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1 Comment(s)

Why the flubshot confusion?

To The Editor:

Can anyone tell me one thing?

Why is it the government is changing all this stuff for the H1N1 vaccination shot all the time?

I have been keeping up-to-date with all the clinics, and now the one I was going to go to, doesn't do adults . . . only student or priority groups.

I mean, come on now, what is the Department of Health trying to do here?

Luckily, I haven't gotten the flu yet, but my girlfriend and her son both had it.

Someone in Fredericton needs to get out of their office at the Health Department and make sure these clinics are being given when they are suppose to be given, not 10 or 12 days later.

A lot of people are relying on these shots.

Gerald Robichaud,

St. Louis de Kent

Opportunism trumps rights

To The Editor:

Premier Graham, the regurgitation of your "talking points" in response to my e-mail further convinces me that you really don't care what New Brunswickers think and that you intend to carry out your plan, come hell or high water.

You continue to insult and disrespect us by inviting us to "join the conversation," which essentially leaves concerned and increasingly cynical New Brunswickers talking amongst themselves and looking for answers.

Your five-year mission to boldly go where no man has gone before proves to us that political opportunism trumps democratic rights . . . in this place. I fail to see how continuing to give tax relief to large industry and the rich, and shifting it onto the backs of the people just trying to make ends meet is sustainable. But that's of no concern to you in the long run. You'll have a nice pension (that I'll pay for as well) and like Mr. McKenna, you will graduate to the private sector board of directors club. And probably be the very first gym teacher to do so.

I'm not concerned about Quebec separating or even being dependent on them for our future power, I'm concerned about the political power that continues to devolve towards a feudal society model.

Rick Atkinson,

Keswick Ridge

Allow the public to have a vote

To The Editor:

Why not allow the affected public that will live with the consequences of this hydro decision for their lifetime, and the lifetimes of future generations, to have a vote or plebiscite?

If the entire population of New Brunswick agrees to this electrical power decision, then so be it; if not, then drop this idea.

I suggest contacting your MLA to ask for this vote.

Keith Wheaton,

Moncton

Give us the cash cow

To The Editor:

Cows may come and cows may go, but the MOU doo in this "place" goes on forever.

The MOU, or Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of New Brunswick and Quebec, on the proposed sale (giveaway) of our electrical utility, is available in all its glory at: www.gnb.ca/cnb/news/pre/2009e1698pr.htm.

Has anybody done the math? $4.5 billion (price for phase one) divided by 750,000 (population of N.B.), works out to about $6,000 for every man, woman and child in the province. That's $24,000 for a household of four people.

I can buy my own 5,000 watt solar/wind generating system, complete with battery/inverter backup system, for under $20,000. Mr. Premier, go ahead, sell us all up the river. Just give us our share of the money and we won't need you, NB Power or Hydro Quebec ever again.

Gary T. Bastarache,

Moncton

Deal could be made acceptable

To The Editor:

No deal seems to be the answer from the majority of people in New Brunswick.

Frustration seems to be at a boiling point over the apparent mismanagement of NB Power by both political and civil leadership and their wanting to unload this responsibility by giving a short-term (five year) carrot to the people.

Setting the rates by the CPI (consumer price index) or inflation rate could be disastrous if we hit double digit inflation in the future, as we have in the past. The years 1974, 1975, 1980, 1981 and 1982 are not unlike what may be in our near future, and double digit inflation may rear its head again. Then what?

Hydro Quebec is not noted for being Mr. Nice Guy, as seen with Newfoundland's agreement of 1969.

Service is something I have not heard much of with this agreement. Today we enjoy great service and power outages are quickly and efficiently dealt with by apparently well qualified and hard working employees. Will service deteriorate with a smaller workforce and maybe not as strong a commitment to a small customer base outside their home province?

These are important issues and should be on the front burner of this agreement.

Thirdly, the maintenance of all infrastructure within our province to a standard of quality on par with Quebec, and if resold by Hydro Quebec, should be an included guarantee. In a few years we could be left with a third party holding our power supply while Hydro Quebec only maintains and keeps the main power grid to access the U.S.A.

Now, finally what I think would be an answer to making this a great deal would be to fix all rates for five years, including commercial/industrial, allowing Hydro Quebec to receive much greater income than in the present agreement. At five years make New Brunswick inclusive with the Quebec customer base (we would comprise approximately 10 per cent -- a small percentage to accommodate) guaranteeing rates, service and infrastructure is kept on par, no matter who owns the company. Simply guarantee no separation from the Quebec customer base and their benefits.

Hydro Quebec's guarantee of equality and inclusivity with its Quebec customer base would, I believe, make this sale one that most New Brunswick citizens could embrace. There are great dangers to being placed in the marketplace with a company that may end up parcelling NB Power out in pieces to the highest bidder while maintaining only what they want, a direct corridor to the states.

"Good Deal or No Good Deal" -- I guess it is up to Quebec and whether they treat us as fellow countrymen or as a business acquisition.

Tom Breau

Moncton

Deal means future pain

To The Editor:

I cannot believe that Shawn Graham is so short-sighted that he thinks the sale of NB Power is a good thing. Can he not see farther than the end of his nose?

The sale of NB Power is short term gain, but long term pain. Maybe that's what we should have put on our licence plates. If there is anyone who thinks Hydro Quebec is buying NB Power out of the goodness of their heart and don't intend to turn a profit at our expense, give your head a shake.

When five years is gone, hang on to your hat.

Nancy Duncan,

Salisbury