Friday August 29th

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is VOCM Open Line Call seven oh nine two
seven three fifty two eleven or one trimal eight five
ninety eight six two six abusing opinions of this programmer,
not necessarily those of this station. The biggest conversation in
Newfoundland and Labradors starts. Now Here's VOCM open Line host

(00:23):
Paddy Daily.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Well, good Friday morning, and welcome to open Line Surprise.
Brian Callahan in for Paddy Daily today on what has
been affectionately termed in many corners, has come on with
it Friday, you may have heard that term for so
we head into the long Labor Day weekend for many,
not everyone, that's for sure. I'm always weary when I
go when I say to anybody, you know, you know

(00:47):
it's Friday, Happy Friday or TGIF or ood weekend. But
we know a lot of people are carrying one, two three,
many jobs on the side, yours truly included. So there's
all kinds of stuff on to go to weekend, you know,
on the labor front course, and we'll talk get into that.
Looking forward to anyone who would like to carry the
flag or the placard for Labor Day today and all

(01:09):
the workers in the province because we out them, we
would be nowhere. Uh And as I said, there's a
lot to come on with. Let's see, let's you know.
So I am too very much a sports hound. I've
set it before, It'll say it again. Sports is about,
you know, as much the epitome of reality TV. For me,
it doesn't compare to the other stuff like produced and

(01:32):
and a highly edited and scripted reality TV show. So
I'm old enough to vividly recall the ABC's Wild World
Sports and it's famous moniker, the thrill of victory and
the agony of defeat, the latter insert maple leafs here. Overall,
you know, local sports, if there's anything any accomplishment, tournament event,
give me a shout, tell us all about it. When

(01:54):
I fill in for Patty, like this hardest on top
of everything that's occurring outside of what I'm covering as
a so I try to dip in here and there
and try to keep on top of things. But local
sports wise, it is not like it was back in
the day when I worked for the Telegram, where the
calls will be coming in fast and furious everywhere, all
corners of the province, and we'd rush out a newspaper
with every single minor sports score you could imagine. And

(02:17):
that was not for the faint of hearth. Those are
wild times. But today there's still lots of ways electronically
to get it to us. So here at openline dot
c a open line at BOCM dot com one eight
eight eight, Oh my gosh, it's been so long. I
got to look up the numbers till two seven, three
fifty two eleven locally seven oh nine. If you want

(02:38):
to give us a shout here on the show. In
the meantime, quick check check on the US Open, the
final major of the atp WTA tennis season, and Canadians
are looking pretty good. We now have three. I tried
to do a quick check to see when was the
last time we had three into the main draw in
the main draw into the third round, but both Dennis

(03:00):
Shapovalov Chapeau and Faa Felix o j al Jassim on
the men's side made it through yesterday. I don't know
how Felix did it. That was a Houdini act. And
Laila Fernandez on the women's side, and interestingly enough, Fernandez
is also into the next round in women's doubles with
wait for it, the great Venus Williams, and that just

(03:22):
came about, you know, on short notice, talk of a
phone call late at night. Next thing you know, there
were a couple in doubles, in women's doubles, and they
won their match the other day, Venus Williams. Mind you,
forty five years old, fourteen Grand Slam titles in women's doubles,
and you know, she got her wild carried into the

(03:43):
singles draw this time, which is just a great, you know, spectacle,
just to see her back on still on that court
at forty five years old, and her and Laila knocked
off of a legitimate contender in doubles and Dermo moving
on to the second round. So it'll be fun to
watch as long as as well as Faa and Chapeau
moving into the next rounds. Jays are back at it

(04:04):
tonight after day off yesterday. Still hanging tough in the
toughest division MMLB if you ask me, but the Red
Sox and Yanks hot on the heels just a few
games back now as we head into the final stretch
and the playoffs, looks like we should at least be there,
if nothing else, A wild guard. That would suggest there's

(04:24):
a total collapse before and the last thing you want
to do is not be on a roll when you
head into the playoffs. Few things still iron out. The
bullpen showed some cracks again this week against the Twins.
I'm not sure, mister Hoffman, there are quote unquote closer
blew a big one and then came back and sort
of us the word for it. He redeemed himself in

(04:46):
the Wednesday night game, crazy comeback nine eight, but he
still picked up to save in that one. So back
on track, Let's see if they can pull out a
nice weekend, a nice series at home. And Vladdie still
not in you know, still not right in my mind,
to borrow a phrase from Buck Martinez, and my mind,

(05:07):
he's performed above average on many fronts. You know, you
look at his numbers and they're great numbers. But that
fear of him on deck for the opposition just not
there for me anymore. Is not the you know, the
feared entity on deck next that he might have been
right now, it's more like Boba Chez who can't miss
when there's people on base. So anyway, we can talk
Jay's if you want, we could talk any kind of sports,

(05:29):
you name it. I'm up for it, sports, any subject,
you got it. Beth is there to take your call.
Beth filling in all this week. Let's see, and let's see.
Now we have Linda Swayne out of our newsroom today,
our crack reporter who has you know, I don't know
how she pumps out as much news as she does,
but she doesn't, and so I don't know how the

(05:52):
newsroom is surviving. Of course, they great Sarah Strickland, Brian
ma Door on tap and Ricky Duggan and Richard Duggan
taking care of the newsroom. But Linda's on her way
out to Conception Bay North. I'm sure she's there now,
and there's a news conference schedule for ten o'clock this
morning out there. Now, the reception isn't the great. We
all isn't the best. We all know. So we're going
to try to hook up with Linda who's out there
as well as along with a lot of residents who

(06:14):
are now have the permission and to enter back into
what many people can only describe as a war zone.
And you know, you don't like to throw around those
terms very easily. And I haven't been there personally. I've
seen video and it's slowly but surely the more that
it comes out and the more actual pictures we see,

(06:36):
This isn't somewhere. This isn't you know, the wildfires of
California where we've seen devastation. This is our backyard and
it just swept through and took no mercy on some
and did on others, no rhyme or reason to it.
So really really difficult times out there as people return
and look what they've lost, and you know, come to
reality with with you know, years and decades of homes,

(07:00):
mementos and pictures. And I was listening yesterday. You know
some people we all have pictures and that sort of
thing on our phones and are but the most valuable
ones if you haven't. You know, there's lots of services
out there that can convert actual photographs and all polaroids
and photo albums into you know, electronic means, so you
can have them forever. But a lot of people don't.
They have them sitting around in boxes like I do,

(07:22):
and others. You know, things that are really special to
you kids, stuff you know, sitting in special places in
your home that that don't account for events like this
where you got to get out and the next thing
you know, it's all gone. So and please, you know
I'm gonna I'm only going to say this once and
if you want to jime in, by all means, But
people taking advantage of other people when they're at their

(07:43):
lowest and going through the hardest time of their lives.
I you know, it's it's maybe it's a good thing.
I don't get it because they're I'd be on that
level and I'd understand their thinking, but it is scary
stuff to think that people are out looting or stealing
stuff from people who have already lost just about everything,
if not everything, and the only thing is not lost
maybe an ATV or something they're taking it. I mean,

(08:06):
you know, it justifies any kind of logic or human anyway.
That's enough of that, and very rarely at a lost words.
But just following all of this this week from on
the periphery and not necessarily being here on the front
lines of open line, it's just watching it and listening
to it. It's really hard to come to grips with.
And Linda Swayne is out there and she's going to

(08:27):
no doubt draw a very vivid picture for us if
and when we can get a hold of her, because
as I said, you know, this highlights an issue that
there is poor cell reception out in that area, and
maybe that'll be something else that comes out of this
that we can focus on. But right now, it's all
about the people who've lost either everything or almost everything

(08:48):
out there and are just trying to find their way through,
let alone with the school you're about to start. So
it's a conglomeration of difficulties for people out there, and
we only wish them the best. If you you know,
are able to and you want to try to, you know,
put it into words what this has meant to you,
and you've been affected by the wildfires, by all means,

(09:08):
we are here for that very reason. Let's see what
else have I got on my notes here, Beth, got
a couple of calls. We're going to get to them
as quick as you can, because this is all about
the callers and not about me. Of course, it's the
Labor Day weekend, so you know, as I mentioned, anyone
on the labor front. I know we had some of
the big players and big hitters on the morning show

(09:29):
this morning with Jerry Lynn, but by all means I'm
open to another chat about that and the importance. I
do recall a couple of years ago. You know, we
always talk about Labor Day weekend and then the importance
of safety and all that sort of thing on the job,
but then you may recall a couple of years ago
the explosion had come by chance on a Friday afternoon,
the weekend before Labor Day weekend. I hate to bring

(09:51):
it up, but it needs to be first and foremost
in our mind that these things happen, and that happened
that the most ironically difficult time that it could have
possibly happened. We know that a man was killed and
many others were injured, and that's still working its way
to the courts, by the way, which I'm trying to
keep an eye on in the Claronville Provincial courts out there.
So again, you know, any talk on the labor front

(10:12):
and safety first and foremost will be all over that.
Let's see, and does it feel like an election is coming?
Or two?

Speaker 3 (10:21):
Maybe?

Speaker 2 (10:21):
Beth, what do you think you know? Sorry, I'll say
this again, and I get an opportunity to do here now,
but I'll say it to anyone who's listening. Election signs
drive me not batty. I know it works, clearly it works.
Otherwise people with me be spending the money on them
and sending crews out to build them. We know there
are you know, over the years there have been better restrictions.

(10:42):
I'm where those signs are placed. If this is something
bugs you as much as me, I'm all over that
one too. There are some rules and regulations safety wise intersections.
You can't have them blocking certain site lines so you
can't make a turn safely. And that's not necessarily what
people are thinking. People without the you know, engineering know how,
and they're putting these up, they look around and they oh,

(11:02):
she'd be able to see their way through that. But
when you get to an intersection and you're stopped at
a light or in the right lane, which sometimes doesn't happen,
people will be in half and half a lane and
block up Cama Road. But that's another tangent I'll go
off on later. Yeah, if if that's something that bothers you,
and it bothers me, because I've had a couple of
close calls and nothing personal to the sign itself and

(11:24):
who's faces on it. And that's the other thing. The
easy you know, if you call it graffiti, that can
end up on some of them. Pretty funny. There's one
in town I'm not going to use. I know people
have seen it. There's a great handlebar mustache put on
a certain on a sign down downtown. They probably removed
it by now, but hey, uh not right, but that

(11:46):
was pretty funny. And so yeah, if you want to
talk elections, municipal, provincial, I noticed this week, of course
Stepani may Or shiel Oh Larry step down that was
coming anyway, so she can run into the election. And
you know, if you're up for it, I'm sure there
are a few people out there would like to get
their platforms out there. And just a little note I'll
say for municipal politicians. And this one is just something

(12:09):
that always bugs me. In the city. You see developments
in various neighborhoods and streets and that sort of thing.
And after all the said and done, the laterals go in.
The laterals being the pipes that you know, connect all
the houses, They go underneath the streets go from one
side to the other. And you know it's on the
contractors to when they have to dig those up, put
in new pipes or replace pipes or for new homes

(12:32):
or whatever. It's on them to replace the pavement the
way it was, the way it was. But boyl boy,
more often than not, it is not put back the
way it was. And my mechanic and my garage know
all about it. So if and those are the called
the laterals, I don't know if a lot of people
know what they're called. I only learned it over through
I'm no engineer, municipal or otherwise, but through covering city

(12:52):
council over the years. It always fascinated me that that's
on of course the contractor, but you know that he
should hold him to the fire to feed to the
fire if they don't put it back the way they do.
And it's usually just an afterthoughts of construction companies. That's
just you know, they'll do whatever they got to do,
just put the pavement back, and then in a couple
of weeks it's down about half a foot and you're

(13:13):
losing your front end. So just something else to throw
on the platform for any election errors out there's see
how we doing best. We've got a couple of calls
in the queue. Let's not deley dally anymore. Get off
to the first break of the morning and come back
with your calls. Brian Tallahan in for Patty Daily on
Open Line this morning. We'll be right back.

Speaker 1 (13:31):
He's Open Line now the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
And welcome back to the show. Let's go right to
line too. And Daryl you're.

Speaker 4 (13:40):
On the air.

Speaker 5 (13:43):
Hi, Brian, how are you today?

Speaker 2 (13:44):
Grant sir?

Speaker 3 (13:45):
How are you?

Speaker 6 (13:46):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (13:46):
I'm doing good, Thank you and thanks for having me
on your show.

Speaker 2 (13:49):
No worries, I here. You got some company in the
background there, yes.

Speaker 7 (13:53):
Yes, yes, I see someone going down the road and
got to another room.

Speaker 5 (13:57):
It was more quieter.

Speaker 2 (13:58):
No, that's fine, he's yeah.

Speaker 5 (14:01):
Wine Coomb is the Upper Churchill deal and.

Speaker 7 (14:06):
How I think and other people think is being rushed
and being fast paced, and to me is not good
because when you look at when you look at the
whole picture, you look like now a lot of people
are chiming in on, like Danny Williams, Chess Crosby, Jack Harris,
Bernard Coffee, top civil servants, and I think everybody cannot

(14:29):
be wrong with this, and we don't take her time
and do this right. We want to repeat after the
nineteen sixty nine deal and once the.

Speaker 8 (14:38):
Deal is done.

Speaker 7 (14:40):
We've done it over the years, challenged in the courts
and we never got no mohere with it. And as
a matter of fact, Copect that you want to come
to the table and talk to us. But now the
reason why they're talking to us now because they need
more hydro and they need our asset.

Speaker 5 (14:55):
So the balls in our.

Speaker 7 (14:56):
Court and we got to take her time do this
right because they need more hoardles, more demand on haydre now,
especially for EV vehicles and and you know, and they
need more of this too if they wanted to send
down to the US market whatever. And now they're looking
at their critical minerals, which I'm hearing from an MP

(15:19):
up and Labrador recently on tim Power saying that Labrador
won't benefit. But so why are we rushing this? And
there's another thing I don't agree with with Premier Hogan.
He said that we're going to make this deal or
Quebec's going to go elsewhere. They're not going nowhere, the
mate dopper Churchill Power, They're not going to go nowhere else.

(15:40):
And another thing I don't agree with he's going to
make this an election issue and that is totally round two.
It should be put to the people off the province
of New Flann Labrador.

Speaker 5 (15:50):
It should go to a referendum.

Speaker 7 (15:52):
And educate people. Okay, this is what is proposed, this
is the actual deal and and that's what should be done.
And if he puts it as an election issue, I
don't know.

Speaker 5 (16:05):
Like a lot of people, you don't.

Speaker 7 (16:07):
Hear from a lot of people, but they're saying the
same thing. A lot of people don't agree with the steal.
And if you've got all these top people now are
voicing against it, I mean there's something not right. So
why not Premier Hogan, why not talk to Danny Williams
or Jack Harris or Chess Crosby or Bernard Coffee or whatever,

(16:28):
sit down, have a discussion with all these people, because
this asset is the government got Remember this asset is
owned by the people of New Plan Labrador or the taxpayers.
We owned asset. So after they don't have the right
to negotiate.

Speaker 5 (16:43):
And this is a bad deal.

Speaker 7 (16:44):
And nowly that fifty year deal, what fifty years, A
lot of things could change. Looking at the nineteen sixty
nine deal, if that was a good deal at times
in the seventies a change and look how loutside of
it went.

Speaker 5 (16:55):
It went more in favor Quebec to the new plan Labrador.

Speaker 7 (16:58):
So why another fifty short term even of us five
or ten years, but fifty years.

Speaker 5 (17:05):
I think this is going to go outside again.

Speaker 7 (17:08):
Most people feel the same thing.

Speaker 5 (17:10):
And you know, we we got to.

Speaker 7 (17:12):
Get this right because you look at all the assets
we got in this province. Besides hard roll, we got Borsheit,
we have critical minerals. We got it all and we
had all those assets and it was negotiated right and
done right. We shouldn't be paying no taxes here in
this province. We should be money in the bank. But
everything is just like gone out the door. So like

(17:32):
it's time now for all these mishaps to stop, and
we got to.

Speaker 5 (17:36):
Get it right.

Speaker 7 (17:37):
If not, we're not only we're going to pay the price,
but future generations are going to pay the price as well.

Speaker 5 (17:43):
So Premier Hope, let's get this right. Talk to the people.

Speaker 7 (17:48):
There's no harm having the input and and snow harm
to come out and say, well, you know this is
not so good after all, we'll have to re examine all.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
This is no harm in that.

Speaker 7 (17:59):
The main thing is, I don't care what political straight
everybody got the same attitude towards all this this this
is our resource. Let's get this right.

Speaker 2 (18:09):
Yeah, you know, I was at a news conference earlier
this week with the premiere and the issue came up.
You know, I don't personally see how this can be
an election issue me right, everybody acknowledges at this point,
including our own government, that these are quote unquote aggressive timelines,
and they're saying that more and more and louder, and
they're reiterating it. So my feeling, you know, with the

(18:32):
as you pointed out, some heavy hitters out there, people
with knowledge and of this. You know, people were the
same voices around muskrat Falls. You know, no one can
blame us for being careful. We are so gun shy
about these large, massive projects and this one being you
know called probably the most important one in the history
of the province. You know, again, let's getting it right.

(18:53):
The problem is knowing whether we're getting it right or not.
Let's face it, we don't know. The devil is all
in the details, and I stressed devil. You know, Quebec's
not just interested in that. Look when you look at
the Labrador Trough which borders both provinces, you know, until
they actually acknowledge the border, the Privy Council border from
decades ago.

Speaker 3 (19:12):
You know.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
And I've asked Premier lygo at a at a briefing,
and you know, I wasn't there this week to ask
him again. Apparently he wasn't even taking questions. That'll tell
you to me that speaks volumes, don't take questions.

Speaker 9 (19:24):
Oh yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
But in any events, you know the fact that you
know he was talking about the Labrador trough and and
you know, the minerals wasn't even one of the subjects
that was mentioned when he was when news broke that
he was coming here or sorry, hydro wasn't. It was
talked about, Oh, we're going to discuss other things such
as critical memory. So you know, more and more negotiations

(19:48):
are going on as Quebec eyes more of Labrador as
they are, whether it's for hydro development, whether it's for
critical memory. I mean, we know it was just signed,
the Germans just signed a massive deal. Karney was over
there for that. You know, the critical minerals are where
it's going and we have them. And is it no
wonder that Quebec's coming not just talking about hydro but
also critical minerals. And let's just hope that the border

(20:10):
never becomes an issue, because as I was about to
say a minute ago, and I've lost my trained lot.
But when I asked Legoux last year when he was
here in the province with Premier Fury, he didn't want
to talk about it then either he said, no, that's
not an issue for today, you know, some other day,
and both of them sort of shrugged it off and
moved on, but not answering yes or no to that question.

(20:31):
Do you acknowledge the actual border without yes or no?
That concern It should concerns me, should concern everyone. It's
a simple answer. And when they don't answer, you wonder.
So let's just hope. You know, we have we have leaders.
We elect them for a reason, people with expertise, you know,
and we do elect them. It is it's still a
democracy and we have to accept you know, the current

(20:52):
premier hasn't been elected under an election. We will acknowledge that.
And again with an election coming so soon and talk
of aggressive time timelines, I find the counterintuitive to be
calling it to say that this is going to be
the number one election issue when we just don't know
where it's going and how it will end up in
the details.

Speaker 7 (21:11):
Yeah, and I totally agree with you, Brian, everything you said.

Speaker 5 (21:13):
You hit it right on the mark and get back
to a premiere to goal.

Speaker 7 (21:18):
Uh, action speaks for ourselves, so we didn't take any questions.
Answer speaks to hisself. And another thing I'll address on
premier to goal. He's sinking in the polls big time,
and he got an election coming up next year and
he he got to do something to get his polling.

Speaker 3 (21:35):
Up as well.

Speaker 7 (21:36):
So people got to realize he's sinking in the polls.
He's desperate to do something so he get uh, you know,
re elected again and you know.

Speaker 4 (21:45):
So but.

Speaker 7 (21:47):
As you just said, well, I mean we we got
to get this right, and we're putting timelines like next
April and and like like you said. But I don't
agree with people don't agree making this election issue because
a lot of people don't know the details off the
MoU So one thing, educate people. This is why it's
actually in the details too. It should go to a

(22:08):
reference to the people of the problemsoft Labrador, because saur asset.
The taxpayers own that asset, not the government itself. The
taxpayers of this problem. So it's be fair and square
with it all.

Speaker 5 (22:21):
It should go to a referend, not an election issue.

Speaker 7 (22:23):
Because if he puts it to an election issue, I
want to tell you now a lot of a lot
of people that could that could backfire arm as well.
So he better sit back and do a lot of
thinking and soul searching and.

Speaker 5 (22:36):
Listen to the top dogs.

Speaker 7 (22:37):
And I left there a couple more people like David Bardy.
I listened to him there the other morning man. He's
well versed on all this, and I listened to him
in debt and he makes total sense and he got
a down pat and allows like Dez Sullivan. All these
people in addition to what I named off there, so
I mean they're not all wrong. I mean there's something
not right with this picture. They wouldn't just come out

(22:59):
and say, for his sake to say that there's something
to it. So Premier Holding start listening to all these people,
Listen to the people of New Cohad and Labrador with this,
because if you're getting aggressive with timelines and rush rush
rush man, once the deal is done, there's as good
to go back to the courts and dark challenging thing
like they've done before. Once the deal is done is done,

(23:19):
there's no changing it.

Speaker 2 (23:20):
Yeah, and you could go back to the courts, but
we know that, uh, that's glacial in its speed. And
you know Lego has other stuff going on too. But
he's supposed to testify at the Gallant Commission next week
in Quebec. And that's a whole other catastrophe that went
on in Quebec regarding their uh their cybersecurity and digital platform.

(23:40):
It was supposed to streamline you know, all these processes,
automobile insurance.

Speaker 3 (23:45):
All that.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
There is a scandal going on in Quebec and he
may I believe he's going to testify next week in
that so he's got other things on his plate as well,
needless to say. But and then you know, you look back.
I remember the news conference just you know, earlier this
year with Michael Sabia, the former High Ro Quebec CEO.
You know, it always bugs me that things they know
that they don't tell us. I mean they know so

(24:06):
you know, again I've said this before, but and I
know there are certain things that have you know, privacy
and commercial interests and all that sort of thing. Well
we get that, but you know, when they're sitting there
and he knows he's leaving as the hydro Quebec CEO,
and he's here for this big announcement, you know, and
more updates on the project and everything else. And then

(24:28):
the following week he's got He's gone. He knew he
was going, didn't tell anyone, you know, that kind of
like too cute by half. And now there's a new
CEO and she was here last week, story earlier this
week with Lego. I. You know, there's just so much
that goes on behind the scenes that we don't know,
and we don't find out until after the fact. And
if you don't ask the right question, you never get
the right answer or the import or the important answer.

(24:50):
And that game that goes on in politics will forever
in a day drive me to I was going to
say to mental, but that, yeah, do you know what
I'm saying?

Speaker 7 (24:58):
I know, he said, because you, uh, you beat me
to the paunch. And now I was going to bring
up the exact same thing. So now he's going to
be uh, Mark Kearney's I guess right.

Speaker 5 (25:08):
Hand man or wherever you want to call it. And
and and like you.

Speaker 7 (25:12):
Said, they never mentioned nothing about that when they're down negotiating,
so behind the scenes, this is this is uh, this
is not very good. We better be very diligent in
what we're doing and be very careful. And where they're
not getting where a lot of problems, a lot of
people are not getting this that if you work together
as a team and do great deals, not only New

(25:33):
Flann Labrador benefits, but the whole country benefits absolutely so.
So so you know, they got to start getting uh
with the program. But I mean, and then another thing
I'll mention too, Brian, I'm not hearing nobody chimed in
on this.

Speaker 5 (25:47):
None of the federal politicians.

Speaker 7 (25:50):
And even on the provincial level, ll even like one
or two maybe, but where's all the federal politicians on
either side, the Liberals or the PCs.

Speaker 5 (26:00):
I'm not hear knowing chiming in on this as well.

Speaker 7 (26:02):
And why they're not chiming in, I don't know, but
they should be chiming in on this as well.

Speaker 5 (26:08):
But he got timing on this.

Speaker 2 (26:09):
Yeah, I gotta get off the break. But just on
that note, they're probably not chiming in, Daryl, because there's
no federal election coming. That's why you're not hearing from
MPs on it. It's you know, under the radar until
you have to yes, under the radar.

Speaker 5 (26:25):
And this is another thing I'll make a short and suite.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
This could be.

Speaker 5 (26:28):
Discussed for another time.

Speaker 7 (26:29):
I think if when MPs get elected and they don't
do the job and not wait to four year term
and whatever, if they don't do their job PREVINSI your
federal level, they should be fired. Like if you're in
a private sector you don't do the job, the same
thing and same thing, the legislation should be brought in
the same thing. You don't do your job, then you
leave your post.

Speaker 2 (26:49):
Yeah, that can be a very subjective, you know, decision
or assessment of somebody not doing their job, depending on
what they're supposed to be doing. There's some jobs you
can count how many things were done in that say,
but you know whether a politician is doing their job
or not. They're the only person that decides that is
the election box. So there you go, darl I got

(27:09):
to get off to the got to get off to
the break. A great call. Thanks so much for a
starting off the show for me today.

Speaker 7 (27:14):
No not problem, and thank you for having me on
your show as well. Brian and all the best to
you and the staff at BOCM, and you're listening to
the audience and have a great long weekend.

Speaker 2 (27:24):
Right back at you, Daryl, Thanks very much. All right,
let's take that break, Beth, right back to the show.

Speaker 1 (27:30):
After break is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM
radio network.

Speaker 2 (27:36):
Welcome back to the show. And I meant to mention
this off the top because it's no small it's not
small potatoes, but it's just so much on the go
and I don't I don't believe it's happened yet. But
you know, there is a rocket launch pending in on
the Buren Peninsula. For people who haven't been following this,
and forgive me, it's a bad one, but it's been
flying below the radar. Oh, I'm really sorry. In any event,

(27:59):
I'm trying to see if it has happened yet. So
this is a commercial. Basically, it becomes Canada's first commercial
spaceport down near Saint Lawrence and there is a whole
team down there with a rocket ready to go about
twenty feet long pointed to disguise. Now won't It's actually
supposed to do with SubOrbit, so it won't actually go
right into orbits, but a couple of kilometers in the air.

(28:21):
It won't last long either, probably about a minute and
then it'll splash down. It's a test for Canada's first
ever spaceport. You know. The location has everything to do
with the ability you know, the sub orbital and all
the different astrological and all astrological out the world. I'm
looking for god, it's Friday. In any event, you know,

(28:43):
the experts have deemed that this to be, you know,
one of the best sites around you know, this part
of the world to conduct these kind of launches to
eventually be able to send various things into space from
this commercial spaceport near the Saint Lawrence area. Nord Space
is the company he founded in twenty twenty two and
a rocket entirely built in Canada. A portion of three

(29:05):
D printed mid medals was involved. Now, the launch, of
course was eventually actually originally scheduled from Monday, but you
know what a shock our weather sort of put that off.
As great as the site is, the weather will always
be an issue here. So that's still an issue. But
this morning, the window today is between six am and
eleven am I think our time, and there is a

(29:29):
live stream on you know, that you can watch on
the North Space site, and so you know they're there.
They're walking around the site and they're getting ready. And
I just don't have anything official from the site as
of right now, but we're keeping an eye on it
and I'll do my best during the show, and I
know the newsroom is trying to keep an eye on
it as well. But there is a live stream and

(29:50):
there could be a rocket lunch right near Saint Lawrence
this morning. You know, if I had a rocket to lunch,
I was going to say a rocket luncher, but that's
a coburn Okay. Anywaylogies to Edward online one Edward, you're
on the air.

Speaker 10 (30:03):
Okay, good morning, Ryan, how are you doing today?

Speaker 3 (30:06):
Bye? Goodbye?

Speaker 2 (30:07):
You're down in Garnish. I'm the Bear and Peninsula, aren't you. Yes,
I am in a rockets and you spot any rocket
sightings by any chicks?

Speaker 11 (30:14):
Yeah?

Speaker 10 (30:15):
Yet I'm looking forward to it too.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
Yeah, No, absolutely, I don't think that I want.

Speaker 10 (30:19):
To talk to you about. My little problem is two
days ago I got my Canada pension check and I
did my grocery shopping on my banking. Then I went
over to the wheat store and I bought some weed
and I was required to provide my valid ID, so
I showed them my driver's lecense on like I'm seventy nine,
so I mean like I'm over nineteen. I'm way over nineteen.

(30:42):
And I bought some weed and that was it. Well,
yesterday I went in to see my doctor and I
get some medication and percription. Then I went over to
a wheat store again to get some more cannabis product,
and again they asked me for my driver's license or
a valid ID, and I refused to me and they
refuse to sell me cannabis. Now that to me is

(31:04):
a violation of my rights.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
You know, it's okay. So, as with everything here, I'm
going to try to play catch up on this one.
I know there are pretty specific rules and regulations regarding
you know, alcohol to begin with, and now cannabis of course,
since it's been decriminalized and the he goizes so how
it can be sold, where it can be sold, and
all the rest of it is one thing. Identification has become, okay, Ard,

(31:34):
I'll give you an example. A couple of years ago,
I was in downtown Toronto for a Jay's game and
a show, and you know, it occurred to me. It's
not like downtown Saint John's is there isn't the needs
on the corner where you can go grab a half
dozen pair fair hotel room, you know, before you go
to the game. So I go over and you know,
I was in my late forties at the time, and
I got ID and I was like, oh, this is

(31:55):
pretty cool. Jesus. I didn't know I look that young,
but thank you, really appreciate it. And the guy remind me,
he said, we just have to ask everybody. It's not
how you look sometimes it's just the person themselves. And
ID identifies not just how you look at your age
at the time, but your background and everything else that's involved.

Speaker 5 (32:13):
So oh yeah, yeah, that's yeah.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
So it goes beyond just oh you don't look old enough,
so no IDE and I know what you're saying. And
again I wish I had an expert sitting right next
to me on this.

Speaker 10 (32:26):
Toy to know this. When I asked a little this,
they just said, well, it's the law. I mean, they
didn't tell me why the government of New Filare, especially
the liquor board, wants this ID. I mean, are they
telemarketing it? Are they turning it over to the police
that if you could stopped, if you could stopped in
your vehicle, they run the tag and oh, yeah, this

(32:47):
guy here uses cannabis, so he may be under the influence.
I could see all that. But the thing is, it's
a violation of pulp my rights to have to ask
me every time I buy cannabis to produce my ID.

Speaker 11 (33:05):
I mean, what did they need that information for me?

Speaker 10 (33:07):
It's a government of newful Land. It's arrested in me
buying cannabis all the time. Why, I just know why.

Speaker 2 (33:14):
Yeah, I feel like I've gone through this that I've
had that I've asked this question at a news conference.
I just can't remember what these specific answer is. I
do know what goes deeper than just I do know
that it's if you're just relying on what you look
like and that sort of thing or how old you
look is one thing, but there are other protections around this.
And it's still very new Cannada's being you know, purchased
and legalized and decriminalizing that sort of thing.

Speaker 11 (33:37):
So I know, if you're right on birol, yeah you
can't buy if you're parole around probation, there are limits
on your probation.

Speaker 10 (33:48):
Or parole that you have to go buy and there
may be some thing do that you may be not
to be able to buy cannabis.

Speaker 2 (33:54):
But there's also that that's not something that a retailer
can check on the spot either. They don't have an idea,
they don't have access to, say, the police see pick
system like.

Speaker 10 (34:02):
Like they stop you, they have oh sure, don't have
tags on? There are a license plate anymore? They run
the plate and after they get the plate, they got
your criminal's history, they got your ticket's history, you got
any wants or warrants. They know everything about you before
they even come over and ask you for your license.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Well, that's right, because they can do all of that
to even save them the time of even having to
pull you over, because you know, we know all the time,
they'll follow a care for a while, check the plate,
if there's an issue, they can quickly decide whether or
not it's worth to pull that car over, because those
stops take fifteen twenty minutes and maybe around the way
it's something more important.

Speaker 10 (34:37):
But there is more important things out there than just
giving me a traffic ticket.

Speaker 2 (34:42):
You know, well, I mean it's still part of the laws.

Speaker 10 (34:45):
The questioning is why does the Government of Newfoundland need
my information when I can is what are they doing
with it?

Speaker 11 (34:53):
I don't know.

Speaker 10 (34:55):
That's the thing.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
They're not doing anything. They're not doing anything with it.
It's the individual retailer who's asking you for an ID
and then just wants to match up you with your face.
And I mean there's there are fake id's out there.
There are people using fake id's for all kinds of things,
whether or not it's you know, just for everything. So
you know, uh, you know, they have to by law

(35:17):
ask for the I D all the different reasons why
they have to. I'd love for someone else in the
provincial government licensing to give me a shout and just
go through, because I'm not in that division. But I
can say that, you know, the more safe the mare sin.

Speaker 10 (35:29):
Going by alcohol do to ask you for your license
or ballot ID there.

Speaker 2 (35:34):
As Again, as I mentioned, this is relatively new. The
cannabis supply in actual stores and in a society.

Speaker 10 (35:41):
Cannadas steer since history opened up. And I've been using
my credit card to buy it. I using my ATM
card to buy it, and I've been using cash.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
And I'm sure you are a responsible consumer of that product,
but there are some people who are not.

Speaker 10 (35:54):
I do have a back related injury from from northern Ontario.
In Ontario, yes, so for that it does help me out.
I don't use the strong painkillers. I use Title all
threes too, but I don't use the strong ones. I
just like to keep this stuff, you know, locally and
mild and happy and just keep me, you know, just

(36:14):
keep it working. There's almost everything's fine. I went and
saw my talk to you to say my blood pressure
is normal, I'm in great shape. I'm seventy nine. Hey,
I'm doing good.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
Yep, and I know yeah, I mean medicinally, there's no question.

Speaker 10 (36:27):
What the nifflin need my cannabis information?

Speaker 2 (36:33):
Yeah, well, look, I welcome anyone with a little bit
more specific pecificity on this issue, like you can just
drill down and give me the exact I don't have
it in front of me. I try to a quick
couple of searches while talking to you, but then I'm
not really listening to you. So I don't like trying
to google stuff or look around for stuff while I'm talking.
I'd rather just have chat. But the specifics of the
actual reasons in the legislation. I'm not sure we can

(36:55):
go right to the fact that it is against your rights.
Those things are in place, and when it comes to drugs,
whether it's legal or not, I'm okay with a little
bit more hyper sensitivity about who's buying it on a
regular basis, popping into the store to pick it up.

Speaker 12 (37:10):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
You know, we know under age is a problem. We
know that other as you said, there are other people
out there who probably don't want to be identified, and
that's when you don't have an ID to present. That
can also be a red flag for retailer. So you know,
the question is there. I'm not sure everybody, every single
retailer acts the same way. And obviously if they know
you the pieces, you're probably not having that problem. But

(37:31):
maybe again, I'll have to look up the legislation, specific legislation.

Speaker 10 (37:37):
I just want to because I am concerned about my
My wife says as I mean, why should the government
be so impounded? I mean, are they selling the stuff
to a marketer or I hate to repeat myself, especially
on the program here.

Speaker 2 (37:52):
No, it's okay they you know.

Speaker 10 (37:54):
But yesterday had there was somebody on there that had
a problem with a with a with different land Hydra
and they were going to cut his power, cut his
power off, but they had his driver's license, so they
couldn't they could do that. I don't know. I didn't
get all the information on it. It was I was
in the busy. I was busy getting you my doctor's appointment.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
But yeah, and I was. I was in court yesterday,
so I didn't hear that call, so I can't even
speak to it.

Speaker 3 (38:18):
But yeah, I was. I appreciate it.

Speaker 10 (38:21):
But the thing is, why does the government the thing that,
why does the government need this? I mean, like, I
mean really, I mean, I'm gonna I'm gonna have to
let you go because I got other things they're going
to do today, and I know that you're pretty busy,
and the Labor Day weekend is coming up. And there's
one thing I want to mention about the gun laws
in the United States though, because I lived down in
the United States for a while and the gun laws there,

(38:43):
I'll tell you how crazy they are. They're so crazy
down there. They gave me a pistol permit.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
I'm not sure what that says A word about yourself.

Speaker 10 (38:54):
I know, I know, but you know down there, everybody
down there has guns.

Speaker 6 (38:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (39:00):
Today on the radio they were saying that there's more
there's more guns in the United States than this population.

Speaker 3 (39:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:05):
Ever, and we need look no far and no more
reminders as just the shooting in Minnesota this week at
the church and school school Catholic school church in Minnesota
where two children were killed. I mean, look, let's gun
laws and guns are another kettle of you know what.
But I got to get off to the break and
you got stuff to do.

Speaker 10 (39:25):
Glad Newland here where in Canada where it's a lot
safer than it is in the United States.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
Well, I'll take that much.

Speaker 10 (39:32):
I appreciate your call, and I appreciate talking to you.

Speaker 2 (39:34):
I appreciate the call.

Speaker 10 (39:35):
To yeah, and to all your listeners. Have a have
a good Labor Day weekend. Thank you very much.

Speaker 3 (39:41):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
Right back at you, Edwards. And no worries about going
on bringing up that issue about ID. That's what open
line is all about, people, you know, bring up the topic.
I will not pretend to have the answer to every
question or every issue that comes up here, just doing
my best off the top of my head. But uh,
the issue is out there. The question is out there.

(40:02):
Anyone whether it's from government. Somebody has that information specifically
just so they can drill down. We know the general
reason why you'd want an ID. You know, liquor stores
always and now the advent of cannabis can't seem like
a bad thing to me. I'm not sure whether it
infringes on rights, but I'll leave that to the listeners
and anyone who would like to call up and clarify
that whole issue. Cadillacs of IDs for cannabis. Okay, a

(40:27):
little bit past break, beth my so sorry. Let's take
the break and we're back with Stan, who wants to
talk about housing and homelessness.

Speaker 1 (40:34):
This is Open Line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (40:39):
Welcome back to the show, Brian Callahan and for Patty
Daily Today, Let's go right to line number three and
Stan you're on the air. Hello there, Brian, how are
you doing good? Thanks for your patience, No.

Speaker 13 (40:51):
Problem at all, mid nervous their first Tom caller linetime listener,
No wor.

Speaker 9 (40:57):
I wanted to talk about the.

Speaker 12 (40:59):
Housing and homeless and I know you guys get those
calls all the time, but I've been thinking, like my
drive out to Whipburn almost every weekend right from Saint
John's and there's very there's a lot.

Speaker 3 (41:14):
Of open land there.

Speaker 13 (41:16):
I mean you know yourself, you go on the highway,
I mean it goes as far as you can see,
just woods, right. I've always thought like, how come we
don't take down some trees and make a little shelter there,
maybe some buildings and something like that that we can
put the homeless in and get them working and give
them a sense of you know, self accomplishment if you

(41:40):
know they have them like say, cutting down trees or
something like that, rather than just you know, because my woman,
she lives downtown and I always have to go down there,
and I mean just seeing them around her neighborhood and
stuff like that. I mean, it's it's really bad down there, right,
and it's it's not good on the head, you know.
I mean you think about it, what have they gone

(42:01):
through in their life to be down there like that,
you know what I mean? And I just feel like
we could be doing a lot more for them. We
could have buildings for them to stay in. I know
they do offer shelters down there, but I can tell
they obviously don't work. I just feel like we could

(42:21):
have some sort of open areas in the off the
highways somewhere where we can have them and you know,
not like not like a camp or anything like that,
but like, you know, kind of homey and have them
doing like work stuff to give them a sense of
self accomplishment and stuff like that.

Speaker 12 (42:39):
Right, what's your thoughts on that?

Speaker 2 (42:42):
Well, my first thought is people who are homeless are
going through a lot. They're in that situation as you,
as you rightly pointed out, for one reason or another.
I'm not sure how many are in the position that
they could actually go do work and cut down trees
and clear land. But you look, I get your point.
We're all looking for options. We have a crisis, a

(43:02):
housing crisis. There is no question federal government wouldn't have
come up with something called the Accelerator or fund if
it wasn't. We all know that it's an issue. I
live downtown, so it is in my sight lines every day,
every morning, every hour, I'm walking home and I'll walk
into my front step and there are people passing right
in front of my front step. Then I walk into

(43:23):
my door. I mean, look, it's not out of sight
out of mind as once it used to be, which
was the easy way to dismiss it, right, but now
it's right in front of us and it's always been there.
It's just that unfortunately, it took us all along, some
of us a long time to grow some morality and
really take it seriously. And it really didn't even hit

(43:45):
home until it started affecting us some people, whether it's
the crime and the violence and all that that's associated
with you, you know, and that's the only thing that spurred
some people to get to really get the ball moving.
Other people more socially conscious, like the homelessness associated the
homelessess Saint John's or homelesses. Oh my god, the titles

(44:05):
of organizations and everything have to come to my head
right away when I'm not into the mix. But all
the different organizations, great organizations that we have out there
that are working hard on these issues, talking about getting
out of town and clearing land and building homes, you know,
I mean are there are different initiatives ongoing. There are
small homes that are being There's one company, I think

(44:29):
it's Homeworks that's working with the provincial government on these smaller,
you know, tidy, small compact homes. Many homes if you
call them, can't think of all the terminology right now,
some people are yelling at the radio, but I just
can't remember. But you know what I'm talking about, these
smaller homes that can just at least be some sort
of housing, and they're looking everywhere for these kinds of accommodations.
So it's not like nothing's going on. And I would

(44:52):
say that accept any idea that's out there, and I
don't think anything should be dismissed out of hand, not
when you have, as you just quite rightly pointed out,
some pretty difficult and desperate situations right there in front
of us, on the streets of Saint John's and other
towns and cities right across his province and country.

Speaker 13 (45:08):
Oh yeah, it's unfortunately happening all across the island. The
drug epidemic and all that stuff is very bad right now.

Speaker 12 (45:16):
I know, when I go.

Speaker 13 (45:18):
And pick up my woman or you know, drop her
off or whatever, you know, there's people lunched over and
they're you know, and I just feel like if we
had them in a spot where they felt, you know,
off the streets, more accomplished, they wouldn't have.

Speaker 14 (45:34):
Their urge to do what they're doing.

Speaker 13 (45:36):
You know, if they had like you know, I know
that they have the gathering place down there and that's
where a lot of them hang out.

Speaker 12 (45:42):
But I just feel like it's not working.

Speaker 13 (45:44):
They they they and I mean I wanted to mention too,
like I heard on the radio on Open on yesterday,
Patty was talking about there's like seven hundred and twenty
thousand international students coming in or something like that. They're
they're always bringing in these people. I mean, that's almost
a million people. I mean, they're gonna give all them

(46:06):
homes and stuff like that. And not to say they
don't deserve it or anything like that, but I just mean, like, like,
what about our people that are down their homeless on
the street that are you know, some of them are
not even on drugs. Some of them are old veterans
or or or something like that, you know what I mean.
And I just feel like they're they're not getting the
love or.

Speaker 5 (46:26):
Care that they deserve.

Speaker 12 (46:28):
I mean, some of them that are on.

Speaker 13 (46:29):
Drugs, they don't really want to help.

Speaker 9 (46:31):
They just you.

Speaker 13 (46:32):
Know, they go down to the gathering place or something
to eat, and you know, then go off and.

Speaker 14 (46:37):
Do their thing and stuff like that.

Speaker 13 (46:38):
But I truly feel like if if we took them
off the street from downtown, away from the their sources,
their drugs and stuff like.

Speaker 9 (46:46):
That, and maybe they would feel a bit.

Speaker 13 (46:49):
Better, you know, kind of like I don't know, I
just feel like, you know, if I was in that
position and someone gave me the opportunity to go to
to go somewhere and you know, build houses.

Speaker 14 (47:01):
Or do this or do that out in the woods.

Speaker 13 (47:03):
I mean, like I said, you're going on the highway
and the land just goes as far as you can see.
It's just nothing but open woods and land and stuff.
I mean, we can definitely do something for them there.

Speaker 2 (47:16):
I feel like, yeah, look Sana Johny. Because I'm right
up to the news here, I'll just say that it
starts with your efforts, your call this morning. You may
not be able to out and build, and you may
not know exactly whether or not there's crown land or
land available to do that kind of thing outside the city,
But the most important thing is that you have the
sentiment you're calling because you care. That's where a lot

(47:36):
of this starts. The more people who have the top
of mind, the quicker we're going to find solutions. Because
you're a voter and you care, and you have ideas,
and that's what we need to start with. We need people, yes, individuals,
residents who actually care, are turning their minds to this
problem and then it'll all work. But you're absolutely right,
you can't just you know, some people don't want to help.

(47:57):
Some people don't want to be in a situation with
other pe people because they can't live in that situation.
That goes to mental health and addictions. There's so many
different prongs and so many different facets to all of this.
It's not an easy fix. It's not just about building, uh,
you know, a structure and throwing them in there. That's
never going to work either. It has to be done
in a properly constructed, needs based, you know format that

(48:21):
you know it does its best to suit everybody, and
and that's an impossibility as it is stands. I really
got to get off the news. Newsroom is going to
kill me. Thanks so much for the call, really appreciate it.
Don't be a stranger first time caller. We love him.

Speaker 12 (48:36):
Awesome.

Speaker 13 (48:36):
I thank you so much for your time, and I'll.

Speaker 14 (48:39):
Catch on the next one.

Speaker 2 (48:40):
Absolutely, don't stry to call again. Thanks going, okay, let's
stan Beth Storry a couple of minutes over to the
newsroom and Sarah and Brian Medorra off. The news is.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
Open line now the VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (48:55):
Welcome back to the program. Brian Callahan in for Paddy
Daily today. Of course, just want to make there is
a news conference just well schedule for ten I believe
to on going now regarding the CBN fires out in
the area of Salem So and Linda Swayne Biscium's and
this Swayne is there. We do know cell phone reception
is kind of spotty, but if we can reach Linda

(49:15):
for a short chat just to give us a picture
of what she's seeing out there, whether it's you know,
the visuals at the news conference, or whether it's what
she's seen along the way getting out there this morning.
We know it's nothing short of devastation. But thinking about
everyone affected by that today, Paul din It is on

(49:36):
the line, Paul around the air.

Speaker 3 (49:39):
Hi, Brian, how are.

Speaker 2 (49:40):
You doing good sir? On a Friday, you know, never
a long weekend. Yeah, well, I'll be looking forward to again.
I say, you know, it's not for the faint of
heart hosting the show. I don't know how Patty does
it day in day out as I can only imagine.
But the MHA for Topsail Paradise p cmha. How are

(50:00):
you and what's under mine to day?

Speaker 6 (50:02):
I'm doing well. Unfortunately I can't say the same. Some
parents who are returning have children returning to school. So
I just wanted to call this morning and basically doing
the many parents who are expressing disappointment over government's failure
now to have a school bussing plan in place for
those who are attending childcare children and child care sure,

(50:24):
and you know, I mean we lobbied, heard and my
colleague Garry Patton and that probably longer than me, lobbied
hard to have the one point six klomer or policy
eliminated because you know, there are school zones where young
children have nowhere to walk to school, get to school,
and of course in the wintertime it comes even less available.
So making sure all children had the opportunity to get

(50:48):
to school and take a school bus was you know,
the goal of lobbying there.

Speaker 2 (50:53):
So just a real quick question. I mean, didn't government
eliminate the one point six kilometer room for boss selling?

Speaker 3 (51:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (51:02):
They did, and that's that's the point. So when they eliminated,
and they did in two phases. Last year was the
when they totally had it gone. But what was happening
and we know that childcare center is usually set up
or within you know, post proximity to schools, to young neighborhoods.
So what's been happening is, uh, the parents now who

(51:23):
have children in child care centers can't get bussing to
and from their childcare center. So what's happening is they
either have to some either have to uh uh take
time off to run and get their child and bring
it from school to child here and vice versa. And
that becomes a real chour for people who are working.
And I did an intermedia interview last year on this

(51:46):
by one of these childcare centers, and the bus is
actually driveway by the center, you know, and it makes
no sense that they cannot stop, you know, and pick
up the children. And so now what's happening again, samous
last year we have quite a few appearance, especially in
my district here, and I've heard from other districts around
the province who are struggling now because in order to

(52:09):
get your children on a you know, a new stop
at a childcare center or a seat on a bus
that goes by a child care center. They have to
go through a process of applying for a courtesy seats
because the roots right now from newfoundand schools. That's based
on a location of students within your civic address. So

(52:30):
that's what it's based on. And all bus stops that
are determined by in our schools and any changes requires
written authorization. And you know, so a legal parent or
guarding now has to go and apply for a courtesy
seat to see if they can get on such a
bus or such a stop. And that's going to be
two to three weeks minimum into the school year, and

(52:54):
parents then are struggling for these first few weeks. It's
not a struggle, and it's an added workload on the
school administration, which usually falls on the vice principal to
look after this.

Speaker 3 (53:07):
So we've raised the issue.

Speaker 6 (53:10):
Last year, I've written the minister. This year, the parents
have had a letter campaign and have written the minister
back in May and in June with the whole hope
that Okay, look this is not rocket science. This is
pretty simple solution. Over the summer, let's solve this. Let's
add a simple address to the NL school's site that says, Okay,

(53:35):
here's where I live, but here's where my child is
going to be picked up and dropped off at a
child here center. You do to match, you work on
your roots, you have them set up. That was the
whole intent of what the appearance have put forward, and
that to government, and right now there's been nothing done.
So I'm hearing from parents who are arranging for either

(53:56):
trying to hire a bus on their own for the
first two to three weeks. They're puttings planning for kids
in ubers and taxis, and it's just not acceptable for
something that was such an easy solution for parents. So
and most of these are working parents and a lot
of more single single parents. And so, I mean, you

(54:17):
think about it. You get your child, your child dropped
off at a child care center, you're on your way
to work. You would hope that, okay, the bus come
by pick up your child, as well as others there
go on to school. Same thing on the way back,
they dropped the kids back to the child care center.
But what parents are left doing is either waiting to
drive your own child of school or having to leave

(54:38):
work at the end of the day pick up your child,
get them to the child care center, run back to work,
and so on. And it's just not acceptable when there's
such a simple solution there to solve this.

Speaker 2 (54:51):
Yeah, and well, you know, the word simple doesn't often
roll off the tongue or lips when it comes to
government and action. But you know you're closer than this
than I am. Again, I hate to keep making excuses,
trying to play catch puns on some issues here, but
you know, Okay, nothing's been done, but what if any
kind of reception did you receive to this? Is there

(55:12):
any openness to actually going down this road? No pun intended,
because you know, we know the system is already rife
with issues and individual needs and unique circumstances in all
nooks and crannies of this province when it comes to bussing.
So is it is it fair to call it simple
only in the sense? And I'm just being the devil's
guys here because because I know I covered the bussing

(55:35):
issue until it was eliminated a couple of years ago,
and you know, there were hallelujahs and the skies parted
and the sun beamed through and people couldn't believe, Yay,
we're finally rid of it. And now we're into another
issue regarding childcare centers. So are you they are you
being told that the resources just aren't there. The buses
aren't there. I mean, and I'm talking inspected buses, busses

(55:56):
that don't have issues. As we all know, that's another issue.
I saw a lot of buses here for Canada games,
so it looks like there's lots available, whether or not
they're all school assigned or not. But you know what
I'm saying, I'm just trying to get no.

Speaker 6 (56:10):
I think the response that appearance have gotten and and that,
and they posted it on their on their site chat line,
is essentially that, look, there's a policy in place you
have to apply for cursey seating. You know, that's why
we're going to follow. Uh, there's really been nothing to
say that there's a lack of busses lack of driers,
because there's always empty seats on these buses. But I

(56:31):
guess the point we're getting that it's not that buses
don't stop at child c centers, because they do, but
it's arranging and getting the roots in place.

Speaker 3 (56:42):
Prior to the start of the school year.

Speaker 6 (56:44):
And you know, by adding an address and says that
says and it could be grandma's house, that drop off
pickup point or whatever. And I know, you know you
can't be picking up individuals. But when you've got a
cluster of kids that are located in the one area,
the one address, which would be a childcare center, it

(57:04):
makes to me. My father would say common sense is
not so common, but you know, it makes common sense
that you would try to pick up as many kids
in the one stop as you could. And you know,
when you're coming in with ten dollars a day childcare
and childcare, you know uptake is becoming more and more
because it is getting cheaper and cheaper. Well, you have

(57:25):
more and more parents who are looking to a veil
of childcare centers and want to get your kids to
and from school safely. And this has just been a
it was a headache last year. They came in with
a temporary solution last year, and now here we are again.
The fact of the matter is this issue was brought
up in May and June and you get a no

(57:47):
reply until the eleventh hour. Paul is a structure.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
I don't want to make excuses, but I mean, is
it fair to say that the wildfire situation and everything
that goes into preparing for school. Now, I know it's
one ear it's not all over the province. It's affected
by that, but you can see the resources being funneled
that way to deal with, you know, an unexpected occurrence
that's not just an occurrence, it's a it's a devastation.

(58:11):
And whether it's a school being destroyed by fire or
kids needed having to be moved to other communities and
other schools and all that laid on top of the
education department, is there is there any flexibility given that
that's happening at the same time.

Speaker 3 (58:24):
Well, here's the issue.

Speaker 6 (58:25):
It should it shouldn't have happened at the same time.
If government proactive, you know, I call this low hanging fruit,
they should have been picked earlier in the year, and
had they had this done and out of the way,
they would be prepared and able to deal with the
terrible situation. You know on the North, you know conception
of Bay North, it's you know, you got a school

(58:46):
out there with no well there's no schools and you're
working on that and you have to do work on that.
And there's no argument here. The point being made here
is this could have been dealt with earlier and allow
schools and education that to to dedicate your time to
the more urgent issues, which which is you know, as
you said, the relocation of the children in from Capitol

(59:10):
Academy out there. But I mean, right now, again, we're
here at the eleventh hour with something that is very
you know, seems to be very easy to to have solved,
and we're nowhere aheaded and you know this comes on
the on the heels of the lease of the uh
the Education Court yesterday, And I mean, it doesn't give

(59:31):
me any confidence in that accord when when some very
simple issues that would help the transi transition of kids
into their school year cannot be solved something simple like this.

Speaker 2 (59:43):
Uh, Paul, while I got to have you remiss, where
are you on the election? I know there are calls
for it to be delayed given what's happening. What's your thought?

Speaker 9 (59:53):
Uh?

Speaker 6 (59:53):
My thought is, uh, I'm ready to go whenever. It's
all you know, Uh you uh, you know the I
shouldn't change anything now. I mean I've had the last
four years, is.

Speaker 4 (01:00:05):
I guess you?

Speaker 6 (01:00:06):
Is your record you run on, So I'm ready to
go whenever. You know, but you have to take everything
into consideration. But right now, I expect to call within
the next week or two and let's go.

Speaker 4 (01:00:19):
And do it.

Speaker 2 (01:00:19):
Off to the races, all right, Paul din the m
h A p C mh A for Tops Paradise. Thanks
for call today. I welcome anyone from government who wants
to clarify you know, the bussing situation with childcare, and
you know those empty seats and why you know, the
simple as you put it, fixed can't be put in place.
So I welcome anyone from government wants to clear that up.
Thanks for the call, Paul, appreciate it and enjoy the

(01:00:40):
long weekend you too, all of this, Thanks very much,
Oky dope Beth. Let's see a few minutes past to
break wrap on the knuckles.

Speaker 3 (01:00:48):
We'll be right back.

Speaker 1 (01:00:49):
He's open line now. I'm a VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.
Welcome back to open Line. Let's go right to line
number two and Glenn, you're on the air. Hey Brian, morning, Glenn.

Speaker 2 (01:01:03):
Any chance are you on speaker? Is any chance you
can say hey.

Speaker 9 (01:01:06):
Brian, like I was just telling your producer here, like
I'm in Saint Joseph's Island. This is the best that
gets my buddy in Prevenia Bay.

Speaker 2 (01:01:12):
You got to go fire away, right, so hopefully it's
there now. Yeah, it's great. Actually, geez, I'll take this
any place.

Speaker 9 (01:01:19):
This is a we're homesteaders, myself and Patricia yep.

Speaker 5 (01:01:23):
Over sixty.

Speaker 9 (01:01:24):
I spent about, I don't know, twenty five twenty five
years in Western Canada working and I'm home.

Speaker 2 (01:01:31):
Brian, who it sounds like you are happy about that.

Speaker 9 (01:01:35):
Well, you know, in nineteen sixty eight, Joseph, I are
small woo, took me out of Marasitian Island Percentia Bay
and brought me to Placentia. And from Placentia I think
from age three to seventeen, and from then you know,
military and then off to the mainland to go to
work like a lot of noose ladders. Yeah, and to
come home at this age, Brian, you know, and live

(01:01:59):
this life in Plasano Bay self sustained.

Speaker 4 (01:02:04):
You know.

Speaker 9 (01:02:04):
Open the window six o'clock yesterday morning, a big bull moose.
I could have knocked them out with a hammer. Out
to my window steal follow me around on my zodiac,
my two cats, Tony, Tony and Rocky. Everybody loves it here.

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
It sounds like you. So my good soul.

Speaker 9 (01:02:23):
Message today the new Philanders is because you're over sixty,
life's not over.

Speaker 12 (01:02:29):
Ours just started.

Speaker 3 (01:02:31):
We have vegetable gardens.

Speaker 9 (01:02:32):
We pick berries all day, cut firewood. I'm not going
to tell you I haven't been hurting because I'm as
sore as the boil after five months. It's just different work.
This is different. This is not easy. So if you're
thinking about going to an island and getting in the homesteading,
best do your research.

Speaker 2 (01:02:51):
What's the first thing you'd tell someone.

Speaker 4 (01:02:55):
Get in shape.

Speaker 8 (01:02:57):
Before you start.

Speaker 9 (01:02:59):
And I don't mean going for a walk to signal
hill or a walk around the lake. I mean serious, yeah,
get in.

Speaker 2 (01:03:06):
Shape before you start. As opposed five.

Speaker 15 (01:03:09):
Months ago, I went from two hundred and I think
I might have been close to about two hundred and
fifty pounds and now I'm down to a lean, mean
fighting machine. Now I'm not gonna say I'm not sore
in the morning because this takes a lot of work.

Speaker 9 (01:03:24):
And you know, every morning you get up, there's things
to do. But to reward the hell and the sheeilings man,
the sunsets, everything, you get so and tuned.

Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
You know, I do know it's not for everyone. But
if you are so inclined and you can get that
sort of prompt in your brain that says, okay, I'm
going to do this. It's like you said, don't get
in shape. Don't do it to get in shape. You
got to be in shape before you start to do it.
Because listen, we never had a whole lot.

Speaker 9 (01:03:55):
We had a cabin, we didn't have a zodiac. We
had some other own setters here. We weren't here. We're
probably here a couple of months and they show up
on a beach side. This is how community works. We
know you guys don't have a boat. We want to
give you a boat. First it was a loan and no,
we want you to have it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:13):
Because they knew we were serious.

Speaker 9 (01:04:15):
And not too long ago, her brother comes to us
and says, we got a nineteen footer for you with
a fifty hand on joking.

Speaker 5 (01:04:23):
I said, like anything else happens.

Speaker 9 (01:04:24):
Here, like I'm just going to go Skywark. Just a
sense of the community and people taking care of yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:04:31):
And I missed that.

Speaker 9 (01:04:32):
I think about the island.

Speaker 16 (01:04:34):
You know, a Marachine or Patricia Saint Joseph's here her
like she was nine when she left and I was
just about four years old when I left Marachine and
to come here.

Speaker 3 (01:04:44):
Our souls are in line.

Speaker 9 (01:04:46):
Man, I'm emotional now thinking about it.

Speaker 2 (01:04:48):
You know, no, I can appreciate because you're back where
you started.

Speaker 9 (01:04:51):
You know what my grandfather and fathers were before, before
resettlement and stuff like that, which I will talk to
you one day because I could write a book on
that horseshit.

Speaker 17 (01:05:05):
And how people not necessarily how people. And yes, people
got educated and they got this and back.

Speaker 9 (01:05:10):
But you know what, when your soul is removed from
the land by it's different, you know what I mean.
And to come back and get connected. Now, Brian, I
got one more thing to tell you, and that's about that.
Is he seventy eight years old?

Speaker 4 (01:05:23):
The wheat smoker?

Speaker 2 (01:05:23):
Yeah, seventy nine, I think he said. Now, and that's
just topping and I grow weed.

Speaker 9 (01:05:27):
I'm looking on my window and now I think there's
fifteen plants around here and out in the yard and
it's municipal.

Speaker 4 (01:05:35):
Makes you feel.

Speaker 9 (01:05:38):
I don't have to take narcotics like that, gentleman.

Speaker 17 (01:05:41):
And nobody ever asked me when I went to pick
narcotics up for a friend at the drug store or
sleeping pills or I don't.

Speaker 9 (01:05:50):
Know what people are picking up now. Once have I
been asked that? Can I see your ID? I don't
know if that's happened to you, I know your producer,
it has.

Speaker 2 (01:06:00):
It depends and what you're asking for. I mean, I'm
a conte you know, well, I don't know.

Speaker 17 (01:06:04):
Patricia went in with we talked about it. She had
to pick up some bmeroll for her friend and she
wasn't asked anything.

Speaker 2 (01:06:10):
Everybody's in a different situation. Depends on I mean, if
you're picking it up for someone I don't know, I
mean maybe more rural dispensaries or a little more or
not won't say lax lasism right word, but you know,
a little more homey than maybe a large commercial operation
in a big city, you know, not so much.

Speaker 9 (01:06:28):
And I realized, like you said, with the what we'd
being legalized and orders of trans transformation, we.

Speaker 3 (01:06:35):
All got to go.

Speaker 17 (01:06:36):
Whether it's asked for an ID or whatever the case.

Speaker 8 (01:06:39):
This doesn't make cool sense.

Speaker 9 (01:06:41):
But when you're sixty to be asked for.

Speaker 2 (01:06:42):
An ID, yeah, The problem is nobody knows how old
you are, Nobody knows your background, nobody knows who you are.

Speaker 9 (01:06:48):
You know, you know, last time you went into almost
the last time, Brian, you went into a liquor store
and they asked you for your ID when you're picking
up a bottle.

Speaker 2 (01:06:54):
As as I mentioned as funny, you should say that
I use a lot of different liquors because if I
went to the same look A store for my bottle
of wine every day, they'd probably be making calls to
the authorities. But you know, you try to mix them
up a little bit because she's you know, the same
the same staff are working and have I got to
go to rope Walk one day, I'm going down to
Dominion the next and maybe marry meeting them day after.

(01:07:17):
That's just the life of a journalist, you know. Moderation
is the key to all of that. But I'll joking aside,
I did mention to that gentleman earlier that I got
ID when my late forties in Toronto, and I walked
away feeling great. But then I realized afterwards that they
just ti have the ID everybody. They just do it
just to cover themselves, right, so no one can never
say you didn't.

Speaker 9 (01:07:37):
And I think that'll go about a wayside as we
you know, as as we move along here anyway. Yeah,
you know it's all it's all new right now and
raw everybody. So everybody can get you know you can.
They can get a little cramped.

Speaker 8 (01:07:49):
About it, but it is what it is.

Speaker 9 (01:07:51):
Well listen, we just want to stay at all the
New Flanders from Saint Joseph's in Placentia Bay.

Speaker 18 (01:07:58):
Never give up your dreams, never give up believing.

Speaker 9 (01:08:04):
Think and it will happen.

Speaker 2 (01:08:07):
Uh more, listen, more power to that. You know, if
you believe it enough, you have faith, deep faith in
whatever it is you're doing, like you know, a deep
faith and a deep motivation to do it. And I'm
not talking about you think it's important or other people
are doing it, but you can tell if something is
deep in your soul, in your heart that you really
want to do or you I hope you can.

Speaker 9 (01:08:28):
Hear I hope you can hear my voice because me
sharing it, I can hear it in yours.

Speaker 2 (01:08:33):
Yeah, Like I mean, you hear people all the time
talking about this was my dream. And whether it's a
big stare on a stage or whether it's somebody else
just to accomplish something that they've been wanting to do
all their life. You can tell it's something that's been
they've been driven to do it, like by some other
strong internal power, and then it'll happen. As you said,
I said it in different words, but there is a

(01:08:53):
faith in a belief in certain things, not all things.
But you can tell when it's meant for something to follow.
And it sounds like you that in Homesteady, Glenn.

Speaker 3 (01:09:02):
Door.

Speaker 9 (01:09:03):
I tell you one thing that it's been a pleasure
talking to you and your listeners, and I hope everybody
has a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:09:11):
Thanks Ben. I'll pass it on to Brian Medor in
the newsroom. Oh yeah, sorry, Brian, wrong, No, it was okay.

Speaker 9 (01:09:17):
Wait listen, hey Brian, and also, uh, thanks for getting
that out there. And if you're going to try to
just make sure your body is in shape.

Speaker 2 (01:09:26):
Oh you gotta, I hear you there. Absolutely all right? Thanks, yes,
absolutely you too. All right, a few minutes past the break,
but I'm sure they'll probably let me go on that one.
Let's take quick break back with Walter Harding in a
few minutes.

Speaker 1 (01:09:42):
Is open Line on a VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:09:47):
And welcome back to the program. Yeah, just going back
to the cannabis id whole situation. My buddy Mike there
sent me a text. Of course, yeah, you could be
being id for the senior's discount as well. But I
imagine they would say that to you when you're you know,
if you're not happy that you're being ided, you say, well,
why are you I ding? They would say senior. I
think that would be an obvious of course, if I'm eighty,

(01:10:08):
you know some there are some young looking eighty year
os out there. Maybe they'd be on the fence. I
don't know if you're going to question them. But anyway,
something else to consider, and something else to consider on
top of that is Walter Herding online on one you
are on the air, Brian, how are you sir? I'm
okay for today. It's always interesting with a little bit

(01:10:29):
of notice to jump in on open line. But again,
as I mentioned, like when we're off covering other things,
you try to keep an eye in an air to
everything else that's going on. I do know there's a
municipal election coming up, and I do believe you're a candidate.

Speaker 19 (01:10:45):
You know something, Brian, And thank you very much for
this a couple of minutes today. Yes, I'm very very
proud very very humbled to announce my candidacy for one
of the eleven seats on our Saint John's Council. So
anybody in Saint John's, all the business owners and residents,
I'm not really one, and I'm like everybody else. We don't,
you know, nobody talks about themselves or separates the shoulder

(01:11:06):
patting themselves on the back. But I guess I should
say just a couple of things for anybody who doesn't
doesn't don't know who I am. So I'm just basically
when you talked about a passion and the gentleman just
before me about the home setting and stuff, I know
it's I don't want to sound corny or anything, but
that is me to a t when it comes to
my city.

Speaker 2 (01:11:26):
I think that's my problem. Welter. People think it feels
corny or whatever, but it's real, and people sometimes don't
want to really acknowledge the real serious thoughts and motivations
that they have until they accomplish them, right, Because once
you say you're going to do something, then the pressure
is on to do it, and some people you know,
just do it behind the scenes, accomplish it, and then
you said you did and then you don't have to

(01:11:47):
worry about people always nagging you whether or not you did.

Speaker 19 (01:11:49):
I totally get that. I've I've been you know, ran
for counselor now for four times, and I've never ever
lost an election and people say, well, you're not on counsel.
I've met most wonderful people. Some of them are my
closest friends that I have in my life today. I
never ever ever disappear after an election. I do my
community work, I do my community cleanups, I do my advocacy.

(01:12:12):
I don't need to be on counsel to try to
help people.

Speaker 2 (01:12:15):
I mean, life is.

Speaker 19 (01:12:16):
Hard, and finding helps shouldn't be hard. But when it
comes around again for an election, I think that my
lifelong voluntarism and the committed, the committed civic pride that
I have to my city. My family moved when I
was very young. It's the only time I ever told
my mom a fib very young and they were moving
to Ontario, and I said, yes, I'll be up in

(01:12:37):
two months. Now, I knew I wasn't going and I
never will go. But I really appreciate being an ambassador
for my city. Over the last thirty years or so,
the community cleanups of course, and we've been doing some
people have said to me, I've never seen a photo
of you're doing or cleanup, and you're not going to
because I take the photo, I'm not in the photo.
You're never going to see me front and center. I'm

(01:12:57):
always pretty much bringing up the last longest end of
the line because I want to have everyone's back. So yeah,
I'm very proud to announce my candidacy as a very
very very small budget, shoe string budget, but going to
try to get to as many people. So it's a
big city for you know, trying to knock on the door.
We don't, I mean you can't. We haven't got ten
thousand dollars to send as a little card. I have

(01:13:18):
done up, so I apologize in advance if someone doesn't
get our little card. I am on Facebook, and the
Facebook has a little card on it, so just Walter
Hurting and a very basic little website, and I mean
very basic, playing Jane, no fancy pants, just like me.
Just Walter Hurting dot com. And I would hope that
people would just give me some consideration. I don't ever

(01:13:39):
ask for anybody's vote. That's a very personal thing. All
I would ask that was, is that they consider me?

Speaker 2 (01:13:45):
Yeah, it's you walk the fine line between humble and
you know, you have to have some self promotion or er.
People know who you are, and I know who you are.
We all know who you are. I mean, you know
your advocacy on every front. As you said, You're not
just out there at election time. You're out there all
the time, Walter. Do you place much stock in election signs?

(01:14:06):
You have to be visible.

Speaker 19 (01:14:08):
I wouldn't mind at all if we were to put
on a limit of you know, the sizes and the
numbers and all that kind of stuff. You know, you
have to have a few signs. What I like is
getting to know speak to people face to face when
a candidate you know, sends an email or something I
don't know, like especially with the AI and all that

(01:14:28):
kind of stuff and the chat gp time. I'm not
into that stuff. Like when somebody sends me an email
or calls me, you're talking to Walter. Like I got
an email from from one not in our city, but
another candidate provincially, and I mean I called right away
because I was very impressed that they took a time
to email me, and they were driving across the province,
so it came from something other than them. So I

(01:14:51):
can assure people of a couple of things. I will
not be using the chats or the ais anything that
you see that I attached my name to. It's from me,
It's from my brain. I will never ever put myself
in a position where someone from the city will come
to me and say, Walter, you know, I think we
have to talk about this vote, or it's something that
you had input on because of there might be a
conflict of interest. That will never happen with me. I

(01:15:12):
have a constitution that I must follow, and I will follow,
and voters in the city and business owners in the city,
you never have to worry about me costing the city
money for a by election, for leaving to go to
parential or federal politics. I don't appreciate when people do that.

Speaker 10 (01:15:28):
On council.

Speaker 19 (01:15:28):
It's funny that we didn't budget for My love is
municipal and that's where it will always be. So never
worry that we have to spend one hundred and sixty
one hundred and seventy thousand dollars because Walter got quartered
to go to someone else. Never going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:15:41):
Yeah, ambition costs money too. And you know, someone once
said the answer to all your questions is money, and
unfortunately it does cost. You know, perfect world, you wouldn't
have to. It wouldn't depend on how much money somebody
has in the bank. But there is an echelon or
a standing. I guess some people would say that you
have to establish to be able to hold public office.
I don't know how much income and that sort of thing.

(01:16:03):
I mean, you could have a pretty day to day
job and still care as passionately as you do about
the municipal issues, and you may be able to, you know,
verbalize that and and communicate that as good as anyone
who's been on council forever.

Speaker 19 (01:16:17):
You know, Brian, I see a council as any kind
of sports team. So I played hockey and I've played rugby,
I played, I played every sport. Your hockey team has
to have the goal scorers. Your hockey team has to
have the grinders, Your hockey team has to have the fighters.
I would consider myself a third or fourth liner when
it comes to that kind of thing. When it comes
to municipal we have a lot of big ticket items,

(01:16:38):
There's no question about it, and we will figure it out,
because we.

Speaker 4 (01:16:41):
Have to figure it out.

Speaker 19 (01:16:43):
And one way we're not going to figure it out
is by putting our hands in taxpayers pockets. Again, we
have to think outside the box and do more with less.
But I am very much anybody who knows me, I'm
very much tied to our core services. Yes, we have
a lot of big ticket items. I totally agree, but
at the same time, our water and sewer, garbage collection
and fire emergency service, snow clearing and having a clean

(01:17:06):
city and having a you know, there's so many places
around town with the grass all growing up around catch basins.
I mean it's four feet high and we used to
mold that. I don't know why the city doesn't mow
them now, and little easements that are going into walking
trails and Cowan Heights. There's no reason why we should
have a city that looks disheveled. We have the staff,
we had the money, we had the resources, we had

(01:17:27):
the vehicles, we had the fuel. So if I have
a restaurant that only sells baked potatoes, I better make
sure that's the best baked potato ever in the world.
So do the easy things well so we don't have
to circle back wasting time on figuring out why do
we fool that that's the easiest thing in the world
to do. Let's do the easy things well and then

(01:17:49):
make sure that the big ticket items get handled, but
not to sacrifice our core surface.

Speaker 2 (01:17:52):
So that makes sense, bright it does. One simple last
question for you, and I say simple and simple in quote,
what's the city doing well right now? And why is
it not doing so well that would prompt you to
want to get in there and do and have bet
her Well, I'm a.

Speaker 19 (01:18:09):
Homeowner and a taxpayer, and when I see my taxes
go up and my services go down, I'm not happy.
And people say, give me an example, and I said, well,
I will. We have a modest home and we have
a basement apartment that we don't rent. And I'd love
to have a chat with you on another day about
how many people have basement apartments and they decided to

(01:18:29):
not rent anymore because of the lack of support they've
gotten from law enforcement and the city when they have
their problem tenant and they just they're like, I'm not
renting again, forget about it. But we have a basement
apartment that we don't rent, so every year we fill
out a form to say you are free to come
here at any time to come into our apartment and
see that it's not occupied or we're not using it.
So we get a water tax exemption. We just pay

(01:18:51):
one water tax. Well, the city came out with this
plan that you have to pay the tax unless you
take out the power outlet for your your stove downstairs.
So that's way more than the water tax. So no
one's going to do it. Plus in your householl tore up.
That is one thing that they're doing wrong.

Speaker 2 (01:19:10):
That's the minutia that I think. Don't people don't realize
that leads to other minuitia.

Speaker 19 (01:19:16):
Uh, it's it's a wrong it's a wrong thing to do,
and sadly because it affects you know, the most vulnerable
of us are senior citizens and are most vulnerable in
the city. And if the city just let people keep
that money, you know what's going to happen to I'm
going to Brian's hair salon, I'm going to a shoe store.
I'm going to put that money into the local economy
and as opposed to it to go to Texas and

(01:19:38):
then goodness snows if it was wasted or not I'm
not choosing anybody's wasting anything. But you know it's better
to you know, cycle the money through the through the
city as opposed to just putting it into tax.

Speaker 3 (01:19:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:19:49):
I asked for an example. You gave me a great one,
and I would just just go really quickly back to
so you know, you get elected for a full term.
You don't believe in this jumping ship for another office.

Speaker 4 (01:19:59):
No, I don't.

Speaker 19 (01:20:02):
When there's a there's been a couple of people. There
are several people who who've done that and were successful
or weren't successful. I'll say two things on that, Brian.

Speaker 10 (01:20:09):
If you want to leave council.

Speaker 19 (01:20:11):
And a provincial party or a federal party has courted you,
well you're free to leave. But when the by election
is called, the party that took you, they're they're paying
for the by election. If it's one hundred and eighty grand,
it's one hundred and eighty grand. So whether what party,
whatever party it is that says to Brian, listen, we

(01:20:32):
think you could do good, good work for us. Yeah,
I think I will. And then you got elected.

Speaker 4 (01:20:36):
Good.

Speaker 19 (01:20:36):
Now we'll expect to check from whatever party it was
that took you. We'll check for us. I could absolutely
pay for that. And I will say this you had
mentioned about my mind just went blankd I'm with you.
I counsel leaving council early if it's for you know,

(01:20:59):
health reasons or yeah, for work. I totally understandably, you
know what I mean, But.

Speaker 2 (01:21:03):
Just ambition kind of says, well, you know, you elected
me for this term, but I've decided that I'm going
to go. You know, I'm going to change my mind
basically mid stream or at some point. I'm with you
without getting an individual Like you said, there are different circumstances.
Every councilor every person is different. But I'm with you
on the fact that you know, I don't always like
it when they do it because there's it seems to

(01:21:24):
me that, you know, the argument would be just trying
to you know, hold a higher office to do more work,
So that would be the argument. But by the same time,
you know you're hired for a certain position. I'm with
you the basics. It's a novel idea what you're saying.
To compensate after the fact, and maybe somebody else will
pick up that mantle and carry with it. Walter pass
the break. Thanks so much for the call, I wish
you luck again? How many runs?

Speaker 3 (01:21:45):
Is this now?

Speaker 19 (01:21:47):
The most important one.

Speaker 2 (01:21:50):
Good answer, the most important one good answer. I wish
you nothing but the best.

Speaker 19 (01:21:54):
Thank you, right, every wonderful weekend?

Speaker 2 (01:21:55):
You too, Thanks you, Okay, Beth, let's take that break.
It back with Mike Murray.

Speaker 1 (01:22:01):
Right after the break is open line on the VOCM
Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:22:07):
Welcome back to the show. Brian Callahan in for Paddy
Daily on this Friday before the long Labor Day weekend
and back to school next week. I know I just
made some people shut her. Still keeping an eye on
the potential first commercial space launch from the Saint Lawrence area.
If you can get on the nord Space website, there's

(01:22:28):
a live feed there, live stream, and it's showing a
hole at twelve minutes and fifty four seconds in the countdown.
So not sure exactly. We don't have a direct line
of people there, but we're keeping an eye on the
live stream and again weather being the main issue, and
this is their last little window to get this two launch.
And you can see a little bit of smoke billowing

(01:22:50):
from the base of the rocket there and it looks
like beautiful, beautiful, well not clear sky, but winds are
a big factor as well, so we'll keep an eye
on that for you. In the meantime, Off to Mike Murray,
former retired Crown Attorney for the provincial government on the air. Mike,
good morning, How are you?

Speaker 4 (01:23:08):
Good morning? How are you doing?

Speaker 3 (01:23:09):
Brian all right?

Speaker 2 (01:23:10):
Play? You know, people ask me, I'm just trying to
be honest, but you know, it's open line anything and
all things. Thanks for making a bit of time. Most
on your mind.

Speaker 20 (01:23:22):
Oh, I had a couple of things that occurred to
me this morning, especially I guess with back to school
and stuff. The first thing I wanted to talk about
was the cameras on the buses and the speed cameras. Yeah,
I mean, I think the cameras on the buses are
an excellent idea. I don't know why if there's a

(01:23:42):
thousand buses they only got a half dozen. I don't
know why they're not on all of them. But the
speed cameras I think are an issue too. I mean,
that's an issue that divides people. Some people see as
a safety measure and other people see it as a
cash I have been a revenue generator, and I mean

(01:24:03):
I'm generally in favor of speed cameras.

Speaker 4 (01:24:06):
But I think that if you know, if the government, if.

Speaker 20 (01:24:11):
Their issue is to create road safety, then it's important
to do it right. And if the cameras are not
done right, then they just become a speed trap and
a cash grab. I mean a good example for me
is on water for Bridge Road going west. I mean
that's a real speed trap. I mean I knew it
was there because I've seen the you know, I saw

(01:24:33):
the press releases and stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:24:35):
But if you're going west on Waterbridge.

Speaker 20 (01:24:37):
Road, just as you pass the turn off to the school,
the St. Mary's there at the Yeah, when you go
up a hill and around a little bend, and just
as you come around the bend, there's a little tiny
sign way up in the trees with a picture of a.

Speaker 4 (01:24:54):
Camera on it. I mean that's a speed trap.

Speaker 20 (01:24:57):
I mean, if they want to increase public safety, there
should be a sign a couple of hundred feet down
the road saying speed camera ahead and this and the
actual camera sign shouldn't be around the corner where you
don't see it till you're on top of it. It
should be up so you see it well in advance.
It should be a big sign that says speed camera,

(01:25:20):
you know, watch your speed fifty kilometers an hour or
whatever it is.

Speaker 4 (01:25:23):
But I mean hiding it in the trees. I mean,
that's not public safety. You can see the tensive speed trap.

Speaker 2 (01:25:30):
Can't see the camera for the trees, the cameras for
the trees that area, though I would. I'm sure there's
probably some people listening from that area. I mean, it's
kind of my naked woods literally where I grew up.
That you know, it's a thirty it's clearly you know,
Demaric has a thirty kilometer an hour zone. It's a
very narrow. There's not only thirty kilometers Jordan.

Speaker 20 (01:25:50):
The school year, like I mean that summer thing there,
it's hard to figure out when it's thirty and when
it's fifty.

Speaker 4 (01:25:55):
In the summer.

Speaker 20 (01:25:56):
Is is it thirty all year round or is it
just thirty Jordan the school year in.

Speaker 2 (01:26:00):
The context of our's talking about school year, it's definitely
thirty and that's the normal hours. And I should note,
by the way, council just on that note of just
rang a bell in my head that they just changed
the laws of course for that in the city, that
the signs are all changed now so the school time
you know that you have to slow down in the
school zone is now seven am to five pm as

(01:26:21):
opposed to seven thirty, which is what it was last year.
Just as a note, but you asked the question, it's
a fifty zone, but you know every I think every
property down and it's a fifty during regular time, but
I think every property down there in that neighborhood has
a little slow with a picture the over it's yeah,

(01:26:42):
but because it's brutal down there, and they're doing whatever
they can to make it awareness. I it's such a
narrow road, they're all very it's there's almost no space,
you know, the sidewalks. If you're trying to pass further
down by the cemetery, it can be white knuckles sometimes
because you still had some big trucks coming up and
down there. It's an issue down there speeding forever. And
they're even looking I think at changing. Remember when Pitts

(01:27:04):
Samoria was closed for a while and all the traffic
was redirected down that road. You know, neighbors just had
a fit. But they're looking at re you know, designating
that road. From what I saw in an application for
council as a collector it was, and now they're looking
at it. I think it wasn't arterial one or the other. Anyway,
they're looking at changing the designation and that was as

(01:27:24):
a result.

Speaker 20 (01:27:25):
Yeah, I guess my basic point is that if your
object is to slow people down and make it safer,
a sign well in advance to the camera saying speed
camera ahead is going to slow everybody down. Whereas if
you put up a put up a sneaky speed trap
sign around the corner, you're going to issue a few tickets,

(01:27:46):
but you're not going to make it any safer.

Speaker 2 (01:27:48):
Yeah, I think it's all work in progress. If you
asked me, I mean the cameras are. Without cameras, where
would we be. I mean, your longtime Crown attorney, I
mean when you started out, cameras and video weren't what
they are today.

Speaker 20 (01:28:00):
No, for sure, it's definitely changed a lot of things.
But I mean, like like I said, I mean, the
speed cameras is all about the philosophy. Are you trying
to issue tickets or are you trying to make it safer?
And if you're trying to make it safer, then you
do as much as you can to make sure people
know the cameras are there, don't hide them.

Speaker 2 (01:28:18):
Yep, I agree. You know, there's no sense just the
same with an are you know, a vehicle if they're
hiding on a side road next to the highway, I mean,
they might get you and they might pull you over,
But what's it doing to prevent it in the beginning
right in first place?

Speaker 3 (01:28:30):
Oh for sure.

Speaker 20 (01:28:31):
I mean if you look, I mean, if you look
at the highway, ah, I mean, if the police set
up a speed trap, they're going to issue a few
tickets a day, but they're not really. Everybody slows down
when they see the cop has got some guy pulled over,
but it only.

Speaker 4 (01:28:47):
Lasts a minute.

Speaker 20 (01:28:48):
If there's actual vehicular presence on the highway, it's going
to do a lot more to slow the slow the
speed of the average speed of traffic down.

Speaker 2 (01:28:59):
And as myself, Patty and others have always said, nothing
slows you down like a squad car, like a police
car just right there on the side of the road.
I just did a lot of highway driving myself, and
anything close to one, you know, you can see the
brake lights go on in front of you. Everybody's just
very aware. So that's the first thing Mike, I'm right
at the top of the hour, there was there another
topic I wanted to approach with you. Do you mind
hanging on for a minute. We'll get right back to

(01:29:20):
you after the news. Yeah, sure, awesome, thanks a lom Okay.
Put Mike on hold there, Beth for now and off
to the news and we'll be right back.

Speaker 1 (01:29:28):
Is open Line now the VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:29:33):
Welcome back to open Line for this Friday before the
long Labor Day weekend. Brian Callahan in for Patty today
and a little bit of breaking news of course, just
as of eleven am receiving from the provincial government, and
it's good news, as good as news can be good.
In this situation that we have Inconception Bay North, the
government is now advising residents of the unincorporated areas of

(01:29:54):
Western Bay, Okra, pitt Cove and the remaining portion of
Northern Bay that the evacuumuation order issued on Tuesday, the
fourth of August, going on almost a month ago, has
been lifted effective immediately, so those communities remain under an
evacuation of alert, but the evacuation order has been lifted

(01:30:16):
effective effective immediately, so all residents permitted to return to
these communities. Of course they say, please, non residents, if
you're not from there, they'd appreciate if you could probably
hold back for a while to you know, let these
people be able to get in and assess hopefully some
things that are left and unfortunately some things that are not.

(01:30:36):
Let them give them the time and the space they
need to get back there and make their own assessments.
And government says, you know, while it's been deemed safe
to return, residents reminded there's still an active wildfire. Even
though you know the weather. You know, you might think,
especially if you're in around metro area, you might be
lulled and all fallse sense of security that it's all
over and done with. But there are still easily given

(01:30:58):
you know, the the dry land winter, that the ground
is still, you know, it's so fertile for these kinds
of things that could just all we need is a
little spell out weather and here we go again. So
doing their best to stamp it out as best they can.
Is also debris, you know throughout the community, a lot
of rainfall recently that can cause issues too.

Speaker 3 (01:31:15):
So that's it there for now.

Speaker 2 (01:31:18):
The evacuation order for Western Bay Okra Pit Cove and
remaining portion in Northern Bay has been lifted. The evacuational
alert continues, so stay on your horses for that. Okay, Sorry,
wanted to get that out there. Let's go back to
Mike Murray and the resume conversation there. Mike, thanks for
holding on. I don't no problem, so you may know.
And of course one other thing we were touching on,

(01:31:39):
and I do appreciate a little bit of clarification on this.
You know, I've been covering the Humby Tony Humby trial
now since the charge is relaid back in April of
twenty twenty three, so you know, more than two years ago.
And we're well past what they refer to as the
Jordan timeline, because this is a provincial court matter, indictable
as it is very serious seventy two sexual violence charges.

(01:32:01):
Well pass the Jordan timeline. And some people stop me
on the road and say, how is it. It's more
than two years. Why hasn't that been you know, what's
going on with that? And I hear you talking about Jordan.
Can you, in the most layman terms, you know, explain
for people as a crown prosecutor, can you imagine like,
is there if you were a Crown on this case,
would you have concerns? And this is very much in
the judges balleywick, isn't it Well.

Speaker 20 (01:32:25):
I mean it's not just a discretionary call on behalf
of the judge. I mean they've set up some rules
since the case came into effect in a few years back.
The bottom line is this, So when a criminal charge
is late and the clock starts ticking from your first
appearance then or when the information's worn, you got eighteen

(01:32:48):
months in provincial court and thirty months in Supreme Court
to get through the case.

Speaker 4 (01:32:54):
The lines are pretty hard.

Speaker 20 (01:32:56):
But what happens when you actually, let's say, when you
blow past the eighteen.

Speaker 4 (01:33:01):
Lots of times, there's not going to be a Jordan.

Speaker 20 (01:33:03):
Application because it's pretty straightforward. For example, if you're charged
with impair driving, let's say, and you tell the court
I want a six month postponement. Can we pick it
up in the spring because I want to quote Alberta,
make a few dollars and so I can hire a
lawyer when I get back. If the judge says okay,
I mean that's clearly on you, it's not on the Crown.

(01:33:24):
So lots of times there are no there's things are
so straightforward, there's no Jordan applications made. But when a
Jordan application is made, the first thing that happens is
that they order a transcript of what's happened.

Speaker 4 (01:33:41):
In court so far, and.

Speaker 20 (01:33:45):
Because the case will have been called a bunch of times,
and they divide up the time, so it's eighteen months,
but it's eight it's actually it's only if it's eighteen
months on the crown or thirty months in spring.

Speaker 4 (01:33:57):
I'll stick with the eighteen because it's simple. So you know,
if you appear in court and.

Speaker 20 (01:34:06):
You say, well I need some time to get a lawyer,
and you come back next month and say I still
don't have a lawyer yet, and then it's like two
months later when the case gets called and you finally
lawyered up, well those two months are going to come
off the top those those So the first thing that
the judge would have to do is divide up the
delay who goes to you know, which delay goes to

(01:34:28):
which side. So it's only when you got eighteen months
of delay that can be attributed to the Crown that
it actually counts against the Jordan timeline, and then there's
always tangling things like let's say you have ninety percent
of the disclosure and you should be you know, for

(01:34:48):
all intents and purposes, you should have a good idea
which way you're going to go guilty or not guilty,
But you want to transcript of a particular statement.

Speaker 4 (01:34:57):
Like is that going to be the crown or is
that going to be on you?

Speaker 20 (01:35:02):
Because you knew, you know, you know, because at that
point you're just dot in teas and or sorry, dott
and eyes and cross and tees. So that's where the
discretionary thing comes into it.

Speaker 2 (01:35:13):
And you know, I get people stop me all the time,
either outside court on and they say, you know, that's
all fine, but you know what comes up, it's the technicality.
Is he getting off on a technicality? Now there are
rights that the accused has, of course, you know when
they go before the court, and you know, the question
I get is, well, how in the world, I mean,
you know in a case like this and I know

(01:35:33):
you you're not the crown, so you can't speak specific
to all the evidence. But we do know in the
public domain that mister Hummy's co accused here. Mic Bruce
Ascott implicated mister Humby throughout his trial, you know, worked
in according to him, worked in concert, did all these things.
It was fascinating for me as a reporter to sit
there listen to all of those allegations against mister Humby,

(01:35:55):
even though mister Scott had been convicted. So he's convicted,
the court sees him as guilty party and accepts his testimony,
and yet mister Humby is still to be tried. How
much of a tangle is that.

Speaker 20 (01:36:07):
It's not a It wouldn't be a tangle for a judge.
A judge takes an oath to decide a case on
the evidence ahead of them are in the trial, and
not to take into account anything else.

Speaker 4 (01:36:20):
Look.

Speaker 20 (01:36:20):
A perfect example is, let's say somebody's charge of murder
and they.

Speaker 4 (01:36:26):
Make a confession to the police, and the judge decides
that the.

Speaker 20 (01:36:33):
Guy was and didn't have his rights to a lawyer
sufficiently explained to him and rules the confession can't go
into evidence. But then he can go on and still
hear the whole trial. He's supposed to be able to
put that confession out of his head and go on
and hear the rest of the evidence. I mean, that's
what we pay him the big bucks for.

Speaker 2 (01:36:52):
Yeah, is it fair for some people to call it
a technicality when the allegations are the allegations, but the
actual core procedure may have been reached.

Speaker 4 (01:37:00):
Well, yeah, don't. I don't see.

Speaker 20 (01:37:02):
I mean, the right to be tried within a reasonable
time has been around for a while, since the Charter
came in fifty years ago. Where Jordan changed changed things
is that before Jordan, there was a case called Askov
and you know it said, sure, you've got a trial,
a right to be tried within a reasonable time. But

(01:37:23):
sometimes these cases take time and if you want the
charge thrown out, you've got to show that this delay
negatively affected you. Now you don't have to show any
negative effect. Is just because the Supreme Court Canada are
a bunch of Ivory Tower people, and you know they

(01:37:44):
they say, well, you you know, here's the lines. We
don't care if you were negatively affected or not. If
it took too long, then it's gone. I mean that
they certainly moved it closer from a substantive right.

Speaker 3 (01:37:56):
To a technicality.

Speaker 20 (01:37:58):
There's no doubt they've moved the goal further to a technicality.

Speaker 21 (01:38:02):
And also, I mean because they don't operate in what
I would consider the real world.

Speaker 20 (01:38:08):
I mean, Jordan causes public safety issues. For example, you know,
you got someone charged with impaired driving causing death and
the police got to send a blood sample from the
driver off to the lab.

Speaker 4 (01:38:22):
Or someone that they believe committed a.

Speaker 20 (01:38:24):
Murder but they got to wait for the DNA, or
or like every firearm that they sees has to be
tested under the Criminal Code to show that is functioning,
or drugs if you get you know, so all those
things you're talking about a six month delay in the labs,
and because of the Jordan timelines, the police don't feel

(01:38:45):
comfortable and lay in charges until the tests come back.
And so as a result, a lot of times you
have dangerous people on the streets.

Speaker 4 (01:38:53):
Let's take the drug example.

Speaker 20 (01:38:56):
If you get if they raid your house and they
seize one hundred thousand dollars worth of cocaine, well, they're
not charging you that day. They're waiting to send the
drugs off and get the lab test back in six
months time.

Speaker 3 (01:39:07):
But in the meantime, you.

Speaker 20 (01:39:10):
As a drug dealer, I mean the people you fronted
the drugs out are out one hundred thousand dollars and
they want their money back. I mean, how are you
going to make money to pay them back by going
out and selling more drugs? You know, So it actually
is a public safety issue, I hear me when the
police can't lay charges until the tests come back.

Speaker 2 (01:39:32):
Yeah, and last thing on that we're getting close to
a break. I just want to mention, you know, I
hear all the time that that's all fine. The actual
charge is oh sorry, you just mentioned the case of
the say, the drug dealer in the house and that
sort of thing. I hear murmurs that this just isn't
you know, it's not realistic eighteen and thirteen thirty right now,

(01:39:54):
and that is a conglomeration of the delays we see
in the court system right now, whether it's you know,
the le bear has been lowered somewhat, you know, maybe
for some people, because right now, who do you want
in being held in custody pending a trial or a charge?
Do you Is it the sex offender or is it
the impier driving causing death? You know, like it's a
fine line right now, and with the length of time

(01:40:16):
and the resources I'm hearing eighteen isn't even reasonable. Do
you see changes coming. I'm hearing murmurs of that.

Speaker 20 (01:40:23):
So some lower courts have said, you know, maybe the
remedy doesn't have to be throwing out the charges altogether.
Maybe the remedy could be a shorter sentence.

Speaker 4 (01:40:35):
If your rights are violated.

Speaker 20 (01:40:37):
But so far, I think the Supreme Court of Canada
hasn't been It's never been directly in front of them.
But when the Chief Justice goes to talk to lawyers
and judges and conferences and stuff, I mean, they don't
seem to be very keen on that idea at all.
But I'll give you a perfect example. Those big corporate
commercial frauds, you know, not a million dollar frauds, the

(01:41:00):
Ponzi schemes and stuff. I mean, you don't see them
in court anymore because it's not possible to do that
within the timelines. Complex frauds can take years to condict,
years to investigate, in years to get to the court system.
And I mean you look on the docket and you
never see the big frauds anymore unless it's really straightforward.

Speaker 4 (01:41:22):
A lot of times the victims.

Speaker 3 (01:41:24):
Will just sue people in court if the's.

Speaker 20 (01:41:27):
Any way to get the money back, and if it's
not nothing happens.

Speaker 3 (01:41:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean lots of times.

Speaker 20 (01:41:33):
I mean that's not even worth anybody's while, because you know,
the accused has blown all the money on gambling and
drugs or whatever.

Speaker 3 (01:41:41):
And yeah, yeah, you know, you.

Speaker 4 (01:41:43):
Never see big white collar frauds.

Speaker 3 (01:41:45):
On the docket anymore.

Speaker 20 (01:41:47):
So. The end result of Jordan is exactly what the
Supreme Court of Canada says is wrong.

Speaker 21 (01:41:53):
Is that the poor people who steal go to jail
and the rich people who steal walk away.

Speaker 4 (01:41:59):
And that's a direct result of Jordan's Well.

Speaker 2 (01:42:03):
There's a place to leave it. I'll look forward to
taking that up with you again the next time, and
maybe that will generate a couple of calls. Mike Murray listen, man,
I always appreciate the time. Thanks so much for finding it.

Speaker 4 (01:42:12):
For me today.

Speaker 2 (01:42:13):
All right, bye bye, I'll love you see you later.
All right, thanks Mike. Oh I'm in trouble again, Beth.
I'm really sorry. Let's take the break.

Speaker 3 (01:42:21):
Be right back.

Speaker 1 (01:42:23):
He is open line. I'm a vocm Bigland FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:42:27):
Go back to the program. Let's go right to line
number one and doctor David Gill with the Faculty of
Education here on the air. Oh hi, how's it going great, sir,
thanks very much for making some time today. Now, of course,
the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate pressor Professor
in the Facuty of Education at month.

Speaker 3 (01:42:46):
Is that correct, Yes, that's correct. Sorry, go ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:42:51):
This is always about getting the title right, so go ahead.

Speaker 3 (01:42:54):
Oh yeah, well yeah, well titles not that important. So
I just wanted to touch base with you and.

Speaker 21 (01:43:00):
Your listeners, uh and and let the province know about
a new program that we have for for education degrees.
We we we've partnered with the Department of Education, uh
over the last several months and we're we're we're uh,
well they're funding and they're they're helping fund this, but
we're we're doing a primary elementary rural cohort. So what

(01:43:25):
we're doing is we've taken our regular second degree program,
so somebody, somebody will you know, somebody with a bachelor's
already can can roll in and get a primary elementary
degree within four or five semesters. But we're taking that
and we're moving it to a remote, hybrid flex kind

(01:43:45):
of model for potentially rural students. So basically, we're aiming
this at the people that live outside of Saint John's
and and other urban centers who are connected to their community,
are are engaged in their community and might be looking
for a career change that can't come to Saint John's

(01:44:06):
and you know, commit to a year and a half
or so away from their families or work and things
like that. So yeah, so it's a it's a really
interesting program and opportunity. We have twenty five seats. We've
had our applications open since late July, and yeah, we

(01:44:29):
want our seats filled, so yeah, and we'll be taking applications,
like our priority application deadline is September fifteenth, so those
are the ones that we're you know, really looking at,
but we'll take we'll take applications up to December the thirteenth.
So yeah. So it's a really great opportunity for for

(01:44:49):
anybody that would, you know, like to do a degree
but you know, can't travel and can't live in Saint
John's very year or two.

Speaker 2 (01:44:58):
Are you already you already do you have to be
a student, Like, do you already have to have that undergraduate.

Speaker 21 (01:45:03):
You do have to have an undergraduate degree finished? Okay, okay,
So and all the admissions requirements, the easiest thing is
to google month education rural cohort. That first hit will
bring people to you know, all the admissions requirements, all

(01:45:25):
the program requirements and things like that. So we're starting
in the winter of twenty twenty six, right, so that'll
be the start date, and then we're going for five
consecutive semesters. So somebody who is in this program then
will finish in the spring of twenty twenty seven August, right,
so ready ready.

Speaker 4 (01:45:45):
For a job.

Speaker 2 (01:45:47):
So what was the impetus if you like, if you
don't mammyas, so you know where did what's the genesis
of this? Who came to who and why?

Speaker 4 (01:45:55):
Oh?

Speaker 21 (01:45:56):
I think it was a collaboration between the department and
the faculty and and other stakeholders. Just just that as
you and your listeners are aware, there's has been tough
filling classrooms with teachers lately, especially in rural areas. So
another you know, you know, brainstorming and looking for alternate

(01:46:21):
ways to you know, get more teachers, especially in the
rural areas. You might not remember, but about ten years
ago we had too many teachers, right, the market was flooded,
The faculty cut back on its seats and things like that,
but now we're in the opposite direction, so you know,
trying to find a balance where we don't flood the market,

(01:46:43):
but also where we have class teachers and classrooms. So yeah,
it's a really interesting program. We've got twenty five seats
and we'd like them filled.

Speaker 2 (01:46:56):
Yeah, yeah, twenty five like scenes like you should get
to up take on that, and I totally understand the
reason I have to ask the questions sometimes, but yes,
the numbers, especially in rural Newfoundland, need to be topped up. Doctor.
You know, we're coming up to the bottom of break,
but I'd be remiss if I didn't get a chance
quickly just to ask you. You're just your impressions of
the ten year Education Accord that was released this week.

Speaker 3 (01:47:19):
Oh oh, I know on the spot just to yeah,
we downloaded, but have you.

Speaker 2 (01:47:25):
Been following much of it, like the do you generally
know what's.

Speaker 16 (01:47:29):
You know what?

Speaker 2 (01:47:30):
Oh?

Speaker 21 (01:47:30):
Yeah, no, yeah, well yes, we've had consultations with the
Faculty of Education and the Accord and two of our
professors were the co chairs of that, doctor Aaron Goodnow
and doctor Ann Burke, So yeah, we're pretty connected there.

Speaker 9 (01:47:44):
Now.

Speaker 21 (01:47:45):
My dean, doctor Pamela Johnston Osma Johnston.

Speaker 3 (01:47:49):
Uh.

Speaker 21 (01:47:50):
That was at the release yesterday, and she's been she's
kind of been the lead on that in our faculty, right,
so she probably have a lot more to say. All
I will say is that, Yeah, it's an interesting document. Yeah,
it's a big document, interesting document. I think there was
one hundred and ten recommendations or something like that. So,

(01:48:13):
and the Faculty of Education was mentioned, you know, an
awful lot in there. So, you know, moving forward, we'll
be doing some strategic planning now in the fall for
the next you know, three to five years or whatever
the cycle is. So yeah, that document will probably most
likely be at you know, one of the center pieces
of our strategic planning moving forward. But I won't I

(01:48:35):
won't say anything about the content because I've only downloaded
and looked at the contents in a few pages.

Speaker 2 (01:48:41):
Yeah, well that's more than I've had a chance. So
that's why I threw that softball at you.

Speaker 3 (01:48:46):
Yeah, no, that's no.

Speaker 4 (01:48:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:48:47):
So yeah, my job, my job today is to sell.

Speaker 21 (01:48:50):
The Rural Cohort and the Rural Cohort degree programs. So
and the only other thing I'll say about that is
it is a full time program though right, So it
does mirror our program.

Speaker 8 (01:49:02):
It will just be.

Speaker 21 (01:49:03):
Delivered in a remote uh uh uh modality, so classes,
you'll still have to show up for class, but there'll
be synchronous online. It's it's not going to be like
a it won't be asynchronous. It won't be like a
a distance you know, through the male kind of program.
It will be synchronous. You will be connected with your

(01:49:25):
professors and your peers. And we're also looking at a
hybrid model depending on where our students come from, to
partner with local you know, education partners and you know,
potentially uh small pods of students will be able to
come together face to face for you know, uh, you know,

(01:49:45):
special occasions or or or you know, throughout the semester
so that they're not totally isolated, you know, in their
bedroom or whatnot. But we've got a we've got a
very strong team of distance education people that are behind
this as well. And yeah, we want to see it
succeed and you know, first go around, hopefully it's really

(01:50:07):
good and hopefully it's something that if the need is
still there, we can continue with another cohort. So yeah,
just trying to get that out there, I know, you know,
the listening audience here is, you know, right across the province.
And yeah, hopefully we'll get those twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:50:25):
Yep, you got it out there. And I love your
biol Right at the end, doctor Gil likes chickens.

Speaker 4 (01:50:32):
Yeah, who doesn't like chickens?

Speaker 2 (01:50:36):
You do?

Speaker 4 (01:50:37):
There?

Speaker 9 (01:50:37):
You go?

Speaker 2 (01:50:38):
You know what, Let's leave that hanging with us chickens
and we'll elaborate on that one the next time they
throw me into this job for a day. Okay, thank
you so much, Thanks again, doctor Gil. With the fact
of education. I'm really sorry, Beth, My god, I don't
know how apologies is going are my apologies? Landing, I'm
really sorry. A couple of minutes over the break, no
big sweat. Let's get back with Pam Persons after the break.

Speaker 1 (01:51:01):
He is open Line now the VOCM big Land FM
Radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:51:06):
And welcome back to the final home stretch of Open
Line for this Friday, the Friday before the long Labor
Day weekend. And let's go right to line number four
and patiently waiting is the MHA for Harber grays Port
of grave Pen Parsons. You're on the air.

Speaker 14 (01:51:23):
Good morning, Brian to you and to all your listeners,
and yes, I have been patiently waiting and listening to
your called. You're you're You're very inquisitive and I appreciate
that about you. Your conversations are good.

Speaker 2 (01:51:34):
So here here well appreciate that there's lots to converse
about as you can appreciate. Are you out in I
assume you're Are you out in your district?

Speaker 14 (01:51:44):
I am, indeed I'm here in Dave Roberts where I live.
But I just wanted to call in again and just
to extend the sincere thank you to all the volunteer
firefighters and as well as the Avlon North wolver In
Search and Left you and every volunteer throughout the district
of Harbor Gray Port of Graves who have come forward
to help with it with our neighboring constituents of course,

(01:52:04):
in the neighboring district where the fires are happening along
the CB and north Shore. As we know, the past
month really ultimately it's been.

Speaker 5 (01:52:14):
You know, everybody's been on edge with with these wildfires.

Speaker 14 (01:52:17):
And again I can't stay enough about the volunteer firefighters
in my district, every every department here, Harvard Grave, the Brigade,
Copper Island, Coal Fire Department, as well as Spaniel State
Hilton Department, and of course the Bay of Roberts Fire
Rescue as well as Beta Graves and I mean and
many more have been involved. The search and rescue are coordinating,

(01:52:37):
you know, all the traffic and the roadblocks and everything
that's happened down there. They're still down their assistant I
spoke with the coordinator just yesterday about that they've been
there from the start. There still there. So and again
I can emphasize an off gratitude. You know, the words
just simply do not justify the gratitude that we all feel,
because Brian is You're gonna appreciate. We all sleep easier

(01:52:58):
at night knowing that these men and women are there
to answer the call twenty four to seven, whether it's fire,
whether it's any kind of emergency you know, highway traffic, accidents,
and you name it, they're there. And of course not
only during the times of emergency. They are there year
round to help out with all community events that are happening,
where they'd be fundraising, Santa clost praise, you name it,

(01:53:20):
they are there.

Speaker 5 (01:53:21):
They're a heart and soul.

Speaker 14 (01:53:22):
I always say that they are the most courageous volunteers
in the world, and so my heart goes out to them.
And I'm also very pleased to announce that all the
departments in my district, Abograce, Portograde will be receiving the
wild land cover halls which are there as we know,
these are the equipment that are that equip them bet
are to maneuver for a wild wildfires as opposed to

(01:53:44):
the bunker fear of the traditional bunker fear. So each
department here in Harbergrave's Porta graves overseas six sets of
those coveralls and and so yeah, so that's you know,
that's that's appreciated. But I say every everybody's support that
we can get for a volunteer firefight is shortly welcomed
and deserving. So again, hatts off to them and thank

(01:54:05):
you so so much for everything that they continue to do.

Speaker 2 (01:54:08):
Yeah, I don't think really people it looks like anything
they're not. People are going to have difficulties grasping this
unless they are physically on the ground. I mean, we
hear the reports until you see it, and we're being
very careful with video and photographs for now, of course,
because some people may not have had a chance to
see their properties yet, but just the yeah, I mean,
I don't need to tell you. You're out there and
you're talking to people, it's your neck of the woods

(01:54:30):
and your neck of the burn Woods devaating.

Speaker 14 (01:54:33):
It's absolutely, absolutely devastating them and those people what they're
going through, like literally they've lost there's there are some
who lost everything. I spent time down at the evacuation
center when it was first established and for Salbots, just
down in that district near San Unsult and Victoria, the
school and talking to those people. I mean, you know,
they were displaced, they had nowhere to go, and thankfully

(01:54:55):
and volunteers came together and of course they had sheltered
and even their were accommodated. I was happy to see that.
I'm an animal lover, and of course you can imagine.
But unfortunately there are people who didn't, who were vulnerable
to favor pets and the you know, the reports of
livestock that have been impacted and lost their lives. I mean,
it's just heartbreaking in the stories, you know, but I can't,

(01:55:18):
I can't imagine. But that said, though, Brian amide all
the wildfires, there was a close call actually in Spaniards Bay,
which is in my district.

Speaker 8 (01:55:26):
It's actually my.

Speaker 14 (01:55:26):
Home fam where I grow up, and a fire broke
out that started it was believed to be started in
the gray yard, I think with a glass bulb.

Speaker 2 (01:55:37):
Was just the one just a week or so ago
where you know it was. It just happened out of
the blue and on top of everything else, seemed like
and they were quickly being able to action that one.

Speaker 14 (01:55:47):
Absolutely, that is it was a few weeks ago now,
I guess I guess about two weeks. Agolar car to
keep track of the timeline, because it seems it's been
a very frustrated, very certainly blur for a lot of people.
But yes, a fire broke out and it got big
and it very quickly. But thank god the Spaniard Spade
Department along with neighboring departments, they responded immediately. They were

(01:56:07):
there and of course with the aerial response, they were
able to extinguish that fire pretty quickly. It could have
been very bad, very fast, and the disclaims were huge.
I mean, it was a big fire, but thank god
they were there and they were able to put that
out and there were no homes impacted, and obviously think
there haven't been no law of law during any of

(01:56:27):
these fires, which was ultimately the most important thing. But
again I just can't say enough about them. But it's
good to see that they're getting this new equipment. You know,
the Premier anoun such a thing as one hundred thousand
for these these new sets of gears for all the
departments that were involved. But I had stalk to them
and thank you, and now I do want to change
gears quickly. As we know, we're coming into the long

(01:56:50):
weekend and Monday is Labor Day and I'm a Minister
for Labor, so I just want to thank all workers
across Newfoundlanta, Labrador for their significant contributions to our economy
here in this province. So I wish everybody is safe
and happy, happy Labor Day weekend. It's been a warm
summer as we know, and I think if they're heading
back to school as well next week, so I hope

(01:57:12):
everybody enjoys a nice face and happy weekend. And you know,
halfs off to a good school here.

Speaker 2 (01:57:18):
Yeah, I echo all of that. I'll let you go
on that. Just as far as the fires go, though,
pan Like you know, if there's one thing that's come
out of this. It's the experience of it. This is
not like anything we've really experienced as far as these
weather events. And you know, we're all purping and worrying
about what the hurricane seasons are going to look like,
and lo and behold, before we even get there, this

(01:57:40):
hits us. Which you know, we've had forest fires before,
but this, everyone, I think agrees, this is on a
different level.

Speaker 14 (01:57:46):
And you know we've never seen this. I mean, we
know this happens in Alberta, but it looks like this
climate change and what we're seeing we have to prepare.
I mean, what we've seen happened this past summer. This
is going to change the way we the way we
see plan for English actually a plan for budgets, the lead,
a plan for equipment, and we know the response and
the support that's going to come.

Speaker 2 (01:58:06):
Out of this to help those people rebuild just a little,
you know, like the thing you mentioned the little things
that we're learning, Uh, you know, glass in a cemetery.
Who would have thought, right, I mean, all these little
and then of course the new outfits for them, as
you said to be, they will be outfitted. The fire department,
the volunteer firefighters getting all of that. These are all
you know, reactionary, yes, because we haven't really had to
deal with these kinds of things before. But it's a

(01:58:28):
learning experience too, and we're going to have to get
used to it absolutely.

Speaker 14 (01:58:32):
And as I could conclude on this note, we're here
in the district as we know, it is construction season
and I'm pleased to say we was a getting new
paving on Broute Sevity through Spaniard Space. So just a
respectful reminder to motors to watch for those employees who
will be conducting this work as well. I'm happy to
say we just got the holding more school has been paints, nice,

(01:58:52):
nice fresh cot of paint, and so there's some more
happening all around the district. So it is that you
know that small window that we have for construction Steaton,
it is happening. And I'm always advocating for pavements across
the entire district. Of course, it's a very important part
of being an MHA. I think pavements and healthcare are
among the very top priorities that people want.

Speaker 8 (01:59:11):
People want to talk.

Speaker 2 (01:59:12):
About those two things, right talking geez, But let's face it,
you know it's real life, absolutely.

Speaker 14 (01:59:18):
So again, have a nice safe weekend everyone, and again
thank you so much to our workers across News and
Land Labrador. I think everybody everywhere new from lenders go
just lenders and libries go across the country, whether it's
for work. We have that reputation of being very hard
quality workers, so heads off to them. Have a safe
Labor Day everyone, and Brian I look forward to speaking
with you again in the future.

Speaker 2 (01:59:38):
Thank you so much. Pam Parsons the Liberal MHA for Harbord,
Grace poor de Grave labor Minister of course, shout out
for the Labor Day weekend. Thanks Pam anytime.

Speaker 8 (01:59:46):
Thank you, take good care you too.

Speaker 2 (01:59:48):
Okay, that's and Pam mentioned there the painting of Holy Redeemer.
Shout out to the painters who put a nice face
on the new face on Holy Heart and Mari Regional
High School that are just high school in the province
which I live very close to. Watch them painting that
over the summer, and that's not just a lick of paint.
That's a good that was long overdue. They just got

(02:00:08):
to now change the color of the Holy Heart of
Mary Theater sign because it's the same color as the
dark and you can't see it. But anyway, maybe in
one of those lit up signs like the Majestic Theater
did downtown. Maybe one of those for the theater. Yeah,
I never know, but there is still one window I
think has to be repaired. I've been waiting for that one.
That'll be the final touches. But nice paint job on
Holy Heart. Shout out to the painters. Let's take that

(02:00:29):
last break and when we come back, Paul Lane. To
finish off the week.

Speaker 1 (02:00:33):
Is open Line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (02:00:38):
And welcome back into the final call of the week
and paul Aane're on there.

Speaker 8 (02:00:46):
Good morning, Brian, how are you this morning?

Speaker 2 (02:00:47):
Good sir, hope you don't mind picking up the rear.

Speaker 18 (02:00:51):
No problemake, I'll take a spot.

Speaker 8 (02:00:53):
Wherever I can get one.

Speaker 18 (02:00:55):
You will, yeah, I will, indeed, Brian. A couple of
things have before I get to my main subject. I
just want to start by once again as I did
last time. I was talking to Patty, just to say
that I like everybody I'm sure my thoughts are certainly
with the people impacted by these wildfires. And also just
to give a big shout out to all the first
responders who've done a remarkable job, and hopefully the worst

(02:01:20):
is behind us in terms of the fires now, and
of course there's going to be you know, still difficult
times a head when it comes to the rebuilding and
trying to get people back into their homes and getting
communities back up and running. But I'm sure if we
all pull together that we'll get through it, like we
do everything else.

Speaker 2 (02:01:39):
I don't know what else to say other than we
can't say enough about them, either as you said, the
first responders, or what the people are going through out there,
and it's our backyard. People have to remember, we hear
a lot of stuff in the news, things going on
in other parts of the world and other parts of Canada,
that sort of thing. This is our this is this
is here. It's real, and it's something a lot of

(02:02:00):
us have never even seen before. It can get our
heads around so and unless you are affected directly in
by it, it can be hard to get to wrap
your head around. There's no question. So you know, the
work that's going on out there, you know, we'll do
our best to regret, you know, to relay it to
the public and show what's going on. It's still early
days for a lot of the people who've lost everything,

(02:02:22):
so we have to be sensitive to that and very
careful about that. So I hear you, Paul, and I
echo everything he said.

Speaker 18 (02:02:28):
Yeah, for sure. Another very quick thing. I just want
to say that it isn't amazing what happens when there's
an election. I guess in the offering, you're not skepticism.
You're not expressing some skepticism about that. Now as an
independent MJ listen, I don't think it matters who's in government,

(02:02:51):
what political stripe. We've seen all this before. But I
just want to highlight a couple of what I consider
amazing announcements, things that certainly myself and other members have
been pushing for for the last four years, that government
did yesterday and again today. The one, of course that
came out today, which was a great one I thought,

(02:03:12):
was it was going to help a lot of low
income families, a lot of seniors, and that's increasing the
thresholds to qualify for some of these home repair programs,
home energy programs, home modification programs, and certainly something that
the Senior's Advocate had been calling.

Speaker 8 (02:03:27):
For as well.

Speaker 18 (02:03:28):
And I think that that's a great announcement also the
one yesterday on allowing nurse practitioners to be able to
build MTP again. For four years we were plowning the
government on this and get nowhere.

Speaker 8 (02:03:42):
But all of a sudden, all of a sudden, it's happening.

Speaker 18 (02:03:45):
I'm glad. I'm glad it's happening. I don't care what
the motivation is. I'll give both.

Speaker 8 (02:03:49):
Announcements of big thumbs up because it's going to help
a lot of people.

Speaker 2 (02:03:54):
Yeah, unfortunately we get to Unfortunately, this is when we
get our leverage, isn't it.

Speaker 8 (02:03:58):
Yeah, one hundred percent.

Speaker 18 (02:04:00):
And again that that's not this administration, this political party.
It's just the way it's always been, probably unfortunately, the
way it always will be. So you know, I'm just
glad that it is happening finally, And like I said,
it's going to help a lot of people. So that's
good enough for me. I did just want to touch on,
I guess the issue with the MoU and to kind

(02:04:23):
of reiterate I guess some of the points.

Speaker 2 (02:04:25):
The Churchill files am I the Churchill files MU.

Speaker 18 (02:04:28):
And just to kind of reiterate some of the points
I've heard from others and that is this is a
generational project. This is a generational decision. It's going to
impact us for many, many years to come.

Speaker 3 (02:04:44):
It should not be turned.

Speaker 8 (02:04:45):
Into some kind of political election issue. It really shouldn't.
I really still don't think that.

Speaker 18 (02:04:52):
The people, including myself, necessarily have all the expertise, all
the knowledge, all the information, quite frankly, to really make
that informed decision yet. And I just want to be
able to say. I just want to say that one
of the big things that came out of the muskrat
Falls inquiry for me and I'm sure for a lot
of people, was a recommendation that was made by Judge

(02:05:16):
LeBlanc or Justice LeBlanc or whatever the title was. And
you know a very you know, a totally independent person
who did that. We spent millions of hours on this inquiry.
And that recommendation is that if we are going to
enter into any further big projects of this nature. I
believe the number he put on it was fifty million.

(02:05:36):
I could be wrong on the number, but certainly any
significant projects that it would receive an independent review first.

Speaker 8 (02:05:45):
Now I know that one of the.

Speaker 18 (02:05:46):
Things that myself and Nadie Joyce and that that had negotiated,
I suppose.

Speaker 8 (02:05:51):
When we had the last sitting of the House special.

Speaker 18 (02:05:55):
Sitting on THEMU, which really was more political theater lending
the because the MU had already been signed two or
three weeks before we even opened the house, So it's
not like we were deciding on whether it be ANMOU.
There already was an MoU. But one of the things
certainly that we did manage to get out of it
was at least some form of independent review of the

(02:06:17):
MoU process, which is happening with mister Brown and his team.

Speaker 8 (02:06:21):
But at the end of the day, there's a big.

Speaker 18 (02:06:23):
Difference between sort of following up on and a review
of the process versus an independent review of the actual
definitive agreements themselves. So I would say, you know, on
that issue, from my point of view, there should be
no definitive agreements signed until there is an independent review
all of those agreements by people who are not just independent,

(02:06:48):
but have the expertise and ability to be able to
tell the people in newfu Land, Labrador whether it's the
right thing to do. And I guess that would be
my position on it, and I certainly don't think it
should be a vote for us if you want to deal,
vote for the PCT or whoever, if you don't want
to deal. It's too important to make it simply political fodder.

(02:07:08):
Like I say, it's something that's going to impact us
for years and years to come.

Speaker 3 (02:07:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:07:12):
I just think it's so close to when the Mouni
the announcement was made and the election is coming, and
it's everything seems so compacted, and people keep asking what's
the rush. You know, they they don't want to miss
their window. You know, Quebec is in a hurry. But
when everybody Paul you know, and this is just me
and watching it and not trying to read the teenies,
but when when all of the parties are talking about

(02:07:33):
the aggressive I'm prepared for any minute to hear something
that says, you know, we're going to pump the brakes,
like we're not going to delay it, but we are
going to, you know, just for the realities of a
deal that we continue to call probably the largest not probably,
I mean if the sixty nine deal was the biggest
and this is to be the biggest since then. And

(02:07:55):
so when we talk about the massive implications of this,
you know, people just want to make sure that obviously
let's not do it all again. And you know, when
everybody's talking about it's aggressive. In other words, they're saying
it may be a bit rushed. If their heads are
there now, I can't imagine that much has changed. They'll

(02:08:15):
probably just exacerbate itself before the signing of all the
agreements that is scheduled for next spring. But that's just
me trying to read the tea leaves. Paul Aine. Really
appreciate the call. Thanks again for finding some time at
the end of this week.

Speaker 8 (02:08:29):
Thank you, Brian. All was a pleasure. You did a
great job again today as usual, and look forward to
speaking to you again sometime.

Speaker 2 (02:08:35):
Really appreciate it. Thanks so much, Pop, have a good
one you too. And last quick check on on that
rocket launch. It looks like now it's been delayed till
about three pm Newfoundland time. I thought the window would
close at eleven, but it looks like they're still going
to give it a go later on today, so stick
with VOSM for news for updates on that. Thanks to
all the callers today. What can I say? Yeah, all right,

(02:08:59):
stay safe everyone,