Lake Huron Anishinabek Transmission Company is open for business

SERPENT RIVER FIRST NATION, ON, Feb. 8 /CNW/ - Chief Isadore Day, Wiindawtegowinini on behalf of the Board of Directors of the newly formed Lake Huron Anishinabek Transmission Company Inc. (LHATC), hosted a successful inaugural meeting in Serpent River First Nation today.

The LHATC met with two licensed Ontario electricity transmitters. The discussions with the two companies were held separately for the purpose of beginning discussions about the possibility of building new electricity transmission projects within the Lake Huron Treaty territory. The LHATC was represented by Chief Isadore Day and Robert Corbiere as Directors and by John Beaucage , as the Chief Executive Officer.

"As the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Lake Huron Anishinabek Transmission Company, I invited two licensed transmitters to attend our inaugural meeting today to describe how they want to work with our company to build new electricity transmission in our Treaty territory. We were very encouraged by what we heard today and we are looking forward to having further discussions," said Chief Day.

"We opened the doors for the Government of Ontario to observe the meetings. We expect that they will report back to Premier McGuinty's government that there remain unresolved political issues related to the consultation and accommodation of our constitutional Aboriginal and treaty rights. It is in the public interest for Ontario to resolve these outstanding rights and accommodation issues with us. This must be done before we can agree to any new transmission and generation project developments in our Treaty territory. We are holding steadfast and are taking no less than a proponent-driven position and we will be maintaining this stance," added Chief Day.

The Chief Executive Officer, John Beaucage , was also encouraged by the presentations from the transmission companies.

"I am honoured to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Huron Anishinabek Transmission Company. The Lake Huron Chiefs established this company to ensure that the regulators, the business community and our potential business partners know that our company is partnership ready and able to conduct business on a corporation to corporation basis," said Mr. Beaucage .

"As the CEO of the Lake Huron Anishinabek Transmission Company, I was encouraged by the information that the companies were able to share with us today. We will be reviewing their proposals and respond in writing. We know that we hold the key to the territory. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the Lake Huron Anishinabek people, for our company, and ultimately, for the province of Ontario," concluded Mr. Beaucage .

For further information: Chief Isadore Day, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected]; John Beaucage, Phone: [phone]