MALPEQUE, PE – Stephen Harper’s cancellation of the agreement to help build the PEI electrical transmission cable proves he cannot be trusted to keep his word, Liberal candidate for Malpeque Wayne Easter said today.
“The Conservative candidate for Cardigan, Mike Currie, has been barking up the wrong tree in his attempts to blame the Government of PEI for this fiasco,” said Mr. Easter. “The fact is the Conservatives’ first order of business upon winning government in 2006 was to tear up the agreement between the province and the previous Liberal government that would have allowed this vital clean energy project to go through.
“It was a Liberal government that made the commitment to support this project in the first place – and a Liberal government will ensure it proceeds,” said Mr. Easter.
The original deal announced in 2005 allowed for an upgrade to the electricity transmission system between PEI and New Brunswick, which, at the time, was a major initiative of the previous Liberal government’s climate change plan. As a result of the Harper government’s intentional cancellation of this project, the cost has gone from $60 million to $90 million today. The hoped-for federal share has increased to $45 million.
“The Conservatives’ betrayal has cost PEI the opportunity to capitalize on our abundant renewable energy resources and stimulate economic growth,” said Mr. Easter. “This was a green-light deal that would have helped the Island become a national leader in renewable energy – making this decision to scrap it all the more questionable.
“Because of Mr. Harper’s incompetent and highly politicized treatment of his Economic Action Plan (EAP), projects like this have suffered – only 5% of its green funding actually got out the door in year one,” said Mr. Easter. “And because of the Conservatives’ Rahim Jaffer scandal, the EAP green fund has been frozen, giving PEI one less avenue to pursue funding for this project.”
Since 2006, the people of PEI have been left out in the cold while similar projects have been approved in B.C., the Yukon and, as of yesterday, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.
“The Conservatives have left PEI out of this massive electrical grid, meaning we will be the only province prevented from exporting surplus energy from our wind farms or importing electricity which will ensure a secure power source for all Islanders – which means the Conservatives have stunted our economic growth.
“A Liberal government will act where the Conservatives missed their opportunity – and boost PEI’s clean energy potential by getting this transmission cable built,” concluded Mr. Easter.
