Liberal leader Yvonne Jones announced Friday that she has breast cancer and will undergo surgery on Monday. Having survived cancer and it's side effects, I want to wish Ms. Jones, and every cancer patient strength to deal with it physically and mentally.
Progress has been made on many cancer fronts, but it is still far too common, and still we also have long wait times for certain preventative tests like mammography. In addition, our main hospital still has staff shortages which makes it challenging for cancer doctors to properly care for their patients. However, we always hope it can only improve, one would think, with all the errors and criticisms of it in the last few years. For now, I hope Yvonne Jones will have a successful surgery and use her strength of character to return her to a good health. As some commenters at CBC's site advised, conserve your strength and put politics on the back burner for as long as it takes to get well.
Showing posts with label Yvonne Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yvonne Jones. Show all posts
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
"Anyone Who Breaks the Code of Conduct Should be Shot"
Did Yvonne Jones actually call PC backbenchers "yah**s"? [(do sign of the cross here) In the name of the Father ..] Cleanse thy mouth out ye beasts of the earth.
Ok, the name Yahoo is intended to be insulting, and though it is not harsh compared to the Premier's street talking reference to Eastern Health ".. they should be shot over there", Speaker Roger Fitzgerald did step in - as the Speaker of the House is expected to - and asked her to apologize.
From time to time politicians break the stated or assumed rules of decorum in the province's house of public representation, and it is the speaker's role to ensure civility. It would have been interesting to see what the Speaker's reaction would have been to Williams' remark had he been so unwise to craft so emotionally, those choice words in the Legislature. Would the Speaker who at times, is "Government-friendly", chastise him with an equal level of emotional anger? Perhaps a future fireworks will explode in the House starting with a man who has a "flare" with words, and we'll see.
Jones' Yahoo insult was hardly newsworthy, but it does help, along with Williams' much more newsworthy comment, to remind MHAs that they are acting as the representatives of the people to be constructive rather than counter-productive, and that they are in positions of influence that should model civility in discourse.
The House of Assembly has a Members Code of Conduct that the Speaker of the House is expected to enforce and promote. This document references the Integrity and Accountability Act which, referring to the Speaker's role in maintaining civil House of Assembly, states:
The document does not spell out personal insults as such. It would seem that the Speaker, speaks this to the members, perhaps at the beginning of the sitting of the House.
In any case, there is an expectation of professional conduct which assumptively includes avoiding insulting remarks. That conduct is formally expected in the House and expected of politicians outside as well.
Ok, the name Yahoo is intended to be insulting, and though it is not harsh compared to the Premier's street talking reference to Eastern Health ".. they should be shot over there", Speaker Roger Fitzgerald did step in - as the Speaker of the House is expected to - and asked her to apologize.
From time to time politicians break the stated or assumed rules of decorum in the province's house of public representation, and it is the speaker's role to ensure civility. It would have been interesting to see what the Speaker's reaction would have been to Williams' remark had he been so unwise to craft so emotionally, those choice words in the Legislature. Would the Speaker who at times, is "Government-friendly", chastise him with an equal level of emotional anger? Perhaps a future fireworks will explode in the House starting with a man who has a "flare" with words, and we'll see.
Jones' Yahoo insult was hardly newsworthy, but it does help, along with Williams' much more newsworthy comment, to remind MHAs that they are acting as the representatives of the people to be constructive rather than counter-productive, and that they are in positions of influence that should model civility in discourse.
The House of Assembly has a Members Code of Conduct that the Speaker of the House is expected to enforce and promote. This document references the Integrity and Accountability Act which, referring to the Speaker's role in maintaining civil House of Assembly, states:
35. (1) The speaker shall, immediately after the coming into force of
this Act, refer to the standing committee of the House of Assembly on
Privileges and Elections the responsibility of developing and proposing to
the House of Assembly the adoption, by resolution, of a code of conduct
for members to assist members in the discharge of their obligations to the
House of Assembly, their constituents and the public at large by
(a) providing guidance on the standards of conduct expected of
members in discharging their legislative and public duties; and
The document does not spell out personal insults as such. It would seem that the Speaker, speaks this to the members, perhaps at the beginning of the sitting of the House.
In any case, there is an expectation of professional conduct which assumptively includes avoiding insulting remarks. That conduct is formally expected in the House and expected of politicians outside as well.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Premier Gets a Bumpy Reception in Labrador
It's not surprising that Premier Williams and the Minister for Labrador Affairs, and Transportation, John Hickey, were put on the defensive regarding the province's energy plan. People, including mayor Leo Abbass of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, residents, and local councils, oppose Williams' plan to run the Lower Churchill transmission line to the island portion of the province.
Williams' response was "When it comes to this new power, I can tell you categorically that that industry is going to be here in Labrador." (see CBC article. The report did not say whether the Premier elaborated with further details, but the assumption may be, not.)
Yvonne Jones, Liberal critic for Natural Resources, also spoke out against the Williams' plan for the Lower Churchill energy. She also reminded listeners on VOCM this morning, as has been repeatedly made known by the highly researched, and incisive WJM, that very little progress has been made on the Trans Labrador Highway, despite many pronouncements and promises from Minister Hickey, that more much of the TLH would have been completed by this time. WJM and others have pointed out that there were/are plenty of words, and pronouncements that sound good, but have been misleading, and failed to deliver.
It will be interesting to see if Hickey can hold onto his seat given his record among Labradorians.
"So what's going to happen is that industries are going to look more to Newfoundland than Labrador to set up because there's not going to be no grid or anything for industry to set up to get cheap power," said resident William Burden
Williams' response was "When it comes to this new power, I can tell you categorically that that industry is going to be here in Labrador." (see CBC article. The report did not say whether the Premier elaborated with further details, but the assumption may be, not.)
Yvonne Jones, Liberal critic for Natural Resources, also spoke out against the Williams' plan for the Lower Churchill energy. She also reminded listeners on VOCM this morning, as has been repeatedly made known by the highly researched, and incisive WJM, that very little progress has been made on the Trans Labrador Highway, despite many pronouncements and promises from Minister Hickey, that more much of the TLH would have been completed by this time. WJM and others have pointed out that there were/are plenty of words, and pronouncements that sound good, but have been misleading, and failed to deliver.
It will be interesting to see if Hickey can hold onto his seat given his record among Labradorians.
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