Newfoundland stands up to a corporate giant

A conservative leader strikes a blow for a commons-based society

By Jay Walljasper

A conservative leader strikes a blow for a commons-based society

A Conservative Party premier struck a blow for a commons-based society by revoking a paper company’s access to publicly owned timber and hydropower. The action was unanimously approved in the provincial legislature.

Danny Williams, a wealthy and unabashedly pro-business politician, blocked the AbitiBowater company from continuing to use public assets after it announced plans to shut down a paper mill that employed 900 in one of Canada’s poorest provinces.

p(photo-credits).photo of Danny Williams by John Jeddore from flickr.com, under a creative commons license

The company, which intended to sell timber rights and hydroelectric capacity it had been granted upon opening the mill in Grand Falls-Windsor, will appeal the decision under the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to the Bullet, a Canadian socialist website.

Williams told CBC radio, “We need to make sure we properly safeguard our natural resources…I’m the first one to say that businesses should earn a profit, and make a handsome profit if they’re able to run their businesses effectively.

“But don’t take, take, take from Canadians, not reinvest, suddenly close down operations, and think you’ll walk away with the goodies.”

For more information, see http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/bullet179.html

POSTED 30 JAN 2009