Parker hits road for energy sessions
2/22/2013Energy Minister Charlie Parker says his electricity road show is about more than telling people how the province is trying to get off coal.
“It’s also a two-way street,” Parker said Thursday. “We want to hear from Nova Scotians what issues are on their mind — anything to do with energy.”
He is holding sessions across the province to tell people how the government is dealing with federal requirements to cut back on coal-generated electricity.
Parker said the message includes information on the Muskrat Fall proposal, wind power and tidal energy.
The minister said he wants to hear ideas on the energy portfolio, and some of the suggestions could possibly be incorporated into the province’s energy plan.
The opposition dismissed the series of meetings. The Tories called it “sham consulting” and the Liberals labelled it a “pre-election tour.”
Liberal energy critic Andrew Younger accused the government of screening people coming to the sessions, but Parker said that wasn’t true.
He said people were asked to reply for the sake of logistics, but anyone could attend.
He said there were more people than expected — about 45 — at the first session in Bridgewater on Wednesday, and the coffee pot ran dry because of it.
Parker was in Antigonish on Thursday afternoon. Deputy minister Murray Coolican was to talk about the Muskrat Falls-Maritime Link project.
Department spokeswoman Tracy Barron said the estimated cost of the tour is about $7,000 to $10,000, but figures won’t be known until it is finished.
(The Chronicle Herald)
