Déjà vu

There was apparently another glitch in the Matrix this morning. For a few minutes around 7:00, VODW had two versions of the same story posted online.

Here is story number 1: http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=36169

House Winding Down
May 15, 2009

There was another late-night sitting at the House of Assembly. Members debated legislation until the wee hours of the morning..... and that has the Opposition parties speculating on the possibility government could close the House soon in light of the situation unfolding with the province's nurses. Opposition House Leader Kelvin Parsons gets the feeling that government is winding things down, even though a host of legislation still sits on the order paper. Government House Leader Joan Burke says it's her intent to see all outstanding bills passed before the session closes. However she does say that it is their right to close the House.


Here is story number 2: http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=36168

House Winding Down
May 15, 2009

Another late night sitting at the House of Assembly. Members debated legislation until the wee hours of the morning..... and that has the Opposition parties speculating on the possibility government could close the House soon in light of the situation unfolding with the province's nurses. Opposition House Leader Kelvin Parsons says he gets the feeling government is winding things down, even though a host of legislation still sits on the order paper. Government House Leader Joan Burke says it's her intent to see all outstanding bills passed before the session closes. However she does say that the right to close the House is their's.

Aside from the amusing solecisms, it is interesting to see how VODW struggled with the wording in the final sentence.

It must be hard to find a delicate way to re-write the constitution.

One or both of the links may now be inoperable, since such glitches don't last very long; but they still worked the last time I checked. For more on the provincial Matrix, see http://orwellianspin.blogspot.com/2009/04/equalization-matrix.html


Remix Update:

It looks like VODW has settled on this version: http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=36168

The main page has an interesting audio link that captures Burke claiming absolute control over whether and when the House of Assembly is dissolved or prorogued.

For a different view of whether the Tories can unilaterally close the House of Assembly, see the Lieutenant Governor's homepage: http://www.govhouse.nl.ca/role.htm

"Role and Duties

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is Canadian Head of State and The Queen of Canada with the Governor General being the Queen's representative for Canada. The Lieutenant-Governor is the representative of the Queen in the Province and exercises powers under Section 9 of the Constitution Act 1867 essential to the workings of the constitutional monarchy in Canada.

The Lieutenant-Governor must always ensure that the post of Premier is filled following resignation or death and that a Government is in place following defeat at an election or in the House of Assembly. Additional governance responsibilities include: administering oaths of office to Members of the House of Assembly and Ministers of the Crown so they may take up their duties; summoning, proroguing and dissolving the House of Assembly; assenting to legislative bills in order for them to become law; and signing into force Orders-in-Council, Proclamations and other official documents on the advice of Cabinet."