RUSSELL RELEASES PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF MUSKRAT FALLS SURVEY

OTTAWA, February 9, 2011 — Labrador M.P. Todd Russell today released some preliminary figures from his Labrador-wide opinion survey on the proposed Muskrat Falls project. The survey began on December 8^th, 2010, with surveys made available to all Labrador residents by direct mail and on-line.

The overall response rate is higher than similar mail-back surveys conducted by Members of Parliament. While not a random sample, the size of the response is as large or larger than the number of Labrador residents interviewed during province-wide public opinion surveys.

More than 200 submitted surveys have been data-entered so far. The conversion of the survey responses into digital format will allow for more detailed analysis and cross-tabulations.

Detailed results will be made public in the near future, once all survey forms have been received and processed and the full results are analyzed.

Results for those surveys processed as of February 8^th are as follows:

On the main question, “Do you support or oppose the proposed Muskrat Falls agreement?”,

· 45% of respondents strongly oppose and 13% somewhat oppose;

· 12% strongly support and 20% somewhat support;

· 10% are not sure.

Results from other questions reveal public concerns about the economic, environmental, and other aspects of the proposed project:

Q1. Does the proposed Muskrat Falls development provide enough benefit for the people of Labrador? — 83% NO.

Q2. Are you concerned about the environmental impacts of the proposed Muskrat Falls project? — 78% YES.

Q3. Have Labradorians been properly consulted about the proposed Muskrat Falls project? — 78% NO.

Q4. Do you feel that you have enough information about the proposed Muskrat Falls project? — 83% NO.

Q5. Should Muskrat Falls power be available in Labrador for residential and commercial customers? — 95% YES.

Q6. Does the proposed agreement respect the Aboriginal rights of Innu, Inuit, and Metis in Labrador? — 67% NO.

Q7. Are you satisfied with the proposed employment benefits for Labrador residents? — 66% NO.

Q8. Do you believe that Labrador will receive a fair share of revenues from Muskrat Falls power sales? — 86% NO.

Q9. Should a dedicated Labrador development fund be a condition of a proposed Muskrat Falls project? — 83% YES.

Q10. Do you support federal funding for transmission lines to Newfoundland or Nova Scotia? — 46% NO, 40% YES. (This was the only question on which opinion is “split”.)

Q11. Do you feel that Labradorians will be the “primary beneficiaries” of the proposed Muskrat Falls project? — 87% NO.

-30-

Todd Russell, M.P.

Labrador

(613) 996-4630