VOL. 3 ISSUE 30
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ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR — SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 24-30, 2005
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WWW.THEINDEPENDENT.CA —
OPINION PAGE 11 AND 19
BUSINESS 29
Michael Harris on doomsday clock; Noreen Golfman on Rooms fiasco
Scademia skipper considers move to Petty Harbour
‘Our own first’
Rainbow Rock On eve of Gay Pride week, St. John’s seen as open and accepting; rural needs work By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
M
embers of the local queer community say St. John’s is a gay-friendly city — but there’s still room for improvement. This week’s Gay Pride celebrations — Out on the Rock — kick off on Monday, July 25 with a rainbow flag-raising at City Hall, a press conference and, later in the evening, a private, goodwill reception hosted by the city to promote cultural diversity, tolerance and human rights. The gay and lesbian community has a lot to celebrate this year. Just last week the same-sex marriage bill was given royal assent and made law. On a local level, the Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Health Centre recently appointed a co-ordinator for LBGT (Lesbian, Bi, Gay, Trans) issues, with a focus on young people. There’s even a gay adventure cruise set to visit the west coast of the island in August. The province seems to be tolerant when it comes to gay politics, but how does it match up to the rest of Canada? “I can’t imagine anywhere that I’ve ever been in the world where it’s more of a non-issue than St. John’s,” says Leonard Clarke, owner of the gay-friendly bed and breakfasts, Abba Inn and Gower House. “I have never heard of anybody hassled or embarrassed or ridiculed … and I’ve lived downtown, I’ve worked here for 30-odd years. It’s never been an issue. I’m just amazed that it isn’t an issue, it’s such a controversial matter in other parts of the world.” Clarke, who grew up on Bell Island, says his customers, for the most part, are middle-aged, gay and lesbian couples from across Canada and the rest of the world, and they usually have only good things to say about their visits. He adds all the bed and breakfasts in the city are gay-friendly. At the end of the day, it’s just good business sense. “That’s a big chunk of the clientele. I mean you’re talking about people with two incomes and no children with a lot of disposable money. They’re being targeted by everybody now with a brain between their ears.” Gemma Hickey, a tireless local advocate for gay and lesbian rights and the new co-ordinator at the sexual health centre, agrees St. John’s is
Andy Wells says his new job — if he gets it — would be to deliver the offshore oil industry to domestic control CLARE-MARIE GOSSE
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o date, the process of selecting a new chairman for the CanadaNewfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board has taken 18 months and cost $100,000 — an amount split by the federal and provincial governments, government sources say. Under the Atlantic Accord Implementation Act, if both levels of government fail to agree on a chair after three months of consultations, the matter will be decided through binding arbitration involving a three-person panel. Premier Danny Williams still hasn’t received an answer from Prime Minister Paul Martin regarding his recommendation of St. John’s Mayor Andy Wells for the position, but Wells tells The Independent public support has been “shocking. “If the will of the people of Newfoundland matters at all in this process, clearly the people of Newfoundland would want me in this position, there’s no question about that. That’s not just idle braggadocio, that is the fact.” By pushing for Wells and turning down the short list of the company hired to do the Canada-wide recruitment, Williams is exercising his right under the act. He’s also declaring he wants to see serious changes made within the C-NLOPB, which was first set-up 20 years ago to administer the provisions of the Atlantic Accord. In the board’s fairly short history there have been only three chairmen. For almost four years in the mid 1990s, the position was filled on an acting basis by then vice-president John Fitzgerald. He was relieved by the most recent chair, Hal Stanley, under the Tobin administration in 1998. Stanley retired in May 2004 but the process See “C-NLOPB yet to issue,”page 2
Glenn Nuotio and Mikiki, a drag queen, on Water Street in St. John’s.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “(John) Efford weirds me out.” — Columnist Ivan Morgan, see page 7
WORLD 12
Holy Land postcards
Vera Perlin fought for the education and rights of mentally disabled
Editor’s note: Second in a series of articles on the top 10 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians of all time. The articles are running in random order, with a No. 1 to be announced at the series’ conclusion.
SPORTS 40
ven in 1950s Newfoundland and Labrador, John Perlin says it was not considered “socially acceptable” to have a child with a severe mental or physical disability. “People were ashamed of having children like this, it was like there was something wrong with you,” he says. “Parents — even middle, upper-class people, would tether them like dogs on a rope in the back garden because there was no system to deal with it.”
Life Story . . . Paper Trail . . Events . . . . . . Gallery . . . . . Crossword . .
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10 10 21 28 35
See “Rural Newfoundland,” page 5
‘Mover and shaker’
Newfoundland products doing well in liquor stores Local tennis player Sarah Entwisle is a reluctant star
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
STEPHANIE PORTER
BUSINESS 29
Andy Wells
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Looking back, it was a demeaning, even criminal state of affairs — one that Vera Crosbie Perlin, John’s mother, did much to amend. Vera started the first school for children with special needs in St. John’s in 1954, and became a pioneer in education within this province and throughout North America. In the face of apathy and much misunderstanding, Vera offered an opportunity for people with mental and physical disabilities to become proud, productive and contributing members of society. She became a leader in advocacy for the rights of the mentally disabled — rights that are still being fought for, and met, by the Vera Perlin Society today. When The Independent’s panel debated the list of contenders for Our Navigators, Vera Perlin’s name was unanimously agreed-upon for the top-10 list. See “A very formidable person,” page 2
2 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
JULY 24, 2005
‘A very formidable person’ From page 1
cator.” The panelists agree Vera influenced the entire school system of Newfoundland and Labrador — and broke new ground on a national scale with her vision and accomplishments. “She was a mover and shaker in her own right,” says Golfman, “but she also represents the thousands of women of this province who have been caregivers, educators, and progressive thinkers, improving the quality of life for everyone.”
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John Perlin, still involved with the dren between ages six and 18, the asso- hearts would sink because we knew we society his mother started half a centu- ciation had a dozen branches and class- were going to be nailed. ry ago, has no trouble recounting the rooms in the province. Vera, born in November, 1902 to Sir details of his mother’s work. In the early ’70s, the association — John Crosbie and Lady Mitchie Manuel “Think back to 1954,” says John, who which has since been renamed the Vera Crosbie, was one of 13 children. She would have been about 20 at that time. Perlin Society — began offering servic- died in December, 1974. “There was nothing, very little being es for preschool children, and then, At Perlin’s funeral, Reverend Curtis done for children with disabilities.” later, adults. Work and further commu- gave a tribute. It was reprinted in the After Confederation — and the nity integration programs evolved Daily News later that month. arrival of baby-bonus cheques — many According to John, Vera was known “The picture I have of Mrs. Perlin of the orphanages in the province to be a “very formidable person, and today is not that of a person giving lip closed up. Vera, who was on the advi- God help anyone who got in her way. service only to a worthy cause, but of a sory board of the United Church “Ministers trembled, but they busy woman with many interests, a orphanage (on Hamilton wife and a mother,” he said. Avenue in St. John’s), recog“Using her own car day after nized the majority of children day to transport little children still coming through the church to the classroom and home system had disabilities — again and, when the need “orphans” because their famiarose, province the wherewithlies didn’t know how to cope al for other essentials. with the challenges the children “Vera Perlin’s faith was presented. expressed in action and service Vera was determined to fight to humanity was her life’s for these children. She persuadmotto.” ed the church to help fund the Perlin’s work was recogfirst experimental class in the nized formally — she was bottom of the old orphanage, declared the first Citizen of the and hired Mollie Dingle, a Year by the local Junior retired teacher, to help. Seven Chamber of Commerce in students took part in that first 1962 and Newfoundland class. Woman of the Century by the “She knew nothing about it,” National Jewish Council in says John. “But her view was, 1967. A year later, she was even if (the children) had a disgiven the Order of Canada, and ability mentally, for the most in 1970, she was granted an part they could be taught the honourary doctorate of law difference of right from from Memorial University. wrong.” Thirty years after her death, Although there was virtually Vera Perlin lives on in the no North American research or Vera Perlin Portrait by Helen Parsons Sheppard. Courtesy of John Perlin many services and programs information on the kind of eduoffered by the Vera Perlin cation she was leading, Vera travelled respected her. If she was feeling the Society and affiliated organizations to the United Kingdom, where there government was not doing what they around the province. were many models to draw on. should be doing, then she’d trot into Today, the society offers services in Even so, says John, “they winged it, different offices and make her case three main areas: career development, they really had nothing to go by.” known.” employment and community living. It’s But it seemed to work. The first year John says he never saw that side of a broad range of advocacy and proof school was a success, and the follow- his mother — even the portrait of her, gramming, encompassing everything ing September, Vera opened a second which hangs in his dining room, makes from workshops in tax season to supclass. Needing to expand further, Vera her look more severe than he remem- ported employment programs to The purchased a house on Patrick Street in bers. Button Shop (a contract-based employ1957. Vera also founded the first home- er of up to 15 individuals) on Her husband, Albert Perlin, and his school association and was president of Pennywell Road. There is also a sucWater Street associates raised funds; the parent-teacher association for all cessful career education program the parents of the students stepped up to the schools. offered through the College of the help with the renovations. “My mother always had an interest North Atlantic. “They were so ecstatic about the fact in the community,” John says. “She Madeline Myers, manager of the somebody cared,” says John. “They was very concerned that there was no community living division, says the were tireless in helping her.” school lunch program. I can remember whole organization, at peak periods, Vera tackled every obstacle thrown slugging in cases of Campbell’s soup provides service for some 300 people her way. Her schools began to operate into the basement and we used to dread — and the Vera Perlin Society is, she classes around the island and in it.” says, the only organization to offer Labrador. In 1957 the Newfoundland Vera also worked with the Women’s broad-ranging, day-to-day services to Association for the Help of Retarded Patriotic Association, which produced mental health clients. Children was incorporated; in 1966 a all sorts of knitted goods. If anything “I’m sure if Mrs. Perlin were around bigger, all-purpose building was wasn’t up to snuff, the knit would be today she’s be really pleased with the opened on Pennywell Road in St. unraveled, the wool washed, and then progress that’s being made.” John’s. reballed. Judges selecting Our Navigators In 1971, when the provincial govern“We hated it,” John says with a include John Crosbie, John FitzGerald, ment finally assumed responsibility for laugh. “We’d walk in and the big sink Noreen Golfman, Ray Guy, Ivan the education of mentally disabled chil- was full of wool to be washed and our Morgan and Ryan Cleary.
C-NLOPB yet to issue penalties From page 1
to replace him started four months earlier. After Stanley retired, Fred Way — said to be a potential candidate for chairman — assumed the post in an acting capacity and has been there ever since. During Atlantic Accord negotiations the process was put on hold, but by February this year — with no agreement on a candidate — the governments decided to proceed with the competitive process and hired Robinson Surrette, a human resources firm. Advertisements were posted Canada-wide and out of 19 applicants, 12 were selected by both governments for interviews, with the intention of whittling the number down to five. Instead, the province decided to put forward its own candidate. Wells, with a potential municipal election on his hands in just two months if the C-NLOPB job falls through, says the issue is hanging over him. But — “as long as Danny Williams wants me there in that position, I’m sticking with him. “He wants someone there who’s going to be strong in terms of the Newfoundland point of view … oil is one of the most important issues that
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we’re facing — how we’re going to use this resource, to create jobs and opportunities for our people. “He wants somebody in the room that’s going to be taking a good strong stand in favour of our own first.” Wells says despite the many “rackets” he and Williams have had in the past, the premier obviously respects him. “You don’t live in the past; you can’t be fighting yesterday’s battles … what’s past is past. You’ve got to move ahead. So here we are.” Aside from elevating the openness and transparency of the C-NLOPB, Wells says as chair his mandate would be “to transform the industry from foreign control to domestic control. “I always use the analogy of the cowboy hats in Aberdeen (Scotland). When I was in Aberdeen first … you saw lots of cowboy hats and I went back, I don’t know, seven, eight years later and I didn’t see any. So what happened over time is that the industry had been transformed so that the local people were running the show substantially.” When Wells strolled into a downtown bar eight years ago and started chatting with local oil industry expert Cabot Martin about the problems in the offshore, little did he know how that
chance meeting would shape his future. Months later the City of St. John’s, headed by Wells, took the board and the Terra Nova companies to court for failing to live up to a benefits plan agreement to secure engineering jobs and resources in the province. Shortly after, Wells commissioned Martin with $20,000 to compile a report on the offshore, entitled The City of St. John’s and the Challenge of Oil. “(Martin’s) probably the most knowledgeable man in this province … he’s been a tremendous influence on me,” says Wells. “Probably the best $20,000 dollars we’ve ever invested.” Under a chapter in the report called “Relations with the C-NOPB,” Martin states the importance of better regulating offshore developments. “The first step in that process would be to create more openness at the C-NOPB; to have more of its decisions made in public. Such public access is generally considered beneficial to the workings of other regulatory bodies.” To date, the board has yet to issue any official penalties against oil companies in the province and the investigation into last year’s Terra Nova oil spill is still “active,” according to board spokeswoman Simone Keough.
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3
Swingin’ By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
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Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
He shoots, he scores Pregnancy rate up in most areas of province during NHL lockout By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
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t’s safe to say that in the absence of Hockey Night in Canada men have been paying more attention to their wives as the province’s birth rate — indeed, the country’s — is on the upswing for the first time in years. Kim Walker says her husband Phil, thirdassistant coach with the Chicago Black Hawks and native of Buchans, definitely had more spare time this past hockey season. Though the couple, married for six years, had planned on having children eventually, Walker says her pregnancy was a bit of a surprise. “It wasn’t either sort of thing (planned or accident) it was just the way it worked out,” Walker tells The Independent. “As my husband says, that’s what happens when there’s no hockey and you’ve got too much time on your hands.” Apparently the Walkers weren’t the only ones spending a little more time together during the NHL lockout that started last fall. She says she knows of at least five other couples — all involved in hockey — who have either added a new bundle of joy or will over the summer. And that’s not including players or other people in the hockey players’ union who the couple weren’t allowed to talk to during the lock-out. “They are involved with hockey, but I’m not sure if there’s a direct correlation or not, but you know it’s kind of funny that all these people are (pregnant),” Walker says. “My husband joked and said I bet there will be a baby boom this year. It’ll be interesting to see in September and October when everyone gets back to work just how many babies. “Someone even e-mailed me this song, it was like to the rhythm of Time of Your Life, but it said ‘I guess I’ll have to spend more time with my wife,’ but basically saying that on Saturday night there’ll be no Hockey Night in Canada. Viewers aren’t left out of the rising number of presumed NHL-lockout babies. Dr. Franklin Kum, a gynecologist and obstetrician in St. John’s, says there has been an increase in the number of babies born on the Avalon Peninsula between spring and summer this year. “Over the last several years the birth rate has been either stable or falling, but this is just a bit of blip we’ve seen. Now what we can attribute it to, who knows,” Kum says.
“Across Canada we have seen a slight blip upwards in our birth rate.” Labrador and the Northern Peninsula also saw an increase in births over last year. Over this past spring and early summer 73 babies were born in area hospitals, while in 2004, there were 41 babies born. In central Newfoundland, there were actually fewer babies born. In fact, the number of births over the spring and early summer has dropped to 90 from 107 over the same time last year. Numbers for the island’s west coast weren’t available as officials with the western health authority didn’t return The Independent’s calls by the press deadline. Kum says a change in peoples’ routines often makes them a little more amorous. “Anecdotally, if you’ve noticed in the years when they’ve had like, say for example, when they’ve had a big blackout in New York, the following nine months there was a big surge in their birth rate.” So, he says, it’s only reasonable to assume that when hockey season was halted, husbands began to “pay a bit more attention to their wives. “Canadians are more fanatical about their hockey. Now, I don’t think it applies to the States — the market there for hockey isn’t as good as here.” Walker has begun packing to head back to Chicago this week, where she will have her baby girl by the end of August. She says it will be difficult when her husband, who’s worked with the NHL for 18 years, goes back to a seven-day a week job. “So for us I guess it was just having him around more was just unusual. Suddenly to have him home was somewhat novel,” she says, adding she should have planned for the baby to be born in September. “I’m prepared to sort of do a lot of this on my own and with family help.” Walker says she’s unsure if the lack of hockey last year had that much to do with the number of babies being born, but at least many of those women will have their husbands home on Hockey Night in Canada this year. “In our case, I know when hockey season starts it’s seven days a week … and for a lot of women I’m sure that Saturday evenings — especially if they’re diehards — it’s Hockey Night in Canada. “Being Canadian it’s kind of almost like a religious (thing) sitting home and watching hockey on Saturday night.”
ublic hangings were once all the rage in St. John’s, as thousands of people would converge in an area known as the Gallows Gallery between Water and Duckworth Streets to witness the deaths of convicted criminals. “These (hangings) always had a powerful attraction for people. And, after that, the executioner would cut his rope into a few inch (pieces) and would sell that and people would line up to buy them,” historian and author Jack Fitzgerald tells The Independent. “There was kind of a morbid fascination for this kind of thing.” Public hangings were once conducted “out the courthouse window.” A scaffold would be set up outside the courthouse so the condemned wouldn’t have a long walk to the gallows — a tradition brought over from England. Fitzgerald says hangings were later moved to the penitentiary. For the last five executions in the province, he says people would line the banks of Quidi Vidi in hopes of catching a glimpse. The rules were different in those days (mid-1700s to mid 1900s), Fitzgerald says, adding there were 222 offences a person could be hanged for. “If you stole property value of more than $40, at that time, you could be executed. There was even an offence for burning coal — at one point coal had been outlawed for burning in England. “When you look at our justice system it “These (hangings) seems very harsh, always had a but more often these cases, which powerful attraction for didn’t involve murder, the people. And, after that, the judges opted for executioner would cut his transportation and they would rope into a few inch (pieces) send them out of here and they and would sell that and wouldn’t be alpeople would line lowed back here no more.” up to buy them.” Fitzgerald says condemned prisonHistorian and author ers were branded Jack Fitzgerald with an R on their hand — symbolizing the word rogue — and if they ever returned they could be hanged. Fitzgerald began collecting information about hangings in Newfoundland when he was working on an assignment about capital punishment at university, only to discover there was no documented one of the more popular books, Ten Steps to the Gallows, a synopsis of history of execution. Since then he’s written at least a all the hangings recorded in the province, and hopes it will be availhalf dozen books on crime. He’s currently working on the able in stores by Christmas. But for all his interest in the stoexpanded and updated version of
ries of executions, Fitzgerald doesn’t favour capital punishment. “I don’t think it acts as a deterrent. Most places that have it, it doesn’t affect their crime rates from what I can see and most crimes are in passion — they’re not planned and they usually result from the availability of a weapon.” Hanging wasn’t as quick and easy as it looks in the movies, where a person drops down and dies instantly, says Fitzgerald. Some were decapitated by the rope; others strangled for minutes before death. “It was this kind of bungling that brought about the abolition of public hangings because they were grotesque enough and when they were bungled there’d be a reaction against the authorities.” Then there was the additional sentence of gibbeting. The hanged body would be wrapped in chains and hung in a particular place to serve as an example. Gibbett Hill on Signal Hill was one place a body would be hung so men on boats coming in the harbour would know to keep out of trouble. Fitzgerald says people were generally compassionate towards the condemned come hanging day. “You know now that this person is going to meet death at a certain time … and there’s all these last minute visits with children going to the penitentiary for last visits with their father. The mood sort of shifts and … often there’s cries that they shouldn’t have been executed.” But who would want to become a hangman? “Believe it or not, there’s people lined up for that kind of thing. They had a school in England for that. They (hangmen) saw it as a duty to the state.” He says hangmen were paid fairly well. While most people made about $10 a week in those days, Fitzgerald says hangmen from Canada would bid on jobs. One man bid $100, plus expenses, and another bid $90 on a particular hanging, but the job eventually went to a man on Bell Island. One hangman, brought in for the hanging of Herbert Spratt, the last hanging in Newfoundland, was very short and needed a stool to be able to put the rope around his neck. “When he got here, the prison warden had presented him with a rope and he looked at the rope and he said ‘Put that away, I’m not hanging an elephant,’ and opened his briefcase and he had his own rope.”
HANGING FACTS • There have been less than 30 hangings in the history of the province, mostly for murder. Three were women and all but five were hung in a public square. • Catherine Snow was the last woman hanged in the province. She, her lover and her cousin were convicted of murdering her husband. Both men hanged months before Snow, whose execution was delayed until she gave birth to her eighth child. • A man from Quidi Vidi was hanged, along with two other men, for killing a cow that wasn’t theirs. The man’s wife identified his knife and sent him to the gallows. • A group of people, including mastermind Eleanor Power, broke into the house of a judge and killed him. She was hanged, along with her husband, at the current location of
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the Fortis Building in downtown St. John’s. • Wo Fen King killed three Chinese laundryman and injured a fourth before trying to shoot himself. The country went to great expense bringing in interpreters and King’s last request was for the head tax he had paid to get into the country be sent to his wife. The request was denied because of the cost of his trial. • Patrick Geehan was hanged for murdering his wife. While prisoners were to be buried on the grounds of Her Majesty’s Penitentiary, many were transferred when the prison was renovated. Geehan’s body was never found. • William Parnell was the last man hanged, for killing Josephine O’Brien, in 1942. The last person sentenced to hang was Melvin Young in 1965.
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4 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
JULY 24, 2005
Almost 19,000 tonnes of cod taken last year By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
being released to the media. “We are not going to discuss that with you right now,” she says. hile fishing cod in most In March, The Independent reported waters off Newfoundland the federal government had pegged the and Labrador is illegal, for- catch of illegal species — including eign and domestic fishing fleets har- cod and American plaice — by foreign vested just under 19,000 tonnes last fleets in recent years at 15,000 tonnes. year in bycatch or incidental catches At that level, DFO Minister Geoff outside the 200-mile limit. Regan has said fish stocks face “virtual Johanne Fisher, executive secretary destruction” in as little as three to five of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries years. Organization (NAFO), which monitors Meantime, it has been announced fishing on the high that a food fishery will seas, admits the estitake place in waters mates are not precise. off the south coast — At the same time, she from Cape St. Mary’s tells The Independent to Burgeo — from bycatch levels are the Aug. 1 to Sept. 15. A lowest in at least two recreational or food years. fishery won’t be Canada is reported allowed in waters off to have taken most of the northeast coast or the bycatch, just Labrador again this Jan Woodford, under 16,000 tonnes. year. (There hasn’t Almost 11,000 tonnes spokeswoman for DFO been one since 2002.) of that amount were During a Thursday harvested from meeting in Clarenville, waters off the island’s south coast. fishermen decided to take to the water France took the second most cod in an illegal protest fishery off the bycatch (2,300 tonnes), followed by northeast coast on the morning of July Portugal (279 tonnes) and Russia (98 30. They plan to catch up to 10 codfish tonnes). each. Officials with the federal Department Fishermen say there’s enough cod for of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in St. a food fishery as long as there’s no John’s refused to release estimates on abuse. the amount of cod taken illegally inside Officials with the province’s or outside the 200-mile limit. Fisheries Department have said the Asked the amount of cod alone taken terms and conditions of a food fishery in Canadian waters, Jan Woodford, are up to DFO, however, they would spokeswoman for DFO, says it “would like to see consistent rules regarding not be appropriate” to speculate. licences in all areas of the Atlantic As for outside, Woodford says DFO provinces where a food fishery is perdoes asses “non-compliant activity,” mitted. but the 2004 analysis isn’t yet complete In southern Nova Scotia there are no and when finished will be handed over seasonal restrictions, no licence fees to NAFO’s scientific counsel before and no tags.
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Peter Harbin, Neil Conway, Alana Felt and Matthew Carpenter
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Local Green Team hits airwaves to promote environmental awareness
T
he fight for environmental awareness and social justice has hit the St. John’s airwaves. A Newfoundland and Labrador Conservation Corps Green Team is promoting the issues on a weekly show on CHMR, Memorial University’s campus radio station. Team members Alana Felt, Neil Conway, Matthew Carpenter and Peter Harbin say they hope to get the message out there are serious concerns in the province that should not be ignored. “A lot of people are in denial and don’t want to accept that we’re ruining our environment,” Felt says. The Green Team will run six live shows this summer (the next show is slated for July 25 at 3 p.m.), with 12
pre-recorded shows airing later in the fall. Topics include recycling, composting, conservation, and cultural and youth issues, although the central theme will be climate change. “We’re creating a lot of these topics ourselves, coming up with a topic for each show,” Carpenter says. “It could be anything from helping consumers make smart purchasing to help the environment, to recycling and wet lands.” Green teams are the flagship program of the Conservation Corps, which has been working across the province since 1993, providing youth with environmental and cultural-heritage related jobs and training, while assisting community-based organizations, corpora-
tions and municipalities with their conservation activities. Organizations apply to the Conservation Corps for a Green Team, and in the case of Felt, Conway, Carpenter and Harbin, the organization to which they were assigned was the Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Network. Many of the up to 30 other Green Teams in the province work outdoors, cleaning and maintaining the environment. But the CHMR team is getting the opportunity to serve as an environment and conservation communications team, using interviews to educate the public on what has to be done to keep the air and water clean. — Darcy MacRae
“We are not going to discuss that with you right now.”
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
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EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 2005 September 18 - 30
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SHIPPING NEWS
K
eeping an eye on the comings and goings of the ships in St. John’s harbour. Information provided by the coast guard traffic centre.
MONDAY, JULY 18 Vessels arrived: Vizconde De Eza, Spain, from sea; Alguscotia, Canada, from Dartmouth; Maersk Chignecto, Canada, from Lewis Hills; Alex Gordon, Canada, from Canada; ASL Sanderling, Canada, from Halifax; Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova; Maersk Nascopie, Canada, from Hibernia; Atlantic Osprey, Canada, from Marystown. Vessels departed: Oceanex Avalon, Canada, to Montreal; Algo Scotia, Canada, to Lewisporte; Atlantic Osprey, Canada, to Terra Nova. TUESDAY, JULY 19 Vessels arrived: Maasdam, Dutch, from St. Pierre. Vessels departed: Maersk Nascopie, Canada, to Hibernia; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, to Terra Nova; Alex Gordon, Canada, to Lewis Hills; Asl Sanderling, Canada, to Halifax; Maasdam, Dutch, to St. Pierre. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20 Vessels arrived: Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova; Maersk Chancellor, Canada, from White Rose; Maersk Nascopie, Canada, from Hibernia; Winchester, Canada, from Petit Forte. Vessels departed: Maersk Placentia, Canada, to Rowangorula III; Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Canada, to sea. THURSDAY, JULY 21 Vessels arrived: Jean Charcot, United Kingdom, from Sea; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, from Terra Nova; Anticost, Canada, from Orphan Basin; Atlantic Osprey, Canada, from Terra Nova; Hudson, Canada, from sea; Cabot, Canada, from Montreal. Vessels departed: Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, to Terra Nova; Viscond De Eza, Spain, to Flemish Cap; Atlantic Eagle, Canada, to Terra Nova. FRIDAY, JULY 22 Vessels arrived: Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada, from Terra Nova; Cicero, Canada, from Halifax; Jim Kilabuk, Canada, from Laurentian Basin. Vessels departed: Atlantic Osprey, Canada, to White Rose; Maersk Nascopie, Canada, to Hibernia; Cabot, Canada, to Montreal; Atlantic Kingfisher, Canada to Terra Nova; Maersk Chancellor, Canada, to White Rose; Ann Harvey, Canada to sea.
JULY 24, 2005 By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
F
ire commissioner Fred Hollett says residents with heavily insulated homes should be aware of the dangers of exterior wall fires following a major house fire off Paddy Dobbin Drive in east end St. John’s earlier this month. The July 9 fire — which “totally destroyed” 2 Brighton Pl. and spread to two neighbouring properties — broke out at around 1:30 p.m. and consumed the structure in little more than an hour. The homeowner was using a small, hand-held blowtorch to replace an outside water valve. Hollett tells The Independent the soldering heat against the metal pipe was probably conducted through the wall and ignited the unprotected, extruded polystyrene insulation behind the siding. Despite having a fire extinguisher on hand and the rapid response of firefighters, the home was quickly engulfed in flames and thick smoke covered the residential area. “The heat was probably conducted … into that three-quarter inch gap between the vinyl siding and the Styrofoam,” Hollett says, “and once the fire took hold on the interior of that narrow opening, three quarters of an inch, then that was a perfect, perfect recipe for a real good fire, that chimney-like effect up through that cavity all the way through.” There were no casualties as a result of the blaze, although the owner received minor burns to his hands. Hollett says 2 Brighton Pl. was built to code as an energy-efficient home. Such houses are constructed as tight envelopes that reduce fuel consumption, primarily through the installation of high levels of thermal insulation and
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 5
‘Totally destroyed’
underneath.” Both homes on either side of 2 Brighton Pl. were also damaged, but both had wood sheeting under the siding — not polystyrene. “Based upon the radiant heat damage to the vinyl siding of No. 3, I would offer to you that if the face of that structure had of been Styrofoam there would have been a more serious problem with
that one as well. The one to the north, I would add, right on the corner, had wood sheeting under the siding. “As opposed to wood sheeting, the Styrofoam breaks down and melts and becomes fuel, it drips, it contributes to fire spread.” Hollett says the rapid destruction of No. 2 was an unusual case and because there have been no other similar incidents, the issue isn’t causing too much concern. He adds a small amount of gas leakage from a propane tank also exacerbated the fire. “It’s not raising alarms with us right now. I mean obviously the only thing I would say to anyone, be careful if you’re doing things around your home … that involves use of torches or something, then be careful. “We have not seen a series of fires in the homes; nothing that prompts us to track anything.” The National Research Council of Canada records national building and fire codes, but Ron Waters, an evaluation officer with the council, says there are no specific requirements for flame spread (how far and how fast a fire will spread). Monty Hunter, the owner of 2 Brighton Pl., is still reeling from the shock of the fire and finds it hard to talk about. “I was totally devastated by what happened …I thought it went up amazingly quickly, you know, but I’ve never been involved in a house fire before,” he says. “It was a fright, but thankfully at the end of the day we counted all the heads and we had all the heads and we got out, and you know the neighbours were affected, but they seem to be OK and the whole neighbourhood has rallied around us … the support that we’ve gotten has been tremendous, overwhelming.”
couple of people, but it wasn’t enough that their co-ordination and balance was off enough to impair them.” That doesn’t make driving after smoking a joint safe, he says. Statistics, complied in 2002, show that 1.5 per cent of Canadian drivers used marijuana within two hours driving a vehicle. Further, a Quebec study has shown that in 19.5 per cent of driver fatalities in that province cannabis was detected. “(With) Cannabis your reactions are slowed and the biggest thing is the decrease in inhibitions so it’s causing you to do stuff you wouldn’t normally do so you’ll drive faster you’ll make decisions based on stuff your body wouldn’t normally make decisions based on.”
MacIntyre says the danger is comparable to drinking and driving, but the driver would be less likely to stagger or slur. He says the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving recently released a new educational video called Not ready to go about driving stoned. The video depicts a true story about a group of friends in Ontario who got into two cars after getting high and began leapfrogging or passing one another on the highway. Five teenagers were killed and four more injured. “So to say marijuana is safe and people don’t take risks, I have a hard time believing it because we’ve seen lots of guys on the road, and more so with younger people than older people I’d say.”
Fire commissioner warns homeowners with heavily insulated homes to be ‘careful’ with exterior work involving heat
Fire recently destroyed a house in east end St. John’s and damaged two others.
energy efficient windows and mechanical systems. Foam insulation, once ignited, burns rapidly and emits a dense, black toxic smoke. A popular method of insulation, Hollett says the material doesn’t usually pose a problem because most house fires start on the interior, meaning the insulation is shielded by gypsum and wallboards and the flames can be con-
tained before penetrating through. Unfortunately, that’s not what happens when the fire starts on the outside. “Homes of this construction that are exposed to exterior fire, there’s obviously a greater opportunity for a serious fire to get a grip on the structure as opposed to the conventional construction,” Hollett says. “My home is vinyl siding alright but it’s wood sheeting
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Don’t smoke dope and drive By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
D
on’t bother lighting up that joint before getting behind the wheel. RCMP officers are being trained to recognize drug use — from marijuana to PCP — using roadside sobriety tests. Const. Pete MacIntyre, an RCMP drug expert, says getting high and cruising around is not only a “bad thing,” but carries the same $1,000 fine and a one-year suspended licence for driving under the influence of alcohol. The Independent reported on June 3 that police have a hard time distinguishing if a driver is under the influence of marijuana, which can linger in
the body for a month at a time, because the only tests available were blood and urine tests. MacIntyre recently completed a new drug-recognition program, designed in the United States in the 1970s, to help officers determine whether drugs were used by a driver on the spot. Since his training, he says he’s already pulled over three drivers who were under the influence of drugs. “We do the three standardized fieldsobriety tests, which is your horizontal gaze … test, your walk-the-line, or walk-and-turn test, and your one legstand test and then we measure everything from your blood pressure to your body temperature, heart rate, right on down to pupil size,” MacIntyre tells The Independent.
“Standardized field-sobriety tests are what will give an impairment level, based on the results of those tests, and then the rest of the tests will help us determine what drug category they’re in.” OFFICER’S DISCRETION He says the decision to follow through with a charge is up to the officer at the scene and the results of the standardized testing. A blood or urine sample is used only to back up the results of roadside tests. Of the three drivers MacIntyre has pulled over, one was charged and pled guilty and the other two weren’t charged. “They may have had one joint or they may have had a joint between a
Rural Newfoundland has a long way to go From page 1 “very gay friendly.” Through her position heading the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of Canadians for Equal Marriage and as president of Newfoundland Gay and Lesbians for Equality, Hickey is a wellrecognized and often controversial public figure. “I do receive harassing calls at home and at work,” she says. “I have been threatened and I do get called names walking down the street sometimes, but there has been a lot of support too.” Hickey says her next challenge is to push gay and lesbian issues through the health and education systems. Although St. John’s is fairly accepting, there is a lot of apathy and she says rural Newfoundland and Labrador still has a long way to go. “People have identified me and called me as a person of support. What happens is, I’m hearing that there’s a number of gay and lesbian people who live in these rural areas who experience harassments and threats and who just don’t report it because they’re not out of
the closet and they’re afraid that if they do report it, they do come out, then the abuse will increase.” She adds many young people leave the province for the open gay communities in cities like Toronto and Montreal. Glenn Nuotio, co-organizer for Gay Pride week, says if he had come out while in his hometown of Grand FallsWindsor, it would have been “very tough. “I came out myself in Montreal when I was 23,” he says. “So I sort of entered into a queer community before I actually became one. “My family, now, they’re very accepting. I think my family raised me in a town that was a great town to grow up in, but not a great town for youth to come out in — this was the mid ’80s, I graduated high school in 1990 — I don’t think it would have been easy.” Nuotio is a well-known songwriter and performer in the St. John’s arts community. Although he’s been in a serious relationship for seven years, he says there are probably still a lot of people who don’t know he’s gay. “One thing I’m concerned about in organizing this (Gay Pride) or helping
to organize … it’s also kind of made me think about my own closet politics and I sort of think well there are people who, you know, might think differently of me now that they know I’m out.” He says many gay, lesbian and trangendered people in St. John’s don’t recognize there’s a local queer community — let alone straight people. “I know a lot of gay and lesbian people that people know are gay and it’s just not discussed and they don’t discuss themselves. “Whether it’s accepted or whether it’s considered tolerated, I’m not sure. I think in Newfoundland we don’t as a society talk about sexuality anyway.” This week’s celebrations — including talks on the history of local gay and lesbian culture, the ever popular annual drag race, a queer ball, the Pride march and a family all-ages picnic — will hopefully go some way towards bridging the social gaps. The city’s first alternative lifestyle dance bar is also set to have its grand opening this Saturday, July 30. The bar, called Curious on George, is located above Roxxy’s and Jungle Jim’s. Nuotio says an important part of the
week is to support the diversity of the city’s queer community, which is made up of young, old, wealthy, poor, creative and professional people alike. “I think there are amazing people who have very high regard in this town and are known by name and by face and they contribute a lot, a lot, to what’s happening in the community, within
every professional capacity. “I think that Newfoundland, in some ways, although we’re outgoing people, I don’t think we really stand for too much flamboyance. So it’s OK to be a certain way and it’s OK to live in a small town and live a gay lifestyle and even have a gay partner, but just don’t talk about it. Hopefully things like that will change.”
6 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
JULY 24, 2005
OUR VOICE
Inspired genius H
allelujah … and pass the ammunition. I think I’m starting to feel like a fan of the Boston Red Sox last year when the curse of the Babe was being lifted. When I heard the news that Danny Williams had asked St. John’s Mayor Andy Wells to be the provincial nomination for head of the C-NLOPB, I literally stopped in my tracks. What inspired genius, Mr. Williams. I cannot think of a better individual to ask to serve the province in that capacity. To those of you outside the City of St. John’s, you may have seen Andy as the feature performer in the St. John’s city council vaudeville show, playing weekly. But Andy is much more than that. He is a passionate Newfoundlander and an intelligent man who will not have things spoon-fed to him. He is not afraid to ask why not or get the information he does not know, and he will make sure that if benefits from our oil industry are leaving the province, there will be a damn good reason for it. It may take a little over-acting at times, but that’s what makes the nomination so appropriate. Andy is not afraid to
BRIAN DOBBIN
Publish or perish scream, and we need someone to scream. Just to revisit the importance of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, after the Supreme Court of Canada told us we, in fact, do not own the oil off our coast, the feds gave us the board as a means to ensure we got spin-off benefits from others taking the oil from us. It is a 5050 partnership in principle, with the chairman, therefore, playing a very important role in the actions of the board. To my knowledge, in the billions and billions of dollars of contracts awarded for harvesting our oil, there has not been one cancelled by the CNLOPB for a lack of Newfoundland benefit. To illustrate, I offer a personal story: when Hibernia was looking for helicopter services, I created a helicopter alter-
nate in Conception Bay South that was required by the successful bidder. After having my services carried by all bidders, I wasn’t overly concerned when a Nova Scotia company won the contract. Even though they had used our proposal to beef up their required Newfoundland content, we were told immediately afterwards they would be doing it themselves. Trying to get the C-NLOPB to take any stand or offer any recourse on this small matter was like trying to punch out a marshmallow as big as your house. What I think the C-NLOPB became is a glorified paper stamper, and a residence for party people and long-time bureaucrats — not unlike the reward of the Canadian Senate. Nice salary, good benefits, no stress. Needless to say, it is not surprising that Wells doesn’t appear to be the feds’ choice for board chairman. I have heard they would prefer Rex Gibbons. From what I know of Gibbons, he is a very well educated and personable man, and I’m sure he would have a good knowledge of the offshore industry matters through his extended stay as Mines and
Energy minister during the Clyde Wells years. But just one thing: remember one of my previous columns about how we gave away the industrial ground we had gained with Hibernia by allowing Petro-Canada to ignore a gravity-base system (big concrete mountain, high local benefit and some degree of environmental safety) in favour of a FPSO (built at lowest bid in an Asian shipyard bigger than most cities, and let’s cross our fingers and hope it’s environmentally sound)? Well, Gibbons was the senior person in the Newfoundland government responsible for charting our course during a lot of that backwards movement. If I were looking for a harbour pilot, I would not be interviewing the captain of the Exxon Valdez. What is really interesting is that if there are two nominations, there is a long and involved process of arbitration to decide who the chairman will be? I beg your pardon? The whole point of the board is to look after our benefits. The premier of the province has nominated the mayor of our largest city,
arguably the man who received the most direct votes in our choice of who to locally govern, and it is not acceptable to the federal government? OK people, now we have a flashpoint. All of you who have ever raised your voice to complain about how our benefits have been robbed from us, here is your chance to yell about something that will truly make a difference. The C-NLOPB is the tool we were given to get some of the billions generated by our offshore oil to circulate directly around the economy. It means more car sales, and better restaurant revenues. It means more retail and more taxes. It means better health care and better public wages. If there is going to be a fight over who gets to direct the actions of an entity that is designed to protect our interests, we had better make sure we get involved. There is no excuse for inaction or apathy, and there is no better cause, right now, right here, than this one. This may involve getting some protest going — at the very least let your federal member feel the heat.
YOUR VOICE Only townies can work in town — where will regionalism end? Dear editor, I’m getting really tired of this “homegrown” mentality (Marine Atlantic hires Alberta firm to shoot local images; photographer irate, in the July 17-23 edition of The Independent). I experienced it when I moved to Hamilton, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if it prevails in every town in North America, the exceptions being Toronto and New York — cities that graciously open their arms to everyone, regardless of their provenance or employability. Newfoundland has a famous reputation for hospitality, too. When I moved here in January (for family reasons), I discovered it’s mostly reserved for tourists — those who will come here, spend their money and then leave — not for those who have come here to live and “steal” its preciously scarce jobs. Where would any of us be, if our ancestors had been treated that way? “This land” was not always “our” land. We are a nation of people who have “come from
away” (in most cases, Europe, and now Asia). It’s one thing to restrict newly arrived immigrants from “taking away a job from a Canadian” (although I’d prefer they worked rather than collect welfare), it’s another thing altogether to make a distinction from one Canadian citizen to another. Wouldn’t Mr. (Eric) Walsh be upset if he or his son or daughter applied to a job in Alberta (for which they were fully qualified) only to be told the job is open only to Albertans? And where will the “regionalism” end? Only people born in St. John’s can work in St. John’s? Only people born in Corner Brook can work in Corner Brook? I can remember when women weren’t allowed to even enter a bar, never mind work in one — and it didn’t matter whether they were “local” or not. I’m sure glad we got past that bit of nonsense. Diane Wells, St. John’s
Question the fear mongering Dear editor, How do you prepare yourself psychologically to be blown up by a terrorist? That is the question I would like to ask Anne McLellan. I suppose we could all become paranoid, seeing potential terrorists on every subway trip, on every boat, on every airplane, behind every tree. What would that do except to allow terrorism to achieve its objective? We should all be willing to question this kind of fear mongering and the motivation behind it. There is always a “chance” terrorists might attack Canada. There is also a chance that your house could catch on fire, or that you could be killed in an automobile accident, but that does not mean either will happen. We should not be expected to spend our time worrying constantly about any of them. There is also another possibility. The government is deploying our troops to an area where and at a time when the level of resistance in
Afghanistan is expected to increase. This will potentially increase the risk of terrorism here in Canada. Reports of “incidents” here in Canada have suddenly been provided to the media. Both could be a means of stirring up fear, on the one hand, and anger, on the other, to increase acceptance of the need to adopt U.S. security standards and integrate our economies. There are Canadians who are ready to succumb to whatever arbitrary power the government wants to exercise in the name of security. If Canadians can be made to feel insecure more will accept arbitrary rule and deep integration will take place without debate. We need to be vigilant. The biggest danger may not be from terrorists but from a government seeking to manipulate public opinion in favour of its integrationist agenda. Phyllis Wagg, Nova Scotia
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.
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Raggedy Dan and Andy A
ndy Wells and the weather, isn’t there anything else to talk about? Well, yes, there is, but to hell with that — no one wants to hear it anyway. Andy this, and Danny that; the outports are most definitely done when all Newfoundland has to talk about are two townie corner boys. But then that’s what happens when half the population moves to town or on its doorstep. It’s just what midJuly needs anyway, a topic with legs to carry us through to Regatta Day and the headlines from the pond. The relationship between Danny and Andy has had its highs and lows; the two weren’t always Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid taking on the federalies. There was a time, in the early ’90s, when Danny would drive by Andy’s house, ever so slowly, in hopes the then-deputy mayor of St. John’s would peek his head out the door so Danny could let him have it with a dirty look. Danny even went on TV to make a public plea for volunteers to deliver Andy the “shit knocking” he had coming. Danny would have done it himself, only he couldn’t punch his way through his law degree. Andy and Danny didn’t speak for years after that, which isn’t surprising. The premier has a tendency to flick on the ignore switch when pissed off. In recent times they’ve been cordial enough — no backstabbing; no frontal assaults either. But then the two have been otherwise occupied: Danny with the Accord; Andy with wrapping a cord around Paul Sears’ political neck. Wells loves to stir the pot. Nothing wrong with that, except the mayor of St. John’s likes to throw in a strip of flesh torn from his council enemies. That’s not to say Wells won’t venture outside City Hall now and then to mix it up. The year was 1998 and thenMunicipal Affairs minister Art Reid was in hot water for telling MHA
RYAN CLEARY
Fighting Newfoundlander Sheila Osborne to go back to the kitchen where she came from. Reid was attempting, desperately, to endear himself to women’s groups everywhere — his mistake was tearing a page from John Crosbie’s handbook. The story would have died with the apology, but Andy let it be known that Reid apparently had a track record of inappropriate remarks about the opposite sex. The way Andy told it, he met with Reid one day and the then-minister broke the ice with a sledge hammer.
If Paul Martin doesn’t agree to Wells’ appointment to the C-NIDOG that looks after the oil industry there will most definitely be hell to pay; if Ottawa agrees with Wells’ appointment to the C-NIDOG there will be hell to pay. Around about the same time, Andy had a regular TV panel gig with Noreen Golfman (page 19 in this week’s Independent). According to Andy, Reid asked him whether he had “f——- her yet” — her referring to Noreen, the dash referring to letters that make up a word that will go unpublished. And so off this reporter went to the House of Assembly to put the question to Reid whether he had ever asked the
deputy mayor of St. John’s if he had “f——- her yet.” Interviewed outside the legislature, the blood drained from Reid’s face when the question was put to him. He stopped a public relations director walking by and asked him to turn on his tape recorder. Reid denied making any such remark. And that was that, until the next morning when the story ran on the front page and Brian Tobin announced a surprise cabinet shuffle. Reid was gone. Andy had a new Municipal Affairs minister to deal with, which was all right with him, because he didn’t like the old one. The moral of the story is Andy isn’t one to tangle with — and neither is Danny. The two are street fighters who don’t know what it is to lose, which is where the mutual respect comes from. Their fight never came to blows because both knew only one would come out alive. If the federal government thought it had its hands full with the flag flap, it ain’t seen nothing yet. If Paul Martin doesn’t agree to Wells’ appointment to the C-NIDOG that looks after the oil industry there will most definitely be hell to pay; if Ottawa agrees with Wells’ appointment to the C-NIDOG there will be hell to pay. The one question that wasn’t answered during last year’s tussle with Ottawa was what Danny would do if the federal government held out. With the flags down, what else could he do to force Ottawa’s hand? Danny had a plan; he just didn’t share it with the world. Backs to the wall, both Danny and Andy will push the separatist card. If Ottawa was smart, it would open its heart to Raggedy Dan and Andy and make all our dreams come true. Ryan Cleary is managing editor of The Independent. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 7
‘I love it when Danny sticks it to the feds’ Odds are Ottawa won’t agreed with Andy Wells as chair of C-NLOPB — which is why he should get the job
B
ored? Go to Google and type this in: Newfoundland Telephone Co. v. Newfoundland (Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities). It was a court case where the phone company sued Andy Wells because he had the gall to say their executives might be the teensiest bit overpaid. Makes for terrific reading. I’ve read a lot of court cases. Take it from me, you don’t often laugh out loud. I laughed out loud a few times reading this. Now Danny Williams likes Wells for chair of the CanadaNewfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board. Absolutely! I can see why Danny wants him. Love him or hate him, Wells is a strong advocate for the City of St. John’s and its economic health. He is someone who will speak his mind. He has a strong personality and he will want to get his way — which will be our way. Such was certainly the case when he was on the Public Utilities Board and
IVAN MORGAN
Rant & reason made a sport of roasting complacent utilities executives whose only corporate decision was to stick it to the rate payer and collect hefty benefits for themselves. They hated his guts, which of course endeared him to me forever. The C-NLOPB was set up under the Atlantic Accord to overlook and administer the implementation of the agreement between Newfoundland and Ottawa. It’s a pretty important board. It’s been pretty quiet up to now. I bet things won’t be near as quiet if Wells heads it up. I think that would be great. Danny might want Wells for the job, but the federal government apparently does not — another excellent reason why he should get the appointment. I cannot see Ottawa being in a hurry to
YOUR VOICE ‘Hostile takeover’ of The Rooms Dear editor, time (former AGNL director Patricia Only two weeks after its spectacu- Grattan was also “let go” after years lar opening, where hundreds mingled of working on the concept of The and enthusiastically praised the work Rooms) sends a particularly damaging of three institutions, the director of the message to working artists in the Provincial Art Gallery, province. That is, while formerly the AGNL, has culture is heralded by been fired. government as a symbol Gordon Laurin, who of our pride and history, was hired less than 18 a reason for visitors to months ago to bring the come, and even to build gallery through difficult a strong economy, how times and prepare for its the government treats its opening in its new spacultural workers is an cious quarters, has been entirely different matter. dismissed by the new But it also sends a CEO of The Rooms, Gordon Laurin confusing message to the Dean Brinton. national and internationWhile Brinton is mum about the al audience. While on the one hand reason for Laurin’s dismissal, the tim- government has seen fit to build a ing is obvious. On Monday, July 18, state-of-the-art facility, it cannot be the board, including the directors, met taken seriously when the artistic in Port Rexton for a four-day retreat to expression of its community is comdecide the fate of The Rooms. They promised, when gallery directors are were to decide upon governance not given the necessary arms-length issues. But with one less director in relationship to government, when the attendance, the gallery appears to message to those engaged in The have been effectively silenced. Rooms is: play ball or else. The ball Central issues around The Rooms’ playing, in this sense, seems centered organizational structure, staffing, pro- around a singular ego, a CEO who gramming and the independence of its speaks frequently of having been born institutions were to be decided at that here, but unlike the CFA gallery direcmeeting. tor he has dismissed, has spent little As a former member of the board of time learning about what this commudirectors with the Canada Council for nity is, and what it expects. the Arts, and one who was involved in What Brinton is calling a merger is the organization’s restructuring, it is in many ways a hostile takeover of surprising Brinton does not recognize three institutions that have been here the council’s ability to withdraw its for two generations. Brinton is buildfinancial support. Any change in ing an empire of which he will have either directors or curators requires complete control. the council to reconsider its support. When these high-powered shell Such a potential move could send games occur, somebody generally shudders down the collective spine of ends up being fired. This time, the the province’s arts community. Once wrong man was dismissed. lost, coveted council support is hard to retrieve. Ralph Murphy, Indeed, for this to happen a second St. John’s
How far will $2.6 billion go Dear editor, Apparently Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial debt is $13 billion — the highest rate in the country. I have checked with several people who are knowledgeable about financial matters and they have assured me the province is paying at least seven per cent interest. This means each year Newfoundland and Labrador has to pay out over $900 million just to service its debt. Last year the province was supposed to have received something like $500 million in “equaliza-
tion” payments. In reality, the province got zero “equalization” payment, and Toronto (at least the Toronto banks) got $500 million. Not a bad deal — no wonder they love to crow around here that Canada is the best country in the world. As for the so-called Atlantic Accord, the way I see it, the $2.6 billion will all go to merely service this debt for about two and a half years. Joe Butt, Toronto
appoint someone to fight for us. The federal government does not even want to consider Wells, so once again they sent their lad John Efford to give us the bad news. Efford just weirds me out. Once again he seems completely out of his depth. Once again he seems to be bent on garnering as much attention as he can to his next spectacular defeat. Wells isn’t even on the federal list, he claims. Not even being considered. Not going to happen. Haven’t we already been there and done that with Efford? Quick snap quiz: who’s list would you rather be on Danny’s or Efford’s? If you are the key federal government minister for the province, and you had been badly mauled by that province’s premier, would you not learn to pick your fights a little more carefully? Man, does he get bad advice. Why does he constantly pick the wrong side? All but Wells’ most venomous enemies agree he will be a strong advocate for the province. Whose side is
Efford on? (And there are sides in this relationship.) I have no idea who the current chair of the C-NLOPB is or whether he or she is doing a good job. I know very little about the offshore oil industry, other than it is lucrative, technically challenging and downright dangerous in the North Atlantic. I do know about politics and optics though. I do know Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil industry is another example of this province not getting anywhere near the returns we should. I do know that large oil companies like to get things their way. I do know a good way to do that is to co-opt the regulatory agencies. I also know the more they hate the person we pick to regulate them, the better it is for us. I wonder how they feel about Andy? I’m not even going to start on the panic his nomination has set into households of those many deluded types who think they can be the next
mayor. That I am saving for another column. Without Andy it is going to be a nasty, dirty and endlessly entertaining municipal election. If he gets the job, I think all local political columnists will owe Andy a beer. I love it when Danny sticks it to the feds. I wonder why Mr. Efford has been told to be against Andy’s appointment? It was insulting to hear Efford get huffy about what he saw as a political appointment — this from a member of the Liberal party, founded on the principle of political patronage. He claimed they had hired a firm to headhunt an appropriate candidate. Give me a break. Hire someone to find out which highly placed Liberals want the job? I hate corporate jargon, and headhunter has to be one of the more ridiculous terms. Pretty fancy term for the person who makes up the spit/swallow list. Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com
WONDERBOLT AT ST. BON’S
Wonderbolt Circus — a blend of comedic performances, live music, and visual spectacle — is in St. John's July 26-3t at St. Bon's Gymnasium. From left are Beni Malone, Peyer Duchemin, and David Mercer. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
John Efford in ‘free fall’ Dear editor, Early Greeks and Romans had their pharaohs and emperors. These strong, self-absorbed personalities made themselves available as speakers of “enlightenment and hope,” leaders among the largely ignorant throngs, perceived as leading lights, saviours of the people in the harshest of times. And, the throngs bought into this phenomenon, usually as history has shown, to their detriment. Joe Smallwood and John Efford would be two such spectacular, selfperceived deified-like beings in our times. We adored them, empowered them, they could do no evil or say no evil. But like the pharaohs and emperors of old, both would come to perceive themselves as deities. Smallwood would go on to humiliate himself, hanging on in the extreme to his personal sense of the almighty. Efford is in the throes of unravelling, again tripping over his own ill-conceived sense of essence to the shifting tides of this province’s time of stumbling, political maturation (in the new age having very little to do with deities). The new movement has everything to do with education, open-mindedness, self-reliance, individual participation in a democratic process, a realization by the people that they themselves have the power, right and need to drive their own
agenda, decide and take responsibility for their own fates. And it’s happening. Efford, in the past year or so on the federal scene, in a supreme display of self-promotion toward developing his own political swan song for posterity, has gotten in over his head with the feds, and is out of control, on a path to selfimmolation, because he has forgotten his roots — i.e. a simple Newfoundlander, and not a god. In that regard, because of his stunning in-the-fed-corner position during the Atlantic Accord, and most curJohn Efford rent non/cool support of Mayor Andy Wells, our premier’s choice to head the C-NLOPB, Efford is likely to seal his fate, to be recalled by posterity as yet another dark episode in our province’s movement toward selfsustenance, not necessarily independence. It is my personal belief that Efford has made a decision not to run in the next federal election. 1) Efford’s public display of his health card, so publically, in the past months. He was on the radio and TV giving blood test results for God’s sake. 2) Efford’s non-supportive tone on the announcement of Wells’ nomina-
tion by the premier to lead the CNLOPB. Why would Efford shoot himself in the foot once again? He should be in healing mode, unless he intends to retire. Wells, in true form, was not shy in sharing his disdain for Efford’s now very historical rejection of his province’s stance during the Accord. It would seem once again that Efford’s, outof-provincial-step, non-helpful tone during the current federal/provincial feather ruffling would be his opportunity to fulfill a political vendetta against Wells. Efford cannot appoint Wells to the position, that’s a fact, but Efford could certainly have supported his province’s selection of its CNLOPB nominee. He apparently does not. Why not offer his support? Because he does not need to, Efford is coming home to stay, there are no other political bridges to burn — he is in free fall. The end of another era, the end of another political mortal having assumed the self-appointed attributes of a god, brought to his supplicant knees for his arrogance and self-indulgence, forgetting basic roots. Ron Tizzard, Paradise
JULY 24, 2005
8 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
‘Mock parliament’
New Janeway age limit results in more drug and alcohol related injuries
A review of the Newfoundland National Convention (1946-1948)
By Darcy MacRae The Independent
Road to
T
CONFEDERATION AN ONGOING SERIES By Ryan Cleary The Independent
J
oey Smallwood was to Confederation what Peter Cashin was to responsible government. The two were polar opposites when it came to the future of Newfoundland post Signs of recent vandalism at the Colonial Building in St. John’s. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent Commission of Government — Smallwood was a confederate; Cashin an anti-confederate. Cashin asked the convention. “Must we contin- Finance minister in 1932 after alleging corrupAnd so when the Newfoundland National ue to meekly accept these biased and self-moti- tion on the part of the prime minister of the day, Convention got underway in the fall of 1946 to vated publications of outsiders?” Richard Squires — Newfoundland wasn’t decide how to proceed once Commission of Cashin highlighted the fact all reports on allowed to take advantage of such a default as a Government ended, Cashin’s line in the sand Newfoundland during the Commission of result of the combined efforts of the British govwas clearly drawn. Government (1934-1949) had a common char- ernment, the Canadian banks and To recap, the national convention, held in the acteristic — the absence of any criticism of the Newfoundland’s prime minister of the day. Colonial Building in St. John’s, was convened actions of the British government, the “The (financial) report says that Newfoundfor two purposes: to review Newfoundland’s Dominions Office or Commission government. land was led to ask for assistance from the financial circumstances; and to recommend “Calumnies there are in galore of Newfound- United Kingdom. I contend the word “led” is not alternative forms of future government placed land and Newfoundlanders — our ignorance, accurate. It should rather read we were mercibefore the electorate in a referendum. our backwardness, our political corruption. lessly dragged and driven into the pit prepared Only Cashin, a First World War hero and Libels are plentifully interspersed throughout for us.” Finance minister during the last days of respon- their pages on our religious institutions, our livThe second paragraph of the financial report sible government, was against the convention. ing and our dead.” noted that the Commission government, by that He felt it was clear Newfoundland would return Cashin called the financial report a piece of point in 1946, had been in place for 12 years, to responsible government upon becoming self- Commission propaganda. The report’s opening and during the first six years the island had supporting. Cashin argued there was no need for lines began: “In 1933 financial difficulties com- experienced “financial difficulties.” a convention, calling it a “mock parliament, a bined with the economic effects of a world-wide But Newfoundland had surrendered its politidiscussion group, a study club. depression led the Newfoundland Government cal freedom, Cashin said, on the clear under“How can I, how can any thinking to approach the United Kingdom for assistance.” standing its financial difficulties would be Newfoundlander, honestly and conscientiously Cashin said the real assistance Newfoundland removed. give his moral support and endorsement to a had asked for was “bluntly refused. That a gun “This report coolly admits that after faithfully thing which is not alone illegal, but even ethical- was put to our heads, the demand that we first performing our part of the agreement and sacrily improper,” Cashin said in his initial address to commit political suicide (surrender its democra- ficing our national honour we were simply left the convention on Sept. 18, 1946.” cy to a Commission government) before any to bow deeper under worse financial difficulties So why did he take part in a convention he assistance would be forthcoming.” for six whole years,” he said. condemned? Cashin pointed out Newfoundland wouldn’t “That instead of keeping their agreement, they “We have to make the best of a situation thrust have been in financial difficulty in the first place led us into a valley of poverty and misery, which upon us; and, as good sometimes comes out of but for the “extraordinary sacrifice” in the form condemned 70,000 of our people to the whiplash evil, I at least hope to see in this assembly an of a $40-million contribution to the winning of of dole, and caused us to experience a period of opportunity for a long-silenced, long subjugated the First World War. national suffering never equaled in the entire life country to recover its voice.” “It would therefore follow that, in 1933, our of our country. Cashin’s first address to the convention was to normal debt would have been $60 million and “… what I have said so far represents the spirpresent a report on the financial and economic this after 78 years of strenuous national exis- it in which I formally move that this report be condition of Newfoundland — a report, he tence.” received.” noted, that was not prepared by Cashin said Newfoundland should have The background for this column is derived Newfoundlanders, but by the Dominions Office defaulted on its loan, just as the British govern- from The Newfoundland National Convention, in England. ment did in 1933 when it paid $10 million to the 1946-1948, by James Hiller and the late “Surely we are just as competent to discuss U.S. on a $76-million bond that had been called Michael Harrington, available through the and analyze the affairs of our own country as for. Newfoundland Historical Society and various some Englishmen thousands of miles away?” According to Cashin — who resigned as retail outlets.
he rise in age limit at the Janeway Hospital in St. John’s has created some difficulties for staff, but the problems aren’t anything they haven’t seen before, according to the facility’s clinical chief. Dr. Rick Cooper says since the age limit changed to 18 from 16 on June 1, the number of patients has not risen significantly. He says many of the older kids have been patients at the Janeway for a number of years, with illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. “When you look at who’s sick in that age group, an awful lot of them have had it since a younger age. So it was natural to streamline things and continue to see them,” Cooper tells The Independent. The biggest challenge facing staff at the Janeway is the increased number of patients arriving with injuries or conditions suffered as a result of drugs and alcohol — a result of admitting older teenagers. “Sometimes there are difficult problems like drug overdoses, and they’re a bit of a challenge,” Cooper says. “There’s a few of these cases, but not a lot. Usually it’s Friday or Saturday night and they can take up a lot of time. That’s being monitored closely.” Cooper says the biggest problem that occurs with teenagers suffering from drug and alcohol related injuries is when they arrive at the Janeway unconscious and then wake up startled and disoriented. Screaming and thrashing about can result, and although the patients are effectively restrained by medical and security staff, their actions can frighten younger patients. “The standard is they often come in unconscious. If there is a disturbance when they wake up we have an excellent security system. They are often put in a quiet, safe room where they wouldn’t disturb everyone else,” says Cooper. “They wouldn’t be put in the observation or treatment room where there are five or six beds. We would never put them in a bed next to a frightened four-year-old.” Regardless of the age limit increase, Cooper says such problems are nothing new to Janeway staff. “That can happen with a 15-year-old, so we’ve been dealing with this for years,” he says. Overall, Cooper says the age-limit change is not a major issue at the hospital and says the parents and children who frequent the facility are more comfortable dealing with the same doctors and nurses until they turn 18. He adds the age limit increase brings the Janeway in line with similar hospitals across the country. “Other hospitals in Canada usually take them until they are 18 or 19,” Cooper says “I think, overall, it’s gone exceptionally well. There’s always a glitch here or there, but they are addressed as they come.” darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca
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Dear editor, The hour is upon us when, if we are to survive, it is imperative we stand together in common cause against the unfair treatment being mercilessly meted out by the Ottawa mandarins to this long suffering old nation of ours. If we don’t act now it will soon be too late, for they will have achieved their objective of eliminating us as a distinct and self-reliant cultural entity, and we will have vindicated the snotty assessment of the Water Street merchant prince, Eric Bowering, who told the Amulree Commission in 1933, “The average person here is such that we ought never to have had self-government, we are not fit for it.” I listen to descriptions about what is happening as a federal exercise in social engineering, a deliberate attempt to close down outport Newfoundland. If silence breeds consent, it would appear this process is being aided and abetted by our own government leaders. The June 24 free-vote scam in rela-
tion to FPI will likely go down in our history as an all-time low in terms of political skullduggery. The soft belly of the outports — the Achilles heel — is the fisheries, and the feds have been relentless in their attack. The most recent expression of the contempt in which we are held is illustrated by the termination of federal funding to the critical northern cod research conducted by George Rose. DFO rationale was rising costs, and this in the face of the billions squandered by that corrupt Liberal regime in a bid to insure its continued grasp on power. Concurrent with this is the denial to Newfoundlanders of the right to a food fishery, while in the Maritimes the old order prevails: 10 fish per day per individual for the full season. Whatever the rationale, the blatant discrimination is undeniable — not to mention the fact that in no other place in the world does such a restriction exist. On our St. Pierre Bank, Newfoundland fishermen have just been relieved
of their scallop quota so that it could be handed over to John Risley’s Nova Scotia-based Clearwater Seafoods Ltd. And then there is the infamous COSAWIC release, May 2, 2003, which declared cod an endangered species. Why do the feds jump on this? Could it be they see it as a way to wash their hands of their insufferable crime? Will they write off the Newfoundland cod fishery, the very life-blood of this nation, while turning a blind eye to foreign nations plundering the Grand Banks? The list of wrongs to which we have been subjected go on, and on and on. And though well known, bear repeating “lest we forget.” The bottom line: unless we cut loose from this abuse it’s game over. The sun is sinking fast While this old nation dies. The end is mighty close, Unless her sons arise. Lloyd Rees, C.B.S.
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTNEWS • 9
‘We talk but we don’t act’ Cod stocks returning in some seas; difference here is science: Rose
By Alisha Morrissey The Independent
C
od fisheries around the world have teetered on the brink of collapse, but some have been brought back. While cod stocks — specifically northern cod, found in waters off the island’s northeast coast and Labrador — have actually declined since the moratorium was first handed down in 1992 — stocks off Iceland have returned from apparent collapse. George Rose, a renowned cod scientist in St. John’s, says the crucial difference between the East Coast of Canada and Iceland is science. The big three cod stocks in the world were once found on the Grand Banks, the Barents Sea north of Russia, and off Iceland. “At the present time the Icelandic cod, which was low, is coming back actually … it reflects on a better management system there,” Rose tells The Independent. “The Barents Sea cod isn’t doing so well because they are fishing it pretty hard … but I know the Norwegian biologists, they have these concerns, but it’s no panic situation there yet.” On the other hand, he says cod stocks in the North Sea, on the west coast of England, and the Baltic Sea separating Sweden from Eastern Europe, are in “hard shape. “In Iceland and in Norway they have headed in that direction before,” Rose says. “It’s not that they’re perfect and we’re complete idiots or anything like that. They sort of nipped it in the bud. They have better control over their systems and over their fisheries than we do.” He says science is top of the line in both Iceland and Norway and it’s always being improved upon. “Other countries are investing in their fisheries because they see that down the line food is something that people are always going to need … seafood is one of the most highly regarded sources of human food all around the world and that’s not going to change,” Rose says. “We talk, but we don’t act. In Iceland and Norway they don’t talk very much, but they act a lot. If you
Icelandic town of Husavik.
don’t know anything, how can you have control?” Funding for Rose’s cod studies in the North Atlantic was cut July 7 by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. At the time, officials said it was because the department plans to put more resources into commercially viable fisheries. Rose had been carrying out yearly surveys of cod since 1990. When it comes to dwindling stocks,
Reuters/Simon Johnson
Rose blames overfishing. “It’s just greed to take too much right now — short-term greed rather than thinking in the longer term and leaving fish in the water. “But just like interest rates in a bank, the productivity of fish stocks varies over time … If we keep fishing as if things were always good — this is what we did with our cod stocks, we kept on fishing as if things were just at the highest level that they’ve ever
been. “Fishermen are fishing for dollars, not for fish.” In the North Sea, where cod stocks are fading, Rose says a lot of complicated issues come into play, which lead to a lack of control. He says the root of the problem is that so many countries have fishing rights to the North Sea. But will the cod ever become extinct?
“What we like to think is that we are only taking what we call surplus production out of the system, you know, it’s like interest in a bank account, we’re not touching the principle,” Rose says. “Fisheries don’t exterminate the fish like that, down to the last one, even in our worst stocks there’s still millions of them out there but it’s not commercially viable.”
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JULY 24, 2005
10 • INDEPENDENTNEWS
LIFE STORY
FROM THE BAY “People may visit Newfoundland and ridicule us about many things, they poke fun at the way we dress, talk and build houses, but one thing they all agree upon is that the hospitality of the Newfoundland people is second to none. Hospitality starts in outports the backbone of the country.” — From The Bay Roberts Guardian, September 1946 YEARS PAST American soldiers stationed at Fort Pepperell, the former U.S. military base in east end St. John’s, took part in the annual St. John’s Regatta long before it was granted its Royal status. In 1953, 22 crews from the base entered in the races on Quidi Vidi Lake — even the “comptrollers” had a team. — From the Northeast Guardian, July 1953, a New York-based paper that printed news about the three bases in the province, including Fort Pepperell, Harmon in Stephenville and Goose Bay. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD New York — “Although Union leaders declared tonight that a strike had not been called, Marine Workers’ Unions meeting here today voted to reject the 15 per cent wage cut proposed by the United States Shipping Board, until proposed working conditions are modified.” — From the Daily Unionist, a St. John’s union paper, May 2, 1921.
Michael Bolyle leads historical tours around St. John’s.
EDITORIAL STAND “Does the public press guide the public opinion? Or does public opinion guide the public press? Either way it ought not to be very difficult to advocate in the press for the public, the rights of the noble caribou, the reindeer of Newfoundland. Why, instead of permitting the slaughter of such an animal, we ought to be proud that we possess it as one of our few native treasures. This land once had its own native MAN, and he has become extinct, shot down and destroyed in the fancied interests of the ignorant or prejudiced settlers of early times … we know better now.” — Editorial printed in the Twillingate Sun, July 18, 1896
Author of the Ode Sir Cavendish Boyle 1849-1916 By Evan Careen For The Independent
S
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR “Someone in this town has maliciously spread a lie involving me. It has been said that I was accused, arrested and charged with shoplifting in St. John’s just before Christmas. These gossips have gone so far to say that I lost my job because of this incident. “I want to say publicly to the people of Trepassey, that these accusations are all false … I think it is about time that some of the people here find something better to do than damaging the good name of others with malicious lies.” Margaret Sutton (wife of Clayton Hutton) Northwest Road, Trepassey — From the Trepassey Tribune, Jan. 27, 1976 QUOTE OF THE WEEK “If more drastic steps were taken in killing off surplus dogs it would give the farmers a better chance to rear sheep.” — Governor Thomas Walwyn during a speech to the Board of Trade and Rotary Clubs of St. John’s. From the Newfoundland Trade Review, Jan. 12, 1946
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Newfoundland Heritage
ir Charles Cavendish Boyle may be one of the most underappreciated figures in Newfoundland history. Despite the fact he wasn’t from here (Boyle was born in Barbados) his impact is undeniable. His bestknown contribution may be the writing of one of the most beloved songs in the land, the Ode to Newfoundland. The song was the province’s unofficial national anthem before joining Confederation, becoming official in 1979. Boyle was born in 1849, the third child of Captain Cavendish Boyle and his wife, Rose. The young Boyle was educated at Charterhouse, one of the most prestigious schools in England, and was trained as a lawyer before entering the colonial service. He served as a magistrate in Dominica, a small nation in the Caribbean, and as colonial secretary in
Bermuda and Guyana before being appointed governor of Newfoundland in 1901. Michael Boyle, who believes himself a distant relation to the former governor, runs a historical tour in St. John’s and usually dresses as Sir Cavendish Boyle. He got the idea while teaching in Ferryland when one of his co-workers started calling him “Sir Cavendish.” He says more attention should be paid to the former governor. “A couple of years ago I suggested he (Sir Boyle) be put in the Newfoundland Sports Hall of Fame,” says Michael Boyle. “They put Robert Bowering in there for donating the land for the Regatta. Big deal, he was some rich guy who gave away some land. Sir Cavendish donated the Governor’s Trophy and medals for the Regatta, and he commissioned the Boyle Challenge Cup for the hockey league at the time. He deserves to be in there just as much as Bowering.” Boyle was an avid sports fan known to frequent hockey games and boat races. By all accounts he was a sociable man who genuinely seemed concerned and interested with Newfoundland and its people. “The three guys (governors) we had before him were goofballs. One of them resigned in disgrace and the other two had to be recalled,” Michael Boyle says. “He was a breath of fresh air after those guys. When he was governor was the only time in our history that the pink, white and green flag flew from Government House. He was a bit of a rebel, but you need rebels and martyrs to make a country great.” Another passion of Boyle’s was theatre. He attended plays and musicals from troupes both local and from abroad. It was during one of these plays that a young woman recited a poem titled Newfoundland that was written by Boyle in 1901. The poem was later set to music written by Boyle’s childhood friend, Sir Hubert Parry, and became the Ode to Newfoundland known today. While the Ode itself is well known few know who wrote it. In the lobby of the CBC Radio building on Duckworth Street in downtown St. John’s there hangs a plaque commemorating the Ode. All that’s missing is the author’s name. “How could you forget something like that?” asks Michael Boyle. “How could you put up a plaque for a poem and forget the author? There’s so many interesting characters in the history of Newfoundland that we forget about and Sir Cavendish is a great example.” It is surprising Boyle is not remembered more for his accomplishments. He helped settle the treaty between the British and the French over fishing rights and assisted in the early stages of the negotiations that brought the pulp and paper mill to Grand Falls-Windsor. Given his list of achievements over such a short time span, it’s not surprising Boyle is generally acknowledged as one of the finest governors in the province’s history. Following his transfer in 1904 to Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean, a community in Trinity Bay was renamed Cavendish in his honour. Sir Cavendish served as Governor of Mauritius until 1911. He then retired and moved home to England, dropping his status as a confirmed bachelor and marrying a woman named Louise Judith Sassoon. Boyle lived there until his death in 1916. Evan Careen is a journalism intern from the Bay St. George campus of the College of the North Atlantic.
INDEPENDENTWORLD
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 24-30, 2005 — PAGE 11
Even dud attack has powerful impact Were failed bombers simply inept or coldly calculating? Either way, analysts warn of repercussions across Europe A London street cleaner displays a newspaper advertisement out of his lorry cabin in reaction to the London bombings. Toby Melville/Reuters
By Olivia Ward Torstar wire service
D
id the would-be bombers, who caused panic but not massive deaths in London’s transit system last week, plan to spread terror to disrupt one of the world’s biggest financial centres — or did they simply fail Terrorism 101? As security services collected evidence from four London locations where unexploded bombs were found, those questions were tormenting politicians, pundits and the public. “They’re trying to intimidate people, to frighten, to stop them,” said British Prime Minister Tony Blair. London Police Commissioner Ian Blair regarded the attack as more than psychological warfare, saying “the intention was to kill.” All such motives would be equally alarming, and the perpetrators potentially deadly.
“We have different types of people acting for the same goals,” says Olivier Roy, Paris-based author of Globalized Islam, a study of the new generation of young militant Islamists, born or raised in Europe. “There are both local people, who take the name of Al Qaeda, and those who were formerly trained in Afghanistan and personally know Osama bin Laden. Those people are able to act as connectors between the networks when needed.” Some experts suggest the failed bombs, smaller than those of the bloody July 7 attack that killed at least 56 people, may have delivered a palpable message that Europe’s biggest city could be brought to an economic and physical standstill by a group of urban guerrillas. But the failure of the bombers yesterday also points to a new fact of life in the post9/11 era, says Roy: “They’re getting younger and younger. On one hand, it’s good for Al Qaeda but, on the other hand, it’s a problem because they need more
sophisticated operators if they’re going to go beyond the kind of attacks that have happened until now. For them, it’s a limitation.” Security officials have said that three of the four bombers who struck in London two weeks ago had been in Pakistan, a sign that they may have been working to an orchestrated plan. “The effect of the (July 7) bombings was anticipated to be in the medium and long run, not the short one,” said Reuven Paz of the Global Research in International Affairs Centre, in Israel. “The global jihad has a long-range strategy where its leaders choose the targets and the timing.” Both local and international groups are bent on destruction, says Roy. But they may be either acting on direct orders, or in “copycat” attacks, quickly assembled to advance their cause. Loretta Napoleoni, an expert in the economics of terrorism and author of Terror Incorporated, agrees there is a “huge con-
stellation of activity under the Al Qaeda (banner). Everybody here fights as he can fight. “Even without a big explosion in London,” she said, “the economic impact can be enormous, and terrorists understand that. The effects are felt throughout Europe, too. The economy may not be affected immediately, but within a few months.” London real estate prices have risen to astronomical heights, she points out. But if attacks continue, “can it continue to be a playground for the rich and famous? They may not want the risk of driving their Mercedes near a bomb.” Even a small attack can have far-reaching social effects, Napoleoni says. “In the Netherlands, Theo Van Gogh was killed,” she said referring to the November, 2004, murder of a well-known filmmaker by a convicted Islamist militant. “But it See “Duped by superiors,” page 13
Turning back the Doomsday Clock
Y
ou might say time is of the essence. I am not speaking of the bleating of Canadian business over the decision by the United States Congress to extend daylight savings time by two months. With Canadian and U.S. clocks potentially out of sync in March and November, word from the Chamber of Commerce is urgent: harmonize daylight savings time with our southern cousins or, good God, the TV listings will be fooled up and we might miss The Simpsons. In case no one’s noticed, clocks are not in sync in this country, yet we still manage to travel from Ottawa to Vancouver without missing the plane. Newfoundland hasn’t experienced a nervous breakdown over running an hour and a half later than Ontario, and Saskatchewan has managed to survive with no daylight savings time at all.
MICHAEL HARRIS The Outrider While bankers, airlines and those who prepare the TV guide are wringing their sweaty corporate hands about the threat to business, they have registered zero angst about a far more important clock that currently registers seven minutes to midnight. It is called the Doomsday Clock. When midnight strikes, we get a nuclear war. The clock is the brainchild of a former group of Second World War scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. This timepiece can move either forward or back, depending on earthly politics. Since
1991, those dread hands have moved forward three times. Given yet another broken promise by the Bush administration, do not be surprised if it soon moves again. President George Bush, you will recall, promised as a candidate to revisit American nuclear policy. In a way, he has. The U.S. has unilaterally walked away from the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, undertaken to produce a new generation of so-called “battlefield” nuclear weapons, and refuses to take part in international meetings to discuss implementing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Instead, the U.S. government seeks to reduce the time required to resume nuclear testing to just 12 months, if and when Uncle Sam decides to do again what the U.S. last did in 1992. All that is old news, but here is some-
thing that is not. This week, President Bush violated a longstanding policy of both the United States and the international community, when he revealed his intention of “nuclear co-operation” with India. The president said the U.S. would help India build nuclear power plants and import advanced weapons. ABOUT FACE As about faces go, this one is 180 degrees. One of the few bright spots that could force the hands of the Doomsday Clock back is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. All the major nuclear powers are signatories and all told 187 countries are party to the agreement. Under the treaty, countries that do not sign the agreement and produce nuclear weapons have been denied civilian nuclear assistance and have often faced
a weapons embargo — but not anymore. India has shown the world that in the name of becoming Bush’s nuclear buddy, refusing to sign the NonProliferation Treaty is meaningless — you can apparently have your yellow cake and eat it too. But what does that do to the American policy goal of denying nuclear programs to countries like Iran or North Korea, or to the global mission of ridding the world of weapons of mass destruction before they blow out the candle of humanity? What does the president say to Vladimir Putin if he decides to reward a “friend” like Iran with some of the 1,000 metric tonnes of weapons-grade uranium or plutonium stockpiled in the See “Region going,” page 14
JULY 24, 2005
12 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
VOICE FROM AWAY
Postcards from the Holy Land Newfoundlander Peter Harley writes about his first two weeks in Palestine PALESTINE By Peter Harley For the Independent
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oth travel advisories and a guidebook by Lonely Planet said to stay away from the West Bank, so it took some mustering of courage to take part in Palestine Summer Encounter (PSE). However, I wanted to show friendship towards the Palestinians, see Palestine and Israel, have a new cultural experience and learn another language. Two weeks into the scheduled twomonth stay, I am already glad I came. The people of Bethlehem and its surrounding areas are starved for outside contact and tourism and they are delighted to see new faces. Children and adults alike call “welcome” as visitors walk around town, making the matter of personal safety seem even less a concern than it would be in most urban environments. Obviously, the dangers of being alone in conditions of poverty remain — and I still exercise caution. As paid PSE participants (the program costs about $3,200 US, including airfare from New York), we live with Palestinian families who provide us room, breakfast, dinner and laundry service — as well as friendship, education and plentiful good will. During weekday mornings we do volunteer work in an organization suited to our skills and interests. My volunteer work is re-writing
grant applications for lighting, garbage trucks, girls’ school extensions and so on, plus a few letters for the mayor, and writing for the Holy Land Trust website, plus reading for the alternative information center to help select articles for a book they plan to make from their past 20 years of News From Within.
We might have had to sit at the checkpoint for a spell, but a Jewish woman in our group told the soldiers we were a busload of American tourists … In the afternoons, most of us study Arabic. There are a few dropouts from the Arabic classes (nothing is expressly required, either by way of volunteer work or study); however, most of us are interested in the complete experience. On Saturdays, we tour to another city in Palestine or Israel for a $25 fee. Sunday is free time. Generally, we leave the house in the morning and don’t come back till evening, sometimes quite late. But they always feed us. There are advantages to group tourism with an organization dedicated
to helping the local population. The knowledge and resources available vastly exceed anything an individual is likely to have; and nothing gives more security than being known to have an interest in the welfare of the people being visited. When we visited Hebron, the checkpoint on the main road into town was closed. I thought that would be the end of our tour, but the guide telephoned into the city and found there was a route open on the other side of town. Another half an hour or so of awkward driving and we were sitting down for lunch in a Hebron restaurant. There we were met by a second, local guide who led us through the hubbub of the open market. The market had been displaced when Israel closed its former location in the Old City to introduce about 500 settlers, guarded by about 1,500 soldiers. The Old City market is now a ghost town and we walked through it under improvised steel mesh that had been put up before the place was closed, in order to save shoppers from being pelted with garbage by settlers in their new apartments above. Much of this refuse was still hanging overhead. Returning from Hebron, our guide called Israel’s district coordinating office to see where we might exit the city. The information proved inaccurate and we might have had to sit at the checkpoint for a spell, but a Jewish woman in our group told the soldiers we were a busload of American tourists, and that opened the gate. The Palestinian traveling public remained waiting. Of the 30 participants in our group, six to 10 people are ethnically Arab or Jewish, and we have age representation in every decade from the teens to 60s. The vast majority are Americans, but participants are also Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese and Canadian. For many, this is our first visit to the Middle East. A variety of motives have brought us: many come from backgrounds or ongoing programs in religious studies, peaceful conflict resolution, Middle Eastern studies or Third World development. Others have been activists in Palestine peace and solidarity work, and still others may be here simply to see the country and The Wall and what’s happening generally. In my case, I’ve worried about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict for years and feel our part of the world (mainly the US) has a lot to do with making it as bad as it is. I wanted to show support for the Palestinians, who are living under military occupation. They have lost land and water, been denied access to direct roads between their towns, and are tormented by long delays at checkpoints entirely within their own country. In the past few days, military Jeeps have been all over Bethlehem trying to grab people they consider suspect. You can see the anger on every face as people endure these Please see “Stimulating,” page 13
From top: carrying water in At-Twani; a checkpoint to enter the tomb of the Patriarchs Synagogue/Ibrahami Mosque; one of the members of the family Harley lives with, holding one of his olive wood carvings. Peter Harley/For the Independent
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 13
CBC facing unified strike; radio dramas among trims By Murray Whyte Torstar wire service
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ne short year ago, CBC Radio presided over what appeared to be an earnest revival of a muchloved but mostly forgotten form. Radio drama, a mainstay of any Canadian’s entertainment calendar until the debut of the tube, was on the public broadcaster’s agenda again, and in a big way. Last June, more than 400 proposals were culled from an open call for submissions, and 40 of them went directly into development. It was a brief renaissance. Kim Orchard, interim director of CBC Radio’s arts department, recently halted the program, leaving more than half of
Vets to park for free
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oronto Veterans will get free parking at city lots and meters for the rest of the year. City council voted 41 to 0 last week in favour of the proposal put forward by Councillor Michael Walker to give those with a provincially issued veteran’s licence plate the small perk. The Ontario veteran’s plate features a red poppy with the word “veteran” below the flower. The free parking will apply only at green P lots, meters and spots that use pay and display machines. If confirmed today it will be effective immediately. The move comes because the federal government declared 2005 the Year of the Veteran in honour of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. “It’s just a way of saying we recognize the contribution that you have made,” says Walker. While Walker doesn’t know what the price tag would be for the program, he argues it shouldn’t matter. “There is a cost to the city, but it’s a price they have already paid.” Walker says he decided to introduce the idea after a World War II veteran visited him and noted that Hamilton is already doing this. — Torstar wire service
‘Duped by superiors’ Continued from 11 turned the country from a tolerant one to a suspicious one. Now guys who don’t even know how to use detonators properly can do something similar in London.” One of the bombers who struck London two weeks ago was only 18, yet he was prepared to die. Another, who was 30, blew himself up in spite of leaving a pregnant wife and child. That prompted speculation that the bombers may not have intended to die, but were duped by callous superiors who wanted no links to their operation to come to light. However, a report in the Daily Mail claims the men had shaved their body hair before the attack, a “cleansing” practice adopted by suicide bombers. The youth of the bombers, and their rebellion against their elders, as well as the society in which they live, also appears to reflect the struggle among Islamic clergy in Europe. Some — but not all — have come out strongly against indiscriminate killings.
‘Stimulating experience’ Continued from 12 incursions. The fellow whose office I worked in this week (I have not met him) has been in prison for a couple of months, as have a huge proportion of adult men. I am regularly reminded how the resources of programs like this are greater than the resources of an individual. When we arrived, we were welcomed and addressed by the mayor of Bethlehem, and heard his perspective on the occupation. We watch pertinent films every week, and learn about different organizations in the community. We also heard two inspired speeches by activists advocating peaceful initiatives that are strategic and proactive, rather than simply reactive to Israeli incursions. In all, it’s an educational and stimulating experience. Do you know a Newfoundlander or Labradorian living away? Please email editorial@theindependent.ca
those projects in limbo. It could be an indication of things to come at the CBC. The curb on radio drama is just one of many cost-saving moves as the corporation girds for a revenue shortfall this year and an expected lack of stable funding from government. The public broadcaster is also facing labour unrest, with its staff, negotiating as a collective whole for the first time, expected tomorrow to approve a strike mandate with a mid-August deadline in hopes of expediting negotiations. As for the radio plays, one participant is crying foul over the halt. “It was all going ahead, and as soon as she (Orchard) came on board it was all swept away,” says Ho Che Anderson, a graphic novelist who was developing a
script for CBC Radio. Some of the projects that made it to air, including an adaptation of Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance, have had strong ratings. “It seemed like a great idea, bringing in some outside voices to the CBC,” Anderson says. “But I’ve been advised to just forget about it.” Varying reports put the CBC revenue losses from the loss of NHL telecasts for an entire season at between $20 million and $60 million this year. That contributed to CBC’s bleak advertising year overall in 2004, in which it generated $291 million. Its previous low in had been $307 million in 2000. Earlier this year, the corporation laid off 34 of its communications staff.
About 60 others lost their jobs when the cable television station Newsworld International was shut down. These measures come as the corporation faces a standoff with its unionized staff. CBC employees have been working without a contract for over a year. This negotiation is a proving ground for both sides. The last strike at CBC was in 2002, when technical staff walked out and editorial workers scrambled to air without regular cameramen, editors and technicians. This time, with all staff bargaining as a whole, a strike or lockout could leave the network dark or spinning reruns with management at the controls. While the combined strike threat would seem to be formidable — the
corporation’s bargaining stance has, to this point, been unyielding. “I’ve been negotiating with the CBC for 25 years and I’ve never seen anything stay on the table so long as this has, that would radically alter the way we work,” says Arnold Amber, a producer at CBC Television. According to the corporation, the financial situation is dire. From 2001 to 2004, the federal government topped up the CBC’s annual allotment with an additional $60 million. According to the CBC’s corporate plan from 2003 to 2008, that $60 million needs to become permanent, with an additional $40 million annually if the CBC is to “offer Canadians the high-impact programming they want.”
JULY 24, 2005
14 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
Black gets rough U.K. society ride By Jennifer Wells Torstar wire service (T)he fact is, London is more interesting than Toronto. It’s an endless sequence of sumptuous lunches and dinners with terribly interesting people from all over the world. — Conrad Moffat Black, circa 1991
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oday, not so much. Mere days after re-entering the London social scene with his wife, Barbara Amiel, Lord Black of Crossharbour is being pilloried in the London press with a vigour not seen since the big kaboom that hit his newspaper empire.
Admittedly, those days were not all that long ago. Lord Black was reportedly so hurt by his treatment at the hands of the Brit press over the ongoing Hollinger scandal that he vowed not to return to the land of Annabel’s, Claridge’s and the Savoy Grill. He sold off the très grand Cottesmore Gardens house and told Richard Siklos, author of Shades of Black, that with the London house sale, “I do not anticipate any more residential changes.” But lo, his lordship and his consort have alighted once again in London society in what The Evening Standard this week described as a “rather fraught social comeback.” Staying in what the Daily Mail termed a “small” £500-a-
night suite at the Berkeley Hotel, the Blacks are reported to have lunched with Lord Saatchi at his home in Sussex, attended a lunchtime summer party in Mayfair and are believed to be on the hunt for an apartment. It’s the editorial framing of the reentry that has been particularly eyecatching. “Return of the Pariah,” snapped the Daily Mail in a headline last Saturday, as it remarked upon the former owner of the Daily Telegraph “shamelessly sallying forth” onto the party circuit. Over at the Evening Standard, the paper juxtaposed the re-emergence of the once power couple with the renovation of the Cottesmore Gardens house,
owned now by telecom tycoon Juan Villalonga, or possibly his Mexican beauty queen wife, Adriana. The vigorous reconfiguration by the Villalongas of the grand home in which the Blacks entertained the high and mighty marks, says the Standard, the “systematic obliteration” of their stamp on the home and yet “another stage on their route to an uncertain future.” As if to prove the perilous state of the couples’ station, the Standard recounted a recent exchange between Lord Black and broadcaster Andrew Neil at the nightclub Annabel’s in which Black, apparently taking umbrage at remarks made by Neil in a television program, said to Neil, “You should be
ashamed of yourself.” To which Neil responded, “You’re the one who should be ashamed.” All right, it’s not up there with a Tom Cruise-style meltdown. But it doesn’t seem very lordly. Nor, for that matter, did Black’s joining the board of oil and gas junior Blackpool Exploration Ltd., a pennystock company whose revenues have barely squeaked past the million-dollar mark and whose annual travel and entertainment costs last year were $15,000 and change. Two weeks ago, the TSX Venture Exchange forced Black’s resignation pending resolution of the ongoing securities investigation into Hollinger. Nor did the ferrying out of boxes from Hollinger headquarters at 10 Toronto St., the ignominious escapade caught by security cameras in which Black is seen in full, tragic view. As for Lady Black, the Standard offers the theory that the couple’s “exile” in Canada was “driving her mad” and that, cut off from London as she was, she developed a “severe case of ennui.” Black’s lawyer, Eddie Greenspan, sounds very weary when he considers the reception his client has been given. “It’s so typically English,” he says of the press reports. “The English are famous for that. They’re famous for libelling people and writing offensive material under the guise of being sarcastic or humorous.” Despite the reaction, Greenspan insists that Black is having a “very enjoyable time in England” and expects the couple will ultimately settle there. “The one thing I would have thought they would have been entitled to,” he continues, “is a life. They’ve not been given that. They’ve not been given any room to breathe.”
‘Region going berserk’ Continued from page 11 former Soviet Union? And why should China defang Kim Jong when America is giving nuclear teeth to a major regional threat to Peking? But by far the biggest danger unleashed by the president’s proposed nuclear deal with India is Pakistan. Three times in 50 years India and Pakistan have gone to war. Pakistan is a Muslim state with more than its share of extremists and jihadists. As recently as 1998, this is how Pakistan, through its foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan, reacted to five nuclear tests conducted by India: “The leadership seems to have gone berserk in India. And it is drawing Pakistan into a head-long arms race.” Back then, the United States wasn’t in the business of rewarding countries that refused to sign the non-proliferation pact of 1970. In fact, this is what then-secretary of state William Cohen had to say in defending the American decision to prohibit the sales of hightech aircraft to Pakistan in 1990: “There will be a chain reaction, and that’s the potential of this — a chain reaction of other countries following suit. It’s one of the reasons we have worked so hard to try to keep the nuclear genie as far into the bottle as possible as far as other nations participating in developing nuclear weapons.” For those who try to take comfort from the fact that General Musharraf became America’s friend after 9/11, they should lean less confidently on the stereotypes of superficial western news coverage of this very complex nation. PUBLIC ANGER The fact is members of the former Taliban came from madrassas or seminaries in Pakistan. And although the general has turned over senior al-Qaeda members to the U.S., he has not turned in a single senior Taliban commander, even though many of them are living openly in Quetta. The leader of the Afghan government, President Hamid Karzai, has exhibited public anger over the role Pakistan has played in the resurgence of the Taliban in his country over the last six months. So why is Pakistan continuing to tacitly support the Taliban and destabilize Afghanistan? Fear of India. Before the war that toppled the Taliban, Pakistan kept other countries out of the Afghanistan. But after the war, all that changed. One of the big players in the war-torn country is India. With an old foe pressing on her western borders, it was bad enough for Pakistan. But given an India with an accelerated nuclear program and sophisticated weapons supplied by the United States, there is no telling where this cornered cat may jump in a region that has been going “berserk” one way or another since 1947. Daylight savings time is the least of our worries. Michael Harris’ column returns in two weeks.
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTWORLD • 15
N.B. orders DRL bus inspection By Greg Mercer Telegraph-Journal
the board said in its 94-page ruling, adding that DRL has been unwilling or unable to adopt public safety as an objective of its operations. ew Brunswick’s public safety minister “The frequent breakdown of motor coaches is has ordered all buses operated by a Nova clearly indicative of a poor maintenance proScotia company inspected by July 24 gram,” the board wrote. after the utilities board in that province revoked The ruling also said DRL had a history of conthe company’s operating licence over safety tempt for Nova Scotia’s vehicle inspection concerns. agency, instead relying on New Brunswick and DRL Coachlines Ltd., which operates as many Newfoundland and Labrador to check its buses. as 20 charter buses in New Brunswick, was told New Brunswick’s Public Utilities Board has by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to asked the Department of Public Safety for a get its entire fleet off the province’s roads, citing complete report on any inspection violations, problems with worn tires, poor steering and defi- fines and other incidents involving the company cient brakes. in the past 16 months. Following that, a hearing The company’s CEO, Javis Roberts, insists his may be held, asking DRL to prove why it should buses in New Brunswick be allowed to remain on the are completely safe, and road in this province, says PUB says riders here have nothchairman David Nickelson. “Things might not have ing to worry about. A large “If we found reasonable basis part of DRL business here to do so, they would have to been perfect, we were show us why we should not includes carrying cruise ship passengers on sightin a growth mode at the consider canceling, amending seeing tours around Saint or limiting their existing licence John. time, and there might of in New Brunswick,” he says. The utility board also That process could take a have been some cussaid DRL has severe cusmonth, says Mr. Nickelson, tomer relations problems, who describes his Nova Scotia tomer service issues” counterpart’s decision as a “red and was “potentially harmful” to the Nova Scotia flag.” He says the PUB has David Nickelson tourism industry. A long list never revoked the licence of of complainants told the any bus company, although it board DRL often neglected has withheld licensing applito honour its regular bus line runs and charters. cants on as much as three occasions. Roberts says the ruling’s charges are “ludiRoberts downplays the board’s decision crous,” and his company is appealing. He says against his company, which said DRL has shown the decision is part of a campaign by his com- “callous disregard” for its safety maintenance petitors to put DRL Coachlines out of business. program. He says the decision was “heavy hand“None of our buses are unsafe, they’re ed.” absolutely safe in every respect,” he says. “This “We understand things might not have been decision in inappropriate, and frankly, we’re perfect, we were in a growth mode at the time, confused by it.” and there might of have been some customer Wayne Steeves, New Brunswick’s Public service issues,” he says. Safety minister, says he ordered the buses The company, one of the biggest in Atlantic inspected to protect New Brunswickers. Canada, has over 300 buses which run from “The decision of course concerns us, and Newfoundland to Ontario, plus New England that’s why wanted them all inspected by the and in Florida. 24th. We’ll keep and eye on them, and make sure While the evidence against DSL included their equipment is up to standard,” he says. safety issues such as worn tires, poor steering The inspections, which cost $55, can be done by and faulty breaks, a number of minor violations any of the 65 garages licenced by the province to were noted, including expired inspection stickdo safety checks on buses. ers, and out of date licence plates. In Nova Scotia, the utility board clearly felt Roberts says between February 2002 and allowing DRL to continue to operate posed too August 2004, the time period examined by the great a danger to the public. board, his company moved 25 million people. “Public safety will be jeopardized if DRL is “If you’re moving that many people, having a allowed to continue to operate in this province,” few complaints is not that bad,” he says.
N Paul Martin
Paul Daly/The Independent
Liberals win ugly, but win all the same By James Travers Torstar wire service
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hat do you call someone who succeeds despite what seem to be their best efforts to fail? Lucky is one answer; another is, prime minister. Paul Martin is, of course, both. After what could most charitably be described as 19 months of missteps and muddling forward, the Prime Minister somehow remains the favourite to win an election that is not far away. Yes, it’s true that Stephen Harper missed his best chance to end 12 years of Liberal rule and is now spending the summer repairing an image damaged by television histrionics and bad judgment. And it’s also true that an unlikely cast of characters, including Belinda Stronach, Jack Layton and the now sadly deceased Chuck Cadman, was required to save Liberals from themselves. But in politics, as in pro sport, winning is everything and no points are added or subtracted for how elegantly or crudely victory is claimed. Liberals win ugly, but they are establishing a pattern of limited success built on serial failures. That pattern is most apparent in the stuttering advancement of one of many Martin priorities: better relations with Washington. Remarkably, an administration that hobbled its last ambassador, let its influence drift in the world’s most important capital and badly mishandled the continental missile defence decision, now finds itself on a modest U.S. roll. Much of that momentum comes from a choice that was characteristically slow and sound. Ending a clumsy process that began with the prime minister’s unusual public admission that former deputy prime minister and security czar John Manley rejected the post, Martin replaced career diplomat Michael Kergan with former, and almost certainly future, politician Frank McKenna. Dispatching to Washington a premier even as competent and respected as McKenna is no panacea for cross-border problems. Beyond beef and softwood lumber, relations are now, and will continue to be, strained by issues as fresh as the drainage of North Dakota’s Devil’s Lake into
Manitoba, as familiar as security, and crucial as competition for auto manufacturing jobs. But McKenna brings to the top diplomatic post heightened understanding of the capillary nature of our critical relationship and new urgency. Using his considerable connections, keen understanding that problems and solutions are often more regional than national, as well as his willingness to speak almost anywhere, anytime, McKenna is focusing on binding interests while forcefully rejecting post9/11, mass-media misconceptions. Moving beyond dull, cold and socialist, the embassy is aggressively selling Canada as a steadfast ally, rich market and more than a silent partner in keeping North America competitive against fast emerging world traders, particularly India and China. Equally important, McKenna now counters in the same news cycle media slurs that the frozen north harbours terrorists or is less secure than its neighbour. That’s as reassuring as the incremental improvements flowing from the quiet work of officials before and after the spring three amigos summit at the Bush ranch. Instead of big-bang, the relationship is being reshaped by piecemeal agreements that trek the horizon from, predictably, security to a newer, and welcome, preoccupation with shared prosperity. Those advances reveal more than pursuit of a prime ministerial priority. They are an apt metaphor for a government that is often perplexing. Limited by its loss of majority, knocked off course by the sponsorship scandal and frequently trapped between whirling policy indecision and hardball political pragmatism, the prime minister still periodically escapes from his labyrinth. When he does, public policy and Liberal fortunes usually shamble forward. Somehow Martin overcame his own ambiguity to make the right same-sex marriage decision and, piece by piece, is slowly constructing a policy platform that isn’t as robust as promised but is built to withstand the coming electoral winds. For a Prime Minister who captivated voters with his vision and now leads a government that survives deal-to-deal, that passes as progress.
16 • INDEPENDENTWORLD
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 24-30, 2005 — PAGE 17
Christina Smith and Jean Hewson
By Stephanie Porter The Independent
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alking to musicians Christina Smith and Jean Hewson is a delight. Laid back, completely comfortable in their skins — and with each other — the women, quite simply, crack each other up. That’s been one of the keys to success for a musical collaboration marking its 20th anniversary this year. To celebrate, the duo is releasing August Gale, their second CD. “She hasn’t killed me yet,” says Hewson, with a sideways look at Smith. “Jean has slayed me a few times,” answers Smith, “she’s one of the funniest people in the universe.” They giggle as they remember the time Smith, on national radio, got caught in a five minute-plus laughing fit, barely able to speak or play. “You never know what you’re going to hear … I guess that’s why it’s worked for 20 years, because we enjoy each other’s company and we
Gales of laughter The secret to playing together for 20 years? For Christina Smith and Jean Hewson, it’s a love of Newfoundland and Labrador music, respect for each other, and a lot of giggles
do have fun,” says Hewson. Of course, laughter alone isn’t enough to sustain a music career. Hewson and Smith also share a deep passion for the songs of Newfoundland and Labrador, a determination to celebrate and preserve their tradition — and the desire to make the music speak to a wide and captivated audience. YEARS OF VARIED EXPERIENCE Once referred to as “the Xenas of Newfoundland music” (by the artistic director of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival), the women have years of varied experience between them. Hewson, a guitarist and singer, teaches about 50 students a year, has played in traditional, country and rock bands (she’s a huge fan of the industrial band Nine Inch Nails, to boot) — and is chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival programming committee, as well as president of the St. John’s Folk Arts Council. See “Playing for,” page 19
LIVYERS
Free thinker By Evan Careen For the Independent
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rtist, free-thinker, collector, Art Andrews was all of these things but what he wasn’t was host of the Art Andrews Dance Party. That was another guy with the same name who worked locally for the CBC. “People were always asking me that when I was younger,” Andrews, 86 tells The Independent. “I had to always tell them I was the Art Andrews who worked at The Evening Telegram.” Art worked in the newspaper’s advertising department for 30 years, designing advertising for local businesses and drawing cartoons based on relevant news stories of the day. Andrews says the paper never really accepted him. “I knew more than them, to be humble. I was too much of a free thinker, too much of an individual.”
Andrews was born in Winterton, Trinity Bay in 1918 and fought in the Second World War with the British Navy. He was posted in the Denmark Strait, located between Iceland and Scotland. After the war ended he attended art school in London, specializing in painting. After returning to Newfoundland he worked briefly with Bowerings before landing a job with the media. “I lived in London for three years and I loved it,” says Andrews. “I had a good job there but I wanted to come home so I did.” Andrews says his main interest was always painting and he drew much of his inspiration from William Blake. “Blake was interested in an irrational state of mind and that always fascinated me,” says Andrews. “I have a book that I wrote and illustrated called The See “We need more,” page 18
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
JULY 24, 2005
18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
‘We need more irrational thinkers’
CADET CAMP
From page 17 Dream of Orno. It’s about the history of irrational thought and is an attempt to clear rational thought from the mind. I never tried to publish it and I have the only copy here with me.” Andrews has also had a lifelong interest in Egypt and visited there a number of times. “The last time I was there I climbed the great pyramid and was kind of disappointed,” says Andrews. “I didn’t get the good vibes from the place that people always talk about, I didn’t get any vibes at all.” Andrews resides in the veteran’s section of the Miller Center in a shared room. Andrews’ corner appears lived-in, full of books, photographs, paintings and other personal effects. Andrews is visited regularly by his daughter Suzanne. “He’s such an interesting man,” Suzanne says of her father. “It’s amazing where his work pops up from time to time. When he was first in the hospital a few years back, there was a man there who said, ‘I know your father, in fact I own two of his paintings.’ When you get older, people don’t appreciate that you’re more than just an old person, that’s all they see you as. But when the man brought in these paintings it’s like the nurses saw more than an older person.” Andrews was also a photographer and a self-confessed bibliophile. His collection of books, which he plans to donate to the Newfoundland archives, cover a variety of topics from nature guides to physics to classic Russian literature. “I tried to read everything I could,” says Andrews. “It broadens the mind and allows for a greater sense of perspective.” Some of the books he prizes most, however, are his diaries, which he’s been keeping since the Second World War. “I think that’s so rare,” says Suzanne Andrews. “You never hear about people keeping diaries anymore, most of his life is chronicled in those books, from his own point of view. What better perspective could you have?” And what an interesting perspective it is. Andrews says the world today could benefit from more openness of ideas and thought. “The eternal question is how to explain abstract thought in a rational way,” says Andrews. “The battle between rational and irrational thought is still going on. We need more irrational thinkers. Try to explain that and you would be in trouble. We live in a rational world.” Evan Careen is a journalism intern from the Stephenville campus of the College of the North Atlantic.
Young sea cadets get a taste for Navy life through the National Defense’s Newfoundland and Labrador Sail School, HMCS Avalon. During July and August, 120 sea cadets between the ages of 12 and 18 from Maritime Canada spend weeks learning either music at the Cabot Naval Complex in St. John’s or sailing techniques on Southwest Pond, Salmonier Line. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19
NOREEN GOLFMAN Standing room only
D
ean Brinton, CEO of The Rooms, just did the best imitation of Donald Trump since Clyde Wells fired the employees of the Cabot 500 celebrations a decade ago. Brinton fired the widely admired and essentially likeable Gordon Laurin, director of the provincial art gallery. Just the other day there was enough promise in the air to float a ship; today artists are saying they are “devastated” and “mortified” by this turn of events. Suddenly, the provincial art gallery is without a director, the community is going ballistic, the CEO has emerged as a Goliath, and the organizational stability of The Rooms is much in doubt. What’s going on? Gordon Laurin was hired just a little over a year ago. He not only arrived with his credentials well lined up but he managed to do the near impossible: herd the cats of the arts community into a satisfied pack of clients. He did this while being essentially out of work. Days after arriving to take his post he learned that The Rooms was shutting down for a year, its opening delayed and his future tentative. Unflustered, Laurin calmly went about the business of educating himself and meeting the locals. At a wellattended open meeting, Laurin spoke with moving intelligence about his vision of how the art gallery would meet the needs of the community while keeping in view its wider mandate to encourage international connections. Admittedly impressed by the talent and collaborative spirit of the various arts practitioners, he emphasized the opportunities, stressed the importance of art education, and acknowledged the challenges of satisfying competing interests. Above all, he struck everyone as being at once sensible and creative, savvy and open. SOMEONE ELSE’S TURF To be fair to the CEO, it is not easy walking in on someone else’s turf, and Laurin and the other division directors (particularly the museum and the archives) were already getting cozy with each other and their respective communities by the time Brinton took office. Indeed, there might be perfectly understandable reasons why things haven’t worked out among the personnel. Without much more than vague complaints about competing visions, it is hard to know exactly what led to the termination of Laurin’s contract. But hearing Brinton on CBC Radio’s WAM program last weekend one could not help but get the idea that he and Laurin just don’t talk the same language. Brinton has either guts or naïve bravado or a bit of both, but agreeing to be interviewed so publicly while the ink on Laurin’s termination notice was still wet was nothing short of astonishing. The main plank in his defence is that The Rooms is now a merged institution
Gordon Laurin in The Rooms earlier this year — when he was still director of the provincial art gallery.
Paul Daly/The Independent
The Rooms fiasco — one giant family, with five division heads. Okay, but surely at some practical level the interests and needs of the art gallery, the museum, and the archives are different from each other? All divisions want to raise the profile of The Rooms and encourage visitors, but one would think the divisions need to function with a considerable measure of autonomy, to establish creative differences and help make The Rooms an institution with diverse — even radically diverse — offerings. In his interview, Brinton insisted that there “cannot be institutions within institutions.” Disturbingly, he did not suggest there was room for autonomy within the institution. His vision of the place sounded more like that of a CEO of General Motors, than, say, a multifaceted cultural institution. The Rooms has more in common with Memorial than with Nike or Exxon. The different faculties at university all want more student bums in their seats but each program unit maintains its own history, special interests, and best practices. Imagine the president of Memorial fir-
ing a dean because he didn’t like her name is associated with a federal docuvision of the curriculum or recruitment. ment called Termination of The question now is: what next? A lot Employment. This happens to be a set of people are upset and questioning the of guidelines for the cultural sector, a governance of the new model of best pracinstitution. It is inaptices produced for and propriate for the comcirculated by the munity to demand that Ministry of Human Imagine the Minister Paul Shelley Resources Canada. intervene in the matEarly on, the docupresident of ter. For years the comment counsels emMemorial firing a munity wanted the art ployers they “should gallery to be a handshandle terminations in dean because he length enterprise. It an informed and progot its wish and must way.” Apdidn’t like her vision fessional respect due process. parently this is easier But how much said than done. Furof the curriculum power should a CEO ther, in a section omihave? Perhaps the nously called The Emor recruitment. Board of Directors ployee’s Departure, needs to step in and employers are advised take more responsibilabout the importance ity. of “telling the rest of [their] team.” Brinton insisted he is “accountable” As if anticipating Brinton’s own to the community, but so far he has indelicate management of this situation, alienated himself from a sizable and the document boldly states: “The loss of influential part of it. a team member, especially if the indiIn a killing bit of irony, Brinton’s vidual was well liked or respected by
their peers, can have a devastating and sometimes debilitating effect.” If Brinton has any appetite left after this fiasco, let’s hope he is at least eating his own words. Surely he didn’t need a best practices manual to tell him to avoid deflating the high expectations and good will of the arts sector only three weeks after raising everyone’s spirits. Perhaps he is so exhausted from preparing for the sunny opening extravaganza of The Rooms that he’s lost his senses — and sense of timing — entirely. Already someone has come up with an email address identified as “brintonmustresign.” The community is pushing back faster than you can clean out an office. Brinton has some fences to mend, not to mention a lot of spin-free explaining to do. Command can be pretty lonely when you haven’t talked to the team. Noreen Golfman is a professor of women’s studies and literature at Memorial. Her next column appears August 7.
Playing for “the hardcore acoustic folk music fans” From page 17 Fiddler, cellist and vocalist Smith, also a member of the folk arts board, composes for film and television, and directs the STEP fiddlers, a group of the Suzuki Talent Education Program in St. John’s. They both play with or accompany other musicians, and are members of Frank Maher’s traditional group, the Mahers Bahers. “When you’re interacting in the community all the time, with other people, you pick up different ideas and techniques,” says Hewson. “Each place you play gives you a different repertoire of chords, guitar licks, rhythms and it can all translate back to what we do with our folk music.” The women have learned directly from some of this province’s musical legends. Hewson was a longtime friend of fiddler and accordionist Rufus Guinchard, and played with him frequently in the 1980s, the last decade of his life. Smith first met Emile Benoit during
an assignment for a summer job with Memorial University. She was sent to the annual folk festival in St. John’s to interview a handful of musicians. Benoit, learning Smith played the violin, passed her a fiddle, asked her to play, and then taught her a reel. “And I never looked back,” says Smith, who became close friends with the musician. “We’re still making friends with older people around the island and every chance we get, we’re learning their tunes.” A CATEGORY UNTO ITSELF Hewson and Smith take a moment to talk about the Newfoundland traditional music they see as a category unto itself, and separate from the songs of Ireland or the United Kingdom. “A lot of people will say Newfoundland music is anything played by a Newfoundlander, and that’s true,” says Smith. “We’ve got Newfoundland bluegrass, Irish, contemporary rock.
“But traditional Newfoundland music that has been recorded is tiny.” music, I think it’s been here long August Gale, the “way overdue” folenough that our Newfoundland psyche low-up to their 1998 CD Like Ducks!, has worked on it, changed it somehow features versions of some of their so it is our music.” beloved traditional songs, as well as a “It’s stylistically Ron Hynes song, different than Irish or Atlantic Blue. There’s “It’s stylistically English traditional a smattering of origimusic,” Hewson adds. nal tracks too — different than Irish “It has evolved to the Hewson’s set of tunes, point it has its own or English traditional The Sinus Infection idiosyncrasies.” (“kind of a jig with a music. It has evolved pulsating rhythm”) The renditions of Irish standards favand Smith’s Snow to the point it has its Shoveller’s Waltz. oured in many bars around town are not Smith and Hewson own idiosyncrasies.” have the same thing at all, brought their they say. music to folk festivals Jean Hewson on And the racks of across Canada and the recordings by NewStates — and Newfoundland music eastern foundland musicians have toured Britain in local music stores twice, with another feature many of the same songs, over jaunt planned for 2006. and over. They may play to a niche market — “People don’t go the extra mile to “the hardcore acoustic folk music fans” find the repertoire,” says Smith. “And — but there is a definite community of so the amount of actual Newfoundland avid listeners, in this province and
beyond. The invitations the duo receives, to some of the top folk festivals anywhere, speak to their appeal. “We really do stick to our tradition and we honour that,” says Smith. “(The audience) sees there is a real connection with us and our music. We come from the tradition, it belongs to us, it is us.” “It’s not just what we do, it is our life,” says Hewson. “I’m just as happy to be in Christina’s kitchen, gossiping, (reminiscing), playing tunes. That has really nothing to do with sitting on the stage and performing but has everything to do with the joy music brings to our lives. “That to me is my musical focus. Occasionally we bring it to a larger venue, like a stage or folk festival, but in my head I’m still in Christina’s kitchen playing to the cat, and drinking cappuccino.” August Gale CD launch is July 24, 7 p.m., at the Masonic Temple in St. John’s. All ages welcome.
JULY 24, 2005
20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
JAZZ FESTIVAL
V-16, a jazz fusion group, plays for a workshop audience at Memorial University’s School of Music July 22, part of the St. John's Jazz Festival. From left: Christian Kogal, Jerry Granelli, J. Anthony Granelli, and David Tromzo. Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
‘The deportation touched my heart’ Play celebrating 400 years of Acadien history opens in front of enthralled audience CARAQUET, N.B. By James Risdon Telegraph-Journal
L
es Défricheurs d’Eau, a love story about the historic struggle of the Acadian people, opened for its second season at the Village Historique Acadien last week. Tucked away in the forest beside this historic re-creation of an Acadian village near Caraquet, the stage for Les Défricheurs d’Eau is itself perhaps one of New Brunswick’s bestkept theatrical secrets. It’s not visible from the highway and just barely discernible from the parking lot only a few hundred metres away. But it’s huge. The set for this theatrical production written by the highly-acclaimed Emma Haché and directed by Réne Cormier and Richard Blackburn, is 7.5 metres high and more than 30 metres wide. It and the small trail that leads to it were carved out of the forest just for this production. It wasn’t cheap. In April, the federal government pumped in more than $918,000 to fix up the old wax museum building for the troupe and get sound and lighting equipment and bleachers for Les Défricheurs d’Eau. But the results are impressive and set the stage perfectly for this theatrical extravaganza that chronicles 400 years in the history of the Acadian people. It starts at twilight in a clearing in the forest. Using skits, music, dance, and film, Haché has woven together the highlights of the past 400 years and gives us a crash course on Acadian history that’s fast-paced, funny and touching. On opening night, the story was told through the antics of the three narrators, Zachary (Mario Mercier), Zélika (Claire Normand) and Zénon (Denis Richard) whose job it is to hold together four centuries of history. But it’s through the eyes of a young couple in love, played by Robin Joël and Emilie Labranche, that the pain caused by the deportation of the Acadians truly hits home. She’s deported by the English, forced to board a massive ship that comes crashing through the set’s metal forest. Families are separated. Children sold. He’s stuck in a strange land, looking for her, his friends and family.
Zachary, played by Mario Mercier, centre, and Zénon, played by Denis Richard, top, in Les Défricheurs d’Eau. James Risdon/Telegraph-Journal
Acadians watching from bleachers were visibly moved on opening night. Sylvie Vautour felt tears well up in her eyes. “The deportation touched my heart,” she said in French. “I had a lump in my throat. I can’t imagine anyone who would fail to be touched by this.” Les Défricheurs d’Eau, which roughly translates as ‘‘those who clear
away the waters,’’ gets its name from the early Acadian practice of diking low-lying marshlands. By using a kind of gate that prevented the salt water from covering the land at high tide while letting fresh rainwater flow out to sea, Acadian pioneers were able to farm these fertile lands. In that sense, they cleared the land of its salt water. It wasn’t to be the last of their innovations. Throughout the centuries, Acadians have established a francophone university and system of credit unions to call their own. They’ve also elected Acadians to the Legislature, including the first Acadian premier of New Brunswick, Louis Robichaud. They’ve faced an exodus of young people and the threat of linguistic and cultural assimilation. In its celebration of Acadian history, Les Défricheurs d’Eau doesn’t shy away from the suffering and challenges still ahead. It embraces them, seeing in the Acadian identity a vibrant and evolving culture.
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 21
B.C. born actor made ‘Scotty’ an icon Jim Bawden Torstar wire service
J
ames Doohan used to complain that “everywhere I go people come up to me to say ‘Beam me up, Scotty.’” Once Doohan even groused to his dentist about it. “And he said ‘get used to the fact. You’re always going to be Scotty, so why not just enjoy it?’ Which is what I learned to do.” Doohan, who played burly chief engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on the original Star Trek TV series and later movie spinoffs, died last week at his home in Redmond, Wash., with his third wife, Wende, at his side. He was 85 and was suffering from pneumonia but also had Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, lung fibrosis and diabetes. In real life, he was a proud Canadian along with William Shatner, who starred as Captain James T. Kirk in the series. Doohan never missed an opportunity to “come home” as he termed it. A military hero on the beaches of Normandy, he was forthright about his Canadian heritage. The first inclination Doohan was failing came in what was to be his last public appearance in August 2004, as he proudly accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Son Chris had mounted a hectic campaign that took years to get Doohan what was his due, but at the ceremony he clearly looked dazed and unwell. It was his farewell to public life. To get the coveted part in 1966, Doohan was asked to audition before creator Gene Roddenberry and NBC vice-presidents. A veteran of radio drama, he surprised them by trying out seven different accents including French, German, Russian. Nobody could decide on one until Doohan suggested the Scottish brogue could be warm and friendly but also authoritative. “If this character is going to be a chief engineer,
make him a Scotsman!” is how he remembered putting it and his advice was taken. On screen, Doohan projected a burly friendliness that fans immediately warmed to. And he had a bearing that came from his military training. When ordered to get the ship into motion he always looked like he’d try at any cost. Doohan liked to remind interviewers that the original Star Trek was not a ratings smash. “It only ran three years. We had fierce fans but not
“I’ve had far more adventures than Scotty ever did.” James Doohan enough of them.” So the show folded, but reruns gradually gave it a cult following that vaulted the decades. Doohan later became bitter he could not get the quality acting work he wanted. But he gradually came to terms with his Star Trek identity crisis and began appearing with other cast members at conventions. According to Doohan, some of his original sounds were expanded by others into an official Klingon language (credited to Marc Okrand) for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Ironically in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Scotty complains about his difficulty reading Klingon. He was born March 3, 1920, in Vancouver, youngest of four children of a pharmacist, but grew up in Sarnia. In his autobiography Beam Me Up, Scotty, he described an unhappy childhood because of his father’s alcoholism. At 19 he joined the Canadian Army, becoming a lieutenant in the artillery
division. He was one of 18,000 Canadian soldiers who stormed Juno Beach in Normandy on D-Day and Doohan described the stormy conditions as harrowing. “What really scared us was the very real possibility the boats might capsize.” That night he took six machine-gun hits: one took off a middle finger, four hit one leg and another struck his chest. The last one was stopped by his silver cigarette case, which saved his life. The missing finger can be spotted in some Star Trek episodes if one looks diligently. In later years Doohan would chuckle and say, “I’ve had far more adventures than Scotty ever did.” After the war, Doohan enrolled in acting school in Toronto. He then went to New York City’s Neighborhood Playhouse. Doohan publicly credited the six Star Trek movie spinoffs (stretching from 1979 to 1991) for making him well off. Rather than rest on his laurels he’d go out and do episodic TV: Fantasy Island (1983), Hotel (1985), MacGyver (1990), Ben Stiller (1992). In 1996 he received an honourary engineering degree from the Milwaukee School of Engineering after a poll indicated fully half the student body said they were inspired to study engineering by his role in Star Trek. In person Doohan was warm and friendly — and very patriotic. “I’ll never miss an opportunity to come home,” he told me at one Star Trek convention. “The way people relate to Scotty, it always astonishes me. I can’t remember half of the trivia fans tell me.” And that famous phrase? Doohan told me he’d heard it shouted at him on the L.A. freeway, in airports, supermarkets. He recently said “I’ll get worried when I don’t hear it. It’s been said to me for 31 years. I hear it from just about everybody. It’s been fun.”
James Doohan who played “Scotty” in the Star Trek series poses at the “Beam Me Up Scotty...One More Time The James Doohan Farewell Star Trek convention & Tribute” in Hollywood August 29, 2004. REUTERS/Gene Blevins
Scotty’s words to live by It’s the most repeated line of the old Star Trek series, whether or not Capt. Kirk actually said these words in this order: “Beam me up, Scotty.” No matter. It’s taken on a life of its own. • A restaurant in Niagara Falls is called Beam Me Up Scottie’s • A bumper sticker in 1993, “Beam me up, Scotty, there is no sign of intelligent life down here,” set off a political debate in the Seattle Times. • A tombstone at the Shasta County Whiskeytown Cemetery in California reads, “Beam me up, Scottie.” That was the deceased’s nickname. • A cocktail named after the expression
contains Kahlua, banana liqueur and Irish cream layered in a shot glass in that order. • The web page snopes.com/legal/beamup.htm dissects the urban legend of a defendant sentenced for drunk driving who flips open his wallet and demands, “Beam me up, Scotty.” • A Houston art show last May “to boldly go where no artist has gone before” was called ... you guessed it. • Kash Gobindram of Deer Park, N.Y., won a licence to produce garage door openers that respond to the command. • Kid Rock’s What I Learned Out On the Road goes: “Pick me up lady or beam me up Scottie.”
EVENTS JULY 24 • The Signal Hill Tattoo, two shows, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Signal Hill, call 7725367. • Roots Orchestra: Messing With Tradition 6 – 8 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre. • Closing Party for St. John’s Annual Jazz Festival Papa Mambo, 9:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre. • Steel Magnolias at the Holy Heart of Mary Auditorium, 8 p.m., tickets on sale at Auntie Crae’s and Bennington Gate. • Jean Hewson & Christina Smith’s CD release party for August Gale, 7 p.m., at the Masonic Temple, Cathedral Street.
starring Peter Halley, Shelley Neville, Darrin Martin and Steve Power; 7 p.m. The Majestic Theatre, 390 Duckworth St., 579-3023. • Robin McGrath will be launching her new poetry book, Covenant of Salt 5–7 p.m., at Bianca’s. Books will be available for purchase. • All Ages Open Mike and Coffee House with special guest host: Rabbittown Improv. 8–10 p.m., new Youth Services Centre; 12–16 Carters
Hill Place. JULY 29 • Neil Diamond Dinner Theatre 7 p.m., The Majestic Theatre, 390 Duckworth St., call 579-3023. • George Street Festival featuring Bic and the Ballpoints. • Lunchtime Concert Series presents a Blues Trio, at City Hall’s Courtyard. • 10th Annual St. John’s Drag Race, 7 p.m., Scotia Centre, Water Street.
• NGALE Queer Ball 9 p.m. to 1a.m., Masonic Temple, 155 Water St., tickets available at The Travel Bug, Our Pleasure and Shades of Gray, call 7534297. • Ant Hill Victory 10 p.m. at Roxxy’s, George Street. JULY 30 • Lantern Festival! Free lantern-making/fixing workshops in Victoria Park, 1 p.m., festival begins at dusk.
JULY 25 • “Out on the Rock 2005” 11 a.m., NGALE Press conference and flag raising at St. John’s city hall. • Pride Rock Show and Lantern Festival Benefit, featuring Cherie Pyne, Skullface and others, 10:30 p.m., Roxxy’s on George Street. JULY 26 • Wonderbolt Circus, 7:30 p.m. nightly, 2 p.m. matinees from Wednesday to Friday at St. Bon’s Gym. Adults $10 Family (up to 4) $25, call, 728-1819. • Crochet & Tatting Basics at the Anna Templeton Centre with Pearl Fifield, 739-7623. • Newfoundland Cultural lecture at Bitters Bar, MUN, presentations by Bert Riggs and Tree Walsh, 7 – 10 p.m. JULY 27 • The Signal Hill Tattoo, two shows, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Signal Hill, 772-5367. • Neil Diamond Dinner Theatre, 7 p.m. Majestic Theatre, 390 Duckworth St., call 579-3023. • Stones in his Pockets featuring Aiden Flynn and Steve O’Connell, Rabbittown Theatre, 7:30 p.m., call 739-8220. • Puppet Show at the Railway Coastal Museum, 3:30 p.m. July 27 to 30, 7245929. • Gary Palen workshop, the practice of Zen Meditation, at the Masonic Temple, 8–9 p.m. • The Art Stoyles Kitchen Party 7–7:45 p.m., at the Masonic Temple. JULY 28 • George Street Festival live outdoor entertainment featuring Ron Hynes and Ashley MacIsaac. • NGLAE, coffee social/dessert party 79 p.m., at Shades of Gray, 120 Water Street. • St. John’s Radical Media Society presents a night of political and experimental queer film and video, 9 p.m., LSPU Hall. • Neil Diamond Dinner Theatre,
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• Grand Opening of Curious on George, above Roxxy’s and Jungle Jim’s on George Street. 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. IN THE GALLERIES • Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Annual Member Exhibit, until Sept. 3. • Summer Dance, 17 member artists present a Ballet of Art, from July 23 to Aug. 27 at The Leyton Gallery of Fine Art.
JULY 24, 2005
22 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTLIFE • 23
IN CAMERA
The Northwest Rotary Skatepark near Mundy Pond in St. John’s has gotten a lot of use since it opened late last year. Skaters take to the ramps, rails and bowls 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Photographer Rhonda Hayward and reporter Alisha Morrissey spent some time there recently, trying to figure out just how the kids stay on board.
Sk8er days S
katers grind rails and swoop down ramps. Most have faces of deep concentration, but there are smiles, too. There’s laughter and shouts and, of course, the incessant rumble of wheels on pavement. Some get a taste of pavement; others catch big air at the recently minted Northwest Rotary Skatepark in Mundy Pond Park, where skaters can legally hone their craft. Regulations handed down in the fall of 2001 by the City of St. John’s banned skaters from many public places, but now they have a professional, 1,800-square metre, $500,000 competition-level skatepark in a centre-city location. Jordan Howard, 15, has been skating for about a year and a half. His favourite part of the sport is “learning new tricks.” This is his first time at the Mundy Pond park and he says it’s better than anywhere else he’s skated. Jordan and his friends, Chris Mesh, 15, who’s been skating for about two years, and Tyler Gordon, 16, a skater for about five years, say skating is a challenge that has kept them outdoors since school ended. The boys, from Mount Pearl, were driven to the park earlier in the day by Tyler’s mom. The hardest thing about skating, Tyler says, are the landings, which take time and effort to learn. Just riding on a skateboard takes co-ordination, but the boys know all the lingo and try to explain tricks like an ollie (jumping in the air with the board stuck to your feet), 50-50 (grinding a surface with both metal Ts that hold the wheels in place), and nose manuals (tipping the board forward on its nose with the tail in the air). While the boys skate around the park fairly well, they tend to only stay on the board for a few seconds when they attempt a trick. Tyler goes down one end of a ramp and back up the other side trying over and over, with little success, to get the board to ride a railing at the top of the incline. His feet land again and again on either side of the two-foot high railing. The board clatters off the rail each time and lands on the ground beside him. He doesn’t curse or whine. Rather, he picks up the board and heads up once again to the top of the ramp. The friends look around the park, pointing to a boy of about 10. They critique his moves as the kid flies around a bowl, ollieing up and out. Jordan admits he’s hit his head and knocked himself out cold; Tyler says he’s hurt his hip pretty bad — none of them wear helmets or safety gear. “We don’t really do anything that sick to hurt
ourselves that bad,” Jordan says. On rainy days the three say they watch skateboard movies; in winter they snowboard. Tyler says last winter he cleaned out his parent’s basement and created a skatepark downstairs. “The winter season is so long you have to do something,” says Jordan, adding the boys are trying to make their own skate video. Brianna Fagan, a good skater at the age of nine, says her mother won’t allow her to go to the skate park on her own — or without a helmet. “She’s a caution freak,” says Brianna, who’s already been skating for three years. Her mother, Lisa Fagan, sports a nasty sunburn from the day before, when she sat watching her athletic and admittedly tomboyish daughter at the skateboard park. Lisa Fagan brings a book and sits quietly on a bench off to the side. Brianna says she likes skating for the exercise, and she likes the skatepark because she can make new friends there. That, and “it’s cool. “The best part is that the government doesn’t care if you spray-paint it,” she says, pointing at the murals curving within the pipes and bowls. “There’s one in there that looks like a man drinking coffee at work.” Brianna wears a helmet. Other kids do too, but it’s mostly the younger kids and it’s almost always early in the day. Lisa Fagan says her home is close to the skate park and as the day goes on she watches the skaters get older. From her back window, she often sees older skaters at the park at 2 a.m. — despite rules that say the park is to be closed at 10 p.m. Brianna trades in her skateboard for her scooter and scoots around talking about all the other sports she’s involved in — Tae Kwon Do, horseback riding and soccer, to name a few. She says she’s lucky the skate park was built near her house. “I would normally skateboard in my driveway. It’s a bit different when they have ramps and drops and bowls or whatever.” Lisa Fagan says she’d like to see a skate park in every neighbourhood. “Kids have got to do something. If not they’d be at the War Memorial or out in front of the store,” she says. “Everybody says kids need some place to go, but nobody wants them in their backyard.”
ome Front On the Open your eyes to a A special section in cooperation with The Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association
Terry Walsh
The following interview is the sixth in a series of ten, in which The Independent, in conjunction with the Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association (ENHBA), will profile local trades people who have been recognized for excellence at the provincial and national level.
Answers from those who’ve been there
Terry Walsh is owner/operator of Terry Walsh Contracting Ltd. Terry’s company has been named Renovator of the Year and Member of the Year by the ENHBA and was awarded the 2004 New Home Buyers Choice by the Atlantic Home Warranty Program.
How did you first get involved in this Business? When I was in Grade 11 at Baltimore High in Ferryland, I applied to the trades school in St. John’s for the auto mechanic program because I had a real passion for cars. I didn’t get accepted, so I worked other jobs - in the fish plant, driving a beer truck, cutting logs on a make-work project then I started fishing with a neighbour. After a time, I applied for
the auto mechanic program again, but this time the course was full. My father decided to make a call to a friend of his that was working there, to try and get me enrolled, but the only course that had space was carpentry. My father said “Put him in it; he’s getting out of the boat” - he didn’t think there was a future in the cod fishery, and obviously, he was right. So I completed the nine month apprenticeship program, then I
started out doing small jobs locally, on the Southern Shore. As my reputation of doing good work grew, I got bigger jobs; renovations on a church and a fish plant, where I worked with the local craftsmen, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience. Then I moved into new home construction. I thought the market was booming, so I went to St. John’s and constructed two spec houses with my partner Brian. Then, the arse fell out of it. The houses didn’t sell, and Brian and I had to take mortgages and move into the houses ourselves. Eventually of course the homes did sell, though I took a loss on the project. It was a big eye opener for me, but I continued on. I began getting involved in presales, and business increased with renovations and some commercial work. Today, we’re involved in a number of subdivisions in St. John’s that keep me very busy. Where has your trade taken you? My trade has taken me all over Canada and the US, to conventions and things like that. There, I’ve met great people and gained knowledge on how the industry operates in other locations. My trade has given me the opportunity to have a business that provides superior quality service to people who want to construct a new home. It’s given me the ability to take some time in the summer to go RV’ing with friends and family, and to go snowmobiling in the winter. How has membership in the ENHBA benefited you and your company? The ENHBA has given my company exposure to a wide variety of clients and it’s allowed me to meet and interact with other members that I normally would not have. What’s been your greatest moment in the Business? My company winning the prestigious New Home Buyers Choice Award in 2004. It showed me that we must be doing something right!
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 25
On the ome Front world of possibilities
A special section in cooperation with The Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association
I’d love to have dinner with my buddies Ronnie and Connie, and for once have them pick up the tab! Do you find it hard for juggle work and life? In the beginning I found it difficult, but in the last few years I’ve set my priorities a little differently, and have consciously taken more time for my family and myself.
Do you ever consider leaving the Business? I don’t think I’ll ever leave my career. I have an established business base, and I am content with what I do. God willing in the future, I’ll still be here, doing just what I’m doing now. Where do you find your inspiration? My two daughters, Nadaira and Stacey are my inspiration. They inspire me to show a strong work ethic, which I hope they will carry with them through their own lives. They’re my most treasured possessions. If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Would you encourage someone to follow in your footsteps? I would for sure. The economy has really improved and right now there’s a shortage of trades people.
What are the greatest words of wisdom you were ever given? My late father encouraged me to make the
best of every situation I was faced with and to really live life. He would always say, “ You’ll be dead long enough.” I try to live by those words.
26 • INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION
On the
JULY 24, 2005
ome Front
A special section in cooperation with The Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association
Raising Awareness of the Rising Construction Costs Facing Home Builders The housing boom Canada has witnessed in recent years has meant increased business, but it also results in materials suppliers being able to demand higher prices; the buyers are there, demand is there, so a rise can be supported - to a point. I’'s not just the local market that’s booming. It’s happening all over the United States, Asia and a host of other developed countries. Raw materials become scarce as time passes. Lumber, even when
quality of work, and slowed construction schedules. Delays in material delivery result in higher cost due to extended schedules.
Then the cost of oil comes into effect. Processing raw materials and shipping materials in whatever form, requires a great deal of fuel.
on the rise - the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation states “the basic union wage rate for construction workers increased at a rate of about 2.5 per cent, slightly slower than the 2.8 per cent inflation rate during the year. Average wages for all workers in the construction industry, including those who are self-employed, increased at the same rate as unionized wages over the course of the year”
Many municipalities have increased development fees. Land costs have risen. Labour costs are
The lack of skilled labour also has an effect on cost. Shortage of skilled workers leads to lower
The sharp spikes of cost increases and almost overnight changes in pricing can be particularly rough
farmed for the industry takes time to grow, minerals that go to make up the portland cement vital to concrete production are a finite resource, steel for framing and girders can only be manufactured at a certain rate.
In the past, these costs have generally been passed on to the consumer. But it’s careful balance, and as the boom slows and inventories rise, with re-sale properties in better condition, it could result in increased resistance from buyers.
on builders who sign contracts (with attendant pricing) often 6 to 8 months in advance. A consumer cannot be asked to pay more after a contract is signed simply because the builder’s costs have risen. The booming construction industry has been one of the major sources of support to the Canadian economy in recent years, but rising costs threaten to slow it’s pace nationwide undoubtably resulting in a slowed economy.
JULY 24, 2005
On the
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 27
ome Front
A special section in cooperation with The Eastern Newfoundland Home Builders’ Association
Making Changes to a Contract
Once your contract is in place and work has begun, your project will begin taking shape. At this point you will have made some major decisions, however there are a number of additional things that can come up. In some cases, these may require you and the contractor to change the terms of the contract or establish additional written agreements. Here’s what this
can involve: Hidden deficiencies Contracts can only be based on the best information available to you and the contractor. Because renovation and repair work involves uncovering areas of your home not normally visible, there is always some potential for unanticipated problems.
For instance, if a wall is opened up and the contractor finds old wiring that is hazardous, it must be replaced to meet code requirements. Where this is a potential issue, your contractor will have noted in the contract that the agreed price does not cover hidden deficiencies. Should such a deficiency be found, the contractor will need to determine what additional work is needed, and present you with this and a summary of the costs involved. Once you have approved this change, it becomes part of your contract. Contingencies
Where some aspects of the project can only be determined once work in underway, contracts will often set aside a budget contingency. For example, if you suspect that your roof sheathing is in poor condition, you can only assess the situation properly once the existing shingles have been removed. A contingency budget allows you and the contractor to resolve specific details as the work progresses, have the funds needed and amend the contract accordingly. Change Orders It is also quite common for
homeowners to change their minds about details of a project once work has begun. For instance, once you see what the new flooring looks like, you may decide you want it installed in other areas of your home as well. Change orders are used to accommodate this type of thing. The change order is like a minicontract that defines the new work that is additional to that already covered in your contract, including the payment terms for this change. Change orders need to be signed by both you and your contractor.
JULY 24, 2005
28 • INDEPENDENTLIFE
GALLERYPROFILE
LINDA COLES Visual Artist
L
inda Coles remembers sitting alone in the high school public exam room, the only student writing the final art exam. There were no art classes offered at her school in Flower’s Cove on the Northern Peninsula, and she was the only person in her class who decided to study the subject on her own. Coles went on to teach at MacDonald Drive school in St. John’s. She has also taught classes at Memorial University, and worked with the provincial Department of Education — dabbling in painting all along the way. “But after my father died, that was the first parent that died, I really went at it with a vengeance,” Coles says of her art, “because I wanted to hold on to some of those memories. When you lose a parent you don’t have that connection to the past anymore.” Coles grew up in Savage Cove, near Flower’s Cove, and most of her paintings feature imagery from the area. “I decided I wanted to hold on to the things I cherish from the past,” she says. “(My work) is grounded in memories and experiences and our background and heritage — fences, stables, mother milking a cow. It’s all moments in time that aren’t there any more, the things that only exist now in the imagination.” Coles has several paintings in and outside an outport schoolhouse, of homes near the ocean, beach scenes, of berry-picking, carrying water, hanging laundry and other work generally completed by women. There are some paintings of the seal hunt, the return of the Vikings, and one of a line of overturned boats, painted around the time the cod moratorium was announced. Coles says she generally paints from memory, as there are few photographs of the scenes she reproduces or constructs. “I do quite a bit of research around them to make sure they’re accurate,” she says. “But I do take some artist’s licence.” The paintings often feature a lone figure, usually back on, playing, working, or contemplating. “I can kind of get into that one experience that way,” Coles says, “to live vicariously through that one individual.” The end result is a quiet, thoughtful painting — a colourful and peaceful landscape, cozy home, or a gentle look back at a good day’s work. Currently working on her doctorate in literacy through Memorial University, Coles is also president of the Art Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. She keeps a busy schedule — but always finds time for her art. “As soon as I finish one, I think of another, there’s so many memories,” she says. “There’s a sadness associated with the fact that (these things are) not there anymore, but my painting is very happy. For some reason it gives me so much joy to be reflecting.” Linda Coles’ work can be seen at Spurrell Gallery, Henry Butler Gallery, and other places around the province. — Stephanie Porter
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
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 24-30, 2005 — PAGE 29
Charlie Anonsen on board the Scademia.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
New horizons
Scademia owner Charlie Anonsen on the tour boat business, the trouble with St. John’s harbourfront and a possible move to Petty Harbour By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
T
wenty-eight years after beginning his own tour boat venture from St. John’s harbour and spawning an industry in his wake, Captain Charlie Anonsen, operator of the famous Scademia schooner, is weighing his options. Still up and running strong, but feeling the inconveniences of adapting to port authority changes and regulations, Anonsen tells The Independent he’s tempted to move out of the city to Petty Harbour — or even take drastic measures and leave the province to go down south. “The grass is always greener on the
other side of the fence,” he says. “I feel a bit handcuffed here where I can’t do what I want to do. “The wharf is owned by the port of St. John’s. They made a substantial investment into this restaurant (The Keg) and these kiosks (Pier 7), but to be hidden behind the restaurant is not good. It used to be when I had the wharf to myself — and a couple of other smaller operators — we were seen; it was pretty exclusive.” Pier 7 is part of a St. John’s Port Authority initiative to reface the harbourfront and make it more accessible to tourists and locals. Although The Keg has proved hugely popular since its recent opening, Anonsen says the kiosks — with their high rental rates and difficult street access — seem to be
less successful. Location issues aside, there’s no denying the boom in the city’s tourism business, with convention after convention packing St. John’s in recent months and the promise of downtown hotel expansions on the horizon. Anonsen sits on the deck of Lukey’s Boat, a 50-person, former fisheries patrol vessel he bought last year in anticipation of the growing demand in the convention and cruise industries. His majestic 72-seater Scademia is off on the ocean and out of sight, in the middle of a two-hour tour. “Development and the convention business is very important to us, when we get the large groups and they book us two or three and four times a day. We had both boats going pretty busy
back in June, which is a big kick to us in the season.” Anonsen’s in the process of planning extended coastal tours using the sturdy ex-patrol vessel with its sleeper cabins and several washrooms — perhaps allday trips and even overnighters, with stop-offs at rural bed and breakfasts. Anonsen has the wind-swept, rugged look of a man who’s spent his life on the water. With a father who was a pilot and a grandfather who was a whaler, it makes sense he chose to charter boats in pursuit of whales … and puffins and icebergs. “It’s a fabulous trip out there. You’re going out by Signal Hill, that’s spectacular; when you go out through The See “I’m just not happy,” page 30
Home brews
Sales of Newfoundland-made liquor products on the upswing By Evan Careen For The Independent
S
ome Newfoundland liquor products are moving off the shelves faster than ever before. Leading the way is Iceberg Vodka, sales of which have jumped by over 30 per cent this year in the province, says Steve Winter, president of the Newfoundland Liquor Corporation (NLC). “The sales of Iceberg Vodka have increased by almost a third,” Winter
tells The Independent, “which is pretty big considering the size of the market.” Iceberg Vodka is bottled by the Newfoundland Liquor Corporation and won the gold medal at the International Beverage Spirits Championship in 1998. The vodka is made from icebergs and markets itself as being made from the purest water on the planet. Sales of Screech have also gone up this year — by 10 per cent — coming in second behind Iceberg Vodka in terms of growth. Screech is seen by many as the Newfoundland liquor, and
the focus of Screech-ins, a tongue-incheek ceremony inducting come-fromaways as honourary Newfoundlanders. Although local wines experienced a drop in sales across the board this past year, they remain popular among tourists. “We’ve been looking forward to trying this (Newman’s Port) for a long time,” says Dale Miller, 62, of Brampton, Ont., a tourist spotted in a downtown St. John’s liquor store. See “Who comes to,” page 30
A display of local products in a St. John’s liquor store.
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Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
30 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS
JULY 24, 2005
‘I’m just not happy where I am right now’ From page 29
Premier Danny Williams displays the $2-billion cheque from Ottawa.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
What’s in a cheque? Not too much, if it’s to tide you over until 2013 By Clare-Marie Gosse The Independent
W
hat does $2 billion really mean to Newfoundland and Labrador? As the people of the province wait to see where money from the 20052006 offset payment will end up (predicted at $188.7 million), the Danny Williams administration has yet to reveal where the cash will go. The annual offset payment represents the offshore revenues redirected from the federal government to counteract the equalization clawback. The $2 billion, which may actually reach $2.6, is an upfront payment representing eight years of future revenues. According to Finance Department spokeswoman Diane Keough, accounting principles indicate the money would have to be spent on a budget-to-budget basis, using each annual revenue amount, instead of spending one lump sum. With the money guaranteed, there are ways to spend in advance, however, not to mention the accrued interest from such a large cheque. “We could spend the money, knowing that it’s there,” says Keough. Despite the province’s almost $12billion debt, a much better financial future lies ahead. The 2004 deficit turned out to be $473 million, almost half the $840
originally predicted and the $492-million deficit predicted for this year has been blown out of the water by rising oil prices. Opposition leader Gerry Reid tells The Independent the province is “probably in the best financial situation that we’ve been in since Confederation. “I heard the premier speak just recently that it looks, now, we’re going to be $400-million dollars in a surplus position already this year. I heard him on CBC about two or three weeks ago and it’s as a result of the increased price of a barrel of oil.” There are still high interest payments on the $12-billion debt to consider. According to the public accounts for the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the province is paying $1 billion on annual debt expenses alone — half the offshore cheque. The $2.6 billion represents about half of the province’s 2005-06 budget. Reid says although his party doesn’t expect to see the entire amount spent at once, the Liberals do expect a “balanced approach. “(Williams) toyed with the idea of paying it down on the debt or whether or not we’d spend it over a period of time,” he says. “I think what he’s doing is he’s talking about putting it in the bank or in some kind of a trust fund. I don’t know if that’s a good idea, all I know is that
we need more investments.” In particular, Reid says he would like to see direct money from the offshore deal go towards a rural initiative. “There should be a portion of that money set aside to try to entice businesses to locate in rural Newfoundland and Labrador,” he says. “We need to invest in healthcare, we need to invest in education and we need to invest in the government services around the province and not continue to cut like we’ve seen in the last two years from this government.” Reid says the current positive fiscal situation points to the Williams administration over-inflating the deficit when they came on board in 2003 and changing the accounting system. “When they changed the way we do financing in the province, the way we do budgeting in the province, when they switched to the accrued deficit. We always said the debt was overinflated, simply to quell the expectations of the people with the new government.” When the Williams’ administration hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct a financial review of the books in 2003, it was revealed the province’s financial situation was much worse than originally forecast by the previous Liberal administration.
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Today, Anonsen estimates there are around 65 tour boat operators in the Narrows, that’s spectacular; Cape Spear province, from the east coast to the is spectacular and the whales and the west, operating an industry that porpoises that have been seen out there. employs at least 150 people and generReally, really wonderful.” ates more than $6 million a year. Anonsen first fell in love with the sea Anonsen’s company, Adventure when he was in his early 20s and took Tours, includes the Scademia, Lukey’s part in a world trip Boat and on-land tours aboard a 1945 Newtwo busses and a “Petty Harbour is just via foundland schooner to van. help promote the To take a two-hour a beautiful little town extension of Canada’s trip around the bay fishing limit to 200 and it’s an active fish- costs $43 plus tax (stumiles. dents $31 plus tax) and ing community so I’m trips run up to four “I really loved it. Saw the world, you a day, seven proposing to do tours times know, and when I days a week, dependcame back to Newing on demand. The from St. John’s to foundland the first Scademia is also availthing I wanted to do Petty Harbour as early able for full private was go out the harhire. as next week.” bour and jig a fish and Although his harI couldn’t believe it bourside parking spot Charlie Anonsen … there was nobody I is proving less accomknew around that modating than it once could take me out jigging. So I thought was, Anonsen says he thinks the tour what an opportunity that would be, to boat future is bright and he’s considergo out there and take a tour and catch ing expanding his horizons. codfish.” “I want to be master of my own desHe went everywhere looking for a tiny and I’ve got some land in Petty $6,000 business loan to start his own Harbour. Petty Harbour is just a beautiboat venture, but banks and government ful little town and it’s an active fishing agencies all told him it “wouldn’t be community so I’m proposing to do tours economically viable.” In the end, he from St. John’s to Petty Harbour as found some private funding and bought early as next week. his first boat, a 33-footer, that could “I’m really pleased with the efforts of take 10 people. the convention bureau, they’re bringing “I bought my first boat and took peo- in some big conventions and the hoteple out fishing and then I saw the liers are expanding. Our future, I hope whales there, so that was another thing looks, bright. I’m just not happy where I put on my sign, so it was cod jigging I am right now. It’s not bright right here and sight seeing and then I saw the ice on this wharf, but if they do something bergs and I put that on my sign and then to enhance it, it might work. Otherwise I saw the birds, the puffins and the gan- Petty Harbour would be a nice place to nets and I put that on my sign.” operate from.”
‘Who comes to Newfoundland and doesn’t try Screech?’ From page 29 “Friends who have visited the province told us we can’t leave without trying the wines. They also said something about straight rum and kissing a cod. It’s not a real cod, is it?” Where you live in the province seems to have an impact on what you drink. Screech and the local wines are much more popular on the island’s east coast than they are in the rest of the province — with sales three times healthier on the Avalon Peninsula. “Well, you have a lot more tourists in St. John’s and area than you do in the rest of the province,” says Winter. “We figure this is why those particular products are more popular on the east coast. Who comes to Newfoundland and doesn’t try Screech?” What Screech is to the east coast Old Sam is to the west coast, outselling it by almost two to one. Cabot Tower
Top selling Newfoundland-made liquor products Iceberg Vodka — flask Screech — flask Iceberg Vodka — 26-ouncer Screech — 26-ouncer Cabot Tower — flask rum, however, sells equally well provincewide. What the story boils down to is an overall increase in sales of Newfoundland liquor products in the province. Whether it’s due to tourism or brand loyalty, it means more money staying in the province. Evan Careen is a Journalism intern from the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville.
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 31
Province lags behind others in terms of overtime pay, minimum wage By Darcy MacRae The Independent
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abour standards in Newfoundland and Labrador are similar to those in the Maritimes, but Reg Anstey says the province still pales in comparison to the rest of the country. “The Atlantic provinces tend to lag behind,” says Reg Anstey, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour. “Historically, we’ve been the poorer parts of the economic landscape in Canada and as a result we tend to lag behind on the economic issues that affect workers. The provinces with more money have better standards.” When it comes to labour standards, Newfoundland and Labrador rates closely to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. For example, all four provinces offer up to 17 weeks of pregnancy leave, while all provinces but New Brunswick offer up to 35 weeks of parental leave. (New Brunswick offers up to 37 weeks.) When it comes to overtime pay, workers in this province have to put in more than 40 hours a week to be eligible. That beats Nova Scotia and P.E.I. (48 hours) and New Brunswick (44). But in terms of overtime pay, Newfoundland and Labrador is ranked last among the Atlantic provinces with an overtime rate of one-and-a-half times the rate of minimum wage ($6.25 an hour) for a total of $9.38 an hour. However, workers already earning more than $9.38 are only entitled to
their regular amount of pay, regardless of how many hours above 40 they punch in. Both P.E.I. and Nova Scotia offer workers one-and-half time their regular pay, regardless of base salary (if a person usually makes $10 an hour, they receive $15 an hour for overtime pay). New Brunswick uses a similar system as Newfoundland and Labrador, offering workers $9.45 an hour unless they already make more than that amount. The issue that is most concerning to Anstey is minimum wage. Newfoundland and Labrador’s rate recently jumped to $6.25 an hour from $6 an hour, with another other $.25 raise coming in January. But the current rate is the second lowest in the country, and will be the lowest in September when Alberta raises its minimum wage to $7 an hour from $5.90 an hour. The highest rates of minimum wage in Canada are in its most remote regions, with Nunavut paying workers $8.50 and hour and the Northwest Territories paying $8.25. The highest minimum wage amongst the provinces is British Columbia at $8 an hour. Nova Scotia ($6.50/hour), P.E.I. ($6.80/hour) and New Brunswick ($6.30/hour) all pay more than Newfoundland and Labrador. “Our minimum wage is not nearly high enough,” Anstey says. “The labour movement has argued for a living wage versus the minimum wage. It’s very difficult for people at our minimum wage to sustain a family. People on minimum
Workers on Water Street.
wage really don’t have any group or organization that speaks for them. If they speak out, there’s a real danger they’ll lose their job.” Anstey says getting the province’s minimum wage raised to an “acceptable level” is one of his organization’s main
Preparation needed for time changes U.S. extends daylight savings time; Ontario contemplates doing the same By Tony Wong Toronto wire service
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ooming problems await Canadian businesses if they don’t have adequate time to prepare for changes to daylight savings time hours in the United States, say management experts. “The issue is getting enough lead time for businesses to make adjustments. The worst possible scenario and I think the big fear is, if the government vacillates and leaves everyone scrambling,” says Joseph D’Cruz, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. “If that’s the case, then you would have a period of disruption, particularly in the short term, if we roll things out at the last minute.” Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says he is looking into Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty whether the province should match a move this week by the U.S. economy, would in particular suffer Congress, which adopted a provision disruptions, says D’Cruz. to extend daylight savings time by two Air Canada spokeswoman Laura months. Cooke says the airline is “studying the “We are not anxious to have a dis- commercial and operational implicaconnect between us and our chief trad- tions” of the change to its business. ing partner,” he says. “We need to look at the implications of Daylight savings time across most of everything,” she says. If the airline the United States will be changed to moved to follow the U.S., it could pose start in the first weekend in March and “significant challenges for internationrun through the last weekend in al passenger scheduling” since it would November. It now runs from April put the airline out of sync with other through October in Canada and the parts of the world. U.S. However, if the airline did not follow Airlines and the automotive industry, the U.S. lead, it could cause problems which is a large part of the Ontario in terms of connecting flights and for
nighttime curfews at airports. “Passengers often make flight choices based on their total flying time and connections, and if the airline were not competitive in providing the best connections, then that would be a problem,” says one airline watcher. The change, which is expected to take place this fall, would mean clocks in Canada and the United States would be out of sync in March and November. “It would cause quite a bit of inconvenience for businesses, and also for the public to a certain extent,” says Donald Dewees, a professor of economics at the University of Toronto. Dewees says synchronization makes sense from a “purely convenience issue” rather than an energy savings issue. In Canada, March and November are winter months and Canadians are less likely to be outdoors, says Dewees. Also, electric lighting already provides an indirect source of heating, which would have to be supplanted by some other energy source. “I don’t believe it’s an energy issue as much as it is a convenience issue,” he says. A spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Chief Executives says small- and medium-sized businesses would most likely be affected by the changes. Professor D’Cruz says the issue underscored the importance of Canadians maintaining a close watch on the activities of the United States. “If you’re not watching closely, you could get sideswiped,” says D’Cruz.
Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
goals, but adds that there are other important issues they would like to see addressed and corrected. “Notice provisions aren’t nearly good enough,” he says. “You see things like what happened in Harbour Breton with Fishery Products International and by
any measure, that notice is inadequate. It was given in November while the plant was still closed, so there were no payments, or guarantees of payments or advancement payments for the workers.” darcy.macrae@theindpendent.ca
32 • INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION
JULY 24, 2005
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENT SPECIAL SECTION • 33
34 • INDEPENDENT BUSINESS
JULY 24, 2005
Wet to worse for wheat board
‘A positive message to logging interests’
Collective sows crucial farm data; struggling with floods, trade woes
WINNIPEG By Stuart Laidlaw Torstar wire service
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rairie farmers are once again facing the worst possible state of affairs this summer, the Canadian Wheat Board is warning: small crops and low prices. While last month’s Alberta floods made headlines across the country, wet weather kept farmers off the land in all three grassland provinces during the crucial sowing season. This, combined with bumper crops in competing countries driving up supply and lowering prices, spells another tough year for Canadian farmers. “That’s the worst case scenario,” Mark Burnett, the wheat board’s director of weather and crop surveillance, says. “It’s one of the challenges of farming. You face local conditions, and yet globally, enough people haven’t been facing the same conditions.” Mark Fleury is one of the farmers facing that challenge this year. He was delayed about two weeks getting his crop in the ground at his farm northwest of Winnipeg as heavy rain soaked his fields. That means he will also be late harvesting, raising the risk of losing his crop to frost come fall. “It’s going to be a tense summer,” he says matter-of-factly, taking a break from planting as he also directs a crew rebuilding a barn that burned down over the winter. “We just hope for the best.” Burnett predicts Canadian wheat production will drop to 22 million tonnes this year, down two million tonnes from last year. Barley is expected to drop to 11.7 million tonnes, down from 12.3 million. While parts of the United States, Russia and North Africa are also expected to have difficult years, Burnett expects wheat production in Australia, a key competitor for Canada, to recover from recent drought conditions as soaking rains provide crucial moisture. Burnett estimates worldwide grain production this year will top 603 million tonnes, just shy of last year’s record production of 625 million. That’s enough to keep prices low this year, continuing a trend of the last few years, he says. “The way things are looking, there’s not going to be a dramatic improvement in prices this year,” says Burnett, whose
By Andrew Philips Telegraph-Journal
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A farm house is surrounded by wet fields near Steinback, Manitoba, October 8, 2004. A record amount of rainfall in the summer has turned some fields into swamps in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and put farmers over a month behind in their harvest. REUTERS/Shaun Best
family farms in Alberta, just north of the High River floods of last month. Burnett says his job of forecasting production has become more difficult in the past few years. Traditionally, drought has been the biggest concern for farmers, and through the 1990s production levels were fairly predictable — if not always stellar. So far in this century, though, Prairie farmers have faced two years of recordbreaking droughts, followed by two years of cold weather. Last year, late spring frosts delayed planting, while a freak mid-August frost wiped out many harvests. “And this year, you’ve got one-in200-year floods in Alberta and one-in100-year floods in Manitoba,” says Burnett. Coupled with ongoing low prices for beef in the wake of an Alberta cow being diagnosed with mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, two years ago, poor Prairie wheat crops have made for some tough years on the farm. Statistics Canada reported this spring that prices for grains, canola and specialty crops had fallen 21.3 per cent in just one year, continuing a downward slide that started in September 2003 and
shows no signs of letting up. “This fall will be a very difficult time,” says Frieda Krpan, who sits on the board of Manitoba’s farm credit agency. “Many families simply aren’t going to survive.” Back at the wheat board, Burnett and his staff of three do what they can to help farmers by monitoring weather, soil conditions and production levels in 60 countries around the world. The wealth of information, posted on wheat board walls in the form of colour-coded maps and charts, helps farmers make crucial decisions on farm operations. Farmers have been known to call Burnett directly from the fields at seeding time to ask how the harvest is going in North Africa, a big market for Canadian durum wheat, the major ingredient in pasta. If North Africa is having a bad harvest, a farmer in Manitoba might be tempted to plant more durum, expecting a good market come fall. “It can have an impact on planting decisions,” says Burnett. One floor up, the board’s lawyers are monitoring other international developments, this time in the form of trade challenges to the very existence of the wheat board under international trade rules.
Most of those challenges have come from the United States, which has used its own trade rules, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization to attack the board, which sells Canadian wheat around the world and then pools the money for distribution to contributing farmers. The wheat board “is a collectivist kind of notion, and the U.S. is not a collectivist kind of culture,” says board lawyer Jim McLandress, whose office walls are lined with files from past trade challenges. “We’ve never lost a trade challenge,” says McLandress. The big challenge over the next few years, McLandress says, will be at World Trade Organization talks, where both the U.S. and Europe want to see the wheat board gutted in exchange for cuts to massive farm subsidies. A crucial stage in those talks comes next December, McLandress says, when trade ministers from around the world meet in Hong Kong, just as Prairie farmers are sitting down at their kitchen tables to review how they have fared last year and begin looking toward next year’s sowing season. “That’s where the real fight will come, I fear.”
ew Brunswick forestry officials are breathing a huge sigh of relief after Canada’s highest court ruled New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq need permits if they want to cut down trees on Crown land for commercial gain. Yvon Poitras, president of the New Brunswick Forest Products Association, says the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision makes it a lot easier for companies to now continue with their work. “We’re relieved in the sense now that we have clarification that we know where we’re going,” Poitras says, noting the court’s decision sends a very positive message to logging interests and allows the industry to get back to work with a better sense of what’s ahead. “It puts certainty in the work we have before us,” he says. “You do certain things and you operate a certain way. (This) clarifies the air.” In a unanimous decision that applies to both provinces, the high court says commercial logging does not represent a logical evolution of the traditional Mi’kmaq trading activity described in 250-year-old treaties. Poitras says the industry hopes the decision paves the way for a positive working relationship with aboriginal peoples throughout the province. “We want to continue to move ahead in our support of programs such as the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership program, that will help bring more aboriginal peoples into the industry by providing them with forestry related skills,” he says. “We appreciate that many aboriginal peoples have a deep rooted respect for the sustainability of the forest resource, and that’s something totally in line with our views and management practices, so with this shared priority, there’s every reason to work together for mutual benefit.”
H
umber Valley Resort, located in the Heart of the beautiful Humber Valley on Newfoundland’s west coast, is a vacation destination for internationals and locals alike. Comprised of some 2400 acres of forested mountainside vistas along the Humber River, the Resort offers a world-class lifestyle not only to its guests, but also its employees. Whatever the season, the lifestyle opportunities and recreational activities are endless. In winter, premium downhill skiing and snowmobiling are just outside your office door, as are kayaking, golfing, and world-class salmon fishing in the summer, just to name a few. Founded, owned, and operated by the pioneering Newfound Developers Group of Companies, Humber Valley Resort is the first of several international resorts currently in development, including its sister resorts in St. Kitt’s, Nevis, and Ireland.
ASSOCIATE CORPORATE COUNSEL Competition # HVR-2005-16
Reporting to the Director of Legal Affairs of Humber Valley Resort, and in consultation and coordination with our General Counsel for Newfound Development Group of Companies, you will be challenged with the pivotal responsibility of executing commercial, financial and real estate transactions which are instrumental to the development and sustained growth of the Resort. You will lead the Resort’s Legal Division and be responsible for its effective and positive management. As a member of our Senior Team, and working closely with all Divisions of the Resort, you will participate in decision making on many issues that affect the development and operation of the Resort. Specifically, you will be expected to: • Oversee the conveyancing of land to international clients; • Present management reports in a timely manner; • Project and meet cash flows from land sales and construction receivables; • Effectively manage all aspects of the Legal Division; • Consult on all legal issues affecting the Resort; • Interact daily with international clients The ideal candidate will be an outgoing, confident and dynamic individual with a minimum of 3 years legal experience in the areas of commercial, real estate, and corporate law; be a member in good standing with the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and demonstrate superior written, presentation, time management and communication skills. Applications must be received by 4:30 pm Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2005. Please quote competition #HVR-2005-16 when forwarding your resume, cover letter and references in confidence to: Director of Legal Affairs 11 Mountainview Drive, Humber Valley Resort P.O. Box 370 NL A0L 1K0 Fax: (709) 686 1359 e-mail: dwhite@humbervalley.com
w w w. h u m b e r v a l l e y. c o m
JULY 24, 2005
INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 35
WEEKLY DIVERSIONS ACROSS 1 The hula hoop and such 5 Westminster ___ 10 Male swine 14 Related maternally 16 Liberal in Quebec 17 ___ Callan (Richard Wright) 18 Connected 19 B.C. wildflower: blue ___ 20 Place with lowest tide in Canada (Nunavut) 22 Chair part 23 Command to huskies 25 Wild dog of Asia 27 Boletus mushroom 28 Casual assent 30 Intimidated 33 Of the nature of: suffix 34 Chinese good-luck stone 35 Unconscious 37 Goddess of the hearth 39 Engender 41 Crimean port 43 Large cat 46 Mark given for a traffic offence 48 Cdn. identifier 49 Ties down 51 ___ on parle
franÁais. 52 Collector of our folk songs: Edith ___ 54 Make edging 56 Notable photographer of notables 57 Completed 59 Over-the-hill mount 60 For each 62 The Kentucky Derby, e.g. 63 Sling mud 65 Inuit Broadcasting Corp. 67 Angler’s basket 69 Sock end 70 Strain 72 Alien craft 74 Prospector’s triumph 76 Motionless 77 Fuzzy fruit 79 Gentle in Quebec (fem.) 80 Shelf on a mountain 82 Unvarying duties 84 Black Sea fish in L. Erie since 1993: Round ___ 87 Porkpie or boater 88 N.B. island: Grand ___ 89 Overdue 93 You ___ here 94 “The Magnificent” Lemieux 96 Leaves 98 Suffering drought
99 Lawren Harris painting: ___ Island 101 Debutante’s accessory 104 Architect of Habitat ‘67 (Montreal) 106 Spent 107 Jazz pianist Peterson 108 Room (Fr.) 109 Gentry school 110 Weeny 111 Regretted DOWN 1 Actor Colm ___ 2 Soul 3 “The Shooting of ___ McGrew” (Robert Service) 4 Flower holder 5 Vaulted passage 6 Feather accessory 7 Cadge 8 Gent’s oath 9 Orthodox Jewish school 10 Cornflower colour 11 Dinghy propeller 12 Tropical palm 13 Did a garden chore 15 Learning 17 N. S.-built mystery ship: Mary ___ 18 Actor Silverheels 21 Rwanda primate 24 Piglet’s mother
26 Impersonal pronoun 29 Enormous 31 Use artgum 32 Salami store 34 Third largest feline 36 French nerve 38 ___-tock 39 Develops into 40 Distinguished 42 Great leveller 44 Unpredictable 45 Mark again 46 Acted biblically 47 Shania ___ 49 Hard to climb 50 Bedding item 53 Soviet police 55 Mar. follower 58 With no difficulty 61 Preparedness 64 Irk 66 Pool tool 67 Hot chocolate 68 Leader of Upper Canada Rebellion (1837): William ___ Mackenzie 71 Veteran (2 wds.) 73 Rural spread 75 Dawn faceoff 77 Northern B.C./Alta. river 78 Its capital is Budapest 81 Needlefish 83 Eastern way 84 Chatter
85 Speak 86 Suit 90 Confuse
91 Heard in court 92 Hurricane hub 94 Look or bearing
TAURUS - APRIL 21/MAY 21 When a coworker brings an idea to the table, listen with open ears, Taurus. You may be quick to dismiss his or her suggestions, but there is a method to the reasoning. GEMINI - MAY 22/JUNE 21 It's a bumpy road this week, Gemini. Wednesday proves to be the most challenging. Financial issues are at the heart of the situation. Buckle down and stick to that budget. CANCER - JUNE 22/JULY 22 A medical problem has you feeling depressed, Cancer. Keep faith, because the doctors are about to discover the reason behind your malady. Accept family help on
Friday. LEO - JULY 23/AUGUST 23 A big ego is no way to win friends, Leo, and that's what you've been showcasing lately. Humility is the right path for the next few days. Your friends will remark over the sudden change. VIRGO - AUG 24/SEPT 22 An elusive romance has put a damper on your spirits. A new employee at work may be your ticket to a meaningful relationship. Thursday is your power day - make the most of it. LIBRA - SEPT 23/OCT 23 Someone in the house has you losing your temper on Saturday. You have every reason to be upset, but yelling won't solve anything. If talking doesn't work, keep your distance. SCORPIO - OCT 24/NOV 22 You have been keeping secrets
102 Top trump card 103 Managed 105 Winter illness
POET’S CORNER
WEEKLY STARS ARIES - MARCH 21/APRIL 20 You're feeling bored and looking for an escape. Now might be the perfect time to schedule a muchneeded vacation. Invite a close friend to share the trip.
95 River of France 97 German river 100 One way to swing
Beach Stone
from a loved one, Scorpio. How can you expect others' trust in situations like these? Fessing up may be the honorable thing to do.
Restlessness can easily be treated with a spontaneous road trip. Pack just the essentials and set out for some quiet "you" time.
SAGITTARIUS - NOV 23/DEC 21 You've had a creative idea developing for a while. Now is the time to put your plan into action. Friends are ready and waiting in the wings to offer support.
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
It rolls into the cup of my palm.
JULY 23 Marlon Wayans, Actor
For all I know of rock, it could be
JULY 24 Anna Paquin, Actress
the blunt tooth of some long dead animal fallen loose in decay,
CAPRICORN - DEC 22/JAN 20 Have you been feeling down about your appearance? A makeover may be just what you need to revive your spirits. Get together with a group, and plan an afternoon of pampering. AQUARIUS - JAN 21/FEB 18 It's time to get back in shape now that bathing-suit season has arrived. It's easier than you'd think if you set reachable goals. A family member wants to join in. PISCES - FEB 19/MARCH 20
JULY 25 Matt LeBlanc, Actor JULY 26 Mick Jagger, Singer JULY 27 Peggy Fleming, Athlete JULY 28 Evan Farmer, TV Host JULY 29 Wil Wheaton, Actor
The stone is smooth where the sea has worn away its edges.
or simply a broken syllable from the high sentence of a cliff. Without light it is impossible to tell. I close the stone tight in my fist, drop it into my front coat pocket, just as the last of the stars wink out. From the 2003 book Scarecrow by Mark Callanan.
36 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS
JULY 30, 2005
Raptors consider youth movement By Doug Smith Torstar wire service
T
Canadian Football League Commissioner Tom Wright speaks at a news conference during Grey Cup week in Ottawa, November 19, 2004. The British Columbia Lions play the Toronto Argonauts in the 92nd Grey Cup on November 21. REUTERS/Jim Young
Wright man for the job? CFL commissioner is back for at least one more year By Rick Matsumoto Torstar wire service
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om Wright insisted he was not, to quote Otis Redding, sitting on the dock of the bay wasting time trying to make up his mind about staying on as commissioner of the Canadian Football League. He travelled across the country meeting with club executives assessing their support for his plan and leadership. And his leadership, undoubtedly, still hinged on his ability to sell his plan, which included a salary cap, the main bone of contention with those who sought to oust him last May. He must have figured he had the necessary support because Wright recently announced he has decided to accept the league’s offer of a one-year extension to his current three-year pact, which was set to expire this November. But now, not even Wright is calling the limit on salary expenditure a cap. He’s calling it a “salary-management system.” “I’m going to change your words,” he says “Absolutely, having the appropriate salary-management system is fundamental to our health, to the health and viability of our small-market teams ... where all nine teams can be profitable. It’s fundamental to a thing called competitive balance, where every fan can hope his team can compete for the Grey Cup come
November.” When it was suggested that the salary issue had still not been totally addressed, Wright replied: “Before you judge the system, wait to see how it evolves because it involves more than the compensation paid to our players. It involves the draft and a host of other ways to see how our rosters are managed to ensure that we have that competitive balance.” Toronto Argonauts co-owner Howard Sokolowski says he and co-owner David Cynamon supported Wright and were hopeful he would agree to stay on. Even the Montreal Alouettes now insist they are in Wright’s corner. Als’ president and alternative governor Larry Smith, the former CFL commissioner, insisted the ownership never voiced the wish that Wright step down. “I’ve never made that statement, and I don’t think our owners have made that statement,” says Smith. “The press has created that statement. As the president of the club I’m delighted that Tom is staying.’’ Smith says the league needs a management system that would take into consideration the regional disparities among clubs. “We have to find a mechanism that works within the boundaries of where we play,” he says. “That’s not just a cut-anddried thing where we have a (salary) cap
where everyone follows the same numbers or you get your wrists slapped. “This is a situation where we have to take into consideration the places that are more expensive to live, less expensive to live, more expensive to travel in, less expensive to travel in.” Despite the fact that the league has prospered under the leadership of the former head of Adidas Canada, at least two of the private club owners — B.C. Lions’ David Braley and Montreal Alouettes’ Robert Wetenhall — were strongly in favour of dumping him. Hamilton TigerCats’ Bob Young was also said to be leaning in that direction. SURPRISE TURNAROUND In May, while Wright and his wife were vacationing in France, the board met via conference call to discuss his contract contention. While it was strongly believed he would be ousted, the governors did a surprise turnaround and offered a one-year deal while denying him the long-term pact he sought. Wright drew the ire of his opponents for publicly favouring the policing of the league’s salary cap, which has been bumped to $2.6 million this season from $2.5 million. The former owners of the Ottawa Renegades claimed they were guaranteed that the cap would be enforced and blamed their financial woes on having to
spend more money than they had intended to attempt to be competitive. As the controversy broiled last spring, Braley came out insisting that the cap was not a ceiling but rather the floor. Wright says his disagreement with members of the board should never have become public and he offered an apology to fans and the league’s sponsors. “Over the past several years, we have tried very hard to return the focus of our attention to where it belongs: to the game, the players, our teams and rivalries,” he says. Wright acknowledges that he does not have the full support of the board. “It will come as no surprise that I do not have the unanimous support of the board of governors to move forward in my role as the commissioner,” he says. “I do, however, have the very strong support of the consensus majority who believe in the same vision as I’ve always subscribed to.” Smith says he is confident the league will continue to prosper under his leadership and when the time comes for his contract to be discussed again it will be extended once more. “We’re elated that Tom agreed to accept the offer,” says Winnipeg Blue Bombers president and CEO Lyall Bauer. “And when this extension is up, I hope he’ll stay on for many more years after that.”
ough decisions await Toronto Raptors general manager Rob Babcock, when evidence gathered from two summer leagues is thrown into the mix along with a need to continue reconstruction of the Raptor roster. He must weigh the possibility of making a blockbuster trade — an Eastern Conference executive insists Jalen Rose is being shopped heavily around the league — with the performance here of two intriguing possibilities for next season’s roster. Omar Cook, who had been generally conceded a spot as the team’s third point guard, has done little to impress in summer league action in Minneapolis. But at the other end of the spectrum has been Uros Slokar, the 58th pick in last month’s draft whose shooting ability and 6-11 length have created a buzz throughout the organization. “I think he’s just a good basketball player, he knows how to play,” Raptors’ coach Sam Mitchell says of the Slovenian, who was expected to play in Europe for another year. “I don’t know if it’s written in stone that he’s going right now. If he plays well enough, we may need to keep him. He’s 6-11 and last I checked, we don’t have that much size.” Still, the possibility of a Rose trade is intriguing. While Babcock freely admits he’s had trade talks with many teams and he won’t get in to anything close to specifics, dealing Rose —if he can find a team willing to take on Rose’s contract that has more than $30 million (all figures U.S.) remaining — would be a daring move. The veteran swingman averaged about 18 points and shot 47 per cent from the field last season and is Toronto’s most dangerous one-onone scorer; his departure would leave a huge void in the Raptor offence. But it would be a clear signal that Babcock is doing something to create space and playing time for young players since the veterans on the team did little to get it near mediocrity in the Eastern Conference last season. If they can’t win with veterans, why not try and do something with youngsters. Solution for crossword on page 18
JULY 30, 2005
Clean lines and green grass
INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 37
TARGA RETURNS
From page 40 but is expendable because of the emergence of Aaron Hill, while Hinske’s play no longer warrants a starting position. I like Catalanotto and Speier, but both could be replaced by a quality player a few years younger acquired via trade or call-up from the minors. At the other end of the spectrum are five players the Jays should in no way whatsoever consider trading — right fielder Alex Rios, shortstop Russ Adams, infielder Aaron Hill, infielder Shea Hillenbrand and pitching ace Roy Halladay. Rios, Adams and Hill will one day be the foundation of the Jays, while Hillenbrand’s professionalism, passion, and tough-as-nails approach to the game are desperately needed in a locker room full of impressionable young men. Halladay is untouchable because he is the best starting pitcher in all of baseball and is quite simply the team’s franchise player. FIELDS OF GOLD Nothing pleases me more than to watch a ball game on a wellgroomed field. Technically it’s the action on the diamond that draws me to the game, but watching baseball and fast pitch softball on an attractive playing surface adds to the experience. I’ve watched some local ball on beautifully groomed fields in St. John’s in the past couple of weeks. Both the St. Pat’s baseball field and the Lion’s Park softball field are very well looked after, with crisp, neatly trimmed, healthy looking grass on the field and clean bleachers with good sightlines for the fans. Watching ball on fields such as these is a pleasure. When two teams are competing on a looked-after field, it gives you the feeling the game means something. It installs pride in the players and lets everyone in attendance know the game they are witnessing is being run by people who care about the sport. For a sports fan like me, this makes being a little late for supper more than worth it. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca
Organizers of Targa Newfoundland have finalized the 2005 route, with 42 challenging courses running through 75 communities. Some of the new communities chosen for this year’s course include Conception Harbour/Colliers, Marysvale, Grand Falls-Windsor, Harbour Mille, Little Harbour and Little Bay East. A preview of cars involved in Targa 2005 will take place at Mile One Stadium on Sept. 10, with the race itself beginning in St. John’s two days later. Paul Daly/The Independent
Europeans, plumbers among CBA winners By Ken Campbell Torstar wire service When the Toronto Maple Leafs management team showed up in New York for its primer on the collective bargaining agreement last week, it discovered it has a little more room under the salary cap for next season than it previously thought. One of the provisions under the new is that for purposes of the salary cap the average salary of all remaining years on an existing contract is applied for each year of the deal. That means captain
Mats Sundin, with three years remaining on his contract at $6.8 million (all figures U.S.), $7.6 million and $4.6 million, will be assigned a salary for the next three seasons of $6.3 million. That means the Leafs now have eight players under contract next season for a total of $26.6 million — not including the expected buyout of Owen Nolan’s $5.6 million salary — instead of $27.1 million. While many players took an enormous hit in this CBA, the league’s lower wage earners will almost be certainly sending thank you cards to NHL
Players’ Association executive director Bob Goodenow and the bargaining committee. Not only does the minimum salary go up to $450,000, players earning less than $660,000 must receive the customary 10 per cent raise on qualifying offers, which means their qualifying offer on the next deal goes up to $495,000. Players earning from $660,000 to $1 million receive a five per cent raise and those earning more than $1 million receive no raises on their qualifying offers. Other big winners in the new CBA will be European players, whose rights
Sittler Gilmour
now come into line with their North American counterparts. Late-blooming Europeans will now have to be signed as free agents because the new deal stipulates that they can only be drafted until the age of 22. More importantly, teams will have only two years after they draft a European to sign him, the same way it is with North Americans. Previously, teams could draft Europeans and basically hold their rights in perpetuity. On July 21, the NHL players association voted to accept the new collective bargaining agreement.
38 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS
JULY 30, 2005
‘There will always be opportunities’ From page 40
Toronto Blue Jays' Eric Hinske follows through on a two-run homer off Seattle Mariners starter Aaron Sele during the third inning of American League play in Toronto July 19, 2005. REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski
Shaky Hinske unlikely to move Infielder isn’t a hot trade commodity By Richard Griffin Torstar wire service
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ecause Toronto’s J.P. Ricciardi is the only Major League Baseball general manager who would have rewarded ‘02 rookie of the year Eric Hinske with a lucrative multi-year deal in the spring of 2003 after one successful season, it makes sense that with two years remaining on that same generous contract, he’s stuck with him. And he won’t eat salary to move him. Hinske can’t be happy with the boos. It is clearly audible at the Rogers Centre, every time Hinske fails to produce, that the grassroots would like him run out of town. But he shouldn’t take it personally. The same thing happens with every team, with any number of players that were once achievers and are now underachievers. Baseball fans aren’t deep thinkers. They live (and boo) for the moment. But a deal is easier said than done, even though over the next 14 days Ricciardi needs to clear the deck for the return of Corey Koskie, in one way or another. The problem is that the Blue Jays have six offensive players — Hinske, Koskie, Shea Hillenbrand, Aaron Hill, Orlando Hudson and Russ Adams — for five positions, four infield spots plus designated hitter. If fans were polled, Hinske, in a landslide, would be the odd man out. The question becomes, why would any other general manager trade for Hinske? Teams that utilize the trade deadline to trade up in salary are obviously teams looking to win in the current year, willing to roll the dice by paying premium prices for just two months’ worth of pennant-race production. That is not what you
would get with Hinske. In addition, president Paul Godfrey has already indicated that any move the Jays make will not be a salary dump. And the type of player in demand from contending teams is clearly not the Hinske type. Key Jays Ricciardi might trade are: Lefty Ted Lilly, earning $3.1 million (all figures U.S.) and eligible for arbitration, before free agency in 2007. Second baseman Orlando Hudson, discouraged by the Jays in his push for a long-term deal but now in line for $2 million in arbitration for ‘06. One of the Jays’ many middle relievers, especially the $1.9 million Justin Speier.
“When you get into a slump, 90 per cent of it is mental. (Hinske) hasn’t given up. He’s out there battling, day in and day out.” hitting coach Mickey Brantley Infielder Shea Hillenbrand, whose departure would clear the decks for Koskie. The Jays, for their part, are interested in Marlins starter A.J. Burnett, relying on his personal loyalty and friendship with Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, as they did in off-season negotiations with free agent Matt Clement. The gambit almost worked with Clement, but with Burnett still under
contract to the Fish, it comes down more to the package of players the Marlins get in return. Godfrey has said the Jays will not sacrifice the future of the franchise for two months, meaning they will not match the talent offers of another Burnett-interested team, likely the O’s, who may be willing to accept Mike Lowell as well. The Blue Jays will have to wait until Burnett is a free agent to have a fighting chance. While Ricciardi continues to downplay the July deadline for trades without waivers, sources in Chicago insist the White Sox have their sights set on Lilly to bolster the bottom end of an already formidable rotation. In any case, going nowhere, the Jays have to hope Hinske, working with hitting coach Mickey Brantley, can snap out of his slump and contribute to a strong finish in a Toronto uniform. “When you get into a slump, 90 per cent of it is mental,” Brantley says. “(Hinske) hasn’t given up. He’s out there battling, day in and day out. That’s what I like. Now we’ve just got to get over that hump. We thought we came out of it the last couple of at-bats in Texas, two doubles. “But it took him a couple of at-bats and he was expanding the zone again and all of a sudden he’s back down on himself. He’s competing as hard as anyone to get back to his old swing. If you’ve got any speck of doubt at this level, then obviously there’s going to be problems.” Hinske has shown no sign of ending his funk. If the Jays fail to move anyone, they will likely have to keep their millionaire first baseman on the bench. Odds are if anyone is moved, it will be Hillenbrand or Hudson.
“I love him (Hurley). He creates a really good atmosphere and is never right and let lose with solid forehand one to lose his temper. He laughs a lot, and backhand shots. Her defensive and I like that,” she says. “She abilities were also on display, showing (Pushpanathan) has been really helpgreat instinct in moving to where her ful. She’s leaving for medical school opponent would hit the ball. next year so she won’t be my coach But what was perhaps most impres- anymore. I’m really going to miss sive was her graceful, seemingly her.” effortless serve. Its flawlessness often Given her outstanding tennis abilihid the fact that Entwisle packs quite a ties, many of Entwisle’s friends and wallop, even when competitors have freshe’s trying to hold quently asked her back. whether she will pur“My serve has been “My serve has been sue an athletic scholreally on,” she says. arship to a university “I’m fiddling around really on. I’m fiddling south of the border. a bit with it now, tryWhile odds are she around a bit with it ing to concentrate could find one, it’s more on placement not a path she wants than power. I have a now, trying to concen- to follow. pretty big serve, but if about it trate more on place- for“Ia thought I can’t place it well, really long time, it’s no good to me.” but I don’t think it’s ment than power. I As solid as she for me,” says played throughout the Entwisle. “If you get have a pretty big Atlantic’s, Entwisle into a really good could not overcome division one school, serve, but if I can’t Nova Scotia’s Neila it takes away from place it well, it’s no Starratt in the semithe college experifinals, the same playence. To play tennis good to me.” er Entwisle defeated all the time and train in the final of the every day might take Sarah Entwisle 2002 under-14 the fun out of the Atlantic champisport for me.” onship. Despite their Instead, Entwisle is history of playing each other in big trying to secure an academic scholarmatches, there is certainly no animosi- ship to study business at an American ty between them. In fact, Starratt university, preferably in a city in the stayed at Entwisle’s house while in St. American northwest such as Boston, John’s. New York or possibly Washington, “We’re good friends. We’ve played where she recently attended the People each other a number of times,” to People Future Leaders Summit with Entwisle says. students from around the world. Despite falling short of her goal, Entwisle says she met several interEntwisle says she has had a good ten- esting people at the summit, and crednis season thus far. Not only did she its her experience at the event for helpqualify for the Canada Games, she also ing her decide what educational path claimed another provincial champi- to follow. onship — in her first year in the While her exact university of choice under-18 division no less. is still up in the air, she knows she Despite competing and winning at wants to continue taking part in the tournaments of higher stature (includ- many activities she currently enjoys, ing the nine national championships including playing the flute and piano she’s attended), Entwisle insists claim- (she’s a member of the Holy Heart’s ing top spot in Newfoundland and concert band), as well as singing (she Labrador is still a special victory. recently sang at the Kiwanis Music “It always means something,” says Festival). Entwisle. “I still get nervous, as much Although she doesn’t see herself as coaches tell you ‘Don’t have doubts pursuing tennis at a competitive level and you’re a rock,’ my knees still once she graduates from high school knock just like everybody else’s and I next June, Entwisle says the game will still second guess myself.” never totally leave her system. Much of the credit for the young “There will always be opportunitennis player’s success must go to ties,” says Entwisle. “My physical fitcoaches Jack Hurley and Anita ness is very important to me so I will Pushpanathan. Entwisle says the pair always play recreationally.” keep her mentally and physically ready to compete at a high level. darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca
Queen’s Plate winner Wild Desert under investigation By Jennifer Morrison Torstar wire service
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he whereabouts of Queen’s Plate winner Wild Desert, before the colt’s big win at Woodbine on June 26, is being investigated by the racing commissions of New York and New Jersey, according to a report in Daily Racing Form. Much had been made about the mystery surrounding the 3-year-old’s training before he was shipped into Woodbine five days before the $1 million race. The horse showed only one published workout, at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, since an eighth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on April16 and his arrival at Woodbine. The colt then prepped a slow three furlongs at Woodbine on June 24. Despite the light workload, Wild Desert was one of the Plate favourites at 3-to-1 and went on to a half-length victory. Following the race, co-owner Dan Borislow noted he had won $100,000 betting on his horse while another partner, Keith Jones, said he won $13,000. “Enough questions have been raised that we have turned it over to our
investigators,” says Steve Pagano, a steward at Monmouth told Daily Racing Form. There is also speculation the colt was never at Monmouth in the weeks leading up to the race. However, Gunnar Lindberg, a steward at Woodbine, says the investigation does not affect Wild Desert’s Plate win or third-place finish in the Prince of Wales since the colt had the three-furlong prep at Woodbine. A horse must have at least one recorded three-furlong workout if he has not had a race in more than 30 days. “Wild Desert met the criteria here,” says Lindberg. “The problem isn’t with us, he met the conditions to race here.” It was also reported that Stacey Clifford of the New York State and Racing Board has initiated an investigation. Wild Desert, which was listed as being trained by Bobby Frankel for the Plate and last Sunday’s Prince of Wales, was originally trained by Ken McPeek. But the colt was transferred following the Arkansas Derby, to New York conditioner Richard DutrowJr., who has been serving a 60-day suspension for medication violations.
JULY 30, 2005
INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 39
By Darcy MacRae The Independent
S
eamus Gregory is going where few coaches his age have gone before. The 24-year-old former resident of Harbour Grace and Conception Bay South was recently named the new head coach of the Malden Catholic boys varsity soccer team in Malden, Mass., a town just outside Boston. Malden Catholic is a Division One prep school with a tradition of fielding outstanding varsity teams with players who go on to play at the NCAA level. While securing a head coaching position at such a school is a chore enough on its own, the fact that Gregory has done so at such a young age and just two years after he completed university makes the accomplishment astounding. “Seamus is a young, talented and spirited individual who will not only be a soccer coach at Malden Catholic, but more importantly, a mentor to the young men who will play for him,” Malden Catholic headmaster Thomas Arria, Jr. said in a written statement announcing Gregory’s appointment. The Malden Catholic squad is coming off an impressive season — one in which they made it all the way to the state championship tournament. Soccer is the school’s No. 1 sport, meaning there are high expectations. “Last year they had an 11-5-4 (winslosses-ties) record, so for me to come in as the new, young guy on the block, there’s going to be a lot of pressure, especially since the team lost 14 seniors,” Gregory tells The Independent. “I’m sure there will be some bumps on the road, but I’m up to the challenge.” There is pressure on Gregory to not only guide the team to the state championships, but to help his players further their education and secure university scholarships. Gregory heavily stresses a commitment to post-secondary education and says he will do everything he can to help his players move on to the next level — both athletically and academically. “Every one of our seniors this year will go on to play college soccer, whether it’s Division One, Two, or Three,” Gregory says. “I’ll network my talent, contacting coaches and faxing them schedules so they can see our kids play. That helps the kids get noticed.” The fact that Gregory is making it big in soccer is somewhat ironic since he didn’t start playing the game until the age of 12, shortly after he and his family moved to Conception Bay South from Harbour Grace. He originally signed up for soccer in hopes of building leg strength and improving his skating. But right from the start, it was obvious soccer would not be a parttime activity. “I took to the sport and started to love it,” says Gregory. “They made me a forward because I was a fast runner and I enjoyed the freedom to roam and play
Seamus Gregory, former resident of Harbour Grace and Conception Bay South, is the new head coach for the Malden Catholic boys varsity soccer team in Massachusetts.
‘Up to the challenge’ Seamus Gregory is just 24, but he’s already secured a high-profile coaching position at a major Massachusetts prep school aggressively.” Although he continued to play both soccer and hockey, eventually Gregory’s soccer skills outshone his hockey abilities. He went on to play four years of AUS soccer at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B., before moving to Marblehead, Mass., after graduation to take a job teaching United States history at St. Mary’s High School, a school near Malden. Noticing his soccer background on his resume, officials at St. Mary’s quickly asked Gregory to join the boys soccer team’s coaching staff as an assistant bench boss. He also served as head coach of the school’s junior varsity boys hockey team and the boys and
girls varsity tennis teams. In just two years he had enough experience to convince himself that he could take on a head-coaching job. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that when you’re coaching kids, it’s all about life lessons,” he says. “It’s about what can you teach the kid outside the game. The biggest joy in coaching so far for me has been teaching kids what it takes to be successful in sports and in society.” At just 24, Gregory is one of the youngest head coaches that students at both St. Mary’s and Malden Catholic will probably ever see. There is always the concern that such a young coach might have difficulty gaining the
respect of players so close to his age, but Gregory says that won’t happen in his case. “Given the trials and tribulations that some kids face today, they actually find me more approachable and respect me just as much or more,” Gregory says. “When I’m dealing with a high school student, they’re not afraid to ask me anything about life because they know I was in their situation just a few years ago.” Gregory insists that his success in coaching can be mainly attributed to his parents, Joe and Joan, who he hopes to visit later this fall. He also says former hockey coach Fred Chafe was a big influence.
“He’s the one coach I’ll never forget. I model myself after his coaching,” says Gregory. “He’s always meant a lot to me. When I coach, I think of the ways he used to motivate us as young children.” Gregory will continue teaching at St. Mary’s while coaching varsity soccer at Malden Catholic next year (the schools are just 15 minutes apart) and says he is excited about returning to both the classroom and the soccer pitch. “They’re jobs you love to get up every day and go to,” he says. “I wouldn’t give them up for the world.” darcy.macrae@theindependent.ca
The coach behind Canada’s diving success By Randy Starkman Torstar wire service
Larouche. “I don’t have the financial resources to do that, but I certainly can use the potential that I have as a human being to do something like that.” lexandre Despatie regards diving as a Despatie has been his biggest find, a diver he form of self-expression. It’s an attitude has guided from a brilliant young talent who won inculcated in him by coach Michel at the Commonwealth Games as a 13-year-old into Larouche from the time he was an 8-year-old one of the sport’s stars who has now won world sprite with remarkable talent, and it was evident titles in both the three-metre and 10-metre again last week when Despatie captured gold on Olympic events. the three-metre springboard for Canada’s third If you wander into the pool at the Claude diving medal in three days at the World Aquatic Robillard Centre in Montreal to see the CAMO Championships in Montreal. club in training, Larouche will be the guy under “That’s what I’m trying to the diving board, gesticulating with do; I’m trying to express his hands and body, almost looking myself,” said the 20-year-old like a traffic cop, in an effort to “I have a different Montrealer in an interview convey to his divers how to with the Toronto Star last year. squeeze every last point out of a philosophy than “Michel taught me that.” dive. (most of) Canadian While Canada’s performance Larouche tries to cover every in diving at the World Aquatic possibility in preparing his divers Championships so far is a reve- sport.... When I believe for Athens with Objective 2004, a lation to some, it is no surprise game plan that included a in something and it’s two-year to those who have followed psychologist, a nutritionist, an Coach Larouche’s mission to going to cost $100,000, orthotherapist and a ballet teacher. turn this country into a world He raised much of the $250,000 diving power. then I’m going to find needed by himself. His Montreal-based CAMO “I have a different philosophy diving club has produced two the $100,000. That’s it. than (most of) Canadian sport, I world champions in Despatie guess,” he says. “When I believe in That’s my job.” and Emilie Heymans, who both something and it’s going to cost won the platform event at the $100,000, then I’m going to find Michel Larouche 2003 worlds. He also guides the $100,000. That’s it. That’s my up-and-comers Roseline Filion job.” and Meaghan Benfeito, who The team didn’t perform as won a surprise bronze medal on the opening day of hoped in Athens; Despatie’s silver on the threethe Aquatic Championships in 10-metre synchro. metre springboard was the only medal besides the Blythe Hartley, who won gold in the one-metre synchro bronze. early last week, trained with Larouche at CAMO Larouche hints at times that he will take his last year when she won an Olympic bronze on the coaching talents elsewhere because of frustrations 10-metre platform with Heymans. with the Diving Canada program. An intensely passionate coach, Larouche comes It’s known in diving circles he doesn’t see eye to from humble beginnings. Coming from small- eye with Mitch Geller, now director of sport. What town Quebec, he had talent and drive, but not the he wants to see most of all is a national diving cenfinancial resources to exploit it. tre. It would have gone to waste if not for a group of In the meantime, Larouche works painstakingly benefactors in his hometown, Les Parrains with his charges to perfect their technique. d’Alma, or Godfathers of Alma, named for their Larouche considers diving a simple sport. What is desire to support youth in the area. not so easy, he says, is developing the mental tools They set the youngster up in an apartment in needed to cope with distractions and let your true Quebec City and covered his expenses without abilities flow on the day of competition. expectation of any return other than that he try to Those are the qualities Larouche seeks to instill reach his potential. Larouche would never forget in his divers, the kind that were amply displayed that act of service. It shaped his life. by his prized student when everything was on the “I found it so great what they did for me,” says line.
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Canada's Alexandre Despatie dives in the final round of the men's 3-metres springboard event to win the gold medal at the World Aquatic Championships in Montreal July 19, 2005. Troy Dumais of the U.S. won silver and He Chong of China the bronze medal. REUTERS/Jim Young
INDEPENDENTSPORTS
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, JULY 24-30, 2005 — PAGE 40
Sarah Entwisle at the Riverdale Tennis Club in St. John’s.
Photos by Rhonda Hayward/The Independent
Reluctant star
Sarah Entwisle could probably play tennis on an athletic scholarship in the States, but prefers the academic route By Darcy MacRae The Independent
T
“If you get into a really good division one school, it takes away from the college experience. To play tennis all the time and train every day might take the fun out of the sport for me.” Tennis player Sarah Entwisle
o call Sarah Entwisle a reluctant tennis star would be a fair statement. She could probably earn a full scholarship to play tennis at a division one school in the United States, but instead pursues an academic scholarship. She’s captain of the Newfoundland and Labrador girls Canada Games tennis team, and although she embraces the role, insists she doesn’t want to be treated any differently than her teammates. She’s proud of her numerous achievements in the sport — including provincial and Atlantic titles in a number of age categories — but says she has also learned a lot at tournaments she’s lost. After losing in the semi-finals of the under-18 division at the Atlantic Summer Junior Tennis Championships in St. John’s last week, the 17-year-old was visibly disappointed, yet managed to look at the experience in a positive light, saying it should help her prepare for the Canada Games in Regina, Sask. next month.
“Atlantic’s is the peak of the summer. It’s what tennis players in the Atlantic provinces look to compete for — it’s a chance to prove who you are,” Entwisle tells The Independent. “Atlantic’s serves as mental prep for anything you’re about to experience at the Canada Games.” Entwisle first took up tennis at age four, and began playing competitively six years later. At first, the game was all about being active and having fun, but when she began winning provincial titles and realized she could attend tournaments in other parts of the country, she began taking winning more seriously. “It was the first time I was presented with the opportunity to travel with the sport and I thought it was really interesting that I’d be able to compete with other people who were doing the same type of thing I was,” says Entwisle, 17, who lives in St. John’s. Throughout last week’s Atlantic championships, Entwisle demonstrated many of the skills that make her one of the top 40, under-18 players in Canada. She demonstrated quickness to her left and See “There will always,” page 38
Trade talk W
hen it comes to Major League Baseball, a lot of players will soon begin changing uniforms. After four months of play, contenders will start separating from disasters, picking up talent from the cellar dwellers. For clubs like the Red Sox and Yankees, their approach is easy: throw some money around prior to the July 31 trade deadline and stack your team for a run at the World Series. The choice is just as straightforward for Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Cincinnati, teams that will throw in the towel on horrific 2005
DARCY MACRAE
The game campaigns and look to dump salary and build for next year. But for teams such as the Blue Jays, exactly what to do this time of year can be difficult to decide. With a record hovering a few games over and under .500, the Jays aren’t contending but also aren’t completely out of the race for the division title and wild card.
They can either stock up on talent and hope to catch the Red Sox and Yankees, or sell the farm and wait for 2006. If the decision was mine, not only would the Jays do away with those silly black uniforms, they’d also be one of the busiest clubs in the days leading to the trade deadline. As many as five players would be on the way out of Toronto, although the moves would not classify the team as either a buyer or a seller. I don’t see the point of trading young prospects for aging stars since the Jays are not going to claim a playoff spot based solely on their performance; if
they’re going to the post season, somebody above them is going to have to completely collapse. At the same time, I’m against trading all the veteran talent for promising youngsters since the Blue Jays have made several strides in the right direction this year and it would be disastrous to both the players’ morale and fans’ fragile psyche to start throwing away talent for the sake of saving a few dollars. The approach the Jays should take is to trade for established players who can help them during the years they hope to seriously contend (2006 and beyond) in
exchange for guys who won’t be around by that time due to contract status or age. Five players the Blue Jays should look to move include closer Miguel Batista, second baseman Orland Hudson, first baseman Eric Hinske, left fielder Frank Catalanotto and reliever Justin Speier. Batista has been solid, but with Jason Frasor, Vinnie Chulk and Brandon League in the organization, the role of closer is in good hands in the years to come. Hudson is having a good year Continued on page 37