GNB
Provincial Archives of New Brunswick

Canada as seen through the Eyes of New Brunswick Editorial Cartoonists:
The Insight and Humour of Josh Beutel and Bill Hogan

home Preface |  home Introduction |  home Editorial Cartoon Database |  home Classroom Activities
MEC Carrot
Josh Beutel, Telegraph Journal, 1979-9-21 Reference number: MC2806-147

Scope and Content
While holding a Lepreau bat behind his back, Richard Hatfield holds out the carrot of MEC to John Buchanan and Angus MacLean in an effort to entice their particiaption in energy cooperation. But MacLean is not buying the offer.

Title
MEC Carrot

Note
MEC stands for Maritime Energy Commission

Issues
Point Lepreau
The Point Lepreau power station, which is comprised of a CANDU nuclear reactor, is the only nuclear facility in eastern Canada. The station, located on the northern coast of the Bay of Fundy, has provided between 25 and 30% of the electricity used in New Brunswick since it began operation in June, 1983. It immediately came under fire for time and budget overruns, having a final cost of 1.4 billion dollars. It was also built without the American financial support that had been planned. Another point of debate is the cost and technology that will be involved in disposing of nuclear by-products when the plant is finally forced to cease production. Point Lepreau is still in operation today and a refurbishment of the plant is planned.


Persons
John Buchanan
- Born April 22, 1931
- Progressive Conservative
- Elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, 1971
- Premier of Nova Scotia, 1978-1990. Campaigned as "Honest John".
- Tenure saw Nova Scotia enter into massive debt
- Played an important role in the patriation of the Constitution
- Strongly allied with Brian Mulroney during Meech Lake talks
- Appointed to the Canadian Senate by Brian Mulroney in 1990. Retired at age 75 in 2006
- Accused of corruption, investigated but not charged
Richard Hatfield
- Born in Woodstock, NB, April 9, 1931
- Longest-serving premier of New Brunswick, starting in 1970, stayed four terms until 1987
- Progressive Conservative
- Leader of Progressive Conservatives in NB, 1969 to 1987
- Promoted national unity and linguistic equality
- Worked for the patriation of the Constitution and a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as a constitutional accord, 1987
- Controversies include the Bricklin car venture, Point Lepreau nuclear power plant, spruce-budworm spraying and party fund-raising activities
- Arrested (and acquitted) for marijuana possession shortly before 1987 election (Marijuana allegedly found in his briefcase during the Queen’s visit)
- Defeated by Liberals 1987 (losing every seat), resigned as leader of the party
- Appointed to Senate by Brian Mulroney, 1990
- Died April 26, 1991
Angus MacLean
- Born John Angus MacLean, May 15, 1914
- Died February 15, 2000
- Progressive Conservative
- First elected as MP for Queen's, Prince Edward Island, 1951
- Minister of Fisheries, 1957 to 1963 under John Diefenbaker
- Left federal politics to take leadership of Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party, 1976
- Elected Premier of PEI, 1979
- Focused on land use issues
- Cancelled PEI's participation in the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station in New Brunswick
- Retired as Premier, 1981

4.11.1