Public wants answers, not just attitude
Published Saturday November 7th, 2009
The volume has been turned up to 11 by the opposition Tories on the proposed deal between Quebec and New Brunswick for the sale of NB Power.
David Alward and his gang are using every political trick in the book to try to make this look like a bad deal for the province.
They seem completely nonplussed that their arguments are full of holes and contradictions. Never mind that they rewrote the Electricity Act themselves when in power for the expressed intent of executing a deal like the one Premier Graham has managed to negotiate on behalf of New Brunswickers. Never mind that David Alward, et. Al stood obediently behind Bernard Lord and nodded their heads when he talked about potentially privatizing NB Power because the continued accumulation of debt by the utility was bad for New Brunswickers.
Never mind that the opposition could very well be taking direction from Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams, who is smarter than your average political bear but last time we checked was not really in this fight for the people of this province.
Never mind the facts. Send the troops to the Internet to anonymously post that the seperatistas are knocking at the palace door and the ghost of Joey Smallwood (a political icon who might not have negotiated the best power deal for his province a half-century ago) has been seen roaming the tunnels inside the Mactaquac Dam.
If this is the tack the Opposition wants to take as we head into one of the most important debates New Brunswickers have seen in some time, then that's too bad. This is too meaningful for the people of New Brunswick. If Alward's vision for New Brunswick is to never do anything and set the bar well south of mediocrity, then once and for all, say so.
That said, fortunately most New Brunswickers are not concerned with their political future, as is the case with David Alward, but concerned about their actual future. They know this deal is a game-changer and have been asking some very good questions about the proposed deal in the week or so since it was announced.
Here in the capital city of Fredericton, much of the buzz on the streets has been "what does this mean for the future of NB Power." With more than 2,000 New Brunswickers employed by the utility, it's a very valid question.
The short answer to that is, nothing changes. NB Power, as I understand the Memorandum of Understanding, continues to operate as a stand-alone company, just with a different owner. New Brunswickers will continue to work for the utility that has served its customers extremely well over the years. And contrary to what David Alward might say, the head office will not be moved to St.-Frederic, Quebec. The headquarters will continue to be located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and continue its role as an important employer for the capital region.
Others are asking why we should include our transmission system in this deal, since it's been stated that geography and our access to the lucrative U.S. market are our greatest assets.
The answer to that one is, you have to give something to get something. Energy Minister Jack Keir has stated on more than one occasion that the best deals represent a win-win for both sides. The key to this deal for Hydro-Québec is the transmission system and the access it provides to both the New Brunswick market and the eastern United States. In return, New Brunswick gets close to $10 billion in debt reduction and rate savings.
One can't overestimate the value of the long-term rate savings this will bring for all New Brunswickers. It's good social policy; just ask those low-income New Brunswickers who simply can't keep up with their power bills that have jumped 28 per cent over the past five years.
The opposition has been critical of the lower rates this will bring businesses. Premier Graham's main concerns are the potential for this deal to create thousands of new jobs for New Brunswickers, while at the same time eliminating the drain on profit margins of our province's entrpreneurs, which continually escalating power rates tend to do.
Another good question has been, if this deal is scuppered, could the power plant in Dalhousie be saved? The short answer is, probably not. NB Power's deal with Venezuela for cheap oil for this facility ends this coming year. With oil going at $80 a barrel on the open market, the Dalhousie generating station could not continue as a viable operation.
No one has been harder hit than Dalhousie by the economic downturn. What's important is that community leaders and politicians roll up their sleeves and look for short- and long-term solutions to lift this community back onto its feet. Lower power rates and lower taxes can only help in the quest for new opportunities for Dalhousie.
There are many more good questions being asked that will be answered and debated in the coming months. Let's hope the Opposition participates in a meaningful way. It really is time they put those grassy-knoll-on-the-Plains of Abraham conspiracy theories to rest.
Britt Dysart is a lawyer who practises in Fredericton and president of the New Brunswick Liberal Association.
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Comments (14)
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Nothing changes? That's an incredibly naive statement.
If Hydro Quebec thinks there is such great potential in NB Power, then why don't we New Brunswickers keep it? What the LIEberal government is saying is that we aren't smart enough nor do we have the gonads to fix the problems at NB Power. So let's pass the buck.
spin doctors posting here. I'm still waiting for the REAL FACTS mentioned by Ms. Logan. And to try and play the anti-french card is stooping pretty low, a sign of real desperation. ALL New Brunswickers want more info on this deal and it has nothing to do with language.
The people of New Brunswick are not being served well. This is an important disscussion and one that needs to take place as N.B. Power approaches insolvency and current and future power security are both in jepordy.
Does David Alward have a plan? No he does not. In truth he and his gang are incompetent for the simple reason they also have no plan nor call for any development of a provincial strategy on energy. How can any leader pretend to lead (and this includes wannabe leaders) if they don't even know where it is they want to go nor have an idea of all options on how to get there?
The problems we face are real and are not answered holding yet more political games but in ending these games altogether.