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Articles by Roger Bill
Wakeham, Pardy, and a Friday News Dump
By Roger Bill When governments want to bury bad news, hoping it will go unnoticed or quickly fade away they sometimes schedule media releases for Friday afternoon. In the trade it’s called the Friday News Dump. At 1:35 p.m. on Friday October 16 the Wakeham government took a dump. The morning editorial meeting was long over in local newsrooms. Reporters were working on their assignments. Edit suites were busy.
Stupid or Cynical – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill It’s puzzling. Candidate Tony Wakeham promises voters a referendum on a new Churchill Falls deal with Quebec. Later, Premier Tony Wakeham says there is no time for a referendum. Cynical move. Right out of an old political playbook. Candidate Tony Wakeham says there is no need to rush into an agreement with Quebec. Then later, Premier Tony Wakeham tells a gathering of NL Trades members, “We need to get building right away.
‘We’re not asking’ – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill Editor’s Note: During our correspondent’s recent vacation, he fell asleep one day in the Caribbean sun and awoke with a terrible headache and memories of a horrible dream in which he had interviewed U.S. President Donald Trump on behalf of The Shoreline. This is a transcript of what he remembers… The Shoreline News Interview with Donald Trump SN: You said if Canada becomes the 51st American state it can keep its national anthem. Correct?
Mel Watkins: "I told you so" – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill We were warned, but the Canadian economist Mel Watkins is dead, so he really didn’t say, “I told you so.” If Mel Watkins had, however, still been among us when U.S. President Donald Trump levied 25 per cent tariffs last week on Canadian exports to the U.S., he could have said, “I told you so.” In 1987 then Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulrooney negotiated what was called the Free Trade Agreement with U.S. President Ronald Regan. The country was divided.
How to net a barrow full of bills – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill The bills for Gerry Byrne’s $171,000 sponsorship of a bottom-rung British soccer team are quietly accumulating. On October 1, 2024 the Canadian Taxpayers Federation filed an ATIPP request for information about the cost of the government’s participation in three U.K. “Job Shows,” a meeting with officials at the office of the High Commissioner of Canada in the U.K, and the attendance of Minister Byrne’s successor, Sarah Stoodley, at a Barrow AFC soccer game.
Stepping into Gerry Byrne's bull paddy – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill The triumphant signals sent by the Newfoundland and Labrador government over its peculiar sponsorship of a minor league English soccer team come with a scent familiar to many journalists.
Just a 'slight variance' – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill In what could be the last economic update before a provincial election, Finance Minister Siobhan Coady said there was much to be optimistic about. An expanding economy and an uptick in the employment rate are positives. The provincial population is growing, and the inflation rate is falling. More positives. Oh, says Siobhan Coady, and one more thing. The forecast for the budget deficit is off a bit. What was supposed to be a $152 million deficit is going to be a $218 million deficit.
The Postmedia Telegram – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill The end of The Telegram’s 145-year history as a daily newspaper has finally arrived. What’s next? The CEO of the new owner, Postmedia, says his company is committed to “developing a more sustainable model” while “reinforcing our commitment to quality journalism.” So, what kind of “quality journalism” is Postmedia’s “more sustainable” model of The Telegram delivering?
Out of the Box versus Magical Thinking – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill The Provincial government’s decision to sponsor a bottom-rung British soccer team surprised many including some of the sponsors of other clubs in the league.
Gerry Byrne’s New Idea. Uh-Oh – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill The Minister described it as an “exciting new partnership.” Ever the optimist, Gerry Byrne, the Minister of Immigration, Population Growth, and Skills (IPGS), was announcing a two-year, $171,000 sponsorship with an English football team whose players will wear a Newfoundland and Labrador logo on their jerseys.
Happy Birthday? - The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill Last week Robert Belbin celebrated his 23rd birthday. Sort of, if “celebrating” means the guards at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary give you a piece of cake from the kitchen. Remember Robert Belbin? He is one of the young men the RNC believes was part of a “criminal network” behind a rash of shootings in St. John’s two years ago. He was charged following a fight with another young man, Thomas Barnes, on George Street on the May 24th weekend in 2022.
A Protest is a protest is a protest – The Shoreline News
The Shoreline News was founded in April of 1989 and is the LARGEST CIRCULATION COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Serving more than 16,000 households every week (and thousands via the world wide web) in the communities of Paradise, Conception Bay South, from Holyrood to Colliers, and all the communities of St. Mary’s Bay.
When free speech is hard to swallow – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill November 17, 2023 Edition Last Sunday a crowd gathered at the Colonial Building in St. John’s for what was billed as a Candlelight Vigil for Palestine. Someone waved a large Palestinian flag.
Legal Pot: Five Years Later – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill October 20, 2023 Edition The Media Advisory came from the Department of Justice and Public Safety. It said, “New RNC Unit Tackles Weapons and Drug Enforcement on the Northeast Avalon.” Seemed like a big deal. The Minister would be joining the Chief of Police to brief the media. The message? The drug marketplace has changed. Firearms are increasingly a part of that marketplace.
The Return of John Risley – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill / September 1, 2023 It is hard to read World Energy GH2’s forecasts for the impact of its massive wind-to-hydrogen project and not recall John Risley’s forecasts for the future of Fishery Products International when the Nova Scotia billionaire led the hostile 2001 takeover of the Newfoundland seafood company. Last week, the Risley-led World Energy GH2 released a 3,000+ page environmental impact assessment report. The table of contents alone is 39 pages.
Overdose Deaths. More Gunfire. – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill / August 11, 2023 There is no hiding from the statistics. There were 13 drug overdose deaths in St. John’s in all of 2022. There have been 11 so far this summer. Why? This picture may not tell you all you need to know, but it is a good start. Opiates are one of humankind’s all time favorite drugs. Opium poppies were cultivated in 3400 B.C. They have been called the “joy plant.” In 330 B.C., Alexander the Great introduced it to Persia and India.
More than just young guys in a fight on George Street? – The Shoreline News
By Roger Bill / August 4, 2023 10:00 AM. July 24. Twenty-one-year-old Robert Belbin’s hands are handcuffed behind his back. Leg irons are on his ankles. He kind of shuffles as he walks into Provincial Courtroom #6. His mother, Tonya, is sitting in the first row of the gallery. Robert Belbin pauses and as a member of the Sheriff’s staff removes the handcuffs the young man says, “Hiya Mom.
Got a Problem With Hydro-Québec? – The Independent
The person who pinned the “Got a problem with Hydro-Québec?” flyer to the bulletin board in the Montreal public library probably didn’t think about how a visitor from Newfoundland and Labrador would respond. Got a problem with Hydro-Québec? How about one that is more than 50 years old and isn’t scheduled to end until 2041?
Roger Bill, Author at The Independent
Low oil prices and poor fiscal judgement have pushed Newfoundland and Labrador into a recession. With the looming threat of credit rating downgrades that could cripple the economy, Finance Minister Cathy Bennett doesn’t have much room — or time — to make some tough decisions.
Bailout of Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project still uncertain
The Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project in Labrador (Photo courtesy of Nalcor Energy) Representatives of the federal and Newfoundland and Labrador governments signed agreements on Sunday formalizing a $5.2-billion bailout of the Muskrat Falls project to generate hydroelectric power in the province. It came seven months after Primer Minister Justin Trudeau and N.L. Premier Andrew Furey announced an agreement in principle in the lead-up to the federal election.
Another chance for the oil refinery in Come By Chance
The oft-troubled oil refinery at Come By Chance, N.L., may have avoided a lengthy, if not permanent, shutdown. On Tuesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey announced a deal he says will “ensure a long-term future” for the refinery.
Newfoundland and Labrador's health-care system cyberattacked
While Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey was in Scotland trying to persuade the world that East Coast offshore oil is clean, the data network that supports his province’s health-care system was cyberattacked. “Our email systems are down,” Dave Diamond, a senior health official with the province, said Monday. “Our patient-information system is down.
Innu say they were backstabbed in Muskrat Falls deal
Whether federal and Newfoundland and Labrador officials knew Sept. 30 was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation when they marked it as the deadline to finalize the Muskrat Falls rate-mitigation deal is unclear — but, without a doubt, it’s ironic. The $5.2-billion deal intended to keep electricity rates from skyrocketing in N.L. was announced on July 28. Two weeks later, the Innu Nation went to the Supreme Court in N.L. seeking an injunction to prevent finalizing the agreement.
Liberals hope to start election night by stealing St. John’s East
Results from the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of St. John’s East will be among the first reported on election night. It’s a seat the Liberals hope to flip, and, according to a new Mainstreet survey, they’re likely to succeed. The survey shows that, if an election were held today, 50 per cent of leaning and decided voters would vote Liberal, 30 per cent would choose the NDP, and 16 per cent would pick the Conservatives.
The Muskrat might not be off Premier Furey's back just yet
Reaction to the federal government’s additional $5.2-billion investment in the over-budget and behind-schedule Muskrat Falls hydro project in Labrador has been swift and predictable. As he stood next to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in St. John’s at the announcement of the bailout on Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey was smiling, almost beaming.
Terra Nova oil project continues , N.L. dodges economic blow
Terra Nova, one of four oil fields on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, is not being abandoned. At least, not yet. Suncor Energy, whose share of the project will increase from 38 per cent to 48 per cent, announced on Wednesday that “an agreement in principle to restructure the project ownership and provide short-term funding towards the continuing development” had been reached.
Terra Nova oil project continues, sparing N.L.'s economy
Terra Nova, one of four oilfields on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, is not being abandoned. At least, not yet. Suncor Energy, whose share of the project will increase from 38 to 48 per cent, announced on Wednesday that “an agreement in principle to restructure the project ownership and provide short-term funding towards the continuing development” had been reached.
Newfoundland and Labrador's budget swells debt load
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Finance minister has introduced a budget that would add $1.7 billion to the province’s staggering $47-billion debt load. Facing what government officials describe as an “unsustainable” fiscal situation requiring “urgent” action, Finance Minister Siobhan Coady has delivered a mix of tax increases and spending cuts. She calls her budget a “reasonable and prudent plan.” To that end, health and education will be restructured.
N.L. faces 'fast-approaching' debt wall: economic report
An economic-recovery team assembled by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey released a report today that echoes the conclusion of a recent C.D. Howe Institute analysis: “Without strong corrective action, provincial finances appear to be set on an unsustainable track.” The premier’s report, “The Big Reset,” found the province is in an “unprecedented crisis,” and its financial situation “grave,” “dire,” and “perilous.” “Spending is out of control (and) unsustainable, (unless) urgently...
Andrew Furey, Charles Bown, and Tough Decisions — The Independent
If Andrew Furey wants to sell himself as a political leader who can make tough decisions in these difficult times, then his appointment of Charles Bown to head a crown corporation may have just made that task more difficult. According to Justice Richard LeBlanc, Commissioner of the Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Fall Project, Charles Bown was the Province’s “point person” as the megaproject transitioned from the drawing board to financial debacle.
LETTER: Premier Furey, We Need a Green New Deal — The Independent
What follows is the text of a letter submitted to Premier Andrew Furey from the Coalition for a Green New Deal in Newfoundland and Labrador. Dear Premier Furey, It is the pleasure of the Coalition for a Green New Deal in Newfoundland and Labrador (CGNDNL) to welcome you to the Office of the Premier. We are a group of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who advocate for key social issues affecting our province. It is our hope to work with you and your office to address as many of these as possible.
The Snelgrove Cycles: What was Done and What was Lost — The Independent
In January 2015, Jane Doe reported a sexual assault from December 2014. She alleged that an on-duty patrol officer, Carl Douglas Snelgrove, gave her a ride home and then assaulted her in her apartment. Snelgrove maintains that all sexual activity was consensual. The Crown argued, in the first trial, that there was no consent because either Jane Doe did not give consent, or, due to alcohol intoxication, she was unconscious or otherwise too intoxicated to give legal consent. Snelgrove was acquitted.
Liberals win slim majority in N.L. election
At 48 per cent it was the lowest turnout in a N.L. election since Confederation, but Premier Andrew Furey’s minority Liberal government increased its seats from 19 to 22 in the 40-seat provincial House of Assembly. Furey’s three seat gain, making his government a majority, came at the expense of the PC and NDP whose leaders both failed to hold their seats. It has been described as a weird and chaotic election campaign.
Voting finally coming to an end in N.L. election
It was supposed to be a 28-day provincial election that instead turned into a 69-day marathon, but voting in Newfoundland and Labrador is finally scheduled to come to an end later today. Liberal Leader Andrew Furey called the election on Jan. 15, which would have had voters head to polls on Feb. 13.
The strange N.L. election just got stranger
On Thursday afternoon, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey was answering questions from the reporters during what is proving to be a provincial election unlike any other when he said, “We are in a strange moment in time.” Less than 48 hours later, it got stranger.
Uncertainty follows suspension of N.L. election
Newfoundland and Labrador are in uncharted waters following Friday night’s decision to cancel in-person voting in a provincial election which had been scheduled for Saturday. The cancellation followed news of an outbreak of the highly transmissible B117 (the U.K.) variant of the COVID-19 virus.
N.L. election collides with COVID-19 outbreak
Premier Andrew Furey did not have to call an election in Newfoundland and Labrador until the fall, but less than a month ago he decided that voters would go to the polls this Saturday, Feb. 13.
Andrew Furey's Liberals roll the dice with a winter election in N.L.
Campaign signs began to appear on St. John’s streets last Friday morning on the eve of the first anniversary of a ferocious winter storm that paralyzed eastern Newfoundland and became known as “Snowmageddon.” The record-breaking snowfall led to a declaration of a state of emergency and the intervention of the Canadian Forces to restore a semblance of everyday life.
The unfolding Muskrat Falls fiasco: Ottawa offers NL debt relief
Last Thursday, as bills for the Muskrat Falls behind-schedule and over-budget hydroelectric project were finally coming due, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Federal government was deferring $844 million in payments from Newfoundland and Labrador. It was welcome news for Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey who faced the daunting task of borrowing money in bond markets where the province was unable to raise funds as recently as last March.
An offshore sale flops and Newfoundland and Labrador's economy takes a hit
An eagerly awaited sale of seventeen blocks of east coast offshore acreage last week was expected to draw hundreds of millions of dollars in bids from international oil companies. Instead it attracted one offer for $ 27 million, loose change for an industry that bid $ 1.8 billion for similar acreage in 2018.
A new Atlantic Loop faces some old obstacles
A single sentence in last week’s throne speech announcing a project called the Atlantic Loop “that will connect surplus clean power to regions transitioning away from coal” appears to signal a readiness on the part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to try to make a deal where others have tried and failed.
A Further Step Towards The Modernization Of Quebec's Environmental Authorization Regime
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Incoming premier Dr. Andrew Furey says 'everything' is on the table to cure N.L.'s disastrous debt
Yesterday the son of George Furey, the Speaker of the Canadian Senate, won the Liberal Party leadership race in Newfoundland and Labrador. Dr. Andrew Furey, a 45 year-old surgeon, may have politics in his genes, but the incoming premier who will be taking control of a government that is deeply and dangerously in debt has never held elective office. How deep and dangerously in debt?
OPINION | Opinion | Let's cleanse the landscape of the name of a Beothuk killer | CBC News
Two centuries ago, the name of the towering Blue Mountain Tolt in central Newfoundland was changed to honour a man who remains best known for killing Beothuk. The time is more than right, Roger Bill writes, to change it again. It is not easy to get to Mount Peyton, in central Newfoundland. It was formerly known as Blue Mountain Tolt, perhaps because of the hue it appears to have in sunlight.
The pedestals were washed away: The sex abuse scandals that rocked the church in N.L.
It started with Father Jim Hickey. Then came Mount Cashel. Three decades later, veteran journalist Roger Bill looks back. The Basilica of St. John the Baptist dominates the St. John's skyline. The status of the church, though, has changed. (Submitted by Alexandra Antle ) It was like a hurricane. But not just the front of the storm, where the skies darken and the wind gathers strength.
What flim-flam is and how it took centre stage at the Muskrat Falls inquiry
"I'm acknowledging that's what was done." It was with that one response that Gilbert Bennett — the vice-president of Nalcor Energy — confirmed what critics have long contended: that Nalcor lowballed cost estimates for the massive Muskrat Falls hydro project. Basically, producing numbers that were, to be polite, flim-flam. Not familiar with the word? Used as a noun in the 16th century, it means a ploy, a ruse, or a trick.
When public inquiries were public
These are the "highest" principles to be used for guiding the Commission of Inquiry Respecting the Muskrat Falls Project, according to Barry Learmonth, one of the commission's co-counsels. Those comments came at a media briefing this week, ahead of the start of public hearings on Monday. But reporters were also told those principles won't be the only ones guiding the inquiry and the information coming out of it.
Muskrat Falls brings to mind N.L. government boondoggles of the past
On July 1st, when the first of what promises to be a series of jumps to hydro bills across the province came into effect, payback time for the over-budget and behind-schedule Muskrat Falls hydro project arrived. The upcoming public inquiry into how the Labrador hydro project went wrong will be the largest since the 1982 inquiry into the sinking of the Ocean Ranger drilling rig, which took 82 lives.
Archbishop Penney's passing should keep history of sex abuse scandal alive
Somehow it seems fitting that no picture accompanies the obituary of the former Archbishop of St. John's at the Telegram website. The Catholic church has wanted Alphonsus Penney to disappear ever since the first priest in the archdiocese was charged with sexually assaulting boys during his watch. That priest was Jim Hickey, and Alphonsus Penney knew Jim Hickey from the time Penney was an assistant priest at St. Joseph's church on Quidi Vidi Road and Hickey was a member of the church choir.
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