N.S. premier says decision on fracking bidders is ‘pretty imminent’
Tim Houston says he expects anywhere from 1 to 4 proponents could be selected
By Michael Gorman
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston thinks a decision on the next step of a process that could lead to exploratory drilling for onshore natural gas in the province is “pretty imminent.”
N.S. premier says decision on fracking bidders is 'pretty imminent'
Tim Houston says he expects anywhere from 1 to 4 proponents could be selected
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston thinks a decision on the next step of a process that could lead to exploratory drilling for onshore natural gas in the province is “pretty imminent.”
Last week, Dalhousie University confirmed that it forwarded to the province's Energy Department its analysis of seven proponents that submitted expressions of interest to drill.
Houston, who is also Nova Scotia’s energy minister, said officials in his department are still working through the information, but he’s optimistic the process will move forward to the next step, which would be to negotiate agreements with the proponents recommended by Dalhousie.
“I'm confident that at least one and maybe as many as three or four might proceed to that stage,” Houston told reporters at a news conference in Debert on Wednesday, where he was speaking about support for wildfire response.
- Dalhousie's natural gas program gets interest from 7 companies
- N.S. government receives analysis of bids for onshore gas drilling
The premier said “at least a couple of the applications” didn’t fit the criteria to move ahead and officials in his department would inform those who did not make the cut. From there, negotiations would take place with those who did.
It will likely be a few weeks before the government is ready to announce any deals, said Houston.
“I think it’s pretty imminent.”
The government announced a $30-million agreement with Dalhousie in December to have the university lead the Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program.
Along with weighing expressions of interest from companies interested in doing exploratory drilling, the program is also charged with a variety of research programs related to hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — for onshore natural gas, the potential environmental and health impacts of the practice and the viability of establishing a commercial industry in the province.
Drilling could begin next year
Of the $30 million the province put up, the majority — about $24.2 million — is intended as incentives for companies to do work in Nova Scotia. Houston has said that although he expects all that money will be spent, it could take several calls for bids before the fund is drained.
Timelines posted on the program website say exploratory drilling could begin as soon as July, but Houston said last week it is more likely drilling would not begin until sometime next year. That’s because companies will need time to secure drilling rigs and crews once they have agreements with the province, he said.
The premier has positioned the program as a key step in his government’s efforts to increase natural resource development in the province to generate new revenue streams at a time when Nova Scotia is struggling financially, as well as increase energy security. Those efforts also include potential offshore oil drilling, and offshore and onshore wind development.
Critics of the onshore natural gas plan have raised concerns about the risks fracking poses to the environment and human health. They’ve also raised questions about the level of consultation going into the process.
Houston has said projects would not proceed unless the science shows him they can happen safely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
N.S. premier returns to Texas to continue natural resource push
Premier Tim Houston’s trip to the Lone Star State marks his 7th trip outside the province this year
Premier Tim Houston’s mission to develop more of the province’s natural resources is taking him to Texas for the second time this year.
The premier, his chief of staff and officials from the Energy Department are in Houston this week attending a conference about offshore energy technology.
The premier’s office said in a news release he’ll be part of a panel about investments in Atlantic Canada’s oil and gas future, and he’s scheduled to meet with “energy leaders and state officials.”
“Nova Scotia’s potential in energy is enormous, and I will continue to work hard to build awareness and attract new investment,” Houston said in the release.
“Global circumstances continue to prove that we need to tap into our own energy sources to generate the energy we need to power our future, provide good-paying jobs and generate revenue to pay for the services Nova Scotians want and deserve,” he continued.
Houston’s second term has been focused largely on natural resource development. Last year he lifted restrictions on fracking and uranium exploration and mining, introduced his ambitious plan for offshore wind energy, opened a new call for bids for offshore petroleum exploration, launched a program to entice onshore natural gas exploration and named himself energy minister.
Houston travelled 26 times for work in 2025, including many trips related to the energy file, and was criticized by the opposition for spending more time out of the province than he did in the legislature with nothing to show for it.
Last year he spent 104 days outside the province and expensed about $82,000 related to travel.
The government's news release about his trip to Texas highlights last week's news that a junior oil and gas company received two offshore exploration licences and promised to spend about $210 million on the work. Houston said last week the results prove his efforts to reignite the petroleum industry are paying off.
His trip to Texas marks his seventh trip out of Nova Scotia in 2026. He’s also travelled to:
- Ottawa, for a first ministers' meeting.
- New York, for an offshore wind energy conference.
- Boston, to sign a memorandum of understanding related to offshore wind energy.
- Toronto, for a mining conference.
- Texas, for an oil and gas conference.
- Calgary, for meetings with oil and gas companies and to co-host a dinner with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Expense reports are posted for the first five of those trips — which took place between January and the end of March — and they show airfare and 11 nights in hotels cost more than $13,000.
Seeking new geological assessment
On the same day the conference kicked off in Texas, the province announced it’s looking for fresh geological data to help advance natural resource projects.
The provincial government has enlisted Dalhousie University to find a consulting firm to update an assessment of mineral resources that was completed in 2018.
“Nova Scotia has an abundance of natural resources at our fingertips,” said Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland in a news release. “This project will help us better understand where these opportunities lie and make more important information available to potential investors.”
Dalhousie opened a request for proposals Monday and companies can bid until June 1. The university will be paid three per cent of the value of the contract, a provincial spokesperson told CBC News.
This is the second natural resource project the university has undertaken for the provincial government in as many years. Late last year Dalhousie started managing a $30-million onshore natural gas research and exploration program.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 20, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Subject: Fwd: Response from Public Safety Canada - LEB-001083
To: <Janet.bryson@dal.ca>
Media Contact:
Janet Bryson
Director, Strategic Communications and Media Relations
Dalhousie University
902.222.9379
Janet.bryson@dal.ca
Media Releases and Opportunities
Dalhousie University launches Call for Participation in the Subsurface Energy R&D Investment Program
Today, Dalhousie University announced the Call For Participation for
the Nova Scotia Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment
Program. The launch of the call for industry participants signals the
start of program activities to help understand the potential of Nova
Scotia’s onshore natural gas deposits and support informed,
evidence-based based energy and climate decisions.
“Nova Scotia has enough onshore natural gas to meet our needs for 200
years,” said Premier Tim Houston. “Yet we currently import all our
natural gas from or through the U.S., exposing the province to market
volatility, supply chain constraints, and exchange rate risk. We’ve
mapped potential onshore resources, and the Subsurface Energy R&D
Investment Program is designed to show how this gas can be recovered
safely, through a controlled, research driven approach - providing the
scientific evidence needed for sound policy and
environmental protection.”
The Government of Nova Scotia announced the program on December 22,
2025, and engaged Dalhousie University as administrative lead, focusing
on program administration, research leadership, and community
engagement.
“The Call for Participation is an important milestone in this
initiative,” said Graham Gagnon, vice-president, research and
innovation, Dalhousie University. “This work will generate essential
data to help the Province assess both the resource potential and
readiness for onshore natural gas development.”
Dalhousie is administering $30M from the Province, including a $24.3M
reimbursement program for participating firms. The remaining $5.7M is
for administering the research and engagement initiatives including
undertaking research to determine baseline infrastructure,
environmental, and geological data; providing independent expert
analysis on exploration and research findings in a report to the
Province; and engaging with communities/public as needed in respect of
the project.
With the guidance of a Technical Advisory Committee, Dalhousie
University has set qualification criteria for those companies applying
through the Call for Participation. After applications are evaluated,
the Province will negotiate agreements with successful proponents.
Proponents will undertake field and analytical work that contributes
meaningful scientific data to the overall research initiative.
The Program includes two phases:
Exploratory Drilling: Proponents propose drilling locations, geological assessments, and environmental procedures; and
Flow Testing, Engineering and Production: Proponents evaluate well performance and demonstrate enhanced recovery techniques.
The Expression of Interest deadline is March 11, 2026, with a full
submission due by April 15, 2026. Qualified proponents will be
identified by April 30, 2026.
For more information visit: http://www.subsurfaceenergyns.ca/
Please note Dr. Graham Gagnon, vice-president, research and innovation for Dalhousie University will be available for interviews at the Nova Scotia Provincial Legislature at 11:00 a.m. today (Friday, Feb. 27).
Media Contact:
Janet Bryson
Director, Strategic Communications and Media Relations
Dalhousie University
902.222.9379
Janet.bryson@dal.ca
Dr. Graham Gagnon
Associate Vice-President Research; NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Water Quality and Treatment; Director, Centre for Water Resource Studies
Email: Graham.Gagnon@dal.ca
Phone: 902-494-3972
Fax: 902-494-3108
Mailing Address:
Dalhousie University, Sexton Campus
1360 Barrington Street, Rm 215 Bldg D
Halifax, NS, Canada B3H 4R2
About Dr. Gagnon
Dr. Gagnon’s teaching responsibilities have included courses related to water quality, water treatment and environmental systems analysis. Dr. Gagnon is the NSERC/Halifax Water Industrial Research Chair in Water Quality & Treatment and also serves as the Director for the Centre for Water Resources Studies at Dalhousie. Drinking water research is highly multidisciplinary in which problems can be addressed from the perspective of: technological development; analytical and measurement development; and policy development.
As a NSERC Industrial Research Chair, Dr. Gagnon has had the privilege of supervising an energetic research team. The team comprises research support staff, Undergraduate Research Assistants, Master’s students, PhD students and Post-Doctoral Fellows (PDFs). As a result, Dr. Gagnon has trained more than 100-student trainees in his laboratory since he was hired in 1998. Research alumni from Dr. Gagnon’s laboratory have active careers across the water industry and academia.
In 2013, Dr. Gagnon was awarded the Fuller Award from American Water Works Association through the Atlantic Canada section for his constructive leadership to the water industry. Dr. Gagnon is a member of Engineers NS, AWWA, ACS, CSCE, AEESP and IWA.
You can learn more about Dr. Gagnon and his research by visiting his profile on the Centre for Water Resources Studies website.Centre for Water Resource Studies Staff
Phone: 902 494-6070
Email: water@dal.ca
Designing Productivity 2026
Date: Friday, June 12
Time: 8:30 pm to 4 pm AST
Location: Design Commons - Richard Murray Design Building Halifax, NS
Overview
After a two-year hiatus, Designing Productivity is returning to bring together Nova Scotia’s Industrial Engineering community for a full day of networking, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
Join us on June 12, 2026, at Dalhousie University’s Richard Murray Design Building to connect with industry leaders, researchers, students, and professionals exploring how Industrial Engineering is helping shape the future of:
• Manufacturing
• Health care
• Logistics and supply chains
• Industry 5.0
• Human factors
• Business improvement
• Project management
• Leadership
…and more.
The conference will feature local speakers, breakout sessions, panel discussions, and opportunities to build meaningful connections across industries and sectors.
Whether you work in industry, academia, government, or are a student interested in the field, Designing Productivity offers an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and engage with Nova Scotia’s Industrial Engineering community.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, May 20, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Subject: Fwd: Response from Public Safety Canada - LEB-001083
To: <subsurfaceenergy@dal.ca>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, May 20, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Subject: Fwd: Response from Public Safety Canada - LEB-001083
To: <barbaramp60@gmail.com>, <bc-yukon@canadians.org>, <dhayes18@mnsi.net>, <rbrady1@cogeco.ca>, <cocpeelregion@gmail.com>
Cc: <kathrynande@gmail.com>
barbaramp60@gmail.com
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, May 20, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Subject: Fwd: Response from Public Safety Canada - LEB-001083
To: <caar@accesscomm.ca>, <southshore.coc@gmail.com>, <ottawa.cofc@gmail.com>, <cocnorthumberland@fastmail.
Cc: <atlantic@canadians.org>, <StJohnscoc@gmail.com>, <coc.kent.county.nb@gmail.com>
N.S. premier says decision on fracking bidders is 'pretty imminent'
Tim Houston says he expects anywhere from 1 to 4 proponents could be selected
Charles Murray. K.C. was appointed Integrity Commissioner for the Province of New Brunswick on 1 January 2020. He served as the Ombud for New Brunswick from 2013 to 2022.
Charles is a graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, and Dalhousie Law School in Halifax, NS. He started his career as a private practice lawyer in New Brunswick in the late 1980s. Over the years he has served the provincial and federal governments through various roles, including Executive Director of the Electoral Boundaries Commission and Policy Manager of Legislation and Professional Regulation for the Department of Health.
Charles is a member of the New Brunswick Law Society and the Canadian Bar Association, Epsilon Y’s Service Club (Fredericton, NB), and the Confraternity of Saint James.
Charles was raised on New Brunswick’s Kingston Peninsula and now lives in Fredericton with his wife Sarah, twin boys Gideon and Grant and daughter Elizabeth. In his free time, he acts as a Tournament Director in the American Contract Bridge League.
Office of the Integrity Commissioner
King’s Place
440 King Street, Suite 421
Fredericton, N.B. E3B 5H8
Telephone: 506-457-7890
Facsimile: 506-444-5224
E-mail: oic-bci@gnb.ca
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: "Murray, Charles (Ombud)" <Charles.Murray@gnb.ca>
>> Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2019 18:16:15 +0000
>> Subject: You wished to speak with me
>> To: "motomaniac333@gmail.com" <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>>
>> I have the advantage, sir, of having read many of your emails over the
>> years.
>>
>>
>> As such, I do not think a phone conversation between us, and
>> specifically one which you might mistakenly assume was in response to
>> your threat of legal action against me, is likely to prove a
>> productive use of either of our time.
>>
>>
>> If there is some specific matter about which you wish to communicate
>> with me, feel free to email me with the full details and it will be
>> given due consideration.
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>> Charles Murray
>>
>> Ombud NB
>>
>> Acting Integrity Commissioner
>>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David Amos motomaniac333@gmail.com
> Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:32:09 -0400
> Subject: Attn Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C.,
> To: coi@gnb.ca
> Cc: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
>
> Good Day Sir
>
> After I heard you speak on CBC I called your office again and managed
> to speak to one of your staff for the first time
>
> Please find attached the documents I promised to send to the lady who
> answered the phone this morning. Please notice that not after the Sgt
> at Arms took the documents destined to your office his pal Tanker
> Malley barred me in writing with an "English" only document.
>
> These are the hearings and the dockets in Federal Court that I
> suggested that you study closely.
>
> This is the docket in Federal Court
>
> http://cas-cdc-www02.cas-satj.
>
> These are digital recordings of the last three hearings
>
> Dec 14th https://archive.org/details/
>
> January 11th, 2016 https://archive.org/details/
>
> April 3rd, 2017
>
> https://archive.org/details/
>
>
> This is the docket in the Federal Court of Appeal
>
> http://cas-cdc-www02.cas-satj.
>
>
> The only hearing thus far
>
> May 24th, 2017
>
> https://archive.org/details/
>
>
> This Judge understnds the meaning of the word Integrity
>
> Date: 20151223
>
> Docket: T-1557-15
>
> Fredericton, New Brunswick, December 23, 2015
>
> PRESENT: The Honourable Mr. Justice Bell
>
> BETWEEN:
>
> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
>
> Plaintiff
>
> and
>
> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
>
> Defendant
>
> ORDER
>
> (Delivered orally from the Bench in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on
> December 14, 2015)
>
> The Plaintiff seeks an appeal de novo, by way of motion pursuant to
> the Federal Courts Rules (SOR/98-106), from an Order made on November
> 12, 2015, in which Prothonotary Morneau struck the Statement of Claim
> in its entirety.
>
> At the outset of the hearing, the Plaintiff brought to my attention a
> letter dated September 10, 2004, which he sent to me, in my then
> capacity as Past President of the New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian
> Bar Association, and the then President of the Branch, Kathleen Quigg,
> (now a Justice of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal). In that letter
> he stated:
>
> As for your past President, Mr. Bell, may I suggest that you check the
> work of Frank McKenna before I sue your entire law firm including you.
> You are your brother’s keeper.
>
> Frank McKenna is the former Premier of New Brunswick and a former
> colleague of mine at the law firm of McInnes Cooper. In addition to
> expressing an intention to sue me, the Plaintiff refers to a number of
> people in his Motion Record who he appears to contend may be witnesses
> or potential parties to be added. Those individuals who are known to
> me personally, include, but are not limited to the former Prime
> Minister of Canada, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper; former
> Attorney General of Canada and now a Justice of the Manitoba Court of
> Queen’s Bench, Vic Toews; former member of Parliament Rob Moore;
> former Director of Policing Services, the late Grant Garneau; former
> Chief of the Fredericton Police Force, Barry McKnight; former Staff
> Sergeant Danny Copp; my former colleagues on the New Brunswick Court
> of Appeal, Justices Bradley V. Green and Kathleen Quigg, and, retired
> Assistant Commissioner Wayne Lang of the Royal Canadian Mounted
> Police.
>
> In the circumstances, given the threat in 2004 to sue me in my
> personal capacity and my past and present relationship with many
> potential witnesses and/or potential parties to the litigation, I am
> of the view there would be a reasonable apprehension of bias should I
> hear this motion. See Justice de Grandpré’s dissenting judgment in
> Committee for Justice and Liberty et al v National Energy Board et al,
> [1978] 1 SCR 369 at p 394 for the applicable test regarding
> allegations of bias. In the circumstances, although neither party has
> requested I recuse myself, I consider it appropriate that I do so.
>
>
> AS A RESULT OF MY RECUSAL, THIS COURT ORDERS that the Administrator of
> the Court schedule another date for the hearing of the motion. There
> is no order as to costs.
>
> “B. Richard Bell”
> Judge
>
>
> Below after the CBC article about your concerns (I made one comment
> already) you will find the text of just two of many emails I had sent
> to your office over the years since I first visited it in 2006.
>
> I noticed that on July 30, 2009, he was appointed to the the Court
> Martial Appeal Court of Canada Perhaps you should scroll to the
> bottom of this email ASAP and read the entire Paragraph 83 of my
> lawsuit now before the Federal Court of Canada?
>
> "FYI This is the text of the lawsuit that should interest Trudeau the most
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: justin.trudeau.a1@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Thu, Oct 22, 2015 at 8:18 PM
> Subject: Réponse automatique : RE My complaint against the CROWN in
> Federal Court Attn David Hansen and Peter MacKay If you planning to
> submit a motion for a publication ban on my complaint trust that you
> dudes are way past too late
> To: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
>
> Veuillez noter que j'ai changé de courriel. Vous pouvez me rejoindre Ã
> lalanthier@hotmail.com
>
> Pour rejoindre le bureau de M. Trudeau veuillez envoyer un courriel Ã
> tommy.desfosses@parl.gc.ca
>
> Please note that I changed email address, you can reach me at
> lalanthier@hotmail.com
>
> To reach the office of Mr. Trudeau please send an email to
> tommy.desfosses@parl.gc.ca
>
> Thank you,
>
> Merci ,
>
>
> http://davidraymondamos3.
>
>
> 83. The Plaintiff states that now that Canada is involved in more war
> in Iraq again it did not serve Canadian interests and reputation to
> allow Barry Winters to publish the following words three times over
> five years after he began his bragging:
>
> January 13, 2015
> This Is Just AS Relevant Now As When I wrote It During The Debate
>
> December 8, 2014
> Why Canada Stood Tall!
>
> Friday, October 3, 2014
> Little David Amos’ “True History Of War” Canadian Airstrikes And
> Stupid Justin Trudeau
>
> Canada’s and Canadians free ride is over. Canada can no longer hide
> behind Amerka’s and NATO’s skirts.
>
> When I was still in Canadian Forces then Prime Minister Jean Chretien
> actually committed the Canadian Army to deploy in the second campaign
> in Iraq, the Coalition of the Willing. This was against or contrary to
> the wisdom or advice of those of us Canadian officers that were
> involved in the initial planning phases of that operation. There were
> significant concern in our planning cell, and NDHQ about of the dearth
> of concern for operational guidance, direction, and forces for
> operations after the initial occupation of Iraq. At the “last minute”
> Prime Minister Chretien and the Liberal government changed its mind.
> The Canadian government told our amerkan cousins that we would not
> deploy combat troops for the Iraq campaign, but would deploy a
> Canadian Battle Group to Afghanistan, enabling our amerkan cousins to
> redeploy troops from there to Iraq. The PMO’s thinking that it was
> less costly to deploy Canadian Forces to Afghanistan than Iraq. But
> alas no one seems to remind the Liberals of Prime Minister Chretien’s
> then grossly incorrect assumption. Notwithstanding Jean Chretien’s
> incompetence and stupidity, the Canadian Army was heroic,
> professional, punched well above it’s weight, and the PPCLI Battle
> Group, is credited with “saving Afghanistan” during the Panjway
> campaign of 2006.
>
> What Justin Trudeau and the Liberals don’t tell you now, is that then
> Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien committed, and deployed the
> Canadian army to Canada’s longest “war” without the advice, consent,
> support, or vote of the Canadian Parliament.
>
> What David Amos and the rest of the ignorant, uneducated, and babbling
> chattering classes are too addled to understand is the deployment of
> less than 75 special operations troops, and what is known by planners
> as a “six pac cell” of fighter aircraft is NOT the same as a
> deployment of a Battle Group, nor a “war” make.
>
> The Canadian Government or The Crown unlike our amerkan cousins have
> the “constitutional authority” to commit the Canadian nation to war.
> That has been recently clearly articulated to the Canadian public by
> constitutional scholar Phillippe Legasse. What Parliament can do is
> remove “confidence” in The Crown’s Government in a “vote of
> non-confidence.” That could not happen to the Chretien Government
> regarding deployment to Afghanistan, and it won’t happen in this
> instance with the conservative majority in The Commons regarding a
> limited Canadian deployment to the Middle East.
>
> President George Bush was quite correct after 911 and the terror
> attacks in New York; that the Taliban “occupied” and “failed state”
> Afghanistan was the source of logistical support, command and control,
> and training for the Al Quaeda war of terror against the world. The
> initial defeat, and removal from control of Afghanistan was vital and
>
> P.S. Whereas this CBC article is about your opinion of the actions of
> the latest Minister Of Health trust that Mr Boudreau and the CBC have
> had my files for many years and the last thing they are is ethical.
> Ask his friends Mr Murphy and the RCMP if you don't believe me.
>
> Subject:
> Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:02:35 -0400
> From: "Murphy, Michael B. \(DH/MS\)" MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca
> To: motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
>
> January 30, 2007
>
> WITHOUT PREJUDICE
>
> Mr. David Amos
>
> Dear Mr. Amos:
>
> This will acknowledge receipt of a copy of your e-mail of December 29,
> 2006 to Corporal Warren McBeath of the RCMP.
>
> Because of the nature of the allegations made in your message, I have
> taken the measure of forwarding a copy to Assistant Commissioner Steve
> Graham of the RCMP “J” Division in Fredericton.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Honourable Michael B. Murphy
> Minister of Health
>
> CM/cb
>
>
> Warren McBeath warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca wrote:
>
> Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:34:53 -0500
> From: "Warren McBeath" warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> To: kilgoursite@ca.inter.net, MichaelB.Murphy@gnb.ca,
> nada.sarkis@gnb.ca, wally.stiles@gnb.ca, dwatch@web.net,
> motomaniac_02186@yahoo.com
> CC: ottawa@chuckstrahl.com, riding@chuckstrahl.com,John.
> Oda.B@parl.gc.ca,"Bev BUSSON" bev.busson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
> "Paul Dube" PAUL.DUBE@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> Subject: Re: Remember me Kilgour? Landslide Annie McLellan has
> forgotten me but the crooks within the RCMP have not
>
> Dear Mr. Amos,
>
> Thank you for your follow up e-mail to me today. I was on days off
> over the holidays and returned to work this evening. Rest assured I
> was not ignoring or procrastinating to respond to your concerns.
>
> As your attachment sent today refers from Premier Graham, our position
> is clear on your dead calf issue: Our forensic labs do not process
> testing on animals in cases such as yours, they are referred to the
> Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown who can provide these
> services. If you do not choose to utilize their expertise in this
> instance, then that is your decision and nothing more can be done.
>
> As for your other concerns regarding the US Government, false
> imprisonment and Federal Court Dates in the US, etc... it is clear
> that Federal authorities are aware of your concerns both in Canada
> the US. These issues do not fall into the purvue of Detachment
> and policing in Petitcodiac, NB.
>
> It was indeed an interesting and informative conversation we had on
> December 23rd, and I wish you well in all of your future endeavors.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Warren McBeath, Cpl.
> GRC Caledonia RCMP
> Traffic Services NCO
> Ph: (506) 387-2222
> Fax: (506) 387-4622
> E-mail warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>
>
>
> Alexandre Deschênes, Q.C.,
> Office of the Integrity Commissioner
> Edgecombe House, 736 King Street
> Fredericton, N.B. CANADA E3B 5H1
> tel.: 506-457-7890
> fax: 506-444-5224
> e-mail:coi@gnb.ca
>
On 8/3/17, David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com> wrote:
> If want something very serious to download and laugh at as well Please
> Enjoy and share real wiretap tapes of the mob
>
> http://thedavidamosrant.
> ilian.html
>
>> http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/
>>
>> As the CBC etc yap about Yankee wiretaps and whistleblowers I must
>> ask them the obvious question AIN'T THEY FORGETTING SOMETHING????
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?
>>
>> What the hell does the media think my Yankee lawyer served upon the
>> USDOJ right after I ran for and seat in the 39th Parliament baseball
>> cards?
>>
>> http://archive.org/details/
>> 6
>>
>> http://davidamos.blogspot.ca/
>>
>> http://www.archive.org/
>>
>> http://archive.org/details/
>>
>> FEDERAL EXPRES February 7, 2006
>> Senator Arlen Specter
>> United States Senate
>> Committee on the Judiciary
>> 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
>> Washington, DC 20510
>>
>> Dear Mr. Specter:
>>
>> I have been asked to forward the enclosed tapes to you from a man
>> named, David Amos, a Canadian citizen, in connection with the matters
>> raised in the attached letter.
>>
>> Mr. Amos has represented to me that these are illegal FBI wire tap tapes.
>>
>> I believe Mr. Amos has been in contact with you about this previously.
>>
>> Very truly yours,
>> Barry A. Bachrach
>> Direct telephone: (508) 926-3403
>> Direct facsimile: (508) 929-3003
>> Email: bbachrach@bowditch.com
>>
>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Subject: 617 954 4225 RE Robert Pozen Former executive chairman of MFS Investment Management
To: <Leadership@mfs.com>, <kimc714@mit.edu>
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Mr.
William H.
Donaldson
ChairmanSecurities and Exchange Commission
Witness Panel 2
-
Mr.
Matthew P.
Fink
PresidentInvestment Company Institute
-
Mr.
Marc
Lackritz
PresidentSecurities Industry Association
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2003 Time: 02:00 PM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Mr.
Stephen M.
Cutler
Director - Division of EnforcementSecurities and Exchange Commission
-
Mr.
Robert
Glauber
Chairman and CEONational Association of Securities Dealers
-
Eliot
Spitzer
Attorney GeneralState of New York
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Understanding the Fund Industry from the Investor’s Perspective
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Mr.
Tim
Berry
TreasurerState of Indiana
-
Honorable
Gary
Gensler
ChairmanU.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
-
Mr.
James K.
Glassman
Resident FellowAmerican Enterprise Institute
-
Mr.
Don
Phillips
Managing DirectorMorningstar, Inc
-
Mr.
Jim
Riepe
Vice Chairman of the Board of DirectorsT. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Fund Operations and Governance.
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2004 Time: 02:00 PM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Mr.
Jack
Bogle
FounderThe Vanguard Group
-
Ms.
Mellody
Hobson
PresidentAriel Capital Management
-
Mr.
David
Pottruck
President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of DirectorsCharles Schwab
-
Mr.
David
Ruder
Former ChairmenU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: The Regulatory Landscape
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Ms.
Lori
Richards
Director, Office of Compliance, Inspections, and ExaminationsSecurities and Exchange Commission
-
Mr.
Paul
Roye
Director, Division of Investment ManagementSecurities and Exchange Commission
-
Ms.
Mary
Schapiro
Vice Chairman of NASD and President of NASD Regulatory Policy & OversightNational Association of Securities Dealers
-
Honorable
David M.
Walker
Comptroller General of the United States
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Fund Operations and Governance
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Professor
Mercer
Bullard
Associate Professor of LawUniversity of Mississippi School of Law
-
Mr.
William D
Lutz
Professor of EnglishRutgers University
-
Mr.
Robert
Pozen
Non-Executive ChairmanMassachusetts Financial Services Co.
-
Ms.
Barbara
Roper
Director of Investor ProtectionConsumer Federation of America
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Fund Costs and Distribution Practices
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 Time: 02:30 PM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Honorable
Daniel K.
Akaka (D-HI)
United States Senator
-
Honorable
Susan
Collins (R-ME)
United States Senator
-
Honorable
Peter
Fitzgerald (R-IL)
United States Senator
-
Honorable
Carl
Levin (D-MI)
United States Senator
Witness Panel 2
-
Mr.
Paul G.
Haaga, Jr.
Executive Vice President and Director of Capitol Research and Management Company, and Chairman of the Investment Company Institute
-
Mr.
Chet
Helck
President and Chief Operating OfficerRaymond James Financial
-
Mr.
Thomas
Putnam
Founder and CEOFenimore Asset Management
-
Mr.
Edward
Siedle
Founder and PresidentThe Benchmark Companies
-
Mr.
Mark
Treanor
General Counsel and Head of Legal DepartmentWachovia Corporation
Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: The SEC's Perspective
Date: Thursday, April 8, 2004 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
-
Mr.
William H.
Donaldson
ChairmanSecurities and Exchange Commission
archive.today webpage capture | Saved from | |
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97–186 PDF 2004
S. HRG . 108–711
REVIEW OF CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS
AND REGULATORY ACTIONS REGARDING
THE MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY
HEARINGS
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON
BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS
FIRST AND SECOND SESSION
ON
INVESTIGATIONS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS REGARDING THE
MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY AND INVESTORS’ PROTECTION
NOVEMBER 18, 20, 2003, FEBRUARY 25, 26, MARCH 2, 10, 23, 31, AND
APRIL 8, 2004
Printed for the use of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
REVIEW OF CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS
AND REGULATORY ACTIONS REGARDING
THE MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2003
U.S. SENATE,
COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met at 10 a.m. in room SD–538 of the Dirksen
Senate Office Building, Senator Richard C. Shelby (Chairman of
the Committee) presiding.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN RICHARD C. SHELBY
Chairman SHELBY. The hearing shall come to order.
This hearing is part of the Committee’s ongoing oversight of the
mutual fund industry. Today, the Committee will review current
investigations and enforcement proceedings and examine regu-
latory actions taken to date in order to fully inform and guide the
Banking Committee’s consideration of possible legislative reform.
On September 30, 2003, this Committee first examined the scope
of problems confronting the mutual fund industry. At that time,
Chairman Donaldson testified about the SEC’s ongoing enforce-
ment actions and described the SEC’s regulatory blueprint for
adopting new regulations aimed at improving the transparency of
fund operations and stopping abusive trading practices. Since
Chairman Donaldson’s testimony, we have learned that improper
fund trading practices are a widespread problem that fund insiders,
brokers, and privileged clients have profited from at the expense of
average investors.
In early September, New York Attorney General Spitzer uncov-
ered arrangements through which brokers facilitated improper
trades for their clients in certain prominent mutual funds in ex-
change for large, fee generating investments. Since this initial set-
tlement, we have learned the extent to which both intermediaries,
such as brokers, and fund executives have engaged in illicit trading
activities. We have read about the backhanded ways by which the
brokers colluded with their customers to disguise improper trade
orders to make them appear legitimate, thus evading detection by
mutual fund policing systems.
Even in situations where mutual funds attempted to halt im-
proper trading activity, certain brokers created fictitious names
and account numbers to fool fund compliance officers and to con-
tinue trading. Recent investigations have also revealed that mutual
fund executives and portfolio managers have actively engaged in
improper trading activity. And these allegations are particularly
troubling because fund executives and portfolio managers have
represented themselves as protecting client assets, but they failed
by either knowingly permitting improper trading by brokers or
actively engaging in illegal trading activities themselves.
Such practices may not only violate prospectus disclosures, but
also violate the fiduciary duties that funds owe to their share-
holders—the duties to treat all shareholders equitably and to pro-
tect shareholder interests. Further, regulators have indicated that
they may soon file charges against funds that have selectively
disclosed portfolio information to certain privileged investors and
fund executives that may have engaged in illegal insider trading by
acting on the basis of nonpublic information.
As this Committee made clear during Chairman William H.
Donaldson’s September 30 appearance here, a regulatory response
to improper trading activities is just one of the many actions that
the SEC must take to address the many troubling issues that have
come to light in the mutual fund industry. This Committee remains
concerned with the transparency of fund operations and ensuring
that investors can learn how their fund is being managed. It has
become very, very apparent that many of the questionable fund
practices that are now being examined are not just the result of a
few bad actors, but are longstanding industry practices that have
largely gone unregulated and not well disclosed to, or understood
by, most investors.
Therefore, this Committee must take a comprehensive look, I be-
lieve, at the industry to determine if the industry’s operations and
practices are consistent with investors’ interests and the greater
interests of the market. It may be that we must consider possible
realignment of interests to ensure that mutual funds are operating
as efficiently and fairly as the market and investors demand. We
will examine fund disclosure practices regarding fees, trading costs,
sales commissions, and portfolio holdings. So, we will continue to
question the conflicts of interest surrounding the relationship be-
tween the investment adviser and the fund and how potential
changes to fund governance and disclosure practices may minimize
these conflicts.
We will also focus on fund sales practices to ensure that brokers
sell suitable investments to their clients, provide adequate disclo-
sure of any sales incentives, and give clients any breakpoint dis-
counts to which they are entitled.
Chairman Donaldson has told this Committee that the SEC has
the necessary statutory authority to reform the mutual fund indus-
try and is in the process of conducting a comprehensive rulemak-
ing. As we have learned in other contexts, however, additional reg-
ulation is not the only answer. Late trading is clearly illegal and
market timing is actively deterred and policed. Despite prohibitions
and warnings, these activities continued unabated because of the
inadequate compliance and enforcement regimes at the SEC, the
mutual funds and the brokers. Whether due to a lack of resources
or other pressing priorities, mutual fund abuses simply did not re-
ceive adequate attention from the SEC. Although recent enforce-
ment actions indicate that priorities have changed, we need to
and halt future fund abuses.
Vigorous enforcement remains the key to restoring integrity to
the fund industry, and Attorney General Spitzer’s timely actions
once again demonstrate, I believe, the significant role that States
play in prosecuting fraud and abuse in the securities markets. Re-
gardless of the number of rules or amount of resources, it would
be impractical to expect the SEC to detect every single fraud and
manipulation in the fund industry. Therefore, the mutual funds
and the brokerage houses themselves must proactively adopt new
compliance measures to detect fraud and abuse. For many years,
participants in the mutual fund industry maintain industry ‘‘best
practices.’’ These practices, however, have clearly proven to be in-
adequate as brokers and funds have disregarded conflicts of inter-
est and colluded at the expense of investors without detection.
Although funds and brokers owe different types of duties to their
investors, both groups have an obligation to refrain from knowingly
ignoring their clients’ interests and profiting at their expense.
With over 95 million investors and $7 trillion—yes, $7 trillion—
in assets, mutual funds have always been perceived as the safe
investment option for average investors. America has become a Na-
tion of investors, but there is no doubt that recent revelations
about mutual funds have caused very many to question the per-
ceived fairness of the industry. Many are surprised to learn that
the mutual fund industry is plagued by the same conflict that was
at the root of the Enron scandal and the global settlement—one set
of profitable rules for insiders and another costly set for average
investors.
Beyond the legal concepts of fiduciary duties and transparency,
there is a more fundamental principle that should underlie the
operation of the mutual fund industry and our securities markets
in general.
This principle is that securities firms and mutual funds should
not neglect investors’ interests and knowingly profit at their ex-
pense. Until firms can demonstrate an ability to abide by this
ideal, investors will not trust the markets, nor should they. In our
own way, Congress, the SEC and regulators, and industry partici-
pants must collectively work to reform the mutual fund industry in
order to restore investor confidence. I believe, we must reassure in-
vestors that mutual funds are a vehicle in which they can safely
invest their money and not fall victim to financial schemes. The
mutual fund industry is simply too important to too many Ameri-
cans to do otherwise.
Examining the mutual fund industry is a priority for this Com-
mittee, and I look forward to working with my fellow Committee
Members, especially Senators Enzi, Dodd, and Corzine, all of whom
have already expressed significant interest in this issue.
Our first witness today is Chairman Bill Donaldson, and on the
second panel we will hear from Matthew Fink, President of the In-
vestment Company Institute, and Marc Lackritz, President of the
Securities Industry Association.
Now, I will call on my Members.
Senator Sarbanes.
Chairman
MFS Investment Management
and
Visiting Professor
Harvard Law School
“REVIEW OF CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS AND REGULATORY ACTIONS
REGARDING THE MUTUAL FUND INDUSTRY:
FUND OPERATIONS AND GOVERNANCE”
COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
Committee for this opportunity to present my views on appropriate reforms for the mutual fund
industry.
