CBC News: Tuesday, June 1, 2010: NB Power is proposing to the New Brunswick government that it bundle some of its competing subsidiaries back into a larger utility.

Gaetan Thomas, the president and chief executive officer of NB Power, and Edward Barrett, chairman of the utility's board of directors, outlined the proposed changes on Tuesday at a news conference.

Posted June 01 2010

BREAKING NEWS: NB Power sale cancelled
News & Events/In the Media

CBC News, March 24, 2010: New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham confirmed in the legislature Wednesday morning that his government will no longer sell NB Power's generation assets to Hydro-Quebec.

The New Brunswick government had planned to sell NB Power's generation assets to Hydro-Quebec for $3.2 billion.

Click on the title above to read more....
Posted March 24 2010

Business Manager attends town hall meeting in Sussex
News & Events/In the Media

SUSSEX - More than 80 people gathered at the Sussex Legion Monday night to hear the Tories' take on the proposed deal to sell NB Power.

Of the people there from across the Sussex region, it was obvious the majority doesn't like the idea of selling assets they believe belong to them. Many voiced it could take a miracle for the Shawn Graham government to get re-elected, and some wanted to know from former Conservative energy ministers Bruce Fitch and Jeannot Volpe just what the future holds if the deal doesn't go through.

Jennifer Dysart of Sussex, who's an employee of Enterprise Fundy, said she is concerned by the lack of time and energy being put into finding an alternative to the status quo, which is keeping NB Power and allowing it to continue to be smothered by its debt.

Volpe said the status quo has not been an option for years. "I know we can't afford (the status quo) because no one would ever do it," he said.

He added natural gas, wind energy, improved structures for administering NB Power and important investments have been made to create an impressive energy system that New Brunswickers are proud to own.

If NB Power is sold, future New Brunswickers will have no options, he said. Fitch told people they should continue to lobby their MLAs, especially in light of last week's resignation of former tourism minister Stuart Jamieson, who stated he feels a referendum on this deal is necessary. "Ask them to follow the steps of Stuart Jamieson who said 'I am not going to support this if it doesn't go to referendum'."

IBEW business manager Ross Galbraith, who spoke at the Sussex meeting as a representative of the union representing 2,200 NB Power workers, says both the first and second deal the province inked with Quebec are bad. He said NB Power has modern, state-of-the-art generating stations, one of the most reliable transmission and distribution systems in North America and have been pioneers in green energy with more projects in the works.

The public meeting was sponsored by the Sussex and District Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Fundy and the Sussex Downtown Business Association.

Tammy Scott-Wallace/Telegraph-Journal
Posted January 23 2010

Rally Scheduled for January 12 in Front of Legislature
News & Events/News
The Organizers of the Facebook Group "No to Sale of NB Power" have scheduled a public rally in front of the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton on Tuesday, January 12 from 12 noon to 2 pm. IBEW Local 37 Business Manager, Ross Galbraith, will be speaking at this event. For more information please visit NB Power Not For Sale. or the Facebook Group.
Posted January 07 2010

Frequently asked questions about the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec - Answers by Business Manager Ross Galbraith
News & Events/News

As a result of several high level meetings with officials of the New Brunswick Government, NB Power and Hydro Quebec, IBEW Local 37 is now able to provide some clarification and answers to several of their member's Frequently Asked Questions.

Click on the title above to see the "Frequently asked Questions" and answers.
Posted December 14 2009

Glimmer of hope for power plant
News & Events/News

Bill Clarke - Campbellton Tribune: Mayor Clem Tremblay has a message for the provincial government: he says that it should give serious consideration to a report about NB Power's thermal generating plant here.

Tremblay said on Thursday of last week that he and town administrator Christy Arseneault met with the manager of the plant, Jeff Everett. They were told that the report, which will be presented next week, shows other uses for the facility and ways to save money.

On Wednesday, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour minister Donald Arseneault confirmed that he was aware of this report and that it would be presented to NB Power's board of directors. He said that he and energy minister Jack Keir had met with union representatives (IBEW Business Manager Ross Galbraith and Local 37 Executive Board member Derek Gallen) and made a commitment to look at the report to determine if the Dalhousie plant could be competitive in today's market.
Posted December 13 2009

Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith responds to Telegraph-Journal guest editorial
News & Events/In the Media

On December 5th, the Telegraph-Journal published a guest editorial written by Tom Adams and Brian Lee Crowley. In it, the long time critics of NB Power suggested that union members were opposing the proposed sale of NB Power because of concerns their productivity would not stand up to comparisons.

Business Manager Ross Galbraith wrote to the paper to set the record straight.

Click on the title above to read his letter to the Editor...
Posted December 08 2009

Six of 10 NBers oppose pact: poll
News & Events/News

A new public opinion poll shows 60 per cent of New Brunswickers are against the proposed sale of most of NB Power to Hydro-Quebec.
Posted November 26 2009

NB Power deal finds stiff opposition: poll
News & Events/News

Leger Marketing poll finds PCs now hold lead in decided voters

CBC News

The Liberal government is running into stiff opposition to its plan to sell NB Power, according to a new Leger Marketing poll.
Posted November 26 2009

NB Power union gives proposed sale thumbs down - Electricity workers demand more clarity on pensions, job security
News & Events/In the Media

Greg Weston, Moncton Times Transcript, Published Saturday November 14, 2009

FREDERICTON - The union representing NB Power's 2,200 electrical workers does not support the proposed deal to sell the company to Hydro-Quebec, since their leader says it is vaguely worded and raises more questions than it answers.

"After careful review and examination of the details that have been made available, we feel the government should not proceed with this deal," said Ross Galbraith, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 37, at a news conference in Fredericton yesterday.

"I'm especially concerned for employees at Dalhousie and the other thermal generating stations, whose future has been thrown into doubt. Employees who work there have had their world turned upside down."

Click on the title above to read the full article...
Posted November 14 2009

NB Power union wants proposed deal scrapped
News & Events/In the Media

Chris Morris, Telegraph-Journal, Published Saturday November 14th, 2009

FREDERICTON - The union representing more than 2,200 NB Power employees wants the provincial government to scrap the proposed deal to have Hydro-Quebec acquire the utility.

Ross Galbraith, business manager for local 37 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said Friday there are too many uncertainties associated with the tentative agreement to sell most of NB Power's assets to the Quebec utility.

"Our folks have worked in this province for a long time," Galbraith said at a news conference in Fredericton. "We have supplied probably the best electrical service on the East Coast and our members shouldn't have to be anxious and worried about their futures."

Click on title above to read the full article...
Posted November 14 2009

Local 37 holds press conference to oppose the sale of NB Power. [Includes VIDEO link]
News & Events/News

Local 37 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) held a well attended press conference today in Fredericton to discuss its position and reasons for not supporting the sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec.

Speaking on behalf of the union was Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith as well as Ron Pink, Q.C., managing partner of the law firm Pink Larkin. Mr. Pink is an expert in labour and employment law, as well as in matters of employee pensions and benefits.

To view a copy of the press release in either official language:

To view a copy of Ross Galbraith's statement to the media, click here.

The video of the press conference can be viewed by clicking here

Please note that the video is in two parts.
Posted November 14 2009

Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith to speak at Rally to Protest Sale of NB Power
News & Events/News
A public rally to protest the sale of NB Power will be held on Tuesday, November 17th at the New Brunswick Legislature between 12 noon and 4:00pm.
Posted November 12 2009

Power pact not in his constituents' interests, NDP MP says
News & Events/In the Media
(Benjamin Shingler, Telegraph-Journal, Published Wednesday November 11, 2009)

New Brunswick's only New Democrat member of Parliament is weighing in on the proposed sale of NB Power.

Yvon Godin, the MP for Acadie-Bathurst, says the energy agreement with Hydro-Quebec isn't in his constituents' long-term interests.

Godin is concerned the sale would mean the province wouldn't have control over its future energy policy, and would put into doubt hopes to create more wind farms in northern New Brunswick.

Click on the title above to read the full article...
Posted November 11 2009

Auditor wants sell-off detailed - NBers need more specifics to decide about power pact, watchdog says
News & Events/In the Media

Benjamin Shingler Telegraph-Journal - Published Saturday November 7th, 2009

FREDERICTON - The Liberal government needs to be more specific about the proposed energy deal with Hydro-Quebec, Auditor General Mike Ferguson said Friday.

"There's really not enough information to draw a conclusion," Mike Ferguson said in an interview.
Posted November 08 2009

Industry big winner in NB Power sale
News & Events/News

(CBC) New Brunswick industry would get about $200 million more than residents during the first five years of the proposed deal between NB Power and Hydro-Quebec, CBC has learned.

The province's Liberal government has repeatedly asserted that the deal would benefit big business and ordinary ratepayers equally.

Now the province's auditor general has weighed in on the issue, calling on the government to provide more information.

Click on the title above to read the full article and to see attached video link...
Posted November 07 2009

Moody's weighs in on power pact
News & Events/News

Rob Linke, Telegraph Journal OTTAWA

Hydro-Quebec's $4.75-billion proposed purchase of NB Power would have no impact on New Brunswick's burden of net debt and would not be expected to change its credit rating, Moody's Investors Service said Tuesday.

Moody's is now the third credit rating agency to conclude the proposed transaction will not have a direct impact in improving the province's credit rating.
Posted November 04 2009

NB Power | Province to announce details of agreement with Hydro-Quebec
News & Events/News

Published Thursday October 29th, Daily Gleaner

By STEPHEN LLEWELLYN llewellyn.stephen@dailygleaner.com

These remarks by Business Manager Ross Galbraith are from an article published in the Daily Gleaner on October 29th.
Posted November 03 2009

Business Manager responds to possible sale of NB Power
News & Events/News

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

In light of today's announcement regarding the proposed purchase of NB Power by Hydro Quebec, I would like to share with you my initial thoughts and reaction.
Posted October 29 2009

Latest update for Local 37 members re: NB Power / Hydro Quebec speculation (Tuesday Oct. 27)
News & Events/News

IBEW Local 37 Business Manager Ross Galbraith provides an update on the recent speculation surrounding the possible purchase of NB Power by Hydro Quebec. Although nothing has been confirmed at this time, there are indications that something may indeed be happening and that some significant decisions may have already been made.
Posted October 27 2009

CBC Info Am Saint John Interviews with Business Manager
News & Events/In the Media

UPDATED Friday October 30: Links to two CBC Saint John radio interviews that Business Manager Ross Galbraith gave regarding the proposed sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec

Click on the title of this entry to go to the page with interview links.
Posted October 26 2009

Important Update to IBEW Local 37 members concerning news reports speculating that NB Power may be sold to Hydro Quebec
News & Events/News

The CBC and Telegraph Journal have recently run stories concerning speculation that all or part of NB Power may be sold to Hydro Quebec.

Over the past week I have also heard an increasing number of credible rumours that discussions along those lines may be occurring. I want to stress that nothing has been confirmed at this time, and we need to get accurate information. In order to do that, and as initial steps to protect the interests of Local 37 members, I've taken several actions...

Click on the link above to read more....
Posted October 23 2009

Opposition asks if NB Power for sale
News & Events/In the Media
(CBC) New Brunswick Opposition Leader David Alward is calling on Premier Shawn Graham to clear the air about the future of NB Power and say whether it is for sale.

Alward said he's been hearing speculation that Hydro-Quebec, the provincial energy utility, wants to buy NB Power, a provincial Crown corporation.

Click on the link above to read more...
Posted October 23 2009