Charles Leblanc's Other Blog: HUGE PROTEST AGAINST THE HYDRO-QUEBEC AND NB POWER DEAL SET FOR THE NEW BRUNSWICK LEGISLATURE ON NOVEMBER 17TH BUT IS IT WELL ORGANIZE???

Sunday, November 08, 2009

HUGE PROTEST AGAINST THE HYDRO-QUEBEC AND NB POWER DEAL SET FOR THE NEW BRUNSWICK LEGISLATURE ON NOVEMBER 17TH BUT IS IT WELL ORGANIZE???

I hope the members of FaceBook reads this blog for some advice.

:)

Is this propose protest against the Shawn Graham Government selling NB Power to Hydro Quebec well organized???

In my views? I don't think so!!!

One point of concern is the protest is being promoted in Facebook. I guess they have over 20,000 members so far!!

Which reminds me of a story I heard on CBC radio a few months ago.

This guy from New York had 800 friends on his Facebook account.

My God!! They were sharing views and were good friends.

He decided to hold a party in a club for all his friends in facebook.

Guess what? Not one single friend showed up!!!

That's face book for you!!!

Will the same happened in this case?

One concern is this!!!

They wrote on Facebook - Lets gather in front of the New Brunswick Legislature between 11:00am and 4:00pm!!!

I'm sorry but this is not going to work. That area is one of the coldest area in New Brunswick < summer or winter >

I lived in a tent for six months in that location in 2003.

Once the sun hides behind the New Brunswick Legislature?

IT'S COLD!!!! IF YOU PLAN TO BE THERE??? DRESS WARM!!!!

I might add it could be nice downtown Fredericton but this area is always very windy!!!

WIND AND COLD DON'T GO HAND IN HAND FOR A PROTESTER!!!

A person might stay there for one hour MAX!!

I might add it's the opening of the Legislature.

For the very first time a Native will open the House.

Graydon Nicholas will be there to read the Speech from the Throne.

The Canadian Army will also be present.

What should have been done is this!!!

Everyone should gather at 11:00am or 1:00pm at Officer's Square or The Farmer's Market then march towards the Legislature.

I might add for the very first time, people will not be allowed to watch the debate because the Legislature gallery is close.

Maybe Rogers will not cover the debate?

Reminds me when all MLA'S passed their crooked Six Million raise in their pension and the peek of the flood in 2008!!!

I predict that no one will be allowed on the ground of the Legislature. All areas will be fenced in.

Quebecois Dan Bussieres will make certain no New Brunswickers are allowed near the Legislature.

He was very upset when protesters invaded the Ground of the New Brunswick Legislature last November!!

People are going to come from all sorts of direction but there will be no leadership because of poor organization.

I will add the Riot Squad of the Fredericton Police Force will be near the Legislature.

I would suggest that they meet somewhere and march toward the Legislature.

DRESS VERY VERY VERY WARM BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE COLD!!!!

Can a protest organized via facebook work?

This issue shouldn't have nothing to do with Facebook anyway.

Thousands of New Brunswickers should be there but if Government workers or Irving employees made a present?

They would be fired on the spot!!!

The less fortunate could be cut off their check also if they joined this protest?

I remember a couple of years ago when I organize a protest.

A case worker told a couple - If you show up at that Protest? You'll be cut off from your monthly check!!!

But will the Facebook protest truly work?

I doubt it!!!!

Don't forget one thing? What a person says and what they do truly matters?

Another point is who are going to be the speakers???

Time will tell?

Stay tuned!!

P.S. I hope that I'm dead wrong on this one!!! I hope all 20,000 members of Facebook shows up in front of the New Brunswick Legislature on November 17th!!!!

Here's youtube with Minister Jack Keir after he was done with a media scrum!!!

Click below -

Premier Shawn Graham cornered by the media.

Part one -

Part two -

Part three -

14 comments:

Anonymous said...: Yeah, they have 20,000 members, although i'm sure about 90% of the 20,000 members have a) never read the MOU and b) don't understand the issue. They got invited to a group and clicked yes. Hell I've seen people join up for that group, then I invite them to the "Lower Rates NB" group and they join that one too. "Umm what side do you support?"...yet their ppl out getting names on a petition don't have a copy of the MOU to hand out to read nor do they want to give thier names to the media and tell why why their doing this.; 1:52 PM, November 08, 2009
mikel said...: I don't think HOW a protest is organized has any difference on its success. I"m assuming you mean that a 'successful' protest is one with lots of people. It's true that we don't know how many will show up, but when you are telling 20,000 people about a protest its a hell of a lot more effective than BEFORE Facebook.

So whether its on facebook or not is irrelevant, there is a fair amount of organization going on, I don't know what else is expected in that regard. The point of any protest is to show how many people are angry enough to meet, which this will certainly do. I think I read somewhere that there is also a group planning to show up on November 14-people who have jobs, and I think that is a liberal party meeting or something.

Whether people will show up is still an open question, hopefully somebody from facebook will contact the CBC and they will have a story and even more people will know about it. Whether they meet at a certain place and march to the legislature seems pretty irrelevant, and the weather is always the weather, I think people have brains to know its outside and november.; 1:56 PM, November 08, 2009
Eric said...: Don't forget your paintball guns :); 6:13 PM, November 08, 2009
Let's Talk Art said...: I think people are talking about "This should be an election issue" to much. And this might make people not want to show up cause they figure it will be delayed for an election and we'll just chuck Graham out and everything will be good again.

But the conservatives are just as easily corrupted by big business (Irving's, cough) as the liberals.

If people in this province would realize that we'll never get change when we shuffle between only two parties, and instead start voting NDP and build an NDP party in the province. I think things would get better. (It would take a long time of course.)

David Alward to me, seems like an all-rhetoric no spine kind of man. I wouldn't even be shocked if he, in a couple years betrayed us and went ahead with the deal.

We the PEOPLE need to stop this deal, not our politicians.; 5:44 PM, November 08, 2009
mikel said...: As for facebook, the above isn't really a contradiction. There is some evidence that the 'lowerrates' group on facebook was started by a guy who is head of the PR company that the liberals hired. Calling it 'lower rates' isn't the same as calling it 'support the deal'.

However, you DON"T need to read a memorandum of Understanding to understand that they are selling NB Power. That plain and simple fact is pretty straightforward and you don't need to read a document to understand that. If you don't support selling NB Power, why read the document?

That's like having a family car and somebody in the family says "hey guess what, I'm selling the family car". When the others protest, the nonsensical reply is "but you never read the sales contract!" So what, the result is the same-selling the asset.

As for the conservatives, thats very true, and Alward has kind of been all over the place. Even if they don't sell NB Power, that doesn't mean they wouldnt' sell one of power groups. Quebec Hydro doesn't want the generation anyway, they want the transmission, so if Alward were to sell that, then thats even worse but he could say "hey, I'm not selling NB Power"

There are a couple of different groups splintering off here, as CBC reported, there's a fairly high profile liberal talking about forcing a plebiscite. I've posted at the facebook site (and here I think) that court action may be necessary. I've mentioned before that a St. John law student did an internship which concluded that its possible (but hard) to sue corporations or government members who make blatantly anti democratic decisions.

In the end, a referendum would be the surest way to find out "which side they support". It would be the most democratic, and its not like any minority rights are being infringed (unless you call people who want Quebec hydro to own NB Power a 'culture of its own:)

I wouldn't hold my breath for that though, but somewhere around January if there isn't any leeway given, then I suspect somebody will call a lawyer.

Just to note, it IS very true that there are lots of people who don't know the details, again, thats not really an issue-they know they are selling it. But there ARE also lots who just don't like Quebec and are using this for fodder. That's just human nature, and a referendum on the issue next october during the election would give everybody time to actually read the documents (or watch some of the upcoming videos on it:); 8:22 PM, November 08, 2009
V said...: So now the Kelptocrats of NB are using social media as a phsyop to try and sway public opinion in their favor.

All heil Shawnoico!; 12:16 AM, November 09, 2009
Anonymous said...: Facebook group now has 22365 members... that's more than your readership, Charles! Check it out:
NO to Sale of NB Power; 12:01 AM, November 09, 2009
Charles LeBlanc said...: I hope they hit 100,000!!!; 7:36 AM, November 09, 2009
Anonymous said...: Charles your missing the main objectif of this rally.I believe that the big majority of the peoples in that group on facebook are piss cause Shawn campain with a No Sale For NB Power.But now because Frank and company told him to sell it he want to sell it in a hurry without taken to the peoples that is sooo wrong.
He doesn't have a mandate to sell what the taxpayers of NB own without us having a say in it plain and simple.That in my opinion is one of the biggest reason for this rally,,if peoples don't bother showing up then they will pay dearly in the future so will all NBERS.; 11:14 AM, November 09, 2009
Charles LeBlanc said...: My main point of this blog was to educate the people who will show up of what to expect!!!

Just trying to help....

:); 11:19 AM, November 09, 2009
Anonymous said...: I wonder if I represent the silent majority in the province who could care less who owns NB Power. I like the idea of the incompetent NB Power leaders being unemployed.

And REALLY what s the problem with giving businesses power cost breaks..these companies employ thousands of hard working, trying to feed their families New Brunswickers!

All these “experts” on the facebook sites seem to know how we can generate “billions” in the future.. I would like every person who signed up to support that FB site help pay the 3% increase in my power bills coming next year.

Thanks Charles for giving me a safe place to voice my opinion as I think the FB site is not so open.

Sandi; 3:33 PM, November 09, 2009
Magos said...: I like the first point you make, fire the NBPower executives.

I don't think a short term rate freeze is a good enough benefit to consider selling NBPower.

I'd love lower power rates but what's the long term cost of the freeze? And I'm not just talking about your pocketbook.; 4:32 PM, November 09, 2009
Anonymous said...: "I wonder if I represent the silent majority in the province who could care less who owns NB Power. I like the idea of the incompetent NB Power leaders being unemployed."

Quite the ridiculous statement!!
Who ever heard of the elite getting penalized?
Your province, along with a few more, is totally corrupt! And has been since Hugh John.; 5:33 AM, November 10, 2009
mikel said...: Actually the FB site is pretty open minded-however, the fact is that obviously due to the name they are 'against selling NBPower'. So as in the case of one guy from quebec who posted all over the place that everybody in the group are idiots, thats not much of a constructive comment and he wasn't too welcome (though I think he's still there, everybody just ignores him).

People's opinions though, should be backed up by facts, and that's why to address the point above, a referendum should be held. That would tell what exactly the 'silent majority' wants.

ANd that's because energy policy is VERY complicated. To address the points above, I doubt VERY much that Quebec Hydro is going to fire the executives, in fact, they'd probaby get paid more to be in line with similar executives at Quebec Hydro.

As for business, that IS true that there MAY be argument for businesses to recieve lower rates. So how come the lower rates are restricted to current large industries? And most of those industries are ones who now employ a fraction of what they once did. It would be cheaper just to cut a pay cheque to the 300 employees of Irving Pulp and Paper than to sell a utility just so Irving will get lower rates (its also possible to just give them lower rates, they've been subsidized for decades already)

And as CBC reports, the biggest savings (by proportion) go to the largest industries-NOT the medium sized ones, the ones that employ the most people, and which have been most active in trying to reduce their energy power.

As for the 3% freeze, the best advice is to get a blanket for your water heater and turn it down a notch-that alone would save more than 3%. While there is a 5 year freeze, according to the MOU, ALL the rate increases that WOULD have accrued during those five years will be gained back beginning in year six. So this is like one of those furniture sales that says you can buy now, and pay later.

The 'experts' on facebook (and there are some incredibly knowledgeable people on there) have analyzed the MOU and are bringing out all these facts. As for power generation in the future, again, that is an issue that NB Power will have to face ANYWAY. The ceiling on power for NB is said to be 10 TW or something like that, while the governments own number state that New Brunswick will need MORE than that-and those extra costs will be added into future bills.

Plus, Quebec has said that it won't buy dirty power to resupply back to New Brunswickers. Dirty power supplies 50% of New Brunswick's power, so thats a BIG extra cost that again, must be made up by New Brunswickers. And as mentioned, New Brunswickers won't be on par with Quebec customers, so that means IF Quebec can sell power at more of a profit to, say, New York, then that's how much the price for New Brunswickers will increase (if I can sell lemonade down the street for 2 bucks, then I'm certainly not going to sell it to my neighbours for a buck). And right now power is a LOT more expensive in the US.

Those are all good reasons to care who owns NBPower. RIght now the province can legislate power increases, and while the RATE will be tied to the CPI,that's no guarantee of what your bill will be.; 1:33 PM, November 10, 2009