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While the action looked to some like another eye-glazing NAFTA trade dispute, details reported by Adams today point to another explosive series of revelations on the inner workings of the Ontario Liberal government, as it attempted to make sense of its incoherent plan to make Ontario the greenest energy market in North America.

The case goes before a NAFTA arbitration panel on Monday, and based on Adams’ review of the 280-page Windstream claim, the evidence promises to open another window on the steamy craziness behind the decision-making processes within former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet. Many of the same themes emerged from the earlier gas plant scandals — internal confusion among the same clique of figures in the premier’s office and ad-hoc political decision making, along with further allegations about deleted electronic files.

On one level, the case is another illustration of how international trade agreements can leave the federal government covering the cost of major penalties for trade infractions perpetrated by provincial governments. But when the Windstream hearing opens Monday before an international trade tribunal in Toronto, documents filed with the tribunal suggest more than NAFTA trade history will be made.

Windstream alleges that the government of Ontario acted in an expropriatory, arbitrary and discriminatory manner when — despite its contract with Windstream— it deferred offshore wind development. The company alleges that Ontario breached several NAFTA obligations and, despite statements to the contrary, had no intention — as it claimed — of pursuing the science and developing the regulations required for a framework for offshore wind projects.