500 MW's of hydro-power - Two Premiers - Two Different Results

Please try to use your imagination. Try to think what could be if we had politicians who were knowledgeable, engaged, visionaries, or even just competent.

Try to imagine a Newfoundland and Labrador where unemployment levels throughout the province were in the single digits.

Try to imagine a Newfoundland and Labrador where natural resources were used in a way which primarily benefitted our people and our communities.

Try to imagine a Newfoundland and Labrador where secondary processing of those natural resources was done here and not in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, China, Korea, and the USA.

Try to imagine a Newfoundland and Labrador where once a construction phase was complete there were thousands of permanent and high paying jobs available.

Now read the story below by the Montreal Gazette and ask yourself what you would do with 500 MW’s of hydropower. Would you be shipping it to Nova Scotia?

Alouette aluminum smelter gets power boost from Quebec

Additional block of up to 500MW

  

The $2-billion Phase III expansion of the Alouette aluminum smelter at Sept Îles moved nearer Monday when Quebec assured the company of enough electric power to boost annual production capacity to 930,000 tonnes from 575,000 tonnes now.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest went to Sept Îles to announce an agreement with Alouette whereby Hydro-Québec will provide the 19-year-old smelter with an additional block of up to 500MW for Phase III.

Alouette is already North America's largest smelter; Phase III would make it one of the world's 10 largest and most modern smelters.

Alouette CEO André Martel said engineering for Phase III has begun and the project can now move forward step-by-step toward approval by shareholders Rio Tinto Alcan (40 per cent), Austria Metall (20 per cent), Hydro Aluminium of Norway (20 per cent), Investissement Québec (13.33 per cent) and Marubeni of Japan (6.67 per cent) in 2013-2014.

The total investment includes $1.5 billion for the third production line (electrolysis cells). The balance of $500 million will go for new equipment, development of new AP30 low-energy technology and environmental improvements."That technology is already the most efficient available and it will be refined further," Martel said.

"The new AP60 technology Rio Alcan is developing at its Saguenay pilot plant would not be suitable. Phase III will use Brazilian alumina, the intermediate material in the smelting process."

Besides the construction workforce, Phase III would create about 300 new permanent jobs to bring Alouette's workforce to 1,300.

"We're working on the engineering with a joint-venture of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. and Hatch Ltd., which also handled the Phase II expansion," Martel said.

"We have a network of 700 suppliers in Quebec, including 240 on the North Shore, spreading the economic benefits widely."

The 2016-2017 startup date for Alouette Phase III will depend on global economic recovery and continuing growth in world aluminum demand, he added.

What was that about an East West Energy Grid?

I was speaking to Randy Simms on Open Line the other morning and the issue of an East West energy grid came up.

At that time I told him that Quebec will not give up that jurisdiction to anyone particularly a federal route.

Today Jean Charest confirmed this during a News Conference at the Council of the Federation annual meeting.

Now the question to Harper and the other Premiers is this: Can and should Ottawa impose an east west grid in the interest of security of energy supply for Canada. Will 9 Premiers get their way or will Quebec get the opt out?
A Canadian Press story included this little jewel:

However, Premier Jean Charest says that Quebec must be able to maintain jurisdiction over its own energy supplies and transmission facilities, with no interference from Ottawa.

I will give Premier Charest this - he seems to smooth our Premier's feathers - the right way. We will see how strong our Premier's comments are on the issue of Energy and renewable potentials.

It's the Sophisticated Voter - that makes the Difference

When it comes to planning for the future - the people of Quebec are "all over it".
They know that "green" is the way for tomorrow and once again they have made the intelligent choices.

The Premier muses about gas generation for the Island - remember FOGO (Friends of Gas Onshore) mouthpiece - Andy Wells - Danny's new found best friend - well this gas generation is price volatile like oil - is non-renewable - and not owned by the province and is not "green".

A couple of years back Quebecers had a project on the table - which they rejected for wind and hydro choices instead. It is already paying off - as Quebec is seen nationally and globally as leading the way for Canada.

Hydro-Quebec's 2004 proposal for a Suroit gas-fired power plant at Beauharnois - Ribaux estimates it would have increased the province's emissions by three per cent - was a turning point in Quebecers' concerns about the environment. Protests over greenhouse gases led the province later that year to scrap the plan, and Hydro-Quebec has since turned to wind power. "I think the reason was because groups like Equiterre were pushing citizens," Ribaux says.

Now, Quebec has adopted what he describes as "the most progressive plan in North America to reduce emissions," a sign that the provincial government is feeling the pressure from the electorate

The quote above found in a story in the Montreal Gazette.

Premier's message to Newfoundland and Labrador

different than the message in Alberta.

The News Release from the Premier today fails to mention significant messages he delivered in Alberta.

It does not mention this quote from Danny: "I personally see Alberta as the land of opportunity, ... I really honestly think that Canada should be looking and realizing that Alberta is going to be the province that's going to lead us into the future and we should wrap our arms around this opportunity."

There is a reason to visit Alberta on a trade junket province to province - after all they trade in our people resource at local hotels regularly - but if that was the reason for the tour - the mainland media did not focus on it.

Of course we would have to ask if there is a reason our big companies like the Penney Group needs the Premier to "open doors".

The second message delivered to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians up along was not to come home yet - the economy is not rebuilt. I see - did you bring a couple of union reps with you on the "u-haul constituency tour"?

Emigration and Immigration and for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians integration anywhere else but home. I don't see that in the Premier's Release to our media. So will they ask the tough questions? Will the media ask the Premier where he is going to be in 10 years when people can start coming home?

Now he's back on the fishery - another one of his afterthoughts when freeing his mind of oil and gas. There's going to be another meeting! Oh I can't wait - he hinted this morning that small boat fishers are targets for reductions - then threw in the word harvesters. To that he suggests that the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will have to contribute to some sort of buy-out buoy-off of these people. Excuse me Williams but the collapse of the fishery is due to the mismanagement of the stocks by the feds. Where is all the "who will fight for you" branding you pushed for your law firm?

In this day of technology - one which your government is going to invest 15 million in - do you think those fibres can reach the computers of Newfoundland and Labrador to tell us in reality - what you are doing while away?

I ask all reasonably minded people if they think Jean Charest would promote Alberta as something Quebec wants to be when it grows up - or would promote Alberta as opposed to Quebec as the place that will lead Canada's growth?

Go West young Women and Men - the East has nothing to offer you...

There's something about an "appearance" - you know like the "appearance" of conflict in the fibre optic deal. These appearances can very quickly turn into reality - well some of them are reality - but those that are not should never be presented as if they are.

The Premier is batting a thousand this week with his "u-haul constituency tour" to Alberta. The first thing he'd like to point out is:

“I personally see Alberta as the land of opportunity,” said Williams. “I really, honestly think that Canada should be looking and realizing that Alberta is going to be the province that’s going to lead us into the future and we should wrap our arms around this opportunity.”

There is a place for you Premier - and Newfoundland and Labrador clearly is not it. A businessman like yourself - held back by a weak economy that cannot support jobs for its young graduates. May I offer a suggestion - move to Fort McMurray and start a Cable Alberta - take your sidekick Dean MacDonald with you and then you can become real oilmen - right on the frontier. You can wrap your arms around it - and perhaps Albertans can pay for your "branding" and "marketing" of that province - because the people of Newfoundland and Labrador should not pay for it. When I say the man has no vision - I mean just that - Alberta is going to lead us into the future? I don't know what does the future hold? Green - renewable power - renewable resources like the fishery, forestry, fresh water etc. Funny I thought Newfoundland and Labrador was going to lead the way in the future.

Just stop and think for a minute people - can you envision Jean Charest over in Davos at the World Economic Forum explaining to corporate and political leaders of the world - that they need to embrace Alberta because they will lead Canada into the future?

And then the man - while on the trip we are paying for - says:

Williams said he’s not in Alberta to persuade people to return to Newfoundland.
“I’d love to have them all home,” he said. “However, the projects and the jobs are not there yet. We’re building our economy.”

What exactly are you telling the business community you are trying to attract? Our skilled people can stay in Alberta because we can't afford to have them in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are building our economy?????
Listen up Danny:
1. The person you have hired to build that economy is Dr. Doug House. He has been rebuilding our economy since Brian Peckford. Its been over 25 years of economic recovery plans with this individual. When do you expect we will recover?
2. While on a "business" junket - you do not say that we cannot afford our own graduates and talent - especially to the audience you wish to attract.
3. Your fascination with Alberta is unhealthy - and while there are some similarities we have a broader base of resources and more renewables than they do.
4. "I'd love to have them all home", I'll tell you what - you leave and let them come home. Why do we have you hired? Remind me! Oh I get it - this is the "I'm gonna be brutally honest witcha" - game. When you are unable to develop an economy you bail out and say "wait and see". Smallwood said it before you - Moores said it before you - Peckford said it before you - Wells said it before you - Tobin said it before you. We have been "economically recovering" now for over 50 years.

Then if all this garbage was not enough - what positive news did Williams offer?

Williams added he’s very happy to see that Fort McMurray now has a direct flight to Newfoundland, allowing some workers from his province to return home more often to spend time with their families.

Oh yes that's great - our people have convenient holiday opportunities to visit their families. And then there's the "we need immigrants for our fishery" bit. Have you checked out the cost of flying to Labrador from the Island or vice-verse. You think you might be able to get around Alberta cheaply?

You are a failure and your presentation is embarrassing. Yes go west young Women and Men of Newfoundland and Labrador - until this Premier is gone. While he's here he would like you to embrace Alberta.

For the Story from Global National Press Here