To the editor;
The purpose of my first letter to the newspaper editors (Jan. 31/11) was to bring to your attention, the matter of INDEPENDENT (?) private power, as in so called “run of river,” verses public power: and more urgently, the evidence that BC Hydro is being railroaded into bankruptcy and possible privatization.
Thankfully, the response by the BC Citizens for Green Energy (Feb.14/11) gives me the opportunity, again, to bring my concern before the public’s purview. But here, I allow no space for the quasi green group. They are good enough at their own excited propaganda, having an “in your face” agenda already with 40 letters to editors between April 6th, 2010, and the present.
There is, however, another very large group of citizens who hold a very different point of view from the BCCGE. As to the huge number of unknown, concerned, but mostly nonvocal citizens, I have no idea. But I have read their many comments online in many places.
First, I want to mention Erik Andersen, retired economist, who, as I mentioned previously, had a career with the Canadian Transport Commission; with Airports Branch, Transport Canada; with ICAO, Pacific Western Airlines, etc. Since 2005, Mr. Andersen has been very busy, along with other pursuits, working diligently on your behalf and mine, with regards to this power issue: writing to the Attorney General, Gordon Campbell, BCUC: with investigating BC Hydro’s books and their accounting methods, and that of P3s.
Next, Professor Marvin Shaffer, Adjunct Professor in the Public Policy Masters Program at SFU, author of “ Clean Energy Act will cost billions for BC “ a must read for all. See his article in the Vancouver Sun, June 14, 2010
Then there are those at The Common Sense Canadian, with a large contributory. One of these is Dr. John Calvert, who teaches economics and public policy at SFU, a leading expert on issues respecting public power and the Campbell government’s disastrous Energy Policy. Dr. Calvert is of course, not surprisingly, one of the targets on the BCCGE website.
Before the BCCGE ever existed, there was the BC Citizens for Public Power with Rex Weyler. BCCPP was created in response to the Energy Plan of 2003. There’s the Independent Power Watch, the BC Guardians, The Wilderness Committee. The Tyee has graciously printed pro Hydro articles. And more.
I would be so remiss to neglect Rafe Mair. (rafe@rafeonline.com) I am so thankful for his many, many years of energetic, sometimes boisterous, certainly heartfelt, dedication to neighbors, our country and our well being. How I wish I had his courage and verve!
This is my parting shot. The great shift from public to private power should never have been orchestrated, without a meaningful debate, but you will never hear that, not from the government nor the mainstream press, who have never picked up on this issue, one that will have long term consequences for all of the unwary and mostly uninformed public.
Remember BC Rail and BC Ferries. Remember our fight for the Coquihalla… Who will you trust and believe?
Shirley Naso,
Barriere, B.C.