2007-02-02

VOL. 5 ISSUE 5

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ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR — FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007

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WWW.THEINDEPENDENT.CA —

LIFE 18

PAGE 31

Artist Phil Simms in this week’s gallery

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‘The kind of prime minister I will be’ Stéphane Dion talks about his vision for Newfoundland and Labrador IVAN MORGAN

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rom control of offshore oil to custodial management of the fishery, from the development the lower Churchill to the province’s role in the new economy, federal Liberal leader Stéphane Dion has a bold vision for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.

He says the province will play a central role in what he calls a new industrial revolution — building a sustainable economy.

In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Dion gives his thoughts on fallow-field legislation, protecting the Atlantic Accord, helping finance and develop the lower Churchill, and making Newfoundland and Labrador a world leader in custodial management and fishery science.

“I think that Canada is a country that works in practice but not in theory,” says Dion.

Canada operates best, he says, when everyone works together. As prime minister, he says he would work to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador benefits from co-operation between other provinces and the federal government.

“When we discuss about something we need to do together, we see how much stronger we are together because we are focusing on the task that everyone must be part of,” he says.

“This is the kind of prime minister I will be.”

He says his plans for the province’s resources reflect this See “I don’t,” page 2

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion on the way to a news conference in Ottawa.

‘Not there yet’ Ottawa and province still working on ‘fishery renewal’ package RYAN CLEARY

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ttawa and the province have yet to hammer out the final details of “fishery renewal,” a plan to help the battered industry through fleet restructuring, early retirement and licence buyouts, Fisheries Minister Tom Rideout says.

The minister couldn’t put a dollar figure on the renewal process, saying only “you’re not necessarily talking about as big a dollar as people might think.”

Unless a “significant” number of industry players come on side, fishery renewal won’t go ahead, Rideout says, adding the first step will be for both levels of government to reach agreement.

“It’s fair to say that we’ve getting near the end of the process,” says Rideout. “What will be on the table when the final decision are made, we’re not there yet.”

The plan was spawned last May when Premier Danny Williams held a day-long summit in St. John’s on the troubled fishing industry.

Rideout and the premier have been briefed on the “preliminary recommendations.” The next step — “I don’t know whether it will be days or weeks,” Rideout says — will be a

meeting with federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn. “We’ll hopefully then be in a position to let the world know what the next steps are.”

The provincial government has been pushing for an early retirement package for older fishery workers, an idea frowned upon — but not outright rejected — by Stephen Harper prior to the last federal election.

In a Jan. 4, 2006 letter to the premier, the future prime minister said his government would focus on retraining programs — “and not on early retirement.

“I believe that is more beneficial to these individuals and to the communities of Newfoundland and Labrador that we maintain a well-trained and highly skilled workforce,” Harper wrote, “which includes old workers and those who no longer have employment options in traditional industries.”

He added: “Prior to any commitments being made, a feasibility study must be conducted to determine the affordability of an early retirement initiative, as well as a study on the impacts of such an initiative on the labour force as a whole.”

Rideout says a retirement package is “essential.”

The eligibility age for a fishery worker to qualify for early retirement has yet to be decided, Rideout says, adding there are a number of “scenarios” See “Not expecting,” page 12

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “How could Rick (Mercer), who has offered us some succulent stews, allow his damn pot to boil over?”

— Ray Guy, on the Afghanistan debate. See page 5.

IN CAMERA 8-9

Breaking down the auditor general’s annual report STYLE 21

Beautiful blooms for Valentine’s (or any) Day SPORTS 29

Why the Tankard should move to St. John’s Patrick O’Flaherty . . . . . . . . . 11 Book review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Food column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Woody’s wheels . . . . . . . . . . 25

Chris Wattie/Reuters

No harder than disarmament Canada’s first fisheries conservation ambassador offers advice to Sullivan

By Ivan Morgan The Independent

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lan Beesley, Canada’s first fisheries conservation ambassador, says his work in that role was as difficult as any in his career, including a stint as Canada’s ambassador for nuclear disarmament.

He offers advice to Canada’s new fisheries ambassador, Loyola Sullivan.

“Be patient and be firm and try and make sure he has competent advisers in a number of fields, because the negotiations necessarily spill over,” Beesley tells The Independent from British Columbia.

Beesley, who served as fisheries ambassador from 1989 to 1992, says he wasn’t aware that a new ambassador had been appointed, and doesn’t know Sullivan personally. He says he is not on top of the latest developments, and is comfortable only giving general answers.

“Whatever still remains to be done, it’s a tall order,” says Beesley. “You need someone … to have some background and some experience so he can make up his own mind when he needs to.”

Beesley’s 35-year career as a diplomat and international lawyer with the federal government included negotia-

tions to establish treaties on disarmament, outer space, the law of the atmosphere, aerial hijacking, international trade, nuclear issues, environmental, aboriginal and human rights law, the law of the Arctic, humanitarian law and the laws of war, climate change, and many more issues. He is best known for his work on the Law of the Sea. Sullivan, a former schoolteacher, served as an MHA for 15 years, and was most recently minister of Finance in the Danny Williams administration. Hailing from the Southern Shore, he grew up in the fishery.

Beesley’s position as ambassador grew from his work as the leader of the Canadian delegation to the third Law of the Sea conference in the early 1970s. Although that conference successfully ratified the United Nation’s Law of the Sea, Beesley says there were outstanding unresolved issues — such as straddling fish stocks. An international agreement has yet to be reached on the management of fish stocks that straddle national and international waters.

The province is pushing for custodial management of the migratory stocks on the nose and tail of the Grand Banks and the Flemish Cap, See “Dealing with,” page 10

2 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

From page 1

sharing of the benefits from a risk that all Canadians took together.

belief in success through co-operation.

It is the “only way to go” to realize his vision of a new economy.

“I am sure that the role and the place of Newfoundland and Labrador in the federation will become very attractive for everyone.”

ON EQUALIZATION When asked twice, Dion would not agree to sign a letter (as Conservative MP Fabian Manning suggested last month) to Premier Danny Williams offering the same commitment to equalization as Stephen Harper had during the last federal election.

He says the Atlantic Accord would be respected by his administration.

“The Atlantic Accord for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland will be protected fully whatever the result of talks on equalization,” he says. “I am a man of my word and I would be very pleased to speak with the premier.

“This is an accord that has been signed by a Liberal prime minister and I will stick to it.”

Dion says he was Intergovernmental Affairs minister too long to make the same mistakes Harper has, making promises he now has difficulty keeping.

ON THE LOWER CHURCHILL Dion says his government would offer financial and strategic assistance to develop the lower Churchill.

He sees the lower Churchill project as a key component of his plans for an east-west electricity grid — a project essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“I want Canada to do its share for the planet. We are in big trouble. We need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and we need to fix our energy problems,” says Dion. “I think Newfoundland, Quebec, Manitoba together may help a lot.”

When asked about how he would address the bad feelings that remain in the province over the profits made by

ON THE FISHERY Dion says he believes in custodial management and his government would be “very strong” diplomatically and domestically on the issue, being “more aggressive” internationally.

He says more money must be spent on fishery science and monitoring of fish stocks. He’d like to see more investment make Newfoundland and Labrador a “champion of custodial management and an example around the world.”

“We need to protect the fish stock.

We need to restore it when it has been diminishing. We need to study the role of climate change in it,” says Dion. “It’s something that is certainly on top of what I want to do in Newfoundland as a prime minister.”

Liberal leader Stéphane Dion

REUTERS/Chris Wattie

‘I don’t react well to symbolic politics’ Quebec on the upper Churchill, he is clear. He plans to only look forward, working hard to build an agreement between the provinces.

“In doing so we’ll be all good partners and it is the best way to go, instead of to be confrontational.”

ON HIBERNIA While he offers no guarantees, Dion is interested in Newfoundland Liberal MP Scott Simms’ private member’s bill promoting fallow-field legislation. The proposed regulations would require oil companies to develop potential offshore oil fields or see their rights revert back to the province.

He is also aware of Premier Danny

Williams’ desire to have the federal government give back, or allow the province to buy back, the federal government’s lucrative 8.5 per cent share of Hibernia.

Dion says the federal government took a lot of criticism for investing in the Hibernia project at the time.

“You may remember because many people were saying never this project will work, the federal government is doing only that to please Newfoundland, it’s taxpayers’ money in the sea,” says Dion. “And we went ahead despite of it with the support of all the MPs of our party.”

He says he would work toward developing a fair deal for everyone in the

ON FEDERAL PRESENCE Dion says it is time to re-evaluate the federal government’s presence in the province, and establish priorities for “effectiveness on the ground.

“If there are ways to be more effective in putting the headquarters and the decision-making process closer to where the resource is, I will be a strong prime minister for that,” he says.

ON DANNY WILLIAMS Dion says he does not like confrontational or theatrical political gestures.

When asked about Williams’ use of big, symbolic political gestures — like lowering all Canadian flags to half-mast — Dion is clear.

“I don’t react well to symbolic politics, but I don’t want to revisit the past.

I guess the premier will adjust his style with the kind of prime minister I will be and he will work in good faith with me, knowing what is working with me and what is not working with me.

“And I am sure that on this ground we will built a very positive relationship together.” ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

Balancing act RANDY SIMMS

Page 2 talk

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very day we hear about the fiscal imbalance between Ottawa and the provinces. It’s a major political debate, with the federal government arguing with provinces and provinces arguing with each other.

But just what is fiscal imbalance?

Let’s put it this way: if the federal government raises a lot of money and builds up large surpluses while the provinces struggle, a revenue-earning imbalance seems to exist. The feds raise too much money while provinces struggle to provide basic services on a shoestring budget. Granted these areas of jurisdiction are the responsibility of the provinces, but when it comes to claiming cash, most, except Quebec, have no problem letting the feds invest some money in their jurisdiction.

It turns out that there is not one but two fiscal imbalances to be addressed.

There’s the vertical imbalance and the horizontal imbalance. In theory, the vertical fiscal imbalance exists between Ottawa and the provinces and the horizontal fiscal imbalance exists between provinces themselves. So we could say with some certainty that a horizontal fiscal imbalance exists between Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador.

To help bring things into fiscal balance for the provinces, Ottawa returns funds to provincial governments using a number of methods, not the least of which is equalization. In fact, equalization is the basic tool employed to bring about horizontal fiscal balance among the provinces.

All well and good, however it’s the vertical fiscal imbalance that’s causing the most excitement. With Ottawa racking up huge surpluses these days you can see the provinces wanting in on the action. If the federal government leaves enough money on the table for its provincial cousins they just might argue the fiscal imbalance has been alleviated.

Don’t bet on it.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Some people say the fiscal imbalance is fiction. For example, newly minted Liberal leader Stéphane Dion rejects the whole concept. In his world it simply doesn’t exist. “Fiscal imbalance, what fiscal imbalance? There is no such thing.”

Here’s the thinking behind it. Both the federal and provincial governments raise revenue from the same sources. When it comes to the right to raise taxes, two objects can occupy the same taxing space at the same time. The federal and provincial governments can collect sales tax, they can collect income tax, they can charge fees for service, etc. Some pundits even argue that the provinces enjoy better revenue raising opportunities then the federal government. Think resource royalties.

Dion is not alone in this. Until Stephen Harper came along, no prime minister before him had willingly admitted to this vertical fiscal imbalance, so in a way Mr. Harper has made history.

All taxes come out of the same pocket so transferring taxing ability between governments would be one way of reducing the alleged fiscal imbalance. It has been suggested that the feds drop the GST by two per cent and then the provinces could raise their sales tax by the same two per cent. The result would be more money for the provinces and less for the feds. Just like that part of the fiscal imbalance would be eliminated.

Now, what happens when the provinces enjoy big revenues and the federal government is fighting to keep out of deficit? Does the fiscal imbalance thing reverse itself? The answer is not necessarily yes. Back in the 1980s just such a circumstance developed and when Ottawa raised the concept of a vertical fiscal imbalance the provinces said, “Fiscal imbalance, what fiscal imbalance?”

So in 2007 the federal government is going to fix this nebulous imbalance once and for all. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says it has already been fixed.

Transfers of money to the provinces will grow to $49 billion by 2011 from $40 billion. Flaherty says the fiscal imbalance did exist but it doesn’t exist anymore. What? How did that happen?

The minister says provincial surpluses now outstrip federal surpluses while the total of provincial debt is less then Ottawa’s national debt. Just like that the fiscal imbalance is gone.

In my opinion there is a real fiscal imbalance in this country but it’s not necessarily between the provinces and Ottawa. The imbalance is between taxpayers and both levels of government.

The hand in my pocket is taking too much money, be it a federal hand or a provincial one. I think we should fix that imbalance. Of course, if we bring it up, both levels of government will say in unison, “Fiscal imbalance? What fiscal imbalance? There’s no such thing.”

Randy Simms is host of VOCM’s Open Line radio show.

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3

SCRUNCHINS ity as the rest of the Maritime provinces, Rideout said the size of our come-from-away tourism industry would triple. A Gulf ferry link may be guaranteed in our Terms of Union but the prices aren’t — same goes for level of service. It’s only been in recent years that passengers stopped sleeping on the floor, but then they were ordered not to …

A weekly collection of Newfoundlandia

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short video clip is circulating around the web of what appears to be the MV Caribou riding out a sea so vicious that the ferry’s bow and stern rise clear out of the water (a wicked commercial for Gravol; not so effective for the ship’s cafeteria food). There’s no date on the video, taken from an unknown shore by an unidentified shooter. Marine Atlantic told the CBC on Thursday that the ferry seen on the clip isn’t one of theirs, and may actually operate off New Zealand. Our federal Crown corporation doesn’t appreciate the bad publicity, certainly not so soon after ending its two-year rate freeze. (As of January, it costs an adult passenger 25 cents more to cross the Gulf; 75 cents extra for a car.)

There’s also word Marine Atlantic will introduce a fuel surcharge later this year on passenger vehicles. If the Gulf seas don’t make you gag, the charges will …

FERRY TALE The province’s Transportation Department

subsidizes our ferry system to the tune of 88 per cent, meaning passengers pay only 12 per cent of the real cost to operate the service. Meantime, Ottawa subsidizes the Marine Atlantic crossing to the tune of only 41 per cent. That doesn’t seem fair. In January 2005, then-Transportation minister Tom Rideout said the feds must increase their subsidy “to sustain our lifeline to the rest of Canada.”

He laid out his concerns in an address to Marine Atlantic’s advisory committee. First, it’s important to grasp Marine Atlantic’s importance to Newfoundland. The ferry service moves over 90 per cent of all perishables and time-sensitive goods to the province. In 2002, the service carried about 60 per cent of all freight back and forth to the mainland. It’s also how most people get here — including tourists and their traveling money.

Rideout told the advisory committee that tourism has the potential to become one of the province’s most important generators of new wealth, jobs and investment. If Newfoundland and Labrador could attract as much tourism activ-

‘WHO NEEDS IT’ Over on YouTube,com, the popular and free video-sharing website, another clip is receiving a lot of airtime — this one critical of the Danny Williams administration. Titled Who needs it, the clip is a series of images with short, cutting captions …

“Who needs Wabush Mines?”

“Who needs a paper mill?”

“Who needs a fish plant?”

“Who needs Hebron?” “… or Hibernia South?”

“Or an offshore supply job?”

“Or any kind of job at all?” That particular caption is shown below a photo by Independent photo editor Paul Daly of some of the 9,000 people who lined up last fall outside a job fair in Town — and, no, neither Daly nor The Independent gave permission for anyone to use the picture. Is that what they call video piracy?

“Newfoundland and Labrador, when you’ve got pride … Danny Williams, share the pride!

While you still live here … if you still live here,” was the final caption. The video ended with a photo of our Danny. The makers of the video didn’t have the courage to leave their name, but that’s the Internet …

FLAG FLAP Shanneyganock has a new CD out, fling out the flag, the cover of which includes a well-known black and white picture of a young boy from the late 1940s holding out a Pink, White and Green flag from a pole. (The colours of the flag were added in recent years). What’s cut from the photo on the CD cover is the sign below the boy’s feet, “We let the old flag fall.”

Bob Hallett of Great Big Sea worked with Shanneyganock on the album, “which makes a musical statement in every Newfoundlander’s heart.” How could it not with song titles like Flag of Newfoundland and Thank God we’re surrounded by water?

MUSICAL RANK AND FILE Shanneyganock sent out a flier with its CD media package listing the favourite Newfoundland songs and musicians of all time. According to a ranking done by Downhome magazine, the top 20

Hair today …

Local salons struggle with losing their stylists to better paying positions elsewhere

By Anshuman Iddamsetty For The Independent

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ometimes the buzzing of jet engines seems louder than the buzzing of clippers. Patricia Ryan-Kelly is dogged by the reality of outmigration every time a promising, young hairstylist leaves her.

For the owner of Tilly’s Salon and Solarium in Marystown and recipient of a 2006 Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs’ Entrepreneur of the Year award, outmigration is not just the plight of doctors, nurses, and pipe-fitters. It also hits the people that cut your hair.

After all, who hasn’t felt the sting of losing their hairstylist?

“The last year-and-a-half (was) really bad,” says Kelly between brisk shifts at her salon, “I lost three stylists … And that’s a lot … They were trained well and were good at everything. You depended on them.”

She says losing hairstylists to the mainland, where work is readily available and with higher wages, is a recent trend.

“I’ve also lost two estheticians … I lost a massage therapist … Why are they going to stay here?” she asks, reflecting on the economic state of Marystown.

“They’re probably here for a couple months to get the basics ... Then their boyfriends or partners are finished their course and they’re off to Alberta.”

The western province has proven to be one of the most attractive stops for mainland-bound stylists.

“The couple of girls I’ve stayed in contact with walk into a salon and get hired on the spot. They have to be more certified up there of course … (But) with that comes higher pay. They’re probably making upwards of $20 an hour plus their tips … they probably make more in tips than they could in regular wages here.

“If they return — and they won’t — but if they did … What would they have to come back to? They won’t work for minimum wage and if minimum wage was raised to $10 you’re going to see a lot of small businesses shut down.”

Kelly also suggests the community is partly to blame for pushing potential hairstylists away from their homes.

“Hairstyling and barbering was offered at the College of North Atlantic (here). But that has since finished last December … And there’s no talk about starting it again,” she says. “They’re more interested in pipefitting and welding.”

The departure of hairstylists for richer heads isn’t a problem just for rural towns — the exodus has also become an issue in St. John’s.

Melanie Lundrigan, an established hairstylist working at Regis Salon in the Avalon Mall is all too familiar with the idea of leaving home. “Yeah, a lot of people think about leaving the province.

It’s because there’s not a lot of money here. Period.”

Outmigration takes its worst toll on the customer. “If you go to someone new every time you won’t have that connection with him. You can’t let him

know ‘I wasn’t happy with (this) last time …’”

Competition, says Lundrigan, is also stiff amongst stylists in St. John’s. “It’s really hard to be the best in your field because there are so many talented hairdressers here — you’re only as successful as your clientele list. And there aren’t a lot of hair salons that are hiring.

“I’ve got a friend at (Fort McMurray), and she’s telling me to get up there.

Apparently nobody knows how to cut hair there … Elsewhere too — they’re crying for hairdressers. And they’re looking at paying them $30-35 an hour.”

Wages in Newfoundland range from minimum wage to $15.

Opportunities to learn and advance are also better elsewhere. “Simply put, you’re limited. When you move away you are offered a lot more — you have a lot more training possibilities than you do here for example.”

According to Lundrigan, the only way to upgrade a hairstylist’s skill set while remaining in the province is through occasional courses set up by local suppliers of hair care products. These courses — which usually last one to two days — run the gamut from new colour techniques to updates on trendier cuts. But, she says, “it’s all very limited stuff.”

At age 23, hairstylist Heather Decker left the island to find a better life for herself and her partner. Living in Mississauga, Ont., the young Decker now manages a salon in the Supercuts franchise.

See “Hairstylists,” page 11

artists of all time are: No. 1 Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers; No. 2 Great Big Sea; No. 3 Dick Nolan; No. 4 Simani; No. 5 Ron Hynes; No. 6 Norman Rice; No. 7 Shanneyganock; No. 8 Harry Hibbs; No. 9 Irish Decendants; No. 10 Eddie Coffey; No. 11 Celtic Connection; No. 12 A. Frank Willis; No. 13 The Masterless Men; No. 14 Kevin Collins; No. 15 Ryan’s Fancy; No. 16 Corey and Trina; No. 17 Jim Payne; No. 18 Dorymen; No. 19 Dermot O’Reilly; No. 20 Wonderful Grand Band.

DOWNHOME TOP 20 The top 20 Newfoundland songs: No. 1 Saltwater joys; No. 2 Sonny’s dream; No. 3 Aunt Martha’s sheep; No. 4 Any Mummers allowed in; No. 5 Let me fish off Cape St. Mary’s; No. 6 We’ll rant and we’ll roar (the Ryans and the Pittmans); No. 7 By the glow of the kerosene light; No. 8 Ode to Newfoundland; No. 9 Fisherman’s boy; No. 10 I’m a Newfoundlander born and bred; No. 11 Grey foggy days; No. 12 Black velvet band; No. 13 I’se da b’y; No. 14 A toast to Newfoundland; No. 15 Excursion around the bay; No. 16 Drunken sailor; No. 17 Music and friends; No. 18 Between two trees; No. 19 A great big sea hove in Long Beach; No. 20 Cliffs of Baccalieu.

NO STONING IN PUBLIC Danny Williams has talked in recent days about the possibility of having to import fishery workers in Danny Williams five years if people keep leaving the industry. Reuters news agency reported this week that the local council of the small Quebec town of Herouxville has come up with an extraordinary set of rules — including that immigrants to the town must not stone women in public, burn them alive or throw acid on them.

The declaration, published on the town’s website, has deepened a debate over how tolerant Quebecers should be toward the customs and traditions of immigrants. Newfoundland and Labrador may have that problem eventually, but not until we convince immigrants to take the ferry over …. ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca

4 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

‘It’s over’

Auditor general says investigation marks ‘end of an era’; no need for public inquiry

By Ivan Morgan The Independent

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he auditor general says his investigation into one of the biggest political spending scandals in the province’s history should mark an end to poor attitudes towards financial controls and office practices in the House of Assembly and its branches. He sees no reason to launch a public inquiry.

John Noseworthy tells The Independent the problems he has found at the chief electoral office are similar to his earlier findings at other offices of the House of Assembly, such as the child and youth advocate and the citizen’s representative.

“The whole House of Assembly establishment itself, as we know now, had very very poor controls — basically non-existent,” says Noseworthy. “It seems as though the officers of the House of Assembly operated in similar fashions. They really weren’t mindful of the rules and regulations of government and basically functioned whatever way they saw fit, without any sort of significant direction.”

He cites practices such as conflict of interest, the hiring of relatives, significant amounts of overtime being paid without proper explanation, and no regard to other ways to operate their offices.

“It’s the way it was.”

The auditor general says issues he encountered during his recent investigation of the office of the chief electoral officer underscore this mindset.

“I hear things like ‘If an election is called in a hurry we have to respond in a hurry,’” says Noseworthy. “I say, well you don’t have to hire your friends and relatives.

“This is public money, and if you think that you are going to need people from time to time, why not ask for some resumes and have some interviews and have a pool of people who will be available? Good people who meet the qualifications who are not, you know, related to the people there. That’s what I would do if I was there.”

Noseworthy would not comment on whether these practices affected the calibre of democracy in the province, but he says he does not think these latest discoveries warrant a public inquiry.

He says his investigation and Chief Justice Derek Greene’s soon-to-be-released report on how to improve things for the future should be enough to clear the air and establish appropriate controls.

“I’m comfortable, as auditor general, in saying I really think it’s the end of an era. It’s over.

I’m going through all of the material now, and I really think that it’s an OK process.” ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

‘No serial number.

No picture. No invoice.’

Audit finds ‘serious’ in-house financial issues in agriculture industry

By Ivan Morgan The Independent

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uditor general John Noseworthy says there is no documentation to prove “significant” farm assets — which could include tractors and barns — funded under a federal-provincial agricultural initiative program actually exist.

At a time when some in the industry are calling for more government funding, the auditor general says the program “is not being very well managed at all.”

In his annual report on government spending, Noseworthy found a number of problems in the administering of the five-year, $30 million federalprovincial joint venture designed to boost Newfoundland and Labrador’s agricultural industry.

He uncovered numerous problems with Natural Resources’s administration of the Agriculture Framework Policy Initiative, including instances

where documentation to prove payments weren’t filed, inspections required under the agreement were not performed, no audits were performed to ensure projects were done as proposed, final reports were not written for some grants, and “significant” funding was provided to people who were related.

The audit also discovered the department was not performing due diligence in its agreement with the federal government under the agreement.

Noseworthy says the discoveries were “surprising.”

He says of the 35 projects reviewed, inspections were not completed on nine. Of the remaining 25 (one claim was not submitted) the auditor general identified issues with 16 files, including four instances where equipment was claimed but not on site at the time of the inspection, 14 instances where required digital pictures were not attached to the inspection certificate to support the claim, and four instances where serial numbers of equip-

Auditor general John Noseworthy

ment claimed were not identified.

Noseworthy says he doesn’t know why the procedures were not completed. He says the department should keep track of grants for the purchase of significant assets, and should ensure all paperwork is done “If you need a picture, you need a picture. If you need a serial number, you need a serial number,” he says. “We have examples here where serial numbers were required, and they didn’t have them. So no serial number. No picture. No invoice — just a copy of a quote. Is that acceptable? A quote versus an invoice? Or an invoice in the name of somebody else — what’s that about?”

He says he has nearly $2 million worth of purchases — 14 projects — with no pictures attached to support the inspection.

“I don’t understand that.”

The auditor general says he does not know if the equipment is actually missing — but he found no documentation to prove they were ever purchased.

Paul Daly/The Independent

He says the normal procedure would involve a bureaucrat following up on the agreement to ensure that the proper paperwork had been done, that the recipient of taxpayers’ money had spent it as it was stipulated, and that the money was spent properly.

“This was not done,” he says.

“This is simple. This is not rocket science. You know you are providing funding for a particular initiative, whether it’s a piece of equipment of whatever. I mean this is pretty simple to go down through and get the information required and to complete that file and have a final report as to what happened here. You’d expect that.”

Asked if grant recipients may view government forms as too complicated, the auditor general is clear.

“No. They just didn’t do it.”

Asked if those involved were comfortable not performing due diligence, he also responds bluntly.

“Obviously. And that’s sad.” ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 5

Debating ‘the Military’ Unless Noreen Golfman’s dog once killed Rick Mercer’s cat, there’s something else behind The Independent’s recent word war

O

ne of my several nephews in the military begins all his e-mails: “If you don’t stand behind our Military, perhaps you’d care to stand in front of it.”

I don’t bother arguing with the saucy young bugger. He’s done his time in Kosovo and, I suppose, still stands in jeopardy of Afghanistan. Besides, he’s been thoroughly brainwashed long before now.

Or “trained” as some would have it.

Call it what you will, the mind of any normal, typical human being has got to be tampered with before he’ll set off to slaughter others of the human race … or deliberately put himself in the way of being blown to bits by “the other side.”

Otherwise, there’d be machine guns at bingo.

A riposte to my nephew’s acquired bluster is, I suppose, that I stand neither behind nor in front of “our” military but above it. The military is my guard dog and its chain is held firmly in the hand of my servant, the politician. What else is news?

Try stating that age-old principle of democracy around the mess hall and you’d likely be trounced. You’d get an even bloodier trouncing from any anxiously proud mother who thought you were likening her brave young Dwayne to a Rottweiler. The Democrats in the States seem to be having much the same problem.

The concepts of “the Military” and of “our brave young boys (and girls!)” get thoroughly mixed together in the minds of many. And if it isn’t, there are plenty of political opportunists to give it an extra swirl. Speak one word against the White House and the Pentagon and you’re as good as sending brave young Dwayne against the satanic hosts with no bullets in his gun.

The current case in the U.S. is especially clear. Bush Jr. was persuaded that, with the Ruskies out of the way, he was surely king of the world. He went for his main chance with the shock of 9/11 filling his sails and a certain bantycock attitude to carry him forward.

Oops. A majority of the American

RAY GUY

A Poke In The Eye people now see the whole thing as a foolish blunder deliberately founded on lies, more to do with oil, perhaps, than with bringing light to the gentiles.

George doesn’t want egg on his own face, which means more blood on brave young Dwayne’s.

But we digress. What sent me off half-cocked about wars and rumours of wars was the little hissy fits in these pages lately between Noreen Golfman and Rick Mercer. Leave those two jokers alone, you may say, and come up with some nonsense of your own … but I’m not proud, as the dog said when he found a cat turd.

As I recall it, Noreen thought it ever so dreary that CBC luminaries such as Rick Mercer and Peter Mansbridge were spending an unusual amount of time replicating that old Bob Hope schtick playing palsy, for fun, ratings, sentiment and profit, with “the Military.”

They’d be better off, she opined, turning their skills and attentions toward what paths to peace there may still be in this wicked world.

Well! Rick Mercer went off like Krakatoa. He came back, head down, with not so much a rant as a mind-boggled tirade. First he hit Noreen over the head with a legless soldier plus child and didn’t stop until he’d dragged in Auschwitz, the liberation of Holland, the downfall of fascism and, I don’t know, the current rate of domestic postage.

“You may conceive in hot blood,” is a helpful hint I remember from an old columnizing instructor, “but you must deliver in cold.”

Mercer was still en flagrante with the steam flying off him. It happens to the best of us. We go off half-cocked and limp at leisure.

Golfman hasn’t been the first to notice that Peter Mansbridge has been

Canadian and American soldiers cross a ravine while providing heavy security for the visit of BGen David Fraser, Commander of Multi-National Brigade South during his tour of an area controlled by Canadian and other allied forces in the Panjwaii District west of Kandahar.

Sgt Lou Penney

playing a third-rate Bob Hope with the Canadian military. John Doyle, for one, remarked on it in his Globe and Mail column. And it’s not much of a secret that Mercer has long featured our brave boys (and girls!) on his own half hour.

It was the explosiveness of the Mercer riposte that was interesting.

What’s this … never kid a kidder time?

How could Rick, who has offered us some succulent stews, allow his damn pot to boil over?

Rick Mercer Inc. It’s a nice little moneymaker he’s got there, bless him, and he may have feared brand name damage. But no, Golfman’s column in these pages covers only a tiny fraction of Mercer’s countrywide viewership.

“One hand washes the other” is the best I can come up with. The two Ricks

Hodder awaiting details on donated pension

By Mandy Cook The Independent

T

he province’s chief electoral officer, Chuck Furey, has yet to deliver proof confirming he donates his pension to charity.

Speaker Harvey Hodder, who is responsible for tracking the donation, says Furey is within the timeframe allowed to provide written confirmation of which charitable organization will benefit from the cash.

“I’ve had some discussions with him and I’m expecting to receive some correspondence very shortly. He has until the end of March to address those issues,” says Hodder.

When Furey was offered the job last year of chief electoral officer, it was under the condition he donate his political pension of $50,000-$60,000 a year to charity.

Hodder says Furey must provide documentation from a third party such as a lawyer or accounting firm that the

money has been spent on a specific charity. He says at that point he will decide whether to make the details known.

“I will have to think about whether and to what extent I can make the document itself public, but certainly we will confirm whether or not we are satisfied with the response or we’re not. At this stage we don’t have a response … he still has two months to do that.” mandy.cook@theindependent.ca

POWER LINE HAZARDS TRAINERS’ COURSE Certification Training Communication

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Anyone who intends to deliver power line hazards training must complete this course.

The prerequisites for the trainers' course are: a. Current certification in power line hazards (completed power line hazards training within the past three years) and b. High school graduation or equivalent and c. Either (i) Demonstration of related work experience (working on or near power lines) or (ii) Experience delivering training To be considered for this course, please contact the Commission for an application or for further information (709) 778-1552, TOLL FREE 1-800-563-9000 or email kconnors@whscc.nl.ca Priority will be given to PLH trainers who were previously certified through an audit of their training and who have delivered PLH training within the last three years. Other applicants will be accepted based on availability of space.

If your application is approved, you will be informed of the dates and locations of the training.

THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS FEBRUARY 16, 2007

PRIME

from Newfoundland, Rick Mercer and Rick Hillier, get good use out of each other. Mercer gets to use multi-milliondollar planes, tanks and bases as props and backgrounds to his TV show; Hillier gets the free PR, publicity, imaging … and perhaps a little something more come budget time.

Mercer has the chance of increasing viewership by whatever proud uncles, aunties, pops and nannies there may be out there in television land; Hillier will reap the benefit of whatever new recruits may be stirred up by the mostly zany, heaps-o-fun image portrayed as real military life.

Unless Golfman’s dog once killed Mercer’s cat, that’s the best I can make of the scrimmage.

As to my soldier-nephew with the

saucy bumper sticker, that’s a different matter. TV and newspaper volleys are not his real concern. He and thousands of other Newfoundlanders and Labradorians know what real bullets are like.

Those of us at home would serve them better by keeping in mind that unlike many other parts of Canada, we in this province send our young ones off to mud and blood by conscription — economic conscription. In so many cases “the Military” was and is the only job open. Thus the higher proportion of Newfoundlanders in the Canadian military.

There would be a topic for a TV show, but if there’s a comical side I can’t see it.

Ray Guy’s column returns March 2.

Timber rights

R

esponding to Abitibi’s announcement that its Grand Falls plant has to find $10 million in cost reductions, Natural Resources minister Kathy Dunderdale says if Abitibi closes its No. 7 paper machine in the town prior to 2010, the government would immediately invoke Bill 27, stripping the company of its timber licences covered by the legislation.

A spokesperson for the department says Abitibi holds 38 non-renewable

timber licences totalling 965,585 hectares, most of which is in central Newfoundland.

To keep these licences the company must maintain current production volumes and a two-machine operation. The licences are set to expire in 2010.

A map showing these holdings can be found on the government’s website www.nr.gov.nl.ca/forestry/maps/nf_ti mber.stm — Ivan Morgan

6 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

Attitude adjustment N

ewfoundand and Labrador’s finest issued a press release this week describing how Constabulary officers had successfully tracked down three men who had broken into Holy Heart school in Town.

Police arrived at the scene after the B and E had gone down, but it didn’t take them long to figure out the persons responsible had fled on foot. The footprints in the snow probably gave them away, I suppose. (Can’t wait to see that in an upcoming CSI episode.) The City of Halifax has a bylaw that forces residents to shovel their sidewalks, which is a good thing. On the downside, Halifax police are probably missing out on a valuable investigating tool — fresh powder.

HARD CASE The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is presumably having a much harder time with the political spending scandal. The perception of conflict of interest is all over the place. On the one hand, senior appointments to the force are approved through the Justice Department, i.e. the provincial government.

On the other hand, the Constab is investigating the political echelon of the provincial government. Sounds like

RYAN CLEARY

Fighting Newfoundlander a conflict to me. The question arises why the province didn’t call in the RCMP or a mainland force like the Ontario Provincial Police to investigate.

The Constabulary has only recently been making headway in turning around its bad rep, which is what a couple of wrongful murder convictions will do for you.

A charge has finally been laid in the 13-year-old Dale Worthman/Kimberly Lockyer investigation and police seem to be cautious and on top of the recent murder of Chrissy Predham Newman in Town. When the dots are connected they seem to point towards her estranged husband, but the Constabulary — and public — must be careful not to jump to conclusions (see Randy Druken’s $2-million compensation package and Gregory Parsons’ $1.5-million apology).

The Constabulary is apparently learning from its mistakes, which is

more than government can say for itself.

Back to my point about there being a conflict every which way you turn …

Danny may have done the right thing by allowing the auditor general’s office back into the House of Assembly, but as an MHA who receives a constituency allowance, he’s in a conflict himself. It doesn’t help that he has directed (however innocently) the auditor general on how to proceed with his investigation, including whose allowances to look into first.

It also doesn’t help that Danny allowed John Hickey back into cabinet before the Constabulary had time to delve into the Transportation minister’s double billings. Who needs the police when the premier’s on the case?

Now the scandal has seeped into the province’s chief electoral office, responsible for putting off provincial elections and other such fundamentals of democracy. They weren’t exactly fridge magnets, but the electoral office did purchase almost $14,000 worth of art and key chains from a company tied to the former director of financial operations with the House of Assembly. The same director was suspended and barred from Confederation Building late last summer.

We’ve always had the attitude that there’s nothing wrong with electing a scoundrel to office, as long as they get a little something for us.

The culture of entitlement that grew in the legislature seems to have spread to every room of the House.

Question is, how to root it out?

The auditor general’s probe will go all the way back to 1989, reviewing the allowances of the more than 120 MHAs elected between then and now (I’d describe that as a root canal). While John Noseworthy may be able to determine “appropriate” spending from “inappropriate” spending, it remains to be seen if bigger questions — like how the rot got into the House in the first place — will be answered.

Will former premier Brian Tobin, under whose administration the scandal began, be put on a stand and made to account for his actions? Would today’s politicians have the guts to do that to

the politicians that came before them?

My answer would be no.

Chief Justice Derek Green may come out with a report recommending a new compensation package for politicians, but who will ultimately answer for the decisions that were handed down? Is it enough that new policies are put in place to ensure such a scandal never happens again? Again, I say no.

Democracy in these here parts is in jeopardy. Shouting that from the rooftops won’t do much for our global reputation, but keeping it on the QT won’t help us either. Politicians may not see the need for a full-fledged inquiry, but they’re in a conflict. The auditor general may not recommend one either, but we’ll have to wait and see whether his investigation will be enough to cure the culture that has infected us.

It would be a perfect time for a new political party to make its mark, but Newfoundlanders and Labradorians don’t seem ready for that. They’ll take their politics as they come. We’ve always had the attitude that there’s nothing wrong with electing a scoundrel to office, as long as they get a little something for us. Maybe we all need an attitude adjustment, but where’s it going to come from? ryan.cleary@theindependent.ca

YOURVOICE

Catching small fish cuts our throat Dear editor, I would like to comment on the Jan. 12 article ‘Guppy sized’, Experts disagree on shipping fish outside the province for processing.

In fact the only experts quoted, namely George Rose and Gus Etchegary, agree that catching and landing small fish should not be permitted.

I agree, since catching such small fish is tantamount to cutting one’s own throat. If left to grow these small fish would provide several times the yield when they are finally caught.

Moreover, they will be able to reproduce to replenish the stock. All of the stocks are currently suffering from overfishing.

Having studied gear selection for the Department of Fisheries some 50 years ago, I know that the only way

small fish are caught is with smallmeshed nets. Large-meshed nets do not catch significant numbers of small fish unless the net becomes filled, an event that would seem to be unlikely these days.

SMALL FISH MARKET If there’s a market for small fish they will be caught. In my experience, fishermen form a group that is one of the smartest in the world and will take advantage of anything that enables them to catch and land fish.

They also know that if they do not catch them, someone else will, so there is no value in conservation.

The only solution is not to buy and process small fish. Then they will not be caught.

D. H. Steele, St. John’s

‘What the hell does she know about war?’

‘The most refreshing article’

Dear editor, What an excellent response by Rick Mercer (Fighting words, Jan. 26 edition) to Noreen Golfman’s column (Blowing in the wind, Jan. 12).

Good on ya, Rick.

Before this “poor old yuppie” writes any more articles, I’d suggest she think and research her subject carefully because, in this case, she doesn’t have a clue what she’s writing about.

Dear editor, With reference to Fighting Words (Jan. 26 edition), Rick Mercer’s rebuttal of Noreen Golfman’s column from the previous week: Since when is it a satirist’s job to lampoon dissent?

Mercer magnifies nuances, inferring a great deal about the mind-set of the writer. He pounces on turns of phrase to uncover alleged malign intent. He then uses this as a launching pad for his own lengthy and emotionally charged defence of lending his comic talents to legitimize the Bush-Harper military approach.

He reaches a final crescendo: “Holland was not liberated with peacekeepers and fascism was not defeated with a deft pen.” Stirring stuff … if you like that sort of thing.

BITTER TASTE Her view that peace can never be paved with military offensives leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

What the hell does she know about war, or peace for that matter? She probably grew up in a cozy house, went to a cozy school, and to a cozy university. The only way these cozy people can vent their need for a more interesting challenge is to protest this, that, or the other.

THOUGHTFUL RESPONSE I grew up in London during the Blitz and it wasn’t the Boy Scouts who stopped Germany from invading the U.K. — it was the air crews

Soldiers Jay Hill and Laurie Hawn with comedian Rick Mercer in Afghanistan. Capt Edward Stewart

who fought and died during the Battle of Britain; it was the Royal Navy who fought and died in the battle of the North Atlantic; and it was the army who fought and died in Europe. Congratulations to Rick Mercer for a well-written and thoughtful response.

Patricia Murphy, St. John’s

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

But hold on a second, isn’t satire supposed to shine a light through muddy waters? Isn’t it supposed to reveal the complexities and contradictions that lie behind a too-simple ideology?

BLACK AND WHITE Not only does Mercer’s approach paint a moral world in startling black and white, it dares us not to fall behind the beat of his military drum. Most of all, it targets the very thing that satire is supposed to promote — the right to disagree. Kudos to Noreen Golfman, by the way, for the most refreshing article of the holiday period.

Paul Butler, St. John’s

‘For us or against us’ Dear editor, Regarding Rick Mercer’s reply to Noreen Golfman’s column: People might find Golfman’s comment about “some poor sod’s legs being blown off” distasteful, but that shouldn’t distract us from her bigger point. We need critical debate about Canada’s role in Afghanistan. As Golfman said, far too often the national media substitutes admiring accounts of life on the front line for serious analysis.

Unfortunately, Mercer simply echoed the Harper government line that the only way to support our troops is to accept the current mission without question. “Why should Canada honour its United Nations-sanctioned NATO

commitments?” he asks, claiming to “welcome debate on the idea that Canada should simply ignore its international obligations and pull out of Afghanistan.” This isn’t debate, it’s a frame up: there is only one answer.

Instead, we might ask whether Canada’s current military-led strategy is the best way of helping Afghan people.

This question is not code for knee-jerk pacifism. Serious analysis would extend to the wider context of military operations. What made Afghanistan fertile ground for the Taliban to start with?

Does Afghanistan’s current government offer the best hope for peace, security and freedom for Afghan women and men? Are we just backing one set of

warlords instead of another? Might the U.S. war on drugs be part of the problem? And that’s just for starters.

Like Rick Hillier, I’m a MUN graduate. Unlike Mercer, I didn’t think Golfman was denigrating my degree. I thought she was arguing that journalism demands more than celebrating “one of our own.” I know Mercer’s Christmas trip was meant for other purposes, but when he responded to Golfman’s fighting words, he entered the wider debate.

Sadly, rather than expanding it, he once again reduced it to a single question: are you with us or against us?

Robin Whitaker, St. John’s

‘Bravo, bravo, bravo’ Dear editor, This will be the first time I have ever submitted a letter to the editor … there’s a first time for everything. Just thought I would share with you the email I sent to Rick Mercer, following his response to columnist Noreen Golfman. Mercer’s piece, Fighting words, appeared in the Jan. 26 edition of The Independent, in response to Golfman’s Jan. 12 column, Blowing in the wind. Reading The Independent has become part of our weekend routine now and indeed I always enjoy the var-

ied views and perspectives the paper provides.

Rick, All I can say is bravo, bravo, bravo for your response to Noreen Golfman.

Very well said. As a patriotic Newfoundlander whose brother served in Afghanistan for nine months last year, I was totally offended by her column. And you know what, even if I didn’t have a brother, of whom I am so proud serving there, I’d still be offended. You’ve done a great job over the

years of highlighting the humble bravery and humanity of Canada’s soldiers.

Look at how people have clearly responded to and embraced what you’ve done. I get the sense you won’t let voices like Noreen’s slow you down either. Keep on doing what you do best and more power to you!

Congratulations too on your new role as honourary colonel. Sounds right up your alley.

Patricia Williams, St. John’s

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 7

The race to be oldest A

headline last week claimed the world’s oldest person had died. Emma Tillman of East Hartford, Connecticut, died peacefully Jan. 28 at the age of 114. She had been the oldest person in the world for a week, Emiliano Mercado Del Toro of Puerto Rico having died the week before — on Jan. 24, at age 115 — bequeathing her the title he had held for six weeks following the death of Elizabeth Bolden, who had died on Dec. 11, 2006 at the age of 116.

She had become the world’s oldest person after the death of Lizzie Bolden, who had become the world’s oldest person following the death of Maria Capovilla, who died on August 27, 2006.

Can you see where I am going with this?

What kind of weird race is this? The world’s oldest person is dead? What a surprise! What exactly is the story here? Is it news that a really old person died?

I am not sure I would ever want to

IVAN MORGAN

Rant & Reason be in a competition where people started counting the days of my age, as in Jeanne Calment, the oldest documented person ever, who lived to 122 years, 164 days.

“Good morning, Mr. Morgan! Still alive this morning? Only 11 more days till you beat the record.” Yay. I never want to hear those words …

Wait a minute, maybe I do …

SILLY SUCCESSION In the general population, the odds of reaching the age of 115 are about one in 2.1 billion. Information on how to beat those odds are what I think propel the silly succession of these “oldest person dies” stories.

Part of what I love about these articles is the “secret to longevity” question that is invariably asked of the fea-

sible, nursing and encouraging her even after she slipped into a coma.

Much to everyone’s disappointment, she died the day before her 100th birthday. I would hate for my death to be a big celebrity letdown.

When I was young I was fascinated by really old people. I remember once going to meet a woman in her late 90s.

She had been born before the car, manned flight, telephones or radio. I wanted to know her wisdom. I sat at her feet only to quickly learn she had spent a lifetime immersed in objectionable religious bigotry and hatred aimed at her neighbours. Sometimes age does not bring wisdom.

We eagerly read the “secrets” these people divulge, but cold hard research into the subject suggests that picking one’s parents well is the best way to live a long time — genetics (and not smoking, drinking, stuffing yourself with fatty foods and entering Newfoundland politics — all life shorteners).

“Oldest person ever” Calment claims to have never done anything

special other than drink the occasional glass of port and use a lot of olive oil.

Researchers who studied her suggest it was her “immunity to stress” that aided her longevity. If stress is a killer I only have weeks left. I don’t have any personal stress of my own, but I know lots of carriers.

LOVE OF LIFE Our fascination with longevity, which stems out of our love for life, is one thing, but making celebrities of people who, near the end of their lives, end up on this weird list is maybe not such a great idea.

The only thing anyone can really derive from a study of these people is that people are themselves.

As Calment aged, she garnered more and more media attention.

Asked, near the end of her worldrecord long life, if she was enjoying her celebrity, she said “I wait for death, and journalists.”

I think I would have liked her. ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

CANCER CARE FOUNDATION

YOURVOICE Super Dick returns Dear editor, Enjoyed Ivan Morgan’s column on music (So much to listen to, so little time, Jan. 19 edition). I never thought

tured old person. I like this question because every respondent is certain their secret to old age is the right one, yet people’s secrets frequently contradict each other.

Kamato Hongo of Japan (116 years and 45 days) claimed a good environment, healthy local food, and a peaceful happy life as her formula. It was reported that she never smoked, but started drinking in her 90s. One wonders what drove her to it.

The world’s oldest Dutch person Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper (115 years, 62 days) said a serving of herring and orange juice daily was her secret, along with the instructive aside that “breathing” helped. She also warned against smoking and boozing, except for a small advocaat (booze made with egg yolk and brandy) with cream on Sundays and holidays.

There’s a story in my family about my great-grandfather, a local doctor, who had an aged relative whose one ambition was to live to be 100, so she could receive a telegram from the Queen. He gave her the best care pos-

I’d see the phrase Super Dick again.

Mike Campbell, Program director, 97.5 K-ROCK

‘It’s just a game’ Dear editor, Hats off to Don Power for using his editorial space (Remember, hockey is still just a game, Jan. 26 edition) to remind people what hockey is all about.

I have been playing hockey since I was six, and now have a young boy and girl playing. During this time I have seen the best and worst that minor hockey offers. I’ve experienced many coaches and parents who provided lasting guidance, some of whom I later developed adult friendships with. However, without a doubt, every negative experience I encountered, whether it was my own game, or one of my kids, was the result of adults imposing their will on a child’s game. Hockey, like many other sports, has a large dropout rate. Much of this is because kids are not allowed to control the amount and type of game they want to play. Growing up, my parents insisted I control my own

hockey experience. It was my choice to play and practise for hours a day, or to skip a game if I wanted to. Maybe that’s why almost 40 years later I still can’t wait to get to the rink.

I introduced my kids to hockey so they could make new friends while doing something fun and healthy.

After all, isn’t that why we played as kids? If my children desire to play competitive hockey I will provide as much support as they want. However, it’s also their choice if they want to just play scrap hockey, or quit completely. No big deal. It’s just a game.

In closing, I can’t say enough about the coaches and other volunteers who gladly give their time and energy to make hockey time something my kids look forward to all week. For every negative story you hear, a thousand positive ones go unmentioned.

Paul Kelly, Logy Bay

‘Where’s the loyalty to our province’ Dear editor, Desmond McGrath, Gus Etchegary, So poor Loyola Sullivan is scurry- Dr. Art May, Earl McCurdy and yes, ing off to Ottawa to his hastily filled even Captain Canada, Brian Tobin. new job with the federal government.

As for close friends, I have to quesI thought all federal jobs were sup- tion the friendly relationship between posed to be filled after a Loyola Hearn and selection board interPremier Williams? Hearn viewed several capable had to negotiate with applicants. (At least that’s Sullivan a long time what the rules said when I before the ambassador applied for a federal job at position was created in the post office back in the Ottawa. For Sullivan to 1960s). But there are say he was considering a obviously two rules — number of positions in the one for the rich and one “private” sector is quesfor the poor. Guess who Loyola Hearn tionable at best. wins here?

Open and meaningful If Loyola loves this province so relations with the premier and his much, and is so passionate about cabinet was obviously not there. Is “fisheries conservation,” how come that the prerequisite for an ambashe kicked the ladder out beneath sador’s position?

Danny Williams before an upcoming There is another Chinese proverb provincial election? Where’s the loy- that says, “The law sometimes sleeps, alty to our province here? but never dies.” Well, the federal govAnd to jump from provincial ernment’s civil servant’s hiring laws Finance into federal fisheries ambas- were fast asleep in the choice of the sador is like a navy recruit jumping new ambassador position. quickly from corporal to master serThey may sleep, but eventually geant. Sullivan raved about his pas- they awake, perhaps when Loyola sion for fisheries conservation and decides to toss his hat into the next what he planned to do in the future federal election. Could it be he has his (Here and Now, Jan. 25, with Debbie eye on the position of federal Cooper).

Fisheries minister?

I can think of a number of suitable Time will tell. applicants for that hasty appointment.

Bill Westcott, How about Richard Cashin, Father Clarke’s Beach

Curler Brad Gushue and Dr. Jonathan Greenland and Elvis Loveless announced the start of a campaign to raise $3 million for the Cancer Care Foundation at a press conference Feb. 1. The funding is earmarked to purchase a new CT simulator, design and furnish radiation treatment rooms, and to ensure financial assistance is available for cancer patients in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Paul Daly/The Independent

‘Slap in the face for Danny’ Dear editor, Well, well, Loyola Sullivan takes a job with Stephen Harper — now that’s a slap in the face for Danny — his Finance minister taking a job with the enemy. Danny must be fuming over this one. First he had Fabian Manning on his black list, only to have Fabian end up with Harper, then Williams and Loyola Hearn had words (Hearn calling Danny a political neophyte) only to have Hearn side with Harper.

In the latest blow, you have Sullivan, one of the premier’s top lieutenants, quit and go with Harper, even after all the fighting over the Atlantic Accord and equalization. What does that tell you? Sullivan was the one leading the charge to get Harper elected, and

Hearn was one of the main architects responsible for bring the federal Conservatives together.

Maybe it was a plan all along to have some sort of revenge on Danny, with our province suffering because of the bickering.

On the topic of Sullivan being appointed ambassador for fishery conservation, give us all a break. What a farce. What is Hearn for? They could have hired a fishery researcher or two with the money they are giving Sullivan.

If this wasn’t planned, why didn’t Sullivan stay on until October and save us all some money on a byelection? He said he was planning to retire anyway, so why not wait a mere 10 months? Oh

yeah, he said it would not be fair to the next Finance minister if he stayed to bring down the new budget. How thoughtful of him … and I have ocean-front property in Arizona.

I suppose Hearn and Sullivan had a plan to have the ambassador for fishery conservation here in the province just to throw a bone to keep us happy, to keep us from having an uprising over Sullivan’s made-up position and the waste of money and time it is.

If it is so easy to get a federal office in Newfoundland and Labrador such as this token portfolio, why not have more legitimate postings here?

Roger Linehan, St. Johns

‘God bless’ David Suzuki Dear editor, I would like to welcome Dr. David Suzuki to Newfoundland. It will be nice to meet another solar traveler on this, our journey through the stars. A brother, and who, like me, a son who feels the sacred balance and loves the Earth, his mother.

He who does not understand and love the miracles of the Earth does not love or know how to love mankind or himself, for only if you love the earth can you love yourself. Your task of showing the world how to love life —

not because it will benefit the world for some personal profit or gain — but for the sake of seeing beauty for beauty’s sake and loving for love’s sake is a great one.

‘SECRETS OF NATURE ‘ Others before you have faced this same task as indicated by the words of Jesus of Nazareth: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul,” or the words of Pythagoras (600 B.C.) who said, “The finest type of man gives

himself up to discovering the meaning and purpose of life itself. He loves wisdom for wisdom sake because it is the key to uncover the secrets of nature and himself.”

It will be a pleasure to be in the company of one whose journey has embraced this profound task. You are a great citizen of Canada, Mr. Suzuki, but a greater child for all the ages of mother Earth. God bless you.

Philip Earle, Carbonear

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

8 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 9

IN CAMERA

Auditor general’s report I

n the wake of the on-going constituency allowance scandal — and all the related reports, resignations and political movement — this year’s report by the province’s auditor general, John Noseworthy, was anticipated even more than usual.

Always an interesting read, the annual report is filled with program, department and agency reviews — and plenty of recommendations and admonishments along the way.

Released Jan. 31, the 500-page report for the year ended March 31, 2006, takes on a heightened importance. The public is ready for more details about the House of Assembly establishment; politicians are facing more scrutiny for their spending and habits than they have been for years.

This week, The Independent takes a look into the report, pulling out a number of Noseworthy’s findings on a variety of departments and subjects.

This is by no means complete — just a taste of some of the items and conclusions Noseworthy and his team brought to light.

The entire report — which includes written responses from most affected departments — is available on-line at www.gov.nl.ca/ag/reports.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY — CONSTITUENCY ALLOWANCES • A series of reports were issued regarding the excess constituency allowance claims of five MHAs: Ed Byrne, Randy Collins, Wally Anderson, Jim Walsh and Percy Barrett. In addition, a report was issued regarding questionable payments to suppliers. Those matters are now being investigated by police.

• Several factors were identified in the AG report as contributing to those payments being made:

The Commission of Internal Economy directed the auditor general’s office to cease its audit.

The commission amended the Internal Economy Commission Act so MHAs were not required to provide supporting documentation for claims to the comptroller general.

Expenditures at the House of Assembly were not subject to the same controls as government expenditures.

Members of the commission at that time including: Lloyd Snow, Beaton Tulk, Paul Dicks, Kevin Aylward, Gerald Smith, Loyola Sullivan, Tom Rideout.

The former clerk of the House of Assembly did not fulfill his administrative responsibilities with regard to financial controls.

Inaccurate annual reports by the commission were tabled in the House: all reports, incorrectly showed that all members’ claims were within approved limits.

• In May 2004, the commission decided to pay each MHA $2,875 (tax included). The minutes of the commissions meetings, tabled in the House, were vague. Noseworthy later told The Independent only two MHAs had not taken the cash. Premier Danny Williams and former auditor general Elizabeth Marshall told CBC on Wednesday they turned it down.

OFFICE OF CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER • Eleven people hired as temporary employees by the office of the chief electoral officer were related to the office’s permanent employees — three were children of staff members.

• Between April 2002 and March 2004, the office purchased $13,829 worth of items — including Newfoundland art and key chains — from a company owned by the former

director of financial operations with the House of Assembly. The director was suspended and barred from Confederation Building last fall.

• Overtime payments of $295,384 were paid to the four permanent staff in the past four years (38.6 per cent of their regular salary). Overtime was not approved in accordance with policy.

• Two employees were reimbursed 100 per cent instead of 50 per cent for education expenditures.

COLLEGE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC • The college awarded unauthorized cash bonuses, inappropriate salary differentials, inappropriate salaries relating to appointments, step increases and promotions, unapproved and questionable overtime and use of leave.

• Job competitions were not always conducted.

• More than $9 million in purchases were not tendered; employee professional development and travel expenses were not always properly approved.

• Qatar campus: six employees retained significant monetary gifts (up to $20,000 US).

• None of the 164 employment contracts for the Qatar campus had been reviewed by the Department of Justice or approved by Treasury Board. Employees earned significantly more salary (35 per cent) and received increased benefits (including leave, free furnished housing, $15,000 living allowance and a $2,000 relocation allowance).

• Increased salaries can also result in increased pension benefits, which further burden the province’s strapped pension fund.

• In 1996-97, there were 432 schools serving 106,205 students and provincial grants totaled $487.9 million. In 2005-06, there were 294 schools serving 76,763 students and provincial grants totaled $578 million.

• All five school boards had accumulated deficits as of June 30, 2006.

The total accumulated deficits of the five boards is $108.1 million.

LIQUOR CORPORATION The review of liquor licensee files identified several instances where the liquor corporation issued licences inconsistently and in contravention of the Liquor Control Act, including: • Two instances where applications were denied when similar applicants had been issued a licence.

• One instance were a licence was transferred to an applicant with a lengthy criminal history — a violation of the regulations. Since the transfer, the licensee has been convicted for four additional criminal charges.

• Lack of planning for performance of inspections.

SUPERINTENDENT OF PENSIONS • 175 pension plans were registered to the province (to March 21, 2006), with 72,955 active members and a total pension liability of $10.6 billion.

• There is no formal risk assessment process to identify plans which do not comply with legislation or which may not have sufficient assets to provide benefits to members when they retire.

• $5.1 billion or 60 per cent of the public sector and $163.8 million or nine per cent of the private-sector pension liability for defined benefit pension plans was unfunded.

• 15 of 105 defined contribution plans — representing 85 per cent of the members — had accumulated an average of less then $10,000 per member.

• No formal training on pension plan management was provided to the department’s compliance officer.

MONITORING HEALTH CARE BOARDS • The overall financial position of the boards improved slightly in fiscal year 2006 with unfunded liabilities declining $7.8 million, to $524.8 million from $532.6 million.

SCHOOL BOARDS Swilers vs. Dogs

Qatar campus of the College of the North Atlantic

• During the year, all four boards reported operating deficits totaling $11 million.

COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS • The community corrections branch of the adult corrections division is not adequately performing risk assessments of offenders.

• There were significant issues with the supervision of offenders including insufficient documentation to determine whether the offender was being supervised properly.

Of 66 files reviewed, 17 offenders were not supervised sufficiently (including one sexual assault offender, two domestic assaults, and two drug offences).

ROYAL NEWFOUNDLAND CONSTABULARY • The firearms and ammunitions inventory system is not accurate. In 2006, 38 handguns and three rifles were not recorded in the inventory system. As well, 9,012 rounds of 40calibre training ammunition could not be accounted for.

• There were 221 infractions of the firearms policy by members between November 2004 to November 2006, including three instances where loaded firearms were stored in lockers and 15 instances where a member’s locker was empty even though he/she was not on duty.

• RNC policy requires all equipment be inspected a minimum of twice a year; only one inspection was done for the St. John’s area and Corner Brook in 2006.

• A total of 173 members as of Dec. 31, 2005 and 121 members as of Nov. 8, 2006, had not re-qualified in the use of firearms in the required oneyear time framed. The training database is neither complete nor accurate.

JOB CREATION PROGRAM • In 2005, the program funded 462 projects in 37 districts and cost $4.2 million.

• Funding was not debated in the House of Assembly.

• There was no documentation to show how much was allocated to each district or the basis for the allocation.

• Rationale for project selection was not well documented: — The merit of a project was not evaluated on an electoral district basis relative to other potential projects to maximize the effectiveness of the program for the district.

— A review of 92 project files indicated that none contained sufficient information to demonstrate that

approved projects met all program criteria.

— There was no documentation in the files outlining the rationale for funding approvals.

— There was no documentation indicating on what basis additional funding was approved.

— Of 58 rejected applications reviewed, 37 were later approved for funding even though they were similar in content and scope to the other 21 applications. There was no documentation to explain the final resolution or who authorized it.

• The final reports did not include all required information in order for the department to determine whether program guidelines were followed and whether funds were being spent as intended.

AGRICULTURAL POLICY FRAMEWORK INITIATIVE • In 2003, $30.1 million was approved under this initiative to support the development of agriculture in the province.

• Between April 2004 and October 2005, $11.5 million was spent on projects.

• In reviewing 35 project files, there were instances where documentation was not on file to support payments; not all inspections were performed; and final project reports were not required.

• In four project claims, totaling $456,568, quotes to support the expenditure were present — but copies of invoices were not on file.

• None of the five government projects examined had documentation on file to support project expenditures totaling $1.4 million. As well, there were no inspection certificates.

RECREATION GRANTS • During fiscal year 2005, the

RNC Chief Joe Brown

department provided $1.7 million in grants for recreation operations.

• The department does not adequately and consistently evaluate grant applications. Program guidelines were not followed in awarding grants.

• Grants are to be awarded based on objective criteria — of 10 organizations reviews, the criteria were circumvented in six cases. Examples: cross-country skiing was assessed at $10,000 but received $14,000; rugby was assessed at $5,550 and awarded $8,550; synchronized swimming, assessed at $4,650, was awarded $4,500.

• The department does not monitor the effectiveness of recreation grant programs.

PROVINCIAL ROADS MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION • In 1996, the auditor general concluded the department was not adequately managing the province’s road system. In 2006, the same conclusion was reached.

• There is no formal program to assess the physical condition of the provincial road system.

• The department does not focus on preventative or preservation maintenance.

• Funding approved in annual budget was significantly less than the amount identified and requested by the department. The actual amounts spent were less again.

• Given the increasing age of the province’s roads and the lack of additional funding for road maintenance, the condition of the province’s roads will deteriorate at an accelerated rate.

• There is no long-term plan, risk assessment or priority basis for work to be performed.

A Newfoundland Liquor Corporation outlet

Transportation Minister John Hickey

At the Health Sciences Centre Students at the College of the North Atlantic, Seal Cove campus

Lieutenant-Governor Ed Roberts in the House of Assembly

Auditor general John Noseworthy

All photos Paul Daly/The Independent

A St. John’s-area school

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

10 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

AROUND THE BAY Rumor says that still another fish merchant has had an unpleasant dream. If we can secure the substance of it, we shall be pleased to publish in next issue.

— Fishermen’s Advocate, Port Union, Jan. 26, 1911 AROUND THE WORLD Our Government is fighting for a great principle — the right to manage our own affairs without the dictation of Canada. We find that the US has recently consummated reciprocity arrangements with Jamaica and other British possessions in the West Indies, and if the n*****s of the British West Indies are allowed to make such arrangements, surely the people of Britain’s oldest colony are entitled to a like privilege, when the interests of the Empire are prejudiced.

— The Weekly Record, Trinity West, Jan. 9, 1892 YEARS PAST Yesterday’s snowstorm has left the streets and highways with as nice a coating of the pure white article as could be desired, and after it is beaten down, we shall probably have the best sleigh paths for the season. The snow, though not deep, has fallen very uniformly, and unless a high wind arises to scatter it, there will not be many spots of gravel to retard the sleighs.

— The Daily Tribune, St. John’s, Jan. 10, 1893 EDITORIAL STAND Part of the mystique of Tom Burgess, a native of Bray, County Wicklow, is that he once belonged to the IRA (the outlawed Irish Republican Army now engaged in the civil war in Ulster). Now, every Irishman I’ve met in the past 15 years said he was an IRA member, especially when he had a drink or two in, and they can’t all be liars, so I presume that being a member of the IRA is something which all Irish males pass through, like puberty, on their way to manhood.

— The Free Press, St. John’s, Jan. 19, 1972 LETTER TO THE EDITOR Sir – A few days ago I decided I would have to have our pet dog destroyed. He was well-loved and well trained but he attracted many other dogs around which led to upset garbage cans and constant barking and howling at night. I was a little hesitant about calling our local policeman after hearing and reading so much degrading rumours about him.

But I’m glad to say he was very prompt, also very kind.

There wasn’t any wild shooting or injecting sedatives, he simply put a leash around his neck and put him in the back seat of the car, leaving the children to believe their dog was going for a nice ride. — A SATISFIED CUSTOMER — The Labrador News, Jan. 25, 1965

Paul Daly/The Independent

‘Dealing with people’s livelihoods’ From page 1 and an end to overfishing of those stocks by other countries.

Beesley says any work in that area is going to be painstaking. As Canadian ambassador for disarmament for a number of years, he found the role demanding both intellectually and in the sense that it had highly political issues involved.

“But be that as it may, none of it was more difficult than fisheries negotiations,” he says.

“Because you are dealing with people’s livelihoods — and they don’t take lightly to someone disposing of their wherewithal.

“I would stress that whoever takes it on has the patience of Job, because it doesn’t go swiftly, and that’s when everybody’s on the same page, and not working at cross purposes.”

Opposition Liberal leader Gerry Reid, who says he met Beesley years ago, agrees with his assessment “100 per cent.”

He says the job involves a “big learning curve.

“It’s a big task and I can’t imagine that you just can step right into it and become an ambassador overnight regardless of how quick a study you are.”

Reid, a former fisheries minister in the Tobin government, says his experience with interna-

tional fisheries work leads him to wonder if Sullivan will be able to make a difference in his new position.

“It’s only a daunting task if you let it be. It depends whether or not this is a serious appointment,” says Reid.

“No disrespect for Mr. Sullivan or his abilities … But I don’t see that position doing much to help the problems we’re encountering with the fishery on the offshore of this country.”

After Beesley’s term came the appointment of two other diplomats, Randolph Gherson (1992-1994), and Paul Lapointe (1994-1996).

The position was not renewed after Lapointe. ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

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FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTNEWS • 11

YOURVOICE Provincial bureaucracy ‘capable and professional’ Dear editor, Over the years I have dealt with a great many deputy ministers, assistant deputy ministers and members of the provincial civil service. In general I

have found them to be highly capable and professional. We are most fortunate to have such dedicated people administering the day-to-day affairs of our province. Let us not forget this amidst

the political turmoil with which we have been surrounded in recent months.

Burford Ploughman, St. John’s

Risking ‘life and limb’ to take the bus Dear editor, I was waiting for No. 11 bus recently across from the Thrift Store on the corner of Water Street and Waldegrave Street. I had to try to get up to a hill of snow because the sidewalks where the bus stops are located are not shoveled out. Other than that I had to stay on the side of the street. I could not use the sidewalk because of the hill of snow. It

seems that this city does not care that those of us taking the bus risk life and limb while we are waiting. I think it is awful and as usual we are treated like second-class citizens. In general this city does an extremely poor job in snow removal and it is much worse for those of us who have to use the bus. For some reason the powers that be in this city cannot seem to get it right. How much

practice do you need to be able to clear snow from our streets and sidewalks?

How many years do we have to be doing this before the city manages to get our streets properly salted in a timely fashion? Those of us who live in this city have endured years of this and it seems we will have to endure more of it.

Margaret Osbourne, St. John’s

Newfoundland was no Eldorado

I

see that Derek Butler, chairman of the Association of Seafood Producers, has commented on the idea of the Newfoundland fishery as a common-property resource. The notion should be abandoned, he reportedly said in a speech to the St. John’s Board of Trade. “It’s a myth, anyway.” A myth is a fable. I wasn’t at the meeting and this might just have been a throwaway line in a talk with a lot of meat in it. But it was the part that attracted the most attention.

So many myths and half-truths permeate the history of Newfoundland that I hate to think this one too will get a toehold and find its way into school texts and other commentary. It’s true that Newfoundlanders didn’t always have unrestricted access to every species in the ocean around the coastline. If that’s what he meant, then he has a point. As far back as the 19th century, certain limitations were imposed on aspects of fishing. Prior to 1904, for instance, it was always questionable whether fish stocks on the French Shore were available to residents of other coasts. Some men went there to fish but risked being driven off. And there were other restraints. From time to time, restrictions were applied to the kind of gear used in the fishery. When the season opened and closed for some species — that too might be set down. But the ocean was a great commons in the sense that from 1904 all Newfoundlanders had a right to fish in it, whether for a livelihood or just to get food, and to sell the produce from it.

This great freedom lasted for some time following Confederation in1949.

I’m not sure how soon afterwards the first fish licences, which I think were for salmon, were introduced, but in the beginning they were only a formality. I

PATRICK O’FLAHERTY A Skeptic’s Diary recall going to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in St. John’s, I think in the late 1960s, and asking for a salmon licence for my father, who was planning to put out 20 nets in the spring.

I paid $5 for the licence, and the person I dealt with asked if I wanted one for myself. If I’d asked for one for 50 nets, he’d likely have handed it over. I didn’t take him up on the offer. I was an academic making a decent salary, but I still had a right to fish. Everyone did.

That’s not myth — that’s fact.

Now to my old acquaintance Jim McGrath, who has a habit of writing spirited pieces in the papers. “Why would a province richly endowed with natural resources,” he asked in a recent essay, “have the highest provincial debt of all the provinces in the Canadian federation?” The sentence is an example, in logic, of begging the question. He assumes in his premise something as proved when it is not proved, i.e., that the province is in fact richly endowed with natural resources. “Rich natural resources” — I’ve had that drilled into my skull since childhood from reading schoolbooks, magazines, and newspapers, and from listening to speeches by politicians. It’s said on open line shows day in, day out. I’ve said it myself.

I think again of my father in his young manhood on the north shore of Conception Bay, often working 15 hours a day from June to October as a fisherman to catch and cure 80-100 quintals of cod. That should have been enough for a

good living, but because of the low prices he got for it, wasn’t. Then harrowing, ploughing, planting, fertilizing and weeding rocky gardens to tease a few barrels of potatoes from them, followed by risking stormy weather in winter to get hard-to-find slideloads of scraggly fir and spruce from the hinterland to keep his family warm. Newfoundland was no Eldorado back then.

Sixty years later the province has a greatly diminished fishery. The island’s mines — Buchans, Bell Island, St. Lawrence, Baie Verte, Tilt Cove, etc. — have all shut. As for agriculture, we’ve seen progress in that sector but farming has always been a tough go here. Upper Churchill power was given away for 65 years. We might get a better deal in 2041, supposing we don’t give it away once more. Offshore oil, owned by Ottawa, has started to pay big economic rent to the provincial treasury and is indeed a rich resource, but it is rapidly being extracted. The forests of the west coast and interior of the island kept Corner Brook, Grand Falls and satellite communities more or less in business even through the Great Depression.

Stephenville too, for a while. Now the pulp and paper industry may be in jeopardy.

Richly endowed with natural resources? A myth. More a myth now than a century ago.

We still have sufficient left for a good life, if we use our brains to conserve it and make proper use of it. But if we’re going to depend on natural resources to jack us out of debt and put us on a par with Alberta and Ontario, we’ve got a long haul ahead of us.

Patrick O’Flaherty is a writer in St. John’s.

‘Hairstylists do very well here’ From page 3 The decision to leave her friends and family was not easy. “The salon I was working at back home was paying me minimum wage if you didn’t reach your commission rate for that week, and where I paid $9,500 to go to hair school, I felt I deserved better.”

Leona Warford, an instructor at the Woodford Training Centre in Kelligrews, disagrees that there even is

a problem with outmigration.

“Hairstylists do very well here in Newfoundland … Most have ample positions here in the island,” she says.

“Some stylists, early in their career, go to cruises ships, resorts, or Alberta. But they return back to the province.”

Warford says the decision to leave the province is not based on low salaries or workplace stagnation but mostly personal reasons. “If a stylist is not working …

It’s by their choice. We have salon own-

ers from all over — Harbour Grace and Goose Bay for example, calling in to see if we have students ready to work.”

This demand mystifies Kelly, who struggles to find new stylists to replace those she lost.

“The families of the girls I have now … If they have the opportunity to go, I‘m afraid I’ll lose them too … There aren’t a lot of people entering Marystown. And they certainly won’t come from St. John’s.”

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

12 • INDEPENDENTNEWS

VOICE FROM AWAY

Reinventing the wheel (chair) Mount Pearl native and art school student Christine Goudie designing new, more comfortable wheelchair cushion

By Stephanie Porter The Independent

I

t’s not your average art school project.

Christine Goudie, a Mount Pearl native and fourth-year student at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, has set herself a tall task: to design a prototype wheelchair cushion, more comfortable and adaptable — and better-looking — than those on the market.

“I spoke with occupational therapists, wheelchair users, general practitioners, massage therapists … in the course of doing research. I heard over and over that there was a need for more comfortable cushions,” Goudie says. “And I ran with the idea.

“There are already hundreds of models out there — I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel — but I am trying to find a little loophole in product service that I can fit in.”

The design project, an independent study, will be on display at the school’s year-end exhibition in April.

Goudie is majoring in graphic design, but also has training in industrial design and multi-media communication. Although she admits advertising is a passion and a natural talent, she’s becoming increasingly interested in product design.

And not just any products.

“As a designer,” she says, “I look to meet basic human needs — recognize which basic equipment in our society is flawed, which groups or demographics are being overlooked.

“Trends these days are different because of consumerism … but really, the last thing the world needs is another MP3 player or cellphone.

“I can never justify spending countless hours, days and months on meaningless designs.”

Just over a year ago, Goudie became interested in medical equipment design. She’s not sure where the fascination started — she says she’s often asked if a family member or friend uses a wheelchair, but that’s not the case.

Out of her own curiosity, she began asking ques- of time studying what was already in the markettions and conducting research. She interviewed place. people in the medical field in Alberta (where she “With six years of post-secondary education was working at the time), and back home in majoring in design, I thought it was finally time to Newfoundland. She’s since surveyed profession- put one of my visions for the future into action,” als in a number of different provinces and territo- she says. ries.

Goudie is realistic about her project and its She started to see a number of places and prod- reach. ucts that could use some design improvements.

“I’m not necessarily assuming it’ll end up on the But the wheelchair cushion comfort issue seemed market,” Goudie says. “I just want to see how sucto arise again and again. cessful it could be.

“Wheelchair users often suffer from pressure “At least, it’ll raise awareness and draw attensores, due to an extended period of sitting down,” tion to an issue and a product that needs to be she says. “And I began to think about that, and redesigned.” about evolving and changing human needs — Goudie faces her career options after graduation what works one week, what’s comfortable one this spring with optimism and an open mind — week, doesn’t work the next. And every person is whether it is more work in medical products, different. graphic design, advertising or any combination of “So I didn’t want to create a static product; as the skills and interests she’s developed. someone’s needs change, the product should be “In the future I see myself collaborating,” she able to change too. I tried to find adaptability and says. “I would like to work with other designers, the ability to change the cushion, without buying engineers, architects, doctors, artists and students three or four different items.” as a way to merge ideas, brainstorm, and allow Goudie can’t give too much else away. This large-scale ideas to become reality.” month, she plans to finish three different prototypes of her design, using different elements and Do you know a Newfoundlander or Labradorian combinations of new material. She says she’ll living away? E-mail editorial@theindependent.ca combine the best elements of each into her final project.

Although some of her instructors were surprised Mount Pearl native Christine Goudie Goudie — the graphic design enthusiast — want- Submitted photo ed to commit herself to a daunting medical task, she says she’s found great support. One of her professors is mentoring her, keeping her on track through the development and production process.

“All the medical professionals I’ve spoken with love the idea that a student has taken this on,” she says. “Someone who doesn’t have any experience The price of nickel has risen sharply in the past in the industry comes at the task with a different year to $17.67 (US) — up 17 per cent since angle.”

That said, there was a huge learning curve — January and 157 per cent since this time last year.

A spokesperson for the Natural Resources Goudie had to step into new territories of medical anatomy and ergonomics before she even began department confirms that as the price of nickel her design. She also spent a considerable amount increases, so does the mining and corporate taxes paid to the province by Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company. The province, however, cannot provide specific numbers, labelling it private business information that would have to come from the company.

Voisey’s profits up, numbers secret Steve Mitchell, spokesman for CVRD Inco, says the price of nickel has been trading “at or near” record highs, but their earnings will not be released publicly.

He says Voisey’s Bay Nickel Company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of their company, and their earnings are “rolled up” in CVRD earnings.

“We won’t be releasing our 2006 earnings, or our first quarter earnings or anything like that,” says Mitchell. “We don’t do that anymore.” ivan.morgan@theindependent.ca

‘Not expecting the impossible’ From page 1 for workers ages 50 and up, each of which would come with a different price tag.

“If we could get a jointly funded early retirement program here’s what it might look like if you did (age) 50, here’s might what it might look like if you did (age) 55. Here’s the cost impacts and so on … so we’ve done work in that regard but there’s no decisions been taken.”

The processing sector has warned that if a retirement package is too “lucrative” they may lose experienced plant workers, with no one to replace them, Rideout points out. Williams predicted recently that fish plants will face a labour shortage within five years that may lead fish companies to recruit overseas.

“It’s a balancing act, no question about it, and if we get a program we’d certainly have to strive to achieve whatever the best balance is,” Rideout says.

Besides early retirement, fishery renewal may

also include buy-outs of harvesting licences and collapsing different fleet sectors into one. In the end, the minister says there will be fewer people and vessels in the fishing industry, “but with access to more fish and therefore able to enjoy a longer season and make a better living.”

Again, that won’t come without consensus.

“We’re not expecting the impossible, we’re not expecting unanimity,” Rideout says, “but unless there’s a buy-in from the two levels of government, the union … and the processors and community buy-in … it’s not going to work.”

Billions of dollars have been spent on the East Coast fishery by the federal government since it began closing groundfish fisheries in the early 1990s. Most of the money was spent on wage subsidies, early retirement packages, licence buyouts and retraining programs. Ottawa is responsible for groundfish stocks such as cod and flatfish, many of which have been fished to commercial extinction. ryan.cleary@theindependent

INDEPENDENTBUSINESS

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007 — PAGE 13

Three year old Jessie Riche and her father Joe Riche, financial planner, in his office in St. John’s

Paul Daly/The Independent

School bucks Province leads country in saving for children’s education

By Mandy Cook The Independent

P

arents in Newfoundland and Labrador are socking away more cash for their children’s future tuition costs than those elsewhere in Canada.

A recent report from Human Resources and Social Development Canada states the province’s families are starting to save for their children’s post-secondary education at an average age of three, compared to the national average of 4.3.

Joe Riche, father of three-year-old Jessie and a financial planner in St. John’s, has been saving for his daughter from the first days of her life.

“I’ve been putting money away from about a month after she was born,” he says.

Riche estimates 60 to 70 per cent of his clients, who are predominantly middleaged with young children, are currently investing in RESPs, or a tax-sheltered registered education savings accounts.

Currently, the federal government offers a Canada Education Savings Grant that benefits parents investing in RESPs. The grant provides a 20 per cent match on the first $2,000 invested per child per year. In other words, parents can put away a maximum of $2,000 per year and receive an additional $400 from the federal government.

Riche says parents taking advantage of

the Canada Education Savings Grant can stand to earn even more money if they were to invest it. “(That’s) to say nothing of the growth.

You could invest that in various areas, so if you’ve got five or six per cent return, plus you’re getting 20 per cent guaranteed from the government, plus you get a return on the grant, so it does compound pretty quickly.”

Peter Walker, vice-president of the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation, says an RESP is like getting a 20 per cent return on your money “before you’ve even invested it.”

He points to other government incentives

STATS ON SAVINGS • Number of RESP eligible children in Newfoundland and Labrador: 99,000 • Number of children with RESPs in Newfoundland and Labrador: 44,000 • Average of Canadian children with RESPs: 33.4 per cent • National average tuition fees 2006/2007: $4,347 • National average tuition fees 1990/1991: $1,464 Source: Human Resources Canada and Statistics Canada

See “Big benefit,”page 14

Driving costs from A to Z M

any clients, when searching for the root of their financial woes, point to a similar culprit: being mobile. Driving from point A to point Z — and stopping at all points in between — is an incredibly expensive proposition.

This is not to suggest or imply that transportation costs themselves are at the heart of financial difficulties.

Nonetheless, about 35 per cent of the 1,000 or so new people who will come to our agency for the first time this year will be able to say mobility is causing them financial grief.

This is a reality for many for a number of reasons. Sure, there are the obvious things — facts like car and truck prices have gotten so high that by now they feel like a small mortgage. We’ve also got to consider skyrocketing insurance rates, particularly if adding a child or two as drivers on family vehicles. And then

AL ANTLE

Your Finances there’s that spike in gasoline costs, which fluctuates but never really goes down.

The bulk of these costs are beyond our control and, therefore, saving on them is also beyond our control for the most part.

But there are certain transportation costs which we absolutely control. If we approach these exclusively as an opportunity to save a few bucks, then we are usually a little more motivated to do so.

First of all, there’s preventative maintenance. The manufacturer’s warranty should always be your guideline while your vehicle is still under warranty.

You’ll soon discover the practice will

minimize major outlays for future repairs, since problems can usually be nipped in the bud.

If you’re the type who likes to have your car washed weekly, taking advantages of car washes at reduced prices or even free with a gasoline purchase will save several hundred dollars each year.

There’s also the cheaper option of supporting local sports teams and groups as they fundraise through car washes almost every weekend, particularly during the summer.

You’ll save about three or more cents per gallon — about $1.50 for a 50-litre tank — by using self-serve gasoline pumps. There’s several hundred dollars to be saved here too, depending on purchases.

Parking costs can be minimized by choosing “customers only” areas or by obtaining parking validations when merchants provide them. If you’re forced to

You’ll save about three or more cents per gallon — about $1.50 for a 50-litre tank — by using self-serve gasoline pumps. use metres, be smart and don’t risk a parking ticket to save a quarter; put too much rather than too little money into the parking metre.

If you are willing to be a Good Samaritan, put money into an expired metre with the space occupied, even though you don’t know the owner.

The City of St. John’s has come up with a brilliant parking scheme for residents and employees of downtown busi-

nesses. The capital has made parking cards available for purchase, so you don’t need to worry about having change for the metre. What’s really cool, is that you can have a refund for the unused time put right back on your card.

By the way, if you can have an out-ofprovince visitor with you as you exercise this option, its great to watch their face as you reclaim any unused time.

Typically they can’t believe something so citizen friendly is happening here!

Remember, too that you can save some insurance premium costs by increasing the deductibles on your policy.

Be serious when you’re looking for tires — you’ll be surprised by the savings that can be achieved. As you shop, remember that thrift is only one of many considerations. The first, and chief, is safety.

See “Transportation costs,” page 14

14 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

Big benefit From page 13 available to parents. The Canada Learning Bond, for children born after 2003, is geared towards lower income families making less than $36,000 a year.

Walker says the program gives parents $5,000 to start an RESP for their child, and then an additional $100 per year for up to 15 years. Any family eligible for the National Child Benefit Supplement can apply.

Another “big benefit” of RESPs, says Walker, is that they fall under a tax deferral program — meaning there is no tax paid. However, when the future student takes the money out of the savings plan it becomes taxable, but most students fall within a low income tax bracket and have access to other deductions, he says.

Walker suggests other methods of find-

ing money to stash away. For instance, when kids enter the school system, money once earmarked for daycare could be invested. So could the extra money brought into the home once a stay-athome parent goes back to work.

Walker says the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation sees families investing as low as $10 per month, but the average is $50-$60 per month. He warns parents to begin investing in their children’s education as soon as possible. “(It’s) one of those realities of parental life, 18 years which seems like a very long time when your kids are young passes very quickly … the trap that some parents fall into is they say “I’m going to do this” and 15 years later it’s now too late to do it.” mandy.cook@theindependent.ca

A warning to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia: beware DFO and trawlers

By Josephine Burke-Kennedy Guest column

A

pproximately three years ago the Scotia-Fundy sector of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans was approached by companies to explore for mackerel on the Scotian Shelf (for science only).

Senior DFO personnel guesstimated the area held approximately 100,000 tons of underutilized mackerel stock.

After discussions with the herring sector — not the mackerel sector (they were left out) — DFO assured the herring industry that under no circumstances would herring be fished by these mid-water trawlers. The reason behind concerns in the herring industry is simple: the herring industry supports most processing plants in southwest Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick. The herring fishery also provides bait for the lucrative lobster and snow crab industries in both provinces.

The department agreed to issue four mid-water trawl “exploratory science survey” permits for the Scotian Shelf.

The successful companies included: Lunar Group (a U.K. company now with interests in Nova Scotia), the Barry Group, Scotian Gardens, and Murphy’s. The vessels searched for mackerel with no luck. Instead, DFO allowed them to fish herring as a way to offset expenses and 12,000 tonnes were made available to be fished.

Keep in mind DFO was slashing herring quotas in Scotia Fundy by as much as 40 per cent. Science work on the Scotian Shelf has been very sporadic to say the least.

In spring 2006, the mid-water trawlers landed approximately 7,500 tons of herring from the Scotian Shelf.

Then, in the fall of 2006, the vessels were to conduct a survey once again for mackerel. The vessels couldn’t

locate mackerel, but once again DFO allowed them to offset expenses with 200 ton of herring per survey grid.

Hence, the survey was abandoned and DFO allowed a full-fledged herring fishery to commence once again.

I attended a herring science workshop in Dartmouth on Jan. 11 where I gave a presentation on mid-water trawlers and the devastation they cause. I explained that coastal Cape Breton and Newfoundland has never recovered from the collapse of the cod fishery brought about by trawlers.

Representatives of herring fishermen and processors met with DFO, recommending that this type of fishery

How will the purse-seine and gillnet fisheries survive if the fish is caught offshore? not be allowed to continue. Did DFO listen? Not on your life. Instead, the department upped the stakes and said that the four vessels would continue fishing for herring and that instead of staying on the Scotian Shelf the vessels could now move further inshore, within 50 miles. The final slap in the face came when DFO stated they’re considering allowing more trawlers into the zone.

When I heard this I decided it was time to bring politics into the mix. I personally contacted representatives from the lobster, snow crab, herring (purse-seine/gill net), swordfish and

tuna industries to explain the dire consequences of allowing DFO to continue its annihilation of our fishing resource. For example, swordfish and tuna will change migratory patterns if the food fish (herring) is not there. Where will we get our bait for lobster and snow crab? How will the purse-seine and gillnet fisheries survive if the fish is caught offshore? I have requested and received a reply that the deputy minister of Fisheries will have a meeting with all representatives to deal with the issue.

Over the past year I have continually asked DFO one question and they have completely waltzed around the answer: “Why introduce mid-water trawlers back into the fishery?”

DFO answers this way — “what’s the difference between one pound of dead fish, it’s still one pound of dead fish.” They seem to think that because a quota is involved that the solution is simple. I keep reminding them that codfish was a quota fish and that redfish was under a quota. Where are they now?

As our small pelagic fishery falls so do the lobster, crab, tuna and swordfish. I, along with my counterparts, will not sit and watch the domino effect take place without a battle.

DFO must start recognizing the fishermen who have sustained our coastal communities — not suits. To the fishermen of Newfoundland, remember if our Scotia-Fundy DFO supports midwater trawlers it will only be a matter of time before the focus is turned to the caplin and mackerel fisheries off your shores.

Josephine Burke-Kennedy represents fishermen in eastern Cape Breton who hold multi-species licences. She and her husband, a purse-seine fisherman for 35 years, live in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.

Immigrant pay lags despite more skills

By Prithi Yelaja Torstar wire service

D

espite having much higher levels of education, the economic plight of new immigrants to Canada remains less rosy than a decade ago, according to a new government report.

The report, released by Statistics Canada today, found that in 2002, immigrants during their first year in this country were 3.5 times more than likely than Canadian-born people to have low-incomes, though by 2004, the rate had dipped slightly to 3.2.

Those rates are up from the 1990s when they were about three times higher than those for Canadian-born people.

Low income was defined as a family of four living on less than $26,800

per year. The study included taxation data and landing records of immigrants from 1992 to 2004.

The low-income rates for newcomers has inched upward despite a shift in 1993 in Canada’s immigrant selection process with an emphasis on choosing more highly skilled labour such as engineers and information technology (IT) workers, said Garnett Picot, director general of the social and economic studies branch and the study’s author.

However, when those immigrants arrived, they were up against a downturn in the IT sector in 2000 when jobs were scarce.

Other barriers to new immigrants seeking work in Canada are of a more long-standing nature, said Picot.

“They get no credit for foreign work experience. There may be lan-

guage and literacy issues. And there is very little research on the ability of the Canadian economy to absorb highly skilled workers.”

Canada produces large numbers of its own highly educated and skilled workers, so newcomers are competing with them for these plum jobs.

Timing is key to staying out of the low-income trap, according to the report. Depending on their year of arrival, immigrants had a 34 to 46 per cent probability of being low income.

However, if they escaped low income in their first full year, the likelihood of that happening fell to 10 per cent or less during their subsequent years in Canada.

Even for those who did experience low-income, between 34 and 41 per cent left that category after one year, while one-third remained at that level after three years.

Transportation costs From page 13 Don’t write off public transit or taxis as a viable option even if you have access to or own a car. This even applies for work, especially if you pay for parking. Approach the prospect with an open mind. I know one chap from the west end of St. John’s who decided to take the bus to and from work and began saving over $100 a month between parking and gasoline costs, along with a slight reduction in his insurance costs. He also discovered that the family vehicle deteriorated more slowly by him not racking up miles going to and from the office.

Times continue to change, as do expectations. What’s normal, reasonable, or acceptable is also vastly “changeable.” Many of us grew up in households without a vehicle in families two to three times the size of our own today. Yet today many require a second car. The notion of not owning one at all is entirely beyond comprehension.

At our agency, we see people who fork out almost half their net income for transportation. This fact causes me to regularly question my own transportation habits. I hope reading about it does the same for you.

Al Antle is the executive director of Credit and Debt Solutions.

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INDEPENDENTLIFE

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007 — PAGE 17

Red Trench revisited Don Wright’s impressive and fiercely debated sculpture has long since found a comfortable home at Memorial University

By Mandy Cook The Independent

T

wo decades after Newfoundland artist Don Wright developed the concept for his wildly controversial sculpture, Red Trench, the final product has been floating serenely in its permanent home of the annex of Memorial University’s Arts and Administration building for years.

Blissfully unaware of the public firestorm it whipped up since its first unveiling in the west block of the Confederation Building in St. John’s in the mid-’80s, the Red Trench can still provoke a response — more so than the artist ever could have imagined.

“It’s certainly eye-catching,” says Rob Kean, a nursing student.

“It seems to be like a big vagina. I think it’s great. I don’t know art but I know what I like.”

Stephanie Stoker, a local artist, is in agreement.

“I love the Red Trench for many reasons — first because when I was young it was one of the first, big textural artworks that I saw and responded to. It was a crazy, harsh creature with warm colours and it reminded me of a lot of things I liked about the island.”

Not everyone was as positive about the 22- foot sculpture invariably compared to oversized female genitalia. At the time of its first unveiling, the media reported that workers in the new wing of the legislature were making disparaging comments about the piece.

More complaints followed from the civil servants moving into the offices. After weeks of public scorn, the minister of Culture at the time ordered the Red Trench removed.

All the while, Wright’s art collections were making the rounds of all of Canada’s major art galleries. In fact, he was the first Newfoundland artist (but Ontario-born) to have a solo show in the National Gallery of Canada.

The Red Trench had been tucked away for eight years when the Clyde Wells government, feeling the public pressure to re-mount the notorious sculpture, brought Wright’s work out of storage in 1994. It was installed in the newly-constructed annex known as the arts atrium — a mellow and airy space.

Although the Red Trench received a somewhat mocking but good-natured reception in the student media, Ivan Muzychka, Memorial’s manager of communications, says the university has never had any formal complaints. He says the sculpture found its way to a fitting location.

“It’s appropriate it hangs in an institution dedicated to free expression and I think the people of the province respect and appreciate that aspect of Memorial’s mandate. Especially in light of its history.”

As for the uncanny resemblance of the Red Trench to a woman’s vulva, topped with an undeniably anatomically-correct clitoris, art history scholar Jennifer Dyer says people continue to get “hung up” on what she thinks is an overt sexual metaphor evident in the piece.

This despite pervasive phallic symbols present throughout history — from Michelangelo’s David to the CN Tower to this province’s Confederation Building.

“It boils down to the genre of the nude, which has been touchy for centuries because there’s phallic images all over the place but when you have something like female nude imagery of any variety, that really offends people.”

For the artist — a devoted teacher and role model to his students — the controversy over the Red Trench defined his career. A hemophiliac, Wright died of an AIDS-tainted blood transfusion in 1988.

Throughout the controversy, he maintained that he was inspired by his pre-dawn ritual of drawing in the sand of Clears Cove. Each morning he would dig a trench in the sand that was aligned with the rising sun. He would connect to the sea, the new tide and sunrise and, encircled by the marks, the rocks, and the calls of the birds, would watch the trench fill with water and light. mandy.cook@theindependent.ca The Red Trench in the Arts and Administration building annex at Memorial University.

Paul Daly/The Independent

Flight path Kent Peyton has a love of airplanes, aviation history and flight memorabilia — everything about air travel, except actually doing it

By Stephanie Porter The Independent

B

Kent Peyton

Paul Daly/The Independent

eing born in Gander — and growing up directly in the flight path of what was once one the “crossroads of the world” — has certainly shaped Kent Peyton’s life and passions.

“I don’t think a plane took off from the airport there I didn’t notice,” he says. “I looked at everything, I still do … I can remember the day we saw the first 747; the day the first Concord landed in

Gander.”

Although Peyton’s father was an aircraft mechanic, the young aviation enthusiast fell into the family’s other business — horticulture — and has worked in nurseries and gardens for much of his life.

But he’s always been a voracious reader and collector of all things related to air travel, particularly the commercial airlines of the “golden era of flight, from the 1940s to the 1970s” — the things he observed as a boy in the 1950s and ’60s.

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Military aircraft have rarely caught his attention or imagination in the same way.

“I think it’s just the romance of flight.

The power and travel, I’m just fascinated by it,” he says. “Other than that I haven’t analyzed it, it just seems to be a natural attraction.”

Six years ago, Peyton met someone who gave him the encouragement to roll his life-long fascination into a new hobby. Working at Halifax’s Public See “Technical,” page 18

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

‘Technical subject’ From page 17 Gardens at the time, Peyton says he became fascinated with the artists who regularly worked by the garden gates on Spring Garden Road. He eventually met a painter from Belarus, who offered to teach Peyton the basics of acrylics and oils.

At age 47, Peyton first picked up a paintbrush and put it to canvas. He never questioned what his paintings would be about.

Almost six years later, Peyton is currently the only Newfoundland member of the Canadian Aviation Artists Association. One of his paintings was selected to hang at the Canadian Aviation Museum in Ottawa, he’s already had two shows of his work in Gander, and selected pieces have been on display in the airports in both Gander and St. John’s.

On Jan. 16, he opened his first solo show in St. John’s, in the Rogue Gallery at Eastern Edge. The walls of the gallery are covered from floor to ceiling with his work — an Air France commercial plane flying over Paris, a Provincial Airlines plane over Signal Hill. Other aircraft large and small are shown flying over familiar landscapes of Newfoundland or tropical scenes from Hawaii or Brazil.

Peyton has also recently taken an interest in portraiture work — three of the paintings on display feature stewardesses, dressed in the uniforms of the era they represent.

In one case, a painting of the Czechoslovakian airliner that crashed on take-off from the Gander airport in 1967 (a total of 37 of 69 people on board were killed) is flanked by a portrait of a stewardess from that plane — one of the first survivors located.

Determined to be as precise as possible, Peyton usually paints the aircraft from a photograph or other reference.

The landscape he fills in around it is sometimes also from a picture — but more often, it’s a looser representation of a place and time, as seen in his mind.

“I’m painting a very technical subject so accuracy is very important to me,” he says. “To some people, it’s just a plane.

But to me or anyone interested in aviation will notice when things are not right.”

Peyton says the members of the Canadian Aviation Artists’ Association are all serious technical painters, and he plans to join their mentorship program to further hone his skills. “They spend hours and hours drawing tires, tubes and antennas, all the anatomy of the plane.”

While Peyton is endlessly fascinated by aircraft, he’s well aware he’s facing a limited market and public appetite for his sort of work. “People are always asking me what else I do,” he admits. “But I think you should paint what you love and what you know.

“Even though I’m a horticulturalist, and I grew up in the flower business … I love gardening and flowers, but not to paint. It would probably be a better subject for me commercially, but it isn’t where my interest lies.”

And who does pick up his paintings?

“Well … let’s just say not every woman would like to have it in her living room,” he says, smiling. “It usually is a male thing — not always — but it is something that looks good in a boardroom office or travel office or a den.”

There is one final irony in his flight fascination that Peyton is shy to admit: he’s not much of a fan of actually being in the air.

“I’ve travelled quite a bit, been everywhere, but I’d rather not do it by plane,” he says. “I don’t know, maybe it’s because I think about it too much.”

Peyton’s work is on display at the Rogue Gallery at Eastern Edge, Harbour Drive, until Feb. 3. Work available through the Art and Frame Shop (in the Avalon Mall parking lot), St. John’s.

GALLERYPROFILE

PHILIP FREDERICK SIMMS Visual Artist

P

hil Simms, a 32-year-old native of Corner Brook, was never sure if he should go to art school, but he knew it was a great place to pick up chicks — including his future wife.

“There were tons of girls up there, lots of drinking, why would I not go to art school? Let’s be honest! And that’s where I met Sarah,” he says, laughing.

Now living in Foxtrap, perched high atop a hill overlooking Bell Island and working in St. John’s as a graphic designer and conceptual artist, Simms’ home is adorned with several canvases he can’t bear to part with — one abstract piece in particular. The painting is at once earthy and atmospheric: the iodine browns, burnt umbras and dab of cream shift in subtle tones to create a distinct sensation of foreboding.

Simms is of the opposing opinion.

He says “for some reason” he finds those colours — the earth tones, the siennas — comforting.

“For the past 10 years I’ve just been using four to five colours — a lot of people say it’s time to get away from them. I say no, if I absolutely enjoy working and love these colours, there’s no need for me to go and do something else. I want to work in those colours.”

Simms says abstract paintings tell more of a story than realist work, and he prefers the method because he appreciates the qualities of paint — the texture of it, the variable tones, the marks on the canvas from the brush and how one colour reacts with another. Simms says abstract work is “more beautiful,” but admits to a nagging fear he won’t succeed when facing a blank canvas.

“I’m primarily not an abstract painter at all — I want to be, but I don’t have the guts to be,” he says. “I find abstract is hard because you’re not given that road map. You don’t have something to draw from other than you working with paint and seeing what happens.”

While stating adamantly which painting techniques he definitively likes and dislikes, he is quick to

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chastise himself for perhaps not growing as a painter fast enough for his liking. Like many true artists, he insists on rigorously challenging himself and his ideas.

“I’m afraid that if I admit that I don’t feel like I’m growing, what kind of artist are you, why do the same thing over and over again?” he says. “It’s a struggle, and that’s good because I’m thinking about it, I’m not accepting it and I’m not blindly going out there and painting or making art with no real conscious mind — I am struggling with it.”

ART VS. PAYCHEQUE The personal struggle to find one’s way in life is very present in Simms’ thoughts and work. He says he is torn between making art and making a paycheque, whether to forgive himself for living on after the death of his father at the age of 19, or whether or not to bring a child into the world. All rich fodder for an artist’s creative journey.

It is no surprise, then, birds and compasses feature prominently in his work. Finding one’s path in the world is symbolized by Simms’ signature symbols — mapped out in a grid of nine one-foot-square panels.

A background of undulating red heat supports a configuration of four crows in various stages of flight.

Beneath the birds, a compass points the way north, south, east and west, the Cardinal letters illuminated beautifully in an oxidized copper green. The island of Newfoundland is located in the centre. Simms says he is constantly exploring the direction his life is taking through his work.

“Birds are a great metaphor or stand-in for me or my family members or just how I feel,” he says. “So I started using images of dead birds which the biology department was kind enough to lend me. I’d have two dead birds lying next to each other to signify my fear of losing my mother alongside my father.”

No matter how unsure Simms is about where he wants to go in life, he does know who he’s painting for.

At the corner of each completed canvas, the artist signs his full name: P.F. Simms. Frederick was his father’s name and is also Simms’ middle name. The signature serves as a tribute to the man he lost 13 years ago. mandy.cook@theindependent.ca

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19

Looking for some resolution

A month into 2007, it’s time to check on the promises you made. And remember: sometimes the illusion is just as good as the real thing

H

ere we are a month into 2007 — prime time for a New Year’s resolution update. It’s around now that we get to see if the promises we made to ourselves in a euphoric, champagne-fueled blur survived the hangover.

I, myself, went into 2007 with high hopes and a long list I thought was balanced, realistic and achievable. This year I resolved to be a better person.

Yes, I was going to work hard, pay my bills on time, eat less, exercise more, et cetera, et cetera. In truth, I didn’t make it much past New Years Day on the eating and exercising. I still work hard, but not so hard I don’t have time for a bit of sloth and gluttony.

If my years in the theatre have taught me anything, it’s that sometimes the illusion is just as good as the real thing.

So if you’ve failed to follow through on your big plans, you don’t have to suffer the embarrassment of owning up to your family and friends. Here are a few ways to keep up appearances and win the

SEAN PANTING

State of the art respect of others by faking your New Year’s resolutions: They say that the No. 1 resolution for North Americans is … anyone? Losing weight. In a world full of people who can’t feed themselves we have one group (that’s us) who can’t stop. The irony is as delicious as the burgers that fuel it.

And because it’s the No. 1 resolution made, it’s also the No. 1 resolution failed. If you want to make it look like you’re keeping on track, the answer is simple: lie. Just go ahead and tell people you’ve lost 10 pounds. They don’t know, and they’re too polite to tell you they don’t see a difference. The circle of denial continues.

Then, of course, there’s getting in

shape. A good way to make it look like you’re keeping a strenuous workout regimen is to keep a gym bag in your car.

Draw attention to it often. “The scraper?

Oh yes, I believe it’s in the back next to my gym bag.” It’s a useful thing to have in the back seat anyway — it’s both a prop for maintaining your sporty image and a place to store the pork rinds you so desperately need.

You should also learn the lingo. Talk about your quads. You don’t need to know what they are. Once again, there doesn’t actually need to be any improvement in your appearance or fitness level, as chances are the people you know will be too caught up in their own fitness denial charade to notice yours.

If your resolution was to quit smoking, the important thing is to never be seen buying a pack of cigarettes. As for the actual smoking, since there’s nowhere you’re allowed to do that anymore, who’s going to notice? If you want to make your quitting smoking story even more convincing, make sure

you’re not too jolly at work. That’s a sure sign that soothing nicotine is coursing through your system. Make unreasonable demands, punch the water cooler and/or cry. You’ll get the heady mixture of pity and respect you want while secretly smoking the cigarettes you crave.

CARRY A PEN Another common New Year’s resolution is being more organized. If you picked this one yourself and are now a month in and no further ahead, remember that organization is actually easier to fake than you might suspect. Simply buy some Post-it notes and maybe a clipboard. Carry a pen.

Write things on the Post-it notes and post them. What things? Try vague, yet important sounding phrases like “Restructuring? 12:45” or “Call re: Output Generation.”

The most important element of all, though, is lambasting your friends, family and co-workers for their shameful

lack of organization. Refer to the nonsensical scribblings on your clipboard as you do. I guarantee everyone will be so busy trying to look more organized, they’ll never catch on that you’re the same old odd-socks-wearing, 15-minutes-late-arriving, late-tax-filing doofus you were last year. Yes, my friends, in life as in sport, sometimes the best defence really is a good offence.

Finally, many Canadians resolved this year to slow down and enjoy life more.

Maybe you figure you spend too much time at work. Maybe you let everyday problems ruin your mood. Maybe the pressure of modern life gets to you and you need to relax. By giving up all hope of improving yourself in favour of simply pretending to do so, you too can reduce your stress levels quickly and easily.

There’s no need to thank me, we can just pretend you already did.

Sean Panting is a musician, actor and writer living in St. John’s.

YOURVOICE ‘Thank you’ Rick Mercer Dear editor, As a retired Canadian soldier, all I can say is thank you for allowing Rick Mercer (Fighting words, Jan. 26 edition) to respond to this lady (Noreen Golfman, Blowing in the wind … Jan. 12 edition) so eloquently. All I can say

is the lady has obviously forgotten the values, morals and ethics demonstrated

by Canadian soldiers serving overseas, traits that have earned us the world’s respect. Thanks again.

Lawrence Chesson, Medicine Hat, Alta.

‘Required reading’ Dear editor, Thank you sir for printing Rick’s superb letter. It ought to be required

reading for every Canadian.

Steve Fraser, Ashcroft, B.C.

‘Those things we take for granted’ Dear editor, have stood humbly with the families of Freedom of expression is such a those soldiers who, even with their great gift we all are so fortunate to have tremendous losses and personal sacriin this country. As a member of fices, remain steadfast in support of the the Canadian Forces for over 35 years, mission and the people in Afghanistan.

I have worn my uniform proudly and Yes, we are very fortunate to live in a have served this country proudly on free country with all its perks. I can any mission, both home and abroad. shop for whatever I want, when I want.

I fully support the views of Rick I can drive and relax without fear of Mercer (Fighting words, Jan. 26 edi- being bombarded by mortars or shot. tion) who took the time to actually go Those things we take for granted. to places where Canadian soldiers place When my wife returns next week their lives on the line every day for from Afghanistan after her six-month those who have little or no rights and tour of duty at the Role 3 Multinational who live under the conMedical Hospital, and stant realities of how after the most outstanding cruel and horrific the job that she and those with Freedom of human race can be. her have done saving the expression is Understanding the lives of Canadian soldiers, international issues and as well as other coalition such a great studying history has soldiers, Afghan army, sure benefited those oh yes, civilian gift we all are so and, who have taken the Afghanis, I know she will time to do so, as Rick remember this fortunate to have forever Mercer has undoubtedmission. ly done. In the case She is a proud Newin this country. of Noreen Golfman, I foundlander and I am sure think Rick has given she would have a bit of her a bit of a taste of the realities in reality lessons for Noreen. My hat is off Afghanistan, having been there. to Rick Mercer and all those brave solLike some in this country, including diers, men and women who have some MPs in Ottawa, they fail to real- served with pride and distinction and ize the extremely important role that have waved our Canadian flag in such a Canada and its soldiers are doing to challenging and extremely dangerous help those in Afghanistan. Yes, it is place. true, it has been costly for us as a miliRobert Thibeau, tary and as a nation. We have mourned Kingston, Ont. the loss of soldiers on foreign soil once again. We have shed tears (I know I (My wife is from St. Vincent’s, have) for those who have died, and Newfoundland.)

POET’S CORNER

Better than the best

By Mike Boyle Open house, St John’s school.

Newfoundland, September 2003.

The hallowed paneled entrance.

Energetic students in uniform.

Proud teachers pacing like nervous Olympic race walkers Or Wal-Mart greeters.

Bright, blazer buttons glistened.

I paused and listened.

The guide pointed out ancient trophies and shields.

Victorian photographs folded arms and cricket bats.

Then he beamed ever so proudly, Our school has a grand total of 25 Nobel Prize winners.

Now — Just look at all names.

I held back, in shock, and then I smiled.

That our colonial legacy can upgrade Rhodes scholars into Nobel prizewinners.

Comedian Rick Mercer

Independent columnist Noreen Golfman

‘100 per cent with Mr. Mercer’ Dear editor, I just had the chance to read a letter

by Rick Mercer (Fighting words, Jan. 26 edition) in reference to Noreen Golfman’s column and I want to say that I am 100 per cent with Mr. Mercer.

It is obvious that Ms. Golfman must be a supporter of the Liberal Party of Canada, she will agree to anything as long as it looks good, does not incon-

venience her and doesn’t have to work for it.

The Liberals supported Kyoto because it is the trendy thing to do, but they did not do anything to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Liberals created a billion-dollar firearm registry to make Canada a safer place, when everybody knows criminals do not care for our laws and lists do not save lives.

Furthermore, she should be thankful that Canadian soldiers, like Paul Franklin, are willing to put their lives on the line, otherwise she wouldn’t be enjoying the freedom of speech she so carelessly uses.

Michel Trahan, Verdun, Que. (A former soldier who is thankful enough to have both legs.)

Quite the comeback

‘God bless Rick Mercer’

Dear editor, Re Rick Mercer’s Jan. 26th letter, Fighting words: Now that’s what I call a comeback!

Dear editor, Please pass on my thank-you to Rick Mercer for his rebuttal to Noreen Golfman.

God Bless Rick Mercer, those of us who serve could not have a better friend.

Sgt. Ron Sadler National Defence headquarters, Ottawa

J.H. Vance, Colonel Commander, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Edmonton, Alta.

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE

Cryer’s paradise

Wayne Johnston’s follow-up to Colony has great moments, but still disappointing The Custodian of Paradise

By Wayne Johnston Knopf Canada, 2006. 510 pages.

I

t’s not often you come across a character as utterly compelling as Sheilagh Fielding, the barbtongued, dipsomaniacal, giantess of a journalist who played foil to Joey Smallwood in Wayne Johnston’s polarizing novel, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams. Though Smallwood himself was the narrator and protagonist of Colony — as it is either reverentially or distastefully termed in general conversation — Fielding clearly stole the show.

Her irony-laden, condensed history of this island and her vitriolic columns make for wicked comedy. Even those enraged by certain liberties that Johnston took with real-life personalities and settings, must confess she is an irresistible creation. News that Johnston planned to revisit Fielding in greater depth was therefore greeted with excitement from her legion fans, as well as (on my part, at least) a certain amount of trepidation.

Sequels, like portly middle-aged men whose girlfriends grow younger in negative correlation to their own aging process, quixotically pursue the sense of vitality and potency they possessed in youth. No doubt, some might cite the happy examples that disprove this general rule — Godfather II, say, or Through the Looking Glass — but some of us will not soon forget the appalling failure of such follow-ups as the Star Wars prequels or Jakob Dylan.

At the beginning of the Custodian of Paradise, Fielding has purposefully marooned herself on the island of

MARK CALLANAN On the shelf Loreburn towards the tail end of the Second World War. She is still reeling from the death of her son David in that conflict, a boy whom she had met but once before he was shipped overseas.

In Colony, readers will remember, it was revealed that Fielding had concealed a teenage pregnancy and that her mother in New York then raised the resulting male and female twins as her own.

Fielding has come to Loreburn bearing two trunks full of booze, cigarettes, journals and letters with the intention of confronting the spectres of her past.

The resulting novel is composed of old letters, journal entries and Fielding’s sparing present-day account of her time on Loreburn, most of it spent in a war of attrition with her massive supply of Scotch.

The central plot of the novel revolves around the presence of a man who has been following Fielding since the birth of her twins, rescuing her from all manner of trouble, communicating through letters signed only “Your Provider.”

This enigmatic character assures Fielding she has been “twice fathered,” ostensibly confirming the widely held belief that her mother was a bit of a philanderer, yet leaving enough room to accommodate our continued suspense.

There is some fine writing here.

Fielding’s characteristic wit is in great supply. “You are as tall as your father said you were,” her mother tells her.

“Yes,” the pregnant Fielding retorts,

“but the rumours of my breadth have been greatly exaggerated.” Another: “The road to well is paved with good libations.” “Politics are cyclical,” asserts Smallwood the socialist.

“Hammer and siclical,” quips Fielding.

Johnston remains adept at telescoping an era into short passages. Of the period of waiting before the return of the sealing ship Newfoundland, he writes: If I know old man Keane. If I know Captain Westbury. If I know George Tuff. Names, legendary names, to shore against the storm.

Names that, in the past, have warded off misfortune … Never mind the wind. Don’t forget to say your prayers. Make sure you go to church. God bless you now, my love. My dear. My darling.

Duckie. My son. Misses. Skipper.

There are also moments of the seerlike acuity that we have come to expect from Johnston, but the final plot revelation, when at last it comes, is not sufficient to reimburse the reader’s 500-plus page investment.

Part of my frustration comes from the fact that Johnston is trying to improve upon incidents sufficiently recounted in Colony. An example: of Fielding’s rescue of Smallwood from a snowstorm near her section shack on the Bonavista, we learn that she in turn had required rescuing by her mysterious Provider. One can imagine a potential third novel in which it turns out that the Provider, wonder of wonders, was himself delivered by a fourth character before he ever got around to Fielding — and so it goes.

Fielding is tortured in the Custodian

of Paradise, yes — by memory, by her body’s need for alcohol — but her lonely passion can be observed with a surprisingly clinical detachment. And maybe it is our foreknowledge that she survives this lonely vigil that robs this novel of its urgency (her last letter at the end of Colony is dated 1989), but I suspect the Provider plotline is just a

lame duck that would have failed under any circumstances. Despite the fact that Fielding plays only a supporting role in Colony, it is there that she is more fully alive.

Mark Callanan writes from St. John’s.

His column returns Feb. 16. callanan_ _@hotmail.com

Rankins playing through tragedy Family continues bittersweet Reunion tour despite losing two siblings

By Greg Quill Torstar wire service

I

t was supposed to have been a celebration, a family reunion album and tour to remind North American fans of Cape Breton roots music stars the Rankins that all had not been lost with the death in 2000 of their founder, brother and mentor John Morris.

It seemed then that we’d never see the Rankins en masse again. Just two years after they decided to end their 20-year run and pursue separate paths, John Morris, their fiddler, keyboards whiz and “engine, brain and glue,” was killed in a car accident near his home.

But time heals.

And the emergence of John Morris’s fiddler/songwriter daughter Molly on the East Coast music scene presented a reason to pick up the pieces and carry on, even if for just one more ride, Raylene Rankin said this week from the tour’s halfway point in Winnipeg.

Then another shock: Rankin sister and onetime band member Geraldine died of a brain aneurysm at 50 in her Calgary home, just days before the tour was scheduled to begin in B.C. “It was a blow, unbelievable … and hard sitting around hotel rooms and concert halls while it weighs on your mind.

“It’s better when we hit the stage … the music is therapy for us,” says Raylene.

The Rankins — Jimmy, Raylene, Cookie, Heather

and special guest Molly — are touring to promote their latest and possibly final family recording, Reunion.

Getting back together was never an impossibility, just unlikely, Cookie Rankin chimes in.

“We’ve had all sorts of offers since we called it quits in 1998, but it’s very difficult to co-ordinate four different schedules. We disbanded for a reason, to establish our own lives and work. Jimmy’s solo career is going really well and Raylene has lots of music projects on the boil. Heather manages The Red Shoe, a pub in Mabou (N.S.) she and I bought a couple of years ago with another sister, Genevieve.

“And I’m happy living in Nashville. My husband (producer/musician George Massenburg) is very busy travelling, performing and writing, and I get to

perform whenever I can.

“I love singing, but I’m not crazy about travelling.

When you’re on the road in a band you race from one venue to the next … you see nothing, eat too much. It’s all hurry up and wait.”

The timing was perfect for Calgary concert promoter Jeff Parry’s offer: besides mounting the crossCanada tour, he footed the bill for the album, which includes nine songs recorded last October in Tennessee, two cuts featuring traditional material arranged and performed by the late John Morris and recovered from archives at CBC Radio studios in Halifax, and one previously recorded by Jimmy.

“It just happened that we all had the time to make the record and perform together for a couple of months,” Raylene says. The album was intended to be a reasonably inexpensive compilation of previously recorded and unreleased material, with the addition of a couple of new songs, she continued.

“But when we got together to workshop the material, the sessions went really well. Cookie and Heather and I have a trio, and from that repertoire came John Hiatt’s Gone and David Francey’s Sunday Morning. We used to do Gordon Lightfoot’s The Way I Feel’ when we first started out, and it seemed the right time to revive it. Molly contributed her own song Sunset and I had one I’d written with Susan Crowe for another project, Sparrow.

“So with Jimmy’s pre-recorded tune and a new one, Departure Song, and the John Morris material we were able to retrieve, the album took on much larger dimensions,” Raylene Rankin says.

“We kept calling Jeff asking for more studio money and he’d say, ‘I asked for a baby and you’re giving me sextuplets!’”

The Rankin Family play Mile One Centre in St. John’s Feb. 15.

INDEPENDENTSTYLE

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007 — PAGE 21

Love blooms

No matter how much the experts want you to branch out, the red rose remains a perennial favourite amongst the male and female population

By Mandy Cook The Independent

V

alentine’s Day. No other topic can polarize the sexes so divisively — not icky household chores, violence in video games, or pornographic cookies on the computer. Go ahead men, just try and use the “It’s a commercialized gimmick to make me spend money!” argument on your darling significant other. If you do, your reflexes better be sharp enough to avoid getting beaned in the head by an (empty) airborne bud vase.

We women know you love us all year long, but we also know you’ll never get around to showing it unless we insist on our once-a-year bouquet.

So give into the romance, buy a dozen flowers or one blossom on a single stem, and let us reward you handsomely for your efforts.

Beverley Freeborn, principal designer at the Flower Studio at Rawlins Cross in St. John’s, says you can’t go wrong with the classic red rose. The shop specializes in exotic flowers, but Freeborn says they will sell “thousands” of flowers on Valentine’s Day — the majority of them red roses. This year, Freeborn encourages men to consider different coloured roses.

“There’s a trending with the younger crowd these days,” she says. “Red roses are still the most popular but we really try to sell more of the coloured roses. We find that women really don’t like red roses as much as men do. Men think roses have to be red.”

Freeborn says red tulips are a popular alternative to roses, but their exotic species also go over well. She recommends the anthurium, a heart-shaped flower that comes in red, green and chocolate brown.

Tony Stamp, a floral designer at Holland Nurseries on Torbay Road for the past 16 years, says the rose reigns supreme on Valentine’s Day. He says the nursery will stock and sell “upwards of 4,000 roses” — but there are other options.

“The red rose is the top dog,” he says. “But people love the Gerber daisy, the single flower on the stem, and they come in different colours.”

Roxanne Seymour, a receptionist at a design firm in St. John’s, says her boyfriend of six years buys her red roses every year for Valentine’s Day, but she still tries to act surprised.

“I just love red roses,” she says. “My sister loves yellow roses, but I love the red ones.

They’re so beautiful.”

Stamp says working as a floral designer has its perks, but they stop short when it comes to his own wife. He says he can’t use flowers to earn brownie points — any time of the year.

“I can’t get out of trouble that way because she knows I work with roses,” he says. “I have to bring home something else.” mandy.cook@theindependent.ca

Anthuriums at the Flower Studio, St. John’s.

Paul Daly/The Independent

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

22 • INDEPENDENTSTYLE

In the thick of things Some kitchen gambits to help you make the perfect sauce

Y

ou must pardon my writing — I think I’ve used up all my brainpower. I’ve been playing chess with a neighbour, and my head is tired.

Attack, gambit, retreat, attack, defend … and on it goes. Multiple combinations of moves all with the same result. Use the best moves to your advantage and you’ll be a winner.

The same holds true in the kitchen, where it takes a whole lot of attacks and gambits to get it all done. Here are a few culinary gambits for you, to help make a soup or sauce an object of all your guest’s affections.

This gambit involves thickening agents and there are many different techniques to make this happen.

The easiest method is a simple reduction. A sauce becomes a sauce when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Take a liquid, let almost all the water evaporate, and soon you’ll have a sauce-

NICHOLAS GARDNER Off the Eating Path like consistency. This works well with only one or two components — winebased sauces for instance, or any fruit or vegetable-based sauce. This method intensifies all the flavours, for good or ill, to make a sauce.

The next method is a slurry. The most common kind is cornstarch but you could use ground arrowroot (the powder, not the baby cookie). The starch thickens by using water to make long, complex starch molecules. It takes an awful lot of water to produce these — the more water that binds with the starch, the less water there is in the sauce. And thus, the sauce thickens.

TASTE A cure for the winter blues

By Susan Sampson Torstar wire service

V

ariations on the cheesecake theme seem to be endless.

Ontario chef Anna Olson calls this creation “wintertime decadence.”

BANANA CARAMEL CHEESECAKE Adapted from Another Cup of Sugar: More Simple Sweets and Decadent Desserts by Anna Olson.

CRUST • 3/4 lb (350 g) crunchy oatmeal cookies (about 8) • 1/2 cup pecan pieces • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted BANANAS • 2 tbsp unsalted butter • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar • 1 tbsp dark rum • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 3 firm bananas (about 1 lb/450 g), peeled, sliced CHEESECAKE • 2 lb (900 g) cream cheese (about 4 cups) • 1 cup packed brown sugar • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted • 5 large eggs • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp rum extract

The difficulty is making the slurry the right consistency. It needs to be runny enough to be incorporated and the sauce needs to be boiling. You can’t just dump it in, or you’ll get a great mess of starch balls. The proper method is to pour in the slurry (always made with cold water) and whisk it into the boiling liquid until it thickens. This should only take a few minutes.

Another trick is beurre manié: equal parts flour and whole butter (by weight) kneaded together to form almost a dough. Incorporate this into your hot soup or sauce like you would the cornstarch slurry. Unlike the cornstarch, there may be a lingering aftertaste of raw flour. This must be cooked out or else the sauce or soup becomes pasty or worse, gritty.

Perhaps the most diverse method is building a roux. The roux technique is as old as classical French cookery and it is

at the heart of a lot of the most important sauces. There are three different grades of roux, depending on the length of time it is cooked: white, blonde and brown.

White roux is usually cooked for less than five minutes. It takes that long to cook out the taste of the flour without adding any colour.

Blonde roux is the colour of light blonde hair. Think Golden retriever. This takes about five to 10 minutes. Brown roux isn’t really used that often, but it takes patience — up to an hour to produce a nutty smelling roux for a hearty dark sauce or soup.

Roux is tricky. It requires you to pay attention, and to stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.

One of the basic sauces in the repertoire is a Béchamel sauce, which is one of the Mother Sauces in French cookery.

It is a simple ratio of 60:80:1 — 60 grams of butter, 80 grams flour and one

litre of whole fat milk.

Make a white roux using the butter and flour over medium low heat. When it comes together, add the milk and cook until it is thick, stirring constantly. In 20 minutes or so, it should come to a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The sauce can be used a number of ways. One good use is to add cheese. It becomes Mornay sauce to which you can add 1/2 kg of cooked macaroni to make macaroni and cheese.

Thickening agents are wonderful.

These simple variations will work with most soups or sauces. Each one demands some time and patience, but when they work and that sauce perfectly coats the back of the spoon, magic happens.

Nicholas Gardner is a freelance writer and erstwhile chef living in St. John’s. nicholas.gardner@gmail.com

EVENTS

For crust, grease bottom of nine-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of pan in foil, making sure bottom is sealed.

In food processor, pulse cookies and pecans into crumbs.

Add butter. Pulse to combine. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 12 minutes in preheated 350 F oven.

Allow to cool.

For bananas, heat butter and sugar in medium skillet on medium-high, stirring until melted and bubbly, one to two minutes.

Stir in rum and vanilla. Add bananas; stir just to coat and warm. Pour on top of crust.

For cheesecake, put cream cheese in large bowl of stand mixer and beat 30 seconds at medium speed. Add half cup of sugar; beat well. Add remaining sugar; beat well. Beat in butter. Scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rum extracts. Scrape pan.

Beat to blend until smooth. Pour over banana mixture in pan.

Place pan in baking dish and pour in hot tap water to reach halfway up side of dish. Bake 30 minutes in preheated 350F oven. Reduce heat to 325F. Bake about 1-1/4 hours or until golden brown but still jiggly. Remove pan from water.

Run lifter gently around edges of cake.

Cool two hours. Refrigerate overnight.

Makes 12 servings.

Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers

FEBRUARY 2 • Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers’ Dirty Big Tour at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre.

Performances continue until Feb. 10.

• Revue ’06 at the Gander Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m., 256-1082.

Also Feb. 3.

• RCA Theatre’s SOS production of In On It starring Philip Goodridge and Jason Card, directed by Mark White, LSPU Hall, 8 p.m., 753-4531. Also Feb. 3.

• Billy and the Bruisers CD release at the Martini Bar, George Street, 9 p.m.

• Carol Players variety show at the Labrador West Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m.

FEBRUARY 4 • Avalon Unitarian Fellowship’s weekly service, 10:30 a.m., Anna Templeton Centre, 278 Duckworth St. • Aliant Winterlude family fun day, 14 p.m., Bowring Park.

FEBRUARY 6 • Rising Tide Theatre’s Revue ’06 at the Gordon Pinsent Centre for the Arts, Grand Falls-Windsor, 8 p.m., 292-4520.

FEBRUARY 7 • Sound Symposium presents new music guitar virtuoso Sylvie Proulx performing jazz-influenced and classical works for solo guitar from Brazil,

Paul Daly/The Independent

Russia, and France, plus a Canadian premiere by Kati Agocs. 8 p.m., PetroCanada Hall, MUN School of Music, 754-1242. The concert kicks off the annual NewFound Music Festival, running until Feb. 10. Visit www.mun.ca/music for schedule of events.

• Scott Goudie and Paul Smith at Folk Night, the Ship Pub, 9 p.m.

• Solitary Man, the music of Neil Diamond, Corner Brook Arts and Culture Centre, 8 p.m.

FEBRUARY 8 • Love’s Labours: tales of love and love lost, an evening with the St. John’s Storytelling Circle, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Crow’s Nest Officer’s Club (located off the public stairs at the east side of the War Memorial on Duckworth Street).

• MUN Cinema series presents Cheech Studio 12, Avalon Mall, 7 p.m. More information about this film and the season’s schedule is at www.mun.ca/cinema.

• The Mount Pearl Frosty Festival begins, see www.mountpearl.ca for schedule of events and more information.

• Eddie, a tribute to Iron Maiden, Club One, George Street, 10 p.m.

• CBC’s poetry face-off, hosted by Angela Antle of CBC Radio’s Weekend Arts Magazine and five former winners — Allison Pick, Agnes

Walsh, Sara Tilley, Robin McGrath and Joel Hynes — as they face off for the ultimate title. Musical entertainment by Duane Andrews and Brad Power. Ship Pub, 8 p.m.

IN THE GALLERIES • Aviation paintings and portraiture

by Kent Peyton, Eastern Edge Gallery, until Feb. 2.

• Simple Bliss: The Paintings and Prints of Mary Pratt, the Rooms, until Feb 4.

• Kinetic Portraits of 12 Canadian Writers by Peter Wilkins, The Rooms.

• Shift, an exhibition of new art by Kathy Browning and Susan Jamieson, until Feb. 25 at the RCA gallery, LSPU Hall.

• The Death of the Party, Part Two, (the counter ironic-contrarian-hipsterremix), by Les Newman (Manitoba) and Taking Care of Business by Mira Lyn Lu and Immony Men (Quebec) at Eastern Edge Gallery until Feb. 24.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Members of the public may submit one nomination for Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council Awards, call for NLAC Arts Awards in each of the following: artist of the year, arts achievement, emerging artist, patron of the arts, arts in education, and hall of honour. Deadline is Feb. 9; for more details call the arts council at 726-2212 or visit www.nlac.nf.ca.

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

P

olitics is not something I’ve always taken an active interest in. I doubt I’m the only young adult who can say the same. It’s like the saying, “what you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Similarly, what doesn’t hurt you, you don’t want to know.

As a kid it’s hard to see yourself finding a place anywhere in the political scene. You aren’t old enough to vote, so it’s easy to think your opinion will fall on deaf ears.

My first experience with the government was in junior high. Myself and several other students were involved in a Canadian commission session targeted at studying youth and their Canadian identities.

We covered a broad range of topics and we were free to express our honest thoughts and opinions. I enjoyed this, and yet I felt like it was all for nothing.

I imagined the report from that day lying under a stack of papers on a desk, lost somewhere in the endless piles of government research that have gone nowhere. I foolishly hoped that somehow I’d learn that changes were made, eyes were opened — anything at all that meant we, as students made a difference.

Possibly a little jaded after this, I focused more on developing my other interests. Politics was put on the back burner until my first term at Memorial.

Once I realized I wanted to pursue journalism I knew I had to be informed, so I took an introductory political science course.

I wanted to lay down the basics before I ended up in over my head. If I form opinions, they should be strong ones that I can justify. I think I lack the arrogance to act like I know what I’m

INDEPENDENTSTYLE • 23

LEIA FELTHAM Falling face first talking about when I honestly don’t.

I’m admittedly politically naive, but that doesn’t mean I am without views or beliefs. It’s never too late to learn.

Politics is an important part of life at Memorial. In every issue of The Muse I pick up there are articles on campus problems and editorials about students seeking solutions and justice. With such a large population, Memorial is like a nation in itself — complete with a council and president.

The main goal, like that of most countries, is to meet the needs of the people in the most effective and efficient way possible. However, it’s human nature that it is almost impossible to please everyone.

Lately I see students coming together for causes they support, from housing debates to rallies aimed at encouraging government to help bring tuition fees down. It often takes an issue to hit home before someone is willing to get involved, and I’m guilty of this. I admit it’s encouraging to see people my age making a stand, and I realize I can be a part of this.

Every day I see commercials and advertisements for causes and it leaves me feeling helpless. If I can make a change at home with an issue that is affecting my life, then at least it is a start.

Now that I’m 18, I have important choices to make. Government decisions have been affecting my life more than I

cared to notice and I wish I had been more actively involved earlier.

Even in high school, government affected everything from my graduation requirements to what I could eat in the cafeteria. The decisions and policies implemented by these government institutions trickle down into almost every crack of society and I’ve been ignoring the persistent drip on my head for a long time.

As I move further into this complicated world of politics, I wonder if anything I do will have an impact. If that ‘X’ on the ballot really counts, or if it always takes a megaphone to make deaf ears hear.

Leia Feltham is a first-year student at Memorial University. Her column returns Feb. 16.

Does it take a megaphone to be heard?

Get to know your beef The art of butchery has been lost in the age of big factories and pre-packaging

By Susan Sampson Torstar wire service

Y

ou ask for, say, a skirt steak, and get a blank look. You look through sterile, plastic packages for a substitute, but the meat is carved so badly you don’t care anymore.

Blame it on the lost art of butchery.

I am in a group of 10, gathered where few meat eaters ever congregate, in the chilly back room of an organic butcher shop. We are here to watch and learn as the back end of a beef cow (hip sirloin, loin and flank) is carved into familiar and unfamiliar pieces of meat.

“This is kind of rare — the actual butchering of animals,” Mario Fiorucci tells us. Fiorucci is co-president of The Healthy Butcher on Queen St. W. in Toronto.

Head butcher Ryan Donovan approaches a hip of beef dangling from a ceiling hook — “on the rail,” as they call it. Gravity will assist. With a curved knife called a scimitar in one hand and a hook in the other, he makes the first cuts. Donovan holds the knife in a stabbing grip because, he says,

that’s the best way not to cut himself.

The meat has its own topography.

Muscles are separated by layers of fat.

Donovan cuts along the delineations.

“Butchery is just a matter of disassembling,” he says.

Assistant Geordie Glumac tag-teams.

A big cut is passed to him. He uses his hands to rip and pull fat and papery membranes away from the muscle.

Encountering big bones, Glumac moves on to the band saw. Sharp, fast and cruel, it is a disaster waiting to happen. Still, Glumac cuts a shank into osso bucos and later strips off the backbone without any bloodletting. A plastic scraper is used to remove the sticky bone dust.

These Healthy Butchers started out as chefs. Donovan admits he never tackled or even saw a whole animal during his time in the restaurant rat race or as a student at Stratford Chefs School. He says there’s no such thing as butcher’s “papers” nowadays. Butchers learn on the job — except they’re not learning as much as they used to.

Since the 1960s, most meat processing has been done in central plants.

Supermarkets and shops receive boxes

filled with pre-cut meat — the popular cuts. Their “butchers” subdivide but are otherwise left out of the loop.

Ignorance, apathy and bad habits are professional hazards.

Donovan prefers to hire chefs as butcher trainees so he doesn’t have to unteach them. He says it’s entirely possible to interview a butcher who has done nothing but open boxes for 15 years.

Whole animals — weighing 1,000plus pounds — are split lengthwise into two sides of beef. Each side is divided into “primal cuts.” There are nine: chuck, shank, brisket, rib, plate, loin, sirloin, flank and hip. Shoppers see only “retail cuts,” which are individual muscles or groups of muscles. And shoppers rarely see all of them.

Different cutting methods yield different cuts. One way, you get a full tenderloin and striploin steaks. Another way, and you have T-bone and porterhouse steaks. Donovan avoids slicing through the tri-tip roast. This elusive cut is named for its triangular shape and its location at the tip of the sirloin.

Canadians encounter four different naming systems for cuts of beef:

Canadian, British, American and French. That can cause confusion in the shops. If you clip a recipe from an American cookbook that calls for, say, a delmonico steak, the man behind the meat counter may scratch his head. He may relate better to it as a bone-in striploin or a wing steak.

When working with primal cuts, the challenge is to use all the animal. As Glumac cuts and carves, he tosses bits and pieces of red meat into a bin under the table. It is destined to become ground beef. The butchers will eyeball the fat content and sort it into categories, like lean or extra-lean.

The butchers estimate it costs $1.50 a pound for a conventionally raised beef cow and about $4 a pound for an organically raised one. The losses add up. So do the upgrades.

Dry aging for three weeks can lead to a 15 per cent weight loss. The simplest way to describe dry aging, Fiorucci says, is this: “The meat is decomposing over time.” But there’s a difference between aging and rotting. In dry

aging, bacteria denature proteins, making the beef more tender.

Other factors affect tenderness.

Lesser-used muscles are more tender, hard-working ones tougher. The tenderloin up near the spine, for example, hardly requires a knife after it’s cooked.

The downside is that it’s not as flavourful as, say, a brisket. Lack of marbling, or veins of fat, also plays a part in the flavour equation. That’s why filet mignon, cut from the tenderloin, is usually wrapped with bacon.

And surprise: the Canadian grading system (prime, AAA, AA and A) refers to fat content, Fiorucci says, and is not an indication of the meat’s quality.

He believes the toughest cuts can be the tastiest, though they require long applications of “wet heat,” like braising and stewing. For tender cuts, cooks can get away with dry heat, like grilling and roasting.

Donovan notes that flavour and texture depend on what the animals eat.

“I never thought so much that you are what you eat until I started butchering.”

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

24 • INDEPENDENTSTYLE

By Peter Howell Torstar wire service

T

America Ferrera is Ugly Betty.

The good, the bad and the Ugly Is Betty Suarez the sartorial shipwreck her co-workers would have us believe?

Ah, the sweet irony. Who would have guessed the most unfashionable character on television today would be the unexpected fashion icon of the season?

With her woolly ponchos, garish prints, secretarial blouses and sweater vests, Betty Suarez is the title character on Ugly Betty. Now, the style-challenged employee at a glossy fashion magazine has young hip viewers scrambling to copy her look.

And fast fashion stores like H&M — always on the cusp of the latest trend — are stocking what could best be described as the Ugly Betty look.

Separately, the items’ bold prints and colours have a retro ’70s look. But put that knit dress with a sweater vest and cinch with a big belt and, in certain hip circles, you would be labelled with the title that eludes Betty: cool.

BE UGLY Ugly Betty turns the word “ugly” upside down and has launched a campaign to challenge conventional perceptions and stereotypes of real beauty.

ABC teams up with Girls Inc., a non-profit organization that inspired all girls to be smart, strong and bold with a “Be Ugly” T-shirt designed for the campaign. Learn more about Girls Inc. and buy the T-shirt at www.BeUgly07.com.

BETTY’S BLOUSES Call her a maximalist.

As a foil to the uber chic and soberly dressed Wilhelmina Slater, Betty Suarez loves mixing her loudly printed blouses with contrasting, colourful sweater vests. Her favourites tie at the neck with a flamboyant feminine bow.

BETTY’S FASHION FORAY Ugly Betty has taken a page from Project Runway.

ABC’s Golden Globe-winning show put a call out Jan. 12 to all U.S. armchair fashion designers to submit a dress design to be used in a Feb. 15 episode of the show. Tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. ET is the deadline for submissions.

Entrants must impress costume designer Eduardo Castro and the cast of the show. And they’re not making it easy. According to the plot, in an emergency a dress has to be created for an A-list celebrity from the contents of the office supply closet.

Eligible materials include tape, paper clips, bubble wrap, calendars, shoeboxes, etc.

— Torstar wire service

he biggest Oscar mystery of all may be why we care so much about the Academy Awards.

But we really do. No matter how silly and noisy the various campaigns and competitions get, the more our fascination with Hollywood’s highest accolade grows.

Like the Olympic gold medal or the Nobel Prize, the Oscar stands as a benchmark of achievement that endures in spite of challenges or criticism. Whether the benchmark is one of excellence or simply popularity is something moviegoers must decide for themselves.

Either way, our Oscar ardour remains, even if we don’t fully understand it.

There are a lot of other Oscar mysteries that are easier to explain, or at least to attempt to understand.

I’ve got several mysteries here, with answers provided by three veteran Oscarologists. For matters of Oscar facts, figures and rules, I’ve consulted John Pavlik, the very agreeable spokesperson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For matters that get into opinion and conjecture, I’ve added the thoughts of Timothy M. Gray, editor of Variety and a long-time Oscar analyst; and Sasha Stone, webmaster of the popular blog OscarWatch.com.

The Directors Guild of America nominations used to be in lock-step with the Oscar noms, but in recent years that has changed. And it used to be that the most-nominated film also won best picture … why are the Oscar bellwethers no longer ringing?

Pavlik: We never thought they were bellwethers in the first place.

Gray: Good question, but I’m not sure. You’re right; Oscar voters are becoming more unpredictable. When they pick Eminem and It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp (for Best Song), it seems clear that all the old “Academy members are so conservative” rules have to be thrown out the window. On the other hand, there are 5,800 Academy members, and only 376 of them pick the director nominees. There are 11,000 DGA members who pick the DGA nominees. They’re completely different voting groups, so I’m sometimes surprised that there is any similarity.

Stone: I think the DGA rule basically still applies but there does seem to be a wider gap among the guilds, the critics and the Academy. (Oscar voters) want to be the leaders, not the followers.

Do all voting members of the academy get to vote in every category in the final balloting?

Pavlik: It’s a branch-by-branch nominating procedure for the most part, editors nominate in the Film Editing category; directors in the Directing category … In the nominating round, all eligible voters may vote in the Best Picture category whatever branch they may belong to and they may serve on the screening committee in the Foreign Language Film category and vote in the category if they fulfil the appropriate rules.

All eligible voters may vote in each category on the final ballot, but in some categories — foreign language, short films, documentary films — they have to have seen all of the nominees in official screenings or attest they have seen them elsewhere. Voters do not have to vote in all categories on the ballot and are encouraged not to vote in a category if they haven’t seen all of the nominees or do not feel sufficiently knowledgeable about the category to make an informed decision.

Do you think Academy members are swayed by pre-Oscar buzz and Internet speculation?

Pavlik: Some probably are. I think the vast majority take their voting responsibility more seriously.

Gray: I don’t think Academy members are swayed at all by buzz and Internet speculation. The members that I know vote for what they think is best.

They don’t look at most of the Internet buzz. I think that’s proven by the list of bloggers who declared Dreamgirls was a shoo-in to win best pic.

Stone: Only in so much as it makes it harder for them to “discover” a good movie before the hype and excitement wrings all the life out of it. When a movie’s win seems a foregone conclusion, it seems to be the kiss of death.

Internet speculation in and of itself, probably not. But since there is a kind of trickle-down to print media, it does get to them eventually.

Why is the James Bond franchise largely an Oscar-free zone? The series is one of the longest and most successful in cinema history, yet Oscar seems to turn up his nose at 007.

Pavlik: Obviously the members who nominate have been finding five other achievements that they feel better fulfill their requirements for “best.”

Gray: I don’t know why people seemed to ignore Casino Royale. I thought Daniel Craig was spectacular.

REUTERS/Phil McCarten.

Why won’t Oscar lighten up?

Why do members vote the way they do? Has there ever been a tie? Is there an Oscar curse? Does Little Miss Sunshine have a chance of winning with the Academy’s track record on not giving Best Picture to comedies?

Stone: They don’t seem to like pretty boys as much as they like pretty girls. If Bond should ever, say, become afflicted with a life-threatening disease, go to a war-torn country or fight off Hitler he might have a better shot. But it’s just not “important” enough.

Why are comedy films and comic actors so often overlooked by Oscar?

Are the voters really that conservative and grave? Does the acclaim for Little Miss Sunshine represent any kind of turnaround?

Gray: The Academy is made up of human beings. And for some reason, humans take drama more seriously. If you asked anyone — not an Academy member — to name some of the great film performances, I’ll bet they’d list Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice …

All of them great. But if you say, “What about Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act or W.C. Fields in It’s a Gift, or Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?’ they’d give you an odd look. But I’m

telling you, those are brilliant performances. For some reason, people take drama more seriously than comedy.

Stone: Little Miss Sunshine is a comedy, yes, but it makes you cry too.

Comedies by their very nature are light.

The Oscars don’t award light unless it comes along with difficult emotion: Terms of Endearment, Forrest Gump, Shakespeare in Love, On Golden Pond, Driving Miss Daisy. Dramas with comic overtones work best. Make ’em laugh, make ’em cry, send them home as if they’ve gone through something.

That’s the key.

What do you make of the so-called “Oscar curse,” the one that says your career stalls after you take home a statue? This seems to particularly afflict the best actress and best supporting actress winners, such as Marisa Tomei for My Cousin Vinny.

Gray: No Oscar curse. Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson have done quite well since they won their first Oscar decades ago. But actors like to work.

They like to be asked to work. And

when they get an Oscar, they get offered big bucks for films that really need a “name” and it’s hard to turn down big bucks. But Hollywood lore says that the “Oscar curse” legend started with Luise Rainer in the 1930s, who won back-to-back awards and then retired. The rumour was that it killed her career, but she says she got bored.

And sometimes winning an Oscar sets a bar too high in the eyes of the public.

When a struggling actor makes a clunker movie, nobody says, “What was she thinking?” But when an Oscar winner makes a movie that turns out bad, people say, “What’s wrong with her?”

Stone: Many Oscar winners win because the Academy liked the character they played more than they were rewarding talent and versatility. If you don’t have the versatility to begin with, you’re either going to play the same type of character over and over (in which case, everyone gets sick of you) or you’re not going to work. At the end of the day, though, there are worse things than winning an Oscar and never working again.

FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007

Fill ’er up W

hen it comes to your next vehicle purchase, the biggest conMARK sideration — more so WOOD than ever before — will be fuel economy.

WOODY’S It’s always been a facWHEELS tor, but there will be a greater sense of urgency in the future. The price of fuel these days changes with the wind. Winter came late this year and the price of a barrel of oil dropped to a 30-month low. Then the wind came up with a chill and the home-heating season cut in with a vengeance and the fuel prices suddenly shot back up again. To put that into perspective, I used to have a house with an oil furnace and it cost about $1,000 a year to heat. It now costs $3,000 to heat the same house because the price of heating oil tripled.

The price of fuel is the lowest common denominator that affects us all on so many levels. Everything we purchase has to be transported somehow, whether it’s trucked, flown in, shipped, or even carried by train. All our food, fresh produce, meat … everything depends on fuel and when the price of fuel goes up it’s passed on to the consumer.

The supply of fuel is also a big concern these days and you may have not noticed but the world is looking for Canada to fill its tank — especially Alberta. They’ve got about 174.5 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves compared to the leading supplier Saudi Arabia with 264 billion.

The United States recently admitted they were dangerously addicted to foreign oil and would rather import more from a nice neighbour, like Alberta perhaps, and if it wasn’t too much trouble they could increase production to five million barrels a day from roughly one million barrels a day.

That’s a nice offer but there are other considerations. It takes a lot of natural gas to produce a barrel of oil. It also takes about five barrels of water to make a barrel of oil and that’s a problem.

Environmental scientists are predicting a drought in Alberta in about a dozen years due to changing weather patterns, consumer demands and of course, the oil industry.

It takes two tons of the famous tar-sand to produce one barrel of oil. Syncrude operates 36 Cat 797 trucks that can haul 360 tons each trip. The trucks have 24cylinder, quad-turbo diesel engines that drink 65 gallons of fuel per hour and run 24 hours a day. Every thing is big — and thirsty — in the oil business.

The United States consumes slightly more than 20 million barrels a day while Canada sips on just under two and a half million barrels a day. I get a bit numb reading about all these millions and billions but we need to get a feel for how much fuel is actually being consumed. We can then measure how Hibernia and our oil reserves stand in comparison. I was pleasantly surprised to learn she cranks out an average of just over five million barrels a month with a total production for 2006 of slightly more than 61 million barrels of oil.

That’s enough to keep Canada alone wet for almost a month. The latest estimated recoverable reserves for Hibernia (including Avalon and Ben Nevis) are 1.244 billion barrels. So far 456 million barrels have been recovered and that’s just 41.6 per cent of the potential reserves. That’s a fine drop of oil and it’s nice to realize how successful the project really is.

This month there were rumblings and promises from the United States about reducing their gasoline demand by 20 per cent over 10 years. The bean counters fretted seriously about market erosion and warned of big problems for oil producers.

I don’t believe it for a moment. The U.S. average oil consumption grows by at least two per cent a year. Cutting 20 per cent over 10 years would hold them at today’s average which is still ten times the amount Canada uses. They’ll never understand the concept of fuel economy until they have to pay as much at the pumps for it as we do.

Mark Wood of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s honed his skills in energy futures by buying and selling small fires.

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Photos taken near Quidi Vidi village by Paul Daly

26 • INDEPENDENTSHIFT

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

CEOs out at the speedway G

regory Wilkins is president and CEO of he recently sold his company, Alderwoods Group, Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corp., one of the second-largest operator of funeral homes and the biggest gold-mining companies in the cemeteries in North America, in order to devote his world. He’s also a champion racecar drivundivided attention to the racing team. er, who competed in the prestigious Rolex Travis Engen retired last year as CEO of 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race, Alcan Inc. to work on climate-change where he’s twice finished on the podium. issues with the World Business Council David Lacey is the president of for Sustainable Development and the KidsFutures, a consumer-awards program Prince of Wales’ International Business that helps Canadian families save money Leaders Forum. for their children’s post-secondary educaWhen Engen wants to relax, he heads tion. for circuits where he drives around at He’s sharing the driving in that world breakneck speed in vintage Indy Lights NORRIS famous Daytona race with Wilkins and racing series cars.

MCDONALD others.

All these men are experienced, longJohn Lacey, David’s father, owns term business executives who are heavily Doncaster Racing, Inc., a firm that enters involved in motorsport. a Porsche 911 in such races as Daytona All are convinced there are parallels for his son and Wilkins to drive. between the two — goals and performAn occasional consultant to Canadian corpora- ance standards, for instance — and maintain that tions including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, businesses could benefit if they were run more like

TRACK TALK

race teams.

Said John Lacey: “If we could only run our businesses the same way we run our race teams and have the same level of communication, the same degree of dedication, the same passion and, more importantly, the same degree of execution, then each business would prosper.”

Lacey was just warming up to the subject (which was not too difficult, as this particular interview was conducted at Homestead-Miami Speedway in south Florida): “Being involved in motor racing allows you to cut through the clutter and concentrate on the big issue.

You can’t let little things get in the way of your ultimate objective — which is to win.

“If you race well, you end up close to the checkered flag. Your performance is fully measured and everybody can see who performed well and who didn’t perform well.

“If you could implant that model into a business on an everyday basis, it would make the business perform better, it would make it more accountable and the people involved — the employees and managers — would be more comfortable with measurement, whether it be consumer satisfaction, or increased sales, or whatever.”

David Lacey inherited his father’s passion. Engen and Wilkins came to the sport not exactly by accident — but neither grew up dreaming of someday winning a world championship. Engen started his journey as the result of a conversation he had while on vacation.

“I was in Europe in 1994 when I happened to bump into the top research scientist for Alcan. He said he’d started hill-climbing (in which cars race solo against a clock) and wondered if I had any interest in motorsport?

“I said ‘no,’ but I added that I’d always wanted to own a Lotus (sports car).

“When we got back to the States, my wife encouraged me to try to find one and I met a fellow who was working on a Lotus Mark VI (an old street car that can also be raced). I decided to buy a Mark VI. I had never been in a race before, but I figured that, if I didn’t like it, I could always just take the car out for a spin around town on Saturday mornings. We went to Lime Rock (a circuit in Connecticut) and I raced it and that was it: I was hooked.”

Engen didn’t have any formal training. He just knew how to drive a racecar.

Engen says there are many parallels between racing and business.

“In racing, you are guaranteed immediate feedback. You mess up and you know it.

“In business, you get feedback pretty quickly on screwups, but the things you do correctly, when it comes to things like strategy, picking people, longterm activity — it won’t be something that one can judge for years.

“There are other parallels,” he says. “You can’t let what just happened with one corner mess up the next corner. And that’s exactly true in business. You have to be able to focus, some would say compartmentalize, which is really important. I will be faced, on a typical day, with a dozen different topics. You have to manage these threads, separately, without having any one of these threads corrupt your ability to get the whole job done.”

He says racing is “about out-manoeuvring the other drivers. It’s the same in business. I always want to have a strategy that the other guys can’t see.

“In business, there are things that are going to turn out right no matter what you do.

“There are things that are going to turn out poorly, no matter what you do. You shouldn’t worry about those things. You should worry about the other stuff, in which you can have an impact ... ”

As well as running one of the world’s largest gold companies, Barrick CEO Gregory Wilkins is also a championship driver.

REUTERS/J.P. Moczulski

Wilkins, who counts among his many racing successes a championship in 2000 at Le Mans (co-driving with fellow Canadians Scott Maxwell and John Graham), “fooled around” with auto racing until he realized he could be good at it.

“I’d rather play golf than watch golf; I’d rather drive cars than watch cars.”

Wilkins agreed with much of Engen’s and the senior Lacey’s comparisons of racing and business.

“When we’re at the track, everything has to be done under pressure, everything has to be done in nano-seconds of time … John, for instance, calls the races for us and he can make a decision (to pit), for instance, that can put us up a lap or down a lap, but the decision has to be made instantaneously and you know right away whether it’s been a good decision or a bad decision.

“When you get right down to it, racing and business are similar when it comes to performance culture.

“What you have here (at the speedway) are a whole lot of people who are going all out to try to win something. They’re very competitive in their nature. They want to run at the highest level of professionalism.”

David Lacey, who grew up around the race tracks of South Africa and went racing following graduation from university after the family emigrated to Canada, picked up the theme: “In racing, you are measured every lap and your performance is dictated by whatever strategy you have determined.”

Added John Lacey: “In racing, we don’t have time to have a meeting. If something happens, we have to make a decision and we have to execute. We can tell you what the issue is, but we don’t have time to sit back and say, ‘Hmmm, what should we do about this?’

“In racing, it’s always about coming out and trying to do the best you can, about being better the next session, better at the next race,” Wilkins says.

David Lacey pointed out the obvious: these guys are also having a lot of fun. They get to drive racecars at circuits all over North America.

“Some people go to cottages, some people go boating and we go to the race track.”

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FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTSHIFT • 27

The pros and cons of leasing I

commuted to university in a bright There are pros and cons to leasing, buyorange station wagon. If that wasn’t ing new, or buying used. This column is sad enough, it had a hole in the about leasing. front passenger side floor. Whoever First and foremost for me is safety. I was riding shotgun automatiwant a car that has all the cally yanked up their feet major bits under warranty whenever we went through a while I drive it. I do not want puddle. major repair bills because the I told my father about it, new technology that has and he very kindly stuffed a delayed most major repairs rag into the hole. If it had gotuntil the 100,000 kilometre ten any bigger, we would mark has also made those have been in Flintstone vehinecessary repairs much more cle territory. The car frequentexpensive when they occur.

LORRAINE SOMMERFELD ly wouldn’t start, and the The manufacturer deterautomobile club guys knew mines the value of the vehime by name. cle at the end of your lease in It is mainly from this era of most cases. When I turned in my life that I developed my my last van, the lease agreeapproach to car ownership. ment stated what it would be There is no way I am going to drive worth — the buyout. A quick glimpse something unreliable, no matter how I of any charts told me that for that year have to do it. and that vehicle, it was not worth that I lease cars. There are advantages to much. If I opted to purchase it, I would leasing that work very well for me. be paying too much. The manufacturer

POWER SHIFT

took it back, regardless. I wasn’t stuck with it.

You are allowed to put normal wear and tear on a leased vehicle. This does not mean dents. This does not mean destroyed carpeting and torn seats. This does not mean cracked windshields and bald tires. I would recommend shopping for a dealer you are comfortable with — you should be encouraged to ask all the questions you like — and then sticking with them.

Be prepared to spend several hours with a sales agent, and don’t leave until you understand everything. Ahead of time, determine how much a car loan for the same vehicle would cost you, and divide that cost over the length of a comparable lease. As purchasing can be a substantially higher monthly cost over the term of a loan, you may be ahead by investing the difference and taking the lease.

My sister, at the end of a lease, had a vehicle with low mileage and it was a

brand that retained its value well. She opted to buy out her lease, because her buyout was for less than the car was worth.

Cars are costly; car repairs are costly; car loans are costly. The fact is that the second you drive a new car off a lot, it depreciates about 30 per cent, depending on the make and model. And of course, the taxes and financing costs do not increase the value of the car, just the cost.

Lease ads can be deceiving, as some require substantial down payments. As you lower the down payment, you increase the monthly charge. You need to factor taxes into each monthly lease payment, and understand that each feature you add to the car will increase that amount.

I mentioned earlier that a DVD player was going to add $1,000 to the cost of a lease; $1,000 to borrow a player for four years, which would have just been dumb.

The woman I lease with says it is imperative you assess how many kilometers you drive. When you enter into a lease, you are effectively estimating this number. Like cheating on a diet and gaining weight, if you blow your mileage you will pay.

For some people, there is a tax advantage to leasing. Your employment may allow you to write off a portion of the lease. Check with an accountant about percentages, and keep good records.

If you keep decent records you can easily assess how much you drive. If you have a commute, factor that in. If you drive to a cottage, estimate how many times you make the trip.

Make a list of questions. Do research.

Take your list to a dealer, and don’t sign until you feel comfortable.

And don’t buy an orange car. www.lorraineonline.com

Car infatuation by the numbers

S

• • • • •

ome findings from the APAOL Autos poll on how people feel personally about their cars: 62 per cent said they can tell something about someone’s personality from the car they drive.

37 per cent said they have thought of their car having a personality of its own.

23 per cent said they think of their car as female; seven per cent as male.

26 per cent of women had nicknames for their car; 16 per cent of men.

Unmarried women were more likely (30 per cent) than men or married women to give their cars nick-

names.

• Women were more likely than men to think of their cars as female – 27 per cent to 19 per cent.

• Young adults (88 per cent) and seniors (83 per cent) were more likely than those 30-39 (68 per cent) to say they enjoy driving.

• Those with a high school education or less were more likely to say they enjoy driving (83 per cent) than those with college degrees (73 per cent).

• 45 per cent of those making less than $50,000 (U.S.) a year thought their car had a personality of its own, compared to 30 per cent of those making $75,000 or more a year.

Ford leaving Champ Car

By Rick Matsumoto Torstar wire service

F Canadian Automobile Association accolades for environmental initiatives T he Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) recently presented the 2007 CAA Pyramid award for environmental initiatives to Toyota Canada for the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid at a special ceremony held at the Montreal International Auto Show.

CAA also awarded the Clean Air Foundation and General Motors of Canada (GM of Canada) a joint Pyramid award of recognition for their Car Heaven program.

“The Toyota Camry Hybrid is a vehicle that could offer a real-world positive impact on climate change because of both its affordability and its great fuel consumption rating,” says Christopher White, Vice President Public Affairs for CAA. “The judging panel was very impressed that the Toyota Camry Hybrid emphasizes on fuel economy and its commitment to hybrid technology by making one of their major brands — the Camry — available as a reasonablypriced hybrid vehicle.”

Toyota Canada was awarded the 2007 CAA Pyramid Award for Environmental Initiatives for their 2007 Camry Hybrid.

The 2007 Camry Hybrid runs on a dual mode gas-electric hybrid featuring Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system, allowing it to operate at low speeds without its gas engine. It achieves the best-inclass fuel consumption and is available

at a lower price point than its competitors.

“TCI has had remarkable success from our wide range of hybrids in 2006,” said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director at Toyota Canada Inc. “The Camry is the best selling car in North America and the launch of the Camry Hybrid last spring brought hybrid technology into mainstream appeal.”

The Clean Air Foundation and General Motors of Canada received an Award of Recognition for their Car Heaven program. Through Car Heaven, old, higher polluting vehicles are picked up and recycled, including the environmentally friendly dismantling of vehicles and their parts.

In May 2005, Car Heaven forged a partnership with GM Canada to launch a $1,000 incentive for eligible donors towards a new GM vehicle. The partnership with GM Canada has helped to increase Car Heaven vehicle donations to more than 12,000 in 2006. The emissions of these more than 12,000 old vehicles removed from Canadian roads are equal to the emissions of more than 230,000 new vehicles.

“The Car Heaven program encourages motorists to contribute to a clean environment by donating their old vehicle.

Motorists also receive the benefit of the incentive to purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle. It’s a win-win situation,”

says Sophie Gagnon, Director, Public and Government Relations for CAAQuebec.

“Clean Air Foundation has a long history of forming innovative and successful partnerships, to provide Canadians with real solutions that have a positive and tangible impact on the environment,” says Ersilia Serafini, Executive Director of the Clean Air Foundation.

“Car Heaven continues to be one of our most successful programs, thanks in large part to GM Canada as well as our other great partners.”

Any company that sells or manufactures vehicles in Canada is eligible to submit an entry for the Pyramid Awards for either a single initiative or a collection of initiatives that seek to improve traffic safety or which demonstrate a commitment to the environment. CAA solicits entries during the last three months of the previous year, at which time an independent judging panel of representatives from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, Pollution Probe and CAA, review each submission and select a winner whose initiative has shown a commitment to either traffic safety or the environment.

The 2007 CAA Pyramid Award for Safety Initiatives will be awarded later this winter.

ord’s withdrawal as a sponsor of the Champ Car World Series will have no effect on the Grand Prix of Toronto, says the president and CEO of the event, Charlie Johnstone.

However, it does nothing to enhance the image of the open-wheel series which has deteriorated because of the inability of Champ Car and the rival Indy Racing League to settle its long-standing rift and reunite.

“Yes, there has got to be some concern over the image,” said one source within the series who requested anonymity.

“But I don’t think it’s the end of the world. I understand there’s a better than average chance that a replacement for Ford will be in place by the time the season starts in April.”

Johnstone said he feels Ford’s departure gives Champ Car the opportunity to go in a different direction with sponsorship of the series.

“It really opens up opportunities for the Grand Prix and I’d venture to say Champ Car, as opposed to being locked down by all-exclusive sponsorships,” said Johnstone, pointing to the Speed World Challenge which makes it Toronto debut this year as an undercard event, with a variety of manufacturers taking part.

Champ Car manager of media rela-

tions, Eric Mauk, pointed out that Ford was not the title sponsor of the series, but rather a “presenting sponsor” along with Bridgestone.

The two companies assumed that co-sponsorship in 2004 after CART declared bankruptcy and the assets of the series were purchased by current owners Kevin Kalkhoven, Gerald Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi.

The 17-race series is slated to make its Toronto stop July 6-8, and will run as usual over the 1.755-mile road circuit through Exhibition Place and along Lakeshore Blvd.

Ford, which has been associated with Champ Car and its predecessor, CART, since it re-entered open-wheel racing in 1992, said the series no longer met the company’s business plan.

“We evaluate all of our racing programs on an annual basis and have decided that this sponsorship does not align with our current business objectives,” said Dan Davis, director of Ford Racing Technology.

Champ Car president Steve Johnson thanked Ford for its long partnership with the series.

“We are continuing building a bright future for the series and are exploring a number of other options for a manufacturer partner,” he said.

Champ Car currently uses engines made by Cosworth, once a Ford subsidiary but now owned by Kalkhoven and Forsythe.

28 • INDEPENDENTFUN

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

WEEKLY DIVERSIONS ACROSS 1 Lake (Fr.) 4 Peter Pan pirate 8 Apple beverage 13 Pear 17 Asian capital, once 18 Ship’s spine 19 Love lots 20 Part of eye 21 Tuscans 23 Where denim originated 24 Signs of assent 25 French city known for its tripe recipe 26 Inuit shelter 28 Young raptor 30 Foggiest city year round : St. ___, Nfld.

32 Dim 33 Suit makers 34 Impressed 35 Treat with disdain 36 Dancer’s exercise place 37 Affirmative reply 38 Sugar in Saint-Lô 39 Quebec’s oldest covered bridge (1861): le pont ___ 40 Dried leaves 43 Make baby food 44 Aromatic gum used in incense 45 Capital of East Timor 46 Country on the equator 49 Back street

50 Like Toronto summers 51 Astronaut born in Sault Ste. Marie 52 Serf 53 Early plastic 54 Child (Scot.)

55 Alarm sound 56 Displayed ostentatiously 57 Major ending?

58 Louis Riel’s people 59 Bus station 60 Expire 61 Task ___ 62 Mochrie of “Air Farce” 63 Quebec strongman (1863-1912) 66 ___ up (give, finally) 67 Wise ones 68 Comparison word 69 Having three unequal sides 72 Cleanse 73 Steeps 74 Take into custody 75 A Fox 76 July birthstone 77 Indian music form 78 Official gemstone of N.S. 80 Alta. town with Squirt the Skunk 84 Unsigned, in short 85 Like 73D 86 Prov. with world’s largest herd of free-

CHUCKLE BROS

roaming bison 87 U.S.’s Eisenhower, briefly 88 Egg layers 89 Crazy 90 Narrow valley 91 Butterfly catcher DOWN 1 Ring of plumeria 2 Summerside summer time 3 Trains 4 Sask. license plate motto: “Land of living ___” 5 Not nice 6 Sonneteer’s sundown 7 Hamlet setting 8 Canadian books, taken together 9 Nitwit 10 Butler: major-___ 11 Bard’s before 12 Investigate 13 Botch 14 Kind of moulding 15 Passover meal 16 Projects 22 ___ mine 27 Stick together 29 ___-fairy 30 B.C.’s official bird: Steller’s ___ 31 Be in debt 32 Skin lesion 33 Linger (lit.)

35 Public uproar

36 Hat for Henri 38 Darfur’s country 39 Support tower 40 Shy 41 Privileged few 42 Lent a hand 43 Military chaplain 44 Misses of Marseilles 45 Gold coin, once 46 Waned 47 Raccoon-like carnivore 48 Marry 49 Where to find 28A 50 A Great Lake 52 Thumb a ride 53 ___ lazuli 55 Uniform fabric, often 56 National Park on L. Erie: Point ___ 58 Logan is our highest 59 Leftovers to go (2 wds.)

61 Enemies 62 B.C. painter ahead of her times 63 Actor Maury (“Dances with Wolves”) 64 Asian bovine, wild or tame 65 TLC providers 66 Does housework 67 Pledge 68 Start of a famous soliloquy (2 wds.)

69 Actress, director Polley 70 Whooping ___

71 Welding gas 72 Small in St. Paul 73 Singer/songwriter

Aglukark 75 Stretched tight 76 Baptism, for one

79 Wildebeest 81 Building extension 82 Stretch (out)

83 Soften (flax) Solutions page 30

Brian and Ron Boychuk

WEEKLY STARS ARIES (MAR.21 TO APR.19) Seeing the silly side of some really ridiculous situations helps give the Lamb a new perspective on how to handle them. Some important contacts can be made this weekend.

TAURUS (APR. 20 TO MAY 20) Try to complete your outstanding tasks by midweek. This leaves you free to take advantage of new possibilities — both professional and personal — opening up by week’s end.

GEMINI (MAY 21 TO JUNE 20) With both your creative side and energy levels rising this week, you should be able to tackle that toolong-neglected project again. A family member might have important news.

CANCER (JUNE 21 TO JULY 22)

An explanation you requested seems to be more confusing than enlightening. You should insist on clarifications now, rather than deal with problems that might arise later.

LEO (JULY 23 TO AUG. 22) Your energy levels might be ebbing a bit. But that’s no excuse for taking catnaps when you could be working on those unfinished tasks. There’ll be time to curl up and relax by week’s end.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 TO SEPT. 22) It’s a good time to get those ideas out of your head and into a readable format if you hope to have them turned into something doable. A good friend is ready with worthwhile advice.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 TO OCT. 22) Careful — you might be stepping into dangerous territory if you

decide to exaggerate the facts too much. Remember: The truth speaks for itself and needs no embellishment.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 TO NOV. 21) Although your workplace successes have earned you many admirers, there are some colleagues who are not among them.

Be careful how you proceed with your new project.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 TO DEC. 21) You might have to go into great detail to explain why you’re currently reluctant to make changes to an already prepared plan. Be sure you have all the facts to back yourself up.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 TO JAN. 19) Travel plans might still be uncertain. But instead of getting upset about the delay, open yourself up to other possibilities, and begin

checking out some alternative destinations.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 TO FEB. 18) Changing conditions might require you to alter some of your plans. While you might be agreeable to this, be prepared with explanations for those who do not want changes made.

PISCES (FEB. 19 TO MAR. 20) Although you might have to deal with some detractors who aren’t too kind in their critiques, you gain points in your favor when you’re willing to stand up and defend your work.

YOU BORN THIS WEEK You have a gift for creating a warm and loving environment between yourself and others. (c) 2007 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Fill in the grid so that each row of nine squares, each column of nine and each section of nine (three squares by three) contains the numbers 1 through 9 in any order.

There is only one solution to each puzzle. Solutions, tips and computer program available at www.sudoko.com SOLUTION ON PAGE 30

INDEPENDENTSPORTS

FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007 — PAGE 29

A REAL Chamberlains native Karen Quigley quickly earned her stripes in American college hockey

By Don Power For The Independent

freshman and I didn’t really expect anything.”

Neither did anybody else.

With a fourth-year goalie in Nikki Werner and third-year in Breanna Dobbe, Quigley expected to watch a lot of hockey this year. So did her classmates.

“A guy in one of my classes said to me the other day, ‘you never told me how much you played.’ He had no idea,” she said laughing. “He said he was at one of the games looking for me on the bench until somebody told him I was in net.

“I didn’t expect to play that much. No one really does. Coach hasn’t said that specifically. He tells me the games he wants me to play and the games he wants me to rest, so you make your own conclusions from it.”

Quigley’s solid play shouldn’t be a surprise. She played goal for Conception Bay Regional Minor Hockey Association in both girls and boys hockey. Chris Whelan, technical director of CBR, coached her for years.

“She is a smaller goalie with a great work ethic,” Whelan said this week.

“Technically she is very sound as well.

“She is a student of the game and knows where to be and when to be there. She has fairly good mobility and agility. I also coached Karen in bantam boys hockey where she was fearless. She would face the hardest shots that came her way and stopped the likes of (Quebec major junior players) Chad Locke, Pat O’Keefe, Colin Escott and Andrew White.

T

he first thing Karen Quigley wanted to know while talking to a reporter from home is how much snow is down. When she was informed that the past week has seen a fair bit fall and stick around, Quigley laments not being back in Chamberlains.

“I wish I were home to go ski-dooing,” she says.

The 18-year-old goalie, however, is making tracks of her own in Rochester. In just her freshman season with the Rochester Institute of Technology, Quigley has led the Tigers to a 15-2 record (as of Jan. 30), and has supplanted a senior and junior as the team’s No. 1 goalie.

In the Tigers’ 17 games, Quigley has played 10, sporting a spectacular record of 8-2.

“I was just hoping to get a good start on things,” Quigley says, “get a good base for my next couple of years. I never really expected to play the majority of the games.”

Quigley did more than get off to a good start; she was outstanding.

In her first collegiate game, she shut out Buffalo State College 6-0, making nine saves. She followed that with another shutout, a 19-save performance against Southern Maine. The next afternoon, she helped the Tigers win 3-1. Game four saw Quigley record another shutout, a 6-0 blanking of Salve Regina.

Her strong start not only earned her praise from teammates and coaches, but recognition from her league. She has been named ECAC goaltender of the week three times already this season.

“I was really happy about that,” Quigley See “It’s like,” says, “and kind of surprised. I’m just a page 30

Photos courtesy RIT

Tankard should be in St. John’s No Central teams should mean moving provincial men’s curling championship

M

ark Noseworthy once told me that heading into the provincial men’s curling championship on a winning streak can mean a lot more than going in rested.

That’s why Noseworthy didn’t mind playing in the open prior to the Tankard. The open is the last-ditch effort to qualify to compete at the provincial championship. If you haven’t qualified for provincials after club and zones, there may be one last chance to claim a spot at the Tankard. I remember Noseworthy telling me that winning the open puts you on a roll into the first week of February, and that could lead to great things.

That won’t happen this year. The winner of the open will not win the

DON POWER

Power Point Tankard, which will decide Newfoundland and Labrador’s representative at the Tim Hortons Brier. (As an aside, I never understood why Tim Hortons doesn’t have an apostrophe. Horton was the Leafs defenceman whose name is now synonymous with donuts. But I digress …)

It won’t happen because this year, there will be no open. Only nine rinks are entered in the Tankard, which runs Feb. 6-11 in Gander. That means there’s

still one spot available, but there are no rinks interested in either battling for it or claiming it.

Wait, it gets worse. Of the nine teams, only two are from outside the capital city: Gary Oke from Corner Brook and Keith Ryan from Labrador City. Granted, both are former Tankard champs and worthy participants, but two out of nine rinks from outside St. John’s does not look good.

Making matters worse is the fact there’s no team from Gander. Yeah, Dean Branton is listed as being the Central representative at the event, but he curls out of the St. John’s Curling Club. He registered out of Gander to gain automatic entry.

Brad Gushue, the Olympic gold

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medallist and favourite next week, qualified out of the Western zone, because his schedule didn’t allow qualifying out of St. John’s.

What’s wrong with competitive curling in this province? Last week, Heather Strong won the women’s title in a three-team event that was moved from Grand Falls/Windsor to St. John’s, home of all entrants. Three teams!

Now, we can’t field enough teams to fill the men’s event.

“It’s such a big financial commitment,” Gushue told me this week, “and unless you really think you can win, a lot of teams are not taking the time and effort.

“I think there’s a bit of a problem

right now in the system that’s causing only nine teams to go to provincials. I think it’s pretty sad.”

Sad doesn’t begin to describe it.

This is the epitome of curling in the province, for both men and women.

And we can’t even field enough teams to fill out the dance card.

Heather Strong or Cathy Cunningham has worn Newfoundland’s colours at the Scott for 10 years. Gushue had three consecutive Brier trips until last year’s Olympics got in the way of playing in the Tankard.

Has it gotten to the point that nobody else believes they can win?

If so, then what the heck is the tourSee “Rotating,” page 30

30 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

Something odd is going on

Rotating event is foolishness

Climate change is a complex global issue, but our weird winters are already here

N

owadays climate change is most often the central theme wherever and whenever our Earth’s environment is on the agenda.

From legislatures to bars, discussions of greenhouse gas and global warming persist.

The consensus among most credible sources tells us that, although the Earth may be in a warming trend, human activities such as burning fossil fuels, utilizing nitrogen-based fertilizers and clear-cutting forests are dramatically accelerating the process. Even unlikely candidates are jumping on the green bandwagon and doing their part to reduce their own personal pollution. It’s as simple as walking or cycling to the corner store instead of starting up the car. Prince Charles is blazing the green trail in England, opting to travel abroad via commercial airline instead of private jet.

So what might all this mean for us hunters and fishers? Plenty I’m sure, but here in Newfoundland our weather is typically so variable that global warming might just sneak up and bite us on the buttocks, particularly on the Avalon where the boundary between rain and snow is so fickle.

Because weather affects outdoor life so tangibly I think outdoors folk might better recollect the severity of past winters. My father always insisted winters of old were colder and more severe than those today.

My mother often spoke about snow

PAUL SMITH

The Rock

Outdoors reaching the tops of telephone poles in her youth. In the intellectual confidence — maybe arrogance — of my youth, I generally relegated my parent’s anecdotal meteorological expertise to selective memory and shorter wire poles.

I think we all tend to better remember the more snowy winters of our youth — snow days, sliding, skating on the harbour, and so on. Those big winters were so much fun they just have to stick out prominently in our minds.

My favourite big winter was in the late ’70s. I can’t recall the exact year, but I finished my MUN exams early, maybe the second week in December.

The ponds were all frozen and there was more than a foot of snow in the woods.

I had just learned about the central Newfoundland tradition of building gardens to catch rabbits from fellow students — all manner of topics had coverage in the old Thompson Student Centre.

I hitched a ride from St. John’s to Spaniard’s Bay with thoughts of snowshoes and rabbits swirling though my brain. Any thoughts of quantum physics were put on hold until January.

What a Christmas I had! The weather stayed snowy and cold, giving me my

first opportunity to play old-time trapper. Every second day I snowshoed my eight-mile line of snares through thick woods and over windswept barrens and frozen ponds. Even Christmas Eve and Boxing Day didn’t stop me — a fine winter indeed.

The next year I commuted to MUN from my apartment just about all winter in running shoes (or joggers as they were known in those days). Our 1970s weather was quite variable.

The big winter of 2000-01 started very early. October and early November were wet and rainy, making moose hunting difficult. The morning of Nov. 24 dawned splendidly sunny and clear, with about 10 centimetres of fresh snow on the ground — the first of the year.

The conditions were ideal for tracking and hunting moose, and Robert and I took full advantage. At 10 a.m. we were frying liver and onions beside the massive carcass of our winter’s venison and trying to figure out how to get it home. In spite of shooting my moose five kilometres from the road I was in fine spirits, shored up by bright sunshine and trees laden heavily with snow.

I’m a winter person. It took us all day to build a makeshift ATV trail from the road to our moose, including two small bridges and several cuts through thick woods. Actual game transport was put off until the next morning. But that night it snowed again, about 15 cm.

We were forced to shovel out our moose as well as parts of the trail. And

so the winter continued, storm after storm, with the green earth not showing itself for many long months. Then the next couple of winters Rob and I hunted rabbits on bare ground all through Christmas. It was hardly fair — white rabbits in the very green woods.

The past couple of winters have been really odd; almost no snow and no ice on the ponds until late January or early February and then we get nailed by storms.

As I write this, we have had three major storms in a week and another is forecasted for tomorrow. As we know, Newfoundland’s weather is wild, variable and difficult to explain or predict, but something odd is going on.

For most of my youthful life, ice fishing opened in early January, I can hardly remember no ice on the ponds.

Scientists tell us global warming will be characterized not only by warmer temperatures but more snow in the north and increased ferocity and frequency of storms. Maybe it fits.

Climate change is a huge and complex global issue. It will effect our enjoyment of the outdoors and the ecology of our fish and wildlife. I’ll have more on how climate affects creatures big and small from polar bears to salmon.

Paul Smith is a freelance writer and outdoors enthusiast living in Spaniard’s Bay. flyfishtherock@hotmail.com

From page 29 nament doing in Gander? Haul it out of there. Seven of the nine teams are from St. John’s, so why make them all go to Gander?

Move it. It’s not too late.

In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest keeping it in St. John’s on a permanent basis, as long as the majority of teams are based out of the capital city. (Next year, I believe the Tankard is in Labrador: then you’ll see a skeleton field.)

About 40 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador’s population lives within shouting distance of St. John’s.

Rotating the event is foolishness, considering some regions can’t field a team. If you curl in Gander and are not entered, you’re obviously not too serious about your curling.

Put the event where it’ll be appreciated.

••• From one ice surface to another, I’m looking forward to watching the St. John’s Fog Devils this weekend, not so much for the home team, but the visitors.The Quebec Remparts are visiting, with Hall of Famer Patrick Roy behind the bench and potential first round NHL draft pick Angelo Esposito on the ice. The Fog Devils have offered a number of tickets to minor hockey players at $10 a pop.

If these games don’t draw the largest crowds of the season, the club is in trouble. donniep@nl.rogers.com

‘It’s like a daydream’ From page 29 “Every player she played with respected her and had faith in her abilities.”

Quigley also had faith in her abilities, despite playing for Newfoundland and Labrador teams that were generally outmanned. At three Atlantic Challenge Cup tournaments she played in, Quigley’s teams finished last each time. Goalies faced an inordinately high number of shots.

“We were so close,” she says, “(but the) bounces didn’t come our way.”

They are now.

After two years at Holy Spirit High School, Quigley did Grade 12 at Warner Hockey School in Alberta, a hockey factory that is designed to help female players find success at the college level.

(Last year’s team graduated 14 players, Quigley noted, and all are playing in the American University system.)

“Going to Warner really opened options for going to university,” she says. “It helped universities see me play.”

It also helped that Quigley led Warner to the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League championship, in just the school’s third season. Her save percentage of .914 was also impressive, and

helped land her in the RIT Tigers’ den.

“I always dreamed of going away to play hockey,” the only child of Leo and Joan Quigley says. “I think everyone thinks of going away and making it big. I always hoped to play university hockey, at least. Going to Warner made it that much more exciting.”

Quigley is very realistic about where hockey can take her. That’s why she chose RIT. She’s a mechanical engineering major and hopes one day to perhaps

own her own company, like her father.

As for where she could go after university, Quigley is not looking that far ahead. She just wants to enjoy the college experience.

“I really love it here,” she says with obvious excitement in her voice. “I think it’s better than what I thought it would be. I love it. I can’t really explain it. I get along with the people great.

They’re amazing here. The freedom of college is something else that I love. There’s nobody to

SUNDAY, FEB. 4 CHICAGO VS. INDIANAPOLIS (-7) IN MIAMI The Chicago Bears took advantage of a sloppy field and the cool weather to end the New Orleans Saints’ remarkable season. The Saints’ personnel and style of play relied heavily on finesse. That style was greatly hampered by the field conditions, and the Bears took advantage of it. The Bears have been finding ways to win, and must search intensely for a way to beat the Colts. Weather and field condition should not be a factor in south Florida.

In the other conference final, the Indianapolis Colts came from behind to defeat New England, overcoming a 21-3 deficit. It’s hard to believe that a Patriots team could relinquish a lead like that, again

donniep@nl.rogers.com Solutions for crossword on page 28

NFL PICKS Super Bowl XLI Sammy’s Crystal Football

hold your hand every step of the way.

“I can’t believe this is all happening. It’s like a daydream. It’s so cool, I love it. RIT has a great name for engineering, plus they have a co-op program. I knew the hockey program was going places. I want to keep playing hockey as long as I can.

“A high level would be great, but as long as I’m playing hockey, I’m happy.”

showing that the Colts are a very good football team. In the second half the Colts picked apart a tired and aging New England defence, outscoring the Patriots 32-13.

The Bears cannot fall too far behind in this game. They must control the ball and keep the Colts’ offence off the field. Even though the Colts seem to be the better team, Chicago is a young team that will not wear down.

Chicago will heavily depend on Devin Hester to give them good field advantage on kick returns.

This is only the eighth time in history that a team has been favoured by seven or more points in the Super Bowl. In those games the favourite is only 1-5-1 against the spread. So let’s hope the eighth time is a continuance of that trend and “the game” is a close, hardfought contest and not a blow out. Here’s hoping …

Solutions for sudoku on page 28

TAKE CHICAGO (+7)

Would you like to swallow 20 pills every day, just to digest your food?

If you had cystic fibrosis, you’d have no choice.

Please help us.

1-800-378-CCFF • www.cysticfibrosis.ca

FEBRUARY 2, 2007

INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 31

INDEPENDENTCLASSIFIED FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2-8, 2007 — PAGE 32

FEATURED HOME 11 HAWTHORN PLACE Welcome Home to 11 Hawthorn Pl., located in sought-after Churchill Park just off of Carpasian Road. This executive two storey home is the perfect entertaining and family home with a "Grand" center hall staircase as you enter, leading up to four large bedrooms and two bathrooms (one is a five piece ensuite). The highlight of this beauty is the very large, dream designer kitchen with granite and corian counters, beautiful maple cabinets with some leaded glass doors. It also features a convenient serving/wine center between the dining and kitchen eating areas and a large walk-in pantry. The family room and living room have back-to-back wood burning fireplaces and gleaming hardwood floors and there is also a main floor den. The basement is also fully developed and perfect for teenagers, an in-law suite, recreation room or even a pool table.

You can access the back yard from the eating nook off the kitchen and family room, which features a beautiful treed landscape offering privacy and shade. You can spend your time all season long in the built-in hot tub and large deck. To view more information on this Churchill Park beauty please contact Annette Huggett from Royal Lepage Professionals at 687-5492 or online @ www.annettehuggett.com.

Photos by Gillian Fisher/The Independent

Southcott Estates