The sound of one hand doing something or other

From a sadly not-online Peter Walsh report in today's Telegram:

Megaproject, mega hurdles
2009 at best before Williams ready to 'rock 'n' roll' on lower Churchill

Developing the hydroelectric potential of the lower Churchill River in Labrador is proving to be the most difficult megaproject deal to close, says Premier Danny Williams. [Wouldn't he have to "close" at least one first, before making that judgment? — ed.]

[...]

Williams - who wrestled $2 billion dollars in extra oil revenue benefits from former prime minister Paul Martin and later a 4.9 per cent equity stake promise from the Hebron oil consortium - says it will be late 2009 before even deciding on the right approach to develop the lower Churchill River.

Interesting: the timeline keeps shifting. Once upon a time, 2009 was going to be Project Sanction Year.

"Well, at best that would be late 2009," said Williams. "We're going through the environmental process. We're attempting to reach agreement with the Labrador Innu. I'm optimistic that can happen. (Then we'll decide) what the nature of the project will be and get the financials in place and be ready to rock'n'roll."

And party every day! ODP continues:

"I'd like to move upwards on it but I don't want to move upwards until we get some things in place. The first major hurdle would be settling the Innu land claims and the agreements and rights there. That would be the most important thing. Since then, the Quebec Innu have indicated that they may have some interest there, so you have to deal with that."

Now here's an interesting bit: you have to deal with Quebec Innu claims, but not Labrador Métis Nation?

Another hurdle is Ottawa. Williams would like the federal government to help, but said he's prepared to develop without federal involvement.

Autonomy! Go it alone! We know what we're fighting for, and that's autonomy, one federal loan guarantee at a time.

Environmental approval is another barrier on the way to the finish line. Then there's the sticky issue of how to get any power from Labrador to markets in North America.

Yes, because Labrador isn't part of North America, and Brazil isn't interested.

The piece concludes with these words from ODP and an interpolation:

"I'm still optimistic (a deal) can happen and the target completion for that would be 2015," said Williams. "So major construction would be probably from 2010-2015."

The word "deal" usually implies more than one party.

With Quebec, in ODP's eyes, too "volatile", and the federal government not needed, and a smelter off the table (not that it was ever on to begin with) who is there to do a "deal" with?


It's awfully hard for a one-man band to put on a rock-and-roll show.