An appeal to reason
Published Monday November 2nd, 2009
New Brunswickers have five months to debate the proposed deal to sell NB Power to Hydro-Québec. It should be more than enough time, provided people ground the discussion in facts and logical arguments, rather than emotion.
If approved by the legislature and implemented, the agreement will be one of the largest single developments in New Brunswick's history - clearing 40 per cent of the province's debt at the stroke of a pen, giving New Brunswick's major employers a competitive edge and assuring homeowners and renters of stable power bills. Depending upon one's degree of knowledge and personal perspective, the prospect of selling NB Power could inspire emotions ranging from fear to elation.
You can't build sound public policy on a foundation of fear, and elation is not much more reliable. Politicians need to tone down the campaign-trail rhetoric they've been using to inflame the party faithful and take a calm look at what the agreement's impact would be.
New Brunswickers can read the memorandum of understanding for themselves. What they cannot supply is the context. This includes the history of NB Power and the public policy decisions that lead the utility to accrue $4.75 billion in debt; the impact this debt has had on government's ability to invest in the changes citizens want; and the combination of environmental, economic and political forces that are making a move to "green" electricity inevitable.
The average person has not followed these issues in detail, or watched the struggle of successive governments to find a long-term solution. Experienced politicians from both major parties have. While we do not expect them to agree on every particular detail, we must expect them to be factual and honest; to inform themselves, where their knowledge may be lacking; and to address their arguments to the public in good faith.
The governments of Frank McKenna and Bernard Lord sought to prepare NB Power for a competitive electricity market. Selling some or all of its assets has been a theoretical option for a long time; now, it is a real opportunity. Politicians must focus the discussion on the value of this specific proposal and appeal to reason rather than blind bias.
There is far more at stake in this debate than who will win the next election. Reducing it to the usual clash of partisan positions would be a betrayal of the public trust and a denial that finding the best way forward actually matters.
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Comments (9)
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Condescending, much?
The common man has looked at the HydroQuebec deal. He sees a massive rate break for industry, and only a rate freeze for residential and small business users. No matter what the elites tell them, the average person knows a bum deal when they see it.
This is not a good deal for the average NBer AS IT STANDS! There needs to be some modification to ensure residents don't get hit with huge increases after 5 years. There needs to be provision for NB to produce, be able to sell to open markets and be able to transport electricity to the lucrative markets. There needs to be some kind of provision to guarantee employment of NBers - franco AND anglophones!
The only way to ensure that NB gets a good deal is to find a negotiator who gives a darn about NBers, knows how to drive a tough bargain, isn't overly influenced by large industrial interests in the province and doesn't blink when the top card is dealt!
"the ownership of this newspaper will reap ? billions of dollars if this deal goes through".
And how about some intrepid reporter ferreting out the real numbers?
2) The orimulsion deal cost us 800 million and it was done under the Lord Conservative government
3) The refurbishment deal was done by the Bernard Lord conservative government with the participation of Keith Ashfield, Rodney Weston and David Alward
So why are you blaming Shawn Graham. He is merely trying to correct the huge mistakes made by previous Conservative governments.
You have two choices:
1) Keep NB Power and its 5 billion dollar debt and pay rate increases of at least 5% for the next 30 years or
2) Get rid of NB Power, erase the 5 billion dollar debt and get frozen rates for the next five years.
It seems like a no brainer to me.