I'm from Newfoundland and have been in and out of the province for almost 20 years....my heart is there and I always yearned to be "home"....I applaud you for your voice in showing the truth of how we, as Newfoundlanders, feel about our province...I would still be there if there was enough work to allow me. Financial matters have taken me from my home and the bind had to be broken from my family so that we (my children and I) could live respectfully and not on the hand outs of "welfare" which makes a person feel belittled. You're right, should a day come that I can return to live decently, I'll be on the next flight!!
Thank you Dairygirl. I was beginning to think I was the lone voice in the wilderness here. I appreciate the support shown by Prax, Lonewolf. Tyr and others. It gives me hope when people outside the province stand by our side in solidarity. But when people like yourself from the province who understand the issues stand up for what's right it makes my heart swell with pride. Like you I've been back and forth across this country working in factories and offices, trying to keep a family together, not wanting to go back home knowing the work was just not there. But I did go back 3 times over the years. Brought my family back, wanted to have my kids grow up around their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. But as you know it's a real struggle back home. Each time I went back I drove myself and my family farther into debt. Call me silly but even though times were tough I had too much pride to take the welfare check. But I did have to resort to food banks on several occasions. The last time I left was 1997 and as I was leaving Port aux Basques on the ferry I stood on the deck looking back at the island as it slipped away in the distance and vowed I would never return again. That was 12 years ago. Now the kids are grown and doing their own thing. Lately I've been thinking it would be much easier now that it's just me and my wife. Perhaps now we can go back. I dunno. Do I want to leave my kids out here in Alberta? I still feel a sense of responsibility to them even though they're more than capable of taking care of themselves. Just the parent in me I guess.
If the rest of Canada wants Newfoundland to be economically viable why is it every time we get on our feet you cut the legs out from under us again? I'm calling BS on this one.
I am a Canadian citizen and of course I have pride in our country, but my pride and loyalty is for my province first!!
Owww...my head hurts this morning from too much Captain Morgan. I'm really not up for your juvenile natterings today. But I'll try my best. First off I have dibs on the BS jab. You can't call BS on a BS. It must violate some CC standard. I'll check with the authorities.
With all the resources in Newfoundland we could be an economic powerhouse..and the lowest welfare province in Canada. It's about time someone like Danny Williams fought for us!
Who wants to be an economic powerhouse? We'll leave that to provinces like Alberta. We just want to be a contributing province to the country of Canada in a meaningful way. Not by supplying Canada with our natural resources but by using these resources to keep our province on an even keel with the rest of the country so the transfer payments can stop.
I always have a soft spot in my heart for the lovely Miss May. God bless her for calling out Duffy on his journalistic bias.
