From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: Go Figure
To: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, <francois-philippe.champagne@parl.gc.ca>, <melanie.joly@ised-isde.gc.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, elizabeth.may <elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca>, Yves-Francois.Blanchet <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>, don.davies <don.davies@parl.gc.ca>
From: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Subject: Re: Go Figure
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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Anissa Stambouli (she/her/elle) National Associate Director, Communications | Directrice adjointe nationale des communications Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) | Societé pour la nature et les parcs du Canada (SNAP Canada) cpaws.org | snapcanada.org
I would like to acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. |
Sent: Thursday, November 6, 2025 3:58 PM
To: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>
Subject: Fwd: Go Figure
To arrange an interview with any spokesperson, please contact:
Anissa Stambouli
National Associate Director, Communications
CPAWS (National)
astambouli@cpaws.org
613-569-7226 (230)
Mission & Vision
Who is CPAWS ?
CPAWS is Canada’s only charity dedicated to the protection of public land, freshwater and ocean with a strong national and regional presence across the country. We are Canada’s leader in conservation with 60 years of success based on our expertise, public education and advocacy, relationships and local knowledge. We are a credible, trusted, knowledge-based, nationally coordinated, collaborative organization, focused on conserving nature to respond to the dual crises of accelerated biodiversity loss and climate change.
Our mission
CPAWS advocates for the effective, long-term protection of ecologically- and culturally-significant land, freshwater and ocean areas in Canada. Working in a way that respects the sovereignty and leadership of Indigenous nations, we achieve our mission through knowledge-based advocacy, and public education and engagement, underpinned by collaboration and partnership.
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)
CPAWS New Brunswick
180 St. John Street
Fredericton, NB E3B 4A9
(506) 452-9902
CPAWS – NB Chapter Responds to Speech from the Throne
TRADITIONAL TERRITORY OF WABANAKI PEOPLES/FREDERICTON, N.B. – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – NB Chapter (CPAWS New Brunswick) is very happy to see increased nature protection included as a priority in today’s Speech from the Throne.
Roberta Clowater, Executive Director of CPAWS New Brunswick says, “We appreciate Premier Holt and her team for acknowledging the important link between nature and climate protection. CPAWS New Brunswick remains committed to providing objective, science-based advice to help NB increase protected areas to 15% of the province’s land, and work on a plan to protect 30%.”
“The Premier and her team understand that Increasing protections for land and ocean in New Brunswick is good for everyone. New tourism and recreation opportunities can boost economic activity and create good jobs. Protecting the forests, wetlands and coastal areas that safeguard us from extreme weather caused by climate change secures our homes and businesses and can help lower our insurance rates. And increased green space allows people to improve their mental and physical health.”
-30-
Contact:
Roberta Clowater: rclowater@cpaws.org
Carney promises First Nations leaders prosperity for 'generations to come' at summit on major projects
'Definitely it is not consultation,' says AFN regional chief about summit
Prime Minister Mark Carney waits to speak during
a tour of a steel manufacturing facility in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Carney's government hasn't specified which projects are being looked at
to move ahead under Bill C-5, but has indicated support for new energy
'corridors' in the east and west. (Chris Young/The
Canadian Press)Prime Minister Mark Carney promised First Nations rights-holders wealth and prosperity for "generations to come" at a summit Thursday designed to allay leaders concerned about the government's major projects law, which has ignited criticism because it allows for fast-tracked approvals.
Carney said the law, known as Bill C-5 before its passage through Parliament in June, is designed to "connect and transform our national economy" at a time when the country is facing threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
He said the potential benefits that come from building new railways, ports and energy "corridors" will flow to First Nations because "Indigenous economic growth is at the centre" of this new framework.
The regulatory structure will ensure big projects get "built in the right way" with adequate consultation of affected Indigenous communities, he said.
"Being a reliable partner to Indigenous Peoples goes beyond upholding the duty to consult — to enabling the creation of long-term wealth and prosperity for Indigenous Peoples through full equity ownership," Carney said, pointing to the Indigenous-owned Cedar liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in B.C. as something to emulate elsewhere.
"Canada's new government is committed to working together so that we can build Canada together for everyone's benefit," he said.
Still, Carney anticipated there will be criticism of the new law — something he said Thursday he's not willing to amend despite opposition.
"We recognize there are diverse perspectives, which is exactly why we invited a broad range of First Nations leadership to participate today," he said.
The two-day summit at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., launched Wednesday afternoon and runs all day Thursday.
C-5 sped through Parliament and was amended to require provincial consent for national projects, but the Senate voted down Mi'kmaw Sen. Paul Prosper's proposed provision to include free, prior and informed consent in the language of the bill.
"Our rights cannot be implemented or respected without us, in substance and in process," said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak at a news conference in Ottawa Wednesday.
"They cannot be respected after the fact."
Woodhouse said the over 600 First Nations from across the country have a diversity of opinion on the legislation and the summit should have occurred prior to the bill's passing.
She said she wants Carney to come to the table with meaningful amendments to Bill C-5 and solutions to the "$350-billion gap in infrastructure for First Nations kids in this country."
At the AFN news conference, Joanna Bernard from Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, AFN regional chief for New Brunswick, said Carney's summit isn't really consultation.
"They're coming in, they're putting up the agenda, they're deciding how this is going to proceed, but definitely it is not consultation. If it was we wouldn't be here, we would be running the agenda, and this is not the case today," said Bernard.
AFN chief wants 'more listening' from PM as Bill C-5 summit
beginsCarney has said Indigenous consultation is central to the major projects bill, but Indigenous leaders have said that's a difficult promise to trust without explicit amendments.
"Until an appropriate process founded in free, prior and informed consent is established between First Nations rights holders and the Crown, the Crown's legal obligations will not be met," said Woodhouse Nepinak.
"Chiefs have made it very clear that First Nation consent for major projects is not optional."
On Monday, nine First Nations in Ontario filed a legal challenge against Bill C-5, and an Ontario law, Bill 5. The First Nations want the court to find the two laws unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court has previously ruled First Nations have a right to be consulted on projects under Indigenous rights and title — but they do not have a final veto on if a project goes ahead.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Journalist
Edzi'u Loverin is graduate of CBC's Indigenous Pathways Program and has reported in Vancouver and Winnipeg since 2024. Edzi'u is a member of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation and a registered member of the Tahltan Nation, but is currently based in xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ territories. You can email Edzi'u at edziu.loverin@cbc.ca with story ideas.
With files from J.P. Tasker, Julia Alevato
Michael Wernick (born September 1957) is a Canadian retired public servant who served as the 23rd clerk of the Privy Council for Canada from 2016 to 2019. Following his tenure as clerk, Wernick joined the University of Ottawa, where he was named Jarislowsky chair of public sector management.
Wernick joined the public service in 1981. Before becoming clerk, Wernick was the deputy clerk under Janice Charette.[4] He was previously the deputy minister for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development from May 2006 to July 11, 2014.[5] He has held several other positions in the Privy Council Office and as associate deputy minister for the Department of Canadian Heritage.[3]
Energy minister hints at support for carbon capture in climate strategy, no mention of emissions cap
Climate competitiveness strategy expected to be introduced in federal budget
Ahead of the release of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s climate competitiveness strategy, his energy minister offered some hints of what will be included when it's introduced in Tuesday’s budget.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson spoke Wednesday ahead of meetings with officials and fellow G7 environment and energy ministers.
Stakeholders in the environment and clean tech space had expected Ottawa to release the strategy ahead of the two-day G7 meeting, which officially begins Thursday in Toronto.
One involves "tactically using" public funding and tax credits to lessen risk and spur investment in "first-of-a-kind projects," Hodgson said.
The goal, the minister said, is ensuring the Canadian economy "stays competitive and Canadian products compete — and win — in a low-carbon world."
The minister suggested Canada's burgeoning carbon capture, storage and removal sector could be de-risked and scaled with government funding.
He cited Arca, a Canadian company that on Wednesday announced it had signed a deal with Microsoft to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The company has received funding from NorthX Climate Tech — a Canadian organization supported by Natural Resources Canada.
Hodgson said Ottawa is also focused on creating an environment of regulatory certainty which requires predictable policies, faster timelines and reliable permitting. The federal government is already in the process of implementing its law to fast-track major resource projects.
The minister said the final lever is the use of artificial intelligence to make energy systems "smarter, faster and more resilient."
"AI is already reshaping how we produce, move and consume energy," Hodgson said. "It is helping operators predict grid demand in real time, accelerating materials discovery for better batteries and optimizing renewable energy like wind farms."
Anniversary of emissions cap draft
A senior federal government source not authorized to speak publicly says the first two levers —incentivizing more investment in clean tech innovation and providing certainty to industry — are "relevant" to the climate competitiveness strategy.
Hodgson's remarks made no mention of the future of the proposal to cap industrial emissions. The budget date, Nov. 4, marks a year since the federal government released its proposed regulations to impose a hard cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector — the largest share of Canada's emissions.
A former federal government adviser on climate policy, Louise Comeau, said Hodgson is signalling that the Carney government favours carbon capture and storage over an emissions cap.
Carbon capture, yet to be proven at scale, has been proposed as a pathway for the cement, steel and oil and gas industries to maintain or grow production with lower emissions.
"I don't think it's a secret that the proposed oil and gas cap will not be put into regulation in favour of investment in carbon capture and storage," said Comeau, a former member of Ottawa's arm's-length Net Zero Advisory Body.
Hodgson also mentioned several other initiatives for low-carbon power generation that Ottawa is leading on, including nuclear plant life extensions, small modular reactors, the development of natural gas with carbon capture and storage and the integration of grid-scale battery storage.
After pausing Canada's EV mandate, will Carney cut climate targets?For heavy transportation and other sectors where emission reduction has been challenging, Hodgson spoke about clean hydrogen and sustainable biofuels.
The Canadian Climate Institute's recent analysis has shown Canada won't meet its 2030 climate targets, where Canada committed to slashing emissions by at least 40 per cent below 2005 levels.
- This Saturday, Just Asking wants to know: What questions do you have about climate change, investments, and your financial future? Fill out this form and send us your questions.
At the rate Canada is going, according to the institute, the country would be lucky to get more than halfway there.
The federal government's own January greenhouse gas projections show that Canada will fall short of its climate targets.
Since Carney took office, he has cancelled the consumer carbon price and paused the electric vehicle availability standard, without proposing new measures to offset the lost emissions reductions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Will Mark Carney deliver on the climate values he preached as a central banker?
PM has said 'climate competitiveness strategy' will be revealed in Nov. 4 budget
Most Canadians know that Prime Minister Mark Carney entered politics with heavy-hitting experience as an economist and central banker.
But perhaps less known is Carney’s pre-political role in the fight for climate action.
“The challenges currently posed by climate change pale in significance compared with what might come,” Carney said in a landmark speech at insurance company Lloyd's of London in 2015, while head of the Bank of England. “While there is still time to act, the window of opportunity is finite and shrinking.”
For years, Carney used his economic credibility to draw global attention to the mounting financial costs of global warming and the opportunities of the energy transition.
The 2015 speech "was one of the first times when a serious economist discussed climate change as a real risk,” Julie Segal, senior manager of climate finance at advocacy group Environmental Defence, told CBC News.
But in that address, Carney also emphasized his lane: “It is not for a central banker to advocate for one policy response over another. That is for governments to decide.”
Ten years later, as prime minister, Carney has dismantled Canada’s consumer carbon pricing mechanism, frozen its EV mandates and the emissions cap — the first in the G7, set to take effect in 2030 — may be axed any day.
He has also backed a major expansion of LNG exports and controversial carbon capture technology, and opened the door to new pipeline discussions with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister's Office has yet to confirm if Carney will attend COP30 — the annual UN climate negotiations — in Brazil early next month.
“What happened to you?” Bloomberg reporter Mishal Husain recently asked Carney in an interview for her podcast, referring specifically to climate action.
“I’m the same me. I’m focused on the same issues,” he said.
In waiting for the climate competitiveness strategy the government has promised to deliver in next month’s budget, some are becoming wary of Carney's priorities.
“As an individual who's built a successful reputation on being savvy on climate change, and business and economics, the current approach of avoiding climate mitigation doesn't add up,” Segal said.
Climate finance pioneer
After his terms as the head of the Bank of Canada and then the Bank of England, Carney took on a climate-specific role in the UN in 2019, as well as a position leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing at Brookfield Asset Management in 2020.
He credited his time at the Bank of England — overseeing the insurance industry — with awakening him to the financial threat of climate change.
'We can't self isolate from climate change:' Carney“I, like, many others, have been aware of the issue for a long time. I felt that on the margin I was helping out in recycling and conservation and other aspects,” Carney reflected in 2021. “But candidly, I assumed that climate was being taken care of, that 'they' were taking care of it. And then at some point I realized I was part of 'they,' and it wasn’t being taken care of.”
In 2021, he published the book Value(s), which argued for an economy grounded in fairness and sustainability. He also continued to leverage his credibility to build private-sector engagement on climate action.
As part of the effort to mobilize the financial sector, Carney stepped into yet another leadership role, co-chairing a new initiative at the COP meetings in Scotland in 2021. The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) was a first-of-its-kind collective of banks, insurers and asset owners striving for a net zero financial system.
At the time of its launch, Carney called GFANZ “the breakthrough in mainstreaming climate finance the world needs … [it] will act as the strategic forum to ensure the financial system works together to broaden, deepen and accelerate the transition to a net zero economy.”
In part due to a changing political landscape, GFANZ has since fallen apart, with the collapse of its banking alliance subgroup this month widely considered the death knell for Carney’s initiative.
Waiting on values
As prime minister, Carney has promised Canadians his government has a climate plan.
At the Liberal caucus meetings in Edmonton in September, Carney said the government "recognizes that addressing climate change isn’t just a moral duty…. it’s also an economic imperative for the competitiveness of our businesses and the workers they employ.”
He reiterated that promise in a nation-building speech at the University of Ottawa on Tuesday, saying a climate strategy would be revealed when his government tables its budget on Nov. 4.
Yet skepticism remains. At those September caucus meetings, a group of Liberal MPs formed an environmental caucus to ensure climate change wasn’t being pushed off the political agenda. While maintaining faith in Carney's leadership, a couple members expressed concern to CBC News about his environmental commitment.
"People don't understand how someone who has championed climate issues for 15 years can suddenly become prime minister of a G7 country and stop talking about climate change," one Liberal MP said, on the condition they wouldn't be named. "What's going on?"
Chris Severson-Baker, executive director of the Pembina Institute, said he isn’t surprised at Carney’s approach so far.
“Groups like ours are eagerly awaiting decisions, some of which may be reflected in the budget that's about to come out,” he said.
An important one, Severson-Baker said, will be Carney's commitment to strengthening the industrial carbon pricing regime, which charges large emitters — like the cement and oil industries — for exceeding emissions limits.
“It is fundamental to how Canada is tackling climate change. It is sort of the mechanism that does most of the heavy lifting, if you like, in terms of reducing emissions," Severson-Baker said. "But it's also badly in need of repair.”
In September, the Canadian Climate Institute projected that Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target is now out of reach. The organization blamed weakening policy.
Segal said the Canadian government’s lack of detail and transparency on its climate plan concerns her.
“The current government is being non-committal about plans for interim climate targets,” she said. “Certainly we can be pragmatic about changing policies, yet those have to legitimately and mathematically lead to reducing emissions to zero by 2050. That hasn't been demonstrated.”
Severson-Baker said he still has faith the government understands its responsibility to create strong climate policy.
“Nothing that I've seen so far … suggests that they think that the role for addressing climate change rests with others,” he said.
But Severson-Baker acknowledged that tariffs and the cost of living are major concerns for Canadians.
“I think it's going to take a bit of time to sort of think through exactly how to achieve those multiple goals at the same time.”
In an interview with the UN in 2021, Carney said, “I’m not a politician, but I’ve worked around them many times. When constituents ask questions, it is very powerful.”
He cautioned: “Don’t assume that your politician cares about this issue as much as you do. But they will, the more you and others raise it with them.”
Environmental advocates and even people within Carney's own party have raised concerns about his seriousness on climate.
The question is whether he believes Canadians want him to treat it with the same urgency he did a decade ago.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Did Bill Gates really say we don't need to address climate change?
Scientists say philanthropist's open letter is misguided
Over the past week, you may have come across headlines like this: “Bill Gates bends the knee on climate change,” or “The week Bill Gates backtracked on climate change — and sent eco fanatics into meltdown,” or even “Bill Gates gives up on climate change.”
But did the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist really say climate change isn’t important?
The whole discussion started due to a poorly timed memo — issued by Gates on the very day that Jamaica was devastated by a powerful Category 5 hurricane.
It begins with this: “There’s a doomsday view of climate change that goes like this:
“In a few decades, cataclysmic climate change will decimate civilization. The evidence is all around us — just look at all the heat waves and storms caused by rising global temperatures. Nothing matters more than limiting the rise in temperature.
“Fortunately for all of us, this view is wrong. Although climate change will have serious consequences — particularly for people in the poorest countries — it will not lead to humanity’s demise. People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.”
The memo, posted on his GatesNotes site ahead of the upcoming COP30 climate conference, goes on to suggest that the climate community is too focused on temperatures and emissions and is taking resources away from ways to improve human suffering like poverty and hunger.
It has sent climate scientists reeling, while climate change skeptics claimed victory.
U.S. President Donald Trump even posted on his Truth Social platform: “I (WE!) just won the War on the Climate Change Hoax. Bill Gates has finally admitted that he was completely WRONG on the issue. It took courage to do so, and for that we are all grateful.”
On Monday, Gates told Axios that Trump’s take was a “giant misreading of the memo.”
And that’s a fair response since he further states in his memo: “To be clear: Climate change is a very important problem. It needs to be solved … Every tenth of a degree of heating that we prevent is hugely beneficial because a stable climate makes it easier to improve people’s lives.”
Hurricane Melissa tears through JamaicaOn a panel hosted by Covering Climate Now held on Tuesday about Gates’s memo, Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and professor at Texas Tech University, said that Gates saying it won't be the end of humanity isn’t wrong.
“I have not seen a single scientific paper that ever posited that the human race would become extinct any time in this century or even a couple of centuries to come due to climate change.”
Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth agrees.
“I think he's saying that it's not, by itself, an existential threat. And I don't think he is necessarily wrong there, but I also think an existential threat is an absurdly high bar to hold any problem to,” he told CBC News.
Climate scientists haven't been saying that governments and organizations shouldn't work to help tackle poverty and malnutrition, they say climate change is part of that discussion on bettering lives for the most vulnerable.
“All too many people including Bill Gates … see climate change as one more bucket at the end of a long line of buckets of things we need to fix,” Hayhoe said.
“So there's the poverty bucket, the hunger bucket, the disease bucket … the education bucket and all of these other buckets. Then you've got climate change. And his point is, and he literally is saying this, we don't have enough time and money to get all the way down the buckets to the climate change bucket.”
While Hayhoe acknowledges that Gates said climate change should be worked on, she sees his framing as problematic. Referring to her bucket analogy, she says climate change is the hole in all those buckets; that you can’t separate climate change from anything else that would help improve life for those living in poverty, especially since they are the ones who are most affected by climate change.
'Nuanced assessment'
So, despite claims otherwise, Gates isn't saying climate change isn't a threat, but he is saying that perhaps it should take a back seat to providing much-needed food and funding for those living in poverty. And that's what's upsetting so many in the climate sphere.
But Hausfather believes Gates's message is more nuanced, particularly when the U.S., which provides billions of dollars in aid around the world, has recently cut funding to its United States Agency for International Development. Other countries around the world, which provide less, have also scaled back contributions to the World Bank.
"I think this memo, and particularly the way it's been interpreted by a lot of people, is seen as sort of an absolute prioritization of other things over climate, rather than a more nuanced assessment of, in a world of more limited resources where the U.S. and other countries are cutting back on international aid, how do we best support people and relieve suffering and promote human flourishing? And so I think that's an important nuanced debate."
Climate change is most affecting those living in poverty, experts say: more frequent droughts makes it impossible to grow crops; flooding has a similar effect and can increase disease outbreaks; stronger hurricanes destroy homes and infrastructure.
Without working toward solutions focusing both on mitigation and adaption, those living in poverty will continue to be the most vulnerable, even though they aren't responsible for the massive greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the issue in the first place.
"We can chew gum and walk at the same time ," Hausfather said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mi’kmaq ‘no longer mere spectators’ as Indigenous investment in energy projects grows
Rights consultation still comes first, say leaders
At an Indigenous-led energy conference in Moncton this week, Mi’kmaw leaders delivered a clear message: New Brunswick's energy future runs through their communities.
They described a dual role for First Nations: as investors and owners of future energy projects, and as defenders of treaty rights when it comes to those projects.
ProEnergy, the U.S.-based company hired to build a controversial new gas plant in Tantramar, has been heavily criticized for promoting an Indigenous equity stake in the project before a deal was approved, and before a Mi’gmaw rights impact assessment was underway.
Dean Vicaire, executive director of Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc., or MTI, the consultative body for eight of the nine Mi’kmaw nations in the province, says an impact assessment by his organization is now in “infant stages,:
He said the assessment will “take a good hard look” at the repercussions and possible consequences of the new power plant proposed for rural Tantramar.
A provincial environmental impact assessment is also underway, but officials have said that based on information gathered so far, they don’t believe the project meets the criteria for a more comprehensive assessment.
N.B. Power said the gas plant would provide backup power for renewable energy it plans to build in the coming years, and help secure the province’s energy supply by 2028.
Larger Indigenous role in energy
Vicaire was one of 450 delegates gathered in downtown Moncton this week for the 2025 Atlantic Indigenous-Led Energy Symposium.
The annual conference has grown rapidly since it was launched in 2022 by the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council.
Kicking off the event, Chief Rebecca Knockwood of Amlamgog, formerly Fort Folly First Nation, called for a commitment to a “collective energy future,” where Indigenous communities are “no longer mere spectators to developments on this land we now call Atlantic Canada.”
Jim Ward, general manager of the Tribal Council agreed.
“It's time that we step up and become involved,” he said. The symposium is a way to let government and corporate partners know that “if they want successful projects, to work with our First Nation communities,” he said.
Consultation got 'lost' with Tantramar project
Ward said ProEnergy Canada first approached the tribal council looking for partners in the Tantramar gas plant project. He said staff had been working on developing “an opportunity to provide equity into the project” when ProEnergy prematurely announced an agreement.
But while the council looked into the possible investment, "We don't do consultation,” Ward said. “That's MTI. And so that process is happening now.”
Vicaire said he believes ProEnergy thought “they were doing the right thing, but in reality, they weren't.”
It’s the kind of confusion he hopes the Atlantic Indigenous-Led Energy Symposium will help avoid, eventually.
Vicaire said that occasionally project proponents, and even “some of our brother and sister organizations” see MTI as the ‘brakes’ on potential projects.
“I had to correct them,” Vicaire said. “We're not actually the brake pedal. We're the vehicle. And without the vehicle, there's nothing.”
Vicaire says once the Mi’gmaq rights impact assessment of the gas plant project is complete, the assessment will be shared with leadership for decision-making.
“We're there to present the facts,” Vicaire said. “Ultimately, it's up to the respective chiefs and councils to decide for their community members.”
Consultation should have come first
Brad Coady, the N.B. Power vice-president of business development who was at the symposium, admitted the process regarding the gas plant was flawed.
“I think we would have been better off starting in the communities explaining what we were doing, rather than the way the project got announced,” he said.
Coady said the utility is dealing with rapidly increasing risks to energy security for the province, and also the large scale of the Tantramar gas plant project.
“We haven't built anything this big,” Coady said, “in a long, long time.”
Indigenous investment on the rise
Increasing access to capital for Indigenous communities was a recurring theme of this week’s conference.
Pabineau First Nation Chief Terry Richardson told delegates that he could remember a time when he worried about making payroll for employees of the First Nation. “Those days are gone,” Richardson said.
“Now we have the capital where we can invest ourselves.”
In January, the tribal council announced the launch of Nikutik LP, a sovereign wealth fund that will invest and partner on economic opportunities for member nations, with a focus on clean energy.
But delegates also heard that Indigenous consultation is key and not to be confused with economic development initiatives.
“The consultation part is important, and I think that gets lost a lot of the time,” Richardson said. “That's why we have our organizations like MTI.”
Vicaire said MTI’s role overall is “to make sure that any and all development is respectful of our process and, way more importantly, of our treaties.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Félix Arseneault, Radio-Canada
A Saint John-born Trump supporter wants to power a data centre in Lorneville, New Brunswick. The community is fighting back
Residents of Lorneville, N.B. had just a week’s notice to attend a public open house to learn more about a proposed data centre in an expanded area of an industrial park near their community. The notice came in the form of a letter delivered to residents’ homes on Oct. 29.
When the public session happened on Nov. 5, about 100 residents, including Adam Wilkins and his partner, Leah Alexander, attended.*
Also at the public session were Nathan Ough, president and CEO and co-founder of Texas-based VoltaGrid, and Joseph Shovlin, co-founder of Calgary-based Beacon AI. The two companies are proposing to build an AI data centre on 120 hectares of land in Spruce Lake Industrial Park, which is located across Highway 1 from Lorneville.
The meeting was advertised as a drop-in session where residents could learn about the data centre proposal. But Wilkins, Alexander, and other Lorneville residents took control of the meeting, rearranging chairs in the room to create a town-hall style meeting. Residents asked Ough and Shovlin lots of questions about the proposal.
A video of the meeting is on YouTube.
While Ough lives and works in Texas, he was born and raised in Saint John. He told the audience about his plans for the data centre, and more.
“If this ship is going to go, I want to make sure that capital and that investment happens in this community,” Ough said during the meeting. “I made a promise to my family, and my dad, who’s sitting back there, that some day, I would come home.”
The residents of Lorneville aren’t buying it, though. Lorneville residents have been fighting for their community for a long time. This proposal for a data centre is the latest in the battle.
Lorneville, which is west of Saint John, amalgamated with the city in 1967. In the 1970s, the province expropriated about 3,200 hectares of land from Lorneville to build the Coleson Cove Generating Station. A new city dump was built in Lorneville in the 1980s.
Now, 400 hectares of land that includes mature forests and wetlands will be the new site of the expanded industrial park. The residents of Lorneville have been fighting the rezoning of that land for the expansion for more than a year now. The industrial park expansion means industry will be just 150 metres from homes. Lorneville residents worry what that means for their community, including how being so close to industry will affect their wells.
In June, Katelin Belliveau at CBC New Brunswick reported that scientists from Mount Allison University found a 400-year-old spruce on that land. The forest in Lorneville is considered to be the third oldest in the province.
The land that will be rezoned is a natural buffer between the homes of Lorneville residents and the old dump that was opened in the 1980s that continues to leak runoff.
Lorneville has been fighting rezoning since 2024
I interviewed Wilkins on Nov. 14, the week after that public-session-turned-town-hall about the data centre.
Wilkins is from New Brunswick and lives in Lorneville. He said residents have concerns about the data centre, specifically how much water it will use and where power it needs will come from. But Wilkins said residents didn’t get the answers to their questions at that Nov. 5 town hall.
Wilkins described the meeting like the episode of the Simpsons “Marge vs. the Monorail” and compared Ough to the fast-talking salesman, Lyle Lanley.
“[Ough] sucked up a lot of air in the room and was the salesman and the showman,” Wilkins said. “He even had the same colour jacket [as Lanley].”
Lorneville has been documenting its fight in a Facebook group called Save Lorneville, which they created in July 2024.
It was that month, Wilkins said, when Lorneville residents got unmarked envelopes in their mailboxes with letters announcing that the City of Saint John wanted to rezone 647 hectares of land for possible heavy industrial use. The letter said residents were invited to a public meeting scheduled for two weeks later.
Lorneville residents attended that meeting on July 17, 2024. And just how they did at the Nov. 5 meeting for the data centre, they rearranged a public information session into a town hall.
But Saint John City council voted in favour of the rezoning during a third and final reading in July this year. The province approved the environmental impact assessment in September.
Wilkins said the community filed a judicial review of the decision and had a hearing earlier this month. Bruce Wark of The New Wark Times wrote about that review here.
“We’ve been fundraising because it’s not going to be cheap,” Wilkins said.
‘That’s no great confidence-instilling notion for us’
Wilkins said there were rumours about a possible data centre circulating at other meetings and in the community. But he said the community officially learned about the data centre proposal on Oct. 29 when they received those notices delivered to their doors.
On the Save Lorneville Facebook page, residents have shared posts and news stories about communities elsewhere and the environmental issues around those data centres.
Nadia Partners, a venture capital firm with offices in New York and Calgary, launched Beacon AI in 2023. Beacon AI hasn’t built any data centres yet, although it has six proposals for data centres in Alberta.
VoltaGrid is proposing to supply the power for the data centre in Lorneville. Ough said the data centre will need 380 megawatts of power and Volta will provide 190 megawatts of that power via a gas-fired plant on the data centre site.
The other 190 megawatts will come from NB Power’s grid starting in 2028.
In November 2023, New Brunswick banned NB Power from selling electricity to new cryptocurrency mining companies. HIVE Blockchain, a cryptocurrency company in New Brunswick that got in before that ban, uses 40 megawatts of power.
“This [data centre] is 190 megawatts,” Wilkins said. “No one knows if NB Power is going to allow them to have the 190. I would think they’d already have to have that arrangement in place, or they wouldn’t have got this far with things.”
Wilkins said Ough and Shovlin couldn’t respond to questions about how much water the data centre will use. Wilkins said it sounds as though the companies will use a closed-loop system that may use less water than other AI data centres, but Ough and Shovlin couldn’t be more specific.
“That’s no great confidence-instilling notion for us,” Wilkins said.
Spruce Lake, which is across the road from Lorneville, is used only for industry now. New Brunswick, like Nova Scotia, experienced months of drought this year. Wilkins said he’s never seen local lakes so low.
“They’ve said they can supply enough water, but I’m assuming all the other municipalities in the States and all these other places that have had issues with data centres have also said they can supply the water,” Wilkins said.
“If they can’t answer how much water they require, I don’t know how the city can say how much water they can use.”
As for what customers the AI data centre will serve, Wilkins said Ough and Shovlin dropped big names like Meta and Oracle.
Ough says data centre will be ‘gargantuan economic driver‘
Nipun Tiwari with CBC New Brunswick was at that town hall and wrote this story. Tiwari wrote:
Ough spoke to reporters and to the community about common criticisms about data centres, including their drain on power grids and that they don’t meaningfully provide long-term, permanent jobs beyond construction.
He said the project will be a “gargantuan economic driver” that would bring over 200 permanent, full-time jobs.
It will be fueled by an on-site, natural-gas generating system. This, according to Ough, “will generate about half of the power consumption of the data centre, really mitigating any grid disruption risks.” He also said the facility will consume nearly zero water.
Residents said this doesn’t square with the promise that came with expansion: that it would only be open to non-emitting projects. Ough said the plant would use what he called a “reactive catalyst” that would essentially eliminate pollutants.
“We’re committing to 98 per cent emissions abatement on the site, which would be the cleanest burning natural gas power plant in Canada,” he said.
Ough is ‘the rare Canadian to voice support for Trump’
On Nov. 14, I emailed Ough at VoltaGrid to request an interview to talk about the data centre. I haven’t heard back, however, there’s been a lot reported about Ough and his work.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Ough graduated from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and holds a bachelor of business administration in finance and economics.
From 2006 to 2009, he completed three co-op placements as a financial analyst with Irving Oil. He then spent almost two years at Macquarie Group in Calgary working as an investment banker.
He was the founder and vice-president of Certarus Ltd., a natural gas firm based in Houston, TX from 2011 to 2020. He co-founded VoltaGrid in 2020.
This story by Benoît Morenne in the Wall Street Journal published in April details much of Ough’s background and ambitions. In fact, the headline sums it up: “Meet the Canadian Fossil-Fuels CEO Who Wants to Power Trump’s America.”
The tone of Ough’s words and the details of his ambitions in Morenne’s article are certainly the opposite of what he had to say at the town hall in Lorneville: that he wanted to support the community and move home to New Brunswick.
From the story:
Ough, 37 years old, is the rare Canadian to voice support for Trump, who has all but incinerated the U.S.-Canada friendship. He says the president’s embrace of fossil fuels, his cutting red tape for data-center development, and his focus on bringing industries back to the U.S. are all boons for VoltaGrid.
“Trump gets up there and says, ‘drill, baby, drill’ and ‘data center,’” said Ough, who is VoltaGrid’s chief executive. “Those are literally the intersection of our entire existence.”
While VoltaGrid mostly services the oil patch, it has entered the data-center market with a bang. It recently reached a deal to deploy more than 1 gigawatt of power across developer Vantage Data Centers’s North American campuses—about as much as San Francisco uses. It also has had discussions with Oracle about potentially electrifying its data centers, according to people familiar with the matter.
…
Ough is a self-described nerd who, as a child, collected extension cords from all over the world. A little-known name inside the energy industry just a few years ago, he now plays matchmaker between Big Tech and Big Oil. He cultivates relationships with Trump allies and makes frequent appearances on conservative media channels—some which have compared him with Elon Musk.
Morenne writes that Ough doesn’t consider himself a “raging conservative.” Still, Ough donated $111,000 to the Republican National Committee, and as of the April publication date of the article, had plans to travel to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
“I just want to build s—in America,” Ough told Morenne.
‘We’re going to undermine our targets to cut carbon emissions’
David Coon, the leader of the Green Party in New Brunswick, was also at that Nov. 5 town hall with Lorneville residents.
I interviewed Coon on Nov. 17 to learn more about his and the party’s concerns about the AI data centre. Coon said the biggest concern is the “extraordinary demand” for electricity on the provincial grid.
Ough has said Volta will generate 190 megawatts for the project and get the other 190 megawatts it needs from NB Power’s grid. Coon said NB Power “doesn’t have 190 megawatts to spare.”
“When you have these big, new demands for electricity…it can drive up power rates because it requires new generation to be built,” Coon said. “And, of course, with that new generation, it’s carbon-based, and we’re going to undermine our targets to cut carbon emissions in the province.”
Coon said Volta and Beacon AI still need permits and assessments to go ahead. He said it’s unclear if NB Power can provide the 190 megawatts. However, the utility is planning on building a natural gas plant in Tantramar.
“It’s intended to come online the same time the AI data centre is supposed to come online,” Coon said.
Cloe Logan at National Observer wrote about that project here. Residents and environmental advocates are concerned about how that project will affect migratory birds and other wildlife.
“We shouldn’t be building more carbon-based power generation,” Coon said. “That’s just going to make the climate crisis worse.”
In this story on Nov. 12, Jacques Poitras at CBC New Brunswick reported that Ough wrote in an email that there’s “zero link” between the proposed data centre and the proposed gas plant for Tantramar. From Poitras’ story:
Ough also told CBC News Monday that because the data centre would have its own power generation, it should not be seen as a “demand hog,” but as a project that could contribute electricity back onto the grid during periods of peak demand.
Such data centres “are amazing assets for the grid.”
‘We’re a tiny utility. It’s not like we’re Ontario’
Coon said the Green Party is concerned about the power demands not only of this AI data centre, but others that may follow.
“NB Power and the province, through the terms of the Electricity Act, don’t seem to have yet, at least not publicly, done any thinking of how do you make decisions about who gets prioritized for new power,” Coon said.
“We’re a tiny utility. It’s not like we’re Ontario. We’re a small utility, so when you add something massive and new that’s not incremental in terms of demand on the grid… this is a jump in demand, massive.”
Coon said Quebec has brought in legislation that says any power user over a certain amount of usage has to apply for access to power. That’s Bill 69, which was introduced in the Quebec legislature this summer.
“That gives Quebec the ability who to prioritize,” Coon said. “We need something like that.”
The Alberta government, meanwhile, will allow AI data centres to bring their own power with them. As Rukhsar Ali with CBC Alberta reported last week, the province is already out of power for two data centres near Edmonton.
Ali reports that the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has a list of 37 data centre proposals in its queue that can either bring their own power or wait for the provincial grid to catch up.
“A few provinces have been grappling with how to deal when AI data centres come to town with their huge demand for electricity,” Coon said.
“This is way more than any single pulp mill or sawmill. It’s on a scale that’s not in keeping with any conventional industrial development that might come along.”
Coon said the proposal is a surprise given that jurisdictions such as British Columbia and Quebec have cheaper power rates than New Brunswick.
“My feeling is there are discussions that have happened under the surface and deals in the making that haven’t emerged or broken the surface yet,” Coon said.
Coon said New Brunswick’s Lobbyist Registration Act doesn’t require the Minister responsible for Opportunities New Brunswick Luke Randall or Premier Susan Holt’s office to register.
“We can’t see whom is lobbying who on this at all,” Coon said.
‘We have to do both things in a responsible way’
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Sean Fraser was the keynote speaker at an event hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 10. Fraser, who is also the minister for ACOA, spoke about the federal budget, which includes $1 billion to build “sovereign” public AI infrastructure in Canada.
The federal budget was passed on Nov. 17.
I wrote this story about Fraser’s conversation at the chamber event and his answer to my question about the spending on AI during a media scrum held when the event wrapped up. From the story:
Fraser said there is change happening in technology whether governments recognize it or not, and it’s up to the government to manage those changes responsibly and to protect Canadians’ data and interests.
“We made a decision to ensure the infrastructure we support is sovereign in nature, that it’s Canadian controlled,” Fraser said. “Left to its own devices, we’re going to see data centres, we’re going to see AI, but deployed by businesses and countries that do not have the best interests of Canadians at heart.”
I also asked Fraser about Canadians who are concerned about the environmental impacts of AI-related data centres, including on water and energy sources, and what those Canadians can do.
Here’s what Fraser said.
We obviously need to make sure people have the basics. In fact, the budget also includes significant investments to deal with the cost of infrastructure at a local level. We don’t necessarily have to choose between one or another, but we have to do both things in a responsible way.
If people do have concerns about the significant power consumption of AI data centres, they should be talking about how we can generate more electricity in a renewable way. We should also be having a conversation in how we go about doing that to ensure we do it in a way that creates economic opportunities for people who live in our communities.
Fraser said anyone who has concerns about AI data centres can always contact their MP, MLA, or local councillors.
“It’s why we’re here,” Fraser said.
Fraser and his colleagues at every order of government may have more to answer for, though.
On Wednesday, The Breach published this article by Jim Thomas about what Prime Minster Mark Carney’s government must do when the AI bubble bursts.
The first sign of a pin poking the bubble is that on the weekend, Peter Thiel sold off all his personal investments in Nvidia. That’s the firm whose microchips make generative AI possible.
Thomas writes that Carney’s government must not bail out the tech giants when the AI bubble bursts, but rather protect working-class Canadians, you know, like the people of Lorneville.
Thomas writes:
Ignoring this looming financial threat and the already catastrophic strain on energy, water, and social trust is no longer an option. The first order of the day must be an urgent national mobilization to assess, insulate, and protect our country from the now-towering likelihood of a collapse, however soon or long it takes.
To move from denial to defence, the government must immediately introduce and fight for legislation that insulates our pensions, public funds, and public services from this systemic risk, convening the Bank of Canada and pension managers to prepare for an AI-driven economic crash.
Concurrently, the government must start a national assessment, launching a comprehensive evaluation across the five key areas of fragility: finance, economy, environment, democracy, and psychological well-being. Ottawa should also immediately implement a spending and infrastructure pause, halting the approval of new AI data centres and stopping new departmental spending on AI until the assessment’s recommendations are delivered.
‘We’re dealing with a goldrush mentality’
I asked Coon about “digital sovereignty” and the federal government’s $1 billion spending to build AI infrastructure given that many AI data centres, including the one proposed for Lorneville, have connections to the United States.
Coon said he’s spoken about this in the New Brunswick legislature, noting that the proposed gas plant for Tantramar also has U.S. connections.
“When we’re trying to distance ourselves from our economic dependence on the U.S., why would we make ourselves dependent on electricity generation by a U.S. company using U.S. gas. It doesn’t make any sense,” Coon said.
“You could argue the same question around these AI data centres.”
Coon said he and the Green Party continue to work on the power consumption for the AI data centres because it has implications for the power rates of everyone in New Brunswick, as well as for carbon emissions.
“If you look at all these companies, a lot of them are very young and they’re popping up all over the place to try and cash in on what may be a bubble that will burst,” Coon said.
“Right now, we’re dealing with a goldrush mentality and that’s left provincial governments with their pants down, not prepared for that in terms of all the dimensions [and] the issues that need to be addressed.”
‘I know the dealings are already done’
Adams Wilkins said it’s not sovereign to have Canadian data stored by an American company, even if the data centre is on Canadian soil.
“The data centre can be viewed as a shell and what’s inside — for computers and systems and all of that — is based on the customer. If it’s a U.S-based company, pick them, Microsoft, Meta… they’ll dictate what they want,” Wilkins said.
“If it’s a Canadian company but all the investors are American, is that Canadian?”
Wilkins said he doesn’t know all the motivations behind the building of AI data centres, but sees how people are jumping on the bandwagon. He said no one in Lorneville will benefit. Wilkins said he also wonders about the effects the noise, light, and pollution will have on Lorneville.
“When it comes down to it, how many people from our little village will actually be employed there and benefit, compared to hundreds of acres of mature forest and old growth forest…nothing is going to outweigh that.”
The Atlantic Canada Climate Network (ACCN) is putting its support behind Lorneville and its residents, too. It has created this petition asking New Brunswick to halt the conversion of Lorneville into a heavy industrial use park.
The ACCN also has this petition urging the province to designate 870 acres in Lorneville for conservation.
Wilkins said he’d like to take Ough and Shovlin on a hike through the land where the data centre will be located. Members of Save Lorneville took New Brunswick’s Minister of Natural Resources John Herron on a hike through the community’s forest in July, before the community knew about the data centre.
Wilkins said he also wants to get more information on the power and water usage and what the data centre will do to the community.
Save Lorneville still has the judicial review about the rezoning, and Wilkins said he and other residents will continue to meet with environmental groups to learn all they can.
“I know the dealings are already done,” Wilkins said. “These things don’t happen without years of planning and backroom deals…everyone is tied to this big system. It’s just optics.”
*A previous version of this story had an incorrect surname for Leah Alexander.
N.B. Power needs gas plant approval before April 2, or the deal may be off
‘Urgent shortage’ of turbines gives U.S. company incentive to cancel agreement, and get paid more elsewhere
N.B. Power is warning that the U.S. company it hired to build and run a billion-dollar gas plant could walk away in April — a move that would set the project back years, and possibly lead to power shortages in the province.
N.B. Power’s top financial officer said that ProEnergy has an ‘economic incentive’ to abandon the Tantramar gas plant deal if a regulatory deadline is not met.
In a statement submitted to the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board, N.B. Power Chief Financial Officer Justin Urquhart asked the board to help the utility meet a deadline in its contract with ProEnergy by moving up the hearing on the project.
The hearing is now scheduled for Feb. 9 to 13, 2026.
Cancellation could mean energy shortfalls, says N.B. Power
The contract with ProEnergy was signed on July 2, 2025, and includes a condition that gives N.B. Power nine months – until April 2, 2026 – to get Energy and Utilities Board approval.
Otherwise, ProEnergy has the right to pull out of the deal. That would leave N.B. Power back at square one in its procurement process, and facing higher costs and years-long delays, if the utility tries again to build a similar project.
N.B. Power has warned the gas plant is needed to prevent a power capacity shortage it predicts could come by winter 2028. In an email, utility spokesperson Elizabeth Fraser said the gas plant is the “most optimal solution,” to tackle the potential shortage.
“If we were to start over, ... it's likely we wouldn't be able to deliver a solution until 2031, leaving the potential for generation shortfalls between 2028-2032,” Fraser wrote.
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton, whose riding is home to the proposed site for the gas plant, said she wants N.B. Power to consider other solutions.
“I actually would like for this contract to fall through,” said Mitton. “And N.B. Power can pursue a different pathway– renewable energy and storage and energy efficiency–and really throw everything at that.”
N.B. Power asked for extension
Urquhart said the utility tried to negotiate a deadline extension with ProEnergy, but the company drove too hard a bargain, with commercial terms “not acceptable to N.B. Power.”
Urquhart said there’s an “urgent shortage” of combustion turbine engines like the ones ProEnergy plans to install and run in rural Tantramar. That means new projects could face “at least a 20 per cent increase in costs as compared to projects already in the production queue.” He also warned that new projects could see a “lead time of approximately 5 to 6 years or more.”
“Economic leverage has shifted entirely to suppliers,” wrote Urquhart, “with project cancellations becoming opportunities to repurpose units at higher prices.”
Attempt to avoid review contributed to delay
The time crunch N.B. Power is currently facing is in part a result of one of its early decisions, said Mitton.
“One of the reasons that they're running out of time is that they tried to avoid going to the [board] in the first place,” said Mitton.
Shortly after signing its contract with ProEnergy in July, N.B. Power asked the board to exempt the agreement from review, arguing it was actually not in the jurisdiction of the board.
Nearly three months later in mid-October, that argument was rejected by the board, and N.B. Power was left to begin the review process with its regulator.
Site change already contributed to cost increase
The total cost of the 25-year agreement with ProEnergy is unknown, but is already higher than N.B. Power originally anticipated, according to new evidence the utility has submitted to the Energy and Utilities board.
“The negotiating process took longer than was assumed,” reads the N.B. Power document, citing the change in proposed locations for the plant, and discussions over the scope of the work.
N.B. Power originally told reporters it was working on a site in the Scoudouc Industrial Park for the ten turbine gas plant, but then changed its mind in February 2025 in favour of Centre Village, in rural Tantramar.
The “protracted negotiations led to cost increases due to supply chain pressures on aeroderivative combustion turbine units,” reads the N.B. Power document.
P.E.I. utility and ‘third party’ also affected
A potential cancellation of N.B. Power’s contract with ProEnergy could cause issues for others related to the project.
In its filings, N.B. Power said it is negotiating a deal with a third party in the Maritimes to buy 100MW of generating capacity in addition to the original 400MW the utility said it needs from the new gas plant.
It also says the “expansion opportunity” will reduce overall costs for N.B. Power ratepayers, because it can charge the third party a premium for the extra power.
It’s not clear who the third party is, and N.B. Power said it has yet to sign a proposed 10-year agreement for the 100MW expansion.
According to documents filed by P.E.I.’s Maritime Electric, the Island utility is not looking to expand the electricity it imports from New Brunswick, but it is hoping to piggyback on the deal N.B. Power is striking with ProEnergy.
Maritime Electric is seeking permission from its regulator to spend $334 million to install two of the U.S. company’s aeroderivative gas turbines on the Island.
In Nova Scotia, the new independent body responsible for managing the province’s grid has issued a request for expressions of interest for “fast acting natural gas generation”. In an emailed statement, the grid operator said it can’t confirm whether it is also pursuing agreements to buy additional power from N.B. Power.
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Equipment failure thwarts N.B. power plant from resuming production
Point Lepreau expected back online earlier this week in advance of cold snap
As frigid temperatures approach New Brunswick, the troubled Point Lepreau nuclear generating station missed its expected return-to-service date earlier this week.
According to N.B. Power, an attempt to reconnect Lepreau to the electrical grid following an extended maintenance outage was scuttled by an equipment failure.
"Start up is a complex stage of the return to service," N.B. Power spokesperson Elizabeth Fraser wrote in an email about why Lepreau remains offline
"During an early sync to the grid, we ran into challenges on the non-nuclear side of the station with a bearing that is being replaced now."
Lepreau has been down since mid-July for what was supposed to be a 140-day maintenance outage.
The outage was timed to end early this week before the start of New Brunswick's peak heating season.
Point Lepreau still down for maintenance as temperatures dropLepreau is New Brunswick's most important generating plant and when running is the lowest-cost facility N.B. Power operates.
According to the utility, replacing its output with other sources of electricity costs between $1 million and $4 million per day, with the highest of those prices occurring during cold snaps.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has been forecasting temperatures across New Brunswick to plunge well below freezing later this week, likely adding millions of dollars to the cost of Lepreau's delayed return.
On Wednesday, N.B. Power's Coleson Cove generating station was burning oil to generate power to meet some of the demand normally supplied by Lepreau.
In her email, Fraser said other than the current problem reconnecting Lepreau to the electrical grid, the 20-week shutdown went well with 23,000 individual tasks "completed successfully."
N.B. Power is in the midst of a multi-year effort to upgrade aging components at the nuclear plant in the hopes of fixing chronic reliability problems.
Earlier this year, Duncan Hawthorne, a former nuclear executive with Bruce Power in Ontario who is among a group reviewing the future of N.B. Power for the Holt government, called Lepreau "the poorest-performing nuclear plant in North America."
Since returning from refurbishment in 2012, Lepreau has been offline for more than 1,240 days for a variety of expected and unexpected maintenance issues.
That is 790 more days offline than were originally projected for the renovated plant after 14 years.
Fraser was unable to give a specific date for when Lepreau might be back online, only saying it would be "later in December."
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Subject: I just called
To: <nathan.ough@voltagrid.com>, <david.bell@voltagrid.com>, <Micah.Foster@voltagrid.com>, <brad.kaufman@voltagrid.com>
Cc: Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>
N.B. Power wants flexibility from power-hungry data centres
Utility says plants can ease pressure on grid by shutting down during peak demand periods
N.B. Power says it’s not alarmed by the electricity needs of a proposed data centre in the Lorneville area of Saint John but will be looking for flexibility from such plants on their consumption.
A senior executive at the Crown utility also says there is no link between the proposed 400-megawatt natural gas plant it wants to see built in Tantramar and the data centre’s need for 190 megawatts.
“It wasn't anything to do with our planning around the gas plant,” Brad Coady, N.B. Power's chief commercial officer, said in an interview.
“In fact, if you rewind back the record, we were thinking about the gas plant long before I ever heard of any of these data centres that have been in media lately.”
Tantramar Green Party MLA Megan Mitton has alleged a link between the controversial plan for the gas plant, to be built by U.S.-based ProEnergy, and the data centre, a partnership between two U.S. companies, VoltaGrid and Beacon AI.
“It makes you wonder if this additional demand is why N.B. Power has invited a different American Trump donor’s company to burn fracked gas in Tantramar by 2028,” Mitton said in the legislature earlier this month.
The data centre would store data for artificial intelligence services, websites, apps and other operations.
Proponents say it would use 190 megawatts from its own on-site natural gas generation and 190 megawatts to come from N.B. Power — the latter the equivalent of about half what the utility would get from the gas plant.
N.B. Power said when it announced the gas plant that it was needed to head off a potential electricity shortfall three years from now due to population and economic growth.
Utility officials told a legislative committee in 2023 that the previous winter they faced an all-time peak demand for electricity that they came perilously close to not being able to meet.
N.B. Power seeks flexibility from data centres on electricity demandCoady told CBC News that N.B. Power’s “modest growth” forecast for demand, its likeliest scenario, anticipates “fairly stable, fairly flat, low growth” of less than one per cent a year.
He said the utility will want agreements with data centres that would have them shut down, or rely exclusively on their own on-site power generation or battery storage, during peak demand periods.
“We're really leaning in to say, ‘Can we do flexible arrangements with these types of customers in a way that makes sense for New Brunswick?’” he said.
“If the answer is yes, then we have a pathway ahead. If the answer is no, maybe it's a check and adjustment, and further conversations need to be had.”
Volta Grid CEO Nathan Ough told CBC News the Lorneville data centre’s on-site gas generation could even feed electricity back to the grid when there’s a peak in demand.
“Don’t view data centres as this kind of demand hog,” Ough told CBC News.
“Now data centres are no longer a pure demand source. They’re a demand-slash-supply source.”
Coady said that scenario is plausible, “but would require careful co-ordination to orchestrate.”
Green Party Leader David Coon says N.B. Power’s forecast of low load growth is at odds with its rationale for the gas plant.
“What they’re saying is contradictory because they keep telling us we desperately need this gas plant in Tantramar because the lights are going to go out on the next cold day by 2028. So it doesn’t line up.”
He is calling for a new process that would require data centre proposals to get approval from the provincial government and N.B. Power based on their electricity consumption, separate from the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board's setting of power rates for a large industrial plant.
A new report released Tuesday by the North American Electrical Reliability Corporation, a continental regulator that assesses if utilities can meet demand, said that the Maritimes are the only region in Canada where there’s a risk of a shortfall.
The region’s “reserve margin” of electricity is below what the Electrical Reliability Corporation considers a level necessary to meet peak demand in extreme conditions, such as winter storms.
The report expects peak demand to be slightly lower this winter than last winter, but says it’s still enough to pose a risk given the low reserve margin.
The report also identifies data centres as driving a growing demand for electricity in North America, though it doesn’t have specific numbers for New Brunswick or the Maritimes.
Under the provincial Electricity Act, N.B. Power is obligated to provide power to any industrial facility setting up in the province.
The Progressive Conservative government of Blaine Higgs passed legislation two years ago to exempt crypto mines from that requirement because of the huge amount of electricity they consume.
There’s no plan to do the same with data centres, Liberal Energy Minister René Legacy said recently.
Coady said N.B. Power was alarmed by the sudden rush to set up crypto mines in the province in 2022 and 2023 because such plants can be transient — setting up quickly and requiring costly new N.B. Power generation, only to potentially leave again after a short time.
“The crypto world that that we faced back when the prohibition was put in place is much different than the data centres,” Coady said.
“They may seem related, but they're completely different in terms of investment and stability.”
He said with the need to raise power rates to address N.B. Power’s debt, data centres can “spread our costs over more kilowatt hours so it actually lowers the rates or takes pressure off rates for all. That's the golden opportunity.”
Ough said the utility would refuse to service the data centre if it were going to create problems for the overall supply of electricity.
“That’s just how the world works,” he said.
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Proposed data centre would need almost half of Tantramar gas plant’s power
‘Zero link’ between projects, CEO says; Green MLA calls situation ‘backwards in so many ways.”
Lorneville data centre would have huge electricity appetiteA proposed data centre in the Lorneville area of Saint John would gobble up the equivalent of almost half the electricity N.B. Power will get from a controversial natural gas plant in the Tantramar area.
That number, volunteered by one of the partner companies promoting the data centre, is raising new questions about N.B. Power’s ability to meet electricity demand and the impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
“It’s huge,” Green Party leader David Coon said of the comment by Volta Grid CEO, Nathan Ough, that he and his partners expect to use 190 megawatts of electricity from N.B. Power starting in 2028.
“It looks like they’ll be drawing from, if it goes ahead, the new gas plant in Tantramar,” Coon said.
“That’s a lot of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.”
Ough told Lorneville residents at a public meeting that the data centre, which will house a large number of computers for data storage, artificial intelligence processing, server hosting and other uses, would consume about 380 megawatts of power.
He said half would come from the company’s own natural gas generation onsite, and half would come from the N.B. Power grid.
Even 190 megawatts is a large amount for N.B. Power, which says it needs 400 megawatts from the Tantramar natural gas plant to avoid a potential shortfall of electricity due to population growth as early as 2028.
Lorneville data centre would have huge electricity appetiteProEnergy, the U.S. company that would build the gas plant, is seeking approval for 500 megawatts of generation, but says only 400 will be for N.B. Power and the rest will be installed if other buyers are identified.
The plan has provoked strong opposition from many Tantramar residents as well as environmentalists and conservation groups.
N.B. Power says the plant will contribute to a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions because it will run only when it’s needed to back up new renewable power such as wind turbines when they’re not generating.
But Coon questions whether that intermittent use of the gas plant will be enough once the Lorneville data centre is operating.
Energy Minister, René Legacy, said the ongoing review of N.B. Power will examine how it should respond to demands for electricity from potential data centres proposals in the future.
Ough said there is “zero link” between Volta Grid’s project and the Tantramar plant.
“They are mutually exclusive to each other and are not connected,” he wrote in an email.
Ough also told CBC News Monday that because the data centre would have its own power generation, it should not be seen as a “demand hog,” but as a project that could contribute electricity back onto the grid during periods of peak demand.
Such data centres “are amazing assets for the grid.”
Data centres as economic opportunities for N.B.
Two years ago the Higgs government banned N.B. Power from selling electricity to crypto mines, which also use large amounts of power for thousands of computers that run around the clock to earn units of virtual currency.
Hive Digital Technologies, a crypto mine that opened in Grand Falls before the ban, recently bought new land to add a data centre to its operations.
The company told CBC News the expansion won’t require more electricity than the current 70 megawatts the crypto mine uses.
The company “intends to use its existing power agreements,” said director of marketing Nathan Fast.
Legacy argued data centres are different from crypto mines and represent an economic development opportunity for the province, and an important tool Canada can use to promote “data sovereignty,” ensuring the country’s digital information isn’t stored in the United States.
“We can’t just close the province to new commerce, to new industry, to growth. We’re going to need this.”
'Backwards in so many ways'
At last week’s public meeting, the CEO of Volta Grid’s partner company, Joseph Shovlin of Beacon AI, said they have a plan if N.B. Power won’t or can’t supply power to the data centre.
“This gentleman here will provide the power and we’ll be totally disconnected,” he said, pointing to Ough.
It wasn’t clear where Volta Grid would find the other 190 megawatts. Ough said Monday the company would “likely not” install more natural gas generation of its own.
Coon says either way, the data centre “is going to be fed by gas and that’s going to blow our ability to meet our carbon targets out of the water.”
Green MLA Megan Mitton, who represents Tantramar, called the situation “backwards in so many ways.”
N.B. Power would not answer specifically whether the Tantramar plant can meet both the demand from the data centre and from population growth.
“It is our responsibility at N.B. Power to ensure the electrical grid is reliable not only for today but for generations to come,” spokesperson Elizabeth Fraser said in an email.
“Our goal is to maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient power system, which includes increasing the amount of renewable energy onto the grid.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Saint John residents turn data centre open house into town hall to question proponents
Residents came with questions, asked for commitments from companies
Residents of a rural Saint John community grilled two company co-founders proposing a data centre for a recently expanded industrial park near their neighbourhood.
The proposal comes from Calgary-based Beacon AI Centers and Volta Grid, based in Texas, who plan to build the data centre on a 120-hectare parcel in the Spruce Lake Industrial Park, approved for expansion in July despite significant pushback from the community.
- Spruce Lake vote delayed again after opponents wrap up concerns about expansion plan
- Overflow crowd pours out worries to Saint John council about Spruce Lake plan
Data centres are facilities with massive computer servers that store and process vast amounts of data for companies, governments and cloud platforms. They power much of the internet — running websites, apps and AI systems like Google’s Gemini and ChatGPT.
Nathan Ough and Joseph Shovlin, VoltaGrid and Beacon AI’s respective co-founders, held an information session Wednesday night.
It was intended to be an informal open house to allow Lorneville residents to ask questions at their local community centre. An hour into the session, residents set up rows of chairs, turning it into a two-hour “townhall.”
The two co-founders fielded questions from a room packed with over 100 people — nearly all of whom don't want the project move forward.
Residents asked about how much water the project will use, the size of the building, noise and what contingency plans are in place should anything happen to residential drinking wells. The company heads were not able to answer some of the posed questions.
Ian MacKinnon, Saint John Industrial Park’s director, attended the session, as did Green Party Leader David Coon. No city councillors were present.
Unanswered questions about promised 'economic driver'
Ough spoke to reporters and to the community about common criticisms about data centres, including their drain on power grids and that they don’t meaningfully provide long-term, permanent jobs beyond construction.
He said the project will be a “gargantuan economic driver” that would bring over 200 permanent, full-time jobs.
It will be fueled by an on-site, natural-gas generating system. This, according to Ough, “will generate about half of the power consumption of the data centre, really mitigating any grid disruption risks.” He also said the facility will consume nearly zero water.
Residents said this doesn’t square with the promise that came with expansion: that it would only be open to non-emitting projects. Ough said the plant would use what he called a “reactive catalyst” that would essentially eliminate pollutants.
“We're committing to 98 per cent emissions abatement on the site, which would be the cleanest burning natural gas power plant in Canada,” he said.
Residents don’t believe the data centre can operate without consuming a large amount of water. Community leader Leah Alexander challenged MacKinnon on emissions.
“Ian, can you speak to how many times we were promised ‘no smokestacks’ by city staff and council,” Alexander asked.
MacKinnon said he could not speak to the question.
Ough and Shovlin said the data centre will use what's called a “closed-loop system” — a cooling system that needs liquid, which would manage the heat caused by equipment in the data centre.
Neither could say how much water this loop would use, but said they would provide the information as part of the environmental impact assessment process.
Many asked: what's in this for Lorneville?
Community benefits were discussed during the public hearing process before council, but there are currently no clear ideas on what these will be. Ough said he would like to give something back.
“We're going to be the best possible citizens for this project,” he said.
Community members brought up various potential benefits. Some mentioned compensation to the community. Many attendees said that any benefit should go specifically to Lorneville and its residents.
Shovlin asked what residents consider fair community compensation. The two were not given a figure, with some saying the best compensation would be for the project to not go forward.
“I think the fair amount is our wetland intact and our ancient 400-year-old trees left standing,” Alexander said to applause.
“You can't replace these. You can't replace our quality of life. You can't replace the use of hiking trails and quiet oceanside community. You will not replace that."
Community will fight 'every step' of the process
The expansion’s Environmental Impact Assessment was approved in August, giving it the full green light. The industrial parks group said at the time that it would be forming a new liaison committee to engage with the community.
The group met once in August but have not had a meeting since. MacKinnon said this is because he couldn’t reveal details of any coming projects in that time.
Community members asked for other commitments as well, including a 30-day community review of the EIA, so the community can have independent experts review the results and give them time to respond, Alexander said.
Shovlin said the companies will “work within the statutory parameters, whatever they are.” He also said he's “not saying no” and would revisit the issue.
Alexander also asked if the proponents would commit to a 30-metre buffer between the development and wetlands and watercourse. The regulations for the site only mandate a 15-metre buffer and permits for anything closer.
Ough said he would not just "make commitments."
"That's not how I work,” he said.
“What I promised myself when I came up here was not to feed you bullshit and to give the truth of what I can and cannot do. What I can't do is say yes or no right now.”
But Ough said the two companies would interact with Lorneville residents through the process.
“We should also be honest. We’re going to fight you every step of this process,” Alexander said.
Ough said there are no plans to expand the data centre in the future.
Alexander, speaking with reporters after the session, said she was happy that Ough and Shovlin were open to answering questions.
“We still feel like there's a lot of details that we're missing, just like basic answers to questions like the size of the footprint of the project, how many buildings are in the project,” she said.
“Those things that we thought would be kind of simple answers that there's still no definitive numbers on — just a lot of questions that are still unanswered at this point.”
Ough said he felt positive about the outcome, calling it “time well spent.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Overflow crowd pours out worries to Saint John council about Spruce Lake plan
After 5 often emotional hours, hearing on industrial park expansion is adjourned until next Tuesday
Saint John council had to delay its vote on a controversial plan to expand the Spruce Lake Industrial Park after residents spoke for five hours against it Monday night, many expressing anger and some on the verge of tears.
Close to 100 people filled the council chamber and spilled into the lobby as residents of the rural Lorneville community in the southwestern part of the city got to address councillors for the first time since the proposed expansion was announced nearly a year ago.
Twenty-nine people spoke on the rezoning required for the project before the hearing was adjourned at 11 p.m.
"Thankfully, community members stepped up, not just people from Lorneville and not just people from Saint John," said Adam Wilkins, one of the leaders of the residents' opposition.
The hearing will continue next Tuesday, when councillors will hear from more opponents and from supporters.
The city announced its plan to expand the industrial park last July and said the site's municipal designation would have to change to "employment and heavy industry" to allow development.
After nearly a year of opposition from the community and meetings of a task force set up in response, the city updated the proposal to say the development area will primarily be used for "medium" and "light" industry, with a focus on green sectors.
Zoning provisions would ban emitters and several types of operations, including scrapyards and pulp mills. Other industrial uses that would fall under "heavy industry" would require a risk assessment.
These changes did not quell opposition, however, with residents saying heavy industrial operations would still be allowed and there were no hints as to what industry might go there and when.
In the week before the hearing Monday, staff said, they received more than 200 letters, most against the project. One was from John Williamson, MP for Saint John-St. Croix, which includes the community. He urged councillors to vote down the proposal.
Environmental impact a key worry
Residents spoke about the history of the community and the development it's already accepted since becoming part of Saint John. They had a variety of concerns about Spruce Lake plan, including wetland loss, long-term community impacts and the fear future councils might reduce protections.
"What happens to the next council and the next council and the next council that degrades any type of protections that you put in and hollow any type of securities that you put in," said Ashley Anthony of the Climate Action SJ advocacy group.
Community member Leah Alexander and other speakers also rejected city staff allegations of NIMBYism, or not in my backyard.
"We're not complaining about shade from an apartment complex or increased noise from a new splash pad or fumes from a parking lot," Alexander said.
"We are not fighting for our backyards. We are standing up for the hundreds of creatures and living things that call this ecosystem home."
Staff reports say pushback stems from misinterpreting and misunderstanding the language in the city's municipal plan and zoning bylaw. Residents say heavy industry should be 1½ kilometres away from neighbourhoods, according to the municipal plan, while staff say these buffer guidelines were created with larger operations in mind.
But this is not explicitly stated in the municipal plan, said opponent Sherri Colwell-McCavour.
"If this policy and distance was not meant to include all potential heavy industry, then the onus for understanding is not on the reader of said document, but it's on the author of that document."
The meeting's temperature took a notable spike when Anthony urged the politicians to "lead with their hearts" and "not make narrow-minded decisions," saying the community is "screaming" for councillors to protect them.
"And you guys aren't doing your job," she said.
"We just need a couple of you to exercise that moral value and to stand with the people here who care about that environment. Just because you don't see it every day, and because it's out of sight and out of mind for you, doesn't mean that it's out of sight and out of mind for them."
Mayor Donna Reardon interrupted Anthony at the 10-minute limit placed on each speaker and said her statements were "quite the judgment" on council. Coun. Brent Harris said, without turning on his mic, that the comments weren't productive.
Anthony and Harris got into a brief testy, largely indiscernible exchange as people in the audience reacted angrily to the councillor. City hall security guards tried to intervene and Anthony ended her address.
City highlights uncertain economic future
Representatives of the city and the business group, Saint John Industrial Parks, emphasized a need for the park expansion in their presentation of the plan to council. The need comes from what presenters described as an uncertain economic future for the province, including a low projected growth in GDP in the coming year and Saint John's position as the most tariff-exposed city in the country.
Ian MacKinnon, who heads Saint John Industrial Parks, said that without the available land the city won't be able to accommodate new businesses.
MacKinnon said he couldn't name interested businesses because of non-disclosure agreements but two companies allowed him to disclose some information. MacKinnon said the city received two "letters of intent "in April: one to build a data centre and another for a "green manufacturing project."
He said these would both be $1 billion projects. The data centre would bring 150 jobs and the green manufacturing project would create 70. At the peak of construction, the two businesses would employ more than 700.
The two together would increase the city's property tax base by at least $170 million, he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From: <info@beaconaicenters.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: RE Deja Vu Anyone?
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Subject: Fwd: RE Deja Vu Anyone?
To: <nathan.ough@voltagrid.com>, <david.bell@voltagrid.com>, <Micah.Foster@voltagrid.com>, <brad.kaufman@voltagrid.com>, <madison@150bond.com>, <info@beaconaicenters.com>, <contact@arcenergyinstitute.com>, premier <premier@gov.ab.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, Yves-Francois.Blanchet <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>, Frank.McKenna <Frank.McKenna@td.com>, <francois-philippe.champagne@parl.gc.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, <suzanne@halifaxexaminer.ca>, news957 <news957@rogers.com>, news <news@chco.tv>, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>
Cc: <nipun.tiwari@cbc.ca>, David.Coon <David.Coon@gnb.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>
A Saint John-born Trump supporter wants to power a data centre in Lorneville, New Brunswick. The community is fighting back
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: RE Deja Vu Anyone?
To: <David.harrison@novascotia.ca>
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Canadian Securities Regulation, 6th Edition
389,00 $
Announcing the much-anticipated release of the sixth edition of Canadian Securities Regulation, the industry’s authoritative resource on the Canadian securities system, covering everything from its historical underpinnings to the practical ramifications of its administration and enforcement.
Features and Benefits
As in past editions, readers of Canadian Securities Regulation, 6th Edition can rely on this volume to provide a comprehensive overview of securities regulation in Canada, including:
- Systematic analysis that offers in-depth coverage of all aspects of securities regulation
- Timely commentary, outlining recent developments in the area and their impact
- Relevant case law that provides a starting a point for discussion and advocacy
- Expert insight into regulatory reform and the likely future path of securities regulation
What’s New In This Edition
- Comprehensive updating of key developments since 2014, particularly legislative developments across Canada and significant Commission and court decisions from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada
- Important developments in Ontario, including the 2021 bifurcation of the Ontario Securities Commission and the establishment of the Ontario Capital Markets Tribunal, as well as the issuance of the 2021 Ontario Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce’s Final Report
- Significant enforcement-related legislative developments, such as cooperation for credit, whistleblower policies and statutory reciprocation orders across Canada
- Discussion of new subject matter, including:
- Crypto-asset matters, artificial intelligence, social media, the CSA Financial Innovation Hub, high-frequency trading, and general financial technology (FinTech) issues
- SEDAR+, the Access Model for prospectus delivery, and other effects of technology to improve efficiency and access
- The COVID-19 Pandemic, including the increased reliance of Commissions on remote hearings and electronic documents
- The 2016 amendments to take-over bid legislation, as well as important decisions under the new regime, including decisions on shareholder rights plans
- The significance and effect of enforcement reforms in British Columbia, including Administrative Penalties Imposed by Notice (APINs)
- The public interest jurisdiction and the differing approaches taken by the various Commissions
- Improvements to existing chapters, including:
- Integration of content from the former Chapter 21 “Outstanding Issues” into other chapters, and reworking the structures of Chapter 4 “Machinery” and Chapter 14 “Enforcement” to better align the material within those topics
- Revisions to Chapter 16 “Investment Funds” to address expansion of the Client Relationship Model (CRM2) and Total Cost Reporting (TCR), as well as the recent order-execution only (OEO) ban
- Expanded focus in Chapter 18 “Corporate Governance” on sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues
- Additional focus on statutory civil liability issues in Chapter 12, including developments in certification and Ontario’s 2020 Class Proceedings Act amendments
- Incorporating the 2021 Client Focused Reforms into Chapter 13 “Registration”
Who Should Read This Book
This volume is a useful resource for anyone interested in gaining a
deeper understanding of this complex area of law, including:
- Corporate and securities lawyers
- In-house counsel
- Securities regulators and government
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| Publisher | LexisNexis |
| Publication Date | June 2025 |
| ISBN | 9780433524236 |
| Number of pages | 1230 |
| Format | |
| Binding | Hardcover |
| Product Code | 338.657.25 |
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The Right Honourable David Johnston, P.C., C.C. The Right Honourable David Johnston was Canada’s 28th governor general. During his mandate, he established the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF), a registered charity that supports and amplifies the Office of the Governor General in its work to connect, honour and inspire Canadians. Today, he is actively involved as Chair of the RHF Board of Directors. In 2018, he was appointed Colonel to the Royal Canadian Regiment. Prior to his installation as governor general, Mr. Johnston was a professor of law for 45 years, and served as President of the University of Waterloo for two terms, Principal of McGill University for 3 terms. He was president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and of the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 books, including, most recently, the Canadian Securities Regulation, 6th Edition.
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The Honourable Tim Hodgson, P.C., M.P. The Honourable Tim Hodgson brings a wealth of experience in finance, public service, and leadership to his role as Member of Parliament for Markham–Thornhill and as Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Born in Winnipeg and raised in a Canadian Armed Forces family, Minister Hodgson grew up moving from coast to coast, gaining a deep appreciation for the country’s diversity and the values that connect Canadians. After completing his MBA at Western University’s Ivey Business School, Minister Hodgson went on to a successful global career in finance. He spent two decades with Goldman Sachs in senior leadership roles across New York, London, Silicon Valley, and Toronto, eventually serving as CEO of Goldman Sachs Canada. He later served as a special adviser at the Bank of Canada, working alongside then-Governor Mark Carney to help navigate global economic uncertainty. He also has experience working in the private sector in both clean and conventional energy, across several provinces.
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Stan Magidson, KC Mr. Magidson is Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ASC and possesses extensive experience in corporate governance and securities law and regulation. Before joining the ASC in July 2016, he was President, CEO and director of the Institute of Corporate Directors and Chair of the Global Network of Director Institutes. Prior, Mr. Magidson was a partner for 21 years with a national law firm in the business law group where he advised corporate issuers, investors, financial intermediaries and boards of directors across the country on securities law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters. Mr. Magidson currently serves as Chair of the CSA. The CSA, the council of securities regulators of Canada's provinces and territories, co-ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. Mr. Magidson also currently serves on the international board of the Weizmann Institute of Science and the board of Weizmann Canada. Mr. Magidson holds an LLM in Corporate Law from New York University and an LLB from the University of Ottawa. |
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Cynthia J. Campbell Cynthia Campbell leads the Enforcement division of the ASC, which is responsible for discovering, investigating and prosecuting breaches of Alberta securities laws. Through vigorous enforcement action and collaboration with the ASC’s compliance departments, other securities regulators and Canadian and foreign police forces, the Enforcement division seeks to foster investor confidence and promote the integrity of Alberta’s capital market, thereby protecting the investing public. In 2016, the ASC launched a Joint Serious Offences Team with the RCMP, to investigate and prosecute the most serious securities offenders. Prior to joining the ASC, Ms. Campbell served as Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Administrative Law at Alberta Health Services as well as worked for the Calgary Police Service, providing legal advice on police training, criminal procedure and Charter issues. After receiving her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Ottawa, Ms. Campbell clerked for the Honourable Mr. Justice J.C. Major at the Supreme Court of Canada in 1997-98.
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Ryan Clements Ryan Clements leads the ARKM division’s work on data governance and analytics, knowledge management, ASC education programs, research into risks that require regulatory responses, and technology testing in capital markets. He currently chairs the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) Financial Innovation Hub. Previously, Dr. Clements was an Assistant Professor and Chair in Business Law and Regulation at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law. He also advised governments on fintech, crypto and securities matters, and served on advisory boards for public and private fintech ventures. Dr. Clements holds a Doctorate in Juridical Science (SJD), and a Master of Laws (LLM), Magna Cum Laude, from Duke University Law School. He also received a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with Distinction, and Bachelor of Arts Honors in Economics (First Class) from the University of Alberta. He is called to the bar in both Ontario and Alberta.
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Steve Everett Steve Everett brings over 16 years of experience spearheading and advocating for change within the post-trade and global market infrastructure landscape. With a strong track record of success leading innovative, market-driven, and client-centric transformations across TradeFI and Digital domains in diverse international markets, Mr. Everett’s expertise lies in fostering innovation as a cornerstone of client-driven ecosystems. As Chief Commercial Officer for CDS and leading TMX's Post Trade Innovation, Steve is focused on delivering effective market solutions. This includes expanding Canada's pioneering Triparty Collateral Service, in collaboration with Clearstream, and implementing a range of market-driven initiatives and innovative digital solutions across the post-trade sector.
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Mark Fitzgerald Mark Fitzgerald served as President and CEO of PETRONAS Canada from October 2024 until his retirement on September 30, 2025. With over 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Mark has held senior executive roles spanning production, development, operations, strategy, and corporate development. Mark is a former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and a past member of the Board of Directors for the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS). He returned to the STARS Board as a member effective Fall 2025. He is also a founding Board member of Classroom Champions and previously served on the Board of the Edge School Foundation. Currently, Mark serves on the Board of Directors for both the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Calgary Counselling Centre, continuing his commitment to community leadership and advocacy.
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Bilal Hammoud CEO, NDAX Bilal Hammoud is a Canadian tech entrepreneur and crypto industry leader. As CEO & Founder of NDAX, one of Canada's largest cryptocurrency trading platforms, Bilal spearheads pioneering the crypto industry daily with over a decade of expertise in finance, engineering, digital assets and blockchain. With a global ambition and mindset driven to innovate the digital asset sector, Bilal's mission is to offer a premium experience for all investors and assure a seamless and secure crypto experience for everyone.
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Hilary McMeekin Hilary McMeekin leads the Communications & Investor Education team at the ASC. She works with a dynamic team that are dedicated to helping inform and empower investors, in addition to providing strategic communications counsel and support to all areas of the ASC. Ms. McMeekin is a senior communications practitioner with over 30 years of experience in a variety of sectors and disciplines. Her goal is always to work collaboratively to build, implement and support effective internal and external communications and engagement programs that strengthen and promote an organization’s reputation. Ms. McMeekin’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies and Business from the University of Calgary, a two-year specialty diploma in Public Relations from Mount Royal University, the Canadian Securities Course and professional coaching certification.
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Andy Mitchell President & CEO, Securities and Investment Management Association (SIMA) Andy Mitchell joined SIMA in January 2023 as President and CEO. He has worked in the financial services sector for more than 30 years and has broad investment industry and leadership experience. Before joining SIMA, Andy was Managing Director and Head of Asset Management Distribution for SEI Investments Canada. Prior to joining SEI, he was President and COO of Worldsource Financial Management, a leading independent advisor network. As the president of Performa Financial Group, a division of Standard Life Canada, he played a principal role in the development of their advisor distribution network. He has also held senior leadership roles at Guardian Capital Group Limited and Bank of America Canada. Andy has an MBA from Dalhousie University, is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers, and holds his Responsible Investment Specialist designation.
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Mark Parsons Mark leads a dynamic team focused on providing insightful commentary and strategic economic outlooks. He brings over two decades of senior economic and leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. A trusted authority in the field, Mark is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and a regular contributor to media discussions on economic trends. He holds his Master's degree in Economics from the University of Alberta and serves on the board of directors at Nordiq Canada.
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Kathleen Doyle Rockwell
Kathleen Doyle Rockwell, K.C., is the co-author of several editions of the leading text, Canadian Securities Regulation, including the most recent sixth edition published in June 2025. She has a B.Comm (Honours) and a J.D. from the University of British Columbia and an LL.M. (Dean’s Honours List) from McGill University, specializing in international business law. Kathleen clerked at the Supreme Court of British Columbia and worked for several years as Legal Counsel at the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. She has also practised securities law with a major Canadian law firm, taught securities law at the University of Calgary, and volunteered for many years with the CBA (Alberta) Legislative Review Committee. For over twenty years, she has been with the Alberta Securities Commission and is currently Senior Special Counsel to the Vice-Chairs.
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Samir Sabharwal
Samir Sabharwal has been the Executive Director of the ASC since April 2023. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Mr. Sabharwal was General Counsel for approximately five years. Mr. Sabharwal began with the ASC as Litigation Counsel in the Enforcement division, and subsequently worked in the Office of the General Counsel first as Legal Counsel and then the Associate General Counsel. Before joining the ASC, Mr. Sabharwal was Legal Counsel at the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (now, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario), where he provided legal advice on issues related to the regulation of the financial services sector, including the development of enforcement policies and the amendment of statutes and regulations. Mr. Sabharwal obtained a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario.
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Peter Tertzakian Peter Tertzakian is an energy economist, author, entrepreneur and podcaster with more than 35 years of experience in the business of energy — from oil and gas to renewables. Known for delivering presentations that spark discussion on some of today’s most important topics, he is frequently called on to share his knowledge of strategic issues with investors, corporate leaders, policymakers and educators around the world. A respected industry leader, Mr. Tertzakian is the founder of the ARC Energy Research Institute. In 2020, he launched Energyphile, a research-based project exploring energy’s past, present and future. And, in 2023, he founded Studio.Energy, an initiative dedicated to mentoring the next generation of leaders to address the world’s complex energy challenges. He currently sits on the board of the National Gallery Foundation in Ottawa. Mr. Tertzakian is also a storyteller at heart, using a creative approach to distil, clarify and communicate complicated issues regarding energy, economics and the environment. He’s written two international bestsellers — “A Thousand Barrels a Second” and “The End of Energy Obesity.” His most recent book, “The Investor Visit and Other Stories,” is a collection of creative non-fiction stories exploring how our energy past can help us navigate our energy future. Mr. Tertzakian has an undergraduate degree in Geophysics from the University of Alberta, a graduate degree in Econometrics from the University of Southampton UK and a Master of Science in Management of Technology from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.
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Michael Thom Michael Thom, CFA is the Managing Director for CFA Societies Canada. He leads the strategic direction of CFA Societies Canada and advances the highest professional standards of integrity and ethics for the ultimate benefit of Canadian society. Michael joined CFA Societies Canada following many years of leadership in capital markets and investment management roles. Michael holds an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia, a graduate degree from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, and is both a CFA charterholder and CAIA charterholder.
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Lynn Tsutsumi Lynn Tsutsumi joined the ASC in July 2011 as Director,
Market Regulation. In this role, she is responsible for the Market
Regulation division, which develops and administers rules and policies
relating to infrastructure entities, including exchanges, clearing
agencies, trade repositories, as well as registrants and self-regulatory
organizations.
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Laura Tamblyn Watts Laura Tamblyn Watts is CEO of CanAge, Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization. A lawyer and internationally recognized expert on aging, she teaches law and aging at the University of Toronto. Her #1 international bestseller, Let’s Talk About Aging Parents, has been released in nine languages and twelve countries. Laura provides expert testimony to governments worldwide, from Canada to Australia, and recently shared her insights at the United Nations and the Vatican. She chairs or sits on numerous boards, including the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and AGE WELL. Laura and her husband Michael Tamblyn, CEO of Rakuten Kobo, balance advocacy with raising three children and caring for aging parents.
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Denise Weeres Denise Weeres oversees the regulation of issuers participating in Alberta’s capital market, including corporate issuers and investment funds raising money publicly or privately. This involves the development of rules and policy and the administration of them. Staff make recommendations respecting discretionary exemptions from securities law and engage in oversight of the TSX Venture Exchange. Specialized teams focus on priority issues such as energy and environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure; oil and gas reserves/resource disclosure; systemic risk and market intelligence; and support the ASC’s cross-divisional innovation team to explore ways to improve capital formation in Alberta through regulatory innovation. Ms. Weeres previously served as General Counsel & Corporate Secretary to a TSX-listed company engaged in oil sands development and upgrading, and she was Manager, Corporate Finance Policy at what is now the TSX Venture Exchange. She holds an LL.B from the University of Alberta.
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Blair Wiley Chief Legal Officer, Wealthsimple Blair Wiley leads Wealthsimple's regulatory innovation strategy. He is also the President and Director of Wealthsimple Investments Inc. (WSII), a registered securities dealer and member of CIR. He oversees Wealthsimple’s participation as a securities dealer, PSP and CTP, including its approval as a direct participant in the RTR. Throughout his career, Blair has served as an advisor, mentor and coach to a wide range of organizations, including Creative Destruction Labs, Web3 Canada and the Ontario Securities Commission. Prior to joining Wealthsimple, Blair was a partner at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP where he co-led the firm's fintech and crypto practice groups. He holds degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and the University of Waterloo, and is a member of the bar of the Law Society of Ontario.
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Deborah Yedlin Deborah Yedlin currently serves as President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. She took on the role of stewarding the 132-year-old organization in July 2021, bringing with her experience in capital markets gained while working on Wall Street and Bay Street, two decades of covering Canadian business as a columnist for various media outlets, and a unique perspective on the role of post-secondary education in society, having just completed a four-year term as Chancellor of the University of Calgary. Since moving to Calgary in 1992, Ms. Yedlin has been very active in the Calgary community, serving on the boards of a number of arts and community organizations. She is currently one of three co-chairs for the $250 million Calgary Cancer Centre fundraising campaign. |
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Subject: Re: RE Deja Vu Anyone?
To: <David.harrison@novascotia.ca>, <roger.sobotkiewicz@gov.sk.ca>, <david.cheop@gov.mb.ca>, <stan.magidson@asc.ca>, <bleong@bcsc.bc.ca>, <fred.pretorius@yukon.ca>, <Yves.Ouellet@lautorite.qc.ca>, <sddowling@gov.pe.ca>, <securities@gov.nu.ca>, <valerie.seager@novascotia.ca>, <securitiesregistry@gov.nt.ca>, <matthew.yap@gov.nt.ca>, <LoyolaPower@gov.nl.ca>, <kevin.hoyt@fcnb.ca>, <enforcement@ciro.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, <GVingoe@osc.gov.on.ca>, <csa-acvm-secretariat@acvm-csa.ca>
Cc: pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, <ps.ministerofpublicsafety-ministredelasecuritepublique.sp@ps-sp.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, don.davies <don.davies@parl.gc.ca>, ragingdissident <ragingdissident@protonmail.com>, <david.mcguinty@parl.gc.ca>, Yves-Francois.Blanchet <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>, Frank.McKenna <Frank.McKenna@td.com>, Sean.Fraser <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, elizabeth.may <elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca>, Michael.Duheme <Michael.Duheme@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, Gord.Johns <Gord.Johns@parl.gc.ca>, francis.scarpaleggia <francis.scarpaleggia@parl.gc.ca>, Chrystia.Freeland <Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca>, <Chris.dEntremont@parl.gc.ca>, <chris@bakesonthings.com>, <jasonlavigne@outlook.com>, jan.jensen <jan.jensen@justice.gc.ca>, Mike.Comeau <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, <ezra@rebelmedia.com>, Shannon.Stubbs <Shannon.Stubbs@parl.gc.ca>, Matt.Jeneroux <Matt.Jeneroux@parl.gc.ca>, lori.idlout <lori.idlout@parl.gc.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, <mike.dawson@parl.gc.ca>, Richard.Bragdon <Richard.Bragdon@parl.gc.ca>, Ginette.PetitpasTaylor <Ginette.PetitpasTaylor@parl.gc.ca>, Wayne.Long <Wayne.Long@parl.gc.ca>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, Serge.Cormier <Serge.Cormier@parl.gc.ca>, <guillaume.deschenes-theriault@parl.gc.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, Jacques.Poitras <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, <adam@adamrodgers.ca>, <paulpalango@eastlink.ca>, <david.myles@parl.gc.ca>, <adam.chambers@parl.gc.ca>, <pbo-dpb@parl.gc.ca>, <Leadership@mfs.com>, washington field <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, <kimc714@mit.edu>, <bobpozen@mit.edu>, ministryofjustice <ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca>, justmin <justmin@gov.ns.ca>, <CrownAdminOttawa@ontario.ca>, <michael.chong@parl.gc.ca>
Fundy Royal campaign targets middle class with focus on jobs
Fundy Royal voters have elected Conservatives all but 1 time in 28 elections over 101 years
CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2015 6:00 AM ADT100 CommentsComment by David Amos.
I must Say I am rather impressed at CBC's sudden fit of Integrity to allow my posts to stand the test of time for a few hours at least. (: Rest assured that I have been saving digital snapshots just in case they delete and block me as usual :)
In return here is an old scoop about CTV that CBC and everybody else and his dog has been ignoring for 11 very long years after I ran in the election of the 38th Parliament against the aptly named lawyer Rob Moore.
http://thedavidamosrant.
blogspot.ca/2013/08/re-bce- and-jean-pierre-blais-of-crtc. html ----- Original Message -----
From: martine.turcotte@bell.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@hotmail.com
Cc: bcecomms@bce.ca ; W-Five@ctv.ca
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 9:28 AM
Subject: RE: I am curious
Mr. Amos, I confirm that I have received your documentation. There is
no need to send us a hard copy. As you have said yourself, the
documentation is very voluminous and after 3 days, we are still in the
process of printing it. I have asked one of my lawyers to review it
in my absence and report back to me upon my return in the office. We
will then provide you with a reply.
Martine Turcotte
Chief Legal Officer / Chef principal du service juridique
BCE Inc. / Bell Canada
1000 de La Gauchetière ouest, bureau 3700
Montréal (Qc) H3B 4Y7
Tel: (514) 870-4637
Fax: (514) 870-4877
email: martine.turcotte@bell.ca
Executive Assistant / Assistante à la haute direction: Diane Valade
Tel: (514) 870-4638
email: diane.valade@bell.ca
Comment by David Amos.
Anybody bother to notice I am the only person posting here with a real name and it is the same name that is on the ballot in Fundy Royal?
Do ya think the lawyer Rob Moore "The True Conservative" or any of the others would dare to debate me in writing with their true name within a website funded by the taxpayer and controlled by questionable public servants? How about outside the CROWN"s domain within the Yankee website called Twitter? That is where I play very serious Political Hard Ball. See for yourself or ask Rob Moore's hero Stevey Boy Harper if I am a liar or not.
Comment by David Amos.
Clearly there are FIVE candidates not merely four.
http://www.elections.ca/
Scripts/vis/candidates?L=e&ED= 13004&EV=41&QID=-1&PAGEID=17 and everybody knows it
Reply by CT.
October 17, 2015@David Amos I'm sorry they ignored you,you have great points but you should really pick a demographic that is smarter.Here people vote for cons without ever using their brains.Sad really when all they represent are Irving ,the potash corp and their minions.They are owned by them and they don't even know it.
Comment by David Amos.
Go figure
CBC writes lots about people who BS a lot then don't bother to put their name on a ballot. Yet I have done so FIVE times and they have never said a peep other than bar me from the airwaves and try to have their pals in the other CROWN Corp known as the RCMP arrest me. Page 14 of this old pdf file of mine is the reason why.
http://www.checktheevidence.
com/pdf/2526023- DAMOSIntegrity-yea-right.-txt. https://www.blbglaw.com/cases-investigations/mfs- mutual-fund-litigation MFS Mutual Fund Fraud Litigation
Court: United States District Court for the District of Maryland Case Number: 04-md-15863 Class Period: 12/15/1998 - 12/08/2003 Following a hearing on May 3, 2004 in the massive mutual fund litigation, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland appointed BLB&G client the City of Chicago Deferred Compensation Plan as Lead Plaintiff in the securities fraud class action against Massachusetts Financial Services Company ("MFS"), the investment advisor to the MFS Funds, and others.
On March 1, 2006, the Court sustained the Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint, allowing the case to move forward against certain defendants.
SUMMARY OF ALLEGATIONS:
The Complaint in this litigation alleges that MFS and certain of its senior executives were aware of, engaged in and facilitated "timing" trades in the MFS Funds: a money-making act involving short-term trading in and out of a mutual fund. The technique is designed to exploit inefficiencies in the way mutual fund companies price their shares by allowing certain customers to trade shares at distorted prices that no longer reflect the true value of the fund. As a result, those few customers permitted to engage in market timing typically reap huge profits, the cost of which are borne primarily by the long-term investors in the relevant fund.
The public filings issued by the Defendants stated that, "MFS funds do not permit market-timing or other excessive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and may harm fund performance." In reality, however, the Defendants knew, or recklessly disregarded, the fact that trades were being timed and that these timed trades negatively and materially impacted the MFS Funds, thereby causing significant losses to investors in the MFS Funds.
On February 5, 2004, MFS agreed to entry of a cease and desist order by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") against MFS and John W. Ballen ("Ballen"), MFS's current chief executive officer, and Kevin R. Parke ("Parke"), MFS's current president and chief investment officer ("Cease and Desist Order"). Specifically, the SEC found that MFS, Ballen and Parke allowed widespread market timing trading in certain MFS Funds from at least late 1999 through October 2003, in contravention of the Funds' public disclosures. In particular, MFS explicitly informed certain select brokers in a written memo that "unrestricted" trading would be permitted in certain MFS funds (known internally at MFS as "Unrestricted Funds"), including the Massachusetts Investors Growth Stock Fund, "even if a pattern of excessive trading has been detected." Not only did MFS selectively enforce its market-timing policies, but executives at MFS facilitated the frequent trading in and out of certain MFS Funds by steering select investors to these "Unrestricted Funds." As the Cease and Desist Order confirms, as much as $2 billion in timing money flowed into MFS Funds during the Class Period.
Internal MFS documents and policies acknowledged that market timing was detrimental to long-term shareholders. In fact, as early as June 2000, an internal presentation entitled "Market Timing Wheel of Terror," warned that "[l]ong term investors are being penalized" by market timing activity. Nevertheless, the market timing activity persisted in the MFS "Unrestricted Funds." Moreover, MFS's select enforcement of its trading policies also included late trading, which alone caused well over $100 million in investor losses. And, as further alleged in the complaint, various brokers and financial institutions also participated in the market timing schemes, to the detriment of ordinary investors.
MFS's policy of allowing market-timing and steering select investors to the "Unrestricted Funds" was adopted as a means to increase profits by luring market timing assets so as to increase funds under management, and, therefore, increase fees paid to MFS for investment advisory services. These additional assets under management also resulted in an increased bonus pool from which MFS employees, including Ballen and Parke, were paid excessive compensation. During this period, none of the above detailed material information was disclosed to the members of the Class. In addition to the profits from their market timing, MFS also profited by charging ordinary investors hundreds of millions of dollars in management fees while breaching their fiduciary duties to those very same investors.
On May 20, 2010, the Court preliminarily approved proposed settlements, totaling $75,042,250, that would resolve this litigation. On October 25, 2010, the Court entered Judgments granting final approval to the settlements and entered separate Orders granting Plaintiffs' Counsel's application for an award of attorneys' fees and expenses and approving the Plan of Allocation of the settlement proceeds.
The claims administration process has concluded and the net settlement fund has been fully disbursed. This matter is considered closed.
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND
IN RE MUTUAL FUNDS INVESTMENT
LITIGATION
This Document Relates To:
In re MFS
04-md-15863-04
MDL 1586
Case No. 04-MD-15863
(Judge J. Frederick Motz)
BRUCE RIGGS, et al., Individually and
On Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated,
Plaintiff,
v.
MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL
SERVICES COMPANY, et al.
Defendants.
Case No. 04-cv-01162-JFM
CONSOLIDATED AMENDED CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT95
Dated: September 29, 2004 BERNSTEIN LITOWITZ BERGER
& GROSSMANN LLP
/s/
ALAN SCHULMAN
ROBERT S. GANS
TIMOTHY A. DeLANGE
JERALD D. BIEN-WILLNER
12544 High Bluff Drive, Suite 150
San Diego, CA 92130
Tel: (858) 793-0070
Fax: (858) 793-0323
-and-
J. ERIK SANDSTEDT
JOSEPH A. FONTI
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019
Tel: (212) 554-1400
Fax: (212) 554-1444
Lead Counsel
Dated: September 29, 2004 TYDINGS & ROSENBERG LLP
/s/
WILLIAM C. SAMMONS, Fed Bar No. 02366
JOHN B. ISBISTER, Fed Bar No. 00639
100 East Pratt Street, 26th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Tel: (410) 752-9700
Fax: (410) 727-5460
Liaison Counsel---------- Original message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Subject: Fwd: 617 954 4225 RE Robert Pozen Former executive chairman of MFS Investment Management
To: <bobpozen@mit.edu>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, ministryofjustice <ministryofjustice@gov.ab.ca>, justmin <justmin@gov.ns.ca>, Mike.Comeau <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, <CrownAdminOttawa@ontario.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, Sean.Fraser <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the first in a series of hearings on the “Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry.”Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
- Mr. William H. Donaldson
ChairmanSecurities and Exchange CommissionWitness Panel 2
- Mr. Matthew P. Fink
PresidentInvestment Company Institute- Mr. Marc Lackritz
PresidentSecurities Industry AssociationReview of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2003 Time: 02:00 PM
Topic
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the second in a series of hearings on the “Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry.”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 YorkReview 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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct a hearing on “A Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Understanding the Fund Industry from the Investor’s Perspective.”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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct a hearing on “Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Fund Operations and Governance.” Rescheduled from February 3rd.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 CommissionReview of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: The Regulatory Landscape
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 Time: 10:00 AM
Topic
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the sixth in a series of hearings on "A Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: The Regulatory Landscape."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 StatesReview 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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the sixth in a series of hearings on "A Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry: Fund Operations and Governance."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 AmericaReview 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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the nineth in a series of hearings reviewing the current investigations and regulatory actions in the mutual fund industry.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 SenatorWitness 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 CorporationReview 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
The Committee will meet in OPEN SESSION to conduct the tenth in a series of hearings regarding a "Review of Current Investigations and Regulatory Actions Regarding the Mutual Fund Industry". This hearing will focus on the views of the Securities and Exchange Commission.Witnesses
Witness Panel 1
- Mr. William H. Donaldson
ChairmanSecurities and Exchange Commission
Saved from 6 Jul 2025 17:01:34 UTC All snapshots from host www.govinfo.gov U.S . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON :
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800
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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(1)
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 in2
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 tounderstand how the SEC will revise compliance programs to detect
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.Statement of Robert C. Pozen
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
March 23, 2004Thank you Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Sarbanes and other members of the
Committee for this opportunity to present my views on appropriate reforms for the mutual fund
industry.
My name is Robert C. Pozen and I am from Boston, Massachusetts. I am currently
Chairman of MFS Investment Management, which manages approximately $140 billion for
approximately 370 accounts including over 100 mutual funds serving approximately six million
investors. I am also a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and author of the textbook The
Mutual Fund Business (2 ed. Houghton Mifflin 2001).
I commend the Committee for engaging in a deliberative and broad-ranging review of the
operations and regulation of the mutual fund industry. While I welcome questions about any
aspect of the fund industry, I will limit my testimony today to three areas where I believe that MFS is helping to set important new standards for the fund industry:1) maximized shareholder valuethrough fund brokerage;2) individualized reporting of shareholder expenses; and3) structural enhancements for fund governance. We are making changes in these three areas to benefit MFS shareholders and, if followed by the rest of the industry, to benefit all fund shareholders.
I. Reducing Reliance on Soft Dollars
The current system of paying for goods and services with “soft dollars”, taken out of
brokerage commissions, is detrimental to mutual fund shareholders. The use of “soft dollar”
payments makes it virtually impossible for a fund manager to ascertain the true costs of executing trades because execution costs are bundled together with the costs of other goods and services such as research reports and Bloomberg terminals. If these costs were unbundled, then fund managers could pay cash out of their own pockets for independent research or market data, and could negotiate for lower execution prices for fund shareholders.
Currently, if a trader from a mutual fund executes fund trades through a full-service
broker on Wall Street, the trader pays five cents a share for execution plus a broad range of
goods or services from the executing broker or third parties: e.g., securities research, market data and brokerage allocations to promote fund sales. These goods and services are paid in “soft dollars”: that is, they are bundled into the five cents per share charge in a non- transparent
1 of 6manner. If MFS does not accept these ancillary goods or services through “soft dollars”, it will still
be required to pay five cents per share by the full-service broker.
In other words, it is almost impossible to obtain a price discount from a full-service
Wall Street firm for executing a large fund trade. However, that firm is willing to provide an in-kind
discount in the form of soft dollars that can be used to purchase various goods or services. This is
more than a technical pricing oddity. The key point is this: a price discount on the trade (for
example, from five cents to three cents per share) would go directly to the mutual fund and its
shareholders. In-kind services like market data services go directly to the fund management
company and only indirectly to the mutual fund and its shareholders.
MFS has already eliminated the use of “soft dollars” to promote sales of mutual fund
shares. Since January 1, 2004, MFS has been paying cash out of its own pocket to broker-
dealers to promote fund sales. While the SEC has proposed a rule to this effect, MFS has
switched from soft dollars to cash to promote fund sales regardless of whether and when the SEC
adopts its rule.
More dramatically, earlier this month MFS decided to stop using soft dollars to pay for
third-party research1 and market data. Again MFS will pay cash out of its own pocket for these
items. MFS estimates that this decision will cost the management company $10 to $15 million per
year. Yet MFS has agreed not to raise its advisory fees for its funds over the next five years.
Why is MFS willing to take the lead on getting off the addiction to soft dollars and moving to the healthy environment of price discounts?The simple answer is: MFS puts the fund shareholder first. We recognize the need to employ a full-service broker to execute a large block trade (e.g., 500,000 shares in Genzyme); we need their skills and capital to actively work the trade and take up a portion of the trade themselves if necessary. But we want to pay a price in the range of three cents per share for an agency-only trade, though we are willing to pay more for a trade requiring capital to be put at risk by the broker-dealer.
1 We are not stopping the use of “soft dollars” for proprietary research and other services. Only recently has the SEC issued a concept release on accounting for all the elements of a bundled commission. SEC Release IC-26313 (Dec. 19, 2003).
2 of 6The broader answer is that MFS wants to lead the industry to lower and more transparent execution costs. To accomplish this objective, MFS will need support from other asset managers as well as the SEC. Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act provides a safe harbor for asset managers using “soft dollars” for research and brokerage services. Initially, the SEC interpreted this safe harbor narrowly--allowing payment in “soft dollars” only if a good or service or product were not readily available for cash. Several years later, however, the SEC broadened the safe harbor to include any “legitimate” purpose for soft dollars (SEC Exchange Act Release 23170, April 23, 1986). The SEC should move back to its initial narrow interpretation of 28(e) to reduce the reliance on the use of “soft dollars”.
II. Individualized Expense Reporting
MFS will issue an individualized quarterly statement, rather than a general listing of fund expenses in basis points, which will show each fund shareholder a reasonable estimate of his or her actual fund expenses in dollar terms.The MFS design for this individualized quarterly statement is cost effective as a result of one key assumption: that shareholders hold their funds for the whole prior quarter. This assumption is reasonable because over 90% of MFS shareholders fall into this category.
At present, the prospectus of every mutual fund contains an expense table listing the
various categories of fund expenses in basis points. The table might say, for instance:
Advisory Fee 53 bp
Transfer Agency Fee 10 bp
Other Fees 2 bp
12 b-1 Fee 25 bp
Total Expenses 90 bp
In addition, the prospectus of every fund includes a hypothetical example of a $10,000 investment in the fund to show the dollar amount of actual fund expenses paid by such a fund shareholder during the relevant period. The hypothetical example for the mutual fund with the expenses described above, for instance, would show $90 in total fund expenses over the last year.
Nevertheless, some critics have argued that mutual fund investors need customized
expense statements. By that, these critics mean the actual expenses paid by a shareholder in
3 of 6several funds based on his or her precise holding period as well as the fund dividends during that
period. For example, we would have to compute the exact expenses of a shareholder who held
Fund A from January 15 until March 31 without reinvesting fund dividends; another shareholder
who held Fund B for the whole year and reinvested all fund dividends; and yet another
shareholder who held Fund C from February 1 until June 15 as well as from August 22 until
December 11 (during both periods, assuming no record date for fund dividends occurred).
This type of customized expense statement would, in my opinion, involve enormous
computer programming costs. The program would have to track the holdings of every fund
shareholder on a daily basis, take into account whether a fund dividend was reinvested or paid
out to the shareholder, and apply monthly basis point charges to fund balances reflecting monthly
appreciation or depreciation of fund assets. Of course, these large computer costs would
ultimately be passed on to fund shareholders.
At MFS, we will provide every fund shareholder with an estimate of his or her actual
expenses on their quarterly statements.2 We can do this at an affordable cost by making one
reasonable assumption—that the fund holdings of the shareholder at the end of the quarter were
the same throughout the quarter. Although this is a simplifying assumption, it produces a good
estimate of actual fund expenses since most shareholders do not switch funds during a quarter.
Indeed, this assumption will often lead to a slightly higher estimate of individualized expenses
than the actual amount because some shareholders will buy the fund during the quarter and other
shareholders will reinvest fund dividends during the quarter.
In addition, MFS will send its shareholders in every fund’s semi-annual report the
total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the fund during the relevant period as well as the
fund’s average commission rate per share (for example, 4.83 cents per share on average). But
this information on brokerage commissions should be separated from the fund expense table
because all the other items in the table are ordinary expenses expressed in basis points. By
contrast, brokerage commissions are a capital expense added to the tax basis of the securities
held by the fund, and brokerage commissions are expressed in cents per share.
2 These individualized expenses will not include brokerage costs because they are capitalized in the cost of the portfolio
security.
4 of 6II. Enhanced Governance Structure
The mutual fund industry has a unique governance structure: the fund is a separate entity from its external manager. The independent directors of the fund must annually approve the
terms and conditions of the fund’s contract with its external manager. Of course, the independent directors usually reappoint the management company. In an industrial company, how often do the directors throw out the whole management team? But the independent directors of most mutual funds, in my experience, do represent fund shareholders by negotiating for contract terms and monitoring potential conflicts of interest.
At MFS, we believe we have the most advanced form of corporate governance in the
industry. To begin with, over 75% of the board is comprised of independent directors, who elect their own independent chairman. The chairman leads the executive sessions of independent directors, which occur before or after every board meeting. The independent chairman also helps set the board’s agenda for each meeting. A lead independent director could definitely take charge of the executive sessions and a lead director could also help set the board’s agenda. Thus, it
does not matter which title is employed; the key is to insure that a senior independent director
plays these two functions.
In many boards, the independent directors have their own independent counsel, as
the MFS boards do. But the independent directors of the MFS funds are going one step further by
appointing their own compliance officer. This officer will monitor all compliance activities by MFS
as well as supervise the fund’s own activities, and will report regularly to the Compliance
Committee of the Board (which itself is composed solely of independent directors).
On the management company side, MFS is the only company I know of that has a
non-executive chairman reporting to the independent directors of the MFS funds. This is a new
position designed to assure that the management company is fully accountable to the funds’
independent directors.
Finally, MFS as a management company has established the new position of Executive Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, and filled the position with a distinguished industry veteran. In addition, MFS has hired a distinguished law firm partner as its new general
5 of 6counsel. Both will serve on the executive committee of MFS. The new Executive Vice President will be in charge of several regulatory functions—compliance, internal audit and fund treasury.
This high profile position within MFS is more than symbolic; it represents the great significance
given by MFS to these regulatory functions. While these functions are performed in most fund
management companies, it is rare to see the person in charge of these functions having the title of executive vice president and serving on the executive committee of the firm.
Conclusions
In summary, MFS is trying to establish standards of best practices in three important
areas to fund shareholders:1) reduced reliance on “soft dollars”,2) individualized expense reporting, and3) enhanced governance structure. Other management firms are trying to take the lead in setting industry standards in other areas. At the same time, the SEC is in the process of
proposing and adopting a myriad of rules on disclosure requirements and substantive prohibitions or the fund industry—which overlap to a degree with the efforts of the fund management firms.
Because the SEC and the management firms are making such serious efforts to develop
higher behavioral norms for the mutual fund industry, it might be useful for Congress to monitor these efforts before finalizing a bill on mutual fund reforms. These are complex issues that may be better suited to an evolutionary process, led by an expert public agency with the flexibility to address the changing legal and factual environment.
Thank you again for this opportunity to testify on mutual fund reform. I would be pleased
to answer any questions the Chairman or Committee Members might have.6 of 6Robert C. Pozen
- Former president of Fidelity Investments and executive chairman of MFS Investment Management
- Expert who has made hundreds of appearances to companies, television audiences and leaders around the world
- Writer for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the Harvard Business Review, and more around the globe
Support Staff
Kimberly Crumpton
Get in Touch
- Building E62-483
- bobpozen@mit.edu
- (617) 715-4813
- (617) 258-6855
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Hon.Ralph.Goodale (PS/SP)" <Hon.ralph.goodale@canada.ca>
> Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2019 01:16:32 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks Carl Urquhart and Blaine Higgs want
> to litigate N'esy Pas Chucky Leblanc, Cheryl Layton and Janice Graham?
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
>
> Merci d'avoir ?crit ? l'honorable Ralph Goodale, ministre de la
> S?curit? publique et de la Protection civile.
> En raison d'une augmentation importante du volume de la correspondance
> adress?e au ministre, veuillez prendre note qu'il pourrait y avoir un
> retard dans le traitement de votre courriel. Soyez assur? que votre
> message sera examin? avec attention.
> Merci!
> L'Unit? de la correspondance minist?rielle
> S?curit? publique Canada
> *********
>
> Thank you for writing to the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of
> Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
> Due to the significant increase in the volume of correspondence
> addressed to the Minister, please note there could be a delay in
> processing your email. Rest assured that your message will be
> carefully reviewed.
> Thank you!
> Ministerial Correspondence Unit
> Public Safety Canada
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David.Lametti@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2019 01:16:30 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks Carl Urquhart and Blaine Higgs want
> to litigate N'esy Pas Chucky Leblanc, Cheryl Layton and Janice Graham?
> To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com
>
> Hello,
>
> Please kindly note that I am out of office from August 12th to 18th,
> inclusively.
>
> If you need any assitance, please contact our constituency office
> Director, Nicole Picher at : david.lametti.c1@parl.gc.ca
>
> Thank you!
> _______________________
>
> Bonjour,
>
> Veuillez noter que je sui absent du bureau du 12 au 18 ao?t,
> inclusivement.
>
> Si vous avez besoin d'assistance, je vous invite ? communiquer avec
> notre Directrice de bureau de circonscription, Nicole Picher, ? :
> david.lametti.c1@parl.gc.ca
>
> Merci!
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Barbara Massey <Barbara.Massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>
> Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2019 21:16:36 -0400
> Subject: Re: Methinks Carl Urquhart and Blaine Higgs want to litigate
> N'esy Pas Chucky Leblanc, Cheryl Layton and Janice Graham? (Out of
> Office )
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
>
> I will be away from the office until August 19, 2019. In my absence,
> you may contact:
> August 2 and August 12-16 incl. – Jolene Harvey 613 843 4892;
> Jolene.harvey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> August 6-9 incl. – Jennifer Duggan 613 825 2981;
> Jennifer.duggan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> or my Exec. Asst. – Sandra Lofaro 613 843 3540;
> Sandra.lofaro@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------
>
> Je serai absente du bureau jusqu’au 19 août, 2019. Pendant mon
> absence, vous pouvez communiquer avec :
> le 2 août et du 12 au 16 août incl. - Jolene Harvey 613 843 4892;
> Jolene.harvey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> du 6 au 9 août incl. - Jennifer Duggan 613 825 2981;
> Jennifer.duggan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
> ou mon adj. exec. - Sandra Lofaro 613 843 3540;
> Sandra.lofaro@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>
>
>>>> David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> 08/11/19 21:16 >>>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "MinFinance / FinanceMin (FIN)"
> <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>
> Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2018 18:05:38 +0000
> Subject: RE: Dr. Mohamed LACHEMI I just called
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
>
> The Department of Finance acknowledges receipt of your electronic
> correspondence. Please be assured that we appreciate receiving your
> comments.
>
> Le ministère des Finances accuse réception de votre correspondance
> électronique. Soyez assuré(e) que nous apprécions recevoir vos
> commentaires.
>
> http://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/07/latest- sisson-mine-approval-leaves. html
>
> Wednesday, 24 July 2019
>
> Latest Sisson Mine approval leaves First Nations, conservation groups
> uneasy
>
> https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
>
> David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos 5
> Replying to @DavidRayAmos @alllibertynews and 49 others
> Methinks these people must have read their emails by now N'esy Pas?
>
> Entire email is at bottom of this blog
>
>
> https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/07/latest- sisson-mine-approval-leaves. html
>
>
> #nbpoli #cdnpoli
>
>
> https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/afn-aga- opening-ceremony-fredericton- 1.5221890
>
>
> Assembly of First Nations opens annual general assembly in Fredericton
>
>
> 3 Comments
>
>
>
> David Amos
> Methinks these people must have read their emails by now N'esy Pas?
>
> Entire email is at bottom of this blog
>
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: Premier of Ontario | Premier ministre de l’Ontario
> <Premier@ontario.ca>
> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:44:31 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: The Honourable Carolyn Bennett can never
> claim that she did not know N'esy Chucky Leblanc>
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
>
> Thank you for your email. Your thoughts, comments and input are greatly
> valued.
>
> You can be assured that all emails and letters are carefully read,
> reviewed and taken into consideration.
>
> There may be occasions when, given the issues you have raised and the
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> correspondence to the appropriate government official. Accordingly, a
> response may take several business days.
>
> Thanks again for your email.
> ______
>
> Merci pour votre courriel. Nous vous sommes très reconnaissants de
> nous avoir fait part de vos idées, commentaires et observations.
>
> Nous tenons à vous assurer que nous lisons attentivement et prenons en
> considération tous les courriels et lettres que nous recevons.
>
> Dans certains cas, nous transmettrons votre message au ministère
> responsable afin que les questions soulevées puissent être traitées de
> la manière la plus efficace possible. En conséquence, plusieurs jours
> ouvrables pourraient s’écouler avant que nous puissions vous répondre.
>
> Merci encore pour votre courriel
>
>
>
> --------- Original message ----------
> From: carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:39:49 +0000
> Subject: Thank you for contacting our office
> To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com
>
> Thank you very much for contacting our office. Your message has been
> received and will be reviewed as soon as possible.
>
> Please note that, due to the high volume of correspondence that we
> receive, priority is given to inquiries from constituents of
> Toronto-St. Paul's. If you have not done so already, please include
> your full name, address, and postal code in your message.
>
> If you are a constituent and this is a time-sensitive matter, please
> also do not hesitate to contact our constituency office by phone at
> 416-952-3990. We are more than happy to assist!
>
> If your message is regarding Crown-Indigenous Relations, it will be
> forwarded to the department office. For all future correspondence
> pertaining to Crown-Indigenous Relations, we request that you please
> write directly to
> aadnc.minister.aandc@canada.ca
> aadnc.minister.aandc@canada.ca
>>
> or call 819-997-0002.
>
> Thank you once again for taking the time to contact our office. We
> hope this information has been helpful, and look forward to connecting
> with you again soon!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Hon. Carolyn Bennett
> Member of Parliament for Toronto-St. Paul's
>
> --
>
> Merci beaucoup d'avoir communiqué avec notre bureau. Votre message a
> bien été reçu et il sera traité dès que possible.
>
> Veuillez noter qu'en raison du volume élevé de correspondance que nous
> recevons, la priorité est accordée aux demandes provenant d'habitants
> de Toronto-St. Paul's. Si ce n'est pas encore fait, nous vous prions
> d'inclure votre nom complet, votre adresse et votre code postal dans
> votre message.
>
> S'il s'agit d'une question urgente et que vous êtes un électeur de la
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>
> Si votre message porte sur les relations Couronne-Autochtones, il sera
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> au sujet des relations Couronne-Autochtones, nous vous saurions gré
> d'écrire directement au ministère à l'adresse
> aadnc.minister.aandc@canada.caaadnc.minister.aandc@canada. ca>,
> ou de l'appeler au 819-997-0002.
>
> Merci encore une fois d'avoir pris le temps de communiquer avec notre
> bureau. Nous espérons que ces informations vous sont utiles, et nous
> nous réjouissons à la perspective d'échanger avec vous de nouveau!
>
> Cordialement,
>
> L'honorable Carolyn Bennett
> Députée de Toronto-St. Paul's
>
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: "Media (RCAANC/CIRNAC)" <RCAANC.Media.CIRNAC@canada.ca>
> Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:39:54 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Re Federal Court File No T-1557-15 I called
> Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett before she gives her big
> speech in Fat Fred City today
> To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
>
> Thank you for your email. You have contacted the Media Centre for
> Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
>
> This is an automatic reply to confirm receipt of your e-mail. We will
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> Members of the public may direct their questions to our Public
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> Email: aadnc.infopubs.aandc@canada.caaadnc.infopubs.aandc@canada. ca
>>
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> ***
>
> Merci pour votre courriel. Vous avez contact? le Centre des m?dias de
> Relations Couronne-Autochtones et Affaires du Nord Canada.
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>
>> ---------- Original message ----------
>> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:15:59 -0400
>> Subject: Hey Ralph Goodale perhaps you and the RCMP should call the
>> Yankees Governor Charlie Baker, his lawyer Bob Ross, Rachael Rollins
>> and this cop Robert Ridge (857 259 9083) ASAP EH Mr Primme Minister
>> Trudeau the Younger and Donald Trump Jr?
>> To: pm@pm.gc.ca, Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca,
>> Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca, djtjr@trumporg.com,
>> Donald.J.Trump@donaldtrump.com, JUSTWEB@novascotia.ca,
>> Frank.McKenna@td.com, barbara.massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>> Douglas.Johnson@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, sandra.lofaro@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>> washington.field@ic.fbi.gov, Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
>> gov.press@state.ma.us, bob.ross@state.ma.us, jfurey@nbpower.com,
>> jfetzer@d.umn.edu, Newsroom@globeandmail.com, sfine@globeandmail.com,
>> .Poitras@cbc.ca, steve.murphy@ctv.ca, David.Akin@globalnews.ca,
>> Dale.Morgan@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, news@kingscorecord.com,
>> news@dailygleaner.com, oldmaison@yahoo.com, jbosnitch@gmail.com,
>> andre@jafaust.com>
>> Cc: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com, DJT@trumporg.com
>> wharrison@nbpower.com, David.Lametti@parl.gc.ca, mcu@justice.gc.ca,
>> Jody.Wilson-Raybould@parl.gc.ca, hon.ralph.goodale@canada.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
>>>
>
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: "LSD / DSJ (JUS/JUS)" <BPIB-DGPAA@justice.gc.ca>
> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 19:25:31 +0000
> Subject: RE: YO Pierre Poilievre I just called and tried to reason
> with David Lametti's minions and got nowhere fast Surprise Surprise
> Surprise N'esy Pas Petev Baby Mackay?
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> This confirms receipt of the message that you recently sent to the
> Legal Systems Division or to the Justipedia Team of the Legal
> Practices Branch. We will review your message and reply within
> forty-eight (48) hours. Please do not reply to this email.
>
> ***
>
> La présente confirme réception du message que vous avez fait parvenir
> à la Division des systèmes juridiques ou à l’équipe de Justipédia de
> la Direction générale des pratiques juridiques. Nous réviserons votre
> message et vous répondrons dans les quarante-huit (48) heures. Prière
> de ne pas répondre au présent courriel.
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 15:25:26 -0400
> Subject: Fwd: YO Pierre Poilievre I just called and tried to reason
> with David Lametti's minions and got nowhere fast Surprise Surprise
> Surprise N'esy Pas Petev Baby Mackay?
> To: Support@viafoura.com, darrow.macintyre@cbc.ca,
> carrie@viafoura.com, allison@viafoura.com
> Cc: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com, LPMD-DGPD@justice.gc.ca,
> Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, Gilles.Blinn@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 15:00:58 -0400
> Subject: YO Pierre Poilievre I just called and tried to reason with
> David Lametti's minions and got nowhere fast Surprise Surprise
> Surprise N'esy Pas Petev Baby Mackay?
> To: pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca, olad-dlo@justice.gc.ca,
> David.Lametti.a1@parl.gc.ca, maxime.bernier@parl.gc.ca,
> andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca, charlie.angus@parl.gc.ca,
> PETER.MACKAY@bakermckenzie.com, tony.clement.a1@parl.gc.ca
> Cc: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com, scott.bardsley@canada.ca,
> scott.brison@parl.gc.ca, scott.macrae@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
> warren.mcbeath@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, Beverley.Busson@sen.parl.gc.ca
>
> Official Languages Directorate
>
> Telephone: 613-957-4967
> Fax: 613-948-6924
> Email: olad-dlo@justice.gc.ca
> Address: Official Languages Directorate
> Department of Justice Canada
> 350 Albert Street, 3rd floor
> Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>
> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:58:23 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: C'yall in Court
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> Thank you for writing to the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of
> Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
>
> Due to the significant increase in the volume of correspondence
> addressed to the Minister, please note that there may be a delay in
> processing your email. Rest assured that your message will be
> carefully reviewed.
>
> -------------------
>
> Merci d'avoir écrit à l'honorable David Lametti, ministre de la
> Justice et procureur général du Canada.
>
> En raison d'une augmentation importante du volume de la correspondance
> adressée à la ministre, veuillez prendre note qu'il pourrait y avoir
> un retard dans le traitement de votre courriel. Nous tenons à vous
> assurer que votre message sera lu avec soin.
>
>
> ---------- Original message ----------
> From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:18:45 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks David Lametti should go back to law
> school too N'esy Pas Pierre Poilievre?
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> Thank you for writing to the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of
> Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
>
> Due to the significant increase in the volume of correspondence
> addressed to the Minister, please note that there may be a delay in
> processing your email. Rest assured that your message will be
> carefully reviewed.
>
> -------------------
>
> Merci d'avoir écrit à l'honorable David Lametti, ministre de la
> Justice et procureur général du Canada.
>
> En raison d'une augmentation importante du volume de la correspondance
> adressée à la ministre, veuillez prendre note qu'il pourrait y avoir
> un retard dans le traitement de votre courriel. Nous tenons à vous
> assurer que votre message sera lu avec soin.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Jody.Wilson-Raybould@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:18:49 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks David Lametti should go back to law
> school too N'esy Pas Pierre Poilievre?
> To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
>
> Thank you for writing to the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Member
> of Parliament for Vancouver Granville.
>
> This message is to acknowledge that we are in receipt of your email.
> Due to the significant increase in the volume of correspondence, there
> may be a delay in processing your email. Rest assured that your
> message will be carefully reviewed.
>
> To help us address your concerns more quickly, please include within
> the body of your email your full name, address, and postal code.
>
> Thank you
>
> -------------------
>
> Merci d'?crire ? l'honorable Jody Wilson-Raybould, d?put?e de
> Vancouver Granville.
>
> Le pr?sent message vise ? vous informer que nous avons re?u votre
> courriel. En raison d'une augmentation importante du volume de
> correspondance, il pourrait y avoir un retard dans le traitement de
> votre courriel. Sachez que votre message sera examin? attentivement.
>
> Pour nous aider ? r?pondre ? vos pr?occupations plus rapidement,
> veuillez inclure dans le corps de votre courriel votre nom complet,
> votre adresse et votre code postal.
>
>
>
> Merci
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: michael.chong@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:18:49 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks David Lametti should go back to law
> school too N'esy Pas Pierre Poilievre?
> To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
>
> Thanks very much for getting in touch with me!
>
> This email is to acknowledge receipt of your message and to let you
> know that every incoming email is read and reviewed. A member of my
> Wellington-Halton Hills team will be in touch with you shortly if
> follow-up is required.
> Due to the high volume of email correspondence, priority is given to
> responding to residents of Wellington-Halton Hills and to emails of a
> non-chain (or "forwards") variety.
>
> In your email, if you:
>
> * have verified that you are a constituent by including your
> complete residential postal address and a phone number, a response
> will be provided in a timely manner.
> * have not included your residential postal mailing address,
> please resend your email with your complete residential postal address
> and phone number, and a response will be forthcoming.
>
> If you are not a constituent of Wellington Halton-Hills, please
> contact your Member of Parliament. If you are unsure who your MP is,
> you can find them by searching your postal code at
> http://www.ourcommons.ca/en
>
> Any constituents of Wellington-Halton Hills who require urgent
> attention are encouraged to call the constituency office at
> 1-866-878-5556 (toll-free in riding). Please rest assured that any
> voicemails will be returned promptly.
>
> Once again, thank you for your email.
>
> The Hon. Michael Chong, M.P.
> Wellington-Halton Hills
> toll free riding office:1-866-878-5556
> Ottawa office: 613-992-4179
> E-mail: michael.chong@parl.gc.ca<mailto:michael.chong@parl.gc. ca>
> Website : www.michaelchong.ca<http://www.michaelchong.ca>
>
> THIS MESSAGE IS ONLY INTENDED FOR THE USE OF THE INTENDED RECIPIENT(S)
> AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, PROPRIETARY AND/OR
> CONFIDENTIAL. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby
> notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution,
> copying, conversion to hard copy or other use of this communication is
> strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have
> received this message in error, please notify me by return e-mail and
> delete this message from your system.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
> Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2019 18:18:40 -0400
> Subject: Methinks David Lametti should go back to law school too N'esy
> Pas Pierre Poilievre?
> To: David.Lametti@parl.gc.ca, Jody.Wilson-Raybould@parl.gc.ca,
> pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca,mcu@justice.gc.ca,
> michael.chong@parl.gc.ca, Michael.Wernick@pco-bcp.gc.ca
> Cc: david.raymond.amos@gmail.com, Newsroom@globeandmail.com,
> Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca, serge.rousselle@gnb.ca
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:44:16 -0400
> Subject: Jagmeet Singh says that maybe Jay Shin should go back to law
> school??? Too Too Funny Indeed EH Karen Wang and Laura-Lynn Tyler
> Thompson?
> To: info@jayshin.ca, jay@lonsdalelaw.ca, karenwang@liberal.ca,
> lauralynnlive@gmail.com
> Cc: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>,
> jmaclellan@burnabynow.com, kgawley@burnabynow.com
>
> Jagmeet Singh on Tory opponent: 'Maybe he should go back to law school'
> Conservative candidate Jay Shin said Singh was 'keeping criminals out
> of jail' during his days as a criminal defence lawyer
> Kelvin Gawley Burnaby Now January 13, 2019 10:27 AM
>
> Julie MacLellan
> Assistant editor, and newsroom tip line
> jmaclellan@burnabynow.com
> Phone: 604 444 3020
> Kelvin Gawley
> kgawley@burnabynow.com
> Phone: 604 444 3024
>
> Jay Shin
> Direct: 604-980-5089
> Email: jay@lonsdalelaw.ca
> By phone: 604-628-0508
> By e-mail: info@jayshin.ca
>
> Karen Wang
> 604.531.1178
> karenwang@liberal.ca
>
> Now if Mr Shin scrolls down he will know some of what the fancy NDP
> lawyer has known for quite sometime
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Singh - QP, Jagmeet" <JSingh-QP@ndp.on.ca>
> Date: Fri, 19 May 2017 16:39:35 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Re Federal Court File # T-1557-15 and the
> upcoming hearing on May 24th I called a lot of your people before High
> Noon today Correct Ralph Goodale and Deputy Minister Malcolm Brown?
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
>
> For immediate assistance please contact our Brampton office at
> 905-799-3939 or jsingh-co@ndp.on.ca
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Kennedy.Stewart@parl.gc.ca
> Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2018 18:18:35 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Attn Minister Ralph Goodale and Pierre
> Paul-Hus Trust that I look forward to arguing the fact that fhe Crown
> filed my Sept 4th email to you and your buddies
> To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
>
> Many thanks for your message. Your concerns are important to me. If
> your matter is urgent, an invitation or an immigration matter please
> forward it to burnabysouth.A1@parl.gc.ca or
> burnabysouth.C1@parl.gc.ca. This email is no longer being monitored.
>
> The House of Commons of Canada provides for the continuation of
> services to the constituents of a Member of Parliament whose seat has
> become vacant. The party Whip supervises the staff retained under
> these circumstances.
>
> Following the resignation of the Member for the constituency of
> Burnaby South, Mr. Kennedy Stewart, the constituency office will
> continue to provide services to constituents.
>
> You can reach the Burnaby South constituency office by telephone at
> (604) 291-8863 or by mail at the following address: 4940 Kingsway,
> Burnaby BC.
>
> Office Hours:
>
> Tuesday - Thursday: 10am - 12pm & 1pm - 4pm
> Friday 10am - 12pm
>
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Michael Cohen <mcohen@trumporg.com>
> Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2018 05:54:40 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: ATTN Blair Armitage You acted as the Usher
> of the Black Rod twice while Kevin Vickers was the Sergeant-at-Arms
> Hence you and the RCMP must know why I sued the Queen Correct?
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> Effective January 20, 2017, I have accepted the role as personal
> counsel to President Donald J. Trump. All future emails should be
> directed to mdcohen212@gmail.com and all future calls should be
> directed to 646-853-0114.
> ________________________________
> This communication is from The Trump Organization or an affiliate
> thereof and is not sent on behalf of any other individual or entity.
> This email may contain information that is confidential and/or
> proprietary. Such information may not be read, disclosed, used,
> copied, distributed or disseminated except (1) for use by the intended
> recipient or (2) as expressly authorized by the sender. If you have
> received this communication in error, please immediately delete it and
> promptly notify the sender. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed
> to be received, secure or error-free as emails could be intercepted,
> corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late, incomplete, contain viruses
> or otherwise. The Trump Organization and its affiliates do not
> guarantee that all emails will be read and do not accept liability for
> any errors or omissions in emails. Any views or opinions presented in
> any email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
> represent those of The Trump Organization or any of its affiliates.
> Nothing in this communication is intended to operate as an electronic
> signature under applicable law.
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Justice Website <JUSTWEB@novascotia.ca>
> Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:21:11 +0000
> Subject: Emails to Department of Justice and Province of Nova Scotia
> To: "motomaniac333@gmail.com" <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> Mr. Amos,
> We acknowledge receipt of your recent emails to the Deputy Minister of
> Justice and lawyers within the Legal Services Division of the
> Department of Justice respecting a possible claim against the Province
> of Nova Scotia. Service of any documents respecting a legal claim
> against the Province of Nova Scotia may be served on the Attorney
> General at 1690 Hollis Street, Halifax, NS. Please note that we will
> not be responding to further emails on this matter.
>
> Department of Justice
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Eidt, David (OAG/CPG)" <David.Eidt@gnb.ca>
> Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2017 00:33:21 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: Yo Mr Lutz howcome your buddy the clerk
> would not file this motion and properly witnessed affidavit and why
> did she take all four copies?
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> I will be out of the office until Monday, March 13, 2017. I will have
> little to no access to email. Please dial 453-2222 for assistance.
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Marc Richard <MRichard@lawsociety-barreau.nb.ca>
> Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2016 13:16:46 +0000
> Subject: Automatic reply: RE: The New Brunswick Real Estate
> Association and their deliberate ignorance for the bankster's benefit
> To: David Amos <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
>
> I will be out of the office until August 15, 2016. Je serai absent du
> bureau jusqu'au 15 août 2016.
>
>
>> ---------- 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.gc.ca/IndexingQueries/infp_RE_ info_e.php?court_no=T-1557-15& select_court=T
>>
>> These are digital recordings of the last three hearings
>>
>> Dec 14th https://archive.org/details/BahHumbug
>>
>> January 11th, 2016 https://archive.org/details/Jan11th2015
>>
>> April 3rd, 2017
>>
>> https://archive.org/details/April32017JusticeLeblancHearin g
>>
>>
>> This is the docket in the Federal Court of Appeal
>>
>> http://cas-cdc-www02.cas-satj.gc.ca/IndexingQueries/infp_RE_ info_e.php?court_no=A-48-16& select_court=All
>>
>>
>> The only hearing thus far
>>
>> May 24th, 2017
>>
>> https://archive.org/details/May24thHoedown
>>
>>
>> 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 à
>> lalanthier@hotmail.com
>>
>> Pour rejoindre le bureau de M. Trudeau veuillez envoyer un courriel à
>> 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.blogspot.ca/2015/09/v- behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html
>>
>>
>> 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.Foran@gnb.ca,
>> 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.blogspot.ca/2013/10/re-glen- greenwald-and-braz
>> ilian.html
>>
>>> http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/06/09/nsa-leak- guardian.html
>>>
>>> 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?v=vugUalUO8YY
>>>
>>> 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/ITriedToExplainItToAllMaritime rsInEarly200
>>> 6
>>>
>>> http://davidamos.blogspot.ca/2006/05/wiretap-tapes-impeach- bush.html
>>>
>>> http://www.archive.org/details/ PoliceSurveilanceWiretapTape13 9
>>>
>>> http://archive.org/details/Part1WiretapTape143
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>
>
> http://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.ca/2017/11/federal- court-of-appeal-finally-makes. html
>
>
> Sunday, 19 November 2017
> Federal Court of Appeal Finally Makes The BIG Decision And Publishes
> It Now The Crooks Cannot Take Back Ticket To Try Put My Matter Before
> The Supreme Court
>
> https://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/fca-caf/decisions/en/item/ 236679/index.do
>
>
> Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
>
> Amos v. Canada
> Court (s) Database
>
> Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
> Date
>
> 2017-10-30
> Neutral citation
>
> 2017 FCA 213
> File numbers
>
> A-48-16
> Date: 20171030
>
> Docket: A-48-16
> Citation: 2017 FCA 213
> CORAM:
>
> WEBB J.A.
> NEAR J.A.
> GLEASON J.A.
>
>
> BETWEEN:
> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
> Respondent on the cross-appeal
> (and formally Appellant)
> and
> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
> Appellant on the cross-appeal
> (and formerly Respondent)
> Heard at Fredericton, New Brunswick, on May 24, 2017.
> Judgment delivered at Ottawa, Ontario, on October 30, 2017.
> REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY:
>
> THE COURT
>
>
>
> Date: 20171030
>
> Docket: A-48-16
> Citation: 2017 FCA 213
> CORAM:
>
> WEBB J.A.
> NEAR J.A.
> GLEASON J.A.
>
>
> BETWEEN:
> DAVID RAYMOND AMOS
> Respondent on the cross-appeal
> (and formally Appellant)
> and
> HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
> Appellant on the cross-appeal
> (and formerly Respondent)
> REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY THE COURT
>
> I. Introduction
>
> [1] On September 16, 2015, David Raymond Amos (Mr. Amos)
> filed a 53-page Statement of Claim (the Claim) in Federal Court
> against Her Majesty the Queen (the Crown). Mr. Amos claims $11 million
> in damages and a public apology from the Prime Minister and Provincial
> Premiers for being illegally barred from accessing parliamentary
> properties and seeks a declaration from the Minister of Public Safety
> that the Canadian Government will no longer allow the Royal Canadian
> Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Forces to harass him and his clan
> (Claim at para. 96).
>
> [2] On November 12, 2015 (Docket T-1557-15), by way of a
> motion brought by the Crown, a prothonotary of the Federal Court (the
> Prothonotary) struck the Claim in its entirety, without leave to
> amend, on the basis that it was plain and obvious that the Claim
> disclosed no reasonable claim, the Claim was fundamentally vexatious,
> and the Claim could not be salvaged by way of further amendment (the
> Prothontary’s Order).
>
>
> [3] On January 25, 2016 (2016 FC 93), by way of Mr.
> Amos’ appeal from the Prothonotary’s Order, a judge of the Federal
> Court (the Judge), reviewing the matter de novo, struck all of Mr.
> Amos’ claims for relief with the exception of the claim for damages
> for being barred by the RCMP from the New Brunswick legislature in
> 2004 (the Federal Court Judgment).
>
>
> [4] Mr. Amos appealed and the Crown cross-appealed the
> Federal Court Judgment. Further to the issuance of a Notice of Status
> Review, Mr. Amos’ appeal was dismissed for delay on December 19, 2016.
> As such, the only matter before this Court is the Crown’s
> cross-appeal.
>
>
> II. Preliminary Matter
>
> [5] Mr. Amos, in his memorandum of fact and law in
> relation to the cross-appeal that was filed with this Court on March
> 6, 2017, indicated that several judges of this Court, including two of
> the judges of this panel, had a conflict of interest in this appeal.
> This was the first time that he identified the judges whom he believed
> had a conflict of interest in a document that was filed with this
> Court. In his notice of appeal he had alluded to a conflict with
> several judges but did not name those judges.
>
> [6] Mr. Amos was of the view that he did not have to
> identify the judges in any document filed with this Court because he
> had identified the judges in various documents that had been filed
> with the Federal Court. In his view the Federal Court and the Federal
> Court of Appeal are the same court and therefore any document filed in
> the Federal Court would be filed in this Court. This view is based on
> subsections 5(4) and 5.1(4) of the Federal Courts Act, R.S.C., 1985,
> c. F-7:
>
>
> 5(4) Every judge of the Federal Court is, by virtue of his or her
> office, a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal and has all the
> jurisdiction, power and authority of a judge of the Federal Court of
> Appeal.
> […]
>
> 5(4) Les juges de la Cour fédérale sont d’office juges de la Cour
> d’appel fédérale et ont la même compétence et les mêmes pouvoirs que
> les juges de la Cour d’appel fédérale.
> […]
> 5.1(4) Every judge of the Federal Court of Appeal is, by virtue of
> that office, a judge of the Federal Court and has all the
> jurisdiction, power and authority of a judge of the Federal Court.
>
> 5.1(4) Les juges de la Cour d’appel fédérale sont d’office juges de la
> Cour fédérale et ont la même compétence et les mêmes pouvoirs que les
> juges de la Cour fédérale.
>
>
> [7] However, these subsections only provide that the
> judges of the Federal Court are also judges of this Court (and vice
> versa). It does not mean that there is only one court. If the Federal
> Court and this Court were one Court, there would be no need for this
> section.
> [8] Sections 3 and 4 of the Federal Courts Act provide that:
> 3 The division of the Federal Court of Canada called the Federal Court
> — Appeal Division is continued under the name “Federal Court of
> Appeal” in English and “Cour d’appel fédérale” in French. It is
> continued as an additional court of law, equity and admiralty in and
> for Canada, for the better administration of the laws of Canada and as
> a superior court of record having civil and criminal jurisdiction.
>
> 3 La Section d’appel, aussi appelée la Cour d’appel ou la Cour d’appel
> fédérale, est maintenue et dénommée « Cour d’appel fédérale » en
> français et « Federal Court of Appeal » en anglais. Elle est maintenue
> à titre de tribunal additionnel de droit, d’equity et d’amirauté du
> Canada, propre à améliorer l’application du droit canadien, et
> continue d’être une cour supérieure d’archives ayant compétence en
> matière civile et pénale.
> 4 The division of the Federal Court of Canada called the Federal Court
> — Trial Division is continued under the name “Federal Court” in
> English and “Cour fédérale” in French. It is continued as an
> additional court of law, equity and admiralty in and for Canada, for
> the better administration of the laws of Canada and
No need for comprehensive review of Tantramar gas plant, Liberals say
Environment minister tells legislature he’s heard no concerns that would require more rigorous assessment
The Holt Liberal government is signalling that it won’t order a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of a controversial natural gas plant being proposed in Tantramar.
Environment Minister Gilles LePage told the legislature Wednesday he hasn’t been convinced such a review is necessary.
He said the regular process, known as a determination review, will consider all the questions and concerns people have expressed about the 500-megawatt proposed plant.
“To date, until today, there is no element that indicates that a comprehensive review is necessary,” LePage told Tantramar Green MLA Megan Mitton during question period.
"If we find out during the process that it is, we will change our minds."
Holt Liberals see no need for comprehensive gas plant reviewHe said the government was looking at all the questions people have raised about the plant and is “responding to them and ensuring that the proponent mitigates or eliminates their impact.”
N.B. Power has hired U.S.-based ProEnergy to build the plant, which it says will provide backup power for renewable energy elsewhere on the grid, leading to a net reduction of 250,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions overall.
But opponents in the area say that the utility and ProEnergy are downplaying the potential impact on wildlife and wetlands and that emissions could be much higher than claimed.
They have demanded LePage order a comprehensive assessment.
Such an assessment requires a more detailed submission that is subject to “enhanced public, stakeholder and First Nation engagement,” according to the province’s website.
Premier Susan Holt told a group of anti-plant protesters last week that she had “a number of questions about this project the same as you do” and that her government was looking at whether to order a comprehensive assessment.
“Is this eligible for that process? Can we put it through that kind of rigour as per our policies and processes? Are we getting the answers that we need from the proponents and the partners at all?” Holt said, describing those discussions.
LePage said Wednesday the decision was all but made.
- Proponent of natural gas plant to Tantramar council: 'Fact-check me'
- Tantramar council turns down call to oppose proposed natural gas power plant
“Until the member across the aisle, citizens or First Nations show us elements [of the project] that justify a comprehensive study, we’ll stick with” the determination review, he said.
He also told Mitton that with that review underway, “no decision will be made as long as my questions, your questions, citizens’ questions, First Nations questions and even the premier’s questions are not answered, I assure you.”
ProEnergy is seeking approval for a plant with 10 turbines capable of generating 500 megawatts of power, though the agreement with N.B. Power is for 400 megawatts from eight turbines.
LePage left the legislature Wednesday without speaking to reporters to elaborate on his thinking.
Mitton said she was disappointed in his comments.
“This has been mismanaged, unfortunately, in terms of what ProEnergy and N.B. Power have been doing, and the government does have this tool in their toolbox. I am urging them to use it.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
2 energy experts question N.B. Power plans for large gas plant
Utility risks being stuck with 'older technology' in the long term, prof says
N.B. Power could be taking a “backwards step” with its proposal for a new major gas-fired power plant, according to the author of an upcoming report on Canada’s path away from fossil fuels.
Ralph Torrie said that N.B. Power’s decision to sign a 25-year agreement with ProEnergy Canada is a commitment to 20th-century technology.
“And we're facing a 21st century challenge here,” said the director of research with Corporate Knights, a sustainable economy advocacy group. “You could end up with a plant that will be obsolete before it even has a chance to pay for itself,” he said.
Torrie was in New Brunswick this week to address students at St Thomas University, meet with MLAs, and deliver a public session at the Fredericton Public Library.
N.B. Power has not released the details of its agreement with ProEnergy, but officials recently indicated the cost would reach at least $1 billion over 25 years.
The plan to hire the U.S.-based company to design, build and operate the 400-500 MW power plant in rural Tantramar will go before the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities board in the coming months, after N.B. Power’s attempt to bypass the regulatory body was rejected last week.
Stabilizing the grid
The stated rationale behind the project is twofold. On one hand, N.B. Power has dubbed the project Renewables Integration and Grid Security, explaining the gas-diesel turbines would be used to complement the planned expansion of renewable energy in New Brunswick.
Not only would gas turbines help fill in gaps caused by intermittency in wind and solar, but the turbines would operate 85 per cent of the time as synchronous condensers, according to ProEnergy Canada president John MacIsaac.
During that time, they would not burn fuel but simply spin under electrical power, to provide rotating inertia and stability to the grid.
While Torrie acknowledged voltage stability is an issue as inverter-based power sources such as wind and solar ramp up, he said that’s not a reason to build a gas plant.
“If you need synchronous condensers, just build them," Torrie said. "You can build them for a fraction of the cost of building a gas plant.”
Torrie said there are other emerging technologies for providing voltage stability being tested in other countries, but “in Canada, the penetration of renewables is still at a low enough level that this issue has not become front and centre.”
When the wind doesn’t blow
Warren Mabee, a professor at Queen's University with a specialization in energy and environmental policy, said he understands N.B. Power’s need for a “back-up system” as wind and solar power supplies grow.
But Mabee said he was struck by the size of the proposed gas plant. He said there should be, “questions about whether this scale of a plant is really necessary in the long term.”
He also wondered whether N.B. Power can bring large amounts of wind and solar power online quickly.
“I think New Brunswick has a very ambitious plan for new renewables, but there's a lot of work to be done to deliver on that plan. The risk is that you get this plant built, but the renewables don't follow, or they're slowed down.”
“You might end up with more capacity than needed, or the plant might become more of a base load provider … and that just means sticking with an older technology for a much longer period."
Try efficiency first
Brad Coady, a vice-president at N.B. Power, recently told MLAs about the other impetus behind the proposed gas plant.
He and his staff had come to the conclusion that, “we are very quickly running out of electricity in New Brunswick,” Coady said. The utility predicts possible shortages of base load as early as 2028.
Torrie said he doesn’t see a need to panic. While there’s “no doubt that the amount of electricity we need is going up," it's also true that, "there are huge opportunities to moderate that growth.”
Torrie called for “much greater emphasis on efficiency," in particular, converting the many New Brunswick homes that rely on electric baseboard heat to more efficient heat pumps.
“If that was done as aggressively as it could be, we wouldn't need to be talking about a new fossil fuel plant,” Torrie said.
Clashing on costs
When it comes to the growth of renewables, Torrie said, N.B. Power’s plan is “in the right direction,” with its emphasis on wind generation. But when it comes to the need for complementary power sources to cover gaps in future renewables, batteries, not gas turbines, are the way to go, he said.
“Batteries are the way to deal with the intermittency of wind energy and solar energy, without question. The decline in battery prices has brought this clearly into focus.”
Torrie is also convinced that electric vehicles will soon be one of the best sources to cover intermittency of renewable energy, by providing energy back to the grid during times of peak demand.
N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark seems to have come to a different conclusion, having told MLAs that, “as it relates to batteries, the technology just isn't there to provide us, in our climate, the security that we need or the duration that we need. And it's at a cost that would just be cost-prohibitive.”
Torrie said Clark’s cost analysis “does not align with the conclusion that we're seeing around the world from utilities.”
"There's no way that a new gas plant represents the cheapest way to expand the supply of electricity in New Brunswick.”
Fast moving technologies
Ultimately the argument may not be settled before decisions need to be made.
“This is an area where it's really hard to predict the best investment, the winners, if you like,” said Mabee. “It's because those technologies are moving so fast.”
There’s been significant decreases in the costs of solar, wind, and battery storage, said Mabee, and new technologies are “in flux, with lots of new things coming out."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Proponent of natural gas plant to Tantramar council: 'Fact-check me'
ProEnergy Canada's John MacIsaac says councillors should look to N.B. Power for answers
The executive in charge of building a proposed natural gas plant in rural Tantramar told local politicians this week to talk to N.B. Power if they want answers on why their southeastern New Brunswick community was chosen for the project.
John MacIsaac of ProEnergy Canada appeared before Tantramar council Tuesday evening to face questions about the project.
But councillors weren't sure they were getting the answers they needed about the plant, which would be capable of generating up to 500 megawatts of power from up to 10 turbines.
“Unfortunately, you're the wrong person to be here tonight, because we should be asking N.B. Power questions, not you,” said Coun. Josh Goguen, eliciting applause from the capacity crowd in Tantramar’s municipal council chambers in Sackville.
MacIsaac seemed to agree with Goguen and told councillors they should ask N.B. Power for a copy of a report on how Centre Village was chosen over other possible sites such as the Scoudouc Industrial Park.
“I had asked them to put together an executive summary on the siting process,” MacIsaac said. “I'd encourage you to go and ask them for it.”
Last month, councillors decided against becoming an official opponent of the plant, which was announced last December.
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black called for N.B. Power to make an appearance at a future council meeting.
“A lot of these questions need to be asked directly to that company,” Black told council.
“I think if N.B. Power had actually invested in renewable energy, like people have been telling them [since] 20 to 25 years ago, we wouldn't be even having this conversation right now.”
Despite the calls to hear from the Crown corporation, councillors grilled MacIsaac for just under an hour. If the plant wins approval from other levels of government, preliminary work could start early next year, and the plant could be running about midway through 2028.
Coun. Debbie Wiggins-Colwell asked MacIsaac about the wisdom of locking into “such a big operation,” over a 25-year period.
“Maybe down the road, things could be smaller and less intrusive on the environment,” Wiggins-Colwell said.
MacIsaac responded by pitching the 10-turbine plant as needed to maintain stability in the N.B. Power grid.
“This is predominantly a synchronous condensing facility to enable renewables,” said MacIsaac, referring to the plan to run the turbines 85 per cent of the time without burning gas or generating energy, but simply to provide voltage support to the grid.
This need can become more acute with an increased reliance on renewable energy sources, he said.
The possible need for turbines to provide grid stability is not mentioned in N.B. Power’s 2023 Integrated Resource Plan. The terms “synchronous condensing” or “voltage support” aren't mentioned either.
Brad Coady, a vice-president at N.B. Power, recently told a legislative committee earlier that the proposed gas plant was actually born out of predictions that the utility might run short of base load power by 2028.
That “triggered a bunch of activities that led to us doing a request for proposals in the summer of 2024,” Coady said. “And ultimately led us to where we are today, with the chosen technological solution and partner for the delivery of that project.”
N.B. Power originally asked for proposals for a plant to deliver up to 400 megawatts of power, but ProEnergy has been seeking approval for up to 500.
A number of councillors, including Allison Butcher, expressed mistrust of MacIsaac based on the company's previous claim to a partnership with the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council.
“There are no Indigenous groups that are backing this right now,” Butcher said. “So when I hear these great news things about how it will work, I can't, in good faith, believe it.”
MacIsaac defended the company with an invitation to “fact-check me.” He suggested council file a formal access to information request for “supporting documents" provided with its response to the utility's request for proposals.
When Coun. Michael Tower pressed MacIsaac to explain why company posters at public information sessions stated the project was happening “in partnership” with the NSMTC, he stated simply: “Our public messaging was based on our understanding at the time.”
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton has been a vocal opponent to the gas plant plan, and was at Tuesday’s meeting.
Afterward, Mitton said that she had recently learned the plant would cost N.B. Power at least $1 billion over the course of the 25-year agreement with ProEnergy.
“Who knows actually how much?” Mitton said. “They won't tell us how much.”
She said she was “floored” by how little information was shared on Tuesday.
“It's really frustrating to see this still, a lack of transparency when that's one of the key things the community is demanding, in addition to them not building a gas plant.”
At the end of their meeting, Tantramar council passed a unanimous motion calling for formal letters to Premier Susan Holt, Beausejour MP Dominic LeBlanc, New Brunswick Environment Minister Gilles LePage, N.B. Power CEO Lori Clark, and MacIsaac, calling for more engagement on the project, as well as a comprehensive environmental impact assessment.
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Regulator rejects N.B. Power's effort to skip review of Tantramar gas plant
Decision means the Energy and Utilities Board will study project risks, hear arguments from stakeholders
N.B. Power's push to bypass the Energy and Utilities Board review process for a proposed gas plant outside Sackville was rejected by its regulator on Thursday.
In July, the utility entered into an agreement to pay a private company to design, construct, operate and maintain a natural gas plant over a 25-year period.
Because of that, the Crown corporation argued in a motion to the EUB, the project shouldn't be considered a capital project belonging to N.B. Power.
But the EUB disagrees with the utility's interpretation, board chair Christopher Stewart said an oral decision delivered by videoconference.
Instead, the board found the project exposes N.B. Power to exactly the kind of financial risk that the Electricity Act is meant to address — and does warrant a review.
"This arrangement does not eliminate the risk to N.B. Power that the project may later be found to be imprudent," Stewart said.
"It only captures certain sources of risk and transforms them into a cost, for which N.B. Power will ultimately seek recovery from ratepayers."
He noted that reviews give the board an opportunity to assess the financial prudence of a capital project. It also gives interested parties the opportunity to submit arguments for or against the project.
Moe Qureshi, an intervener with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, welcomed the EUB decision.
"This is a win for accountability, ratepayers and climate responsibility," Qureshi said after the decision was read. "We're happy this project will be reviewed."
Hearing dates for the review have yet to be set, but N.B. Power counsel John G. Furey told the chair the utility would submit its application by the end of Monday.
Furey questioned whether the typical 20-day waiting period between filing an application and holding a pre-hearing conference would be necessary.
But Stewart said the board wants to give interested parties enough time to "fairly determine" if they want to intervene in the application.
N.B. Power has said the plant is necessary because of a potential energy shortfall as early as 2027, but the idea has proven to be controversial.
On Wednesday night, Tantramar council unanimously passed a motion to formally ask provincial and federal government leaders and the project proponent, Missouri-based ProEnergy Canada, for more engagement and a full environmental impact assessment.
But the council also narrowly voted against taking an official stance to oppose the project, in an earlier meeting.
Megan Mitton, the Green Party MLA for the area, has been vocally opposed to the project and believes there should be greater transparency about the cost.
This summer an open house held by ProEnergy drew about 170 community members, who raised concerns about potential environmental and health impacts.
According to a 2025 environmental assessment, it's possible that "liquid effluents" will be discharged into the nearby wetland, and effects on the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water are expected.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Bob Jones
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: Go Figure
To: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, <francois-philippe.champagne@parl.gc.ca>, <melanie.joly@ised-isde.gc.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, elizabeth.may <elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca>, Yves-Francois.Blanchet <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>, don.davies <don.davies@parl.gc.ca>
From: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Subject: Re: Go Figure
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
|
|
Anissa Stambouli (she/her/elle) National Associate Director, Communications | Directrice adjointe nationale des communications Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) | Societé pour la nature et les parcs du Canada (SNAP Canada) cpaws.org | snapcanada.org
I would like to acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. |
Sent: Thursday, November 6, 2025 3:58 PM
To: Anissa Stambouli <astambouli@cpaws.org>
Subject: Fwd: Go Figure
To arrange an interview with any spokesperson, please contact:
Anissa Stambouli
National Associate Director, Communications
CPAWS (National)
astambouli@cpaws.org
613-569-7226 (230)
Conservationists question N.B. Power decision not to build $1B gas plant at industrial park
Choice of rural Tantramar doesn't sit well with critics, who point to environmental concerns
The rationale behind N.B. Power’s controversial decision to build a gas-fired power plant on a 550-acre woodlot is outlined in a recent report from the utility, but critics aren’t buying it.
In December 2024, N.B. Power told reporters the major new gas plant would likely be built in the Scoudouc Industrial Park, about 22 kilometres northeast of Moncton.
But according to the two-page report, the utility decided just two months later that it would instead go with property near Centre Village in rural Tantramar.
N.B. Power and ProEnergy, the U.S. company hired to build and operate the plant, are now building a 1.5-kilometre road to get to the chosen site.
Woodpecker nests behind proposed power-plant site in Centre VillageBut local conservation groups say a gas plant makes much more sense in an industrial park than in the middle of the Chignecto Isthmus.
“I think that we have to, as New Brunswickers, raise our standards a little bit about where we put these kinds of projects,” said Melanie Jellett, conservation manager with the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
“A project of this size should not be built in an ecologically sensitive area like this. It's much better in an area where there's already industrial development.”
The decision to build in Centre Village didn’t become public until N.B. Power formally announced its plans in July 2025, inspiring an outcry from local residents and conservation groups.
Scoudouc, Centre Village topped list of choices
In its “location analysis” report, N.B. Power listed 10 sites that it considered, including Coleson Cove, Lepreau, Millbank, Belledune and Dalhousie. The utility quickly narrowed the field to five worthy of “detailed review.”
Eel River, Bayside, and Memramcook were ruled out because of “transmission constraints” and lack of “proximity to natural gas pipelines.”
That left Scoudouc and Centre Village offering “the greatest value and most suitable conditions."
Both properties are crossed by N.B. Power transmission lines and the Maritimes and Northeast natural gas pipeline.
Both could also “support the 500-megawatt capacity with minimal transmission investment,” and both are in the southeast, where they could address growing energy demand and “support eastward transfers (to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island),” according to the N.B. Power report.
N.B. Power says it studied the "regulatory context” for both sites in the summer of 2024, something that would be a key factor in the utility’s decision to go with Centre Village.
The report concluded the Scoudouc site has more wetland than Centre Village, which could require Fisheries Act authorization, resulting in a delay of up to 18 months.
It also notes the “discovery of evidence of pileated woodpecker nests” on the Scoudouc site. That would mean a 36-month waiting period under Canada’s Migratory Bird Convention Act.
N.B. Power said the potential delays at the Scoudouc site were major considerations, and “critical to ensuring project completion by 2028,” when the utility is projecting energy shortfalls in the province.
Speed as a deciding factor questioned
“The biggest thing that's pushing them is this timeline,” said Barry Rothfuss, director of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, which lies about four kilometres away as the crow flies.
“Everything that they're talking about … has to do with them being able to build an infrastructure project in an expedited manner,” he said.
The Scoudouc and Centre Village sites are “not even comparable” from a biodiversity perspective, said Rothfuss.
“This is a far more ecologically sensitive habitat.”
And the Centre Village site likely contains habitat for important species such as the pileated woodpecker, Rothfuss said.
“We've had photographic evidence and also GPS co-ordinates sent identifying that there is pileated woodpecker activity on this site,” he said.
Centre Village is also a central location on the Chignecto Isthmus, which Jellett said has been identified as an “important area for ecological connectivity” because of wildlife such as moose, bear and lynx that migrate across the land bridge between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Jellett also questioned the report’s conclusions about wetlands, noting that the access road under construction at Centre Village cuts across Harper’s Brook.
A provincial environmental impact assessment is underway for the project, and a technical review committee has issued 97 comments and questions, some still to be answered by ProEnergy.
Even so, Environment Minister Gilles LePage has already ruled out a possible “comprehensive” assessment process.
Rothfuss agreed that “there's no need for a long, extensive EIA process.”
“They've already started a process that should be ended,” Rothfuss said. “This EIA process is tainted for a variety of different reasons, everything from false information about Indigenous activities to the fact that we're finding out that the sensitivities that they're identifying here aren't really accurate.”
Jellett wants more scrutiny of the project, which is expected to cost well over $1 billion.
“I would like to know that it's not based on poor information, and that we're looking at it from all angles."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reporter
Erica Butler is a reporter with CBC New Brunswick. She lives in Sackville and works out of the Moncton newsroom. You can send story tips to erica.butler@cbc.ca.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Subject: Fwd: Go Figure
To: <info@atlanticwildlife.ca>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, Mitton, Megan (LEG) <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, len.hoyt <len.hoyt@mcinnescooper.com>, Clark, Lori <lclark@nbpower.com>, <EFraser@nbpower.com>, <cevans@proenergyservices.com>
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Sat, Aug 16, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Subject: Go Figure
To: <info@atlanticwildlife.ca>
Tantramar residents near proposed natural gas plant share health concerns
N. B. Power hopes gas plant will be up and running in 2028
Hayley MacLean is concerned
about the possible health impacts of a natural gas plant on her family
and on the migratory birds that often visit her backyard. (Hope
Edmond/CBC News)Tantramar residents say the wildfires and extreme heat this week only heightened their concerns about how a natural gas plant N.B. Power wants to build in the area would affect their health.
Residents and others shared their concerns at an open house about the gas plant, held in Sackville by ProEnergy, the Missouri-based company that would build the plant.
N.B. Power has chosen a 20-hectare site in Centre Village, along Route 940, for the proposed plant, which would be built by ProEnergy and is projected to be up and running in 2028.
Terry Jones, who lives just 1.4 kilometres from the site, was one of about 170 people at the open house, where ProEnergy invited people to ask questions and voice concerns.
This week, Missouri-based ProEnergy hosted two open houses on the
natural gas plant it would build for N.B. Power in Tantramar. (Hope
Edmond/CBC News)
Jones said she is the site's nearest neighbour and will be the "first person to feel the effects of water runoff, of air pollution, noise pollution, light pollution."
"We need to get away from fossil fuels, look at renewable energy and start looking to the future."
Jones has a private well and worries it will be affected by the new plant.
Tantramar residents say gas plant would take N.B. in wrong
direction "If I don't have water and I decide that I'm going to give up my home of 33 years, who's going to buy it?" Jones said.
Hayley MacLean, who lives eight kilometres south of the site, voiced similar concerns.
"Right now we have great water, and we're worried about contamination of our water, of our wells," she said.
MacLean said she is disappointed she wasn't consulted by N.B. Power or ProEnergy before the plant was announced.
"It makes us feel … like our input doesn't matter," she said. "We're still human, we still have concerns, and we still have a right to have a safe place to live."
ProEnergy, the Missouri-based company that
would build the gas plant, invited residents residents to share their concerns about it. (Radio-Canada)
Matthew Gorman, a senior tech specialist at N.B. Power, said he and a representative from ProEnergy visited about 15 residences near the site a month ago when it was announced.
"Half of the folks were home. Those that weren't home, we left a letter," he said, describing the interactions with those who were home as "positive."
MacLean's biggest concerns are about the health of residents and the environment.
The 2025 environmental impact assessment of the project said effects on the quality and quantity of groundwater and surface water are expected. But the assessment doesn't predict the project will have any impact on the 44 private wells within 10 kilometres of the project site.
"Construction activities may require excavations, which could result in a localized lowering of the water table," according to the assessment, which warns that storm water runoff could lead to "elevated turbidity and suspended solids" in the runoff.
"If subsurface disturbance is extensive, the increased turbidity and suspended solids may also reach the groundwater system via groundwater recharge."
The environmental assessment also points to the possibility that "liquid effluents" will be discharged from the project into a nearby wetland or ditch along Route 940, which "could potentially result in changes to groundwater quality."
But the exact changes in water quality and quantity are yet to be tested.
Gorman said N.B. Power is waiting for a permit that would allow them to test how much the plant would affect water quality and quantity in the site area.
Depending on the results, Gorman said, the location of the site could be reconsidered.
The project is still under review by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, an agency that reviews environmental impact assessments.
Before a decision is made, the agency will also review public comments to prepare a summary of issues.
Residents say fossil fuel emissions must be cut
Aside from her drinking water, MacLean and her neighbours are also worried about carbon dioxide emissions.
"The plant is going to be producing some sort of emissions that are not going to be, you know, great for us to be breathing," she said.
Peter Jongeneelen, co-chair of ACORN, a tenant advocacy group for people with low to moderate incomes, worries the gas plant will worsen air quality.
"Well the carbon emissions — the CO2 emissions — if I can barely breathe in extreme heat and wildfire smoke … what is this adding to it?" he said.
Sylvain Comeau, a climate activist, said he's concerned about the plant, especially if forest fires are burning in New Brunswick, which is the case now.
"Especially with the forest fires happening all over New Brunswick, I wanted to come here and advocate for greener alternatives," Comeau said.
"No matter what, building a brand new power plant and having it run anytime of the year will still cause greenhouse gases to escape into the atmosphere and heat our climate," he said.
According to N.B. Power and ProEnergy, the plant is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas per year. In a worst case scenario, it would produce 900,000 tonnes.
Instead of a fossil fuel burning plant, Comeau said, there are other energy solutions, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and battery.
"I'm just trying to hammer it home that we don't need new fossil fuel plants in New Brunswick," Comeau said.
But Gorman said renewable energy is not always reliable.
"If the wind's not blowing, if the sun is not shining, the energy isn't available," he said. "This is not a base load generator plant. It's a backup facility to support the resiliency of the grid that is going to have renewables embedded into it as we navigate towards net zero."
At Wednesday night's meeting, a representative from Stantec, the company that did the environmental impact assessment, said potential health impacts that could be caused by the plant, were not part of the assessment.
The company agreed to reconsider this approach if there is enough community interest.
No recording was permitted at the meeting and representatives from ProEnergy refused to do a recorded interview.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Journalist
Hope Edmond is working with the Fredericton bureau at CBC. You can send her story tips to hope.edmond@cbc.ca.
Public Meetings – Provincial Environmental Impact Assessment
As part of the provincial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process regarding the proposed fossil gas plant in Tantramar, two open houses are being organized to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and offer input. This notice is for informational purposes only; the meetings are publicly hosted by PROENERGY .
Public Meeting Details
-
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Music Barn, 18 Station Road, Sackville -
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre, 182 Main Street, Sackville
Residents are invited to attend either session to engage with the assessment process and, if they wish, submit comments or concerns.
About the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
The New Brunswick EIA process ensures that potential environmental impacts are identified and evaluated early in the planning stage. For projects of this scale—such as the Centre Village generating facility proposed by NB Power and operated by PROENERGY—the EIA may follow a comprehensive review path, offering extended public input opportunities.
Projects Under Comprehensive Review
Opportunities for Public and First Nations Involvement during a Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Determination Review
Under New Brunswick’s
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation, reviews of
proposed projects start when the proponent submits a registration
document. Most conclude a few months later when the Minister issues a
Certificate of Determination (CoD) allowing the project to
proceed subject to conditions. This process is referred to as a
determination review. It involves a Technical Review Committee (TRC) of
subject matter experts from the provincial, federal and
local governments. They ask questions and provide comments to the
proponent and recommend conditions for inclusion in the CoD. During the
review, the proponent engages with the public and First Nations and
submits the results to the EIA Branch of the Department
of Environment and Local Government (DELG).
Comprehensive Review
Less often, some projects follow a different review path. If the
Minister suspects project impacts may be significant or decides that
more study is needed to further assess these impacts, then proponents
must follow a comprehensive EIA review process. Comprehensive
EIAs offer added opportunities for members of the public and First
Nations to give their input.
Opportunities for Public and First Nations Involvement
The numbers below illustrate the five opportunities for public and First Nations involvement during a Comprehensive EIA.
First Nations may choose to provide input through both the EIA and the Duty to Consult process, if applicable.
Duty to Consult with First Nations
The Importance of Consultation with First Nations
The Duty to Consult Process
The Duty to Consult process was established by Canadian courts upon interpretation of the recognition of Aboriginal rights in the Canadian Constitution. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 states that, "the existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed."
The Duty to Consult process is part of the duty of all federal and provincial governments to maintain the Honour of the Crown. This obligation is tied in part to treaties that were entered into prior to New Brunswick’s creation. The treaties and the history of the relationship between the Crown and Aboriginal Peoples is unique to each province. In the Maritime provinces, a series of historic Peace and Friendship Treaties were signed by the British government and the Mi’gmaq, Wolastoqey and Peskotomuhkati peoples between 1725 and 1779. In addition, many decisions by a province may involve the federal government that has overriding responsibility to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. The province of New Brunswick must navigate the complex relationships in a manner that follows the direction of the court and that balances the rights of Aboriginal Peoples with overarching societal interests.
The Honour of the Crown requires the province to act with integrity, respect Aboriginal Peoples’ rights and live up to the province’s legislated duties. The Department of Indigenous Affairs’ mandate includes making sure this Honour is maintained in the Duty to Consult process.
The Duty to Consult process will vary and may look different depending on the decision being considered by the province. At its core, it is an honourable process to provide a mechanism for a meaningful dialogue where First Nations can raise concerns, and for the province to take those concerns into account when making a decision that could have an adverse impact on Aboriginal and Treaty rights. A description of the Duty to Consult was provided by the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Beverley McLachlin, when she stated:
At all stages, good faith on both sides is required. The common thread on the Crown’s part must be “the intention of substantially addressing [Aboriginal] concerns” as they are raised (Delgamuukw, supra, at para. 168), through a meaningful process of consultation. Sharp dealing is not permitted. However, there is no duty to agree; rather, the commitment is to a meaningful process of consultation. As for Aboriginal claimants, they must not frustrate the Crown's reasonable good faith attempts, nor should they take unreasonable positions to thwart government from making decisions or acting in cases where, despite meaningful consultation, agreement is not reached: see Halfway River First Nation v. British Columbia (Ministry of Forests), [1999] 4 C.N.L.R. 1 (B.C.C.A.), at p. 44; Heiltsuk Tribal Council v. British Columbia (Minister of Sustainable Resource Management) (2003), 19 B.C.L.R. (4th) 107 (B.C.S.C.). Mere hard bargaining, however, will not offend an Aboriginal people's right to be consulted.
Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests), 2004 SCC 73 Supreme Court of Canada at 42
The Department of Indigenous Affairs is mandated to lead a whole-of-government approach to consultation with First Nations. This means that all consultations with First Nations are coordinated through the department and based on an established five-step process that is applied consistently throughout the Government of New Brunswick.
Contemplated actions or decisions, i.e. policies, legislation, land use planning, economic development, etc., are assessed by the Department of Indigenous Affairs with the support of the responsible departments. If it is found that a decision or action being contemplated has the potential to adversely impact the Aboriginal or Treaty rights of New Brunswick First Nations, then the Duty to Consult process is triggered.
If the Duty to Consult is triggered, the Department of Indigenous Affairs is responsible for leading the consultation process. The lead, decision-making department or agency is responsible for working with the Department of Indigenous Affairs throughout the consultation process and providing the necessary expertise and knowledge related to their government programs and services. A process consisting of five distinct steps is followed, the design of which is to ensure that the rights of First Nations are respected and is in keeping with the direction of the court.
Note: Early engagement with First Nations at the project planning stage is recommended and is a best practice. More information is provided in the Information for proponents section.
The first step of the Duty to Consult process is an initial assessment of a contemplated action or decision by the province to determine whether there is a potential for an adverse impact to established or asserted Aboriginal and Treaty rights. This assessment is done using all information made available to the Department of Indigenous Affairs at the time. The province is always open to receiving new/additional information from First Nations and adjusting its assessment under this step based on what First Nations share.
Below are examples of provincial contemplated actions or decisions:
- Issuance of permits or leases
- Authorizations or approvals
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determinations
- Infrastructure or other projects
- Strategy and policy development
If the Duty to Consult is triggered, the initial assessment will determine the next steps.
In this step, First Nations are notified of the contemplated decision or action under consideration and provided with a summary description, relevant information and the outcome of the initial assessment completed in Step 1.
In addition to the information outlined above, this notification also sets out:
- A proposed timeline for each remaining step of the process
- An offer to meet with First Nations to answer any initial questions
- The provision of any funding to First Nations for their participation and other items as may be required
Each Duty to Consult process is tailored to the decision or action being contemplated, and the Aboriginal and Treaty rights that have the potential to be adversely impacted.
This step of the Duty to Consult process is for First Nations to share any information with the province and/or proponent.
This may include the following:
- Information they have related to their rights
- The impact the decision or action may have on those rights
- How they think the province and/or proponent should address those impacts to rights
- Any other concerns that they may have
There is no restriction on what information the First Nations can share, and, in some cases, further meetings will be held during this step to ensure the province has, and clearly understands, all the information provided to date.
If new information regarding a decision or action being contemplated is shared, the province would take that into consideration.
This step includes further dialogue and exchange of information between First Nations and the province. Through correspondence and meetings, information is presented and further concerns, potential adverse impacts, and possible mitigation and accommodation measures are discussed. In many cases there will be agreement on certain items related to the decision or action, but often there are items where there are differing views. It is the intention that the province and First Nations will have a complete understanding of each other’s interests and concerns by the end of this step. There can be disagreement and difficult topics and conversations, but the province is always seeking to have good faith discussions that are focused on finding common ground, including on the identification of impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty rights and appropriate mitigation or accommodations where necessary and appropriate.
The need for and nature of mitigation or accommodation will vary depending on the identified potential adverse impact. In some cases, accommodation may include economic contributions to First Nations, mitigating the impact through changes to the implementation of the decision or action, involvement of First Nations in phases of implementation of any decision or action, or other steps by the province and/or proponent to address the concerns raised by First Nations.
This information is provided to First Nations, and in certain cases, sets out the need for further meetings or discussions to ensure the proposed accommodations are tailored to achieve the best result with First Nation input.
After completing the significant work associated with steps 1 through 4, the province takes the information gathered through discussions and correspondence, including the Issues and Tracking Log, and conducts an evaluation of the entire Duty to Consult process. This evaluation includes ensuring that all issues and concerns raised have been addressed. The Department of Indigenous Affairs reports to the decision maker regarding the consultation process, the proposed accommodations and any matters that were raised as part of the consultation. The decision maker may decide to not proceed with the decision or action, to amend/modify details related to the decision or action, proceed as planned with accommodations for impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty rights as needed, or some combination of the above to ensure adverse impacts are appropriately addressed.
Between January and December 2023, the Consultation Branch completed 17
file reviews under the Duty to Consult process. Of these, 2 (see table
below) were identified as having the potential to adversely impact
Aboriginal and Treaty rights resulting in initiation
of the Duty to Consult process.
Department(s) Responsible
File or Project Title
Department of Environment and Local Government
Pays de la Sagouine Repositioning Project
Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
McKay Brook Culvert
Between January and December 2022, the Consultation Branch completed 52 file reviews under the Duty to Consult process. Of these, 10 (see table below) were identified as having the potential to adversely impact Aboriginal and Treaty rights resulting in initiation of the Duty to Consult process.
Completed consultations (Jan-Dec 2022):
Department(s) Responsible
File or Project Title
Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries
Blueberry Development Request for Proposal in the Former Tracadie Range
Department of Environment and Local Government
Premier Tech Horticulture – Peat development project on Crown Land
Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development
Nature Legacy Initiative- Phase 1 – Initiative to increase by 10% the protected land and water in N.B. by 2023
New Brunswick Power and Department of Environment and Local Government
New Brunswick Power Milltown Dam Decommissioning Project
Department of Environment and Local Government
DND Base Gagetown Renewable Energy Electrical Generation Facility Project
Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development
Delway Quarry Lease on Crown Land
Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development
Costal Enterprises Inc. sand and gravel quarry lease on Crown Land in the Lepreau area
Department of Environment and Local Government
Irving Pulp and Paper Environmental Treatment Facility and Water use Reduction System
Tourism, Heritage and Culture and Department of Environment and Local Government
Parlee Beach Provincial Park Tidal Inlet Dredging Project
Department of Environment and Local Government
Theriault&Hachey Peat Moss Ltd. - Peat Development project on Crown Land
As of January 22, 2024, there are 15 active consultation files and 41 files under review as part of the Duty to Consult process to determine if there is potential for adverse impact to Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The details regarding active consultation files are considered confidential.
Although courts have stated that proponents and third parties do not have a Duty to Consult, they do play an important role in the province’s Duty to Consult process because they often have in-depth knowledge of their proposed project and are better positioned to provide First Nations with detail at the project planning stage long before approval is sought by the province. This most often puts proponents in the best possible position to address concerns and potential adverse impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty rights, including avoiding and mitigating First Nations concerns early on.
The Department of Indigenous Affairs regularly provides guidance to proponents as it relates to early engagement with First Nations and the Duty to Consult process. To facilitate early engagement, the department can provide contact information for First Nations to proponents who are contemplating projects and want to engage with First Nations. Many First Nation communities in New Brunswick are supported by a consultation body and each may have a different structure and approach.
Once the Department of Indigenous Affairs receives adequate information regarding a contemplated project, the Consultation Branch within the department completes its initial assessment for potential adverse impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty rights (Step 1 of the Duty to Consult process) and will provide written notification to First Nations should there be a requirement for formal consultation. This notification is also shared with proponents and, although proponents and third parties do not have a legal duty to consult, the province may delegate procedural aspects of consultation to the proponent as part of the Duty to Consult process.
Proponents are encouraged to contact the Department of Indigenous Affairs with any questions and guidance on initial steps to be taken to ensure meaningful engagement and consultation with First Nations as soon as possible.
Contact us - FNconsultationPN@gnb.ca
Telephone: 506-462-5846
PROENERGY unable to back claims it has active Indigenous partners in 500 MW Centre Village gas plant
PROENERGY slide on display during two public information sessions this week in Sackville claiming that Indigenous investors already hold an ownership stake in the proposed gas plant project
PROENERGY, the U.S. company hired to build and operate a gas/diesel generating plant on the Chignecto Isthmus, was unable to back up its claims that the project has Indigenous support during a public question and answer session Wednesday night at the Tantramar Civic Centre.
After Sackville resident Shelley Chase questioned why an Indigenous representative was not at the front of the room to answer questions, Tristan Jackson came forward to discuss his involvement in the proposed RIGS Energy Atlantic gas plant.
Tristan Jackson, Facebook photo. Cameras and audio recorders were banned from last night’s meeting
Jackson is chief executive officer of Nikutik Limited Partnership, a newly created Indigenous Sovereign Wealth Fund that works with industry on clean energy projects to create economic independence for the seven First Nations that are members of the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council.
The Amlamgog (Fort Folly) First Nation is one of those members.
Jackson revealed that the seven chiefs who govern the council have not yet agreed to invest in the project.
He said Nikutik has secured an option for 2.5% of the equity and a
further option to acquire 33% at a later time, but he stressed those
options have not been exercised in spite of the U.S. company’s claim
that the gas plant
“will be owned by PROENERGY and the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council.”
“I can’t speak for the First Nations,” Jackson said, adding that the option to invest does not mean that they endorse it.
“My job is to secure them opportunities,” he added.
Earlier in the day, he told Warktimes that he does not know what the seven chiefs will decide.
“They may invest in the project and then again, they may not,” he said.
‘Deceptive & misleading’
Later during last night’s question and answer session, someone from the audience said he had been speaking with local MP Dominic LeBlanc’s executive assistant who said he had the impression that the gas plant project had Indigenous support.
“Now, we hear that they haven’t decided whether to be stakeholders or shareholders,” the audience member said.
“It seems deceptive and misleading to say that they are.”
John MacIsaac, President PROENERGY Canada. Photo from Nalcor Energy via CBC & Halifax Examiner
John MacIsaac, president of PROENERGY Canada, replied that the company aims to be transparent suggesting that identifying the First Nations as “equity partners” was simpler than saying there is an options agreement.
He also blamed the media for misinterpreting the ownership situation.
“We’re potentially partners moving forward,” MacIsaac explained.
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton also questioned why both PROENERGY and NB Power were claiming that the Tribal Council was a minority equity partner.
She added she had just learned that Elsipogtog Chief Arren Sock had written to NB Power to oppose the project.
“We will see what other First Nations decide,” she said.
Note: Warktimes has been unable to reach Fort Folly Chief Rebecca Knockwood. And, an assistant who answered the phone at Elsipogtog First Nation said Chief Arren Sock would not be available until September.
On August 12th Angie Pitre, a member of the Elsipogtog First Nation, submitted this comment opposing the project to the federal Impact Assessment Agency.
This is the first of two reports on the public Q&A session hosted by PROENERGY Canada.
North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council announces Sovereign Wealth Fund, Nikutik LP
Natoaganeg First Nation, New Brunswick – The North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC), alongside its seven Member Nations, has launched a new platform for economic growth. As a Sovereign Wealth Fund, Nikutik Limited Partnership will work with industry partners to develop new real assets focused on clean energy, engage in joint ventures, and create related economic opportunities for its Member Nations.
Nikutik brings together the NSMTC and its Member Nations – Amlamgog (Fort Folly) First Nation, Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) First Nation, Oinpegitjoig (Pabineau) First Nation, Tjipõgtõtjg (Buctouche) First Nation, L’nui Menikuk (Indian Island) First Nation, Ugpi’ganjig (Eel River Bar) First Nation, and Metepenagiag (Red Bank) Mi’kmaq Nation – as eight equal owners and limited partners in the fund. With considerable capacity to secure financing, including from government programs, leverage rightsholder status, and access expertise, Nikutik offers unique value to private sector companies interested in partnering on development projects.
The name “Nikutik,” meaning “growth” in Mi’kmaq, reflects a vision of
Indigenous-led economic development for Atlantic Canada, and economic
independence for First Nations.
Seizing Opportunities
Nikutik seeks to support projects that bring financial, social, environmental, and cultural benefits to NSMTC Member Nations and projects that position the Atlantic region as a global leader in clean energy innovation and development.
In December 2024, federal and provincial ministers announced over $1 billion in clean energy funding for New Brunswick. This funding includes support for up to 670 megawatts of Indigenous-led wind projects, a portion of which includes four projects led by Nikutik and partner First Nations and private developers.
Nikutik’s investment focus extends beyond energy. It intends to
partner on projects in nuclear medicine, advanced manufacturing, and
emerging fields such as data centers and hydrogen technology.
Economic and Community Impact
Nikutik will work toward long-term prosperity for its Member Nations by means of:
- Equity investments in development projects and partnerships with companies in growth sectors worldwide;
- Job creation for community members across various fields and industries;
- Investing in infrastructure projects within communities that expand access to clean energy and shared-use facilities to drive economic growth;
- Self-determination through Indigenous leadership and First Nation economic sovereignty.
Quotes
“The Nikutik Sovereign Wealth Fund is a small seed today but is
already growing very fast and will soon be making international news.
The technical and financial benefits of our projects are important, but
the most exciting aspect of what we are doing
is that we are flipping the order of business, from industry proponents
planning projects, then asking First Nations for acceptance, to First
Nations planning projects, then inviting industry and investors to
participate. As we grow this fund, we will also
model a new approach to responsible economic development.”
–Tristan Jackson, CEO, Nikutik
“Nikutik is about more than economic growth – it’s about creating a
future that reflects our values as Mi’kmaq people. This fund is our
commitment to the next seven generations, ensuring that our youth and
future generations have access to opportunities
that honor their potential and sustain our communities. By working with
industry partners, we are creating a foundation for shared success and
showing how Indigenous leadership and participation can shape the path
forward, not only here in New Brunswick, but
across the world.”
–Jim Ward, General Manager, NSMTC | President, Nikutik
About the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council
The North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council is a not-for-profit dedicated
to advancing innovation and promoting Indigenous involvement in major
projects within Mi’kma’ki. The NSMTC primarily serves its seven Member
Nations while extending support to 25 additional
First Nations across Atlantic Canada. The council provides service
delivery, technical support, and capacity-building in water and waste
management, housing and infrastructure, post-secondary education
funding, training and employment, community development,
clean energy opportunities, environmental stewardship, and health
service coordination. The NSMTC’s mission is to foster the health,
sustainability, and economic prosperity of its Member Nations.
Building Partnerships
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Advisory Board
Tantramar mayor calls for comprehensive EIA of proposed 500 MW gas plant on the Chignecto Isthmus
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black has joined MLA Megan Mitton in calling for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the proposed 500 MW gas and diesel generating plant near Centre Village on the Chignecto Isthmus.
During an interview with Warktimes on Tuesday, Black said he asked for the comprehensive EIA in an e-mail he sent this week to Premier Holt and the ministers responsible for the environment and local government.
“I said, I seriously recommend that you consider Megan Mitton’s request to have a comprehensive EIA on this project from day one,” Black said.
“The only response I’ve heard so far is that I’ll be receiving a response,” he added.
To read the mayor’s e-mail, click here.
Black included a spreadsheet in his e-mail summarizing every comment the town has received so far on the project.
It shows that the most frequently mentioned issue was about reports that the generating plant could use up to 7,000 cubic metres of water per day: “where is the water coming from/going to?!?!?”, the mayor’s spreadsheet quotes people as asking.
Other frequent comments included concerns about the ecological sensitivity of the Isthmus; its status as a critical wildlife corridor; the need to protect its biodiversity of flora and fauna and “environmental concerns as the project is disguised as a ‘green’ project while truly being a fossil fuel burning plant.”
The spreadsheet shows that people who e-mailed the town also expressed concerns about limited public debate and consultation on the project, the “flawed and grossly inadequate EIA” and the hiring of an American company to do the work — “and what if they walk away?”
Town’s role
Five e-mails called on local elected officials to speak out against the project, but Mayor Black says that at this stage, that’s not the town’s role.
“At this point, it’s not for the municipality to take a side,” Black told Warktimes.
“Our responsibility is to make sure that the environmental impact assessment is done properly, that there is involvement both with transparency to the public and to the municipality, and if there’s anything that’s flagged that comes from it, that we fight for that,” he said.
The mayor said he’s glad to see such an outpouring of comments on the proposed project.
“I’m really pleased to see this level of engagement from the community, which doesn’t surprise me considering where we live, but I am very pleased to see that.”
Open house Q&A
Black made his comments at the Sackville Music Barn where he was attending a public open house on the project hosted by PROENERGY, the company that has been hired to build and operate the plant.
The open house featured displays with participants given the chance to question officials during one-on-one conversations.
Things seemed to be going smoothly until the power went out after 5 p.m. and at 6, about 40 people showed up to demand a change in format that would allow the whole group to participate in a question and answer session with officials.
After a few heated exchanges, Mayor Black and MLA Mitton succeeded in persuading John MacIsaac, president of PROENERGY Canada, to include a two-hour question and answer session during today’s open house at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre.
The open house begins at 4 p.m. The Q&A session will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
2 Responses to Tantramar mayor calls for comprehensive EIA of proposed 500 MW gas plant on the Chignecto Isthmus
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Carol says:
Please ask CHMA if they can make tonight’s meeting accessible via Zoom.
Thanks!-
I attended tonight’s session for an hour but cameras and audio recordings were forbidden by the US-based corporation that is fronting this project. There is no public record.
-
Harold Gerd Jarche
Address:
78 Bridge St
Sackville, NB E4L 3N9
CA
Mailling Address:
78 Bridge St
Sackville, NB E4L 3N9
CA
Phone: (506) 536-0516
Email: Click Here
Website: http://www.jarche.com
Jarche Consulting
Harold Jarche is an independent consultant specializing in performance improvement. His field of practice is Human Performance Technology, which is about the analysis and design of the systems that people work within. Technology in this sense means the application of organized and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems. Much of Harold's work through Jarche Consulting is focused on strategic planning for e-learning initiatives, or conducting analyses to determine the best workplace learning and performance programs. Harold has over twenty years experience in training, holds a Master's degree in education, and is a Certified Performance Technologist with ISPI.
Company Details
Year Established: 2003
Total Sales ($CDN): $1 - $100,000
Number of Employees: 2
Company Information
Harold JarcheTitle: Data Provider
Telephone: (506) 536-0516
Sent: August 10, 2025 11:53 AM
To: Holt, Susan Premier (PO/CPM) <susan.holt@gnb.ca>
Cc: Kennedy, Aaron Hon. (LG/GL-SNB) <aaron.kennedy@gnb.ca>; Awad, Charbel (ELG/EGL)
<charbel.awad@gnb.ca>; gilles.lepage@gnb.ca <gilles.lepage@gnb.ca>
Subject: Request for Comprehensive EIA
I am writing to you today in response to the proposed NBPower natural gas power plant
that is being planned to be constructed and operated here in the Municipality of
Tantramar.
There has been a lot of chatter in our community about this project, both for and against
and for various reasons. I will say that the most vocal people are those that are against the
project and the majority of those live in the same ward that the proposed project may be
constructed. People are scared and concerned about the full impacts of this project, but
while their concerns are 100% valid, some of the facts that are being thrown around are
difficult to prove or quantify. That being said, as far as elected officials go, we need to
recognize the concerns on both sides and represent our community as best as we can. I
want to say that some of this would have been avoided if NBPower/ProEnergy would have
initiated conversations with Tantramar well in advance of when the press release came out
(which is when we heard about it!!!). All of this being said, I have compiled a spreadsheet
with the comments/concerns and the number of times it has been mentioned in the many
emails we have received at the local level and I have attached that info to this email for you
to see. I want to recognize that it shows only one side of the story at the local level but, as I
said, we have heard comments for and against.
The municipality has had good conversations with both ProEnergy and NBPower and are
very pleased that there are two open house sessions coming up for the public to attend
and find out more information on the project. This is certainly a good start.
At this point, the Municipality of Tantramar is not taking a stance on this project as it is
not really our place to do so. BUT, I do know that our MLA Megan Mitton has sent a request
to you and Minister LePage to start the EIA process with a full and comprehensive EIA,
rather than waiting to see if something is flagged coming out of the regular process for this
development. I am requesting that you give serious consideration to this request. I know
that it may slow the process down to get the project ready for 2028 and to support the grid,
but I think it would serve NBPower and ProEnergy well to make sure that this project is truly
sound......and it would certainly assuage some fears, and maybe silence some, with the
residents that we serve.
At the end of the day I believe in process, policy and procedure and I am hopeful that the
EIA and any other studies that need to be done will be conducted properly and in a fully
Tantramar and New Brunswick.
Thank you for your time and the consideration of my request.
Mayor
(506) 364-4930 - Town Hall
(506) 224-0125 - Cell
a.black@tantramarNB.com
www.tantramarNB.com
Tantramar council turns down call to oppose proposed natural gas power plant
Defeated motion called for lobbying premier, asking NB Power to go with clean energy
In a tight vote Tuesday evening, Tantramar councillors rejected a call to officially oppose a proposed natural gas power plant in a rural part of the southeastern New Brunswick municipality.
N.B. Power first announced in July that its Renewables Integration and Grid Stability (RIGS) project would be built near Centre Village, a rural area outside of Midgic. Since then, local residents and environmental groups have been vocal in their opposition.
On Tuesday, Coun. Michael Tower followed through on a request from the local Stop the Tantramar Gas Plant group with a motion asking council to write to Premier Susan Holt and call for the project to be cancelled. The motion also asked that N.B. Power instead prioritize wind and solar energy generation, supported by battery energy storage systems.
But after a discussion about the municipality's role, and the costs and benefits of the major project, Tower's motion was defeated in a 5-4 vote.
Midgic resident Juliette Bulmer said she was "absolutely disappointed" with the decision, questioning concerns expressed by Mayor Andrew Black and some councillors that weighing in on the project would be outside their mandate.
Bulmer said the Stop the Tantramar Gas Plant group will now wait to hear Holt's response to letters delivered in person last week.
Outside municipal mandate?
Black told council that despite his personal concerns, taking a stance on the project was outside the scope of a municipal council.
"Municipalities need to stay in their lane," he said. "This motion is urging the immediate cancellation of the project — a power that local governments do not have the authority to dictate."
Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks, who was elected in Tantramar's Ward 4, which includes Centre Village, shared Black's concerns over council's role.
"We, as elected officials, cannot assume the role of activists," he said. "I hope that this council fully understands the implications of taking a public stance and writing letters against this project."
Some councillors disagreed.
It is part of our mandate to protect our citizens.
— Coun. Michael Tower
"As an elected official, I do have the right to speak my mind on behalf of the people, and represent them and how they feel about this project," said Coun. Bruce Phinney.
Tower told council he heard a similar "stay in your lane" argument when he wanted his fellow municipal councillors at the former Town of Sackville to speak out on the threatened reduction of services at the Sackville Memorial Hospital.
"I was told, 'It's not in your mandate.' And if health isn't part of your mandate, then there's a problem," said Tower. "It is part of our mandate to protect our citizens."
Sackville's council eventually took an active role in the health-care issue, providing funding and appointing a council member to liaise with a local community group. The town went on to become part of the amalgamated Municipality of Tantramar in 2023.
Potential merits and downsides discussed
The debate over Tower's motion on the natural gas plant also included discussion over the merits of the proposed project, and its potential impact on the region.
Tower said he had concerns about how wells in the area would be affected by the significant water requirements of a power plant, and about the emergency response capabilities of local authorities in case of fires or other accidents at the plant.
He also cited issues with trust over the information shared by N.B. Power and ProEnergy, the American company selected to build the plant.
I don't like to think that I am a NIMBY kind of person. I don't think this should be in anyone's backyard. But I am elected to look after this backyard, and I do not want this here.
— Coun. Allison Butcher
The latter concern was shared by several councillors, including Allison Butcher.
She said there has been "misinformation" about the support of Indigenous communities for the project and over the labelling of the project as green, despite the role of fossil fuels as the source of power.
Butcher said that after speaking to many residents, she not heard from anyone in support of the project.
"I don't like to think that I am a NIMBY kind of person," said Butcher, referring to the acronym for "not in my backyard."
"I don't think this should be in anyone's backyard. But I am elected to look after this backyard, and I do not want this here."
Estabrooks spoke extensively against the motion to formally oppose the proposed plant, citing the potential economic benefits of the project, which he's been told could generate between $350 million and $400 million over the next 25 years.
He said the N.B. Power project is "a necessity" for the province, adding: "It is going to happen somewhere.... If we close the door on it here, then the benefits will fall to another community."
Estabrooks said despite those benefits, his support would require that all environmental concerns at the federal and provincial levels are met.
"We need to let that process happen," he said.
What's next? Waiting on provincial decision
But exactly what that process consists of is still up in the air.
A number of community and environmental groups, along with Tantramar's mayor and area MLA Megan Mitton, have called for the province to level up its environmental impact assessment for the project.
There's confusion as to whether the province has ruled out a comprehensive review, something normally used for "large-scale projects like mines, refineries, nuclear power, etc.," according to Environment and Climate Change Department spokesperson Vicky Lutes.
Black told council on Monday and again on Tuesday night that the province had refused his request for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment. However, in an emailed statement Wednesday, Lutes said a decision on a comprehensive review has yet to be made, and will come after the department's review process is finished.
On Sept. 19, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada ruled that no further assessment would be required at the federal level, after collecting 272 submissions online, mostly expressing opposition to the project.
Meanwhile, ProEnergy says it has received regulatory approvals to move forward with further site investigation work in Centre Village.
Chris Evans, the company's vice-president of marketing, said by email that water assessment and site geotechnical work is needed "so that we can answer community questions about water supply."
Evans also said the company will build a road to allow the well driller and geotechnical experts access to the site.
Corrections
- A previous version of this story incorrectly said Deputy Mayor Matt Estabrooks was elected in Tantramar's Ward 5, rather than Ward 4.Sep 25, 2025 10:20 AM ADT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Coun. Bruce Phinney hit with another round of sanctions under Sackville’s Code of Conduct
Councillor Bruce Phinney
Councillor Bruce Phinney is losing two months’ pay (about $1,300) and the right to travel on behalf of the town for violating sections of council’s Code of Conduct.
He will also be required to undergo “one-on-one coaching to discuss effective communications strategies.”
Town Council imposed these latest sanctions last night acting on recommendations from an independent investigator who was paid about $10,000 to look into complaints from one of Phinney’s council colleagues. The motion sanctioning Phinney passed unanimously. To read it, click here.
Confidential personnel matter
During last night’s council question period, Deputy Mayor Andrew Black declined to say who made the complaints and what Phinney had done to violate the Code saying such matters are confidential, human resources matters.
But Councillor Bill Evans pointed out that Phinney himself could give details and when reached by phone in Alberta where he is visiting family, Phinney said the complaints against him stemmed from two public comments he made in February.
During a council meeting on February 14, Phinney served notice he would be voting against a new hiring policy that gave the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) the power “to appoint and employ, suspend, and dismiss for cause all employees of the town” without having to consult council.
Phinney suggested town hiring practices were unfair “where family members are being hired” and added, “there was one that I felt was a conflict of interest.” To read a transcript of his remarks, click here.
Phinney said he did not name any names, but last night, town council accepted the investigator’s finding that he had violated Article 4 of the Code which “provides a framework to guide ethical conduct that upholds the integrity of the town and the high standards of professional conduct the public expects of its local government elected representatives.”
The council motion sanctioning Phinney also said he violated Article
19 which decrees that “no member shall use indecent, abusive, or
insulting words or expressions toward any
other member, town administration or any member of the public.”
Student voting
Phinney said the second complaint against him involved remarks he made on February 24 during one of council’s committee meetings on municipal reform.
He said then that he would like to see Sackville divided into four electoral wards, adding that Mt. A. students should not vote “because they are only citizens here for four years and sometimes some of the decisions that are made by them can influence us for a very long time.”
Phinney quoted professors at the university as suggesting that Megan Mitton won her narrow 11-vote victory in the 2018 provincial election “because of the fact that the students were allowed to vote.”
He says he was referring to a panel discussion that Warktimes covered, where professors agreed that the student vote helped put Mitton over the edge.
Phinney added during last night’s phone interview he believes that students who come from outside should vote in their home ridings in provincial elections instead of casting their ballots here. To read a transcript of Phinney’s remarks during the February 24 committee meeting, click here.
In sanctioning Phinney for his remarks about student voting, town council cited Article 9(d) of the Code which states that “members shall serve, and be seen to serve, the welfare and interest of the town as a whole and the community at large in a conscientious and diligent manner and approach decision making with an open mind.”
Phinney’s reaction
“I think council should have waited until I got back from vacation and had the opportunity to address them personally,” Phinney said last night.
However, CAO Jamie Burke has since confirmed that Phinney was invited to a closed-door meeting on June 27, before he left for his vacation, but says he declined to attend it. During that meeting the investigator presented her report and findings.
Phinney says he was informed of the meeting, but was given no details about the human resources matter that would be discussed and an e-mail request to town staff asking for more information wasn’t answered. He also says he told the mayor he couldn’t attend because he wasn’t feeling well. In any case, he adds, he needed time to prepare a response to the investigators’ report.
“The investigator took six weeks to write her report and I felt I would need at least a couple of weeks to respond to it,” he said.
Mayor Mesheau then invited Phinney to respond in writing by noon on July 5. But when council received no written submissions from him, it went ahead and imposed the sanctions the investigator recommended.
Previous sanctions
It’s not the first time Phinney has been found in violation of the Code of Conduct.
Town council decided that Phinney violated it during a telephone meeting on April 6th 2020 that was released to the public more than a week later with a note saying 37-seconds had been had been deleted “because of confidentiality concerns.”
Phinney is heard on the recording opposing the appointment of Jamie Burke as the new CAO.
“The reason I’m voting against it is I feel that the other candidates that we had were much more qualified,” Phinney said.
Warktimes reported at the time that it seemed likely that Phinney had referred to one or more of the other candidates interviewed for the CAO position during the 37-second gap on the recording.
Councillors approved a motion authorizing then Mayor John Higham to send Phinney a formal letter of reprimand for violating a section of the Code that prohibits the release of such information.
Council also approved a second motion calling on Phinney to acknowledge publicly that he breached the Code and to sign a statement affirming that he would abide by its provisions.
To read coverage, click here.
In December 2020, Phinney was ordered to undergo training after his colleagues found that he violated council’s Code of Conduct apparently by making derogatory comments about Jamie Burke.
Phinney was responding then to an e-mail from a Sackville resident that he sent by mistake to a member of town staff who apparently drew it to the attention of the CAO.
PCs tap longtime councillor Bruce Phinney as candidate for upcoming election
Tantramar councillor Bruce Phinney says he’s decided to run for the PC party in the upcoming provincial election after being recommended by former PC local government minister Daniel Allain.
“I feel I really do have something to offer the municipality here,” Phinney told reporters. “I’m open minded. I can be fair with anybody. I’m willing to discuss or talk to anybody about anything.” Phinney says he’s often thought of running federally, and so when the provincial PC party approached him, he decided to jump at the opportunity.
Phinney was at the Sackville Legion on Lorne Street for the founding meeting of the Tantramar PC riding association. Regional PC volunteer Marc LeBlanc explained the sparsely attended meeting was a formality, and that a nominating convention to formally select Phinney as candidate would be held later on.
Wildlife organization concerned about new neighbour — a natural gas plant
N.B. Power hopes to begin construction of a natural gas plant in 2026
A wildlife organization is worried about the potential environmental impact of N.B. Power's proposed natural gas plant in southeastern New Brunswick.
Barry Rothfuss, the executive director of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, which provides emergency care to wildlife, said the plant in Centre Village would be only about four kilometres away.
"The animals that are brought here are already in sensitive positions and then we're gonna complicate that with, again, the pollutants and contaminants that are potentially going to be threatening the ability to do our work professionally," Rothfuss said.
More than 200 animals, including foxes, eagles, bears and turtles, are in rehabilitation on the institute's 120-acre property in Cookville.
The plant site is on the Chignecto Isthmus, the link between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and made up of wetlands and forest.
It's also a high-traffic area for migrating species, including thousands of shorebirds.
Rothfuss and other residents didn't expect the area to be host to a natural gas plant, which was originally proposed for Scoudouc, near Shediac.
"I think it was a surprise to the entire community here," he said. "It sort of just threw us into a little bit of a panic."
The site is off Route 940 at the intersection of N.B. Power transmission lines and the Maritimes and Northeast natural gas pipeline.
The plant would draw from the natural gas pipeline to feed 10 turbines. It can also use ultra-low sulphur diesel as a backup fuel.
Location of proposed N.B. Power natural gas plant raises environmental concernsRothfuss said the institute offers its services to companies with infrastructure threatening to wildlife.
"I've never worked with any industry of this type that doesn't have significant environmental problems associated with it," Rothfuss said.
He expects "air, water and soil issues in every phase" of the project. He's now unsure if it's safe to continue experiential learning to post-secondary students and children's wildlife camps.
The project's environmental impact assessment said all phases of the project "will generate air contaminant and greenhouse gas emissions." It also anticipates effects on the quality and quantity of ground and surface water.
N.B. Power has said it wants to meet growing power demand while reducing the province's net greenhouse gas emissions by 250,000 tonnes a year. The plant would also provide backup power for wind and solar energy when they're not generating.
The plant would still produce greenhouse gas emissions of about 900,000 tonnes a year as a worst case scenario and 100,000 tonnes as the expected case scenario, according to N.B. Power and U.S.-based ProEnergy, the company that would build and operate the plant.
Emergency response anticipated
In 2013, around 7,500 migrating songbirds died overnight when they flew into and around a Saint John liquefied natural gas plant's flare. Rothfuss responded to that incident and said the birds weren't incinerated in that case. They were knocked unconscious by the fumes and died on impact with the ground.
"These generators are emitting the same type of emission that we were dealing with there in a major fly zone through our region. It doesn't make a lot of sense."
Canaport LNG ended up pleading guilty to federal charges under the Migratory Birds and Species at Risk Act.
Rothfuss would like to have a role in discussions, so he can at least anticipate how to respond to potential wildlife emergencies.
"What we're trying to do is be in the protective mode, get out in front of this and not having to respond to it and what we're being forced into here is a really responsive mode for something that we know is going to happen."
The project's initial description shows the infrastructure would be set on top of a wetland. N.B. Power spokesperson Elizabeth Fraser said in an email that the Centre Village site "offers the best opportunity for timely project delivery and cost savings over other potential locations."
'Important wildlife corridor'
Melanie Jellett, the conservation co-ordinator with the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, calls the isthmus "an important wildlife corridor."
"The site of the proposed gas plant is really at the heart of the Chignecto Isthmus. It's where moose, where bear, where lynx flow. So we're very concerned about the location."
In 2016, the Nature Conservancy of Canada studied the migratory path of wildlife through the Chignecto Isthmus and created a model of how animals travel.
According to its projections, the natural gas plant site would sit in the middle of the path.
The isthmus is already feeling the effects of rising sea levels and severe weather. The system of dikes, some centuries old, protects the area from the Bay of Fundy. But improvements are needed that would cost an estimated $650 million.
Not the only site
N.B. Power hopes to break ground in 2026 and generate power by the third quarter of 2028.
The project is under review by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, which considers the environmental impact of projects.
During an information session hosted by the agency, John MacIsaac, the president of ProEnergy Canada, said more than five sites were considered.
He said mapping was done and environmental impacts were considered "that positioned Centre Village ahead of Scoudouc."
ProEnergy declined an interview regarding the change in site location.
Spokesperson Chris Evans said in an email that the site was selected because of its minimal impact, proximity to existing electric and natural gas infrastructure, its lack of fish habitat and its low archeological potential.
N.B. Power didn't respond to a request to provide a list of the alternate sites.
The Impact Assessment Agency is accepting public comments online until Aug. 13.
Public open houses are also scheduled for Aug. 12 at the Sackville Music Barn at 4 p.m. and Aug. 13 at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre at 4 p.m.
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220 Cookville Rd.
Cookville, NB E4L 1Z8
Barry Rothfuss
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Midgic meeting discusses how to stop proposed 500 MW gas plant on Chignecto Isthmus
Terry Jones (L) and Juliette Bulmer along with Kristen Nicole LeBlanc organized Monday’s meeting
About 80 people gathered in the basement of the Midgic Baptist Church Monday night to discuss ways of stopping NB Power from building a massive natural gas generating plant near Centre Village on the ecologically sensitive Chignecto Isthmus.
“Ultimately, the biggest impact that we’re going to find is going to come to our wetlands, our water and our wells,” said meeting organizer Terry Jones whose 178 acre family property is only 1.4 kilometres from the proposed 500 MW gas plant.
“And this water damage is going to travel all the way to the Tantramar River, to Sackville, to the aquifers down there. So to think that it’s just a Centre Village project, that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” she added.
“What we need to do is look at slowing this project down for sure so that we have time,” Jones said, “because if everything passes through, they’re going to start in the fall drilling test wells, and in January, first quarter of next year, building and starting the infrastructure.”
“It’s not that we’re anti-progress or anti-development. Not at all,” meeting organizer and Midgic resident Juliette Bulmer told the meeting.
“It’s just such a sensitive area right here. It’s one of the few corridors where we have the migratory birds, the moose project and all kinds of things,” she added.
“A lot of you have been living on the land for a long time. You’ve got generations of families and you know what it’s been like living here,” Bulmer said as someone in the audience called out, “The water is so good here.”
“The water is so good here,” Bulmer repeated.
“We have a right to have clean water, clean air and to enjoy our property,” Jones said adding there’s potential for safe, eco-friendly tourism in the area.
“But, we’re looking at building a concrete pad up there and sticking in generating stations.”
No ‘confidence’ in province
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton
Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton reported on the provincial environment minister’s response to her letter calling for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) that would require extensive public consultations.
She said Gilles LePage wrote back to say he would not decide on whether to order a comprehensive EIA until initial reviews had been completed and he added: “It should be noted that Comprehensive reviews are generally required for large scale projects like mines, refineries, nuclear power, etc.”
“So, I don’t have confidence in the provincial government,” Mitton said.
She offered to use her constituency office to co-ordinate e-mail and telephone lists as a tool for organizing and sharing information. She said she will also present petitions against the project in the legislature, but warned it won’t meet until October and it’s easy for the government to ignore petitions.
Diesel dangers
Pam Novak and Barry Rothfuss of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute
Barry Rothfuss, executive director of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute (AWI), which would be 4.5 kilometres from the generating plant, spoke about his expertise in dealing with the environmental effects of projects like this.
AWI is the only organization in Atlantic Canada that is certified to deal with risks and threats to ecologically sensitive flora and fauna and the only one certified to suggest ways of mitigating damage when it occurs.
“I’ve been in a lot of facilities like this,” he said. “Just to access these facilities, you need special training. You need understanding of the environments you’re walking into.”
He added that the big, 10-generator plant will be using diesel fuel as a backup to natural gas and that would require a diesel storage capacity of three million gallons.
Rothfuss said if significant leaks occurred, local organizations would not have the capacity to deal with them.
“These types of facilities are notorious for leaks and things going wrong and human error,” he added.
In addition to AWI, speakers for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and EOS Eco-Energy expressed their environmental concerns about the proposed gas and diesel plant.
Renewable alternatives
Leslie Chandler
Activist Leslie Chandler told the meeting there are alternatives to fossil fuels such as gas and diesel.
“There’s something called BESS which is battery energy storage systems. The cost of those systems has dropped 50% since 2022,” she said.
“And building one of those is cheaper than a gas plant,” she added referring to a report from the Clean Energy States Alliance in Maine.
Chandler noted that PROENERGY, the American company contracted to build and operate the gas plant, is holding open houses from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12th at the Sackville Music Barn and on Wednesday, August 13th at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre.
She urged people to carry one message to company representatives.
“Say our community is not having this and we are going renewable. Yeah, we’re just not buying it, we’re not having it, it’s not happening here and we’re going renewable,” she concluded.
Meeting participants on one side of the church basement. A total of about 80 people attended the meeting
Commentary: Key questions need answers before Centre Village natural gas plant is built
Note to readers: The following commentary raises questions about the 500 MW natural gas generating plant that NB Power is proposing for the ecologically sensitive Chignecto Isthmus near Centre Village in the Town of Tantramar. NB Power announced last month that it had awarded a contract to the American company PROENERGY to build and operate the plant for at least 25 years on a 550 acre site that NB Power bought nearly a year ago. The project would consist of 10 natural gas generators that would use low-sulphur diesel fuel as a backup.
By Bradley Walters, PhD, Professor of Geography & Environment, Mount Allison University
Mount Allison Professor Bradley Walters. Photo: Mount Allison University
I have real concerns about the potential for significant local impacts from the proposed Centre Village gas power plant project on wildlife, water and air quality, but will restrict my comments here to the issue of wider energy policy and greenhouse gas emissions. These are subjects I’ve been discussing with my students for many years at Mount Allison University.
The way this project is being framed seems appealing. The proponents are presenting it as a means to transition away from dirtier fossil fuels like coal and heavy oil while enabling the expansion of intermittent renewables such as wind and solar. The idea is that there needs to be a way of providing baseload power when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. Baseload power is the minimum amount of electricity that needs to be supplied to the electrical grid at any given time.
If we indeed had to choose between fossil fuel power options, natural gas is probably the better one for this purpose. However, I’m highly skeptical that we’re limited in our choices and that fossil fuels are the answer.
‘Clean’ power sources
New Brunswick already has access to large amounts of ‘clean’, so-called, ‘baseload’ power in the form of Point Lepreau nuclear, Mactaquac hydro, and hydro imports from Quebec. In particular, Hydro Québec (HQ) is a possible source of massive, additional ‘clean’, baseload power given our province already imports electricity from it and HQ exports even more south of the border (New England, New York State) and to Ontario.
Is there a reason that increased electricity imports from HQ are not on the table as a viable alternative to both reducing existing fossil emissions from NB sources and backstopping intermittent renewables?
Such a scenario seems all the more relevant given the heightened talk of a so-called ‘Atlantic Loop’ that would integrate electricity production and transmission across the Atlantic Provinces and possibly Quebec. And then, there are the proposals now being seriously considered for massive development of offshore wind in Nova Scotia.
In short, the days of thinking provincially about electricity supply and demand rather than regionally and nationally/internationally are coming to an end. Is the proposed Centre Village project being effectively evaluated in light of these regional trends and related planning?
Battery storage
If backstopping NB’s intermittent renewables (existing and planned) from existing baseload sources is genuinely not an option (although I doubt that is the case), then I wonder whether alternatives like battery storage paired with specific intermittent, renewable power sources has been considered as an alternative.
Large-scale battery storage costs have declined rapidly in recent years, so much so that these are increasingly being chosen as the default option by power developers in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Granted, the up-front costs of building such storage units are sizeable, but the up-front costs of battery storage need to be weighed against their reduced carbon emissions, lower local environmental effects, and gains in long-term energy and financial security.
For example, natural gas prices are currently low by historical standards, but aren’t likely to stay that way. When gas prices inevitably rise, will the economics of natural gas-fired power still look appealing compared to the alternatives?
It’s also worth noting that massive investments in Canadian battery manufacturing are currently underway, mostly in Ontario. This should lead to continued declines in battery costs and also offer New Brunswick a Canadian rather than an American-made solution to the need for baseload power. In the decision to go with gas-fired power, were such considerations even evaluated and if not, why not?
Finally, it appears that the proposed Centre Village generators will burn fracked gas from the U.S. While it’s important to appreciate that natural gas offers a far more efficient way to generate power on-site compared to conventional coal or oil, whole life-cycle assessments of fracked natural gas that take into account the energy consumed by extraction processes, climate impacts of methane leakages, etc., suggest it may not offer much net gain in terms of overall greenhouse gas emissions.
In short, local efficiencies and effects are only part of the picture and there are many key questions that need to be answered before this natural gas plant goes ahead.
Bradley Walters, PhD, Professor of Geography & Environment, Mount Allison University, Sackille, NB
Note: See below for details of public meeting on Monday, August 11th.
---------- Original message ---------
From: Mitton, Megan (LEG) <Megan.Mitton@gnb.ca>
Date: Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: RE N.B. Power, U.S. company pick Tantramar site for natural gas plant
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Mon, Aug 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Subject: RE N.B. Power, U.S. company pick Tantramar site for natural gas plant
To: <cevans@proenergyservices.com>
Contact
wallsenergysolutions@gmail.com
(713)-487-7821
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New 400 MW Peaking Facility Developed in Partnership with NB Power and North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC)
SEDALIA, Mo., July 14, 2025 /CNW/ -- PROENERGY has been awarded a contract to develop, construct, own, and operate the New Brunswick Power Corporation (NB Power) Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project in Centre Village. The facility—a 400 MW PowerFLX installation driven by eight aeroderivative turbines—will operate under a power purchase agreement with NB Power as the offtaker for 25 years.
The facility will maximize the potential of the province's renewable investment. It will provide the reliable backup support that wind and solar generation requires in addition to providing grid stability.
"At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand," said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. "Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most."
Located in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, the facility will minimize impact on the surrounding environment due to its proximity to existing transmission and fuel infrastructure while reducing provincial reliance on oil, coal, and imported power.
"This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it's a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development," says Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council. "We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We've seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us."
The project will enter commercial operations in 2028.
"Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need," says Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO.
About PROENERGY
Based in Sedalia, Missouri, PROENERGY is a global
peaking-power solutions provider with operational experience on every
continent. The company offers vertically integrated aeroderivative power
solutions, including equipment, engineering, construction,
operations, repair, maintenance, research, and true, turnkey power
generation facilities that include the complete balance of plant. For
more on PROENERGY, visit
www.proenergyservices.com.
SOURCE PROENERGY
Chris Evans, VP Marketing, (660) 829-5100, cevans@proenergyservices.com
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/
PROENERGY Awarded Contract to Build, Own, and Operate Fast-Start Power Facility in New Brunswick, Canada
New 400 MW Peaking Facility Developed in Partnership with NB Power and North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC)
SEDALIA, Mo., July 14, 2025 /CNW/ -- PROENERGY has been awarded a contract to develop, construct, own, and operate the New Brunswick Power Corporation (NB Power) Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project in Centre Village. The facility—a 400 MW PowerFLX installation driven by eight aeroderivative turbines—will operate under a power purchase agreement with NB Power as the offtaker for 25 years.
The facility will maximize the potential of the province's renewable investment. It will provide the reliable backup support that wind and solar generation requires in addition to providing grid stability.
"At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand," said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. "Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most."
Located in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, the facility will minimize impact on the surrounding environment due to its proximity to existing transmission and fuel infrastructure while reducing provincial reliance on oil, coal, and imported power.
"This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it's a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development," says Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council. "We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We've seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us."
The project will enter commercial operations in 2028.
"Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need," says Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO.
About PROENERGY
Based in Sedalia, Missouri, PROENERGY is a global
peaking-power solutions provider with operational experience on every
continent. The company offers vertically integrated aeroderivative power
solutions, including equipment, engineering, construction,
operations, repair, maintenance, research, and true, turnkey power
generation facilities that include the complete balance of plant. For
more on PROENERGY, visit
www.proenergyservices.com.
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N.B. Power, U.S. company pick Tantramar site for natural gas plant
Private developer says new facility with Mi’kmaw partners will allow for more renewable energy
Brotman Generating Station
in Rosharon, Texas, has similar components and layout as the proposed
project that ProEnergy wants to build in Tantramar. (ProEnergy)N.B. Power has changed the location of a proposed natural gas plant it wants to see built in southeast New Brunswick, opting for a remote location in the Tantramar area instead of a site in Scoudouc.
The plant would begin operating in 2028 and would be able to generate 500 megawatts of electricity, most of it to meet growing demand caused by population growth.
It would also emit greenhouse gases, though N.B. Power said last year there would be a net reduction in emissions provincially because the new plant would provide backup generation for an increasing share of wind and solar energy on the grid.
"Today, for example, there's 400 megawatts of installed wind energy in New Brunswick and only about 40 megawatts is producing electricity," Brad Coady, N.B. Power's vice-president of business development, said in an interview.
"What we're looking for is nimble machines that can come on, come on quickly and only stay on as long as is needed to integrate that wind energy. It'll fill in the voids when the wind isn't there and the sun isn't there."
The plant would be built by Missouri-based ProEnergy and operated by its subsidiary, Rigs Energy Atlantic, which includes a minority equity investment from the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council made up of seven First Nations.
N.B. Power, U.S. builder pick Tantramar site for gas plantJohn MacIsaac, who is heading the project for private developer ProEnergy Canada, said the plant will allow N.B. Power to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 250,000 tonnes a year.
The 20-hectare site is in Centre Village, along Route 940, within the municipality of Tantramar.
It's where the Maritimes and Northeast natural gas pipeline crosses paths with an N.B. Power transmission line.
The plant would draw gas from that pipeline to run 10 turbines that would generate power to sell on the grid under a 25-year purchase agreement.
The assessment submission says the Tantramar site was chosen after consultations with the Mi'kmaw council, which said there would be fewer environmental impacts than at the Scoudouc site.
The preliminary site layout shows where
the plant's 10 turbines will be located on Route 940 in Tantramar. (Credit: ProEnergy)
If the plant is approved, preliminary work would start in early 2026, and it would be operating by the third quarter of 2028.
MacIsaac said his figure of a 250,000-tonne net reduction in N.B. Power's greenhouse gas emissions came from ProEnergy's discussions with the utility.
A utility spokesperson gave that figure last year and said the reduction would come from avoiding the use of coal at the Belledune generation station and fuel oil at Coleson Cove — both of which emit more carbon dioxide — to back up renewables.
But that calculation was based on what the spokesperson said would be 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the gas plant itself in its first year of operation.
ProEnergy's assessment document says it would emit more than 910,000 tonnes.
Neither MacIsaac nor Coady were able to explain the difference in the two figures.
N.B. Power officials said in 2023 that they had come close to not being able to meet the demand for electricity in the province during a February cold snap.
Since then, the utility has faced lengthy shutdowns at two power plants and is now planning for the phaseout of coal from its Belledune generating station by 2030.
The application says the utility had calculated it would need more generation in the early 2030s but now believes it may require it by the winter of 2028.
Asking people to cut back on consumption wouldn't reduce demand enough, it says.
Coady said N.B. Power would use 400 megawatts from the plant, about 80 per cent of its capacity, and the additional 100 megawatts could be part of a future agreement to supply other provinces.
Brad Coady, N.B. Power’s vice-president of business development,
says power from the gas plant would 'fill in the voids when the wind
isn't there and the sun isn't there.' (John Collicott/CBC News)
"There's potential there, there's opportunity there, and I'll say we're working on it."
The project will go through a federal environmental impact assessment. Provincially, the environment minister can waive the need for a separate process based on the recommendation of a technical review committee.
The plant will also use ultra-low sulphur diesel as a backup fuel.
It could eventually use hydrogen — a gas often touted as an even cleaner alternative — but the submission says it is "currently not technically or economically feasible."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Provincial Affairs reporter
Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick since 2000. He grew up in Moncton and covered Parliament in Ottawa for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. He has reported on every New Brunswick election since 1995 and won awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the National Newspaper Awards and Amnesty International. He is also the author of five non-fiction books about New Brunswick politics and history.
John MacIsaac tapped as new N.L. Hydro president
Nalcor CEO says appointment part of 'fundamental change' in operations, structure
John MacIsaac is the newly appointed president of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
(Nalcor)Nalcor Energy has announced that John MacIsaac has been appointed president of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
MacIsaac previously ran operations at the Churchill Falls generating station in Labrador, and oversaw major engineering projects within Nalcor.
The appointment is part of what Nalcor Energy CEO Ed Martin described as a "fundamental change" in the corporation's operating mode and organizational structure.It comes a day after the provincial government announced it has hired an external consultant to review the governance structure for Nalcor.
"Over the past year we have been preparing for this transition and the steps taken today are integral to our success in bringing Muskrat Falls online and exporting our power to markets in the U.S," Martin said in a news release.
Rob Henderson takes on new role
In addition to MacIsaac's appointment, Martin also announced that Rob Henderson, the former vice-president of N.L. Hydro, will lead Nalcor's so-called transition and integration efforts.
Crown-owned Nalcor is the parent company of N.L. Hydro.
The position of N.L. Hydro president is a new one, and is part of an evolution at Nalcor as it prepares to connect to the North American energy grid following the completion of the the 824-megawatt Lower Churchill hydroelectric project at Muskrat Falls, the Labrador Island Link and the Maritime Island Link.
The appointments coincide with a major period of growth for Nalcor, with the value of managed assets increasing from $2 billion to $11 billion over the past decade.
That figure is expected to grow to $14 billion within five years.
Martin said Hydro has made significant improvements over the past 18 months to increase the reliability of the electricity system.
"We are focused today on ensuring we provide customers with the service quality they expect while ensuring we are managing the electricity system for their future needs as well," he said.
ProEnergy Services, LLC
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UNITED STATES
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Big emissions estimate a worst-case scenario, gas plant builder says
U.S. company that will build Tantramar plant endorses N.B. Power’s math showing net greenhouse gas reductions
Wind turbines and solar farms, like this one in Shediac,
do not constantly generate power. A new natural gas plant would
generate power when wind and solar aren't providing. (Submitted by N.B.
Power)The U.S. company hired to build a natural gas plant in southeast New Brunswick says an annual greenhouse gas emissions estimate of 900,000 tonnes per year is a worst-case scenario that is unlikely to come to pass.
That figure, contained in the company's environmental impact assessment submission, is nine times higher than what N.B. Power said when the plant was first announced last December.
But a spokesperson for ProEnergy said the number comes from a "stressed case" scenario in which the plant would be "responding to a major upheaval in the grid," operating at full capacity for almost one-third of the year.
"In our experience, this type of operation would not happen over a long duration period as market conditions and grid operations would respond appropriately," spokesperson Chris Evans said in an emailed statement ot CBC News.
How much carbon dioxide will a proposed new gas plant emit?
Evans said the estimate of 100,000 tonnes from N.B. Power is "the expected, typical operation of a peaking plant" like the one it plans to build.
Green MLA Megan Mitton, whose Tantramar riding is where the plant will be built, called the difference between the estimates "an astounding gap."
Following ProEnergy's explanation, Mitton said she still questioned the need for a new natural gas plant to generate electricity.
Green MLA Megan Mitton, whose Tantramar riding will be the
site of a new natural gas plant, has concerns with varying emissions projections. (Silas Brown/CBC)
"This supposed transition fuel — this transition is taking way too long," she said.
"It's not actually a transition. It's keeping us locked in with this type of infrastructure. We shouldn't be building new fossil fuel infrastructure."
N.B. Power said it will buy electricity from the plant to provide backup power to the utility's growing use of renewable wind and solar energy.
Because those sources aren't constant, the grid requires a more reliable base load of electricity it can turn on and off quickly when it's needed.
Both N.B. Power and ProEnergy said the gas plant will allow the utility to use less electricity from fuel oil at the Coleson Cove plant and from coal at Belledune, leading to a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 250,000 tonnes a year.
Mitton said there's debate about whether natural gas is any better than coal because of methane leakage that can happen in the natural gas supply chain.
ProEnergy's EIA assessment said N.B. Power looked at other options, including energy conservation to lower consumption, and large-scale battery storage of renewable energy to meet peak demand.
But other options weren't enough to head off a potential shortfall of electricity generation as early as 2028, the submission says.
ProEnergy is seeking approval for a plant with 10 turbines capable of generating 500 megawatts of power, though the agreement with N.B. Power is for 400 megawatts from eight turbines.
The utility said this week it could sign agreements with other provinces to add those two turbines and export the electricity regionally.
Mitton said people in her Tantramar riding are just starting to hear about the gas plant and are questioning whether it's needed and why N.B. Power selected an American company in the midst of a trade dispute with the U.S.
N.B. Power vice-president Brad Coady said the utility invited bids long before the trade dispute began, and five companies submitted bids, including Canadian companies.
"We went with who could deliver the least-cost solution on the schedule that N.B. Power is demanding to meet our energy security needs," he said.
Brotman Generating Station
in Rosharon, Texas, has similar components and layout as the proposed
project that ProEnergy will build in Tantramar. (ProEnergy)
"If you look at it through those two lenses, our chosen partner in this project by far was the best solution for New Brunswickers."
The project must go through a federal environmental assessment. The provincial government is able to waive the need for a separate provincial review.
Work is projected to start at the site early next year, with the plant operational in the third quarter of 2028.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Provincial Affairs reporter
Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick since 2000. He grew up in Moncton and covered Parliament in Ottawa for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. He has reported on every New Brunswick election since 1995 and won awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the National Newspaper Awards and Amnesty International. He is also the author of five non-fiction books about New Brunswick politics and history.
NB Power announces new generation capacity expansion project and development partner
2025-07-14
Fredericton (NB) - Today NB Power is announcing the Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project, the first firm generation capacity expansion project in over two decades and the selected developer to ensure security for New Brunswickers.
New Brunswick has experienced unprecedented population growth resulting in an increase in electricity demand. As the utility continues the transition to more sustainable energy sources, solutions are needed for colder winters when there's no wind to power turbines, or when it's too cloudy for solar panels.
In the latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), NB Power identified a potential shortfall in generation capacity in the 2030s. As electricity demand has accelerated beyond what was predicted in that IRP, a potential shortfall is now forecast for 2028. To address this, it is essential to take the necessary steps now to secure additional capacity to ensure New Brunswickers have the power they need, when they need it.
“At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand,” said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. “Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most.”
To prevent any energy shortfalls from occurring, NB Power issued a Request for Expressions of Interest in 2024 for a new generation facility equipped with dual-fuel combustion turbines and grid stabilizing synchronous condensers. The facility will serve as critical backup during gaps in renewable energy availability, ensuring there are no disruptions during extreme weather conditions or during times of peak demand. In addition, these generators will displace the use of heavier greenhouse gas emitting generators.
Following a thorough evaluation process, PROENERGY has been selected as the contractor to build and operate this facility. This partnership is a strategic win for NB Power as it allows us to leverage the efficiency and specialized expertise of industry. A significant added benefit is PROENERGY's commitment to using local contractors and labour, ensuring that this project brings direct economic benefits to New Brunswickers.
The facility, which will be owned and operated by PROENERGY subsidiary RIGS Energy Atlantic LP, will be situated along Route 940 in Midgic, Centre Village on NB Power owned land.
“Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need,” said Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO.
“This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it’s a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development,” said Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council. “We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We’ve seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us.”
PROENERGY has filed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been filed with the Department of Environment and Local Government and open houses will be held through the summer. The EIA can be viewed here.
Media Contacts
NB Power
Elizabeth Fraser - EFraser@nbpower.com
PROENERGY
Chris Evans - cevans@proenergyservices.comNB Power announces new generation capacity expansion project and development partner
2025-07-14
Fredericton (NB) - Today NB Power is announcing the Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project, the first firm generation capacity expansion project in over two decades and the selected developer to ensure security for New Brunswickers.
New Brunswick has experienced unprecedented population growth resulting in an increase in electricity demand. As the utility continues the transition to more sustainable energy sources, solutions are needed for colder winters when there's no wind to power turbines, or when it's too cloudy for solar panels.
In the latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), NB Power identified a potential shortfall in generation capacity in the 2030s. As electricity demand has accelerated beyond what was predicted in that IRP, a potential shortfall is now forecast for 2028. To address this, it is essential to take the necessary steps now to secure additional capacity to ensure New Brunswickers have the power they need, when they need it.
“At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand,” said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. “Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most.”
To prevent any energy shortfalls from occurring, NB Power issued a Request for Expressions of Interest in 2024 for a new generation facility equipped with dual-fuel combustion turbines and grid stabilizing synchronous condensers. The facility will serve as critical backup during gaps in renewable energy availability, ensuring there are no disruptions during extreme weather conditions or during times of peak demand. In addition, these generators will displace the use of heavier greenhouse gas emitting generators.
Following a thorough evaluation process, PROENERGY has been selected as the contractor to build and operate this facility. This partnership is a strategic win for NB Power as it allows us to leverage the efficiency and specialized expertise of industry. A significant added benefit is PROENERGY's commitment to using local contractors and labour, ensuring that this project brings direct economic benefits to New Brunswickers.
The facility, which will be owned and operated by PROENERGY subsidiary RIGS Energy Atlantic LP, will be situated along Route 940 in Midgic, Centre Village on NB Power owned land.
“Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need,” said Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO.
“This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it’s a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development,” said Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council. “We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We’ve seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us.”
PROENERGY has filed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been filed with the Department of Environment and Local Government and open houses will be held through the summer. The EIA can be viewed here.
Media Contacts
NB Power
Elizabeth Fraser - EFraser@nbpower.com
PROENERGY
Chris Evans - cevans@proenergyservices.com
Registrations and Determinations
NOTICE: The Department of Environment and Local Government’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) registration process is being modernized through the development of an online EIA portal. Before submitting EIA registration documents, please contact the EIA Branch at EIAEIE@gnb.ca or (506) 444-5382 for assistance with the new online registration process. Thank you.
The following is a list of ElA project registrations and determinations for the Province of New Brunswick. To access Minister’s Decisions and any applicable conditions, please click on the link in the “Status” column for the project of interest. Registration documents are prepared by proponents and made available in the language in which they were received by the Department of Environment and Local Government.
- Project Number 1642 -
- Project Number 1623 - 1641
- Project Number 1605 - 1622
- Project Number 1574 - 1604
- Project Number 1555 - 1573
- Project Number 1535 - 1554
- Project Number 1515 - 1534
- Project Number 1489 - 1514
- Project Number 1453 - 1488
- Project Number 1425 - 1452
- Project Number 1399 - 1424
- Project Number 1375 - 1398
- Project Number 1283 - 1374
- Project Number 1247-1282
- Project Number 1192-1246
- Project Number 1141-1191
- Project Number 1107-1140
- Project Number 1028 - 1106
- Project Number 594-1027
Project Status Definitions
“Awaiting additional information” means that the Technical Review
Committee has asked the proponent to provide information, and this
information has not yet been received from the proponent.
“Determination review in progress” means that the Technical Review Committee is reviewing information provided by the proponent.
Certificate of Determination issued – A Determination Review has been completed and the Minister has determined that the project can proceed, subject to the conditions attached to the Certificate of Determination.
EIA Approval issued – A Comprehensive Review has been completed and the Lieutenant-Governor in Council has determined that the project can proceed, subject to the conditions attached to the EIA Approval.
Approval denied – The Lieutenant-Governor in Council has determined that the project cannot proceed.
Record of EIA Registrations and Determinations 1642 -
| 2025/07/14 | 1651 | WattBridge | The proposed project involves the construction of a 500 MW natural gas-fueled power generating station in the Centre Village area of the local government of Tantramar. | Westmorland | Courtney Johnson | Determination review in progress |
PROENERGY together with its subsidiary WattBridge Energy IPP Holdings LLC (WattBridge) (the
Proponent) is pleased to submit this Initial Project Description (IPD) and Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) Registration for the Centre Village Renewables Integration and Grid Security
Synchronous Condensing/Generation Facility Project (the Project) in accordance with the Impact
Assessment Act and the New Brunswick Clean Environment Act, respectively. This IPD has been
prepared following the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) Guide to Preparing an Initial Project Description and a Detailed Project Description (IAAC 2024), and Schedule 1 of the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations, including the organization of sections. Additional information has been added to conform to the requirements for a provincial EIA Registration, although it is understood that additional information will be filed with the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government (NBDELG) in Q3 of 2025 as an addendum to this document.
Proponent Contact Information
Proponent: WattBridge c/o PROENERGY
Address: 2001 PROENERGY Blvd
Sedalia, MO 65301
Contact Name: Cliff Oliver
Official Title: Vice President Development
Telephone Number: (404) 314-5220
E-Mail Address: coliver@wattbridge.info
WattBridge was created to solve a generational problem
As the world transitions from carbon-emitting to renewable energy
resources, our energy experts leveraged expertise in the LM6000 platform
as the ideal renewable-support technology.
In 2018, we embarked on a journey to support the Texas grid with 4,000
MW of reduced emissions, and fast-start peaking power. Today, we look to
scale our platform to the rest of the United States and beyond to close
the supply gaps associated with renewable
intermittency.
WattBridge
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President
Mike Alvarado
25+ Years of Experience
Mike Alvarado has U.S., international, and emerging market experience with power generation assets. He led P&L improvement efforts for 25,000- and 50,000-MW generation fleets as well as M&A operations for two of the largest U.S. non-regulated generation portfolios. At WattBridge, he heads all aspects of its fast-start peaking asset portfolio, which includes development, origination, and financing. Mr. Alvarado and his team have raised more than $1.5 billion of capital over a span of 30 months through July 2022 and brought more than 2,300 MWs to advanced stages of development.
VP Development
Cliff Oliver
20+ Years of Experience
Cliff Oliver possesses power industry experience on commercial trading, asset optimization, and performance management of fossil-based assets. Since joining WattBridge in December 2018, Mr. Oliver has served as a key member of the WattBridge development team by leading and managing all aspects of development and origination. In addition, he has assisted with the financing requirements for the WattBridge portfolio in ERCOT. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-
PROENERGY Awarded Contract to Build, Own, and Operate Fast-Start Power Facility in New Brunswick, Canada
New 400 MW Peaking Facility Developed in Partnership with NB Power and North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC)
SEDALIA, Mo., July 14, 2025 /CNW/ -- PROENERGY has been awarded a contract to develop, construct, own, and operate the New Brunswick Power Corporation (NB Power) Renewable Integration and Grid Security (RIGS) project in Centre Village. The facility—a 400 MW PowerFLX installation driven by eight aeroderivative turbines—will operate under a power purchase agreement with NB Power as the offtaker for 25 years.
The facility will maximize the potential of the province's renewable investment. It will provide the reliable backup support that wind and solar generation requires in addition to providing grid stability.
"At NB Power, our commitment is to provide secure and sustainable energy for New Brunswickers. Launching this generation expansion project addresses the pressing need to enhance our grid's reliability and security to meet the unprecedented growth in energy demand," said Lori Clark, President, CEO & Chief Nuclear Officer. "Partnering to secure additional electricity and capacity through this project ensures we can confidently navigate the energy transition, providing New Brunswickers with the reliable electricity they need, when they need it most."
Located in Westmorland County, New Brunswick, the facility will minimize impact on the surrounding environment due to its proximity to existing transmission and fuel infrastructure while reducing provincial reliance on oil, coal, and imported power.
"This project is an essential part of a clean, reliable, affordable power grid, and it's a great example of our approach to Indigenous-led, responsible development," says Jim Ward, General Manager of North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council. "We need clean energy, and we need to keep costs down and keep the power on. We've seen in other places how too much renewable energy can cause grid failures or high costs. To avoid those issues, this load-following power plant is a perfect complement to New Brunswick wind and solar power now and in the future. PROENERGY has been a great partner on this. We welcome other developers to get in touch with us."
The project will enter commercial operations in 2028.
"Our team has a deep understanding of Eastern Canada. PROENERGY appreciates the trust placed in us by NB Power and the North Shore Mi'kmaq Tribal Council to provide the reliable fast-start power they need," says Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO.
About PROENERGY
Based in Sedalia, Missouri, PROENERGY is a global
peaking-power solutions provider with operational experience on every
continent. The company offers vertically integrated aeroderivative power
solutions, including equipment, engineering, construction,
operations, repair, maintenance, research, and true, turnkey power
generation facilities that include the complete balance of plant. For
more on PROENERGY, visit
www.proenergyservices.com.
SOURCE PROENERGY
Chris Evans, VP Marketing, (660) 829-5100, cevans@proenergyservices.com
John MacIsaac has problems holding a job. But he doesn’t have any problem getting paid.
John MacIsaac
Credit: Nalcor via CBC
The Houston government has appointed two experienced leaders in the energy field to advise it on how to green the grid and transition the province away from coal.
Coal still generates more than 40% of our electricity.
Nova Scotia Power is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and the legislated deadline to close four coal plants is only seven years away.
The two-person “Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force” will be chaired by Alison Scott, a lawyer with 30 years experience in government. Scott was appointed Nova Scotia’s deputy minister of energy in 2004 by then Premier John Hamm. She held senior roles in that department for 13 years and later served as a director of the National Energy Board, today known as the Canada Energy Regulator.
The second member of task force is John MacIsaac. MacIsaac is an engineer. He was the president of Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro in 2015-2016. That utility created Nalcor Energy to manage the construction of the Muskrat Falls megaproject and related transmission infrastructure.
From 2016-2019, MacIsaac was Nalcor’s executive vice-president of power supply. His responsibilities included all Labrador transmission assets, including the Labrador Island Link, which delivers power from Muskrat Falls to Newfoundland.
Ongoing technical problems with the software that handles the flow of electricity over the Labrador Island Link has led to years of delay for Nova Scotians receiving the contracted amount of renewable hydro.
In February 2019, MacIsaac was let go without cause from Nalcor and received $500,000 severance during a corporate shake-up.
In November 2019, MacIsaac took a job as executive director of corporate services with the Halifax Regional Municipality (circa $250,000 a year) but left after only three months. As Zane Woodford reported in August 2020, “MacIsaac received $54,597.68 in salary and $256,262.40 in other benefits, in this case meaning severance pay. MacIsaac was apparently fired in February after just a few months on the job. Chief administrative officer Jacques Dubé hired him in November 2019.”
The Examiner emailed the Premier’s Office and the Department of Natural Resources to question why an executive once responsible for the flawed Labrador Island Link that has delayed environmental cleanup and increased fuel costs in Nova Scotia has now been given a job as a renewable energy advisor.
Here is that question and the response received from Adele Poirier, a senior communications advisor and spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources & Renewables:
Jennifer Henderson: Please explain what makes Mr. MacIsaac a good choice for this assignment considering the problems Nova Scotia has experienced resulting from the Labrador Island Link.
Adele Poirier: Mr. MacIsaac’s experience is in a variety of senior roles in the energy utility sector in Atlantic Canada, as well as working for major companies such as McCain Foods and Michelin.
No mention of Nalcor.
Both John MacIsaac and Scott will be paid at a rate of $2,000 a day. Their final report and recommendations to government are due “early in 2024” according to a news release. The release provides these additional details about their mandate.
The task force will:
• examine electricity infrastructure needs for reliability, capacity and storage to meet climate change goals
• examine connections to other essential services such as telecommunications
• review the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board Act in terms of electricity generation, transmission, and rates
• engage subject matter experts, the Mi’kmaq and other interested Nova Scotians
The Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables, Tory Rushton, is quoted in the news release saying, “I look forward to the insight and recommendations that the task force will bring.”
The release also includes this quote from task force chair Alison Scott:
Nova Scotia is undergoing its biggest energy transformation in a century. The Clean Electricity Solutions Task Force will thoughtfully and methodically gather as much information as possible to help government make evidence-based decisions regarding modernizing the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Nova Scotia.
And the following quote from John MacIsaac:
This task force presents a fresh set of eyes, supported by input from energy and environmental stakeholders, Indigenous people and subject matter experts, to make recommendations to government on solutions for clean electricity.
These appointments suggest the government knows it’s in trouble when it comes to finding a solution to the long-standing problem of finding enough renewable energy sources to transition off coal. Its relationship with Nova Scotia Power has deteriorated. Muskrat Falls has been a disappointment in the short-term and the Atlantic Loop is not a silver bullet, either.
The task force of two faces some heavy lifting.
With files from Zane Woodford.
Jennifer Henderson is a freelance journalist and retired CBC News reporter. Former manager gets another big severance payout
John MacIsaac — Photo: Nalcor via CBC
Credit: Nalcor via CBCSecond on the sunshine list is John MacIsaac, the city’s former director of corporate services. MacIsaac received $54,597.68 in salary and $256,262.40 in other benefits, in this case meaning severance pay.
MacIsaac was apparently fired in February after just a few months on the job. Chief administrative officer Jacques Dubé hired him in November 2019.
He was the second high-profile staffer to be let go early this year, following municipal clerk Kevin Arjoon in January (Arjoon received total compensation of $169,464.99, including what looks like $70,505.11 in severance).
This is the second time MacIsaac has secured a big severance payment in about a year. In February 2019, he received an estimated $500,000 in severance after leaving Nalcor, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Crown energy corporation, where he was the vice president for Muskrat Falls transmission.
Shakeup at Nalcor, as VP for Muskrat Falls transmission departs
Premier declines to get into details of 'human resources issue' at Crown corporation
John MacIsaac, Nalcor's executive vice-president of power supply, was responsible
for all transmission elements of the Muskrat Falls project until his departure from the company. (Katie Breen/CBC)There's been a shakeup in the top management ranks at Nalcor Energy.
John MacIsaac — the top official in charge of getting Muskrat Falls power from Labrador to Newfoundland — has departed the Crown corporation.
MacIsaac had been with Nalcor for eight years. He was appointed president of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro in late 2015.
In mid-2016, Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall reorganized the management ranks of the Crown energy corporation, and MacIsaac was shifted into a new role.
The generation and transmission aspects of Muskrat Falls were split into separate components.
MacIsaac got the job of executive vice-president of power supply, to focus on the completion and commissioning of the Labrador transmission assets, the Strait of Belle Isle marine cable crossing, and the Labrador-Island Transmission Link.
He also was given responsibility for the integration of Muskrat Falls into the current electricity system.
In a press release issued Friday, Nalcor CEO Stan Marshall thanked MacIsaac for his service and wished him "all the best in his future endeavours."
That press release did not quote MacIsaac himself, and Nalcor officials told CBC News that Marshall is not doing interviews.
Some 3,200 transmission towers like this one were erected as part of
the $3.4 billion Labrador-Island Link from Muskrat Falls to Soldiers
Pond. The top executive in charge of transmission work has departed that
job, Nalcor Energy announced Friday. (Nalcor
Energy)
"The changes being made today will allow us to continue to focus on the successful completion of the Muskrat Falls Project; to prepare the provincial electricity system for integration of Muskrat Falls power; and to have clear focus on our regulated business (Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro) while continuing our commitment to providing safe, reliable electricity to our customers," Marshall said in a prepared statement.
Premier defers to Nalcor on 'human resources' decision
Premier Dwight Ball deferred to Nalcor when asked about the shakeup Friday afternoon, calling it a "human resources issue" at the Crown energy corporation and declining to get into the circumstances of MacIsaac's departure.
"These are the details that I would leave to management; the human resources team at Nalcor to actually expand on that," Ball told reporters after a cabinet retreat in Corner Brook.
"This is not something we are involved in at all, myself or the minister. These are the decisions that are made at Nalcor."
MacIsaac will be replaced by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro president Jim Haynes.
This is not something we are involved in at all, myself or the minister. These are the decisions that are made at Nalcor.
- Premier Dwight Ball
Haynes came out of retirement to take on that job at Hydro in 2016.
The Nalcor press release announcing the leadership changes noted that integration of the Muskrat Falls system into the electricity grid is "complex, technical work," and lauded Haynes's "wealth of technical knowledge." Haynes began working at Hydro in 1977.
Jennifer Williams now takes over as president of Hydro.
Williams becomes the provincial utility company's first-ever female president. She had been serving as vice-president of production with Hydro since 2016.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CBC News
Rob Antle is a producer with the CBC's Atlantic Investigative Unit, based in St. John's.
Energy Capital Partners (ECP) Acquires Majority Interest in PROENERGY
SUMMIT, N.J. & SEDALIA, Mo., September 05, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Energy Capital Partners ("ECP") has acquired a majority interest in PROENERGY Holdings ("PROENERGY"), a vertically integrated aeroderivative gas turbine platform with a 2.4 GW fleet of contracted peakers in Texas, from affiliates of Eos Partners and ACON Investments. Financial terms were not disclosed.
In addition to its 2.4 GW portfolio of operating power plants, PROENERGY provides repair and maintenance services for the global GE LM6000 and LM2500 turbine fleet (over 3,000 installed units). Furthermore, PROENERGY operates as an original equipment manufacturer and turnkey engineering, procurement and construction business delivering firm gas power generation solutions to utility customers. PROENERGY benefits directly from electricity demand growth and is positioned to capitalize on the need for new aeroderivative turbines as the flexible, peaking technology best suited to address growing intermittency issues across U.S. power markets.
Together with ECP, PROENERGY will expand its platform and pipeline, pursue accretive growth opportunities and build on its established reputation for best-in-class performance, industry-leading turnaround times, and lower customer costs. PROENERGY will continue to be led by its deeply experienced executive team, including Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Canon, a pioneer in the turbine industry with over 40 years of experience.
"We are thrilled to partner with, and invest alongside, Jeff Canon and the PROENERGY team," said Andrew Gilbert, Partner at ECP. "Several of our portfolio companies are satisfied repeat customers and we have seen firsthand the value of the PROENERGY platform and its talented team. We look forward to helping PROENERGY grow and achieve its ambitious goals."
Tyler Kopp, Principal at ECP, added, "PROENERGY’s integrated and diversified platform, advanced technical capabilities and experienced team have allowed the company to capture significant market share. The power sector’s reliability and flexibility needs are growing and changing very quickly. PROENERGY is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge."
"Our core values, culture, and commitment to safety remain unchanged," says Jeff Canon, PROENERGY President and CEO. "ECP’s extensive experience in the energy sector will be a tremendous asset. Together, we are dedicated to driving growth, fostering innovation, advancing sustainability, and delivering unparalleled value to our industry."
Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to ECP on the transaction. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP acted as legal advisor to PROENERGY. Winston & Strawn LLP acted as legal advisor to PROENERGY, Eos Partners and ACON Investments. PEI Global Partners LLC acted as financial advisor.
About ECP
Energy Capital Partners (ECP), founded in 2005, is a leading equity
and credit investor across energy transition, electrification and
decarbonization infrastructure assets. The ECP team, comprised of 90
people with 800 years of collective industry experience,
deep expertise and extensive relationships, has consummated more than
100 equity (representing nearly $60 billion of enterprise value) and
over 20 credit transactions since inception. For more information, visit
www.ecpgp.com.
About PROENERGY
Based in Sedalia, Missouri, PROENERGY is a global dispatchable-power
solutions provider with operational experience on every continent. The
company offers vertically integrated aeroderivative power services,
including engineering, construction, operations,
manufacturing, repair, maintenance, research, and true, turnkey power
generation facilities that include the complete balance of plant. For
more on PROENERGY, visit
www.proenergyservices.com.
View source version on
businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/
Contacts
ECP
FGS Global
Nick Rust / Akash Lodh
ECP@fgsglobal.com
PROENERGY
Chris Evans
(660) 829-5100
cevans@proenergyservices.com
Energy Capital Partners Management, LP (ECP) is an American investment firm headquartered in Summit, New Jersey. It focuses on investments in the energy sector. The firm has additional offices in New York City, Houston, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale and Seoul.
In August 2024, ECP merged with Bridgepoint Group to form a private assets investment platform.
Background
ECP was founded in April 2005 by Doug Kimmelman, Thomas Lane and Scott Helm. The three were previously senior executives at Goldman Sachs in its investment banking division. ECP focuses in investments in power generation, renewable energy and energy storage assets. It was originally based in Short Hills, New Jersey and later moved its headquarters to Summit.[2][3][4][5]
History
In January 2007, ECP raised $2.25 billion for its debut fund, Energy Capital Partners I. At the time it was one of the largest debut funds ever raised.[3]
In September 2009, ECP formed Summit Midstream Partners, a platform company to invest in North American gas infrastructure. In September 2012, Summit Midstream Partners held an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange and in September 2015, ECP was seeking buyers for its ownership stake. Later on ECP exited its ownership of Summit Midstream Partners.[6][7][8][9]
In July 2011, it was reported that The Carlyle Group was in talks to acquire ECP. It came as a surprise, due to Carlyle's longstanding relationship with Riverstone Holdings where the two had worked on multiple deals together. However, in the end the deal did not proceed.[10]
In August 2017, Dyal Capital acquired a minority interest of less than 20% in ECP for below $500 million. The transaction valued ECP at less than $2.5 billion at the time. The cash injection gave ECP a financial cushion for more volatile periods that may not be favorable to fundraising. Some of it was used to pay retention bonuses to its employees as well as buying out the ownership equity of Lane.[4][5]
In November 2022, it was reported that Bridgepoint Group was in talks to acquire ECP for $1 billion. It was speculated that the acquisition would allow ECP to establish a presence in Europe.[5][11] On September 6, 2023, it was announced that both sides agreed to the deal involving cash and stock which would close within four to six months.[12][13] In August 2024, ECP merged with Bridgepoint Group to form a private assets investment platform.[14]
In June 2023, ECP established ECP ForeStar, a $2.5 billion credit strategy that focuses on climate change and sustainability. ECP recruited former leaders of Global Infrastructure Partners' credit business to lead the venture.[15]
In October 2024, ECP and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts formed a partnership to invest a combined $50 billion in data center and power generation projects to support the development of artificial intelligence.[16] ECP formed a further $25 billion partnership with ADQ in March 2025 to invest in U.S. power generation and energy infrastructure for data centers and AI projects. The partnership aims to provide 25GW of new power capacity.[17]
Acquisitions
In 2007, ECP acquired a small stake in Energy Future Holdings as part of an investor consortium buyout led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and TPG Inc. for $44 billion.[10] As of December 2022, it remained the largest leveraged buyout in history.[18]
In 2016, ECP invested in Sunnova Energy Corp.[19]
In August 2017, ECP led an investor consortium that included Access Industries and CPP Investment Board to acquire Calpine and take it private for $5.6 billion.[5][20] In January 2025, ECP announced the sale of Calpine to Constellation Energy for $26.6 billion, the largest private equity exit in the power and utility sector in two decades.[21]
In 2022, ECP bought the UK waste management firm Biffa for $1.4 billion. The transaction was completed in January 2023 and Biffa was delisted from the London Stock Exchange.[11][22][23]
In January 2023, it was reported that ECP was working with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank to establish a Japan decarbonization fund.[24]
In May 2024, ECP finalized the acquisition of Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure, which owns renewable energy projects worldwide. The $2.56 billion transaction helped Algonquin Power and Utilities reduce debt and revamp its capital structure.[25]
In December 2024, Orsted divested its 50% equity stake in three US projects to ECP.[26]
Regulatory fines
In June 2022, ECP agreed to pay a $1 million fine to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly requiring some investors to pay more than their share of fund expenses without getting their approval back in 2017. ECP had also repaid investors more than $3.3 million.[27]
One World Trade Center
Suite 58A
New York City, New York 10007
11988 El Camino Real
Suite 620
San Diego, California 92130
Combined platform creates $72B global alternative asset manager
On August 20th, 2024, ECP combined with Bridgepoint Group plc, creating one of the world's leading quoted private asset growth investors, a combined platform across North American and Europe focused on the middle market, spanning private equity, infrastructure, and credit.
Bridgepoint Group is one of the world's leading quoted private asset growth investors, specialising in private equity, infrastructure and private credit.
With over $86 billion of assets under management and a strong local presence in Europe, North America and Asia, we combine global scale with local market insight and sector expertise, consistently delivering strong returns through cycles.
Bridgepoint Advisers Limited, a subsidiary of Bridgepoint Group plc, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Connecting ideas, capital and great businesses
Bridgepoint's private equity business focuses on investing in middle-market businesses via three distinct fund strategies:
- Mid-market, implemented via our flagship fund, Bridgepoint Europe, which focuses on investing in market-leading businesses typically valued at more than €300 million;
- Lower mid-market, implemented via Bridgepoint Development Capital, which focuses on investing in companies that are typically valued between €100 million and €300 million;
- Small Cap, implemented via Bridgepoint Growth, which focuses on companies using digital technologies to achieve transformational growth in their end-markets and are typically seeking equity investment of up to €100 million.
Credit, implemented via Bridgepoint Credit, is our private
credit platform that invests across the capital structure and
risk-reward spectrum through three complementary strategies:
- Syndicated Debt, which targets investments in high-quality companies across the broadly syndicated loan and high-yield markets;
- Direct Lending, which covers growth capital, acquisitions and refinancings; and
- Credit Opportunities, which provides credit for complex situations and creative solutions.
Our infrastructure strategy is implemented through ECP, one of the largest private infrastructure managers focused on North American, middle-market energy transition opportunities.
ECP's flagship infrastructure funds focus on making value-add, predominantly control investments across electricity and sustainability infrastructure. These sectors include opportunities within wind, solar, storage, natural gas power generation carbon capture, renewable fuels, energy efficiency, digital, hydrogen, recycling waste management, beneficial re-use and waste-to-energy.
New York
One World Trade Center
Suite 58A
New York, NY 10007
USA
+1-212-266-2911 (Bridgepoint)
+1-212-266-2900 (ECP)
https://www.bridgepointgroup.
Murray Karp
ECP Managing Partner/ECP COO
Murray is a Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer at ECP. He oversees finance and administration, financial reporting, human resources and information technology. He is a member of ECP’s Risk Committee, an observer on the Valuation Committee and a member of Bridgepoint’s Group Operating Committee.
Prior to joining ECP in 2005, Murray was the Chief Financial Officer of AEA Investors LLC, served as the Controller of Accordia, as the Assistant Controller of Caxton Corporation, and he spent over 10 years at Coopers & Lybrand LLP.
Murray received a B.S. in Accounting from the Rutgers University School of Business and is a Certified Public Accountant.
https://www.ecpgp.com/about/
Tyler Kopp
Principal
Mr. Kopp is a Principal at ECP. He is involved in all areas of the Firm’s investment activities, with particular emphasis on fossil and renewable power generation and environmental infrastructure. He is on ECP’s Valuation, and ESG Committees, and is an observer of on the Risk Committee. Mr. Kopp currently serves on the boards of ProEnergy, Symmetry Energy Solutions, Liberty Tire, and Biffa. He previously served on the board of Terra-Gen, LLC., prior to its realization.
Prior to joining ECP in 2014, Mr. Kopp was an Analyst in the Power & Utilities Investment Banking Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Mr. Kopp received a B.S. in Engineering Science from Vanderbilt University.
Boards
CurrentBiffa
Liberty Tire
ProEnergy
Symmetry Energy Solutions
Andrew Gilbert
Partner
Mr. Gilbert is a Partner at ECP. He is involved in all areas of the firm’s investment activities, with particular emphasis on fossil and renewable power generation and environmental services. He co-chairs ECP’s Risk and Portfolio Company Value Creation Committees. He is also a member of ECP’s Partnership, Management and Investment Committees. Mr. Gilbert serves on the boards of ProEnergy, Atlantica, Calpine Corp., Convergent, Symmetry Energy Solutions, New Leaf, Biffa, and Anza Renewable Energy. He played a critical role in our transaction with Dynegy Inc. and was instrumental in our management of EquiPower Resources Corp., Brayton Point Power, LLC, Broad River Power Holdings, LLC and Odessa Power Holdings, LLC. Previously, he also served on the boards of Heartland Generation, Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc, and Triton Power Partners LP, prior to its realization.
Prior to joining ECP in 2010, Mr. Gilbert was part of Citigroup’s Global Energy Investment Banking Group, where he focused on the midstream sector.
Mr. Gilbert received a B.S. in Finance and Economics from New York University Stern School of Business and is a CFA Charterholder.
Boards
Current
Atlantica
Anza Renewable Energy
Biffa
Calpine
Convergent
New Leaf Energy
Pro Energy
Symmetry Energy Solutions
Matt Himler
Principal
Mr. Himler is a Principal at ECP. He is involved in all areas of the Firm’s investment activities, with a particular focus on renewable and digital infrastructure. He played a critical role in acquiring over two gigawatts of renewable assets from Orsted, and ECP’s strategic partnership with KKR to support AI growth through investments in data centers and power generation.
Prior to joining ECP in 2012, Mr. Himler was an Analyst in the Power, Energy & Infrastructure Investment Banking Group at Lazard Frères & Co.
Mr. Himler received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Amherst College.
Francesco Ciabatti
Principal
Mr. Ciabatti is a Principal at ECP. He is involved in all areas of the Firm’s investment activities, with particular emphasis on the renewable fuels, carbon capture and environmental infrastructure sectors, as well as environmental and industrial services, and is co-chair of the ESG Committee. He serves on the boards of Braya Renewable Fuels, US Development Group, Restaurant Technologies, and Metrus Energy. Previously, he served on the boards of Summit Midstream Partners, L.P and ADA Carbon Solutions, and prior to its realization, Transit Energy Group.
Prior to joining ECP in 2013, Mr. Ciabatti was an Analyst in the Natural Resources Investment Banking Group at Barclays.
Mr. Ciabatti received a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Yale University.
Boards
Current
Braya Renewable Fuels
Metrus Energy
Restaurant Technologies, Inc
US Development Group
Murray Karp
Managing Partner & COO
Mr. Karp is a Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer at ECP. He oversees finance and administration, financial reporting, human resources and information technology. Mr. Karp is also a member of ECP’s Risk Committee and Valuation Committee.
Prior to joining ECP in 2005, Mr. Karp was the Chief Financial Officer of AEA Investors LLC. Prior to that, Mr. Karp served as the Controller of Accordia, a start-up e-commerce consulting, technology and equity partnership company. Before his time at Accordia, Mr. Karp served as the Assistant Controller of Caxton Corporation and spent over 10 years at Coopers & Lybrand LLP.
Mr. Karp received a B.S. in Accounting from the Rutgers University School of Business and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).
Chris Leininger
Partner & Chief Investment Counsel
Mr. Leininger is a Partner and Chief Investment Counsel at ECP. He is a member of ECP’s Portfolio Company Value Creation, and Compliance Committees, as well as is an observer on the Valuation Committee. Mr. Leininger serves on the boards of Gopher Resource, Convergent, Liberty Recycling LP, Symmetry Energy Solutions. Previously, he served on the board of PLH Group, Inc., Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., NESCO Holdings, Inc. (now known as Custom Truck One Source) and ProPetro Holdings Corp., Summit Midstream Partners, L.P., and Sunnova Energy Corp. Prior to realization, he served on the boards of Heartland Generation, Terra-Gen, LLC., EnergySolutions, Inc., and Triton Power Partners LP.
Prior to joining ECP in 2006, Mr. Leininger was an Associate at the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP and a member of its Finance department. Mr. Leininger represented both lenders and borrowers in numerous financing, acquisition and development transactions.
Mr. Leininger received a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of San Diego and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Jennifer Gray
Partner, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
Ms. Gray is a Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at ECP. She chairs the Compliance Committee, co-chairs the ESG Committee, is a member of the Risk Committee, and serves as an observer on ECP’s Valuation Committee. Ms. Gray previously served on the boards of Ramaco Resources and NESCO Holdings, Inc. (now known as Custom Truck One Source).
Prior to joining ECP in 2008, Ms. Gray was an Associate at the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP. Ms. Gray represented both lenders and borrowers in several joint venture, financing, acquisition and development transactions.
Ms. Gray received her B.S. in International Business and J.D. from Pepperdine University.
Kelly Self
Managing Director & Senior Counsel
Ms. Self is Managing Director and Senior Counsel at ECP. She currently serves on the boards of Atlantica, Reflectance Energy, LP, Pivot Energy, and New Leaf Energy. Previously, she served on the board of Transit Energy Group.
Prior to joining ECP in 2019, Ms. Self was counsel at the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP and a member of the Project Development and Finance Group, where her practice focused on the representation of both lender and sponsor clients in connection with development, acquisition and financing of energy and infrastructure projects.
Ms. Self received a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law.
Boards
Current
Atlantica
New Leaf Energy
Pivot Energy
Reflectance
Hank Goldberg
Counsel
Hank J. Goldberg is a Counsel at ECP. Prior to joining ECP in 2024, Hank was an associate at the law firms of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Ropes & Gray LLP, as a member of the Investment Funds Group, where his practice focused on structuring, negotiating, forming and operating private investment funds and their management companies, including buyout funds, growth equity funds, infrastructure funds, continuation funds, co-investment funds, special purpose vehicles and other private investment vehicles.
Hank received his B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Michigan and J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.
Lori Nyhuis
Senior Managing Director – Head of Tax
Ms. Nyhuis is a Senior Managing Director – Head of Tax at ECP. Prior to joining ECP in 2017, Ms. Nyhuis was a Senior Manager at Deloitte Tax LLP, where she covered the ECP account since 2007.
Ms. Nyhuis received a B.B.A in Public Accounting from Pace University and a M.S. in Taxation from Seton Hall University. She is a Certified Public Accountant.
To contact Nick Rust send an email to
nickrust@gmail.com or nick@fgsglobal.com. If you want to call Nick Rust try calling on 9174390307.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Nick Rust
Director
Life at FGS Global
Advises energy, power, and financial sponsors on a variety of complex transactions and financial situations, including mergers and acquisitions, secondary share sales, and recapitalizations. He also helps private funds clients with strategic media relations and crisis preparedness and response.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Worked at Prosek Partners, supporting private capital investment firms and portfolio companies on positioning and executive thought leadership and specializing in helping private credit managers to proactively build and manage their brands.
Life Beyond FGS Global
When not in the office, Nick enjoys playing golf, traveling internationally with his family, and spending time with his two daughters.
Nick is a Director in the Houston office and works with a wide variety of publicly traded and late-stage private companies across highly regulated industries, including financial services, energy infrastructure, and healthcare. He also counsels private fund managers and portfolio companies on firm and fund launches, strategic and financial M&A transactions, reputation management, crisis preparedness and response and ongoing profile-raising matters.
Recent assignments include Benefit Street Partners on executive visibility and fund positioning in the private credit and commercial real estate debt space; Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings on its inaugural Investor Day as an independent public company; Energy Capital Partners on its transaction with Bridgepoint plc; Nature Energy Biogas A/S on its successful sale to a subsidiary of Shell plc for nearly USD$2 billion; Ortho Clinical Diagnostics on its transaction with Quidel Corporation; Pioneer on its $59.5 billion sale to ExxonMobil and Topspin Consumer Partners on positioning and media relations.
Previously, Nick worked at the independent agency Prosek Partners in New York, where he primarily advised private capital investment firms and portfolio companies on media positioning and thought leadership engagements in support of capital formation priorities. He began his career working at an investor relations agency KCSA Strategic Communications.
Nick holds a BA in Corporate Communications from Elon University.
https://www.
Jeff Canon
President & CEO
Scott Blair
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
Scott Blair has practiced law by working in-house with industrial and energy businesses in global manufacturing, sales, projects, and services for more than 30 years, including 10 years at GE Power & Water. His background involves working closely with lines of business and corporate functions to navigate legal issues. He has also helped business teams execute strategic plans to grow sales, manage risks, and preserve profit margins. Scott earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.
Scott A. Dieball
Counsel & Vice President
As Counsel & Vice President, Scott Dieball has more than 30 years of business and commercial experience in the U.S. and international power, construction, and energy sectors. Scott is responsible for legal oversight and compliance on all projects and company operations. Scott previously held the position of Assistant General Counsel at Kinder Morgan and at Enron Corp. in their Houston offices, while concentrating on project development, construction, and operations in the power, pipeline, and energy sectors. For many years, he also served as Senior and Division Counsel for General Electric and Stewart & Stevenson Services with a focus on business lines involved in gas turbine equipment packaging, aftermarket and field services, and third-party O&M services.
Roland Rudd
Global co-chair
Life at FGS Global
Roland provides personal counsel to board members and senior executives at the most crucial moments for their companies.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Before founding Finsbury worked as a political and financial journalist, primarily at the Financial Times.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Loves art, opera, food, good company and his family. Can be found combining all.
Roland Rudd is a founder and Chair of FGS Global, the leading stakeholder advisory group created through the combination of Finsbury, Hering Schuppener, Glover Park Group and Sard Verbinnen. He provides personal counsel to board members and senior executives at the most critical moments for their companies. Prior to founding the strategic communications company Finsbury in 1994, he worked as a political and financial journalist at the Financial Times and The Times.
Roland is also the Chair of Tate, which he has been involved with for the past 25 years, first serving as a Patron, Chair of the Business Advisory Group and then as Deputy Chair. He has also been a Trustee and fundraiser for the Royal Opera House and is currently a Trustee of the Bayreuth Festival, as well as a patron of Grange Park Opera and the Holburne Museum.
He is currently Chair of the Governors for Millfield School, a Trustee at Speakers for Schools, an ambassador for Made by Dyslexia and an Honorary Fellow at the Centre for Corporate Reputation, Regents College, Oxford University. He also serves as a Specially Appointed Commissioner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and is an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
James Murgatroyd
Chair, UK, Middle East and Asia
Life at FGS Global
Chairs the UK, Middle East & Asia region and advises a range of major clients. Co-leads the global Transactions & Financial Communications team.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Started his career as a Eurocommercial Paper salesman at RBC before joining the investment banking team at Dean Witter.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Weekends consist of running by the river and watching football.
James Murgatroyd joined FGS Global as a partner in 1996. Based in London, he is now Chair of the UK, Middle East & Asia region and sits on the Global Partnership Board.
He has more than 30 years experience in financial communications and reputation management and advises a range of major UK and international clients.
James co-leads the global Transactions & Financial Communications team. He has handled a number of contested transactions, flotations and other high-profile communications issues. These include Flutter Entertainment's combination with The Stars Group, Takeda's acquisition of Shire, Worldpay's merger with Vantiv, Shell's purchase of BG Group and SAB Miller's sale to AB InBev.
Having started his career as a Eurocommercial Paper salesman at RBC, James joined the investment banking team at Dean Witter in 1988, where he qualified as a registered securities representative in both the UK and US. He has an honours degree in economics and politics.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Michael Feldman
Partner, co-chairman, north america
Life at FGS Global
Currently serving as North American Co-Chairman of the global firm. Directs communications strategy for a range of corporations, non-profits, advocacy organizations and individuals.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Senior Adviser to the Vice President, a liaison between the Clinton-Gore White House and the U.S. Congress. Co-Founder of The Glover Park Group.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Savannah’s husband, Vale and Charley’s dad, frustrated creative and recovering political hack.
Michael Feldman has more than three decades of experience in politics, policy, strategic communications, and as an advisor to decision-makers, corporations, advocacy organizations, non-profits, and high-profile individuals.
Michael began his career in politics and government. Over the course of eight years in the Clinton-Gore White House, Michael served in various leadership roles on behalf of Vice President Gore, including senior advisor and traveling chief of staff. In this capacity, he managed the Vice President’s staff and implemented message and strategy throughout the 2000 campaign cycle. Michael also served as one of the Clinton administration’s chief liaisons to the United States Congress, providing advice and strategic counsel to forward the President’s legislative agenda.
Prior to joining the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1992, Michael worked for the Senate Democratic Leadership as a legislative analyst in the Democratic Policy Committee and as a member of the Democratic floor staff for the Senate Majority Leader. In 1991, Michael worked on the special election campaign of Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania.
In 2001 Michael helped found The Glover Park Group, a public affairs firm based in Washington D.C. Michael helped lead and grow the firm from a start-up to one the leading strategic communications firms in the country.
At FGS Global, Michael serves as a partner and North American co-chairman where he continues to lead major client accounts and the firm’s business and growth strategy.
Michael graduated with honors from Tufts University and resides in New York City with his wife and two children.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
George Sard
Co-Chairman
Life at FGS Global
One of three Global Co-Chairmen of the Board. Primary focus is on advising clients on mission-critical issues and developing new business.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Co-founded predecessor firm Sard Verbinnen & Co. in 1992 and served as Chairman and co-CEO until the firm merged with Finsbury Glover Hering in 2021.
Life Beyond FGS Global
An avid (but not very good) tennis player, an active theatergoer, and a loyal New York Yankees and Giants fan.
For over 30 years, George has represented Fortune 500 companies and private firms in many industries on long-term investor and media positioning programs and in high-profile crises and special situations. These include mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, restructurings, earnings issues, high-level executive changes, and sensitive legal and regulatory matters.
Notable engagements include:
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Cleveland-Cliffs on its ongoing effort to acquire U.S. Steel
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TEGNA on its failed sale after two successful proxy defenses
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CoreLogic on its sale to private equity after bearhug by activist
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Tiffany on its acquisition by LVMH
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T-Mobile on its acquisition of Sprint
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21st Century Fox on its acquisition by Disney
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Qualcomm on its proposed acquisition of NXP and defense against a hostile takeover by Broadcom
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Board of Wells Fargo on independent investigation of retail sales practices
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Starwood Hotels & Resorts on contested acquisition by Marriott
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The Special Committee of the Dell Computer Board on contested take-private transaction
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Martha Stewart on her defense against criminal charges
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Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, AIG, and Freddie Mac during the financial crisis of 2008
Paul Verbinnen
Partner, Co-Chairman of North America
Contact Info
Life at FGS Global
As Co-chair of North America, works with a wide range of clients on complex matters, M&A, crisis and special situations. Assists in developing firm strategy.
Life Pre-FGS Global
As Co-founder and Co-ceo of Sard Verbinnen & Co. (SVC), helped build the company into a global leader in M&A and crisis management.
Life Beyond FGS Global
A member of CFR and AEI, he is also co-author of "Collaborative Crisis Management; Prepare, Execute, Recover, Repeat," published by the University of Chicago Press in the fall of 2022.
Paul Verbinnen is actively involved with clients including public corporations, private companies, K-12 and collegiate institutions and high-profile individuals, advising on M&A, proxy fights, defensive planning, special situations and crises, IPOs, executive transitions, restructurings, investor relations and corporate positioning programs. He frequently works with companies and boards on scenario planning and preparedness.
His prior firm (SVC) led the North American Mergermarket league tables for more than 25 years and was ranked #1 globally for five years. The Company was designated by Chambers & Partners as a Band 1 firm for crisis and risk management, and Band 1 for litigation support. In 2013 Bloomberg called SVC, "Wall Street's go to crisis firm."
Before SVC, Paul was executive vice president, international for The Ogilvy Public Relations Group, splitting his time between London and New York. From 1984 through 1988, he was head of Ogilvy's Hong Kong public relations office and, from 1986-88 he was regional director for Asia/ Pacific. Prior to joining Ogilvy in New York, he was a co-founder of a sports marketing company that worked with professional and Olympic athletes.
Paul has political science degree from Syracuse University, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), and a National Council member of American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He is a co-author (along with Thomas A. Cole, chair emeritus of Sidley's executive committee) of "Collaborative Crisis Management; Prepare, Execute, Recover, Repeat," published by the University of Chicago Press in the fall of 2022.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Paul Kranhold
Co-Chair, North America
Life at FGS Global
Communications strategist and advisor to tech companies, investment funds, entrepreneurs and high-profile individuals facing complex financial, regulatory, and legal matters. Started the firm's San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.
Life Pre-FGS Global
A former client, he was introduced to the firm in a complex transaction that resulted in the sale of AT&T to SBC Communications. Started work life in national and state political campaigns that resulted in 10 years in public service.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Outdoorsman and fisherman who can usually be found in the mountains on the western side of the U.S. in free time.
Paul is a Partner in the San Francisco office where he manages the firm's west coast operations. In his 20 years with the firm, Paul has advised a number of clients on high profile investments, hostile and friendly transactions, litigation matters, government investigations, management changes, and other special situations.
Representative engagements include the successful shareholder vote at Tesla to reinstate the CEO compensation plan, the IPO of Arm, the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile; the PG&E restructuring, the acquisition of the Brooklyn Nets by Joe Tsai; the sale of VMWare to Broadcom; successfully defending Qualcomm on its defense against an unsolicited takeover proposal and helping Didi with its acquisition of UberChina. He advised Netflix on its relations with activist investor Carl Icahn and Tesla with its acquisition of SolarCity.
Before joining the firm, Paul was Vice President of Corporate Communications at AT&T. He began his career on the presidential campaign of George H.W. Bush and also served in the Bush Administration before returning to California to join the office of Governor Pete Wilson.
Paul holds a BA in international relations and Russian studies at The George Washington University.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Paul Holmes
Vice Chair
Life at FGS Global
Advises leading corporations and institutions on high-stakes challenges, with a focus on crisis and issues, civil and criminal litigation, compliance, enforcement and governance.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Worked as an international journalist for 28 years, reporting from more than 50 countries.
Was the Global Editor for Political and General News at Reuters.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Loves his kids and their kids, and cooking for them.
Reads military history and enjoys other people’s stories.
As Partner at FGS Global, Paul Holmes advises corporations and institutions on high-stakes challenges, with a focus on crisis and issues, civil and criminal litigation, compliance, enforcement and governance. He has counseled directors and C-suites on some of the biggest crises in corporate history, sensitive leadership changes, record-breaking settlements and bet-the-company lawsuits. His less conventional mandates include representing the shipping line in the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates and pro bono support for a death row inmate and the families of Americans held hostage in Iran.
Before taking up a career in strategic communications, Paul was a successful international journalist for almost three decades, working in more than 50 countries. He was the Global Editor for Political and General News for five years at Reuters.
Paul’s work in litigation and crisis communications has been recognized with Band One rankings from Chambers & Partners and by Lawdragon, and he is a co-author of the Latin Lawyer guide to crisis management and of four books on international affairs. He is an Ethics Fellow of the Poynter Institute of Journalism Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida and a member of the Leadership Council of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Paul speaks fluent French, German and Italian and has a bachelor’s degree in modern languages from the University of Exeter in the UK.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Sydney Neuhaus
Partner & Vice Chair
She/Her
Life at FGS Global
Manages strategic communications, reputation engagement and thought leadership programs, and provides hands-on crisis communications and issues management support across sectors, including education and health care.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Worked at FleishmanHillard, focusing on corporate communications campaigns in the U.S. and globally.
Earlier jobs included Edelman PR and political consulting firm, The Garth Group.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Can be found taking long walks, playing fetch with her dog, or exploring new Brooklyn restaurants.
Never far from a stack of magazines, newspapers and books.
Sydney Ann Neuhaus is Partner and Vice Chair at FGS Global, based in New York. She creates and manages strategic communications, reputation engagement and thought leadership programs and provides hands-on crisis communications and issues management support. She works one-on-one with CEOs and C-suite executives, Board members and subject matter experts for Fortune 500 companies, professional associations, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions.
Sydney has extensive expertise in media and presentation skills training, helping clients deliver their story in a compelling and authentic manner. She has presented at conferences and institutions about crisis communications and strategic communications, including the National Association of Corporate Directors, the Society for Corporate Governance, and Harvard Business School.
Previously, Sydney worked at FleishmanHillard, focusing on corporate communications campaigns in the U.S. and globally. Earlier, she established and ran the PR division of Omnicom’s Harrison & Star and also worked at Edelman Public Relations and The Garth Group, a political consulting firm.
Sydney was named one of LawDragon’s 2022 and 2023 “Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting,” as well as “one of the top people in crisis PR” by Business Insider and a “Champion of PR" by PR Week. Sydney graduated cum laude and with Phi Beta Kappa honors from Cornell University.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Brandon Messina
Partner, Corporate Counsel
Life at FGS Global
Advises public and private companies in many industries on communications strategies for high-stakes litigation and crisis situations, management changes and ongoing corporate positioning. Also serves as Corporate Counsel.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Worked as an attorney in the corporate practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Enjoys running along the Hudson River and organizing the homes of friends and loved ones.
Brandon Messina is a Partner and Corporate Counsel in the New York office. He advises public and private companies in many industries on communications strategies in special situations, including high-stakes litigation and government investigations, crises, management changes and other sensitive reputational and legal matters, as well as on long-term corporate and media positioning.
Recent representations include a leading alternative asset manager in connection with an SEC investigation into alleged conflict-of-interest disclosure violations; a leading healthcare technology company in connection with a DOJ enforcement action and settlement over alleged violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the False Claims Act; an international bank in connection with a DOJ investigation into alleged violations of U.S. sanctions laws; a preeminent philanthropic organization in connection with whistleblower allegations and retaliation claims; a well-known public company in connection with the high-profile departure of a senior executive; a leading alternative asset manager in connection with a gender discrimination lawsuit; and high-profile individuals in connection with a range of federal and state litigation matters. Brandon also contributes to the firm's pro bono representation of a leading civil rights organization focused on LGBTQ issues.
Previously, Brandon worked on the teams that advised Tesla in connection with the SEC enforcement action and settlement over alleged violations of U.S. securities laws; Tyson Foods and Time Inc. in connection with senior-level management changes; and Starwood Hotels in connection with its contested acquisition by Marriott.
Earlier in his career, Brandon was an attorney in the corporate practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
Brandon graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in political science and earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Akin Harrison
Chief Legal Officer
Life at FGS Global
Has overall responsibility for the company’s global legal and compliance operations and is a member of the executive committee and global partnership board.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), where he was responsible for all of the company’s legal and compliance matters. Began his legal career as a corporate attorney with Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York and Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison in Washington, DC.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Enjoys traveling with his wife and three children. As a lifelong Yankees fan living in the Washington, DC area, Akin catches as many Yankees games as he can on television.
Akin Harrison is Chief Legal Officer at FGS Global, based out of the firm's Washington, D.C. office. At FGS, Akin serves on the company’s Global Executive Committee, has overall responsibility for the company’s global legal and compliance operations, and provides counsel to the company’s Board of Directors and senior management team.
Akin is a trusted advisor and skilled executive who has experience helping clients navigate highly sensitive matters in a wide range of legal and business areas, including complex corporate transactions, securities regulation and reporting, corporate governance, ethics and compliance, internal investigations, cybersecurity and environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters.
Prior to joining FGS, Akin was Senior Vice President and General Counsel of TEGNA Inc. (NYSE:
Akin began his legal career as a corporate attorney with Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York and Brobeck, Phleger and Harrison in Washington, D.C., where his practice included representing Fortune 500 companies, venture capital firms and early-stage companies in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings and corporate lending transactions.
Akin earned his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
https://fgsglobal.com/people/
Jim Finkle
Managing Director
He/Him
Life at FGS Global
Advises clients on a wide variety of issues, reputation and crisis management, and special situations with a focus on technology, healthcare, education, financial services and cross border matters involving China.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Communications Director at Palo Alto Networks following a career covering cybersecurity, technology, business and finance, national security for media organizations including Reuters and Bloomberg.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Theater lover, fitness enthusiast, dog dad, meditation practitioner. Has lived and worked in New York, Toronto, San Francisco, Southern California, Tokyo, Taipei and Xian, China.
Jim Finkle is a Managing Director in the Boston office. He advises clients on a wide variety of areas – from issues management and special situations to crisis and cyber response. Areas of focus include technology, healthcare, education, financial services and cross border matters involving China.
Prior to joining FGS, he worked as Director of Communications with the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. He also spent more than two decades working as a journalist with Reuters, Bloomberg News and other media organizations, covering issues from financial news to healthcare, technology, cybersecurity and national security. He held a variety of reporting and editing positions in New York, Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Southern California, Tokyo and Taipei.
Jim has a Masters in East Asian Studies from Yale University and a B.A. in History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He spent 11 years living in Asia, where he became fluent in Mandarin.
255 Giralda Avenue, Floor 7
Coral Gables
Florida 33134
United States
P: 561 867 1430
José Parra
Partner
He/Him
Life at FGS Global
José provides strategic counsel and insights to clients engaging with Latino stakeholders, as well as advising on Latino-focused messaging and outreach. José leads FGS Prospero, the agency’s Latino stakeholder practice.
Life Pre-FGS Global
José founded Prospero Latino, a Latino-owned and powered bilingual strategic communications firm, which was integrated into FGS Global in October 2023. He is a former senior advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He started his career as a reporter in South Florida.
Life Beyond FGS Global
José can be found spending time with his family and rambunctious dogs, catching the perfect wave in Florida waters or remote locations, or enjoying music from Colombian folk classics, to Pearl Jam and George Frideric Handel.
José Dante Parra is a partner at FGS Global and leads FGS Prospero, the agency’s Latino-focused practice. In 2014, José founded Prospero Latino, a Latino-owned and powered bilingual strategic communications firm based in Miami and Washington, DC. Prospero Latino was fully integrated into FGS Global in October 2023.
Prior to Prospero Latino, José was a former senior aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. During his time on Capitol Hill, he worked on issues as varied as clean energy, immigration reform, and healthcare reform, and Hispanic outreach. José was also and advisor in 2012 presidential campaign. In 2010, José helped secure Reid’s reelection in Nevada despite the Tea Party wave that swept Congress that year. José started his career in South Florida as a reporter, first for The Miami Herald, and then the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, where he covered stories such as the 2000 presidential election and recount, the Elián González saga, and federal trials on issues as varied as a Cuban spy network and corrupt police officers at the City of Miami.
Federal Triangle
1299 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
FL 12
Washington, DC 20004
Brent Robinson
Managing Director, Government Affairs Energy & Sustainability
Life at FGS Global
Member of the Government Affairs Energy & Sustainability Practice.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Twenty year career as Congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives with policy experience across the areas of natural resources and national security.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Married, father of two girls. Angler, artist, amateur chef, Brazilian jiu-jitsu student, musician and weightlifter.
Ben Waldron
Managing Director, Strategic Communications Division
Life at FGS Global
Helps his clients tell stories that hit the right notes so they can reach the audiences that matter and navigate opportunity, challenge, and change.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Worked for FGS Global predecessor firm along with another top firm in the industry. Spent three years on the marketing team at a large software company.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Lives with his family in Baltimore, MD. Music hound, half-hearted cyclist, hopelessly devout O's & Ravens fan. Above all, anchovy addict.
Suite 2200
161 Bay Street
Toronto, ON Canada
M5J 2S1
Ian Hamilton
Partner
He/Him
Life at FGS Global
Develops and executes integrated communications strategies and advises clients on a wide range of complex situations, including M&A, financial, corporate and crisis communications.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Started in journalism and then managed communications at a large mining company. Co-founded DFH Public Affairs in 2007, merged with Longview in 2018, became FGS Longview in 2023.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Husband, father of two wonderful people. Enthusiastic but mediocre golfer and curler. Avid traveler.
Suite 1110
150 9th Ave. SW
Calgary, AB Canada
T2P 3H9
Martin Cej
Partner
He/Him
Life at FGS Global
Specializes in media strategy, integrated communications campaigns, issue and crisis management, serving clients across a diverse range of industries.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Spent two decades as a financial journalist in Europe, Canada and the US. More recently led communications and public affairs for a Class I railroad.
Life Beyond FGS Global
If it's snowing, he is probably skiing.
Hugh McFadyen is a Partner in the Calgary office. Hugh has been advising leading corporate clients for over 10 years. Prior to joining FGS Longview Hugh was Leader of the Official Opposition in Manitoba for 7 years and previously spent over 5 years as a senior advisor to a number of Canadian politicians, including Director of Policy and Chief of Staff to the Premier of Manitoba. He is a lawyer by training and started his career as a commercial litigator. Hugh has worked on a range of significant assignments including investment political risk analysis, M&A approvals, major project approvals, crisis communications and general government relations. He is an instructor with the ICD’s political intelligence program and has served as a volunteer director with community arts and educational organizations. Hugh has Bachelor degrees in Arts (political studies and economics) and Law from the University of Manitoba.
Mark Harris
Global CFO & COO
He/Him
Life at FGS Global
Serves the partnership as its Chief Financial and Operating Officer and a member of our Executive Committee.
Life Pre-FGS Global
Was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Operations of Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Responsible for the company’s finance and accounting functions, information technology and business operations, based in New York.
Life Beyond FGS Global
Loves to travel abroad, avid weight lifter, wine collector and football coach when time permits.
The One Big Beautiful Bill:
Opportunities and Challenges for Clean Energy Investment in a New Era
Webcast On-Demand
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On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which significantly rolls back many of the core tax incentives that clean energy projects have relied on since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and implements a host of new restrictions. A White House Executive Order issued on July 7, 2025 further complicates the picture for solar and wind. Join Latham & Watkins in the latest installment of our We've Got Washington Covered and Global Energy & Infrastructure Insights series, where our tax leaders in the renewable energy and energy transition sectors will analyze the implications for clean energy investment, including:
Speakers |
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Eli M. Katz
Partner
Scott W. Cockerham
Partner
Jim Cole
Partner
San Francisco Address
The Orrick Building
405 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2669
United States
Bay Area: San Francisco and Silicon Valley
Our founding office opened in San Francisco in 1863. That makes us the second-oldest Bay Area private company after Levi Strauss & Co. We added our Silicon Valley office more than two decades ago and, today, have a team of 300 lawyers based in the Bay Area. In the spirit of California, we’re forward-looking and constantly adapting.
Our clients reflect the California economy and its global influence. We represent the world’s leading public tech companies and more than 1,600 startups, including some of the most exciting disruptors. We act for renewable energy pioneers, Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions and funds, and the state of California and its municipal entities. Our local practice mirrors our global focus: advising the technology, energy & infrastructure and finance clients in their highest-stakes transactional, litigation and compliance matters.
Technology
We practice at the heart of the technology ecosystem, providing comprehensive support for tech companies at every stage of the corporate life cycle. Our practice for both public and private tech companies encompasses financing, M&A, corporate governance, IP asset protection, cybersecurity, executive compensation and employment. We offer one of the premier IP, litigation and compliance teams for the tech sector. And we do it all globally, enabling us to scale with our clients. We represent public companies in U.S. and cross-border investments, working with our tech-focused lawyers in 25 markets worldwide. In recognition of the broad nature of our practice, Law360 has recognized our team as one of four Technology Groups of the Year globally for the past two years.
We’re especially focused on helping disruptors address the complex legal and policy issues that their innovative models often raise. We’ve completed some of the most successful financing rounds for unicorns such as Pinterest, Stripe, 23andMe, SoFi and many others. And The Recorder named us 2016 Corporate Department of the Year for Emerging Companies. We’ve also closed a string of tech IPOs and follow-on offerings. And we’ve helped our tech clients execute landmark sales, including Nest’s sale to Google and Yammer’s sale to Microsoft. Recently, we advised Cruise Automation, a leader in the development of driverless car technology, in its acquisition by General Motors.
Intellectual Property
Our IP litigators have prevailed in landmark cases in the tech sector – and are litigating some of the most closely watched cases before the courts today. As The American Lawyer wrote in selecting us as IP Litigation Department of the Year for 2016, "[T]ime and again, we heard stories [from clients] lauding Orrick’s ability to jump into a case and successfully dig its clients out of a hole, even with little time to prepare."
We protect innovation. Our team acted for Oracle in its multibillion-dollar copyright infringement case against Google, where we created new law related to the copyrightability of software on appeal. We also represented the company in a high-profile retrial of copyright infringement claims against Google. Our success stems from our deep understanding of the underlying technology (not surprising, given that our team includes over 60 litigators with technical degrees) combined with proven courtroom skills. As The American Lawyer noted, we’ve shown this "across an impressive range of venues, using novel strategies. …" Our practice covers all types of intellectual property, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, privacy and data protection litigation.
Energy
Our energy project development, finance and M&A team is part of a global practice that covers all energy assets, with its hub in Houston and team members in offices worldwide. Reflecting the California market, our Bay Area team has deep experience in renewables. We helped launch the U.S. renewables market in the 1980s, when we advised on the first-ever institutionally financed wind development. Since then we’ve played a leading role in the expansion of solar and wind power. We’ve also advised on some of the largest combinations in the renewables sector, including the $2.4 billion acquisition by a leading global solar energy developer of substantial wind and solar assets. We assisted more than 25 different bidders in the California utilities’ recent solicitations for new renewables, gas and storage projects. Our results are recognized in the market: In 2015, our team was selected as a Project Finance Group of the Year by Law360 for a third time.
Finance
Public Finance
Go anywhere in the Bay Area and you’re likely to see the impact of our top-ranked Public Finance team’s work. Our practice began more than a century ago with the financing of the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the years, we’ve secured financing of landmark projects such as Candlestick Park, the Bay Bridge, BART and the Moscone Center. We’re currently working on the Transbay Transit Center, dubbed "Grand Central Station of the West." We’re especially proud to work on financings with a social impact, including in education and affordable housing. We recently advised the City of Richmond on the nation’s first use of a social impact bond issue to fund the acquisition and rehabilitation of a blighted neighborhood.
Real Estate
The work of our Real Estate finance team extends up and down the West Coast – from the most environmentally friendly on-airport hotel in San Francisco to a new arena complex for the Sacramento Kings – and around the world. We’ve helped guide some of the industry’s most remarkable and challenging deals for real estate giants like Westbrook Partners, Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, Tokyu Land Corporation, LaSalle Investment Management and Fortress Investment Group.
Tax
Our Tax team provides support on these deals as well as corporate, project finance and public finance transactions.
Roger Davis
Partner
San Francisco
Roger L. Davis' knowledge, experience and reputation in the area of public finance is second to none nationally. In November 2022, he was one of seven public finance professionals, and the only lawyer, inducted in the inaugural class of The Bond Buyer Hall of Fame. In his more than 40-year career practicing public finance, Roger had a lead role in more than 1000 transactions in roughly 20 states and territories – as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, disclosure counsel, credit provider counsel, investor counsel and in other critical roles on virtually every type of bond issue.
Gregory Heibel
Partner
Silicon Valley
Gregory Heibel, co-leader of Orrick's Silicon Valley office, is a member of the Technology Companies Group, which advises emerging and public technology companies, venture capital firms and other technology investors, as well as Orrick’s Energy Group.
Greg's practice focuses on the formation, financing and strategic guidance of rapidly growing technology companies, the representation of venture capital firms and other investors in private and public offerings, as well as other complex transactions related to high growth companies.
Greg has completed many hundreds of financings, mergers, acquisitions and intellectual property transactions for young companies in the networking, wireless, Internet, software, life sciences and consumer sectors. He regularly advises some of the largest technology companies in the world, including a Fortune 10 technology leader, in their global strategic investments into innovative startups. Additionally, Greg has represented numerous publicly traded companies in their public offering, mergers and acquisitions and ongoing corporate governance needs, including Life360 (ASX:360), Foundry Networks, Virage Networks, Adeza, Laserscope, Intellisync and Preview Systems.
Greg also was an Assistant Investment Manager for Genevest, a venture capital firm based in Geneva, Switzerland, where he participated in the first organizational meeting of the European Union World Wide Web Consortium. Prior to practicing law, Greg worked with a number of venture capital backed technology companies in operational and advisory roles, including Intellimeter, eT Communications and Metering Technology Corporation.
----- Original Message -----
From: The Point thepoint@cbc.ca
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:37:41 -0500
Subject: Re: I just heard you people talking on CBC and shook my head I
will lay odds Mr. Davis has heard of me
To: David Amos david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
Hello and thanks for writing to us here at The Point. We read every
email and try to present as many as possible on the air, as well as
follow up on any story idea suggestions. Unfortunately, however, we
cannot reply directly to all the mail we receive. If you have a
specific question about radio frequencies or a particular item
mentioned on CBC Radio, please contact our audience relations
department. (email:
audience.relations@cbc.ca)
----- Original Message -----
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
To: "ldavis@orrick.com" <ldavis@orrick.com>
Cc: "thepoint@cbc.ca" <thepoint@cbc.ca>
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 at 08:37:07 PM AST
Subject: I just heard you people talking on CBC and shook my head I will lay odds Mr. Davis has heard of me
http://www.orrick.com/lawyers/
"Mr. Davis, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office, is a member of
the Litigation Group. Mr. Davis advises clients on a wide range of
legal and governmental issues. He concentrates his practice in civil
litigation, with particular focus on securities fraud and accounting
irregularities cases, antitrust, government contracts and commercial
litigation, and legal crisis management and strategic communications.
In June 2005, President Bush appointed Mr. Davis to serve on the
five-member Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, created by
the U.S. Congress as part of the 2005 Intelligence Reform Act. "
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:52:46 -0400
Subject: Remember me Larry Becraft? I bet your client Dr. Ward Dean
still does EH?
To: becraft@hiwaay.net, webmaster@hourofthetime.com, hourofthetime@hotmail.com
http://www.hourofthetime.com/
http://www.warddeanmd.com/Doc%
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:27:54 -0400
Subject: I JUST TALKED TO THE LAWYER NAMED MS. CUNNINGHAM NOW I WILL CALL POLKES
To: LehmanTeam@weil.com, RBaker@alvarezandmarsal.com,
kmacleod@lehman.com, jessica.cunningham@weil.com,
jonathan.polkes@weil.com
Cc: webo <webo@xplornet.com>
http://www.weil.com/news/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 16:28:53 -0400
Subject: I am on the phone to you folks in Canada right now. I also
sent this email to INTERPOL byway of their webpage
To: Campbell.Meaghan@gmail.com, info@gopacnetwork.org,
askgov@worldbank.org, Dan Fitzgerald <danf@danf.net>,
"t.j.burke@gnb.ca" <t.j.burke@gnb.ca>, marilyne.nahum@cb-bc.gc.ca,
denis.morin@rcmp-grc.gc.ca, USAMA.MEDIA@usdoj.gov
Cc: mail@globalwitness.org, sg@iap.nl.com, info@iap.nl.com,
ptf@
lshelley@gmu.edu
I can be reached at 506 756 8687
www.gopacnetwork.org
The Global Organization Against Corruption (GOPAC) is an international
network of parliamentarians dedicated to good governance and combating
corruption throughout the world.
Global Organisation of Parliamentarians against corruption
255 Albert Street, Suite 802
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6A9
1 613 432 1640 ;
1 613 237 0143 X 371
Contact persons :
Meaghan Campbell
Communications and Program(s) Consultant
Kimberley Jordan
Program(s) Assistant
www.globalwitness.org/index.
Description
Global Witness was the first organization that sought to break the
links between the exploitation of natural resources, and conflict and
corruption. Global Witness exposes the corrupt exploitation of natural
resources and international trade systems, to drive campaigns that end
impunity, resource-linked conflict, and human rights and environmental
abuses. Relevant areas of work are corruption in oil, gas and mining
as well as the role of financial institutions.
Global Witness
Global Witness
PO Box 6042
London N19 5WP
www.iap.nl.com/
The International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) is a
non-governmental and non-political organization. Its creation was in
response to the rapid growth in serious transnational crime,
particularly drug trafficking, money laundering and fraud. There was a
perceived need for greater international co-operation between
prosecutors and for faster and more efficient mutual assistance, asset
tracking and other international co-operative measures.
International Association of Prosecutors
Hartogstraat 13
2514 EP
The Hague The Netherlands
www.
PTF is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to
helping civil society play an effective role in the design,
implementation and monitoring of national anti-corruption programs.
Partnership for Transparency Fund
4355 Klingle St NW
Washington DC 20016
www.american.edu/traccc/
The Transnational Crime and Corruption Centre (TraCCC) is the first
centre in the United States devoted to teaching, research, training
and formulating policy advice in transnational crime, corruption and
terrorism. TraCCC's fundamental goal is to better understand the
causes and scope of transnational crime and corruption and to propose
well-grounded policy to reduce and eliminate these problems.
Transnational Crime and Corruption Centre (TraCCC)
American University
School of Public Policy, George Mason University
3401 Fairfax Drive, MS 3B1
Arlington, VA 22201, USA
Ph: (703) 993-9757
Fax: (703) 993-8193
http://policy-traccc.gmu.edu
www.worldbank.org/wbi/
Hundreds of governance and anti-corruption activities are taking place
throughout the World Bank Group focusing on internal organizational
integrity, minimizing corruption on World Bank-funded projects, and
assisting countries in improving governance and controlling
corruption.
World Bank – Governance and Anti-corruption
1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433 USA
202-473-1000
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 21:03:58 -0400
Subject: Sometime when Frank Quattrone or his lawyer and banker
buddies are bored perhaps they should study this email. EH?
To: Info@qatalyst.com, "john. conyers" <John.Conyers@mail.house.gov>,
"flaherty.j@parl.gc.ca" <flaherty.j@parl.gc.ca>, "victor. boudreau2"
<victor.boudreau2@gnb.ca>, "t.j.burke@gnb.ca" <t.j.burke@gnb.ca>
Cc: apalmer@jmpg.com, jtarkoff@jmpsecurities.com, "jennifer. warren"
<jennifer.warren@cibc.com>, Dan Fitzgerald <danf@danf.net>
Trust that some Canadians know that I understand the world of fierce
financing and litgation and politicking even though they won't admit
it..
http://www.fiercefinance.com/
This forwarded email should prove my sincerity
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 15:53:19 -0400
Subject: Hell even Big Bankers form India pretend that they do not
know how to read yet want more of my stuff?
To: konrad.vonfinckenstein@crtc.
carleton@stu.ca, gdegannes@cumberlandcounty.ns.
info@caperradio.com, jmartin@mta.ca, ckdh@mbsradio.com,
mail@mbsradio.com, michele.caron@umoncton.ca, dlegere@cupe.ca,
levesque.anne@gmail.com, marilynquinn@nbnu.ca, rob
<rob@jollyfarmer.com>, kreicker <kreicker@nb.sympatico.ca>,
rjcbrown@nbnet.nb.ca, bernard.montigny@crtc.gc.ca,
john.keogh@crtc.gc.ca, cgill@unb.ca, blaney@unb.ca, rinaa@unb.ca,
tsavage@unb.ca, customercare.ca@icicibank.com
Cc: "Harper.S@parl.gc.ca" <Harper.S@parl.gc.ca>, webo <webo@xplornet.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ICICI Bank Canada <customercare.ca@icicibank.com
Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:23:33 +0530
Subject: RE:'ICICICARE=031-627-108' I just called you people and I was
not impressed with your ethics
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Dear Customer,
We have received the incomplete mail from you. We request you to
elaborate your query to enable us to assist you further.
Sincerely,
Sirisha D V
Customer Service Officer
ICICI Bank Canada
CONFIDENTIALITY INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMER:
This e-mail message may contain confidential, proprietary or legally
privileged information. It should not be accessed by anyone who is not
the original intended recipient. If you have erroneously received this
message, please delete it immediately and notify the sender. You will
appreciate that e-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure
or error-free as its contents are susceptible to loss, damage,
interception, destruction, etc. Before opening any attachments please
check them for viruses and defects. The notice appended to the e-mails
is not intended to prejudice the interests of our customers in any
manner or to evade responsibility for any act of done with the
endorsement of ICICI Bank.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Amos (david.raymond.amos@gmail.com)
Date: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 08:24 PM
To: customercare.ca@icicibank.com (customercare.ca@icicibank.com
Subject: I just called you people and I was not impressed with your ethics
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:14:55 -0300
Subject: Donne Smith and I should have our long talk now EH Mr Hancox?
To: rick.hancox@nbsc-cvmnb.ca, donne.smith@nbsc-cvmnb.ca,
obrienhl@gov.ns.ca, daren.baxter@mcinnescooper.com
mlaclarke@ns.sympatico.ca, peacocrs@gov.ns.ca
Cc: "t.j.burke@gnb.ca" <t.j.burke@gnb.ca>, oldmaison95@yahoo.ca, Dan
Fitzgerald <danf@danf.net>, "flaherty.j@parl.gc.ca"
<flaherty.j@parl.gc.ca>, ddexter@ns.sympatico.ca
The Minister of Justice of New Brunswick can never say that he did not
know the truth about my concerns a long long time ago as did the
Minister of Justice of Nova Scotia.
Correct Mr Peacock?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 31, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Subject: We just talked Mr. Sinclair need I say I hate it when Upper
Canadian lawyers play dumb?
To: alan.sinclair@ubs.com
http://www.lexpert.ca/
Alan Sinclair
UBS Bank (Canada) - Toronto
Phone: (416) 345-7082
Fax: (416) 345-7145
Email: alan.sinclair@ubs.com
You will find the first portion of this email posted on the same law
blog. Perhaps you should call me back now and quit playing dumb EH?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 31, 2008 at 1:18 AM
Subject: RE: David Aufhauser, general counsel for UBS' investment banking
To: info@ubs.com, fund-info@ubs.com
Do you people recognize the problem UBS have had with me for a very long time?
Perhaps you should google your ex lawyer's name and mine EH?
http://www.google.com/search?
or find his name within these documents
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Here is the text of one them here in this blog. Look for the following line
"Senator Edward M. Kennedy David D. Aufhauser, General Counsel"
http://davidamos.blogspot.com/
Clearly David Aufhauser's name is directly across from Ted Kennedy's
and he answered me Aufhauser quit the Treasury Dept just like he just
did with you when the going got tough.
The links above and below prove to you that a dumb Maritimer know hows
to read and write and even though he hasn't been to some fancy law
school he has sued many lawyers in the past CORRECT?
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/
Notice that I have inserted the first portion of this email as a
comment within the link above and that I have inserted a couple of my
latest emails at the bottom of this email. (I do this in this fashion
so that no one can ever claim that I am being sneaky or underhanded.
That is what crooked lawyers do not me. The next time I call UBS in
Canada (which will be very soon indeed) please do not allow the snobby
people in Upper Canada to laugh at me anymore or rest assured I will
sue your bank in a heartbeart to seek relief from your assistance to
the wrongs practiced against my family and I. If you doubt me or my
sincerity ask your former Generl Counsel or the US Treasury Dept or
the Attorney General of Masschusetts why I truly beieve and can prove
that they have no integrity whatsoever.
However if you bankers were truly wise in these troubling times I
believe you will realize that we can be of great assistance to each
other and the people who trust in your integrity. Perhaps you should
read my comments in this law blog as well.
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/
Ask your selves where the transcripts of these Senate Banking
Committee hearings went
http://banking.senate.gov/
http://banking.senate.gov/
Then you should read this file
http://www.scribd.com/full/
Although UBS is far from innocent and it has definitely failed its
fiduciary responsibilities towards ist investors etc not all of the
wrongs were of your bank's doing. The wicked plans were dreamed up by
evil lawyers such as David Aufhauser and assisted to by governments
and the taxpayers are begining to understand that simple fact..
Veritas Vincit
David Raymond Amos
UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co.
Street Address:
161 Bay Street
Suite 3900
Toronto, ONT M5J 2S1
Mailing Address:
Box 618
Toronto, ONT M5J 2S1
Telephone: 1-416-681 5200
Facsimile: 1-416-681 5100
Internet: www.ubs.com
September 09, 2008
From the Pages of The Pomerantz Monitor: UBS Pressured to Settle
Auction Rate Securities Claims
The September issue of The Pomerantz Monitor relays events that led
UBS to enter into a global settlement with federal and state
regulators over auction rate securities. UBS, the Swiss banking
colossus with $1.9 trillion under management and over 80,000 employees
worldwide, has been forced to write off close to $43 billion in the
value of its debt portfolio. Its stock is down more than 50% this
year. Its chairman, CEO and other senior executives have been forced
out. And it is at the center of the auction rate securities debacle
and a tax fraud investigation. On August 12, UBS announced that in the
second quarter, its private-banking clients had withdrawn funds for
the first time in eight years; and that it is cutting 5,500 jobs. UBS'
wealth management advisors are reportedly defecting in droves.
About 50,000 UBS customers are now stuck with $37 billion worth of
auction rate securities. In order to settle a suit brought by the
Massachusetts Attorney General, claiming that UBS misled investors
about the safety and liquidity of those securities, UBS recently
agreed to pay $4.4 million and announced it would buy back up to $3.5
billion of auction rate preferred stock sold by closed-end tax-exempt
funds and held in UBS accounts as of that date.
The New York Attorney General ("NYAG") filed a similar suit on July
24; on the same day, the Texas State Securities Board moved to suspend
UBS' securities license in the state until UBS repurchases, at par,
all auction rate securities it sold to Texas investors. In addition,
the SEC was conducting an investigation into the auction rate
securities crisis.
Finally, on August 8, UBS, under overwhelming pressure, entered into a
global settlement with federal and state regulators in which it agreed
to buy back nearly $19 billion of auction rate securities held by
retail investors.
The New York action had the potential to be particularly embarrassing
for UBS. The suit alleges that seven UBS executives unloaded a total
of $21 million in auction rate securities in the months leading up to
the market's collapse, while the bank was telling customers that these
securities were safe. Among the seven was David Aufhauser, general
counsel for UBS' investment banking arm. The NYAG's complaint
references an email sent to Aufhauser, among others, anticipating the
UBS pull-out from the auction market for these securities. Later that
same day Aufhauser instructed his financial advisor to dump all his
auction rate securities holdings. Aufhauser has now resigned.
UBS is also in the dock for supposedly helping thousands of wealthy
investors from around the world hide their assets and income from tax
collectors. On July 17, 2008, a Senate subcommittee released a
110-page report on "Tax Haven Banks and U.S. Tax Compliance" that
focused on UBS and LGT Group, the largest bank in Liechtenstein, a
country which has been blacklisted by the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development for past money laundering activities. The
report concludes that, in order to recruit U.S. clients, UBS
established an elaborate formal training program on such subjects as
how to avoid surveillance by U.S. customs and law enforcement, and how
to secretly move money in and out of the country.
Apparently the IRS caught on to UBS when it audited a billionaire from
California and discovered some of the hidden assets. The billionaire
pleaded guilty to tax evasion and informed against his former UBS
private banker, Bradley Birkenfeld. When the IRS knocked on
Birkenfeld's door, he described to them the whole UBS tax evasion
program.
On July 17, the same day that the subcommittee held hearings and
released its report, UBS tried to head off the inevitable retribution
by announcing that it would stop offering offshore banking services to
U.S. clients and would cooperate with U.S. efforts to identify its
19,000 U.S. clients that it had previously failed to identify to the
Treasury.
UBS' chagrin was no doubt exacerbated by its being lumped together
with LGT. The taped testimony of the subcommittee's chief witness
against LGT, Heinrich Kleiber, was recorded in with his face in
shadows and his voice disguised.
LGT reportedly got caught when Kieber, a lowly information technology
employee and convicted felon, stole client account records in 2002 and
sold them to the authorities. The German and British governments
allegedly paid him a total of $7million for account records relating
to their citizens. Several individuals are already being prosecuted
for tax evasion, and more way be waiting for the other shoe to drop.
When the LGT scandal broke, Kieber received death threats from all
over the world, and there is reportedly a $10 million price on his
head. This, no doubt, reflects the type of clients LGT went out of its
way to recruit. Interpol is reportedly hunting for him too. Kieber is
now in hiding, with a new identity. "He's hunted, he's wanted — this
is not what I would call living the good life," said Jack A. Blum, Mr.
Kieber's lawyer. He may get to enjoy his $7 million, but we're
guessing that it won't be any time soon.
From: David Amos david.raymond.amos@gmail.com
Subject: Attn Martine Turcotte I am still curious. Is Mikey Duffy too???
To: martine.turcotte@bell.ca, diane.valade@bell.ca, cwhite@wob.nf.ca,
michel.lalande@bell.ca, jean-francois.legault@bell.ca,
christopher.ginther@bell.ca, atvnews@ctv.ca, bcecomms@bce.ca,
newsroom@globeandmail.ca, "duffy" duffy@ctv.ca, "Akoschany"
Akoschany@ctv.ca, "w-five" W-Five@ctv.ca, "checkup" checkup@cbc.ca,
"jacques_poitras" jacques_poitras@cbc.ca, "jonesr@cbc.ca"
jonesr@cbc.ca, "Jason Keenan" jason.keenan@icann.org, "josie. maguire"
josie.maguire@dfait-maeci.gc.
Andrew.Krystal@rci.rogers.com, "acampbell" acampbell@ctv.ca
Cc: carl.urquhart@gnb.ca, forest@conservationcouncil.ca,
oldmaison@yahoo.com, "Dan Fitzgerald" danf@danf.net, "Richard Harris"
injusticecoalition@hotmail.com
richard.dearden@gowlings.com, "sheila.fraser"
sheila.fraser@oag-bvg.gc.ca, Harper.S@parl.gc.ca,
Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca, "dions1" dions1@parl.gc.ca, Layton.J@parl.gc.ca,
leader@greenparty.ca
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008, 6:54 PM
It has been over four years and 4 Parliaments I how long must I wait
for Bell canada to act with integrity???
----- Original Message -----
From: martine.turcotte@bell.ca
To: motomaniac_02186@hotmail.com
Cc: bcecomms@bce.ca ; W-Five@ctv.ca
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 10:28 AM
Subject: RE: I am curious
Mr. Amos, I confirm that I have received your documentation. There is
no need to send us a hard copy. As you have said yourself, the
documentation is very voluminous and after 3 days, we are still in the
process of printing it. I have asked one of my lawyers to review it in
my absence and report back to me upon my return in the office. We will
then provide you with a reply.
Martine Turcotte
Chief Legal Officer / Chef principal du service juridique
BCE Inc. / Bell Canada
1000 de La Gauchetière ouest, bureau 3700
Montréal (Qc) H3B 4Y7
Tel: (514) 870-4637
Fax: (514) 870-4877
email: martine.turcotte@bell.ca
Executive Assistant / Assistante à la haute direction: Diane Valade
Tel: (514) 870-4638
email: diane.valade@bell.ca
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Subject: Is Mr Leblanc in Boston going to assist in reuniting my
family and preventing my false imprisonment again or not???
To: Bostncs@international.gc.ca, pm@pm.gc.ca, info@pco-bcp.gc.ca,
VanLoan.P@parl.gc.ca, Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca
Cc: dions1@parl.gc.ca, "layton. j" <Layton.J@parl.gc.ca>,
moore.r@parl.gc.ca, "Duceppe. G" <Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca>,
thompson.g@parl.gc.ca, Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:52 PM
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:44:50 -0300
Subject: Hey Harper obviously I called Jay Hill and your Privy Council
too Correct?
To: pm@pm.gc.ca, info@pco-bcp.gc.ca
Cc: thompson.g@parl.gc.ca, Nicholson.R@parl.gc.ca,
"moore.r@parl.gc.ca" <moore.r@parl.gc.ca>, "Duceppe.
G"
<Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca>, dions1@parl.gc.ca, "layton. j"
<Layton.J@parl.gc.ca>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Subject: I am on the phone to VanLoan and Cannon's offices. We all
know why Correct?
To: VanLoan.P@parl.gc.ca, Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca
Cc: "Duceppe. G" <Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca>, dions1@parl.gc.ca,
"layton.
j" <Layton.J@parl.gc.ca>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Subject: I wonder if Jack Harris and the other NDP lawyers know how to
read I know that the liberals don't
To: Harris.J@parl.gc.ca, siobhan.coady@nf.sympatico.ca,
Coady.S@parl.gc.ca, judy@judyfoote.com, Andrews.S@parl.gc.ca
Cc: tturner@thewesternstar.com, Byron Prior <alltrue@nl.rogers.com>,
swoodford@thewesternstar.com
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Oct 26, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Subject: Professor Fried now that you are no longer supporting McCain
perhaps you should study something.
To: fried@law.harvard.edu, info@campaignlegalcenter.org
Cc: craig.richard.alexander@td.com
dions1@parl.gc.ca, "layton. j" <Layton.J@parl.gc.ca>,
leader@greenparty.ca, "Duceppe. G" <Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca>, Dan
Fitzgerald <danf@danf.net>, "oldmaison. wcie"
<oldmaison.wcie@gmail.com>
Professor Fried
Please read this first.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
As I am writng this the CBC is having their weekly talk show hosted by
a Maritimer named Rex Murphy whom I do not respect. He and another
Maritmer Mike duffy amongst legions of others know exactly who I am
and about my battles with the US Treasury Dept and a great many others
in court in Massachusetts. Even if I could get through on the p[hone
to Rex's assistant the CBC will never allow me to speak on the
publicly owned airwaves again so I will let them know that I am paying
attention bywayof this email to you.. The topic today all over Canada
is of course the ECONOMY and many highly placed people in two
purportedly profound democracies are well aware that I have been
trying to expose the wrongs of bankers and the US Treasury Dept long
before most folks ever heard of the term sub prime mortgage. The fact
that Rex just talked to a blogger in Washington is indeed very
agravting so in response i will post the email in several blogs
because is how i just learned about you and your recent personal
decision regarding the pending election in the USA.
Professor Fried I sincerely hope that you are the honest man whom I
have been seeking for many years. I have no doubt whatsoever that the
lawyers J. Gerald Hebert, Trevor Potter, Tara Malloy and Paul Ryan in
John McCain's Campaign Legal Center, in Washington, DC. curse my name
on a daily basis lately. The first link i asked you to read is just
one of the many reasons why. Whereas the questionable actions of the
US Treasury Dept is the hot topic in the last days of this
presidential election, I will wager the lawyers will have no idea how
to answer this email so they will try hard to ignore it and not tell
their boss John McCain about it so he can continue to play dumb about
me and of my concerns about the severe lack of integrity of bankers
and their governmental cohorts.
Canadians rely on the integrity of the US Treasury Dept too. I for one
as a Proud Canadian citizen have no respect for Solitictor Generals
who fail to act within the scope of their employment for political
reasons and have practiced my right to run against their malevolent
political parties every chance I got before I sue the Her Majesty the
Queen. I truly hope that you took the time to read the link to the
document above and found your friend John McCain's answer to me in
2005. It obviously came to long before I ran for a seat in Canada's
Parliament once again and long before Stephen Harper won his first
minority mandate for the Neo Cons up here north of the 49th. If not
check the document I have provided below. McCain's is the top letter
but the next one is every bit as important particularly in light of
the fact of whom you just voted for.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
I certainly agree that you had the irrefutable right to vote for Obama
or anyone else instead of your friend McCain in advance and in private
byway of an absentee ballot. However I don't beleive you were fully
informed. Correct? I was very impressed that you obviously ethically
informed the General Counsel of McCain lection campaign of your
decision prior to pollong day. If his General counsel were a wise man
he would have kept the letter to himself and simply removed your name
from a roster of commitees just as you requested and let the politcal
cards fall where they may. However I must confess I am very curious as
to how your letter McCain's legal counsel was leaked to the bloggers
so quickly and it does not seem that the press has picked up the ball
and ran with it yet even though the New York Times and the Anchorage
Daily News recently endorsed Obama is also well aware of your vote and
of my many emails and phone calls to them over the years. I find this
very strange to say the least.
http://www.blogrunner.com/
http://donklephant.com/2008/
http://www.politico.com/blogs/
http://washingtonindependent.
I also noticed that you set the record straight
"Fried writes to TNR: I admire Senator McCain and was glad to help in
his campaign, and to be listed as doing so; but when I concluded that
I must vote for Obama for the reason stated in my letter, I felt it
wrong to appear to be recommending to others a vote that I was not
prepared to cast myself. So it was more of an erasure than a public
affirmation--although obviously my vote meant that I thought that
Obama was preferable to McCain-Palin. I do not consider abstention a
proper option. "
Posted: Friday, October 24, 2008 12:40 PM
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/
With regards to my letter to Obama in 2004 before most folks ever
heard his name I must say that although Barak Obama has never answered
me I truly believe he used the material I sent him against his fellow
Democrats in order to be chosen as the keynote speaker at the
Democratic National Convention in Boston while I was running in the
election of the 39 Parliament. I was not one bit surprised to find
myself falsly imprisoned in Massachusetts under the charges of
"Other"
as soon as I returned to the USA and stood in court on October 1st,
2004. To put it blumtly I believe you made a mistake to vote for Obama
in this wicked election. Now that the Democrats can use your name in
some sort of "October Surprise" McCain must be wondering who his
friends are within his own legal dept. In my humble opinion for what
it is worth you were indeed very wise to exit stage left before the
McCain Campaign implodes byway of its own actions.
In closing and far more importantly for the benefit of people involved
in ridiculous wars and my little Clan's rights and interests I must
point to our affairs your State of the US Union. I have no doubt
whatsoever that you knew of my wife's malicious cousin Charles J.
Kickham Jr. (he did sit on the Board of Governers of Harvard Law and
was President of the Massachusttes Bar association twice). What you
may not know is why my family and I sued Kickham many of his cohorts
within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2002 long before Mitt
Romney was elected your Governor while one of his predecessors Paul
Cellucci was Ambassador to Canada and trying hard to talk my
nativeland into going to War with Iraq for the benefit of his bosses
George W. Bush and Colin Powell.
All Canadians should read paragraph 16 beginning on page 31 very
closely. Clearly I knew what I must do long before I did it EH Rex
Murphy and Mike Duffy?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
All Yankees should check the date on these judgements. Clearly George
W. Bush and I had a very serious problem with the integrity of his
executive offices long before the War in Iraq began.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Please consider carefully the things I have pointed out to you ASAP
Profeeser Fried and feel free to contact me at 506 756 8687 in order
to explain matters more thoroughly to you. the Newfy on CBC right now
Rex Murphy can feel free to do the same. I am tired of trying to call
him and being laughed at when I do managed to get through. His show is
now going off the air and the last caller came from the very town I
was born Sackville New Brunswick, the same town where that the General
Counsel of the Board of Bar Overseers Michael Fredrickson taught
briefly. (did ya notice I sued him too?). My fellow Canadian I believe
his name was Eric is pointing out to all the true problem It seems
that he forgot who he truly works for. A former Solicitor General of
the USA should understand my indignation and frustration towards the
nonsense of it all.
Veritas Vincit
David Raymond Amos
http://www.law.harvard.edu/
http://www.google.com/search?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 25, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Subject: Hey Ron Paul and Dennnis Kucinich we should talk ASAP EH?
To: victory@ronpaulforcongress.com
pat@jimtrakas.org, godutch@dutchforcongress.com,
rich@richardmatthews.org, ddeabler@npr.org,
lmcgann@washingtonindependent.
Cc: frank@frankforpresident.org, peterj@politicalcommunity.us,
martin.avila@
syndication@csmonitor.com
I must confess to be fair to you that I would find a certain joy in
stress testing the ethics of the your adversary of old the lefty
lawyer Charles "Lefty" Morris. However i am not certain he is still
kicking after all these years. If anyone mentions my name in the media
and causes the shit to hit the fan with a rather profound October
surprise methinks he/she will become a rather famous person and indeed
a true champion of the common man in short order. If that person
happened to be a lawyer their brothers of the bar may curse their name
for eternity but the biggest surprise would come to me. After all the
lawyers I have crossed paths with over the years I have given up on
the pipe dream of finding an ethical one. However what the hell I can
still dream? One might go for the brass ring I am dangling to suit his
own greedy ends. Everybody hates lawyers and bankers anyway. They
might as well learn to hate each other. EH Mr. Paul?
That said as you well know I talked to many of your political
associates when you sought a presidential nomination last year then
came close to losing your local nomination. Remember? Today I talked
to some of your other newfound friends for strange little third
parties. Here is my number once again 506 756 8687 just in case you or
anyone else decides to have a decent conversation with a rather fierce
but fun loving ethical Canadian politcal animal before folks caste
their votes and hope for the best South of the 49th..
As you well know Mr. Paul I sent you hard copy of my material in
August of 2007 and you did receive a great deal more documents etc
than Dennis Kucinich revieved from me 5 years ago and long before the
bankers got themselves in hot water once again. CORRECT? Best check
the links before you call me a liar sir. Never forget Dennis Kucinich
answered me in 2003 when he made his prior bid for presidential office
and I sent you the proof of that fact too byway of the aforementioned
Hard Copy in the confirmed US Mail . EH?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Furthemore as I tore our Canadian politicians brand new arseholes
before the writ was dropped up here for the 40th Parliament and the
RCMP opted to harassed me some more I do mention you in the following
Youtube if only just in passing right show some of the documents as
well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
It seems that you Yankees don't matter to me much but why don't you
do the right thing for your benefit if not the the people you
represent before the light dawns on a lawyer like Lefty's old
marblehead that there is another lawyer/banker/writer dude named
Charlie Morris who claims to knows it all? Guess where I am gonna blog
this email for shits and giggles?
http://washingtonindependent.
We shall see if the "Independent" understands its rights under the
1st
Amendment. They are my words not theirs posted within their blog and
anyone can sue me if they dare to call me a liar. Rest asured I stand
by my every word and have the evidence to back them up. Scroll down to
see a bit of proof that it is true.
I already know for a fact that NPR ain't worth a good god damn and I
can prove that too. Ask their old ombudsman from CBC days before you
doubt me. I saved his emails as well.
http://www.npr.org/templates/
Veritas Vincit
David Raymond Amos
P.S. Sometimes religious folks report some truths. Too bad they don't
tell it all EH?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/
"Meanwhile, the 2008 campaign is producing unusually high numbers of
credible primary challengers. Reps. Ron Paul (R) of Texas and Dennis
Kucinich (D) of Ohio curtailed their presidential campaigns to shore
up support in Tuesday primary races – and the congressional primary
season, unlike the presidential primary period, is just beginning.
"We've already seen as many incumbents knocked off in primary
elections so far this year as were defeated in all of 2006," says
David Wasserman, who analyzes House races for the Cook Political
Report. "It's a 'change' election, so primary challengers have
more
leeway to establish viability through fundraising and through
messaging."
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:16:38 -0300
Subject: Perhaps Cynthia McKinney and the Green Party will listen to
the truth now EH John Judge?
To: press-secretary@runcynthiarun.
lucy@runcynthiarun.org, tmuhammad2003@yahoo.com, kat@txgreens.org,
zenblews@hotmail.com
Cc: podonnell2020@sbcglobal.net, rroguski@plaind.com, rmezger@plaind.com
From: PAUL O'DONNELL <PODONNEL@plaind.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 11:22:43 -0400
Subject: Re: Fwd: Your weekend newsman named Mikey just hung up on
me??? (Time to move on)
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
As of Friday, Oct. 10, I no longer work at The Plain Dealer.
If your email concerns news, please contact deputy business editors
Randy Roguski at rroguski@plaind.com and Roger Mezger at
rmezger@plaind.com.
I can be contacted through my personal email at podonnell2020@sbcglobal.net.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:01:23 -0300
Subject: Your weekend newsman named Mikey just hung up on me???
To: homerbrickey@theblade.com, jchavez@theblade.com,
gpakulski@theblade.com, lvellequette@theblade.com
Cc: mmori@toledoblade.com, mbartell@theblade.com, sigov@theblade.com,
royhab@theblade.com, jzerbey@toledoblade.com, kfranck@theblade.com
As most of you now know I did not hesitate and called many of you right back.
http://www.toledoblade.com/
The Toledo Blade Company,
541 N. Superior St.,
Toledo, OH 43660 ,
(419) 724-6000
I know you people don't love Canadians but everybody loves their
money. Correct?Maybe some other newsman will read this today. Who
knows?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 11:38:08 -0300
Subject: RE the pending election and the US Treasury Dept
To: mmclaughlin@theblade.com
Cc: luannsharp@theblade.com, info@marcykaptur.com
Anyone can feel free to call me and have me explain this email. I am
tired of trying to talk to rude people who don't care about their own
Democracy.
506 756 8687
I am who I say I am and here is a little proof of that fact.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
FYI Although the transcript and webcasts of this very important Senate
Hearing have evaporated from the Congressional Record of the USA
http://banking.senate.gov/
http://banking.senate.gov/
Clearly I have my copy EH?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Everybody knows why I must keep good records here is alittle proof as to why
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/
Veritas Vincit
David Raymond Amos
From: readerservice@nytimes.com
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 08:02:12 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: To our New York Times reader
To: David.Raymond.Amos@gmail.com
Thank you for writing to us. Your message has been received and will
be forwarded to the reporter you contacted. Please note that messages
are delivered once per day, at 8 a.m. (EST). Because of the high
volume of responses we get from readers, not all communications can be
responded to personally. But be assured that we want to hear your
thoughts. (Please do not reply to this e-mail as this address is not
monitored for incoming messages.)
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