Ughh! Don't you just love winter? I'm going out to shovel for I hope will be the last time this winter. Technically that's true, since spring officially arrives this evening, but you get my drift. Again, ughh!
The Dexter government's rejected a call by a coalition of political parties, environmental groups and an energy watchdog to delay the Utility and Review Board's May hearings on the Maritime Link. The coalition says there's not enough time for them to review the 19,000 or so pages filed by Nova Scotia Power in relation to the Link but Energy Minister Charlie Parker says if the UARB felt it needed more time they can allow it, but a decision must still be reached by the end of July. With so many billions at stake and a pending election fight with energy a prime issue, one has to wonder why the government's rush on this project?
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has touched off a debate on whether convicted politicians should lose their rights to their very rich and publicly-funded pension plan. Liberal leader Stephen McNeil seems to agree. In a news release, he says elected officials who are convicted of committing financial crimes against the taxpayer "should lose the right to draw a publicly-funded pension". PC leader Jamie Baillie thinks it's a decision that should be left up to the criminal justice system while Deputy Premier Frank Corbett tells CTV's supper hour news any politician convicted of a serious crime "should feel the full force of the law, just like anyone else. Unfortunately Frank, the law in Nova Scotia prevents taxpayers from getting at the pensions of any politician convicted of any serious crime. Several U.S. states have laws stripping the pensions of any legislators convicted of crimes against the taxpayer. Why can't Nova Scotia?
That's quite the collection of historic artifacts Fall River's John Tillman is alleged to have stolen over the last twenty years. The RCMP now estimates they seized some 2,000 items in this case, an amount that could take them a year or more to sort through and identify ownership. There's a full suit of armor, how by the way does someone steal something like that, a letter from George Washington, a W.H. Yorke painted valued at about $40,000, some first edition books and a book of philosophy published back in the 1490s. Tillman's trial should be an interesting one indeed.
Have a great day. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
Rick Howe
