The province’s opposition parties are expressing their views on the Muskrat Falls rate mitigation deal, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Andrew Furey.
In a surprising move, the PC party expressed their support for the deal, with Interim Leader David Brazil calling it a “good first step.”
Brazil says while they are looking forward to more details being released, they are pleased with the way the agreement in principle shaped up at 14.7 cents a kWh.
He says while it’s not what the Liberals promised in the last election, it fits with the numbers they have looked at for an attainably low rate.
(File photo.)
NDP Leader Alison Coffin was less enthusiastic about the deal—specifically, about not being given the details.
Coffin says while she was relieved that the province has reached rate mitigation, she was only able to garner details from what she calls a “very convoluted” release that was “light on detail.” However, that was not Coffin’s only issue with the agreement in principle. She says the rates have gone up, even though the Liberals promised they wouldn’t, which is cause for concern.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says Ottawa’s rate mitigation deal should prompt a reckoning over the province’s financial situation.
The federation says Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest per person spending compared to other provinces.
The group says Ottawa’s bailout means Canadian Taxpayers will now be responsible for the poor decisions made by big-spending politicians in the province.
Meanwhile, outside Confederation Building, a small group gathered to protest hydro development on Indigenous land, specifically Gull Island.
The protestors surrounded the entrance, holding signs with sayings such as “water is life” and “no more hydro dams on stolen lands.”
Kyle Johnson says they’ve seen how the development of Muskrat Falls has affected Indigenous communities. He said the development would make the province worse for the most vulnerable people, so they wanted to voice their concerns while the Prime Minister was visiting.
Another member of the protest, Lea Mary Movelle, says the government has no right to the Grand River. She says the government has no claim to it, as it belongs to the Indigenous Peoples and they need to confront that to reach meaningful decolonization.
Innu Nation Left Out of Discussions
(Innu Nation Grand Chief Etienne Rich.)
The Innu Nation is accusing both provincial and federal governments of shutting them out of discussions regarding the new agreement to offset the costs of the Muskrat Falls project.
In a statement, the Innu Nation says despite their partnership with the province, they still have not been given basic information needed to assess potential impacts to the Innu Nation from the agreement.
They are concerned that the new arrangement could harm the benefits that they were promised under the Impact and Benefits Agreement signed in 2008.
Innu leaders contend that by excluding them from discussions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Andrew Furey have treated them in a disrespectful and colonial manner.
