Huh ????? Another MOU

Well, I imagine everyone has heard the news by now. Graham shipped off to Quebec for the weekend and begged for mercy from old mighty Quebec to give him a deal suitable to his dissident fellow mla's.

Kelly Lamrock gives his version here in a CBC interview.

http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/spinreduxit_20100118_26018.mp3

The Canadian Press has reported this:

"The New Brunswick government has reworked the proposed deal to sell NB Power to Hydro-Quebec following a public backlash and criticism within the Liberal caucus.

The government's house leader, Greg Byrne, says caucus members voiced their concerns at a meeting last Tuesday, prompting a number of changes to the proposed deal.

Byrne says the amended deal got the support of all members during a subsequent caucus meeting on Thursday.

He says the full details of the amended agreement will be released on Wednesday.

On the weekend, a source told The Canadian Press that changes in the deal would reduce the amount of power rate reduction promised for industry in New Brunswick."


The CBC version is here. Five mla's in total that want a slim chance at re-election:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/01/18/nb-liberal-caucus-nbpower-1241.html

The Globe and Mail version here. Even some talk of the proposed regional transmission system in Eastern Canada to foster collaboration across political boundaries.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/in-revised-deal-nb-power-to-retain-some-assets/article1435619/

Fort Reliance, Irvings parent company, says the new system would lower energy costs, improve carbon emissions performance and facilitate economic development.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/irving-firm-calls-for-regional-energy-transmission-system/article1435548/

But no details were given. Maybe Shawn sold them the rights to the "little boxes" I blogged about in December titled "I'm losing it folks". Why would Irving need to hound the province ( well NB Power) for lower rates if they can do all this themselves? Why would their pulp and paper division need handouts to the tune of several millions if they can do all this themselves?

Another article here tells of some details about selling Lepreau and the hydro system for 3.2 Billion.

New Brunswick and Quebec have made major changes to the proposed deal to sell NB Power to Hydro-Quebec.

The Telegraph Journal posted this early this morning and seems to be the first out of the gate. I searched early and this was the only new NB Power article.

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/front/article/923808

It amazes me that some of the details of the document were basically leaked out here and there, with the official announcement to only come on Wednesday. I guess it will take a awhile for Hill and Knowlton to swallow the fact that they didn't succeed with the spin the first time, and need to re-group and step up their game a notch with the new MOU.

I wonder if a new NERA report will follow soon as well. I would like to go back and see how many thousand times Shawn Graham said that this deal is the best deal for New Brunswickers as soon as we see the details. (20 seconds in : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtOC26tXcSk) All it took was a couple of mla's to fess up and admit they can only vote "NO" , and all of a sudden the deal is not worth the paper it's written on.

I hope everyone is ready for round two, because the sell job is probalby going to come harder and faster this time. They basically wasted two and half months and had to go back to the drawing board and start over again. Charest's provincial debt must have ballooned more than anticipated and he's desparate for any form of revenue that HQ can get. And they still want it signed and delivered by March 31.

I also imagine you will see a press release this week from the special advisory board that Graham and company threw together the review the MOU. Their opinion won't matter much now. Or at least they will have to take another six weeks or so to review the new MOU. Graham will probably have it passed in the legislation by then. That would kinda seem like a kick in the privates if I was on that team. I imagine they will all send in a bill for their time. Asking them nicely to give a reputable opinion, and then throw out the whole deal. Maybe that's why the Hill and Knowlten rep only spent five minutes with Ganong last week. Not much point in moving forward on that report. And of top of that, Graham is rolling back their rate reduction!! Ha Ha.
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And maybe this is not the best analogy to use (I like the video), but as former President Bush said, "you fool me once and I can't get fooled again" .
about 40 seconds into this short video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCLY8zrHZ64&NR=1
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