Internal government documents reveal that senior officials at N.B. Power had a role in choosing the committee responsible for advising the New Brunswick government on the utility’s future. The selection process led to the appointment of two reviewers closely linked to N.B. Power. However, René Legacy, the Finance and Energy Minister of New Brunswick, emphasized that while N.B. Power provided valuable insights, they did not have the authority to veto any decisions related to the review.
The revelation of N.B. Power’s involvement in the committee selection process came to light through documents shared with the opposition Progressive Conservative Party following a freedom of information request. The documents, reviewed by CBC News, raised concerns among critics like PC Kris Austin, the opposition energy critic, who questioned the independence of the review process due to the utility’s influence.
In response to escalating power rates and mounting debt levels at N.B. Power, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and Minister Legacy announced a comprehensive review aimed at bringing transformative changes to the utility. The review, intended to be independent and transparent, was assigned to a steering committee comprising seven members, including officials from the province and N.B. Power.
Following the announcement, the steering committee, which included N.B. Power’s president Lori Clark, selected three individuals to lead the review: Anne Bertrand, Michael Bernstein, and Duncan Hawthorne. Bertrand, a former member of N.B. Power’s board, Bernstein, an experienced financial expert with ties to the utility, and Hawthorne, a former Ontario utility executive, were chosen for the task.
Legacy reassured the public that the involvement of N.B. Power officials in the selection process did not compromise the independence of the review. He acknowledged their participation in identifying the review leaders but affirmed the committee’s ability to evaluate N.B. Power objectively. Bernstein’s biography on the review website is being updated to provide full transparency about his past involvement with N.B. Power.