Danny Williams- Good Riddence!

A while back I attended a funeral of an old acquaintance of the family who was, truth be told, a right bastard on any scale with which one would care to measure a man's worth. A disreputable businessman who'd cheat friend or foe, his personal life wasn't much better.

I assumed that they'd gloss over these deficiencies at the funeral, adhering to the old adage of not speaking ill of the dead,  but I never expected him to be eulogized by family and clergy as an outstanding citizen and family man. Eccch!

And so the Canadian press greeted Danny William's announcement of his retirement with a shower of accolades and tributes, conveniently forgetting that he too, was also one right bastard.

There's isn't any doubt that Williams was successful, he certainly brought home the bacon for Newfoundland, by hook or by crook.
His policy of putting Newfoundland before Canada, no matter what, was roundly embraced by the people of the province and his dubious methods forgiven, in consideration of the results.

Bullying, tantrums and threats were his stock in trade. So afraid of Williams was the lily-livered, weak-kneed Paul Martin that he gave away the offshore oil rights to Newfoundland that rightfully belonged to all Canadians.

And so Newfoundlanders traded in a welfare check for a much, much bigger royalty check, working just as hard for one as they did for the other. Claiming that they've worked their way out from being the butt-end of Canada through hard work and ingenuity remains a sad joke perpetrated by the master spinner, Danny Williams.

Newfoundland remains what it always was. Pretending that the province somehow 'earned'  it's prosperity is a fanciful notion, as believable as Jed Clampett claiming hard work led to his riches. In fact, Newfoundlanders can be best described as the Canadian version of the Beverly Hillbillies.

Danny Williams was so used to getting his own way, that when he didn't, as in his inability to reverse the decidedly one-sided Churchill Falls power agreement with Quebec, it galled him to no end and degenerated into a maniacal obsession.

His tried and true methods of bullying, tantrums and vengeful threats all fell on deaf ears in Quebec and each passing year of failure, fed his rage and frustration.

Lost on him and other Newfoundlanders is the simple fact there's about as much chance that Quebec will ever renegotiate the power agreement, as there is the Americans renegotiating compensation to the Indians for the sale of Manhattan, sold for fifty guilders and some colourful beads, centuries ago.  

So like a true demagogue, he amped up the rhetoric to vitriolic levels and when that too failed, he resorted to hate.

For that, I will never forgive him or Newfoundlanders.

He railed against Quebec for putting its selfish interests before that of the region, as if Quebec somehow had a larger obligation than Newfoundland to be altruistic.

When that didn't work he attempted to drive a wedge between Quebec and the provinces, by whining that Quebec was getting too much in federal transfer payments.

This from a province that for sixty years sucked more out of Ottawa on a per capita basis than any other province in the Dominion!

His most galling attacks hinted that Quebec was dishonest, an egregious case of the pot calling the kettle black, if ever there was one.

Nothing but nothing can compare to the fraud perpetrated by successive Newfoundland governments in creating a network of phony fish plants whose only function was to operate for ten weeks in order to qualify Newfoundlanders for federal unemployment insurance. This organized scheme sucked billions out of Ottawa, in a program that would make a Tony Soprano's no-show job scam  proud. LINK

So cruel and selfish is Danny Williams that when New Brunswick was offered the deal of the century by Hydro-Quebec, he hurriedly pissed in the soup by spreading the fear that after Quebec swallowed NB Power, the evil Quebecois would swallow the entire province.
The nefarious hate campaign was a smashing success for Newfoundland and a stunning setback for New Brunswick and so Quebec's sweetheart deal was left on the table. Then New Brunswickers were badly betrayed when the province was  left out of Williams new 'regional' power plan.
Well-played Danny! Here's another dagger!

The latest Newfie joke is the proposed go-around Quebec power transmission line that will cost an estimated seven billion dollars. When the true costs finally come in, it's likely to top off at the ten to twelve billion dollar range, making the whole project suspect.
Of course Williams has called on the hated federal government to help finance this folly and I sincerely hope that Harper tells Newfoundland to take a hike.
All this money, spent to satisfy the desire for vengeance by one angry man. Unbelievable!

Perhaps the new Premier of Newfoundland can put emotions aside and consider what's is in the real economic interest of the province. Building this expensive boondoggle just because Williams is angry at Quebec is the height of stupidity, but of course it's Newfoundland.

A real Premier would swallow her pride, put Churchill Falls behind her and make a deal to use existing transmission facilities through Quebec which would cost a fraction of the proposed go-around project.

The caveat being that the province hire a Toronto law firm, preferably Jewish, to do their negotiating!

For Newfoundlanders, reading this, who feel particularly irked, understand that seven years of Williams Quebec-bashing has sown the seeds of hate and poisoned relations between two neighbours for no good reason. Congratulations!

Do you honesty believe that if the shoe was on the other foot, that the Churchill Falls power agreement favoured Newfoundland, that Danny Williams would re-open negotiations?

That would be a real Newfie joke.
Here's another;