Confusion reigns

Last night on VOCM Nightline, Labrador Affairs Minister John Hickey told Linda Swain, with respect to power rates for commercial customers in coastal Labrador:

[W]hen we released the Northern Strategic Plan, and I mean at that time he [Premier Williams] made the point to review the Labrador Isolated Commercial Customer electricity rates with a view of introducing a comparable rebate when the Lower Churchill Project was sanctioned and developed...

This afternoon, on CBC On the Go with Ted Blades, Natural Resources Minister Kathy Blunderdale stated:

We made a commitment in the Northern Strategic Plan that we would also review commercial rates when the Lower Churchill is on line.

Minister Hickey hedged his bets, saying that the commercial rates in coastal Labrador would be rebated both when the so-called "Lower Churchill" project is sanctioned, which, supposedly, will be in 2009, and when it is developed, which, supposedly, will happen by 2015.

Minister Blunderdale did not, and said that the rates would be reviewed — not that anything will necessarily be done about them, they'll be reviewed — when the so-called Lower Churchill power starts flowing. According to even the most optimistic, or, depending on your viewpoint, pessimistic, scenario, this is not until 2015.

Minister Hickey, is, in fact, correct. Or at least correcter.

The Energy Plan itself, Minister Blunderdale would learn upon reading it, states, for Minister Blunderdale's reference, this is page 39 of the document:

Furthermore, the NSP [Northern Strategic Plan] committed to a review of commercial rates in these communities in conjunction with the sanctioning of the Lower Churchill project.

David, call Tracy, 729-5282. Tracy, call David, 729-3015.

You guys may wanna compare notes.