SIGNS OF THE TIMES

September 2000

by Barry Stagg

Smirking Toward St. John's

In this month of August, when the Queen Mother reaches her 100th birthday, the banal realities of existing in a province governed with a smug smirk intrude upon the deserved tributes to this indomitable British woman. The Tobin cabal has shown itself to be consistent with the post- confederation pattern of government. Self-propelling managers of misery run the government for themselves and their courtier class of state merchants.

If any idealistic sons and daughters of Newfoundland thought that the historically exploitive merchant class of Newfoundland was vanquished with the onset of union with Canada, then a cold-eyed survey of year 2000 St. John's should disavow such naive notions. Like the merchant elite of other places , these patrician colonials have taught their children how to dress and perform in the clothing of the righteous managers of misery, deprivation and servitude. This is exemplified by the white collar prosperity of those who promote the tourist trade as a substitute for the fish and electricity brokered into oblivion.

The magnetic attraction of the capital city is merely increased by the introduction of new technology for spreading the word about the comfortable life that awaits the rancid lot who master the art of careers on the government tab. After all, a big-haired, capped-tooth shill for government-funded business is as useful in Newfoundland as in Toronto. There is plenty of demand in the bowels of state capitalism for those who, through either stupidity or self-interest, are content to hold their tongues and noses as money goes to waste in the service of useless and insulting substitutes for the real work of the industries eliminated by government folly and malice.

We have a classic situation in this province, where the seat of government prospers and produces a mirage of financial growth and bloom. This is a phenomenon that can and has occurred in places far removed from the North Atlantic. State capitals in former African colonies come to mind.

People have always migrated away from Newfoundland but now there are many of the sons and daughters of these government careerists who are joining the lineup for the ferries and flights. Even these children of privilege are finding it impossible to stomach a life where allegiance to the local strongman of the moment is critical to making a living.

The disappearance of the educated young is an indictment of the pattern of government more than a criticism of the regime du jour. Giving away resources and selling control of others for beads and trinkets has brought this nasty gale of sadness upon even the comfortable class of Newfoundland. Who can forget former Premier Wells winning hearts and votes with his story of his own family's trips across the Gulf.

The social landscape of the province is being laid bare these days as modern communications technology renders the disguise of such unfairness no longer possible. This may finally bring about a revival of Newfoundland populist politics, perhaps dormant since the heyday of Sir William Coaker. For this to happen, the opposition parties, both provincially and federally will have to divest themselves of the mentality of sheltering the other half of the comfortable class while they await their next turn at the government pay wicket. The riding level merger of the Conservative and the Canadian Alliance parties can do this federally while a commitment to a Newfoundland First policy will do wonders for the provincial opposition. Either way the goals of awarding individual effort and thwarting the growth of government careerism must be first and foremost. Otherwise the words of Irish poet W.B. Yeats will ring ever true:

"Parnell came down the road.

He said to a cheering man:

Ireland shall have her freedom

And you still break stone."


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