Well, we’ve gone and done it now, haven’t we? We Newfoundlanders, with seven (count ’em, seven!) seats at the federal table, have all but rigged the election and forced Alberta right out of Confederation.
What did we do to piss off a province that hosts almost five times as many federal seats? We didn’t vote the way they wanted. Imagine? Who knew that voting six incumbent liberals back in on election night could cause such a fuss, including (be still my heart) forcing mass family unfriendings on Facebook!
I’ve seen it with my own eyes, folks. Kin who moved up-along for full-time gigs in the oil industry bashing anyone brazen and bold enough to still be stooping to fly-in-fly-out levels of employment with “welfare rat” taunts and ‘‘no good goofy Newfie” rants.
camp moratorium?
Alberta – who’s been trying for a decade to quash the pay-no-taxes-to-we-ya-dirty-buggers employment model that’s been the lifeblood of outport Newfoundland – has finally (Finally! We means it now!) had enough.
Folks, this hostility isn’t new. Alberta politicians have long been flying a flag of fly-in, stay-in and warning about an impending camp moratorium (a word they figure would instantly frighten any sensible Newfoundlander away, I s’pose, right?) on anyone carrying a backpack who dares look for a two-week-at-a-time room.
The chant has mostly gone unheeded by those doing the hiring and signing the direct deposit slips though. Why? Well, the workers are needed for one thing, and the model has obviously been working for a few someones, keeping the oil sands chugging along as Newfoundlanders earn Gold Status and bonus award miles on Canadian airlines.
Oh Alberta, you might forget, but we don’t. The ’93 election that followed our cod being cut off saw you folks vote Reform, a party whose only purpose was to protest and reinforce a hate-on for Brian Mulroney and the PCs. That movement eventually formed the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada and gave NLers the gift of Stephen Harper and brought about the ABC legacy that seems to endure in our cold hearts.
smite ya out of spite!
So, the fact that Alberta went and voted blue and are seeing red and talking about leaving Canada as they glance east shouldn’t really come as a shock. But really? Get over it, b’ys. We didn’t, as Princess Warrior Marg Delahunty would say, smite ya out of spite.
Honestly, all we did was what we’ve all been doing since joining Confederation, and that’s toss our two cents worth in the ballot box when handed the opportunity.
Surely, those in Wild Rose Country can’t find fault with us for that.
Pam Pardy Ghent, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing [email protected]