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Written by Alex J. Walling
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Monday, 22 February 2010 |
By Alex J. Walling
Our provincial political leaders from Premier Darrell Dexter, who promised ‘a new kind of government’, to fairly new Liberal leader Stephen MacNeil and the interim PC leader Karen Casey simply don’t get it. In fact, their conduct and deportment over the last few weeks on the MLA’s expense scandal pathetically shows that they haven’t a clue how the so called average Nova Scotian feels.
Even though the Chronicle Herald has received more letters on this topic than ever, that CBC News 5-5:30 and 6pm editions are getting 50-80 calls a show on this topic and even though it is the item in coffee shops, barbershops and probably welding shops, these leaders still struggle with the word, open and/or transparency. They just don’t get it and refuse to reveal what the public, who pays their salaries, expenses, generators and digital cameras, etc, wants to know. They either refuse or it takes lots of pressure to get some information from them, why? What are they hiding? |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Friday, 18 September 2009 |
I am certain Lewis Carroll didn’t have the members of Halifax Regional Municipal council in mind when he coined the word “jabberwocky.” After all, that was 1872, and Ron Wallace was mayor. Or so it seems.
Anyway, anyone who missed Tuesday’s debate over banning bottled water from city hall, missed what could have been a classic edition of Laugh In. Such was the nonsense spoken by the majority of members debating the subject.
Kudos to Deputy Mayor David Hendsbee, who chaired the meeting, for not grabbing a couple of councilors by the throat and shaking them into a state of awareness. A few of the members, such as Bob Harvey, Reg Rankin, Gloria McCluskey and Sue Uteck, did their best to keep the debates in focus and on topic. The rest? Can you spell grand-standing? |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Saturday, 12 September 2009 |
If I owned a gun, which I don’t and never will, and visited a beaver colony and systematically wiped them out, the SPCA would have me in court before I could blink. So why aren’t those responsible for slaying the beavers last week in Bayhead, Colchester County facing charges?
Maybe not the ones who pulled the trigger, they were acting under orders. But certainly the twit(s) at the Department of Transportation who issued the edict should face the music. As their boss, Bill Estabrooks said, “Errors in judgment were made.”
The Transportation Minister was refreshingly open and frank when he said, “There were- let’s call it like it is – some mistakes that were made.”
Continuing, however, he innocently made the understatement of the year; “There probably would be a more diplomatic way to do it in the future.” |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Thursday, 03 September 2009 |
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is playing a dangerous game. Throwing down the gauntlet by announcing he plans to defeat the Harper government at the first opportunity when the House of Commons resumes sitting, may just break the log jam, and send the voters, those who bother with the process, over to the Conservatives in droves.
I was interested in a straw poll on a recent CTV evening newscast. Viewers of the 6pm program with Steve Murphy were 10 to 1 against a fall election. While this is not a formal poll, the figure is somewhat telling.
Canadians are fed up with politicians and elections. So much so that there could be a significant backlash if the Liberals force the issue. One thing is certain, the Conservative supporters will vote. Especially in the West, where they dominate. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Friday, 28 August 2009 |
Darren Muise, Freeman MacNeil and Derek Wood are the three soulless monsters who, on May 7, 1992 walked into the Sydney River McDonald’s and murdered three employees, while carrying out an armed robbery.
A 29-year-old maintenance worker and married father of one, Neil Burroughs, was shot, stabbed and beaten with a shovel. Another maintenance worker, 27-year-old Jimmy Fagan was shot dead. The shift manager that evening was Donna Warren, 22. They shot her in the head after she had opened the safe.
A fourth staff member, Arleen MacNeil was shot and severely wounded, and left permanently disabled.
Freeman MacNeil and Darren Wood were convicted of first degree murder in 1993and sentenced to life in prison with no parole for at least 25 years. Muise ducked the first-degree charge by pleading guilty to second degree murder and received a life sentence with no parole before 20 years were served. Muise, by the way, slit the throat of Neil Burroughs when he discovered he was still alive after having been shot in the head. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Sunday, 23 August 2009 |
I knew Bill Gillis for nearly 40 years. Three of those years we worked on the same team, he as the Liberal member for Antigonish, and I as the Director of Communications for the Leader of the Opposition, and his then boss, Vince MacLean.
It was during those 36 months that I got to know and appreciate the man they called Billy in the Little Vatican and the surrounding communities that made up his constituency.
His passing this week, after a short battle with brain cancer, brought back many memories. Each reflection centered on his honesty and his devotion to those he represented and served. That and his frugality. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Thursday, 13 August 2009 |
I wish I could take credit for the title of this week’s column, because it describes Peter Kelly to a “T”. However the credit for the quote must go to the late Will Rogers.
HRM’s mayor is, to be kind, confused. Or so it seems. His performance in relation to the malfunctioning sewage treatment plant borders on the pathetic.
This week he was upset with the Halifax members of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association and in particular the Association’s vice-president Luc Erjavec, who said Halifax Harbour “is putrid, it stinks.” Guess what, Peter, he’s right. And so is every upset citizen of HRM who is footing the bill for this fiasco. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Saturday, 08 August 2009 |
Hundreds gathered on Saturday, August 8th, to say good bye to Darrell Robinson, one of the most decent individuals to have ever trod this earth. Darrell had lost his battle with cancer on August 4th.
A native of rural New Brunswick, he and wife Marilyn called Halifax home for the last 40 years. In 1970, he bought Alf Hamshaw’s garage in Rockingham and opened Scotia Tire. Through his hard work and dedication, the business thrived and today consists of four outlets. Both of his sons, John and Bill joined him in the business as did his grandson, Phillip. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Thursday, 30 July 2009 |
The steady hand and calm approach of Darrell Dexter is rubbing off on his cabinet, his caucus. Unlike the Liberal government headed by the late John Savage, who began their mandate like bulls in a china shop, upsetting just about every Nova Scotian within their first six months in office, the NDP approach is the complete opposite.
Savage, a decent man, was a victim of poor advice from a small cadre ( four or five ministers) within his cabinet, individuals who listened to no one, marching briskly to the beat of their own drum. A march that eventually took them from a landslide victory to third party status.
How bad was it? In 1993 Nova Scotians elected 43 Liberals and all but wiped out the Tories who had run up a horrendous debt, not to mention our collective disgust with the toilet seat covers affair. Yet six short years later the Progressive Conservatives were back on top, as even they looked better than the ruling Grits. |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Saturday, 25 July 2009 |
My euphoria was short lived on Friday morning as I had only partially read a headline in the Chronicle-Herald. What my eye caught was “jail term for bus shelter damage.” What it missed was “man fights jail term ….”.
In that brief moment, my heart raced as I felt that finally the law was dealing with one of these punks who take delight in ruining our community.
In case you missed it, Michael Jose Barbosa Mason, a 23-year-old from Evans Avenue in Fairview, was sentenced on July 13 in a Halifax Provincial Court, after pleading guilty to charges of mischief and breaching a recognizance. The latter was for failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. |
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