Miramichi — After news broke over the weekend of a controversial visit by Brunswick News Executives to Larry’s Gulch, the taxpayer-owned private fishing lodge, retired mill worker Bill Cunningham decided it was time to step up.
Brunswick News is under fire over an alleged visit to the lodge by senior editorial staff at the invitation of the province’s former head of the liquor corporation. The boozy party was paid for by the province’s taxpayers. The controversy grew when it was revealed that government insiders may have erased names of the Brunswick News executivess from the official government documents that track who visits the lodge and when.
Upon hearing the news, Cunningham, a longtime Liberal supporter, decided he wanted to do his part to help prop up the Gallant government. “Since the kids are grown, hardly anyone uses the camp anymore. My son’s working out west and my daughter’s in Halifax and we barely get to see them over the holidays because they’re so busy visiting their friends. Anyhow, the camp’s just sitting there. Might as well get some use out of it.”
Cunningham proposes renting his camp to the province at what he calls a “family rate” in the interest of helping to pay down the province’s debt and save the government some money. “I like that young Gallant fellow and I want to give him a leg up over those greasy guys we voted out. With all the money our province owes, he should just sell the lodge and rent my camp when he or his buds want to entertain anyone. Heck, I won’t even ask that they keep a guest list as long as they clean up after themselves when they leave. And if they pay me cash, that’d be great!”
The Cunningham “lodge” boasts a rustic outhouse lovingly decorated with Alpine bottle caps, running cold water (once the plumbing’s hooked up in the spring), several sets of bunk-beds and a wood stove to keep you warm on those chilly nights. “I found the wood stove out in the woods and she cleaned up pretty good! Once she’s going good, it don’t smoke too much inside but you just gotta get ‘er cooking!” Cunningham exclaimed. “The good news is when she does smoke inside, it keeps the skeeters at bay.”
Cunningham estimates the government could save several million dollars over the next 4 years. “Plus, I’d get a little bit of money under the table for me and the wife so we can go south next winter,” he added. Government officials have no comment at this time.