Kennedy makes Dangerous Statement in HOA

In the House of Assembly today - Minister of Natural Resources - Jerome Kennedy made a very dangerous statement.

In response to several questions on the proposed Emera deal on Muskrat Falls - he defended the deal - in part - by saying the "the Premier of Nova Scotia supports the deal".

I will remind the Minister that the Premier of Quebec supported the Upper Churchill deal.

What relevance at all does the Premier of Nova Scotia hold with respect to developing Newfoundland and Labrador's resources?

Further the project is not being done with the Government of Nova Scotia - it is with a private corporation.

It would appear to any reasonably minded person that the Premier of Nova Scotia would be supporting that which he felt would be good for Nova Scotia - not Newfoundland and Labrador.

The last time we had another jurisdiction's Premier support a hydro deal was - in fact - the Upper Churchill. My guess is all Quebec Premier's have felt the same since.

To the contrary how have all other Newfoundland and Labrador Premiers felt about the Upper Churchill deal?

Today Minister Kennedy made one of the most dangerous and idiotic statements to date on this development.

Dear Dean, Brian, Danny, and MHA's - cut the 2041 Crap

PLEASE READ THE WORDS BELOW AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT HAPPENS IN 2041
By all means don't trip over yourselves getting to the answer.


Part of the Shareholders Agreement among NL Hydro, Hydro-Quebec, and CFLCo June 18th 1999

Article 3 Board of Directors

3.4 Special Majority Decisions of the Board of Directors

The following decisions will require the approval of a majority of the directors on the Board of Directors, including at least one director nominated by NL Hydro and one director nominated by Hydro-Quebec on the Board of Directors:

3.4.6

...the entering into, amendment or termination of any Material Contract to which CFLCo or any Subsidiary of CFLCo is a party or to which CFLCo or any Subsidiary of CFLCo may become a party, unless such entering into, amendment or termination has been previously approved in a budget approved under Section 3.4.2 or 3.4.3;

Material Contract defined: "Material Contract" means (i) any contract involving a monetary commitment of CFLCo or having a value to CFLCo of $10 million or more in the aggregate and (ii) any contract which restricts CFLCo from carrying on its Business, including the contracts listed on Schedule E;

Business defined: "Business" means the business of CFLCo which shall be limited to the following purposes and objects:
(a) to produce or otherwise acquire and to transmit and to sell electricity;
(b) to harness or otherwise make use of water for the purpose of producing hydroelectric and hydraulic power and for any other purpose;

What if OCI said ICU Hebron and the little fishies went bye bye

I wonder if one of Ches Penney's companies would take a look at building a module for Hebron?
I wonder if the Government would assist to make that happen?
I wonder if the plant workers from Marystown could be appeased or at least some tradespeople?
I wonder if all that happened would government grant OCI the right to export the unprocessed fish?

Does anybody know?

I want the Auditor General to have a better look at the books. I want the whys and the processes - do you?

Upper Churchill 2041 - should be a course at Memorial and mandatory for all MHA's

The 2041 panacea has giggling Tory newcomers and moaning incumbents giddy.

In 2041 all the pain will be gone right?

No in 2041 our children and grandchildren will be saddled with yet another mess from the Upper Churchill fiasco and if Dunderdale has her way another mess from the Lower Churchill. 

The financial contract will be over in 2041 - that is the deal to sell power from CFLCo to Hydro Quebec at prices that cause us great pain - less than a cent. 

CFLCo will still be owned - in part - by Hydro Quebec and they will carry on ownership of assets. 

Further the water rights do not end in 2041 - rather in 2060 with an option to carry on for another 99 years up to 2159. We'll probably have power solved by then.

Please take the time to read the:

THE CHURCHILL FALLS ( LABRADOR ) CORPORATION LIMITED (LEASE) ACT, 1961

AND WHEREAS the Lessee has applied to the Government for the grant, pursuant to sub-clause (2) of Clause 9 of the Principal Agreement, of such exclusive right and concession for a term of ninety-nine years renewable at the option of the Lessee for a further period of ninety-nine years, in respect of the area or areas covered by said Assignment Agreement upon which the said option was exercised;

How about this one?

Renewal

        2. Subject to all of the provisions of this Lease, the Government will on the written request of the Lessee made before the expiration of the term hereby created, if there shall not at the time of such request be any existing breach of the covenants, terms and conditions of this Lease on the part of the Lessee, grant to it a further lease of the rights and liberties leased and demised by this Lease for the further term of ninety-nine years from the expiration of the term created by this Lease subject to payment of the same royalty and containing the like covenants and conditions as are herein contained, except the covenant for renewal.

The Lessee is the CFLCo (1/3 owned by Hydro Quebec)

The Lessor is the People of Newfoundland and Labrador  

Then there is Dean MacDonald - and his giveaway of further rights on the management side of CFLCo. We are buried for generations to come. Do not let this happen to the Lower Churchill. Stop the Emera deal! 

Dunderdale=Giveaway of Resources=Cheap power for Nova Scotia=Loss of our Future

The Population of the Province is down again from last year.

Where's the need for power?

Industry gone - people continue to go - where's the increase?

There will continue to be a loss of people - go to Nova Scotia for cheaper power rates and industry being developed there.

If you are looking for ship building - go to Nova Scotia.

If you are looking to fish - go to Iceland or go to China for processing jobs.

If you are looking for industry like pulp and paper, smelting, aerospace, auto sector, just move to Ontario and Quebec.

If Muskrat goes ahead - we will have set ourselves on a path of no return. All will be lost.

Dunderdale said last night in the debate that nobody has been able to show them where their figures are wrong.

Is their prediction on oil prices 20 years out - a fact?

Are their predictions regarding "need" for new power facts?

What a joke.

I can say that - although oil kept us away from most recessionary problems - doubling electricity rates will cripple business and industry and poison discretionary spending by consumers. It may very well cause a local recession.

The Premier also forgot the criticisms of the Independent Review Panel. Did they question anything?

The only scary thing in this election is the Muskrat Falls deal. It must be stopped.

The best comment in the debate was from Aylward when he suggested the Ms. Dunderdale should be the Premier of Nova Scotia. That was appropriate based on the Muskrat deal proposed.

Everybody is wrong except Nalcor, PC Cabinet, and Navigant.

Be prepared Newfoundland and Labrador - wait until Hydro HAS to be privatized and Gull Island will have to be developed by private interests. Of course they will also claim this new power will have to go through Quebec. Sold out!

How much time did the Premier spend talking about the benefits to Labrador?

I'm Sorry won't cut it this time - This time it will be over! Will Dunderdale care? No!

There have been many important elections in our past. This is the most important election of our time. Forgiveness is not an option.

Make no mistake - Premier Dunderdale is making this election about one issue - Muskrat Falls. Why? Because if she is reelected she WILL go forward with the Emera deal.

There is only one way to stop this deal and that is to stop the Dunderdale Government from winning.

This is a current day repeat of the Upper Churchill and we must take a stand. We must stop past mistakes from reoccurring - we must stop a disaster for our people now - and we must stop what will be the ruination of our future.

This deal represents us here and now - it will determine if we have learned from our past - it will determine if we are going to let power hungry and knowledge deficient politicians ruin our future.

First the MHA's are not educated enough or really do not care about this issue, the options, or anything that goes against the wholesale giveaway of our resources.

We do not have satisfactory answers - we are missing very real information - and we risk the entire future of our children.

This must be stopped. This would be an unforgivable act.

It does not make sense to have our children pay for over 4 billion in debt through unacceptable energy costs. It does not make sense to build an expensive transmission system to deliver cheaper power to Nova Scotia. Nalcor's numbers are not reliable. The government has not proven that this is the best project. The Navigant study is not sufficient in scope or depth to rely on.

This is an unforgivable act. If you want to see treason - this is it. We go into debt and pay unsustainable power rates to give cheap power to Nova Scotia. I have to wonder if Dunderdale is simply saying "we believe you are that stupid Newfoundlanders and Labradorians". The PC slogan New Energy - must be the last smack at the people. Dunderdale is saying - let me shove this bad deal in front of your face - and see if you bite.

Hook Line and Sinker is the only fisheries term Kathy Dunderdale wants to hear.

Watt's Up Minister Skinner

While we are hard at work in Newfoundland and Labrador getting rid of everything and anything renewable - Hydro-Quebec is humming along. Minister Skinner you should read this because you Sir had an opportunity to embrace and develop the same sort of partnership. Watt's Up?

Not only did Hydro Quebec embrace the Mitsubishi challenge to introduce the Mitsubishi i-MiEV's to its operations and businesses in Quebec - but now this (story from the Canada Business Review)

Hydro-Québec and partners announced the creation of “The Electric Circuit,” Canada’s first public charging network for plug-in electric vehicles. Expected to be in operation in early 2012, the charging stations will be at founding partners’ business sites and several AMT facilities.
The project will originally consist of approximately 100 240-V charging stations. Additional quick charge 400-V stations will also be distributed in 2012 after achieving Canadian certification.
“We are proud to be able to count on partners of this caliber whose banners can be seen at over 900 locations in Québec. These are solid, well-established companies that, like Hydro-Québec, put a high priority on sustainable development, customer satisfaction and growth in electric vehicle use,” said  Hydro-Québec CEO Thierry Vandal. “While the vast majority of recharging will be done at home and at work, the availability of a public charging network is essential to meet customers’ backup or emergency needs.”

The Dunderdale government should really reflect on the legacy of shame Emera deal - before Newfoundland and Labrador loses what's left.

Dunderdale says of critics on Muskrat Falls Deal "working hard to find the few flaws"

Premier Dunderdale is a political fraud. Very simple - as she opens her mouth and inserts two feet in.

The Premier says we - the critics of the Muskrat Falls deal - are "working to find the few flaws". This while addressing the Oil Conference happening in St. John's today.

Dunderdale is ignorant and that is extremely dangerous for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Inheriting the title Premier - gives her a right to diminish the FREE public service many of us have been involved in for over two decades.

While trying to insult and degrade the people she serves and who pay her salary - she ironically provides a compliment.

The Premier must be in pretty bad shape when she resorts to "insulting" rather that "debating" to silence her critics.

Dunderdale should learn this lesson. As Premier she should encourage, welcome, and thank those citizens that are "working" to find flaws in the Muskrat Falls deal. That means we give a damn about our place and give a damn about future generations.

Kathy Dunderdale as Premier - the most powerful position in the Province stands and speaks to corporate executives - some of which are the most powerful people in business and takes potshots at people who are not present for the address and receives applause from those wanting to rid the people of their resources for maximum gain.

A corporation can be forgiven for the cheap and cowardice behavior - they represent their shareholders and have a fiduciary duty to make them money. They in no way are responsible for the betterment of our people and our communities. That's your job Premier - and you'll have a hard time of it if you continue to attack your own people in favour of large offshore corporations, other provinces, and Stephen Harper.

Dunderdale is setting a very poor example for your children and mine. By using an imbalance of power to assert her position - the Premier is actually a bully.

Sadly the Premier is actually targeting the people she has sworn to represent.

Without her power - she might actually have to appear in front of ordinary Newfoundlanders and Labradorians like you and me. Then she might actually have to debate with the owners of the resources - she is so flippantly giving away. On equal terms our Premier would be lost - and I assure you the applause she is receiving from the corporate elite might be replaced with disdain and disgust from the people who elected her party to govern.

If stripped of her position tomorrow - would she so freely attack others behind their backs? If stripped of her power tomorrow - would she so freely try to rid others of their gainful employment? If stripped of her power tomorrow - who would she be? Dunderdale might just find out in October. As for those Cabinet Ministers and backbenchers who are silenced either by ignorance or hopes of personal gain (cabinet post) - you should really sit back and reflect. Is this really worth it? What will your grandchildren think?

As for finding flaws - let's hope we do - those few flaws in the Upper Churchill have certainly been costly.

Ask Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter if you have permission to talk to your people.