Jump to content

NFLD Premier Backs down


Kip Powick

Recommended Posts

Williams backs down on flag ban

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nfld. — A quiet protest by a Newfoundland Supreme Court judge has led Premier Danny Williams to reconsider his all-out ban on Canadian flags at provincial buildings.

Mr. Williams said Wednesday that the Maple Leaf can fly once again at courthouses after judges expressed concerns about impartiality.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Premier called last week for the removal of the flags to protest against Ottawa's handling of the offshore energy revenues dispute.

On Wednesday, Judge Robert Fowler hung a Canadian flag inside his Happy Valley-Goose Bay office after orders came down to remove flags from outside the building.

His action was followed up by a letter of concern from Chief Justice Derek Green to Justice Minister Tom Marshall.

By the end of the day, the government had decided that the flag can now fly at buildings that do not share office space with government departments.

“We discussed it and the Premier agreed that it would be inappropriate not to have the Canadian flag fly from free-standing courts,” Mr. Marshall said.

Despite the partial reversal on the flags, Mr. Williams lashed out at the federal government again Thursday.

He said opposition to the flag ban is a carefully orchestrated attempt to embarrass his province.

He said letters and e-mails opposing the ban, and sent to the media, are tactics of the federal government's "communication machine."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest rattler

Guess I will strike her firm from my "Buy Canadian" list.

Nfld. company discontinues line of Canadian flag swimwear as protest

at 15:58 on December 31, 2004, EST.

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - A Newfoundland sportswear company has discontinued a line of swimsuits that resemble the Canadian flag, a move aimed at offering support for Premier Danny Williams' battle with Ottawa over offshore energy revenue.

Last week, Williams attracted national attention - and pointed criticism from Prime Minister Paul Martin - when he ordered all provincial government offices to remove their Canadian flags.

On Friday, the chief executive of Newfoundland's IQ Sportswear Inc., Marie Routhier, issued a statement saying her company would stop selling its Unabashedly Canadian line of red-and-white bikinis and one-piece women's swimsuits.

"At the time I designed this line, I was feeling very patriotic," Routhier said in an open letter to her customers, which was posted on the company's website.

"This is an amazingly rich province, in terms of resources. There is no reason it should be in the state that it is right now, and it's time that the federal government stop the rape and pillage of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Routhier, who is originally from Winnipeg, goes on to say that most Canadians are unaware of the way the federal government has taken advantage of Newfoundland and Labrador over the years.

"Right now, I am no longer proud to be Canadian, and do not have it in me to continue producing these suits," said Routhier, a distant relative of Sir Adolphe Basille Routhier, the man who wrote the anthem O Canada.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if the Brits would take Nfld back and off of our hands if we asked????

Naw. The Brits still have enough "island" problems to keep them away for eternity...

Now the Yanks on the other hand might find that tasty little piece of real estate a convenient bookend... biggrin.gif

ccairspace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest rattler

Nothing wrong with the folks who were born and raised in NewFoundland, you just have to watch out for the politicians and those who may have moved from another Province and have become more of a "Newfoundlander " than those born in the province. biggrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What does he think he can have his pie and eat it too? If you want all the revenues from gas and oil like Alberta then yuo will have to claw back equalization and become a have province which transfers money to have-not provinces.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He said opposition to the flag ban is a carefully orchestrated attempt to embarrass his province.

No federal assistance not required on this one Danny b'ye, you've accomplished it all on your own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...