Cheers &Jeers
Jeers: to ministerial hyperbole. The provincial government announced roughly $665,000 for Come Home Year 2022 projects on Friday, and clearly the news had Immigration, Population Growth and Skills Minister Gerry Byrne — who’s also the MHA for Corner Brook — on fire. We always knew Byrne was a proud son of Corner Brook, but his reaction to the funding announcement was out of this world — literally. “The Corner Brook region is one of the most dynamic artistic hot-beds in all of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Byrne “said” via a news release. “This funding will supercharge that output, creating an artistic supernova just in time for Come Home 2022.” Sounds like Byrne must have been listening to too much Oasis. But why stop at “supernova” when the sky’s no limit? The Gallagher brothers from Oasis would’ve settled for nothing less than a “champagne supernova in the sky.” It’s nice to know that while Byrne has his feet on the ground, he’s still reaching for the stars.
Cheers: to recognition. On March 8th, International Women’s Day, outport girls and women who worked as domestic servants in Newfoundland and Labrador in days gone by were recognized as “Exceptional People from the Past” by Heritage NL. Many outport girls and young women went into service, often toiling in the merchant mansions of St. John’s, in order to contribute to their own families’ households. In her essay nominating them, Ellen Power writes: “The migratory workforce of outport women in this province was a key part of the Newfoundland and Labrador economy up until the 1950s, and an important part of its social history.… Domestic service is also significant as one of the earliest (and most common) examples of women’s entry into the waged workforce, beyond the unpaid shore work and household labour of previous eras.” It is good to see their important labour recognized in this way. Bravo. Cheers and Jeers: to saying goodbye to COVID-19 restrictions. For exactly two years today, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador have lived with coronavirus. It has taken lives and changed lives forever. Some people have had to say virtual goodbyes to loved ones who were dying, without being there to comfort them. Medically vulnerable people have had to isolate from friends and family in order to keep members of their household safe. COVID-19 has led to friends and families being separated and has cost others their jobs, including small business owners. So, while many of us may be happy that rules around social distancing, capacity limits and masking are now gone, we must also be cognizant of the fact that for those with small children or underlying health conditions, what today means for them is that some won’t be taking precautions. Let’s show some understanding and continue to keep each other safe.
Cheers: to golden oldies. Long before there was Spotify, Canadian icon Neil Young was at the top of the charts, striking gold with “Heart of Gold,” 50 years ago today.