Paying our way?
When less that 2% of Canada's population is producing 16% of Canada's oil with tremendous federal tax benefits to boot - we have to wonder why we have to question our place in the country. What about the 70,000 or so MW's of hydro generated in Canada by1997 - Newfoundland and Labrador was generating about 6,000 of that amount.
Let's make your day...
The National Energy Board of Canada keeps all the figures for us and we should regularly have a look at what this Province contributes.
In a report of the Board in 2001 the following information was given:
1. Interprovincial electricity flows accounts for about 10% of total Canadian electricity consumption.
2. Of the total 50 TW.h interprovincial flow over half of that was between Labrador and Quebec.
3. The NEB says the energy exports are from the hydro rich provinces such as Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia. (Note they do not mention Newfoundland and Labrador because our riches are recognized under the Quebec title).
4. Canada is the world leader in hydro generation followed by the U.S. and Brazil
5. Of the almost 70,000 MW's generation NL accounts for over 6,000 MW's of that.
6. Newfoundland and Labrador accounts for about 60% of the electricity generated in Atlantic Canada.
7. Of the 34,000 MW's which the NEB feels is promising for future development we own 2500 MW's of that.
And in an NEB Report in 2003
The Board was as arrogant to say that three large projects are important for Canada's energy supply to 2025. One of the three is the Lower Churchill which according to the NEB is located far from load centres - so major tansmission lines have to be built.
Think about this for a minute - the NEB believes that to 2025 the demand in our province will be so minimally increased that if we build it we must export it. It does not assume that we might need the power in Labrador for 4 industrial plants. No - the only way it's any good is if we develop it for Ontario and Quebec.
The NEB also points out that hydro is the least expensive source of base-load electricity supply. Why would we keep that for ourselves - nah let's turn that over to central Canada. That is the reason for our failure to convert natural resources into a thriving employed economy.
On a further note the NEB explains that the cost of producing hydro in Canada is among the lowest in the world and this benefits energy intensive industry such as aluminum smelters. You'll note we don't have one of those yet. Did you figure that out while you were in Iceland Danny?
Instead we will sit on our arses and let people like Williams and MacDonald tell us that our people need to move away, take wage-cuts, endure a bit of "tough love" the Premier said today on a Sounds like Canada interview. We will let these millionaires tell us that it's okay - in fact necessary to ship our competitive edge to Ontario and Quebec in order to develop our resources.
Let's review the Williams beef. He wants refineries for our oil and gas -he wants secondary processing from our resources - and in this he is right. Then why in the name of god would Williams not want secondary processing from our hydro? Williams is either ignorant or reckless to an extreme - where putting his name on the elusive hydro deal ( as he paid to do for MILE ONE) is more important than the next 50 years of our development. It is more likely that Dean MacDonald resigned over the hydro negotiation of the Grimes government to preserve the project for his long time business partner and friend Danny, than to protect us from a "bad deal". You see I can say this because MacDonald under Tobin was not willing to walk over a deal which would have seen Quebec own 1/3 of the Lower Churchill. He is also partly responsible for the increase to 50% of HQ in the management of the Upper Churchill contract. Oh yes he made the sickening contract even worse. He will claim it was to save CFLco from going bankrupt but that's garbage. Wake-up and take a sip of the corporate coffee. Yes he also supported the privatization of NLH. Now the man wants in on uranium. He could have resigned if we went ahead with the deal but thank god the bureaucrats that pushed both privatizing hydro and Tobin's and Grime's proposals did not rule the day. The stop to that proposed deal happened from within from people who really gave a damn - and have proven it from decades of monitoring the development.
And while Danny talks about homing pigeons he is referring to our youth who are on a mass exodus from our province - he could mean don't bother me now about out-migration and here's the crap I'll feed the sheep.
He will have racket after racket with the feds while he is doing nothing but assisting in the demise of rural Newfoundland and Labrador - and as long as his caucus can bank on the next election on his coat-tails they will shut their mouths and do what they are told.
If we export our hydro we will export our future - full stop!
If you read nothing else read this!
From a 2000 NEB Report
PEI accounts for .2% of electricity demand in Canada and produces less than that as they rely on New Brunswick for most of their supply.
Nova Scotia accounts for 2% of electricity demand in Canada and 2% of generation.
New Brunswick accounts for 2.6% of electricity demand in Canada and 3% of generation.
Quebec accounts for 35% of electricity demand in Canada and 30 % of generation.
Ontario accounts for 28% of electricity demand in Canada and 26% of generation.
Manitoba accounts for 4% of electricity demand in Canada and 6% of generation.
Saskatchewan accounts for 3% of electricity demand in Canada and 3% of generation.
Alberta accounts for 10.6% of electricity demand in Canada and 10% of
generation.
British Columbia accounts for 12% of electricity demand in Canada and 12% of generation.
And finally Newfoundland and Labrador accounts for 2.2% of electricity demand in Canada and 8% of generation.
Please read these numbers carefully and understand that these represent one of the key reasons we have failed economically and one of the best reasons to say good-bye to Canada - unless some real change in policy, attitude, and terms are reached. You will notice most provinces generally produce what they use and Quebec and Ontario generate less than they need - but us here in Newfoundland and Labrador - we just generate it and pump away the industry by exporting it.
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