Part One: AIMS energizes debate on regional power grid.
AIMS ECANS Conference –“Plugging in the International Northeast.”
AIMS and ECANS again brought together the very best ideas about competition, deregulation and market opening in the electricity field to Atlantic Canada at “Plugging in the International Northeast.” November 12, 2003 in Moncton. Some of the most influential thinkers in electricity policy shared ideas at the conference. The keynote luncheon speaker was former US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman, Curt Hebert. Other speakers included Ken Malloy, President of the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets, George Spencer of Restructuring Today, Stewart MacPherson, Acting President, NB Power, Karl Pfirrmann, President, Midwest Region, PJM, Jim Connors, Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs, Emera, Robert Burke, Principal Analyst in Markets Development, New England ISO, and Rod Taylor, Former Executive Vice President, Hydro One.
AIMS releases new Paper by Gordon Weil, “The Atlantica Power Market: A Plan for Joint Action”.
A new AIMS paper released on the eve of the conference says there is a “natural benefit” to the establishment of a regional electricity market in the “Atlantica” region straddling the Canada-U.S. border and proposes an innovative mechanism for drawing provinces and states together to create this market. The Atlantica Power Market: A Plan for Joint Action by Gordon L. Weil argues that the region is primed for the development of a more competitive regional market for electricity. The problem he considers is how to get the provinces and states to operate their power grids to promote the development of this market.
NB’s Power Opportunity – Commentary from outgoing president Stewart MacPherson
In response to the paper released by AIMS the previous week, outgoing president of NB Power published opinion piece in the Moncton Times and Transcript. This appeared the same day as the AIMS/ECANS conference on regional power issues in Moncton. In this article, Mr. MacPherson supports the arguments made at the AIMS/ECANS Conference in favour of expanding the regional energy market provide more opportunity for the utility. *****************************************************************************
Part Two: Reality Check – AIMS Refutes NB Power’s Reaction to Tucker Paper
The Atlantic Institute for Market Studies is taking NB Power to task for claims that a recent AIMS paper contained “numerous inaccuracies” and “serious errors”. The corporation says this reflects, “a fundamental misunderstanding of the electric utility industry and NB Power’s operations.”
The author of the report, Thomas L. Tucker PhD., reviewed the list of NB Power’s assertions and said today, “These assertions may offer a temporary public relations fix for NB Power, but they simply do not address the very serious issues raised in the paper.”
The NB Power media release is available on their website at www.nbpower.com
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Part Three: More AIMS Atlantica initiatives: Putting ideas of cross border cooperation into action
Maine – Maritime Business Summit, Halifax September 11, 2003.
On the symbolic date of September 11, 2003, members of the business community from both sides of the Canada US border converged in Halifax for the Maine – Maritime Business Summit. The purpose of the summit was to bring together community and business leaders to develop relationships and share ideas on the development of the “Atlantica” region. In his opening remarks to the conference, AIMS president Brian Lee Crowley argues in favour of moving beyond the tariff free movement of goods to a truly open market, in which non-tariff barriers to trade are removed, including the barriers to free movement of workers and services as well as goods.
“One region, two futures” – A talk to the Bangor Savings Bank dinner, Lewiston, Maine
Momentum continues to builds in the Atlantica project as a variety of initiatives bring people together from both sides of the Canada – US border. In addition to hosting the Maine – Maritime Business Summit and the AIMS/ECANS Conference “Unplugging the International Northeast”, AIMS president Brian Lee Crowley was invited to talk to the Bangor Savings Bank Board of Directors Meeting and Dinner in Lewiston-Auburn. He tells the story of Atlantica, a single region divided only by history and a common border and united by one of two possible futures. ******************************************************************************
Part Four: No Know Bono’s No No
Irish Rock star Bono used the Liberal leadership convention as a platform to convince Canadians of a need for higher levels of foreign aid for Africa. Bono’s desire to improve the lives of the desperately poor in Africa is well-meaning, but the open-handedness he advocates is perilous policy. Tripling Canada’s foreign aid budget will not solve Africa’s troubles, and in many cases, it will sabotage efforts to improve conditions.
In his regular column in the Halifax Herald and Moncton Times & Transcript, AIMS president Brian Lee Crowley says beware the unintended consequences of massive foreign aid infusion. If we really want to make a difference in Africa, Canada needs to be more demanding, not more indulgent, of their governments and the ruthless kleptocrats who run them. We need to demand higher standards of accountability, effective action against corruption, strengthening of the judiciary, police and rule of law. We need to encourage these governments to grant real property rights, so citizens can participate in the formal economy and not continue on as mere clients of state authorities. To read the entire item, please visit our website at www.aims.ca
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Part Five: AIMS delivers strong message to federal Finance Committee
AIMS has once again made a forceful case to the House of Commons Finance committee regarding the failure of federal policy to address serious issues in Atlantic Canada. The three key issues brought to light in this presentation by Don McIver <link to his bio page>, AIMS’ Director of Research are: “The Yoke of Equalization”, “How Employment Insurance Creates Unemployment” and how the greatest distortion of the Atlantic Canadian economy is in the fishery.
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Part Six: Newfoundland and Labrador Auditor General’s “Fiscal Realism”
Newfoundland’s Auditor General John Noseworthy has been painting with numbers, and the resulting picture is very bleak indeed. “Fiscal Realism” has proved especially shocking as Newfoundlanders are made more aware of the distinctions between “cash” deficits and accrued deficits. Significant spending cuts will be necessary to bring Newfoundland’s deficit to heel and the debate emerging now is where those cuts will come, and how deep must they be. In this column AIMS Senior Fellow on Newfoundland Issues Peter Fenwick provides his own sketch of Newfoundland and Labrador’s fiscal challenges.
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