Monday Dec 8th,2025

Episode Transcript

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

(00:22):
Paddy Daily.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, all right and good morning to you. Thank you
very much for tuning into the program. It's Monday, December
the eighth. This is Open Line. I'm your house Patty Daily.
Greg Smith is back to the scene of the crime.
He's produced the program. You'll speaking with Greg. When you
pick up the phone, it gives a call to get
into Hewing on the air. If you're in the Saint
John's metro region, the number of dial is seven zero
nine two seven three five two one one. Elsewhere a

(00:44):
toll free long distance one eight eight eight five ninety VOCM,
which is eighty six twenty six. Final check in at
the Para Cup. So we've gotten the best of the
United States and some of the most recent world championships,
but the Para Cup not so much so. Go to
the of course, Canada. The United States the state shut
us out to nothing. To take the Para Championship. That's

(01:05):
ten consecutive wins for the Americans. They have twelve titles
in total, so yeah, we can nip them at the
World's with that power of Cup. Maybe no such luck,
Alie and Mickey, of course, recorded is one hundred assist
for Canada in this tournament, so pretty cool stuff. And
Abby knew hook. Don't look now she scored in three
straight games for the Boston Fleeting the Professional Women's Hockey League,
looking good while doing it as well. All right, let's

(01:28):
go back to the last Friday afternoon. I was pretty
interested and curious as to who Canada would face in
the upcoming World Cup as one of the three hosts, ourselves,
the Americans, and the Mexicans. And here's what we found out.
On the soccer side. So Qatar and Switzerland are in
our group, were our pool, and the other team yet
to be determined. Some of the qualifiers have not all
yet got through, so there's six teams that we don't

(01:49):
know who they'll be yet, but it looks a lot
like it'll leave with the number twelve ranked team in
the world will come through eventually, maybe welse, but it
looks like Italy and they'll be Canada's first game. So
it was a two hour event at the Kennedy Center
in Washington, DC, and man, oh man, it was awkward
two hours of television and there was plenty of cringe

(02:10):
worthy moments during that broadcast. Oh my goodness, and poor
Alwayne Gretzky, you know, one of the very best hockey
players of all time. We love Gretzky. When we were
growing up watching hockey. He struggled mightily. Pretty embarrassing stuff
for the great one. He knew exactly what countries were
going to be in his ball and then couldn't pronounce
a bunch of them. Really not great. But anyway, we've
got Katar, Switzerland and maybe the Americans or part of

(02:33):
the Italians. All right. I get ton of reaction to
the Canada food price report, and the vast majority of
course via email. And you've seen the numbers. You've heard
the numbers. A forecast that spike between four and six
percent next year, beef seven percent likely coming at an
increase in price. So it's a huge problem. Last week
we talked about the Competition Bureau and some things that

(02:55):
quarters should be done to try to ease the burden
at the grocery store. Remember we were told that dropping
the consumer carbon tax will reduce the price of groceries.
That didn't happen. People keep telling me the industrial price
on carbon, you remove it, it will remove the partment,
will stabilize food prices. You can read reports that are
all over the place. It's generally the consensus is in

(03:15):
and around one percent of prices on food is directed
related directly related to the industrial carbon price. But anyway
you want to take it on, let's go. Farmers across
the country are trying to join forces to lobby the
federal government to impose a cap on profits for the
large grocery retailers. As we've said before on the show,

(03:35):
the prices, the prices are skyrocketing all the time and
it's getting completely out of control. But the margins for
grocery items is pretty thin. For the big retailers, they
make huge money and well, of course you will see
the money. We're talking about financial services and pharmaceuticals and
clothes and a variety of other things that they sell
in the grocery stores that really tops up their profit.

(03:56):
But the farmers are trying to advocate for a cap
on the profits. Not a whole lot of detail in
so far as how this is going to work. Some
of it sounds a little bit flimsy. All right, let's
get some of the numbers in so far as profit goes.
Three giant grocery chains blah blah. Sawby's Metro reported at
one hundred billion dollars in sales last year, three point
six billion dollars of profits. And there is the sensor,

(04:18):
the smell of a monopoly out there. That's the Big three.
But if you add in the Big five, adding cost Com, Walmart,
they represent some eighty percent of the grocery sold in
this country. So what kind of cap can actually be
brought forward on groceries and grocery profits grocery related profits
for these big five? But the problem is, you know,
all of the pressures facing the small and medium sized grocers,

(04:40):
No one want, No one wants to attend to them. Like,
I'm not really sure what the hold up is here.
There's a political victory available for sure if the federal
government even addresses the price of food. And you know,
the Prime Minister himself on the campaign trail said things
like judge me based on grocery prices, well, that judgment
is not very welcome to mister Karnio, I would suggest,
given where we see the price is going, yes, keep going.

(05:04):
I don't know why this continues to be news, but anyway,
let's bring it forward. So we know the NLC is
sitting on some three point two million dollars of American inventory,
American alcohol. Other provinces have gone back to selling and
reordering American products. Some provinces are now just beginning to
sell them off, like in Nova Scotia, and they have
fourteen million dollars worth of inventory. Let's not see this

(05:26):
wasted though. I mean, let's be real. So there's a
few options available there. Either put them on the shelves,
and you want to continue this poking a stick at
the Americans, just stop ordering some replacment products after we
sell this off. If that's a decision made by the government.
Now it's not up to the NLC, it's up to
the government itself if you don't want to sell it
on the NLC shelves. How's this for an idea with

(05:48):
the charities of not for profits that are struggling mightily
out there, why don't we just give it all of them?
Let them sell liquor raffles or liquor trees like it's
such a popular holiday season opportunity to raise some money
one way or the other. Let's just not see this
three point two million dollars worth of American inventory poured
down the drain. That just doesn't make a whole lot
of sense to me. So either sell it in the

(06:09):
stores or donate it all the charity. Let them create
a few liquor tore raffles, raise a few bucks during
the holiday season. I don't know anything's better impoortant down
the sink, I would think. All right, seems like an
early beginning to the seasonal influenza season. So the story
that I read this morning comes from Ontario, and they're
talking about a huge uptick in early diagnosis of seasonal flu,

(06:33):
predominantly amongst children. So we know how it can spread
so quickly, whether it be in a daycare setting or
at the school setting proper, or even in some of
their social activities, whatever the case may be. And you're
going to hear a lot coming from public health officials
once again about one of the most problematic conversations in
the country, on top of a variety of others is vaccination,

(06:54):
so it's up to you. You talk to your doctor
about whether or not the vaccine is the right move
for you. There may indeed be a mismatch between the
most popular strain that's going around and the vaccine that's
been created for this year's flu, but i'll leave it
up too. There's no mandates. None of that conversation is happening.
But it looks like the flu season is off to
a pretty significant start for this time of year. The

(07:16):
general peak is around the end of December and into
the beginning of January. So again let's put that out
there because it's of course important. It's your health, all right.
The Auditor General report. Every time we get one, people
use the same words to describe it. It's scathing or
whatever the case may be. But the one last week
is infuriating. So talks about the number of recommendations that

(07:39):
have made been made through the performance reports that remain unimplemented.
About a quarter of all the recommendation between twenty eighteen
and twenty twenty two have not been implemented. The report
they released last week says fifteen recommendations have not been implemented.
Half of those are over five years old, and these
are across of variety government departments transport to tourism, education

(08:01):
and Justice. And then of course the look at the
now CO reportback in twenty twenty two, which of course
is now New Fland, Labrador Hydro. All right, So they
talk about these recommendations to prove efficiencies and as a result,
maybe just maybe for some actual savings. So the Department
of Justice itself has not implemented six out of the
seven recommendations made to them, all right. So the whole

(08:25):
conversation regarding provincial courts and the lack of access to
provincial courts and the change of operations is a huge problem. Basically,
people think it's boiled all the way back down to
staffing pressures. And we know that the current Minister of
Justice and Public Safety hell and Conway Attenheimer certainly can't
pin any of the blame on Miss Conway Altenheimer. But

(08:46):
a creation of yet another working group, what's going to
be achieved if it's a staffing issue that needs to
be the key focus? Now, all parodies on the campaign
trail pledge things like hiring more police officers and hiring
more Crown prosecutors, and that's got to include a real
focus on sheriff officers and other administrative staff required to
keep the provincial courts flowing. So this is a big problem.

(09:08):
So what do we do about this? You know, when
Dennise Handerhand, who's always welcome on the show, she says
she finds the findings are concerning. They absolutely are concerning.
So what do we do about this? Every single time
the AG releases a report, Government of the Day will
say we understand and appreciate and accept and we will
work towards implementation. But yet after that news conference, after

(09:30):
that week of the news cycle goes, then what by
the look of it, a quarter of recommendations made between
twenty eighteen and twenty twenty two have not been implemented.
Maybe there's a need for an annual day for the
Premier and various ministers to give us a detailed update
as to where we are and the recommendations. If there's
a reason why one recommendation is not going to be implemented,

(09:53):
tell us why, and if not, give us a timeline
update about when you're going to see the work actually
get done. The work that's done by the Auditor General's
team is incritically important to all of us as taxpayers
and for the quality of governance. But I'd like to
see a little bit more action on the implementation front,
because that's just unbelievable, all right, Not to be surprised.

(10:15):
The federal government has now said that they accept no liability,
have no responsibility for the presence of pfasts forever chemicals
that have contaminated wells in southeastern Torbet. All right. It's
an uncertified class action in Lawshood at this moment of time.
The allegations are clear that they use the firefighting foam
at Saint John's International Airport early eighties all the way

(10:37):
through two thousand and four. Those toxic chemicals. The allegation
is they seeped into the water system and now consequently
all these wells are spoiled. Now, it's sort of a
strange way they put this forward. Transport Canada, who's of
course responsible for all these federally indexed contamination sites like
airports right across the country. They say they have exercised

(10:58):
due diligence and addressing potential contamination, but at the same
time they continue to supply bottled water for those wells
that have been polluted or contaminated, all right, And in
addition to that, they say, well, they are not liable
for anything, and this all has yet to be tested
in court. But at the same time they say, well,

(11:19):
they didn't say. This is a paraphrase. We're not liable.
We deny any responsibility. But if we are, there's others
to blame, like three M and the Muler Water Products
who supply the firefighting foam to the airport authority to
conduct those operations. So while they continue to deliver bottle
of water, which gives the air of some responsibility, and

(11:41):
if there is indeed some liability, it's not just a
her fault. It's two private sector companies. So I'm sure
the folks who are part of this class they're not surprised,
and or their lawyers, and they yet to be certified
class and yet to be tested in court. So we
really don't know what the outcome will be. But if
it's p FAT chemicals and the p fat chemicals are
in the area because the firefighting exercises at the airport, maybe,

(12:04):
just maybe there is a direct link. What do you think?
All right, got some numbers that came out last week
regarding jobs, all right, So the jobs report is good
or bad depending on who you ask. All Right, unemployment
rate has dropped a six point five percent in November.
That's coming from Stats Canada. Once again, they talk about

(12:25):
it bringing it to a sixteen month low. The consequences
are probably won't see any downward adjustment in the bank
ACCOUNTDA interest rate. I believe the announcement is coming on Wednesday.
All right, So when we talk about fifty four thousand jobs,
it is important to point out that the bulk of
them are part time. I mean, these are kind of
predictable numbers. Right, It's a good thing that the economy

(12:47):
has added jobs, even though private sector investment in the
private sector performance is pretty stagnant. But when we get
to this time year and they're going to talk about
the difficulty for young people to find a job that's
between the ages of fifteen and twenty four, come to
holiday season, retailers ramp up the jobs are part time,
and then they go away after the holiday season. So

(13:07):
not going to say that this is bad news, because
it's not bad news. But for folks who are really
singing at the top of their lungs, how great it
is the most of them are part time. And most
of them are related to the holidays. So yes, there's
some good news inside it, but we also have to
break it down a little further. What does not get
reported when we talk about updated unemployment numbers and jobs

(13:28):
added numbers is for folks who have stopped participating in
the labor market, because that's a key demographic here as well.
You're not considered unemployed if you're not actively looking for
a job.

Speaker 3 (13:40):
Right.

Speaker 2 (13:40):
So again, adding fifty four thousand jobs is a sounds good,
feels good, is good. But when the most of part
time and the labor market participation rate is also poor,
then I don't know. You tell me what you think
of it, all right, Stick with autowar here for a second. Okay,
So there's a motion to be tabled tomorrow in Parliament

(14:03):
by the Conservative Party of Canada regarding the proposal and
the MoU between Alberta and Ottawa to build the pipeline
to the BC's north coast and all that goes with it.
So here's the quote coming from mister Poliev. The only
thing that needs to happen for the project to go
ahead is for the federal government to mark krning to
get out of the way grant the Parliment let the
construction begin. A few caveats add it. Okay, the motion

(14:28):
is also going to add an appropriate adjustment to the
oil tanker moratory MAC while respecting the duty to consult
indigenous peoples. All right, So that's pretty much what the
MoU says anyway, and the Province of British Columbia will
have a say. And the pipeline at this moment in
time is mythical. It's remarkable to me just how big

(14:49):
a conversation it is across the country. Of course, it's
a big conversation in the province of Alberta and some
twenty five ish percent of their GDP directly related to
oil and gas production. But on the national front, where
this conversation is being held, the oil gas sector is
around four percent a GDP. But yet this becomes one
of the biggest conversations in the country. So this is

(15:11):
just in opposition parties play critical role and this is
what opposition parties do. But it's a lot of theater.
I mean, if the hope is to embarrass subliberal MPs
from Quebec or from BC or anywhere else in the country,
not so sure how that advances the cause of the
possibility of a pipeline to be built. And you know
who's not talking about it in any great length, private

(15:33):
sector companies who might be interested in building a pipeline.
In addition to that, I don't know how anybody on
the federal government level is being blamed for Danielle Smith
signing on to an MoU which sees a sixfold increase
in their industrial carbon tax, their tiered pricing system. And yes,
it's the province of Alberta that was desperately seeking investment

(15:54):
into the Pathways Alliance, which is basically their carbon c
questration is owned by a consortium of oil companies that
operate in the oil sentence. So it's a non binding motion.
It's not going to go anywhere. There may indeed be
some liberal members of Parliament to come out with some
mega on their face, but does that advance any cause
regarding the pipeline. Of course not. And it's not because

(16:15):
mister Poli ever, mister Kearney or Elizabeth may or Don
Davies there anybody has any real say in the law
of the land, as it pertains some consultations. But the
put up and put up or shut up motion has
been referred to again theater and last one. So the
Americans have just released their new national strategy on security,

(16:37):
and not good news for this country, not good news
for Europe. And yes, we can talk about defense spending
opportunities that could be one an activity garnered here in
this province, whether it be submarines or in the tech sector, innovation,
whatever the case may be. But the whole posturing of
the Americans thoughts on Europe and Canada, which apparently is
now in their estimation of vassal state and our sovereignty,

(17:00):
our potential is apparently a national security risk of the Americans.
It's all just such nonsense. It's even difficult to even
think we need to talk about it, but we have
to talk about it. And then I never thought I'd
lived to see the day that the proposed peace plan
in Ukraine is being applauded by the Russians, of all people.

Speaker 4 (17:19):
It's remarkable.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
This is a direct quote coming from a Kreminin spokesperson,
Dmitry Peskov. The adjustments that we see correspond in many
ways to our vision. The Russians are in favor of
the plan. There's a need for economic and defense cooperation
and collaboration between the world superpowers that includes the Americans

(17:42):
and the Russians. But since the attacks in two thousand
and one in New York City and at the Pentagon
and the fall of the Soviet Union in nineteen ninety one,
and one of the days of celebration in the dissolution
of the Soviet Union in the USSR was on this
date in history, has agreed to by Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.
So the Russians are in favor of the peace plan.

(18:04):
What do you think of that?

Speaker 3 (18:05):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (18:06):
I want to put this out there last one. This
is information given to me by someone working at the government,
and it's about the conversation we have regarding the Senior's
benefit and the income supplement. It's been a popular topic
email and on the telephone, and so because people have
changed and offices have changed, so has some of the
contact information. So I'm always up for talking about the

(18:26):
Senior's benefit. And here's some new numbers, because if you're
trying to call the number I gave out last week,
apparently it's changed. I didn't know. No one told me.
But here's the new number. If you're calling for inquiries
inside the Department, it's seven zero nine seven two nine
three one sixty six. But also given the fact as
administered by the Canadian Revenue Agency, which is tricky to

(18:47):
deal with, the contact number at CIRA to talk about
the senior's benefit is one eight hundred three eight seven
one one nine three. I'll keep those numbers handy in
case you didn't have a chance to job them down
or you're driving your car all right. Check on Twitter
where bosim open line follows up email addresses open on
a FOSM dot com my favorites when you join us
live on the program. So why don't we go to

(19:08):
this news break or part of me this break, you
pick up the phone, give us a shot. We'll talk
about whatever's on your mind right after this. Don't go away.

Speaker 4 (19:14):
This is open Line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
Welcome back to the show. Let's go to line number one. Tony,
you're on the air.

Speaker 5 (19:23):
Good morning, mister Day, right, yes, mister Day. I'm back
home now in Newfoundland from Mexico, and I'm donating a
piece of my land. I would a point for a
percenta for a Healing Center, crisis center providing shelter clothing, food,

(19:47):
et cetera, medical support too. I'm just wondering if the
public would be interested too, if they want to donate
materials to the project and any other way that they

(20:10):
can help out, right, labor or materials.

Speaker 2 (20:14):
Right, how much land are you talking about here, Tony?

Speaker 5 (20:19):
The first piece by the ocean. I've got two areas.
One is right by what's called Black Pond, beautiful view
of Pasentia Bay. And then the other one where I've
got to put an access row it up, is up
at a place called Current Hill, and that too has
a panoramic view. Right, So it's a nice area, very

(20:42):
nice area for to set up a facility. Right, that's
going to give people an eight in crisis situations.

Speaker 2 (20:51):
Right, So, Tony, this is just a notion that you
have that if there are are takers out there to
help you create something, because you simply have the land.
There's no one else out there that's talking about partnering
with you to build it or to staff at ordering.
Am I on the right track?

Speaker 5 (21:07):
Well, I'm at the beginning stage, is right. So I'll
be giving notice and papers and so forth that if
people want to contribute labor or finances they can do so.
Right now. Set up account at TD Bank and Royal
Bank for anyone may want to donate, right. I did

(21:30):
caregiving in Saint John's years ago, so that's the area
I've always been interested in, and I've been interested quite
some time now to have one in percent because there
is no service basically between Saint John's and I think
Gander or Cornerbook has a facility, right, a shelter for

(21:52):
addiction's treatment, that sort of thing. So that's where I'm
at with I mean, I fully committed and that to it,
given that you know, I've done the work in the past,
and plus I did a study on a number shelter
some five up on the Mainland seeing problem shooting what's
called writer's immersion. You know, where you go into a

(22:14):
facility or a situation and you don't let the people
know what you're doing. You're just they're acting as one
of the clients to see problems. Right. And then I
wrote about it, of course on my book on global issues.

Speaker 2 (22:33):
Tony, do you want to just leave your number with Greg?
If anybody has any interest in further conversation with you,
they can give you a shot. How does that work?

Speaker 5 (22:40):
Yeah, that sounds good.

Speaker 2 (22:42):
Okay, I appreciate your time, and thanks for the generous offer.

Speaker 5 (22:46):
Okay, thank you so very much. Welcome to You're.

Speaker 2 (22:48):
Welcome, take care, bye bye. And you know, the need
for more treatment options, especially in world is obviously very real.
You know, I think it's fair to say, if you
check the court doc at today, crime's petty and otherwise
there's a lot of relationships directly with issues regarding drug
addiction and maybe people who don't have access to mental
health supports. So while we talk about hiring more police

(23:11):
officers and crown prosecutors, the fact of the matter is
there are probably plenty of people out there today who
know they've reached the breaking point and they know they're
going to need some help, whether it be with their
addiction or something else. But they all hear the stories.
You know, it's the issue of getting into a detox
before you get into a rehabilitation center, the distance between

(23:31):
the two and the length of time given to you
to actually treat your addiction. It's just not working. And
consequently we've got this cycle of issues. Sidely speaking, we've
got this cycle of violence, the cycle of crime, and
I just don't hear enough from politicians about acknowledging what
the problems are on the ground. You know, we can
talk about hiring more cops, that's great, but more cops

(23:53):
isn't going to do anything for your current drug addiction
because the backfill of drugs and drug supply history is
pretty clear around that front. We can do our level
best as we should. We should track down everybody trafficking,
whether you precursors the fentanyl or the cocaine or heroin
or crack or whatever it is people are getting their
hands on. The toxic and synthetic level of drug use

(24:13):
or the drugs themselves is different than your dad's or
your grandfather's era of drug and drug use. People are
zombies and the need for that physiological fix is causing
an awful lot of upheaval in the community and certainly
the background and the root cause of an awful lot
of crime. You know, people ask me to put this
out there more often than we do. Is the authority

(24:35):
that some municipalities, and specifically here the City of Saint
John's has in dealing with some of these trap houses,
you know, these drug dens. No one's suggesting that a
city by law officer go into a drug den and
try to dismantle a drug operation or to shut it
down of their own court. But the city does have
more authority than it lets on. You know, they'll say that, well,
we are not in the enforcement business, no, but there

(24:57):
are some legal authority granted to you in the city.
Saint John's act about doing more people's communities and neighborhoods.
Some of them are absolutely gone to the dogs. It's scary.
Imagine being a family just trying to live a peaceful life,
get to and from school, to and from work, be
able to go out and play by the door with
your children, but you're afraid to. I mean, that's no

(25:19):
way to live. Let's get a break in here now.
When we come back, we're going to get an update
on some efforts put forward by the music community. Try
to raise some money and funds. Buyer for our good
friend Lex griffithsn'k away.

Speaker 4 (25:31):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (25:36):
Welcome back to the show. Let us go line number four. John,
you're on the air.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
Well, good morning, mister Daily.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
How are you doing fine? Thanks? How about you fine?

Speaker 3 (25:46):
Let me be one of the first to wish you
a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Speaker 2 (25:49):
Very same to you, John, Thank you.

Speaker 3 (25:51):
I'm trying to get into the festive season. Then I'm
running into some difficulties this morning. So I thought maybe
a call to open line might help educate a few
consumers and a few of our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians
who have relatives in the US.

Speaker 2 (26:09):
Of a Okay, what's going on?

Speaker 3 (26:12):
Well, I thought it'd be a fairly simple procedure. Bring
your package to the post office, get it sorted out
and weighed and sent on its way with the usual
forms filled out for customs. But apparently there's a whole
new regime, a whole new list of requirements if you're
thinking about sending any kind of a package to the

(26:34):
United States. And I was, so what should I say?
Put off by Canada Post that I actually went to
UPS and they photo copied a list of a litany
of requirements if you dare to try and send something
across the border to the United States.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
So the big change happened at the end of August
when the Americans remove what they call the minimis exemption.
So if I sent a package of value of a
couple hundred bucks, I didn't have to pay any duties
or any other fees. Now I do, and it's not
the end receiver gets to paid. I have to pay.
This has been a huge problem, especially for small business
like you hear from the Craft Council. They're members who

(27:16):
send packages into the United States, which is a certain
percentage of the business that's dried up. It's gone because
there's no profit in it. If you have to pay
that fee upon sending a package internationally, specifically to the Americans.

Speaker 3 (27:27):
Well, let me quote your chapter and verse of the
convenient pre printed handout the Post Office gave me as
of August twenty ninth, as you stated, duties must be
paid before sending items to the US. YEP, a declaration
ID is required indicating duties have been prepaid. Canada Post

(27:47):
has partnered with Zonos to ensure duties are paid in advance.
And here's what you have to do. To prepay your duties.
Download the free Sonos prepay app Ofvailable for iOS and
Android devices in the Apple or Google Play stores to
create a declaration ID, then pay your duties before you

(28:12):
even attempt to visit the Post office counter. A web
version is available at a certain dot com site and
the tip they give you is remember to still complete
your customs form at Canada Post dot caor customs or
in the Canada Post app. So that's for those grandparents

(28:36):
such as myself who might want to send a package
to the States, and the UPS requirements Patty are even
more stringent. The gentleman I spoke with said they've had
as much as eighty five percent of their shipments to
the States returned at various times.

Speaker 2 (28:55):
It's a it's ridiculous. I mean, there was already going
to be tariffs and customs and duties are required for
a variety of goods. But that exemption was I think
the threshold was eight hundred bucks. If it was less
than eight hundred bucks, it didn't have any fees or
duties required, and it was extremely helpful for very especially
big little small businesses and people like yourselves who might

(29:16):
want to send a Christmas gift over the border of
the family. God is that exemption and consequently it's going
to be huge money. And I'm not surprised you PSC
is that level of return because this just happened. I
think you used the date August twenty ninth. So again
here we are in this nonsensical taroff trade spat with
the Americans over a deal that they signed and call

(29:36):
it the best deal ever. So it's frustrating.

Speaker 3 (29:39):
Yes, I found a very frustrating. I mean last year
I was able to send I mean, granted, now you
had to list the item. But here's I'll give you
a little quote of the UPS requirement, just to give
people an idea of what you're saying, how accurate your
thoughts are. Detailed list of all contents going to each person. Example,

(30:01):
sweater for Sally twenty five dollars, Teddy Bear fourteena fifteen dollars.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
Yeah, I mean sometimes, even in the past, if people
wanted to put in shorts on a package they were sending,
he needed to detail what was in it, just for
verification of replacement costs. But nobody did it when we're
sending down a package worth one hundred dollars worth of
whether it be shoes and Teddy Bears and do dads
for a Christmas present.

Speaker 5 (30:28):
So yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (30:29):
Mean, you're right, And I've heard this concern, but not
very frequently here on the show. But here's that crunch
time for the last minute sending of gifts. People will
find out the hard way.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
Yeah, they are going to find out the hard way,
because that's how I found out. And you know, when
I went to you know, I said, well, you know,
I'll try and be a little contemporary. Instead of going
to the post office and badgering the postal clerk, I'll
go online now and download my customs form and fill
it out in advance and bring it in. And by god,
I tell you, if Patty want to you know, when

(31:00):
I dug into it this morning, I spent I spent
ten minutes at the postal counter at the place I
usually go, one of the convenient pharmacies that have post
office service, and then I immediately left them and went
to the UPS store and that's where I got their
hand out and their tailor.

Speaker 2 (31:15):
Wrote, it's a good public service announcement. In conversation you've
offered here this morning, John, anything else you'd like to
talk about while we.

Speaker 3 (31:24):
Have you, No, that's it. I just you know, I
happened to talk to someone in the newsroom asking if
they had heard about this conundrum, and they suggested that no,
they had not, they were not made to where it
was disinvolved, and that perhaps I might like to take
the opportunity to go on the air with Patty and

(31:44):
educate some more of the many listeners you have as
to what they might face when they do attempt to
send some Christmas kifs across the border.

Speaker 2 (31:52):
And I do appreciate you doing it, John, thank you
very much. I'm ready Christmas to you and yours.

Speaker 3 (31:56):
Okay, Patty stay well.

Speaker 2 (31:58):
Bought too by by make matters even worse. You know
the rationale offered, It's just try to stop the importation
of illicit goods, including fentanyl if you send it through
the postal system. There's plenty of safeguards in place for
things like understanding whether they'd be precursors and or fentanyl

(32:19):
in its pure form being sent. But you know, for
it to be now's associated with a Christmas present of
a Teddy Bear. Now I gotta pay duty on it
up front as the sender. Wild times, it's gonna lie.
Number one, say you good morning to local musician Dave White.
Morning Dave, you're on the air.

Speaker 6 (32:36):
Good morning, Patty.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
How are you doing great today? Man? How about you?

Speaker 3 (32:40):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (32:42):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
Let's get a recap of what went on yesterday, Green
Sleeves and upstairs called what again?

Speaker 3 (32:48):
Loose Ty right.

Speaker 2 (32:50):
So it was a fundraiser for our buddy Lex Griffiths
had to go.

Speaker 6 (32:54):
Oh man, it was fantastic. It was a very special day.
Amazing how quickly people come together, you know, especially I
mean with Lex. I don't think I met anybody that
doesn't know them and who isn't concerned about him right now.
So very special day for sure. How it all came together.

Speaker 2 (33:12):
Give us some idea. I mean, we know that there
was live music for the bulk of the day and
into the wee hours, and we can, you know, knock
off some musicians who gave their time and their talent
like they always do. It's remarkable to me how active
in this kind of arena that the arts community is.

Speaker 6 (33:28):
Absolutely I mean we had fifteen local acts, local legends
coming together out of the blue and gave their time.
I mean, such a busy season two and so many
sponsoring business with donations and music equipment. To make it work,
spreading fifteen acts over two floors. We started at eleven

(33:51):
am yesterday morning, and like I said, we went right
till three am this morning. And to make that work,
it takes a lot of hands and we had I
mean even just to see the patrons coming out in
such a busy season and supporting our buddy. And he's
got a long road ahead, and everybody knows that, so

(34:14):
I think I think it was amazing and that's one
of that was one of the last thing themes of
the day is people were very touched by how amazing
this community comes together, how quickly it comes together and
and works together. So great day all around.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
Do you have a final tally on how much money
was raised?

Speaker 6 (34:33):
We don't have a final tally yet. I think some
folks are still trying to catch up on a bit
of sleep there, but we know that it did well
both in house and online. We live stream the whole
event and so there were donations coming in all across
the board. So I'm sure there will be a post

(34:54):
somewhere along the line of the final tally once we
get that done.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
And I know Less now at home and recovering and
potentially a long road ahead, and we have to respect
his privacy, but just quickly, do you happen to know
how he's doing?

Speaker 6 (35:09):
Absolutely? I mean we're only we're not even two four
weeks out from when he fell ill, so the recovery
is a long road ahead. I mean, the I don't
want to say the worst is behind him, but I
think we certainly hope the worst is behind him right now.

(35:30):
Like you said, we're respecting his privacy and doing what
we can to support him, but definitely we're lucky to
still have him. And of course there's many people that
are that are rooting for him in his corner for sure.

Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yeah, including me, So for you and all the other
performers and the patrons and the texts and green sleeves
and loose tie itself for everyone involved. Bravo.

Speaker 6 (35:53):
Good job, Thank you, my friend, Thanks for having us.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
Happy to have you on, Dave, have a great season.
Merry Christmas, Very Christmas to you, thanks buddy, Bye bye. Yeah,
Lex big part of the downtown music scene for a
long time, and you know, people just I think pigeonhole
him into that even just look at what he's done
for the downtown Santa Claus Christmas parread. I mean, he's
been a big part of that for I think around
three decades, right, Greg said about the time frame, So yeah,

(36:18):
Lex has been an important figure out and about for
a long time. Good guy. I wish him nothing but
the very best and hopefully a full recovery. Let's get
a break in. Don't go away.

Speaker 4 (36:28):
This is open Line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (36:33):
Welcome back to the show. Let's go line number two. Leo,
you're on the air.

Speaker 8 (36:37):
Oh, good morning, Patty.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
How are you doing okay? How about you?

Speaker 3 (36:40):
Good?

Speaker 8 (36:41):
Nice to see the arts community coming together for somebody
like Lex really encouraging.

Speaker 2 (36:46):
And it happens all the time. You know, when I
hear people bemoaning the fact that there's money from the
provincial government for things inside the arts community, whether it
be music or otherwise, I just kind of understand the criticism.
Were concerned given the fact that how often, regardless of
whether it be wildfires or an individual person's health, they
step up to the plate every single time, and yet

(37:06):
people bow in the fact that there's ever a subsidy
or some sort of grant coming their way anyway, they guly.

Speaker 8 (37:13):
Patty, I'm a retired to theater arts teacher and I've
you know, I've been involved the arts community a very
long time and I see it time and time again.
You know, it's it's I agree with you wholeheartedly. But
the reason why I'm calling this morning is just a
it's a technical issue that I've often wondered about. There's
a gas station slash convenience store on top the road.

(37:33):
Who I guess since COVID have gotten to the habit
of basically they've they've installed a window so that they
can serve customers, you know, via this window. And I
just noticed there the other day that you know, people
go through that window and they're past that there they're
buying alcohol and it's you know, beer or whatever they
can They're they're buying there in the in the liquor

(37:56):
section of the store, and they're passing it out. The
cashier passed it out, and they're putting it in the
front seat. Which what is the law on carrying because
I always assumed that you had to if you were
carrying liquor in your car, it had to be stored
in the trunk or and otherwise inaccessible to the driver
or the passenger. Am I correct in saying that?

Speaker 2 (38:17):
I think so? I'm pretty sure now. I mean, if
I go to the liquor store and the grocery store
on the same run, and I've got some grocers in
my bag and a bottle of wine in the bag
as well, and it's on the front seat or I
can reach it in the back seat. I don't know
if I'm going to get taken the task for it
by police. But that's an interesting question. I'm not entirely
sure how to answer it.

Speaker 8 (38:37):
I'm just wondering, because you know, I'm wondering who if,
let's just say, just for argument's sake, who would be
liable if the police pulled somebody over. I mean, would
would the store be liable, would the would the cashier
be liable? Or is it the driver in the vehicle.
It's just it's just an interesting, uh, you know, point
of law. I'm not really sure what the you know,

(38:58):
what what the standing there.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
I don't know, but I would hazard to guess that
the driver would be held responsible. You know, if we're
talking about a bar and a bartender who has overserved
and knowing that you're going to get behind the wheel,
they do indeed have some liability, But as the entity
just selling it unopened, I would imagine the responsibility lies
solely with the driver's vehicle.

Speaker 8 (39:19):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, I mean, I know people
do it all the time. I'm just wondering. It got
me thinking about whether, you know, should we be storing it.
Does everybody absolutely have to store their liquor in the
trunk when they're transporting it from the store. I'm not sure.

Speaker 2 (39:33):
I don't know, but I mean, like, for instance, if
I go to the liquor store at the grocery store
at the same time, I don't put it in the trunk.
I don't know if I'm breaking the law. I just
put it in the vaccinat I don't do that.

Speaker 8 (39:43):
But we were having this debate that at the breakfast
table there the other morning. People are saying no, they're
you're definitely live. Well, you're not supposed to have it
within reach anyway. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (39:52):
I think that's accurate how it gets enforced. I suppose
there's a difference between having a six pack with two
tease in it then four on open beer on the
front seat. You probably get yourself in trouble. But if
someone finds a bottle of wine and a bag on
my back seat in the front seat unopened, I don't
think I'm going to face a whole lot of repercussions
from law enforcement. I don't think anyway.

Speaker 8 (40:14):
I don't think so. We don't know, Okay, thanks, Just
just curious point point that was just wonder through some
clarificating on that.

Speaker 2 (40:20):
Yeah, I'll see if I can get a distinct clear
and Greg just whispered in my ear that if it's
if it's sealed, then you're fine, and that makes sense
to me. That's why I made the reference to a
six pack with two empties and four on open beer.
You might find yourself in trouble, but if that sealed
bottle is close enough, I think you're okay.

Speaker 8 (40:37):
All right, Okay, thanks Eddy, I.

Speaker 2 (40:38):
Appreciate your time, you too, Bye bye.

Speaker 5 (40:41):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
And on that front, look, someone's called me the R
word when I made comments about the NLC and the
three point two million dollars worth of American inventory. Is
I'm a you know what our word for even suggestion
that we do anything but sell it. The only other
thing I said was maybe, just maybe, if the government
doesn't want to directly sell it for whatever optics, if
you donated all of that to the various charities not

(41:03):
for profits to have like a little uh liquor tree
raffle like you see very popular throughout the holiday season,
maybe we can actually help some folks out and it
won't be the government having to do a about face on.
If that's all, I don't know how that comes across
as a crazy idea. You can probably satisfy a couple
of different birds with the same stone, right right, Let's
go to line number three.

Speaker 3 (41:23):
Sam, you're on the air, Hey, Patty, how you doing?

Speaker 2 (41:26):
Okay? How about you this morning?

Speaker 8 (41:28):
Good?

Speaker 9 (41:28):
I spoke to you last week about a upcoming fundraiser
river doing in Marytown for the Helping Hands, Mary's Sounds Plash,
mary Sounds Food Bank. Unfortunately we got sidetrek with storm
last Wednesday, so we're gonna put it off to tonight.
So I want to put a plug in for that
and hopefully you have a huge listing audience, of course.
So it's online that the Mary Sound town Hall Facebook feed.

(41:49):
It's hosted from the town Hall. I'm going to host
the event and it's on for four to seven this afternoon.
People can make pledges by calling seven oh nine two
seven nine one six six one, which is the telephone
number for the Marystowntown Hall, or they can also go
on like the EMT transfers at Helping Hens Mary'stown at
hotmail dot com. So the crux of it all, we're

(42:12):
just trying to raise some cash to support the food
bank to buy items that people don't normally donate, so
it's you know, we had a centa flaus parade here
in Mary's ten yesterday and a lot of people ran
up to the float and dropped off produce cans of food,
but no one dropped off eggs, for example, or milk
that are more perishable. So s every food bank in

(42:33):
the providence needs donations, of course, but they also need
cash to work from as well.

Speaker 2 (42:38):
Absolutely, and there's always been a magic trick that I
don't fully understand just how far a food bank or
the community Food Association can stretch a ten dollars bill
versus how far rocke straction. Apparently they can, and obviously
they can. So yeah, cash is and always will be
king when we're talking about trying to help some of
these food banks completely.

Speaker 9 (42:56):
And as you and I spoke last week, I guess
if Webster had a new do, a new word to
the twenty twenty five, it would have been affordability, because,
if returned, affordability is the issue alter the state's political
geopolitical stuff, and states sell affordabilities in Canada and Newfoundland
as well, and people are struggling, obviously, there's no doubt
where people are going and the four caase sunset horizon

(43:17):
for next year for affordability doesn't look much better than
twenty twenty five. There's already projections that meat prices are
going to go up six percent of whatever the number is,
and it's going to be a rough couple of years
for people. So we can reach out as a community
and help people enjoy a really good Christmas dinner visa
e good healthy food to eat. That's a wonderful thing
for the community to come together and try and do so.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
Exactly what's going to go on between four and seven
simply the want to raise some money and get some
non parish balls and the like. Or is there any
other draw to the event?

Speaker 9 (43:49):
What a draw all through the event is that it's
a live feet from the Marystown Town Hall. We'll have
speakers here, so the chairperson off the Marrystown Helping Hands
or he Happing Hands married on Slash the Food Bank
will be there. The president of the mary seven Net.

Speaker 3 (44:03):
Club will be there.

Speaker 9 (44:04):
They're co hosting the event or co sponsor in the event.
I think the Mayor Brenton will be there to say
a few words on behalf the town. So we're going
to turn it into an advantage. You know, you're on
the love are all the time, and the mortals in
I guess on radio or even the Facebook stream is
dead airtime. So we need to find a way that's
fill in that four to seven airtime, of course, and
we're going to be encouraging people to call that number,

(44:26):
you know, seven zero nine two seven nine one sixty
six one and helping hands Marysound at hotmail dot com
for EMT transfers. It seems the mode of the motive
transfers in monetary transfers these days are almost not exclusively
but are weighted towards probably EMT transfers, especially with younger people.
So we'll have an event. We'll talk about the history

(44:48):
of the food bank here and Mary Sound, we'll talk
about the history of the Exan Club. We'll talk about
the talent's involvement in good social justice projects like this,
and well, I'm sure, I'm sure we'll fill up the
three hours quite easily. There's a bit of the storm
coming this afternoon, of course, for we got hit by
storm last Wednesday. We're getting a strange storm today just
affecting the Bureau Pinentula and parts of the Avalanche. So
it's a narrow band, but it's going to be a

(45:10):
poor weather this afternoon. But in any event, we're committed
to forging ahead with it and hopefully if people are
home sort of be in lockdown because of the storm
just this evening, they can take the time to call
it number or to get online and do DMT transfer.
But again, the money go one hundred percent of the
money goes directly to putting food on the table for
families in this area and not just Mary's Sound, but

(45:32):
the general area during this Christmas season, and I know
like people are struggling. Of course they have to struggle
with the price of food and the I mean the
price of it has gone through the roof, probably never
going to come back down again, not where it should be.
And so we just to reach out now and help
people to get through the season because Christmas is really
we all plas Newfuthlanders and Labadorian is we're the most

(45:52):
giving people in the world I think per capita, and
we need to reach it one more time and give again.

Speaker 2 (45:57):
Oh here here, good luck with it tonight, sim go down,
you and everyone else involved.

Speaker 10 (46:02):
Thank you.

Speaker 9 (46:03):
Look importuning to get the word back.

Speaker 2 (46:04):
Actor, thank you, you're welcome, Sam, Bye bye. Yeah. I
mean it's perfect storm stuff, right. You know, people involved
not for profits and in charities, it's always been difficult
to raise money. And you know, gone are the days
where you just have that one big gala, the sit
down rubber chicken event with a live and a silent
auction and you know, Bob's your uncle. They don't really

(46:26):
work the way they used to. And then even for
folks who are you know, interested in have kind hearts
and like to make, you know, a small or whatever
size of donation they have the capacity for, whether it
be a food bank or a single parents association or
whatever your favorite charity is. Donations are down, need is up.
I mean, that's the kind of math that makes it

(46:48):
extremely difficult to understand what the future is going to
hold inside the envelope of costs of living because just
about everything the price is up. I mean, there's been
some relief when it comes to cell phone bills and
the like, but insurance, premiums, food, you name it, price
is up. And the one that gets me probably more
than anything else in the grocery store is the whole

(47:10):
concept of shrinkflation. It's dastardly. Just pick a random wide
and block of cheese. So just round numbers five hundred grams,
five bucks and now it's six bucks and it's four
hundred grams. That's never going to change. This whole shrinkflation
bit is here, touesday. Let's get a break in for
the news. Let me come back. We're talking Light and
Power and whatever you want to talk about. Don't go away.

Speaker 4 (47:33):
Is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (47:37):
Welcome back. Let's go to line number one. Jason around
the air, Patty, Hi there.

Speaker 11 (47:44):
I'm trying to find a number for Light and Power
where he'll do something. My next door neighbor has been
living in his gradge. His house had burned down. The
house has been there a year now is done, and
Light and Power is just giving them run around. Maybe
the next day, maybe the next day, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (48:01):
Maybe the next.

Speaker 11 (48:02):
Day it was minus four and he's grand last night
where he's sleeping. So he wants to get this power
hooked up for Christmas, no.

Speaker 2 (48:10):
Doubt he does. So you're looking for a number to
speak with.

Speaker 11 (48:14):
Who somebody high up at.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
New Flamp Power. Yes, well, I don't have a number
for anyone in an executive position there, so outside of
general inquiries or customer service, I wouldn't really know where
to point you. I can see if I can't find
someone at a higher level at New Flampower who's willing
to share contact information with you, I'm happy to give
it a shot. That's no problem, please and thank you. Yeah,

(48:41):
let's just have a quick look here. I got a
little file going with numbers that I use sometimes.

Speaker 11 (48:46):
They got water, They got water and everything all hooked
up there and no heat, so he's probably going to
have to go to another insurance to German stress reason.

Speaker 2 (48:55):
Yeah, no kidding, Or is this in Saint John's I'm sorry, no,
this is a are out in Port of Port. Let's see
if I can get director of operations. All right, even
if I just so, I'll give you a suggestion and
I will try to get you a personal contact. But
if you just go to New Flandpower's website, they have
a list of all of the directors, whether it be operations

(49:18):
Eastern Region, Saint John's director of technology, up and down
the line. So there is a director of operations both
in the Western region and another one for Director of Operations. Overall,
there's a direct contact option right there, same thing when
it comes to the executive, Gary Murray, all the way down.
So if you go to the website, you will indeed
be able to send something directly to people in leadership.

Speaker 11 (49:41):
What is the website.

Speaker 2 (49:42):
It's just New flandpower dot com.

Speaker 11 (49:45):
Okay, thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (49:46):
No problem, Sol, Good luck you too, Jason bye. Uh yeah.
That's a tricky piece of business. And it's called man.
It was called this weekend, and you know, it reminds
you of back last February when all of them versation
was abound, how our bills had all spiked and the
argument made by New Flagpowers not only the temperatures but
the wind and the wind is the trick on Saturday,

(50:08):
with the wind and the cold, it obviously took more effort,
more money consequently to keep the house warmed up because
it was bitter. Let's go to a line number two,
more than Todd Perrien around the air just morning doing okay,
how about you?

Speaker 3 (50:23):
Oh, not bad by Colin to pick up on the
thread that you've been towing along for well for weeks
and months and years probably now, but mentioned again this
morning about food prices, and I guess the most recent
report that's coming out suggesting that we're in for another
four to six percent food like next year or a
year in the coming year. You know, I think that

(50:46):
the conversation around this has been one has been ongoing,
but for some reason, and I can't quite figure out why,
it just doesn't seem to be landing anywhere where any
progress is being made on what can be done. I mean,
I know, you know, I've heard, you know, discussed on
your show and in other areas. People are like, well,
you know, what can we do? You know, these are

(51:07):
private companies, Like how can we you know, impact the
prices of food? We can't get involved. But you know,
in a world where are you know, not only our
governments but us as society, we've allowed our food uh
you know system to be you know, Commonder control of
you know, a very small group of companies. You know,

(51:27):
we've set ourselves up for it for this like once
once you know, five players, as you mentioned, control eighty
percent of the food that people consume in this in
this country. What do we think is going to happen?
So without government intervention at this point, this is what
we're in for because you know, I think that some
way we've we've you know, you know, inoculated ourselves to

(51:51):
just accept well, their their their margins haven't gone up,
and there's still it's still only a three or four
percent business. But when you've got three or four percent
of eighty percent of the market, if I take that
business any day, you know, so it's like it's really
really like just become completely unrealistic in a world where yes,

(52:11):
maybe they're as the numbers who threw up this morning,
three point six percent margin on one hundred billion dollars
in sales. Okay, it's three point six percent margin, but
again they control the market. We've got more Canadians than ever,
you know, having to go to food banks. You know,
the access to food has never been you know, hasn't
been worse in many, many years. And they got us all,

(52:33):
you know, right where they want us. And what is
the motivation for any of these corporations to you know,
not take all of our money. You know, it's not
like they're selling you know, fancy coats or fancy cars.
You know, you can decide to drive a lesser vehicle,
you can try and decide to live in a less

(52:53):
expensive domicile. You can make a lot of decisions about
a lot of the ways to spend your money in
your life. But when you go buy a loaf of
braids and it's getting to be five six seven dollars,
what do you do about that?

Speaker 8 (53:07):
You know?

Speaker 3 (53:07):
So it really is something that I think that has
to be you know, people need to start the marchants
of this episode of government building to be like something
has to be done somehow somewhere.

Speaker 2 (53:18):
Yeah, I mean, gane are the days where I throw
the heels in the garbage. I can tell you that
much of a loaf of bread, and you know, it's
an entirety of supply chain through retail shelf space, Ganneer,
the family farms, it's all the mega corporation the mega farms.
Then you look at input costs. I mean, there's a
lot of things here, but a couple of things get

(53:39):
lost in the sheffle regarding the concentration of eighty percent
and five companies. The Competition Bureau does some pretty important work.
I mean, they're the people that you know came up
with the fins associated with the bread price fixing scandal.
But then even just when they look at property controls
and real estate covenants and the lack of competition and
the control that the big players have in the distribution system,

(53:59):
not just shelf space, not just that price. But the
work has been done, the investigations have been concluded as
recently as twenty twenty three. Actually there was a twenty
twenty five investigation into the thing regarding Sobey's lab laws.
There was court orders brought forth to compel them to
release data associated with how they used property control the
block competitors. I mean that should never be a thing

(54:21):
in the first place. I mean talk about another benefit
or bonus to being in that business. If you're one
of the top fives. If you build and operate a
store in a certain part of the city, for instance,
there's actual real estate covenants that does not allow competitors
to build within x amount of distance from your store.
I mean, just came out road, good example, the fast

(54:42):
food joints right alongside each other, the automobile industry right
alongside each other. Grocery source not allowed, not allowed to
do it. I just imagine if you were able to
go to one segment or partly one part of the
city or one part of the province and had options
stirring you right in the face, and these big parking lots,
Oh well, I'll go here. Because people don't have the
gas or the time of the money to go to

(55:02):
No Frills for that deal. So always for that deal,
the menu, for that deal, Walmart, for this deal. By
the time you saved the money on shopping around, you
spent it all burnt in your gas tank. So what
a benefit. They control the real estate. I don't think
people realize that that's a huge problem.

Speaker 3 (55:19):
Yeah, I mean, look, the power that that you know,
we as society and governments being governments have allowed to
you know, flow into these entities is you know, it's
it shouldn't happen in the food industry, yes, you know,
if we want to make decisions as a society that
you know, it's more effective and efficient for us to
give over our you know, who makes our cell phones

(55:42):
to one company because they figured it out out and
maybe they can give us the best deal. You know,
maybe you can get behind that. I don't know. I
mean people, you know, people love access to cheap food,
and you know, we've we've we've lived in an era
where food has been you know, relatively cheap for many
many years. I mean, in fact, farmers have been struggling forever.
You know, the restaurant industry you and I have talked

(56:04):
about many many times is notoriously low margin. That's very
difficult industry forever. But you know, these guys are able
to rise above off all of that, you know, And
and and because they had they're protected in some way somehow.
And you know, like you said, you can't go open
up a grocery store. You know, I live close to

(56:26):
the lablas down here by the lake. I mean, I
can't go open the grocery store up across the street,
even if I wanted to, you know, you know, and
I had the money, even if I had the money
to invest in it, and all that kind of stuff,
you can't do it. So it's it's like, you know,
I think it's the type of thing that look, we've
been out you know, everyone's been be bitching about it
for years now, but it's really getting extreme. And you know,

(56:48):
and somehow these companies get let off the hook. Oh,
they don't make their money on foods. They make it
on financial services, they make.

Speaker 8 (56:55):
It on whatever.

Speaker 3 (56:57):
Though they only make three point six percent or four
percent margin or whatever. But that's what has always been
for the grocery company, and they've always done fairly well,
you know. And there's a lot of businesses since COVID particularly,
they have not maintained their margins. So what is it
about the people that control our food industry that allows
them to maintain their margins? Because no one will intervene

(57:18):
and do it. And you know, when people tell me
that they don't make money on food, you know, and
again I'll use the names, because there's only father. You
go to Costco and you could buy three chickens right
now for thirty two or thirty five or thirty six bucks,
depend on how big they are. You know, that's gone
up significantly from what it used to be at Costco.
You go to a lah Blast and one chicken is
twenty one dollars. Now, is he not making money on

(57:39):
that chicken? Of course? Is he'd make money if you'd
send someone out to Costco and brought it back and
sold it a niche shop. So there's clearly making money on food.
So I'm getting tired of listening to the talking heads
that come on the radio and talk about, oh no,
that's not where they're making their money. Nobody. Indeed, they're not.
They're in the food business. That's how they make their money.
So like the time has calmed for some way, somehow

(58:02):
the people to call thiss and not everybody just sit
in your kitchen or stand at the cashier going, oh Jesus,
I can't believe there's three hundred bucks. And that's what
those of us that are fortunate to be able to
spend that much money on us, you know, So like
it's groceries. I'm just flabbergasted.

Speaker 2 (58:19):
I get it, And you know, I do think it's
fair to say that they have a various lines of
business that contribute to their overall profits. But grocery and
the set up a grocery stores is a science. It's
like everything else in the world of retail. There's an
absolute science behind it. I'm the perimeter of the grocery
store where the things are that people want and the
things that people need, the fruits and the vegetables and

(58:39):
the meats and the frozen goods. There's a reason they
were there, and that's where the big margin is. If
I you know, we talked about chicken as an example.
They're certainly making money on the chicken, and they're certainly
making more money on chicken per unit than they are
saying on a tin soup.

Speaker 3 (58:53):
Yes, and you know there's a massive conversation to be
had here. We won't even go down the road of
you don't go to the to the supermarket or to
the grocery store or to wherever and buy necessarily what
you want. You buy what they want to sell you. Right,
so you going on any given day, you know, maybe
they don't have this, maybe they don't have that, maybe
they don't have this, and we we hear a new
fulandl labrador you know, often shrug our shoulders and go,

(59:16):
you know, we live on an island. Supplies change and access. Yes,
for sure, that's a factor, but it's also a factor
of these companies. They don't need to give you what
they want. I mean, look at you go to any
market now. I mean we're like sheep being run through,
you know, going to get cheap did lined up and
pushed around and take what we got at the price
we got to give it to you and go away

(59:37):
and don't complain about it because we don't make money
on food, you know, like it's it's really really getting ridiculous.
The other thing I want to touch on before I
leave you is, you know, the impact that the price
of food is having on a whole other sector, which
is two sector to dim in the the F and
B restaurant business. You know, like the cost of goods
for us, like everybody has gone up, Like there is

(59:59):
no real wholesaler left like there used to be many
years ago. You know, we yes, they're the big companies,
the Cisco's, the GFS is, all that kind of stuff.
But the prices with those companies is you know, very
much mpowered with what you see at Costco. Is why
on Tuesday mornings when you go to Costco, half of
the people who own a work in restaurants in Saint
Chans are out there. I'm buying some of my food

(01:00:19):
in the same place that you're buying it, and I'm
paying the same price. So like it's it's a it's
a factor that is, if it continues to escalate the
way it is, it's already difficult in the F and
B business. It's getting there impossible in terms of the
costs that are going into it. And that's an employer
in this province that is somewhere between ten and fifteen
thousand jobs that you are going to see impacted directly

(01:00:40):
because the lab laws and the costcos and all those
people have a three and a half percent margin. Like
you know, that's the reality on the ground. Like we
you know, it's getting to the point and you know,
the consumer is squeezed in between, because how can the
consumer ford you know, to buy groceries in the supermarket
and also go out to a restaurant once month or
twice a month or once a week or you know,

(01:01:02):
twice a year. You know, the money is being pulled
and concentrated into very very very few hands, and it's
fundamentally going to change our society in the very you know,
near near future. It already has. Yeah, so I do
think there's something would be to consider.

Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
I get where you're coming from, but there's a huge
difference in a let's just use around number four percent
margin for a small operation versus a big operation. It's
all about volume when we talk about the billions of
dollars of profit. Like if I had a small grocery
store and my margin was four percent and I did
X amount of business, but my lob Laws just down
the road is doing the same margin, but it's doing

(01:01:40):
X times ten thousand. There's a reason why the profits
are the way they are, the reason why the margins
impact all different sides of operations differently. But points taken
and understood, anything else what we have you this morning Todd.

Speaker 3 (01:01:52):
Only to say, you know, if we reduce, if we
reduce you know, food business down to which we have already,
I mean Kyle Space based. Uh, you know, these volume businesses,
if behoo's the people who are in them to get
bigger and bigger and bigger. By getting bigger and bigger
and bigger, it eliminates choice for everybody, and then once
they got enough control, they jack the prices. So like that,

(01:02:13):
I mean, clearly that's what's happening, and anybody thinks that
the people who prosecute, you know, the people who want
these big companies are altruistic and want to see I mean, yes,
they they donate money to food banks, and they give
money to food banks. They sent Expire food to food banks.
But I mean, you know College base to say that's
a tax right off. You know, when the wealthiest people
in the country control our food system, this is where

(01:02:34):
we end up. And so somewhere, somehow, there needs to
be a pushback. Government needs to do it, and then
we need to push the government to push those guys
because this is not sustainable what we got going on
right now.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
Appreciate the time, Tom, thank.

Speaker 3 (01:02:44):
You, Thanks Betty.

Speaker 2 (01:02:46):
Welcome, bye bye. And I mentioned the story off the
top about Canadian farmers advocating for pressures on the grocery retailers,
but a cap on profit or whatnot. But that's not
all they got into, and something is a little hard
to understand exactly what they're trying to get to here.
Another one of the resolutions that is brought forth is
they're advocating for a ten year pilot program looking at

(01:03:06):
a guaranteed annual income of fifty thousand dollars, a race
they say would rise with inflation year over a year.
There's another couple of things that are a little bit
odd for them to put forward here, to talk about
the calling on the union to create a national coalition
pressing the federal government to purchase food directly from farmers
to be sold at cost in a network of national, provincial,
municipal public grocery stores. Now no details as to how

(01:03:28):
that would work, but that's also a level of altruism,
which kind of flies in the face of the profit
associated with the grocery store. But anyway, it's interesting stuff.
Let's get a break in when we come back and
speaking with you. Don't go away.

Speaker 4 (01:03:39):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
Welcome back to the show. Just send reference to a
bit of a bizarre email. I'm not getting sure I
really understood the crux of the point being made, but
I kind of scoffed at some of the rationale offered
by the American government when they removed the deminimous exemption.
So that's low value imports in the United States. If
it was costs less than eight hundred dollars, there were
no duties required, and now that's all changed. Regardless of

(01:04:04):
the value of the package, you have to pay the
duty up front and jump through all the other hoops.
As John pointed out earlier in the program. So when
the point that someone took exemption to exception to it
was when I said it was often under the guise
of trying to combat a list of goods like fentanyl,
and the email of wise time to say, why would
I be cheering for people selling and using fentanyl? What

(01:04:27):
I mean. Of course I didn't do that or nothing
like that, but it's just been a precursor used by
the United States government for all of the things that
are going on here, apparently, like for the trade increase
apartly the tarrafy increases with Canada. You know, talk about
national security and immigration and drugs is specifically fentanyl. Look
for starters. Every bit of fentilt is potentially dangerous and

(01:04:50):
can drop you dead where you stand, but the amount
of fentanyl that flows from Canada to the United States
is minimal. Same thing with migrants. And if I'm if
I've got my understanding of border security right, is that
it's a funny area to blame other governments. Border control
at the United States is the responsibility of the Americans.
Should we pay an active for all to ensure that

(01:05:12):
as much drugs we can keep out of border trade
is kept out of the equation, of course, But it's
funny how we don't make the same argument that the
Americans are making regarding things like guns. If the majority
of handguns illegally sold and used in this country are
coming from the United States, then if they're blaming us
for fentanyl, then isn't it their fault as it pertains

(01:05:35):
to guns. It's the exact same argument. So I'm not
so sure anybody on this program, certainly not I have
ever cheered for its transporting fentanyl across borders of all
curious ways to hear anything, because let's just not pretend anymore.
It's not about the drugs. It's not about drugs at all.
I mean, if you just see what's going on here,

(01:05:56):
it's all pretty crystal clear. I mean, even just the concept.
I know we've got plenty of issues inside our own borders,
but if it was about drugs and all the abomin
of these boats coming out of Venezuela, and I mean,
even if you look at the size of these vessels,
how are they going to get to American shores. I mean,
the arguments don't really make any sense. And then if
you're talking about it, well it's about the drugs, well

(01:06:18):
buy some of the partons that have been offered recently
are pretty problematic if you're worried about drugs. I mean,
if the former president of Hondurra's convicted and sentenced to
forty five years for the conspiracy to traffic over four
hundred billion dollars worth of cocaine into the United States
and now walking free. It's not about drugs. If for
us Oldbrook, the founder of Silk Road, used on the

(01:06:39):
dark Web to sell drugs, is pardoned, it's not about drugs, right.
So again, I just don't know how the conversations have
got derailed into fantasyland here about what's happening. If it
was all about drugs, everyone would be working together. But
there's no collaboration. Is people just standing their own turf,
standing in their own ground and making the wide sweeping

(01:07:01):
policy changes that who knows what's gonna happen in the future.
And in so far as the trilateral trade agreement that's
in place Kuzma, there's even thoughts the Americans are going
to walk away from it in full. I mean, it's
just bad faith. We signed a contract, everyone negotiated their
piece of the pie and that was it. Pence hit
paper and the trade deals were established and then you know,

(01:07:25):
you'll mention we've been talking groceries. And what's one of
the bugaboos for the current president is things like supply
management access for American dairy farmers into the Canadian market
increased in Kuzma and as a matter of fact, we
allow more American dairy into this country, then they allow
into their country coming from Canadian dairy farmers. And there's

(01:07:45):
also you know things like people talk about socialism capitalism.
In the United States, they straight up practice socialism as
it comes to agriculture. They grow as much as whatever
they want and soybeans or otherwise. When the market goes
away caused by the president, they will subsidize the farmers
or let them go bankrupt, and the bridge guys buy
up all the land, buy up all the operations. As

(01:08:07):
it pertains the dairy people can like or loathe supply management,
which sets quotas which means we don't overproduce and consequently
throw the milk away or the yogurt away, or any
dairy product away. In the United States, they overproduce and
end up getting subsidized so they don't lose, and the
federal government comes to their aid. So when people complain about,
you know, socialism, you're going to run other people's money.

(01:08:29):
It's very selective in how people talk about that particular
concept here. I guess it depends on your political leanings
as opposed to what's actually happening. Let's get a break
in when we come back. A good time for you
to get on the show if you're in and around
town seven zero nine two seven three five two one
one elsewhere toll free long distance one eight eight eight
five ninety VOCM, which is eighty six twenty six. We're

(01:08:50):
taking a break and we're coming back.

Speaker 4 (01:08:52):
Is open line on the VOCM big Land FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:08:57):
Welcome back to the show. Someone just asked me a
very interesting question, and it's about going grocery shopping. But
even right now this time of year, is they ask
you if you'd like to make a donation, So whether
it's at the liquor store, whether it be at the
grocery store, and on the screen, you know, they say
something like would you like to make a donation to
a food bank? And the question being asked is whether
or not that the big retailer takes credit for what

(01:09:19):
would be a pretty significant donation to a food bank
or a community foods sharing association or whatever the case
may be. Who gets a tax receipt Nobody. They call
it point to sale fundraising, and there's actually a car
about exemption there, so me, as an individual, I don't
get a tax credit for it. But neither does the company.
But it's a very good question because a lot of
people probably think that, well, you know, I'll just make

(01:09:41):
a donation directly, so that loab Blaws or Walmart or
Costco doesn't get credit for my donation in the form
of some sort of tax receipt because they don't get one.
And it's a good question because I think a lot
of people probably wonder the exact same thing. So it's
a flow through as opposed to the regular way you
might make a charitable donation. So that's a very good question,

(01:10:02):
and I bet a lot of people have the exact
same one. And then it goes down to some other
cost savings that have been a part of some of
the corporate profits in the grocery retail is the automatic
self checkout look. Some people might appreciate the fact they
don't have to stand in line as necessarily as they
might have to to go to a human being cashier,
and for very small in and out items like you

(01:10:24):
need to buy just one apple or two Lider or Milko,
what have you, and you zip through the self checkout. Okay,
it absolutely long term saves the money. How do I
know that? Because they're doing it right. They saved on
human resources costs because you don't have to have a
pension plan or any other contributions for a robot versus
how you have to treat your human staff. So then

(01:10:45):
they try to cry the blues on a couple of
fronts there. Number one, they're saving money, and some people
like the self checkout good enough, you do whatever he wants.
It's your time and money. But while they make cash
savings on that front and on that play, what they
also do well at the exact same time is cry
wolf about the increase in shoplifting. Part of it is

(01:11:07):
the problem you created. Like if I had no other
way to get out of the store but to go
through an aisle where I have to go past the
cashier unless I have something stuffed on my pants or
whatever the case may be, it's probably going to be
a better opportunity for this staff to catch me. And
also you can have security in close proximity walking around
the cashier aisles to ensure that people are not robbing food.

(01:11:29):
But at the self checkout, it really does have a
lot of honor system built in. I don't know exactly
how the technology works, but like, for instance, if I
take something out of my bag or out of the cart,
scan it. I can't even put it back in the cart.
I got to lay down the little table the or
the tray so that it registers a reset so I
can scan my next item. But you know full well

(01:11:50):
a lot of the increase in shoplifting comes because you
don't have to interact with the human being to get
out of the store. So if I had like a
shop in my bag because I didn't get a car,
because I only needed four little things, what's the possibility
for What are those little things to remain in the
bag and you go through the process of scanning your
other items and now you go So in one hand,

(01:12:11):
they're saving money with the establishment of these self checkouts,
and at the exact same time it's reduced their security level.
Shoplifting is up, and then they cry the blues because
of a problem that they created. Something else. That's worth
reminding folks, it's because that is the facts, and shoplifting
is up across the board at just about every level

(01:12:32):
of retail. When you leave the grocery store, unless they
have some sort of proof that you did something wrong
and you stole something, you don't have to stop and
be quizzed or have your receipt examined and your bag
the contents of your bag examined. You just don't have to.
You do are not obliged by any law in this
country to stop for that. Now, someone immediately points out,

(01:12:54):
well they do it at Costco, but it's actually terms
of your membership at Costco. It says that right therein
you will have to pass by and have you pass
your receive long and have it signed off by an
employee of Costco before you get out. So you actually
signed up for that as a term of your membership.
But we don't have memberships. I'll less you're at a
co op. You don't have a membership at Soby's. So

(01:13:15):
if they think you stole something, they got to be
able to prove it. They can't just stop you. So
it's probably something important to remind the listener. And it's
kind of frustrating if I've never been stopped, thankfully, so
knock on would. But if you haven't done anything wrong,
just that public spectacle of being stopped and somebody going
through your bags and checking your receipt if you didn't

(01:13:35):
do anything wrong, that's a really unfair experience to have
to endure because you went somewhere to shop and you
use the self checkout that the company provided. Anyway, we
can always talk about food grocery prices because doesn't matter
who you are going to about for, we all have
to shop, we all have to eat well more around
the House of Assembly. So I'm pretty confident in saying that.
During the campaign, and while the PCs were in opposition

(01:13:58):
talking about how few days that the House is open,
I believed last calendar year was forty nine, which just
doesn't feel like enough, even though there's an argument to
be made that, you know, maybe just maybe the house
being opened isn't as efficient at getting the people's business
attended to as it should be. But I'm also pretty
sure that during the campaign we were told, especially when
there was three legal challenge or three requests for judicial

(01:14:20):
recounts came for it. Pretty sure I heard the premium
say once all the MHAs are sworn in, and the
last one to be sworn in is the current Minister
of Education, pauled In, who successful in the challenge, are
brought forward by Dan Bobbitt who was his liberal challenger.
So they're all sworn in. But the House remains unopen.
I'd like to see it open, even if it's just
for one specific purpose. If both the Liberals and the

(01:14:44):
Tories and the NDP and the Independence have talked about
the importance of a fifty to sixty year definitive agreements
currently in the MoU State with the Province of Quebec
and Hydro Quebec regarding the Upper Churchill on Gaul Island.
If it's as important as it is, and as the
politicians have told it it is told us it is,
then let's reopen the house, even if it was just

(01:15:05):
for a very specific debate next steps here. I think
the consensus is people understand the concept of independent review,
but at one point that was going to be some
large organization and now it's been boiled back down to
a three person panel appointed by the government, the exact
same thing that the Liberals did with their political appointments
of three people. So it would be nice to know,

(01:15:28):
and I think opposition members, whether it be NDP or
Liberals and independents, to have a chance to get some
additional answers from the government, because this is important and
it's too important to let go open the house answer
questions about a why did it what exactly are we reviewing.
Let's have a debate about the terms of reference, because
no one party, no one government is perfect. There may

(01:15:50):
indeed be some helpful ideas, ideas or suggestions coming from
opposition members about what we need to consider in this
terms of reference and also who we're talking about appointing.
There may indeed be names that other members outside of
government can put into the pile into consideration so that
we get it right, because that's always been what you

(01:16:10):
hear right, We've got to get it right. And I
agree we have to get it right. So let's open
the house when the Liberals reopen it for a four
day session of debate and opportunity to ask questions of representatives,
said JP Morgan Chase and the Jennifer Williams and others.
I think it was helpful in trying to paint a
bit of a better understanding of exactly what's on the
table here inside the pages of the MoU and I

(01:16:31):
think it remains important because if we are going to
delay and the quote unquote take an opportunity to get
it right, let's have contribution from all hands, all elected
forty members of the House of assembly, and let's have
some questions, let's get a better understanding, and I'll add
this last one before we go to the break again.
I'm outside with the review. I understand the importance of

(01:16:55):
But what I will throw out through is are we
not better served with some layer of additional review when
there's actual contracts in place, definitive agreements? Because right now,
even if you hear from Mike Wilson, is the current
structure of the independent panel is a major problem for him,
in addition to some of the associated risks and downsides
as pointed out by mister Wilson. But in the MoU stage,

(01:17:20):
hydro Quebec isn't obliged to give us anything. But when
it becomes definitive agreements, all the different working parts of
the expansion at the upper with the potential for gall
the two transmission projects associated with it, they'd all have
to be in the definitive agreements. So we don't know
what's being negotiated. Necessarily, we don't know if the progress
and the negotiations has stalled. So getting the house reopen,

(01:17:43):
I think is a good starting point, and I will
put that out there for your consideration. Maybe a call
on it. Are we better served to review the contracts,
the bonding definitive agreements or are you happy enough with
a further consideration a review of the memorandum of understanding
because they are two different things. Let's get a break.
You want me to come back? Premiy show left for you,

(01:18:03):
don't go away.

Speaker 4 (01:18:05):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:18:10):
Looks back to the program Let's go line number one.
Good morning, Kim Kelly are on the air.

Speaker 10 (01:18:16):
Good morning, Patty, thank you so much for having me
on again. I'm so glad to have this this you know,
this avenue right to be able to promote our event.

Speaker 2 (01:18:27):
Absolutely tell other folks while we're talking about this morning, can.

Speaker 12 (01:18:31):
Thank well this here.

Speaker 10 (01:18:34):
We're having. It's the twenty first annual vigil to remember
our loved ones who died by suicide.

Speaker 7 (01:18:40):
And of course we.

Speaker 10 (01:18:41):
Hold this vigil, Patty, to support family and friends who
lost loved ones to suicide. People can join in person
at Saint Mark's Church or they can lot during the
event on Saint Mark's Facebook page. And I can give
you all of this information right but it's www dot Facebook,
book dot com, slash Saint Mark's n L slash and

(01:19:05):
people can add a photo to our slide show and
they can email one Eda at one Eda dot Marie
Simmons at gmail dot com, or myself at Kakelly at.

Speaker 7 (01:19:17):
Mon dot ca.

Speaker 10 (01:19:18):
And we need those photos by December the ninth, because
of course we're only a group of volunteers and Wanita
and Kathy put together the slide show and we need
to have all the pictures in and you know, set
up according.

Speaker 7 (01:19:31):
To the music, you know, on all of those kind
of things.

Speaker 10 (01:19:35):
And most importantly as well, we read the names aloud
of our loved ones. Last year we read two hundred
and thirty one names, so people were remembering, and I
expect this year we're going to be We're already at
about two fifty and so we read those names so
people can submit names to us. So they can send
in names to me at ka Kelly at mon dot

(01:19:57):
CAA and we can take names right up and to
like midnight or if I see him the next morning
in time, you know, we can do that until November thirteenth.
The event itself is happening on Sunday, December fourteenth, so
Sunday coming at three o'clock at Saint Mark's Church as
I mentioned, and music of course as always by Shelley

(01:20:22):
Neville Peter Halle who come and volunteer their time.

Speaker 7 (01:20:25):
Every year to give us the music.

Speaker 10 (01:20:28):
And Dan Dylan comes and provide some music for conversation afterwards,
because we after the eventil we invite people to bring
coffee and tea and sandwiches and we share in conversation
and a fellowship in the church community space there and
so we're so delighted with that. And also to mention

(01:20:49):
when we do the online slideshow, we're doing things a
little bit differently this year because we read so many
names now allowed and we don't have photos for every
person's name. So the slide show will be going up
after the vigil on Saint Mark's Facebook page. And of
course that slide show is gone to the music of

(01:21:11):
the Anni sisters, Judy Brazo and Shannon Power. So that's
kind of how the event looks like.

Speaker 2 (01:21:19):
Yeah, and you and I have had this annual conversation
and we're always happy to do it. How have the
number of attendees increased over the years, Because for some people,
whether it be the stigma associated was dying by suicide
or people's own personal grief which never really truly goes away.
Have the number of attendees grown or not over the years,
you know what, the number.

Speaker 10 (01:21:41):
We have grown. We started the event in Cape Roll
in my hometown, you know, really for my mom and dad,
because you know, they really needed a space to come together, right,
and my brother died in two thousand, so there wasn't
much conversation about suicide then.

Speaker 12 (01:21:58):
But because Cape Role.

Speaker 10 (01:21:59):
Wasn't very sent we moved to the Monchapel and we
actually outgrew the Monchapel because that could only hold two
hundred people. Then we went to Saint Patrick's Church and
of course, uh, you know, then Saint Mark's invited us
to their space, so we fell Saint Mark's you know
church every year. But now, of course our online attendees

(01:22:22):
have grown, right, So COVID really forced us, you know,
for better or for worse, in a new direction. And
of course we had to have our first during COVID,
we had ten people in the church and so we
had to start reading names aloud, which is which now
become has now become the central.

Speaker 7 (01:22:42):
Part of our vigil really, and so.

Speaker 10 (01:22:46):
Our online viewers have grown, so people watch, you know,
one year. The first year I think was during COVID,
we had people watch from all over the country. Because
the beauty of it now is if you're not in
Saint John, you can send the lank two loved ones
who are in BC and Alberta, Ontario, and people watch
from all of those provinces. And sometimes if you know

(01:23:07):
people are in Florida, right, they can watch or wherever
they are. So the beauty of it is that if
you're in Labrador, you know wherever you are, you can
watch the vigil and if you can't make it at
the time at three o'clock on Sunday, it will be
available on the Saint Mark's Facebook page for thirty days, right,
because that's the new Facebook regulations, you can only.

Speaker 7 (01:23:29):
Have allowed to that.

Speaker 10 (01:23:31):
We're so grateful to Saint Mark's for hosting us and
providing the space and giving us the live stream ability
because we never really would have had that anywhere else.
So we're really grateful to them for that.

Speaker 7 (01:23:44):
So when it.

Speaker 10 (01:23:44):
Comes to because she asked about you know, you talked
about stigma, and you talked about all of those things.
I mean, we hope that our vigil is helping to
help people come together to remember their loved one because
no matter, you know, people, we know the reality is
that our loved ones have died by suicide.

Speaker 12 (01:24:06):
But the reality is also that they lived.

Speaker 10 (01:24:08):
Right, So you know, our loved ones, you know, had
had degrees or you know, they had wonderful jobs. They
were involved in music and dance and in you know,
whatever it was they were involved in. That we come together,
you know, to remember parents and spouses and you know,
friends and colleagues, neighbors, you know, members. We come together

(01:24:32):
in different states, different sexualities, different gender identities, so from
so many different diverse backgrounds we come together and you know,
this is the one place that we can come together
and support and solidarity, to kind of support each other, right,
to try to lessen that stigma. And you know that

(01:24:55):
that people feel, right, we know that when people died
by suicide, there's so many questions that have and so
many different things that you know that people kind of
go to right away.

Speaker 12 (01:25:08):
Right, there's so.

Speaker 7 (01:25:10):
Much, so much on your mind.

Speaker 10 (01:25:12):
Right. I wrote a song about suicide loss, and you
know in that I talk about it's you know, like
you said, movie, right, scenes go over and over in
your mind. But the one thing people you know, a
message I guess I want to get out to people
who've lost loved ones to suicide is you are not
to blame. You do nothing wrong, right, No person is

(01:25:35):
responsible in that way for the loss of another person.
So it's really important that people kind of remember that, right.
I know it's really hard, and I'm just one person
saying it, but you know, I'm a social worker myself,
and I know, right, I've supported people who've.

Speaker 7 (01:25:55):
Lost loved ones to suicide.

Speaker 10 (01:25:56):
And I'm also a survivor of suicide loss, having lots
my brother.

Speaker 7 (01:26:00):
So I'm an example.

Speaker 10 (01:26:02):
That if suicide happened in my family and I was
from a loving, warm family, it can really happen to anyone, right,
So we really come together from all walks of life
to in this loss. I mean, suicide is a community issue.
It's more than that now, I mean, Patty, you've talked

(01:26:23):
on your show. You know, we've talked about all of
the different areas, looking at the numbers and increases in
places like the gathering place and the same for Hope,
and you know, all the food banks and mental health
and addictions has really become I believe we're in an
epidemic for sure, it's a crisis, right and together we're

(01:26:46):
trying to come together to look at what we can
do to our you know, I guess the vigil it's
our little part of supporting families and individuals who have
lost loved ones to suicide the last one.

Speaker 2 (01:27:01):
And people ask me this question too, is you know,
they would consider going, but they don't want to have
to interact, or they don't want to have to speak,
or they don't have to present. They simply want to
be there and experience it for the first time. So
there's nothing required of you other than if you want
to submit your picture and the name to be read
aloud and simply be in attendance.

Speaker 12 (01:27:21):
Absolutely, and so people can do that.

Speaker 10 (01:27:24):
And if they don't want to have their name right aloud,
they can just do that quietly like when we light
the candles. We people can you know, share their little
name to themselves or silently, or they don't have to
because we really read the names aloud and show the pictures.
But people can just come into the vigil, they can
leave and exist, you know, whenever they want. We also

(01:27:48):
have there's a Saint Mark's has a couple of quiet
rooms if things get too much. They can leave the
vigil you know, and go out there for a moment,
but there is no pressure on anyone. In fact, people
we have a set program, so we have people already
assigned to read the names like Tina Davies, Joyce Smith,

(01:28:08):
Carol Goswell myself will read the names. Randy Crane, will
who was in the dinner theater up in Fairland who
lost his nephew, will be one of our readers, as
well as Ken Paraway who lost his son William. So
lots of different people hopefully hopefully they won't mind me
coming out and talking about them this morning. But so

(01:28:31):
we have, you know, all we have the programs set aside,
so nobody has nobody will get a chance to come
in and speak right and then if people don't want
together for conversation afterwards for coffee and tea, they can
just make a quick exit. And but we do have
lots of people will will come and gather and share
in coffee and tea afterwards. And also people are invited

(01:28:54):
to bring a framed photo of their loved one, especially
now that we're showing the slow show after after the event,
then you know, people lots of people will come and
bring a framed photo and we'll put them right up
in the front and then they they'll take those home again. Right,
but certainly no pressure for anyone. This is just an event.

(01:29:16):
It's a beautiful and yet sad event too, right. You
know the candle lighting is very poignant, is uh. You know,
Peter Hallie will play music and we'll read aloud the
names and it's just it's it's it's so sad to
hear all the names. But you know, people are getting
to hear the names of their latch one and we

(01:29:37):
are remembering them because there's lots of places where people can't.
They don't you know, there's not always spaces for people
to talk about their lat one. And I guess I
invite those listeners who know someone who's lost someone to
suicide to invite them to talk about their lat to ones.

Speaker 7 (01:29:55):
It's so important sometimes wh.

Speaker 2 (01:30:00):
Because of the time of the clock, unfortunately I'm late
for the news. But just the details one more time
about where when for this year's event, No problem.

Speaker 10 (01:30:08):
It's Sunday, December fourteenth at three o'clock at Saint Mark's Church,
two o three Loggi Bay Road and the live stream
location is www dot Facebook dot com at slash Saint
Mark's n L slash.

Speaker 2 (01:30:24):
I appreciate your time, Kam, thank you very much.

Speaker 10 (01:30:26):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 7 (01:30:27):
Patty, Okay, take care by bye bye bye.

Speaker 2 (01:30:30):
Yeah, we are little late for news, but let's get
that breaking when we come back. Plenty showlder for you.
Don't go ahead.

Speaker 4 (01:30:34):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:30:39):
Welcome back to the show. Well after multiple delays I
think as many as four delays and getting the Mews
Center open, it has been open to the general public
for quite a while. I believe the grand opening ribbon
cutting ceremony is today. Former council member currently Liberal member
for Water for Valleys, Jamie corapp And joins US online
number one and good morning, Jamie. You're on the air.

Speaker 13 (01:30:59):
Good morning, Today's a great day. Thanks for having me on.

Speaker 2 (01:31:02):
Happy to have you on. So we don't need to
rehash all the reasons behind the various delays, of which
I think there were four main delay announcements. But now
that it's open, you just give the folks some idea
of what the new Mews Center includes in so far
as offerings and services compared to the old.

Speaker 8 (01:31:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:31:18):
No, it's like I said, you're just just a touch
base quickly.

Speaker 13 (01:31:21):
You know, this started in twenty eighteen with checked Twitter
or the ex The first engagement we had was back
in twenty eighteen. I think we had about seventeen stakeholder
meetings with residents for the original plan was to do
it in the parking lot of cross from the current
or the old mus I guess it is now. But
after some geotechnical work that you know, was determined that
wasn't suitable. You know, fast forward twenty twenty one, we

(01:31:43):
made the announcement there and one of the reasons it
was selected they wanted to keep it in the same
area because of the Boys and Girls Club and the
programs that ran in there. But also you know, you've
got it's a real community hub with the dog park,
skate park, outdoor walking trail, the softball field which now
has lights, and that Canadian Tire Jumpstar playgrounds and with
that new facility. The grand opening was this morning. It

(01:32:05):
was fantastic to see, you know, all three levels of
government were there. You know, the mister Muse who was
named after Harry was as he went by, you know,
his had three of his four of us story. His
grand kids were there and spoke at it. But it's
an amazing facility. As soon as you walk in, it's bright.
You've got your racquetball courts, full sized gym. Originally when

(01:32:26):
it started, it was scaled at about twenty million, but
having those engagement with the residents, they wanted an indoor
walking track, they wanted that steam room. I actually had
a few residents and I was a ward counselor said
if you don't get us a steam room, do not
show your face around here. Jokingly threateningly but really not joking,
but no. So it has that indoor walking track which
goes on top of the gym there. The pool is great.

(01:32:49):
It's got a you know, a water feature there for kids.
It's got a climbing wall. I mean just there today.
There had been about forty or fifty seniors taking part
in the water ropes, which is fantastic scene. Apparently it's
sold out every morning. And they have space for the
real program, which you know, helps kids that need help
with assistance in terms of sports and funding and as well,
as I said, the boys and girl clubs, that was
very important to make sure they had a space there

(01:33:10):
because you know, the old News Center was the Boys
and Girls Club if you go back seven years. So
an amazing facility anyone that hasn't been there yet. It's
been open for a month or two. Highly recommend I'm
checking it out. I you know, it's one of those things, Patty.
When I went in today, I had the biggest smile
on my face knowing the location and the people will serve.
It's just fantastic.

Speaker 2 (01:33:30):
I'm glad it's finally open, even after all the delays
and what it meant for costs and budget. These types
of facilities are and possible being in the city, so
I'm glad that it is finally open. I have not
a chance to go have a look for myself, but
that's somewhere into their future. I assume anything else on
that front, because I do have another question for you.

Speaker 13 (01:33:48):
Yeah, no, just on that just you know, thank the
federal government. Like I said, it did go up with
a ten million in price and that was just with
the rescope of it, so you know, it was originally
it was the gas tax Fund. Now it's basically you know,
the Building Canada Fund, which META, so you know, thanks
to the federal government for that. And yeah, with this
with this open now, again, encourage everyone to get out
and check it out. It's beautiful facility, and it's and

(01:34:09):
I call it a more safe facility. A lot of
the other facilities you go to, any random person can
walk in. This has to be buzzed in, so that
a extra level of security, the accessibility there. If everyone
knows the old news center, you know it was a
split entry, so much more accessible. And again, encourage everyone
to go and check it out.

Speaker 2 (01:34:26):
This question is in reference to north Shore fires. So
when there was a group brought together, a committee brought together,
you were the chair all of it at the time.
Now we know we brought in representatives from the local
service districts and what have you, and working towards plans
to rebuild and what have you. Can do you have
any status update, like, for instance, we talked about all
the money that people, individuals and corporations made in the

(01:34:47):
former donations. Seems like none of that money has flowed.
Can you give us some sort of status update for
the folks in the north Shore who have these types
of questions.

Speaker 13 (01:34:55):
No, it's it's a really good question, Patty, and it's
one now in opposition not privy to before the election
when I was part of that cabinet committee that you
referenced all the money coming in from Red Cross. So
originally those were for things like the immediate things people
they did, clothing, food and all that. In terms of
how the rebuild of that area we're going to go,

(01:35:17):
there was nothing airmarked for that yet. So moving forward
now they have a new committee that the PC's announced
there I think about two weeks ago, and they'll be
moving forward and how that money gets allocated. So you know,
I don't think there's many announcements from the Conservatives and
Provincial service yet how that's going to move forward, but
I know there is a significant amount of money there.

(01:35:37):
You know, if anyone you know the fundings that were
done in a number of capacities as well as obviously
gen do nations from the provincial government that they matched.
There'll be things coming down the pipe, I'm sure soon.
But it's a question I'll be happy to put to
the to that cabinet committee out there, as I know
the MH. A. Riley who's out there, he's involved as
well as a few of the others. So no, it's

(01:35:58):
a good question. It's time now that we start the
conversation would happened. You know, haven't been out to perslic
and caververnor collegiate our governor schools should say on a
number of occasions talking to the residents. Some are ready
to rebuild, some are not. But regardless of what stage
are at in that rebuilding process, we do need to
get things move along on how that's how that's going
to shape the north Shore.

Speaker 2 (01:36:19):
Yeah. Now, I know government doesn't really have any real
authority to tell the Red Cross what to do and
when to do it. But the government also has pledged
different levels and layers of support as well. But a
question coming from say, for instance, the Premier or others
to the Red Cross about the status of those chactable
donations might be helpful to push this a law because
I feel questions fairly frequently for people who have been

(01:36:41):
impacted by the Kingston fire, and I don't have any answers,
and I can't find anyone who does have any answers.

Speaker 13 (01:36:47):
Yeah, one thing I know for sure, when if people
remember back to FIODA when we had the Red Cross,
I wasn't in government then but just known from here
and that a lot of the money fundrais didn't stay
in New f Land because that Fiona it was it
majorly impacted or the Beast, but also Nova Scoti near Brunswick.
So with this one, you know, it was you know,
specifically told that the Red Cross. Any money fund raised
here stays in the north Shore and if there was

(01:37:09):
the Patty spent fire, and now in Central if there was,
if there you know, was areas affected there which wasn't
near as much, so there is money there for it.
I know that the provincial the current government, Provincial Conservatives
extended what we had in which is basically the fifteen
hundred dollars if you needed money to find an apartment
and a thousand dollars if were staying with a family.
So that was extended until I believe to the end

(01:37:31):
of March or April. I don't have in front of me,
but no new announcements yet on that. So no, like
I said, it is time now we you know, the
government steps up, does what need to be done and
really work with those stakeholders, whether it be the incorporated
LSD's unincorporated areas, because there is a lot of people
out there and I've talked to many of them and
they want they want some answers, and it's a fair question.

(01:37:52):
So I'd love to hear from the government as well.
What you know, what meetings, what is common those meetings
that they've had.

Speaker 2 (01:37:57):
Appreciate the time.

Speaker 13 (01:37:58):
Thank you, Jamie, thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (01:38:00):
You're welcome, Bye bye. I mean, of course questions for
government about government action or in action, but I think
as someone who made a donation and for others out
whether it be musicians or other corporate donations, whatever the
case may be. You know, regardless of why you think
about government support for people who lost X, Y or
Z in whatever fire, I mean people individuals made donations

(01:38:22):
with a very specific purpose in mind, and that's to
give financial aid and support to people who were impacted.
I'd like to know where the money is. And I'm
not suggesting anything on toward is going on, but people
are asking me and how am I supposed to know?
But we'll keep asking. The question that's going to break
in for the news don't go away.

Speaker 4 (01:38:37):
Is open line. I'm a VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:38:42):
Welcome back to the show. Let's go to light number
one billion on the air.

Speaker 14 (01:38:46):
Hi, good morning, Patty. How were things this.

Speaker 2 (01:38:47):
Morning doing great? How about you that bad listen.

Speaker 14 (01:38:50):
I send you an email a little with two pictures
in there of text messages I received. One was yesterday
and the other one was earlier in the week about
one was a parking violate, said another was a speeding ticket.
So I was wanting to make you aware that or
your listeners aware that it's a scam. I went to
the air and C station and they told me they
would never send a text message. My concern was that

(01:39:12):
one as a seven h nine number, which is the province,
and yellow one at a five to one nine number,
which is Quebec. That's when your listeners be aware that
is a scam, and being this close to Christmas or
any time the year to be careful.

Speaker 2 (01:39:24):
Yeah, Service and now is not going to send out
a warning about you have some refund available, some rebate.
They don't do that. The R and C or other
law enforcement, they don't send out warnings about speeding tickets.
And they're all the exact same is you were caught
going forty three kilo meners no howur in the school
and what have you. So you're right, Bill, and I'm
glad you're calling to warn people about the scam because
around this time here seems to get worse.

Speaker 14 (01:39:46):
Yeah, it's insane and it looks the gentlemen like it
has the new flang government uh picture on it and everything.

Speaker 3 (01:39:52):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (01:39:54):
And the bit about the number that used to be
did that giveaway?

Speaker 3 (01:39:56):
Right?

Speaker 2 (01:39:57):
You can look at your call display and would have
this long string like eighteen numbers that you didn't recognize,
so you knew, well, this is a scam. Now they've
got this technological ability to spoof your number. It can
look like it's coming from down the street. Seven oh nine,
seven two six blah blah blah blah. But all of
a sudden, now they've got that capability. So it's making
it even more difficult to recognize the scams exactly.

Speaker 14 (01:40:20):
And like I said, the last one I got yesterday
was a seven oh nine number, yes, and that's in
our province. So be extremely careful when you're getting text
messages because if you're like me, I like to pay
to be certain on it and aware of it. The
best thing to do is go to the rn C
and get it.

Speaker 2 (01:40:36):
Checked absolutely at this At this stage, it's probably worth
our while to consider most everything coming in a potential scam.
If it's your bank or your telecom company or whatever.
If they need you, fine, you can just hang up
and call them back directly to make sure that you're
on the right track and not being taken to the cleaners.

Speaker 14 (01:40:56):
Exactly because I call both numbers and I got voicemails.

Speaker 2 (01:41:00):
Yeah, because there's no one there.

Speaker 14 (01:41:03):
Exactly exactly, and I, like I said, thank you for
letting me announce it, and Merry Christmas. And you guys
be safe and be aware of these blessed scams.

Speaker 2 (01:41:13):
Absolutely appreciate your time bill, thanks for doing it.

Speaker 14 (01:41:16):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:41:16):
Look bye bye bye. It's non stop. It's absolutely relentless.
My email inbox is full of them. Every time I
get a text message that says I either have some
cash coming my way or warning about some fine. They're
all scams. And you know we mentioned the area code
being seven zero nine included in some of these scams.
There's also a new area code here for the first

(01:41:37):
time ever, right eight seven nine coming to town because
apparently the exchange is blocked the seven oh nine, So
you may indeed getting a new phone number. At this
day and age, you might be getting an eight to
seven nine area code, which is apropos of nothing. Let's
go to line number two. Trina, you around the air, Hi, Yes.

Speaker 12 (01:41:55):
I just wanted to talk about I was working at
HMP in a permanent position. When I took the job,
I was like to believe that it was permanent position. However,
somebody grieved the position and I got laid off and
my and Nate is not doing much for me, and
I'm just at my witsand and what to do. So

(01:42:18):
I'm just you know, kind of being the great the
squeaky wheel here now. And you know, our justice system
need people. They don't need to be laying off people.
And like I said, and Nate doesn't seem to be
getting anywhere with it.

Speaker 2 (01:42:31):
What was the reason given to you for the layoff?

Speaker 12 (01:42:35):
Because the person that grieved my position apparently there was
a grievance attached to the permanent position. So somebody grieved,
le leaved, grieved the position and they won the grievance
and I got bumped out and I was with another
bargaining unit when I had I'm with government twenty years.
Over twenty years, I left one bargaining unit for another.

(01:42:58):
And because I left and went to another bargain union,
I lost my seniority. But I thought, that's fine. I've
got a permanent position, so I didn't think it. You know,
I didn't think it any harm and well permanent position
was attached to a grievance and I was not told that.

Speaker 2 (01:43:15):
Yeah, be helpful information going in, because then you can
always evaluate for yourself.

Speaker 12 (01:43:20):
Yes, okay, what a story. I would have definitely not
taken the position if it was attached to a grievance,
or they could have made it a temporary position and
I could have went back to my own position, But
they didn't do either of those things.

Speaker 2 (01:43:35):
Do you mind if I asked what type of position
you held? A classification officer and what does that person do?

Speaker 12 (01:43:43):
Classification officer basically helps release planning also helps with placing
various offenders throughout the prison where it would be most appropriate.

Speaker 2 (01:43:53):
Oh so to try to avoid well understo baked in
conflicts that some prisoners may have.

Speaker 12 (01:44:00):
Yeah, and release planning, you know, when they get released,
make sure like that everything is in place for them,
whatever that may be.

Speaker 2 (01:44:08):
I'm sorry this happened to you, and it would have
been nice to have all the information before he made
the decision to take the job. But in so far
as placement plans into the community or reintegrating into the community.
Give us some idea how that actually works, because that's
obvious concern someone coming out of prison, depending on how
long they were in there. I suppose the difficulty of
reintegration can also be part with recidivism. So how does

(01:44:30):
it work?

Speaker 12 (01:44:32):
Well, you know, we try to connect them to resources
like John Howard Society and make sure they have somewhere
to live. And we start with them inside, really with
John Howard. John Howard can start with them inside so
that they're connected to them and when they go outside
it would be less of a chance.

Speaker 2 (01:44:53):
And how about housing because one thing, whether we talk
about anything under the sound interaction with the healthcare system,
criminal justice, is of poverty. Housing is a massive concern.
How difficult is it defined our offenders about to be
released somewhere to live?

Speaker 12 (01:45:07):
It is difficult, There's no doubt about that. Again, some
of the organizations out there, John Howard to sell a circle.
We try to connect them with as many organizations as
we possibly can to get you know, at least, you know,
get them with a roof over their head, even if
it's just a shelter.

Speaker 2 (01:45:24):
Yeah, the whole conversation about recidivism, crime and punishment is
a very interesting, sometimes a very tricky conversation. I'm surprised
to hear that no one at the union level is
willing to do something on your behalf, even if it's
an answer you don't want, saying, well, this is how
it works, and off we go.

Speaker 12 (01:45:44):
I do have I'm feeding information to my employment representative
officer er O employee representative officer, and I'm just I'm
feeding her information that I'm getting myself. I feel like
I'm doing the work.

Speaker 2 (01:46:00):
Yeah, and there's a reason why you pay your dues.

Speaker 12 (01:46:04):
Yes, absolutely, and I just can't sometimes I don't get
a response like it's just it's it's ridiculous. And given
the fact that you know, I've been with government for
twenty years plus and I find myself unavoyd.

Speaker 2 (01:46:17):
Yeah, brutal last one. And I'm really sorry to hear
of your circumstances regarding that what you thought was a permanent,
full time job in working with the prisoners upon you know,
getting close to release dates. What have you did you
ever find yourself scared or uncomfortable or fearful or whatever
the right word is.

Speaker 12 (01:46:37):
No, I haven't known.

Speaker 2 (01:46:39):
I appreciate you making time. I wish this wasn't the case.
If someone's listening at NAPE, they obviously are familiar with
Tree in his file. Maybe just maybe get back to
her and see if there's something could be done, and
if nothing, tell her.

Speaker 12 (01:46:49):
That yes, absolutely, thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (01:46:52):
I appreciate your time, Trina. Okay, thanky, bute bye. All
the circumstances of a job, you know, I just think,
in the air of fairness, it's probably a good idea
for everything to be known, whether you're going in to
replace someone who's on maternity or on long term leave,
or on long term disability, or simply a replacement job,
or something attached to a grievance, because we all you know,

(01:47:13):
it's helpful to go with your eyes wide open, know
exactly why you're getting yourself into. Because, as she said,
had she known it was a permanent job with a
a grievance attached to it, she probably wouldn't have taken it.
If it had been posted as a temporary job pending
outcome of a grievance, she probably wouldn't have taken it.
So I don't think there's anything unfair in the how
job postings are labeled. So information is power. Let's get

(01:47:34):
a break in final break in the morning. When we
come back, still another segment available to you. Don't go away.

Speaker 4 (01:47:39):
She's open line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:47:44):
Just scratch my head a little bit here. Some just
sent me an email saying, you know, why can't our
premier be more like this? And this was a reference
to an article from Global Calgary about Daniel Smith, the
Premier Alberta, and the headline says Alberta Smith says courts

(01:48:05):
should not be gatekeepers on constitutional questions. What we're not
advocating for that, are we is for politicians to be
the ones to evaluate the constitutionality of one thing or another.
And this is all in reference to the potential for
a referendum. So the decision was pretty clear. Concluded that

(01:48:25):
a referendum proposal contravened several sections of the Constitution. Act
also said the Constitution doesn't say that you cannot hold
a referendum on separation, but that would not be constitutional
and so consequently would hold no weight if not judges
and courts to answer questions regarding the constitution. Doesn't that
sound like a pretty you know, the essence of slippery

(01:48:47):
slope stuff. I think we're already in an area where
the threats of using notwith standing clause is not exactly
what the notwithstanding Clau's intention was. I mean, provinces are
using it pretty far and white here now, you know,
even when it comes to how collective barckening. So there's
going to be an issue in this country regarding organized labor.
But the one in Alberta regarding notwithstanding was the teachers

(01:49:12):
get sent back to work where the contract is in
the form of will take it or leave it, and
they're notwithstanding Claus said it cannot be challenged in court
for the term of the contract, which is four years. Now.
I just find that to be not a circumstance where
you don't want constitution questions answered by judges versus politicians.
And you talk about all activist judges and what have you.

(01:49:34):
My god, is there anyone more of an activist than
a politician. I mean, every evaluation of the constitutional questions
would simply come out in their favor every single time,
whereas that is not the case when you go to
court to decide things regarding the Constitution. And if you
want the Constitution opened up whether it be for a
writing things, pick one, the role of the monarchy. There's

(01:49:57):
a reason why people have been loath to open up
the constitution because it becomes an absolute nightmare immediately, even
for things like and I'll leave it up to you
what you think the role of the monarchy should play
in this country given that things have changed. And I
think there are plenty of questions about the role of
the monarchy and candidate, but even just to have it

(01:50:18):
questioned whether or not we have an actual financial evaluation
or how much it will cost. We'll set that aside
for a second. You would have to get the agreement
of the House of Commons, the Senate, and all the provinces,
all of the provinces to reopen the constitution to remove
the monarchy. So is that something that all the provinces

(01:50:39):
can never agree on? Unlikely? You mean, federalism here in
this country is tricky enough to begin with. Same thing.
If you talk about term limits for senators and the
process to place people in the upper Red Chamber, I
think the number of errors you need the House of Comments,
you need the Senate itself to also be involved and
potentially shortening their terms. Right now, all the way to

(01:51:00):
age seventy five before it stepped down as a senator
in this country. So you need both those chambers. You
need I think it's seven out of the ten provinces
to agree, and that's going to be hard to accomplish,
I would suggest. So there are fair conversations that have
fair questions about the Senate and the current process for
people to be members of the Senate, and the term
limit stuff, the role of the monarchy, and yes, crack

(01:51:22):
and open the Constitution to try to get some sort
of modern day definition and some of the dues and
don'ts and what they're not with standing claus can be
applied to boy oh boy, because now all of a
sudden it's baked into collective bargaining, which regardless if you're
in the union. I'm not an union, but I think
that that can be an issue. Then just look at

(01:51:42):
the relationship between provincial governments and the federal government regarding unions.
When the government was quick based on conversations or concerns
with economic blowback, when you had strikes at the rails,
strikes at the ports, not all the rails, but strikes
at ports, strike at the railways, it was the impact
that it might have on the economy. And Section one

(01:52:04):
oh seven in the Labor Act was used to send
people back to work, same thing when the threat to
Air Canada flight attendants, the same conversation was going on.
So if you hear from organized labor bodies on the
provincial level and at the federal level, the relationship that
has eroded to the point where there's even talking general strike.

(01:52:24):
There was a threat of general strike in Ontario just
a few years ago. There's threats of general strikes in
Alberta at this moment in time. Why because what has
been there for a reason. You can like unions, you
can hate unions, doesn't really matter, is the fact is
they have the right to a bargain. And then on
the federal front, they brought forth the no Replacement Worker legislation.

(01:52:48):
It doesn't apply across the board, only to federally regulated industry.
But man, that relationship and the use of Section one
oh seven and the use of the notwithstanding claus is
bringing us to a point where organized labor, I think
is pretty fed up. And of course I'm not a
member of union, so I don't have any real actual
skin in the game here on that one butt anyway,

(01:53:08):
that's the lie of that particular line, just in my
own opinion, and your opinion is welcome, and some of
the folks who send me emails that are pretty much
the same all the time, and this one is about
I knew you'd be too afraid to mention the Peace
Prize that was given out last Friday afternoon at the
FIFA World Cup draw. I didn't bring it up because

(01:53:29):
it's not even a thing, right. It was basically a
pacifier on a ribbon. I mean, it was part of
the cringe of the whole performance. I mean, even though
I think between the hosts and the skits that were
done and the commentary on stage, which was all so awkward,
and yes, there was plenty of cringe. The same emailer

(01:53:51):
who questioned why I didn't give Potus a shout out
about he's made up peace prize also went on to say,
you know, all of a sudden, now you don't you
hate Wayne Gretzky. I've never said, or one second in
my life that I hate Wayne Gretzky. I don't hate
Wayne Gretzky. I had Gretzky jersey. I cheered for Gretzky
closet oiler fan, because I'm a Montreal fan. But what
I said was is that he had a pretty embarrassing

(01:54:12):
stint on stage. And I imagine if you ask Wayne himself,
he'd probably agree. He knew the name of every single
country that were going to be in the balls in
his bucket, and he had the whole morning to figure
out how to pronounce Macedonia and how to pronounce Corsow.
So the fact that he fumbled it, I don't know
at the point, just the obvious. Had it been someone

(01:54:33):
else on stage who was unable to pronounce the different
countries that they had to read it aloud, I'd feel
the same way. So I had nothing to do with
Gretzky's politics. It just had something to do with Gretzky's
pronunciation and maybe a little bit of phonics. That's all final.
Check out on the Twitter box where bosim open line
go follow us there, email addresses open line at vocem
dot com. And even when some of the emails do

(01:54:55):
feel a bit repetitive and or their colony names, bring
it on. Always love getting a good email. Very good
show today, big thanks to old hands. We will indeed
pick up this conversation again tomorrow morning right here on
VOCM and big Land FM's Open Line on behalf of
the producer Greg Smith. I'm your host, Patty Daily. Have
yourself a safe, fun, happy day. We'll talk in the morning.

(01:55:15):
Bye bye