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The chairman of the committee leading Newfoundland and Labrador’s independent review of the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding with Quebec is backing the impartiality of his three-man team.
“As we understand the information, we will form an opinion. We do not have an opinion as we sit today,” Chris Huskilson told Radio-Canada on Monday.
Huskilson is the president and CEO of 5-H Holdings and the former CEO of Emera Inc. Emera helped develop the Maritime Link for power distribution alongside Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
Premier Tony Wakeham appointed him as the committee chair on Dec. 15.
The other two members, Guy Holburn and Michael Wilson, are members of the former oversight committee created by the previous Liberal government.
Holburn is a professor of business, economics and public policy at the University of Western Ontario.
Wilson, who resigned from the original committee, has been public about what he calls a lack of independence among the former oversight committee, specifically among a limited scope of work and overstepping by the Liberal government.
“We’re all focused on getting the information, forming an opinion and writing a report for the government,” Huskilson said.
Some opinions formed, Liberals say
Meanwhile, Opposition leader John Hogan believes some of those opinions are already formed.
“Mr. Wilson clearly has an opinion. He’s expressed his opinion publicly. He expresses opinion during the general election campaign. He thinks this is a bad deal for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hogan.
Wilson stated in an open letter on Oct. 2 that the conditions of the MOU are “disastrous” and that the MOU “results in an outrageous transfer of wealth to HQ and is an outright betrayal of the people of this province and all future generations.”
Hogan also criticized Huskilson’s role. Hogan believes the PCs appointed the former Emera CEO to justify killing the Churchill Falls MOU since he was also involved in Muskrat Falls.
Hogan said Huskilson’s past association with Muskrat Falls raises questions about whether he is the best person to lead the panel.
If the MOU, which was signed by the previous Liberal government, goes ahead, the province could take in more than $225 billion over the next 50 years and increase power output on the Churchill River by nearly 4,000 megawatts — largely powered by the development of the Gull Island hydroelectric project.
Huskilson said he is well qualified to serve as chairman of the independent review committee despite the Liberals’ opinion.
“This is not about Muskrat Falls. It’s about the remainder of the river,” he said.
Committee members paid ‘reasonable rate’
Huskilson’s committee will have until April 30, when they are expected to submit a report, to decide whether the agreement in principle is in the province’s best interests.
The expert panel will cost the provincial government about $1 million, according to Wakeham.
David Sorensen, an executive council spokesperson, indicated on Monday each member of the committee will be paid $475 per hour of work.
“This is a reasonable rate considering the level of expertise required to examine the scope of a project the size of the Churchill River and Gull Island, and the billions being discussed,” Sorensen told Radio-Canada in a statement.
The previous government, along with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro–Québec, had committed to signing a deal by April 2026.
Wakeham has frequently called that an “artificial deadline” and has said he won’t be rushed. He also re-stated his commitment to putting the deal to a public referendum in 2026.
“You will have your say on any deal before I sign it,” he said. “We will only develop our resources on our terms.”
Hogan questions whether Wakeham wants to proceed with the MOU.
“He has never expressed his own opinion about whether he thinks it’s a good deal, and if he doesn’t think it’s a good deal, how he would change it. I think he owes that to the public.”
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