Recently, The Purple Violet Press was secretly given a copy of a memorandum from the Natural Gas Group to MLA's. It discusses the organization's plan to make presentations in their ridings to local businesses about the economic spinoffs for them with the shale gas industry in New Brunswick. It looks like the Alward government is moving full steam ahead.
Subject: Local Business Presentation
Dear MLA,
The Natural Gas Group has been mandated, by the Natural Gas Steering Committee, to develop a Communications and Engagement Plan in relation to natural gas development in New Brunswick. As announced in caucus September 28, part of this plan is to meet MLA's and local businesses, in their respective ridings. The businesses asked asked to participate should be active in their communities and have a willingness and ability to help with "peer to peer" natural gas development information sharing within their spheres of influence.
We are looking to gather small groups of business owners in various communities to provide them with information and to ensure they are informed regarding the economic benefits of natural gas development. This presentation is to inform the participants of the exploration and development in the province, the economic opportunities available and to answer any questions, you or the participants may have.
To this end, we are looking for your input in the form of a list of community-minded businesses, their contact information and for your participation in, and support for, the presentation. Once you have the participants determined, your constituency office and our office can collaborate on details. I would like to start the presentations around the province as soon as possible and will follow up with you during the next few weeks to organize dates and attendance.
In addition, if you have any community service groups that you would like the Natural Gas Group to present to, we have other presentations geared for their specific concerns and can arrange those presentations on a separate date.
The development of natural gas in our province has the potential to be the "opportunity of a generation" for our local businesses and workforce. With hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment, thousands of jobs to be created and billions of dollars in economic spin-off, we must ensure our businesses are informed and able to seize the opportunities.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and I look forward to working with you to grow our New Brunswick economy.
Best Regards,
Angie Leonard, CA
Natural Gas Group
Executive Council Office
444 3059
