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Stephen McNeil takes the lead in battle with Power Corp |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Friday, 13 February 2009 |
There was more than a touch of irony when Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil leveled both barrels at the president of Nova Scotia Power Inc, during an appearance by Rob Bennett before a Legislative Committee. Bennett, among other things, gave the committee members an update on NSP’s five-year $100 million plan to improve delivery and reliability.
McNeil, born twelfth into a family of seventeen children, knows a tad or two about the struggles of ordinary Nova Scotians. His dad, Bert, died suddenly and his mother was left to raise a large family. Ironically, Bert had been an employee of Nova Scotia Light and Power, first in Halifax and later moving to Bridgetown.
Given this background, when McNeil speaks of the struggles of the poor and working poor, I have one word of advice: listen! He is, as they say, talking the talk after having walked the walk.
When Bennett suggested that the consumers pay a one percent rate increase for desperately needed upgrades, McNeil let him have it. No catch phrases, buzz words or weasel words, just good old plain-speak, something you’ll find plenty of in rural Nova Scotia.
“This company should be taking some of that money [profit] and putting it into its infrastructure so that Nova Scotians can be assured that they will have reliable access to energy.” He went further, suggesting Bennett hire more line workers to deal with power outages. When 100,000 customers are left shivering in the dark for several days, as happened in December, then tough talk and quick action are long overdue.
“When you have a regulated monopoly …you don’t have the right, in my view, to annually send $100 million to Emera [the parent company, for the great unwashed] and not keep up the general maintenance that needs to take place and then …. expect the ratepayers to dig into their pockets again to cover that shortfall,” McNeil said, summing up what went on at the Economic Development Committee meeting.
Nova Scotia Power Inc. has been granted four rate increases in the past five years. The most recent increase last fall was for a whopping 9.3 per cent. And he has the audacity to suggest tacking on another one percent! Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t regular maintenance and upgrades the cost of doing business? Does a small business owner take a vacation in the Bahamas before (s)he pays the bills?
Those increases were granted by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. Place money on it, despite the attack he came under, and the public outrage that grows with each passing day, that Bennett and his lawyers will trot off to a NSUR hearing and beg for that one per cent or more. And, I’m betting they’ll get it.
For those who wonder, eight of those listed below will make that decision.
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board is comprised of eight full time Members and one part time Member, who hear appeals and applications coming before the Board. Headed by Chairman Peter W Gurham, Q.C., Chair, the Board consists of Vice Chair Margaret A.M. Shears, Q.C., David J. Almon, Roland A. Deveau, Wayne D. Cochrane, Q.C., Kulvinder D Dhillon, P. Eng, Murray E. Doehler, C.A., P.Eng, Dawna J.Ring, Q.C., John A. Morash, CC, Part-Time Member, E.A. Nelson Blackburn, Q.C., and J. Thomas Langley, F.C.G.A., Part-Time Member.
All that will be missing is the words “please, sir, may I have some more.”
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster who once worked for Nova Scotia Light and Power)
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