The Potemkin Nova Scotia

(Editor’s note: Since I didn’t know the meaning of the “Potemkin Village” until recently myself here is a link that you can go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village#Modern_view)

Rodney MacDonald is out to lunch. Of this, I have little doubt.

Let’s go back in time a little (insert those squiggly lines and the stupid music to indicate time warp capability). Just a couple of weeks ago, the now aptly nick-named Jim “flip-flop” Flaherty came to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and had a sit-down with the acting minister of Finance- the Hon. Angus MacIsaac.

MacIsaac was told, in no uncertain terms, the “new” government of Canada was not going to waver on the budget measures implemented that would see the province lose their offshore accord signed with the previous government in 2005. Rodney must not have been listening.

A couple of days later, MacDonald mused that the government had been thrown a bone, and would be given a larger window to opt in to whichever situation would help them the most. The premier indicated they had been given until 2013 to decide and would be able to carry on in the new equalization scheme until that time. The feds quickly stomped down that rumour, and so now MacDonald is in spin mode.

Rodney says everything’s fine. His “potemkin village” of Nova Scotia is making progress in getting the Feds to cave into the pressure of a province that delivered 3 MP’s to the Commons. A grand total of 3! All three of those MP’s voted with their party last night and passed the measure of the budget that would effectively scrap the Atlantic Accord. (The 3 MP’s from Newfoundland did to, even though they were given assurances by the party they would not be reprimanded if they chose to vote against it).

The premier must be thinking if he keeps saying “nothing is wrong” and the province will make the feds bow at the mercy of the province, then people will start to believe him. He better hope so, because when the province starts losing money hand over fist, people will start to knock on the door of the village and find the buildings crumbling around their feet.