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NS: Opposition blasts Dexter over board picks
By Paul McLeod, Staff
Source: Metro Halifax, Apr. 28/10
[HALIFAX, NS] – Opposition parties are up in arms after three controversial union members were appointed to a premier’s advisory board.
Of the 19 appointments from business, labour and volunteer sectors on the Premier’s Council on the Economy, the one that raised the most eyebrows was Cordell Cole.
Cole was head of the Mainland Building and Construction Trades Council when it funnelled $45,000 in illegal donations to the NDP last year. The money was returned by the party, which said it had no idea the donations skirted election laws.
The union was spared a police investigation when the statute of limitations on charges ran out.
While the advisory board is unpaid, opposition leaders say Cole shouldn’t be placed in a position to influence government policy.
“There are some good people on that council, but to appoint someone who during the election campaign was trying to get around election rules is an insult to Nova Scotians,” says Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil.
For good measure, the Liberals circulated a 2008 letter from Dexter to Cole where the now-premier addresses the union leader as “Brother Cole” and signs it “In solidarity.”
The opposition also argues NSGEU president Joan Jessome and CUPE president Danny Cavanagh shouldn’t be put on an economic advisory board because, in retaliation to the Canadian Federation for Independent Business urging government to cut jobs, they called for a boycott against the CFIB.
Premier Darrell Dexter says the council encompasses a broad base of groups, which qualifies Cole.
“People weren’t picked because of their political affiliation. They were picked because of what they can provide to the economic council,” Dexter says. “These people are giving up their time freely to come in to provide advice… for the purposes of helping us build the economy. I’m very thankful for all of them.”
Dexter wouldn’t comment on the union/CFIB spat, but criticized McNeil for having an anti-union bias and portraying unions “in the worst possible light.”
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Comments:
“Worst possible light”? On this topic there can be no other kind.
Next election, anyone but NDP. And if you vote for any other party, make sure it’s someone who has a good character and record. We all deserve better.
Wait until the HST increase comes in. That’s going to be fun. Watch our economy tank.
With the way Tories and Liberals have cozied up to big business interests over the years, it amazes me that they have the audacity to deride Dexter on this. Although I do agree that the appointment of Mr. Cole is questionable, at best.
If you all would just take the time and have an in-depth look at what’s happening, and HAS been happening in the US, thanks to the powerful unions and their outrageous demands, you had better keep an eye on these 3 weasels and be careful what you wish for! In California, you have Gov’t. UNION workers retiring at age FIFTY with NINETY PER CENT pensions!!! The UNION head tapped on Obama’s door and left with a $60BILLION Pension Holiday that will have to be picked up by “you know who - the sod-buster TAXPAYER! Who’s going to pay for all this? It’ s just not sustainable! The backs of the taxpayer is already broken!!! This has “NO GOOD” written all over it…
So, trying to keep business in Nova Scotia is “Tories and Liberals have cozied up to big business interests”? Who supplies jobs, unions? Only to the executive.
Business creates and maintains jobs and as such they need to be listened to. This doesn’t mean that they need to have everything their own way.
Now unions, they want everything their way or no way. They will burn your building down and put your workers out on the street if you don’t hire their members. Now, put this mentality on a board designed to improve the economy? Doesn’t make sense. People who’s main agenda is to extract money from business do not have a place on such a board. Right now the unions are costing the government millions every year with an overstaffed and inefficient bureaucracy that can’t be improved or streamlined because of the union stranglehold.
It is unfortunate that the government doesn’t enforce its own rules and laws stringently enough and implement laws that better protect workers so we could negate the need for unions. That is the one place we can’t do without unions, worker safety and protection.
Union heads and Ecology Action Center on an Economic Advisory Board, isn’t this an oxymoron in itself? Did you see the EAC report on the recent budget “we believe the gov’t should have brought in a carbon tax to help stop societal “bads”". Excuse me?