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Peckford on John Efford; “Sound Reply” from PM

Posted by Kevin on 1/12/2005 @ 5:15 pm

Brian Peckford, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, 1979-89, spoke in Mount Pearl last night and made perhaps the most accurate statement of the past few days:

“People of the province need to stand together…swallow your pride, you got to swallow your red, or you got to swallow your blue, and act as one.”
Dare I read between the lines and add: Keep up the Fair Deal effort. Keep spreading the word.

Peckford added that John Efford, Natural Resources Minister, is “out of his league” in his role as the province’s representative in the federal cabinet, and that while John Crosbie is still a major player, Efford “can not be considered in the same light". Has Efford lost all credibility with the majority of people in his province over this affair? Current headlines haven’t been flattering to Efford’s legacy, and I don’t think his sound bites have done him any favours.

And from the PM’s office: “Williams can expect ‘a sound reply that opens the door to resume talks that will be mutually satisfactory.’”


6 Comments

  1. I agree with the statement former Premier Peckford made regarding a non-partisan approach. It is imperative that all our federal representatives, both Liberal and Conservative, work together on this issue. Perhaps we should be sending each of them a letter via email asking them to do just that.

    Comment by Brenda S. , St. John’s — 1/12/2005 @ 8:30 pm

  2. Mr. Peckford is right, as Newfoundlanders we should put our colors aside and work as one collective group. Stand shoulder to shoulder with our leader and fight for our rights.
    If there are any misguided people still out there thinking that John Efford is going to help us please wake up and smell the coffee. John fights for John and only John!!!

    Comment by Dolores — 1/13/2005 @ 2:24 pm

  3. Couldn’t agree more with Peckford…ok he goofed on some areas while Premier but overall not too bad. We need to stand together and let everyone know the real issue here….fair treatment from Ottawa.

    John Efford is a disgrace to Newfoundland and Labrador he should have been shut up YEARS ago…please don’t vote him in again…I’m begging you!

    Jen

    Comment by Jen — 1/13/2005 @ 5:18 pm

  4. I’m sorry guys but i dont agree with you on this one.I find myself wondering why is it that peckford has all of a sudden poked is face back in NL, tell me if i’m wrong but isn’t peckford one of reasons we are in this situation today he was the one who signed the atlantic accord in the begining and gave away our oil.

    Comment by Robert chaulk — 1/13/2005 @ 10:58 pm

  5. Yes Robert he did but the solidarity of the people NOW is required. In his lack of vision then Mr. Peckford tried to protect with a total absence of information at the time. Nobody knew how much oil was there back then and escape clauses were written. Martin said he’d support the escape clauses but now he’s backed out waiting for us to give up and splinter off into uncoordinated factions of good little conservative and liberal minority split party goers. That way he wins and shafts us again. Don’t let the past mistakes of n’er do well politicians allow our common front to be divided. We must support Danny Williams until the RIGHT deal is made!

    Fred from CBS

    Comment by Fred Harris — 1/13/2005 @ 11:22 pm

  6. In reguard to dispute.We have treated unfaviourly since 1949.Allwe are asking for is a chance to keep our families at home and become more productive.this cannot be accomplished as long as our resourses both renuiable and nonrenuiable are being taking away by our federal goverment.
    we haveaproximately 13 nations fishing in what should be our waters.ther are approximately 10,000 foreign deck hands and plant workers at any given time.this figure varies and at some point during year could exceed 30,000 people.does this not seem strange ,that is approximatey the number of people that was displaced in 1992 conisedence;
    ihave talked to john efford for years on whath is wrong in our offshore fishery.the answer has always been the there has been far tomaney studies done.he has said time and time again we need action,referring to custodial managament.this seems all to have changed since he became an minister of this so called great nation.he know say that this new study headed up by Art May is the way to go.whath happenened to maney studdies.if we had the revinues that have raped and pilledged since 1949 we would we would be a have province and not need any equicalition payments from canada.
    the deal thath was made on our churchill falls if reversed and newfoundland was taking 800million out of the james bay project i’m sure mister martin would say this is completly ridiculous unheard off not fair and will not continue.his comments would probably include canada is concidered the fairsness nation in the world we cannot we will not let this continue.
    we are looking clawbacks of one sort or another in our offshore deal.why don’t we pull a quebec on this and start an coroporation to put our offshore revinues in too.hydro quecbec recieves 800million from churchill falls with no clawback to quecbec
    canada all we want is our fair share thank you.

    Comment by kevinslaney — 1/14/2005 @ 9:53 am

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