Green Candidate Wants to Remove Mactaquac Dam Criticized by Leader - David Coon

September 15, 2014 Green Candidate Wants to Remove Mactaquac Dam Criticized by Leader - David Coon Friends of Mactaquac Lake press release - For immediate release Mactaquac, NB. --- Friends of Mactaquac Lake, a local group advocating for the refurbishment of Mactaquac Dam, is calling on David Coon to clarify his position on the future of the Mactaquac hydro facility, after Mr Coon criticized his own Green party candidate for taking a stance on the issue. In a Bugle-Observer interview late last week, Carleton-York Green candidate, Terry Wishart indicated that he was in favor of dismantling Mactaquac Dam and draining Mactaquac Lake. “We should be looking at how to dismantle it (Mactaquac Dam) and generating energy around other technologies and not conventional hydro. People adapted when the dam was built, and I think people can adapt if the dam were to be removed” said Wishart in the interview. In a CBC interview with Terry Seguin, Mr. Coon was asked for his position on the future of Mactaquac Dam. “At this stage it would be irresponsible to try to render some kind of judgement on Mactaquac until that evidence is before us“, said Coon. When the Green party leader was advised that local candidates have already taken positions regarding their favored option for Mactaquac, Coon commented “As usual they don’t care about the details or the evidence. As usual they are reaching knee-jerk conclusions, making knee-jerk decisions”. Apparently Mr. Coon wasn't aware his own candidate had also taken the position on the future of the dam. Coon said that the Green Party would come up with a position on Mactaquac after it was discussed at their next policy convention. Friends of Mactaquac Lake president, Larry Jewett says voters want to know where David Coon really stands on the future of Mactaquac. Many of the group’s members reside in the ridings of Fredericton-South and Carleton-York and are strong supporters of renewable energy, similar to the green Party. “It’s not good enough for David Coon to sit on the fence during the election campaign and then want to take a position on Mactaquac after his party has discussed it at a policy convention”, said Jewett. “People want to know what they are voting for. What David Coon is saying is, vote for me, trust me, and my party will decide my position later. How are we to trust that the green party won’t make more irresponsible, knee-jerk decisions, similar to Terry Wishart?” said Jewett. Jewett says many folks are puzzled that the same green party that is so passionate about renewable energy, cannot support Mactaquac refurbishment. “It’s really bizarre. The party that claims to be the protector of the environment wants to dismantle 650 mega watts of renewable energy and drain the second largest lake in New Brunswick”, says Jewett. “And a refurbishment project could inject millions into David Coons own Fredericton-South riding”. The group is also asking for an apology from the Green Party regarding Wishart’s statement that “People adapted when the dam was built, and I think people can adapt if the dam were to be removed”. “Mr. Wisharts statement was totally insensitive to the hundreds of families who were expropriated and lost their communities, their churches and their homes in the 1960’s”, said Jewett. “Many seniors did not adapt and went to their graves resenting their own government. Media Contact: Larry Jewett 461-2349 mactaquaclake@gmail.com Bugle-Observer – Wishart interview https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iHqJxYkYETVANv6TMqHApmIv6IixXo53lQTs-ljtbT4/edit CBC – Coon interview clip https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B541YWffjKdVM19qX2wxbS0wcmc/edit?usp=sharing 1. David Coon quotes in a CBC leader profile interview: “It’s fundamentally critical that New Brunswickers know where the party leaders stand on issues that matter. I’m not a person to beat around the bush. What New Brunswickers are fed up with is the mealy-mouthed, blah-blah-blah that comes out of the mouth of too many politicians, who are afraid to say where they stand because it may lose them votes or it might run counter to where the party is".