Update: Williams defends Muskrat Falls at Board of Trade luncheon

Jimmy

- October 23, 2012 at 17:17:58

I can"t belive that he said he negotiated a deal for muskrat falls. Negotiate,means,confer with others to settle a matter,obtain cash for,and get through successfully. I would like to know,where is the proof that any of this happened. At present this retoric is being pushed down our throats.

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george p b

- October 23, 2012 at 14:17:53

Barbara Colbourne--it's called a "Hissy fit" not "issy", unless you drop your h's. Further one "pitches a hissy fit" not "throw" one...

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Barbara Colbourne

- October 23, 2012 at 10:44:16

The inconsistencies, alone, that we observe practically every day coming from government should make us pause and question the wisdom of the Muskrat Falls project. Ed Martin said it and yesterday Danny said it. "Muskrat Falls is the 'least cost option' for the province. When Danny's own consultant group (BMT Fleet Technology) reported back to government that the Long Island Causeway was the 'least cost option' Danny and his cabinet ignored that and went with the greatest cost option for the taxpayers of this province and built a $38 million ferry. Danny had several, of what I call his, 'issy fits' over the causeway issue and if everyone don't agree with him now, on his desire for Muskrat Falls stay tuned for another issy fit. (The building of the Long Island Causeway, the least cost option, instead of a new ferry, a big hole in the water that you throw your money into, is definitely a no brainer, which Danny and, presently, Dunderdale chooses to ignore.) If you want to be taken seriously, Danny and Kathy, be consistent in your decisions when spending the taxpayer's dollars.

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Frank M

- October 23, 2012 at 09:17:39

Mr. Williams is entitled to his opinion. But I fuind it interesting that he, the St. John's Board of Trade and other business people say the project makes good economic sense when the have not seen the final project cost numbers. It's like saying I think that Ford Pinto is the greatest car ever made without driving or paying for it. I have no doubt this project will benefit certain members of the business community. The concern is who will be stuck with the bill, the ratepayers.

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p earle

- October 23, 2012 at 07:20:11

Tim, perhaps vision2041.com site has a lot of stuff and you can't understand some of it and granted you have the right to critize it but you do not have the right to say Mr Adams has 'obvious cooked the results...". This is an attack on Mr Adams character, an action that is not based on any facts or truth but is instead based on ignorance. Personally I know Maurice very well and there are 2 things I will say ....(1) if there was an open debate on the merits, pros and cons, of the Muskrat Falls development I would take his knowledge and understanding of the total situation over anyone in the province,...and (2) his Intregity is of the highest order because his being I know, to the core, is based on truth. I ask myself about the people, Williams, Dunderdale, many of the MHA's, Martin, bankers and businessmen... who are pushing so hard for M Rat Falls, one question ....." in general, what kind of characters do they have?" I'll give you my impression about them all....none are in the class of Mr Adams. p earle

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george p b

- October 22, 2012 at 22:42:24

Danny is delusional if he believes we the people need him. Danny, your time at bat is over. Quit hanging around politics like a bad smell that just will not go away. Pursue your free enterprise goals, enjoy your grandchildren, play shuffleboard, or something.....

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NowISee

- October 22, 2012 at 18:11:45

***BREAKING NEWS**** CONFIRMED: Water is now WET; Also this just in, Fire now confirmed to be HOT! So another of the 1% say Muskrat Falls is good. BAHAHAHHAAAAAAA

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koolaid to coattails

- October 22, 2012 at 17:46:17

Like danny said, " you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make her drink!" Its sad really, that it had to come to this. Running a hockey team, a top position empolyed by alderon, develoiping a small town and now has to come back to rescue dunderdale and the coat tails from blowing his legacy.

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Tim Jamison

- October 22, 2012 at 17:43:08

Danny just brought the smack down. I knew he would. This project is one of his legacies. His approval rating is still in the 70th percentile area and he will be participating in the next election to protect his legacies. This is as good as over now. The man never lied to us, he always treated us well, and he is not lying to us now.

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  W McLean

  - October 22, 2012 at 20:20:01

  2007: Danny Williams promised whistleblower protection legislation in the first session of the new House of Assembly. http://www.thetelegram.com/Politics/2008-09-08/article-1453275/Whistleblower-consultations-yet-to-begin/1

Maggy Carter

- October 22, 2012 at 17:19:32

I find the term 'no-brainer' used in this context by Williams to be quite offensive. What he is saying is that you have to be pretty stupid not to see that this is a wonderful investment for this province. Well I'm not a Rhodes Scholar but I do have advanced university degrees, and quite frankly - based on the information put forward by the proponent thus far - I don't get it. Maybe that makes me stupid in Mr. Williams' book, but if so I think there are a lot of stupid people in this province. It would have to include university professors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, scientists and business people. It would have to include ex-premiers and ministers of the crown, as well as former PUB chairmen and senior civil servants. But beyond those professional groups, it would have to include an enormous number of ordinary people - homeowners, parents, retirees, pensioners and others who, unlike Mr. Williams, have to think long and hard before spending a hundred bucks to dine out. There might be lots of affluent types in this province at the moment as a result of our mineral resources (and we don't begrudge them that affluence), but believe it or not there are still a huge number of people who do a balancing act from pay check to pay check. Many of them can't afford a lot of frills and, of course, a significant number can't even afford the basics. As presently configured, this Muskrat project will add significantly to their stress levels. Some will find themselves paying as much for utilities as they do for their mortgage or rent. And ironically, it will be the people that can easily afford to pay double and triple today's electrical rates who will take steps to avoid having to do so. These are the people who can afford geo-thermal and other energy saving technologies that could drastically reduce their power bills over the long term. Since the NALCOR deal with its own subsidiary, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, is 'take or pay', those who can least afford it will have to pony up to bridge any gap in the revenues needed to pay off the huge Muskrat loans. We know you're a smart guy in business Mr. Williams, but I'm not sure that you have a realistic grasp of the lot of the ordinary person in this province. Yes, this deal may be good for Alderon and other mineral producers in Lab West, it might be good for Pennecon and all the other large contractors, it might be good for same suppliers and service companies that have done well off the oil industry, but simply put there isn't one shred of evidence yet that this deal is good for the taxpayers of the province. Given all the assurances from yourself, Dunderdale, Martin and a gaggle of businessmen, the critics of Muskrat could cease and desist with their questions and simply accept that you have a brain and they don't. But isn't that exactly what led to the Upper Churchill fiasco?

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Maurice E. Adams

- October 22, 2012 at 15:53:17

Muskrat Falls' REFERENDUM Poll Results Todate:----------Sanction 0%,,,,,,,,,,, Defer decision pending full PUB review 33% ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Referendum 50%,,,,,,,, Referendum pending a full, comprehensive PUB review 17% ------------ HAVE YOUR SAY.......... www.vision2041.com is a RATEPAYER website established as a public service.

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  Tim Jamison

  - October 22, 2012 at 17:40:42

  Unfortunately, Maurice, your poll does not take into account the 90% of the populace that doesn't care enough to look at your poll. Those people have to be accounted for in a public and scientifically sampled way or your poll means as much as your daily rants

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  Tim Jamison

  - October 22, 2012 at 18:09:36

  I just got back from your site, Maurice. The "Yes" option is at zero percent so you're obviously cooking the results in some fashion. That survey is as democratic as a Chinese election and the results say that to any objective observer. Additionally, none of the graphs make any sense. What's with the first one? Inverted? You're saying Muskrat is going to drain power? ??? Also, the site is too big and too jumbled to make sense. It reminds me of something I'd be looking at if I was using the internet to find evidence of aliens

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  Winston Adams

  - October 22, 2012 at 18:12:16

  Why not take another poll? With the Question" Would you support private investment for delelopment of Muskrat Falls, with a royality for water use payable to the province? This is how oil development works. And mining resources. And this would allow all those business people , Danny Williams, Board of Trade people, engineering firms, and other notable Nflders to invest in this project which they highly recommend. Or it could be a government/ private partnership, where these business have some skin in the game. Let the known supporters come to your website and make known their interest in investing. Or will such support go silent, like Fortis, who apparently wouldn't touch this project?

corruption at work

- October 22, 2012 at 15:04:00

anyone out there who believes that the development of muskrat falls will bring cheap hydro rates to consumers, give your heads a shake. the politicians and their nalcor friends couldn't careless about taxpayers. the residents of my home town of grandfalls-windsor are stuck with an old leaking run down paper mill that no one wants. taxpayers were also on the hook for dannys government screw up under NAFTA, where abitibi-bowater walked away with a bunch of money. relationship with ottawa as become sour thanks to dannys ABC. the people of newfoundland/labrador better wake up, the big winners in all this CORRUPTION won't be the residents, but QUEBEC !

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Brad Cabana

- October 22, 2012 at 14:52:02

Well that's a shocker..

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David

- October 22, 2012 at 14:45:37

A 'no-brainer'...and there, in a nutshell, is a succinct assessment of how much analysis Williams and all his mindless cronies see fit to put into this fantasy. C'mon everybody! Put all your valid skepticism and concerns aside, shut your intellect off, and watch us put the province's future totally at risk for some eejot's selfish little footnote to his egotistical rule in office. Yeah, $10 billion plus is a no-brainer -- -when it's not your money. Go away Williams...your best before date was 2007.

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Cold Future

- October 22, 2012 at 14:41:42

"No brainer" can be used in two ways: (1) its obvious, go ahead or (2) no brains have been really used to come up with this. In the case of Muskrat, it simply can not be shown to pay back its costs and by a considerable factor. It can be shown to recover about $ 3 billion over its life. At the quoted $8.5+ billion capital cost brings in a present worth loss of about 5 to 6 billion dollars. i.e.5 to 6 billion subsidy paid for by NL ratepayers to sell a significant portion of its production on the mainland at bargain rates-No Brainer- it sure looks that way.

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Ask yourself who stands to benefit

- October 22, 2012 at 14:27:37

Williams gave 10 reasons tro develop Muskrat Falls. None of them are sound. 1. "We" need it. the "we" only applies if you're involved in industry or new mining ventures in Labrador. The NL residential needs are declining, but under the Muskrat Falls proposal, it will be the residential user paying the lions share of the cost of new generation for those mines. Whatever happened to "no more giveaways"? Let industry pay their fair share as they do everywhere else. 2. Lowest cost - when compared to the cost of doing nothing. What about alternatives? 3.NL will own it - and the debt that will be necessary to build it, and nobody to pay for it but ourselves. 4. NL will lead on climate change? We already produce over 85% of our power using green sources. We're miles ahead of the rest of NJorth America, and we're miles behind in being competitive. Guess which brings money into people's pockets. We should be focused on being more competitive, not being greener. 5. Good financial conditions? So what? Just because we can borrow money to waste with relatively low interest rates, it doesn't make wasting it any better of an idea. 6. Technology proven? So what? The technology is proven for space flight - does that mean NL should start building rockets? 7.Construction spinoff? It would probably be cheaper simply to give every construction company in NL $1,000,000 no questions asked! 8. The extra power will attract industry. Joey made the same promises about power attracting industry... that didn't happen either. 9. Access to the maritimes - which is completely useless unless our goal is to subsidize their energy costs. 10.US power rates will stabilize in the long term no doubt. With the glut of natural gas, electrical rates in the U.S. will not reach levels that would allow Muskrat Hydro to be sold at a profit within 50 years at currently projected demand. The decision is a 'no brainer' all right - turn off the money taps and run as ear away from this project as quickly as we can.

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