[R-G] Fwd: Harper in Halifax TOMORROW

aaron at istop.com aaron at istop.com
Tue Jul 3 19:46:43 MDT 2007


Forwarded From: Stu Neatby <stu.neatby at gmail.com>

> Hey folks,
> 
> Harper is expected to be in town at some point tomorrow, location and time
> unknown. No media have reported where he'll be, it appears the premier's
> office does not know, and as of two minutes ago, the PMO's PR office was
> mum. With the expected announcement of new funding for naval vessels, it is
> maybe likely that they will be holding some sort of press event at the naval
> base, entrance at the base of barrington, under the macdonald bridge. Gordon
> O'connor pulled a similar visit in Halifax last summer, and made an
> announcement for something akin to $12 billion in new military spending over
> five years at the naval base
> 
> For those interested in organizing some sort of community response, centered
> around a number of issues (poverty, indigenous, anti-war, environmental,
> etc) we'll likely be discussing this at the Halifax Peace Coalition meeting
> this evening at 7PM. At very least, a press release can go out addressing
> some of these issues.
> 
> Please reply to the e-mail if you'd like to help draft a release, or plan on
> issuing your own.
> 
> -stuart neatby
> 
> -----------------------------------
> 
> PM's trip to Halifax may include defence goodies
> Even the premier in the dark about Harper's visit
> By OUR STAFF | 5:24 PM
> 
> http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9003630.html
> 
> Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to make a defence-related
> announcement when he pays a visit to Halifax on Wednesday.
> 
> "It's a substantive federal announcement which actually doesn't have any
> provincial component to it," one federal official said Tuesday. "It's
> actually federal jurisdiction."
> The official, who wished to remain anonymous, would not reveal the details
> of where that federal cash will be directed.
> 
> A spokesman for Premier Rodney MacDonald said his office was not involved
> with the prime minister's visit.
> 
> "We've received no official notice from the prime minister's office on any
> visit, so we haven't been asked to take part in any events, announcements or
> meetings, but the premier is always interested in meeting with the prime
> minister," press secretary Joe Gillis said Tuesday.
> 
> New Democrat MP Peter Stoffer said he assumes the announcement will either
> be about the next phase of joint support ships or the coast guard vessel
> contract. He said both would be a renewal of previously announced
> commitments.
> 
> "Either one would be strictly federal and both of them would be good news
> for us, absolutely," he said.
> 
> "We would welcome any announcement which adds employment opportunities and
> economic drivers for us in this province."
> 
> Mr. Stoffer, who said he hadn't received an invitation to the event, said
> typically such an announcement would be held by the minister responsible for
> the province, in this case Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, or the
> minister of public works, Michael Fortier.
> 
> "Often you wouldn't have the prime minister come down himself and do it," he
> said.
> 
> "Obviously with the prime minister coming down he obviously wants to look
> good, which is fine. If he wants to look good, as long as it helps our
> province, it's a good thing."
> 
> Eric Lerhe, a retired commodore living in Dartmouth, said the announcement
> could be news about six Arctic patrol vessels; more details on the already
> announced joint support ship program; plans to replace the destroyers
> Algonquin, Athabaskan and Iroquois; more details about modernization of
> Halifax-class frigates or plans to acquire an amphibious ship.
> 
> South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy, one of two Conservative MPs in
> the province, said he'll join his leader in Nova Scotia, but he wouldn't
> reveal any details about the visit.
> 
> "My understanding is an announcement will be Thursday, and I'm not privy to
> give the information out on that yet," he said.
> 
> "I'm still waiting for the final word myself."
> 
> Local MPs sometimes get an invitation to ministers' events, but Halifax MP
> Alexa McDonough said that's not the case with Mr. Harper.
> 
> "We called the prime minister's office to ask since we had also understood
> he was going to be in Halifax, but they made it clear, I'd have to say, that
> it was none of our business," the New Democrat said Tuesday.
> 
> "There was not going to be any public notification, so I guess that includes
> the MP, which seems like an odd thing to do."
> 
> Isabelle Bouchard, spokeswoman for Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor, said
> there were no plans "so far" for her minister to visit Nova Scotia this
> week.
> 
> New Democrat MLA Graham Steele said he hopes Mr. Harper uses this visit to
> admit his government broke the Atlantic Accord.
> 
> "It's difficult to see how the relationship (between Nova Scotia and Ottawa)
> can continue in a constructive way until he finally acknowledges he promised
> one thing and did the opposite," Mr. Steele said.
> 
> Nova Scotia contends the March 19 federal budget rips up the offshore accord
> reached with Ottawa in 2005 because it forces the province to choose either
> the new, richer equalization scheme or the old formula that keeps the accord
> intact.
> 
> The accord protected the province's offshore oil and gas revenue from being
> clawed back under the federal equalization program.
> 
> Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said if he had the chance, he'd tell Mr.
> Harper that Nova Scotians expect him to respect deals between the federal
> and provincial levels of government like the Atlantic Accord, and the
> province should get its fair share of highway funding.
> 
> "I would say to him that it's time to wake up and recognize that Nova Scotia
> is part of our country," he said.
> 
> "I'd also tell him that it's time for him to start treating Nova Scotians
> with the respect we deserve."
> 
> Last week, Mr. Harper paid a visit to New Brunswick, announcing a highway
> funding deal worth $200 million dollars over 10 years.
> 
> * With Amy Smith and David Jackson, Provincial Reporters and Chris Lambie,
> Staff Reporter*
> 
> 
> -- 
> Check out the Haiti Art School Project
> users.eastlink.ca/~northstar
> 



-- 
















-------------- next part --------------

   Hey folks,

   Harper is expected to be in town at some point tomorrow, location and
   time unknown. No media have reported where he'll be, it appears the
   premier's office does not know, and as of two minutes ago, the PMO's
   PR office was mum. With the expected announcement of new funding for
   naval vessels, it is maybe likely that they will be holding some sort
   of press event at the naval base, entrance at the base of barrington,
   under the macdonald bridge. Gordon O'connor pulled a similar visit in
   Halifax last summer, and made an announcement for something akin to
   $12 billion in new military spending over five years at the naval base

   For those interested in organizing some sort of community response,
   centered around a number of issues (poverty, indigenous, anti-war,
   environmental, etc) we'll likely be discussing this at the Halifax
   Peace Coalition meeting this evening at 7PM. At very least, a press
   release can go out addressing some of these issues.

   Please reply to the e-mail if you'd like to help draft a release, or
   plan on issuing your own.

   -stuart neatby

   -----------------------------------

   PM's trip to Halifax may include defence goodies
   Even the premier in the dark about Harper's visit
   By OUR STAFF | 5:24 PM

   [1]http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9003630.html

   Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to make a defence-related
   announcement when he pays a visit to Halifax on Wednesday.

   "It's a substantive federal announcement which actually doesn't have
   any provincial component to it," one federal official said Tuesday.
   "It's actually federal jurisdiction."
   The official, who wished to remain anonymous, would not reveal the
   details of where that federal cash will be directed.

   A spokesman for Premier Rodney MacDonald said his office was not
   involved with the prime minister's visit.

   "We've received no official notice from the prime minister's office on
   any visit, so we haven't been asked to take part in any events,
   announcements or meetings, but the premier is always interested in
   meeting with the prime minister," press secretary Joe Gillis said
   Tuesday.

   New Democrat MP Peter Stoffer said he assumes the announcement will
   either be about the next phase of joint support ships or the coast
   guard vessel contract. He said both would be a renewal of previously
   announced commitments.

   "Either one would be strictly federal and both of them would be good
   news for us, absolutely," he said.

   "We would welcome any announcement which adds employment opportunities
   and economic drivers for us in this province."

   Mr. Stoffer, who said he hadn't received an invitation to the event,
   said typically such an announcement would be held by the minister
   responsible for the province, in this case Foreign Affairs Minister
   Peter MacKay, or the minister of public works, Michael Fortier.

   "Often you wouldn't have the prime minister come down himself and do
   it," he said.

   "Obviously with the prime minister coming down he obviously wants to
   look good, which is fine. If he wants to look good, as long as it
   helps our province, it's a good thing."

   Eric Lerhe, a retired commodore living in Dartmouth, said the
   announcement could be news about six Arctic patrol vessels; more
   details on the already announced joint support ship program; plans to
   replace the destroyers Algonquin, Athabaskan and Iroquois; more
   details about modernization of Halifax-class frigates or plans to
   acquire an amphibious ship.

   South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy, one of two Conservative MPs
   in the province, said he'll join his leader in Nova Scotia, but he
   wouldn't reveal any details about the visit.

   "My understanding is an announcement will be Thursday, and I'm not
   privy to give the information out on that yet," he said.

   "I'm still waiting for the final word myself."

   Local MPs sometimes get an invitation to ministers' events, but
   Halifax MP Alexa McDonough said that's not the case with Mr. Harper.

   "We called the prime minister's office to ask since we had also
   understood he was going to be in Halifax, but they made it clear, I'd
   have to say, that it was none of our business," the New Democrat said
   Tuesday.

   "There was not going to be any public notification, so I guess that
   includes the MP, which seems like an odd thing to do."

   Isabelle Bouchard, spokeswoman for Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor,
   said there were no plans "so far" for her minister to visit Nova
   Scotia this week.

   New Democrat MLA Graham Steele said he hopes Mr. Harper uses this
   visit to admit his government broke the Atlantic Accord.

   "It's difficult to see how the relationship (between Nova Scotia and
   Ottawa) can continue in a constructive way until he finally
   acknowledges he promised one thing and did the opposite," Mr. Steele
   said.

   Nova Scotia contends the March 19 federal budget rips up the offshore
   accord reached with Ottawa in 2005 because it forces the province to
   choose either the new, richer equalization scheme or the old formula
   that keeps the accord intact.

   The accord protected the province's offshore oil and gas revenue from
   being clawed back under the federal equalization program.

   Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil said if he had the chance, he'd tell Mr.
   Harper that Nova Scotians expect him to respect deals between the
   federal and provincial levels of government like the Atlantic Accord,
   and the province should get its fair share of highway funding.

   "I would say to him that it's time to wake up and recognize that Nova
   Scotia is part of our country," he said.

   "I'd also tell him that it's time for him to start treating Nova
   Scotians with the respect we deserve."

   Last week, Mr. Harper paid a visit to New Brunswick, announcing a
   highway funding deal worth $200 million dollars over 10 years.

   With Amy Smith and David Jackson, Provincial Reporters and Chris
   Lambie, Staff Reporter
   --
   Check out the Haiti Art School Project
   [2]users.eastlink.ca/~northstar

References

   1. http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9003630.html
   2. http://users.eastlink.ca/~northstar


More information about the Rad-Green mailing list