The traitor in the cabinet

A bit over a year ago, one Mark Griffin, B. Eng. LL.B. dared to ask some heretical questions in public:

I ask you now as I did then, what will become of the power generated from the Exploits River watershed? To be more specific, I am inquiring if the power will ever be subject to a regional recall so if at any time in the future there is the prospect of industrial development in Grand Falls-Windsor or the Exploits Valley would low cost power be available to any potential developer to be used as a competitive edge for the benefit of the region.

In short, is the government prepared to apply the same principle of adjacency to those hydro resources as it regularly promotes in the fishery?

The two heresies, of course, were suggesting that the Exploits power be used for industrial development, and, in particular, that any such use be used in a way that gave central Newfoundland some kind of priority.

In response to such treachery, The Provincial Williams Government made it very clear it would brook no ThoughtCrimes:

"Some people in the region have been calling for the creation of a community trust fund, but government will not and cannot approach economic development in the province in this fashion," said Minister Skinner. "While we continue to work with the Community Development Committee – a dedicated 15-person team consisting of local community, business, and union leaders – to revitalize the central region, we are equally committed to the economic and social development of all areas and regions of the province. Our policies must balance regional requirements."

The Provincial Government has a number of economic development programs available to all regions of the province. In the central region, the Provincial Government has taken unprecedented measures, including the repatriation of hydro and fibre assets and making close to $100 million in new investments in the region.

"We have committed to using the repatriated assets to attract industrial development in the area as part of our approach to strengthen and diversify the region’s economy," said Minister Skinner. "We are providing financial benefits to displaced workers and certain entitlements under the Work Force Reduction Program and Supplementary Retirement Allowance. Available power from the repatriated resources puts us in a stronger position to attract industrial opportunities for the region. However, as with any investment, the collective impact on the province as a whole must be measured as these resources are provincially owned."

Today in the Bow-Wow Parliament, NDP leader Lorraine Michael asked some more heretical questions, and – shockingly – got heretical answers from the Dippity Premier herself:

MS MICHAEL: Mr. Speaker, the Premier knows that hydro from the Abitibi assets cannot currently be incorporated into the provincial power grid because of technical issues. This means that Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro cannot gain access to the power unless huge investments are made to upgrade the grid. The Minister of Natural Resources is on record saying that she is waiting for another major business to arrive in Central Newfoundland that can use the power; that was her hope.
Mr. Speaker, how long are we to wait? Five, ten, twenty years? I ask the Premier: How long are we going to have to wait before these assets are turned into real benefits, instead of pinning everything on phantom hopes?

MS DUNDERDALE: Mr. Speaker, as Abitibi went through its crisis, struggling and stumbling on its way to bankruptcy where it finds itself today, the overwhelming plea we heard from the people of Central Newfoundland in particular was: Please, do not let them go with our natural resources.

SOME HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear!

MS DUNDERDALE: Give us, give our children, give our grandchildren, the opportunity to earn their livings once again from the land and from our hydro assets.
Mr. Speaker, we are not writing off Central Newfoundland. We may not have an industrial customer at the moment looking for that power, but that day will come, Mr. Speaker. When that day does come, we will have the assets to do something with, to drive economic development in that part of the Province, Mr. Speaker, once again.

Alrighty, then. We want an industrial customer for the power, and We want it to drive economic development in Central Newfoundland where the power is produced.

Two of the very same things that Mark Griffin, open and notorious traitor, proposed back in early 2009.

Isn’t it really unfortunate when one of our own comes out and betrays us like that?