Dear Editor;
I feel compelled to write in support of the Muskrat Falls project. I don’t believe this project is the doomsday event being suggested to the public by some.
Like concerned citizens opposed to the project, I too want to see the final numbers. For me, those numbers can provide assurance we are doing the right thing.
This is not the first time Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been nervous and apprehensive moving forward with a mega project. I was actively involved in the Friends of Hibernia movement back in the days when that project was highly questioned. Some said it was a make-work project for Newfoundland and Labrador, others said it was a give-away that would bankrupt the province. There was a groundswell of negativity created by the opponents. With hindsight, we now know Hibernia was critical in creating the vibrant Newfoundland and Labrador of today. Without that project this would be a much bleaker place to live.
The oil and gas development will not last forever. We need to think about and build for the future. I believe the Muskrat Falls project offers that opportunity.
We have never been better positioned to take on this project. We will have the benefit of a loan guarantee from the federal government and can take advantage of the lowest interest rates we will likely ever see to finance this project. The world is looking for clean, renewable energy. We have an agreement with Nova Scotia/Emera to fund and provide a transmission line accessing markets for our surplus power. We can get out from under Quebec’s stranglehold on our hydro and other energy developments. We have an industrial need in Labrador that is greatly dependent upon the development of our energy resources. We have the opportunity to become an energy hub that attracts industry. We have the opportunity to build an economy that will provide growth for the province and opportunity for generations to come.
Once DG3 numbers are known, we can all make our own, informed decision, rather than one that is uninformed and based on emotion or politics. Based upon what we know to this point, I feel we should be far more optimistic and supportive about the project’s potential. Assuming a positive financial analysis, this project will launch a great future for Newfoundland and Labrador and we should embrace it.
Chris Collingwood
Portugal Cove-St. Philips
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