Premier Williams to Fair Deal Activists: Thank You
Premier Williams sent me a note this morning, and every Fair Deal supporter should take a moment to read it. As far as I know, this is the first time that a Newfoundland and Labrador premier publicly thanked the members of a virtual movement. This is your campaign — and here’s some official recognition of your efforts. Well done!
The letter is pasted below, in its entirety:
Mr. Kevin McCann
Founder, FairDealforNewfoundland.com
Email: kevin@kevinmccann.net
Dear Mr. McCann:
Let me thank you publicly (through your web site), on behalf of the government and people of Newfoundland and Labrador, for the tremendous work you have done in creating a vehicle through which our province’s residents and supporters have been able to campaign for a “fair deal” on offshore revenue sharing. I also want to thank the thousands of people who have availed of your web site to join the grassroots campaign for fairness. Together, you have been instrumental in helping us to achieve the historic Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord 2005. You have also convincingly demonstrated the power of the world-wide web to spur social and political change benefiting Newfoundland and Labrador. Well done!
The new Atlantic Accord 2005 is a monumental agreement of enormous and enduring significance for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and, ultimately, for all Canadians. It represents a just and timely expansion of our fiscal capacity and an unprecedented opportunity to harness our own resources for self-reliance. Even more importantly, it demonstrates what we can achieve together if we put our minds to it. With renewed pride and self-confidence, we can push beyond the limits of our past achievements to reach new goals and achieve our unrealized potential as a province in Canada.
We will be careful not to squander the money but to use this new fiscal tool wisely so that it provides a lasting legacy of benefits for both current and future generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. I believe we have a moral obligation to our children to use our nonrenewable resources in ways that lay a solid foundation for growth that will endure long after the resources are gone.
Already, we are looking ahead to our next opportunity to rally together in support of issues that are important to our province. By continuing to work together, we will accomplish a great deal more for Newfoundland and Labrador and put our province on track toward a prosperous, secure future.
Yours sincerely,
DANNY WILLIAMS, Q.C., M.H.A. (Humber West)
Premier
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Most importantly, thank you for securing this deal, and for working to “lay a solid foundation for growth that will endure long after the resources are gone".
The 2005 Atlantic Accord deal is significant because it can mean so much to the province, but also because it awoke the sleeping giant of online grassroots activism in Newfoundland and Labrador. We can continue what we have started, and continue to make a difference.
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That’s great Kevin. You truly deserve a lot of the credit for what has transpired.
Comment by Owen Russell — 2/22/2005 @ 12:53 pmI certainly hope this sort of online protest will be utilized for future issues of this nature. Well done!
Comment by Ian H. Power — 2/22/2005 @ 1:16 pmI would like to thank Kevin for the tremendous job he did in organizing this protest. A job well done.
Comment by Cory Hynes — 2/22/2005 @ 1:56 pmAs an Albertan, I am so damn pleased to see that the efforts of Kevin and his Fair Deal website have been successful. I remain convinced that if Danny Williams had not had the balls to commit what was viewed (only) by the liberal press as an outrageous stunt, the resultant fallout - this website and subsequently, the accord, would not have happened. Rather, Newfoundland and Labrador would have continued to be ignored and kept on life support as they have been for the past 56 years.
Comment by Eric in Calgary — 2/22/2005 @ 2:11 pmThank-you Mr. Kevin McCann, and thank-you all who wrote in.
It must be noted that Canada still does not act like a country where country men act like enemies not compartriots. For this agreement still does not address current wrongs. It does not address all the wrongs of our supposed “fellow” country men. We must tell everyone about Churchill Falls, which is continually being sold at 25 times what Newfoundland receives (a loss of billions each and every year). We must never forget where Labrador’s Iron ore is processed, in Quebec, and where all the aluminum smelters, whose chief requirement is cheap electric power, are located, in Quebec. Remember, Newfoundlanders are denied power transportation rights across Quebec - yet Alberta can sens it’s gas across other parts of Canada. Remember our fish is given away to foreigners and mismanaged by Ottawa. Newfoundlander’s did not mange it into oblivion.
Much remains to be addressed, many wrongs must be righted, many injustices accounted for, perhaps the site should pick any one of them and continue the fight!
Comment by Chris Squires — 2/22/2005 @ 2:25 pmKevin:
I’d like to add my voice to the chorus of Thank Yous for a job well done. You have given the silent majority a voice.
I’d also add my support to the comments put forth by Chris Squires, perhaps Newfoundlanders can now become more proactive in initializing issues, rather than jump on the Band wagon when our Government or some other entity enjoins the fight.
Premier Williams is currently seeking expressions of interest in the development of the lower Churchill, now would be a good time for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to bring the issue of a Power corridor through Quebec to the Federal Liberals, and get this resolved before we are once again held to ramsom by Quebec, while trying to develope the Lower Churchill.
I believe Mr, Williams should now formally and publicly request that Mr. Martin and his government guarantee Newfoundland wheeling rights through Quebec. Lets have no repetition of Mr. Smallwoods mistake, in having more concern for the unity of Canada than Newfoundland’s legitimate needs and aspirations. The upper Churchill is a done deal, forget it, but lets not make the same mistake again.
Also Mr. Williams might confirm to Quebec that we will abide by the terms of the existing contract, but that there will be no place for Quebec in the Lower Churchill development unless, theres a renegotiation of the Upper Churchull deal on terms more favorable to Newfoundland.
The term of the Upper Churchill deal is finite, we may have to live with the present inequitous situation, but this is a renewable resource which will one day be back in our control. Newfoundland needs to start now to make sure we have the ability to deliver this resource to Market, once the deal with Quebec Expires, whether that is through the acquisition of Wheeling Rights or bringing the Power to Newfoundland for re-distribution through an alternate possibly subsea route.
There will always be a demand for safe, clean energy, and this resource will only increase in value as the years go by. Lets look to the future, but not forget the past.
Comment by Max — 2/22/2005 @ 4:36 pmRecognition for you has been earned, Kevin…
I’m glad.
I thank you, too
Pauline
Comment by Pauline — 2/22/2005 @ 4:48 pmThanks for a job well done.
Comment by Darlene — 2/22/2005 @ 5:34 pmKevin like all who have commented her,job well done!!
Comment by linda — 2/22/2005 @ 7:07 pmNext project should be the fishery!!Or lack of one!!
What a pile of Brown-nosers…
Just kidding. WTG Kevin!
Think ya can get Loyola to explain the bidding process for M5 Advertising Campaigns or do we ignore our own sponsorship scandal.
Fred from CBS
Comment by Fred Harris — 2/23/2005 @ 9:54 amThanks so much Kevin.
I think this stands as evidence thatwe can affect change in politics using the Web and some determination.
I hope this site sticks around long enough for us to seek fair deals to cover off some of the other betrayals of Confederation mentioned by John Crosbie in one of the articles here.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Great Job.
Comment by Liam O’Brien — 2/23/2005 @ 12:39 pmI would like to thank you Kevin for all the great work that you have done to help NFLD’ers to see what happens when we speak out. I think that you have started something with this website that will resound for generations. Not only have you made me more proud then ever to be a Newfoundlander, you have gave me confidence in our people and confidence in our premier. Also a big thank you to Mr. Danny Williams for securing our future.
Comment by Michael Kelly — 2/23/2005 @ 5:55 pmHay kevin, have you ever considered running for politics? If so you got my vote.
Comment by Frank Hollahan — 2/23/2005 @ 8:33 pmHey Kevin, just wanted to congratulate you (and everyone else here on the site) on a job well done. And say “thanks", for getting me interested in what goes on around me.
-Dana
Comment by -Dana — 2/24/2005 @ 1:22 pmThank you Kevin for giving me the chance to voice my opinion on the Atlantic Accord talks.
I agree with the comments posted by Max and Chris Squires. The Upper Churchill is a done deal so let’s look to the future and work on securing a power corridor to markets in central Canada and the US. There is NO reason not to have it and many (brown outs in ON., the Kyoto Accord, etc.) why we should.
Comment by Artie — 2/25/2005 @ 11:47 amDont ,ean to beat the dead horse, but good job to Kevin and everyone who got onboard this campaign.
Comment by jerry — 2/26/2005 @ 11:43 amAs some wrote by Linda, I think our next project should be the fishery, or maybe other issues as well; Such as HOW THE FEDERAL, AND PROVINCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE IGNORING THE NEEDS OF RURAL NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What’s wrong Fred? Can’t even congradulate Kevin on a job well done or are ya to busy bashing the government?as usual
Comment by Frank Hollahan — 3/3/2005 @ 10:19 pmThanks Kevin, for making such an awesome site and bringing to light the troubles that NL was going trhough. Because of your hard work, we got our deal! A job well done!
Comment by Krista — 3/4/2005 @ 3:53 pmThanks Kevin, for making such an awesome site and bringing to light the troubles that NL was going through. Because of your hard work, we got our deal! A job well done!
Comment by Krista — 3/4/2005 @ 3:54 pm