TransCanada hopes to correct 'disconnect' with Quebec communities on Energy East

The vice-president for TransCanada Corp.'s Energy East project in Quebec and New Brunswick acknowledges his company has not been doing a good job of selling the project to communities in Quebec. 

• Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says Energy East pipeline too risky
• TransCanada and Enbridge pipelines rejected by Quebec municipalities
• WATCH: Infoman drops gloves against Rick Mercer over Energy East pipeline

Louis Bergeron, who has been on the job for six months, says it's his goal to change that dynamic, and he told CBC Montreal's Daybreak on Thursday he's confident he can do so.

I can't really change the past. My personal philosophy is to work with the communities, so I think there has been a disconnect, a communication problem at that time and today we want to fix that.- Louis Bergeron, vice-president for TransCanada's Energy East pipeline

A day earlier, TransCanada announced a deal with ABB Canada would create 120 direct jobs in Quebec and a further 90 spinoff jobs. 

But it will only proceed if the $15.7-billion pipeline project gets the go-ahead, and Quebec politicians remain unconvinced that the Energy East project is in the best interest of the province. 

Here is some of the highlights from Bergeron's interview with Daybreak host Mike Finnerty.

What are your thoughts on Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre calling TransCanada a "bad corporate citizen?"

I think Mr. Coderre's comments are a reflection of what a lot of Quebecers think, that TransCanada came in with its project being very confident that with the National Energy Board process in Ottawa, expecting to go through the BAPE hearings in Quebec and the Commission du protection du territoire agricole — TransCanada felt it did its homework and was really doing the right thing.

Based on my experience managing a pipeline project that was completed in 2012 over 250 kilometres and 32 municipalities, I can say that we need to do a lot more than that. This is what I'm trying to do.

Do you think there's a disconnect between Energy East and Quebec communities?

There were disconnects and I think that's one of the problems that we had. We weren't nimble enough, we weren't capable of reaching the communities and coming up with some concrete solutions that people are expecting to get from us.

I've looked at the 37 recommendations from the [Montreal Metropolitan Community] report and I feel that they're very legitimate and many of them are being addressed as we speak.

Should TransCanada have attended the Montreal hearings?

I can't really change the past. My personal philosophy is to work with the communities, so I think there has been a disconnect, a communication problem at that time and today we want to fix that.

The only way to succeed is to participate. You can disagree on the format, but there's no other way to succeed than to work with the communities.

Is 120 jobs for a period of two years the best you can do for Quebec?

This is a highly technological project and that tends to create a lesser number of jobs. I come from the refining industry, where we were investing hundreds of millions of dollars in creating sometimes five or 10 jobs... They don't require a lot of people.

Agreements like the one yesterday provide the ability for these companies to further develop their technology, their personnel and be capable to bid for larger projects internationally or Plan Nord or other projects. It's in the nature of these companies to have two, three year contracts and then move on. One thing for sure is we have 180 suppliers [in Quebec] ready to work with us.

What's your take on Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall's criticism of Quebec?

I'm not going to get into this. One thing for sure is that everybody agrees in Canada that we have to get our resources to the water in order to export our crude oil at the international price.

• 'This is a sad day for our country': Premier Brad Wall slams Montreal Mayor

Whatever political party you're talking to, everybody is on the same page.

Did anyone at TransCanada make a phone call to Brad Wall and say this isn't helping?

We're not going into these politics. We're going to do our job, we're going to work with the national energy board, we're going to work with the provincial authorities and we're going to make sure we have the best project possible. It's a great project for Canada.

You think you're the man to bring Quebecers on board?

With my experience — I've managed similar projects in the province here, I've created relationships with communities, I've been able to resolve some pretty complex issues.

I agree that the challenge right now is great, but I think I have the abilities to meet the challenge.