Newfoundland Government refuses call for Judicial Inquiry into Don Dunphy's Death

The Premier of this province refuses to call, at this time at least, a judicial inquiry into the shooting death of Don Dunphy at the hands of his personal body guard. A disgraceful, arrogant, and out of touch position that angers the people here to the core. Yet, the ruling PC cabinet refuses to call an inquiry.

The reasoning goes something like this: "There is an ongoing investigation...there maybe criminal charges as a result...the investigation may leave no questions left to answer...those calling for it are playing politics." This is the kind of foolishness that often passes for governance here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Here's some background for those that don't know the province, or those in the province that don't scrutinize the government's actions on a daily basis like a few of us do...:

1. The RNCA (the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association) is a union-like association representing the RNC officers in this province. Since 1999 it has donated thousands of dollars each year to the ruling PC Party - almost exclusively. It donated $10,000.00 to Paul Davis for his successful leadership campaign. All of this in violation of the RNC Act, which makes it illegal.

2. The RNC forms the premier's personal protection force - ie: bodyguards. The RCMP are also involved in this function.

3. The premier is a retired RNC officer. He appointed a retired RNC Chief as his Chief of Staff.

4. On Easter Friday a member of the premier's office flagged a tweet from Don Dunphy, which was not a threat, but sent it to the personal body guard of the premier anyway.

5. On Saturday, the next day, the premier attended a hockey game with his family without any security what so ever.

6. On Easter Sunday a member of the premier's bodyguard, dressed in plain clothes, driving the premier's personal black SUV, arrived at Don Dunphy's, was invited into his home, and 15 minutes later the officer shot Don Dunphy dead. Apparently the conversation took a turn for the worse, for "whatever reason", and Don pulled a weapon on the officer. Or so the officer says.

So, we have a police force, politically linked to the governing party, whose officer, the premier's bodyguard, shot and killed an injured worker and vocal opponent of the governing party in his own home - without witnesses. Pardon the hell out of me, but if that isn't the most bizarre set of circumstances in a so-called democracy, then I don't know what would be. The problem here is that nobody in our society wants to be held accountable. It's the culture of "unaccountability". Wasn't me. Wasn't my fault. Wasn't his fault. It was nobody's fault. Shit happens. Oh well.  This is what passes for democracy in Newfoundland.

Then, in a further bizarre twist, we have the opposition Liberals, who are meant to clean up the mess left by the PC's after the next election, refusing to call for a public inquiry. Ironically, they are spouting the same buzzwords and talking points the discredited PC's are. It's like politics submersed in complete slime. Andrew Parsons, the Liberal justice critic, had the actual nerve to state people calling for a public inquiry were playing politics. Apparently, Parsons and the Liberals, along with the PCs are unable to to tell the difference between "holding people to account" and "playing politics". A completely disgraceful position. A despicable attempt to marginalize people outraged and seeking accountability over an innocent man's death at the hands of a premier's bodyguard in 21rst century Canada by framing it as "playing politics". It turns my stomach. The NDP, to their credit, came out yesterday calling for such an inquiry.

The biggest question right now is why won't the government call an inquiry? Why are the Liberals backing that position, rather than seeking the truth, and listening to the public? Obviously the Judicial Inquiry could not commence until after the investigation is finished, but it can be called to commence immediately after the investigation. The judge can be appointed. The terms of reference can be crafted. All the administrative issues could be resolved. We called it "concurrent activity" in the army. Civilians call it "multitasking". Bottom line is there is no reason to not announce there will be an inquiry after the investigation. Instead, Minister King said yesterday that a judicial inquiry won't be called unless he feels the investigation comes up short. So, the political people, who accepted illegal political donations from members of the RNC, are going to decide whether an officer of the RNC (who was the premier's personal bodyguard), and the office of the premier will be subjected to a judicial review over the killing of an opponent of the government - not witnessed.

Name me another jurisdiction in Canada where we would even be talking about this. That's how rotten to the core the political elite of this province are. That is just how badly things need to change here. Donny Dunphy did not die in vain. He's become the symbol of victims of an irresponsible, corrupted elite within our province.