Real BREAKING NEWS

Yesterday Sue's Blog focused on the journalistic style of James McLeod in his story headlined "Nalcor audit won’t be done before retirement: AG".

Today let's look at some of the other information we can take from this interview.

The AG Terry Paddon is retiring at months end. He leaves behind an unfinished audit of specific operations of Nalcor.

The story does not tell us some important things.

How far along is the audit?
When did Paddon expect to finish it when it began?
Did he run into unforeseen difficulties in attaining the information he needed?
Was it Paddon's intent to finish the audit before he retired?
What does Paddon think the cost will be to finish it?
Is it more costly under a new Auditor General than if he completed it before he retired?
Did he find anything worth noting now?

Terry Paddon is one of those nice people. Not much - I've ever seen in his personality that would put people off. He is a professional by designation and as best I could tell - took his role seriously.

Paddon - however - missed a couple of key areas in his tenure with the Department of Finance and as Auditor General. He missed some real activity regarding the Federal - Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act (Equalization) - despite being alerted to it.

Equalization - as the program is normally referred to - primarily has been to the benefit of Quebec. The program which Stephen Harper promised he would change but then did not - I assume was kept whole for Quebec.

Harper's promise to remove royalties from non-renewable resources from the formula - would have meant that our oil revenues could have served to improve the lives of future generations so much more. That was a digression. (still angry at CPC for deliberately conning Newfoundland and Labrador and "Seantor" Manning's standing at Harper's side as he did it)



BREAKING NEWS

Many people may not have noticed - but Hydro-Quebec does a significant amount of public program spending. They have been doing that for decades.  Why is the question....

ANSWER

Back in 2000 Stephane Dion then President of the Queen's Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs appeared on Bill Rowe's Open-Line. I asked questions the Minister could not answer on line - so he did as he promised - wrote me the answers to my questions.

Below is the response: 





"On the question of the treatment of Churchill Falls under the Equalization program, it should be noted that an adjustment has been made in the calculation of Equalization payments since 1982 which takes into account how Churchill Falls hydro is priced. Equalization payments are based on the relative ability of each province to raise taxes; and the Churchill Falls adjustment shifts some capacity to tax hydro sites from Newfoundland to Quebec. The net effect is to reduce Quebec's annual Equalization payments while raising Newfoundland's. Furthermore, to the extent that profits from Churchill Falls translate into profits to Hydro Quebec that are remitted to the Quebec government, these too have the effect of lowering Quebec's Equalization."

Right from the get-go we were being further penalized on the Upper Churchill - while Quebec reaped even more benefits. Then the formula was changed to reflect the real contract (albeit not enough in my opinion).

Were we ever compensated for the past - NO.

The real kicker though was found accidentally in the last sentence of Dion's response.  "Furthermore, to the extent that profits from Churchill Falls translate into profits to Hydro Quebec that are remitted to the Quebec government, these too have the effect of lowering Quebec's Equalization."

That little remark was an eye opener for anybody watching Hydro-Quebec - as I certainly was.

The hundreds of News Releases coming out of Hydro-Quebec in those years were phenomenal. Now it made sense. Before profit - expenses come out. If Hydro-Quebec delivered or helped to deliver public programming on behalf of the Government of Quebec - they lowered their profits - while the province of Quebec saved equalization money - which gave the province even more to spend on public programs.

In short - Hydro-Quebec making billions off our resource - reduced their profits - lowered remitances to the government - in some years almost to zero - to avoid the loss of equalization. This in turn exponentially increased the value from Labrador resources for Quebec.

At the time Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro was making money and was remitting profits to Newfoundland and Labrador. At the time we could have taken advantage of the same. Today Nalcor is not "profitable" - only by force of the PUB, our laws, and oil activity. Nalcor never did do the investment and development that Hydro-Quebec has successfully. 

Terry Paddon was aware of this and we did nothing. We sat on our hands and did nothing.

The political and media spin in Newfoundland and Labrador became we MUST become a "have" province. The romantic - naive - irrelevant title of "have". The "have being based on a formula that could see a financially destitute province be "have" while a thriving growing super power province be "have not".

Let me be more clear: Quebec has an unemployment rate of 6% Newfoundland and Labrador is at almost 15%. The population in NL was 530,854 in 1971 and 528,817 in 2017 meanwhile the population in Quebec was 6,137,305  in 1971 and 8,394,034 in 2017.  Provincial debt NL is $23,052 per person while in Quebec it is $22,104. This does not include the albatross of 13 Billion for Muskrat Falls. Then we take into account that Nalcor is not financing all it's own obligations - we put in a fair chunk and it is only barely profitable because of oil operations. When compared to Hydro-Quebec which has hundreds of millions in profits - without oil revenues.

Paddon failed by not describing what equalization truly is and how the system works. It's not all his fault - but political masters should not have had that much say.

The media - should really get its collective act together and do some real reporting. It should make itself knowledgeable about important issues and policies before it puts out fluff - this denying the people of balanced information on which they can make a decision.

It is no longer acceptable to have zero leadership in politics and zero accountability of the news media.

We are broke. We continue to repeat mistakes. We continue to dream without doing anything that remotely will help us achieve our dream of prosperous future. 

By the way - are there any MHA's willing to wade in to this discussion or members of our "press corps"?















 

Wangersky's Wisdom Waning

Russell Wangersky should know better. He likes to wax poetic. He likes to believe that his columns are of intellectual value. His current column titled: 22 words with a very big bite is not intellectual but is naively romantic.

This is yet another example of Telegram employees giving a pass to politicians regarding Muskrat. 

Since Dwight Ball orated - to an elite corporate community - that his government will conduct a public inquiry on the boondoggle - Telegram employees have been joining in an attempt to calm the seas of public dissent. When I say joining - I don't mean collaborating - I mean they are buying the government spin.

His piece begins with the sentence: "The single dirtiest trick played on electrical customers in this province hasn’t hit home yet. But it will."

Wangersky's assumption that the Muskrat disaster is a dirty trick played on consumers is downplaying the obvious gross negligence, the continued and often deliberate obfuscation, the real engineering concerns, the failure of equipment before the project is even finished, the doubling of the budget, the unending changes to project completion dates, and the number of red flags that demand a forensic audit.  It also negates the real possibility of criminal negligence, fraud, and bribery. 

When the World Bank blacklisted SNC Lavalin and its subsidiaries in 2013 from "bidding on its global projects under its fraud and corruption policy" - while Wangersky proclaims "..dirtiest trick.." - is irresponsible. 

Muskrat Falls stinks to the high heavens - it must be stopped. How do we know that documents are not being shredded as we speak? 

There remains a number of executives at Nalcor who have been there since sanctioning. How is this even possible? How is it possible that we paid a king's ransom for Ed Martin? 

So when Wangersky describes this fiasco as a dirty trick - he brings to mind events like fooling a candidates supporters into showing up at the wrong location. This is not a dirty trick. 

The most offensive and irresponsible part of this column is his concluding thought: "It’s water over the dam. The money’s gone anyway. The best thing we can do is to learn from the mistake, allow for independent oversight and not step in a pile of crap like this again."

I can only conclude that this intelligent and thinking human being must be bored with Muskrat, be suffering writers block, or simply and inexplicably buying the Tobinesque spin delivered by Dwight Ball. 

Learn from this mistake? How? By suffering bankruptcy? It's water over the dam? How does Russell know what we would be responsible for if illegal activities were found during a forensic audit? How does Russell know that the assets could not be used for another deal? He doesn't know. 

The Upper Churchill is a fiasco because of the contractual and economic contracts. The Upper Churchill is significantly successful in it's construction. It was on time and on budget. It stands as one of the best hydro facilities in the world. 

So here's what we learned. What we did right in development of the Upper Churchill - on time and on budget - we completely reversed for Muskrat Falls. The stinging and gross minimal return for Newfoundland and Labrador on the Upper Churchill - we repeat for Muskrat. 

If you went back 20 years and said we are going to repeat the mistakes of Churchill Falls - politicians would have been politically lynched. 

Now that the main stream media in Newfoundland and Labrador have been exposed for their unquestioning support of Danny Williams Muskrat fiasco - the line is "water over the dam"? 

Let's watch the same media as they spin the lines of the current failed administration. Watch as they play dirty tricks and marginalize the critics of this continued boondoggle. Watch as they contort to explain that giving away Gull Island to Quebec is going to be a good thing. 

This Wangersky wisdom we can do without.

  

Commitments not yet discovered?

In December of 2011 the following is an excerpt from a story in the Chronicle Herald 

Emera spokesperson "Huskilson said there’s more to the Muskrat Falls deal for Nova Scotia customers than simply getting a reliable source of renewable power. The development of the entire Lower Churchill Project, of which Muskrat Falls is just the first phase, should result in even lower energy rates for Nova Scotia consumers, he says."

and 

"Emera, and its Nova Scotia regulated utility Nova Scotia Power, will also benefit from the revenue earned from the transmission of the power generated in Labrador to markets in New England and elsewhere. How much that will be hasn’t been determined yet."

add this to Sue's Blog reference yesterday from an Emera proposal to Massachusetts:


"Hydro-Québec’s current contractual access to energy from the Churchill Falls facility, through arrangements with Nalcor, expires in 2041. As the end of that contract draws closer, having Atlantic Link as an additional large-scale transmission path creates options for Massachusetts and the New England electricity system to secure cost-effective clean energy, including supply originating at Churchill Falls. Massachusetts has a unique opportunity to position the New England electricity system for future optionality by choosing Atlantic Link infrastructure in the 2017 Clean Energy RFP process."

What do we have? What don't we know?

Meanwhile Hydro-Quebec has it's own proposal for Massachusetts found here

Then have a look at this latest story from the Globe and Mail (BC edition)

You'll soon realize that our two masters are Hydro-Quebec and Emera.

Nalcor and Newfoundland and Labrador's water resources are managed, bargained, and controlled by others. We have done nothing to learn from the past.

More to come...

Referendum needed - not another overlord

We all know by now the Muskrat Falls project is another epic failure - added to the annals of Newfoundland and Labrador's resource development.

This morning it's worth your time and effort to read Uncle Gnarley and educate yourself a little more on this millstone around our societal neck.

For years all of us who questioned, cautioned, and criticized the project were labelled in a very unflattering way.

The media relied on Ed Martin, the unsatiable corporate elite and their all-party political flock.

For years Martin was supposed to be an electrical power guru (which he was not). His real credentials and accomplishments never once questioned or best I can tell even researched.

A few weeks ago Ed rode off into his "retirement" to spend more time with grandchildren while our grandchildren were left to pay for this horrific mess.

Martin's grandchildren - if they remain here - may well have more of a cushion to rely on when attempting to cover the cost of living.

Now we are going to roll out the new overlord - Stan Marshall.

CBC headline - It's official: Muskrat Falls a boondoggle, says Marshall.

Just a year ago - anything that came out of Ed Martin's mouth would have been given the same esteem.

We have also been told - it is too late to stop.

As I have said already Stan Marshall's credentials are far superior to Martin's regarding regulated utilities and development of hydro projects. But he is not God - and he too is fallible and has baggage.

For once in our lives and on the 100th anniversary of Beaumont Hamel - let's show the courage our men showed in 1916.

We must demand a referendum on the Muskrat Falls project. We must demand to be shown all the options and the numbers attached to each. We must demand to be heard and that government give interested citizens and groups funding to do the research leading up to a referendum. We must demand that this be stopped until that time.

We have been told it's too late to stop because we cannot afford to do so and we've essentially been told we can't afford it when it's finished.

I do not want to rely on the financial imagination and business acumen of one man. I want all of our people to have a shot at coming up with solutions.

If the project is safe - and that's a big if - we need to see if another deal can be made for the power running through the Quebec system. In this way the power can be sold and help pay for the project. We need to see if an appetite is there to develop Gull Island through CFLco and sell that power at market price.

This is but one suggestion there are many more and potential for industrial end-use in Labrador in the future.

We accepted the "trust us" now for a decade and look where it has gotten us. Now we are supposed to just "trust us" again? If we accept this - we accept our inevitable financial and societal demise.

I will knock my head off the concrete wall again and ask the obvious question: Where is Stan Marshall's Executive Contract? Are there any potential conflicts? A few weeks ago local media was salivating all over the Martin contract - yet nothing on Marshall's contract.

Stan Marshall does not have all the answers and the politicians have proven they don't have a clue.

Stan Marshall should look at nationalizing Newfoundland Power for the same reasons he once wanted to privatize Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro. The efficiencies can save us money. The consumers will benefit. Can Marshall look at that possibility? Is he constrained by conflict of interests?

I am not willing to accept that this particular Muskrat deal can't be stopped. I am not willing to accept that Stan Marshall is the only one with answers to our mess. I am not willing to treat Marshall any differently than I treated Ed Martin. I want more information - I want all of it. Then I as one citizen want the right to vote on another 6 billion dollars before it is spent.

Ref-er-en-dum  - A general vote by the electorate on a single question that has been referred to them for a direct decision.

We have the right at 12 Billion Dollars to have that direct say.


 

Tick-Tock the Muskrat and Election Clock

Tick-Tock Tick-Tock goes the Muskrat Clock. Tick-Tock Tick-Tock goes the Election Clock.

Is Hydro-Quebec sitting back and waiting for a bankrupt project? Is the company watching the mess carefully? You know they are.

The Tories and their continued clinging to power and power are ruining this province and her people. The project is over-budget and delayed. Sadly - it may not be delayed enough.

We need some information quickly.

1. What is the cost of getting out of the Emera contract?
2. What is the REAL supply situation on the Island and what is the REAL industrial demand in Labrador?
3. How much exactly have we spent both already expended and contractually expended?
4. If we stopped the project now - what would be the cost?
5. If we continue what is the cost over 50 years?
6. Are we able to interest industrial customers in the Big Land?
7. What are the PC "protectors of natural resources" doing shipping raw - unprocessed ore?
8. Why should we accept and expect huge cost overruns?
9. Will the Tories commit to not signing any more deals on resource development until the next election?
10. Why are Newfoundlanders and Labradorians willing to work on a project that will harm their children and grandchildren?

Who are the real people behind this deal? Please name those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are becoming multi-millionaires either directly or indirectly from the Muskrat deal?

Why are their so many Emera utility trucks on our highways?

Why is Emera servicing any of Newfoundland and Labrador?

Why is Emera getting a piece of the light bill you and I will pay on the Island.

Why are Ed Martin and Gilbert Bennett still on our payroll? 

Wake-up everybody - we are being socially, economically, and voluntarily robbed of our natural wealth and the future wealth of our children. 

Muskrat - Incompetence? Corruption? Deliberate lies?

Are you willing to read a paragraph to protect your children and grandchildren?

As Tory MHA's current and past line up to run for the Party leadership remember this: They were all part of the Muskrat fiasco.

Please read an excerpt from an article in the Business Excellence Magazine written late last year.

The most recent project to be completed was the $5 billion Eastmain 1A-Sarcelle-Rupert project, in the James Bay area. It was launched in 2007 with approval to build the Eastmain-1-A and Sarcelle powerhouses and divert part of the Rupert River's flow. The diversion began in 2009, two of the three generating units at Eastmain-1-A powerhouse were commissioned in 2011, the third in January 2012. The first generating unit at Sarcelle powerhouse was commissioned in April 2013 and the two other units have now come on line. “From an environmental and logistic standpoint it was the most challenging project in the history of Hydro-Québec,” he says. “It covers an area the size of some European countries but we were able to bring it in on time and a little under budget so we are very proud of that result.”

We need an investigation to determine what caused the unacceptable overruns in the Muskrat Falls project. We need the senior management of Nalcor to resign. We need to hold this government accountable now.

Ed Martin steps to a mic - declares an 800 million overrun - therefore we the people will pay more - then walks back to his very lucrative job.

Fire Ed Martin and the senior management involved in this project.We don't pay them millions a year to be wrong.

Fire the Tories - insist that they call an election now.

Find out how the external expertise we used to confirm the bad numbers - are themselves in a mess with overruns.

Don't turn away from this robbing of the public purse. Look it square in the eyes. Tell Tom Marshall, John Ottenheimer, Paul Davis, and Steve Kent that we no longer wish to be bamboozled. Show them the door and then see if there is a reason for them to lose their pensionable benefits.

MandaTORY Muskrat Material

What a difference it makes if you are a PC Opposition in Manitoba or a PC Government in Newfoundland and Labrador.

On the heels of the Quebec review of hydro project potentials - Manitoba Conservatives are asking the government there to put the brakes on hydro projects in that province.

But oh no - wait - that's Manitoba Hydro - didn't they do a review for us?

A quote from a story in the Winnipeg Sun

Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister said a recommendation made to Hydro-Quebec last week highlights a bleak economic outlook for such investments. A Quebec commission called on government to postpone or cancel a $6.5-billion, four-dam Romaine River hydroelectric project. The commission claimed a boom in cheap natural gas means the energy created by the project would sell for less than it costs to produce.

“This Quebec report should be a clear cause for reconsideration,” Pallister said.

Pallister labeled Manitoba Hydro’s expansion plans “a mega gamble” that would triple the Crown corporation’s debt. (emphasis added)

And yes it gets worse - the Manitoba government in its response to Opposition concerns said:

Stan Struthers, the minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, was not available for comment Tuesday.

In a statement on his behalf, a spokesman said Manitoba continues to profit off export sales and secured more than $9 billion in such contracts since 2010.

“This means that from the first day (of the proposed $6.2-billion) Keeyask (generating station) goes into operation, U.S. customers will be paying down the debt on an asset that will generate clean electricity for a century — keeping rates low for Manitoba families and businesses,” (emphasis added) the statement said.

So the Manitoba Conservatives see the issue and the only comeback from the government is - who cares - because Americans will pay the bill and our customers will get cheap power.

So let's see now, we have weak markets, we are paying the bill, and out power rates will soar.

The Muskrat Falls development must be stopped. We cannot keep exposing our children and grandchildren to this disastrous legacy.

Take the time and read the story HERE - become engaged in this most important issue and let the leaders know how you fell.

But one last thing - the story says this: (please read carefully) Manitoba’s Public Utilities Board has hired eight independent firms to review the value of Hydro’s plans and ensure they’re economically viable.

Our project is the most studied in the world - right? Oh and yes - it's not Manitoba Hydro calling the shots it's their Public Utilities Board.

Dunderdale's Tribalistic Box

When the current Government of Newfoundland and Labrador look out across the land they are not expecting to find signs of intelligent life. They treat the population with disdain and with an arrogance unbecoming their collective intellect.

Russell Wangersky's opinion piece in the Telegram yesterday is well worth a read and some considerable thought.

"Drunk on power" speaks of the current political fiasco in the US starring Governor Christie and compares the actions of causing traffic disruption for political reasons to our government paving roads in Tory districts. There are some other comparisons and I encourage you to read it.

I'm going to go a step further. This government is no doubt engorged with partisan zealots who have one mission - keep themselves in power. There are others who mistakenly believe they work for multinational corporations - not the electorate. Then there are the ones like Ed Martin and Gilbert Bennett. Ed just thinks hey I'm the CEO "the buck stops with me" (your right and too many of them for my liking) so I'm the CEO yeah I am - got awards to show for it. The province might be dark - but I'm the bright light of energy planning. The man spends money like it belongs to really generous, not so cautious, frankly negligent shareholders and Board members.

Gilbert Bennett the crossover Cable Atlantic guy is very arrogant to ordinary citizens who want to question his decisions. I'd swear that when I appeared in front of the Environmental Assessment hearings on Muskrat - he acted like he was still working for Danny Williams in the private sector - not me - or us - collectively as people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

There is no doubt that Dunderdale's PR and Policy handlers spend more time studying human behavioral patterns that they do putting out real and complete information. The study of which rural community to obliterate - or which plant to let close - or service facility to eliminate - and in what order - is far more important than being creative, industrious, and forward thinking.

The bad news comes in dribs and drabs so that not too many people will be upset at a given time - while the "good" news of re-announcing spending initiatives are mass released based on polling periods or as an offset to bad news.

The fact that the money they are spending is ours and they are only choosing what to spend it on - appears to escape the partisan zealots who act like it's coming from their personal bank accounts. That more so as they attempt to train the electorate that support for their government or for that matter Harper's zealots is the only way to cash-in. We are faced with - vote for me to be on the Government side. Then we witnessed the separate and inappropriate behaviors of Peter Penashue and Kevin O'Brien.

In my opinion this Williams Dunderdale government has and continues to confuse the Newfoundland and Labrador people's trustworthy nature with a lack of intelligence. There is no doubt that we have suffered and do suffer the consequences of abuse of that trust by many politicians.

That brings me to the title of this post "Dunderdale's Tribalistic Box". First and foremost when this government looks to seek independent local expert review, ideas, or opinion - they determine what they think that person's political persuasion is. If that person does not pass the PC BOX test - they are dismissed outright - regardless of their background and professional credentials. They are called naysayers and conspiracy theorists. Demonstrably this government are what they call their critics. Paranoia appears to abound, secrecy is the order of the day, rigging unscientific polls is a matter of a duty for backbenchers, naysayers of alternate thoughts to their own and absolutely conspiracy theorists. In my opinion they would have us believe that the actions of a number of citizens who question the Muskrat Falls deal has caused the population as a whole to move their political support away from them and therefore what is necessary are bunches of News Conferences, mass and expensive advertising, incessant calls to talk-shows, and the production of any number of "independent" reviews. 

The journalists in our province need to step to the plate and begin the process of discovery. They should never allow - unchallenged - the use of the words naysayers and conspiracy theorists - when used by politicians on productive, intelligent, and engaged citizens. It speaks volumes that when the province seeks experts to recheck the work of our employed "experts" that they seek people, corporations, and organizations outside the province. How refreshing it would be to have local experts with opposing views review the work of government - on matters such as the Muskrat Falls development deal or ferry building - or international trade agreements. The American media will chase their politicians down until they expose necessary information - and the ruling side of the House will adopt - from time to time - policies that were hatched on the other side.

This government has been without societal authority to make big decisions for a significant period of time - based on a continuing "crisis" in the polls. When they were in Opposition they had no problem asking then Premier Roger Grimes to make no significant resource deals as he did not - in their opinion - have the support of the people.

Stop confusing misplaced trust with a lack of intelligence. Stop doing things for "our own good" when we clearly do not want it. Stop manipulating the whole picture through ommission of information, propoganda, and cherry picking statistics. Stop politically threatening us or attempting to buy us with our own money.

Above all else remove overpaid executives in Crown Corporations - where it has been demonstrated that the person did not do their job. Further eliminate from Crown corporate Boards people who are not comparable in expertise to Crown corporate Boards in other provinces.

Next post will be on the PUB - What is government doing to it?

VP Hydro - Quote of the Decade

Yesterday produced the quote of the decade.

It is one of those statements that needs nothing else said.

It is one of those statements that makes one want to pack up their bags and move from their beloved Newfoundland and Labrador.

It is one of those statements that you consume and consume again - then just shake your head.

Then it Dawn's on you.

These are the experts.

It is time to clean house both politically and corporately within Nalcor.

Here's the quote as reproduced in a CBC story "We don't build the system to meet extreme circumstances, because it becomes very costly," said Henderson. "So what we do is we plan our generation to meet what we'd call a normal cold winter day, and what we'd normally experience."

Dean MacDonald come Clean

Dean MacDonald has placed himself right in the middle of the Liberal Leadership Campaign and therefore in the middle of debate and discussion.

So who are you Dean MacDonald? What is your claim to fame that makes you somebody to be listened to regarding this leadership contest?

1. You support the Muskrat Falls deal.

What we need from you on this is for you to compare the deal you were doing on the Lower Churchill when Brian Tobin was in power, the proposed development you rejected under the Roger Grimes administration and the deal in front of us under the Danny Willams administration.

You are in a perfect and unique position to be able to compare all three. You can tell us what makes this Muskrat deal superior to the other two you worked on.

You can tell us what happened to the Brian Tobin deal and what you gave up for a development that did not even happen.

2. You support Cathy Bennett - who supports the Muskrat Falls deal.

Did you at any time sit with Cathy Bennett on the Nalcor or various hydro boards?

The Muskrat Falls deal was cut under Danny Williams. Did you support Danny when he was Premier? Did you support him when his government cut a cheque for your company Persona? As a supporter of Danny Williams as a PC - do you acknowledge that he turned the Premiership over to Kathy Dunderdale? What has Kathy done differently than Danny Williams that has caused you to go Liberal? What can Cathy Bennett do with a Muskrat Falls deal that she was part of, supported, and was the poster face for - all under the PC government?

Did you at any time express to anyone that Cathy Bennett was not a Liberal and you could not support her?

Have you spoken to Danny Williams about the Bennett campaign? Has Cathy Bennett spoken to Danny Williams either before announcing or bid or after?

If one is to take you seriously and follow your "lead" to the Cathy Bennett camp - you need to prove your worth following anywhere.

Last time I looked you were on Twitter telling Con O'Brien to open his mind. That's a joke right?

Is this yet another Solid Gold idea?

Tobin via Williams via MacDonald via Bennett

Any chance Dean MacDonald - the current cheerleader for PC appointee Cathy Bennett - in bid for Liberal leadership - can explain to us the difference in the proposed deal by Roger Grimes for the development of the Lower Churchill and the current fiasco on Muskrat Falls?

Liberal/Tory/Liberal/Tory - they do not possess political ideology that's coherent.

Tobin via Williams via MacDonald via C Bennett - keep control is what it's all about.

So Tobin as Premier who cut a government deal with Williams on Cable Atlantic contract and Williams as Premier who cut a deal with MacDonald on Persona government investment - and are where as it relates to C Bennett?

Force the subject media - let us examine the Grimes proposed deal and this Emera/Nalcor deal. Give the people the details - compare costs, revenues, consumer prices, jobs, recall, and ownership. Dean had a hissy fit as Chair of Hydro under Grimes and stomped off claiming the proposed deal was so bad. Yet his buddy and business chap Williams managed to get him to really like the Emera deal - and now - well he's a Liberal again supporting the PC appointed Chair of Nalcor while they were cutting the PC deal.

This is what they expect Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to accept. This is how stupid they think we are?

Time to compare.

Did Dunderdale meet Quebec Premier Marois for 1 to 1 meeting?

According to a story in the Montreal Gazette:

"In addition to Lac-Mégantic, Marois has a one-on-one meeting planned with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale to discuss hydroelectrical projects in Labrador.

Newfoundland plans to build a $7.6-billion, 824-megawatt hydroelectrical project at Muskrat Falls, downstream from the 5,428-megawatt Churchill Falls dam, operated by Hydro-Québec.

Newfoundland is still bitter about a 1969 agreement giving Churchill Falls power to Hydro-Québec for 0.25 of a cent a kilowatt hour, dropping to 0.20 of a cent a kilowatt hour from 2016 until 2041.

Dunderdale wants to export Muskrat Falls power to New England using undersea transmission lines to Newfoundland and then from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia.

At the July meeting of the Council of the Federation in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Marois proposed discussing the situation with Dunderdale at the La Malbaie meeting."

Did this meeting occur? If not - why not? If so what happened?
 

Talk with Sue welcomes former Premier on Wednesday

I am pleased to advise listeners that former Premier Roger Grimes will our guest on Talk with Sue - For the Record - series on Wednesday evening starting at 8 pm on the Island and 7:30 pm in most of Labrador.

This series which debuted last week with Danny Dumaresque - specifically deals with critics of the proposed Muskrat Falls deal.

Roger will bring an interesting perspective to the program as one of a small group of people ever to have served as Premier.

Further he is the Premier that finalized the successful Voisey's Bay project - arguably the best industrial deal the province has ever made.

We will talk about the proposed Muskrat deal, the process of sanction, House of Assembly debate, Hydro-Quebec, industrial potential, and past proposals for development.

The show will be an hour and a half long allowing for more detail on this most important public policy and development issue.

Please join us by clicking HERE

Investigative Journalism - let's try this...

CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is running a Special Report called Newburbia. They describe it as this:

CBC Newfoundland & Labrador is exploring Newburbia. Across the northeast Avalon new neighbourhoods are being filled with new houses.

Who is living in these new suburbs, and why? We'll look the daily life of people who live in the suburbs, as well as the issues they face and the future they want to see.

I have been following it and it is an interesting piece.

There are three journalists involved as well as the use of news and other programming.

They have provided times lines from the 50's to now and have interviewed livyers, mayors and other planning and construction professionals as well. In a word - thorough.

The reader can even go online and look at how house plans have changed over the past 50 years.

There are probably some very interesting findings to come on why people move where they move and what quality of life they are seeking from their neighbourhoods.

What I would like to see is a similar commitment to a Special Report called the Upper and Lower Churchill.

Place online the various attempts to develop any part of the Lower Churchill - the deal on the Upper Churchill including any changes over the past 50 years.

Perhaps they could rerun the On Camera productions with Jennifer Davis that dealt with the right to wheel power, the potential for a deal with New York, and the deal that was lost.

The CBC could provide - online - the past proposed deals by Tobin and Grimes and whatever came of them.

They could highlight information about Hydro-Quebec and how they not us have become the powerhouse of hydro development.

They could show how many long-term jobs have been created in Quebec per MW of power and then explain how Quebec ratepayers benefit from developments.

They could attempt to show how HQ has used its revenues in the past to deliver government programs while maximizing their equalization.

The CBC might look at explaining to us what hydro power we already supply to Canada and how that ranks with other provinces and green  energy.

There could also be an extensive piece on how we not HQ got penalized under equalization for power from the Upper Churchill that Quebec not Newfoundland and Labrador benefited from.

The next item could be to examine significant hydro developments around the world that have attracted aluminum smelters and driven industrial development. Tens of thousands of jobs while still making money.

How does Iceland, Russia, Quebec and numerous other jurisdictions use their hydro power to drive population growth and job stimulation?

Considering the Premier continues to use our past with Quebec to promote the Emera deal should we not have the benefit of all the history to decide?

Does this deserve as much attention as Newburbia? You decide.

To listen to Talk with Sue tonight  PRESS HERE 

Danny Dumaresque will be our guest for the Program.

Muskrat Chill and Dunderdale's Parkas

CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador ran a clip on their late night broadcast of Premier Kathy Dunderdale commenting on the latest CRA poll results.

The quote from Dunderdale was:

"When you take on stewardship you have to be prepared to make difficult decisions sometimes that aren't popular but it's always nice when you have support of the majority of people, we have that and I'm grateful for it."

First of all the Premier and her government do not have support of the majority of people - they are governing because in "a snapshot in time" in October the majority of people who voted supported them.

Now considering the Premier claims she does not govern based on polls - I suggest she does not use popularity as a reason.

The "difficult decisions sometimes that aren't popular" piece as Dunderdale and her colleagues would phrase it - leaves me very perplexed. The erosion of support is based on difficult and unpopular decisions?

Let's see - so the Muskrat Falls fiasco is a difficult decision that is unpopular?

Decisions on what?

Is this a confirmation that polls are taking place internally on the Emera deal and they are not showing favourably?

There is no doubt that this proposed energy project is causing a significant drop in the popularity of the Premier and her government. Now come the tough questions versus the tough decisions.

1. British Columbia forced a referendum on HST through a tool in their democracy chest and the government had to live with the consequences. The harmonized sales tax policy is similar to the Muskrat Falls development deal in that it involves changes that affect consumers on mass and revenue streams for government. Will this government allow democracy to govern and call a referendum on this deal?

2. What can be done to force a referendum on this issue?

3. Considering this one project could amass a debt load equivalent to our entire debt now - is it not appropriate for the Premier and her government to seek permission over and above a "snapshot in time" result in October?

4. Considering very significant information on this deal and financial consequences were not known at the time of the last provincial election - how does the Premier feel she has vetted the public on it?

5. Will former PC and Liberal Cabinet Ministers step to the plate as former Premier Bill Vander Zalm did in British Columbia and rally the people to demand a referendum?

The Muskrat Chill refuses to thaw and the relationship between people and the government is getting frosty. The Premier can choose to pile on parkas or warm up to the people she is "humbled" to represent.

The Price of HydroPower and Greed - Stop the Emera Deal!

The concept is that Nova Scotia is paying for it`s (free) power from Muskrat Falls by building a portion of a transmission line to their province.

This is a new idea - in that the end user (Emera) only pays for the cost of transmission but does not pay for the development to PRODUCE the power.

As electrical consumers our bill is based on the cost of production, transmission, distribution, and administration. We pay all the way for our power. In this deal a private energy company gets free power for the price of a transmission line. This proposed deal is the worst deal for the development of any part of the Lower Churchill since the Upper Churchill contract.

We are going to have a private Nova Scotian company own part of a power line that will supply power to Newfoundlanders from Labrador. We have the same company owning transmission lines within our province. The same company will receive power cheaper that we will get power ourselves. This is a lose lose lose lose proposition that will leave future generations hating and seething Nova Scotia in the same way we have done to Quebec.

The truth is we are losing our autonomy over power and transmission to a publicly traded Nova Scotian company. The price of taking off Holyrood would be to no longer pay ourselves but rather pay a publicly traded Nova Scotian company. Instead of paying Nalcor and Newfoundland Power - in addition we will now be paying a portion to a publicly traded Nova Scotian company for the power you and I consume in our homes, our businesses, and institutions? Every time a light switches on at the Confederation Building - Emera will be getting what? Did you know that you will be paying Emera for 50 years? Did you know your grandchildren and great grandchildren will be paying Emera for power? Masters of our Destiny? Sure if our destiny is failure. Masters in our Own House? Sure if we own the house to begin with.

I repeat without hesitation - that this is the worst giveaway in our history and moreover the worst funneling of cash to select millionaires.

Will the media in Newfoundland and Labrador please compare all the previous proposed projects for the development of the Lower Churchill to this project? Will the media please put up a side by side chart of costs, ownership, and potential revenues? This is getting too close to reality. It is time to fight.

Will the opposition please awake from their summer slumber and do something - anything - to stop this atrocious deal?

MHA's of Newfoundland and Labrador please do something to stop this! This is really a time to stand for something. This is the time to really make your voice count. This is no longer a game of partisan "go fish" it is a time to really represent the people. 

Reason for Emera not Hydro Quebec? We Will Pay!

And so the fiasco which is the Muskrat Falls deal with Emera continues.

So how about we ask the following questions:

1. Would Quebec agree to a 20-20 deal that is 20% cost = 20% power output - considering overruns would be at our cost not theirs?

2. Would the construction be cheaper with Quebec?

3. Which company would give us better opportunities into the marketplace?

4. What about the ownership of the transmission route?

In my estimation a deal with Quebec would be more beneficial and could accommodate the Gull Island component as well.

In my estimation a deal with Quebec could give us greater returns at a lower cost.

In my estimation the only thing that is really different about the two potential partners is that Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Quebec are Crown Corporations owned by the people - whereas Emera is private.

That means the rich bugs get more and the people get less.

Straight forward explanation for a disaster of a project. 

Better than all of the above - use the power in Labrador with industrial partners.

30 years of gouging so that particular interests make a fortune. That ladies and gentlemen is our history. Congratulations to the current nitwits who are facilitating the giveaway.

A Chair is a Chair is a Chair - How does Nalcor's Compare?

How do we compare?

We are the shareholders of Nalcor - we deserve the best people available on our Board of Directors. 

Do we have that? 

Chair of the Board, Hydro Quebec

Michael L. Turcotte obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montréal (Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf) and a Master’s degree from the School of Business of Laval University. He enjoyed a lengthy career with the Royal Bank of Canada and became Senior Vice-President, Québec, in l984.

Since his retirement from the Royal Bank in l998, Mr. Turcotte has served as a Corporate Director. Until 2004, he was Chair of the Board of Management of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Chairman of the IRCM Foundation and Québec Chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council.

In November 2005, he became Chairman of the Board of Hydro-Québec. He continues to serve as a Director of various private corporations and institutions of the public sector.

Mr. Turcotte is Governor Emeritus of the Arthritis Society, of which he is also a past Québec President. Over the years, he has been a Director and Chairman of the Board of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Mr. Turcotte is Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 6th Field Artillery Regiment. He is a recipient of the Hermès prize from the School of Business of Laval University and has been honoured by the Scouts Association of Canada. Mr. Turcotte has been a member of the IRCM Board of Directors since 2002. He chairs the Governance Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. 

Chair of the Board, BC Hydro

Dan Doyle started his career with the Province of British Columbia as an engineer-in-training; 36 years later, he retired from the Public Service as the Deputy Minister of Transportation.

Throughout his career with the Ministry, Mr. Doyle built a legacy of B.C.-wide transportation infrastructure. In 2006, Mr. Doyle was appointed Executive Vice-President responsible for the development and building of venues and supporting infrastructure for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games by the Vancouver Organizing Committee.

A strong believer in having the right team in place to do the job, Mr. Doyle is widely known for his ability to deliver major projects on time and on budget. 

In recognition of his highly respected public service and professional expertise, Mr. Doyle was awarded the Order of B.C. in 2010. He was also awarded B.C.'s premier distinction for professional engineering, the R.A. McLachlan Award, by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. in 2006.

Chair of the Board, NB Power

Mr. Barrett is co- CEO of Barrett Corporation, a North American investment and management company.

He is CEO of Barrett Diversified Inc., which operates wholesale distribution companies in Canada and the US, and is co-founder, significant shareholder, and serves on the Board of Xplornet Communications, a leading broadband and communications company in Canada

In addition to NB Power, Mr Barrett serves on the Board of Wajax Industries, a public company traded on the TSX which is a leading mobile equipment and industrial supplies company in Canada, two private companies based out of New Brunswick, Atlantic Industries and Apex industries, and is Past Chair and Board member of Crandall University.

Chair of the Board, Manitoba Hydro

Mr. William C. Fraser, FCA served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. from 1994 to 2006 and served as its Vice President of Finance from 1986 to 1994. Mr. Fraser served as the Chief Executive Officer of MTS Media Inc., Qunara Inc., AAA Alarm Systems Ltd., MTS Allstream Inc., MTS Communications Inc., MTS Advanced Inc. In this capacity, he provided overall leadership and direction to MTS and its 7000 employees. Having joined MTS in 1986 as Vice-President of Finance and risen to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer in 1994. 

Mr. Fraser has ably steered Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. through a generation of dramatic and unprecedented change in the telecommunications industry. From 1972 to 1981, he held various senior positions in the federal government, including Director General Finance for the Department of Agriculture.

In 1981 he was appointed to the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of Finance with Manitoba government, the youngest person ever appointed to that position. He served until 1986, when then-Minister of Telephones Gary Doer, who is now Premier of Manitoba, appointed him to his first post with MTS. He is also a member of the St. Boniface Hospital and Research Foundation. Mr. Fraser is widely respected in both the telecommunications and chartered accounting industries.

He has served as a strategic and visionary leader at Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. for almost 20 years. Mr. Fraser served as Chairman and Director of MTS Media Inc., Qunara Inc., MTS Advanced Inc. and AAA Alarm Systems Ltd. He serves as a Director of Mts Communications Inc. He has been Director of IMRIS, Inc. since August 2007. He serves as Director of Bell West Inc. and Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board. Mr. Fraser is also a Member of the Board of Directors of the Conference Board of Canada. He served as Director of MTS Allstream Inc.

He served as Director of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. from January 1997 to December 7, 2005. He serves as Vice Chair of St. Boniface Hospital Foundation. In 2002, in recognition of his leadership and his high ethical standards, he was named a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Mr. Fraser received his BBA in 1970 from St. Francis Xavier University, where he was honored as the university's top graduate among the entire 1970 class. He became a Chartered Accountant in 1972.

Will Dunderdale Hire MacDonald for Muskrat Falls Debacle?

Please read the VOCM news story below:


[Premier Kathy Dunderdale says there will be no public survey commissioned to ask residents about their opinions on Muskrat Falls. Last week Dunderdale announced that government will be sending out a flyer with information she says residents need to know about the hydro development. Dunderdale says a survey will not be part of that information process. Dunderdale says to ask residents about the technicalities of the Muskrat project would be beyond the scope of most Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.]

Clearly the Premier plans to continue mocking the people by questioning their intelligence and ability to understand the expenditure of billions of dollars and the reasons for that expenditure.

I ask the Premier - what special ability does she have that makes her any more able to understand the project? In fact - she's the one ultimately setting the direction and guiding decisions and in this regard I want to ensure that the project is not beyond her scope of understanding. In my opinion it is.

Then enter Dean MacDonald who supports the project but dismisses Dunderdale's ability to sell it. Well - Danny has been a mentor for both - so perhaps he can step in and control the fuss.

Dunderdale seemed willing to accept the accolades given to the project by Dean - when it was politically expedient but is she willing to take the slings and arrows from him regarding her ability to present the merits of the project?

From where any reasonably minded person sits - Danny appears to be controlling the Liberals and the PC's at the same time. Either that is by agreement of the parties involved or they are too naive or power hungry to see.

The backbenchers must be really confused as:

1. The Premier probably considers they are among the "most" Newfoundlanders and Labradorians she speaks of, and

2. They must not know who the real leader is.

In either case both of them - Dean and Kathy - want to play up their own intellectual prowess beyond the ordinary mortal and both dismiss the intelligence of the people.

This is an improvisational comedy playing out before us and we must remind these comics that monopoly money is fine - but playing with real resources and tax dollars is not acceptable.

Then again - I can't help but wonder if the Monopoly property names won't repeat themselves in Dannyville while ordinary mortals have to pay $30,000 for a cottage lot.

Needed 1 report from Gilbert Bennett VP Nalcor

Dear Nalcor,
Please provide the outcome of this forum and networking session. I assume we paid Mr. Bennett's expenses for this trip - so now we need results paper.

Northeast Power

Markets Forum

April 28–29, 2011 • Renaissance Arlington Cap • Arlington, VA 

Of interest to me is this little discussion group:

Transmission — Impediments and Solutions   

 • Import/export solutions vs. emerging on-shore/

off-shore wind

° associated transmission integration complications

• Canada/US cross-border power relations

• MISO power import/integration

• Broader regional market approaches and seamless solutions

So did we make-up with Hydro-Quebec here? Or  were boxing gloves on? Wonder where Emera was? 

 

Moderator: Robert Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer, Trans-Elect;

Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Wind Connection

Edward Krapels, Chief Executive Officer, Anbaric Transmission

Rana Mukerji, Senior Vice President, Market Structures,

New York Independent System Operator

Christian G. Brosseau, Vice President, Wholesale Markets,

Hydro-Québec Production;

President, HQ Energy Services US

Robert Bradish, Managing Director, Transmission Planning

& Business Development, AEP

Gilbert Bennett, Vice President, Lower Churchill Project,

Nalcor Energy

3:00 Networking & Refreshment Break

I wonder if they got together to "network"?