NL Public Policy

This little video is my attempt to help wake up those who are not fully aware of what is being planned.

Government’s handling of World Energy GH2’s wind power project on the Port au Port Peninsula contains the elements of scandal. This is a public policy catastrophe, one to which critical and costly issues remain either poorly understood or unexplained.

The cavalier Premier Furey - “life is full of conflicts…” he told VOCM – did not push Paddick to resign. Instead, Paddick chose to resign - not from World Energy GH2, but from the Churchill River Committee.

Nevertheless, Mr. Paddick, a friend and confident of the Premier, is now in an official capacity with the Government of NL and, therefore, is in a position of influence with both politicians and officials at the highest level.

Rightfully, the public should worry that Ms. Williams lacks the experience to tackle issues that plague the Crown Corporation at a high level. Her Minister having failed to do so, she could also warn the Premier that his appointment of Brendan Paddock to the Churchill River Energy Analysis Team may cause the public to perceive a conflict of interest, considering Mr. Paddick's business interests are in alignment with a part of Hydro's mandate.

The Courts are not a place that we casually think about until, having suffered loss or mistreatment, we go in search of justice. Perhaps, it is the hope that we may never need to, but others might, that sustains our regard of this institution’s high standards and want to recognize those who have made it stronger.

Williams’ public policy and private sector experience is limited; her former employer, Newfoundland Power, is a “regulated” entity. As such, it is not exposed to competition. When profit is effectively “awarded” by the PUB, “risk” is not a word that gets much exercise. Construction outcomes especially suffer within the paradigm of OPM (other people’s money).  

Labatt is being assisted on a much more generous scale than the public.  If Labatt received subsidy proportional to the GHG reduction in the EV scenario, their minor project would net them a 3% subsidy.

Premier Furey’s recent formation of an “Expert Panel" on Churchill Falls 2041 leads people to think that there are no impediments after the Contract expires. He didn't tell you what happened in 1999 to alter the future.