Yesterday was a beautiful day, except for that pesky wind that made things uncomfortable going into it. Clouded over this morning with temps rising and little wind.

Well at least one other person in Nain is rattling chains on the prices of food in general and the subsidy programs in particular. He has for some time but this is the first time it has been picked up by the media. First time that any coverage of substance has happened since the Nutrition North Program [NNP] was announced.

The NNP being in total turmoil only adds to the confusion as to what is subsidized, to what extent and is the consumer realy benefiting, or is there a big ripe off by either the retailer or the wholesaler or both.

Because both the Feds and the province do not make public any spot checks or audits they claim they do then the consumer will stay skeptical. And as I just said to our MHA, it is the public that puts you guys there so they are owed that information and I am sick of this “internal use only” mumbo jumbo, or words to that affect.

Politicians became involved in this issue up in Nunavut because the public became involved, changes happened but it is still too early to tell if they will be to the consumers benefit.

Politicians of all stripes have been publicly silent to date here in Labrador:

I have had several e mail exchanges with our MHA over the past years. I have spoken to her more recently and there seems to be a heightened interest [is this an election year the cynic in me asks] in dealing with both the NNP and the provincial program, especially finding a way to get the message out to the public.

The cynic in me says that this should have happened some time ago, the so called experts are employed and paid well by both levels of government so why should it be up to me or others to come up with the ideas.

But public involvement can work; we just need more of the public to be involved.

Over the years in talks with bureaucrats and politicians I get the sense that they pick out one or two items and say, “look these carrots are the same price, or cheaper than in Goose Bay” therefore they seem to assume that all other items are the same. Or at least it seems they use this as an excuse to do nothing.

It seems little use contacting the provincial Minister of Labrador Affairs, others have and have had smoke blown up their arses with out of date brochures and a spiel defending the other players sent by some low level functionary.

Ditto contacting the Member for Labrador in Ottawa. I am sure he is aware of the federal issues, yet we hear nothing, he is in opposition after all, but if we were in southern or central Labrador you can be sure he would seek out the closest microphone.

Then we have the lowest on the totem pole; the always silent members representing their constituents in the Assembly of the Nunatsiavut Government. One would think that there would be more interest shown by these under worked and over paid politicians in helping the people who can least afford nutritional and affordable foods amongst their constituencies.

Well one would be wrong in thinking that going be the deathly silence that emanates out of the bowls on the NG bunkers on most issues that affect everyday life.

I also don’t like what I am hearing about who will be applying to NNP to participate on the wholesaler front.

It seems that none of the larger wholesalers have shown interest to date. This leaves just the two little guys operating out of Goose Bay and everybody on the coast knows the problems dealing with those people.

I also would like to know if any of the retailers in Goose Bay have shown any interest. To that end I asked the NG representative on the NNP advisory board to find out what is going on there. No information has been forthcoming to date.

Don't watch this video if you are on the queezy side. But you can chalk one up for the chubby guys. The little bloke got what was coming, only a little extra, he was lucky he did not land on his head. Maybe his parents need to give the guy a good talking, and a cuff under the ear could have perhaps prevented this incident, one never knows for sure.

Upertydate: This just came in on Twitter, more news from the North but little still from Labrador.