Let’s give the premier what he asked for — our views

The Greene report didn’t tell us anything we couldn’t already calculate or didn’t already know about how dire the situation is. It was only ever primarily going to give us the laundry list of cuts and reductions; and it did.

There’s a viewpoint emerging that the consultations about the Greene report may not change very much. However, to let the premier off the hook now would be to signal that yet another government can get away with deceiving us once again.

He promised consultations before, during and after the election. It was easy to make that promise and we took him on his word. But, without the Greene report in front of us, that promise and that word meant very little. The election should not have happened before the Greene report. This supports the allegation that the premier was being opportunistic in calling the election. How many more Liberal or Conservative premiers are we going to let overspend and/ or continue to patronize us?

The Greene report didn’t tell us anything we couldn’t already calculate or didn’t already know about how dire the situation is. It was only ever primarily going to give us the laundry list of cuts and reductions; and it did. Incidentally, I don’t think we needed to commission a panel to accomplish that. Isn’t fiscal prudence and budgeting one of the core responsibilities of a government? It’s sort of like contracting-out your own ability to govern and manage. Beyond the list of cuts and reductions, it does — admittedly — give some pointers on fiscal management. But, it’s shameful that a provincial, fossil fuel-dependent government needed to be schooled in that.

The critics of this consultation phase should have laid out their argument for no consultation prior to this point. Some people would have agreed with their viewpoint, for sure. The premier might have even agreed and reneged on his promise. But, I doubt it. Do they not remember the premier’s promise before, during and after? Again, I submit to you — we all knew that the work of the panel was to make a list of cuts and reductions. And I agree that most people would prefer not to be staring at a list of cuts. So, now we play our role as the premier promised.

We can’t afford to give the premier a bye on this one now. He might even still claim — in the near future — that there’s very little feedback or engagement happening so we must move on with the necessary cuts, and if some want to call that austerity then so be it and you can remain mad at me. If we gave him this bye, my grandchildren would never hear the end of it.

In the interim, before I have grandchildren, let’s make sure he gets what he asked for. Feedback, via consultation. Pick six items from the report, write your views on those items — be them cuts or new practices — and send them into whatever portal they create for consultation. Inform your MHA as well. Whenever I’ve lobbied or advocated for others with politicians, they often lament that they don’t hear from their constituents enough. This situation is lamentable but we surely can’t let this opportunity slip by. Mark Power St. John’s