Minister of Fields and Farms has added too much

wind to her portfolio - or at least her rhetoric - and it's getting ridiculous.
First it's fair to say that when it comes to hydro - oil and gas - Voisey's Bay - normally it's the Premier at the helm. Not Dunderdale or the great Byrne before her - were permitted to say too much about the significant energy and mining resources.
When it comes to fighting with the oil companies - the feds over oil and gas - or discussing the so-called new "Hydro Corporation" - Danny is the mouth and the rest - including the Minister are mere echoes - unless you are Dean MacDonald - he can speak. And speak he will when we look at the words he used during the Tobin proposed deal for the Lower Churchill...and the changes that were made to get guaranteed winter availability pact...
Today on the CBC Morning Show the Minister was on singing the praises of two Island wind projects that you and I (the consumer) will pay for and the Italian Government and unknown investors will profit from.
First - wind will not replace the need for thermal or any other form of non-renewable fossil fuels as wind is not reliable. It is not hydro power - and it must be backed up - so who do you think pays for the back-up? You and I. Danny Williams energy plan is a secret to us - and known completely by him. You see he's not supposed to making these new energy decisions in the absence of the "PLAN".
Labrador is treated differently as a project for 1000 MW's in that region will not get full consideration until the completion of the "PLAN".
Williams is privatizing energy generation - he has no mandate for that - in fact he sought a mandate to do an energy "PLAN". He is giving away natural resources as the Province has no equity nor will receive any royalties on these new wind projects.
We have also not seen the deal - we do not know what the cost of the power will be!!! Why not???? Let's have a look at that Minister...
Where is the Opposition on this?
The Opposition first must believe there is a need for an Energy Plan - something which for over a decade we asked for - and for over a decade they ignored. I've written 2 drafts and there was no real desire of any Liberal Premier to complete one.
That's what makes this situation worse. While Quebec and BC - Iceland and Norway have clear plans for domestic and export use for the last and next 25-50 years - we sit in limbo. We speak freely about exporting our clean hydro from Labrador and think nothing of planning to attract industry with the same power - at a time when the Alcan's of the world seek this potential. It will not be too long into our future that heavy industry will have to go where the renewable green energy is - else the penalties will make them uncompetitive.
I heard Yvonne Jones skirt the question of hydro export from Labrador on Randy Simms program- supporting the Premier's folly of export and talking instead about guaranteeing that the thermal energy they are left to rely on will be subsidized...Right - keep on planning...
John Hickey says nothing about Labrador wind and the Metis objections including the failure of the Premier to even recognize them. This should go over well - come next election. Randy Collins is silent with respect to energy for industry - when he lives among the success it brings. Wally Anderson - not a peep - but there his district might benefit tremendously from wind or small hydro - nothing not a word.
If any federal politician currently on the environment band-wagon actually gets their way with emissions control - we can be the major beneficiary of industrial growth. If oil stays anywhere near the price it sits - if not soaring higher - we again can be the beneficiaries of industrial growth. This revenue only approach by the Premier reflects what is desirable for shareholders in the private sector - not a government policy which considers the direct benefits to those adjacent to the resource and the overall economic benefit of generating hydro for industry not export. This position as opposed to being challenged by the Libs - is questioned only because we might develop it on a go-it-alone basis. Possibly the only good thing Williams has proposed on the subject. What do they propose? Quebec own 1/3 - private own 1/3 - what???
As our politicians sit and argue over the few thousand dollars of over-billing (fire them out of caucus) until they learn to check what they are signing - our province falls further and further behind on economic development and growth.
Story after story in BC - Iceland - Quebec - the EU - Africa - and China talk about using hydro renewable power to grow their respective economies and we are sniffling over who is getting caught by the Auditor General.
Sue's Blog is going to hammer and hammer until the nail is driven through - and broken promises will be no more........
It is up to you and me - Newfoundlanders and Labradorians - to keep an eye on this ball - which is our future - and let the squawking politicians understand that Harvey and his problems and the MHA's caught overspending and their problems and MHA's caught double billing and their problems are not the most important issues in our Province.
300 people from Burgeo - most definitely is - Stephenville and the mill definitely is - out migration to Alberta definitely is - the current proposed pilfering of FPI is - the energy plan is and so on....The absence of policy by our parties is killing this province - it's future - and the thousands that are leaving....
Next - up Leadership and our Choices as Newfoundland and Labrador Elects 2007.

Oh yes and what was that position I heard on FPI examining the sale of it's Newfoundland and Labrador assets? Protect the quota??? What's that - the only thing the feds control - and Mr. Reid what of this need to come to the legislature to allow the sale???

This story from the VOCM news site...

The leader of the Opposition says it's important that fish quotas be protected in any sale of assets of FPI's Newfoundland operations. At least a couple of processors are said to be interested, but so far, FPI has been unavailable for comment. Liberal leader Gerry Reid says any sale would have to go to the legislature for approval.

Were you referring to this section - where the Cabinet can approve it? You voted on it so I assume you read it.

Sale of business restricted

7. (1) Except with the prior approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, neither FPI Limited nor Fishery Products International Limited shall sell, lease, exchange, mortgage, grant or assume a security interest on, or otherwise dispose of, or allow or direct a subsidiary of it to sell, lease, exchange, mortgage, grant or assume a security interest on, or otherwise dispose of, a substantial portion of an undertaking, property, assets or business operation which relates to or carries on, in whole or in part, the harvesting, processing or marketing of seafood.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), except with the prior approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, neither FPI Limited nor Fishery Products International Limited shall sell, lease, exchange, mortgage, grant or assume a security interest on, or otherwise dispose of, or allow or direct a subsidiary of it to sell, lease, exchange, mortgage, grant or assume a security interest on, or otherwise dispose of, a plant or other processing facility, wherever located, and machinery and equipment located in the plant or processing facility.

(3) In subsection (1), "property" and "assets" mean all property and assets, whether tangible or intangible, wherever located, and include

(a) vessels;

(b) quotas; and

(c) shares or interests in a subsidiary corporation,

but do not include

(d) "inventory" and "inventory" means inventory as defined in the Personal Property Security Act .

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (1), FPI Limited, Fishery Products International Limited and a subsidiary of either of them may mortgage, pledge, charge, grant or assume a security interest on, or otherwise encumber, their undertakings, property or other assets to secure their obligations.