Published on March 10th 2011 - how are we doing now?
Danny's idea of punishment was skewed - do not let this cost us yet again!
As we muddle along into Danny's vision of a legacy - we should be reminded what happens when we as people do not ask questions regardless of media and opposition disinterest.
The Upper Churchill goes down in the history of western world developments as one of the worst deals ever to be perpetrated on a people.
Today as we see Hydro-Quebec lower its rate for Quebec consumers - we are pondering an astronomical raise in rates to accomplish what Nalcor says is a need to get rid of Holyrood.
Imagine our children having to deal with Holyrood and Labrador oil generated facilities while Hydro-Quebec and the people of our neighbouring province enjoy virtually complete hydro generated power - including the fabulous 5000 MW's from the Upper Churchill. That is a cost of that mistake. Our children should be enjoying complete clean renewable hydro energy but for the mistakes of Joey Smallwood, John Crosbie, Bill Rowe and others. We can thank a silent opposition of the day as well.
Imagine our children leaving Newfoundland and Labrador to work in processing facilities powered by our energy and value adding from our resources. That is the cost of such a mistake.
Imagine a place full of renewable hydro losing industries and not gaining them at a time when energy hungry smelters and refining facilities seek such energy in today's marketplace. That is the cost of that mistake.
Imagine our children's shoulders burdening billions in debt as we continue to lose billions we could have enjoyed - if a mistake was not made on the Upper Churchill contract.
Imagine - for years - we accepted a significant reduction in equalization payments because we produced the energy from the Upper Churchill - even though we were not the beneficiaries of the tremendous profits. Ottawa looked and said - even though the deal was bad - you could be collecting more - so we will reduce your payments as if you were. Billions more in lost revenues - a cost of doing a bad deal.
Imagine - had we simply waited - we would have attracted industry and developed the power for the benefit of Labradorians. Imagine what could have been in the 70's and 80's as oil prices rose from 60's prices of $3($18 adjusted for inflation) a barrel to $38($90 adjusted for inflation)dollars a barrel and now even greater again. That attractive hydro power that uses water not oil for fuelling generation. That water that is not impacted by an oil embargo from the Middle East in the 70's or the civil unrest in Libya today.
Imagine we would be debt free like Alberta - we would be utilizing a significant portion of our oil revenues for a heritage fund so that our grandchildren benefit from the non-renewable resources we are extracting now. Instead it is keeping us artificially afloat - keeping our growing budget in health care intact - until that is - when the oil is gone. That too will be a cost of that mistake.
Imagine the pride and not anger we could feel if we had just questioned a little more and waited for the right opportunity for us. Labrador's population could have exploded and industry could have flourished. We would not blame Quebec for our own mistake and their intelligence in choosing risks.
Here we are again - Danny says the Emera deal will right the wrongs of the Upper Churchill. What a joke. Does he take us all for fools? Apparently and that continues on with his successor Premier Dunderdale. We are mad at Quebec so we will go around them - be damned the cost - we will punish them.
Danny's idea of punishment clearly is skewed. Stephen Harper's lie robs us of 10 billion dollars - he punishes him by electing all Liberals (who cares) and by sending Fabian Manning to the Senate (oh the pain). Currently he wants us to punish Quebec by ramming through a hydro project which ships even more power out - to another company (publicly traded) which is vulnerable therefore for takeover. Punish Quebec by driving our power rates through the roof while making competitive jurisdictions cheaper.
Danny did not right the wrongs of the Upper Churchill as he promised - if there was a deal to be done on the Lower Churchill. I believe if it's even possible he's made matters worse.
First the unearned arrogance of the PC government continues to assume that the best possibility for power development is for export. Prove this to me and the rest of our people. Prove how exporting even more of this industrially attractive resource helps Newfoundland and Labrador more than if we used the power here. Show us the numbers - the normal economic studies that would be completed to reach such a conclusion. The government will have studies on everything but the economics of shipping out hydro power versus utilizing it through industry in Labrador.
The Upper Churchill will continue to punish generations of our people for decades to come - we hardly need to couple that misery with the untested policy of yet another Churchill development.
Why would industry ever consider coming here if we so willingly ship it to more convenient jurisdictions. Jurisdictions that already enjoy an advantage through the use of our raw resources?
We lose our fishery - and we sit and take it.
We lose our forestry - and we sit and take it.
We lose billions of dollars from a Harper lie - we sit and take it.
We are now on the verge of losing yet another tremendous resource - will we sit and take it?
What will it take for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to stop taking it and stand up for their children and grandchildren?
Why are we not in the streets and demand action?
Danny bluffed and bluffed and bluffed. We lost and lost and lost - on his way out he has asked us to giveaway yet another resource. This time say no. Just say no.
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