GreenWhiteandPink

Finacial Post: Williams to claim victory Good news for NL. He will probley sweep Oct's election.

A DEAL HAS BEEN REACHED!!! NL WILL GET A 4.9% EQUITY STAKE AND SUPER ROYALITIES. There will be a press conference tomorrow. Danny's royalty game worked. He stood up for NL interest and got a better deal. So much for greffrey thoughts on the matter

Looks like Danny's plan to hold out for a better deal on the Hebron development will pay off. Hebron oilfield negotiations formally resume Link Williams says Hebron discussions at ‘delicate stage' Link Sure whatever That why Chevron were the ones that restarted the negotiations.

EI is used for more than a safteynet in case someone finds themselves unenployed. You can also claim EI if your are injured and unable to work. Parnets can claim EI and go off on maternty or parternty leave for the first 6-12 after they have a new child (or adopt). If you have a relative with a terminal illness (father with cancer) you can claim EI to take time off work to care for them during their last 6 months of life. We are very lucky such a program, well worth the $720 a year. Although I believe that seasonal workers should not be covered. I live in NL and it really pisses be off to that fishers and fish plants workers work 10-20 weeks a year and draw EI for the rest, year after year. Alot of other NLers feel the same way.

Newfoundland and Labrador had a Religious Denominational Education system until 1998, which was permitted under term 17 of the Terms of Union with Canada which is included as part of the Constitution when NL entered confederation. (There were RC schools, Integrated Schools: Anglican/United Church/Salvation Army and some Pentacostal schools and seventh day Adventist schools). By the mid 90's the majority of Newfoundlanders were against such a system (including the Integrated Schools Churches), and the Government had two referendums on the issue (a second was required after a successful RC court challenge to the first.) After the second referendum passed (74%) which called for a single public school system, the Provincial House of Assembly and Federal Parliament approved bills amending Term 17. Ontario could also do the same to amend the constitution to eliminate publicly funded Roman Catholic schools. After scandals involving denominational schools in Newfoundland, public opinion in that province began to turn toward changing the Constitution, allowing the provincial government to take control of education. Previously, most schools were administered by religious denominations. The amending formula of the Constitution Act, 1982 allowed for changes to the Constitution based on a vote in a provincial legislature if the change would affect only the province itself. A referendum was held on the issue in 1995. The vote was in favour of a change in the constitution, and in 1997 the government of Newfoundland gained authority over all schools in the province.

When the liberals came to power in 1993 there were faced with a 42 billion dollar deficit. There was no operating surplus untill 1997.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 2-3 years ago that spanking within certain limination is permissable, children 2-10 years, for corrective purposes, force not allowed to injure etc. Dead Issue!

Dental and drug claims are made online, there is zero paperwork. The funds are deposited in my account the same day or next at latest. Unbeatable. I noticed you did not address my point about the delivery of health care services being a provincial reposnsibility. Nothing prevents any province from providing any level of pharmacare right now. They also have the authority and will to impose taxes to pay for it, right now. So take it up with your MLA. I don't care if there is a national pharmacare or not really. I have coverage and always will.

Sure they will. My wifes plan covers my family comprehensively and they have yet to ask a single question about any of us other than names and birthdates. And they pay very very promptly, their administration (Blue Cross) makes the government look laughable. In any case, there is no need for federal involvement. Why? Because health care services remains a provincial responsibility. If a province chooses to spend their dough on pills instead of other services, they can answer any questions their residents may have about priorities. If your wife's plan through her employer? If not they will ask questions, and they will not insure prople if they are deemed or be a liability (longhealth history, health problems etc.), unless you want to pay $1000's a month for coverage. I also have had converage with Blue Cross through my employeer, I and most of of my coworkers found their service to be poor.

That's a totally different situation, with Employer/Government Public Service health plans the insurance company cannot refuse to cover a new employee regardless of their health history, that is one of the conditions the insurance company must agree to when they bid/sign a contract to provide the same. They have to accept all new employees.

Insurance can't cut off your coverage once you are subscriber, but they won't insure AFTER you get sick.

Private health companies will not insure clients with existing health problems (ie diabetes, herat conditions etc), thus a need exist for coverage for individual who cannot get coverage in the private system. Alberta has Drug Coveragefor Seniors. If you are a senior 65 years of age or older, you may get help with the costs of prescription drugs for you and your dependants under the Coverage for Seniors plan. Most other province have some sort of pharacare plan.

Under National Assembly rules, budgets cannot be amended. Speaker Jean-Pierre Saintonge made this decision in June, 1993, at a time when nobody envisaged a minority government. The PQ has asked that the rule be changed. Speaker Michel Bissonnet will likely announce his decision today.

Most if not all provinces already have prescription drug programs. One big national program would make sense if it could really reduce costs.

Lower personal income will encourage spending which will help the economy. Spending on education is an investment in the future. Yes, nothing changed yet. He already wrote off 2+ billion of unfunded publuc pension liability debt, and will be paying down its net debt by about $66 million — and reducing its debt servicing costs by $51 million in this budget. I'm getting sick of posting on this thread anyway. Your never going to change you opinion.

NO, NOT ANYMORE!! BUT THERE WAS A PLAN .....IT WAS THE 100% EXEMPTION OF RESOURCE REVENUE FROM EQUALIZATION, IT WOULD OF PROVIDED NL WITH A ADDITION $10 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 13 YEARS ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY PAY OFF THE PROVINICAL DEBT!! That was the plan! Don't you understand why William's is pissed off!

So it will enable NL to become a "have" province forever. It would enable us to become a net contributor to equalization as well. Alberta and Ontario will not have to send tax dollars to NL via Ottawa. Yes and if Harper had kept his promise Alberta NS SASK NB PEI MAN BC ONT QUE would also would also be able to exclude 100% of resource revenue as well! So what's the problem. I guess when the oil runs out we will a "have not" province again and Alberta and Ontario can surport us forever, great idea guys!

NL never took any of Alberta's resources. NL don't receive "oil money" from Alberta it receives equalization payments from the federal goverment. NL only wants what it was promised!

NL'ers are perfectly aware of how oil found, but as of now no new significant have been found. The government can sit back and let oil companies take what they want based on the assumption that there is more out there. You can't promise sh*t.! We are are have-not provrince because in the past we have let various resource companies and the Rest of Canada and take our resources.

In terms of revenue from non-renewable natural resources, which is where the money comes from right now in Newfoundland, we have a window of about 10 or 12 years to accomplish something here. After that, the oil supply declines and the revenue drops off sharply. If we don't use this opportunity to build our economy for coming generations NL oil reserves are limited, there is only one reserve left to develop, Hebron. After that there is no more oil. NL must maximize as much revenue as possible, if it don't turn it's economic situation around in the next 5-10 NL is screwed. It will always be a "have not" province. It seems like that's what Alberta and Ontario and many of the posters on here want, someone to look down on ridicule insult, etc. No he has not. He just not letting the Hebron project start untill he can get the best deal possible, no more give aways.

People, these are the basic facts. In terms of revenue from non-renewable natural resources, which is where the money comes from right now in Newfoundland, we have a window of about 10 or 12 years to accomplish something here. After that, the oil supply declines and the revenue drops off sharply. If we don't use this opportunity to build our economy for coming generations, we will be screwed economically, perhaps indefinitely, with a double whammy demographically (hardly any young people left to support an aging population), and the triple whammy of our debt. We have, per capita, twice as much government debt as anywhere else in the country, and as a result have been living on a shoestring for about 20 years. When people talk about a province or a country moving ahead, Ireland is always the big example. Ireland was in receipt for years of a subsidy (like equalization) from the European Union. Then when the economy started to pick up, they didn't subtract the equalization dollar for dollar, they let Ireland have a period of time to actually build up a head of steam. Now they are net contributors to the European Union. That's what Newfoundland is trying to do. If Canadians want to nickel and dime us down at this point, we'll never get ahead. The vast majority of the money from the Atlantic Accord (which is money from our oil revenue that stays out of the equalization formula) is being used to pay down debt, so that future generations will have a chance to make a go of it in Newfoundland. If we don't make it happen now, the future looks very bleak. BTW, does anyone here realize that Newfoundland, as an independent country, sent food aid in the form of salt fish to Alberta in the 1930's when the depression was at its worst?

There are three projects in production right now and they will be for the next 20 years, the only project waiting to be developed is Hebron, and it will be developed when a deal can be reached to deliever the maxium benefits to Newfoundland and Labrador. Untill that time comes the oil can stay in the ground. Williams is playing hardball, using a precedent set long ago by Peter Lougheed. Come hell or high water, Lougheed fought the Feds for every ounce of Alberta resource, and the premier of Newfoundland is doing the same. One look at the resultant coffers in Alberta and it's plain that hardball works.

Actually yours is, your trying to manipulate numbers, here is athe graph of oil prices for the past 2 years oil rice graph 2004-2006

Harper made than promise in January 2006!!! The price of oil then was at $60-$70 a barrel, the same as it is now!! With 60-70% surport right now he will probley take all 48 seats come this fall's election. I won't be voting for his party, but that for other reasons.

I'm not defending the NEP just stating what really happened. Williams hardline with the oil companies was the right approach as NL's oil supplies are limited, the province must secure every dollar possible, when Hebron get's developed (and it well) it should be on NL terms not the oil companies. Newfoundland and Labrador is not able to give away it's oil reseves to the oil companies for next to nothing like Alberta can and expect the spin off jobs and capital investment to make up the loss in provinical revenues. Williams was just asking for what he was promised, he knows that Harper won't change his mind now, he just trying to make Canadians know that Harper can't be trusted. Canadians don't need a PM that pander's to every group when they trying to get elected only to stab that in the back after they are in power so they can proceed with their true agenda. Why can't you just admit that Harper borke his promise? If he had no intention of owning up to it he shouldn't of made it.