Mayor Tom Rose said they did nothing wrong and noted the decision saved money for city residents. In addition, he said it was a great opportunity for council to discuss economic development opportunities with Nova Scotia businessman John Risley. “We really didn’t see it as a gift because there was no personal gain,” Rose told CBC News. “We were there representing the council and because we signed an MOU, which was technically a business transaction, that we’re going to work together on our coherent economic deliverables on both sides of the equation. We know we’re going to sit at the table. “They’re going to want to pay taxes. They want the city to run very efficiently.” Meanwhile, the head of Memorial University’s political science department is raising questions about what this all looks like. “Opticals are an issue all the time in politics,” Alex Marland said in an interview. “And the big issue, of course, is that any time we hear public officials interacting with people who are very wealthy, it immediately raises the public’s sensitivity about whether the public’s interest is at heart.” World Energy GH2 aims to build massive wind farms and produce green hydrogen in the Stephenville-Port au Port area starting in 2025. A provincial environmental assessment is underway. Risley is president and CEO of CFFI Ventures Inc., the registered owner of the Bombardier BD-700 1A10 ultra-long-range aircraft in which the Stephenville consultants flew. Risley is also chairman of World Energy GH2. Neither Risley nor World Energy GH2 granted an interview. Stephenville Mayor Tom Rose (pictured) was one of four city officials who returned to Canada from Germany on billionaire businessman John Risley’s private jet. (Patrick Butler/Radio-Canada) In a statement, World Energy GH2 said the Stephenville delegation was in Hamburg to learn what hydrogen development could mean for their community. “The World Energy GH2 team was also there and we were delighted to be able to offer the otherwise empty seats for the journey home,” the company noted.
The commercial flight was canceled after a change in plans
The city’s delegation to the convention included Rose, Vice Mayor Susan Fowlow, Coun. Myra White and City Manager Colin Maddock. Rose was the only one who gave an interview. CBC News obtained details of their trip through Access to Information. They left Deer Lake for Hamburg via Air Canada on September 25th and had return tickets booked for October 2nd. On Sept. 28, Maddock emailed another city official to outline a possible change in plans. “There is a good chance we will fly back with John Risely (sic) on Saturday morning (01 October) arriving in Halifax around midday,” Maddock wrote. “You could check for possible one-way flights back to Deer Lake on Saturday afternoon. I’ve checked but there doesn’t seem to be anything.” John Risley is a director of World Energy GH2, the company that wants to build wind turbines in three areas of western Newfoundland, including the Port au Port peninsula. Wind energy would power a proposed hydrogen/ammonia plant in Stephenville. (CBC) They were unable to find a flight from Halifax to Deer Lake and instead flew to Gander on WestJet after an overnight stay in Nova Scotia. The delegation paid $450 for a taxi to drive them from Gander to Deer Lake. Documents released through access to information show the city received an $8,256 refund for the canceled tickets. Returning via Halifax instead of flying to Deer Lake as originally planned cost an additional $3,195 — for taxis, hotel rooms and airfare. This results in a net benefit of just over $5,000. “It saved us money, actually,” Rose said. “We had cancellation insurance so we saved taxpayers money. But it was an opportunity for us to get on a corporate jet, talk to Mr Risley and his team about their plans and what we could do to help them. “
“How often does this actually happen?”
Marland said it’s a good idea to explore and consider opportunities to save taxpayers money, but you have to consider the trade-offs. He noted that “this particular rich person was in the news regarding the Prime Minister and the special access granted to the Prime Minister.” In October, business and political news website allNewfoundlandLabrador revealed that Premier Andrew Furey had vacationed in the luxury fishing village of Risley in Labrador last summer. Furey dismissed the opposition’s concerns, saying it was a personal vacation he paid for himself, and he broke no rules, calling it “my time, my dime.” Marland said the situation involving the Stephenville dealership is concerning, coming on the heels of that other controversy. “It makes us wonder how often this actually happens?” he said. The Stephenville delegation’s jet trip was a completely different situation, Rose says. “This is pure economic growth and billionaire companies are coming to spend $12 billion,” he said. “And we have to take advantage of that and we have to build relationships. So I’m pretty comfortable with that. In fact, I’m 100 percent comfortable with that.” World Energy GH2 did not immediately respond to a question about how often politicians and government personnel fly on Risley’s jet.
