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David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos 

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 48 others

Methinks folks should read all the comments published within two articles about fracking in Sussex today N'esy Pas?

https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/12/peoples-alliance-fracking-stance.html



#nbpoli #cdnpoli


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/people-alliance-shale-gas-fracking-vote-1.4931028

People's Alliance fracking stance pioneers not-in-my-backyard veto

187 Comments 
Commenting is now closed for this story.

David Amos

Methinks folks should read all the comments published within two articles about fracking in Sussex today N'esy Pas?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/sussex-area-lsd-fracking-moratorium-1.4930621

 
Fred Brewer

So the PA accept and understand the dangers of fracking, and have decided to protect only the people in their ridings? Kris you have just shot your party in the foot. What were you thinking?

David Amos

@Fred Brewer "Kris you have just shot your party in the foot. What were you thinking?"

Methinks the PANB like the wages paid by us as they support the PC Party N'esy Pas?

Survey Says?

 
Mike Bookman

These guys are weasels. We have them and their signs around my neighborhood. The fracking thing is secondary to the hatred of all things French.

Steve Whitaker

@Mike Bookman

Then they are the lesser of two weasels.

David Amos

@Steve Whitaker "Then they are the lesser of two weasels."

Methinks a weasel is a weasel no matter how big they are or what colour of coat they wear At least Independents don't follow questionable leaders or change their story and lose with their integrity intact N'esy Pas?

Aaron Shephard

@David Amos
Please, for the love of all things holy, stop finishing every comment with “N’esy pas”. Or, at the very least, spell it properly!

Marguerite Deschamps

@David Amos, yet they never get elected. If they did, they would also turn into weasels.

David Amos

@Aaron Shephard Methinks Mr Austin and all the other politicians must recall why I sued Cardinal Law in Beantown so its kinda obvious that I don't love anything you may wish to consider "holy" N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps Methinks just because your infamous French hero Andre Arthur certainly did it does not follow all of us would N'esy Pas?

Marguerite Deschamps

@David Amos, "holy"; full of holes?

  
Paul Bourgoin

It started with bilingualism, now it escalated to dividing New Brunswick by voting districts mandates, the People's Alliance now is introducing : "THE NOT IN MY BACKYARD VETO" with only three seats, and all of this is supported by the Conservatives?? My question is this: " who do these elected Politicians represent, New Brunswick, the Conservative Party, the Alliance or those who benefit!

Dan Lee

@Paul Bourgoin So Kris Austin would only be premier on the region he would win....would not care for regions he woulnt win...............yup common sense all the way..................good grief

Marguerite Deschamps

@Dan Lee, so much for common sense eh?

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "so much for common sense eh?"

Methinks your beloved former president of SANB confessed that he does not know what common sense is N'esy Pas?

Mario Doucet

The PA needs to get on with the OLA rewrite and look at reducing the bilingual make work position in the NB government.

John Price

@Mario Doucet Apparently someone doesn't understand that the PA don't get to re-write anything.

David Amo

@Mario Doucet "The PA needs to get on with the OLA rewrite"

Methinks the French Lieutenant Mr Gauvin would never allow Higgs and Austin to do such a thing N'esy Pas?

  
Tim Raworth

Its called Democracy. People whine about not having enough and they still wine when they are given a choice.

David Amos

@Tim Raworth Methinks all politicians enjoy the wine on the gravy train and when partake of it too much they whine instead of clamming up N'esy Pas?

  
herbie harris

This will go down as one of the dumbest moves ever by a so called political party. They were voted in for their riding I agree but also they represent our province, if this idea was really used then nothing would ever get done. How can they pick one issue hahahahaha and the miramichi area supports shale gas no wait they don’t support it cause stone cold Austin says so. Joke of a leader and a party but keep it going

David Amos

@herbie harris Ya just gotta love the Circus though

Bernard McIntyre

@David Amos I really like all the clowns.

David Amos

@Bernard McIntyre Methinks the funniest ones bar none are the ex cops Steve Horseman and Carl Urquhart and their blogging buddy Chucky Leblanc N'esy Pas?

  
Aaron Allison

Time to hold a Referendum or put, the question on the Ballot about Fracking. Time for New Brunswicker's to have a voice on Politicians.

David Amos

@Aaron Allison " Time for New Brunswicker's to have a voice on Politicians."

Methinks the awful truth is that we get the government we deserve N'esy Pas?

  
Jamie Roc

What a bunch of clowns. I suppose that's the kind of politics you get when you elect political newbies whose only strongly held stance is that the French need to be put back in their place.

Samual Johnston

@Jamie Roc political newbies? so you prefer the same ole same ole. How is that working out for NB ? And where is this anti French agenda some keep talking about. Any ambulance is better than no ambulance is not exactly anti anything.

David Amos

@Jamie Roc "What a bunch of clowns."

Welcome to the Circus

Jamie Roc

@Samual Johnston ideologically they're the same old same old - that's the point. But in terms of their roles as MLAs, they're also all total neophytes who will just go as the wind goes, except on language issues which for some reason they are extremely preoccupied about. Hmm wonder if it's because their base is made up of mostly those uncles and aunts we all have who spend their days online ranting about minorities?

Marguerite Deschamps

@Jamie Roc, hit the nail on the head! The funniest part is that the leader is flanked by two MLAs of French origins.

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "The funniest part is that the leader is flanked by two MLAs of French origins."

Methinks common sense dictates that should make no difference whatsoever N'esy Pas??

Marguerite Deschamps

@David Amos, then why do you dislike Quebeckers so much?

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps Methinks everybody knows you are monumental hypocrites N'esy Pas?

  

Layton Bennett

Looks like the People Alliance are symptom of the hyper localism in New Brunswick.

David Amos

@Layton Bennett Methinks they are just doubletalking politicians like all the rest N'esy Pas?

 Marguerite Deschamps

Austin should have stayed at what he was good at; preaching fairy-tales. Now here he is ironically flanked by two MLAs of French origin, DeSaulniers and Conroy, who, other than being against anything French, have no clue what they are doing.

Marguerite Deschamps

As to Conroy, I have never seen her open her mouth in order to speak. She may be a tad smarter than the other two for following this adage:
- Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.

Seamus O'hern

@Marguerite Deschamps ....and with you?.....there's NO doubt.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Seamus O'hern, coming from you, I take it as a compliment.

Barry Odonnell

@Marguerite Deschamps You really do need to seek professional help for this obsession you have! Seriously the French in NB have had everything handed to them for years. I don't think you need to be this upset with the prospect that someone may want to take a sober second look at this!

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps Cry me a river

Marguerite Deschamps

@David Amos, cry me an ocean!

Marguerite Deschamps

@Barry Odonnell, no we have not! We fought for everything. And when we stop fighting, we get pushed backwards.

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David Amos

@Mario Doucet "The PA needs to get on with the OLA rewrite"

Methinks the French Lieutenant Mr Gauvin would never allow Higgs and Austin to do such a thing N'esy Pas?

  
John Jude

David C. is the only intelligent one of the bunch, regardless of the issue being discussed. I may not agree with his points of view on some things, but he always seems to have an intelligent, thought out, coherent opinion. Too bad we're stuck with so many other wastes in government.

David Amos

@John Jude "David C. is the only intelligent one of the bunch"

Methinks that thou doth Jest too much N'esy Pas?

 
JJ Carrier

The PANB grasps at straws to prove something to themselves, but their lack of sincerity smells...

David Amos

@JJ Carrier "their lack of sincerity smells"

Methinks that is an understatement N'esy Pas?

 

  
Bernard McIntyre

I am not a fracking fan. If the government wants to waste billions of liters of water on fracking with no way to get rid of the waste water when the wells are complete then why not build a water filtration plant instead and sell the water. It would probably create more jobs and bring more money for the province than fracking for natural gas with less chance of an environmental damage or chance of earthquakes like just happened in Fort St. John B.C.As I said the water is going to be wasted any way.

David Amos

@Bernard McIntyre Methinks if Mr Higgs had two clues to rub together he would expropriate the new Potash mine that was just written off and shutdown forever and start selling high quality road salt ASAP N'esy Pas?

Bernard McIntyre

@David Amos Cancel the lease immediately not 2020 and then sell it to the other company that was looking to build in the Millstream area.

  
Nancy Alcox

So, with the PANB logic on fracking, it’s only common sense then that if my area wants glyphosate sprayed on our crown lands it’s none of their business and wouldn’t vote against it?...

David Amos

@Nancy Alcox Methinks one should not employ the words such as logic or common sense in the same sentence about the PANB or any other political party N'esy Pas?

  
kelly sherrard

So interesting that every time u see Kris Austin in the news, he has the other 2 PANB MLAs standing behind him..... for courage?

Mack Leigh

@Marguerite Deschamps

MLA Michelle Conroy has spoken on several issues and has also spoken in the Legislature...... So are you purposefully disregarding that fact or is it that your tunnel vision is getting in the way ?? If you do not know how her voice sounds then it is quite evident that you have not been listening.

David Amos

@Mack Leigh Methinks no matter what the lady may say to try to redeem herself she must admit that there are a lot of folks disappointed in Michelle Conroy and her PANB cohorts N'esy Pas?

  
Rick Budzyn

An earthquake that struck northeastern B.C. last Thursday was "very likely" caused by fracking, a preliminary investigation has found. Also as of 2014, NS Provincial environment officials are looking into a leak of fracking waste water at holding ponds in Kennetcook, Nova Scotia. The water has been there for years in two large holding ponds. Nova Scotia's Environment Department ordered them covered. They even wanted to dispose some of it into the Dieppe NB filtration system via transporting by trucks and were turned down. Fracking is bad environmentally and economically.

David Amos

@Rick Budzyn Methinks you should trust that the Irving Clan don't care and neither does Mr Higgs and his new PANB cohorts N'esy Pas?

Rick Budzyn

@David Amos the company that does the fracking is Corridor Resources a publicly traded company and the Irving companies and families are not associated or involved with them particularly if you view who is on their board of directors no connection at all.

David Amos

@Rick Budzyn So you say

 
Shawn McShane

Alliance platform supported "the environmentally responsible development of our natural resources" but promised referendums "on contentious developments on a regional basis."

So the Alliance will be pushing the PCs for a referendum in Sussex and the communities around Sussex?

Marguerite Deschamps

@Shawn McShane, in reality; we all know that they are a one issue party; against anything French. All that needs to be done now is for DeSaulniers and Michelle to change their French names before the party pushes them aside as the COR did to Laurie Robichaud before. The latter, a Cormier, now a Conroy, is already halfway there.

Marguerite Deschamps

... and hope the party forgets your origins, I might add.

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps so if some people say something against some ones origin it's not okay but if some other people something against some one else's origin it's okay.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, just ask the People Alliance and the COR before! They did it to Laurie Robichaud and they can do it again.

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps kind of hard to ask the COR since it doesn't exist.

Bernard McIntyre

@Bernard McIntyre but you didn't answer my question?

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, it has been resurrected under a new name and carries on the same single issue.

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps that's not the question I asked, still didn't answer my first question.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, I did not see any of your above statements end with an interrogation mark.

David Amos

@Bernard McIntyre Methinks the lady only understands what she wishes too and always twists her replies to suit the SANB agnda N'esy Pas?

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps okay. So if some people say something against some one origin it's not okay but if some other people say something against some one else origin it's okay?

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, I am going to answer you with another question. Why do you think it is ok for anyone to say something against someone's origin or by the same token, why it's not ok?

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps your sounding like a politician not answering the question with a question. And I never said it was okay. Would you not agree that it would be a type of racism?

 

Pierre Adam Bulger

I wish he would do the same for other concerns. it'll reduce the damage his party can do to the province.

David Amos

@Pierre Adam Bulger Me Too

  

Pat Chambers-Dalpe

So PC Higgs thinks we are customers .. Now PANB says we are children.. I guess this really shows the lack of respect our politicians have for the people of NB..

David Amos

@Pat Chambers-Dalpe YUP

 

Rosco holt

"I can't be the father of everyone or the mother of everyone. I can be the voice of the people in Fredericton-York."

Wasn't Kris Austin a priest before jumping in politics? Wasn't that the center piece of that job?

Lou Bell

@Rosco holt Nope. There is only one father/ mother. But nice try !

Marguerite Deschamps

@Rosco holt, these are the type of people I mistrust the most. Given that it's the French DeSaulnier who said it, the priest Auston should speak up eh?

Lou Bell

@Marguerite Deschamps Many mistrusted Gallant and his one issue , SANB caucus . They ran the whole show AND THEY LOST ! Perhaps they needed to consult all the people , and not just the 30 % they represented .

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps I don't believe that Mr. Austin was a priest.

David Amos

@Rosco holt "Wasn't Kris Austin a priest before jumping in politics?"

Nope Close but no cigar

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, Rosco called him a priest and I replied as such. Priest, religious minister, whatever; to me, it's all du pain pour d'la galette.

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps don't believe evert thing you read but yes I do agree.

Rosco holt

@David Amos
Sorry he was a pastor, different job same branch.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4407943/kris-austin-profile/

David Amos

@Rosco holt YUP

Angie Brideau

Kris Austin is the only politician in NB who seems to be taking serious his responsibility to represent the voice of the constituents in his riding.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Angie Brideau, should I laugh now... or later?

Tim Raworth

@Marguerite Deschamps You would know democracy if it fell on your lap.

Jim Cyr

@Marguerite Deschamps
Marguerite, Kris Austin (or Blaine Higgs) could bring about world peace AND find a cure for cancer..........and you would still howl about it.
FACT.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Jim Cyr, no worries, not gonna happen.

Jim Joe Jackson

@Angie Brideau **** has been doing it since '14. The only non-Irvings MLAs are Green.

David Amos

@Tim Raworth Oh So True

 
Roland Godin

Does this mean Alliance will stop nitpicking on mon choix de ma langue officielle outside their boroughs...et voilà.

Bernard McIntyre

@Roland Godin As said earlier on this article that it is part of their districts and your allowed to speak any language you want to.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Roland Godin, a "burrow" would be more appropriate for them in order for them to crawl into.

Tim Raworth

@Marguerite Deschamps Interesting how you can get away with saying things like this but if ango said it, it would be blocked.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Tim Raworth, I am just as Anglophone as you are. I am fluent in the English language just like I am in the other official language and I embrace both languages. So what's your point?

Bernard McIntyre

@Marguerite Deschamps if you go back way back I guess you could be Anglo, maybe Anglo- Saxon of the year 1064.

Marguerite Deschamps

@Bernard McIntyre, quite possible; why not?

David Amos

@Bernard McIntyre Methinks her forefathers were likely Normans N'esy Pas?

 
Jim Cyr

This article is pure propaganda. You would NEVER in a million years have read an article like this attacking the Liberals or Greens (or heard the radio version) at any time when the Liberals were in power (or had they had managed to stay in power with the aid of the Greens).

Is it any wonder nobody trusts the lamestream media any more??

Jim Joe Jackson

@Jim Cyr Incoherent views and policies need to be called out.

Jim Cyr

@Jim Joe Jackson : ah, finally.........a good, valid reason for (state-sponsored) propaganda! I KNEW there had to be one!

Mr. Kafka, meet Mr. Dilbert..........

Jamie Roc

@Jim Cyr do you expect us to believe that a guy who uses the term "lamestream media" has actually read Kafka?

David Amos

@Jamie Roc Methinks neither of you have read this old file N'esy Pas?

https://www.scribd.com/doc/2718120/integrity-yea-right

 
June Arnott

Only the ill advised or rich people want fracking. It will not save our economy.
People need to understand the threats of fracking. It’s not worth leaving the damage to future generations.
Though we have become an all about me society. Screw the future.

Arthur John

@June Arnott Only rich people want fracking?...

Marguerite Deschamps

@Arthur John, the rich and the uniformed!

David Amos

@Marguerite Deschamps "the rich and the uniformed!"

Methinks you resemble your own remark N'esy Pas?

 
Harold Benson

I'm some glad I don't live in sus sex

David Amos

@Harold Benson Methinks Sam doesn't either N'esy Pas?

 
Harold Benson

Check out the National Geographic North American Aquifer Article. If you are pollutting any groundwater, you are polluting all groundwater. They have it mapped, so bring on the litigation.

David Amos

@Harold Benson Methinks Sam and Mr Higgs and Mr Austin should Google David Amos Federal Court N'esy Pas?

People's Alliance fracking stance pioneers not-in-my-backyard veto

People's Alliance oppose shale gas exploration — but only in their own ridings

Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Dec 04, 2018 6:00 AM AT

All three People's Alliance MLAs voted for a Progressive Conservative throne speech that had pro-fracking language in it, but say they oppose fracking in their own ridings. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

The People's Alliance has introduced a new way of thinking about the role of local MLAs, pioneering what you might call a not-in-my-backyard veto.

On the contentious issue of shale gas development, the Alliance MLAs say they'll vote against allowing it in their own ridings, but will not try to stop it in other ridings they don't represent.

They say fracking in those other ridings is none of their business and is up to the MLAs from other parties who represent those constituencies.

We've been elected to represent our areas. We felt it would be infringing on Sussex for us to impose ourselves down there.- Kris Austin, People's Alliance Party leader

"Every riding has their own representative," Alliance MLA Rick DeSaulniers said last week. "And they should do their job and represent the people in their best interest."

"I can't be the father of everyone or the mother of everyone. I can be the voice of the people in Fredericton-York."

DeSaulniers, Alliance Leader Kris Austin and Miramichi Alliance MLA Michelle Conroy all voted last week for the Progressive Conservative throne speech, including language endorsing fracking in the Sussex area.

"Some of our members, myself included, have questions about it, but this is related to Sussex," Austin said. "We've been elected to represent our areas. We felt it would be infringing on Sussex for us to impose ourselves down there."

'A higher level of democracy'

Premier Blaine Higgs, whose PC minority government needed the three Alliance MLAs to win a confidence vote, praised the approach.

"I really think it is a higher level of democracy," Higgs said.

Higgs has vowed to revive shale gas extraction in areas where there is local consent.

People's Alliance of New Brunswick Leader Kris Austin answers questions from the media after the closure of the Throne Speech at the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. (James West/Canadian Press)

But with no PC legislation on fracking in the offing, the three Alliance MLAs won't have a mechanism to vote against fracking in their ridings if it became a possibility in the future. They have to rely on Higgs's promise to not impose it there.

And while the new premier welcomed the Alliance decision, he hasn't said whether he'd let individual Tory MLAs veto particular initiatives affecting their local ridings.

Alliance supported PC amendment

The PC throne speech amendment endorsed fracking in communities around Sussex that "have demonstrated their desire to proceed with shale gas development."

DeSaulniers had vowed to vote against fracking anywhere.

People's Alliance MLA Rick DeSaulniers represents Fredericton-York. (CBC)

"If it comes to lifting the moratorium in Sussex, I'm not going to vote in favour of that, either," he said Nov. 21. "I do not believe in shale gas."

A week later, his tune changed.

"Who am I to tell Sussex what is right for them?" he said. "It's one thing to have beliefs. It's another thing to impose them on someone you really shouldn't impose them on."

DeSaulniers noted the two top vote-getters in the riding of Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins in September's election, PC Bruce Northrup and the Alliance's Jim Bedford, supported fracking there. They captured a combined 73.8 percent of the vote.

'Hyper-NIMBYism'

St. Thomas University political scientist Jamie Gillies calls the approach "kind of a hyper-NIMBYism, not-in-my-back-yard: 'I don't want it, but if they want it, go for it.'"

He said it's a new twist on the classic "delegate" model of representation which holds that elected members are primarily elected to speak for their constituents.

Jamie Gillies says People's Alliance stance on "yes" to fracking but not-in-my-backyard, will make it difficult for the Alliance to craft coherent policies. (CBC)

But "on some issues you can't do a delegate model effectively," Gillies said. "You can on issues like 'the courthouse is closing so I'm going to fight to keep the courthouse.' You can on 'the school might be closing' or 'we need a new school.'

But on issues that spark provincial debates, "I think the delegate model only goes so far."

Liberal MLA Chuck Chiasson, who was pressured to speak out when the Gallant government closed the provincial courthouse in Grand Falls, agrees shale gas is not that kind of local issue.

"I would vote with my beliefs," he said. "My belief is that it's not safe. So if it happens in Andy Harvey's riding, I'm not going to vote for it."

Not a local issue

Gillies predicts the shale gas issue will not be contained to the local Sussex area. "Then it becomes an issue a party has to consider not just in the context of one hyper-localized concern."

He said it will pose a challenge for Austin, who supported the Sussex-only fracking language because extraction won't occur in his riding of Fredericton-Grand Lake.

But if fracking in Sussex leads to court challenges and protests, Austin will have to take a provincial view as a party leader, he said.

Green Party of New Brunswick Leader David Coon speaks to the media following the Throne Speech at the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018. (James West/Canadian Press)

Green leader David Coon argues there's no way to confine the impacts of fracking to a single riding.

"We're talking about a development that adds carbon to the atmosphere, and we all share the atmosphere," he said. "It's not something where you can simply say 'locally they want it so they should have it.'"

Provincial view 'irrelevant'

A province-wide view doesn't seem to be a consideration for the Alliance.

 "We represent our own people. I represent the people from Fredericton-York," DeSaulniers said. "I can't impose my will on others. That is for Bruce Northrup. That's his fight to take up."

Bruce Northrup, the PC MLA for Sussex-Fundy-St Martins, has been a strong proponent of lifting the moratorium.

The Alliance constitution says the party's MLAs can vote freely to "reflect the wishes of their constituents on day-to-day governing, without party discipline."

Its election platform supported "the environmentally responsible development of our natural resources" but promised referendums "on contentious developments on a regional basis."

Coherent policy a challenge

Gillies said the hyper-local approach will make it difficult for the Alliance to craft coherent policies.
"How does that fit into our larger provincial energy policy? How does that fit into our larger provincial environmental policy?"

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That challenge will be even greater if the Alliance remains a de facto partner of the PC government.

"There will be things you're not willing to compromise on, and your constituents don't want, but in order to keep the government going you're perhaps going to need to go with the government," Gillies said.

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