Last Friday the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay was a buzz with the arrival of the Prime Minister coming to 5 Wing for a special announcement, very few knew it was for the loan guarantee fro Muskrat Falls.
Security was the tightest in recent memory for the Prime Minister’s visit. You had to be invited to attend, and that included media.
As people streamed to the front gate, protestors were on the scene to voice their opinion on the Muskrat Falls project. Also heading to the gate was Keith Russell, MHA for Lake Melville. The turn of events could not have been more scripted.
As Russell moved towards the gate, a vehicle that was rejected from going on the base stalled, placing Russell’s vehicle right in front of the protesters (A once in a million chance).
Instead of ignoring the catcalls and the protestors Russell winds down the window on the passenger side of the vehicle to say hello to a friend, who oddly enough was a protester.
Once the window was down, words were exchanged between Linda Cull and people in the truck. Taken back by the vulgar language in the truck, Cull let anyone within earshot know that our MHA swore at her.
As Russell moved towards the gate, a vehicle that was rejected from going on the base stalled, placing Russell’s vehicle right in front of the protesters (A once in a million chance). -
Since the incident, Russell says he did not use bad language, but his backseat passenger gleefully says he did. Cull, herself, said she might have used profanity.
So now people are left to wonder what actually happened on that dark day in the history of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
The problem is simple and here are some tips for future MHA’s who happen to roll up on a protest in their neck of the woods.
Try not to stop beside the protesters, and remember you are the enemy.
Never under any circumstance open your window to a protester no matter how friendly they seem.
Even if it is your cousins manning a protest line don’t wave at him or her, it could be construed that you gave a protester the finger.
If future MHA’s follow these simple rules there will never be a need to tell a protester to (place explanative here).
Jamie Lewis
Jamie.lewis@tc.tc
