Nuclear power company paid firm to arrange government meetings

A New Brunswick marketing firm with Liberal ties billed a nuclear power companyfor arranging meetings with provincial officials last year, CBC News has learned, but all parties involved say the meetings were more about public relations than about lobbying.

Invoices obtained by CBC News under the federal Access to Information Act show that Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.(AECL) spent $100,000 in 2007 with Saint John marketing firm Revolution Strategy.

Terms such as "discussion with government officials" and "organize and execute meetings with government officials" appear on nine monthly invoices submitted during 2007.

Revolution Strategy ran the last two election campaigns for Premier Shawn Graham's Liberals and its vice-president of government relations, Doug Tyler, is aformer Liberal cabinet minister.

Over the course of the 2007 invoices, AECL was seeking the green light to build a second nuclear reactor at the Point Lepreau nuclear plant.

The company, the consultants and the government all say hiring a consultant is not necessary to arrange meetings with provincial officials.

"If folks got business to do in New Brunswick, and it has to do with the energy sector, call me at home. We will have that meeting," Energy Minister Jack Keir said.

"You don't need anybody to arrange that meeting."

Keir recalled thathis meetings with Revolution were to discuss the July 2007 announcement of a feasibility study into a second reactor.

Revolution Strategy CEO Derek Riedle agreed with Keir.

"Atomic Energy of Canada or anyone doesn't need us to get in the door with government. They're actually very, very accessible," he said.

Riedle said AECL was not using his firm's Liberal connections to influence government decisions, but to provide advice.

"One of the audiences our clients need to understand and communicate with is government, and Doug [Tyler's] insight on that is very valuable," he said.

Dale Coffin, with AECL, said the company is "quite capable" of arranging meetings with government officials, and "we do, and we have, arranged those meetings."

He said the company looked to Revolution Strategy for "back-up support and logistical support, before we attend those meetings."

Over the course of the meetings, AECL wonthe right to conduct a feasibility study into a new reactor at Point Lepreau. The study has not been released publicly, but Keir and Graham have described it as positive.