Carbonear Rocks
My parents lived and worked in Carbonear, and reared children there. I’ve been there thousands of times. Let me clarify: Carbonear Rocks, and so does Art Fong, who owns the best Chinese food joint in Conception Bay—just one of Carbonear’s 225 businesses. Let’s join Art in asking Margaret Wente to visit that fair town in the hub of the bay, so she can see that Carbonear’s citizens are not all welfare denizens waiting for a hand-out. Please, anyone from Carbonear, send Margaret Wente a postcard at the Globe and Mail, asking her to pay a visit editor’s note: maybe just the postcard.
The Globe and Mail
444 Front St. W.
Toronto, ON
M5V 2S9
Maybe she can make the Sheila Na Geira Theatre Festival next summer.
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My postcard will be in the mail tomorrow. Thanks Kevin!
Comment by Mike — 1/12/2005 @ 5:50 pmFong’s is a Carbonear institution! Postcard to Wente is a good idea, though I don’t know if I really want her to go to Carbonear. Maybe just look at the pictures.
Comment by Leslie — 1/12/2005 @ 6:39 pmI hate to disagree with you. But Margaret Wente would just glory in more attention going her way. Why don’t we just let her disappear in the black hole she came from. We all know that Carbonear is a fine place with hardworking people. Why lower ourselves to try and prove anything to her, least of all invite her as a guest. A guest is a welcome person, and she is not welcome in my Newfoundland.
Comment by Anne — 1/12/2005 @ 7:25 pmAnne
Comment by Sarah Scott Thompson — 1/12/2005 @ 7:49 pmI couldn’t agree with you more. You would come here and see exactly what she wanted to see, because she won’t allow herself to see anything else. We can chaulk her up as a lost cause.
I’d like to get Margaret in Carbonear next summer and show her the public wharf…….
Comment by g p — 1/12/2005 @ 10:56 pmCarbonear is too good for Ms. Wente… how about Sibera, maybe a few months in a salt mine might make her appreciate Canadians ( shes an American after-all) a little more..
Comment by C. Bowdring — 1/13/2005 @ 10:27 amGP, I like your thinking!
Comment by Martha Collier — 1/13/2005 @ 7:45 pmmargRat wenty carved for herself a place in our history on January 6th 2005. We should NEVER forget it. I suggest we celebrate marg Rat wenty Day every year on January 06th by respectfully lighting effigies of her wrapped in old globe and mail newspapers. ( like Guy Fox Day in England ) She has inspired us to get off our lazy asses and make some money. We could revive rural Newfoundland by starting an industry based on tributes to marg Rat like toilet paper adorned with her unusual face. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to start your day. I hope some Newfoundlander runs with this idea and goes into production because I’m sure marg Rat wenty being the super capitalist she is might beat us to it. How about Voodoo marg Rat dolls. Think of the fun things you could do. We could send her one as a thank you for enlightening us to our own pathetic state. ( And here I thought we were living in the best place in the world, surrounded by kind industrious people.) After all she did say she liked Newfoundlanders. Imagine what she’d write if she didn’t.
Comment by Marie Crawley — 1/14/2005 @ 11:58 ammarg Rat wenty deserves the attention of every breathing Newfoundlander from coast to coast and all those living around the world, their children, their friends. Especially those serving in the military and those retired like myself. WE WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT SHE WROTE. Every day she will encounter many of us. Maybe driving her taxi, serving her coffee, working at her bank, maybe even saving her life in an operating room if she happens to have a heart attack. Millions of us now know who she is, where she works and what she thinks of us. We should all do her the courtesy of letting her know what we think of her.
I have to agree with Anne, incurably ignorant people like Margaret Wente could never lift the dirty, blinding smog from their eyes and hearts enough to see Newfoundland for what it is (besides that, the fresh air might kill them), therefore they aren’t worthy to come here. She’s not welcome in my Newfoundland either, so I hope she steers clear of us for her sake and ours.
Comment by Ange — 1/14/2005 @ 5:49 pmJust recieved a reply from Ralf goodale, says nothing:
Thank you for taking the time to bring your views to our attention.
Let me assure you that the Prime Minister and I fully agree that the people of
Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Nova Scotia, should receive greater
benefits from offshore resources in recognition of the unique fiscal challenges
faced by these provinces.
As you know, Newfoundland and Labrador signed the Atlantic Accord in 1985 which
allowed it (and not the Government of Canada) to set royalties on offshore
resources and to collect 100 per cent of these revenues as if they were on land.
Newfoundland and Labrador has argued that it is currently not the principal
beneficiary of these offshore oil and gas revenues because, as these revenues
flow into provincial accounts, there is a corresponding reduction in
Equalization payments from the Government of Canada. (This is how the
Equalization formula normally operates everywhere in Canada.)
However, it is important to note that the existing Accord includes certain extra
payments to Newfoundland and Labrador that help to offset the reduction in
Equalization that would naturally occur as a result of increases in provincial
revenues.
Since the start of offshore production in 1999-2000, the value of Newfoundland
and Labrador’s offshore revenues (up to and including 2003-2004) was $429
million. Existing provisions under Equalization and the Atlantic Accord have
resulted in offset payments of $466 million over that same period, more than
compensating the province for declines related to offshore revenues.
The Government of Canada is nevertheless fully aware that under these existing
arrangements the protection that Newfoundland and Labrador receives is scheduled
to begin declining in 2004-05 and the offset will be lower than 100 percent
between now and the end of the offset provisions in the Atlantic Accord in 2012.
This is why the Prime Minister made his “100-per-cent” commitment to
Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia last June.
The Government of Canada’s offer entirely honours the commitment made by the
Prime Minister by guaranteeing that:
o Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to receive 100 percent of revenues
from its offshore oil and gas production, no matter what the price of oil;
o Newfoundland and Labrador will receive 100 percent protection from any
Equalization reductions caused by those same revenues for at least the duration
of the existing offset provisions of the Atlantic Accord; and
o all existing offset benefits within the Accord will be 100 percent respected
should Newfoundland and Labrador get to the point of no longer qualifying for
Equalization.
The Government of Canada stands ready to work out any remaining details to reach
an agreement that is consistent with the Prime Minister’s commitment, fully
protects the offshore resource revenues of the province, and is fair to all
Canadians.
That being said, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s request for
Equalization offset payments to continue even after the province no longer
qualifies for Equalization goes well beyond the Prime Minister’s commitment.
It is also inconsistent with Premier Williams’ declaration that “once we get to
the equalization standard, we are saying we don’t want any more equalization.
All we want after that, forever, is 100 per cent of our provincial revenues, no
different to Alberta or anyone else".
I can assure you that the Government of Canada appreciates the importance of
what is at stake for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Both Minister
Efford and I look forward to continuing discussions in good faith with
representatives of Newfoundland and Labrador to arrive at a fair and honourable
solution.
Yours sincerely,
Ralph Goodale
Comment by Rob Moffatt — 1/21/2005 @ 9:49 am