"Labrador communities fear losing net connection"...

[Higgly]

Higgly, it happens that I really, really want to live on a beautiful, small island in a river flowing into James Bay. (It's a long story to explain how I know about this island but suffice to say it involved a canoe trip.)

Now then, do I have the right to insist that other Canadians send me every month all the food and supplies so that I can fulfil my dream to live decently on a small island in the middle of nowhere? To what extent are we our brother's keeper?

If these are not question enough, consider this last one. At one point do my brothers prefer to stop working and do nothing rather than have a portion of their grocery cart taken from them and sent to me?

August, you have dramatized from the sublime to the ridiculous. A canoe trip. That will certainly give anyone an idea of what the place is like. Next time you go out to one of these places on a fishing trip you might ask what it would be like if you didn't have a dock to tie up at, a general store to buy supplies at, or just a bewhiskered old fart to tell you where to catch the big ones. I don't see anyone demanding food and supplies, but of course in your paranoid little world everyone has got their hands in your little grocery cart.

To what extent are we our brother's keeper? Ask the folks who keep pouring money into the highway systems and other massive infrastructure builds that these people never get to use. I think we all have a right to expect a certain amount of infrastructure support from our government, and that will vary from place to place. We are talking about a couple of thousand a year for crying out loud. Yes, it is very petty.

As for the rest of you social engineers with your demands that everyone else move somewhere and 'work all year round' like the rest of us, take a pill.

[Argus]

Higgly, it happens that I really, really want to live on a beautiful, small island in a river flowing into James Bay. (It's a long story to explain how I know about this island but suffice to say it involved a canoe trip.)

Now then, do I have the right to insist that other Canadians send me every month all the food and supplies so that I can fulfil my dream to live decently on a small island in the middle of nowhere? To what extent are we our brother's keeper?

If these are not question enough, consider this last one. At one point do my brothers prefer to stop working and do nothing rather than have a portion of their grocery cart taken from them and sent to me?

August, you have dramatized from the sublime to the ridiculous. A canoe trip. That will certainly give anyone an idea of what the place is like. Next time you go out to one of these places on a fishing trip you might ask what it would be like if you didn't have a dock to tie up at, a general store to buy supplies at, or just a bewhiskered old fart to tell you where to catch the big ones.

It might surprise you, but the government provides none of that.

To what extent are we our brother's keeper? Ask the folks who keep pouring money into the highway systems and other massive infrastructure builds that these people never get to use. I think we all have a right to expect a certain amount of infrastructure support from our government, and that will vary from place to place.

Certain types of infrastructure are required by the community. Even if I don't use the highways, the trucks that bring food and other goods into the city for me to buy do. Therefore, highways are a neccessity. But getting to surf the internet cheap so you can download lots of porn during those long winter nights is not a neccessity.

[Led Boots]

Askl students that don't have a computer and Internet access at home if the Internet isn't important. They are at a big disadvantage iin regard to studying and research for homework assignments without the Internet , that is just a fact of life in this day and age.

Since when has the internet become an absolute necessity for doing research, ever hear of a library? If students do require internet access in order to research assignments then its up to the local school board to supply it. This is a provincial issue, not a federal one. If the provincial government wants people to stay in these rural communities then they should be providing things like internet access, not the feds. The program cancelled by the conservative government was just remnants of earlier pandering to a rural community in order to buy votes by the previous liberal government (I’m guessing). Nothing more, nothing less.

There’s a family that lives on my block with 5 kids that can’t afford the internet, the eldest son earns extra money for the family by tutoring other students. Access to the internet is by no means a necessity for any Canadian families.

I've been back in Calgary for about six months. In the last week or so I have noticed the housing market cooling off. Apartment buildings with for rent signs that are up for weeks. Houses and condos staying on the market for weeks and months instead of hours and days.

To expand on that I would also say that there is no reason a person has to live in Ft. Mac or Calgary or Edmonton. Most jobs in the oilsands are camp jobs that require the worker to “live in” for a set period of time and “live out” for a set period of time. Where a person lives during the time they are not in camp is up to them. There are many rural areas that one could live in at a fraction of the cost of living in the city (or Ft. Mac).

[Higgly]

Since when has the internet become an absolute necessity for doing research, ever hear of a library?

You are missing the point. What kind of library do you think you might find in these places?

If students do require internet access in order to research assignments then its up to the local school board to supply it. This is a provincial issue, not a federal one. If the provincial government wants people to stay in these rural communities then they should be providing things like internet access, not the feds. The program cancelled by the conservative government was just remnants of earlier pandering to a rural community in order to buy votes by the previous liberal government (I’m guessing). Nothing more, nothing less.

O goody. Let's play federal/provincial tag.

There’s a family that lives on my block with 5 kids that can’t afford the internet, the eldest son earns extra money for the family by tutoring other students. Access to the internet is by no means a necessity for any Canadian families.

So is this in Labrador?

[watching&waiting]

Let me see now $600 for the equipment and $49.95 per month that comes to $1200 for the first year and $600 for the reamining years. So if one was to setup this say at the punlic library, and have say eight computers for online use, it would serve the community of say 100 people more then enough to meet any demands. So even if there were only 10 families in the communities, it would come to $10 per month per family. Or about 1/3 of the cost of a 24 of beer. So if it is need so badly, is it too much to ask these people to foot that bill? You see many atvs in these villages and skidoos etc., so if they can afford them they can afford this. The education and the tools there of are a provincial jurisdiction and should be looked at there. The federal government supports many of these people thru welfare and other things. They get twoo free trips per year to any destination in the south, and yes they could even find work here, if they wanted. Since they chose the way of life that is old and tribal, then they should not be looking for the modern internet unless they want to join in the modern society. That same society that saw many northern towns fail because the mines were played out etc. There are no people living there today because that is just the way society works.

[Higgly]

You have a point regarding libraries. This is what is done in most large centres. The Toronto Public Library, for example, is funded 90% by the city, 6% by Fed/Prov grants and the rest by private donations.

[Led Boots]

Since when has the internet become an absolute necessity for doing research, ever hear of a library?

You are missing the point. What kind of library do you think you might find in these places?

I would expect that these communities have access to all of the research material required to go from kindergarten to high school, how much more do they need? I lived in rural Manitoba and rural Alberta as a school aged youngster and had no internet (Al Gore hadn’t invented it yet) but never had any problems completing assignments using the research tools at my disposal.

I think you miss the point that internet access is not a necessity.

Look at a country like India. Very rural and very poor yet they turn out some of the best chemical engineers in the world. How many of these young Indian’s grew up with internet access?

I think food is a necessity. With this in mind I will make an assumption that many or most of rural Labradorean’s hunt for sustenance. And given that we the taxpayers owe it to rural Labradorean’s to provide the necessities of life I propose that the federal government provide these poor people with high powered rifles and ammunition in order to meet the needs of these communities, with the money they save by not having to buy guns and ammo they can pay for internet access if they so choose.

If students do require internet access in order to research assignments then its up to the local school board to supply it. This is a provincial issue, not a federal one. If the provincial government wants people to stay in these rural communities then they should be providing things like internet access, not the feds. The program cancelled by the conservative government was just remnants of earlier pandering to a rural community in order to buy votes by the previous liberal government (I’m guessing). Nothing more, nothing less.

O goody. Let's play federal/provincial tag.

The thread starter is arguing from a point of education. Education is a provincial responsibility is it not?

There’s a family that lives on my block with 5 kids that can’t afford the internet, the eldest son earns extra money for the family by tutoring other students. Access to the internet is by no means a necessity for any Canadian families.

So is this in Labrador?

No Calgary, are you implying that people from rural Labrador are more important than people from urban Alberta? Surely you jest.

[Higgly]

I would expect that these communities have access to all of the research material required to go from kindergarten to high school, how much more do they need? I lived in rural Manitoba and rural Alberta as a school aged youngster and had no internet (Al Gore hadn’t invented it yet) but never had any problems completing assignments using the research tools at my disposal.

I think you miss the point that internet access is not a necessity.

I think it is by virtue of the fact that the rest of the country has it. You didn't have it growing up in rural Manitoba, but neither did anyone else.

Look at a country like India. Very rural and very poor yet they turn out some of the best chemical engineers in the world. How many of these young Indian’s grew up with internet access?

India is a competitive threat. If we have it universally and they don't, we have an advantage that might help counter their cheap labour. In any case, I don't think you want us to revert to Indian social and economic norms, do you? Yes they turn out good highly educated professionals, but by far the greatest majority are barely literate.

I think food is a necessity. With this in mind I will make an assumption that many or most of rural Labradorean’s hunt for sustenance. And given that we the taxpayers owe it to rural Labradorean’s to provide the necessities of life I propose that the federal government provide these poor people with high powered rifles and ammunition in order to meet the needs of these communities, with the money they save by not having to buy guns and ammo they can pay for internet access if they so choose.

And then there are those who are looking for a way up....

The thread starter is arguing from a point of education. Education is a provincial responsibility is it not?

Good point, but the Feds still do kick in for education and libraries to some extent. An argument can also be made that the internet is much more. A mail service, a job hunting service, etc., etc.. Education is just part of it. I do apologize for the sarcastic tone though.

No Calgary, are you implying that people from rural Labrador are more important than people from urban Alberta? Surely you jest.

Not at all. I am saying that people who live in Calgary have a much wider range of options than people in Labrador. I would have made the same argument no matter what city you cited.

[geoffrey]

We've already proven by citing a satellite service provider (I'm sure they have phones, it doesn't even need to be satellite) that if a community of 100 people wanted an internet cafe, they could do it on a ~$0.40 levy on their municiple taxes.

I really don't feel like paying for someone that choosen to live on some godforsaken remote coastline. Accepting that lifestyle accepts the consequences. They shouldn't expect a Calgary/Toronto/Montreal lifestyle living in the middle of no where. I'm assuming they are all likely fishermen, so they are a burden on us enough already with there 1/2 year EI (I wish I could be a ski bum working the chair lifts in the winter, and claim seasonal employment and get EI all summer, I'd never do anythign else).

Anyways, little sympathy, watching&waiting has already shown how cheap this access is. It's not our responsibility... it's frustrating how much you people want the government to do for you.

[Higgly]

Oh no! He's calling us 'you people'! We will have to agree to disagree. The extraordinary amount of money that gets shovelled into major population centres, corporate subsidies and tax breaks, museums, employment centres, what have you. Such a small amount of money and from a government running a massive surplus. Pathetic.

[uOttawaMan]

Wow alot of hatred here ... but then again... what would many people on this site do without the internet?

That's not a concern.. seeing as some seem to willing to dole out a cheap cheap start up cost of $600 followed by $50 a month to connect to a service that those in urban areas pay $30 a month for with no start up fee.

I sit centre-right, and the apathy and spite here is shocking.

[geoffrey]

Oh no! He's calling us 'you people'! We will have to agree to disagree. The extraordinary amount of money that gets shovelled into major population centres, corporate subsidies and tax breaks, museums, employment centres, what have you. Such a small amount of money and from a government running a massive surplus. Pathetic.

Excuse me. That surplus money doesn't belong to occassionally employed Labrador people, it belongs to every Canadian that payed those excess taxes (including those few Labrador people that work, in fairness). It should be returned to all of us, not just seasonally employed fishermen that expect free internet.

I don't get free internet from the government, nor do I expect it. Neither should anyone else.

If your community isn't economically feasible, get out and get a better job elsewhere. We are actually suffering skyrocketing inflation and shop closures due to a labour shortage out West while double digit percentages of Maritimers sit on their ass or work half seasons.

You'll never find an ounce of sympathy when one group of Canadians watches and laughs at another regions suffering and then demands more money from those suffering at the same time. I'm behind Harper's firewall letter, it's time we let the Maritimes fend for themselves, learn the value of the money we've been shipping them in busloads. They just want more more more and want to do less less less to get it.

[Higgly]

Excuse me. That surplus money doesn't belong to occassionally employed Labrador people, it belongs to every Canadian that payed those excess taxes (including those few Labrador people that work, in fairness). It should be returned to all of us, not just seasonally employed fishermen that expect free internet.

You make it sound like it is all going to Labrador! How do you know they are all only occasionally employed?

If it belongs to all Canadians then why can't those who live in Labrador expect some part of it? They pay taxes the same as you do. They may not pay as much as you do, but then I'd say if you live in a major city, you are getting a lot more back than they are.

[Renegade]

To what extent are we our brother's keeper? Ask the folks who keep pouring money into the highway systems and other massive infrastructure builds that these people never get to use. I think we all have a right to expect a certain amount of infrastructure support from our government, and that will vary from place to place. We are talking about a couple of thousand a year for crying out loud. Yes, it is very petty.

Higgly, the subsidization of services to remote areas by urban areas is not without precident. For example, Canada Post charges the same postage for letter delivery throughout Canada. It cost far less to deliver a letter from and to an urban area. In essence the urban postal users subsidze the rural and remote users. The same is true of telephone service.

The real question is why should the population subsidize a practice which is inefficient? If it is more efficient for people to live together in urban centers and share the cost of infrastructure then we should encourage that practice by not subsidizing small clusters of people living in remote areas. There should be an economic penalty to living where the cost of infrastructure is high.

No doubt there will always be people who want to live in isolated communities, but they, and not the population at large shoudl bear the additional costs of doing so.

[geoffrey]

Excuse me. That surplus money doesn't belong to occassionally employed Labrador people, it belongs to every Canadian that payed those excess taxes (including those few Labrador people that work, in fairness). It should be returned to all of us, not just seasonally employed fishermen that expect free internet.

You make it sound like it is all going to Labrador! How do you know they are all only occasionally employed?

If it belongs to all Canadians then why can't those who live in Labrador expect some part of it? They pay taxes the same as you do. They may not pay as much as you do, but then I'd say if you live in a major city, you are getting a lot more back than they are.

No, they need to move to a city and help out with the labour shortage.

And how do I know? Statistics Canada states Newfoundland's EMPLOYMENT rate (so total employed/total employable) at 50.9%. So barely most Newfies between 15-65 work. That's pretty weak.

In comparison, Alberta is 70.9% employed. That's a massive difference, why? Because government programs encourage Newfies not to work.

Other provinces that aren't at the extremes for comparison, Sask @ 66.4% and Quebec at 60.4% (pretty bad when Quebec is 20% more employed... ouch).

For clarification, the not employed portion includes stay at home moms and stuff like that, hence the 30% unemployed in Alberta, where it's actually around 4%. The difference are just not looking for employment.

[M.Dancer]

this is just so much BS that I have to laugh. Anyone anywhere can now get full interenet access by satellete no phone required any where in canada as long as you have a computer and of course the hydro to run it. The initial cost of the equipment is $600.00 and the plans start at $49.95 per month. So where it there a problem here. You can get this any where in Canada. There is no need for the Federal government to be involved with any of this, as it is affordable and reliable, and and it makes any llandline based internet look down right slow. So it is about time the government realised this and got out of the internet access business

See here for details http://www.xplornet.com/

That's a good link and I appreciate the info but the cost for Black Tickle (Best Town Name ever!...) is $59.95 per month

http://www.xplornet.com/home/?lang=EN&offer=H

[Led Boots]

I think it is by virtue of the fact that the rest of the country has it. You didn't have it growing up in rural Manitoba, but neither did anyone else.

The fact that the rest of the country has it still doesn’t make it a necessity. Growing up in rural Manitoba I couldn’t get kung pow chicken either, the rest of the country had it but I had no access to it and felt poorer for this fact (I just loves me kung pow chicken).

India is a competitive threat. If we have it universally and they don't, we have an advantage that might help counter their cheap labour. In any case, I don't think you want us to revert to Indian social and economic norms, do you? Yes they turn out good highly educated professionals, but by far the greatest majority are barely literate.

Can you prove that universal access to the internet access would give us an advantage over countries like India? Unless Labradorean’s are willing to work for free (in trade for internet access) I don’t see how it could counteract cheap third world labor.

And no, I wouldn’t want us to revert to the socio-economic norms of India…I don’t see how a lack of internet access in Labrador would push us over that edge.

Good point, but the Feds still do kick in for education and libraries to some extent. An argument can also be made that the internet is much more. A mail service, a job hunting service, etc., etc.. Education is just part of it. I do apologize for the sarcastic tone though.

Canada Post delivers mail, job hunting in a community of a couple hundred would, most likely, not involve internet searches and no worries about the sarcastic tone. Big bubbles no troubles my friend.

Not at all. I am saying that people who live in Calgary have a much wider range of options than people in Labrador. I would have made the same argument no matter what city you cited.

I would agree with you that us urban dweller’s have more options, but how much of this is provided by the federal government? If I lived in rural Labrador and saw a need for internet access I’d start an internet café and laugh all the way to the bank.

[geoffrey]

I would agree with you that us urban dweller’s have more options, but how much of this is provided by the federal government? If I lived in rural Labrador and saw a need for internet access I’d start an internet café and laugh all the way to the bank.

Go East, Newfoundland needs some inspiration to fix their problems, a little enterprising spirit other than EI schemes would go a long way.

Off-shore possibly as much oil as Alberta, it's actually very sad the state of affairs there.

[Rovik]

But getting to surf the internet cheap so you can download lots of porn during those long winter nights is not a neccessity.

The CAP centers are in community centres and schools downloading porn is not one of the reasons for its existance. I would day that anyone caught surfing porn would be banned and I would say that there are porn blocking software on those computers.

Here is the ratioanle behind the CAP centers from the following site: CAP Site Services

A typical CAP site was designed especially to meet all your basic technical needs from within your community. Whether you're a first time user or not, our friendly staff will provide the guidance and expertise necessary to make the local CAP site work best for you. A typical CAP site can also provide affordable access to a variety of technological tools, like digital cameras, scanning and printing facilities, computer programs, training courses, the Internet...and much, much more.

I don't see porn listed as a service

[Rovik]

Since when has the internet become an absolute necessity for doing research, ever hear of a library? If students do require internet access in order to research assignments then its up to the local school board to supply it. This is a provincial issue, not a federal one. If the provincial government wants people to stay in these rural communities then they should be providing things like internet access, not the feds. The program cancelled by the conservative government was just remnants of earlier pandering to a rural community in order to buy votes by the previous liberal government (I’m guessing). Nothing more, nothing less.

Well if you want to talk necessities, you could also include television, internal plumbing. automobiles, etc.....nice to have but not necessary to live.

Yes, Internet access is not a necessity but it is a huge advantage in today's technological world. People with the Internet can pay bills online instead of driving and using up gas to go to the bank to pay. I could go into numerous other examples on how it improves on quallity of life, therefore is it fair to deny people, who can't afford the Internet, the advantages of the Internet.

And how many times must I hear the mantra of the right-wingers to make the provinces pay for it. That's great of you have Alberta's, BC's or Ontario's money because they can afford it, but not so great if you are one of the poorer provinces where you are just trying to break even with what you have now. This decentralization of the Federal govt. will only serve deepen the rifts between the haves and the have-nots in this country and aren't we suppose to be a country of 10 equal provinces.

[Renegade]

Well if you want to talk necessities, you could also include television, internal plumbing. automobiles, etc.....nice to have but not necessary to live.

Yes, and all of those things should not be subsidized by the government.

Yes, Internet access is not a necessity but it is a huge advantage in today's technological world. People with the Internet can pay bills online instead of driving and using up gas to go to the bank to pay. I could go into numerous other examples on how it improves on quallity of life, therefore is it fair to deny people, who can't afford the Internet, the advantages of the Internet.

First, cheap internet is available wherever there is a phone line via dial-up. That means anyone can pay their bills, etc, just not at the same blinding speed as high-speed.

Second, the same arguments you make for internet access can also be said for mobile phone access. Yet the government doesn't subsidize mobile phone access. Why aren't you demanding cheap mobile phone access?

Third, if there are so many advantages to internet access, the cost savings will eventually justify the cost of high speed access. The same was true of the urban areas. Even today in urban areas at $45/month many people cannot afford high-speed. They make do with low-speed or dial-up or none at all. At some point when they figure that the gas and time they save is worth it, they will get high speed. Although the break-even point is different in remote areas, the same fundamentals apply.

Many (even most) necessities will cost more in remote areas. It cost more to ship food and goods there. Are you expecting the rest of society to subsidize all items so that it is the same cost in remote areas as urban areas just because some people have unlaterially made a choice to live there?

And how many times must I hear the mantra of the right-wingers to make the provinces pay for it. That's great of you have Alberta's, BC's or Ontario's money because they can afford it, but not so great if you are one of the poorer provinces where you are just trying to break even with what you have now. This decentralization of the Federal govt. will only serve deepen the rifts between the haves and the have-nots in this country...

No, I don't think right-wingers think that provinces should pay for it. Right-wingers think individuals who consume the service should pay for it.

aren't we suppose to be a country of 10 equal provinces.

Provinces can be considered "equal" only when they are equal in all aspects including how much they contribute. Until then some are net contributors and some are dependants.

[Led Boots]

Well if you want to talk necessities, you could also include television, internal plumbing. automobiles, etc.....nice to have but not necessary to live.

I’m not sure what your point is here but television is definitely not a necessity. Indoor plumbing is nice. We didn’t have it when I lived in Manitoba. I gained a greater understanding of the phrase “blue balls” during that time.

Yes, Internet access is not a necessity but it is a huge advantage in today's technological world. People with the Internet can pay bills online instead of driving and using up gas to go to the bank to pay. I could go into numerous other examples on how it improves on quallity of life, therefore is it fair to deny people, who can't afford the Internet, the advantages of the Internet.

This isn’t a quality of life issue…my quality of life is no different now then it was before I got internet access. Having lived the rural life I know how people view “goin’ inta town”. It’s a planned for event. Pay the bills, shop, visit, run errands…etc. No need to waste gas, it’s all done in one trip or it doesn’t get done until the next trip inta town.

Deny access? How do you equate the federal government not paying for internet a denial of this soon to be enshrined in the charter right?

And how many times must I hear the mantra of the right-wingers to make the provinces pay for it. That's great of you have Alberta's, BC's or Ontario's money because they can afford it, but not so great if you are one of the poorer provinces where you are just trying to break even with what you have now. This decentralization of the Federal govt. will only serve deepen the rifts between the haves and the have-nots in this country and aren't we suppose to be a country of 10 equal provinces.

Well first off I’m not a right winger. I’m not a left winger either. I actually play defense (although I’ve been known to strap on the pads if our goalie doesn’t show up).

Secondly, I don’t have Alberta’s money either and I work anywhere from 60 to 80hrs a week to pay for things like internet access. You want to take money from people like me to pay for internet access in rural Labrador so people can e-mail each other, pay their bills online and whatever else constitutes e-quality of life in your opinion. Meanwhile I struggle to survive under the crushing weight of Canadian taxes and wonder where the hell I’m going to get the money for my children’s education. That about sum it up?

Thirdly, I love the maritime provinces and Labrador/Newfoundland. I love the scenery, the attitude, the people and so on…

Federal transfer programs exist so that provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador can provide the same level of health care, education and social services as the other provinces. If these provincial governments deem internet access to be a necessity then they should budget for it out of moneys received via the federal transfer program.

[jbg]

My goodness, quite the backlash from the right-wingers here.

Several points here:

- The article cites $220 a month, therefore say about $2680 a year per community, so in a 100 redisent community this would be almost $27.00 per person. How about a family of 4 in this 100 resident community; well that's $27 x 4 = $108 per family.

- Second, many of these communities have less than 100 residents, therefore the costs to residents would much more per person.

Maybe people shouldn't be living in communities that small and that remote where the economics don't support it. Policies that keep alive communities that have long lost their reason for being are expensive and ultimately cruel, since eventually the community will die of out-migration of younger and/or more ambitious people.

[geoffrey]

And how many times must I hear the mantra of the right-wingers to make the provinces pay for it. That's great of you have Alberta's, BC's or Ontario's money because they can afford it, but not so great if you are one of the poorer provinces where you are just trying to break even with what you have now. This decentralization of the Federal govt. will only serve deepen the rifts between the haves and the have-nots in this country and aren't we suppose to be a country of 10 equal provinces.

If that was true, more unemployed on welfare Newfoundlanders would be helping the West with our labour shortage. We even have non-stop flights from Fort Mac to St. John's.

Why do you expect to not have to help us, but us to help you?

[Higgly]

And how many times must I hear the mantra of the right-wingers to make the provinces pay for it. That's great of you have Alberta's, BC's or Ontario's money because they can afford it, but not so great if you are one of the poorer provinces where you are just trying to break even with what you have now. This decentralization of the Federal govt. will only serve deepen the rifts between the haves and the have-nots in this country and aren't we suppose to be a country of 10 equal provinces.

There is an interesting thread elsewhere on the conversion of Bell Canada to a trust. There is some relevance here. Trusts were originally encouraged by the government to give Alberta oil and gas companies a boost up. I would say that was a pretty generous gift, and look at the benefits.

There is a line from a John Fowles novel (I think it was 'Daniel Martin') where he describes the people who live in a little fishing village on the coast of England and go to bed every night comforted by "...a smug self-assurance that everyone out there is exactly like we are right here."

A lot of the people who are objecting to this seem to be doing it on similar grounds. I don't have it. I don't need it. Why should they have it?

Whoever it was who mentioned the daily flights from St. John's to Fort McMoney needs to remember that the workers get on the flights - the family stays behind. Not everyone can pick up and move to Alberta.