Cheers & Jeers
JEERS: to the sad situations that women who experience infertility in this province are going through.
Over the past week, The Telegram has shared the stories of women who struggled to get pregnant and turned to in vitro fertilization to make their dreams of having a family come true. The problem? IVF isn’t available in N.L., forcing these families to fork out the bucks and travel — either to Calgary or Prague, in the cases of some of the women we’ve talked to — to have a hope of having a child. They’ve also shared the complications they’ve faced, including miscarrying a much wanted baby and being handed abortion materials and complications after birth that left one mom lucky to be alive. They’ve also been unable to access some basic services here, like an internal ultrasound, because their pregnancy journey took them outside of Canada, forcing one woman to hop a flight to Halifax to have the procedure done in a private clinic in Nova Scotia. That’s the height of foolishness, and sadly, their stories aren’t unique. It’s time for the province to take another look at the services offered to women struggling with infertility. If options like IVF can’t be provided here, our health system should at least do the minimum needed in order to help them on their way, and it certainly should exhibit more sensitivity to a woman who is miscarrying.
CHEERS: to finally knowing how much the City of St. John’s spent on its spat with Deacon Sports and Entertainment.
While the amount isn’t huge — about $600,000 for removing the Growlers from the Mary Browns Centre, $847,007 in severance for an unknown number of employees, another $687,272 for the installation of a light ring in the facility and $141,000 related to the naming rights for the facility under the lease agreement – it’s the fact that the city took the matter to court before it would release those numbers that’s so puzzling. Legal bills wracked up trying to prevent the release of the numbers add to that cost, which ultimately comes from the taxpayers’ pockets. Ultimately, the taxpayer has the right to know how city hall is spending its money. Transparency is the foundation of being able to trust government. Hopefully, that’s something the city will keep in mind in the future.
JEERS: to … surprise… the crab fishery start delayed again.
We’ve said it before — we could pull a story from 20 years ago on problems in the crab fishery and just change the dates and names and it would all be the same as this year. Nothing has changed. It’s a racket over pricing and other lingering issues every year and it’s unbelievable that it comes down to this. There had been much hope after last year’s industry-crippling six-week delay that a bigger commitment from processors, harvesters and government had been set in place to resolve issues before this spring’s fishery was to open. But as the spring sea beckons fishermen back, here we are again, with boats still tied up, plant workers pacing the floors anxious to get back to work, and words of blame fired across the bows in all directions like the sea spray caught in a strong north-westerly gale. Sadly, dark clouds seem to be constantly swirling over crab fishery negotiations. Maybe new navigators are needed to chart a different and better course toward clearer skies.
JEERS: to long wait times for MRI scans.
We reported last week that as of Dec. 31, 2023, there were 5,057 people waiting for an MRI in the provincial health authority’s eastern zone, which covers the Health Sciences Centre, Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre, and St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital. Of those, 1,406 were waiting for urgent scans, while 3,651 waited for non-urgent scans. People in this province are waiting 21 times longer for a MRI scan than deemed acceptable by national standards. These tests are crucial to diagnosis of conditions and for any treatment plans to be developed and begin. And the longer the wait, the risk of a person’s condition worsening grows. This is about people’s health and lives. Further studies and reports aren’t needed — it just needs to be dealt with more aggressively.
CHEERS: to a “new beginning” for the Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The Basilica Heritage Foundation recently announced the purchase of the Basilica in St. John’s has been finalized and the new owners are committed to preserving and protecting the property and its historic significance. While it will remain a place of worship, the Basilica will also open its doors to the wider community, making it accessible to arts and culture groups, community groups and the community at large. The Basilica and its properties were included in the sale of churches and other properties belonging to the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s when it was ordered by the courts to pay compensation to its many victims of sexual and physical abuse suffered at the former Mount Cashel Orphanage. While the reason for its sale should never be forgotten, hopefully the victims and community will continue to heal and get to enjoy a magnificent piece of historic architecture for years to come.
JEERS: to shutting down the Growlers mid-season.
This is a huge loss to the hockey fans who support the Growlers every game and are likely questioning why we can’t have a professional hockey team. Beyond that, it’s a loss to the wider community. Think about the nearby businesses that have benefitted from people coming in for a bite to eat before a game. Then there are the organizations that benefit from things like chuck-a-puck or the underwear toss that brought thousands of pairs of new underwear to help the Gathering Place. But most of all, it’s a blow to the players, who put their all into their season, only to have it all end with no goodbye, no chance at bringing the Kelly Cup home one last time. It’s sad the league couldn’t have found a way to make it work until the end of the season at least. We hope all the players will go on to big things and find success. Thanks to the players who put on an amazing show every time they hit the ice.