CBC News - Politics - Cabinet minister clarifies his NB Power view

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Cabinet minister clarifies his NB Power view

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 | 10:10 AM ET
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CBC News

Premier Shawn Graham explains the proposed NB Power

sale agreement during a CBC Radio call-in show. He defended Social Development Minister Kelly
Lamrock, who says he will vote according to his conscience on the proposed deal. (CBC)
Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock is denying there is any rift between him and the Liberal
government over the proposed NB Power sale.
Lamrock was asked by Radio-Canada after Tuesday's throne speech whether he plans to vote in favour of
the agreement that will sell the majority of NB Power's assets to Hydro-Qubec for $4.8 billion.
Lamrock refused to offer a definitive answer and said he's studying the deal. He will listen to constituents
at a public meeting that he will arrange in his Fredericton riding and then vote according to his
conscience, he said.
"Each MLA, on such a historic vote, and in a sense on a vote that's final, has to be prepared to think about
the provincial interest, and not his or her partisan interest. What that means is that I'm learning, but that's
all I'm prepared to say," Lamrock said in French.
"There are people in whom I have a lot of confidence who want to present something to me. I'm prepared
to read it. I'm going to listen, I'm going to hold a few public meetings in my riding and I'm going to vote
my conscience."
If Lamrock were to vote against the NB Power sale, he'd likely have to resign his cabinet post.
Lamrock issued a statement saying that his insistence on listening to his constituents should not be
interpreted as being opposed to his government.
"I support the government and its agenda. As I expressed in the interview, I have great faith in my
premier and I believe that the MOU with Hydro-Qubec deals with issues like lower power rates, a
competitive edge for the businesses that employ New Brunswickers, and a reduction of a debt that is
unseemly large for a small population," Lamrock's statement said.
"My statements that my colleagues and I are listening to and learning from New Brunswickers, and
prepared to act in what we sincerely believe is the provincial interest, do not change the fact that I support
the leader, the government and its agenda for self-sufficiency without reservation."

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2009/11/18/nb-lamrock-nbpower-530.html

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CBC News - Politics - Cabinet minister clarifies his NB Power view

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Graham defended Lamrock during a province-wide CBC call-in program on Wednesday morning.
"He clearly supports this deal that's going to lower power rates for every single New Brunswicker, and
eliminate debt. He was a member of the cabinet team that made this decision," Graham said.

Deal about jobs

Graham told reporters during a news conference on Tuesday that any opposition leader who opposes the
deal is standing in the way of job creation.
"So when people hear the criticism of this deal today from the opposition parties, that they're against this
deal, they're against creating jobs," Graham said.
"The Conservative Party is against creating jobs when they stand up and say they're against this deal."
Under the proposed agreement, Hydro-Qubec will pay $4.8 billion for the majority of NB Power's
assets, a sum that will wipe out the utility's debt.
Additionally, Hydro-Qubec will freeze residential rates for five years and then cut large industrial rates
to the level paid currently by Quebec companies. The New Brunswick government values the rate
savings at $5 billion.

No alternative
The Liberals used the throne speech
to highlight the benefits of the deal
as an economic stimulus package.

'I think the premier is clearly being quite

disingenuous if he would expect anybody
would come out immediately with a plan.'

The throne speech quoted several

business leaders who supported the
Opposition leader David Alward
agreement. And Graham told
reporters that he's spoken with corporate executives since the deal was announced who are interested in
investing in the province to take advantage of the power prices and lower taxes.
Graham then criticized Opposition leader David Alward on Tuesday for failing to offer an alternative
solution to selling NB Power.
Alward's Progressive Conservatives are against the proposal and have demanded an election over the
sale.
When confronted with Graham's challenge to present a different way to cut power rates and pay down the
utility's debt, Alward said it's too early for him to offer any solutions.
"I think the premier is clearly being quite disingenuous if he would expect anybody would come out
immediately with a plan. Our plan, No. 1, is this is not a good deal. We are going to work very hard with
the people of New Brunswick to stop this plan," Alward said.
"Right now we need to make sure the people of New Brunswick understand what the implications of this
agreement are, and then we'll move forward."

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2009/11/18/nb-lamrock-nbpower-530.html

11/19/2009

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Story comments (153)

Sort: Most recent | First to last | Agreed
Maximilien wrote:Posted 2009/11/19
at 9:41 AM ETBeing of French heritage, I can appreciate that service in French could probably be
improved by this move. However, I am not comfortable with some separatist in Qubec deciding where
crews should be dispatched after an ice storm. We would no doubt be at the bottom of the list. Keep the
infrastructure and buy the power from Qubec if we have to.

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4Agree 0DisagreePolicy Report abuse

Bay_Line wrote:Posted 2009/11/19
at 9:02 AM ETBev from NB wrote:
You have your ideas and I have mine and, as I mentioned before, lets hope that our citizens of this
province had the ability to wait for the deal to be explained before making a committment of no or yes to
the deal. They should not let we that write on heRE make up their mind for them. WHY CAN'T YOU
NOT AGREE ON THAT PART
Bev, WHY CAN YOU NOT SEE THE FACT that if we wait it will be to late. Graham and KEIR have
had ample oppurtunity to be truthfull about the details of this deal but have chosen to prevent the real
figures from being made public. They continue to do nothing more than base their pitch on misleading
falsehoods so your suggestion that we wait until it is to late is ludicrous. If you have uncovered some
factual details the rest of us do not know about then lets here them. You are in the dark as much as the
rest of us, and that is why it is wrong. This government is trying to justify its lying to the people of NB by
telling us this will lower rates for all NB's when the agreement itself states the facts. Our rates are not
going to be lowered for 5 years and have themselves stated that the rates will rise with the cost of
inflation/the cost of additional supply. We have made up our minds based on sound judgement of our
governments refusal to be transparent and open to the public and until they can back up their claims with
valid documentation our decision will be the same.
WE HAVE BASED OUR DECISION THUS FAR ON THE DEAL AS EXPLAINED WHICH
DOESN'T AMOUNT TO A PINCH OF COONSHIT SO FAR.

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daiseydoo wrote:Posted 2009/11/19
at 7:02 AM ETEveryone agrees that this deal, as presented, favours big corporations. Small and medium
sized businesses will continue to struggle and fail. One of the spin-offs from this scenario is non competitive wages for New Brunswickers.

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14Agree 0DisagreePolicy Report abuse

RoaterB wrote:Posted 2009/11/19
at 6:54 AM ETPremier Graham is interpreting for the people of New Brunswick, the implication and
meaning of what social minister Kelly Lamrocks comment was.
Minister Lamrocks comment was honest and to the point. No interpretation is needed here.
Smells like a muzzling!
A government by the people for the people.

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23Agree 1DisagreePolicy Report abuse

FreddyBound wrote:Posted 2009/11/18
at 11:05 PM ETThis is an interesting and relevant story located right here on this website oddly enough,
titled "Hydro deal raises questions for Magdalen Islands" under the Montreal tab.

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