2007-04-27

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For a local representative call 1-888-840-3734 or visitour website www.terranovagranite.ca

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK“Support Easter Seals, club harp seals.”— Rick Mercer at the Feast of Crosbie inSt. John’s, April 24. See pages 8-9.

VOL. 5 ISSUE 17 — ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR — FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — WWW.THEINDEPENDENT.CA — $1.50 HOME DELIVERY (HST included); $2.00 RETAIL (HST included)

Scrunchins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Ray Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Paper Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

IN CAMERA 8-9Elvis tribute artistAlbert Murphy performs in Town

BUSINESS 13Province fights for strongerCanadian Navy presence

LIFE 17Crosbie roasted and toastedin Easter Seals fundraiser

BUDGET SHOES

STYLE 21Spring footware has astandout winner thisseason

‘Freaked out’Alleged murderer in Worthman/Lockyer casecharges conflict of interest; police misconduct

Joe Oliver alleges police misconductand a serious conflict of interest with-in legal aid in documents filed in

Newfoundland Supreme Court.Three-and-a-half months after he was

arrested in the murders of Dale Worthmanand Kim Lockyer, Oliver still sits in jail —practically penniless and, now, lawyer-less.

But the latter he blames on legal aid anda conflict of interest that he says couldhave been avoided, according to courtdocuments obtained by The Independent.

Oliver claims he was “freaked out” by acall he received from a senior lawyer whohas or did represent two people he’s beenordered to stay away from — namelyShannon Murrin and Shelly Stokes.

That lawyer, Bill Collins, also happensto be chairman of the Legal Aid

Commission’s appeal board.Oliver applied for a legal aid lawyer

because he couldn’t afford one in privatepractice. He was appointed a lawyer fromGander, but appealed that decision on sev-eral grounds and was turned down. Hewants the Supreme Court to overturn thatdecision and allow him to have a privatelawyer paid for by the province.

“This case is difficult and has beenongoing for 13-plus years, which means alot of material and

BRIANCALLAHAN

See “Abused ,” page 4

Joe Oliver

‘Flying blind’Groundfish quotas depleted; scientist says more research needed

The total allowable catch for thisyear’s groundfish fishery forspecies such as cod and flounder is

143,800 tonnes, a far cry from the estimat-ed 2-million tonnes landed in 1972,according to statistics provided to TheIndependent by Gus Etchegary, formerhead of Fisheries Products.

Etchegary’s statistics include not justfish landed by Newfoundlanders andLabradorians, but foreign fleets outside of

the 200-mile limit as well. TheDepartment of Fisheries and Oceans(DFO) could not verify the statistics whencontacted by The Independent.

Etchegary says rebuilding and restoringthe fish stocks is essential to the future via-bility of the fishing industry and this bigissue is receiving little attention.

Fred Woodman, who runs three fishprocessing plants in Trinity Bay, hadn’teven looked at the quotas DFO releasedearlier this week for the waters off thesouth coast, until a day after their release.

“I’ve gotten in trouble too many times

JOHNRIETI

Premier’s campaign against Harper a distraction, opposition claims

Premier Danny Williams faces alle-gations that his fight with StephenHarper over equalization is deflect-

ing attention away from local issues suchas the political spending scandal, the con-troversial fibre-optic deal, and weakness-es in his administration.

“I think the reason the premier wants topick a fight with an outside force is tocover up his own inadequacies or inabili-ties to deal with the economy of thisprovince,” Liberal opposition leaderGerry Reid tells The Independent.

Reid says the premier is resorting to“the oldest political trick in the book” —

attacking Ottawa to curry favour with thelocal electorate.

“It’s always been the case. And itworks. It works. Everyone who haspicked a fight with Ottawa has come outhigher in the polls,” he says.

“The caveat is that Harper did make acommitment and he broke it.”

NDP leader Lorraine Michael says shedoesn’t think the premier’s motivation isto deflect from other issues. She agreeswith the premier that the prime ministerlied, and says the premier had to speakout against him.

Michael quotes this week’s Speechfrom the Throne, saying the province hasto “deal with the reality.

“He’s made the point, he’s made the

IVANMORGAN

Finance Minister Tom Marshall shows off his new shoes the night before the Tories unveiled their 2007 budget. During the pre-budgetlockdown, Marshall admitted to journalists he was mystified as to the origins of the tradition. Paul Daly/The Independent

See “A dying,”page 2

See “Making us,” page 2

point well, and I think he should havemade the point,” says Michael. “But nowwe have to move on.”

Reid notes that the Williams administra-tion’s first throne speech in 2004 citedimproving federal-provincial relations as agoal.

He says that sounds funny now. “He’s making us look like choirboys,

when it comes to confrontation,” saysReid. “I don’t know if we’ve ever had apremier who’s been more confrontationalthan the one we have today.”

Williams is unapologetic. “I certainly hope so,” says Williams. “If

governments in Ottawa, whatever partythey are — and I’ve proved this is not apartisan exercise —, if they’re going toturn around and shaft Newfoundland andLabrador and break commitments thathave significant economic consequencesfor us, then I’m going to take them on.”

Williams says insinuations he is usingthe equalization flap for political advan-tage are insulting, saying it is his style that“got the $2 billion cheque” from PaulMartin’s Liberals. He says $11 billion is atstake in this struggle, enough money to pay

off the provincial debt.“That’s how big this issue is. You can’t

underestimate it. For him (Reid) to say it’sjust … it’s politics?

“I’ll never give up on that fight. I’ll dropor I’ll be gone before I’ll give up on that,”says the premier. “You can’t let these peo-ple off the hook just because they decide,in their own wisdom and fat on their chairsin Ottawa that, no, we’re not going to dothis for Newfoundland and Labrador, andwe’re going to continue to make them thesecond class citizens and the backwater ofthis country.”

“To let Harper and company, Loyola

Hearn and Fabian (Manning) off the hookwould be … wrong.”

The premier says his party’s pollingnumbers have been consistently high in thepolls and remain so today.

“We didn’t need any gimmicks, nor willwe use any gimmicks to try and retain ourpopularity.”

He said Reid’s response to the thronespeech reflects the attitude that “got uswhere we were” before the Tories tookpower — a “negative, pessimistic, cynical,defeatist attitude.”

Reid says the days of bad deals like theupper Churchill are behind them, and it is

time to stop confrontational politics andstart negotiating deals with the federal gov-ernment, oil companies and others who canhelp develop the province’s economy.

“We are educated enough to sit at a tableand make a deal,” says Reid. “We have theintelligence and the intellect and the abili-ty to strike a deal that’s beneficial to every-body.”

Reid says Williams attacks everyonewho has an opinion other than his own.

“He threatens to sue me every secondday in the House of Assembly,” he says. “IfI say ‘You should talk to people’ then I amin bed with big oil, or I’m in bed withStephen Harper.

“My God, b’y, what kind of person doeshe think I am if I am sleeping with all thesecharacters?” he laughs.

In a statement e-mailed to TheIndependent, federal Fisheries ministerLoyola Hearn says he is still hoping towork together with Williams.

“Perhaps the only thing less productivethan actually having a conflict is spendingtime speculating on what political motiva-tions might be driving someone to behavea certain way. I stand by my commentsfrom last Friday’s event at the board oftrade, and have nothing further to add atthis time.”

2 • INDEPENDENTNEWS APRIL 27, 2007

Sexy Rexy rocks the HouseRandy Simms says more artistic types should run for elected office

Iwas listening to an interesting radioprogram last week, on a taxpayer-funded network that shall remain

nameless, about the lack of actors andsingers engaged in the political process.Frankly, I had never thought of it before,but the report made a good point. Forsome reason our famous performersrarely ever run for public office. We needto change that.

Our American cousins seem to electpeople from the stage and screen on aregular basis, whereas here in Canadawe rarely take a chance on our perform-ers. When we do get the opportunity tovote for someone of fame we usually optfor the less famous and, some would say,less talented.

There are lots of examples. In theUnited States, citizens elected a B-movieactor as president. Ronald Reagan tookthe oath of office for his famous rolewith a chimp and one famous movieline. I guess people really did want tohelp him “win one for the Gipper.” Thelate Sonny Bono, famous as sidekick tosinger Cher, won himself a Senate seat.

Apparently singing a hit song can gener-ate votes. I got you babe takes on awhole new meaning when it comes tothe ballot box. Even Clint Eastwood, orDirty Harry as we know him, got electedas the mayor of Carmel, California.

I know you think I’m missing the mostobvious one. You’re thinking of theTerminator and his electoral success. Wecannot move on without mentioning theGovernor of California. ArnoldSchwarzenegger took the top job in thestate thanks to his strong political baseamong science-fiction fans. “I’ll beback.” He could never win a seat inNewfoundland and Labrador, but inlotus land … well, anything is possible.

Anyway, the whole thing got methinking. I believe we need to put someactors, singers and artistic types in the

House of Assembly. The place lacks piz-zazz and the way to improve it is to putpeople with pizzazz in the House.

Here are some of my choices for yourconsideration.

Mary Walsh would make one interest-ing politician. She proved herself worthywhen she referred to Peter Mackay as an“arse licker of Satan,” with Mackay sit-ting in the audience. Granted the linecomes from the film Young Triffie, but itseemed to really work in a more formalsetting. Could you imagine her perform-ance during question period? God, whattheatre.

In the movie Young Triffie the line issaid by none other then Andy Jones.Now that’s a guy who would reallyimprove politics in our province. Hispress releases would be written to soundlike his Letters From Uncle Val CD.News editors would appreciate his writ-ing much better then the spin they getthese days from the communicationsexperts. His one-man shows always sellout and we need a few more one-manshows around here, don’t you think?

Listen to me Andy — politics could beyour true calling.

Back a few years ago Pete Soucey didtry to win a seat in the House. You knowPete Soucey … he’s Snook b’y. I thinkhe would make a great minister of some-thing and his news conferences wouldreally draw attention. Dougie could behis chief of staff.

Of course the king of performers inthe House would be none other thanRick Mercer. His rants would take on awhole new character. He could be pre-mier and when he wants to address theprovince he could do it in three-minutebits while briskly walking along thewaterfront in St. John’s. Beats the hellout of that one-ton challenge thing andhis reports to the province would beshort enough to fit into a commercialbreak. No interruption of regular pro-gramming.

Rick proved himself an ideal candi-date for public office when he went toAfghanistan to entertain the troops andtook on Noreen Golfman for questioningour role in that forlorn sand box. Ms.

Golfman and Mr. Mercer got into a littlespitting contest over that one. Seeingthese two go at it in the House ofAssembly would be a ratings winner.

Well to round it out we need a writeror two. Ray Guy is a little too old to putup with nonsense anymore so he won’trun, but maybe someone like Ed Smithwould consider it. His View From Herecould be renamed to What the hell arewe doing here? Is Greg Sharpe tooyoung for a political job? Rex Goudiemay soon be looking for something new.I like Kelvin Parsons and Gerry Reid,but the House could use a good rockerlike Sexy Rexy.

Think about it. What party would any of these guys

run for? Is Walsh a New Democrat orwhat? Is Mercer a Tory? When I startthinking this way I know a rest is inorder. I’m going on vacation. See younext week.

Randy Simms is host of VOCM’s OpenLine radio show. [email protected]

RANDY SIMMS talk

just thinking about how that quota thisyear is going to impact me,” he says.

Woodman adds he’s more concernedabout the accuracy of the quotas. “Welearned a long time ago that if you’repenny-wise and pound-foolish and youdon’t follow conservation now than you’llpay a heavier price later.”

DFO officials say the south coastgroundfish quota of 23,300 tonnes is sus-tainable and is the primary measure inplace to restore fish stocks.

But, George Rose, MemorialUniversity’s cod fishery expert, says gov-ernment cuts have left scientists “flyingblind.”

Rose says university scientists wereunable to complete a survey on fish stockslast year because they couldn’t get a boat.Without this information they cannot cre-ate a formal assessment of this year’sstock. Rose considers the status of theresource to be “quite uncertain.

“At the university here we’re doing lessand less all the time,” he says. “The lack offunding is also costing the province its topscientists who are moving away in searchof jobs.”

Rose says DFO’s scientists are doingwell to produce a yearly stock report, butmore research needs to be conducted. “Wedon’t really understand the problems,that’s the difficulty. You can’t recommendsolutions if you don’t understand the prob-lem.”

Along with its dock monitoring system,DFO has set limits on the amount of gear,like gill nets, fishermen can use. Youngfish are also being protected by a smallfish protocol that allows DFO to close thefishery if more than 15 per cent of catchesare too small.

This year’s offshore groundfish fisherywill not begin until June 30, and theinshore fishery won’t open until mid-May,protecting cod during their spawning sea-son.

DFO has also begun a tag-and-releaseprogram to track the cod stocks migrationand growth.

But for all the talk about growth,Woodman remains skeptical.

“The industry itself is a dying industry.It is, whether anyone wants to admit it ornot,” he says.

[email protected]

‘A dyingindustry’

From page 1

‘Making us look like choirboys’

From page 1

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTNEWS • 3

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YOURTOWN

St. John’s photographer Chris Crockwell shot these night scenes of The Narrows in St. John’s“to show the balance of our rugged landscape mixed with our beautiful city.”

A weekly collection ofNewfoundlandia

Two local homeboys are goinghead-to-head these days on the inter-national stage as the Detroit RedWings take on the San Jose Sharks inthe NHL playoffs. It’s Ryane Cloweof Fermeuse against Danny Cleary ofRiverhead, Harbour Grace in the sec-ond round matchup. It’s always a treatto read how U.S. media write aboutlittle ol’ Newfoundland, their knowl-edge of which probably begins andends with the Titanic’s resting place.Think Rick Mercer and Talking toAmericans: persuading them to con-gratulate Canada on legalizing VCRsor adopting a 24-hour day, congratu-lating the Canadian government onbuilding a dome over its “nationaligloo,” asking students and professorsat Columbia University to sign a peti-tion persuading Canadians to discon-tinue the practice of abandoning theelderly on ice flowes, or congratulat-ing Canadians on classifyingLabrador Retrievers as elephants, toprevent them from being used forhard labour. In a story published ear-lier this year in the San Jose MercuryNews, Newfoundland was describedas “an independent state from 1907until 1949, when it joined Canada as aprovince. “Because of its status as arelative newcomer to the nation,” thestory read, “Newfoundland has beenthe butt of Canadian jokes in a waythat is roughly equivalent to JeffFoxworthy’s redneck humour.” As forhow that goes — you know if you’rea redneck if you’ve … been marriedthree times and still have the same in-laws; you think a stock tip is adviceon worming your hogs; or your housestill has the “wide load” sign on theback …

HISSY FITSJonathan Kay of the National Post

wrote a piece this week headlinedMaîtres chez Newf, a play on theMasters of Our Own House ThroneSpeech. Kay wrote that ifNewfoundland and Labrador couldexport Danny Williams’ “melodra-matic rhetorics, the province wouldbe Canada’s richest, instead of itspoorest. Kay said that Canadians aremore “bemused than impressed” bythe antics of our Danny, “best knownfor his endless tantrums directed atOttawa, and his juvenile decision tolower the Canadian flag during a2004 spat with Paul Martin’s Liberalsabout — what else? — the size of thehandouts Newfoundland was gettingfrom the rest of Canada.”

Get a load of these fighting words:“If Mr. Williams is so keen on becom-ing master of his house, why does hespend most of his time playing thesurly teenager, endlessly haranguinghis parents over the size of hisallowance? A ‘proud nationalist’would be embarrassed by the fact thathis province survives only because itreceives transfers from Ottawa of$1.67 billion — or $3,296 per person.He wouldn’t be throwing hissy fits,demanding more.”

Hold on, there’s more … “Mr. Williams — and the voters

who support him — have got todecide what their political shtick is.Either they’re rugged individualists,proud of their identity and self-reliance. Or they’re professional wel-fare cases, endlessly harassing the restof us for more handouts. You can’thave it both ways.” Actually, Danny’sway would be just fine …

RALLYING CRYSpearheaded by the likes of Jon

Drover and Ward Pike, two of thefounders of The Sunday Independent(the paper that evolved into whatyou’re reading today), a rally is beingorganized in support — and I have tobe careful here — not so much ofDanny himself, but of the province’santi-Stephen Harper position re. theAtlantic Accord and equalization.Peter Whittle, former chief of staff to

Liberal leaders Roger Grimes andGerry Reid, is also behind the event,which, he says, will cross partisanlines. Whittle points to a recent edito-rial cartoon in The Globe and Mailthat had Danny arguing with theEaster Bunny about the fair distribu-tion of eggs in Newfoundland. Hesays Canadians have to be shown thatNewfoundlanders and Labradoriansstand as one in terms of the premier’sposition. “We’re finally getting aheadand Ottawa wants to slap us up theside of the head.” A date and time hasyet to be set for the rally, to be held infront of Confederation Building. Theleaders of each of the three mainpolitical parties will be asked tospeak, as well as “prominent” labourand community leaders. Aren’t thereany fresh voices out there?

TAG,YOU’RE ITCeleste Mercer of St. John’s was

one of the lucky $100,000 TAG prizewinners in March.

Celeste attends university andworks part-time at a local DominionStore. She purchased her ticket at astore on Blackmarsh Road in Town.Asked to describe her winning experi-ence, Mercer had this to say, “It’scool.” Damn right …

FEAST OR FAMINEJokes from this week’s Feast of

Crosbie: What do you call aNewfoundlander in Toronto?

Answer: Sir.What do you call a

Newfoundlander in the CanadianForces?

Answer: General, sir.

TRIP OFF THE OLD ROCKEver wonder where Scrunchins

come from? In some cases they’resent from Newfoundlanders aroundthe world, including one who wroteme this week from an Internet café inSwaziland, Africa, to tell me he wasmissing home after reading an articleabout Newfoundland in theWashington Post. The story, head-lined A trip off the Old Rock, wasabout the Cape St. Mary’s EcologicalReserve and the drive down theSouthern Shore.

“These picturesque villages are

tucked inside sheltered coves wheregritty fishing boats bob. Salt-encrust-ed fishermen, with chipped teeth andmissing digits, mend nets togetherand talk to me about the weather,changing times and whether the codwill ever come back. These areresilient men, who take nothing forgranted and are surprisingly good-natured, given that fishing is one ofNorth America’s most dangerousoccupations.” Sounds about right …

MOXY MOXONThis week’s Speech from the

Throne was the fifth and likely finalone for Lieutenant-governor EdwardMoxon Roberts, whose term wraps upin November, raising the question ofhis replacement. Will a woman beappointed as the Queen’s 12th repre-sentative in Newfoundland andLabrador? As for candidates, feel freeto write in with your suggestions andI’ll publish those fit to print. I’ll leaveit to Ed to wrap up this week’s col-umn: “There are many ways to serveour country and our province, butthere is no finer way than to be amember of this House. Do so withpride, and be forever grateful that youhave been given the opportunity to doso.”

[email protected]

Ed Roberts at Government House.

By Mandy CookThe Independent

If you were sitting in front of a tele-vision or computer screen onThursday, April 19, in all likelihood

you caught the footage of a little whitehouse tipping off the Great NorthernPeninsula into the Gulf of St.Lawrence.

The tape — as those in the televisionbiz call it — was beamed all around theworld including on the BBC, Britain’spublic service broadcaster, theAmerican network giant CNN and tele-vision stations Local 6 in Florida andWTKR in Virginia. Media types jumpat the kind of images that were filed outof the tiny west coast town of Daniel’sHarbour, population 350, last week.

“It’s an ‘Oh my God’ factor,” saysSusan Newhook, television instructorat the university of King’s College inHalifax. “Some of those really strongpictures make you think, ‘God, what ifthat was me? What if that was mine?’”

It is the second time in six months

landslides occurred in the area, about200 kilometres north of Corner Brook.The first slide prompted evacuations offour homes and a convenience store,but the second event took a home, sev-eral sheds and 120,000 cubic metres ofsoil down over the eroding cliff. No onehas been reported injured.

Paul Dean, a geologist and the exec-utive director of the Johnson GeoCentre in St. John’s, says coastlines areareas of active erosion, whether theland is made up of rock, soil or clay. Hesays there is a clay-rich area underDaniel’s Harbour, deposited there inglacial times, which is vulnerable toinstability. Possible triggers of a land-slide are general instability, excessivewater in the clay or even gravity.

Dean says he isn’t surprised by thesoil giving way.

“I think this is a normal event on thecoast of western Newfoundland andthey’re the kinds of events that happenperhaps infrequently, but they’re thekind of events you can expect to hap-pen every 20 to 100 years.”

Dean says the difference between theinfrequent landslides and the recent eventis it occurred where people happened tosettle a community. He says there would

be “scars” on the landscape up and downthe coast near Daniel’s Harbour indicat-ing previous landslides over thousands ofyears, but that’s not the case for the entire

Northern Peninsula.“You wouldn’t have those same con-

ditions at Port au Choix, for example,or at Cow Head, but you may have sim-ilar conditions somewhere along thecoastline, say between Daniel’sHarbour and Rocky Harbour, but youhave very few people living along thatpiece of the coastline, so you wouldn’treally draw that much attention to it,”Dean says.

Newhook makes the same point. Shelikens the television clip of the Daniel’sHarbour house sliding down the cliff tothe more common images of a traingoing off the tracks. It boils down towhich pictures are available to fill a slotin the newscast.

“If nobody had shot the house goingover the side it probably wouldn’t havegotten as much coverage as it did, evenif (the camera person) got it after-wards,” she says. “The other interestingpart is you get to hear the BBC try topronounce Newfoundland. The guymangled it — it ended up being a(mumble).”


‘Oh my God factor’One toppled Daniel’s Harbour bungalow; countless global newsreels

A review of the compensation package forMHAs — which Chief Justice Derek Green wasasked to conduct “as expeditiously as possible” inJuly 2006 — is not complete, although it washoped to be finished last fall.

Further, the man writing the report is not return-ing media calls.

The Independent attempted to contact Greenthrough a number of routes, all of which wereunsuccessful. A Department of Justice spokesper-

son says Green is being given “the time he needs”and his report will be ready “within the next fewweeks.”

Green has been asked to look into all aspects ofMHA compensation and recommend policies andpractices that will safeguard against financialabuse in all aspects of political compensation andthe financial practices of the House of Assembly.

— Ivan Morgan

disclosure,” Oliver, assisted pro bono by his formerlawyer Bob Buckingham, states in a letter to thelegal aid appeal board.

“I have a Grade 4 education and can barely readand write, so it is important all my material be closewith a lawyer that can meet me at any time to dis-cuss the file. Therefore I shouldhave a St. John’s-based lawyer.

“The charges are serious and Icould go to jail for life. I need alawyer with a lot of courtroomexperience in serious criminaltrials and with jury experience.

“I do not think the lead lawyerassigned to me has enough crim-inal courtroom or jury experi-ence to represent me on thesecharges.”

Oliver, who has a common-law wife of 20 years, an 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daugh-ter, argued that any lawyer out-side St. John’s would be too faraway to properly communicatewith him and prepare for whatwould likely be one of the mostsensational and high-profile tri-als in recent Newfoundland history.

“With respect, the lead lawyer assigned to mycase has mostly practiced in the area of landlord andtenants,” he states.

Oliver also claims his rights have been “abusedand manipulated’ by the police, but he does notelaborate.

LAWYER NEEDED“Therefore, I need a lawyer who I have confi-

dence in and who will protect me from futureimproper police actions. I think this file will requirenearly full-time work by my lead lawyer and fromwhat I hear, legal aid lawyers have too many othercases to give mine the time it requires.”

Oliver filed the application with Supreme Courtalleging conflict of interest and bias after his appealfor a St. John’s lawyer, or private lawyer paid by theprovince was rejected,

The application states Collins should never haveheard the appeal in the first place because “he had aprofessional relationship with two of the peopleinvolved” in the double murder case —Murrin and

Stokes.Two days after Oliver’s arrest on Jan. 12, Murrin

claimed Oliver was trying to finger him for thecrime. Meanwhile, Stokes, a local psychic, toldmedia she played a key role in leading the police tothe bodies off Thorburn Road.

Neither claim has been substantiated and no otherarrests have been made.

But the fact Collins repre-sented or advised Stokes andMurrin at all is enough to cre-ate “a reasonable apprehen-sion of bias” in the appealprocess, Oliver’s applicationstates.

CONFLICT DENIEDCollins, meanwhile, denies

any conflict in the matter. In aletter to Oliver addressing thematter, the renowned defencelawyer notes he last represent-ed Murrin 20 years ago in anunrelated matter, and “theother person consulted me.”

Contacted this week,Collins reiterated his position.

“I have over 35 years oflegal experience and I believe

I would know if my actions were inappropriate,”Collins tells The Independent. “And I can assureyou they were not.”

Meantime, Oliver has yet to apply for bail, sincehe does not have a full-time lawyer to make his casefor release pending trial.

His application against legal aid was called inSupreme Court April 26, but has yet to be resolved.Oliver, 37, has been charged with two counts of sec-ond-degree murder in the August 1993 execution-style shootings of Worthman and Lockyer.

But police have always believed the killings wereplanned or premeditated, which is a prerequisite forfirst-degree murder charges.

A police spokesman said this week there is noth-ing else new to report in the case.

A day after Oliver’s arrest, RNC Const. PaulDavis told media there was another suspect.

“Yes, that is still the case,” he said this week.“But I cannot tell you anything else, other than thefact the investigation is still ongoing.”

[email protected]

Missing in action?

‘Abused and manipulated’From page 1

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“I have over 35 years of legal experience

and I believe I wouldknow if my actions were inappropriate.

And I can assure you they were not.”

Lawyer Bill Collins

Joe Oliver. Paul Daly/The Independent

Daniel’s Harbour landslide. Curtesy of CBC Television


Déjà vuIn this business, waiting is what you

do lots of. Waiting for Smallwood tostop talking. Waiting for Moores to

get out of bed. Waiting for Peckford to goright around the twist. Waiting for Tobinto get the most for Tobin.

And still we wait. Today we wait onWilliams. We wait for Williams tosnatch the crown from the archbishopand place it on his own head … a laNapoleon.

Though but a rookie journalist on thatoccasion, I still remember it well.Napoleon Bonaparte was about to becrowned emperor of France at NotreDame cathedral. The poor old arch bishraised the crown high, when suddenly lit-tle Nappy snatched it from his hands andplaced it on his own head.

I remember remarking to my col-league from the now defunct St. John’sDaily News: “Wow. That Gaul has suregot gall!”

He chortled at my japery, as was hiswont.

Right now, on a slightly smaller scale,we wait for a crown for Danny.

By far, the greater part of the popula-tion (polls show) demand his elevation tothe throne. A word against Williams is atreacherous slur on our own native isle,Newfoundland. True believers, their eyesflashing fire, stand ready to rip Danny’sdetractors limb from limb.

You might as well cast aspersions onChrist their Lord at a convention of holyrollers. Bite your thumb at the Pope in acongregation of nuns. Call W. Churchilla fat drunk in the west London of 1942.

By a combination of circumstancesand his own machinations, Dan the Manhas been lifted high. Little children roamthe street shaking collection boxes — allproceeds toward a crown for Danny.Loyal heartbeats slowed while he wassouth on holidays and resumed at triplebeat when he returned and spat right-eous fire.

A regular coincidence works toWilliams’ advantage. “There is a tide inthe affairs of men...” In our own case,it’s a regular and reoccurring chatterabout “independence,” which rollsaround every eight or ten years … eversince I can remember, anyhow.

The two main elements are (1) Canadadone us wrong and (2) Look at Ireland ...Iceland ... Norway ... Quebec ... even at agreater stretch, perhaps, Taiwan. Youget your stirrings in the bars, your natterin the university coffee shops, your infillon the radio open lines. If the premier ofthe time sees an advantage he’ll chucksome anti-Ottawa gas on the sparks a laSmallwood or Peckford or Williams.

It’s usually great fun while it lasts andgets us through another dreary March.The work-to-rule local press appreciateshaving their job done for them. But ifthe pattern of the past is anything to goby it all blows over until the next time.

This is a next time. Oh what we poorserfs have suffered under the cruelknouts of the Canadian kulaks. Where isour champion, who will save us from thiscruel fate, who shall ride at the head of arisen coast, who will lead us from thefront in the sacred pursuit of life, libertyand the pursuit of happiness? No, no,Billy, not the Incredible Hulk ... Mr.

Danny Williams!To those newly come to

Newfoundland politics this is all some-thing fresh and interesting. To thosewho’ve seen it many times before, whata crucifying bore. But maybe that’s theway of the world, round and round in thecircle game.

Maybe it’s not seemly for those of usof riper years to spoil the novelty of thegame for the youngsters. I’m just say-ing, that’s all. Perhaps Newfoundland istoo poor for democracy and what wereally need is the Strong Man. Let Danthe Man crown himself at the Basilicabut to avoid any unpleasantness whatso-ever, let’s hope he keeps the Oppositionon at full pay but in an even more uselesscapacity.

Is everybody happy? I foresee theopen line radio shows closing down,their main clientele speechless with joy.I see the newspapers each and every daywith a fine set of Teddy Roosevelt teethon the front page. I see the TV screensgiven over to pomp and public ceremony... until Waterloo.

Far as I can see, grumpy old fart that Iam, there’s only one possible bright spot.A head that size would need a crown thatbig that there’s not enough gold in theentire Kingdom of Dan.

By Ivan MorganThe Independent

Finance Minister Tom Marshall saystaxpayers will get a “raise” in realincome of one to two per cent as theWilliams administration moves theprovince’s personal income rates fromthe highest in Atlantic Canada to thelowest.

The 2007 budget — Williams’ fourth— boasts the province’s first back-to-back surplus, eliminates many govern-ment fees and reduces others, exemptsmore low-income earners from payingtaxes, raises the minimum wage,improves benefits for seniors, reducespost-secondary student-debt loads,provides more money for educationand promotes small business in theprovince.

Marshall says he wants to put moneyback in the pockets of taxpayers.

Revenues were down more than$170 million in 2006, primarilybecause of the unexpected Terra Novashutdown, but government was able tooffer the new perks, says Marshall,because of increased oil and gas rev-enues ($1 billion up from $400 mil-lion), a doubling of mineral royalties to$200 million, and a reduction of theprovincial debt, resulting in a cut in thecost of debt servicing.

In addition, mid-year concernsregarding revenue flow prompted cut-backs on spending, resulting in a 2006surplus of $76 million. Marshall pre-dicts a surplus of more than $261 mil-lion for the coming fiscal year.

Marshall says the budget addressesthe problem of out-migration by set-ting up a competitive tax structure toattract skilled workers to the province,and encourage others to stay.

He says the perception of highprovincial taxes in other parts of thecountry inhibits economic growth inthe province.

Marshall says with no tax increases,significant cuts and reductions, andincreased spending, some may viewthis budget as a pre-election politicalbudget. He says it is designed to pro-mote the economy.

Marshall says the budget reflects theTory administration’s goal of “puttingtheir fiscal house in order” to allow thegovernment to diversify the economy,while reducing the debt load and pro-viding social programs. This must bedone, he says, as the non-renewableresources fuelling this budget will notlast forever.

“After 55 years we are finallyaddressing our debt … we are livingwithin our means.”

The minister provides a reality

check, reminding taxpayers that theprovince still labours under hugeprovincial debt — $11.7 billion afterthis year’s $2 billion pay-down, and$1.6 billion in equalization from thefederal government.

The education system will receiveover $1 billion — the highest in theprovince’s history. Education MinisterJoan Burke says with this budget she

hopes to eliminate the stigma of pover-ty from the education system. She saysfree textbooks for core K-12 coursesfor the 2007-2008 academic year is abig step in that direction.

Other budget highlights:• A one per cent reduction in Retail

Sales Tax for private vehicle sales.• No reduction in motor registration,

but a 10 per cent discount for register-

ing online.• Progressive increase in the mini-

mum wage to “allow low wage earnersin the province to catch up withAtlantic Canada.”

• Newfoundland and Labrador ChildTax Benefit up $5 a month.

• Fees eliminated from provincialparks such as Cape St. Mary’s andSalmonier Nature Park.

• $440 million for infrastructure.• $91 million to address poverty

reduction.• $32 million to attract business to

the province.• $29 million for research and

development in natural resources andknowledge-based industry.

• Funding for two new ferries.• Over $19 million for water

bomber fleet.• $500,000 to begin planning for a

new prison.• $575,000 to address problem gam-

bling.• $585,000 for women vulnerable to

poverty.• $5.2 million to retain 137 teaching

positions.• Two new university student resi-

dences, one in Corner Brook and onein St. John’s.

[email protected]

Interested in environmental issues?Want to know what’s happeningin the NL environment?TUNE IN to Green Speak Radio!

Join host Shelley Pardy as she speakswith some of the provinces leadingenvironmental groups, businessesand individuals.Every Monday from 4-5pmon 93.5FM www.chmr.ca

Miss the show?Download the podcast at www.nlen.ca

Green Speak Radio is sponsored by:The Newfoundland and Labrador Environment Network,

The Western Environment Centre,MUN Project Green,Wellness Coalition St. John’s Region, 93.5FM CHMR

RAY GUYA Poke In The Eye

Finance Minister Tom Marshall announces his budget in the House of Assembly. Paul Daly/The Independent

‘Within our means’Tory government’s fourth budget has something for everyone


Vive les b’ysEver since Danny removed the

Maple Leaf from provincial gov-ernment buildings in December

2004, the country has been waiting forhis “or else.”

So Ottawa won’t give in and sayUncle Dan. So the Government ofCanada won’t relent. What’s DannyWilliams going to do about it?

The wait is over, the “or else” has beenrevealed; there are new masters on thebloc — and it is us. Not the Governmentof Canada, not the federal Conservativeparty, likely the country’s next majoritygovernment, not Loyola Hearn and hisEfford ilk who choose to kowtow tomainland masters. (It’s not Danny aloneeither, but I’ll come to that.) We will“chart our own course” — either withinthe Canadian federation, or without.

Danny doesn’t say that in so manywords; he’s not so direct in his speech.The message is still clear: “We asNewfoundlanders and Labradoriansaspire, not to perpetual subservience, butto self-sufficiency.”

So, read this week’s Speech from theThrone, Danny’s roadmap to get uswhere we’re going. To the Land of Have,where have-not will finally be no more,the sun shines every second of every day,without a shred of fog or cloud to stain it,

and every mother’s son lives just overthe road with his wife and outport brood.

The message had a distinct Frenchflavour to it, stirring a Vive les b’ys atti-tude in the Newfoundlanders it wasaimed at. The speech was peppered withpatriotism: “distinct people;” “proudnationalists;” “affirming our identity;”“self-reliance;” and “moral and financialautonomy.”

The telltale phrase was in the headlineof Ed Roberts’ nine-page barnburner:Achieving Self-Reliance by BecomingMasters of Our Own House.

Masters of our own house — orMaîtres chez nous — just happened tobe the mantra of Quebec’s QuietRevolution in the 1960s, characterizedby the rise of nationalism amongFrancophone Quebecers and the nation-alization of electricity production anddistribution.

Quebec essentially nationalized U.S.privately–held hydro companies, whichpaid virtually no rent to the province.

Here at home, we, you and me, own

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, aprovincial Crown corporation. Hydromakes electricity, 92 per cent of which issold to Newfoundland Power, a privatecompany that distributes the power andsells it back to us at a generous rate setby the Public Utilities Board.

What should we read into the Mastersheadline?

Does Danny intend to model his soon-to-be released energy plan after Quebecby nationalizing Newfoundland Power?It would be curious to see what theGlobe and various Quebec newspaperswould have to say about that particularchess move.

How about nationalizing an oil projector two on the Grand Banks of Newfound-land? Could that be in Danny’s cards?

The question remains, how exactly arewe to become self-sufficient? Ottawacould finally roll over and relinquishcontrol of the fisheries and offshore oilfields, but there’s more of a chance ofLoyola Hearn walking up to Danny andgiving him a big wet one on his sun-kissed cheek.

The only way for this place to moveforward is with the ultimate threat ofdoing for ourselves. The self-sufficiencystrategy certainly worked for Quebec.

Did La Belle Province have to leave

Canada to get what it wanted? No, her people were crowned a nation

within a nation just a few months ago. Isit so foolish for Newfoundland andLabrador to think that way? Mike Duffyand national media types like him wouldsay yes.

Confrontation isn’t the way to “winthe game,” the CTV newsman told acrowd gathered in St. John’s this weekfor the Crosbie feast. (For Duffy it wasmore a feast on the white meat ofSheilagh Guy-Murphy’s heaving chest,but that’s another story on page 17.)

John Crosbie said the same himselfwhen he took to the stage, calling forcalmer Canadian heads to prevail in end-ing the “ferocious battle” betweenDanny and Goliath.

“We need our premier and our federalminister (Loyola Hearn) to work togeth-er to achieve this, not to be at one anoth-er’s throats,” said Crosbie, the same oldcurmudgeon who would sooner tapDanny in the head than look at him.

For Danny’s part, the Throne Speechalso spelled out how the time has cometo “put all our strength to work forNewfoundland and Labrador, and unitein the drive for self-reliance.”

That’s the same Danny who wouldn’tbe caught dead in a room with Hearn or

Fabian Manning or even his old friendNorm — none of whom showed up atthe five-hour feast of Crosbie. Dannyisn’t setting a good example for unitywhen he isn’t on speaking terms withhalf the Conservative family. A leaderleads by example and takes the highroad, which the premier isn’t prepared todo just yet.

But then he may have given up on thefederalist way.

To quote from the Throne: “We havelearned that we cannot rely upon thoseelected to offices outside of this provinceto deliver what is in our best interest.”Likewise, no one single man or womanelected within this province has ever beenable to deliver us to our fabled future, alesson we must remind ourselves when-ever Danny’s name is spoken.

The organizers of an upcoming rallyon Confederation Hill are careful to sayit’s not a show of support for Danny, somuch as the province’s position.

It’s about time we showed ourstrength.

Changing course can be intimidatingwhen the waters beyond the horizon areunchartered. No one says it will be easy,but a step has been taken in the rightdirection.

[email protected]

Dear editor,First of all, congratulations to

Michael Temelini for an honest, gutsypiece (‘Is there a better way’, April 20edition, by Katie Hyslop). He stated oursituation with great insight and clarity.

Speaking of clarity, it’s interestinghow Temelini’s ideas parallel the wordsand theme of this week’s Speech fromthe Throne. Using the Clarity Act toprovide a mandate to truly negotiate ourplace in Confederation is brilliant, but it

can only be done by a people who aredistinct. In short, a united people whohave the status of a nation within anation. That’s why the Clarity Act wasdesigned for the so-called Quebec ques-tion. People in Ontario, Alberta, orNova Scotia will never use the ClarityAct. They have no national history andno distinctive culture.

The Speech from the Throne opensthe door for Newfoundland andLabrador to be recognized as a nation

within a nation, just as Scotland is in theU.K. or Quebec is in Canada. It alsoopens the door to use legislation such asthe Clarity Act to have the peopleempower their representatives to nego-tiate fair terms.

Seems to me that our governmentcould learn a lot from Temelini.Perhaps they already have.

Paul Walsh, St. John’s

‘An honest, gutsy piece’

RYAN CLEARYFightingNewfoundlander

YOURVOICE

Reward: $1 billion for undoingupper Churchill contractDear editor,

You have asked the question: howdo we push this place forward? (Withus or agin’ us, April 20 edition, byRyan Cleary) The simple answer: getback the upper Churchill and itswindfall profits. Then we would be a“have” province.

We subsidize Quebec to the tune ofabout $1 billion per year. Why?Because the federal government ofLester Pearson caved to the terroristsof Quebec, who at the time were busyblowing up mailboxes and Anglostorefronts and hadn’t yet advancedto kidnapping and murder (October,1970). The memoirs of former MPJack Pickersgill and pig farmer JoeSmallwood provide interesting read-ing on those times. A question for ourlegal community: was the contractwith Hydro-Québec signed underduress? If so, the contract is voidableat the option of the victim.

I find it significant that the amountwe subsidize Quebec is about equiva-lent to the interest we pay on ourprovincial debt ($950 million peryear).

The Atlantic Accord is an agree-ment between the Government ofCanada and the province ofNewfoundland and Labrador. PrimeMinister Stephen Harper is going tounilaterally change a provision of thatcontract. Yet the Churchill Falls con-tract — a mere commercial contract— remains sacrosanct. Absolutely

amazing.Perhaps it is time the provincial

government offered incentives in thesearch for a way out of the ChurchillFalls contract. We could throw openthe competition to past and presentresidents of this province, to presentand former employees of HydroQuebec, to large American (remem-ber the tobacco lawsuits and theirhuge settlements), British, Canadian,and French (schooled in le CodeNapoléon) law firms. Don’t be nig-gardly. Make the incentive worth-while — I’m thinking along the linesof a finder’s fee of 10 per cent ofupper Churchill electricity productionfor a period of 10 years. A cool $1 bil-lion.

When former premier BrianPeckford went after redress on theupper Churchill in the late 1970s andearly ’80’s, his problem was that bothJuly 1, 2016 and July 1, 2041 were along way off. July 1, 2016 is not thatfar away anymore. That is when theoriginal 40-year contract expires andthe 25-year extension (at Quebec’soption) comes into effect. What a vic-tory, what a psychological boost forus if Quebec was to decline, or bedeprived of her ill-gotten 25-yearextension.

There has to be a legitimate wayout of the contract. You haven’tlooked for the way out yet. I have.

Tom Careen,Placentia

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‘Makes my stomach heave’Dear editor,

Who needs television when theycan see violence and death from theirfront windows? I live in Torbay andhave a beautiful view of the ocean viaTorbay Bight from all my east-facingwindows. On a recent afternoon I wasappalled to see a man striding acrossthe pack ice that had drifted into thebay overnight. My fears were that hewould slip and be crushed amidst thelarge blocks of ice. However, to mydismay, he walked two-thirds of theway across the bay from Tapper’sCove and proceeded to beat a sealwith a large stick. In full view of thehomes facing the bay, he skinned, gut-

ted, and dragged it back across theice, leaving scraps and blood-stainedice behind for the seagulls to squabbleover. Looking out my windows thismorning, the blood remains a freshand bright stain in the ice. A testamentto what? A hunter’s skill in feedinghis family? I think not.

I guess I’m not a very goodNewfoundlander, because the sight ofsomebody casually strolling acrossthe ice in order to butcher a small liv-ing thing for no other reason than thathe could makes my stomach heave.Welcome to Newfoundland.

Christine Norman, Torbay

Is St. John’s airportworth the risk?Dear editor,

St. John’s and its surrounding highways must be the most poor-ly lit in North America. On the parkway lights are often out ofcommission for weeks. Worst of all is the road leading to St.John’s airport — often used by visitors like myself.

At night the approach to the airport turn off is very easy to miss— I’ve learned to get behind a taxi. On a recent day at about 1:30a.m., leaving the airport this time, I drove into greyness — no roadmarkings to be seen at all. At the exit from the airport road Imissed the divide and came out on the wrong side facing on-com-ing traffic. Fortunately nothing was coming and I could back up.

I’m an experienced driver with 20 years without an accident, butthis experience has made me wonder if stopping in St. John’s isworth the risk.

M. W. Greyham, Pt. Clare, Ont.

Dear editor,Re: the letter to the editor, Memorial must reexam-

ine its priorities, by Dr. Rani Panjabi in TheIndependent’s April 20 edition

Dr. Panjabi suggests that the funds used by the uni-versity to review the work experience of the late Dr.Deepa Khosla and the working environment atMemorial University could somehow have been bet-ter spent. Her outright dismissal of the independentinvestigator and review is unwarranted.

The investigation was conducted by Dr. ShirleyKatz in accordance with procedures that she deemedappropriate. Dr. Katz is a faculty member at YorkUniversity and a lawyer with considerable experi-ence in investigating equity and human rights issues.She is very knowledgeable about universities, bothas an academic and former academic administratorand legal counsel.

Dr. Katz interviewed and received input frommany members of the Memorial University commu-nity.

Dr. Katz found that university administrators, interms of their dealings with Dr. Khosla, acted with“alacrity and utter good faith.” Dr. Katz’s report alsoincluded 12 recommendations; all of which the uni-versity is acting upon. Actions groups, comprised ofstudent, faculty and staff volunteers from throughoutthe university, have been following up on these rec-ommendations and are reporting back to the univer-sity community periodically.

All this activity is directed towards one goal:maintaining a positive and equitable learning andworking environment at Memorial University. Thatis a prudent goal that deserves the university’s sup-port, financially and otherwise.

Peter Morris,Memorial University of Newfoundland

Unwarranted criticismof Memorial

St. John’s airport Paul Daly/The Independent


YOURVOICE

Volunteer Week always generates lots ofwell-meaning, earnest, and up-liftingcopy about the importance of volunteers

to the community. Like most inspirational copy(some of which I have had to churn out in what Ilaughingly refer to as my career) it’s mostly aninsipid, glossy barrier to true experience. Doinggood for the community spreads good and makesyou good.

Whatever.The truth — for what it’s worth — is always

more complicated and less attractive.Like the real reason I became a lifelong volun-

teer. In Grade 11 at the boarding school in Ontario

where I lived, someone decided it would be uplift-ing for we boys to volunteer in the community.Give something back, as it were. Raise the profileof our snooty boarding school in the snootyToronto suburb where we lived.

Whatever.I snickered when I heard the lunchtime

announcement looking for volunteers. Like I’mgoing to bust my ass — for free — for some geek,freak, retard, or spaz. At 16, I knew better than toget sucked in.

It was one of the older boys who smartened meup.

“You are such a newf. Get a clue. Tuesdaynights? Three hours in town? No study hall? Evena newfie should figure that out.”

Right. Suddenly I had a burning desire to bevolunteer of the month.

Seniors sounded like an easy gig, so I signed onwith a senior’s home.

The following Tuesday evening I found myselfnot in study hall, but walking through town free asa bird, smoking a cigarette. Sweet.

When I got to the home I was told to wait forHarold. Harold was fat, 40, balding and gay. Hedidn’t want to do orientation with me and the othercandy stripers. He let us know that in his tone andmannerisms. He was an angry guy.

He paraded us through the facility. It reeked ofsolvent and old age. Old people shuffled by indressing gowns. Liver spots, hunched backs, andslippers are the order of the day. Jesus.

Then we were told to find a geezer and visitthem.

Whatever.The first thing I did was go outside and blow off

a J with this girl I met in orientation. Did I men-tion I went to an all-boys’ school? I was beginningto love volunteering. She went back inside, so Idid too, and we start roaming the halls, knockingon doors. My parents raised me to be polite andrespectful around ancients. So I was.

It was dead boring and a little weird, what withme being buzzed and all.

That’s when I met Mr. Kilmer. He was a greatold guy. The first night he said he was watchingme following that girl around. Yes sir. He laughedand told me about girls when he was young. Hesmiled. And he wasn’t creepy about it — he wasfunny. Whatever.

The following Tuesday, after another spliff withthe girl in the parking lot, I found myself cruising

the halls. Popped in to see old man Kilmer. I likedhim. Cheery guy. He showed me he only had oneleg. That freaked me out. Pulled off the blanketsand showed me the stump. Lost it in the FirstWorld War, over a million years ago. Over ran hisown artillery shells in a frontal attack. Blew itclean off. He had to pull himself back to his owntrench. He used to joke that’s what he got forbeing a volunteer at 18.

Shit. A year older than me.Mr. Kilmer. Great sense of humour. Great love

of life. I got bored with the girl, and the dope.Saved them for Saturday nights. Tuesdays I hungwith Mr. Kilmer. He was always upbeat, and not inan insincere way, but in a man’s man, buck-up sortof way.

He had clear, bright, kind eyes. He spoke ofcoming back to Canada injured, to a sweetheartnot interested in a cripple. Tough break, he said.No matter. He met another girl, had a family, andtravelled northern Ontario for 50 years as a sales-man.

He had a million stories about Haliburton,Collingwood, Peterborough, Timmins, and NorthBay. He made them seem like Paris, Rome, andAthens. He loved to tell stories. I liked listening tothem. He had loved his life.

Now? His kids were grown with families oftheir own, his wife had died, and he couldn’t lookafter himself anymore. So here he was. Day afterday looking out the window (he had no use forTV). Sometimes there was another person in theroom, moaning, gasping, wheezing in the otherbed. They’d be there for a few weeks and thenthey’d be gone.

There were times when he wasn’t so good,when you could see he was working at keepingcheerful — weeks when he nodded off in the mid-dle of the fishing stories from Lake Simcoe. But,as a rule, he was great. He hated the attendants.“Unions make people damned lazy and rude!” Heloved his grandchildren. He hated the food. Heloved whisky. His doctors told him it was danger-ous to his health. Hard as it was to get, I got it forhim.

Maudlin as it reads, everything is new to 17-year-olds, and I was not ready for Mr. Kilmer’sempty room when I walked into it one Tuesdaynight. I asked the attendants where he was.

“Piss off kid. How the f—k would I know?”Harold: “Kilmer? He croaked. Friday. Why?”After hounding, harassing and whining, I final-

ly got Mr. Kilmer’s son’s phone number.“Yeah kid. He died Friday. He was a great guy.

He mentioned you once. He liked you.”Whatever.That’s how my first volunteer gig ended — in a

phone booth outside a budget senior’s facility nearthe expressway next to the industrial park.

I am a volunteer.

Volunteering? WhateverIVAN MORGANRant & Reason

YOURVOICELabrador also wants separation

Dear editor,In The Independent’s April 20 front-page story,

‘Is there a better way’, Memorial Universitypolitical science professor Michael Temeliniunderlines our weakness in the Canadian federa-tion. With only seven seats we just don’t count.At the time of Confederation we were virtuallydebt free. Fifty-eight years later we suffer underthe largest debt in the country and it’s costing usalmost $900 million a year to service. Our percapita debt is $23,000, an amount that under thenew equalization formula can only get worse.Compare our $12-billion debt to oil-rich Alberta.Alberta is debt free and keeps on piling up budg-etary surpluses. Yet at the time we entered thefederation Alberta was struggling to balance itsbooks. What a difference oil can make. Albertagets to keep all its oil revenues while our non-renewal resources are developed for the benefitof Ottawa and Big Oil. The 50 per cent capunder the new equalization formula will see ouroil revenues get even smaller. The Harper gov-ernment has deprived us of our last great oppor-tunity to pay down our debt. Temelini is right —we have to use all the tools we’ve got.

The last surviving delegate to sign the presentterms of union told the Vic Young royal commis-sion “there were no negotiations.” We were to betreated the same as other provinces. In writing onthe Terms of Union on Dec. 31, 1948, the lateAlbert Perlin wrote, “the financial arrangementsare inadequate and may lead to much future trou-ble and even suffering.”

To quote from the Young commission itself:“The status quo is not acceptable.”

James A. McGrath,St. John’s

‘We have to use all the tools we’ve got’

Dear editor,Most everyone who writes in The

Independent about the idea of Newfoundland“separating” from Canada include Labrador,incorrectly, as “part of” Newfoundland.

One of the things they all say that irks me ishow Newfoundland can afford to “go it alone”with the wealth of its natural resources.

They then go on to list Churchill (Grand)River hydro power, iron ore mines, a huge nick-el deposit and now uranium mine development.

Whoops, those resources are all on the mainlandof Labrador. However, as the Vic Young royalcommission found out in every place it visitedhere on the mainland part of the province, Lab-rador also wants a separation — from New-foundland.

I just skimmed through the 65 slick pages ofA Northern Strategic Plan for Labrador and I’llwait and see.

Jim Purdy,Goose Bay

Sealers’ pleas fell on deaf DFO earsEditor’s note: the following letter was written recent-ly to John Furlong, host of CBC Radio’s Fisherman’sBroadcast, with a copy forwarded to TheIndependent.

Every once in a while conditions conspire in com-munities along the northeast coast that afford sealersan opportunity seen perhaps as little as once in a life-time.

Such was the case in Twillingate Bight on Friday,April 20, supposedly the opening date for the small-boat seal hunt in the Twillingate area.

On Thursday, April 19, numerous sealers from theTwillingate area called DFO’s offices in Twillingate,Grand Falls and St. John’s pleading the federaldepartment not to delay the scheduled opening, asthey could see hundreds of seals from their doorsteps.

Such pleas fell upon deaf ears, as apparently, ifwhat I am hearing is correct, a few influential indi-

viduals further in the bay were blocked in.If indeed DFO is siding with those with influ-

ence, while ignoring the pleas of the many wishing toseize upon the rare good fortune that nature presents,it has brought upon itself, not only the most ven-omous curses of the frustrated small-boat sealers, buthas, in my opinion, compromised any measure ofintegrity and fair play that fishers may have beenwilling, in the past, to grant to the department.

From my conversations, many of the managersseem to have zero empathy and no sense of the frus-tration of the family man, his employment entitle-ment just exhausted, out on the headland watchingthe seals in the bay on an opening date set monthsearlier, and now postponed at the 11th hour by a gov-ernment department that seems unable to get any-thing right!

David Boyd,Twillingate

April 19, 2007 - Two fishing vessels trapped in ice along the northeast coast of Newfoundland. As a precautionarymeasure, the vessel at the left has secured its anchor to the ice hoping to avoid the possibility of rolling over.

Vic Young

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTNEWS • 98 • INDEPENDENTNEWS APRIL 27, 2007

Elvis Presley tribute artist Albert Murphyrecently gave a concert at the CLBArmoury in St. John’s. Murphy, a veteranof the business, has spent decades chasingthe Elvis dream, visiting Graceland(Presley’s home in Memphis, Tennessee),recording at the famous Sun Studios wherePresley got his start, and performingacross the province and the nation. Photo

editor Paul Daly and senior writer Ivan Morgan went toexperience a bit of the magic of Elvis.

There is something sweet aboutAlbert Murphy, a local Elvis trib-ute artist who performed recently

at the CLB Armoury in St. John’s, whereThe Independent caught his act.

He says honouring Elvis Presley “iswhat he does,” and has been doing forupwards of 30 years. There’s somethingsweet about the fact he visits seniorshomes, bringing his act free-of-charge toshut-ins and invalids.

There is something sweet in hisearnestness. Celebrating Elvis is a seri-ous business for Murphy.

The first thing he wants people tounderstand is he is not an impersonator.

“I don’t like those guys that go around— everything’s exact. I don’t believe inthat. There’s one Elvis. You can’t beElvis,” Murphy says in his dressing roombefore his Friday, April 13 show. “Youmight as well have originality in whatyou’re doing. There’s only one Elvis.”

There’s only one Albert Murphy. Hemay not be exactly like Elvis, but he is alot like him. He has the big, black side-burns, he has the voice, the southerndrawl, he has the mannerisms. He has thememorabilia — books, cups, shoes. Hehas the wardrobe — most of which hefashioned himself.

Tonight he hopes also to have themagic.

At 42, Murphy is the same age as theKing when he died, on Aug. 16, 1977.Murphy says he was 12 at the time, andhelping his Dad renovate their bathroomin Parker’s Cove on the Burin Peninsula.He says his Mom ran in, upset, to tellthem the news. Murphy says he hadnever heard of Elvis, but was shaken byhis parents’ strong reaction.

A month later his father died suddenlyof a heart attack. So began Murphy’sown voyage. His mother, overwhelmedby the prospect of caring for 10 childrenalone, had Murphy and his siblingsplaced in foster care. It is there, Murphysays, alone and longing for his lost fami-ly, that he found his love of Elvis Presley.

“I leaned on the music for support,” hesays.

Then he saw a made-for-TV moviecalled Elvis, starring Kurt Russell, and“thought what a nice guy Elvis was.”Murphy decided he wanted to be likehim. Coming in second at a high-schooltalent contest convinced the youngMurphy he should dedicate his life to thepromotion of Presley and his music.

And it has been close to 30 years oftaking his act wherever he could, that’sbrought him to the small stage with asmall sound system, projection screenand few lights in the CLB Armoury onHarvey Road on this cold April night.

By show time a crowd of 80 peoplehave gathered. People like Doug andWendy Phillips, Ruth Corbett and MaryCorbett. They are serious Elvis fans.

“He is the man!” laughs Ruth Corbett.Corbett has a lovely smile and a lively

laugh, and tonight she is sporting anElvis T-shirt, purse, and key chain.

“We like the ’50s and ’60s music. Wegrew up in that era. You can understandwhat they’re saying — you can under-stand the words,” says Wendy Phillips.

“It’s clean music,” she says. “There’sno dirt or foul language in it.”

And Elvis’ movies?“There’s no sex or violence into it.”Like most of the people who paid $12

to sit at the tables around the little stage

in the big hall, they are full of excitementand nostalgia. Tonight’s show is billed asa tribute to Presley’s movies, with songsfrom some of the more popular of his 31films.

Mary Corbett still remembers the firstElvis movie she ever saw — at theCapitol Theatre on Henry Street in St.John’s. It had uniformed ushers withflashlights who showed them to theirseats.

She was 12, she went with friends, andshe paid 25 cents to see Presley in BlueHawaii.

“I thought he was gorgeous,” shesmiles.

None of these people have seenMurphy’s act before.

The crowd is a mostly older one. Thereare a few people in jeans and leatherjackets, and a few thinning hairlines,Brylcremed — Elvis style.

Back stage Murphy paces. He says it’swhat he does before a show. He says hehad a show in January where almost 200people came.

The audience is smaller tonight.Almost three decades into this gig,Murphy has not completely conqueredthe pre-show jitters.

With little fanfare, he takes to thestage, launching into Jailhouse Rock. Hisvoice is strong and deep, but there’s stilla touch of nerves.

It’s hard to characterize Murphy’s per-formance. It isn’t quite karaoke —although he does sing to a musical trackplayed on a CD. It isn’t choreographed,although he has a repertoire of studied“Elvis moves” he works through with afocused intensity.

His voice is mostly true, but there are afew stumbles with notes and lyrics, and afew miscues. It’s probably not like anyact anyone here has seen before. This isserious business for Murphy.

The crowd is not sure about Murphy.Murphy is not an Elvis impersonater. Heis a tribute artist. He works to give peo-ple an “Elvis moment.” He works hard.

There are snickers from the crowd forsure, but soon enough, when he launchesinto a few ballads and the bar sales startto rack up, Murphy and his audience getbetter acquainted. Some in the crowdstart singing along. There are a few tearstoo. The hankies were out at a few tablesduring Fools Rush In.

A quick survey of the crowd during thesecond act gets a mixed response.

“If you were blindfolded you’d say itwas Elvis.”

“Doing OK for a local fella.”“Don’t ask me. I’d be too much like

Simon Cowell.”Murphy says he wants to evoke a sen-

timent. “I’m not trying to be Elvis. I want to

bring back that memory for that moment,for that time.”

And he brings a few in the crowd withhim to that Elvis place. A few, for a fewminutes, weren’t in the CLB Armoury ona bitter April evening, but lined up out-side the Capitol a lifetime ago.

Many people believe Presley did notdie in his bathroom, bloated, broken, andwhacked out of his mind on painkillers.Other people believe Presley is still aliveand well.

Either way, as long as Albert Murphykeeps doing his thing, Presley’s spirit isstrong.

[email protected]

INCAMERA

‘I’m not trying to be Elvis’


Promises, promisesWhen he was in St. John’s on

April 20, Liberal leaderStéphane Dion commented

briefly on the ongoing battle betweenthe province and Ottawa over the effectsof the federal budget on equalization.He indicated he was on Newfound-land’s side. I heard him say — some-what uncomfortably, I thought — thatthe federal Liberal policy was “no cap,and respect the Accord,” and then headded, significantly, that as prime min-ister he would “study” the question and“do what is fair for all Canadians.”

This seems to me a reasonable state-ment. He’s not in government, he’s justleader of the Opposition. It’s not possi-ble for him to know what kind of factorsand influences would be in play at thecabinet table to deal with complexissues.

Dion sat in cabinet, he knows this. Sohe said he would “do what is fair for allCanadians” if he got in.

That’s what Stephen Harper shouldhave said when Premier DannyWilliams asked him to state his positionon equalization in November 2005,prior to the federal election. Politically,Harper was then in roughly the sameposition that Dion is in now. But Harperunwisely gave a specific, written com-mitment that a Conservative govern-ment would “remove non-renewablenatural resource revenue from theequalization formula.” He should haveknown what a tangled web that promisemight get him in, since all the otherprovinces must have a say in any newpolicy dealing with equalization. And,of course, his cabinet would have toagree to any change of policy.

We have cabinet government inCanada, not prime ministerial rule.Harper was so hungry for power, thehated Liberals had been in office for solong, that he said what he had to say toget votes.

I’m not going to criticize the premierfor extracting a promise from Harper,because given the weak position weoccupy in the Canadian government andParliament — a flea trying to shoveaside an elephant, according to J.R.Smallwood — almost any gambit isworth trying. Still, it is always doubtfulto credit pledges made in election cam-paigns.

I speak from experience.Early evening canvassing in St.

John’s West. First house on the street. Awoman appears and invites me into thefront hall.

Woman: See Johnnie? (Pointing to ayoung man on a sofa in the living roomwatching TV, a Dominion bottle inhand.) If you get him into the trades col-lege, I’ll give you a vote.

Me: Er, I’m not sure I can do that.I ...

Woman: Good enough, I hear you,you’re getting no votes here. Get theshag out.

Second house. Same scene. TV blar-ing. Noises, laughter heard from inside.

German shepherd with its nose in mycrotch. A man of about 60 sleeps oncouch.

Woman: Don’t mind the pooch. He’sfriendly. No, no! Don’t put your handon him! (She drags the dog off, returns.)See poor old Heber over there (points toman), he’s a carpenter, he can put an assin a cat, but can he get a job? No sir. Butif you can get him on with the council,you’ll have six votes in this house.

Me: (Pauses) How many votes didyou say?

A man canvassing in an election isnot always to be depended on.

•••Harper made a promise the

Conservative government didn’t keep.The financial consequences forNewfoundland have been variouslyestimated. Professor Wade Locke made,to my knowledge, two computations.First, he said we would get a boost of$5.6 billion from the new arrangement;later he said we would lose $1 billion.Last week the premier said “they’vetaken $11 billion from us.” The consen-sus seems to be that we will lose a sig-nificant amount of revenue over theyears to come, but exactly how muchcan’t be known since it will depend onthe price of oil down the road, triggers,fiscal capacities, and other variables,some known only to astrologers.

So we’re back at war with Ottawa,much as we were in the 1980s whenBrian Peckford was premier and PierreTrudeau prime minister. One intriguingsideline, to me, is that a lot of stimulat-ing commentary has been stirred up. Acall for secession — rather, for threaten-ing secession — has come from aMemorial University professor. JamesMcGrath, for his part, declared thatParliament’s vote to admitNewfoundland in February, 1949 was“in breach of the CanadianConstitution,” and further that the four-year long “process” leading up toConfederation “violated” Newfound-land’s constitution as well. (Both asser-tions being, in my opinion, erroneous.)And there has been much talk of send-ing a Newfoundland bloc to Ottawa todefend our interests, just as the BlocQuébécois does for that province.

This proposal has had some abledefenders, but it strikes me as hopeless.Newfoundlanders adhere traditionallyto the old parties, changing allegianceinfrequently from one to the other.Those who want to punish Harper in thecoming election will vote either Liberalor NDP even if a Newfoundland bloc isan option.

Patrick O’Flaherty is a writer in St.John’s

PATRICKO’FLAHERTYA Skeptic’s Diary

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Man In Motion Rick Hansen speaks with Corinna Anderson in front of the St. John’s Convention Centre. Anderson, camp manager of the LionMax Simms Memorial Camp in Bishop’s Falls, sits in an Argo, an all-terrain amphibious vehicle for use by people with spinal cord injuries.Bishop’s Falls is the third community in Canada to receive an Argo through the Rick Hansen Foundation. Paul Daly/The Independent

MAN IN MOTION


Canadian soldiers (l-r) Sgt. Ken Wells, Master Cpl. Cal Jones and Newfoundlander Cpl. Ian Dawe enjoys the Jan. 26 edition of The Independentat Patrol Base Wilson in the Zhari district in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Courtesy of the Dawe family

WIDELY READ ‘Eye of the beholder’St. John’s harbour-front looks great— shame about the boats

By Clare-Marie GosseThe Independent

The St. John’s Port Authority ishappy to spend roughly $3.5million prettying up the har-

bourfront with kiosks, a park and restareas, but when it comes to theesthetics of some of the dockedships, nothing short of removingthem could improve the view.

Take the Noviy Svet, for example,a Ukrainian trawler that’s beenparked in pride of place behind theScotia Bank building and AtlanticPlace for months. Regular visitors toCora’s Restaurant and Nubody’sFitness, with their sweeping pano-ramic views of The Narrows and theSouthside Hills, will be only toofamiliar with the sight of the aban-doned Noviy Svet’s looming, dirtywhite hulk that appears to be weepingrust. The boat’s been parked theresince August 2006 (according toCanada Border Services), October2006 (according to the Department ofFisheries and Oceans), and December2006 (according to St. John’s PortAuthority). Either way, it’s been therea while.

“That was scheduled to be in portfor a much shorter period of time,”Sean Hanrahan, president of St.John’s Port Authority, tells TheIndependent. “The reason, I under-stand, is it’s been detained by the cus-toms people.” He adds the vessel isalso awaiting repairs that are sched-uled for next week when the vesselwill finally be removed and taken toSt. John’s Dockyard.

A spokeswoman with CanadaBorder Services Agency was unableto comment on any potential customscharges involving the Noviy Svet.

“Unless it’s public knowledge, dueto confidentiality reasons I can’tcomment on specific ships.”

A spokesman with the local ship-ping agent facilitating the vessel’sstay, Altamar Atlantic, says the boathas been waiting for spare parts andhe confirmed it would be undergoingrepairs next week.

Although the port authority takestime and money to make the harboura pleasing place for locals andtourists to visit, Hanrahan says thereare no regulations surrounding theappearance of its vessels. There isalso no out-of-the-way docking spacefor stranded ships to wait out theirtime in port.

“What we’re most concerned withis that we have a viable, working har-bour,” he says. “Once we are con-vinced a vessel is seaworthy and paysits bills, after that, the esthetics are inthe eye of the beholder.

“We have limited space in the portof St. John’s. It’s a great port but it’sa small one. So we don’t have a lot ofchoice.”

Dear editor,Ever have a bad day? Of course, we

all have. People, publications, institu-tions, and governments have bad days. Isuspect that such was the case with TheIndependent’s April 20 edition.

The Independent chose as its front-page lead story (‘Is there a betterway?’) the comments of a political sci-entist at Memorial University (MichaelTemelini) who regards a good numberof us, if not the majority, as “ignorantcurmudgeons.”

We might have to get an economist tocrunch the numbers a few times foraccuracy on this point.

The charge was then repeated in RyanCleary’s column (With us or agin’us) incase some of us ignoramuses mighthave missed it on the front page. I sus-pect a lot of us ignoramuses read thispaper.

If this scientist of politics wants to get

his philosopher and writer friends,among others, together for a rant onNewfoundland separating from Canadaand possibly joining the EuropeanUnion, fair enough. He wants to openthe toolbox of possibilities for ourprovince, but the rest of us ignoramuseswould caution him not to openPandora’s Box instead.

Remember, if Canada is divisible,Newfoundland is divisible. Now is yourchance Labrador! Seize the momentumQuebec! Freedom at last Cape Breton!What an opportunity Alberta! And riseup indigenous people and take a goodlump of the land that was ripped fromyour hearts and hands. And on it goes ...

Labrador has a particularly strongcase since it has been abused byNewfoundland for as long as I canremember. With a small population baseit would be one of the wealthiest percapita countries in the world. You have

a different culture, you’re not contigu-ous with the rest of the province, yourboundaries are constantly being ques-tioned and were established under dubi-ous circumstances in the first place.And you have been abused by all partiesever since.

So that’s the ticket. Let’s atomize orvaporize Canada, no matter what therest of us ignoramuses say. I would sayone thing about breaking up Canada. Ifyou think it would be clean and tidy,think again. If it’s only bluster andbluff, no harm done. But if it were everput into play at a number of placesaround this great country ... then getready for hell.

No, you had a bad day, Mr. Editor.But don’t be too concerned, it happensto the best of us. Even ignoramuses.

Robert Rowe,St. John’s

‘You had a bad day, Mr. Editor’YOURVOICE

Our place in the world?Dear editor,

I find it incredulous that a MemorialUniversity political science professor(‘Is there a better way?’, April 20 edi-tion) would suggest that “New-foundland and Labrador should lookinto the possibility of joining theEuropean Union, and what that wouldentail.” His reference to the modelnations of Iceland and Greenland isalso intriguing!

What can be behind this professor’sperilous plot? Certainly not research.Good God my son, a quick Google willconfirm that although being part of theDanish Realm, Greenland is not a partof the EU and Iceland has said no to EUmembership. The most contentiousissue regarding possible EU member-ship for Iceland was the loss of controlover natural resources, notably fishing

grounds due to the EU’s Common fish-eries policy. Sound familiar? Iceland is,however, a member of the EuropeanFree Trade Association, which certain-ly has benefits. Even if we were willingto again surrender control over naturalresources, there are many criteria forEU membership, including geographiccriteria. Oops, I forgot, perhaps we canpromote the continental drift theory asgrounds for membership.

Temelini’s assertion that “we don’tunderstand nationalism inNewfoundland” is condescending,inaccurate and demonstrates a greatlack of understanding of our presentand past political experiences. The plotthickens. We certainly do not need totake a cue from Quebec regarding theissue of secession. Our different politi-cal realities and history in respect to

nationhood and relationship withCanada make the Quebec experience oflittle value. Newfoundland andLabrador, more than any other provincein Canada, including Quebec, has hadsignificant experience with nationhoodand all that it entails.

I do agree with the professor that it istime for Newfoundland and Labradorto consider other options and “do thehomework.” A good suggestion — per-haps there is no plot. We haveresearched and published our place inCanada, and now we must profession-ally research and determine “our placein the world,” using independent pro-fessional experts, the best money canbuy.

Terry Loder,St. John’s

“We have limited space in the port of

St. John’s. It’s a great port but it’s a small

one. So we don’t have a lot of choice.”

Sean HanrahanSt. John’s Port

Authority President


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AROUND THE WORLDDr. Dick estimates that more than fourteen thou-sand millions of human beings have been slaugh-tered in war, since the beginning of the world,which is about eighteen times the number ofinhabitants that at present time exist on the globe.He adds, that a horrible and tremendous consider-ation, to reflect that 14,000,000 of beingsendowed with intellectual faculties and curiouslyorganized by Divine wisdom that the inhabitantsof eighteen worlds should have been massacred,and mangled and cut to pieces by those who werepartakers of the same common nature as if theyhad been created merely for the work of destruc-tion!— Mercury and General Advertiser, Carbonear,April 1846

AROUND THE BAYEdmund Phelan begs to state that he intends send-ing a careful Man round the Bay during theWinter, who will be accountable for all Lettersand Parcels that may be committed to his care.— The Star and Newfoundland Advocate, St.John’s, April 25, 1844

YEARS PASTPolice Court: Fisherman of Brigus, drunk, wasdischarged.— The Daily Globe, St. John’s, April 18, 1925

EDITORIAL STANDRecent years have brought vast, sweepingchanges; changes which are having strong influ-ence on us. These changes and influences oftenhave dark and somber sides, beneath their dis-guise of being “modern,” “easier,” and “like therest of the world.” One of the changes that cameupon us during the past decade was a form ofGovernment assistance known variously as

Winter Works, Local Institutive Projects, CanadaWorks or most recently Canada CommunityDevelopment Projects. Like many other aspectsof modern life this Government assistance was amixture of good and bad. The Canada Worksdecade of the 1970s cut at the very roots of ourpride and dignity and sapped our independence,striking most severely at the younger members ofour society. We were taught, carefully, explicitly,and repeatedly that Government would give us allwe needed.— The Labrador South Review, Red Bay andForteau, April 25, 1981

LETTER TO THE EDITORDear Sir — We had a splendid parade on the 20of February — Union Day — the first in this set-tlement. Volleys of guns announced the great day.We paraded the settlement and returned to the hallfor tea, which was an excellent one, and after tea,dancing was engaged in until 11 p.m. when allwent home delighted with the day’s events. TheF.P.U. is come to stay and we are determined tostand to your back, Mr. Editor, and fight your ene-mies. We intend to vote for Union candidates in1913 and don’t care how soon the battle comesoff. We want our own men to make laws to bene-fit the toilers, men we can see all the time andmen we can have face to face at the Union meet-ings. Go ahead, Mr. Coaker, you can rely upon us,for we never saw the light as plain as we do now.I remain yours truly, ONE OF THE UNION,Pike’s Arm.— The Fishermen’s Advocate, St. John’s, April 6,1912

QUOTE OF THE WEEK“The price of gas is getting so high, I’m afraid toburp.” — Paul Bradbury, VOCM.— Town Crier, St. John’s, April 1973

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The more you knowWhen you see it listed in black and white your worth adds up

There’s much about the wayAmericans and the Americanmedia promotes all things

U.S.A. that really does not turn mycrank. But every now and then theyhit on something that’s not only bril-liantly done, it’s also a brilliant con-cept. Probably my favourite is a 20-second television spot with the tagline “The More You Know.” Es-sentially, it challenges listeners to beever aware and curious about theirown world — to always look for waysto know more about almost every sub-ject.

So, what of “The More You Know”about where your money goes? Andwhat do you have to show for themoney you’ve earned over the years?

One of the best ways I’ve ever comeacross to measure this is by carryingout a complete household financialinventory. Sounds easy right? And itis, but I suspect most people view afinancial inventory as a listing of the“cash” part of their lives. Some mighteven include their liabilities. If this isyou, you’re partially right.

A household financial inventory is acomplete listing of all assets, alongwith all liabilities and debts. Credit

Counsellors like the idea of the com-plete financial inventory because ittells people where much of theirmoney has gone over the years.What’s really nice though, is the senseof enlightenment most people feel asthey look at the All Our Assets col-umn. If you go through this processyou’ll definitely know where some,possibly even the bulk of, your moneyhas gone.

Yes, include at the top of your listall the cash in your life and includeRRSPs, RESPs, bonds, investments,etc. Then move on to your house andinclude its financing costs — after all,this is about where your dollars go.You might also start off outside yourproperty; maybe even in the drive-

way. How much did your car cost,including financing? What abouttires? Are they new or original? Haveyou had any major repairs? Havethese enhanced the value of the vehi-cle?

Look around outside a little more.Do you have a fence? Did you buildit? If so, what was the cost, includinglabour and materials? Don’t forgetyour patio. Consider, as well, thoseoutside embellishments we carry outso frequently. For example, howmuch have you put into your garden?And I don’t just mean planting. Whatabout outdoor furniture? The lawnmower, snow blower, barbecue,watering systems and so forth? Asyou move inside and list the majoritems contained there, like furniture,appliances and electronics, considerhow much you’ve spent on smallappliances, dishes, and cutlery. What

See “Give yourself,” page 15

INDEPENDENTBUSINESSFRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — PAGE 13

Look around outside a little more. Do you have

a fence? Did you build it?If so, what was the

cost, including labour and materials?

By Ivan MorganThe Independent

The mayor of St. John’s saysstrategic considerations takea back seat to politics when it

comes to the Royal CanadianNavy’s deployment on Canada’sEast Coast.

When asked why Halifax is thebase of the entire Atlantic fleet,Andy Wells is blunt.

“Halifax has more votes,” themayor tells The Independent.

Besides being home port to theAtlantic fleet, Halifax is home toCanada’s largest military base,which sports a large navy dockyard,military and navy education facili-ties, including engineering, navaloperations and warfare schools, anammunition depot, a naval and armycommunications centre, housingdivisions for base personnel and allthe spin-off industries such a largepresence generates.

Halifax harbour is home to over30 different navy vessels — dividedinto classes — from multi-rolepatrol vessels (Halifax class), topatrol submarines (Victoria class). Italso hosts foreign navy ships.

STRATEGIC LOCATIONConsidering St. John’s strategic

location and the number of New-foundlanders and Labradorians whoserve in the navy, Wells says thereshould be a much larger navy pres-ence in the province.

A 2006 Memorial University re-port The Federal Government Pres-ence in Newfoundland and Lab-rador noted almost eight per cent ofCanada’s 62,000 regular militarypersonnel are originally from New-foundland and Labrador, and rough-ly one-half of these people are in thenavy.

The report says the province’sstrengths, such as geography andstrategic location, should also pointto the merits of having a large navypresence here, but the report states“that is not the case.”

Conservative MP Fabian Manningsays he has been lobbying for a larg-er navy presence in Newfoundlandand Labrador.

“Right now we have a very limit-ed navy presence,” he says.

Manning adds he hopes theHarper government’s recent an-

AL ANTLEYourFinances

BaselessProvince’s small navy presence does not reflect its strategic, geographic assets

See “These guys,” page 14 The HMS Toronto is welcomed back to St. John’s in 2006 from its war on terror in the Persian Gulf . Paul Daly/The Independent.

Dear editor,I thought I was a voice crying in the

wilderness until I opened the pages ofthe April 13 issue of The Independentand read Walter Noel’s letter to the pre-mier (What are the financial conse-quences of Confederation?) and RyanCleary’s column (‘Soul CrushingTyrannical Autocractic Dictators’).

Over the years I have approached suc-cessive provincial governments toengage a reputable economist to do a

complete analysis of the benefits wereceive from Ottawa and the contribu-tion we, in turn, make to the Canadianeconomy.

In his letter to the premier, Noelstates: “You would do our province agreat service by having such a studyundertaken by an internationally recog-nized consultant.” He further comments:“the Royal Commission on Our Place inCanada was given the mandate andresources to have a proper financial

study done. Unfortunately the commis-sion chose not to do so.”

The Independent, with limitedresources, attempted to do such a studyin 2004 and concluded we are contribut-ing a great deal more than the benefitswe are receiving.

I met with the chairman of the com-mission, Vic Young, shortly after hisappointment and recommended an inter-nationally-renowned economist for sucha study that would have the credibility ofthe federal government, the Canadianbusiness community and Canadians ingeneral. The individual in question, Dr.Jayson Myers, is chief economist withthe Canadian Manufacturing As-sociation, an organization representingthe largest corporations in Canada.

Myers received his doctorate fromOxford University and was also a lectur-

er at the university. He has received sev-eral international and national awardsfor his contribution in the field of eco-nomics. I discussed this matter with himand he indicated he was quite preparedto undertake such a study.

Premier Danny Williams is a lawyerand he is well aware that you have topresent facts and credible witnesses incourt if you expect to win your case.Similarly, the same rules apply in thecourt of public opinion. We have failedmiserably in this regard.

What has been lacking in making ourcase to the rest of Canada are the factsand a credible witness to support thosefacts? Until we do we will still beregarded as the poor cousins of Canadawith our begging bowls in hand.

Burford Ploughman,St. John’s

14 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS APRIL 27, 2007

Increase in ferry rates could hit consumersAn increase in Marine Atlantic

ferry rates and a possible fuelsurcharge has trucking com-

panies in the province worried — andthe increased cost could be passed onto consumers.

Due to escalating operating costslike fuel prices and pensions, MarineAtlantic, the federal Crown corpora-tion, raised ferry rates earlier this yearby $9 per trip for trucks, a 2.1 per centhike. Additionally, if the cost of fuel

continues to rise from the January 1level, truckers may also be hit with afuel surcharge.

Gordon Peddle, president of D.D.Transport Ltd. in Mount Pearl, saysthe increase has already caused somedifficult negotiations with shippingand handlers. The company mainlyserves the construction and oil and gasindustries in Newfoundland andLabrador.

“The truck industry cannot sponge

that increase, so therefore it getspassed on to the shippers andreceivers, who in turn pass it on to theconsumer.”

A one-way trip on the ferry for atruck is now $450, which some driverspay 1,300 times a year — a total of$585,000 per truck.

The Marine Atlantic Users Group,made up of the Atlantic ProvincesTrucking Association, the St. John’sBoard of Trade and the Newfoundland

and Labrador division of the CanadianManufacturers and Exporters, hasstarted an online petition to protest thechanges. To date, the group has col-lected over 2,000 signatures.

“The reality is, (the increase is) adisincentive to do business here, itreally slows the economy,” saysPeddle.

Although all trucking companieswill have to deal with the same costs,Peddle says Newfoundland and

Labrador companies could be hithardest by a slow down in the provin-cial economy, due to their reliance onother provincially-owned businesses.

After enduring a long winter of poortrucking conditions, business is pick-ing up. But Peddle says inventoriesaren’t moving as quickly as in previ-ous years, and if gas prices climb, sowill the cost of everyday groceries.

— John Rieti

Economist recommended for cost-benefit analysis of Confederation

nouncement for the construction of a$101-million multi-purpose militaryfacility in Pleasantville is the begin-ning of a return of overall local mili-tary presence, including ships to St.John’s harbour.

“Now again, to say that’s going tohappen next month wouldn’t be thecase, but certainly that it is part of theoverall plan — to have a presence hereon this end of Canada once again.”

Given the dispute with the Harperadministration over equalization,Wells doesn’t expect anything willchange anytime soon. He says thedecision where to station the navyshould be made on defence needs and“not just regional pork barreling.

“These guys are full of bull. Theysold us down the river on the equaliza-tion,” says Wells, referring to theprovinces’ federal MPs — LoyolaHearn, Norm Doyle and Manning.

“They’re old-style pork barrellers. Imean, ‘whatever you can bring backto keep the natives happy, b’y, that’swhat we gotta do.’ That’s the mentali-ty,” he says. “What they are going totry and do now is offer us a few can-dies, I suppose.

“If they had any balls they’d be sit-ting as independent Conservatives.”

Manning says increasing the feder-al government’s presence in theprovince is a “step-by-step” processand the signs are there for the federalgovernment to enhance the province’smilitary complement. He says theMinister of Defence is “quite aware”of what the province can offer thenavy.

“If we have one bone of contentionin our province it’s the fact that for thepast number of decades that presencehas been diminished drastically insome places, and hopefully having itrestored and enhanced is what thefuture is about. I feel confident that thesupport to do that here is certainlythere with Minister O’Connor.”

[email protected]

‘These guys are full of bull’

From page 13

Hospitality and tourism groups applauded Air Canada’s announcement this week of a direct flight from Halifax to Gander. It is good news for the Gander International Airport, which is expe-riencing cash flow problems and has been fighting for a financial investment from Ottawa. The airline will launch the daily non-stop service on June 30. Paul Daly/The Independent

NEW GANDER SERVICE

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTBUSINESS • 15

��

about cookbooks and the like? Consider theimprovements and decorating of the inside ofyour home. Have you added hardwood or newwindows? Do you carry out repairs yourself, orare you like me, and generally end up payingto have the most mundane chore completed?

It’s within the little things that major dollarshide. Look long and hard inside jewelry boxes,bookcases and obscurely located drawers. Justhow many videos, DVDs and CDs do youown?

And speaking of music, are there instru-ments in your house? Did you retain a lot ofyour books and novels or did you chuck themout or give them away? Have you been collect-ing art? Are you another kind of collector? Anddon’t forget tools.

Try as best you can to recall, and then assign,the original purchase price you paid.

Now, get out your calculator and add theoriginal costs of the whole lot together. Waitfor the shock; chances are there will be one.

Give yourself some kudos. Obviouslyyou’ve done very, very well. You just need tosee it all before your eyes, to see just how well.

There’s another upside to this little exercisetoo. With the inventory completed, you’re ide-ally situated to respond to any concerns orquestions raised by your insurance company inthe event of a claim.

Your list will likely be extensive. So it’s alsoa great idea to photocopy it and keep it in yoursafe deposit box with the other important doc-uments you feel are worth preserving.

And if you really want to assure the validityof your inventory list, from the perspective ofsecurity, make a video or take extensive photosof the various rooms in your house, along withitem-by-item pictures of jewelry and othersmall items.

But this exercise is first and foremost aboutyou feeling good about your place in theworld. Human beings love to beat themselvesup on all things financial. It’s either that or theother extreme: we estimate our worth to bemuch more than it is. This little listing processkeeps you balanced and easily lays out thefacts.

It’s like I said: “The more you know!”

Al Antle is the executive director of Credit andDebt Solutions.

Give yourself some kudosFrom page 13

YOURVOICE

What EU membership could do for NLDear editor,

This is a response to Katie Hyslop’s April 20story, ‘Is there a better way?’ Memorial professorsays province should initiate ‘serious discussion’about separation from Canada; investigate joiningthe European Union.

I have vivid memories of the two suits whocame to Indian Islands on the northeast coast inearly 1949 and “supervised” the final referendumvote when I was six years old. My father andmother — diehard nationalists, but apparently in aminority after Joey Smallwood had spoken pub-licly at length on the topic — wanted nothing of itand loudly said so. In protest, they voted to join theUnited States in an earlier referendum. My moth-er, who just turned 89, sports a gold NewfoundlandPink, White and Green ring and proudly flies anold flag in her room at Mountain View Estates herein Corner Brook.

And so, I was born a Newfoundlander andmight, with a bit of luck and some time yet, dieone. Oh, my wife and I have had the benefit ofCanadian mainland universities to do graduatedegrees, but these we paid for as we and all fellowNewfoundlanders and Labradorians have beenpaying for in one way or other since April Fool’sDay, 1949, when Smallwood so cavalierly broughtme and my family — kicking and screaming —into Canada. Incidentally, our three grown childrenwith their own families live in Calgary, Alberta;Elko, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington. With theirspouses, they are all highly valued professionals intheir particular locales. How’s that for a real fami-ly contribution back to the mainland of NorthAmerica?

As a Newfoundland nationalist all my life (and aretired marine biology professor from Sir WilfredGrenfell College), but one just now fully articulat-ing my feelings, I would like to add my support towhat professor Michael Temelini said as quoted inthe Hyslop article and try to correct some errors.

Only one of the three countries quoted is actual-ly an independent member of the EU. Ireland is afull member of the EU, having joined in 1973;Greenland once was and will likely try to enter theEU again, although it is now a self-governingdependency of Denmark (which also joined theEU in 1973); and Iceland has never been a mem-ber of the EU, although speculation is that it mayat some point try to join.

With some 27 current EU members, other coun-

tries speculated as possible EU joiners include:Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Ukraine,Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Otherpossible microstates that could at some point joininclude: San Marino, Vatican and Monaco. Withfurther independence, dependencies likeGreenland, the Faroe Islands, New Caledonia anda handful of others could join the EU.

There are even some non-European possibili-ties: Morocco, Cape Verde and Israel. Some haveeven speculated that Canada might join! If Canadahas been considered by some, might not the yet-again independent country of Newfoundland alsobe considered as a member of the EU? A joining ofthe Arctic islands in the north — with Greenlandand Iceland obtaining EU membership — wouldneed Newfoundland to complete the circle.

There are several other even more compellingreasons. With globalization extending to theHumber Valley here on the west coast, the HumberValley Resort has hardly a North American client.People in Ireland and England know all about thepotential here and are taking full advantage of it.Think what EU membership could do. Business,cultural and historical connections, after anabsence in some cases of some 400 years, are nowagain being re-established between Newfoundlandand the U.K. (particularly with Ireland) at a star-tling rate. Think further what membership in theEU might do to (and about) foreign overfishing onthe nose and the tail of the Grand Banks. Think ofthe implications of banning seal pelt sales fromNewfoundland and Labrador in Europe by mem-bers of your own EU? Now there’s an interestingprospect. Finally, think about what abundantrenewable and non-renewable resources and theproper accompanying research and developmentmight do to the economy of Newfoundland withEU membership and access to that massive mar-ket.

Yes, professor Temilini, EU membership forNewfoundland should certainly be considered.And, you notice I have not mentioned Quebec withits 36 out of the past 39 Canadian prime ministersor its Ottawa budget favouritism in the last budget,or …

Michael, you make a fine argument for a fellowwho has only been here for three years and theneven from Ontario.

Don Downer,Corner Brook

16 • INDEPENDENTBUSINESS APRIL 27, 2007

INDEPENDENTLIFEFRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — PAGE 17

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John and Jane Crosbie Sheilagh Guy-Murphy and Sheila (Tequila) Copps. John Crosbie with the Diva dancers.

Jonathan Pittman, an Easter Seals kid. World-renowned tenor Michael Burgess sings Danny Boy to Mike Duffy, Brian Mulroney and John Crosbie.

Michael Burgess.

Newfoundlander Rex Murphy.

Rick Hansen, Man in Motion.

Rick Mercer makes a video appearance. Former PM Brian Mulroney.

Mike Duffy and Brian Mulroney.

John and Jane Crosbie with Michael Burgess and Rick Hansen. John Crosbie with grand-daughters and ShielaghGuy-Murphy Photos by Paul Daly/The Independent

By Clare-Marie GosseThe Independent

It was an event that raised over$600,000 for Easter Seals; it wasattended by in excess of 500 of

Newfoundland and Labrador’s finestand shiniest — not to mention someprestigious mainlanders like formerprime minister Brian Mulroney andMan in Motion Rick Hansen. Therewas opera, arm-wrestling, burlesque,an auction, and some killer beef ten-

derloin. But ultimately, what everyoneat John Crosbie’s lengthy fundraisingroast on April 28 in St. John’s tookaway with them (aside from warmfuzzy feelings of course), was the visu-al image of host, Sheilagh Guy-

Murphy, clasping Mike Duffy’s facebetween both hands and massaging itinto her impressive cleavage (rightafter introducing her bosom buddy asone of Chatelaine magazine’s formersexiest men in Canada).

Right there, Crosbie was upstagedonce again. For as Rex Murphyquipped in his tribute to one of theprovince’s best-loved politicians, whoin his career was forever fighting forthe top spot without success, “As

everyone knows, John is a personwho’s done everything with a ladderexcept reach the last rung.”

And if that seems harsh, rest easy, itwas about the crispiest commentdirected Crosbie’s way all evening, ina night more full of toasts than roasts.

From the moment Guy-Murphyopened with comments like, “We loveyou John and I think that’s evident in

A night with J.C.See “I call him,” page 19

Also see “Prize cuts,” page 18

18 • INDEPENDENTLIFE APRIL 27, 2007

GALLERYPROFILE

Visual artist Jennifer Barrett, anative of Paradise, is pressingblue ink onto pink paper through

the printing press in St. Michael’s studioby the harbourfront in St. John’s. Eventhough she’s having trouble lin-ing up the edges — or, the reg-istration, as it’s called –— shedoesn’t mind in the least.

“It’s mainly a process. It’scomplicated and it’s frustratingbut it’s always surprising,” saysBarrett with an ever-presentsmile. “I never know what I’mgoing to get and I like that. I liketo control what I’m doing but Ilike the element of surprise, too.”

A graduate of Grenfell Col-lege’s visual arts program in CornerBrook, Barrett only just started experi-menting with the printing process late inher program. Once she sampled anoverview of the meticulous printing tech-niques such as linocut, silkscreen, reliefand etching, Barrett was hooked. Shecracks a joke — the first of several duringthe course of the conversation — abouther “exclusive” skills.

“The techniques are so weird and dif-ferent, so you kind of feel like being partof a special club. It’s nice to know how todo something not a whole lot of peopleknow how to do. I also like using toolsand big machines — it’s kind of industri-al. I like the smell of the ink.”

Barrett is making her professionaldebut at The Bonnie Leyton Gallery in St.John’s, May 5-26, joining visual artistsGordon Laurin, Carolyne Harrison andMargaret Ryall. There will be a selectionof styles and media, but Barrett’s workwill focus on her ink prints — particular-ly images gleaned from classicHollywood films of the 40s and 50s.

Akin to their source, the images areblack and white and high in contrast. Theleads, iconic stars such as Grant andBergman, and Tracey and Hepburn, areframed and paired together, caught in var-ious poses. The tension of the dramaticmoments is underscored by the robust,

graphic marks delineating a clenched jawor a furrowed brow. Barrett says her pre-ferred style of work can be traced back tothe process she enjoys so much.

“With the linoleum prints, the tools Ihave to use makes it harder todo very small, fine detailedimagery, so I intuitively go theother way and go bolder withthicker lines. I love the way itlooks so I just keep going withit,” she says. “I was doing anetching class and we did

aquatint (a printing process) andyou can get all these nice differ-ent tones of gray, white to blackand they look like film grain.Obviously, this lends itself to

film imagery so I tried a print, then, of afilm still.”

Barrett’s graphic skills have not goneunnoticed by appreciative fans. Comicstrip illustrations she posted on a socialnetwork website were picked up by St.John’s events listing paper The Scope.Barrett’s Childhood Memories and Talkin’Bout Cats can be found in tiny format,bordering the bottom of the paper’spages. The jokes are alternately sweet andslightly bizarre — perfect fodder for thequick, compartmentalized panels.

“I think of random things, stupid gags,but I think it’s funny … everybody canrelate to it,” she says. “Stories and pic-tures — that’s what it comes down to.I’ve discovered the serious side of graph-ic novels. Not just superheroes — evenCharlie Brown I totally appreciate on adifferent level now. They’re the mostheartbreaking, beautiful comic strips.”

Barrett says she will take a printingbreak after her month-long residency atSt. Michael’s is up. She will use the timeto paint, but it’s the print process thatappeals to her the most — particularly thecontrol factor.

“I like that you get to have more thanone, so if I make an edition I can alwayskeep one — I’m a pack rat.”

[email protected]

JENNIFER BARRETTVisual Artist

Prize cuts ... from A Feast of Crosbie

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“He’s the most irresistible force in modernNewfoundland politics … he’s got more guts than abucket of politicians.”

— Rex Murphy

“A prime minister is very, very lucky if he gets to havea John Crosbie in cabinet — one, not two.”

— Former prime minister Brian Mulroney

“John writes in his memoirs that when he ran for theleadership in 1983 he told Jane on the day of the votethat she would wake up in the morning in bed with thenext prime minister of Canada. I can’t tell you how dis-

appointed she was that morning. It’s time I told you thetruth, John. Of all of your comments that kicked the crapright out of my reputation.”

— Former prime minister Brian Mulroney

“’Duffy is not one of Canada’s sexiest men, he’s two ofthem.”— Mike Duffy recalling a media colleague’s reaction tohis ranking as one of Chatelaine’s sexiest men inCanada.

“Support Easter Seals, club Harp seals.” — Rick Mercer.

It’s reportedly spring! May swiftlyapproaches and all over theprovince theatre companies big

and small are gearing up to startrehearsing and presenting their sum-mer seasons. In the capital, summer isalways a pretty busy time, but that’snothing compared with the full-onmayhem of tourist season in Trinity,Newtown, Grand Bank, Cow Headand elsewhere out there beyond theoverpass.

Like it or not, in the summer theatrescene — as with most things provin-cial — there’s a Town/Bay divide. Youhear a lot of snide comments aboutrural theatre festivals from people inthe city. Some of it is nothing morethan the deeply ingrained Towniechauvinism underlying everythingthat goes on in these parts, from howthe provincial government spendsmoney, to news coverage, to profes-sional respect and recognition.

Speaking as someone born andraised in St. John’s I can tell you thestuck-up Townie stereotype exists fora reason. We’re not so bad individual-ly, but en masse, people from St.John’s are to the rest of the province asTorontonians are to the rest of Canada.When it comes to the dark and shad-owy world out there beyond the citylimits, our manners tend to be bad, ourgeography worse and our attitudepatronizing.

But the tired old Town versus Bayfight is only part of the difficulty fac-ing theatre companies in ruralNewfoundland and Labrador. There’sa combination of economic and practi-cal concerns that dictate what festivalspresent and how.

Because they rely mainly on touristsfor audiences, any show they put up isnecessarily going to be half art andhalf tourism. That doesn’t mean it hasto be bad; it simply means there’smore to think about than simple artis-tic expression. Writing quality tourist-appropriate material is a hell of a lottougher than most art snobs imagine.

First off, you have to assume youraudience doesn’t know anything aboutyour area or its history. That puts youin the awkward position of having toexplain a great many things as you goalong. Complex things. For instance,have you ever wondered why so manyhistorical Newfoundland plays con-

tain the “evil merchant” bit? Youknow the one:

Hard working but luckless Fisher-Folk come to the Evil Merchant beg-ging him to extend their credit. EvilMerchant refuses, condemning themto a long, cruel, molasses and tea-freeNewfoundland winter. Everybody per-ishes of cold, malnutrition and/or TB.The End.

I’ll tell you why you see that scenein virtually every play that ever getswritten about our history — becausethat’s what happened. We may knowall about it and see it as a hackneyedand predictable moment, but if you’refrom Missouri or Toronto (or possiblySt. John’s) and you don’t know howthe relationship between merchantsand fishermen worked back in the day,

there’s a whole lot of other thingsyou’re not going to understand either.

As a theatre company you also haveto be conscious of keeping it lightenough for the audience you’reattracting. People on vacation mightbe into one play about a shipwreck ortragedy, but you can’t pile on thehuman suffering so thick they can’tenjoy their whale watching tours.Comedy is always a good bet, andbecause they came to see whatNewfoundland and Labrador is like,it’s natural to have a few laughs withthe culture. This is where things some-times go off the rails. Laughing withquickly becomes laughing at and thewhole thing descends into the kind ofcod-kissing, Screech-swilling, half-witted rubberbootery that’s so infuri-ating to the “don’t call me Newfie” set(of which I am one). It doesn’t have tobe that way, of course. And often itisn’t.

As an example, Theatre Newfound-land and Labrador does a commend-able job of navigating the art versus

tourism pitfalls. Their Gros MorneTheatre Festival has a nice balance of“serious” plays, comedy and tradition-al music, giving people what theycame to see without makingNewfoundlanders look and sound likea bunch of idiots, proving that it’s pos-sible to laugh at ourselves withoutbecoming a joke.

Summer theatre is a great shot in thearm for rural communities and a reli-able source of employment for actors(making it something of a minor mira-

cle right there). It can be a venue forexciting new work and at the sametime, satisfy a tourist audience’s desirefor light and fun fare. It doesn’t haveto be cheap or stupid or in poor taste.It doesn’t have to insult our culture orthe audience’s intelligence and as longas the folks producing the festivalskeep that in mind, it won’t.

Sean Panting is a writer, actor andmusician living in St. John’s. His col-umn returns May 11.

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTLIFE • 19

Shot in the armTheatre outside Town is crucial and needn’t forfeit art for tourism

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SEANPANTING

State of the art

all of the wonderful people who’vecome to join you,” to (slightly crispi-er), “I call him J.C., not because of hisinitials, but because he thinks he’sGod,” Crosbie was affectionately cos-seted. Mulroney credited him withbeing indirectly responsible for puttinghim in the PM spot and wholly respon-sible for the Atlantic Accord, Hiberniaand all the offshore action thereafter.

Crosbie himself seemed to genuine-ly enjoy the evening, and impressive-ly, managed to keep both eyes(almost) wide open for five hours,right up until it was time for his ownfinal speech.

After recovering from Guy-Murphy’s stage-welcome offering ofgyrating, pink feather-clad burlesquenymphs, he conceded he now under-stood why people would get so“pissed off” at him when he rambledon for too long.

“In a speech made in England someyears ago, the speaker was quitelengthy and when he was finished, theperson appointed to thank him said hehad ‘exhausted time and encroachedupon eternity.’”

To Crosbie’s credit, although heswiftly got into the swing of his formersoap-box days, he did keep it snappy(by Crosbie standards), and after somejokes and some head shaking over thecurrent state of political strife betweenthe province and Ottawa, he wrappedup on a serious note.

“Both governments and leaders willcontinue to exist and have to dealproperly and fairly with one another inthe future. I end quoting U.S. PresidentThomas Jefferson … ‘the love of ourcountry should sour above all otherpassions.’”

Earlier in the evening Rex Murphyquoted the owner of Belbins Grocerywho was of the opinion “the success ofany roast depends primarily on thequality of the beef.” If that’s really thecase, then the evening’s sponsors,Oceanex, can rest easy in the knowl-edge they pulled off a solid event.

No one seemed to have much of abeef with Crosbie — but the tenderloinwas slice-with-a-butter-knife sensa-tional.

‘I call him J.C., notbecause of his initials,but because he thinkshe’s God’From page 17

On set at Rising Tide’s Summer in the Bight Theatre Festival in Tninity. Paul Daly/The Independent

APRIL 27• Official launch of Human Beans byRon Pumphrey. The author will be pres-ent to read from his book and sign copies,Chapters, Kenmount Road, St. John’s, 7p.m.• Acoustic Teen ‘Open Mic,’ A.C.Hunter Library, Second Floor, St. John’sArts and Culture Centre, 7 p.m. To regis-ter to perform or for more info call: Bettyat 737-3317. • Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland pres-ents Belly Up, written and performed byRobert Chafe, LSPU Hall, Victoria Street,8 p.m. Until April 29.• Music at Memorial, The MUNChamber Orchestra, D.F. Cook RecitalHall, MU-1045, 8-10 p.m.

APRIL 28• The Montreal Symphony Orchestra,St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, 729-3900.• Second Annual STEP Scuff Scholar-

ship Fund Raiser. Music by GeoffPanting and surprise guests. Dance call-ing and instruction by Jane Rutherford,Masonic Temple, Cathedral Street, St.John’s, 9 p.m. • Rock Can Roll. Liz Solo, JenSkywalker and Pinky the Bra. RockShow at Midnight featuring Jen King andthe Lizband, Rose and Thistle, 9:30 p.m.• Spring Knitting Classes, AnnaTempleton Centre, Duckworth Street, St.John’s, 739-7623.• Benefit Concert for Team Diabetes,Club One, St. John’s, 9 p.m.

APRIL 29• East / West, an exhibition of recentworks by Linda Swain, Pollyanna ArtGallery, Duckworth Street, St. John’s, 2-4p.m., until May 29.

APRIL 30• Boyle’s Historical Walking tours arenow back in operation, to reserve a tour

call 364-6845 or email [email protected].

MAY 1• Botanical Garden opening for the sea-son, MUN Botanical Garden, Mount ScioRoad, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.• The Life and Art of a Country Painter:Anthony Flower (1792-1875), TheRooms, until May 13.

MAY 2• Folk Night at the Ship Pub, DuckworthStreet, St. John’s, 9:30 p.m.• Newfoundland Science Centre’sStarlab, a guided tour of the night sky inthe Newfoundland Science Centre’sStarlab, The Planetarium, 2 p.m., 754-0823.

MAY 3• 24th Annual Home Show, Mile OneStadium, New Gower Street, St. John’s,576-7657, until May 6.

20 • INDEPENDENTLIFE APRIL 27, 2007

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Lawnscape latched with gravel-crusted glaciers;trickling pools of gall and grunge.

Pitiful, paralyzed, primrose expelled prematurely;“Why me, Lord? Why here?Another month in the wombwouldn’t have hurt!”

Rigid rhododendrons; bearing like palace guards;should be at ease by now;sent flapping like apocalyptic rotorsin aborted ascent.

Walkers numbed by November winds; leaning in acute anglesspring gear still in closets!Grey-gauzed, pine-clad hills;slush splattering this frowning landof sagging spirits.

Diaphanous glitter frosting bare limbs; dripping beads; pretty in photos; ploy for impending darkness …bent on destruction.Seniors’ moment: smiling faceshopping gamely from flipper trucks into camera glare: diners destined to decline.

“Ill-wind” — blown sealing ships upon packedflows;paradise to passionate protesters;another season’s bounty in the red.

Hardly inspiration to arouse poetic thoughts!Oh, to be anywhere now that April’s here!

A few mild days unbroken;labour pains forgottenas spring toddles forthin our smiling land of hopeful hearts.

Last Snowfall dithering,“Will I? Won’t I?Isn’t it hysterical to watch themstow away shovels androll out summer tires?”

POET’SCORNER

April Love Scenes By Marilyn Howard

Ode to formWith a little ‘thought rhyme’ a new sonnet is born

When Robert Frost famouslyasserted he’d “just as soonplay tennis with the net

down” as write free verse, he wasthumbing his nose at poetry thatplayed by no set rules. He might havebeen pleased, then, to see that after along dalliance in free verse modes ofexpression, Canadian poetry seems tohave returned to the use of form. Thesonnet, particularly, is enjoying a newheyday.

Most of us have at least a passingfamiliarity with its two basic incarna-tions: 14 lines broken down into aneight-line setup (the octave), and thesea change that plunges us into thesix-line conclusion (the sestet) of thePetrarchan sonnet, or the twelve linesetup and two line conclusion of theShakespearean sonnet. The beauty ofthe sonnet lies in the economy of itsexpression, and in its potential forvariation.

From John Milton to PaulMuldoon, poets have been adaptingthe sonnet to suit their needs for hun-dreds of years. Ever since its appear-ance as a recognizable form in 13thcentury Italy, the sonnet has survivedthe loss of regularized metre, had its

number of lines knocked about(see Gerald Stern’s twenty-oddlined American Sonnets), and oth-erwise been pinched and pulledinto near unrecognizability.

In The Rush to Here, recentNewfoundland import GeorgeMurray adds another trick to thesonneteers repertoire, the “thoughtrhyme.” The idea is simpleenough: thought rhymes are con-ceptual rather than auditory innature, bound by associations ofmeaning rather than tonal similari-ties. So, Murray can rhyme sunwith light, scarves with flags, or— less directly — bull withharassed.

There is plenty of room forplayful punning here as well.Murray pairs the verb fall withautumn; bucket “rhymes” with thehomonymous pale. The resultingpoems are part formal experi-ments and part freely associativemeditations on the process of matura-tion and the struggle towards greaterself-knowledge — the stuff of the pastarriving at the present tense.

“Once I cooked in a greasy roadsidespoon,” Murray writes in Truck StopGothic:

just like this, and during one rottenlunch rush swiped my stainless steelknifeat a passing fly, cutting its head cleanoff,

right through where a neck should be. Ifelt divided…

The speaker, having admitted thathe then “went back to slicing / toastedwestern triangles in a trance” with hissoiled knife, apologizes to a namelessyou (presumably the reader) who mayhave eaten that particular sandwichorder. “And the quick death hiding inthe bread’s darkness? / Sorry you tast-ed such greatness and never knew.”

Though Murray tends to vary therhyming pattern of his opening 12lines, he always ends on the doublehammer strike of the rhyming couplet(as in the Shakespearean sonnetform). The result is often of an epi-grammatic nature that could stand onits own: “It can be tricky to let your-

self go / ways other than those youcame in by” (Distilled Water);“There are so few barriers to prop-er sense, / but sense is among them,if you get my drift” (The Corner);“Open your mouth and fill it withfood or rage. / The same leaf thatturns to the light shies from theblaze” (Lullaby).

Purists of form poetry might betempted to point out that the musi-cality of the well-placed end rhymeis absent here, and that, in choosingsense over sound, Murray haseliminated one of the sonnet’s chiefvirtues: its ability to insinuate itselfinto our consciousness through thepattern of the auditory echoes itcreates. And while it’s true that werespond more viscerally to soundthan we do to conceptual echoes,these poems are aimed more at thehead than the heart.

In reading Murray’s sonnets, thequestion to ask yourself is this: Is

his innovation on rhyme a useful sys-tem for deploying language in a mem-orable and insightful fashion, or doesit amount to sleight-of-hand that onlyever mimics magic? I would suggesthe has hit on a means of expressionthat works well to coax out hisweighty, witty meditations. It isanother kind of spanner for the poet’stoolkit. The “thought rhyme” is a fas-cinating concept, and one that pro-vides limitless potential for poeticinvestigation. These are poems wellworth reading.

Mark Callanan writes from St. John’s.Hs column returns May 11.

The Rush to Here by George MurrayNightwood Editions, 2007, 79 pages

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French living: a cure for the winter bluesSpring is the time when men’s feel-

ings turn to love. The birds startto chirp in the morning, the sun-

shine peeks from behind the clouds andthe snow melts in rivers. People arenicer now. They have shed their sullenand grumpy faces like bears just out ofhibernation. They walk down the streetin pairs chatting during the lunch hours,enjoying the outdoors, and generally,the world looks better for shaking offwinter.

After suffering through what I feltwas the longest winter in modern histo-

ry, I became one of those fed up andgrumpy types. However, since then, Ifound the all-encompassing cure forwhatever ails you — while the rest ofthe world walks around the block, I eatlike I could if I were in France.

My wife has a long-time affinity for

all things French — books, culture, art,fashion, and music. Me, I just visit forthe food.

So this weekend we thought we’d tryto make a feast of French foods and beas local about it as we possibly could.

First stop was the boulangerie — abakery that specializes in bread — andthere’s no better place than GeorgetownBakery in St. John’s. My wife pickedup the quintessential piece, thebaguette, still warm from the oven, andwe started from there. By the time thebread reached home, the end was

already torn off and the yummy,creamy crumb exposed.

We then headed for other destina-tions around the city, and went search-ing for the best depanneur or generalstore. At Belbin’s Grocery we foundduck breasts ready for cooking and afine selection of cheeses — goats andrich double creams. I was taken abackby the great selection of other exoticingredients — fresh pressed olive oilsfor drizzling just before serving, truffleoils, aged balsamic vinegar and a treas-ure trove of other delights were also

available. As well, if you’re looking forsomeone — chances are they’re shop-ping at Belbin’s on the weekend. Wefound our shopping excursion to be anever-ending stream of familiar faces.It felt like our corner store in a smallFrench village.

Next, a quick side trip to the boucher(butcher). There is no other institutionbut Halliday’s Meats to pick up somesmoked sausage, and they’re alwayshappy to help with any questions you

See “Shop for,” page 24

INDEPENDENTSTYLEFRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — PAGE 21

NICHOLASGARDNEROff the Eating Path

Caveat emptor— buyer bewareBy Nicholas GardnerFor The Independent

Many of us are wary about whatwe do these days. With fearsof things happening to us like

identity theft, or stealing credit card num-bers online, we tend to be cautious, if notparanoid.

So what happens when you buy fivebottles of wine for $500,000? Do youtrust the sellers? Do you go on gutinstinct?

Winemaking is a very old trade andsome Châteaux in France are famous fortheir wines, but in 1787 Château Lafitewas visited by a man who would becomePresident of the United States — ThomasJefferson.

The Jefferson Bottles were legendaryin the wine community; they werethought to be part of a collection inFrance that was hidden from looters dur-ing the Second World War only to be lib-erated shortly afterwards. Five bottleswere found, each bearing three signifi-cant scratchings: the first is the name ofthe château, Lafite; the second, the year1787; and the most crucial of them all,the initials, “TH. J.”

All these things turned into a greatstory of historical significance, but moreimportantly they went on the block —they were to be auctioned off.

The auction house chosen for this his-toric event was equally impressive.Christie’s of London had been doingbusiness since 1766 and had been auc-tioning wine almost since the doorsopened.

When the hammer fell in 1985, so toodid all other auction records to follow.The five bottles of wine sold for over$500,000 — the most expensive bottlewas hammered down for over $160,000.No single bottle of wine has ever comeclose to that price at auction.

But like every good story, there’s atwist in the tale. It came to light only thismonth that there’s a bit of snake oil in thebottle — that possibly the whole thingwas a sham, and the 1787 Bordeaux withthe Thomas Jefferson inscription is afake.

The buyer of the wines was WilliamKoch, an American billionaire. His col-lection of vintage wines is estimated tobe worth over $9 million and comprisedof over 35,000 bottles.

The provenance of the Jefferson bot-tles came up as he was lending the bot-tles to be displayed at a museum inBoston. Using FBI forensic techniques,they found out the engraving was donewith an electric power tool not availableat the time. As well, historians agree thatthere was no evidence Thomas Jeffersonever engraved his wine bottles at anytime.

So what’s the result of this? Right now,not much, as the investigation is ongoing,but it brings to the public’s attention thatmore than handbags, shoes and computersoftware can be counterfeit these days.

So what can you do to protect yourselffrom an unscrupulous deal on a high endproduct?

Only deal with experts. Choose winedealers who have provenance of sellingquality product, and if this is too difficultto do, ask the winery. Every major labelfrom Lafite to Petrus has a website —and they list where their product is sold.Deal only with those people and you aresure to get an original.

TASTE

By Mandy CookThe Independent

Ah, shoes, glorious shoes!Women everywhere are cur-rently salivating over the

happy (read: warm) season’s selectionof spring shoes. And appreciativemale admirers will be just as delight-ed to glimpse bare feet and paintedtoes emerge from bulky winter boots,to be sheathed instead in eye-catching(skimpier) footwear. While there isone obvious frontrunner for women’sstyles this season, there’s also some-thing for everyone. And, surprisingly,there’s a colourful and decorativerange that won’t force your feet tosuffer for fashion.

“In my opinion, the wedge is thebiggest hit this year,” says KatilinaZidarova, a salesperson at GalleryShoes on Water St., St. John’s. “Thewedge is very important in New-foundland because of our hilly streets.

This year the style is completely dif-ferent than years before.”

While the skyscraper high heel isstill a must-have among glamour-types, there’s just a smattering of aselection to be found this season,compared to the more versatile andsupportive wedge. The JessicaSimpson line has been sought after atGallery, so owner Phonse Miller hasbrought in some killer sexpot styles.Black patent leather is popular, andone notable style is a gently pointedpeep-toe with a raised platform sole.The platform provides an illusion ofheight, but reduces stress on the foot— while the clear, tortoise-shell soleadds the va-va-va-voom factor.

But the wedge has the It appeal thisspring. Elsa Morena, a 22-year-oldEnglish student at Memorial, saysshe’s looking forward to snagging apair.

“I definitely want to get a pair ofwedges with a cork heel to go out

dancing or to a club,” she says, “but Iwould also like to get a nice pair ofopen-toe flats for work or even to goshoe shopping in.”

And the shade? “Anything yellow!”Bright colours, interwoven straps

and buckles are big this season. God isin the details, as the expression goes.Strappy and beaded pastel-hued san-dals are popular among the springvacation set, for walking and loung-ing; pretty flats with a kitten heel anda bow across the toe are gettingsnapped up by the younger crowd.

The wedge is the runaway winner,though. Think slip-on or sling back,buckled or bejeweled with chunks ofturquoise and tiger eyes. The heel canbe smooth or textured with raffia orbamboo. But Zidarova sums it up bestfor the well-heeled woman.

“My favourite wedge is sexy, hotand comfortable!”

[email protected]

Heel appealSpring shoe line-up an assortment of detail and design — with one standout winner

22 • INDEPENDENTSTYLE APRIL 27, 2007

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The saying, don’t judge abook by its cover, doesn’talways count when it

comes to a home, says Jim Burton,an agent with Remax Plus in St.John’s. “Eighty per cent of thepeople we deal with start theirhome-buying experience on theInternet so you better believe apicture is worth 1,000 words.”

Outside maintenance likereplacing or repairing windowsand doors can have multiple bene-fits, Burton says. “Anything youdo that is esthetically pleasing aswell as energy efficient will be adouble win for any homeownerand at the end of the day spendingmoney to save money whileincreasing the value of your homeis a smart move.”

Dan Lundrigan, a contractorwith St John’s-based PrideConstruction, says keeping theexterior of your home in good con-dition comes with being a home-owner. “Maintaining your proper-ty means you get to enjoy every-thing it has to offer all yearround,” he says. Performingrepairs when needed, maintainingthe landscape, and carrying outother tasks on a regular basis willensure your home not only looks

good — but saves you money. Keeping on eye on roofs and

gutters on a seasonal basis willmake life easier in the long run. Aswith everything in life, a stitch intime saves nine, Lundrigan chuck-les. Repairing a damaged roof willmake it last longer and can preventmore severe problems caused bywater leakage. Years ago,Lundrigan says, not enoughthought was put into the heat thatcan build up in an attic. “Shinglesthat should have had a 25-year lifespan were expiring in 15,” he says,advising people to check with aprofessional on ways to increasethe life of their investment.

Lundrigan says today’s win-dows are maintenance free, energyefficient and many come with life-time warranties. As long as youhave the latest, and they areinstalled properly with the correctseals, you should be fine.

Lundrigan advises to give win-dows and doors a “once over” on aseasonal basis.

“Mould is a four-letter wordwhen it comes to a home,” he says,adding people live, cook and cleanin “plastic bag” homes. Lundrigansays the answer to mould prob-lems is prevention — buy a good

quality heat and air exchanger andmaintain it. “Clean the filter withsoapy water in the bathtub twice ayear and sweep flies and dust outof the bottom of it.”

What’s on the outside — sidingor hardiplank — is more aboutpersonal preference that anythingelse, Lundrigan says, as both haveequal value when it comes tobeing maintenance free. Keep ontop of minor repairs to siding andchipped paint to increase the lifeand look of your home.

If you've recently purchased ahome, you may be planning tobuild a fence or deck, or you mightneed to carry out some mainte-nance to what you already have.Lundrigan says with proper plan-ning and research, most home-owners can have a deck they canenjoy for years with very littleupkeep as today’s materials aredesigned to withstand the ele-ments. Checking for rot or insectdamage should be a quick job, hesays, and most pressure-treatedlumber looks even better after it“weathers.”

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24 • INDEPENDENTSTYLE APRIL 27, 2007

might have. Which brings me to our final stop —

the wine for this gastronomic repast.When looking for the perfect accom-

paniment for the meal there is no otherplace to turn to other than the localwine shop for regional vin de pays.While we couldn’t agree on what wasmore local, Newfoundland wines or

French, we settled on French regionalwine for our meal.

The St. Emilion Grace Dieu 1999was a light and refreshing wine fromthe Bordeaux region made up of most-ly Merlot with a healthy portion ofCabernet Franc. It was both light andfruity — the essence of springtime.

We gathered our French bits andheaded home. Our first meal was aluncheon of baguette, a collection of

French cheeses, some pickled aspara-gus and olives and a small pot of rillettsdu porc direct from Brittany, France.The paté was a touch salty for my taste,but it was rich and flavourful and wasone of the highlights of the meal.

After our luncheon was over werelaxed and chatted over our café aulaits — dark, rich, filtered coffee andwarm milk, served in coffee bowls. Wehad discovered it is easy to find a good

staple of French supplies if you knowwhere to look.

St. John’s is filled with all the possi-bilities of good eating. Search outplaces you haven’t been. Turn yourafternoon into an adventure of foragingfor a meal. It is an enriching experi-ence and you meet people along theway.

The French attitude to food is conta-gious — shop for the freshest product

available in the areas closest to you.Make the search for the perfect ingredi-ents as satisfying as the meal and you’lltake away more than just breakfast,lunch or dinner — you’ll take away alifestyle.

Nicholas Gardner is a freelancewriter and erstwhile chef living in St.John’s.

[email protected]

Shop for freshest products in areas closest to youFrom page 21

School’s out; lessons learnedAyear of university done … and

only four more to go. Lucky forme I have this long summer to

spend doing whatever my heart desires,if I only knew how to do that still.

I don’t want to portray high school asa breeze and university as a nightmare— because they’re neither. Both takehard work and focus, but the extent towhich school has taken over my life iswhat gets under my skin. I’ve beenstuck in a MUN snow globe for a yearand everyone else outside of it gets tolook in and laugh. Everything I didseemed to revolve around school, andby the end of term I was sick of beingtrapped in a tiny world with no easyexits — where the weather was alwaysstormy. I wanted to be a part of what Icould only glimpse through the walls,but as soon as I would reach for it I’dhave the hand of my conscience slap itaway with a reminder there was morework and studying to be done.

My priorities changed. Weekendsnormally spent drifting by, doing theeverything and nothing all teenagersdo, I spent boarded up in my roomstudying. The effort it takes to stay ontop of all the work is more than I’ve put

into school in the past and I feel utterlydrained, but more proud of what I’veachieved than I ever have before.

The sad truth of how much MUN hascoiled around my life demonstrateditself recently when I was at a party.Generally around a table late at nightwith a group of old friends, conversa-tion topics get tossed back and forthlike an accelerated game of ping pong,but it seemed one particular area was amagnet that drew us in every time. Itbecame a game to see how long wecould go without talking about school,and we all lost miserably. Getting backto reality hasn’t been as easy as Ithought.

Summer has changed for us —matured and evolved with our bodiesand minds. Responsibilities weighheavily and instead of wasting ourmonths of freedom, like we want to,almost everyone I know is working full

time. It’s like we’ve been put intomotion for so long we don’t know howto use the brakes anymore. I know per-sonally, I’ve found it hard to pulltogether the severed threads of whatmade the fabric of my life before uni-versity. I want the days back of drivingaround with no destination and pilingtogether with friends on basementcouches. Most of all I want to let go ofall the worry for the future this transi-tion has created. But it wouldn’t be fairto say that university has only given meburdens.

I’ve had my share of migraines andsleepless nights, but Memorial has alsobecome a place I can identify myselfwith. I feel like I’m part of something,a collective group of people, who forthe most part, are all working hard toachieve their goals. What I neverexpected to gain from university wasfriendships. I learned that people whoshare the same boat get further rowingtogether. Those who were fighting toget through the same classes as mewere openly helpful and we supportedeach other to deal with some eccentricprofs and heavy workloads and maybewe were all more successful in the end

because of it. Even though we mightnever talk except for in passing afterclasses end, I still gained temporarycompanions that made the year easier.

They tell you high school days arethe best of your life, but I still can’t sup-port that completely. I do miss the safe-ness of seeing the same faces I’vealways known. There was a closenessduring grade school that came withspending years growing up togetherand I thought that would be completelylost in university, but there exists a dif-ferent kind of familiarity among thestudent body. We don’t all know eachother, or even have a lot in common,but what we all did share enteringMemorial was a vulnerability in start-ing a new chapter of life, and a mutualgoal of trying to achieve our academicdreams. We were brought together by ashared idea of what we wanted for ourfuture and the university became ouroutlet to learn and help shape that.

I realize reality isn’t always asstraight forward as that, yet even thesmallest sense of togetherness can helpindividuals in their studies and in theirprivate lives. I’ve personally witnessedhow unity helps people cope in times of

grief. I’ve seen how the loss of onebeloved student can affect and devas-tate a school, but also how people cancome together to find solace.

I can’t speak about universities with-out being reminded of the recenttragedy at Virginia Tech and one of myfirst thoughts I have is that I’m so luckyall the many gifted and amazing peopleI’ve met at my short time at MUN arestill here with us. I hope that those atVirginia Tech will lean on each otherand let the unspoken bonds they sharehelp them through.

University has proven vastly differ-ent from high school and has its upsand downs, like any major change inlife. I’ve gained knowledge and les-sons, one of which I feel still standsamong the most important: a universityis only buildings without the people.The people determine what a school istruly made of and it’s what you takefrom them — the students, the teachers,every person — that will stay with youforever.

Leia Feltham is a first-year studentat Memorial University. Her columnreturns May 11.

LEIAFELTHAMGuest Column

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Marystown, says that keeping theexterior of your home “spic andspan” has become easy and afford-able. “For under $200 you canwash everything from your vehicleand your boat to your driveway,deck and windows as well as anyprofessional,” he says. Pressurewashers are on the move again thisyear.

As weather improves, so dosales. “People take pride in whatthey own, they work hard for theirdollars and keeping things lookingnice is part of maintaining thatinvestment.”

Richard Kennedy, an agent ofColdwell Banker Hanlon in St.John’s, agrees. “If the outsidelooks great and is well maintainedthen little imperfections inside canbe overlooked, but if a home looksneglected before you even getinside, then every little thing willbe noticed,” he says.

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From page 23

What’s new in the automotive industryAPRIL 27 -

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Making the wheels go ’round and ’round My field of specialty, out of

every possible vehiculargenre, each shade or nuance

of mechanical motility, believe it ornot, is bicycles.

I’m the go-to guy in that depart-ment and possess “madskills,” as they say. I pickedup the skills at an early age,because, as the oldest of fivebrothers, we had a lot ofbikes kicking around. Weaccumulated a lot of bikestoo, and had a disproportion-ate amount in our backyard.Most houses on our streethad a lawn gently slopingaway in the back, whereasours was level and retainedby a two-metre concrete wallwhere we stored our bicycleinventory. It was more of a scrap yardand as years went by we threw theodd motorcycle down there as well.Whenever a part was needed one hadonly to climb down with a wrench andretrieve just about any treasure imagi-nable. Fortunately, it was a time whenbicycles were evolving into choppersand extra sets of front forks were inhigh demand. We had a custom bicy-cle fabrication shop long before it wasfashionable. Of course, no bike was

complete without a couple of hockeycards flapping on the spokes to give itthat realistic motorcycle sound. Forsome odd reason I was particularlyfond of goalies for my spokes and dis-tinctly remember having Gerry

Cheevers with his famousstitch-marked mask, flap-ping his brains out on mybike.

As if he hadn’t sufferedenough.

Many years later, as myson approached that excel-lent age when he was readyto learn how to ride a bicy-cle, we practiced riding inthe school parking lot.Naturally I had to build achopper to ride with himand picked right up where I

left off years earlier. Just like a kidagain. Actually, height has a lot to dowith maturity, and my “less-than-overly tallness” permitted me a gener-ous allowance of youthful exuber-ance.

I started accumulating bicyclesagain from the largest supplier ofbicycles in Canada. CCM manufac-tures 250,000 a year, and through neg-lect, a portion of those don’t last ayear. They’re bought in the spring,

ridden for a summer, left in the snowall winter, and discarded the follow-ing spring. Is there a celebrity willingto help stop the senseless slaughter ofbicycles? Sadly, no, it’s all up to me. Idrive by and throw them in the backof my pickup truck. Depending ontheir condition they can be restored,salvaged for parts, or made into some-thing really interesting.

My last project required a couple ofbikes and I easily found three in anafternoon. All the necessary ingredi-ents for my “tall bike” recipe: taketwo bikes, weld one frame on top ofthe other, paint and reinstall the run-ning gear. Other than a seat that’salmost two-metres tall, it handles likea regular bike once you’re up thereand quite an eye catcher, especially atnight with a couple of lights on it.

It’s just one of over a dozen and ahalf bicycles in my collection, span-ning just about every style available.There are choppers, of course, andmountain bikes, a droopy-handle barracer, and a full suspension vintageBMX. One of the gems is a mint con-dition banana bike, a Cougar XR-100with a three-speed stick shift similarto the one I rode as a kid. For shorttrips to the pond we like to ride oldcruisers with springy seats and wide

comfortable handlebars — one calledJaunty Bike; the other, Jauntier ThanThou. On a summer’s day, with atowel draped over the shoulders, it’s ascene right out of an old catalogue.

My sons’ friends visit on sweetmountain bikes and head straight forour chopper every time. The driveway

swarms like a wasps’ nest with kidson bikes, doing wheelies and hangingout, and I’m always there with awrench, making the wheels go ’round.

Mark Wood of Portugal Cove-St.Philip’s runs an underground bikeshop called Cycletherapy.

MARKWOOD

WOODY’SWHEELS

A Mark Wood creation. Mark Wood photo

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26 • INDEPENDENTSHIFT APRIL 27, 2007

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTSHIFT • 27

Sounds of summerThe continuous rhythmic throbbing next to

me infiltrated every one of mysenses, blocking out all but its

own insistent pounding. Unable toavoid it, I found myself incorporatingthe steady pulse into my own heart-beat, involuntarily making two heartsbeat as one.

Summer has landed with a thud, andthe little doofus next to me at a redlight refuses to turn down his stereo.

I’d felt the pavement shaking ablock back and had already put up mywindows. And it’s not as if I don’tunderstand — appreciate even — thewonder of warm weather, a trick carand great tunes. It’s just that technolo-gy has produced car stereo systems that are total-ly wasted … in a car. And while the young driv-ers stare resolutely ahead from under the peaks oftheir caps, I wonder if they realize they’re usingup all of their hearing points before they turn 30.

I long to have this discussion with one of them.I also recognize that nobody could have had itwith me. We’d cruise around when spring finallybroke, the height of cool in a huge car effective-ly turned into a two-seater because there were sixfeet of house speakers lying across the rear seat.There was always one guy in high school who’dfigured out the best way to get a girlfriend wasn’t

making the football team or curing acne. It washaving his own car with house speak-ers and miles of speaker wire stuffeddown the back of the seats.

As I sat beside this young lad, athought occurred to me: why not makeeye contact, acknowledge the thrill ofa cool car on a hot day? Why notremind myself of my younger dayswhen annoying music was just defin-ing one generation, and not intention-ally disrespecting another?

Because he would look at me like Iwas a crazy freak lady, that’s why.

While poking around in my gauzynostalgia, I forgot one very importantpoint. While taking in the view before

me, I was forgetting the view before him. A nut-ter woman in a minivan was smiling and shrug-ging like a loon, and, wait, did she actually do athumbs up motion with her hand?

This is why adults look like fools most of thetime. In our heads we are still 18, but to the actu-al 18-year-olds we couldn’t be more hopelesslyridiculous if we tried — especially if we’re relat-ed to them.

To the kid who thought some cougar was hit-ting on him, I’d only like to mention that if youturned it down a little, you wouldn’t have toavoid eye contact with everyone around you. It’s

your music, it’s your car, it’s your summer andwe’ve all been there.

I save my most twitching annoyance for theun-muffled mufflers that surely can’t be legal.You will have the wrath of shift-workers, lightsleepers and parents of small kids everywhereraining down on your head every time you turninto the street. We’ll have that talk about karmawhen you’re a little older.

While there really is no mystery to the youngmen who drive these noise boxes, I admit tobeing totally perplexed by their parents. If my kidearned enough to pour $30,000 into a car, I’d bewielding my Harsh Parenting textbook and cir-cling housing alternatives in the local paper forhim. Independence is not defined nor nurtured byliving on Mommy and Daddy’s dime while creat-ing a car that rattles the window frames everytime it’s started. The window frames of the placeyou sponge off of.

I know not everyone shares my lust for a qui-eter life. To a toddler, all the world is knees; tomy over-40 ears, it’s all noise. And while I’llprobably give up trying to exhibit my earnestefforts to appreciate the ruckus in the car nextdoor, at least I’ve figured out the music thing.

It’s not to annoy us; it’s just to keep us awayfrom them.

www.lorraineonline.ca

LORRAINESOMMERFELD

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FREESTYLIN’

Freestyling motocross world champion Mat Rebeaud of Switzerland is airborne with his motorbike next to the ancient Acropolis during a bike show in Athens April 25, 2007. Yannis Behrakis/REUTERS

28 • INDEPENDENTFUN APRIL 27, 2007

WEEKLYDIVERSIONSACROSS1 ___-by-Chance, Nfld.5 Galileo’s birthplace9 Rodent13 Tsp’s larger cousin17 Captain’s cry18 Indigo plant19 Free of infelicities20 ___ is where the heartis.21 Hearth23 Gloomy25 Vast time frame26 Sow sound27 Scanned28 Game of numbers29 Trig function30 Throw rocks towardthe hog line31 Pat gently32 Season for icebergsightings off Nfld.35 Chinese energy36 ___ Peter to pay Paul37 Milk container40 On the ball41 Man. town namedafter FlintabatteyFlonatin (of sci-fi)44 Swing music45 Skate string46 Past participle of lie47 Beam of light48 Elephant statue in St.Thomas, Ont.49 Explosive50 Fire: prefix51 PC cousin52 Inoculation

53 B.C. whale watchingport55 Summer time inBanff56 Nova Scotian whofounded a shipping line59 Traveller’s stopover60 “O Canada! Terre de___ aïeux”61 Lorie of the links62 Bird once native toFunk Island: Great ___64 First woman GG67 Tenor Vickers68 Shakespearean heavy69 Stratford’s river70 Stare lasciviously71 It left a ___ in mymouth (2 wds.)73 Wind: prefix74 Small in Scotland75 “The ___ Boy”(Petrie film)76 Wheat (Fr.)77 Before this time(arch.)78 Treat flax79 Masculine81 Corner of a sail82 Country with manyofficial languages85 Conceal86 Gaspé mountains: les___-Chocs87 Provincial pol.90 Future fiancé, maybe92 Of a Eurasian region94 Slanting type: abbr.95 Sick sea of Asia

96 Not pro97 Related98 Fake shot99 As plain as the ___ ...100 Track tournament101 Surrender posses-sion of

DOWN1 Coffee shop2 State on L. Erie3 Dawn, poetically4 Hurricane hub5 Fence of pickets6 Silly7 Twisted8 Brew9 A Mansbridge10 Perfect11 Sort12 Got into a stew?13 Pulsate14 Cowboy footwear15 Obscenity16 Mexican money22 Nfld. site with oldestfossil evidence of earlymulticelled life: Mistaken ___24 Reveal indiscreetly27 Wreck29 Stable parent30 Goatee site31 Ferguson of “AirFarce”32 Road crew supply33 Nfld.’s officialflower: pitcher ___34 Verso’s opposite

35 History muse36 Dupuis of “MauriceRichard”37 “FBFW” grandpa38 Ultraviolet rad.39 Earth: prefix41 Yukon town nearPelly R.42 Campus club, briefly43 Quebec lake44 Ukrainian mayor ofWinnipeg, 1957-7746 “FBFW” creatorJohnston48 Vocalist Siberry(“Small Fires”)50 N.W.T.’s official tree:jack ___51 Rx writers52 Code name for beachwhere Canadians landedon D-Day54 High ___55 Quebec mountain56 Budgie container57 Big black bird58 Italian cathedral60 Show drowsiness61 A McGarrigle sister63 Be acquainted with64 Seed65 ___ of consent66 Diminutive suffix67 B.C.’s official bird:Steller’s ___68 Capri69 Once more71 Flying mammal72 Up to the task

73 Palm native to Asia75 Polar ___77 Draw out78 Long gun79 N.S. basin with

world’s highest tides80 Confuse81 Laundry ___82 Footnote abbr.83 Short letter

84 Borneo native85 The good guy, usually86 Walking stick87 P.M. Pearson, to pals88 Set down

89 A Brontë sister91 Mr. Hanomansing92 Part of rotating shaft93 French bag

Solutions on page 30

ARIES (MAR. 21 TO APR. 19) You still might have to deal withsome lingering confusion thatmarked a recent workplace situa-tion. But for the most part, youshould now be well on your way toyour next project.

TAURUS (APR. 20 TO MAY 20) A new commitment might demandmore time than you’d expected tohave to give it. But rely on that spe-cial Bovine gift for patience, andstick with it. You’ll be glad you did.

GEMINI (MAY 21 TO JUNE 20) You’re earning the admiration of alot of people who like the way youhandle yourself when your viewsare on the line. Even one or two ofyour detractors are being won over.

CANCER (JUNE 21 TO JULY 22) Taking your responsibilities seri-

ously is what you do. But ease upon the pressure gauge and maketime for much needed R & R. Startby making this weekend a “just forfun” time zone.

LEO (JULY 23 TO AUG. 22) Some recently uncovered informa-tion might make a change of plansinevitable. If so, deal with it asquickly as possible, and then findout what went wrong and why.What you learn might surprise you.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 TO SEPT. 22) Aspects favour moving carefullyand deliberately when making anysignificant changes. Could be thereare more facts you need to know,which you might overlook if yourush things.

LIBRA(SEPT. 23 TO OCT. 22) A problem neighbour might belooking to goad you into an action

you don’t want to take. Ask some-one you both respect if he or shewould act as an impartial arbitratorfor both of you.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 TO NOV. 21) A recent workplace accomplish-ment hasn’t been overlooked bythose who watch these things.Meanwhile, start making travelplans for that much-too-long-deferred trip with someone special.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 TO DEC. 21)Those money matters continue tomove in your favour. Now would bea good time to start putting somemoney back into the house, both foresthetic as well as economic rea-sons.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 TO JAN. 19) A changing workplace environmentcan create job pressures. But, onceagain, follow the example of your

birth sign and take things a step at atime, like the sure-footed Goat youare.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 TO FEB. 18) Cheer up. You could soon have thefunds you need for your worthyproject. Your generous gifts of timeand effort are well known, andsomeone might decide it’s time tojoin with you.

PISCES (FEB. 19 TO MAR. 20) Your inner scam-catcher is right ontarget, and you’re absolutely rightto reject that “too-good-to-be-true”offer. Meanwhile, something posi-tive should be making its way toyou.

YOU BORN THIS WEEKYou are generous and also sympa-thetic to people who find they needthe help of other people.

(c) 2007 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

WEEKLYSTARS

CHUCKLE BROS Brian and Ron Boychuk

Fill in the grid so that each row of nine squares, each columnof nine and each section of nine (three squares by three) con-tains the numbers 1 through 9 in any order. There is only onesolution to each puzzle. Solutions, tips and computer programavailable at www.sudoko.com

SOLUTION ON PAGE 30

By John RietiThe Independent

Rod Snow trots onto the Swilers rugby fieldin St. John’s, surveying its patchy turf,scarred with the tire tracks of mud left by

someone out for a joy ride. The bleachers are rustyand bent, their pink, white, and green paint fadedfrom the long winter.

Snow and The Rock, Newfoundland’s provin-cial rugby team, will bring those stands back tolife when they host Quebec on June 2.

The team has been training indoors sinceNovember, working on the strength, speed andstamina they hope will lead them to anotherRugby Canada Super League title, and more suc-cess against international teams like England’sLancashire, and an Irish college all-star team, bothof which are scheduled to play this summer.

Snow played his first game in 1986 and hassince become Newfoundland and Labrador’sbiggest star, competing professionally in Wales,and nationally for Canada. He hasn’t decidedwhether he will play for Canada again, but will be

a leader on The Rock.Now, in the final years of his career, Snow looks

forward to a competitive future in sports business.Adjacent to the ravaged Swilers’ field on

Crosbie Road in the city is another muddy patchof land, but one Snow is much more pleased with.This is the construction site of the Newfoundlandand Labrador Sports Centre, a $7-million indoorgym and strength training facility for theprovince’s elite athletes, scheduled to open Nov.7.

Snow is the sport centre’s project manager, a jobthat has introduced him to bargaining, fundraising,logistics planning, and event promotion.

“The approach I took as an athlete I take to mybusiness as well,” Snow tells The Independent.

Although he has no formal business training,Snow says the leadership, work ethic, and positiveoutlook rugby has given him has helped him man-age the sports centre from conception to construc-tion. His passion for the project, however, springsfrom his vision of a healthier province.

“I’ve been very fortunate to feel the effects ofwhat sports had to offer me and I’d love to be able

to pass some of that on to the youth in thisprovince,” he says.

“I trained as a physical educator, and that’s real-ly where I see myself at heart.”

Snow hopes the sports centre will not only pro-duce Olympic-calibre athletes, but also help youthunderstand the value of physical fitness and cutdown on health problems like heart illness anddiabetes that plague the province. It’s a huge goal,but one matched by his optimism.

“You start right away by looking at what youcan do, not what you can’t do,” he says. “I camefrom Newfoundland playing rugby, nobody’s everdone that before, but that didn’t mean I couldn’tdo it, I just had to be the first to do it.”

Snow says Newfoundland’s athletics and busi-ness community need to work together to over-come their challenges.

This week the Newfoundland Rugby Uniontook a nasty hit as a jump in airline prices forcedthis summer’s National Rugby Festival to be re-located from St. John’s to Montreal. The festivalwould have brought 850 rugby players and hun-dreds of supporters to the province, which would

have seen benefits for the sport and the local econ-omy.

“We don’t have enough (high-level competi-tion) here in this province, we don’t attract enoughof it, and I’d love to be part of a facility and insti-tution that … is capable of hosting high-endevents,” says Snow.

He plans to be heavily involved when the rugbyunion attempts to bring the rugby festival toNewfoundland and Labrador in 2009.

Currently, The Rock is working hard to bringsome of their top players home to compete in thissummer’s matches.

“Some of our players have been forced to moveout of the province because of work-related rea-sons. We’ve made a point of keeping theminvolved in the team and bringing them back toplay for us. They’re all Newfoundlanders, whodon’t really see themselves playing for anyoneother than us.”

Rugby fans certainly count on Snow suiting upfor The Rock this summer, and look forward tohim suiting up as rugby’s top future businessman.

[email protected]

INDEPENDENTSPORTSFRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — PAGE 29

Botwood is a sleepy little place.Buildings are boarded up all overtown — whether it’s the old

Abitibi-Consolidated plant, a restaurant,or a convenience store. There are alsosome houses sporting plywood for win-dows.

Times in this central Newfoundlandtown are tough.

Driving around — which takesapproximately seven minutes, on thescenic route — shows no sign of life,which is especially surprising becauseit’s the middle of the day during Easterweek. There are no children outsideplaying, no teenagers walking the roads,no kids anywhere to be seen. But youknow there are kids in town, because theelementary and high schools are thebest-looking structures in the area.

You also know there are kids herebecause the Botwood Minor HockeyAssociation hosted the provincial AtomK championship in Harry Ivany Arena.Six teams from across the province con-verged on Central Newfoundland tocompete in the annual ritual of minorhockey — the Easter tournament. BellIsland, the CeeBees, United Towns

(from the Burin Peninsula), Northeast,Fogo/Change Islands and the host teamcompeted over three days for the title,the right to hang a HockeyNewfoundland and Labrador banner intheir rink and to create memories thatwill last a lifetime.

(My son played in the tournament, soEaster Sunday the family took off forCentral.)

Tournament organizers did a great jobwith the event, which Northeast wonover Fogo/Change Islands 5-4 in doubleovertime (a thrilling finish). However,what’s more impressive than their orga-nizational skills is the fact some of thesesmall towns still ice teams.

It is, as Barry Miller fromFogo/Change Islands’ team says, a diffi-cult chore.

“We had 17 players on our team and

out of this we had seven girls. Our asso-ciation has 97 players in seven divisions(which includes female). We had troublewith numbers in our bantam division,and had to pick up players from anotherassociation.”

Yet they sent teams to atom(Botwood), pee wee (Lewisporte), ban-tam (La Scie) and midget (St. Anthony).Why? Because nowadays Easter meansminor hockey more than it means bun-nies and chocolate.

“These tournaments are very impor-tant to our players,” Miller continues.“They get to meet others and also to seehow they, as a team, play compared toother teams. I know that our atom teamplayed in a tournament in Grand Falls inJanuary and did not make the playoffs,but after they returned home theyworked harder to improve.”

Miller’s kids have to travel, because ofthe difficulty in getting teams to travel toFogo Island.

“Other associations are reluctant tocome because of the isolation and theferry system.

“We are having problems trying tokeep our association going financially.

We try to keep our registration as low aspossible and fundraise. However, we hadto raise our fees this past year and willprobably do so again next year.”

United Towns minor hockey director,Greg Downey, from the Burin Peninsula,faces the exact same challenges.

There are other towns like Botwood,where out-migration has taken theyounger members of the community,adults of childbearing age, leaving theseniors and some families behind.

“We found it hard last year to ice anatom team,” says Downey, who took theatoms to Botwood. “We had eight atom-age players and that was all. We move upseven novice players to make an atomteam of 15 players. This year we hadonly two players in the second year atomage, and the rest, 11 players, were firstyear atom age.

“With low numbers, it makes it verydifficult to ice teams. We’re expecting tohave the same problem at the pee weelevel next season, because it is the sec-ond year where players move up a divi-sion.”

There is a bit of good news for UnitedTowns, which had 90-100 players regis-

tered this past season. That total isapproximately 20 more than last year.

The kids in these associations don’thave house league or all-star teams.They have an atom team, a pee weeteam, etc. Each team gets two hours ofice a week.

Games are rare, but welcome.“Our location makes it very difficult

to play other teams,” Downey explains.“If we travel off the Burin Peninsula toplay a hockey game, we have to preparefor overnight stay. The cost to play agame would be too high.”

Here in the capital city (although I’mnot actually in St. John’s), we sometimestend to think our problems are thebiggest in the world. And then you meetthese guys.

For the majority of the 50 or so asso-ciations across Newfoundland andLabrador, they’re just trying to survive.

As Fogo/Change Island’s Miller says:“We didn’t expect to get as far as we did.Our kids played exceptionally well andreally enjoyed themselves.”

Isn’t that what it’s all about?

[email protected]

Trying to surviveIcing a team during Easter’s minor hockey tournaments not easy

Research into the root causes of heart disease and stroke willhelp millions live longer, healthier lives. As a leading funderof heart and stroke research in Canada, we need your help.Call 1-888-HSF-INFO or visit www.heartandstroke.ca

Stop a heart attack before it starts.Your support is vital.

Rod Snow, former international rugby star, is the project manager of the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Centre in St. John’s. Paul Daly/The Independent

DON POWERPower Point

30 • INDEPENDENTSPORTS APRIL 27, 2007

Solutions for crossword on page 28 Solutions for sudoku on page 28

There can’t be anything muchmore galling then slicing open anATV tire 10 miles into the back-

country. Maybe disastrous would be amore appropriate word. Imagine this:late last fall my hunting amigo, RodHale, shot his caribou very late in theseason — about 10 miles from the roadover some very rugged terrain. Due tobusiness and family commitments hewas unable to hunt with me in balmySeptember weather when I killed mybeast, so along with another friend,Robert Richards, I selflessly accompa-nied Rod back over the rolling hills andglassed for animals through intermit-tent snow squalls. We spotted a nicestag and hiked about two miles fromthe ATV trail to make the kill. All wentwell. Robert and I hiked back to thequads while Rod field-dressed his win-ter’s venison. The plan was for Robertand I to take our machines off trail andpick up the caribou. The going wasrough — very rough, and we had nochoice but to ride over quarries ofjagged boulders and nasty stumps thatcould easily puncture all but the tough-est rubber. But our tires held up and weretrieved Rod’s animal without inci-dent.

This is a story about what could havehappened.

I learned many years ago that thecheaper and often fragile 2-ply tiresthat come as standard equipment onmost ATV’s are definitely an unwantedrisk on backcountry excursions. Theycan be easily punctured under demand-ing conditions; like traversing thosesharp rocks between Rod’s caribou andus. Imagine the pickle we would havefound ourselves in with a flat tire, 10

miles in country, late on a snowy coldevening. There would have been nooption but to leave the machine andreturn the next day to either tow out thedisabled ATV, or replace or repair thetire. Towing an ATV on this particulartrail is something I’ve never experi-enced or want to experience. There arestretches of muck, boulders and stumpsthat challenge a single machine underpower; let alone 700-lbs of brokendown ATV.

I’ve been hunting this area for aboutseven years now and so far mine andmy buddies’ tires have held up, but younever know, one day we might be facedwith the flat tire or broken down dilem-ma. That’s hunting. There are manyuncontrolled variables (incidentally, weall carry tire repair kits, tools, andpumps to deal with minor tire andmechanical issues). All a backcountryhunter can do is be prepared and keepboth quad and tires in tip top shape atall times — and buy the best and mostrugged tires they can afford.Compromise on your formal attire, orsomething else that’s less critical.

Nowadays, most ATV buyersupgrade their tires at the time of pur-chase. This is definitely a smart move.Dealers give full credit for the price ofthe factory-supplied tires towards pur-chase of the upgraded more robustaftermarket option. If you take just oneshort run on those factory tires they will

be considered used and only worthabout half their original value. Soupgrade by all means.

But what should you look for in anaftermarket tire? There are importantdecisions to make. Many riders wish tostep up in tire size to gain a little extraground clearance but there is always adownside. Bigger tires need moretorque to turn them and this can stress anumber of components such as CV-joints, axles, and transmissions. Toolarge a tire can overheat your engine asit works harder to provide that extratorque. The extra rolling mass is alsomore difficult to stop, and negativelyimpacts braking. But you do gain a lit-tle ground clearance, and to many of uswho tango with stumps and boulders,that’s quite significant. Most dealersand people in the know suggest that weincrease overall tire diameter no morethan one inch from factory specs. Onmy 500 Arctic Cat, I replaced my facto-

ry 25-inch tires with a set of 26-inchGoodyear Mudrunners; complete witha blessing from my dealer.

The next consideration is the tire’sply rating. This is essentially a measureof a tire’s toughness and resistance topuncture. Of course tires with higherply ratings are generally heavier andmore difficult to turn, which invokes allthe same disadvantages of bigger tires.So we must find a balance that suits theterrain we typically drive on. If I roderail-beds and wood roads most of thetime I would opt for a lighter tire, but Igive my tires plenty of abuse, so I pre-fer robust tires with a 6-ply rating. Tireswith a sidewall profile that protrudeswell outside the rim, provide a measureof protection to rims from rocks andstumps — a worthwhile feature indeed.This styling is common in heavier plytires. Another advantage of heavier plyis the ability to run flat. This can reallyget you out of a jam.

Tread pattern is critical but oftenoverlooked. ATV tires are producedwith four basic tread styles: mud, trail,sand and racing. Most Newfoundlandhunters probably need mud tires. Ourisland has no shortage of bog andmuck. Mud tires are manufactured invarying degrees of aggressiveness andcan make a huge difference in boggyperformance. They are characterized byinside to outside angled bars, typicallyan inch in depth on more aggressivemodels. However, more aggressivetires are only useful if your have thepower to turn them when the going getsdirty. Again, find a balance. A medium-aggressive mud tire is probable the bestall around choice. Mud tires wear veryquickly on harder trails and especiallyon pavement. The ride is also some-what on the rough side particularly formachines lacking independent suspen-sion. My mudrunners are designed pri-marily as a mud tire but also performreasonably well on rocky hard trails —an ideal compromise for me. Trail tiresare kind of the multi-purpose or Swissarmy knife approach — neither fish norfowl. They have lower and more close-ly spaced thread patterns and might beyour best choice if you spend little timein the muck. They wear better on hard-er trails and generally are a bit easier onthe wallet.

As for racing and sand tires, I’ll leavethose subjects to someone who knowssomething about them. There aren’t awhole lot of sand dunes in cariboucountry, and we seldom rush.

Paul Smith is a freelance writer andoutdoors enthusiast living in Spaniard’sBay.

[email protected]

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Corporate Wear & Promotional Products

Ian Chaytor

Cool Stuff for Cool People! 480-0100

Business Telephone Systems - Voice Mail - PA and Intercom Systems Commercial and Residential Cabling

Find Friendship,Dating, Love or

Companionship

739-8588

www.smilingheartsnl.com

Superior Care & Service, Our Commitment to You

576-0100

SuperiorHome Care Services Inc.

Lotto Line 726-5499

140 Freshwater Road • For Home Delivery Call

579-1299

333 Freshwater Road

579-2999

753-4410

685-5516

PAUL SMITHThe Rock Outdoors

ATV on high. Paul Smith/For The Independent

APRIL 27, 2007 INDEPENDENTSPORTS • 31

Clowe vs.ClearyNewfoundlanders set to battle in NHL playoffs

Two Newfoundlanders will face offin the NHL Western Conferencesemi-finals when Ryane Clowe of

the San Jose Sharks takes on DanielCleary and the Detroit Red Wings.

Cleary’s Red Wings are the favourites,but the Sharks won three-of-four regularseason meetings and dominated theNashville Predators in the openinground.

Catch the games on: Saturday, April28; Game 3 on Monday, April 30; andGame 4 on Wednesday, May 2.

— John Rieti

RYANE CLOWEBorn in Fermeuse on the Southern Shore and raised in St. John’sLeft wing, San Jose Sharks1st yearRegular season: 16 goals, 18 assists — 34 pointsPlayoffs: 3 goalsHighlights: Scored the winning goal in game 3 of the Nashville seriesPress: “‘I’ve played with some guys from Newfoundland; they’re allalike, too,’ Sharks Coach Ron Wilson joked. ‘They’re not sophisticates,to say the least.’ The kidding, though, is all good-natured with Clowe.”— Victor Chi, San Jose Mercury News

DANIEL CLEARYBorn and raised in Riverhead, Harbour GraceRight wing, Detroit Red Wings8th yearRegular season: 20 goals, 20 assists — 40 pointsPlayoffs: 1 goal, 2 assistsHighlights: Scored on a penalty shot in Game 4 of the opening-round seriesagainst the Calgary Flames.Press: “The history of the NHL is rife with stories of talented players who,propelled by unfulfilled expectation and shattered confidence or a lack ofdesire or commitment, plunge headlong into the void. Poof. Gone without atrace. Daniel Cleary came to that edge. Put his skate blade over, even. Andstepped back.” — Scott Burnside, ESPN.com

MJ Masotti Jr / Reuters

Paul Daly/The Independent

INDEPENDENTCLASSIFIEDFRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2007 — PAGE 32

F E A T U R E D H O M E 6 9 S U N V A L L E Y D R I V E

Welcome to 69 Sunvalley Drive in beautiful Paradise! Set back from the road on its own half-acre lot overlooking the ocean in the fast-growing Paradise area dwells thehome of “easy living.” With details and features that can only enhance one’s personal treasures and the space to display them all, the owner won’t be long arriving.Beyond its walls you’ll find a washroom on the main, a newly renovated washroom on the second floor and an ensuite that allows the privacy we all search for. On thesame level as the 13’ x 16’ master you will find two large bedrooms measuring 13’ x 13’ 6” and 13’ x 10’. The grounds are mature and regal and the stone walls are full ofcolour and variety. The paved driveway has room for several vehicles and the attached garage can also play host to two more. This lovely property is comfortable, spa-cious and available … for now! Come and make the experience an everyday style of living.

69 Sunvalley Drive1/2 Acre serviced lot

Many upgradesGardener’s dream with

beautiful stone walls and bedsOpen House Sunday 2 - 4 pm

$199,900

65 Pennywell Rd.Over forty thousand dollars in

recent renovations

Fully detatched homeOff-street parking for two carsOpen House Sunday 2 - 4 pm

$142,900

14 Albany PlaceTwo apartment • Many upgrades •

Ceramic flooringPropane fireplace

$179,900John Hearn687-2150

OPEN HOUSESUN 2-4 PM

OPEN HOUSESUN 2-4 PM

Visit our Booth at the Home Show May 4th, 5th and 6th

FREE MARKET VALUE BY AREGISTERED PUBLIC APPRAISER

We have Gifts, Prizesand Homes on display

Whitbourne – Pond FrontFormer Group Home. 4baths, many bedrooms. Onlarge lot A-1 shape. IdealB&B or RV Park. $150s ask.MLS#119780

Carbonear $49,9003 bedroom home on LowerSouthside Road. Just movein. Immediate possession.We have keys.MLS# 122426

Harbour GraceGalways Lane, $59,900 ask.Offers invited. Cozy 3bedroom home. ImmediatePossession. Call to view.MLS# 122711

NEW LISTING!Holyrood $64,900Just listed, cozy, 2 bedroomhome overlooking theocean. Many renovationsover the years.

Southcott Estates

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2007-04-27

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