Sue's Blog

Showing posts with label east west grid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label east west grid. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Of Lobbyists and Accountability

As Sue's Blog talked about last month - Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has engaged a lobbyist out of Ottawa to deal with the feds on the Lower Churchill development. Timothy Powers VP Summa Strategies and a Stephen Harper Conservative strategist and talking head has been employed by NLH to lobby:

The Prime Minister's Office, Environment Canada, Finance Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, National Energy Board, Natural Resources Canada

lobbying for:

Assistance related to the Lower Churchill Project. Development of National East-West energy grid

using the following techniques:

Arrange one or more meetings, Meetings, Written communications, whether in hard copy or electronic format, Telephone calls, Informal communications

Danny still refuses to tell us why this is happening and why he needs an Ottawa and Conservative flunky to deal with the PMO and fed departments to talk about the Lower Churchill. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has not released how much we are paying this individual and how much progress he has made.

No openness and no accountability!

From a government perspective John Fitzgerald our "non-talking head" in Ottawa should be able to set up meetings - have informal chats etc. regarding the Lower Churchill development - we pay him to do such things. Secondly we have a Minister of Natural Resources who is employed to do that. Thirdly we have the CEO of Hydro Ed Martin who is employed to do that. On top of all this we have Danny appointee Dean MacDonald who could and should do this - especially considering his close relationship with Tobin - the corporate and federal golden boy. If all that is not enough the Premier can talk to the Prime Minister. In light of all this "talent" - who needs a Tim Powers to have informal chats. The boys and girls I have mentioned above can swing a golf club right?

From Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro's perspective - it is an energy company with a membership in the Canadian Hydropower Association.This Association employs both in-house and external federal lobbyists to promote the development of hydropower for the members.

Example:

Pierre Fortin is the president of the CHA and is a registered federal lobbyist. Under his documentation is the following:

THE CANADIAN HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP FOR THE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE CANADIAN HYDROPOWER INDUSTRY. THE PRINCIPAL VOICE OF CANADA'S HYDROPOWER INDUSTRY, THE CHA TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN FORMULATING AND SHAPING PUBLIC POLICIES RESPONSIVE TO THE INTERESTS OF ITS MEMBERS. THE PRINCIPAL MANDATE OF THE CHA IS TO PROMOTE HYDROPOWER NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS A SOURCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, TO MAKE THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF HYDROPOWER BETTER KNOWN AND TO PUBLICIZE THE BENEFITS OF HYDROPOWER IN THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS. THE CHA MEMBERS REPRESENT 95% OF THE HYDRO GENERATING CAPACITY IN CANADA


Any results from this yet Ed? Have you engaged the Association you are a member of to forward our policies? What about the Lower Churchill? How about the east-west grid?

Why is NLH employing Summa and Timothy Powers?

How much are they paying the company?

What results have they achieved?

What meetings have been arranged?

Who attended the meetings?

What informal discussions have taken place?

What was discussed?

Has Summa or Timothy Powers submitted a written progress report for NLH?

What has Ed Martin directed him to do?

Why was a federal Conservative strategist and defender of Stephen Harper been hired to forward our position on the Lower Churchill?

Let's see how accountable the Premier wants to be...

Monday, August 06, 2007

Harper's Talking Head - Hydro's Lobbyist in Ottawa

MORE SUMMA NEWS

What's up Danny?
Timothy Powers - Vice President Communications Summa Strategies and Stephen Harper's talking head - has been hired by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro to lobby Ottawa on the Lower Churchill. (You know the guy who spars with Liberal Scott Reid on the national networks)

Yep - Timothy along with Summa Consultant Lobbyist Katie Green of Ontario are helping us out with the Lower Churchill development and the east-west power grid.

Well fine team there Dean and Danny - how does that work - Steve's talking head who defends the Prime Minister for screwing Newfoundland and Labrador on equalization - is giving us a hand with the Lower Churchill.

Then there's Katie Green from Ontario - she's gonna help us how? Let me see - convince Ottawa to build an east west power grid so that Ontario can get our power?

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is paying for this?

and if all this was not enough the two of them and Chair of Summa Doug Young have all been involved with lobbying Ottawa for the IFAW - against our seal harvest.

What a joke Premier - what else don't we know? Who is writing the Energy Plan - did Summa have any input there too?

The best part - Tim gets paid whether he's successful or not.

For those Sue's Blog readers who like the details CLICK HERE TO SEE the Lobbyist Registry Information in Ottawa.

Below is a portion of Tim's registration - one of his registrations:

Registration type: Consultant Lobbyist
Lobbyist number: 13527
Registration number: 13527-34
Effective date: 2007-03-09

A. Lobbyist and Firm Information

Prefix: Mr.
Last Name: Powers
First Name: Timothy
Preferred Language: English

Position Title: Vice President, Summa Strategies
Name of Lobbyist's Firm: Summa Strategies
Business Address of the Lobbyist:
City: Ottawa
Province or State: Ontario
Country: Canada

B. Client Information

Name of Client: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
Name of Principal Representative: Ed Martin
Address 1: P.O Box 12400
C. Other Beneficiaries

None

D. Subject-matters: Areas of concern

Areas of Concern: Aboriginal Affairs, Energy, Environment, Fisheries, Industry, Infrastructure, Regional Development

E. Subject-matters: Particulars

Categories Particulars
Policy or Program Assistance related to the Lower Churchill Project. Development of National East-West energy grid.

F. Government Institutions

Name of department or other government institutions: Prime Minister's Office, Environment Canada, Finance Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, National Energy Board, Natural Resources Canada

G. Government Funding

Is your client funded in whole or in part by any government or government agency? No

H. Contingency Fees

Payment is contingent on the success of the undertaking: No
I. Communication Techniques

Techniques of communication that you have used or expect to use in the course of the undertaking: Arrange one or more meetings, Meetings, Written communications, whether in hard copy or electronic format, Telephone calls, Informal communications
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice section G
HUH?
I think that answer must have been in error Tim.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro has its loans guaranteed by the province and is listed as an agency of Government.