C6

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

3 Comment(s)

Re: Sale of NB Power

I moved to New Brunswick about 21 years ago.

I'm proud to call myself a New Brunswicker. I want to retire here, and when I passed away, I wish to be buried here.

If the sale of NB Power goes through, I wonder if Premier Shawn Graham or future premiers are going to stop at the selling of NB Power or will the trend continue?

Will they start selling whatever government service they think they can get a dollar for? When I was a Boy Scout, I learned to leave a campsite in better condition than how I found it for the next person who came along to use. I still, to this day, live by that same idea of leaving things better than how I found them.

I can't help wondering what Premier Graham is thinking and if there will be a future New Brunswick for the next generation, or will the government sell the province off if the right buyer comes along.

Mike Hall

Rusagonis, N.B.

Disrespect beyond belief

Re: Vandalized cenotaph

This morning, I stood in disbelief at the Fredericton cenotaph over a broken stone cross.

It is a monument which has stood for 86 years with names added over the decades to honour the dead of Canada's wars, and now it has been toppled only a few days from Remembrance Day.

I am disgusted, angered and appalled that some people would stoop so low and commit such an insulting act of vandalism. The men and women, whose names are forever engraved in this granite monument, paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Yes, our freedom.

Even though I am infuriated by this useless act of cowardice, I may be able to find a way to forgive the ignorance of these worthless vandals, but I cannot say I will forget.

To all surviving veterans and to family members who have loved and lost someone during their call of duty, I offer my humbled thanks and cherish every day I can live in this free country I love so much.

Lest we forget.

Jean Bertin

Fredericton

Volunteers and donors count

Re: Food bank food canvassing

The Fredericton Food Bank expresses its sincere appreciation to those who have enabled the food bank to serve the community over the past 25 years.

Every volunteer and every donor has made a difference in the lives of people in so many ways. A special thank you goes to the Fredericton Inn and Investors Group for their sponsorship of the Nov. 5 anniversary celebrations.

A special acknowledgement is sent to St Thomas University's Trick or Eat program and The Daily Gleaner for Harvest for the Hungry. These larger food drives help restock shelves from the summer months and tide us over until the Christmas food drives start coming in.

Please go to our website [www.frederictonfoodbank.com] for volunteer opportunities, calendar of events and current food needs.

Elizabeth Crawford Thurber

Executive Director

The sick should not be waiting out in the cold

Re: H1N1 vaccinations

I am writing about the line-ups for priority groups waiting to have the H1N1 flu shot.

I am sure this could be done in a more organized manner so that pregnant women, mothers with children, the elderly and the people with illnesses would not have to stand out in the elements waiting to be immunized.

The government did a good thing distributing the vaccine free to all New Brunswickers, but if they had gone a bit farther and set up a system to have buses available, either through the school system or the city, for those who needed it first, it would have given at least the priority groups a place to sit while they were waiting.

Numbered slips could have been given out as they got on the buses. It would have made it better for all and stopped some of the non-priority groups from getting in line.

The media is also responsible for a lot of the confusion that is going on.

Christine White

Grand Lake, N.B.

Please note this Geodex Minerals change

Re: Letter published Nov. 2 called If you love the Nashwaak, get involved

In my letter regarding the Sisson Brook Mine, it was stated that Geodex Minerals was currently on the British Columbia Securities Commission's list of defaulting issuers.

Your readers should be advised that Geodex Minerals appeared on the list on Sept. 1, but recently fulfilled its filing obligations and was removed from the issuers in default list on Oct. 29.

The change occurred in between the submission of my letter and its publication. My apologies for any confusion.

Lawrence Wuest

Stanley, N.B.

Nova Scotians treated us well

Re: Spraying at CFB Gagetown

Widows on a Warpath continues its effort to receive justice from the government.

In mid-October we took a trip to Halifax-Dartmouth and were truly amazed and bolstered by the interest, kindness and sympathy shown us by the people, particularly the young people.

Many were outraged by the indifference shown by the government to the widows. Our hearts were warmed by the people and their willingness to learn more about the tragedy of the government's blunder at CFB Gagetown, which is, of course, the spraying of Agent Orange and other lethal chemicals in the area.

This blunder will have a great impact on the health of our people for generations to come.

We will continue our fight, and we greatly appreciate the support of Nova Scotians and of course here in New Brunswick.

We will not go away!

Bette J. Hudson

Widows on a Warpath

Lincoln, N.B.

What happens to our power now?

Re: Sale of NB Power

Did you know that, according to the Memorandum of Understanding on the future sale of NB Power, [download at www.lowerratesnb.ca]:

* The proposed Hydro-Québec subsidiary will be exempt from taxes in New Brunswick? (7.1)

* The HQ Sub will have the power to shut down the few retained facilities we have not sold to it? (4.1)

* New Brunswick has apparently built up no equity in all our NB Power assets since we will be paid only enough to pay off our debts on the assets? (1.2)

* While large industrial users will get their rates reduced to those charged in Quebec, small businesses and householders will not? (2.2)

* NB Power is on the hook for completing the refurbishment of Point Lepreau? (5.1)

While the "MOU is a statement of intention... is not an offer and does not create any legally binding obligations of any party," it forecasts what is ahead for us.

We have precious little time before the governments sign the "definitive agreements" and "complete the proposed transactions, other than the Lepreau purchase, effective on or about March 31, 2010." The legislature sitting begins Nov. 17.

Get the facts and speak up now, whether you oppose this scheme or not.

Write, call and/or email your MLA, the premier, the energy minister and all other ministers and MLAs who might listen to you.

Write letters to the editor, a great discussion forum. Leave comments on the Gleaner's website and blogs, text and talk with your friends and neighbours. Organize and attend events to make your feelings known.

Call the 1-800-533-3086 number that was set up to receive feedback.

Speak up before we give up the power.

George R. Fox

Fredericton