Power Politics and Questions of Political Will: A History of Hydroelectric Development in Labrador’s Churchill River Basin, 1949-2002

• Main Authors: River Basin, Jason L. Churchill
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Canada; Newfoundland; Churchill River
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.692.9430; http://www.exec.gov.nl.ca/royalcomm/research/pdf/Churchill.pdf

The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada Power Politics and Questions of Political Will: A History of Hydroelectric Development in Labrador’s Churchill River Basin, 1949-2002 This report studies the history of attempts to develop Labrador’s hydroelectricity from 1949 to 2002, analyses the information, and draws three main lessons from that history. Firstly, Newfoundland has not been able to match Hydro-Quebec’s direct and indirect infl uence in the energy markets. Secondly, the Quebec utility, when directly suited to its immediate needs, has proven sensitive to Newfoundland’s demands for redress of the 1969 Churchill Falls contract. Thirdly, there has been a substratum shift in the North American energy markets, which has created new opportunities. The report then gives a detailed assessment of federal passive and active participation in issues related to hydroelectric development in Labrador. It concludes by making specifi c