NL 2008 Provincial Budget

"We are also allocating $6 million to increase the hourly rate for home support, the fifth increase in the past three years. With each successive increase, we acknowledge that home support workers provide valuable support to many individuals in our province with disabilities, to seniors and to children, enabling many to remain in their own homes despite the challenges they face."


OK Mr. Finance Minister,what does that mean when you apply it to the hourly rate now? Six million dollars don't stretch that far when given to thousands of Home Support Workers in NL. A few MHA's have been known to spend almost that amount in fine wines, ladies panties and artwork recently. As for this being the fifth increase in the past three years. The minimum wage has increased and if not an increase in the Home Support rate it would be far lower then the minimum wage. So don't go patting yourself on the back for that one.

Another great April evening and we made a walk along the shoreline. So much history at that spot and i recently found out that our local museum, interpretation center and Craftshop will not open this year because of no volunteers. Looks like for the first time in over a decade that our students might not have a summer job. Sign of the times i guess. No younger people volunteering and the older volunteers just giving it up. Even volunteers have to quit because of stress.

A few shots from a warm April evening in Cape Ray,NL.






How to end an evening in Cape Ray.

Sad day for the Portnoy Family and a lot of us who supported them.

Portnoys Leaving Canada
April 25, 2008

The Portnoy Family who have been living in sanctuary at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Marystown for two and a half years…is planning to leave and return to Israel. Details are still sketchy but the wheels are in motion to assist the family to move back to their native Isreal….

VOCM News has learned that the Portnoy family’s lawyer, Lee Cohen in Halifax, has been in discussion with Canada Border Services Agency in an attempt to work out an orderly exit for Mrs. Portnoy and her five children. The family has been living in the RC Church basement since October 2005. Alexi Portnoy and his wife Angela, who then had four children, took sanctuary in the church basement to avoid deportation on humanitarian grounds.. During the past two and a half years the community of Marystown has supported the family’s efforts to stay in Canada with numerous campaigns, plus financial and moral support. The episode took a turn for the worse in January 2006 when Alexi Portnoy left the church and was arrested by the RCMP…He was later deported back to Israel, leaving his pregnant wife and their four children - two of whom are Canadian Citizens - behind.

It seems peaceful demonstrations to keep a family like the Portnoys who have lived and worked here was in vain. It seems families are not needed but on the other hand we have a shortage of strippers here. Our Immigration minister has just been threatened because the 700 foreign strippers are not enough according to the criminal gangs. So Portnoy children,remember,your mommy was in the wrong occupation.

OK,we finally have the sun. Now if we can only get the temperature up into the teens.

Tough economic times even for pirates and terrorists.

P.T. Barnum summed it up best.
“There's a sucker born every minute”
Paul Watson is the modern day Barnum.

Thank you Skipper Hardy & crew

My supper today. Two small seal flippers all ready to put in the oven to bake.Thanks to the crew of the small sealing vessel who fought off the bloody pirates aboard the Farley Mowat this past weekend. Thanks to the Canadian Coast Guard and the fine men of our RCMP who risked their lives to board that pirate ship. Long may your big jib draw !

Looney paid in Toonies.

Anti-sealing advocate Paul Watson used a brimming bag of change to bail out two members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on Monday, freeing the arrested activists on a $10,000 bond paid partly in toonies.

Pirates captured !

From the VOCM News site:

War Of Words Continues
April 14, 2008

Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn has fired back at the head of the Sea Shepherd Society. The Farley Mowat was boarded Saturday and the captain and first officer were arrested. The ship has been impounded and remains docked in Sydney harbour.The captain and first officer have been granted bail. Hearn says Paul Watson's claims about the ship being Dutch shouldn't play a huge role because his department followed proper protocol in boarding and seizing the vessel. Hearn says Canadian and International laws for boarding and seizing vessels were properly followed and the only say the Dutch government will have is if they agree or disagree with the protocol. It's a decision Hearn says they'll have to live by. In the meantime, Hearn says Watson is anything but a fearless leader when he's consistently commenting from anywhere but on board the Farley Mowat with his followers. Hearn says Watson is not willing to stand with his crew and would rather see them take the fall while he watches and comments from a distance in Los Angeles and now New York. Hearn also took the time to respond to Watson's "dare" last week for his department to board and seize the Farley Mowat. Hearn had two simple words for Watson. "I did!."

What kind of rabbit hole have I fallen into where it's all topsy-turvy and we're the bad guys?' Gerry Rogers

Last fall a family member of ours received a phone call from someone at Eastern Health saying that her cancer tests had came back negative. This was years after she had a mastectomy for breast cancer. Not quite knowing how to respond, the only thing she could say was "are you saying i never had cancer?" The voice at the other end just said "i can't say anything other then what i just repeated." She asked another question. "Are you saying that i didn't need to have my breast removed?" The voice said "i'm sorry, i can only tell you that your test results came back negative." She is part of the ongoing class action suit but still has received no information in the form of a letter from Eastern Health. She finds it difficult to follow the news and proceedings because she spends most of her day looking after her husband who has recently went through an ordeal and is lucky to be alive. Recently she carried what information she had to her MHA hoping he would be able to shed more light on the situation she's in. The judicial inquiry will wrap up sometime during the summer and the debate in the hose of assembly over it will gradually fade away. For the 108 who passed away lets hope that the voices of people like Gerry Rogers, Peter Dawe , journalists ,bloggers, etc. can help set nation standards for hormone receptor tests so this cannot happen again.

YO? Tom my man,WHENS THAT THEIR BUDGET COMING DOWN?

Inquiring minds want to know. You remember the one you promised us when you ran around the province with that cool debt clock of yours ticking? We all know how you guys and gals just hate going to the house of assembly recently with the mess in the Health Care system, but come on,do we really have to wait for the 24 th. of May weekend for it?

A chance to be a leader.

Butts and Babies Don't Mix
April 5, 2008
(from VOCM News)

The Minister of Health and Community Services says he is keeping an eye on what is happening across the country as a number of provinces have moved to ban smoking in cars when children are present. Nova Scotia was the first Canadian province to enact a ban for cars carrying children under the age of 18 years. The Yukon recently followed suit and the issue is up for debate in the Ontario legislature. Wiseman says until the issue surfaced in Wolfville, Nova Scotia some time ago, it wasn't something that was discussed here in this province.

Mr. Wiseman, here's a chance to be a leader, not a follower. Why not make it illegal for anyone in a car to smoke when there is a passenger? There are those over 18 who can't speak for themselves. They are the developmentally delayed. Even quite a few of our non smoking seniors out there have to breathe it in because they sometimes have no say in the matter.

A story by Natalie Musseau, taken from The Gulf News about the Home Care crisis in our area.

Hardy fears looming home care worker shortage
Low pay, high demand

NATALIE MUSSEAU
The Gulf News

Tears roll down Goldie Hardy's face as she pauses to find a voice for her fears.

She's scared that she will be forced to give up caring for two autistic men she considers part of her family because of the low wages given to home care workers.

Two of the four workers that help the Port aux Basques resident have told her they are looking elsewhere for work. Mrs. Hardy says that's because they simply can't make enough to live on the wage they are earning - under $9 per hour.

Her workers, like many others, are funded by the provincial Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment.

"It's not all about the money," said Mrs. Hardy, adding that all of her workers would have left for high-paying jobs on the mainland years ago if that was the case. More on the story ..Click here.

Spring is just a date on the calendar this year.

Seems like winter just wants to stick around this year! Saturday a friend and i went out for an ATV ride. Only a few sections of the Trailway had no snow cover and what did could be driven over because it was frozen so hard. A few pics of Saturdays trail ride and a few from the previous day.

A plug today for Harold Jacobs and the good folks of Badger who are helping him.

Dear Reader,

I am writing to you on behalf of Harold Jacobs, a young man in our community who is confined to a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. For the past 42 years, Harold's parents have been looking after him in a phenomenal way -- addressing his every need. With age comes a price, and with many health issues, it is becoming more difficult each day for Harold and his parents.

They can no longer travel with Harold because his condition doesn't allow him to sit comfortably in a regular vehicle. Even if he could, his parents are no longer able to lift him because of their own health problems.

Harold's quality of life would be greatly improved with a lift van so that he could travel, and once again socialize with others, as he has so enjoyed over the past years.

Harold is a very special person who was always on the go. He attended all events in the community until health issues struck him and his family. This young man once had a quality of life that was filled with joy and happiness, but now he is confined to his home. We can restore this quality of life by raising enough money to purchase a lift van for him and his family.

Unfortunately, Harold's family is not able to purchase the lift van that he needs so much. We are appealing to all people and organizations to assist us through a monetary donation that will help us reach our goal. Just think what it would be like for us if we had to spend 95% of our time inside -- not being able to have social contact with the outside world.

Your generosity and kindness will certainly make a difference in this young man's life. Help us help Harold! I sincerely thank you on behalf of Harold and the Jacobs family. May God bless you all with good health and happiness.

Sincerely,

Mayor William Foley

Town of Badger

To visit Harolds website and see the progress, please click here.

March 11, 2008

OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, announced today the awarding of five Military Valour Decorations, one Star and four Medals, to members of the Canadian Forces who displayed gallantry and devotion to duty in combat. She also announced the awarding of 24 Meritorious Service Decorations (Military Division), namely seven Crosses and 17 Medals, to individuals whose specific achievements have brought honour to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.

The recipients will be invited to receive their decoration at a presentation ceremony at a later date.

One of the recipients is Master Warrant Officer Stephen Goward Jeans, M.S.M., C.D. from the community of Cape Ray. Master Warrant Officer Jeans was Company sergeant major, India Company, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, Joint Task Force Afghanistan, from January to August 2007. He is recognized for his leadership, exemplary performance and extreme loyalty to his soldiers and the mission during diverse and complex operations while under intense enemy fire.

Thank you Master Warrant Officer Stephen Goward Jeans or the name we all know you by "Stephen," from the entire community of Cape Ray.

One of the best write ups i have seen on the NL Wild Blueberry is featured on NL Interactive's March feature. An article by Sharon Martin gives the reader quite a bit of information on the provinces Blueberry - Vaccinium angustifollium.

Thank you Mr. Cadman.

The people of NL benefited greatly because of you.Thank you !

Home-care labour crunch at crisis point, managers say

"CBC NEWS ARTICLE"

A bustling job market in the St. John's area is draining home-care workers, and a labour shortage won't improve as long as wages remain well below national standards, an agency owner warns.

Most home care workers in Newfoundland and Labrador earn little more than minimum wage.
(CBC)

"On an average week to two-week basis, I would suspect we're losing three to four home support workers, and … we're hiring probably one, maybe two, every two weeks," said Phyllis Marie Healey, human resources manager of Caregivers, a home care company in St. John's.

"We can't replace the ones we are losing."

The issue is wages. Even fast-food restaurants pay more than what Newfoundland and Labrador employers can offer in home care, an industry largely subsidized by the provincial government.

The issue of home care was pushed to the fore last week by the dilemma of Patrick and Shirley Connors, a St. John's couple in their late 70s who say they may have to declare bankruptcy in order to qualify for government-run care. More here.............