Know how the 1992 Quentin Tarantino classic, Reservoir Dogs was named? As the story goes, there was a pile of unsolicited scripts filed under the same name and it contained movie scripts, all figuratively vying for attention, just like dogs stuck in a reservoir tank waiting to be selected and taken to their forever home
50th GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The writ dropped on January 15th, and we head to the polls – if we haven’t mailed or marked our ‘X’ early – on February 13. The election to determine the 50th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador comes at an interesting time. Dr. Andrew Furey, this province’s 14th premier, didn’t have to call an election until the end of his first year, but with the numbers being what they are – 19 Liberals, 15 Progressive Conservatives, three New Democrats and three Independents – Furey no doubt would love to at least one-up the odds.
As things currently stand, Furey’s 19 could be challenged by the 20 who sit opposite and those near but not quite even-steven numbers make any agenda-setting that much more challenging.
I get it. A minority government is simply a sucks-to-be-you position.
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MEET THE CANDIDATES
As Furey, Ches Crosbie and Alison Coffin prepare to duke it out for Districts, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have an interesting decision to make at one very tumultuous and distracting time. As if keeping a deadly virus away from our rocky shores isn’t bad enough, there’s the planning and execution of immunizations and an economy with nar leg to stand on. Not an enviable task to take on. And the candidates?
There’s a doctor, a lawyer and an economist. Like standing in a kennel surrounded by adorable yapping pups when it’s time to make a selection – pick one.
Crosbie is political royalty. The son of the late, great and incredibly animated and entertaining John Crosbie, Crosbie Jr. became well-known for being the man who dead-on deadpanned; ‘charisma is overrated.’ But he’s had his memorable moments too, like his “details are scanty” comment made after what he called a government funding ‘non’ annoucement. Funny stuff.
And when it comes to public health, he’s certainly worked hand-in-hand with the ruling Liberals for the greater good.
As for Coffin, she’s found her footing and is well on her way to making an energetic kick at the can this go around with a diverse slew of eager NDP candidates. While the party can’t seem to dodge rumours of in-house disarray, Coffin is always seemingly eager to collaborate, and her baygirl enthusiasm has served her well in politics thus far.
As for Furey? Well, he’s kept calm and carried on and that’s all he really had to do. The doctor with a fancy and philanthropic resume, hasn’t screwed anything up so who could blame him for wanting to spit, scratch and step up to bat. Now is as good a time as any to aim for a home run advantage. Many may question the timing, but it’s a numbers game b’ys and the government of the day doesn’t have the equals-to to git ‘er done.
TURNING UP THE HEAT
While there’s no epic clash of the titians type stuff yet, it’s early. This is an important election, and it will be a fight to the finish. The good news? When the heat turns up, voter interest ramps up, and it’s only a matter of time before something happens to resurrect this election and get the blood boiling.
All we folks have to do is watch and listen and then make a choice and hope we selected the pick of the litter.