Mr. Premier: Get your butt back to the negotiating table

I’ve lost some respect for Danny Williams. I’ve been quick to praise Williams in the past and defended his decision not to speak in advance about his heart surgery … now I’m wondering if he also didn’t have a brain transplant while he was in Florida. His decision (and you know it was his decision) to stop contract negotiations with the province's doctors is pure political theatre. He thinks he has the doctors on the ropes because of the pathology labs situation and can pretty much get away with whatever he wants. So he pulls the plug on the doctors, waves around a report on the Eastern Health labs and talks about fat cat doctors earning $300k or more a year. He’s underestimating the critical role that our doctors play in our lives and how much they do for which they do not get paid. He’s also underestimating how much support they have among the population at large. Remember 2002 when the doctors walked off the job? Gee Danny MILLIONS (speaking of fat cats) you might have to go back to Florida for your check-up, but I suppose you’ve planned that already. Maybe you should put Kennedy in charge while you’re away … shouldn’t take him more than a couple of days to destroy the credibility you’ve established for this province. Stop the political theatre Mr. Premier and get your butt back to the negotiating table.