August1991 Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Buoyed by soaring oil prices, the Newfoundland government projected a surplus Monday of $881.8 million - more than triple its most recent forecast - and in doing so accepted a deal from Ottawa that Premier Danny Williams previously denounced as unacceptable.... Marshall also said he anticipates the province will no longer qualify for federal equalization payments by March 2009 as the Newfoundland economy continues to grow. He acknowledged the province will receive an additional $66 million from the federal government by opting into a new equalization formula introduced March 19 - a deal Williams said he wasn't prepared to accept because it offered less than what Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised. After Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald accepted the same deal two months ago, Williams accused Harper of "preying on the weak" and MacDonald of saying "yes to less." CPI bet Williams will hide in his Florida condo and be unavailable for comment for a few weeks. OTOH, Harper will get no credit as the reasonable guy. He may even get blamed for having given away the store. For once, I'd like to see someone be honest about all this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topaz Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 CPI bet Williams will hide in his Florida condo and be unavailable for comment for a few weeks. OTOH, Harper will get no credit as the reasonable guy. He may even get blamed for having given away the store. For once, I'd like to see someone be honest about all this. Unless its happened just recently, its been pointed out in question period that nothing has been signed between Nova Scotia and Harper, its all verbal. The only thing I would give Harper credit for is the "divide and conquer" he is using against the provinces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfie Canadian Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Honesty is a tricky thing, August, as there are very few people in the world who practice it with any regularity. In regards to credit, I'm not sure anyone but the commodities traders deserve credit. As for Danny being an empty windbag, I'd argue that that's a quality found in all politicians. Danny being a blow hard is another story... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Doors Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Unless its happened just recently, its been pointed out in question period that nothing has been signed between Nova Scotia and Harper, its all verbal. The only thing I would give Harper credit for is the "divide and conquer" he is using against the provinces. Danny Williams is the premier of NFLD not NS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Bluth Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 As for Danny being an empty windbag, I'd argue that that's a quality found in all politicians. Danny being a blow hard is another story... So much for his actively working against the Federal Conservatives in the next election... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfie Canadian Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 So much for his actively working against the Federal Conservatives in the next election... He may still do it just for spite...I think he has that sort of attitude. One thing is for certain, he won't campaign aggressively for the Cons, and the damage for the Cons may have already been done in NL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Bluth Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 He may still do it just for spite...I think he has that sort of attitude. One thing is for certain, he won't campaign aggressively for the Cons, and the damage for the Cons may have already been done in NL. Do it just for spite? That's extremely childish. Even for Danny. More to the point, he has no leg to stand on with this now. What argument can he make? "I know I campaigned against this deal originally, but as it turns out the Feds were right. But don't vote for them anyways, because I thought they weren't offering a good deal months ago." Danny's credibility on this issue is long, long gone. Why would a voter listen to Danny on this issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfie Canadian Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Do it just for spite? That's extremely childish. Even for Danny.More to the point, he has no leg to stand on with this now. What argument can he make? "I know I campaigned against this deal originally, but as it turns out the Feds were right. But don't vote for them anyways, because I thought they weren't offering a good deal months ago." Danny's credibility on this issue is long, long gone. Why would a voter listen to Danny on this issue? Don't know. But some would if he decided to go ahead with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fellowtraveller Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Williams may have gained some votes in Nfld - votes he would have had anyway,and on a non-issue to boot- but he has burned a few bridges that were important to the people of Nfld. Bridges and relationships that did not need to be torched. Good press at home though. Film at six, six thirty in NFLD. And people will love him for it, go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Bluth Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 Williams may have gained some votes in Nfld - votes he would have had anyway,and on a non-issue to boot- but he has burned a few bridges that were important to the people of Nfld. Bridges and relationships that did not need to be torched. Good press at home though. Film at six, six thirty in NFLD. And people will love him for it, go figure. That is the reason why I think Danny is going to change his tune on campaigning for Conservatives in the next Federal election. If he thinks Harper is mean-spirited and nasty wait to see the reaction if Danny were to try and screw him in the next election purely out of spite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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