I don't always agree w/ Ed but this blog fr 2019 outlines exactly my perspective of gov't operations as an advocate for vulnerable children over the last 10 years.

In this role, my most challenging task is to craft messaging that will resonate & engage the general public 1/ https://twitter.com/edhollett/status/1274313312080183299

The reality is, most people don't care about the 'poor & downtrodden' & that holds true for the majority of our elected officials as well. Since Gerry Rogers left gov't, there hasn't been 1 MHA that has reached out to the community to offer support &/or guidance & it's showing 2/

I can't tell you how frustrated I get when I see the fabulous work being done in the community by several np orgs on a shoestring budget w/ threats of funding cuts looming over their heads while gov't announces more funding for industry, agriculture or partisan appointments. 3/

These community groups are doing gov'ts work. They're delivering services & programs that are the responsibility of gov't but yet gov't pays very little attention to them & in all the recent house sittings, not one of them or their challenges have been discussed. 4/

What the MHAs & privileged folk don't realize is that the # of families creeping towards poverty is growing exponentially. The demands on the orgs is almost unmanageable & soon, the arse will drop out of her. Suddenly people WILL care because it'll most certainly effect them 5/

Sure, NL is in major financial trouble, but so are it's people & the lack of attention given to our social system & the amount of waste, abuse & mismangement of it are all culminating into a very dangerous situation. This has only worsened under the weak 'leadership' of DB 6/

I was a part of the Way Forward consultations & followed closely as it was laid out. When I think of the amount of $ spent on all of it & what we ended up w/ in the end, I get sick to my stomach. Give that kind of $$ to any non-profit in NL & you'd be amazed what can be done 7/

So when you see me on #nlpoli aggressively pointing out a lack of leadership & focus of our elected officials (& those campaigning to be), you can remember this thread. We cannot afford another 4 years of weak leadership, expensive consultants & beatiful marketing pieces. 8/

In order for ALL the people of NL to survive our collective impending insolvency, we MUST have a strong leader w/ a clear plan to lead us out. And we must speak up for our neighbours regardless of socio-economic class. We need our poverty reduction strategy back & supported 9/

So I implore you all to start speaking out for all NL'ers & focus on building NL's collective economy (that includes all citizens) so that we can all enjoy the benefits of our efforts. Every day wasted puts another family into hardship & we can't afford to lose anymore.