RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

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RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

Many politicians make reference to being a part of Responsible Government, a term used to represent a governing party doing what is right for the people it represents.

Premier Danny Williams, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, currently is responsible for providing Responsible Government in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Yet, the Premier has performed, participated in, or allowed the following irresponsible actions to occur on his watch:

- He has pulled the Canadian Flag from the Confederation Building (comparable with burning our National Ensign);

- He has made religiously based, derogatory comments towards a former Nun of the Roman Catholic Church in the House of Assembly;

- He has expropriated property, costing NL nearly $1 Billion;

- He has utilized a foreign healthcare system for an operation that was available in Canada and openly lied to the people of NL during a news interview stating that the operation was not offered in Canada;

- He has caused Hydro Electric projects in Labrador to fail due to being aggressive in his negotiations with another Province of Canada and then blaming it on a partial, bias Justice System in that Province and not on the technical failures in the law suit itself;

- He was outspoken when dealing with the NL Healthcare System and stated in the news that Laboratory Technicians “Should be Shot” for a mix up in testing;

- He has lost respect with the Province’s Nurses during contract negotiation;

- He has lost respect with the Province’s Doctors during contract negotiations;

- He did not remove the Minister of Health and Community Services from that portfolio when he stated that he was not confident in the healthcare system that his government provides but refused to fix the same problems that he perceived being wrong; and

- He did not discipline a Member of the PC Caucus who stated in the House of Assembly that it was not a government’s responsibility to provide a Healthy and Nurturing Society. He went on to say that “It is not a share and share alike” system of government.

All of these things, with the exception of the first listed, happened in the past year while still maintaining a very high confidence rating in the polls.

Is Premier Williams still effective and providing Responsible Government? You be the judge.