THE SLATES ARE FILLING UP

It has been a busy weekend with work related projects. The distractions one must endure to earn a few coins to feed the kids and slap some clothing on their backs! I am now just getting an opportunity to read the papers and catch up on the week news.

I hear Harper has made it official and called the election. Siobhan Coady's signs were up on major roadways just after lunch. She seems to be well positioned to benefit from the ABC campaign and the influx of Progressive Conservative volunteers. I understand she is not repeating some of the mistakes of her last campaign like placing her communications in the hands of a temperamental prima donna who could just blow- up and walk away at anytime. This time she has retained an advertising company with lots of media and political experience that just happens to be pretty popular with the Provincial Conservative administration. She does not have the wind at her back it is more like a hurricane.

The grits have 7 candidates in place, 3 of whom are incumbents. I do not expect any major changes to the status quo outside of the Avalon. Although I did hear that former Conservative candidate Cynthia Downey, who is a municipal politician in Stephenville Crossing, a politically appointed member of the lucrative Social Services Appeal Board and all around Danny Williams cheerleader is trying to hustle up some support for a run in Random-Burin St. George's as an independent. I'll be following that development. The NDP have had a candidate in that riding for quite sometime. A chap named Terry White.

The NDP and Conservatives will be making announcements tomorrow about some of their candidates on the Avalon.

Jack Harris is expected to make it official tomorrow that he will be running as the NDP candidate in St. John's East . The announcement will be made at the Holiday Inn at 4:30 tomorrows evening. I expect the biggest problem facing Jack will be managing volunteers and not letting expectations swamp the campaign. Nancy Riche will have to contend with having to work with Progressive Conservatives and disenchanted liberals. Should be fun to watch.

Former provincial Liberal Cabinet Minister Walter Noel is hoping that he can get past a string of
defeats. He has been unsuccessful in his last couple of runs at political office. He lost his provincial seat of Virginia Waters to the former Mayor of Burin, Natural Resources Minister Kathy Dunderdale. He made an unsuccessful run at Norm Doyle after he knocked both Judy Foote and Paul Antle off to win the Liberal nomination in St. John's East in 2004. His campaign of urging voters not to split the vote might come back to haunt him this time as the favored candidate will be Jack Harris and one could argue voting Liberal might give the Conservatives a better chance of winning.

The Conservatives are also going to unveil their candidate for St. John's East tomorrow morning at 10 am at the Capitol and the buzz and excitement amongst Conservatives is notable. They are bursting to spill the beans and seem mighty proud of themselves. Could it really be Elizabeth Marshall? I am told she flatly rejected overtures as late as two weeks ago. The other rumor I heard was that a former executive assistant to Norm Doyle who is currently an MHA had agreed to run.

Terry French was first elected to the House of Assembly in a by-election to succeed his father Bob, who passed away while in office. From 1997 to 2002, Terry served as Executive assistant to Doyle. A few people were surprised when he was moved out of his 16 month gig as Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier in favor of Gander MHA Kevin O'Brien in 2005. The PA is normally seen as a stepping stone to a cabinet position. O'Brien was in the role for all of four months before he was elevated to the role of Business Minister.

Seriously, I do not see it. He would have to resign his provincial seat, take on many of his own caucus. He has an astute political radar and I just do not see it. But stranger things have happened.

While the Conservatives never had my vote in the first place, I will be impressed if they land a big name. For a while it was looking like they might have to run an Ottawa staffer just to have a name on the ballot.

Until tomorrow morning and the press conference it is just a guessing game but at least one of the two names I mentioned is laying very low tonight.

Meanwhile, Ryan Cleary is trying to secure the NDP nomination in St. John's South-Mount Pearl. His move into the political realm has not gone unnoticed by the national media. The Western Standard and Macleans have commented on Ryan's nationalist leanings. Cleary has been an outstanding advocate for a better deal for this province and has written some controversial opinion pieces over the years in an attempt to stir up discussion and debate in the hopes of a better arrangement.

Should be an interesting morning in Newfoundland politics.