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Editor's note: the following remarks are taken from the opening exchange between Leader of the Opposition David Alward and Premier Shawn Graham during Question Period in the legislature on Wednesday. They represent the beginning of legislative debate over the proposed sale of NB Power.

Enlarge Photo

Kate Braydon/Telegraph-Journal

Graydon Nicholas, New Brunswick's newest lieutenant governor, speaks from the throne in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as Liberal and Conservative MLAs listen.

Mr. Graham and Mr. Alward's remarks have only been edited when they switched from English into French; these edits are marked by ellipses in brackets [...].

Mr. Alward: Mr. Speaker, you were correct in stating that we are beginning a very serious debate in this Legislative Assembly. What is clear today from the actions of the Premier is that he does not trust the people of New Brunswick, the shareholders of NB Power, to make a decision on what is best for NB Power. I can tell you very clearly that, on this side of the House, we will do our job every day and work to ensure that the NB Power deal is not finalized until the people of New Brunswick have their say on that deal. My first question to the Premier is with regard to the last two platforms of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick. In both 2003 and 2006, the Liberals said very clearly that NB Power would not be sold by a Liberal government. In fact, I will go to the Liberal's Charter for Change, from 2006. On page 16, it reads:

"Accountability at NB Power

"The people of New Brunswick are the shareholders of NB Power.

"A Liberal Government will:

"1. Maintain NB Power as a publicly-owned utility that will serve all New Brunswickers equally."

My question for the Premier is this: What is his word worth? Was this not a commitment by him to the people of New Brunswick?

Hon. S. Graham: We are about to enter into a very important debate in this Chamber - a debate about the future of our province. It is a debate about how we can achieve lower power rates for New Brunswickers, provide the biggest debt payment in our province's history and, at the same time, in the midst of this global economic recession, preserve jobs and create jobs over the long term.

I recognize today that the Leader of the Opposition has raised a very valid point, and I want to address it. Yes, our Charter for Change platform said that we would not be privatizing NB Power.

The fact is that, today, under this arrangement, NB Power will remain a public utility with a different shareholder. I recognize that may not meet the litmus test of interpretation for some New Brunswickers. Let me be very clear today: We are seizing this opportunity today so that every single New Brunswicker can enjoy lower power rates going forward, every single New Brunswicker can enjoy the benefits of the biggest debt payment in our province's history, and every single New Brunswicker will have the security of knowing that we will leave no stone unturned in job creation.

Yes, our opinion changed because of those three reasons.

Mr. Alward: It is unbelievable to hear the Premier today trying to say that NB Power is going to remain New Brunswick's publicly owned utility. How low can you go?

Given that the Premier has already said that he wants to sell NB Power, even though he promised in his platform that he would not do that, what gives him the belief that he has a mandate to do the very thing he said he would not do?

Hon. S. Graham: That belief arises from the issues that the opposition members themselves have raised in this Chamber over the past few years. We can look at communities such as the Miramichi and the closure of UPM-Kymmene. We can look at the future of St. Stephen and the issue that was raised last year with regard to what we were going to do to protect the jobs at Flakeboard. [...]

Today, we have listened to those challenges. Today, we are providing clear leadership and meeting those challenges head-on. That means that, under this proposed deal, every single New Brunswicker will see lower power rates. Every single New Brunswicker will benefit from debt reduction. As for the jobs that the opposition said we must work hard to maintain, that is the priority of this government today. That is why we are moving forward.

Mr. Alward: Let us be very clear. On this side of the House, we are committed to stopping this government from selling NB Power to Hydro-Québec. What is very clear from the spin that the Premier has tried to come forward with today... The forestry sector has been hit harder in Quebec than in any other province in Canada, so you tell me that this is strictly about the issue of electricity.

What is very clear to New Brunswickers is that they will not benefit as the people of Quebec are benefiting from Hydro-Québec.

As we go forward, we will want to understand how this government has gotten to this point. The Premier is quoted as saying that this was too good a deal to refuse, but Thierry Vandal, the CEO of Hydro-Québec, says that the Premier went to Hydro-Québec with a shopping list. My question to the Premier is this: Which way is it?

Hon. S. Graham: I have been very clear today. After watching communities in this province being devastated by job losses and after watching previous governments ignore the issue of how to bring stability to energy costs in the long term in New Brunswick, today, our government is asking... I have been very clear on this answer. As Premier, I approached Premier Charest. In those discussions, we were very clear. Under any proposed partnership, we needed to achieve rate savings for every single New Brunswicker and, ultimately, we needed to eliminate the debt of the utility, or we would not be moving forward with discussions. Today, those objectives have been met.

I also want to be very clear that, as we move forward in these discussions, what is missing from the opposition today is its position. Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition said that it was much too early for the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick to take a position or to explain to New Brunswickers what its present policy would be. The Leader of the Opposition has sat as a member in this Chamber for over 10 years. He has two former Ministers of Energy. It is important today, if we are to have a constructive debate, for the Conservative Party to clearly present what its plan is.

Mr. Alward: One thing is very clear about a Progressive Conservative government in New Brunswick: We will keep our word. The Premier is selling out the future of New Brunswick without a mandate.[...]

Hon. S. Graham: It is important for the opposition members to rise above the politics of lazy populism.

Today, we are bringing forth a partnership that will maximize the value of each other's assets. Those discussions began in January. When we recognized that we had the potential for an agreement to be reached, we announced to the public that those discussions were under way in the month of June.

When a proposed agreement was finalized, we released it to the public. Now we are working to finalize that agreement by the end of March.

That agreement is going to achieve, as I stated before, lower rates for every single New Brunswicker, because their costs of electricity are going up. As well, it is going to provide the biggest debt payment in our province's history - a 40 per cent reduction of the provincial debt, which represents $6,500 for every citizen of this province. The issue of jobs is also paramount to this.

Today, we know that, in communities such as St. Stephen and Edmundston, the CEOs of the companies in those communities have said that this is going to make the difference between bankruptcy and profitability. That is where we are standing today with the workers in these communities, who pay taxes for our health care and education systems.

Mr. Alward: What is very clear today is that the Premier said that this was a partnership. There is nothing about a partnership. This is a full-out sale of the farm. What this Premier has just said is completely unacceptable. We already know that the Premier accepted the first deal that came across his desk. We know that he did not shop around to see if there was a better opportunity. We know very clearly that the Premier did not try to maintain the control of our utility. Who was involved in the early stages of the negotiations? Was it the Premier, was it his staff, or did big business do it for him?

Hon. S. Graham: This is why I think New Brunswickers were expecting more in the debate. Again, this is lazy populism. Let's stand up and rail against big business, as the Leader of the Opposition wants to do.

Today, I look at businesses in Belledune, at Chaleur Sawmills. That company is going to benefit from this agreement, with a 20 per cent reduction in its power rates. Over 300 employees work within that facility. It is a very important employer within that region.

I look at southern New Brunswick, at Connors Bros.[...] When the Leader of the Opposition rails against business, what he is really doing is railing against the workers in those companies, who get up every morning, go to work, and then pay their taxes, which New Brunswick society benefits from, for health care and education.

We have to rise above the debate today, because every single New Brunswicker is going to benefit from this agreement. I led those discussions. I have said that, and I have answered that question three times now. We brought in the best team of experts. The Leader of the Opposition has asked: Who else has stepped forward? The fact is that no one else has stepped forward. This is the best deal that we could potentially achieve for the people of New Brunswick, and that is why we are going to maximize those opportunities.