Wednesday August 27th

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Open Line host Patty Daily. Well, all right and good
morning to you. Thank you very much for tuning in
to the program. It's Wednesday, August the twenty seventh. This
is Open Line. I'm your host, Patty Daily. Beth Vegans
back in the producer's chair. You'll be speaking with Beth
this morning. When you pick up the phone, it gives
a shout and in the que and on the air.
If you're in the same time as Metro Region, the
number to dial as seven zero nine two seven three

(00:20):
five two one one. Elsewhere a tot fore long distance
one eight eight eight five ninety VOCM, which is eighty
six twenty six. I think the phone lines are still
blocked their, Beth. Let's see here, Beth, I think you
should unlock the phone lineser see, we got to get
some action going, all right, So let's check in At
the US Open. Five Canadians were seated first time in
the modern era. One knocked out of course, our high seat,

(00:42):
Vicky and Boco. But the other four have moved through
to the second round, which is excellent news. What happened
to Bianca Andrescu? So I know that you know Mary,
pardon me. Leila Fernandez has moved through on the women's side,
both Diallo and pheolix O j ls Eve and then
Shapavallaff moved to a long on the men's side. But
remember andrescue. In twenty nineteen, she was the number four

(01:03):
ranked player in the world. That year she want Indian
Will's hugely prestigious tournament, won the Canadian Open, first female
to win the Canadian Open in fifty years, went on
to win the US Open in twenty nineteen and gone
by the wayside. Oh just random note and I remember
this for some reason. Nineteen eighty five, Mary Joe Fernandez
became the youngest player to win at the US Open.
She was fourteen years and eight days old. Fourteen years

(01:25):
and eight days old winning at the Open. Okay, So
there is a wildfire update coming this morning from the
provincial Government's going to be at nine thirty this morning.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
We will carry it live.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
It sort of shags up our approaching so far as
breaks and stuff go. So we will indeed carry that.
But a reminder we will be back right after the
President and take your calls on any issue under the sun,
including wildfire situation. So pattyce Poum fire is out excellent news.
Martin's Lake under control, but Kingston remains out of control.
That's still nearly around eleven thousand hectors. Now we know

(01:57):
the RCMP are still investigating some of the folks that looted,
evacuated homes, stole ATVs and whatever.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
The case may be. Now they have active monitoring.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
In and around those evacuation zones on their own ATVs.
So if you have any questions, hopefully they get answered
by government representatives this morning at nine and thirty. If not,
we'll try to get the information as best possible for you.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
All.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Right, back to school happening pretty soon here. Obviously there
was a back to school benefit announced yesterday and the
money's have flown to people who are on income support.
Every child one hundred bucks ahead, obviously a good thing.
Then you know, you hear from Bridges to Hope in
a single parent association still needing so much more support,
additional support to fill the requests for backpacks and all

(02:41):
the school supplies they're in. It's amazing when you think
about it. And I continue to hear from people who
are in need of this type of support and talking
about how great it will be for their children to
be back in school for an opportunity to participate in
kids the smart with They Grab and Gold Breakfast School
Lunch Association and the Hot Launch. It really does blow
my mind and break my heart that in twenty twenty

(03:02):
five so many families rely on school not just for
learning but for.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Eating truly amazing stuff.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
So if you can have the capacity to make a
donation of a single parents association or bridges, hope, let's
do it. Yesterday I mentioned, which I do probably every
single year on the back to school timeframe, is the
concept of what it would mean for school uniforms and
got plenty of uptake yesterday in terms of it on
social media, plenty of it in the email. Some people
push back against and saying, you know, it removes the

(03:30):
opportunity for someone to express who they are through their fashion.
It's a funny thing to rely on, especially when you're
a child, you know, as opposed to level the playing field.

Speaker 2 (03:38):
The looking sharp and.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
All the rest of that can go with it, and
of course the financial relief that families would feel knowing
that they don't have to keep up with the Joneses
and they don't have to have the newest, coolest hoodie
or shoes or sneakers, whatever the case we be. But
if you want to take it on, we can do it, okay.
Also in the school of related matter, early childhood education.

(04:00):
So the problem's announced yesterday the sanctioning another five hundred
and seventy four new childcare space. And that's of course
all part of the ten dollars day program spread across
twenty five centers across Avlan Peninsula and into central Newfoundland.
All Right, we know additional capacity is absolutely required, and
the waiting list is long. We hear from families that
are in their second trimester of pregnancy already getting on

(04:21):
the list for daycare, for childcare, for early childhood education.
What we don't have in this particular announcement is what
the net gain looks like, because that's the most important number.
If you add five hundred and seventy four, but you
lost one hundred, we're only up four hundred and seventy four.
So I'd really like to see net gain numbers as
a real benchmark as to what's going on. In addition
to that, apparently this is coming from an operator of

(04:44):
some twenty five years in the regulated childcare space. There
was a startup grant to buy equipment to modify the home,
and apparently that's gone by the wayside. If that's true,
that seems a little bit counter productive or counter or two.
For we're trying to create more spaces to meet the
demand and that's the reality, so says this particular owner
operator of a regulated family home childcare. All right, so

(05:05):
those are those particular numbers. If you want to get
into it, let's do it. We've heard from people who
are what I'll refer to us experts in the field
looking at things like early childhood education, knowing that a
child's brain is nineteen percent developed by the time they're
five years of age. And so it's the concept of
pre K pre kindergarten. It's a good idea. Some schools
doing the deed see it implemented. But if you look

(05:28):
around about the education aspect and the childcare aspect and
early childhood education, if pre K became the rule, and
as many schools that can accommodate it, because not every
school can. But if you took the bulk of four
year olds out of the daycare or early childhood to
early childhood education system, man oh man, we'd really go
a long way to free enough spaces for more and

(05:49):
more toddlers, for instance. So if you want to talk
about it, we can do it all right, stick with education,
this time post secondary education. So we know the new
presidents and voice chat of doctor Janet Morrison came from
Sheridan College. They're talking about a commitment to cut some
twenty point eight million dollars. There were layoffs in the
recent past. There were a couple of departments shut down

(06:10):
will the Harris Center and the Office of Public Engagement
both that month's signal Hill Campus, which does continue to
beg the question as to whether or not that was
required purchase and renovation at the behest of a moral university.
But anyway, whether they refer to twenty point eight million dollars,
it really feels like that's under cutting or underscoring just
the state of affairs that have a more university. So

(06:31):
they've laid off a bunch of faculty, they've created a
new position at VP of Finance. Doctor Morrison says she's
not getting much pushback on that front. But you know
heard Jeraly and Mackie ask her questions about what people
refer to as administrative float. And you have to start
there when you talk about efficiency costs and otherwise, but
twenty point eight, I mean, just even consider the maintenance

(06:52):
deficit that month, it's one hundreds of millions of dollars.
So twenty point eight might be a meaningful starting point,
but certainly doesn't get anywhere close to putting money back
on the fiscal financial rails, right, So we've got to
get a writer of Amorial University.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
That one is absolutely for sure on that front.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
Look, every discipline that people choose in a institution of
higher learning can be important into the future, whether it's
their quest for knowledge or thirst for knowledge, or to
prepare them for the global job market. But I would
imagine a lot of people look at you know, outside
the co op programs that are extremely top quality engineering
and otherwise, and in the school of business, it's in

(07:31):
the disciplines regarding preparing healthcare professionals. This one I knew
was coming. We've talked about it in the past word
and talk about it again this morning. Doctors primary Care.
So they're announcing big historic announcement in Nova Scotia. Just
I guess about a week ago talking about at the
Cape Breton Medical Campus. So here's how it's going to

(07:52):
work there. This is what it said in the news release.
The inaugural class includes thirty Nova Scotians who, under return
of service agreement, have committed to practice family medicine and
rural areas of the province for five years after they graduate.
There is a transfer money into Memorial University that we
all know about. There is indeed a stand alone budget
for the School of Medicine, but some of that money

(08:14):
does indeed come from the provincial governments my understanding, so
I've been told constantly in the past that return of
service agreements don't work well.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
The fact of the matter is they can.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
With all the new doctors coming in the fold that
have been recruited. There is a return of service agreements
in place four or five years. So is it not
realistic that whether or not we do what they're doing
in Nova Scotia or what they're doing in Alberta to
set up rural remote sites for schools of medicine for
primary care training and education with return of service agreements

(08:44):
for hard to staff spots in the various provinces or
the respective provinces, something that I think has got to
be part of the conversation here. Do you think and
add to it, you know, like what Jim Dennis saying
and others are saying is that everyone graduating from a
discipline where there are gaps, and there's plenty of them
in that world of healthcare, is that every single person
as soon as they bomb hits the seed, they're in

(09:04):
constant contact with the recruiter at NL Health Services throughout
the entirety of their education and offers at the heels.
If we have gaps, how are we not offering and
making sure that the Nova Scotians of the world are
Saskatchewes don't get here aggressively recruiting are soon to be graduates.
So anyway, return of service agreements in the world of doctors.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
What do you think?

Speaker 1 (09:27):
All right, So we know that Premier Lego and Premier
Hogan and various representatives of both provinces and utilities met yesterday.
So it was it just the Upper Churchill Memorandum of understanding,
which of course is a major issue and it should
be for everyone listening to the program because as super
long term implications, and we can get into some of
the questions you know about all the authority being held

(09:50):
by Hydrogobec to develop gull island or not they say
they're going to it's three point five billion dollars they'll
pay for our equity stake, and they'll pay us one
point five billion dollars if they don't develop.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
There no reason to believe they won't.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
But projected revenues, the length, the term of the contract itself,
electricity pricing, the question that people are asking, we can
indeed be talking about it, and we should be talking
about it here on the show. A couple of things,
So talk about independent oversight, Who exactly would be that
independent oversight entity and what do you think their rolecut
or should be. And also I get asked repeatedly about

(10:23):
whether or not they should go to a referendum. Conceptually
that sounds like it makes sense, but I don't even
know if I'm armed with enough actual information and seventy
five year foresight to whether or not my vote would
have any merit in a referendum. And I'm not going
to be insensitive or mean to listeners and say you
don't know enough about the vote on it, But let's

(10:45):
just be realistic and think about how many people might
indeed just vote it down because of the other side
of the table being Quebec.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
You have to think of plenty of people.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
Quebec has long been the boogeyman in this province, understandably
so and possibly rightfully so. But the concept of referendum
on that, I mean, I guess the referendum will indeed
be the upcoming election, which is going to be called.
You have to imagine sooner than later. They also talk
about critical minerals and joint opportunities in the Labrador trophy.
I brought this up, I don't know, thousands of times

(11:15):
over the years, regardless of what anyone thinks of the
province to come back those opportunities for those critical minerals
is for all intents and purposes, I shared consideration. So
where the conversation went on that front, I don't know.
Then it's here from Tony Wakem and know they're saying,
you know, what happened to transparency? I want the information.

(11:35):
I would have loved to be a fly on the
wall at that particular meeting yesterday. Is it even in
our best interest to negotiate in public, in full on camera.
I don't really know if that's the best idea, but
I'd certainly like to know more about where we are
even to use Premier Hogan's own words, an aggressive timeline
being next April to get this MoU into a definitive agreements,

(11:57):
of which it might be ten.

Speaker 2 (11:58):
Or twelve of them.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
You want to talk about it, We're more than happy
to do exactly out here this morning. And you know,
you have to believe that the election call is coming
sooner or later. I see Kelley Bluduk political scientists of
a more university talking about all the recent announcements back
to school benefit and of course ongoing meetings regarding the
Upper Churchill childcare spaces, and there's a variety of others,

(12:20):
so you know, I think his point was that there
should be more in place in so far as rules
regarding timing of announcements and calling of elections. This tactic
is as all this time, isn't it. You know, whether
it be a fire truck in every hall or a
new merry go round in every playgroom, and whether there
be Upper Churchill momentum, or whether it be childcare spaces

(12:43):
or whether it be back to school benefits, this is
always going.

Speaker 2 (12:46):
To be the case. Does that really move a whole
lot of voters?

Speaker 1 (12:50):
I'm not so sure. People are quite likely going to
vote with their pocketbooks. I mean, that's kind of how
things have been going pretty much for the last decades,
is it'll be cost of living issues, even if some
of the cost of living issues that we are dealing
with are out of the hands of the provincial garments
right across the country, but it's how people feel.

Speaker 2 (13:10):
Will there be.

Speaker 1 (13:10):
Focused on job creation numbers which are pretty poor in
this problem so over say the last decade, you know,
or whether it be about some of these announcements, or
whether it will simply be about cost of living, even
if some of that has no control by the provincial government.
That's how people think and feel, right, It's how you
feel about your lot in life. It's how you feel
about your current circumstances or predicament or opportunities into the future.

(13:34):
So anyway, mister Bladuk, if you're listening, we're happy to
have you on the program. All right, a couple of quickies,
we'll take the break a little bit earlier. Canada Post
seems to be on its last legs. I mean it
really does. Personal numbers are way down and give some
context term so for satters in the second quarter of
this year, they are bleeding money, losing four hundred and

(13:56):
seven million dollars in just the second quarter alone. Personal
revenue on by two hundred and eighty eight million dollars.
Candapost delivered twenty five million fewer packages in the second
quarter than it did a year earlier, so since the
start of twenty twenty five, Parsonal revenue was down nearly
a half a billion dollars. Is there any put in
that toothpaste back in the tube? I mean, what's kind

(14:17):
of the post going to look like into the future.
They can't continue to lose that kind of money. They
simply cannot. And the trend is not going to go
back to traditional the way we traditionally dealt with and
used Canada Post. So they used to be a self
sustaining outfit for a long long time. It's just a
few years ago they had to go to the federal
government for support and now we'll have to be back
at that so called trough into the future. But what

(14:39):
replaces kinda post? I hear people say blow it up
all the time, but for plenty of the country geographically speaking,
Canada Post is the only game in town. We can't
make ups go to the so called last mile the
service Canadians who are outside of their general service area.
But Canada Post handles that mail delivery, that parcel deliver.

(15:00):
So we're two from here. Because boy, oh boy, four
oh seven million dollar loss in just a second quarter
this year, parcel revenue down a half a billion dollars
since the beginning of twenty five. Unbelievable stuff. All right,
let's see. Oh, the Tony Humby trial starts today. First
witness will be called, of course, facing some seventy two charges.

(15:20):
First on police radar back as long ago as two
thousand and seven. He and Bruce Escott arrested them the
same day in twenty twenty three. Mister Escott, of course,
has pled guilty to his charges and has sworn a
greed statement of fact where I assume he's used Tony
Humby's name as his co conspirator here. The other charges,
including human trafficking, are set for a different trial. Those

(15:42):
charges have only been laid twice in the province's history.
Both went away before it came the final verdict. But
the concept here is we'll find out whether or not
Tony Humby is found guilty or not of the alleged
crimes even though yeah, and it's the thought of an
inquiry into the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
and yes, law enforcement, about how we deal with these

(16:02):
types of allegations. How many young people could have been
spared if the allegations are proven to be true, could
have been spared the evil perpetrated upon them by the
escits and the Humbies of the world. Anyway you want
to talk about it, we can do it. We on
Twitter or viosim opelan follows there. Email addresses open on
AFOSM dot com. Let's take a break, go back public
transportation and the queue and then you don't go away.

(16:23):
This is open line now the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
Welcome back Vascota Line number one. Jenny around the air.

Speaker 4 (16:32):
Oh, good morning, Patty. I got a good news story.

Speaker 5 (16:37):
Share with you this morning.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Turrifis.

Speaker 4 (16:39):
I grew up the carabineer and we used to have
a daily.

Speaker 6 (16:43):
Bus go in and note curious bus, you know.

Speaker 4 (16:46):
And when I moved home twelve years ago, there's no
public transportation at all. Well, low and behold, two months ago,
this gentleman from Saint John's has started a lead transportation.
He's got a fourteen seater bus and the seats are
so comfortable, and he even applies a senior discount because

(17:12):
I know some seniors that have had to pay three
hundred dollars to go into the same chance for a
doction's appointment because they had to hire a tax tea
and it.

Speaker 5 (17:21):
Was one hundred and fifty in under fifty out.

Speaker 6 (17:24):
So I just I was so happy to share this.

Speaker 4 (17:27):
And the phone number is seven oh nine to Bayhop,
so people wouldn't remember the number.

Speaker 6 (17:36):
They can go under.

Speaker 4 (17:37):
Bay Hrop and I just feel like it should be,
you know, publicized for that more people.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
Know about it, absolutely, and bay Hop is a great
name and lucky to get that as a refers to
their phone number two.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
So that's good stuff. So, Jenny, you've used the shirts,
have you?

Speaker 7 (17:57):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (17:57):
I have. Actually I still have my her. But you know,
I'm getting more mature all the time, Patty. In fact,
I'm celebrating a milestone birthday today and I got up
early to talk to you, and I'm being taken out
for breakfast and I'm all excited, and I'm hoping my
son and his wife are going to surprise me today

(18:19):
and come from Alberta. But I'm not going to share
my age because if I'd tell you, I'd have to
kill you.

Speaker 1 (18:25):
You know, pardon don't too many favors, So I won't
ask your age.

Speaker 6 (18:33):
Patty. I've listened to.

Speaker 4 (18:35):
You all the time, and I love you, and and
I told the bus driver I'm going to pull Patty
on Wednesday, and he's listening to and I'm sure he
appreciates the exposure. So the number again is seven oh
nine to two to nine four six seven or to Bayhobs.

Speaker 1 (18:56):
I love it. Just a couple of questions for you.
So what do you want to get for breakfast, my darling.

Speaker 4 (19:03):
I'm going to this restaurant in Carboneers called crookot Sills.
You know how when we lived on the mainland we
said crooker that would be criminal, But in New Finland
we're different, so I don't know. He must have been
cranky or something. But anyway, but what a breakfast you get?
You get two eggs, two slices of a homemade bread

(19:24):
they make it right there in the restaurant, and then
you get two on three like baking ham or shasage
and home fries. And I mean they are home.

Speaker 5 (19:35):
Fries, They're not the ones that if I in.

Speaker 4 (19:38):
The fridge and then my niece has invite me for supper.
And I got a funny feeling because my son always
sends my birthday card well in advance, and every day
I go to the mail which and I won't get
a card because that would give me a clue that
he might becoming. So I'll be over the moon if
he comes and surprise with me today.

Speaker 2 (19:59):
No doubt. So right off the bat, Happy birthday to you.
I hope you have a terrific day.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
Where's your son and wife live in Alberta.

Speaker 4 (20:07):
In a little channel?

Speaker 8 (20:08):
Cause could she?

Speaker 4 (20:09):
What's about an hour and a half outside of Calbary.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
Yeah, I know where it is. That's because we live
in Alberta for quite a long time. Listen, enjoy your breakfast,
Happy birthday, have a tremendous day, and thanks for letting
us know about the bus service.

Speaker 4 (20:22):
Yes, Godless you, thank you for let me shares.

Speaker 5 (20:24):
And you'll have a lovely day as well.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
Patty you too, thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (20:28):
Stay in touch, Jenny, Godless you take care you too,
by bos bye bye. All right, So, just on an
effort to make sure we cut the press around time,
let's take a quick break. When we come back, myself
and Brian Brian madoora will talk us to the press conference.

Speaker 2 (20:40):
Blair Trainer is running a ward two. He's also in
the queue.

Speaker 1 (20:42):
Gary wants to talk about one interesting thing that happened
in Marystown just this week.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
Don't go away.

Speaker 1 (20:47):
This is open line now the VOCM Bigland FM Radio Network.
Welcome back to the program and joining studio by Brian
Madore Brian, Good morning morning, Patty. So not sure what
to expect here today, but of course the largest looming
questions though not only the status of the Kingston fire,
but what's next steps. We know we've moved some supports
from category our carbon neir Academy to the splash pattern

(21:07):
Harbord Grays. But the next steps for evacuees will it
comes with the back to school complications or the concept
of rebuilding.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
Still a lot on the line, an awful lot.

Speaker 9 (21:16):
They've got the educational piece kind of straightened out for
kids to go to school in Beta Verge, So that's
straightened out that component of it. Now we have to
well people are just going to be wondering where to next.
As you mentioned, there's going to have to be his
own kind of a clean up process, an assessment, an
update on perhaps the Newfoundland power situation.

Speaker 2 (21:39):
It's all on the line here this morning.

Speaker 1 (21:41):
Yeah, I mean, you talk about rebuilding Capital Academy, if
and when the provinces choose to do that. We heard
from a veteran of the construction industry working in it
for some four decades. By the time we clean up
that site, and by the time we do the engineer
and go through all the various steps towards building a school,
that's years down the road before that can be satisfied.
He also went on to say, though, you know, local
contracting companies in the area can maybe build a couple

(22:02):
of turnkey homes per year, and we're talking about the
possibility to rebuild hundreds of structures. So I don't know
what's coming on that front from the premier today, but
I suppose all eyes will be on putting deploying the
resources in that Kingston fire. Now that Patty's Pond is
out and Martins Lake is under control, so that's the
good news. Seems like we've turned the corner in a
positive effect. But for evacue's and there's one in the Q.

(22:23):
Carrol's in the Q on line number one. She's in
the evacue, she's got questions.

Speaker 9 (22:27):
And even in the fire and flood restoration people, they're
they're really going to be an over their heads. They're
going to have to be called in structural engineers. We
saw it in Hurricane Fiona, significant labor shortage to try
to put the buildings back in place. It was over
one hundred in the southwest coast. And we don't know

(22:49):
where the numbers are going to lead us here in
conception by North, but I think they're going to be
greater than what we saw in a Port of mass area.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
Yeah, and look, I understand why it's some important for
the problems to give information as often as they see fit.
And then today I guess they've started at nine point
thirty this morning. But and not to be mean spirited,
but what we need is actual hard call facts information
that can be helpful.

Speaker 2 (23:14):
You know what.

Speaker 1 (23:14):
It is important to continue to thank the volunteers, firefighters
and otherwise those are opening up their arms to welcome
people into their community. But let's hopefully it's a bit
light on platitudes and heavy on actual advice on support.

Speaker 9 (23:26):
This morning and whenever they do not have that live briefing, Patty,
I know we're kind of they're kind of hoping to
have every two or three days. They didn't have a
live briefing on the weekend, a Facebook announcement by the premiere.
But when they don't have that live briefing, we do
hear about it in the newsroom. There's plenty of feedback,

(23:48):
what time, why is it not on today? Why is
there no live briefing. The people out there do want
a live briefing. Even if it's maybe there's not a
whole lot new to tell, they still do want that
life briefing.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
Here we go, let's go to the premiere.

Speaker 10 (24:03):
Here, joined today again by Minister Krab, Deputy Minister Forestry
Jamie Chippett, and online again Minister HAGGI just start this
morning to with an update on the status of the
three wildfires here in the province. Martin Lake wildfire is
estimated to be one six and thirty three hectores and
is now classified as under control. We still have ten

(24:25):
ground crew from our province continuing to monitor hotspots in
this fire and a helicopter is available for bucketing if required.
Cabin owners may notice some smoke in the area coming
in the next number of weeks as there continues to
be hotspots there. And as I said, it's still classified
as under control and it is not out yet. The
smoke is normal and open flames are thick. Smoke should

(24:48):
be reported immediately if anybody does see it. Forced Resource
roads previously closed in the Martin Lake area due to
the wildfires reopened yesterday and this includes access to Martin Lake,
mcguel Lake, Great rat La Brook and Rushy Pond. So
some positive news related to the Martin Lake fire, Patty's Pond,
WildFly fire yesterday.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
This great news has been declared out. So that is
great news.

Speaker 10 (25:11):
I know we're all very happy to hear that. That
was very scary few days of course, with regards to
that wildfire moving close to subdivisions here in the Saint
John surrounding area. And again just want to thank all
the firefighters, all the pilots, all the staff, everybody who
did incredible work to get that fire under control and
now out. I've met with a number of fire departments

(25:33):
in the Saint John's region over the last few days
and they all sent individuals and they all worked together,
regardless of where they came from, whether it was POOCHCO
of Torbay, Witless Bay, Saint John's CBS surrounding areas, and
they all just did tremendous work. And they all spoke
about how some of them have worked in this field

(25:53):
for decades and never saw fires like the ones they
saw Patty's Pond and CBN over the last few weeks.
So tremendous effort, tremendous bravery and again can't thank them enough.
As for the Kingston fire, nearly thirty five millimeters of
rain yesterday, so that provided a strong day working on
hotspots on that fire. We had seventy five ground crew

(26:14):
members from here in British Columbia with assistance again from
local fire departments to make good progress on the fire yesterday.
Of course, the steady rain did help and it was
a constant flow.

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Of moisture to this wildfire.

Speaker 10 (26:28):
But unfortunately air assets were unable to fly yesterday due
to the weather, smoke and low ceiling. It does remain
an active fire and lingering smoke is continuing to effect
mostly the western boundary. The incident Management team reports steady
decrease in overall fire activity.

Speaker 2 (26:45):
However, this is still classified as out of.

Speaker 10 (26:47):
Control and it remains estimated at about ten thousand and
ninety five. Hectors will continue to monitor it throughout the day.
Hopefully some air assets can get there as soon as
possible this morning, but the weather may cause delay and
getting there, so we'll continue to monitor that as well.
I want to speak specifically to the people in Conception
Bay North.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
Throughout the past number.

Speaker 10 (27:09):
Of weeks, we have continued to let them know that
we are committed, our government has committed to assist them
in recovery efforts. And I know a number of individuals
have now had the opportunity to return home or to
return to their communities having the evacuation orders lifted. And
that's the first stage in assessing what recovery is going
to look like as we move forward. And the Cabinet

(27:30):
Committee has done a lot of work already, thanks to
Minister Corp for leading that, and they will continue to
do a lot of work not just over the short term,
but the medium and long term as well. And we
just want to provide an update today on the recovery
as efforts for evacuees, we will include additional financial assistance
and supports for households, businesses and employees. This support is

(27:54):
in addition to the one time payment of five hundred
dollars that has already been made a few weeks ago,
and today, seven hundred and sixty nine payments have been issued,
which covers three three hundred and twenty four total households.
We've also provided thirty thousand dollars special assistance grant earlier
this summer to Adams Cove black Code Blackhead broad Cove that.

Speaker 2 (28:16):
Community as well for the earlier forest fire.

Speaker 10 (28:18):
Effective today, however, we are also providing an additional five
hundred dollars emergency Financial Assistant payment to each household that
was ordered to evacuate from a primary resident due to
a wildfire.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
For more than fourteen days.

Speaker 10 (28:31):
This will further help those who have been impacted from
the wildfires and assist in purchasing more essentials like food
and personal supplies as they continue to be unable to
return to their homes and communities. For those who receive
the first five hundred dollar payment, if you've already registered,
of course, you do not need.

Speaker 2 (28:47):
To register again.

Speaker 10 (28:48):
You'll receive the payment in the same way that you
received the first one. A reminder if you haven't registered
with the Red Cross, or if you registered but didn't
receive payment, Please call the Red Cross.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
We're also announcing.

Speaker 10 (29:00):
Today new additional assistance in the form of temporary housing, supports,
financial assistance and support for small and medium sized businesses
that have been impacted by the wildfires and for employees
who face disruption from work. And this support reflects our
ongoing commitment to the people of Conception Bay North and
it builds on the supports and partnerships that are already

(29:22):
in place. As we've said, this is a collaborative approach
and it involves multiple departments, community and emergency partners organizations
and of course the residents of the community to help
address the evolving needs as we move forward. And to
every resident and business owner affected, we will continue to
stand with you. We are working around the clock to
ensure you have the support you need today and tomorrow

(29:44):
and in the roads ahead, road ahead, as we continue
to look at recovery. So with that alternative, Minister kab
who's chair of our Cabinet committee to talk about specific
details of the additional supports and assistance that I mentioned.
Thank you Premier, As a Premier mentioned, the support we
are announcing today is on top of the previous supports
already announced. We are building on that, with the exception

(30:07):
being North Fire. We know that individuals are now turning
their mindset to temporary accommodations. For those with primary residents
that are uninhabitable and uninsured, we are providing temporary housing assistance.
This includes one thousand dollars per household per month for
those that can find accommodations and stay with family or
friends in the community. If you need to seek temporary

(30:30):
rental accommodations, we are providing fifteen hundred dollars per household
per month to assists with these costs. In the event
that these households cannot find either private or rental options
for the short term, New Flanne Laborator or housing corporation
will assist them in securing placements and lacing establishments in
the hospitality industry. We also know that the impacts in

(30:52):
the community are not just on households, they are on
businesses also. To help, we are providing at one time
evacuation business stipen for impact of businesses. This includes fifteen
hundred dollars for businesses with employees from two to ten
and twenty five hundred dollars for businesses from ten to
ninety nine employees.

Speaker 11 (31:12):
Employers operating in the Conception Bay North who have employees
who live in the region will be eligible for forty
two week wage subsidy. This is an increase from the
typical twenty eight subsidy. The Work Supports Program allocation is
being increased from one thousand dollars to two thousand dollars
per person to help business with such things to replace
work tools, equipment and attire. We are also extending the

(31:36):
program to self employed individuals who are looking to restart
their operations. An employment resource team is being set up
at the CARBONEIR Employment Center at seventeen Industrial Crescent in
Carbonaor to support those employees who've been impacted by these wildfires.
The Job Creation Partnership Program will also reopen for applications

(31:58):
with the focus on community mediation, forestry and tree planting.
If any questions on these financial assistant pieces and programs,
we encourage people to go to the website on the
government website which will have all the information there, so that's.

Speaker 2 (32:14):
GOVT and L dot CA.

Speaker 11 (32:16):
It'll be on our Alerts page, so click on the
yellow banner and you can visit that at gov dot
and L dot CA forward slash alerts as well. We
have folks on the ground at the Splash Center in
Harbor Grace who have all this information to helop residents
that may need a little more attention and want to
talk to someone in person. We know, we want you
to know you're not alone. You are our priority and

(32:38):
we are here for you every.

Speaker 2 (32:39):
Step of the way.

Speaker 11 (32:40):
I'd like to close by saying these actions are direct
result of our committee's work, which we'll be meeting again
in the coming days. We've been a few times already,
and those that have felt these imaginable impacts of the wildfires,
we're going to This work will continue, will be ongoing,
and I also want to thank the residents that have
reached out to me personally through social media through email.

(33:02):
I just wanted those people to know I'm listening, we
hear you, and the things you're saying to us, and
the things you want to see in your community going forward,
we will implement those will work with you as you're
going to directly shape how your communities will look going forward.
So this committee is about partnership as well as working
hand in hand with these stakeholders, with the residents and

(33:24):
the communities and organizations, and we're committed to delivering real
support and meaningful solutions.

Speaker 2 (33:31):
Thank you, Thank you, minister.

Speaker 10 (33:34):
And today we're also announcing one hundred thousand dollars for
wildland coveralls for the volunteer fire departments throughout the province
who contribute it to the wildfire response over the past month.
As we've said, every day, volunteer firefighters are putting.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
Their lives and have put their lives on the line and.

Speaker 10 (33:52):
Set aside personal responsibilities to protect their communities and neighbors
across our province. And I know and we understand this
summer has been very challenging for everyone involved in the
fire service across the province and that's why we're very
pleased to provide funding to purchase these wildland suits. And
we will continue to work with our incredible volunteer fire
departments as we always have, to ensure they have everything

(34:14):
they can to do their job safely.

Speaker 2 (34:17):
We'll ask Minister Hagging has any comments, Thank you very much, Premier.

Speaker 12 (34:21):
Just to follow on, excuse me from your comments about
the coveralls.

Speaker 13 (34:25):
I mean, I think doesn't require much.

Speaker 12 (34:27):
Imagination to think about what it feels like staggering around
in forty to fifty pounds of bonker gear in the
temperatures and humidity we've had when the fires have been
at their height, and the wildland fire suits are designed
for that kind of environment. There are thirty five departments
who sent people, and it's the people we're trying to

(34:49):
look after. And letters have gone out as late as
yesterday afternoon to those departments inviting them to let us
know their needs so we can kit out one full
crew of their department for any future wildland events that
we have. While we're on the subjective equipment, I think again,

(35:13):
social media is full of fake news about how apparently
there have been changes to firefighting equipment funding.

Speaker 2 (35:22):
Well, there certainly have.

Speaker 12 (35:24):
In twenty twenty one the budget was two point one
million and in this fiscal year it is eight point
four million. That's the change, not the allegations that have
been made on social media.

Speaker 2 (35:36):
Those are all matters of public record.

Speaker 12 (35:38):
They're in public accounts a committee chaired by the opposition,
So I would draw your attention to that, and it's
been evenly distributed across the province. The other things of
note is that the Ailer Center in Lower Island Cove
will close today at five o'clock. Its work seems to
be done. The Salvation Army Mobile Command, however, will remain

(36:01):
in the area for some time yet for those residents
who need further assistance and as min as the core
ab referenced, the Carbon There center is now closed and
that has moved to the Splash Center in Harbor Graze
in order to facilitate cleaning and minimize any disruption to

(36:23):
the return of students after the long weekend. So again
I close by saying, you know, be kind to your neighbors,
be kind and to stay safe.

Speaker 2 (36:32):
So thank you very much, Premier, Thank you minister.

Speaker 14 (36:36):
Any questions, is there any update on the cars of
the fire, of the investigation that's been taking place, because we're.

Speaker 2 (36:43):
Start getting a lot of questions about no no update.

Speaker 10 (36:47):
Certainly from my end, I know, as we said on
day one or day two when we were here, that
the RCMP were certainly looking.

Speaker 1 (36:53):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
Welcome back to the show.

Speaker 1 (37:00):
Let's go line um two take you on to one
of the candidates running in War two here in the
city of Saint John's.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
That's Blair trainer Blair around the air, Hey, thanks Patty.

Speaker 15 (37:08):
For taking my call again. I was going to quickly
introduce myself again, Blair Trainer, running for War two City
Council and just what I wanted to talk about today
is tax savings. I did hear your preamble about voters
are going to vote with your pocketbook, So I also
want to talk about some solutions and I want to

(37:30):
provide some education for the people of Saint John's about
how we can save some taxes or how I can
save some taxes with working with the city council to
try to figure it out.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
Let's hear it.

Speaker 15 (37:44):
Yeah, So what I'd like to do is I'd like
to save the city residence between five and eight hundred
dollars the year. I know you're a big sports fan,
and I'd have to go intoor door and some people.
After talking about the inconsistency of our sports teams here

(38:04):
and right now, we offer a substantial subsidy of seven
million dollars to the Mary Brown Center, so that's about
sixty three dollars a person. Then we also have an
increased fifteen dollars water tax. We also have a capital
investment of twenty five million dollars this year, which is

(38:25):
one hundred and fifty dollars a person. There's another thing
called the Regional Development for Municipalities, which is seven hundred
thousand and as you know, and I'm sure people have
after calling in about this, but there's a property tax
increase for homes two hundred and fifty thousand to four

(38:46):
hundred and fifty thousand. I was talking to a resident
on New Gower Street. In the last five years her
property tax as after going up from.

Speaker 13 (38:54):
Two thousand to four thousand, So.

Speaker 15 (38:57):
That's an increase of two hundred dollars a month.

Speaker 16 (39:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 15 (39:02):
So, like some of the solutions for me is seeking
privatization for Mary Brown Center and having some serious dialogue.
So obviously you need to be some subsidy because that
has how every capital city across the country works. And
we need to explore some progressive revenue sources, resource or

(39:23):
sources and not just depend on property tax increases because
it just keeps going on.

Speaker 2 (39:29):
So a couple of things let me happen here.

Speaker 1 (39:31):
Yeah, So selling off the Mary Brown Center, first, you'd
have to actually go to tender to see who would
like to take on the operations. And secondly, whatuld that
mean that it's a complete standalone operation with zero government subsidy.
Like the money does flow the same town sports and entertainment,
but that's more than Mary Brown Center. We have to
remember that because also includes the Convention Center, which people

(39:53):
kind of lose sight of that sometimes. So you know,
I understand that concept, and you know when the city
tells me that they don't think it's a good idea
because they don't know if an incoming private operator would
be aggressive in trying to bring in action and events
that Mary Brown Center, which makes no sense to me.
If I'm in private business, I'm going to be as
aggressive as possible to make money at Mary Brown Center

(40:13):
and the Convention Center. So but I do think there's
maybe been a bit of a corner that has been
turned at Saint John's Ports and Entertainment. It looks like
there's been pretty busy activity with compared to year's past,
So I wonder what that will mean or how that'll
translate to the next transfers of dollars from the municipal
budget into that operation. Then you talk about other revenue
streams such as what because municipalities basically rely on a

(40:37):
couple of things, development fees and other fees and property tax.

Speaker 2 (40:40):
So what are you talk about for additional revenue streams.

Speaker 6 (40:45):
Well, it's a good question.

Speaker 15 (40:46):
Like I'm a political science major, so I'm all about
critical thinking, and I'm all about you know, collaborating and
advocating and trying to bring spider people together than me.
But also just a exploring not just across like Atlantic Canada,
but Canada and other places in the world, and how
we can bring other revenue sources into Saint John's because

(41:09):
right now, just putting the brunt tax property tax up
on the citizens, it just it just doesn't feel good.
And like from one of heard from a CBC interview,
homes that are like saying the five hundred thousand dollars range.
I remember Aaron Roynolds where.

Speaker 2 (41:27):
Talk about this.

Speaker 15 (41:29):
He said that those homes based on the formula, those
homes are not there was no necessary increases because those
homes aren't as active on the.

Speaker 13 (41:41):
Real estate market.

Speaker 15 (41:43):
So that you know, I'm not I'm not. You know,
we just need to bring other people in and we
need to figure out other ways other than just increase
in property tax.

Speaker 1 (41:51):
Yeah, that's not necessarily. How that works is between your
property assessment and the mill. Right, So that impacts every residence,
doesn't matter if it's a home worth two and fifty
dollars seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. So we all
saw the increase across the board. It was about an
average thirteen percent class go around.

Speaker 15 (42:07):
Okay, yeah, So so you know when I was just
speaking to the resident on Newgower Street and I was
talking about one person here. So from your you're looking
at in the last five years, this is a cold
heart fact, like you had said, like in I think
you had just said about firefighting situation. We need some

(42:28):
cold hard facts, right. So the fact is is that
this residence property tax has gone from two thousand dollars
to four thousand dollars. So are we just going to
continue with that trend with and then compete with inflation?
And then I'm not even going to get into muskrat
falls and new flying power and the increases. It's just

(42:51):
how can people in Saint John's maintain this increase of
money coming out of our pockets? You know, like, how
how are we going to maintain this? It's just it's not.

Speaker 1 (43:03):
Feasible for people to live well as a resident of
Saint John's. I think we are really approaching some pretty
unfortunate levels of taxation, no doubt about it now. And
this is not defending the budget an or the city,
but there were a couple of really key items in
the most recent budget that saw this particular hike, like
fleet replacement, huge money spent on snow clearing fleet and

(43:25):
garbage collection and those types of things. Hopefully that is
a is the exception, not the rules. So I don't
know if we're going to see that type of capital
expenditure on those two fronts, because that was a huge
line item in the budget that resulted in a big
spike in my taxes. So I'd like where you're coming
from when you talk about some controls at the city level.

Speaker 2 (43:45):
Anything else you want to offer this morning while.

Speaker 15 (43:46):
We have you, Blair, No, I just you know, like
I just like I hope people, you know, when they
go to the voting stations they consider, you know, what
I'm presented about tax savings and and me as an individual,
So you know, just keeping all the minds and maybe
not say you know.

Speaker 7 (44:06):
Your your vote to a particular person.

Speaker 15 (44:09):
I think it's really important to explore all platforms in
our ward and yeah, and consider all options.

Speaker 2 (44:16):
Always a good idea. Appreciate the time and wish you
good luck. Claire.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
All right, thanks, Patty, welcome bye bye, Thanks all right,
let us keep going. Let's go line with three Gary
around the air.

Speaker 8 (44:26):
Goodbye and Patty, nice to hear your voice again.

Speaker 7 (44:29):
Listen.

Speaker 8 (44:29):
I heard something on the news. I don't know, we'll
see the main news post in the Maritimes. I think
it was maybe it was a news plant. There was
a Japanese rockets and into space and then picking back
to the Canadian satellite up onto space for us, and that
the sale is going to be used for help well
even looking down from space and help them like technology

(44:53):
of spotting the hotspot for fires and stuff like that.
Do you have any update on that?

Speaker 2 (44:58):
Sure?

Speaker 1 (44:59):
Uh is the organization of the company that had the
first Canadian commercial rocket launch and it happened yesterday from
Saint Lawrence, which is pretty interesting stuff.

Speaker 2 (45:08):
Now.

Speaker 1 (45:08):
I actually had the CEO of North Space on this
program talking about what they do. It's pretty small rocket
and it has a suborbital launch, which is also important.
It's low altitude flight. They carry very small payloads. But
it is fascinating, you know kind of space sovereignty is
part of this equation and it's part of this conversation.
So they plan to do this relatively frequently. So and

(45:32):
yesterday was a test of the launch vehicle, so we'll
see what the results were. I haven't heard anything on
that front quite yet.

Speaker 8 (45:39):
Well, yeah, because I know you're interested in stuff like
that too, because you talk about even over in BC,
where they're doing stuff with draws all this new technologies.
Because we're in a we're we're in a we're in
fast paced technology now that can be down the help

(46:00):
help us take care of floods and fires and stuff
like that. I think we have to go for it, right.

Speaker 1 (46:06):
Yeah, they talk about the gateway to space, you know,
Kindada's first operational spaceport is what they're considering in St.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
Lawrence. The rocket they fired yesterday was the tag rocket.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
And they're also talking about bringing another type, which is
called the Tundra rocket, which is bigger, has a different
launch angle, can carry larger payloads. So I suppose it's
probably an excellent idea for us to go back to
North Space to talk about what they learned yesterday in
the first ever commercial space launch from Canada.

Speaker 8 (46:32):
Yeah, because you have a day Will and not in today.
You have a lovely lady. I talked to her about
you got a wonderful lady producing the show today. So
when I talked about this, we there she understood what
I was talking about. It's like Taddy's our eyes in Newfoundland,

(46:53):
like he knows more about this technology than I do.
I have no idea what. I don't want to try
to look for after whatever. I just it's like the
old song I saw it on the radio. Look because
I listened to the voice on the radio and that's
where I keep my updates, and I really appreciate it.

Speaker 6 (47:09):
Paddy.

Speaker 2 (47:10):
Yeah, I'm happy to talk about it.

Speaker 1 (47:12):
And I don't pretend to know a whole lot about
the sub orbital launch of the TAGA rocket, but we
did have north Stream on to talk about their plans,
and I suppose we should give them a beat to
actually understand what they learned yesterday, what information was gleaned
from that first test launch. And I'm going to see
if I'll reach out to them, see if they have
opportunity to come on as soon as they have some
information they'd.

Speaker 7 (47:32):
Like to share.

Speaker 8 (47:33):
Oh, that would be wonderful because I think because I
really that's really made me excited, I said, man, because
I thought, well, that's the technology is going to help
hold with a lot of stuff putting that satellite up
in the space, and they can use that for a lot,
a lot of things, you know, just to benefit of
human beings down here on the planet.

Speaker 1 (47:55):
Absolutely, there's you know, people have questions about the amount
of money spent on going to space, even though plenty
of research that had real life implications on Earth has
been done and executed in space.

Speaker 2 (48:07):
I appreciate the time. Gary. We'll reach out to North
Stream see if you have time for us.

Speaker 8 (48:10):
That's at of all. Thank you, Patty. You have a
wonderful day. Oh yeah, and are so happy to hear
the lovely lady that said Jenny happy Bertie to her.
She made me last this morning.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
Yeah she was great.

Speaker 1 (48:23):
Yeah, okay bye now bye Gary, all right, there you go. Yeah,
so it is pretty interesting. You know, we actually talked
with norths Throam about why Saint Lawrence and they had
pretty pragmatic reasons about simply geographical location obviously. So yeah,
the Canada's first commercial space are apartaly rocket launched yesterday
Saint Lawrence. Cool, let's take a break. We'll Welcome back,

(48:43):
plenty shower for you, Johnson the Cutter, talk about the
hospital and carbonair.

Speaker 2 (48:46):
What about it we'll find out.

Speaker 1 (48:47):
Don't Go Away is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM
radio network. Welcome back to the show and thanks to
some listeners in and around Saint Lawrence. Launch didn't happen
initiative due to weather now intentively scheduled for tomorrow. Appreciate
the information that's got the line number one. John, you're
on the air.

Speaker 5 (49:05):
Good morning, Patty.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
Okay, how about you?

Speaker 3 (49:08):
Not too bad?

Speaker 17 (49:09):
But I was in Cavan here there last week.

Speaker 5 (49:12):
I was in for a knee replacement.

Speaker 16 (49:14):
Right the first day I was there, right, they forgot
to feed me. The guy next to me, he called
his wife, and his wife come in and brought me
cold plates, and she brought me drinks.

Speaker 18 (49:26):
She wouldn't take nothing for it, right, So I just
wanted to send the thank you to them. But then
we couldn't mar.

Speaker 16 (49:32):
Wash ourselves because they had no hot water on the floor.

Speaker 5 (49:36):
So I was in there for five days.

Speaker 16 (49:38):
Dismisses.

Speaker 17 (49:39):
But the guy's wife, Ken Crocker's wife, he used to
bring in.

Speaker 7 (49:45):
She used to bring in hot water.

Speaker 2 (49:46):
Where we're in the washers.

Speaker 15 (49:47):
Of is that pretty bad for this time at an
age it is?

Speaker 2 (49:51):
What's the problem with the hot water? Do they want
to tell you?

Speaker 17 (49:55):
I asked a few girls.

Speaker 18 (49:56):
They said, it's the plumbing. So I said, Jesus plumbing.

Speaker 17 (50:00):
I said, so you're going to go from one floor
to the next, you'll find.

Speaker 2 (50:02):
Out the problem.

Speaker 5 (50:03):
You fix it, she said, going.

Speaker 18 (50:05):
On for years.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
Yeah, that's all.

Speaker 17 (50:10):
Right, But like I said, all the nurses and everyone
around the floor, you couldn't ask for no better, right, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
That's a good thing.

Speaker 1 (50:19):
I will see if I can't get some specific information
from the Carabnair Hospital as to what exactly is wrong
with the plumbing and what they're doing about it in
the timeline to get it back online, so I can.

Speaker 2 (50:29):
Do that for you. It's been for years now, right, Yeah,
apparently so right?

Speaker 18 (50:35):
And like I said, the taps are there, you can't
turn them off the trip the whole night, right, they're
just on real right, Like I said, they were going
to build a new hospitals and everybody else, why don't
you fix the ones they got first.

Speaker 1 (50:49):
That's a really good point. And being things like a
face at that strip, and that's a pretty fundamental fix.
If there's large scale plumbing problems, that's another thing.

Speaker 17 (50:58):
Right, I may fix a couple of mental health you
know what I mean, but unreal, I couldn't believe it,
and like I had to get a missus from Carboner
and bring us in hot water where we could brush us.

Speaker 1 (51:12):
Yeah, I'm not so sure what to say about it,
other than I can try to do some follow up.

Speaker 2 (51:19):
But with the hospital and with NL health services, I mean.

Speaker 1 (51:22):
A drip and faucet for the most part, that's probably
a washer and that's a pretty fundamental fix. Or whether
or not the tax or loose or whatever, but that
we should be able to figure that.

Speaker 18 (51:31):
Out anyway, and you should be able to figure out
howthhome there's no hot water, you got a hot water
boiler or you got a hot water tank or as
Radia's hot water as he's on the fourth floor and
he's not on the chist, so we'll get it between
the two.

Speaker 1 (51:46):
Yeah, well, I'm starting to hear it. How's the recovery
going from the knee replacement or it.

Speaker 6 (51:50):
Was a little bit rougher time.

Speaker 13 (51:51):
It's the second one.

Speaker 5 (51:52):
The first one said he grew up with. This one
was a little bit rougher, but day by day he'll
get better.

Speaker 1 (51:57):
So I thought we were doing a lot of these
type so uh surgeries these days with minimal stay in
the hospital.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
So how long have you been there? Sorry, I've been
there since Thursday.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
I got yesterday?

Speaker 2 (52:09):
Yes or now? Okay? Well, I wish you were in
your recovery, John, And let me follow up with the
water issue.

Speaker 5 (52:15):
Yes, please, no.

Speaker 2 (52:16):
Problem to thank you.

Speaker 7 (52:18):
Okay, thank you, Bett.

Speaker 2 (52:19):
You're welcome, John, good luck. There we go, bye bye,
let's get problem. Let's go to line number three. Jeff,
you're on the air.

Speaker 19 (52:27):
All right, morning, Patty morning. I wanted to call in
about the Upper church lamou sure, welcome to say a
SoundBite on the news here John Holgan, and he stated
that the upcoming deal for the Upper Churchill.

Speaker 2 (52:49):
Good follow election.

Speaker 1 (52:50):
Our connection is pretty weak, Jeff, to just shove around
a little bit. See if we can't get a clearer
connection here, a little bit better, let's go.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 19 (53:01):
So yesterday I heard a sound bite from Premier John
Hogan stating that the uper Churchill deal was the biggest
election issue.

Speaker 20 (53:09):
For the upcoming fall election.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
And I would agree with that.

Speaker 19 (53:14):
But he went on to say that the two choices
are to proceed with a deal with the Liberals, and
he figures that's what a majority of people want, or
put the whole deal in jeopardy with the PCs as
they would like to have a pause. And that's where
I feel it's not accurate.

Speaker 2 (53:37):
What in particular isn't accurate JET So I think that.

Speaker 19 (53:41):
A majority of people that have been following along and
trying to keep informed, they really want a third party,
independent review to produce some sort of report on how
they feel the deal adds up because right now all
we have our government agencies and government telling us it's

(54:03):
an amazing deal and an opposition that really don't know
and we've been down this road before. But while we
really need our independent third party experts to review it
and to report back in a brief, understandable summary on
whether or not they feel, in this current economic climate,

(54:26):
if that deal is good or not. I mean, that's
what I think a majority of people really want.

Speaker 1 (54:34):
I don't dispute it, but here's my question. Is an
analysis of wats in particular, because you know, we're asking
someone is this a good deal? What we say, for instance,
bringing three independent bodies Deloitte and two Shan Goldman, Sachs
and TD or whoever, and what happens if we get
three different opinions, because that's the trick for my But look,

(54:55):
I want this to be done right. I hope that
the eyes do and every tea is crossed and we
maximize the value for the people of this problems one
hundred percent obviously, But we might be just asking someone
for an opinion. And it's hard to know what was
on the table from either side, where compromises or mutual
beneficial agreements were broken, Like I don't know, and I
don't even know how that independent oversight might work. And

(55:18):
do you think it's inaccurate for the Premier to say
that the deal might be on hold or whatever the
right phrase is if and when the Tories win the
next election.

Speaker 19 (55:29):
I think that Quebec is very bullish on the deal
and I don't think that they would walk away. They
would pursue it even with the PCs. So for the
Premiere to put pressure on the deal saying that if
the PCs get in, the whole deals in jeopardy, I
think he's overplaying that hand.

Speaker 1 (55:50):
Yeah, I don't know if the deal would be in
jeopardy plus you know. I know people don't want to
consider the fact that there's two sides negotiating here, But
pause be something that would be acceptable to hydro Quebec
and the Province of Quebec because it might be something
we want and if that means people think we should
walk away from it in full, If hydro Quebec or
the Premier, Lego or whoever says unacceptable, we're walking away,

(56:13):
which I'm not so sure they will because they need
the power. I mean, they absolutely do. Lego has said
as much out loud. They have rejected a bunch of
proposals industrial and commercial. Why because they didn't have the power.
So they're a willing dance partner here. How much more
can be squeezed.

Speaker 2 (56:29):
Out of them? I don't know, but it's an excellent question.

Speaker 19 (56:32):
But you've had experts on your show, real top level experts,
Vardy does Sullivan, and to a man, they've all agreed
that the deal could be better. Yet the government they're
trying to ram this thing through, and even the inquiry

(56:54):
from muskrat falls stated that any deal over fifty million
books requires third party oversight, which.

Speaker 13 (57:01):
They seem to have bypassed.

Speaker 19 (57:04):
I just don't understand and even if we didn't get
the even if we didn't get the information we want,
it's a process that I feel is missing, is this
third party, independent review for what it's worth. And I
understand what you're saying that if you did, if you
subcontract contracted that out to two different bodies and they
came up with differing opinions, what then, But that's a

(57:25):
hypothetical that process at least should be followed.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
I don't dispute it.

Speaker 1 (57:31):
The law inquiry is pretty clear that they did, indeed
suggest that any public procurement, any contract entered into over
fifty million dollars does require oversight. Now what they did
not say is exactly what that oversight should look like,
so you know, whether it be KRL. Smith and Jennifer
Williams and Dennis Mahoney and now with the three person
oversight panel. The problem that I have with the three
person panel is that they are confined to exactly what's

(57:55):
in the MoU Because if we're talking about best deal
and scenarios into the future that could be considered in
this contract, like price elasticity, you know what happens if
there's a dramatic change in the price of hydro electricity
not really fully briefed in this MoU. Then they talk
about things like the term itself. I mean, there's not

(58:15):
even a water management agreement as far as I can tell, So,
you know, to not be able to consider not only
price elasticity, but what happens if into the future, and
that's a big if, if there's some sort of free
flow of energy across an East West energy corridor. For
that not to be considered in some form or fashion
in a final contract seems a little bit odd when
we're talking about something that's seventy five years in length.

Speaker 2 (58:38):
Exactly, Patty.

Speaker 19 (58:38):
So you're bringing up a bunch of holes in the
MoU that you drive a mack truck through. And yet
Premier Hogan is saying that this thing is the best
thing since sliced bread, and it's the major election issue
and if people don't vote for the Liberals, the whole
thing is probably going to fall. And so that alone,

(59:00):
you know, I just can't I can't go along with
that reasoning. And I think that Premier Hogan should probably
revisit his thought process on that, because it is the
biggest election issue we have and it just needs a
little more attention, That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (59:17):
Well, since the Atlantiki Court, the most impactful agreement that
we're going to enter into, possibly you know, as opposed
to me put it to John Hogan or Premier Hogan.
I think that question is best put to Tony Wakem.
I guess his response to what Hogan had to say
and what his party's thoughts are at this moment in time.
That would be a bit more interesting to me because
if he ask the Premier, he's just going to reiterate

(59:37):
when he's already his head. So maybe we'll see if
Tony Wakem's interested or available. Because there's a lot of
stuff that has to be considered here, including of course
the upper Churchill.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
And again just three mind folks.

Speaker 1 (59:50):
The complexity of this deal, which makes it difficult for
me to wrap my mind around it in full is
we're not just talking about an additional four thousand megawats,
which would be the entire Church upgrade of four thousand megawats,
including the opera, Chargill and Call, but there's also two
transmission projects here, so we talk about being relieved of
any liabilities regarding Call cost overruns or otherwise, but not

(01:00:11):
the same thing can be said for transmission projects. So
when we talk about referendums and what have you, My god,
there's four big projects tied up in thirty pages worth
of MU.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
That's a lot to wrap your mind around and seek
the teeth into.

Speaker 19 (01:00:26):
I agree, and you're right, Tony Wakem needs to come
out with more information about what he intends to do
if elected with the MoU. Just saying that he's going
to take a pause is not enough. He really needs
to lay more detail on the table about how he
plans to proceed.

Speaker 1 (01:00:40):
Absolutely, and we're happy to put that question to him
right on the program.

Speaker 2 (01:00:46):
Bless it for me.

Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
Thanks Patty, appreciate your time, Jeff, thank you. All Right,
there we go, let's get a break and don'tk away.
He's open line on the VOCM big Land FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
Welcome back to the show. Let's go to line two.
Georgia are on the air.

Speaker 21 (01:01:02):
Hi, Patty, first time caller here.

Speaker 2 (01:01:04):
Welcome to the show. Thank you.

Speaker 21 (01:01:08):
Imagine my surprise when someone tried to set fire.

Speaker 2 (01:01:10):
To my house in town overnight.

Speaker 21 (01:01:13):
It was about four am or so, and I thought
I smelled wildfire smokes. I didn't pay any attention to it.
If I'd paid better attention, I might have caught him
in the act. They burned up some of the decked floorboards,
some of the drainage pipe we had installed, and it
started the heat started affecting some of the siding, but
it burned itself out, Thank goodness. And we can thank

(01:01:36):
the rain for that that we got that downpour the
other day. Otherwise, I don't know what.

Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
Would have happened. Holy smokes, I'll tell you the neighbors.

Speaker 21 (01:01:43):
The neighbors are upset. Our neighborhood is on fire. The
fire department came by. We're still waiting for the police.
I'm not going to criticize them. I'm sure they're busy
because the fire guys told us there were a couple
of incidents nearby in Pleasantville last night as well. We
are not out of the woods with these wildfires, because
the wild ones in our city are set in some
of them.

Speaker 1 (01:02:06):
Well, I mean, we've saw a young fellow arrested here
in Saint John's or last week or the week before
whatever it was, for purposely setting fires in the downtown area.
So this is madness. Any earthly idea who did it?
Like you have a run of beef with someone who
may have been responsible.

Speaker 21 (01:02:22):
No, no, no chance of that, because we're from aways
and we don't haven't had time to set any grudges.

Speaker 2 (01:02:29):
With anybody here. Love it here, Love the province, Love
the people.

Speaker 21 (01:02:33):
This, you know, seems random, especially since we heard that
there were a couple of other incidents not too far away,
same night, Right.

Speaker 13 (01:02:40):
It's probably just a wha who.

Speaker 2 (01:02:42):
But I'll tell you something. People are furious here.

Speaker 21 (01:02:46):
A text message I got this morning from a neighbor said,
we put up with a lot in our neighborhood over
the years, but setting fire to someone's house with their
family asleep inside is crossing a line.

Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
It's evil.

Speaker 21 (01:03:00):
It's absolutely evil, and all of a sudden, not just
my household. But I'm sure my immediate neighborhood has a
new number one issue in the upcoming elections, and that's
crime and punishment. And I'll tell you punishment needs to
be emphasized just as much as crime, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
Well, I mean, there's still a province wide fireban in place,
let alone the fact that arson is already and always
will be illegal. But we've heard that, you know, even
so far as the fines go, like for someone I
guess finds don't trouble anybody who's as criminally leaning as
someone who's willing to let your house on fire, which
is just my bogglingly scary. So I don't know what

(01:03:41):
we do about it, but first defense, fifty thousand bucks
and straight to prison, you go. I don't know what
the status is of the young fellow who got arrested
in Saint John's. But where too from here? So hopefully
the R and C have something for you when they
finally arrive at your home. And then I guess it's
the concept that we all have to be protectors of
our own neighborhood. In the former neighborhood watches, what have you?

(01:04:01):
You see something suspicious, even if people think that maybe
you know, it'd be a lot of paranoid calls the
law enforcement. Hey, there's nothing paranoid about waking up to
find out that your deck was lit on fire.

Speaker 21 (01:04:12):
That's right, sir, And I agree with you on the
suggested punishments. I'm not sure what else we could do
other than gather ourselves together.

Speaker 1 (01:04:21):
Yeah, I mean, once again, if we're talking about big
investigations into the potential arson root cause of some of
the big wildfires and investigations around going, and let's hope
that they're exhaustive and comprehensive. Same thing when it comes
to these types of fires. Somebody knows something. There's not
one person running around under the cloak of secrecy and

(01:04:42):
blending them with the darkness and does this of their
own accord without anybody else knowing. People know what's going
on out there. Somebody knows if one of these fires
were set by someone purposefully. Somebody knows. Somebody knows who'd
set your deck on fire last night. There's no doubt
about it. In the world of pyromania, not only do
they get take gli in the pain that they cause
and to see the rush of the fire department to

(01:05:03):
come and try to extinguish a fire, but they also
take great pleasure in telling someone about it. So somebody knows.
And if you are that person, don't be so naive
to think that you owe that so called friend of
yours any sort of protection or privacy. Here, it's a
keys He or she is a criminal and deserves to
be treated like that, and no better.

Speaker 2 (01:05:23):
Totally agree. Thanks to your time, Patty.

Speaker 1 (01:05:24):
I appreciate yours. George, let me know what happens with
the police. If you don't mind, we'll do you, sir,
take good man, all right, bye bye.

Speaker 7 (01:05:31):
I was like, what.

Speaker 2 (01:05:34):
Let's keep going on line number one? Bill?

Speaker 1 (01:05:36):
You around the air, hey, Patty, and you know, okay
this morning, how about you.

Speaker 6 (01:05:42):
Not, pat it's gonna be heard for me to upstage
those lasts of Collarship.

Speaker 2 (01:05:46):
Well boy, yeah, what's that your mind.

Speaker 6 (01:05:52):
I'm the gabin own owner in a little community outside
of Saint John's got a complaint about New flam Power.
My power went out a couple of years ago, and
it was no fault to my cabin, but it was

(01:06:13):
a fault in New Flam Power. And I put in
the complaint and I wrote the New Flampower. First of all,
I want to explain that the customer service representatives and
all the front line light and power people absolutely fantastic.
And I give my hats off to those people that
work out in the cold and wet, the men and

(01:06:34):
women work in the cold and wet, and the customer
service representatives like of late is about my little cabin
that my mother and father built from nothing like every
other New Filander, and we had power outs up to
the cabin and the power went out, and I wrote

(01:06:54):
a letter to New Flam Power. Here's my letter I
quote day I didn't contact even in relation to complaint
of the power outage and damages that resulted at my
property at Trinity Bay. The cottage at Broadlect is regularly

(01:07:16):
checked on.

Speaker 22 (01:07:17):
And and or about the number twenty eight. I was
updated by my contacts that the power was out. They
checked the cottage and discovered that all the meat and.

Speaker 6 (01:07:28):
Seafood had thought in both the check freezer and the
fridge and freezer, and also appeared that the power had
been out for some time quote a month or longer.
They checked the cabin and I'll let you go within
the cabin was signed within other than no power. Under

(01:07:50):
further investigation, they determined that the few slash disconnect had
blown on the power poles, which was not contained within
my my property. I checked online and showed a power
outage at the can. I immediately called customer relations and
spoke with the male service representative, who advised, after reviewing

(01:08:15):
my account, that the mediator have reported nutful and power
quote that there was no power to the meter. I
then noted that both November and December were quote a
submitted due to no inclement weather during these months. In

(01:08:36):
my opinion, it would be reasonable to a determined that
the power was out for two months. A leader spoke
with a female customer service representative who advised that a
supervisor would contact me and she would. She went on
to state that would be would determine who or what

(01:09:01):
is responsible for the outage.

Speaker 13 (01:09:04):
Excuse me, I got.

Speaker 6 (01:09:05):
A colt Onzember twenty ninth a service crew attended New
Flat power Ball and replaced the fuse slash disconnect plus
the transformer. Quote it was old end quote.

Speaker 1 (01:09:24):
So I'm speaking with the person who sent me the
actual email response from New Flanpower, right, yep, okay, I
just want to make sure because it's to different names.

Speaker 2 (01:09:33):
Yeah, So where to from here? Then? Bill?

Speaker 6 (01:09:39):
Can I finish my email that I said to New
Clam Power. Sure, I would suggest it was the original
equipment from the early nineties. January ninth I did speak
with the supervisor, who was all informed and needed to
conduct her investigations. She stated, quote, I will call you
tomorrow January sixteenth. Ten days later, I still landing or

(01:10:01):
heard from her, so I decided to call. No answer.
He didn't leave the message She called shortly thereafter, and
after a quick frank conversation, she done denied my claim
and now we're in next steps provide new Flappers believe
so under New Flat Power Rules and Regulations now Flant

(01:10:21):
Power Rules and Regulations, Section fourteen Company Liability, the company
shall not be liable no flam Powers. I think every
new Flander and owns a little small cabin any prod
property should know this. No Flan Power Rules the Regulations
Section fourteen Company liability.

Speaker 2 (01:10:41):
Quote.

Speaker 6 (01:10:42):
The company shall not be liable for any failure to
supply service for cause beyond reasonable control, nor shall it
be liable for any loss, damage, or injury caused by
the use of services resulting from any cause beyond the
reasonable control of the company.

Speaker 2 (01:11:05):
End quote.

Speaker 6 (01:11:07):
I suggest that to you that New Flat Power is
liable for the damages and expenses for the following facts.
One power the New Flat Power became aware of the
power outage reported to it a month or two prior.
Two failure to maintained regular maintenance and the power supplied

(01:11:28):
to my property. As a result, there was a power outage.
Three failures to replace all outdated electrical equipment fuse slash
disconnect transformer or center.

Speaker 2 (01:11:43):
Period and inclusion.

Speaker 6 (01:11:45):
Is my respectable submission that the failure of the failure
of power to my property and the subsequent damage were
in fact within the reasonable control of your company, New
Flat Power. The failure was not because an intervening incidents
such as a motor vehicle damaging a power pole or

(01:12:08):
an act of God so it's a storm of damage,
but the failure of component parts within the proper power
delivery infrastructure. These were not newly installed parts that failed
without explanation, but parts that likely were well per pasted
or service life and not to have been replaced sooner.

(01:12:32):
My loss was sustained because your organization in plant power
has failed to properly maintain the means by which it's
delivered to my property. Is my respectful submission that this
type of failure is in fact within the reasonable control
of your company. As such, my loss should not be

(01:12:53):
borne by you.

Speaker 1 (01:12:58):
Yes, it's hard to understand and how they're so easily
deflecting any responsibility or liability.

Speaker 2 (01:13:04):
You didn't do anything wrong.

Speaker 1 (01:13:06):
We didn't go exactly, Yeah, but I mean some power's
going to go out sometimes, so we know that'd be true,
whether it be a transformer blows or a Paul gets
knocked down or what have you. But the important part
of that is that we get report about it just
so we do what we need to do. So if
it was you and your cabin and now Flat Power
told you there's a niche of the transformer or whatever,
and the power's going to be out, it's going to
be off an excited amount of time.

Speaker 2 (01:13:27):
Then you could act accordingly.

Speaker 1 (01:13:29):
Then you could go rescue this off out of your
freezer or whatever else needs to be done.

Speaker 6 (01:13:34):
Exactly. But there was none of that. There's no there
was no eclimate weather at the time, there was no
storms at the time. It was the infrastructure that New
Plant Power had put in, which the poles altered and
seventy five yards away from my house.

Speaker 13 (01:13:53):
Yeah, and they called.

Speaker 6 (01:13:55):
I called the meters company, Iron means. I said, Okay,
if there's a power appeal, do you have a backup supply?

Speaker 2 (01:14:03):
No?

Speaker 6 (01:14:05):
No, if the power dies, it's because of the hydro company.

Speaker 2 (01:14:10):
So I reached out, go ahead.

Speaker 1 (01:14:15):
No, I'm soon going to have to leave the conversation,
but I'll give you the floor for another few seconds
before I do have to go.

Speaker 2 (01:14:21):
Okay, would you like to add anything else.

Speaker 6 (01:14:25):
Bill, Nope, but New Flap Power just be kind to
shut me down, to just let it go.

Speaker 1 (01:14:34):
Yeah, it must be nice to be able to just
shirk responsibility when it's absolutely within your control.

Speaker 2 (01:14:39):
Now, I'll go back to my summary point.

Speaker 1 (01:14:40):
If people are formed in the Tommy fash, whether it
be a scheduled outage and or unexpected outage, then we
can all act accordingly. I mean, that's the most important
part here is the communication piece.

Speaker 2 (01:14:50):
Bill.

Speaker 1 (01:14:50):
I wish you good luck in the fight with New
flat Power, and I appreciate your time this morning.

Speaker 2 (01:14:55):
Thank you. You're welcome. Bye bye. All right, just get
a break and don't go away.

Speaker 1 (01:14:59):
These in line now the VOCM big Land FM radio network.
Look back, let's port one number three doctor on the air. Oh,
Patty morning, are okay? You good?

Speaker 23 (01:15:15):
Not bad? By? I wanted to talk about the.

Speaker 8 (01:15:18):
M o U.

Speaker 2 (01:15:19):
Patty.

Speaker 23 (01:15:21):
You you mentioned yesterday. I think I heard and correctly
you mentioned about how if we are going to understand
or even have a future, we have to know about
our past. And that's true. It's very true when it
comes to Turchill Falls, the m o U and the

(01:15:44):
future and being a historian professionally aside from being a politician. Immissively,
a lot of people in this province have no idea
of the importance of the year twenty forty one. And

(01:16:05):
I carried out a casual will Paul myself back a
few months ago. I guess I in my travels around
the city, I asked people of different ages why the
year twenty forty one was important to New Flaning Labrador,
and I would say the percent he said I got

(01:16:28):
of people who knew about anything about twenty forty one
was probably ten percent. And they were amazed when I
told them at that time that that was the year
that the original Church of False agreement with Quebec came
to an end and the new Flying government, New flinand

(01:16:48):
Labrador government then had to go on with a new
contract when it came to Church of False. So then
I followed that up by asking people, do you know
what happened way back in nineteen sixty nine? Do you
know the Churchill Falls? Do you know about the Churchill River?

(01:17:10):
And again there was a really really high degree of negativity.
Now I blame that again as a teacher of history
in high school and coming up through the system. One
of the great lacks in the system, and it's still there.
It's the lack of attention paid to Newfoundland history. Even

(01:17:32):
when I went to school, the only thing, I think
in grade four we did a little Newfoundland history course,
but that was it, and then there was a newfoland
Culture course and that was it. But the actual knowledge
that people have about Newfoundland history and in particular the
whole MoU and Churchill falls and it's frightening. It's really

(01:17:57):
really low, and that's why a lot of people are
really not interested, not following what's happening. And when that
happens in the general population, then governments tend to get
away with whatever they want to get away with. So
come to the present day, and for example, Premier Hogan

(01:18:19):
is saying that the election should be all about the
m o U. Well, you know, if he really believes that,
he should put the question on the ballots along with
the names of the candidates. Do you believe that the
government of Newfilanda Laborador should sign off on the m ou?

Speaker 2 (01:18:40):
I believe the sim and I think.

Speaker 23 (01:18:44):
One way to find out. I mean, the election is
not only about the m ou. There's a whole lot
of things going down. This province in the past number
of years, from nursing scandals, who land scandals, who can
instare trying to fill their pockets secretly, to the behavior
of the government to the MoU, I said should be

(01:19:08):
there too. But if you really want to find out
how the people in new Land Labrador feel about the
MoU and how we have been treated by the Quebec
government for the last seventy years, and why are we
signing on to a fifty year contract having gotten abused

(01:19:31):
for seventy years in the old contract. Why would we
be so willing as to sit down again and say, well, okay,
we will sign a fifty year contract. There's nothing in
that contract aside from the fifty years, aside from the
financial obligations. There's nothing in that contract that will allow

(01:19:54):
us to transmit electricity across Quebec and their transmission times,
paying them a fair amount of money for being able
to do that. There's nothing, no gain like that in
the contract. So we really need to have a third
parody analysis of what is in that contracts A couple

(01:20:16):
of games how it is going to affect us and
our grandchildren and our great grandchildren and our great great grandchildren.
For the next fifty years. Okay, just not enough for
John Hogan or anybody else to say, full speed ahead.
We got to get this done. I mean, one of
the questions I've asked myself, and you you know the answer. Why,

(01:20:41):
after all these years of being refused any negotiation, renegotiation
by Quebec, why all of a sudden does Quebec want
to open this up and get it signed as quickly
as possible?

Speaker 2 (01:20:54):
Go island? Okay, right, so just a couple of points,
let me happen here, just let me have here.

Speaker 23 (01:21:00):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:21:01):
So you know why the referendums the terrible idea because
of what you just said. How many people would vote
against it simply because the other side of the negotiating
table is Quebec. Like you just said yourself, people are
said to what happened, and so would that be a
factor inside people's emotional vote?

Speaker 2 (01:21:18):
One hundred percent?

Speaker 1 (01:21:19):
Twenty forty one one of the most misunderstood dates in
this province. So what all that happens in twenty forty
one is we renegotiate price equity state does not change,
nothing changes except for price. So I don't really know
what the merit is of waiting till twenty forty one necessarily,
But the province really set themselves up here. They struck

(01:21:41):
a committee to look at exactly that what are the
implications of twenty forty one. They did the work, they
did the research, they came up with some sort of conclusion,
but they didn't tell us. Don't you think that would
have been helpful for republic discourse had people been told
based on folks who looked at the implications of the
contract and said, here's what twenty forty one means. Because
through your own anecdotal researcher, very few people do what's

(01:22:05):
twenty forty one ment. So without even understanding what that means,
how can anybody necessarily understand the reality of this emou
So that's my summary point is if people.

Speaker 23 (01:22:15):
Are going to vote no, because you're right, I don't
agree with everything that you said. You know, it doesn't
say that you can't put it on the ballot, but
you're right in that a lot of people have no
idea or a lot have no idea of what's going
on when it comes to the future Churchill Falls and
the future of New flann Labrador and the future of

(01:22:38):
the electrical development on the Churchill River, but a lot
of people do. And you know, we don't live in
a perfect world, so we do have referendums. The whole
point of a referendum or putting a question on a
ballot is simply to say to people who are voting, look,
as well as voting for the candidate, what do you

(01:23:01):
think about the MoU I mean, we do have an
oversize to three person oversize committee. Have you heard anything
from that committee? Have you seen any public reports?

Speaker 7 (01:23:11):
I have.

Speaker 16 (01:23:14):
You have?

Speaker 1 (01:23:14):
Yeah, they've made a couple of releases and we actually
had Dennis Brown on the show after.

Speaker 23 (01:23:18):
This perform they're certainly not out there to communicate to
the people what they have found in their analysis so far.
It's really not And you know, the three gentlemen on
that committee are excellent, I know all of them. They're
very professional. They're very good. But it's not the oversight

(01:23:39):
that would be taken all right, take place really with
an independent committee analyzing the deal on behalf of the
government of Newfland. Labradory House secure in knowing that what
we're going to get over the next fifty years, because
we're talking about fifty years, what we're going to get

(01:24:02):
is what we should get. And now on top of
all that, our friends in Quebec want to do a
deal and critical minerals and again you have to I mean,
I got to jump and they say it and other
people say, you're right. You have to look at the
relationship that has taken place between Quebec and Newfoundland and

(01:24:26):
Labrador over the last seventy years. I just understand why
so many people in Newfoundland and Labrador, including myself, are
sole suspect about what's happening.

Speaker 1 (01:24:39):
And we need an understand points understood, PA taken and repeated.
I have to go to the break that I appreciate
your time, Okay, take care, bye bye, all right, just go.

Speaker 2 (01:24:49):
To that break.

Speaker 1 (01:24:51):
This is Open Line on the VOCM big Land FM
radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:24:57):
Welcome back to the show.

Speaker 1 (01:24:58):
Let's go Before we get to the news, there was
ex sag gooring so to the executive director at the
Eating Disorder Foundation.

Speaker 2 (01:25:03):
That's Paul too, me Paul you around here?

Speaker 24 (01:25:05):
Good morning, Patty?

Speaker 2 (01:25:06):
How are you today? That's too bad? Thanks? How about you?

Speaker 13 (01:25:08):
Not too bad at all?

Speaker 24 (01:25:10):
Well, since we've spoken, so I thought i'd call in
this morning give an update. Since tonight is our last
night of Drive in Bingo for the summer. So we're
going to be at jack Byrne Regional Sport and Entertainment
Center with our doors opening at five point thirty Bingo
starting at seven o'clock. All proceeds, of course go to
the Eating Disorder Foundation, and tonight as a farewell and

(01:25:33):
to thank you, our jackpot will be fifteen hundred dollars
rather than the normal thousand dollars, so we look forward
to having a big crowd there tonight. The weather looks
great and we'll also be doing the draw on our
I guess our third quarter fifty to fifty sweep, which
is now getting up around the fifteen hundred, two thousand

(01:25:56):
dollars mark, with a thousand perhaps going to to the winner, so.

Speaker 2 (01:26:01):
It should be a big night.

Speaker 24 (01:26:02):
We're going to give away a fair amount of money
down to jack Burne, so hopefully we'll see a big
crowd there and I want to take this opportunity to
thank everybody who has supported in the five previous being
GOS and again tonight. It's been a great fundraiser for
us and it certainly gives us the needed funds to
be able to continue to support families throughout this province

(01:26:25):
who are dealing with a serious mental illness that eating
disorder is so look forward to the continued support on
that one.

Speaker 1 (01:26:33):
So give us some idea how much money has been
raised over the course of the previous bing goals if
you'd care to.

Speaker 24 (01:26:38):
Share, Yeah, no, I have no problem sharing. We're fairly
transparent with that. We've raised upwards of thirty thousand dollars
and that's the number off the top of my head. Patty,
I don't have the exact numbers in front of me,
but our Bengals have been well attended this year and
almost wish we'd done a few more. But I think

(01:26:59):
the number we've done the six is probably where we
will stay. So we're raising that kind of money. But
the other great thing about the BINGO there's upwards of
two hunder cars in that parking lot every time we
have it, and so it's helping us create awareness and
letting more people know who we are and the type
of work we do and that we're available to everybody

(01:27:21):
in this province.

Speaker 2 (01:27:22):
Fair Ball, you do great work, that's for sure. Paul.
Appreciate the time. Good luck with the final big.

Speaker 24 (01:27:26):
Do you have one more you don't mind?

Speaker 2 (01:27:28):
Quick one.

Speaker 24 (01:27:29):
Yeah, it'll be very quick. Eighteenth the fourteenth Annual Concert
of Hope at the Arts and Culture Center on October
the eighteenth. Tickets run sale the Arts and Culture Center.
Tickets right now are thirty five dollars until August thirty first.
On September first, the price goes to forty dollars, so
some good chance to get tickets. Masterless Men, Black Gold,

(01:27:51):
two great performing groups raising money, all in support the
eating sort of foundation. So encourage people to go to
the Arts and Culture on your website. Get your tickets
before the weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:28:03):
Good luck with it all. Appreciate the time, Paul.

Speaker 24 (01:28:05):
Thanks Patty, Appreciate it as always.

Speaker 2 (01:28:07):
Pleasure. Bye bye. All right, let's get to the news.

Speaker 1 (01:28:09):
Let me come back to those couple of callers there
to talk about the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding that
we're talking to you Ferry service, and we.

Speaker 2 (01:28:16):
Have another kind of date, this time running out War five.
Don't go away.

Speaker 1 (01:28:19):
This is open line on the VOCM Bigland FM radio network.
Go back to the show. Let's begin the segment on
line number six. Secondmore to the PC member for Stephnville
port A part and that's the leader of the official opposition.

Speaker 2 (01:28:31):
That's Tony wakem Good morning, Tony around the Air.

Speaker 7 (01:28:33):
Hey, good morning, Patty. I was listening to your show
earlier when you asked it would be nice to have
me come on and talk about the MoU in terms
of where we are on it and where I am
on it, and I thought I would I would take
the opportunity to do that, and I'd like to basically
just start off by saying that, based on what we

(01:28:54):
know right now, I could not in good conscience sign
the Liberal deal with Quebec. I want to in the
develop Gull Island. We all want to see Gull Island developed,
and I want to ensure that we can actually make
sure we electrify the entire Larbrador. When I think about
the potential for the mining industry, when I think about

(01:29:16):
the potential for other industries to be actually based in
Larbrador itself, and what this power that we have at
our disposal would be able to do to help all that.

Speaker 2 (01:29:28):
Okay, just a few things.

Speaker 1 (01:29:29):
So I basically said the question about what John Premier
Hogan said yesterday about the Tories would kill or pause
or whatever the deal, That question is probably best for you.
So when you say positive, positive for what and positive
for how long? Knowing that inside of any contract from
negotiation there has to be some sort of agreements on
the other side of the table. So what specifically are

(01:29:51):
you proposing here?

Speaker 7 (01:29:52):
So when we use the word pause, it was around
the time when there was a premiers conference first Minister's
conference being held on well and the talk was of
the National Energy Quarter. So we wanted to make sure
that we were at that table and that we were
going to be represented at that table and not represented
by Quebec. And that was the thought that we had

(01:30:14):
at that time. Look, we should be talking about a
national energy quarter here. If their premiers are going to
be talking about a national energy quarter, the Newfolanda Larbrador
needs to be part of that discussion. And if we're
going to have a national energy quarter across this great
country of ours, then I want Newfoland and Larbrador to
be part of that energy quarter, not simply on the
sidelines because we've signed away our power for another fifty years.

(01:30:38):
But those are the issues that are unknown when it
comes to this particular deal. We went through an inquiry
at the Judge le Blanc inquiry that clearly laid out
a process of recommendations, and one of them was the
independent review process. And I will say that as soon
as I become Premier, I will make sure that we

(01:31:01):
send this to the Public Utilities Board for them to
lead an independent review. That's what people want to know.
They want to make sure that we're actually getting the
very best deal possible. And as you know from your
listeners and from people who have called in, there have
been lots of concerns raised, lots of questions raised, and

(01:31:23):
the best way to get them answered is to have
and take the recommendations that were given to us, and
let's do that. I don't see anything wrong with that
type of process. We should want to be accountable to
the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and make sure we're
getting the best deal possible.

Speaker 1 (01:31:43):
Tony say that we want gaul Island developed, The base
question for me would be do.

Speaker 2 (01:31:50):
We really want to?

Speaker 1 (01:31:51):
Because unless there was some sort of partner, whether that
be the forces of the world or hydrockleback or whoever,
I don't think the province is up for another the
mega developments in the world of hydro electricity, if we
are the person the problems supporting it financially speaking, because
a couple of things, we have no way of getting
it out. You know, we can talk about East West
Energy Quarter, which I do a lot on this program,

(01:32:13):
but of course that conversation is Azola as John Diefenbaker.
It's never made any pragmatic move forward. So the base
question on goal do we really want to develop it
because we have no worthly way of getting power out
of there. I mean, most of that falls is as
much a transmission project as it is a power generation
project right now. That's some of the big risks we
face having to bring all that power down through the

(01:32:34):
long range mountains. In this case twenty two and twenty
five megawatts. There's only a five hundred megawat maritime link.
So we can't even develop all on our own unless
we have a way to get the power out.

Speaker 7 (01:32:44):
I think what we're saying is not different than what
you're saying is No. I don't think that the Province
of New Foland and larborad Or can undertake Goisland project alone.
We need a partner the most Definitely, we need a partner.
And if that partner Risquebec, then then let's the go
ciate that. But let's not simply turn around and sign

(01:33:04):
the deal that we don't know exactly what's in it.
We don't know we're signing up for fifty years. Right now,
we're still committed to paying the mortgage on that property.
Sixty percent of go a lot on development will be
financed by the province of Do Falanda, Larbrador, but we're
only keeping ten percent of the power. And when I
think of Larbrador and the opportunities for development of energy

(01:33:26):
and power, and we've all heard those stories, how electricity
demand for electricity in the world is going to change,
it's going to increase. And what are the opportunities right
there in Larbrador to develop new industries. So let's not
be afraid to develop. But let's make sure absolutely that
we have a partner. But let's make sure that when
we enter into any kind of agreements that we take

(01:33:48):
the time to do the due diligence. And right now
we have an opportunity here, Let's make sure that this
is done with an independent review.

Speaker 1 (01:33:58):
Isn't the golf financing the numbers as I understand them,
and I could be wrong, So our equity piece value
that currently somewhere in and around three point five billion
dollars will be paid for by Hydro Quebec.

Speaker 7 (01:34:10):
Right, that is the equity piece. But then there will
be a quote, for lack of a better term, a
mortgage taken out for the rest of the project we owned.
We will take sixty percent. Quebec hy do I think
has forty percent, So one would think that any any
mortgage that's taken out on this we will have sixty percent.
Of that debt will come to New Fland and Larbrador.

(01:34:30):
But the issue here has to be about not the
next election, but let's talk about the next generation. I mean,
we're talking about signing a deal for fifty years with
the province of Quebec, and we're sitting here today many
people in Newfland and Larbrador are asking the same questions.

(01:34:52):
How do we know that this is the best deal
for us that's going to impact not just the next
four years, which is what the liberal governments seems to
be concerned about, but the next fifty years. And the
only people that are telling us, they're telling us this
is a great deal. But these are the people that
negotiated the deal. Why are they afraid to send this

(01:35:14):
to the Public Utilities Board to allow this process to
have been reviewed independently. I would argue if they had
done that since day one, that review would be completed
by now. But no, they're refusing, refusing, So why are
they hiding what's not being made available to the people
in the Newfoundland and Larbrador? What's there that we don't understand?

(01:35:37):
So you know, we have a process, we have recommendations
that were made by Judge le Blanc. We should be
following him.

Speaker 1 (01:35:44):
A quick question on the PUB would that be just
adding another middleman to any so called oversight because they
don't have the horsepower.

Speaker 2 (01:35:54):
That's not what they do.

Speaker 1 (01:35:55):
They simply have to hire someone else, whether it be
to sure Member, US Virus, Manitoba Hydro and then Liberty
comes in.

Speaker 2 (01:36:01):
So would they just be another entity hiring someone else.

Speaker 7 (01:36:05):
But they're the independent body and they would Yes, they
would be the ones that would have to basically contract
with someone to do the review. But that's the whole
piece about this. We have to have an independent analysis
on this. That's why this is so important. This is
not about the Liberal government or the PC government or
the NDP party. It's about making sure that if we're

(01:36:27):
going to put pen to paper, we ought to ensure
that we've got the jobs protected, that we've got our
resources protected, and that we're getting the value that new
polanders and larbra doors deserve for the next generation.

Speaker 2 (01:36:40):
Fair Ball. Appreciate the time, Tony, Thank you, Patty, you welcome,
Bye bye, all right, start away.

Speaker 1 (01:36:45):
I'm leader of the PC's and PC member for Steven
Bill Port of Port. Let's take a break. When we
come back, let's see who's next. Maybe PJA to talk
about the MoU. Talk away is open line now the
VOCM Bigland FM radio network. Welcome back, Let's go to
line number four. PJ around the air.

Speaker 14 (01:37:01):
Good morning, Patty, talk the morning, talk about the MoU. Briefly,
a say, Premium Legoal was in your province yesterday but
didn't take any media in any media questions. I mean
some of the questions I could be posed to him
could be related to For example, the government of Quebec

(01:37:22):
is applying for subsidy with the federal government for a
new transmission line from Quebec down to the US as
a nation building project.

Speaker 20 (01:37:33):
So it's going to be very interesting now to see
if that makes the short list.

Speaker 14 (01:37:36):
With Michael Fabier as the Secretary of the cabinets for example.

Speaker 1 (01:37:42):
Yeah, well, actually Michael Savia was involved in these trade
talks yesterday with Minister LeBlanc and Howard Lutnika, I assume
was the representative for the United States.

Speaker 2 (01:37:52):
So yeah, Savia is in the middle of it. Look,
with the federal government.

Speaker 1 (01:37:56):
You make an interesting point here with all of the
talk of electric whether it be electric vehicles or electrification
of public buildings and all the rest of it, the
federal government needs to be involved. They can't just you know,
shrug their shoulder say well, a lot of these things
are provincial jurisdiction. No, it's being led by federal policy.
So consequently, things like building transmission should be partly federal responsibility.

Speaker 20 (01:38:19):
Yes, but maybe across Canada.

Speaker 14 (01:38:21):
By not going north south, the Quebec government is going
to be using federal funding to build a transmission line.
That's just going to enrich their coffers in Quebec. If so,
I mean they bad Oboy to build a line or
there a national building project.

Speaker 20 (01:38:36):
So let's stay tuned to see if that meets the
short list.

Speaker 14 (01:38:40):
But interestingly enough, just two days ago Quebec how you
put out their financial results.

Speaker 13 (01:38:46):
You may find this interesting Patty is that.

Speaker 14 (01:38:50):
They've made They've declared net income for the first six
months of this year two point three billion net income,
mind you, and that is after already investing three point
three billion in the same period. So when talk about
Gull Island and Quebec Hydro investing three point five billion
gull Island, that is no challenge for them.

Speaker 20 (01:39:13):
This is the kind of numbers that that company deals with.
It's a cash cow.

Speaker 13 (01:39:18):
And one final point on this their action.

Speaker 14 (01:39:21):
Plan as Hydro Quebec is called Action Plan twenty thirty
five towards they decarbonized and prosperous Quebec. Very interesting, but
in there is also interesting point because it says how
they earn some of this money. They're selling electricity to

(01:39:42):
the US at sixteen cents of kilowatt and today I
believe they pay less than two cents for it, thank
the profits they're making.

Speaker 2 (01:39:52):
New oraland the.

Speaker 1 (01:39:54):
Upper Churchill power is currently zero point two cents per
kilowatt hour. And I mean they have contracts for instance,
in one of the New England states I think this
is Connecticut, is twenty five years at five cents a kilowatta.
Of course they sell it to a utility there who
then makes their profit on top. But hydro Quebec and
newfoland Lavator hydro there's not even in the same conversation.
I mean, hydro Kubec is one of the largest hydro

(01:40:15):
power producers in the world. They have like sixty one
generating stations. They have installed capacities like thirty seven thirty
eight gigawatts storage capacity and reservoirs is somewhere in the
neighborhood one hundred and eighty tara watts. So I mean,
we're not even talking about the same thing here. They
got well six hundred and eighty or six hundred and
ninety dams inside hydro Quebec.

Speaker 14 (01:40:37):
Yeah, it's apples and orange is in a bit, But
keep in mind Labradors is generating this electricity.

Speaker 20 (01:40:43):
It's all beautiful green energy.

Speaker 14 (01:40:45):
And you know a maror in Nova Scotia where I am,
they're taking advantage of it too, right, they're getting muskrat
falls energy. But now MRA has applied to the Canadian
Energy Regulator to ship electricity down to the US themselves.
This is the first time step for that and they've
never done it before, but they have an application in

(01:41:06):
now and they're going to send the electricity buy a
New Brunswick down to the States, So that's New Paland
energy because a mirror in Nova Scotia does not generate.

Speaker 20 (01:41:17):
Enough energy to supply this province on itself, so.

Speaker 14 (01:41:20):
They're using that green energy, marketing it down to the States,
all doing markup on what they're paying out of New Poland.

Speaker 2 (01:41:28):
Well, they're not paying anything for saturdays.

Speaker 1 (01:41:30):
They have some equity stakes in some of the transmission
which I have no roth of the idea why that's
the case, and we owe Emera or no sopecial power
in and around twenty one percent of the install capacity
that muskrat Why because they've built one point five billion
dollar maritime link. So they are paying for it in
that form, which is a pretty sweet deal for them.
Ameera has tried in the United States, Soosidrick, what yeah.

Speaker 14 (01:41:55):
Now, I was going to say. But the difference in
Nova Scotia is that their amera is still burning pole
here in few of their plants, which seems ridiculous in
twenty twenty five where they.

Speaker 13 (01:42:04):
Have this green energy, but so be it.

Speaker 20 (01:42:07):
That's what they're doing and they're getting set up.

Speaker 14 (01:42:09):
They're getting approval out of the federal government to start
transmitting electricity down to the States.

Speaker 13 (01:42:14):
So you know, at the time, and that's going on
with so much going on in.

Speaker 14 (01:42:18):
The world and whatever, that these companies are doing things
and people are busy not paying much attention to what's
going on, and it's going to be too late. But
I'm going to follow up on what the opposition leader said.
I think he's got a good point. It's that they
need to educate people.

Speaker 13 (01:42:35):
Because Quebec claims that they're going to have this sixth cent.

Speaker 20 (01:42:39):
Killer walk for fifty years.

Speaker 14 (01:42:41):
This has to be put to the test because the
cheapest alternative today is nuclear, and nuclear right now costs
sixteenth cents in twenty twenty five. So the deal is
so upside it's ridiculous to even believe them. So you
have to realize this is why Quebec hydro Is once
ran this deal through, and the new lad Liberals don't

(01:43:03):
seem to be able.

Speaker 13 (01:43:04):
To be putting up much of a fight on it.
So I just want to summarize. I think I agree
with a lot of other callers media fully independent review.

Speaker 2 (01:43:12):
I don't think that the.

Speaker 13 (01:43:13):
Three person panel now.

Speaker 20 (01:43:14):
Is going to justify it, and I think we need
to do that because.

Speaker 13 (01:43:19):
There's such a long term contract and turn it into
election issue.

Speaker 14 (01:43:24):
But the pcason needs to educate the people, not put
a referendum, but educate people. Imagine in Quebec, for example
today versus electricity in Nutland. If you're playing three hundred
dollars a month electricity and sink in Nutland.

Speaker 20 (01:43:40):
In Quebec the only pay one hundred dollars.

Speaker 13 (01:43:42):
So that should drive home to people who are paying.

Speaker 7 (01:43:45):
Bills every month.

Speaker 14 (01:43:46):
How how lucrative arrangement they have had all these decades.

Speaker 1 (01:43:50):
I think people realize that just a couple of quick points,
La Kamara doesn't need the federal government's permission to sell
power into the United States. And in fact, Emera and
Hydro Quebec not that long ago, they were trying to
put power into the state of Maine. Residents of Maine
had a referendum and they said no, and so that
went for the wayside. So nobody needs permission to sell
into the States. It's whether or not they need or

(01:44:12):
want federal support to build capacity. I think to the conversation, no, but.

Speaker 14 (01:44:16):
No for when you shipt electricity, export electricity. Yes, the
Canadian Energy Regulator which is the previously National Energy Board
has to approve it.

Speaker 13 (01:44:25):
They need that application. Then it went in the middle
of in the June, and they had till July twenty.

Speaker 20 (01:44:32):
First to be opposed. But it's going through and they
have to get regulation to approve that activity.

Speaker 1 (01:44:40):
Yeah, but isn't the only question that that entity asks
is about monopoly because there is a concern in the
United States they will not deal with the monopoly in
so far as provision of power. So isn't that the
only question being asked at that level?

Speaker 14 (01:44:53):
No, I think they're just looking for the permission to
export electricity. I mean, you keep in mind, Nova Scotia
is burning coal. I mean, you know, we're in a
climate change the disaster at our doorstep, and Nova Scotia
continues to burn coil a coal to generate electricity. The
only province that I'm aware of that's still doing it

(01:45:15):
and they're allowed to do it till twenty thirty, So
you know, like it's it.

Speaker 7 (01:45:22):
Brings up the point is.

Speaker 13 (01:45:24):
That it's it's exploiting good energy down to the States
at our.

Speaker 20 (01:45:29):
Cost, environmental costs and whatever.

Speaker 2 (01:45:33):
Fair enough.

Speaker 1 (01:45:35):
The reason why we were able to secure federal loan guarantees,
of which there has been three, is because of exactly
what you just said when they called it a nation
building project, was in an effort to help Nova Scotia
get off coke and call fired power generation. You're one
hundred percent right, that's I mean. The first one was
five billion dollars from the Hyperconservatives, then it was three
billion of the Trudeau Liberals, then another one billion federal

(01:45:57):
loan guarantee plus another billion dollar loan. And why because
of exactly what you just mentioned.

Speaker 20 (01:46:02):
Yeah, but I mean that a mirror thing is is
on a side thing. It's just shows that the energy,
that green energy is so valuable this day and age.

Speaker 2 (01:46:11):
And what to go back to the.

Speaker 13 (01:46:12):
Chirchi Falls arrangement is that there's.

Speaker 14 (01:46:15):
No doubt that there's a lot of money left on
the table, and the PCs should harness that and say, like,
what would Newfaland do when an extra billion dollars a
year forget there, what's in the current agreement?

Speaker 2 (01:46:26):
Top it up?

Speaker 14 (01:46:27):
When you have a Quebec hydro making two point three
billion dollars each six months, there's money left on the table,
hands down. So I hope that they Conservatives can get
an independent review and get new faland.

Speaker 20 (01:46:42):
Do what's right with that green energy because it's going
to be very valuable.

Speaker 13 (01:46:46):
Can you imagine what's going to be valuable in ten.

Speaker 20 (01:46:48):
Years or twenty years? And here Quebec locked it into trying.

Speaker 13 (01:46:51):
To lock it in for fifty unheard of.

Speaker 20 (01:46:54):
Nobody signs those type of contracts too long.

Speaker 1 (01:46:56):
We did, we already did ninety sixty nine. Uh PJ
enjoyed the conversation. I appreciate the time.

Speaker 2 (01:47:03):
Okay, thank you, you're welcome. Bye bye. Let's get a
break for the news right on time, don't go away?

Speaker 1 (01:47:08):
Is open line now the VOCM big Land FM Radio network.

Speaker 2 (01:47:13):
Welcome back. Let's go to line number one. Well you're
on the air. Hi will hello, welcome to show. You're
on the air.

Speaker 7 (01:47:25):
Yeah, it's Wilson Murphy calling.

Speaker 16 (01:47:28):
I want to make comment on that Church of Fall thing.

Speaker 13 (01:47:33):
Okay, we still have an option all.

Speaker 16 (01:47:39):
And we must let somebody. I don't hear too many
people talking about it, but we can't overlook it.

Speaker 6 (01:47:46):
We had the power.

Speaker 16 (01:47:47):
I know we don't have the capacity. Look you said
earlier for most stress, Aul, but we do put power
in those poster and when that happened, Quebec tried the
New Brunswick power if you remember, I do far as
I'm concerned, there was one reason for that to block

(01:48:09):
Newfland again.

Speaker 1 (01:48:12):
I suppose it could be that there's also access to
the major markets as well, So yeah, it's pretaty both.

Speaker 16 (01:48:18):
Now you're the guy who was just on there from
Nova scoties that the mayor is going through New Brunswick
for now. But all we needs in New Brunswick is
the right guy to get in to agree to sell
the power to go back. But anyway, first time returned.
That was that was the reason for that. But we
got a caple on the Nova sculture. So if worst

(01:48:42):
comes the worst, we can put another one from your
right over to bar harb Remain. And if we need
some extra power, I think you said something without five
hundred megawatch or something in church Will Fowls.

Speaker 2 (01:48:55):
No, the maritime link can carry five hundred megawats.

Speaker 16 (01:48:58):
Yeah, so we then need to be increased, but we're
talking about fifty years. As far as I'm concerned about it,
it's better to them out and then give it away,
which is what we did in the last first day.
And if there's the mail like we're going to do
it for fifty more.

Speaker 1 (01:49:14):
I just want to pursue the maritime link conversation. Did
you say that should be for starers? It probably should
have been a thousand right off the get go. But
why would we build another one because we don't really
have any power to give anybody.

Speaker 16 (01:49:30):
Well, we got it up in Church of Halls and
you can do a lot of things in fifty years
rather than give it away.

Speaker 1 (01:49:37):
Yeah, we're ever only going to get X amount of
power from Churchill Falls because capacity is not changing. So
unless they expand operations at Churchill Falls, which is part.

Speaker 2 (01:49:45):
Of the plan, we're always going to have the same
equity stake.

Speaker 1 (01:49:49):
So the additional power that we can get from the
upper Churchill based on the MoU is simply the Labrador
Recall block, which goes from three hundred to twelve hundred megawatts.
So I don't think we need to build anything unless
gall is develop. Well, we don't need to build anything
to get power out of here because we don't have
any power to sell to anybody. In fact, we have
to add capacity here To talk about one hundred fifty
megawatt generator at Holyrood.

Speaker 16 (01:50:11):
Well, we must have something the premium Quebec is here
now and he's not here for New Vliant. He's here
for Quebec, of.

Speaker 2 (01:50:19):
Course he is, So was he here far if we
got none?

Speaker 1 (01:50:24):
Well, the additional power that they're talking about is two
is expanding operations at the uppertecture, but most notably for
Ohydro Quebec is developing gall Island. So that's the extra
power that's yet to be built. So my statement is
that we don't have power to sell anybody at this
moment in time. Could we or would we into the
future if gall Island got built, sure, but today we

(01:50:46):
just don't have any power to sell anybody.

Speaker 16 (01:50:48):
You know what we got to look at. We've got
to look at the future. Signing a document for fifty years.
We did that before we know that. I was all
about we're getting we're getting noney. We got we got
a mess that we're getting not in far public Hostle's
mind to owners right now.

Speaker 2 (01:51:04):
To own which development upper or dull, or.

Speaker 16 (01:51:09):
To own Trusia falls because you know as who all
other Quebec thinks they owned.

Speaker 2 (01:51:14):
Liabrador right, which is nonsense.

Speaker 16 (01:51:15):
Yeah, he thinks that Wayne Lunn changed their mind on
that one. Uh, par as ims. This country is supposed
to be all college, brother and sister country where we
help each other. Didn't Quebec block the pipeline from Western

(01:51:37):
Canada going too sat down New Brunsley.

Speaker 1 (01:51:39):
Yeah, there's a bunch of issues regarding energy east and yes,
if we're talking about Quebec being a problem there, it
was most specifically Denny Cordare, who used to be a
federal member of problem with at the time he was
the mayor Montreal.

Speaker 20 (01:51:52):
So if we had if we.

Speaker 16 (01:51:53):
Had a federal government with any gouts, they said to Quebec, listen,
our little brother or little sister in Newfouland got a
mass that they wants to sell and they're coming through
Quebec with. But federal government got an gassedar.

Speaker 2 (01:52:09):
Well as it pertains a lot of people.

Speaker 16 (01:52:11):
In Quebec and you know all the others. That's the
only month to be in Canada.

Speaker 2 (01:52:15):
Yeah, I don't think that's quite the sentiment that once was.

Speaker 1 (01:52:18):
And now I think we can replace Quebec separatism with
Alberta separatism, which is mind boggling.

Speaker 16 (01:52:24):
I don't blame Alberta, and Alberta got a nassat to
say on and they can't get across.

Speaker 2 (01:52:28):
Canada with well they can, but they can, though, what
do you mean, well.

Speaker 16 (01:52:33):
They he wants he gets to the Quebec bart that
that's done. It's as far as a Colona wasn't in Qubec.
They said they couldn't go across the Saint Lawrence River
with it because there's a playbol already in the river
and is going to interfere with that.

Speaker 1 (01:52:45):
The only thing I would say to it is number one,
me and you and Beth Vegan and everyone listening to
this program.

Speaker 2 (01:52:52):
We just bought.

Speaker 1 (01:52:53):
Alberta a thirty billion dollar pipeline. Like I don't know
how that gets lost in the shuffle. And at this
moment in time, there was z their OWD proposals for
an East West pipeline. Now, if the Prime Minister follows
through with what he said on the campaign trail about
the so called East West Energy Corridor had once again,
we've been talking about that as long ago as John Diefenbaker.

Speaker 2 (01:53:14):
So unless that.

Speaker 1 (01:53:15):
Comes to paste, no one's going to propose a pipeline
until they know they can get the regulatory approvals, that's
for sure.

Speaker 16 (01:53:22):
Well, first, the first thing, the first thing we need
is we need the people needs control. I mean something
like Switzerland is harryet vote to mean they do what
they like and nobody says nobody can do anything. They're
there for four years or twenty four years. Over in Switzerland.
They vote the same as we though when they vote

(01:53:45):
to me, and if they're not going to get rid
of them right away, they don't have to wait for
four years or fifty years. We've seen a lot of
things happened there recently. I don't believe aim though we're
supposed to bely it's a dead issue now that forty
eight thousand dollars gifts. Now, if you get fired today,

(01:54:06):
and I hope you don't, and I don't think you will,
but uh, you want to get in forty eight thousand
dollars if you get fired, I want.

Speaker 2 (01:54:16):
To get if you quits either, No, if I quit,
get nothing. If I get fired, I do get something.

Speaker 16 (01:54:21):
Yeah, do you get anything? I can get fired. But anyway, well,
there's a lot of issue.

Speaker 20 (01:54:27):
We got a lot of issues, do we ever?

Speaker 16 (01:54:32):
And I just want to mention that because we must
let Quebec know. Even though they tried to block us
in there Brunswick, we still got an option within the
next fit and if the Liberals, and I'll tell you this,
I'm I vote Liberal PC, and nowadays I don't know
I'm going to vote anymore. There's not going to voting

(01:54:54):
for the man. If if you were on for politics,
now I'm going to vote for you. I want to
I up front, you're not going to do much with it,
Patty Body, because you've got fifteen or sixteen more cabinet
ministers up against you, so you can't do nothing. You've
got to have everybody. You've got to have some good
people working for the people. And if the Liberals signs

(01:55:16):
this deal with Quebec, you might as well A while
I got the Housband's Emily. Now, well I can guarante.
I can guarantee and call me back if I'm wrong,
and they probably not going to win anyway this time.
I guarantee if the signs that they're doomed for forgetting
for standing in politics.

Speaker 2 (01:55:37):
Well you won't have to worry about me doing.

Speaker 16 (01:55:41):
Most of the Lantas don't want to hear and tell
this whatever they got nobody. I don't know why I
was all about it anyway. Another monthly, the buddy sat
there from Norway, Colgia two percent for New Violand and
sixteen for Quebec.

Speaker 2 (01:55:58):
Yeah. Yeah, that's not exactly the man's but.

Speaker 16 (01:56:00):
I'm thinking I'm we're divorce resource wise.

Speaker 1 (01:56:05):
I appreciate the call. Well, I'm going to take my
final break of the morning. You're always welcome, Okay, thank
you all the best, Bye bye. All right, let's take
that break talk away. This is open line now the
VOCM big Land FM Radio Network.

Speaker 2 (01:56:18):
Welcome back to the show.

Speaker 1 (01:56:19):
Let's go the lener of five Sagamore to Donne Earl,
who's running Ward five in the upcoming municipal election here
in the city of St.

Speaker 2 (01:56:24):
John's. We're Donnie. You're on the air.

Speaker 5 (01:56:27):
Good morning, Patty, and thank you for giving me the
opportunity to speak to the residence of Ward five.

Speaker 2 (01:56:31):
Happy to do it, Patty.

Speaker 5 (01:56:33):
Before I talk, I just want to let the residents
of Ward five no, I'm not here to disrespect anyone's
son or daughter, or husband or father. I'm here to
give the residents of Ward five a strong and powerful
voice and to hold the City of Saint John's accountable
for my community. Taty four years ago, when I ran,

(01:56:55):
I came up a little bit too short by fourteen votes.
I believe there are some poor issues on the table,
like Mile one snow clearing in Southlands, undevided that Mile
one has a new hockey.

Speaker 3 (01:57:07):
Team coming to town.

Speaker 5 (01:57:08):
I'm over alone about it, but the issue seemed to
fall by the wayside about the subsidies and all that
good stuff. The City of Saint John seems to believe
that snow clearing in the last two years has been
more than up the Power and Southlands area. I'm here
to tell you, just because we had really two softer winters,
we've got safety issues in and around our communities. The

(01:57:30):
lack of crosswalks, Kilbride, Southlands, the Golds. Not sure whether
it takes the paint line on the road, but you
know that's not for me to decide. Now. We've got
streets in our in my ward here now that are
on serviced, unpaved, wells gone dry. I'm not quite getting this.
We have a project happening here now in my community

(01:57:54):
in the Golds. I'm not going to talk positive or
negative about it, other than I'm not so sure that
the city has pushed any thought into the safety aspect
of what they're doing here now. I spoke to a
gentleman over in Southlands yesterday evening who told me that
him and his wife and his dog live in a big,

(01:58:15):
beautiful home in Southlands. He pays these taxes. We can
all appreciate what the tax.

Speaker 3 (01:58:19):
Bill is over in Southlands or in any part of
the city.

Speaker 5 (01:58:23):
And he told me that he used to be exempt
from the second water tax in his home because he's property.
His apartment wasn't rented the last two years. They decided
that no, he needs to pay that extra seven hundred
dollars bill and if he wants to be exempt from it,
he has to go to city Hall get a permit,

(01:58:43):
pay two hundred dollars remove the breaker from his stove downstairs,
just to be exempt from the extra seven hundred dollars
property tax that the city is passing. On the end,
when we got people in homes here in the city,
seven eight nine people living in one household, so you
can appreciate the water that's consumed in that household, but

(01:59:04):
they only get one property tax. I got a lady
here on the golds in my ward and he you're
going to hear the emotion in my voice.

Speaker 3 (01:59:11):
Now, this lady her well round dry.

Speaker 5 (01:59:15):
I was able to get her water toast just so
that she can flush her toilet. Her husband had a stroke,
she has severe mobility issues. She can now flush her
toilet and wash her dishes. But they don't drive, so
they need to leave their home for this gentleman to
get a wash. I got a nunther, seventy five year

(01:59:36):
old lady in my ward, who I videoed our meeting.
I was going to use it as a tool in
my campaign trail, but it was so hurtful and painful.
I decided that it was wrong of me to use
this to get the upper hand on my opponent.

Speaker 3 (01:59:55):
But I would have showed what I did assure her was.
If I'm not.

Speaker 5 (01:59:59):
Successful, I will bring this video to the table at
city Hall and let these people see that This seventy
five year old lady told me at her kitchen table
that after her two small grandchildren get a wash, she
referred to it as dirty water. I'll refer to it
as recycled water. She gets a bat after her two

(02:00:21):
small grandchildren, she cannot get a return phone call from
the powers.

Speaker 3 (02:00:25):
To be Patty Daily, my friend, I'm here to tell
you that that's wrong. We got we got so many
issues that.

Speaker 5 (02:00:32):
Could be easily fixed if people return phone calls, and
if city hall would would we use this three to
one one as a tool. I'm here to tell you
I heard that open line a few months back about
a temper and a truck down at the end of
show Bay Road, a pristine area in my ward, at
the very beginning of the East Coast Trail where thousands

(02:00:54):
and thousands of people come to my community to experience.
There was a temper and a burnt out truck at
the end of that road, and the people at the
City of Saint John's couldn't get the job done. Our
government was contacted, they couldn't get the job done. And
I just want to let the people are Ward five. No,
it's not there no more. The job got done, it's

(02:01:17):
cleaned up, and it's gone petty.

Speaker 3 (02:01:19):
I'm tired of hearing the.

Speaker 5 (02:01:22):
Can getting kicked down the road. I want my community
to know that I am here to fight for shay Heights,
Southside Road, Kilbride, Southbounds, Brookfield Planes, two goules right the
middle pans. I'm here on what you're saying at the doors,
and I'm here to tell you even if I'm not successful.

Speaker 3 (02:01:44):
Four years ago.

Speaker 5 (02:01:45):
I just went by the wayside, I took my.

Speaker 3 (02:01:48):
Tail and I went home.

Speaker 5 (02:01:50):
I'm here to tell you now, even if I do
not get into city hall, I will still advocate on
your behalf.

Speaker 3 (02:01:57):
And I'm gonna be a thorn in the side.

Speaker 5 (02:02:00):
Of the find people down at the City of Saint Johnny's.

Speaker 1 (02:02:03):
Good on your Donny. I appreciate the time. Good luck
out there. Thank you, Betty, You're welcome.

Speaker 2 (02:02:08):
Served byeye it donn hero running on ward five. We'll
get one more on this morning. Let's try eleven number
six Stebruary around the air. Oh hi there.

Speaker 25 (02:02:18):
I just wanted to know they let him know the
safety in highway because I took the wrong town almost
went to tz Our Highway. Go on the roaches on right, okay,
because I want to side to come nolence to my
brother causing my brother passed.

Speaker 16 (02:02:33):
Away hy cancer.

Speaker 2 (02:02:36):
I'm sorry for your lost And this was June the
sign of.

Speaker 25 (02:02:40):
Two thousand and twenty five, right fifty year.

Speaker 7 (02:02:45):
He died a stage four answer.

Speaker 2 (02:02:47):
Right down Marysa okay where his worf and.

Speaker 16 (02:02:51):
He left them up behind and his buddy Brian lewis
right and.

Speaker 5 (02:02:56):
They bound it pretty bad right.

Speaker 25 (02:02:58):
He called him brow and he told him everything what
he went through and life and stuff confidence himself.

Speaker 1 (02:03:04):
But the whole family in Norway.

Speaker 16 (02:03:06):
And he didn't want to break the truss. And he
told me one thing.

Speaker 5 (02:03:10):
He said, I was afraid to die of cancer. Right,
that's all.

Speaker 25 (02:03:14):
But he knows all all kinds of stuff about my father,
the whole valady, No, not even his own work.

Speaker 2 (02:03:22):
He's calling me now because.

Speaker 26 (02:03:23):
I'm speaking about it on laws on rave and I
wanted through a business of what you are in.

Speaker 25 (02:03:28):
Home, and thanks to you, he caught me in the
right direction and I got my counseling okay, but that
one came with him right er, So thank you very
much for.

Speaker 2 (02:03:39):
Okay, no problem.

Speaker 26 (02:03:41):
So it also says that I was just wondering, if
you heard being good transportation there going discover center homework,
how to raise the whipper all.

Speaker 16 (02:03:52):
Over about the wolf.

Speaker 1 (02:03:53):
I remember talking to you about that, and I guess
the short answer is no, I don't know of any
option for transportation for that particular reason because they approved, but.

Speaker 25 (02:04:03):
They I can't get over there, so I got no
car right, no license and as not right.

Speaker 1 (02:04:12):
Yeah, so I'm not really sure how to help on
that front. I did have a look around and see
if there were some options. I came up dry or short,
So I apologize for that.

Speaker 5 (02:04:21):
So how are you?

Speaker 2 (02:04:23):
How am I?

Speaker 6 (02:04:25):
How you do?

Speaker 2 (02:04:26):
I'm not right? A bit worn out? Okay, Yeah, you
push up a lot of stuff on Sometimes.

Speaker 13 (02:04:33):
You push up were car stop peoples something that cut
them off? Y?

Speaker 2 (02:04:38):
I try not to be in the business of cutting
people off.

Speaker 7 (02:04:41):
But no, but you just tell them.

Speaker 13 (02:04:43):
And I love to say that stuff. No names, no name,
no coll engages up.

Speaker 1 (02:04:49):
Some of that's for their protection, to be honest. You
see when we talk about specific names of companies or individuals.

Speaker 5 (02:04:55):
Yeah, true, because that's what it is.

Speaker 13 (02:04:58):
Probably a cruise.

Speaker 1 (02:05:03):
Yeah, people can get themselves in hot water. I mean
just for the general listening public. The reason about you know,
don't say specific names is if for starters, we don't
know the entire story.

Speaker 2 (02:05:14):
And secondly, if something is not accurate, the person.

Speaker 1 (02:05:17):
Who says it maybe just finds themselves the next thing
they know, getting a letter in the mail with the
seats and desist or a letter from.

Speaker 2 (02:05:22):
A lawyer saying we're taking you to the court. So
that's kind of it.

Speaker 6 (02:05:27):
Better.

Speaker 1 (02:05:28):
I was just saying no and then sometimes one hundred percent.
I do have to get to the end of the
program here this morning, Debora, but I appreciate your time.

Speaker 25 (02:05:37):
I think doom so I just find.

Speaker 16 (02:05:40):
Thank you very much.

Speaker 25 (02:05:43):
Like the peak the government.

Speaker 17 (02:05:44):
Puts some polo.

Speaker 2 (02:05:46):
Yeah, that would be helpful. Off we go, Debor, you
stay in touch, take good care. Okay, there we go.

Speaker 1 (02:05:53):
All right, so Verna, I know she wants to talk
to me. And Verna have talked many times, and I'm
happy to have Vernon on tomorrow. I believe she said
she has signed. Does she just talk about the bell
out in Faerry Service Jan was also there to talk
about the Upper Churchill Memorandum of Understanding. And I think,
thankfully more and more people are starting to take up
the conversation. There's just too much on the line to

(02:06:14):
simply just say, okay, we're on a fast track to
an aggressive timeline up next April.

Speaker 2 (02:06:18):
There's a lot to discuss.

Speaker 1 (02:06:19):
All right, good show today, big thanks to all hands,
and yes we will indeed pick up this conversation again
tomorrow morning, right here on VOCM and Big Land of
FM's Open Line on behalf of the producer Bet Fagan.
I'm your host, Patty daily have yourself a safe, fun,
happy day. We'll talk in the morning.

Speaker 2 (02:06:32):
By bye.