NEWS RELEASE
                                                                                       Office of the Official Opposition

Public Utilities Board must be given more time: Ball

Opposition Leader Dwight Ball today stated that it’s unacceptable that the Dunderdale Government is refusing to give the Public Utilities Board (PUB) the time they require to produce a detailed analysis of the Muskrat Falls project.

“When Premier Dunderdale pushed out the deadline on the term sheet with Emera she said that deadlines weren’t important but getting the project right was,” said Ball. “However, now the premier is forcing the PUB to produce a report that even their Chair, Andy Wells, has acknowledged will be rushed and incomplete.”

Ball noted that if the premier really wanted to have meaningful debate in the House of Assembly on Muskrat Falls she would allow the PUB the time it needs to complete their report.

“The premier can call together the House at anytime for a debate and vote on Muskrat Falls,” said Ball. “It’s negligent that the premier is forcing the PUB to produce an incomplete report all under the guise that it has to be debated in the House this spring.”

Ball stated that it is time for the premier to live up to her promise from last June for a rigorous review by the PUB and have the issue debated fully in the House of Assembly.

“The premier has stated that the debate on Muskrat Falls in the House will be tied to the Budget and that she will not allow a vote on the project,” said Ball. “It is pivotal that Muskrat Falls receives its own special session, not interfering with Budget debate. I call on the premier to allow a full report from the PUB and a full debate and vote in the House on this very important issue.”

Ball noted that the Joint Review Panel, David Vardy and Dr. James Feehan as well as several others have all called for the province to look at alternatives to Muskrat Falls, but the premier has resisted.