The Honourable John Hogan, KC, Minister of Health and Community Services and Government House Leader, is pleased that the extraordinary sitting of the House of Assembly in relation to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Québec concluded with all Members in the House voting in support of the resolution to move forward with negotiations.
All Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Members of the House of Assembly, Members of the Third Party, and Independent Members voted in favour of the resolution. The Official Opposition left the Chamber before the vote.
A new independent, expert panel led by the Consumer Advocate will be created to add an additional level of oversight to the negotiations towards Definitive Agreements. It will report quarterly to the House of Assembly and the public, in a manner that respects commercial sensitivities, privilege, and does not jeopardize the Provincial Government's negotiations. The creation of this panel is a result of an agreement between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Third Party, and Independent Members.
Minister Hogan wishes to thank all members for participating in the four-day sitting to share their views and ask questions on the MOU to maximize the benefits of the hydroelectricity capacity of the Churchill River for all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
He would also like to extend the Provincial Government's appreciation to the invited guests of the legislature for providing information and answering questions from MHAs. Guests included key individuals on the MOU negotiating team: Jennifer Williams, President and CEO of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro; Walter Parsons, Vice-President, Transmission Interconnections and Business Development; and Denis Mahoney, KC, Justice and Public Safety Deputy Minister and Deputy Attorney General, as well as Michael Ladha, KC, Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
Representatives from independent expert advisors Power Advisory and JP Morgan joined as guests of the legislature as well.
Quotes
"The extraordinary sitting of the House of Assembly was an exercise in democracy. It was a true honour and a highlight of my political career to be a part of a historic debate on an MOU that will benefit future generations. I would also like to thank the negotiating team, and independent experts from JP Morgan and Power Advisory for being so forthcoming with information, as well as every member who asked questions on the MOU. I look forward to returning to the legislature to debate the final definitive agreements."
Honourable John Hogan, KC, Government House Leader and Minister of Health and Community Services
"This past week provided an opportunity for all members of the House of Assembly to ask questions of experts and to become informed about the contents of the Churchill Falls MOU. It was an opportunity that I didn't take for granted as I was not provided the same opportunity as an opposition member with respect to Muskrat Falls. There is no doubt that this past week confirmed that this is a good deal for Newfoundland and Labrador, a deal that will provide billions of dollars to our province, jobs, mining expansion opportunities, and a bright future for our children and grandchildren. We will look back at this moment in history in our province as the beginning of the moment that changes everything."
Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
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