Nova Scotia and Newfoundland continued Thursday to demand written assurances from New Brunswick before it sells off its power utility, despite being brushed off once.
Premiers Darrell Dexter and Danny Williams wrote an open letter this week calling on New Brunswick’s Shawn Graham to sign an agreement guaranteeing the rest of Atlantic Canada access to new transmission lines from New Brunswick to New England.
New Brunswick’s energy minister dismissed the letter as “absolute smoke” and said media had copies of it before his government did.
That was rejected by Bill Estabrooks, acting as Nova Scotia premier while Dexter is out of the country. Estabrooks insisted New Brunswick knew the letter was coming and the premiers wanted to make it available for everyone.
Graham reportedly gave verbal reassurance to Dexter and Williams, but Thursday Estabrooks continued to argue it needs to be in writing.
“That would clearly demonstrate to Nova Scotians the good faith that is expected as one premier negotiates with another, that this is something we can take to the bank and say that we’re going to have access to the transition lines in New Brunswick,” said Estabrooks.
Nova Scotia has been leery of the NB Power takeover since the beginning. When asked Thursday if it would be good for the province if the deal fell through, Estabrooks replied “it wouldn’t hurt.”
