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Premier Shawn Graham is making it abundantly clear that New Brunswick is not going to tolerate being pushed around or bullied, instead standing up for this province's best interests and, if necessary, travelling our own path to ensure those interests are properly protected.

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An impressive list of 17 New Brunswick doctors, most from the Horizon Health Network (formerly Regional Health Authority B) have written the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to demand it rethink its plans to move its blood processing and distribution facility from Saint John to Dartmouth, N.S. The doctors, who are supported by the premier, make strong arguments based on need and quality of care.

Meanwhile, the province has had discussions with Quebec about the possibility of partnering with its separate blood system. This would better cover New Brunswick than continuing with the 'national' CBS system, which will have much less claim to being a national body offering the best services if New Brunswick leaves.

The New Brunswick doctors make a strong case that the facilities already existing in Saint John should remain there because they are a particularly efficient and high quality portion of the CBS system.

This issue has similarities with the approach Premier Graham is taking to the problems of NB Power. There too some sort of partnership or agreement with Quebec is being explored, whether Newfoundland or anybody else outside New Brunswick likes it or not. They are irrelevant. The premier is showing great leadership, ensuring quality services and protection of citizens in both cases.

If the mandarins in Ottawa, many of whom wouldn't be able to properly spell Saint John, don't like it, tough. They are condescending, know nothing of this region and invariably move everything to Halifax, their favoured city to visit should they actually have to come east on business. They wonder why the Maritime Provinces are so slow to develop. They should look in the mirror as they plan to spend $38 million to move an excellent facility that has long done a fabulous job right where it is.

New Brunswick will stand up for itself. It won't be bullied. And if it wrecks somebody else's plans in Ottawa, too bad, it looks good on them.