holds a quote saying the Vickers Vimy replica is “a vivid reminder to an often timid society that great adventure has always been the path to progress.” Heady stuff. I don’t know if that is really true, but it is a great symbol of the kind of hope society once had, and can have again.

When Alcock and Brown lifted off on June 14, 1919 they represented the height of technology. They were the space shuttle. Fossett and Rebholz are nothing more than two dreamers who clearly have more money than sense. I don’t care. Good luck to those two glorious lunatics in their ridiculous quest.

What they are doing comes close to the height of folly. So be it. You can’t always let your head rule your heart.

For the life of me I don’t know why, but I think what they are doing is worthwhile, and I am glad they have come to do it.

Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com

YOUR VOICE FPI has rights to skeletal remains of fishery Dear editor, Once again we have the spectacle of Newfoundlanders going to Ottawa looking for “handouts,” which will be duly noted by the media of central Canada.

While I give my full sympathy and support to the people of Harbour Breton, I must admit I am a bit perplexed by the whole affair.

From what I can see the people of Harbour Breton do not want “handouts” or “dole” — all they want to do is go to work and earn their living in the same way they’ve done for hundreds of years. Apparently, they are not allowed to do this because FPI has their quota. Now let me get this right, FPI, a private com-

pany, has exclusive rights to the skeletal remains of the Newfoundland fishery. This, as they say in the popular parlance, “blows my mind.”

In my mind, as I believe in any civilized person’s mind, these quota should be the sacred trust of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and particularly the people of rural Newfoundland and Labrador. While I sympathize with Premier Danny Williams regarding the mess he inherited when he became premier, that these things go on in 21th century North America, I find absolutely mind-boggling.

Joe Butt, Toronto Matthew McCabe

What animal does Coat of Arms depict?

Dear editor, Almost everywhere one looks today there is evidence that the dying embers of nationalism are being fanned into flame.

Proper thing I say, especially considering the unrelenting effort waged by the feds over the past 50 years to stamp out the stubborn tenacity with which we Newfoundlanders cling to this place. A good example of this are the efforts made to give Canada Day precedence over our own Memorial Day. If there is anything we should insist on keeping as an essential part of the idiom of who we are it is this day.

There are some things, on the other hand, we might just as well be rid of. Take, for example, the Coat of Arms.

In the May 8-14 edition of The Independent, Clare-Marie Gosse wrote this of the Coat of Arms: “The shield is flanked by two, war-clad Beothuk natives and is topped with a caribou crest.”

A mainlander might be forgiven for mistaking the creature surmounting the arms for a caribou, but surely not any Newfoundlander. Clearly, what it depicts is a moose. Honestly, go take a look at it! There is a logical explanation for the “ellke” (elk) being incorporated into the original

1638 Coat of Arms, for the ancient herald would likely have know what an elk looked like, but not a caribou.

However, there is no such logical explanation for the faux pas in the modern and official version, other than that it was perhaps intended to be some kind of joke.

Several years ago I tried to find out when and by whom this modification was made and authorized, but without success.

So here we are, a place where the noble caribou is such a universally recognized symbol of our identity, with a mainland moose mounted in our Coat of Arms.

And then there is the flag! Incredibly, despite our rich store of heraldic treasures, we have foisted upon us a “provincial flag” which, though it may have some artistic merit, is totally devoid of any cultural, historical or emotional appeal. Its meaning, or what is declared to be its meaning, is so contrived that one would need a handbook to interpret it. The old tri-colour with an authentic rendition of our Coat of Arms against the white background of the center pane would have been the perfect flag for us.

Lloyd C. Rees, Conception Bay South

Paul Daly/The Independent

Should Newfoundland and Labrador separate from Canada?

Editor’s note: Matthew McCabe, a 12year-old Grade 6 student at Mary Queen of Peace in St. John’s, wrote the following article for a public speaking project.

N

ewfoundland has only been a part of Canada for 56 years.

Before April 1, 1949, the day it joined Canada, it had a long history of independence and self-government.

Sure, it had some financial problems in the early 1930s, but that was after the great stock market crash and during the Great Depression. Everyone had financial problems then. The vote for Confederation was very close, and that was before we knew how unfairly we were going to be treated by the Government of Canada. Our fishery, for centuries the greatest in the world, has almost been destroyed. Our power, from Churchill Falls, is being sold by Quebec.

We are not being allowed to use our oil for our own benefit. I think Newfoundland should separate from Canada because we would be better off on our own, we would look after our own resources better than Canada does, and we would keep our pride and our dignity. Some people in Canada make fun of Newfoundlanders calling us “newfies” because we live on an island off the mainland, and they think we are all poor, lazy and stupid. The people who think

that are the people who’ve never been to Newfoundland and probably never intend to, but while we are part of Canada and given so little respect by the government of our country, it is easy for everyone else to treat Newfoundlanders as their poor cousins. In fact, Newfoundland exports more per person than any other province in Canada.

Newfoundlanders contribute three times more to the Canadian economy than Quebecers, and twice as much as each person in Alberta or Ontario or anywhere else in Canada, for that matter.

Newfoundland was settled around the cod fishery. At the time of Newfoundland’s discovery you could drop a bucket in the Atlantic Ocean off our shores and come up with a bucket full of fish!

Now we are not allowed to catch the fish in our own waters! The fish that led people to this land are now at risk of becoming extinct, because the federal government has allowed foreign countries to overfish in exchange for something that benefits some other part of Canada. The government of Canada has given our fish away, by giving foreign countries the right to catch three times as much turbot, twice as much redfish, and 100 times as much shrimp as us Newfoundlanders!

Labrador’s Churchill Falls is one of the biggest power sources in Canada, one of the biggest power sources in the

world, too. Hydro-electricity is in huge demand but most of the profits go to Quebec. This bad deal for Newfoundland and Labrador was forced on us by a Canadian government who cared more about keeping the voters in Quebec happy than being fair to all parts of the country. If we left Canada, we could regain control of this mighty resource.

Now we have another very valuable resource that the whole world wants – our oil. But the federal government won’t allow Newfoundland to use our oil to build industry in our own province unless nobody in the three Maritime Provinces wants our oil for their industries. We are accused of being greedy just because we want to benefit from our natural resources!

Newfoundland has a great history. In the First World War Newfoundland’s army became royal for its bravery at the battle of Beaumont Hamel. Newfoundland has the oldest city, and the most easterly point in North America. We have beautiful landscapes, clear skies and clean waters. We have every reason to be proud. We are not the poor cousins in Confederation.

In the Charter of Rights it says every person has the same rights as the next person, and that we’re all equal … but shouldn’t that be for provinces too?

Matthew McCabe, St. John’s

JULY 3, 2005

8 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

YOUR VOICE ‘Certainly not a trade off’ Dear editor, Sometimes when you do an interview, the message you intend to convey becomes clouded as it filters its way through another’s lens. This was indeed the case in the recent story — Tobin, Cheney trade off, June 19-25 edition of The Independent. There was no trade off made by the province to forgo temporary engineering jobs in exchange for permanent jobs from Halliburton in Mount Pearl.

I clearly made the point in my interview that when the Terra Nova project was sanctioned to proceed, temporary engineering jobs were to be included as a benefit. However, a number of months later, the oil companies made the argument to both levels of government that mobilizing 200 temporary employees for a four- to six-month period to conduct some of the engineering work here in Newfoundland was fraught with a number of problems: costs, temporary transfers, work visas, etc. and that this could have put the overall project in jeopardy.

After weeks of intense discussions with the oil companies, and considering the magnitude of this multi-billion dollar project, we reluctantly let them proceed. While temporary engineering for a short period of time was lost, many other local benefits came from this multi-billion dollar project. A great number of Newfoundland companies and individuals benefited, and are still benefiting from the Terra Nova project.

Months later, while attending the offshore technology conference in Houston, then-premier Brian Tobin and I met with Dick Cheney in his capacity as CEO for Halliburton. At that time, Tobin argued strenuously for more engineering and other work

for Newfoundland companies associated with offshore projects. It was at this time that Mr. Cheney offered to do better on future engineering work and he further committed to build a new Halliburton facility in Mount Pearl. This was certainly not a trade off. However, I do remember thinking at the time that this was a form of consolation — these were my thoughts and mine only.

Currently, there are three major offshore projects well underway on the Grand Banks and I remain very proud of the efforts our government made to ensure these fields were developed.

We wanted to do everything in our power to kick-start a new industry for Newfoundland and Labrador and we did just that. And this, Mr. Editor, is my unfiltered recollection of the true events of this story.

Chuck Furey, Former Liberal cabinet minister Editor’s note: Furey’s comments printed in the story in question were not “filtered,” but printed as quoted.

The following is an excerpt from the interview, which was taped by the reporter.

“We spoke with Dick Cheney, who is now the vice president of the U.S. We had a short meeting with him and coming out of that, Cheney committed to build a significant facility out in the Donovan’s industrial park and it created, I think, over 150 jobs, if I recall, and it was a kind of trade off. ‘Look, we’re sorry we couldn’t do that one, let’s try this one.’

“It was kind of like look, here’s the consolation prize, sorry we couldn’t do that; we will make every effort in the future to do it.”

‘Guarded optimism’ over FPI changes Dear editor, People have came out and said the I will start off by saying my knowl- deal was a fix and that the premier edge of the fishery is limited. voted no just to look good. I don’t Despite living in a town where the think that, because a lot of people on fishery is by all accounts doing well, I the government side voted for it still have little knowledge of the sub- because, should it pan out, it will be ject. good for their communities.

But let me give my feelings on the People talk of dissension because issue and the fact the premier voted no, that revisions to the but the large percentFPI Act passed in People talk of dissen- age of his caucus the House of voted yes. I can’t see sion because the pre- any of the members, Assembly on June 24. mier voted no. but the who have commitThe benefits to ments that their plants this deal, should it large percentage of his will stay open for the pan out, are good. next five years, voting caucus voted yes.

There will be a new against the deal just plant in Bonavista because the premier within three years, secondary process- did. ing will take place in Fortune, a plant In closing, how would I have voted? that had been rumored to be shutting Well if I was a Burin Peninsula MHA down.

I would have voted yes because it proAs it stands, the changes will not vides new opportunity in Fortune. If I have an impact on Burin. As for the was an MHA in a district that didn’t new plant in Bonavista, it’s something have a fish plant I couldn’t tell you the town needed. how I’d vote. The deal is good on The plants will stay open for the paper, but I hope the deal is for real next five years — granted, of course, because, if not, we could see a lot the resource remains. more Harbour Bretons in the coming As for the unfortunate situation in years and this province does not need Harbour Breton I really feel for the that. I look at this deal with guarded people there. I hope they get their optimism. quota because that region will be gone Tony Ducey, if they don’t.

Garnish

National convention

Return to Democracy A review of Newfoundland’s national convention (1946-1948)

By Ryan Cleary The Independent

I

n the newspaper business, it’s called a brown envelope. The envelope — usually brown (of all colours), and from an unknown source (always) — either appears at the front desk or is mailed minus a return address. The envelope contains information that maps the direction to a story. Usually a good one.

Brown envelopes are always exciting to receive — ripped open, in fact, in great anticipation, a Christmas present in July. Nothing in the pages can be taken as fact — all details must be checked and double-checked — but it’s interesting to see if the roadmap is correct and where it ultimately leads.

Picking up a copy of The Newfoundland National Convention, 1946-48, was much like receiving a brown envelope — minus the anonymity factor (James Hiller and Michael Harrington put it together), and the brown envelope (not that the 2,021 pages making up the 20 pound, two-volume set would fit in one).

But the anticipation was just the same. The books give the inside scoop on what was said and done leading up to and during the 16 months — September 1946 to January 1948 — the National Convention sat. Simply put, the convention’s purpose was to decide what to do once Commission of Government was done away with. (All that and more for the low, low price of $250.)

First, a recap: by 1932 Newfoundland was on its knees, flat broke and up to its neck in debt. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Great Depression entered the ring and kicked the economy in the face. At that point, the British and Canadian governments, distant relatives both, stepped in.

They paid Newfoundland’s bills until a report could be prepared on what to do about Newfoundland and its situa-

Road to CONFEDERATION AN ONGOING SERIES tion.

Lord Amulree, the report’s author (much of the report was said to have been dictated to him by the British government, or so Harrington contended) recommended Newfoundland give up its democratic status.

In exchange for doing away with Responsible government, England would restructure and guarantee Newfoundland’s debt and set up a sixmember Commission of Government.

The appointed commission would rule Newfoundland until it was back on its feet.

And so it was done. Commission of Government took over in February, 1934.

Only trouble was, the Amulree report didn’t breathe a word about what to do once Newfoundland’s fortunes turned around.

How exactly would Newfoundland return to democracy and responsible government?

Amulree’s recommendation read: “As soon as the island’s difficulties are overcome and Newfoundland is again self-supporting, responsible government, on the request of the people of Newfoundland, would be restored.”

It didn’t say how to go about doing it.

By 1942, Newfoundland’s economy — thanks to the Second World War — had begun to turn around and talk turned to ending Commission of Government, which was hated.

The idea of a “citizen’s council” or National Convention was first raised in the fall of 1943. Three years later it was off the ground.

The convention was convened for two purposes: to review Newfound-

land’s financial circumstances; and to recommend alternative forms of future government to be placed before the electorate in a referendum.

Tempers flared from the get-go.

A 1944 report pegged the cost of a Newfoundland development/assistance plan at $100 million. Britain gave the cash thumbs down, and Canada was asked if it would lend a hand. The Canadian government made it clear it would not fork over the money to shore up an independent Newfoundland — although Ottawa would consider Confederation, if Newfoundland wished to do so.

The National Convention — according to the two-volume book — had to fit into the strategy of Newfoundland joining Canada.

Nationalists were outraged. In their view, there was no need of a convention. Newfoundland was self-supporting and all that was necessary was a vote on whether to return to responsible government.

“The insertion of a convention, a talking shop, and the possibility that forms of government other than Responsible government might be discussed and voted on was nothing short of betrayal,” reads the book’s introduction.

And so the national convention was called to order.

Forty-five elected delegates gathered together at the Colonial Building to decide Newfoundland’s fate. Over the next several months, The Independent will analyze that debate as outlined in the pages of The Newfoundland National Convention. What was said and done in the days leading up to the ultimate decision — to forego a return to responsible government and join the country of Canada?

Next week: setting the scene — Joey Smallwod verses Peter Cashin, confederates versus nationalists. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 9

JULY 3, 2005

10 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

LIFE STORY

Lady Sara Kirke: Newfoundland’s first female entrepreneur 1600-1680?

(Arrived Ferryland 1638)

By Stephanie Porter The Independent

B

y the last half of the 17th century, Ferryland was firmly established as a British colony, built on the fishery, with a few hundred inhabitants — who stayed year-round, in spite of the harsh winters and tenuous food supply.

By the 1660s, one of the top fish merchants in the area — with more stages, boats, fishermen and fish processors that any other planter on the English shore — was Lady Sara Kirke.

Lady Kirke, widely considered British North America’s first female entrepreneur, “must have been a remarkable woman,” says Jim Tuck.

Tuck, chief archeologist at the Colony of Avalon site in Ferryland — where Lady Kirke lived the last 40-odd years of her life — has spent a good chunk of the last 15 years literally digging through the remains of the 17th century settlement, trying to get to know the early settlers and their way of life.

Although there is, still, little existing documentation about the life of Lady Kirke, it is believed she was even more successful in business than any of her three sons: George, David, or Phillip.

“You certainly develop an interest and some ideas about these people,” Tuck says. “She ran the business end, after David (her husband) died, for about 30 years I guess.

“And was the biggest planter … of

anyone on the English shore. So I would guess she was a pretty tough cookie.”

Sir David Kirke was the leader of an expedition that captured Quebec in 1629 and was rewarded with part-proprietorship of the island of Newfoundland. Eight years later, he and his family moved to Ferryland, which became known as the Pool Plantation. “He came here, kicked the deputy out, moved in himself, and took over control,” says Colony of Avalon tour guide Aundrea Morry. “He ruled very differently, he taxed the people on their homes boats and fishing stage, sold tavern licenses, charged five per cent tax on all fish being exported in foreign fishing vessels, whatever he could do to make money.”

Eventually, Morry says, Sir Kirke was recalled to England to account for his proprietorship. He was charged with tax evasion, and by the Calvert (Baltimore) family for taking over the colony. As a result, he was imprisoned and died three years later, in 1654.

Lady Kirke stayed on to run the family business, and did so with apparent strength and fearlessness.

“That says something about the role of women in the 1600s,” Morry says with a smile.

Lady Kirke’s sister Francis Hopkins came to the Pool Plantation some time in the 1650s. Tuck and his team have found some artifacts believed to belong to the sisters.

“One of those women collected this really fancy orange pottery … that’s never been found anywhere else in the New World except for here,” he says.

“Some of the gold rings (we found)

probably belonged to Lady Kirke or Lady Hopkins or one of the Kirke boys’ wives.”

Tuck has another tidbit. “One of the Kirke fellows married Lady Hopkins’ maid,” he says. “Which pissed off Sara Kirke big time, marrying beneath himself, but I guess he liked her.”

Memorial University business professor Robert Sexty, in a paper titled Lady Sara Kirke: Canada’s first female entrepreneur or one of many? wrote: “… what can be pieced together indicates a woman of strong character and great resourcefulness.

“Lady Sara had lived through the many years of her husband’s overseas adventures and also the upheaval of the English Civil War … she acted as Kirke’s agent while he was detained in England. As his widow, she had complete control over the family enterprise.”

Sexty suggests Lady Kirke may not have remarried, in part, because her high social status meant the only males in Newfoundland at an equivalent level would be her own family. Also, she had the role model of her own mother-inlaw, Elizabeth — “who managed the family enterprises when her husband was away and, following his death, traded on her own account as a London wine merchant.”

Although much has yet to be learned about the life and times of Lady Kirke, her legacy lives on.

In 2001, St. John’s Mayor Andy Wells, in conjunction with the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, announced the creation of the Sara Kirke Award, to be given annually to Canada’s leading woman high tech entrepreneur.

With no evidence Lady Kirke returned to England, it is assumed she

Lady Sara Kirke

lived out her days in Ferryland. There are indications she survived the Dutch raid of Ferryland in 1673, but died before the French invasions in 1696.

Tuck says he expects to one day unearth a cemetery, and, he hopes, the final resting place of Lady Kirke. A find like that would provide more insight

into Kirke’s health, diet and life — and if any direct descendants are living in the area.

“Sara was in her 80s when she died,” says Colony tour guide Judy Walsh.

“That was a ripe old age for that time.

“She must have been a tough person, incredibly strong.”

PAPER TRAIL

Jim Matthews of Goulds scoops caplin from the waters off Middle Cove near St. John’s.

Paul Daly/The Independent

‘Golden days’ of caplin

By Alisha Morrissey The Independent

their villages with potatoes as the main crop. The potatoes would only be in the ground a couple of weeks when the caplin would begin rolling on beaches.

The fish was caught and spread over gardens for use as fertilizer.

“Most fishermen never use commercial fertilizer — just their barnyard manure and fish or kelp from the sea,” the article read. “And their crops are usually good.”

The October 1960 edition of the Atlantic Advocate, a magazine distributed throughout the Atlantic provinces, published a story about catching caplin.

The story talked about how most people used dip nets because it was easier to catch the fish. That wasn’t the only way.

“Greater dexterity is required in using the circular throw seine, which is made of netting with the peripheral

T

Spirit of Newfoundland presents A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO

NEIL DIAMOND The Majestic Theatre in St. John’s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

GRAND OLD

NEWFOUNDLAND OPRY The Majestic Theatre in St. John’s Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday

The Taffetas

Music of the 50's & 60's The Wilds Golf Resort in Salmonier Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Wedding at Octagon Castle Playing weekends at O'Brien's Whale & Boat Tours Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Spirit of Newfoundland Productions

579-3023 Our Partners

4 ui

M s cA L

m Edi es o C AN d

Revi Ews

CRUISING

DINNER & SHOW

he month of June and its mauzy weather has come and gone without a single caplin rolling on Newfoundland beaches, but years ago the small, silvery fish would already be in the garden or on the market by now.

Dozens of stories from publications long out of print tell stories of caplin season beginning in late May or early June. In recent years, the fish haven’t rolled in to spawn until well into July month.

“Fish Fertilize Newfoundland Gardens,” was the headline of a story in The Country Guide’s January 1953 edition.

According to the story, every Newfoundland fisherman had three or four small gardens scattered around

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF CRUISING EUROPE

EAST/WEST BOUND TRANSATLANTIC 2006 11/13/14 - NIGHT CRUISES HOT L DEAN’T WO T LAS

April/May - October/November 2006 From

699

$

Cad* Cruise only

Prices are per person in Canadian dollars based on double occupancy. Rates valid at time of printing and are capacity controlled, subject to availability and change without notice. NCCF (port charges), government fees, airfare, taxes, and travel related fees are not included in advertised price. Airfare and/or Aeroplan service fees, taxes are additional.*Prices and itinerary may vary for different dates, and some restrictions apply. No coupons applicable for this rate.

Cruises • Airline Tickets • Travel Insurance • Vacation Packages • Business Travel • Corporate Travel • Group Travel

Whale & Bird Tours Bay Bulls, Newfoundland

•956 Topsail Road • 386 Elizabeth Avenue (Summerville Plaza)• Telephone: 364-8770•Toll Free 1-877-435-9292 A division of

UNIVERSAL Travel Group

0-271069 0-1248937

rope threaded through fine leaden balls,” the story read. “As both hands have to be used in tossing the net, the expert caster usually holds the retrieving line between his teeth and in this operation he has to be accurate as well as dexterous or run the risk of loosing some of his teeth.”

The story also explained the meaning of the word “mauzy” as the foggy weather that usually accompanies the caplin’s arrival.

CAPLIN WEATHER “Newfoundlanders have another name for this weather regardless of the time of year it occurs. A term of affection understood by all — caplin weather.”

The fish had become a commodity by the 1980s and sold well in Japan. In fact, Japan took the majority of the caplin caught in 1986, selling it in bars and restaurants as a snack food. Eight fish went for about $3 Cdn. The June 27, 1987 edition of The Newfoundland Herald declared a “solution to the caplin crisis.”

The story explained how there had been an overfishing binge in 1975 when landings peaked at 361,000 tonnes. By 1980, only 4,800 tonnes were being caught.

The 1986 catch totalled 36,000 tonnes — with Japan buying most of it.

“Unlike us the Japanese eat the female — not the male fish — and they only want those filled with the ripest eggs just before spawning,” the story read.

“The Japanese eat caplin almost exclusively as a snack when drinking much the same way we eat chips.”

By 1990, there were even less caplin being caught and the Japanese demand could not be met.

The June 24, 1990 edition of The Sunday Express carried a story based on two weeks of “brutal” negotiations with Japanese caplin buyers.

According to the story, the negotiations did not lead to results.

The buyers didn’t want small fish, but year over year the caplin were getting smaller.

“The golden days are definitely over,” processor Tom Woodman said in the story.

INDEPENDENTWORLD

SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 3-9, 2005 — PAGE 11

Paul Martin (right) embraces former Minister for Northern Development Joe Comuzzi after parliament approved legislation to allow same sex marriage.

Chris Wattie/Reuters

There may be a chance yet Supporting the wrong side for the right reason, MP Joe Comuzzi a role model for sorry minority government OTTAWA

By James Travers Torstar wire service

H

ope arrives here at the oddest times, wrapped in the most surprising packages. It wasn’t until the final hours of this sorry minority government’s first year that someone did something brave, principled and inspirational.

What makes it more uplifting is that the “someone” is not much more than a nobody in the federal pecking order and that his fine gesture was for a lost cause. As the final same-sex marriage vote approached, Joe Comuzzi, a hulking, friendly bear from Thunder Bay, resigned the cabinet post he waited years to get rather than break the promise he made voters.

History will eventually prove the now former minister for northern development was on the wrong side of a controversy now settling, as it should, in favour of human rights over tradition.

But by supporting the wrong side for the right reasons, Comuzzi bucked a damaging trend that gained momentum in 1991 when

politicians publicly blamed bureaucrats for What other conclusion could reasonably smuggling into Canada Iraqi diplomat be drawn from the record of a government Mohammed al-Mashat. elected precisely a year ago this week?

Nurtured by Jean Chrétien’s refusal to A quick flip through the headlines finds fire ministers or appoint an independent the serial horrors of money-stuffed ethics commissioner, official Ottawa snug- envelopes, taped deals trading party loyalgled comfortably into the culture of avoid- ty for personal gain, and one-off backroom ance. Its credo is found deals that drip acid on in Shades of Grey, Confederation by pushing Bernard Shapiro’s aptly federal dollars into the named report on the pockets of provinces that Only a handful of Judy Sgro affair, that scream loudest. ministers seem aware manages to spread But Comuzzi’s gesture accountability so thinly isn’t the only jewel buried cabinet is on the brink in the swill. that blame for immigration abuses that diminIn a weak cabinet, a of losing control of ish citizenship with parcabal of ministers, includtisan politics dribbles ing Bill Graham, David public policy. through the cracks.

Emerson and the everBy keeping his word steady Ralph Goodale, are that he would oppose strengths. Paul Martin’s gay and lesbian marriages, Comuzzi beast of burden capacity, if not his ability implants a rare grain of sand in that culture. to provide clear direction, is astonishing With a little luck and a lot more commit- and, while the job took too long, this govment to reducing the democratic deficit, it ernment finally has a rough frame for could become the pearl of a parliamentary Canada’s place in the world. session that has mostly convinced the Even more revealing is Ottawa’s new country that politicians are all swine. reality: this flawed and frail Liberal minor-

ity is learning to survive.

That’s important for reasons that will infuriate voters convinced the only fix is change.

Rather than emerge as the government in waiting, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are reinforcing the notion they aren’t ready for power and that, in turn, suggests Liberals will, by default, extend their rule beyond 12 years and four mandates.

If that’s the case, the country, led by a solemnly activist Supreme Court, deserves and demands better.

In warning the government that it can’t collect taxes for exclusive programs — like public healthcare — that fall below minimum standards, the justices changed forever the local favourite game of loudly promising everything while quietly delivering next to nothing.

True, that message is taking its sweet time penetrating the political cortex. Only a handful of ministers seem aware cabinet is on the brink of losing control of public policy.

To keep from toppling over the edge, the See “His choice,” page 14

Here’s hoping we can finally heal Medicare It’s time for a frank discussion about how more private-sector involvement can help

I

n the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision on Medicare, the judges were split on the issue of private health insurance — and whether prohibiting it in Quebec (and the rest of Canada) violated Charter of Rights guarantees.

In essence, the question was whether Quebecers who were prepared to spend money to get access to health care — which, because of waiting lists, is in essence not available in the public sector — may be validly prevented from doing so by the state.

JOHN CROSBIE

The old curmudgeon Four of the seven judges agreed that “where the government is failing to deliver health care in a reasonable manner, thereby increasing the risk of complications and death,” such a prohibition is unreasonable. They did not accept the argument that allowing

Canadians access to a private alternative when their health is jeopardized by long wait times would undermine the public system by siphoning away energy and resources.

They found “the evidence in this case falls far short of demonstrating such justification” and concluded “life, liberty and security of the person must prevail.”

The majority judges looked at other western democracies with mixed public-private health care systems and found their experience refuted any con-

tention that a prohibition on private insurance is needed to maintain quality public health care.

Some, like France and Belgium, were found to deliver medical services superior to and more affordable than those in Canada.

As Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote, “Access to a waiting list is not access to health care.”

This decision supports the reasonable position that governments of Canada must be forced either to guarantee timely care or, if they are not prepared to do

so, must allow Canadians to spend their own money to take care of themselves.

We now have an opportunity to discuss in a sensible and reasonable manner the health care system and Medicare in Canada.

The time is now to challenge the politically inspired attempts by Paul Martin and the Liberal party that there is some tremendous virtue in the idea that Canadian governments should force all patients to seek care only See “Time is now,” page 14

JULY 3, 2005

12 • INDEPENDENTWORLD

Captain Canuck clings to life After a couple of comic book resurrections, the all-Canadian hero may fly again — this time, on the big screen

By Christopher Hutsul Torstar wire service

T

he story was set in the future — the 1990s to be precise. Canada, with its rich natural resources, had become a global superpower. From coast to coast, the Canadian way of life flourished.

But not all was good in the Great White North; mobsters and rogue Communist cells threatened to topple the government and corrupt its people.

The sanctity of our frostbitten dominion, as the story went, rested in the hands of Tom Evans — known to foes and fans as Captain Canuck. The red-and- whitecloaked superhero patrolled the Arctic on snowmobile, described distances in kilometres, and whupped bad-guy butts with good old Canadian knuckle sandwiches.

When Richard Comely launched the series in 1975, Canada finally had a superhero to call its own.

But the Captain and his creator soon learned there was a huge difference between superhero and superstar.

Ultimately, the comic was unable to make an impact on mainstream audiences or the comic community. People remember the comic — they just don’t remember it being good.

CLUNKY WRITING The writing was clunky, the art was stiff and the stories were devoid of the camp one might expect from a Canadian hero.

Even Comely, who had no experience in creating — or reading — comics, admits now he rushed into the project. But the freelance artist, 24 years old at the time, had a hot potato of an idea in his hands, courtesy of fellow artist Ron Leishman, and couldn’t wait to get it out into the world.

“I worked hard at it, and the only reason I worked hard at it was because I believed in it,” says Comely, now 54 and living in Cambridge, Ont. “I felt that’s what we needed. There was a Captain America; why couldn’t we have something like that in Canada?”

The first issue pitted a rigid Captain Canuck and his sidekick Bluefox against a band of Communists seeking to take over Canada. On their way to the confrontation, they ride snowmobiles, wrestle a polar bear and get rescued by an Inuit named Utak.

Captain Canuck then uses his superhuman strength to create a makeshift

dogsled bridge out of an ice floe. About 10 pages into the comic, Bluefox doublecrosses Captain Canuck and sides with the Communists (which has to be some kind of record for sidekick betrayals). Pistols get fired, fists get thrown and missile launchers get disarmed. Just another day in the Yukon, right?

Fans had to wait until issue No. 5 to read about the origins of the mysterious Communist-crusher in the tight pyjamas.

There we learned that Tom Evans was a top Mountie who was drafted into the fictional Canadian International Security Organization — a government body designed to defend Canada’s newfound might. While camping with scouts, Evans gets abducted by aliens who proceed to conduct a battery of tests on him, leaving him twice as powerful and twice as fast.

“He’s a generic, straightshooting, clean-cut hero, which may have been part of the comic’s problem.”

Darren Latta, creator of fan website “I feel that Captain Canuck had to take a strong view on Canada and nationalism,” says Comely. “I didn’t think of him as an international crime fighter. He was a Canadian, he belonged to Canada ... He could be involved in international affairs, but his devotion had to lie with Canada.”

This unwavering patriotism was the Captain’s strength, but it was also his weakness. Whereas other heroes were tormented and complex (think Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine), Canuck was earnest to a fault.

“He’s a generic, straight-shooting, clean-cut hero, which may have been part of the comic’s problem,” says Darren Latta, a Kingston-based freelance writer and creator of a Captain Canuck fan website. “He wasn’t that distinctive. He wasn’t neurotic ... He was just this unflappable guy.”

But Latta got a kick out of seeing adventures unfold in places he recognized.

“I read something referring to smog-ridden Sudbury,” he recalls.

In 1976, just three issues into the series,

Comely was forced to put the project on hold. The comic was selling, but the production costs were greater than the revenues. He moved to Cardston, Alta., a border town of 3,500 people, where he became the editor — and cartoonist — for a small newspaper while soliciting funding to relaunch the series.

By the time he was ready to publish Captain Canuck No. 4 in ’79, he’d shrewdly decided to hand the pencils and ink over to George Freeman and Claude St. Aubin, both skilled draughtsman, while continuing to write the stories. The new look was well received by comic fans, but the funding dried up in late 1980.

In the mid ’80s Comely moved to Cambridge, where he worked as a freelance writer and illustrator, drawing for ad companies and gift card makers.

CANUCK REBORN In 1993, Comely Comics presented Captain Canuck Reborn. The new series told the story of Darren Oak — a man determined to bring down his older brother’s plan to create an evil global government, thereby spoiling Canada. It lasted three years and four issues before being shelved yet again.

The latest incarnation of the franchise surfaced just last year. It may come as a surprise to many contemporary Canadian art fans that young darling Drue Langlois, formerly of Winnipeg’s lauded Royal Art Lodge art collective, and his brother Riel put out a three-part Captain Canuck series titled Captain Canuck, Unholy War. Riel, a fan of the strip as a kid, says he was looking for a way to break into the comics world, and thought reinterpreting the character would be a good way to do so. He wrote a script, enlisted his brother to do the art, and teamed up with Comely, who served as editor on the project. The result is a handsome, well-drawn package.

Unlike Latta, Drue and Riel appreciated Captain’s lack of angst. They played that up in their rendition of the character.

“We were both pretty sick of the dark characters, like Spawn ... how everything’s a drag and how being this superhero is a burden, and how Wolverine is ‘I just hate myself,’” says Riel. “We were thinking it would actually be pretty fun to be a superhero ... who didn’t pose on rooftops and brood all night.”

The creator, who’s now paying the bills See “Bona fide,” page 14

Harper advisers begin exodus

S

tephen Harper’s senior communications adviser has quit after less than a year in the job, and his departure signals the latest in what many expect to be a summer of changes in Harper’s entourage.

Geoff Norquay, a Tory backroomer who served under former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, cited personal reasons for leaving.

Officials also confirmed strategic communications manager Yaroslav Baran, who has

worked on Parliament Hill in various capacities since 1997, is leaving Harper’s office to join an Ottawa consulting and lobbying firm.

Rank-and-file Tories want an overhaul of the communications team to revamp Harper’s image, harness media seen as hostile, and avoid slip-ups like remarks this week on the legitimacy of Bloc Québécois support for same-sex marriage. Some chalk the problems up to the continued influence of press secre-

tary Carolyn Stewart-Olsen. Her relations with the national press, charitably, can be called fractious.

“The guys who leave will carry the blame.

Harper will get to say that he’s cleaning house. But the fact is he doesn’t listen to good advice,” groused one insider.

Chief-of-staff Phil Murphy is widely expected to join the exodus.

—Torstar wire service

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTWORLD • 13

VOICE FROM AWAY

By Darcy MacRae The Independent

I

t didn’t take Krystal Pardy long to figure out she was in a much different world when her plane touched down in Taiwan just over a year ago. Walking through the air-conditioned airport, she and her boyfriend John Wilmott were anxious to begin what they were sure would be an exciting adventure. They exited the sliding glass doors and took to the street, walking into a blaze of heat.

“We walked through the sliding doors and thought it was a sauna waiting area. Flashing lights, traffic, the noise pollution was quite a shock,” Pardy tells The Independent.

While the climate took getting used to, Pardy says she soon began to enjoy her time in Tainan, a southwestern Taiwanese city on the South China Sea. Working as an English-as-a-second-language teacher, she enjoys her new job (Pardy worked in public relations before the move), and the perks that come with it.

“There are so many things that are great about moving to another country. Meeting other travellers, learning about a new culture are two big ones for me,” Pardy says. “To be honest, the salary is also nice and so is the status that comes with it.

I have always lived cheque to cheque in Canadian cities. It’s frustrating to start in the red, with a student loan. Here, having money makes everything convenient.”

Travelling is nothing new to the Lewisporte native. Before moving to Tainan, she earned her public relations degree in Halifax and worked in Calgary — although living in Canada never offered any serious cultural differences.

In Tainan, the rules are a quite a bit more liberal, with restaurants often set up in people’s garages. Many such restaurants don’t have bathrooms, a proper kitchen or even tables.

“I found it difficult to eat dinner on the side of the seat — literally,” Pardy says.

TIME IS MONEY Further adjustment had to be made to the manner in which Tainan citizens treat each other while doing everyday things such as walking down the street or entering buildings.

“I don’t want to be offensive, but now I know what people mean when they talk about polite Canadians. Opening the door for someone, saying ‘Excuse me’ when you want someone to move, waiting in line for your turn … the list is long.

These concepts aren’t a part of the culture here.

Time is definitely money and if you’re slowing me down, you’re costing me,” Pardy says.

Just getting down the street in one piece can often be a challenge in the Taiwan city, since it is inhabited by close to 750,000 people — a far cry from the community of 3,000 in which Pardy grew up.

“It’s shocking. Walking anywhere at your own pace is impossible, you’re always sweeping with a crowd,” she says. “I like my three feet of personal space and here I try to avoid getting run over.

Space is something I will never take for granted again” One of the most surprising things Pardy discovered in Tainan was that the method of public trans-

Diners eats at a toilet-themed restaurant in southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung. Food arrives in bowls shaped like Western-style toilets or Asian-style “squat pots.”

David Lin/Reuters

Streets of Tainan

Riding a scooter to work and eating at restaurants set up in garages have become the norm for Lewisporte’s Krystal Pardy during her time in Taiwan portation greatly differs from what she was used to. Gone were the days of riding a bus to work or school — scooters rule.

“One of the most challenging things was learning how to ride a scooter. Everyone here travels by scooter. I have never ridden a motorcycle, so that, coupled with the traffic, was very frightening,” says Pardy.

While she faces many cultural differences in Tainan, Pardy insists she enjoys her new home.

She travelled to Taiwan in search of new challenges and experiences, and has been given plenty of each.

“I enjoy learning about the culture here,” says Pardy. “Tainan is the old capital of Taiwan and there are many temples, old statues and buildings.

I also love hearing some of the old wives tales or superstitions that people believe in.

“Taoism and Buddhism are the predominant religions here. It’s common to see businesses burning ghost money or offering food to their past relatives.”

PRETEND TIM’S Pardy says she and Wilmott have become friends with several other foreign travellers and sometimes socialize at North America-style bars and restaurants. She also enjoys hanging out at tea stands (she pretends it’s a cup of Tim’s), working out at a nearby gym, and takes pleasure in seeing the progress of her students as they attempt to master the English language.

She misses her friends and family, and hopes to travel home later this summer for a month-long vacation. She and Wilmott are both anxious for a plate of Jigs dinner, a good feed of fish and chips and a traditional barbeque (the steaks in Taiwan are razor thin).

But once their vacation is complete, it’s back to Tainan for at least one more year. Despite the great distance, Pardy never feels too far away home.

“Wherever you are, you’re only a plane ride away,” she says. “This is something that I really want to continue and unfortunately, I can’t take everyone with me.”

Do you know a Newfoundlander or Labradorian living away? E-mail editorial@theindependent.ca

JULY 3, 2005

14 • INDEPENDENTWORLD

Time is now for a full and frank discussion From page 11 through a publicly administered health system — and prohibit them from spending their own money if it fails them.

Many experts in the health care field — think tanks such as the Fraser Institute, and people appointed to carry out public inquiries such as Michael Kirby and Wilbert Keon of the Senate and Don Mazankowski of Alberta — have concluded the delivery and funding of health care can be reformed within the envelope of public finance.

This, by allowing greater involvement of the private sector and more efficient allocation of resources through choice and competition, while preserving the “single-payer” model.

The Canadian government, through its fiscal domination of the provinces, has forced all patients to seek care through a public-only health system, which is not working efficiently or effectively — demonstrating the incentives in a public monopoly are so perverse that it cannot be made to work.

When a system is forced to look on hospital beds and operating rooms as

drains on the limited budgets of governments rather than as revenue generators — forcing you to choose to close beds and operating rooms to save money — how can you have anything but lengthier waiting lists?

Canadian governments are now spending far more per citizen on health care than they were 10 years ago. In Ontario, 46 per cent of the entire budget now goes to health care, up 25 per cent from 1985. Yet the system has improved little, if at all, particularly with respect to waiting lists.

The time is now for a full and frank

Smog days of summer discussion of all aspects of our health care system, particularly the need to remove the restrictions on access to private care.

Perhaps the Charter of Rights can force Martin’s government to cease scaremongering when any suggestions of change are made. The present provisions of the Canada Health Act in many ways are a barrier to our creating a world-class health system in Canada, which we certainly don’t have today.

More on this in my next column.

John Crosbie’s column returns July 17.

O

ntario has already logged a record number of smog days this year, the provincial environment ministry says.

And that pollution is killing dozens of Ontario residents, a medical expert says.

The last day of June marked the 29th day of 2005 when Ontario was under a smog advisory, surpassing the previous high of 27, recorded in all of 2002.

For Toronto, it was the 27th day this year that a smog alert was in place.

City residents have already suffered from seven more bad-air days in half a year than they endured in all of 2001, when smog choked Toronto for 20 days, the previous record high.

“And this year it appears as if we’re heading for quite a number of (smog) days to come,” says David Yap, senior scientific adviser with the ministry’s air quality department. “We have quite a few (warm weather) months to go and the outlook is for a hot and dry summer.”

Hot, sunny weather tends to promote smog formation as the sun and heat cook the murky chemical soup that hovers over the province.

Yap says the extended smog advisories are part of a trend that has seen dirty air episodes lasting for longer periods over the past 15 years.

But, he says it’s too early to blame the lingering smog spells on global warming. Yap notes that last year the number of smog episodes was well below those recorded in 2002.

He also points out this year's record of dirty-air days could be the result of new technology that actually detected five days of pollution back in February.

Until 2002, Yap says, the ministry only recorded atmospheric ozone levels, which are almost always low in the winter and jump in the summer sun.

According to Ted Boadway, executive director of health policy for the Ontario Medical Association, “there’s no doubt” that pollution has caused dozens of deaths across the province.

People “are rolling into emergency departments,” he reports. Boadway, whose association estimates that smog causes some 5,800 premature deaths a year in Ontario, says the bad air is especially hard on the elderly and those with pre-existing ailments.

It’s not just the elderly who are felling the pain.

“This year really sucks, for lack of a better word,” says Debbie Valentini, a 43-year-old asthma sufferer. “As soon as I step outside the door my lungs actually tighten and it’s painful.”

— Torstar wire service

‘Bona fide Canadian hero’ From page 12 as a video editor while writing for an American video-editing periodical, is currently in talks with a production house about the possibility of a threepart movie deal that would be followed by an animated series. Clearly, Comely believes in Captain Canuck as much as Captain Canuck believed in Canada.

“I think people still feel that Captain Canuck is the bona fide Canadian superhero,” says Comely. “There have been a few other attempts at Canadian superheroes, but none are remembered because they didn’t get the mileage.

“I made some bad business decisions back then. I didn’t exploit it as much as I could have ... Obviously, there’ve been ups and downs … Right now, the big prize after 30 years would be film and TV.”

‘His choice is the exception’ From page 11 Prime Minister must stop trying to please everyone and set clear priorities, make tough choices and, most of all, measure success against real-world, real time, milestones.

It’s 72-year-old Joe Comuzzi who provides the model. He not only said what he would do and then did it; he put public interest ahead of his own when the moment came to decide.

By stepping aside, by giving up something he cherished for an even more precious principle, Comuzzi accepted the uncompromising discipline of public service.

To understand what is fundamentally wrong here is to sift through the evidence and sadly conclude his choice is the exception, not the rule.

Reversing that order is now up to the Prime Minister.

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTWORLD • 15

Smog envelopes the horizon as vehicles crawl in traffic along a major road in Beijing.

Reuters/Claro Cortes

Chinese shepherds tend to sheep grazing amongst plastic refuse in a suburb of Beijing.

Andrew Wong/Reuters

China will be world’s biggest polluter Second only to U.S. in greenhouse emissions, conservation a hard sell; economic boom taking toll GUANGZHOU, China

By Martin Regg Cohn Torstar wire service

Y

ang Ailun opens the venetian blinds on her ninth-floor office to reveal a curtain of yellowishgrey haze descending over the city skyline.

For the Greenpeace activist, the daily smog is a red flag. Two years ago her environmental group set out to paint Red China green, but a booming economy is pushing pollution into the stratosphere.

“Normally you can’t even see the buildings right in front of us,” Yang grumbles, peering at the clogged roadways and high-rises sprouting around her.

Second only to the United States in emitting the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, China is destined to become the world’s biggest polluter within 15 years. Demand for coal-fired power plants that belch carbon dioxide fumes into the air is soaring faster than environmentalists like Yang can catch their breath.

Seven of the world’s 10 most polluted cities are in China, where filth invades your eyes and coal dust clogs your throat. Yet here in the southern province of Guangdong, which bills itself as factory to the world, conservation is a hard sell.

Yang is one of 40 Greenpeace staffers campaigning to raise environmental consciousness across China, where economic growth is surging by nearly nine per cent a year. Unlike flamboyant Greenpeace activists elsewhere, she can’t organize publicity stunts or call public protests lest the Communist government shutter her offices.

“In China we’re just at the beginning stages of raising public awareness,” the young activist says diplomatically.

If China has been slow to wake up to the fallout from its factories, the rest of the world is watching closely — and holding its breath. Foreign environmentalists always buttonhole Yang at conferences to demand China be more

Some of China’s industrial woes:

C

hina currently accounts for 14 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

• Most Chinese factories and power plants are not only dirty but grossly inefficient. By comparison, energy consumption per unit of GDP is seven times higher than in Japan, six times greater than in the U.S. — and nearly three times higher than neighbouring India, another developing economy.

• Yet China’s massive population of 1.3 billion has the effect of reducing its per capita energy consumption to barely one-fifth of Western levels — buttressing its argument that the onus is on industrialized countries to cut back first.

• Chinese are fast seeing the fallout from sulphur dioxide emissions that are blanketing one-third of the country — and two-thirds of its cities — in acid rain. Environmental damage from acid rain costs China about $18 billion a year.

• More than 20 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide is discharged into the air annually — well above the target of 18 million tonnes set for this year.

• Developed countries have transferred much of their heavily polluting industries to China.

• It is the world’s biggest consumer of coal and consumption is projected to double by 2020.

—Torstar wire service

accountable for its pollution.

“It’s important for Westerners to understand that there are no moral grounds to just say, ‘Stop developing!’”

Yang explains. “If you wag your finger and tell us how to run our lives, China will shut down the conversation and that would be the worst thing.”

Yet the spotlight will be on China next week when President Hu Jintao sits in on the Group of 8 summit of industrialized nations July 6 to 8 in Gleneagles, Scotland. With its superheated economy slated to quadruple in size by 2020 — and emissions of greenhouse gases likely to keep pace — Hu will be under pressure to do more to combat global warming.

China has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, which commits most industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gases by 2012. But as a developing country, it is exempt from any commitments to curb pollution at home.

Moreover, Beijing has signalled it is in no hurry to accept any fresh obligations when the second phase of the treaty is due to take effect in seven years. Indeed, China is hedging its bets, waiting and watching to see whether the industrialized nations do more first.

“This is a very delicate question,”

Environment Minister Xie Zhenua told reporters earlier this month. “We still have time until 2012.”

To date, China has vigorously opposed any voluntary or obligatory reductions by developing states.

Increasingly, Beijing’s negotiating position is that too much emphasis is

“If you wag your finger and tell us how to run our lives, China will shut down the conversation and that would be the worst thing.”

Yand Ailun being placed on reducing climate change — and that the world must learn to live with it — an unsettling stance for environmentalists.

Environmental stewardship has never been a priority in Communist

China, whose Maoist ideology viewed nature as a force to be harnessed in the war on poverty. The environment was merely a battlefield, with pollution treated as collateral damage or welcomed as a sign of industrialization.

With the embrace of capitalism and the quest for prosperity, the country has shifted from Communism to consumerism. Now, the middle classes and even the masses aspire to have energyguzzling electrical appliances at home.

Government statistics show China manufactures roughly 25 million refrigerators a year and twice that many air conditioners — with most destined for the domestic market.

“After all these years, everyone wants to enjoy the good life — luxury is a good thing to them,” says Feng Wang, a volunteer with the environmental group Global Village of Beijing, which is trying to curb overuse of air conditioners.

China’s mentality of “developing first and preventing and controlling pollution later” has been blasted as “absolutely wrong” by the country’s most vocal environmental official, Pan Yue. As deputy director of the State Environmental Protection Administra-

tion, he warned this month that “the pollution load of China will quadruple in 2020” unless attitudes change and the economic trajectory eases up.

In prosperous Guangdong province, the local environment bureau is weighed down by an economy that grew by a staggering 14 per cent last year, placing extra strains on coal-fired power plants. Sulphur dioxide emissions jumped by seven per cent and the number of vehicles on the road climbed by 12 per cent.

Guangdong is one of 10 provinces experimenting with the concept of “Green GDP” statistics so the performance of bureaucrats will be judged on the overall impact of their policies rather than economic development at any cost. The program is in its infancy, but state media have reported that GDP would have been cut by two per cent if environmental costs had been considered.

“We’re trying to deduct the environmental pollution loss from economic performance,” says Chen.

Most funding for China’s environmental programs comes from overseas donors, including more than $64 million from Canada since 2000, making it one of the biggest contributors.

16 • INDEPENDENTWORLD

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTLIFE

SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 3-9, 2005 — PAGE 17

Bill Rose with Gentleman Junkie (Wm. S. Burroughs), acrylic on regular strength Tylenol tablets.

Heroes, villains and Tylenol Bill Rose delves into American pop culture — and finds new, intriguing ways to showcase familiar images

STEPHANIE PORTER

B

ill Rose grew up in the 1950s and ’60s in Freshwater, Placentia Bay, when the American military base at Argentia was in full swing — the economic generator for the town and a source of fascination and influence for the young artist.

“There were Americans everywhere, they lived on the base, in apartments, we had five houses we rented to Americans, it was sort of natural,” says Rose, who lived in Freshwater until age 17.

Paul Daly/The Independent

“I thought every community had Americans.”

Although it was the Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan show that first got Rose to pick up a broom and try out his air guitar, his first real bands played hits from the States.

“I was playing in bands on the base when I was 14-15 years old,” he says. “We were playing James Brown and stuff like that because that’s what the servicemen wanted. We used to go down with a tape recorder and tape the jukeboxes.

“I guess all that affected me visually also.”

Rose’s admitted fascination with pop culture is seen in much of his work over the years — sometimes satirical, sometimes critical: his Andy Warhol-influenced reproductions of cereal boxes; his clever and biting paintings of flags; or his work involving that very U.S. icon, the hamburger. (One piece features a glistening bacon cheeseburger on a silver background. The phrase, A brief history of tyranny, is stenciled, in white, across the middle.)

Rose’s latest exhibition Heroes, Villains, and the Heartbeat of America continues to

explore and expand the theme.

The centerpiece of the show is, without doubt, Rose’s portrait of William S. Burroughs. The face of the beat writer and one-time heroin addict was painstakingly painted onto a canvas completely covered with Tylenol tablets — almost 7,000 of them.

Rose applied for a grant for the project, and received enough funding to purchase 10,000 Tylenol pills (the remaining 3,000 have already been glued to a board for another piece).

After a few coats of careful varnish — any moisture would ruin the work — Rose spent two months painting each tablet in black, white and grey.

As he has for 25 years, Rose uses a grid: he works from a picture divided into the same number of squares (or, in this case, tablets) as his canvas.

“Then I go at the piece block by block,” he says. “If there’s grey, and a little bit of black in the square, then I paint it grey, and the black goes in the middle. I’m sort of taking every bit See “Lines, dots,” page 24

LIVYER

‘This is where I always work’

By Alisha Morrissey The Independent

S

trains of I’se the By’s and the Kelligrews Soiree honking and hissing from an accordion float up and down Water Street in downtown St. John’s.

Moving towards the music, and closer to George Street, a family of four comes into focus, dancing around, while an elderly lady with her granddaughter looks on.

Don Tucker’s fingers push buttons and his hands squish and release the body of the old squeeze box he’s been playing for years.

Tucker, who’s unemployed, says his corner, near the intersection of George and Water, is ideal for carrying sound and attracting attention (ideally the type that drops money in his accordion case).

The accordion itself is something different from the usual buskers who pick guitars, Tucker, 48, has been playing in the same spot for eight years. In fact, he’s been playing the accordion since he was seven years old — minus those teenaged years when Deep Purple and Ozzy Osbourne made him feel the accordion wasn’t cool.

“It’s a good spot to come down and make some money,” Tucker tells The Independent. “If it’s a nice day out, I’ll pop down mostly four or five days a week.”

Tucker grew up in St. Philip’s, but now makes St. John’s his home. He says growing up there was music in his household and his father was a singer.

Other than the accordion and harmonica, Tucker says he can’t play any other instruments.

“You don’t need any amplification, you got your own. Lots of people with guitars you got to get up real close before you can hear it.”

In his spare time, Tucker says he plays accordion, watches movies and listens to the radio, but when money’s tight he’ll wander down to his regular spot where, on a good day, he can make up to $100.

He tells a panhandler to go away — he doesn’t have any cigarettes.

“I’m in the same boat they’re in right, ‘Do you have a cigarette?’ No, I don’t have cigarettes. If I had cigarettes I’d be home.”

He says he’s often asked for change himself because panhandlers think he’s making more money than they are.

Tucker says he loves the comments he gets from tourists.

“People don’t even know what it

Don Tucker

(the accordion) is. They come down from way down in the States and say ‘What do you call that thing, what’s that called?’”

He says the oddest experience he’s

Rhonda Hayward/The Independent

had since his busking career began was when a cruise ship docked in St. John’s with more than 200 passengers See “Locals are the,” page 22

JULY 3, 2005

18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

GALLERYPROFILE THE ROOMS Permanent gallery

By Alisha Morrissey The Independent

O

wning an original, large-scale piece of art is a dream for most people. But the opening of The Rooms is a subtle reminder that every Newfoundlander and Labradorian already owns a painting by Gerry Squires, a print by David Blackwood and a sculpture by Jim Maunder — even if they can’t take them home.

The permanent collection of the provincial art gallery — formerly located at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre and now open at The Rooms — includes work by some of the province’s most famous artists.

Most of the work was purchased by the provincial government; other pieces were donated by the federal government and artists themselves.

“We have over 7,000 works in the various collections that we have ... and this is just a small sampling, not even one 500th of what we actually hold.

We’ve tried to give a little bit of the range of what’s been produced here over the past 40 years,” Gordon Laurin, director of the gallery, tells The Independent.

While several areas of the gallery are segregated into large-contemporary works, historical pieces and portraits, the large number of pieces available to the gallery allow for a change in the display every couple of months.

Laurin says he’s hoping to bring in some historical works from private collections around the province.

“A lot of people will be seeing most of the work for the first time or maybe in reproduction … but I’m really looking forward to getting feedback from people,” he says.

One piece that people wouldn’t have seen is Misty Afternoon in St. John’s, Newfoundland by Maurice Cullen.

Cullen was a Newfoundland painter who spent much of his professional career in Montreal. The piece was an official gift from the federal government when the province joined Canada in 1949 and depicts the cityscape from Signal Hill. Laurin says there have been many jokes about the empty space next to the Basilica’s two towers and who will be responsible for painting in The Rooms.

Currently on display, it’s the first time Misty Afternoon in St. John’s Newfoundland has been exhibited in the province.

The painting couldn’t be housed in any of the province’s art galleries until now because of a lack of a temperature-controlled space and security.

Laurin says the gallery is a testament to the dedi-

Helen Gregory’s Skeletal Study with Bird Wings-Triptych

Ann Bowman’s Steaming Bodies

Harold Klunder’s Corner Brook #1 Self Portrait

Sid Butt’s Lorne Home From Ontario

Maurice Cullen’s Misty Afternoon, St. John's, Newfoundland

John Hartman’s St. John's Harbour (Triptych)

cation and resilience of the province’s artists who face even more challenges (isolation, to name one) than artists in other areas.

He commends government for acquiring art for the masses and thanks the artists who have donated their own pieces.

He just hopes people like the gallery.

“They can walk in here with the knowledge that this is the most diverse and largest collection of Newfoundland and Labrador work and … giving some indication of what artists have been up to over the past four decades.”

Mary Pratt’s Eggs in Egg Crate

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

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19

‘St. John’s is really filmmaker-friendly’ Justin Simms says the quality — and quantity — of local independent film productions keeps the Nickel Film Festival going

By Stephanie Porter The Independent

J

ustin Simms and the other founders of the Nickel Independent Film and Video Festival started out with modest goals.

“The fondest wish was that it could just happen every summer,” says Simms. “And eventually, that there would be some kind of infrastructure in place that it wouldn’t be such a struggle.”

With the festival now in its fifth year, the first part of Simms’ wish seems to have come true.

As for the infrastructure? It’s coming along, he says, though it’s still an annual challenge to fundraise, round up volunteers, and promote the festival outside the province.

The “whole point” of the Nickel, Simms continues, is to focus on quality independent films made in the province — and to encourage the local audience to come watch.

Over the four previous festivals, 140 films have been shown, with 60 being from this province. This year’s festival, kicking off July 5 at the LSPU Hall in St. John’s, features 13 locally produced films.

“More and more people are getting into it each time,” Simms says. “The number of local films that get made every year, that’s ultimately what keeps the Nickel going. If there was a year when there was no local films, I don’t know if there would be enough passion.”

The King Hunt, written and directed

by Simms, will show on the festival’s final night. The 19-minute short follows a chess grand master on the way to Budapest to play his archrival. At one of his stops along the way — which he makes to play chess events and hawk his biography — he meets a young fan who challenges him to a game.

“A real kind of cat-and-mouse psychological thing ensures,” Simms says, careful not to give much away.

Other local films at this year’s Nickel include Gerry Rogers’ award-winning Pleasant Street and Anne Troake’s insightful look at her family’s sealing connection in My Ancestors were Rogues and Murderers.

Simms credits the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-operative (NIFCO) for fostering a healthy creative environment. The first-time filmmakers program, which Simms has been co-ordinating for the past four years, allows interested people to learn the ropes — and basically “make a short film for three per cent of the cost

Filmmaker Justin Simms

of making it somewhere else.

“In four years, we’ve made probably 25 short films,” says Simms. “I’d say half of them were really, really good, have gone on and done well at festivals, been purchased for television.

“To be churning out films is one thing; but for them to be really high quality is another.”

Simms, with a number of successful short films under his belt, has done his share of travelling to festivals around Canada and beyond, and says he’s “constantly shocked” no other place seems to be producing the kind of short films happening in Newfoundland.

That’s why Simms says his decision to move back to Newfoundland after graduating from film school was the best decision possible.

“St. John’s is really filmmakerfriendly,” he says. “If you’re into making independent short films, this is the best environment in all of Canada.”

Paul Daly/The Independent

And though Simms modestly says he Newfound Films, which he operates “didn’t really have a plan,” coming out with his partner Anna Petras. The major of school, he seems to have found the feature he’s working towards is the film right track. adaptation of Joel Hynes’ book Down Most recently, Simms found out he’s to the Dirt. one of six people “I’m hoping … the selected to take part earliest the filming in the Canadian Film could happen is next “If you’re into Centre’s feature film summer,” he says. “It project — designed will be an interesting making independent to help first-time feawinter leading up to ture filmmakers. short films, this is the that.”

Still “in shock” While the bustling over the news, production industry in best environment Simms will head to Newfoundland is in all of Canada.”

Toronto in a couple great news — and this of weeks to live for is a particularly busy six months of intensummer already, with Justin Simms sive training and netthe filming of Above working opportuniand Beyond, Legends ties. and Lore and Hatching, Matching and It’s a major opportunity for Simms, Dispatching — there is a small downwho has a few projects “in the works” side being felt by the Nickel’s organizwith his production company — ers.

“The bulk of the volunteers we have are filmmakers themselves,” Simms says. “And this has been a crazy busy summer so pretty much everyone’s working.

“Which is excellent for people … but we haven’t had as many people available as usual.”

Simms smiles, acknowledging that’s not a bad complaint to have.

“My theory is that Newfoundland is an inherently artistic place — theatre, literature, painting, sculpture, music,” he says. “If you give us the resources, we will make art.

“I think film has finally caught up with the rest and will hopefully carry on.”

The fifth annual Nickel Independent Film and Video Festival runs July 5-9 at the LSPU Hall in St. John’s. For schedule and more information, visit www.nickelfestival.com.

Gory zombies deliver; ‘frothy’ witch doesn’t Bewitched Starring Will Ferrell, Nicole Kidman (out of four)

B

ig Hollywood star Jack Wyatt’s movie career has gone down in flames. His last movie’s claim to fame is being the only motion picture to have been released on DVD and never selling a single copy. In an effort to turn things around and re-build his image, Jack entertains an offer to costar in a television situation comedy, playing Darren in a revival of Bewitched.

Considering that when Dick Sargent replaced Dick York on the original series, no one seemed to care, Jack has his work cut out for him if he’s to use this role to reignite his career.

In what is supposed to play as satirical commentary on the entertainment industry, he successfully leverages what’s left of his star power to convince the show’s producers to reformat the show to focus more on him than his leading lady. Furthermore, he insists that the actress playing Samantha must be an unknown.

An exhaustive talent search turns up nothing, until one day in a bookstore, Jack notices an attractive woman

TIM CONWAY Film Score twitching her nose in much the same way that Elizabeth Montgomery did when playing Samantha. The next thing we know, she’s doing a screen test for the role.

What Jack doesn’t know, is that Isabelle Bigelow, his newfound co-star, shares more than a nose twitch with her onscreen character. She is a witch who is trying to make a go of it in the real world, and when Jack happened along, she was keeping her eyes open for a particular kind of endearing mortal screw-up, the complete opposite of the males in her usual circles.

Directed by Nora Ephron, who cowrote the screenplay with her sister, Delia, Bewitched is as frothy as they come. While this duo seems to enjoy a credibility born out of early success and an occasional box office hit (You’ve Got Mail), their participation in duds is more numerous (Lucky Numbers, Hanging Up, Michael).

While this film is the kind of thing that draws more fire than it deserves,

simply because it’s such an easy target, looking at other Ephron projects, this could have been a whole lot worse.

As a matter of fact, there’s a lot to like about Bewitched. The TV series within a movie is a nice twist, as is Jack’s attempt to avoid the pitfall of playing a character that could be played by anyone.

Will Ferrell, as Jack, brings his comic talent to the project, and Nicole Kidman manages to take Isabelle from some kind of Marilyn Monroe interpretation to something a little more contemporary and believable.

In addition, a cast of talented character actors in supporting roles, featuring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine, leaves us with solid performances that often rise above the material.

Bewitched is charming, sporadically funny, and for the most part, entertaining. When the film tries to be smarter than it needs to be, the result is often messy, while opportunities that would welcome more intelligent lines and situations are left wanting. Then again, the same could be said for many sitcoms.

What it comes down to is this Bewitched pays a fair tribute to the television program that inspired it, offers a few laughs, and works its charms on the viewer. It’s a pleasant experience

that leaves us thinking more highly of the film than it deserves.

Land of the Dead Starring Simon Baker (out of four) In a year of remakes, prequels, sequels, an abundance of horror films, anointed masters trotting out their latest projects, and Australians hooking up with Newfoundlanders, it’s only fitting that we find George A. Romero dusting up zombies after a 20-year hiatus, to make life difficult for Simon Baker and Rob Joy. Romero, considered the father of the modern zombie flick, has already remade his seminal Night of the Living Dead, while Dawn of the Dead was remade last year. This time out, he again takes the reins, in Land of the Dead.

A further extension of the previous films, this one finds the undead slowly (do they do anything quickly?) developing consciousness, while raiding parties are sent out from a protected urban compound to gather supplies. Within the walls of this city-fortress, called Fiddler’s Green, the rich are richer than ever before, while the poor are even worse off.

While some of the gore is gratuitous, and the allegory regarding America’s increasingly insular attitude and behaviour is a bit thin, the film offers a good blend of action adventure, comedy, and horror.

While no big names light up the screen, solid performers more than make this work. Simon Baker (TV’s The Guardian) makes for a good everyman hero, while Robert Joy, playing his best friend and sidekick, steals almost every scene.

Supporting work from John Leguizamo, Asia Argento, and Dennis Hopper makes a big difference, and Tony Nappo (we can claim him as a Newfoundlander by now) fits in amongst them like a finger in a glove.

An all-round competent production that doesn’t add anything more horrific than its predecessors, Land of the Dead is violent, somewhat intelligent, and occasionally funny.

It’s a B-movie done well enough to be mistaken for something more, and consequently could draw criticism simply for being what it is, a great zombie movie.

Tim Conway owns and operates Capital Video in Rawlin’s Cross, St. John’s. His next column appears July 17.

The Shakespeare By The Sea Festival presents

Swords are cool...

Henry V July 8 - 31 Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays 6pm - Rain or Shine Topsail Beach Amphitheatre, CBS For more information, visit www.nfld.com/~sbts or call 834-2099

JULY 3, 2005

20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

IN CAMERA

Colony of dreams

Archeologist Jim Tuck

Cataloguer Marilyn Wilcott

An hour’s drive from St. John’s lies one of the most significant and well preserved archeological sites in British North America: the Colony of Avalon, where hundreds of artifacts are unearthed daily.

This season’s dig got underway last week, led for the last time — officially, anyway — by Dr. Jim Tuck. Photo editor Paul Daly and senior editor Stephanie Porter took advantage of a rare sunny day, and headed to Ferryland for a tour.

L

ast week, archeologist Jim Tuck unearthed a gold ring, decorated with enamel scrollwork, still holding five of the nine stones once set in the metal. The ring, from the first half of the 17th century is, he admits, “a pretty neat thing.”

A few days later, a member of Tuck’s dig team found a lead David Kirk token, the second ever discov-

ered, the oldest piece of money ever made in Canada, for use in Canada.

As Tuck says, “there’s not too many dull days” at work excavating the Colony of Avalon. Hundreds of artifacts are found every day, and new walls and structures are constantly discovered.

Not just an archeological goldmine, the Colony of Avalon has become a major tourist draw along the Southern

Shore. Located in Ferryland, about an hour’s drive from St. John’s, the Colony features an in-depth interpretation centre, 17th century gardens, guided tours, gift shop, archeological dig and conservation laboratory — all open to the public.

In terms of the quantity and preservation of buildings and articles, this is one of the richest and most fascinating archeological sites in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Tuck, a professor of anthropology at Memorial University as well as the chief archeologist at the site, says he dug his first hole near Ferryland in 1968. He came back again in the mid’80s, for more exploration.

In 1992, the Ferryland project received federal-provincial funding, and there’s been a full season of digging — around 30 are employed in the dig and laboratory — every summer since.

Although there’s only been steady work on the Colony for 14 years, Tuck says the site itself has never been a

secret.

“There’s a description from 1622, that says (the Colony) is on a piece of land that’s almost an island, and could be made an island, at the foot of an easy, ascending hill at the southeast, and defended on the northwest by a high hill,” Tuck says. “You’ve got to be pretty stupid not to be able to stand here and know where you’re at.

“Besides which, when the tide goes down, you could pick up all sorts of 17th century pottery and parts and stuff … It wasn’t a big discovery.”

What has been surprising, though, is the things Tuck and his team find are “bigger, better-built, better-preserved than anything I’ve ever come across.”

In the late 1500s, Ferryland provided a base for migratory fishermen who would come to Newfoundland from England every spring. In 1620, George Calvert (who later became the first Lord Baltimore) set up the first permanent colony there, which he called Avalon. By 1625, there were about 100 permanent residents.

Calvert died in 1932, though his family pressed on — until 1637, when Sir David Kirke, awarded co-proprietorship of Newfoundland for his role in wresting Quebec from Samuel de Champlain, took control. Avalon became known as Pool Plantation, which it remained until the French invasion of 1696. There, the archeological history of Ferryland virtually ends.

Over the years, Tuck and his crews have unearthed a number of buildings, walls, cobblestone floors, fireplaces, a brewery, well, bakery, and privy (one of the most useful discoveries, it turns out, given the bones, seeds and eggs of human intestinal parasites found).

“There’s much more than I expected,” Tuck says. “We didn’t know about these buildings at all; didn’t expect so much stone architecture … nowhere in British North America did people use stone as extensively as these people.”

Tuck walks over a make-shift bridge, and gestures down into the

JULY 3, 2005

building currently being unearthed.

“This is going to be something,” he says. “(Tourists) will be able to walk through here, the walls will be eightand-a-half feet high, up over your head, so it won’t take a hell of a lot of imagination to figure out for yourself what this looked like.”

Tuck will be retiring from his post at Memorial University Aug. 31. He’s handing over the reins as chief archeologist this week to Barry Galton, who has worked with him for 14 years.

“But I’m not giving up,” Tuck says.

“I’m just going to stop getting paid for it … as long as I can walk and carry stuff and dig, I’ll be here.”

Tuck is not the only one to volunteer his services. Ellen Foulkes, the previous archeological curator at the Colony, retired last year. But this summer, she’s still in the lab — maybe more than ever before — cleaning, sorting, conserving, identifying and cataloguing artifacts.

“I guess I’ve been here since the beginning of the project,” says

INDEPENDENTLIFE • 21

Foulkes, holding a ceramic shard. “I wasn’t as hands-on at first, I was designing the database and so on, and I would come out here from time to time.”

The conservation lab is just a few minutes walk from the dig site.

Foulkes says there are over 503,000 pieces in the current artifacts database — and probably three times that have actually been collected.

“Some people may have expected the site to be this big, but I never did,” Foulkes says with a smile. “It’s just unfolding and unfolding, … it’s kind of unwieldy, it kind of got away from us.

“We keep going and we’ll get the job done. I think there’s work here for years and years.”

Most of the artifacts are ceramic or glass, with plenty of nails and bits of pipe thrown in.

Cathy Mathias, a conservator from Memorial University, is carefully reconstructing a ceramic cup; painstakingly cleaning pieces and fit-

ting them together — she readily admits she loves puzzles.

The Colony of Avalon building is the official repository for the artifacts, Mathias says, which is “unique, sort of, worldwide … very few artifacts usually stay on site.” With the proper funding, she adds, everything could be kept there — and the lab could operate year-round.

Tuck also takes a moment to allude to his concerns. There’s decades left of work to do, he says, and no shortage of vision for the site and the community.

But funding is always a concern; never knowing how many people the Colony will be able to employ in a given year.

“The way for this place to really operate would be to get an endowment or something for $10 million,” he muses. “You need to know that next year, you’re going to have some money. We never know, year over year.”

But there are plenty of bright spots

— like the woman from New Mexico who visited Ferryland a few years ago.

She was so taken with the dig and the workers that, every year since, she’s sent a cheque to the Colony of Avalon Foundation.

“She and her husband come back every year,” Tuck says. “The workers treated them like everyone else and lo and behold, they provide salaries for two people. That’s pretty damn nice.”

Tuck turns the conversation again to the future. He’d like to see the entire site excavated, and a town plan developed, to study how the colony evolved from the time the first migratory fishermen landed, through the Calvert period, and on through the Kirkes’ time.

The work will involve moving poles, roads, and even digging under houses.

“There’s so much we don’t know,” Tuck says. “And once in a while we find out something that no one ever knew before.

“That’s the most fun of all.”

JULY 3, 2005

22 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

The dread pirate Easton Easton

By Paul Butler Flanker Press, 2004

T

here was perhaps no pirate more admired in the early part of the 17th century than Peter Easton. Once a British privateer under Queen Elizabeth I, Easton turned to piracy after England’s peace settlement with Spain, plaguing shipping routes in Newfoundland, the Caribbean and as far east as the Azores.

Among his many exploits, Easton is said to have freed the legendary Sheila “Nagueira” from a Dutch warship (whereupon she married the pirate captain’s young navigator and settled in modern-day Bristol’s Hope).

In Easton, Paul Butler takes Peter Easton’s historical kidnapping of Richard Whitbourne, fishing admiral in charge of the fleet in St. John’s harbour, as the starting point for his fictional narrative. Having landed with 10 armed vessels in the harbour, Easton forces Whitbourne and a young English captain named George Dawson to accompany him on a trip to the Indies, during which he intends to convince them to petition for his pardon to the king of England.

Whitbourne maintains a level head throughout the voyage; Dawson is impetuous and quick to anger. “Can we not at least fire a cannon across his bow to show we will be no pushover?” Dawson pleads just prior to their joining Easton on The Happy Adventure. The answer from his diplomatic elder is an unequivocal

“no.”

Though the early part of the novel is narrated from Whitbourne’s third-person perspective, the viewpoint soon changes to that of Dawson. The reason for this shift is clear: while Whitbourne holds a tolerant, even kindly view of Easton and consents to campaign for the pirate’s pardon, Dawson, with the help of a slave woman who has been witness to various depredations aboard the flagship, has begun to see Easton in a clearer light; as a barbarian playing a gentleman, one who will not hesitate to kill any who stand in his way, whether his cause be just or not.

While Easton appears a roguish charmer and a gracious host, his “calm and tolerant smile” betraying no hint of annoyance at Dawson’s varied insults to his hospitality, clearly, Dawson sees the pirate as a traitor to the throne.

“A few days ago Easton was a pirate,” Captain Dawson muses near the halfway point of the novel, “Now he seems like a wicked monarch (…) a politician, executing his enemies while keeping his righteous tongue.”

Therein lies the difference between Dawson and Whitbourne. Dawson believes in a black and white justice, punishment for the wicked, protection for the innocent; Whitbourne operates in the grey world of politics and appeasement.

“If you wish to serve England,” he instructs Dawson, “indeed, if you wish to see her shores again, you will believe what you must believe.” In

other words, Dawson must consciously forget all evidence he has seen of the destitution of Easton’s moral fibre.

There is no place for truth in this world, only for that which benefits oneself and the Crown.

Though Butler’s style is generally simple and unadorned, it is also capable of striking phrasings. In contemplating Easton’s slave Jemma as a potential love interest, Dawson comes to the pragmatic conclusion that her lowly social status, in relation to his

own, “would be a rusty nail in the finest of silks, a bawdy song in a church service.” The development of Dawson’s feelings toward Jemma, particularly the conflict between his bigoted notions of her African origins and a growing affection for her, is one of the more interesting parts of the novel.

Subtle and striking, though, are not terms one might often apply to Easton.

Butler goes through a bit too much trouble to demonstrate the evil of his pirate captain, leveling charges of cannibalism and ritual decapitation of victims to ensure Easton’s villainy is never in any doubt in the minds of readers.

What with the political intrigue and moral levity that anchors the plot, the novel comes off a little more seriously than one might at first expect. You wouldn’t exactly call Easton a swashbuckling adventure (no sword fights, alas not even a plank-walking scene or a sea shanty), but it is satisfying for what it is and will no doubt feed well into the author’s follow-up novel, Easton Returns, slated for release later this year.

Mark Callanan is a writer and reviewer living in Rocky Harbour. His next column will appear July 17.

Locals are the ‘bread and butter’ From page 17

on board and all he made was 30 cents.

“I was sittin’ here playin’ away, playin’ some of my best stuff. I was playin’ every note right and 200 people passed by me.

When they got passed me I had an American nickel and a quarter,” he says.

“It was only later on I found out everyone was deaf and the ones who probably did give me money probably felt sorry for the poor foolish feller there playin’ away.

“It was interesting in a way.”

The locals are Tucker’s bread and butter — and his particular corner is the best.

“This is where the people are. You got people who live here and the tourists and the people up there drinkin’,” he says, motioning towards George Street.

“I don’t know what I’d do without them,” he says of weekend partiers.

“Five or six loonies or something, or twoonies, and then they’ll ask you to play something their grandmother used to sing,” Tucker says, laughing hard. “‘Can you play that song my grandmother used to sing?’ And they’ll stop and I’ll look at them. How am I supposed to know what you’re grandmother used to sing unless you tell me? “’I wants to hear that song, that nice old song, my grandmother used to sing.’”

While most people know the accordion man with a baseball cap and longish beard and hair, Tucker says other buskers often take his spot, but he doesn’t bother fighting for it.

“I just leave them alone. I’ll come back in an hour or so and they’ll be gone,” he says.

“This is where I always work.”

Chasing the dogcatcher Local drama/documentary sure to draw tears and cheers at Nickel Festival

By Stephanie Porter The Independent

C

hristian Sparkes intended for his first work after film school to be a comedy, but A Foot of Rope inspires more tears than giggles.

Last year Sparkes met up with an old high school friend who, he was intrigued to learn, was working as a dogcatcher in Torbay.

“It’s such a visual kind of job,” he says. “At least for the images it conjured up in my mind. I thought it would be really funny to do a short film, a comedy about a dog catcher who has trouble catching dogs and the kids don’t like her in the neighbourhood …”

Sparkes enlisted his friend and fellow filmmaker Matt Tucker on the project.

The two began research for the film — travelling around with the dogcatcher in the truck for a few days, discussing the pros and the cons of the job.

“I realized it was a lot more serious than I thought, there’s a really unfortunate side to it,” says Sparkes, a St. John’s native.

“A lot of people maybe think when a dog goes to the SPCA it’ll be OK, or a home will be found for it, but it’s not that way.”

The piece began to evolve, into a drama/documentary about a dogcatcher and the emotional and ethical quandary she faces after becoming too attached to a neglected beagle.

“It turned into a much more kind of emotional story that I expected in the beginning,” says Sparkes. “It’s extremely sad.”

Sparkes and Tucker have screened the film twice at Memorial University,

A still from A Foot of Rope.

and have already sold between 100 and 150 copies of the DVD. It’s been accepted by the Nickel Film Festival, and will close out the July 7 evening program.

“After the screenings, people were crying and I almost felt bad,” he says.

“But that’s a good response, if it affects people.”

Over his nervousness at public screenings, Sparkes is looking forward to the Nickel. “It’s a great opportunity for people doing first films, it’s good to meet people who are interested in the same things you are,” he says.

“You don’t always want to hear people tell you what’s good or bad about (your film), sometimes it’s better to meet people who are inspired by it, or making films themselves and just to talk about maybe working together, or just getting excited about the common

knowledge you have.”

Sparkes, who graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in April 2004, is keeping busy working with Pope Productions, the Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-operative, and on his own work.

One of the pieces he’s developing is a five-minute film he plans to enter in a Halifax-based competition for short documentaries.

“This one is about two guys who think they’re being hunted by a demon, and so they’re going to kind of counteract it and hunt him instead … and so they get this mixed tape of heavy-metal, and they make all these slingshots,” he says. “(Eventually) they find out he’s just a man and they’re the ones with the problem.

“This one is going to be a comedy, a dark comedy. Hopefully.”

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTLIFE • 23

OPENING CEREMONIES

After years of anticipation, discussion, debate, planning, construction — and a one-year delay — The Rooms officially opened its doors to the public June 29. An estimated 2,000 people (top) took advantage of the sun — and a stiff Newfoundland breeze — to watch the lengthy opening ceremonies, featuring a number of Newfoundland and Labrador artists, musicians and spokespeople. Master of ceremonies Rick Mercer (middle) came face-to-face with Joey Smallwood himself (as played by Kevin Noble). And Premier Danny Williams (bottom) cut the official ribbon and declared the provincial museum, archives, and art gallery open. Admission is free for the public until July 4.

Rhonda Hayward/The Independent

EVENTS JULY 3 Festival 500: Sharing the Voices beginswith an evening concert at the Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m.

Afternoon and evening programming continues through the week. For schedule, information and tickets visit www.festival500.com

the MUN Botanical Garden, 7-9 p.m.

senior $4.00.

JULY 6 Nickel Independent Film & Video Festival, LSPU Hall, admission $10.00 per night, until July 9, call 722-3456.

Floral Art Show at the MUN Botanical Gardens, free admission.

The Signal Hill Tattoo, two shows daily, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Signal Hill, call 772-5367.

Stones in his Pockets featuring Aiden Flynn and Steve O’Connell. Rabbittown Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Call 739-8220

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Craft Marketplace, at the former Wal-Mart at The Village Mall, 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., to rent a table call 368-5437.

JULY 8 Psychic Fair at the Holiday Inn, 2-10 p.m., admission $5.00, senior $4.00.

JULY 4 Caricatures and cartoons day camp with Julie Whalen, Anna Templeton Centre, 1-4 p.m., until July 8.

Erin’s Pub presents Dave Panting

Lunchtime Concert Series, a traditional group performing at Harbourside Park, free admission, 12:30 p.m., call 691-5480, or 754-CITY

The Music Studio presents Stage Right!, an intensive two-week workshop in musical theatre performance, until July 16, call 579-4626.

Neil Diamond Dinner Theatre, starring Peter Halley, Shelley Neville, Darrin Martin and Steve Power; 7 p.m., at The Majestic Theatre, 390 Duckworth St. call 579-3023, tickets $51.50 + HST.

JULY 5 Healthy Garden Workshop: Preventive Health Strategies for your garden at

JULY 9 Psychic Fair at the Holiday Inn, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., admission: $5.00,

Murder Mystery Cruise, St. John’s Harbour front, 7 p.m. call 834-6663, tickets $67.95 + tax and gratuity, alcohol beverages not included.

IN THE GALLERIES Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Annual Member Exhibit, until Sept. 3.

Nature: Looking at looking behind, first solo exhibition of Eileen GearBragg, and new works, by Tina Riche, Victoria Manor Shoppes and Gallery, Harbour Grace, until August 4.

An exhibit of artwork by Pat Hayden Ryan on display at Balance Restaurant until July 11.

Heroes, Villains and the Heartbeat of America, the solo exhibitions of recent works by Bill Rose will be on display at the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art, until July 17.

JULY 3, 2005

24 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

Lines, dots, blobs, stamps and scribbles From page 17 of information that’s in that block and moving it to the centre.”

Up close, Burroughs’ face is little more than a series of nonsensical blobs of paint. Step back a few paces, and the portrait emerges — startlingly detailed and haunting.

Although that is the most ambitious, time-consuming, and heavy (about 40 pounds, Rose estimates) painting, other pieces in the show are just as striking.

The Michael Jackson face, for example. Rose used a tiny stamp in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears in each grid block, some lighter, some heavier, to create the portrait.

In another piece, he uses an eyeliner pencil to fill in blocks for the unmistakable image of Marilyn Monroe’s eye; in another, pink lipstick for her lips.

A tiny dollar-sign stamp was used to create Jimmy Swaggart’s face (written across the bottom, in pencil, is a Swaggart quote: “If I do not return to the pulpit this weekend, millions of people will go to hell”). That piece is

titled Banking on Jesus.

There’s a couple of pieces on South African freedom fighter Stephen Biko, a large portrait of executed American child murderer Albert Fish, a smaller portrait of Andy Warhol. There’s a scene from man’s first steps on the moon (Live at the Apollo), and from Kennedy’s assassination.

Then there’s the Beatles work. “I’m a Beatles nut,” admits Rose.

He painted a grid, and then George Harrison’s face right onto his copy of the famous White Album, creating a kind of a sealed time capsule.

There’s also an image of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, standing side by side on a gold platter — in this case, Rose’s canvas is the tray that was under his sister-in-law’s Christmas yule log.

Perhaps most disturbing is a piece called You have a spot on your dress, Louise. The left third of the canvas is a John Lennon’s face. The right twothirds features a giant gun, pointing at Lennon’s head.

With the exception of Marilyn’s lips, the works in the show are black and

Bill Rose

white.

“Last October, I just stopped doing colour and started doing the black-dotted things,” he says.

“My mother died last summer, and I was still painting, painting colour and I didn’t think much of it. Then in September I got really sick of it … I don’t know if the two are connected.”

Although Rose has used a grid

Paul Daly/The Independent

throughout his career, sometimes the lines have been almost invisible under paint. Other times — as with the current show — they’re as much a part of the works as the lines, dots, blobs, stamps or scribbles that fill in the boxes.

“I like the way it (the grid) breaks everything down into more manageable pieces,” Rose says. “I like to look at one little section. Once that one is done, you

move on to the next. It’s kind of like thousands of little paintings.

“A big canvas, that would drive me nuts. I wouldn’t know where to start, it’s like putting a kid in a candy store and saying, ‘go wherever you want.’”

Now that this exhibition is finished, Rose is going to take a few weeks off painting, and get back to writing and recording music.

Some of the pieces in this show will be travelling on to Germany for exhibition this fall. Rose will attend the opening, and plans to leave himself open to the influences and sights of that country.

It may provide fodder for new work, or a new perspective on North American culture to bring home with him.

“I’m not always critical of the U.S., but I guess when you’re that big and powerful, you have to be open to criticism,” he says. “Obviously, there’s a lot of things I like about the U.S., like Andy Warhol and so on.

“And I like the music.”

Heroes, Villains and the Heartbeat of America is on display at the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art, until July 17.

INDEPENDENTBUSINESS

SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 3-9, 2005 — PAGE 25

The newly branded QV Light comes off the line at the Quidi Vidi Brewery.

By Darcy MacRae The Independent

Q

uidi Vidi Brewing Co. may have a new beer and a new label, but its attitude is definitely the same.

“Our goal is to make our brands the Alexander Keith’s of Newfoundland,” says David Rees, co-owner of Quidi Vidi, referring to the Nova Scotia beer that’s extremely popular within its home province. “We want Newfoundlanders to have a beer they can proudly call their own.”

Since starting up in August 1996, Rees and fellow co-owner David Fong have enjoyed great success in the province’s large centres — St. John’s, Mount Pearl and Corner Brook — but have struggled with sales in smaller, rural communities. Their goal has always been to obtain a four per cent market share in the province, but thus far have stalled at one per cent.

Rees hopes the launching of Quidi Vidi’s newest beers — QV Lager (five per cent alcohol) and QV Light (four per cent alcohol) will catch the fancy of rural drinkers and help the company reach its goals.

“We know all Newfoundlanders like this type of beer because we tested people from St. John’s to Port aux Basques, all the way to St. Anthony,” says Rees. “People have said ‘This is the type of beer we like to drink.’”

While Quidi Vidi is already known for quality specialty beers such as 1892, Eric’s Red, Honey Brown and Honey Brown Light, Rees says they need a successful mainstream beer to achieve the desired market share. Northern and Northern Light, the

Rhonda Hayward/The Independent

‘Alexander Keith’s of Newfoundland’ Quidi Vidi brand popular enough in St. John’s and Corner Brook, but still catching on in rural areas company’s old labels, are being replaced by the new QV and QV Light.

The new beers closely resemble the old brands in terms of taste, but they differ just enough, according to Rees, to take them mainstream, a beer to compete with traditional favourites from Molson Coors and Labatt.

“The response here has been fantastic,” Rees says from the deck of Etomic, the George Street bar where the new beer was launched on June 29. “People are drinking it for the first time and saying they love it.”

Quidi Vidi began brewing QV and QV Light last August, and tested it on con-

sumers until December. One month later they received a letter from a brewing company in Ontario informing them they had to stop using the Northern name due to copyright infringement. At that point, Rees and Fong opted for a complete re-launch, putting a new name and label on their new beer.

The new labels feature an ocean wave, which Rees thinks will attract new drinkers.

“We wanted to come up with a label that Newfoundlanders could look at and say ‘I can relate to that,’” Rees says. “This isn’t a townie beer or a Corner Brook beer, it’s a beer that anybody in Newfoundland can look at and say ‘The ocean is all around us.’

And Newfoundlanders love the ocean.”

Quidi Vidi Brewing has always marketed itself as being part of the province, not just a company that operates here. That line of thinking is integrated into every aspect of the business, including their location in the heart of Quidi Vidi village in east end St. John’s.

“Our location has really helped us because when tourists come to St. John’s, they like to come to Quidi Vidi village and get a tour of the brewery,” Rees says.

From the start, Rees and Fong wanted to brew beer that would mean something to people from the province. The first beer they produced, 1892, is named in memory of the fire that destroyed much of St. John’s that year.

When Rees and Fong were doing research prior to the launching of the beer, they found a photo taken of St. John’s just prior to the fire of 1892, and put the photo on the label.

In the background of that photo, the company’s name “Cliff Wood” is visible. As it happened, Cliff Wood imported malt beer into Newfoundland prior to the fire of 1892, which gave Rees and Fong the idea for the name and flavour of their first beer.

“We thought why don’t we go one step further and make it a European-style beer?” says Rees. “We wanted it to be like a beer Newfoundlanders would have drank prior to the fire of 1892.”

The original beer produced by Quidi Vidi, 1892, is still its top seller, followed closely

by Honey Brown. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca

God guard thee T

he long weekend brings much wanted time spent with family and friends enjoying the great Newfoundland and Labrador outdoors.

It should also bring to mind the great sacrifices we have made to enjoy this peace and freedom.

While celebrations of Canada Day are in full bloom, my heart rests with those who gave us the opportunity to experience the happiness of a weekend in peace. We mark the anniversary of Beaumont Hamel, a time not so long past when sons, brothers, fathers and

SIOBHAN COADY

The bottom line husbands left Newfoundland to help the world in her time of need. On the morning of July 1, 1916, 801 men from the 1st Newfoundland Regiment waged battle and 733 lost their lives. There was hardly a home on the island that was not affected by the carnage of that

day. Their contributions made a mark on Newfoundland’s soul, and today we should remember.

My father was born in Fortune Harbour, Notre Dame Bay and if you go across the harbour to where the old saw mill once was you can follow through the trees to find the graves of those who came before me. What reminds me of them today is that from that vantage point you can look across the bay to the church and to the monument in front of it dedicated in the honour of Sam Gillespie who lost his life in

the First World War. July 1st is a national holiday — for some the celebration of our nation, but to us Newfoundlanders it is a day that marks a great contribution to world peace and a loss of so many that were Newfoundland’s future. Today, I will remember Sam Gillespie who died in 1918 at the age of 21. I will also remember my maternal grandfather, James Delaney of Placentia, who enlisted at age 20 on June 25, 1917. I know you have someone in your family to remember.

Consider the impact to Newfoundland of so many men leaving to serve in the war. The economic and social toll was tremendous. Families left without breadwinners, children left without fathers, aging parents left without support, a country left without financial opportunity. Did this weigh in the decision to join Canada?

According to the exhibit on the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the newly opened Rooms, the First World

SAVINGS THIS GOOD ONLY COME ONCE A YEAR.

THE 2005 VOLVO SENDOFF. WE’RE MAKING ROOM FOR OUR 2006S. SAVINGS ON EACH AND EVERY 2005 VOLVO MODEL PUT LEGENDARY SAFETY, PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN WITHIN YOUR GRASP. DON’T WAIT. DRIVE THIS SUMMER IN A VOLVO.

2005 VOLVO S40

2005 VOLVO S60

2005 VOLVO V50

2005 VOLVO V70

2005 VOLVO XC70

2005 VOLVO S80

2005 VOLVO XC90

VOLVO OF NEWFOUNDLAND 934 Topsail Road, Mount Pearl (709) 368-7683 www.volvoofnf.com ©2005 Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd. “Volvo. for life” is a registered trade-mark used under licence by Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd. Always remember to wear your seat belt. Visit volvocanada.com

See “Shoulder to shoulder,” page 26

26 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS

JULY 3, 2005 even a small move, such as showing more trailers for Canadian films, would help.

Not everybody is so pessimistic. “I am not naive; it’s a business,” says Wayne Clarkson, executive director of Telefilm Canada. “(Jacob) has got to sell more tickets, and sell more popcorn. But I think he will take more risks.”

The thing is, Clarkson wants Canadian films to double their box office receipts, to 10 per cent of the take. But, unless something gives in the movie houses, that will never happen.

“The dialogue has begun,” he says reassuringly. “I find that my phone calls over the years have been more promptly returned from the Canadian head office of a Canadian company than they have from the head office of an American company in New York or Los Angeles.”

Some members of the culturecracy say the government should have imposed conditions on the merger, the way they do when a broadcaster takes over another.

Hey, Cineplex, show us some Canadian flicks

By Antonia Zerbisias Torstar wire service

T

he two best big-screen movies I have seen so far this year were both made by Canadians.

Paul Haggis’ complex Crash, while technically a Hollywood flick, is a film for grown-ups. True, a car explodes — but it’s not just for show.

The other, Michael McGowan’s Saint Ralph, is a beautifully crafted family film. Smart, sentimental, funny, inspiring.

The former is enjoying an extended run. That’s because of a detonation of big-budget bombs from the south, making Crash cinematic manna for those who discuss movies without saying “That was awesome, dude!”

As for Saint Ralph, well, blink and it was gone — it never did go much past downtown Toronto.

But if Canadians want a crap trap, there is always that Hilary Duff vehicle, The Perfect Man, at theatres everywhere.

It was shot here, part of the $1.46 billion film production industry, which employs thousands of

Canadians. But only 20 per cent of that — $296 million — went to make Canadian films, most of them in the French language.

As for ticket sales, last year’s total domestic box office was about $875 million. Canadian films accounted for 4.6 per cent — thanks to French-track movies. They were 70 per cent of the Canadian take.

It’s easy to credit Quebec’s language barrier for that success.

But the fact is the province has much more going for it, including powerful star-making machinery that puts local celebs on the infotainment shows and magazine covers. Englishlanguage movies don’t get that media coverage — and they don’t have the million-dollar marketing budgets that Hollywood movies have to buy it either.

What’s more, decades ago, the Quebec government enacted legislation that protects its distributors.

All of which means Quebec filmmakers have better access to Quebec screens while English-track movie workers are largely hewers of Hollywood backdrops and drawers of

A scene from the Canadian film Saint Ralph: smart, seminal yet short-lived at the Cineplex

Perrier water.

Now, with this month’s acquisition of Famous Players theatres from Viacom Inc. by the Onex Corp.-controlled Cineplex Galaxy, a Canadian company is back in control of most of the country’s multiplexes.

By the time the federal Commissioner of Competition divestment requirements are met, the newlymerged chain will boast 132 theatres with 1,300 screens from Ontario to British Columbia, about 63 per cent of the exhibition business.

A very big deal. A $500 million deal that has shareholders applauding stripped out management costs, better contracts with popcorn and soda suppliers, renegotiated rents and other bottom line benefits.

But what’s in it for Canadian movies?

“Unless the sale triggers a move to put more money into the production of good Canadian movies and increase access to Canadian films in the theatres, this is just another business deal,” says Maureen Parker, executive director of the Writers Guild of Canada.

Parker wants to know what Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Galaxy LP, means when he crows the merger is a “cultural coup,’’ as he recently did. “If Ellis Jacob wants to make a real contribution to this country’s culture, he should commit to opening up his wallet and his theatre screens to films that speak to us as Canadians,” she says, adding that

UNREGULATED INDUSTRY But the movie business is not regulated — there’s no mechanism for such conditions, at least not federally.

According to the report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on the Canadian Feature Film Industry, released earlier this month, “the licensing of films for distribution and exhibition of films in Canada is a matter of property and civil rights and as such falls wholly within provincial jurisdiction.”

“So every province would have to get behind a quota system — and good luck on that,” says Parker, adding that both the Writers Guild and the Directors Guild want a five per cent tax on all film and video distribution revenues, with the proceeds directed to making Canadian features.

Even better would be beefed-up marketing budgets, subsidized by that tax. But, with a night for two at the movies, including popcorn and pop, in the $35 range — without transportation or babysitting — there’s little chance of that.

So all that’s left for Canadian filmmakers is faith that the management of the new mega chain will see that their movies can be just as good, if not better, than the blow-em-up-real-good American product.

Judging by the script so far, that will take some really special effects.

Shoulder to shoulder with other nations From page 25 War cost Newfoundland an enormous price. The economic cost left the colony with a war debt of over $13 million, a significant factor in its near bankruptcy and the suspension of selfgovernment in 1934. There was also a great social cost as Newfoundland had a high volunteer rate, with 5,046 volunteers serving overseas. Tragically, the regimental volunteers had a fatality rate of over 26 per cent and a casualty rate of over 70 per cent. “A large part of a generation of young men were lost or adversely affected by the war,” the exhibit reads.

A few short years later, during the Second World War, another 10,000

men from Newfoundland went overseas, many never to return. Newfoundland also contributed financially to the Second World War by giving Britain a $12 million interest-free loan.

Today marks for me one of Newfoundland’s shining moments. A time not so long ago when we stood shoulder to shoulder with other nations, as equals, on a battlefield to protect our freedom and our home. As a country we suffered greatly — almost every Newfoundland home lost someone in the World Wars. How would Newfoundland have progressed if we hadn’t lost so many?

It was a sacrifice of our future — one which we should all remember as we enjoy this long weekend in early July.

On a headstone of one of my forefathers, across the bay from Sam Gillespie’s monument, it is written Stop friend as you go by So as you are so once was I And as I am so will you be Stop friend and remember me Let us stop for a moment to honour those who gave us our many opportunities and to the Dominion of Newfoundland that sacrificed her future for world peace.

The bottom line is that the impacts of the war on the growth of Newfoundland both economically and socially and our decision to join Canada may possibly be traced to the loss of these men.

Stop and remember.

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 27

579-STOG 77 Harv Harvey ey Road

Stoggers’ Pizza John O’Donoghue, Ireland’s minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism.

Paul Daly/The Independent

The “best pizz zza in town” is

‘Accentuate the difference’ Ireland’s Tourism minister says province could make billions from industry

By Darcy MacRae The Independent

I

reland may be the Celtic Tiger, but the country certainly doesn’t pussyfoot around when it comes to tourism. The industry there is worth more than $8 billion a year, employing 12 per cent of Ireland’s population.

“It is a very significant industry for us. It makes an enormous contribution to our economy,” says John O’Donoghue, Ireland’s minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism.

O’Donoghue was in St. John’s June 30 for the unveiling of the Comharsana Beal Dorais (Next Door Neighbours) exhibit at The Rooms’ provincial art gallery. He also toured the east coast during his visit, and says the province is very much like his homeland. During a drive around the Irish Loop, he noticed Irish traditions and culture in people’s stories,

music, dance, and of course, accents.

“The similarities are striking,” O’Donoghue tells The Independent.

“This is something I find quite heartening about. It is clear people have remained true to Irish traditions and identity. One could feel as home in Ferryland as one might in Waterford.”

Despite the similarities (climate is another), the province fails to attract nearly as many tourism dollars as Ireland — bringing in $800 million a year, 10 per cent of Ireland’s industry.

While the reasons can be debated, there’s no questioning how Ireland attracts the world to its shores.

“We accentuate how we are different,” O’Donoghue says. “Since 1990, we have doubled the number of visitors coming into Ireland from all of our international markets.”

When promoting their island to markets around the world, the Irish emphasize their history, culture, heritage, monuments, songs, dance, and Gaelic language. O’Donoghue says the Irish also push their “people, pace and place,” showing off their stunning shorelines and using their reputation as a warm, welcoming people to their advantage.

With the exception of Gaelic, this province has the same qualities.

“In terms of ecology and the environment, this place is quite simply stunning,” says O’Donoghue. “These are products you could use to sell Newfoundland.”

O’Donoghue says the province could easily become a global destination. He says much of the world’s population lives in “large, soulless, concrete jungles of cities” and they want to get out into open spaces where they can experience something different.

“Very few European visitors would have seen whales, so they’ll want to come and look at whales, make no mistake about it,” he says. “This is how you accentuate the difference.”

The Irish minister says when his country begins a marketing strategy to attract visitors, they think big. He says Newfoundland and Labrador should do the same and send word of its people, heritage and scenic beauty around the globe.

“You should sell yourselves to the world; the world is becoming a much smaller place than it was ever before.” darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca

NB Liquor lowering markup to encourage growth Province will also prominently display their products FREDERICTON

By Kevin Barrett Telegraph-Journal

A

provincial government pricing change could result in a $120,000 boost for New Brunswick’s micro-brewing industry.

Today, government officials from Business New Brunswick and Alcool NB Liquor will unveil details regarding a reduction in the mark up they apply against products produced at microbreweries in New Brunswick “It’s hard to say a tax break is bad,” says Sean Dunbar, owner of the Fredericton-based Picaroon’s Traditional Ales.

“It is the most significant thing that has happened in the small brewing industry ever. It is not all about money although money is a big part of it. The main thing is that small brewers are recognized as part of the industry.”

Picaroon’s and the Moncton-based Pump House Brewery are the two main

players in the province’s micro-brewing market.

Beginning last week, the province dropped its markup for craft brewers that produce less than 10,000 hectoliters of beer per year.

There won’t be a break for consumers, but the additional savings will allow Picaroon’s to move to a new facility and triple its staff while Pump House officials will likely reinvest the capital for upgrade purposes.

For example, the markup on a six pack of Pump House beer will drop to $2.49 a case from $3.01.

In addition, the province will prominently display products from its microbreweries in corporate stores with signage showcasing the respective beer.

Both breweries lobbied the province to reassess its margins for micro operations, citing arrangements in Nova Scotia between that province and its micro-brewing industry that gave those operations a competitive edge.

“The change puts small brewers in

New Brunswick in step with their counterparts across the country and allows our producers to remain competitive,” says BNB minister Peter Mesheau.

Dunbar says the recognition is a key element in future growth.

“It is kind of nice from a small business point of view to be included in what appears to be an overall macro policy,” he says. “Obviously the province and NB Liquor have decided that small brewers are a good thing and that it is an industry that is worth supporting.”

Picaroon’s currently employs three staff and Dunbar says the operation produced approximately 1,200 hectoliters a year, well below the 10,000 hectoliter standard.

Paul Harpelle, a spokesperson with Alcool NB Liquor, says products from microbrewers represent a growth area for the corporation and doesn’t expect a drop in total revenue as a result of the initiative.

A LITTLE OF YOUR TIME IS ALL WE ASK. CONQUERING THE UNIVERSE IS OPTIONAL. Think it requires heroic efforts to be a Big Brother or Big Sister?

Think again. It simply means sharing a few moments with a child. Play catch.

Build a doghouse. Or help take on mutant invaders from the planet Krang.

That’s all it takes to transform a mere mortal like yourself into a super hero who can make a world of difference in a child’s life. For more information...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland 1-877-513KIDS (5437) www.helpingkids.ca

BACK! Professional Development Seminars 2005 SEPTEMBER 12

Interpersonal Negotiating: Techniques and Strategies to Handle Disputes, Complaints and People Challenges $195

13

The “WOW” Factor in Customer Service: Meet and Exceed Customer Service Expectations

$195

Hiring the 'Right' Person: Learn and Practice Selection Processes to Hire the Right Person

$195

15

OCTOBER 3

Priority Time Management and Workload Balance: Improve Productivity by Prioritizing Your Work in a Time Management Plan

$195

4

Budgeting: Develop a Basic Working Knowledge of Translating Business Operations into Financial Statements $195

6-7

Writing Dynamics®: Writing Clearly, Concisely and Persuasively - An Advanced Writing and Editing Seminar

$495

13 - 14 Planning and Goal Setting: Control the Direction of Your Organization by Implementing an Effective Planning & Goal Setting Process $390 17 - 21 Supervisory Management Skills Program, Module III: Supervisors and Team Development 24

25

Transformational Leadership: Inspire Performance, Commitment and Creativity

$895

$195

Human Resource Planning: Plan for Future Staffing Needs as it Relates to Organizational Strategy $195

NOVEMBER 2-4

Business Requirements Process for Business Analysts: Understand the steps in the business requirements process from customer identification to customer satisfaction $1295

8-9

Fundamentals of Project Management: Explore the issues of people, planning, and control in effective project management

17

$450

Performance Coaching for People & Teams: Practice effective coaching techniques that focus on the employee's current level of performance and future development needs $195

24 - 25 Managing and Adapting to Change: Learn profitable change management strategies so the organization, manager, and employee can survive the stresses of change $390 28- Dec.2 Supervisory Management Skills Program Module I: Supervision and The Organization

$945

DECEMBER

5 - 7 + Train the Trainer: How to Maximize Training Effectiveness: 13 - 14 Develop, implement, and evaluate effective training sessions $1295 9

Stand & Deliver: Presentation Skills Present yourself in a clear and professional manner by preparing, planning, and delivering an effective presentation $195

Seminar descriptions available at www.mun.ca/cmd

Executive Development Program September 18 - 30

Masters Certificate in Project Management September 8 - December 10 The Centre offers client-specific seminars on these and many other business and management related topics. For registration or further information, please contact Jackie Collins (jcollins@mun.ca).

Faculty of Business Administration

Centre for Management Development St. John’s, NF A1B 3X5 Ph. (709) 737-7977 Fax: (709) 737-7999 http://www.mun.ca/cmd/

28 • INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION

JULY 3, 2005

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 29

30 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS

JULY 3, 2005

‘Tax freedom day’ a silly exercise

By Neil Brooks and Linda McQuaig Torstar Wire Service

O

ne thing right-wing economists do very well is invent gimmicks.

Remember the “debt wall” back in the mid-1990s? Many Canadians — including senior government officials — genuinely believed that Canada was in danger of crashing into this imaginary barricade and becoming a beggarly underdeveloped country.

A few years later, it was the “brain drain.” Unless taxes were slashed, neoconservatives warned, Canada’s achievers and innovators would decamp, leaving a nation of struggling second-raters.

One of the right’s most enduring creations is “tax freedom day.” Every year

at about this time, the Fraser Institute, Canada’s bastion of capitalism, announces with great fanfare that taxpayers have finally reached the point in the year when they can start working for themselves, liberated from the yoke of government servitude.

It is an ingenious device, one that reduces the complexity of public finances to a simple image, combines all the levies and fees that Canadians pay to various governments into a single measure and has a patina of scientific credibility.

Last week, on cue, the Fraser Institute issued its annual press release.

“Canadians celebrate Tax Freedom Day on June 26,” it declared.

This ritual, which has been going on for almost three decades, drives left-

wing economists nuts.

They rail against the Fraser Institute’s methodology. They write earnest treatises pointing out that taxes are the price civilized people pay for good schools, safe streets and high-quality medical services. They scold the media for giving “tax freedom day” unwarranted publicity.

“Even if it were useful to inform Canadians how many days they had to work in order to earn enough to pay their taxes, the information the Fraser Institute presents about the tax system is flawed, misleading, seriously distorts public knowledge and hinders rational debate about the tax system,” said Neil Brooks of Osgoode Hall Law School in this year’s critique, released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

It is a fine essay, but the wrong tactic.

The way to discredit “tax freedom day” is not to subject it to learned analysis. It is to show how silly it is.

Fortunately, the task is not hard.

• Why would anyone celebrate “tax freedom day”?

Employers don’t stop deducting income tax payments from people’s paycheques. Storeclerks don’t stop collecting the GST. Gasoline prices don’t drop. Licence fees don’t go down.

It is hard to imagine who (outside the Fraser Institute and its echo chamber, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation) would care about an artificial construct with no relevance to their lives.

• How believable is the Fraser Institute’s research?

Six years ago, the think-tank

announced ominously that “tax freedom day” had fallen on its latest date ever: July 5. Now it says this year’s “tax freedom day” — June 26 — is the latest ever.

The reason for the discrepancy, says economist Niels Veldhuis, is Statistics Canada brought in a new database. That meant the Fraser Institute had to revise its “tax freedom day” calculations back to 1992. Suddenly the bad old days didn’t look so bad.

It’s hard to get exercised about a benchmark that bears no relation to the past and could soon be revised out of existence.

• What would it take to push “tax freedom day” back a week?

A severe recession would do it. A drop in employment, earnings, profits and retail sales would all reduce the amount of taxes the average Canadian pays. But it certainly wouldn’t be good for the country.

A Torontonian could do it by moving to Charlottetown where “tax freedom day” occurs a week earlier because so much of the province’s income consists of federal transfer payments, which don’t generate taxes.

The option the Fraser Institute is promoting — a tax cut — would also do it.

But it would have to be a whopping one.

To move the marker back seven days in 2001, it took a $100-billion package of federal tax cuts plus hefty reductions in Ontario and Alberta.

It is interesting to note that “tax freedom day” falls a day later this year than last. One might think this slippage is due to Ontario’s new health premium, the run-up in gasoline prices or the surging housing market. It is none of those things. It is just that 2004 was a leap year. In short, “tax freedom day” is not very reliable, is easy to manipulate and of little practical use.

It is clever though. At first glance, it almost seems sound.

‘The Other Dictionary’

By Derwin Gowan Telegraph-Journal

P

eople learning the language can lose it altogether trying to make sense of spoken English.

Paul Bryan discovered this teaching Chinese students in Perth-Andover in the early 1970s.

Students told him, “You have the language in the book there, the dictionary, but you don’t use that.”

So, he began collecting clichés, metaphors, double entendres and idiomatic expressions that make up the language we speak every day.

“I started in 1972,” he says.

DreamCatcher Publishing Inc. of Saint John published his 33 years of work as The Other Dictionary in electronic book form on March 1.

It has something like 11,000 listed alphabetically and crossed-referenced.

He says it would fill 1,200 pages as a regular book printed on paper. The economics of the publishing business forced DreamCatcher to issue it as an ebook.

You can buy it on a disc for $15, or download it from www.dreamcatcherbooks.ca for $9.95.

DreamCatcher spokeswoman Elizabeth Margaris says the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, Rothesay Netherwood School, the National Archives of Canada and the Harvard University all bought copies.

She says one copy went to Beijing to help students struggling with English.

YTV plans to feature The Other Dictionary in a program, Cool Idiom for Back to School, in September.

Margaris says DreamCatcher cannot afford to print The Other Dictionary in book form right now — but would like to.

“This is not going to make any money, real money, until it is printed, and it will cost an absolute fortune to have it printed — it’s a quandary,” she says.

Bryan still collects expressions. “I almost feel like a stalker - you go into Sobey’s and hear two ladies talking, and that’s the richest thing . . . I’ll tell you what’s painful, it’s not having pen and paper.”

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 31

WEEKLY DIVERSIONS ACROSS 1 Sticky mess 5 Dwindling sea of central Asia 9 An Esposito 13 Prov. half covered by forest 17 Author Carrier 18 Prescribed amount 19 Asian Bigfoot 20 Citrus hybrid 21 Prefix for “self” 22 College on the Thames 23 Curved end of hammer head 24 Guitarist Liona 25 Ungenerous 28 Dot follower 30 Fervent 31 Drop the ball 32 Opaque watercolour 36 Region of Italy 39 Abuse 40 Speak without notes 43 Toward the stern 44 Scheme 45 Between gigs 46 Gator’s cousin 47 Russian space station (to 2001) 48 Null and ___ 49 Proposal joints 50 Bill 51 Tuber made into poi 52 Chapter in history 53 Not be straight 54 Need in Nomes

56 West Coast summer time 57 Painter Harris (Group of Seven) 60 Last page 61 Japanese ___ ceremony 62 Poet Roy ___ (2002 GG) 63 Ram 65 Deep, lustrous black 68 “King Kong” actress 69 Twilight, for short 70 French leather 71 Pros and ___ 72 Tropical wood 73 Originally 74 Hoity-___ 75 First word of Alice Munro’s 2001 title 77 Impulsive one 79 Swear like a ___ 80 Fleur de ___ 81 Elaborately adorned 85 Scandinavian rug 86 Excessive movement 89 Singer K.D. 92 Skier’s pick-me-up?

94 Receive wages 95 One year in a trunk 96 Sicilian smoker 97 Longtime caretaker of Parliament Hill cats: “the catman” ___ Chartrand 98 Single entity 99 Rim

Solutions page 32

100 Harbinger 101 Souffle ingredients 102 Fail to hit 103 A couple of bucks, say DOWN 1 Native prairie grass: blue ___ 2 To rent in Rimouski 3 Group of eight 4 Showing the pronunciation 5 Experts 6 French roast 7 Hebrew zither 8 Not strict 9 Author of Lost Girls 10 Pay attention to 11 Mineral: suffix 12 First black Cabinet Minister (1979): ___ Alexander 13 Underwater crew member 14 In the past 15 Roguish 16 Young goat 26 Rebuff 27 Attempt 29 Not in stock 32 Kind of tidings 33 Surrender possession of 34 Hearty’s partner 35 Summers on the Saguenay 37 Stone monument

38 Hairdo of the 60’s 39 Pelvic bones 40 Play the part 41 Colourless 42 Piercing place 44 Any ___ in a storm 47 Domestic 48 May 8th, 1945 49 Flightless N.Z. bird 51 An Esposito 53 Meech or Emma 55 Nose, e.g. (2 wds.)

56 Highest point 57 ___ of Girls and Women (Munro) 58 Needle case 59 Night in Normetal 61 Snare 62 Encounter 64 Inquire nosily 65 Authentic 66 Male swine 67 Aware of (a trick) 68 Author of O Canada in English: Robert Stanley ___ 70 Trapped 72 Play’s domain 73 Tiny gnat 74 Rotate 76 Secret agent 77 The Tragically ___ 78 Brownie ___ 80 Harp-like instruments 82 Actor’s remark to the audience 83 Shade

84 Keen 86 Suspend

87 Indian princess 88 Malay dagger

TAURUS: APR. 21/MAY 21 You’re experiencing cold feet in regards to an important matter, Taurus. It's better if you just close your eyes and take the plunge. Expect support from friends.

GEMINI: MAY 22/JUNE 21 In a bind with a family situation?

Don’t add fuel to the fire by raising arguments. Just keep your opinions to yourself, and this will blow over in no time.

CANCER: JUNE 22/JULY 22 Your finances keep spiraling out of control, Cancer … and it’s not your fault. Unforeseen circumstances are the cause of

the situation. Accept all the help you can get.

LEO: JULY 23/AUG. 23 Someone you live with is becoming impossible to deal with, Leo. Instead of just looking the other way, put your foot down and deal with the situation at hand.

VIRGO: AUG. 24/SEPT. 22 You’re up in the air over a big move you've been hoping to make. The fact is, your potential roommate has backed out of the arrangement, leaving you high and dry.

91 Wind dir.

93 Ask for alms

POET’S CORNER

WEEKLY STARS ARIES: MARCH 21/APR. 20 You’re feeling hot under the collar, Aries, and it's not just because of the sultry weather.

Someone close is pushing your buttons and your temper is on fire.

89 Sign of summer?

90 $ dispenser

bite off more than you can chew.

If the going gets tough, cry out for some help — and don't be ashamed.

SAGITTARIUS: NOV. 23/DEC. 21 You have been trying to make amends with a family member, but this person just won't hear of it. You've burned too many bridges in this area already.

CAPRICORN: DEC. 22/JAN 20 Creativity is the name of the game this week, Capricorn. Put it to good use by whipping up a tasty treat or throwing a theme party for friends and loved ones.

LIBRA: SEPT. 23/OCT. 23 It’s nothing but success, success, success at work, Libra. You can do no wrong in the eyes of your employer. Now is the time to go for that big promotion.

AQUARIUS: JAN. 21/FEB. 18 You’re placed in a new role this week, Aquarius, and it's not one that you relish. Don't fight what's unavoidable — just go with the flow and make the best of it.

SCORPIO: OCT. 24/NOV. 22 Multitasking will be your mainstay, Scorpio. However, don't

PISCES: FEB. 19/MARCH 20 There’s more to that great opportunity than meets the eye, Pisces.

Keep your wits about you before you plunge ahead.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS JULY 3 Tom Cruise, actor JULY 4 Geraldo Rivera, reporter JULY 5 Huey Lewis, singer JULY 6 George W. Bush, president JULY 7 Michelle Kwan, athlete JULY 8 Kevin Bacon, actor JULY 9 Tom Hanks, actor

REGRET (Dedication from Dad)

By Lillian Palfrey With fond regret, I saw your boyhood days slip by, and yet My heart was proud and glad of you, For you held all the dreams I knew.

You’d enter the gate of my fairyland; You’d be the other “me” I planned; You’d scale the ladder for me too high; In you I’d have another try.

Your childhood ways I must forget With fond regret.

With deep regret, You joined the ranks of men, and yet, My head was higher the day you went, To fight for freedom and a world content.

I see you now in your Sailor Blue, Proud of the job you had to do.

The message is blurred, though steady my hand, It reads—(Oh, I hope you know and will understand, You have reached the highest goal I set)— “With deepest regret …

A 1944 poem from the book, Poems of Newfoundland, edited by Michael Harrington.

32 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS

Raptors ponder roles for draft picks Mitchell certain Villanueva, Bosh will mesh on court

By Doug Smith Torstar wire service

Villanueva, who will have to shake off a reputation as a great talent ome day soon, with little confidence and when the stress of work ethic, is equally the NBA draft has uninterested right now on dissipated and the how he’ll fit in with Bosh, fatigue caused by endwho late last season less meetings and videoemerged as the team’s tape sessions has finally best player and most left him, Toronto effective offensive force.

Raptors’ head coach Sam The 20-year-old Mitchell will sit down Villanueva says he with pencil, paper and expects to learn a lot from that creative mind of his playing alongside the 21and start scribbling, tryyear-old Bosh. ing to figure out how to “I think we can really best make use of bookcomplement each other,” end Raptor big men. he says.

Just not right now.

Raptors’ general man“Can you give me a ager Rob Babcock, who day? Do I have to think got his coach almost about it right now?” an everything he could have exasperated Mitchell in the draft with a big man jokes when the pressing (Villanueva), an athletic issue of the team is preswingman (Joey Graham) sented to him, when he is and a young point guard asked and asked and (Roko Ukic), said the asked again how he’ll character of both manage to use Chris Villanueva and Bosh Bosh and Charlie should make the job of Villanueva on the basmeshing easier. ketball court at the same “If they were both selftime. ish players, you might “A day, that’s all I’m Toronto Raptors' forward Chris Bosh (4) is fouled by Atlanta Hawks' forward Al worry,” says the general asking for,” he implores. Harrington during their NBA game in Toronto, March 11, 2005. REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski manager. “But they’re not, Sorry, Sam. Inquiring, they’re both unselfish and confused, minds want to know. than ended the season in Raptor uni- players, they’re team guys so they’ll The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Vil- forms last April. Toronto had bits and it figure out how to complement each laneuva, chosen seventh in the NBA had pieces but it didn’t have enough other, and Sam will figure out how to draft on June 28 and trotted out for the players and if Mitchell has two, well, put them together.” media at the Air Canada Centre the next for him that’s nothing more than a good Villanueva will have to figure out day, sent the minds of fans racing about start. how to silence the critics who’ve just what role he’d eventually play.

“Both of them can step outside, both dogged him for years, questioning his Along with the 6-11, 235-pound of them can play inside, both of them desire and his level of confidence. But Bosh, one of the league’s emerging can guard people a little bit bigger than he says he’s not worried because he’s young stars, the Raptors now have two them, both of them can put the ball on been maturing ever since he decided it players with much the same skills and the floor, both of them can shoot it,” would have been foolish to go right it’s going to be on Mitchell to eventual- Mitchell says, rattling off the skills from high school to the NBA draft and ly make it work. associated with Bosh, and now went to Connecticut, where he played in But for now, all the coach wants to Villanueva. one of the NCAA’s most successful prodeal with is the fact he’s got double the “Nobody screams and yells about grams and for a coach, Jim Calhoun, number of promising youngsters he had who’s going to play centre and who’s who wouldn’t abide slackers. when the 2004-05 season ended. going to play (power forward) when “I think two years in college definite“They’re both basketball players, Rasheed (Wallace) and (Antonio) ly helped me a lot,” he says. players,” the coach says. “I think that’s McDyess are out there for Detroit,” the “I was a kid coming out of high the goal, isn’t it? To get basketball play- coach adds. school who thought he knew it all but ers.”

“I always thought it was our job to get didn’t know how to work hard. Each That is the goal, and that was one of the best, most talented players and let year, I’ve been getting better and I the glaring deficiencies in the roster them play.” believe in myself.”

S

JULY 3, 2005

Argos find themselves still in no-man’s land Domed monstrosity by the lake doesn’t work for football

By Dave Feschuk Torstar wire service

T

he Toronto Argonauts spent most of the past couple of years telling the world they desperately need a new stadium.

And when you thought about the alternatives they were dangling — a move from their old concrete canyon to more intimate digs, first at the historic site of Varsity Stadium, later at York University — it was hard not to buy what they were selling.

Which sports fan didn’t get a little giddy seeing head coach Pinball Clemons standing among the weedy ruins of old Varsity, wearing a pastel-blue pinstriped suit and waxing eloquent about the soon-to-be-built sanctuary of sport at Toronto’s intersection of academia and commerce?

It wasn’t as simple as aesthetics, of course. And after the Argos pulled out of the York deal, this after the Varsity plan fell apart, selling a new season in an old stadium doesn’t seem so simple, either.

At the domed monstrosity down by the lake, after all, almost everything’s the same but the name, the Rogers Centre, which replaced Skydome in the winter. And all the tweaks in the world — the kneefriendly new turf, the sharper jumbo video screen, the giant tarpaulins, printed with images of Argo greats from Dick Shatto to Doug Flutie, that now cover nine sections of the nosebleed 500 level and look a mite better than empty seats — can’t change a design that simply doesn’t work for football.

All that mattered little to the announced crowd of 30,712 at last week’s season-opening tilt against the B.C. Lions, a rematch of last year’s Grey Cup that attracted the largest gathering for a home opener since 1992. “It’s awe-inspiring,” Clemons says of the Rogers Centre. “It’s a remarkable facility … I think we’ve been downplaying it in the past. I think it’s back.”

For the size of throng, give the Argos credit. Outside the dome, in the pre-game lead-up, there were drum troupes pounding and rock bands riffing and an atmosphere that said, “Game Tonight.” Inside there were smoke machines and laser lights and pre-game pyrotechnics, exploding on the occasion of the unfurling of Toronto’s 2004 Grey Cup championship banner.

Never mind that the actual playing of actual football, to the stadium’s architect, was an afterthought. Never mind that even the fans who pay for the best seats, considering the vast no-man’s land between the sideline and the first row of seats, need laser eye surgery to read a jersey.

Never mind that while the cheerleaders shake their pom-poms in halter tops and miniskirts, the majority of the crowd needs a telescope to get excited about it. But some of the building’s flaws are rendered moot by a crowd and its buzz and its noise. The trick is to keep the big gates coming, and it’s not that the Argos aren’t trying.

There were nice touches last week.

Long-time season-ticket holders, for instance, were on hand to help present some of the players with their Grey Cup rings. One of them, Michael Regan, was representing a family that has owned Argos seats since 1940.

Not that anyone would have been thinking about the club’s pair of false-start pack-ups if it weren’t for last week’s gentlest of reminders.

There was that prominent ad, blaring over the speakers and blasting from the video screens, for a moving company. And then there was that promo from a certain purveyor of subdivisions — “Tribute Communities. A Better Place To Live” — providing the power of suggestion.

A better place to live? The Argos still need one, even if they’re suddenly telling the world they most definitely don’t.

‘A great experience’ From page 36 learning experience, hoping to pick up a few tips from current pros like Michael, Ryan Clowe and Harold Druken.

“Playing with guys who’ve played in the pros before and know what it takes to get there will be a great experience,” Daniel says. “Listening to them around the dressing room, seeing how they handle themselves on and off the ice — every thing helps when you’re trying to move up to the next level.”

Michael agrees that up and coming players such as his younger brother, Ted Purcell and Wesley Welcher can learn from guys who’ve been in their shoes before. He says the league — featuring the who’s who of hockey players from the province — also helps guys like himself who need to be ready for action if and when the NHL lockout ends.

“It’s a league for us to get on the ice in a pretty competitive atmosphere. It helps us get in shape and get a feel for playing hockey again before training camp,” he says. “I don’t know how many fans will show up, but if they do they’ll find it entertaining. There should at least be a lot of goals.”

As for when the NHL lockout will end, Michael insists he really doesn’t know much more than regular fans.

“You probably know more than me,” he says with a laugh. “All I know is what everybody is seeing on TV.” If the lockout continues into the fall, Michael says he will most likely return to Leksands IF. Daniel’s future is much more certain, as he heads back to Peterborough in late August for his third season with the Petes. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca Solution for crossword on page 31

A LITTLE OF YOUR TIME IS ALL WE ASK. CONQUERING THE UNIVERSE IS OPTIONAL. Think it requires heroic efforts to be a Big Brother or Big Sister?

Think again. It simply means sharing a few moments with a child. Play catch.

Build a doghouse. Or help take on mutant invaders from the planet Krang.

That’s all it takes to transform a mere mortal like yourself into a super hero who can make a world of difference in a child’s life. For more information...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland 1-877-513KIDS (5437) www.helpingkids.ca

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 33

Wells has yet to deliver as leader Jays need a lot more from their big star

Toronto Blue Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells dives to catch a single hit by Baltimore Orioles batter Chris Gomez during the first inning of their American League game in Toronto, June 21, 2005. Orioles baserunners Miguel Tejada and Sammy Sosa scored on the play.

REUTERS/Mike Cassese

By Richard Griffin Torstar wire service

A

lthough he claims to value the role, Vernon Wells is still not the team leader the Toronto Blue Jays expected after Carlos Delgado left town.

But cut him some slack. Even though the Gold Glove centre-fielder has four years of service, he’s still a rookie at the art of clubhouse responsibility.

“I say things when things need to be said and I try to keep this clubhouse as light as possible,” Wells says in describing his idea of leadership. “We have a good time in here. We have a young group of guys. It’s a matter of keeping everything in perspective. Go out and play the game the right way and whatever happens, happens.”

It’s easy to talk the talk, but when it comes to walking the walk of a real leader,

the 26-year-old Texan stumbled badly twice in recent weeks. The first negative incident came on June 22, an episode that prompted Jays’ general manager J.P. Ricciardi, on the FAN radio, to criticize Wells for a perceived lack of hustle tracking down a hit to centre field that Baltimore’s Miguel Tejada legged into a double.

“Whether you’re swinging the bat or not, you still have to go and play defence,” Wells says, in denying discombobulation or lack of effort. “That’s something I take pride in even though I guess, nobody wants us to make any mistakes out there.”

The other failure was more subtle — unless you were in the dugout. During Toronto’s June 25 defeat, Frank Catalanotto failed to stretch a single with his team trailing by four. He was excused because the Jays were struggling and needed to be aggressive. Okay, we’ll buy that.

But earlier in the same game, when aggressive running by Wells would have served as a shining beacon to fire up his teammates, he came up 90 feet short. With Wells on first and nobody out, Shea Hillenbrand beat a ball into the ground, just inside third base. Wells broke as the ball headed leisurely for the corner with the bounding rhythm of Pepe LePew chasing Cherie the cat.

The hit caromed off the padded wall and out into deep left field, where Marlon Byrd fired to the infield. Instead of being on third, Wells was inexplicably on second. An acrobatic outfield catch and another hit later, the Jays failed to score and were on their way to a loss. After the game, even Jays coaches were baffled by the lost 90 feet. Young players need to see effort from their leaders.

By June 26, Wells seemed to be back in

Analysts talk lots, say little

By Chris Zelkovich Torstar wire service

O

ne might assume, given the sheer volume of words spewed out by sports analysts on an average weekend, that there would be enough quality comments to fill several editions of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations.

Sadly, this is further from the truth than the Toronto Raptors are from wearing championship rings. What we wretched viewers are normally served are several helpings of the obvious, a side dish of lame attempts at humour and a dessert comprised of mealymouthed excuses.

Take, for example, the comment made during the June 27 Confederations Cup game as a Mexican player prepared to take a penalty kick: “He won’t want to miss at this juncture of the penalty shootout.”

At which juncture would anyone want to miss, exactly?

This was in the same league as CBC football analyst Chris Walby’s comment on June 25 as Toronto Argonauts’ receiver Arland Bruce was being helped off the field: “He does not like being carried off the field. Nobody does.”

Thanks for the clarification.

That’s why we can all rejoice when analysts do make strong or entertaining comments.

Walby redeemed himself after B.C. quarterback Dave Dickenson took his second straight hard hit. “We’re talking about whether (backup QB) Casey Printers will get in the game,” Walby said. “He’ll be in this quarter if Dickenson keeps running like that.”

The NBC tennis crew of Ted Robinson, Mary Carillo and John McEnroe shone as Serena Williams was upset at Wimbledon.

“I’m shocked at how unprepared and out-of-condition Serena is,” noted McEnroe, who seldom sheaths his sword.

Robinson humorously underlined the magnitude of Jill Craybas’ defeat of Williams. Noting that Craybas had $800,000 in career earnings, Robinson quipped, “That’s an endorsement deal for Serena.”

NBC analyst Johnny Miller, as always, was quick to call a spade a spade during the U.S. Women’s Open on June 26. This is unusual in golf, where the words “bad break” are whispered reverently after somebody shanks one.

Here’s what Miller said about Lorena Ochoa after she blew a chance at victory by hooking her drive into the water on 18: “I hate to use the word choke but that’s what that was. She probably hasn’t hit one like that since she was six.”

When young Morgan Pressel struggled, Miller told viewers, “She’s got the Roberto Duran hands of stone right

now.”

Some might consider that cruel, but Miller was right. The problem with being fearless in commentary is that you’re eventually certain to say something stupid, as Miller did after Birdie Kim made an improbable bunker shot to win.

“Morgan Pressel just got robbed,” he said, as if somehow the young American was destined to win. His comment looked even dumber when Pressel bogeyed the 18th, making Kim’s miracle shot unnecessary. But at least Miller and the good analysts aren’t afraid to make strong statements.

sync. On a hit to right, he sprinted hard around the bases. With a runner on second in the ninth, he lined a single and, moments later, advanced when a pickoff throw hit him in the back and bounded away.

“We’ve got to win, that’s the bottom line,” Wells says of the schedule between now and the all-star break.

This guy is an enigma when it comes to leadership. It has become apparent that for the last two seasons, Wells was not merely deferring leadership to the more senior Delgado, he was happily pushing away from the captain’s table.

He wants to be there, but leadership is not merely about being most talented. It’s about how you use that talent to make your team and teammates better. He has special ability but as the Jays spin their wheels, that is not enough of a contribution from their biggest star.

?

E E S U O Y O D T A WH We see an unsecured Wireless Network.

Wireless Networks are 64% ofnotallsecured correctly.

Call today to get your network secured.

For expert solutions call 1-877-MY NERDS or visit www.nerdsonsite.com

34 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS

JULY 3, 2005

X-posure vs. cash at Games

CAPTAIN MARIO

By Jason Abelson Torstar wire service

“We work closely with our sport organizers and monitor prize money offered at other events to set our purse appropriately,” ESPN spokesperson Melissa or anyone who makes their living riding an air- Gullotti says of the $1.2 million awarded at the 2004 borne board or bike, ESPN’s X Games still X Games. dominate the growing action sports calendar.

Even with NBC’s upstart Dew Tour offering comEighteen hours of live coverage on ESPN and ABC petitors a purse of $3.5 million — money that is transform teenagers into household names and week- spread over five four-day events — the X Games still end afternoons into prime turf for advertisers eager gives away more money than any single action sports to tap into the mother of all demographics, the 12-to- competition.

24-year-old male.

But according to a former X Games champion who But with the popularity of these athletes growing wishes to remain anonymous, the Dew Tour is far with the TV revenue generated by their sports, grum- more equitable when it comes to distributing its blings are emanating among the money. kick-flipping and tail-whipping elite “The Dew Tour really stepped it about the distribution of purses at up with the type of money they’ve the X Games, which this year run “If you’re just riding come up with,” the source says, Aug. 4-7 in Los Angeles. “and they guarantee that everybody for the purses, According to the network, estabreceives $1,000 per event.” lished events at last year’s X Games What the X Games does, howevyou’re not taking featuring fields of 10 athletes (i.e. er, is give these athletes exposure skateboard vert) paid $50,000 (all they can’t get elsewhere, which, full advantage of figures U.S.) to the winner, $16,000 according to 10-time X Games for second and $11,000 for third. medallist Brian Deegan, is more what the X Games Newer or smaller events (i.e. FMX valuable than purses.

Step-up) paid $25,000 for first, is offering.”

NOT SEEING ‘BIG PICTURE’ $12,000 for second and $10,000 for third.

“These guys aren’t seeing the big Brian Deegan Winners walked away with picture,” Deegan says. “I’m going to absolutely no complaints. But for be able to retire off the X Games some of those not on the podium, because what they’re giving us is past X Games expenses far exceeded what ESPN media exposure. If you’re just riding for the purses, doled out as purse minimums. As recently as 2003, you’re not taking full advantage of what the X Games some events had minimum payouts of only $250. is offering.

“Exposure means endorsement deals, licensing “Considering how valuable a property the X Games are, ESPN should be better compensating deals, shoe deals, toy deals, video games. I mean, all these athletes … The purses are so insignificant in that is out there, you just have to go out and get it.”

ESPN has released the list of invited athletes for relation to $30,000 appearance fees that these guys can make,” says Rich Swisher, who represents six August’s X Games. Leading a small but powerful freestyle motocrossers slated to appear at the X Canadian contingent is Montreal vert skater PierreLuc Gagnon, a seven-time X Games medallist.

Games.

Joining Gagnon is Burlington-born street skater “Don’t get me wrong, ESPN does a phenomenal job and produces great television, but they’ve never Mark Appleyard, Thrasher Magazine’s 2003 Skater been forced to pay these guys properly, so they of the Year and a fourth-place finisher at his first X Games last year, and two wakeboarders: Rusty haven’t.”

ESPN, which has yet to announce its 2005 X Malinowski of Humboldt, Sask. and Chad Sharpe of Surrey, B.C. Games prize pool, sees it differently.

F

Team Canada captain Mario Lemieux leaves the ice following Canada's 3-2 World Cup victory over Finland at the final of the World Cup of Hockey in 2004. Late last week, Hockey Canada invited Lemieux and 35 other NHL players to its Olympic team orientation camp, which takes place Aug. 15-20 in Vancouver and Kelowna, B.C. If he is healthy enough to play, Lemieux will captain the Canadian squad, just as he did at both the World Cup and 2002 Olympics.

Mike Blake/Reuters

Second-tier league is more entertaining From page 36 For me, last Saturday night (June 25) was just about perfect. I was sitting on a comfortable couch — hot piece of pizza in one hand, beer in the other, and in front of me a big screen TV featuring week one of the 2005 CFL season.

I know the CFL is not the most elite football circuit in the world, but it is the only second-tier league that is actually more entertaining than the one ranked above it — in this case the ever boring National Football League.

In the spirit of throwing some much deserved praise toward the most underrated league out there, I present the top five reasons I’m excited about the 2005

CFL campaign.

No. 5: Damon Allen. He’s almost 42 and a grandfather, and is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. A living legend if I ever saw one.

No. 4: The battle for top spot in the east. Montreal and Toronto have slugged it out for Eastern Division supremacy in each of the past three years. This season will be no different and should be even more fun to watch.

No. 3: The great quarterback controversy — part one. The Eskimos already had a fine quarterback in Jason Maas before Ricky Ray returned from the NFL. Now they have two legitimate No. 1s, and it’s only a matter of time before

something hits the fan in Edmonton.

No. 2: The battle for top spot in the west. Edmonton, B.C., and Saskatchewan all have what it takes to win the west, so watching who comes out of this three-team dance will certainly be mustsee TV. No. 1: The great quarterback controversy — part two. If you think Edmonton has a quarterback battle on their hands, take a look at B.C. As of week one, last year’s league MVP Casey Printers was a backup to 2003 MVP Dave Dickenson.

Neither man will be happy as a No. 2, so there could be fireworks in B.C. before the season is over. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca

JULY 3, 2005

INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 35

‘Thrill of the sport’

Touch football is popular with women; six teams take to the field in local league

Elaine Doyle of The Heat

By Darcy MacRae The Independent

T

o the surprise of many, football is quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in St. John’s — for women.

Touch football to be exact, there’s no hitting.

“Every time I tell someone I’m playing football, they’re like, ‘Do you mean soccer?’” says Pamela White, vice-president of the Coors Light St. John’s Touch Football League, and four-year member of the Renegades.

The local touch football league began

Rhonda Hayward/The Independent

in 1981, but the women’s division didn’t start until 11 years later. These days it has six teams full of women with athletic backgrounds as impressive as their male counterparts — and just as competitive.

“The men’s division and the women’s division do not differ in the amount that the people want to win,” White tells The Independent. “When we take the field, we want to win. It’s recreational, but we want to do well.”

The women’s division attracts its share of elite athletes, such as Michelle Healey, a star player with the MUN SeaHawks basketball team in the early to

mid 1990s. She joined the touch football league six years ago, and last year led Hickman’s to the women’s division championship.

Healey was in fine form during Hickman’s season opener June 26 versus the Heat, showing her skills as quarterback. After using three consecutive long passes to get her team in scoring range, Healey took the snap and immediately saw two Heat defenders racing her way.

Not one to panic, Healey kept her composure and began bobbing and weaving her way around her opponents, buying herself enough time until she

could heave a pass toward the end zone, where it landed in the waiting arms of receiver Sue Hickman for a touchdown.

“That’s part of the thrill of the sport,” Healey says.

The former Sea-Hawk’s grace at quarterback would lead you to believe she has played the position all her life. But she only became a quarterback when there wasn’t anybody else on her team interested in the spot.

“Being a basketball player that always liked to have the ball in my hands in the last couple of minutes, quarterback sounded like a good position to try,” says Healey, who now works in

Memorial’s athletic department.

The touch football league is popular with former basketball players since both games rely on similar skill sets such as running, catching, and throwing.

“Defence in basketball can be compared to football — watching other players’ movements to tell what’s going to happen — especially if you’re playing one-on-one or zone,” says Sue Stratton, the Heat’s quarterback.

With so many quality athletes playing, many games are close and are often decided by just a few points. With rosters so similar in talent, the outcome of each game is often dictated by who calls the best plays.

“A lot of the teams have been playing together for a while and are getting similar in terms of the calibre of talent on their team,” says Melissa Struthers, who plays for the Renegades. “The games are a lot closer, and that’s where strategy comes into play.”

Strategy was clearly on the minds of the Heat during half time of their game with Hickman’s. Rather than sit down and rest, the team huddled together and went over plays to try and make a comeback against Hickman’s. Although the new plays didn’t work — they lost 38-6 — their pursuit of victory is consistent throughout the league.

“Everybody is out there because they have team spirit and they want to win,” Stratton says Once the game is over, players from both teams are quick to shake hands and wish each other well. Much like the men’s division, they often grab a drink together before heading home, adding to the ever popular social aspect of the league.

“It could be as simple as hanging around on a Saturday to watch another game after your game is over,” says Stratton.

Many of the women playing in the league are married and have children.

Quite often their husbands and kids come to watch them play, and are usually impressed. For the players, they’re more than happy to show that football is clearly not just for men.

“It’s just so much fun,” White says. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca

INDEPENDENTSPORTS

SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 3-9, 2005 — PAGE 36

Michael (front) and Daniel Ryder

Paul Daly/The Independent

Ryding high Ryder brothers Michael and Daniel take their summer hockey to the Xtreme

By Darcy MacRae The Independent

T

he Ryder brothers may be at different stages in their hockey careers, but their paths are crossing this summer in St. John’s.

Michael and Daniel Ryder are teammates for the first time as they suit up for Team Blue Star (a squad comprised of players from their hometown of Bonavista) in the Xtreme Summer Hockey League, an opportunity both are very much looking forward to.

“It’s nice. We’ve only played shiny hockey together before,” Michael Ryder tells The Independent. “It should be a lot of fun this summer.”

Michael, 25, and Daniel, 18, played their first game together on June 28 when Team Blue Star challenged Team Budweiser at Feildian Gardens. They demonstrated instant chemistry, teaming for several nice plays throughout the game, including a pair late in the second

period.

The first play saw Michael receive a long pass at the opposition’s blueline before instantly chipping the puck directly to the stick of his younger brother, who was skating at full throttle. Daniel carried the puck as far as the faceoff circle before hitting Michael with a picture perfect, no-look drop pass that the eldest Ryder one-timed with a powerful slap shot.

Although goalie Dan Lacosta got a pad on the shot to make the save, he couldn’t stop the Ryder brother’s second highlight-reel play a few minutes later. This time Michael corralled a bouncing puck at his team’s blueline and turned sharply while holding off a defender with one hand and controlling the puck with the other. He then spotted Daniel at the far blueline and hit the streaking centre with a tape-to-tape pass that sent the 18-yearold in all alone on Lacosta. Daniel then beat the Team Budweiser netminder with a quick deke, scoring his second goal of the game.

The brothers were quick to celebrate after the goal, reminding those in attendance that there is indeed a special bond between the two.

“It’s going to be a good experience for both of us,” says Daniel.

The Ryder brothers are coming off successful seasons, although they were literally miles apart. Due to the NHL lockout, Michael suited up for Leksands IF in the Swedish second division, leading his team in scoring with 48 points in 32 games. The club also qualified for placement in the Swedish elite league next year, a fact that made the season all the more special for Michael.

“It was a good experience. I really enjoyed it,” he says. “The team treated me really well. The guys on the team welcomed me right away, they were a great bunch. I’ll never forget the experience.”

Daniel completed his second season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes, picking up 82 points

in 68 games. His performance landed him a spot in the Canadian Hockey League’s prospects game in Vancouver, and caught the attention of hockey scouts around the globe.

“I was pleased. I want to get better every year, that’s my goal,” Daniel says.

The younger Ryder is eligible for this year’s NHL draft, which will take place as soon as the current labour stoppage ends. Should the draft eventually go ahead, Daniel is expected to be a secondround pick. According to his older brother, he has all the skills to make it in the big leagues.

“He’s already really good and he’s only 18 — he’s still got a lot of room to develop and improve,” says the older Ryder.

“Hopefully there is a draft and he gets the chance to show what he can do at another level.”

Daniel plans to use his time in the Xtreme Summer Hockey League as a See “A great experience,” page 32

No shortage of passion here

I

t takes a lot more than talent to get to the top. Sure, every elite athlete and team has plenty of it, but to be truly successful, it takes something more.

What I’m talking about is passion.

Take a good look at any successful athletes, and I guarantee passion plays a big role in their achievements. For further proof we need not look any further than our own backyard.

Rod Snow is the first who comes to my mind. At almost six feet tall and weighing about 270 pounds, the Mount Pearl native

DARCY MACRAE

The game had the size and talent to be a successful pro rugby player for more than 10 years.

But, believe it or not, there are more than a few people out there with similar size and talent and they never played a professional sport.

What separates Snow from the rest is his drive to be the best player possible.

I wouldn’t blame anyone for asking why I’m so confident in saying that, considering I never saw Snow play pro rugby in Wales. But after just one look at the big man at a Rock practice last week, it was obvious Snow is a passionate athlete.

I’ve seen other retired pro athletes return to the amateur side in the past. In most cases, they showed little or no emotion once they took the big step down.

But judging by the way Snow hustled

around Swiler’s Field recently on two aching knees, it’s clear he intends on competing to the best of his abilities for The Rock.

After so many years as a pro, Snow has nothing to prove in the world of rugby.

But the passion that made him a pro is the same passion that drives him to give it his all in practice when his body in no doubt telling him to take it easy.

Snow isn’t the only athlete from this province with that kind of passion. Others include Darren Langdon, Mark Tobin,

Amanda Hancock, Michael Ryder, Ron Boland, Jason King, Michelle Critch and Joey Smart — all of whom have overcome hurdles of some sort en route to personal success.

Athletes from this province are definitely not short on talent, and judging from what I’ve seen in the three years I’ve lived here, their abilities are outshone only by their dedication and passion for the game.

See “Second-tier league,” on page 34