Sovereignty you question? Yes Sovereignty!
Unfortunately we voted ourselves out of complete independence when we "joined" Canada. However there is still this little small item remaining that of a province.
You and I have listened to musings of creating one Atlantic Province called Atlantica. Many business people and some politicians have really entertained this.
From a business perspective - many elite billionaires dream about the super province wherein the resources of Newfoundland and particularly Labrador can be stripped from this geography and delivered to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for processing and wealth. A corporate dream that would see Newfoundlanders and Labradorians flock to work in the Maritime region - leaving the province with no specific purpose other than camps of workers to extract resource after resource and the power to fuel industry will come from Labrador and delivered to the new Maritime business mecca. Almost like Great Britain when it sent fishermen for a season but would not allow settlement.
If you cannot imagine this - then you could not have imagined we would give up our Dominion status and sell-out to the mighty Canada. But - it did happen.
Since that time we have not enjoyed steady population and industrial growth - rather we have had decimation of resource after resource - and the decimation of our rural communities and population of youth.
We have seen naive politicians make deal after deal with global corporations - that always placed the needs of our people last. We have never enjoyed full benefit from any resource we have exploited.
Our history is in the fishery - but the fishery is almost dead - this after turning management over to Ottawa. This was a renewable resource - a food basket of the world - now it is a just a fraction of what it once was. Remember in 1992 it was only to take 10 years to recover - where is that recovery? Where are the 40,000 people it took with it? Where are the communities? Where are the fishplants? Disgrace!
Then there was the mines - the great wealth of minerals - hauled out truck by truck ship by ship train by train to be processed elsewhere - taking the high paying jobs and skilled workers with it. Communities stripped of their wealth without an heritage fund - left with nothing but a polluted place. Disgrace!
Our forestry - almost stripped bare - and then as we finally forced reforestation and sustainable harvesting - we lost the industry it fuelled. Two paper mills gone. Discrace!
Lastly our power - the tremendous Upper Churchill potential lost to generations of our people - nothing to show for it - not industry - not jobs. Where parts of Labrador continue to rely on thermal generation and not an aluminum smelter in sight. 5000 mw's fuelling the Quebec economy and fuelling Hydro-Quebec the most powerful of power companies. For years losing equalization based on revenues we could not even collect.
Now Dunderdale and the Tories feel compelled to export another block of power - this time subsidizing it for Nova Scotia and others - while not delivering this power to all of Labrador - and not one MW for industry in the Big Land. Dunderdale claiming she is willing to listen to real arguments opposed to the Emera giveaway - but as Danny would say "nothing could be further from the truth". Dunderdale drilling down with due diligence so she may be all over a file - she does not have a real clue about.
Tell me something Ms. Dunderdale - who or what is the Atlantica Centre for Energy ?
What of the description:
The Atlantica Centre for Energy is an industry association dedicated to the sustainable growth and economic development of the regional energy sector. Originally centered in southwestern New Brunswick, the Centre's board has expanded to include leading energy professionals and national professional services companies in Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador and Ontario.
The Centre serves as a bridge between corporations and the community to help realize the opportunities associated with the energy sector in Atlantic Canada and the American Northeast. It provides a meeting ground for government, the education and research sectors, and the community at large to foster partnerships and engagement in energy-related issues and policy development.
Who is benefiting from power found in Labrador? Why would that be fuelling an Atlantica vision? How is it we benefit by creating wealth outside our province?
How about their vision for the Lower Churchill found HERE
I can tell you this Premier Dunderdale and Cabinet - what you are doing with the Lower Churchill will make the architects of the Upper Churchill look like patriots to this province and her people. Are you that naive - or are you that involved?
Again I remain amazed at the PC members so willing to become part of this - the worst giveaway in our history - the day we sold our province.
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