On March 26, join with thousands of folks all over the province. Call Gordon Campbell and tell him how much you want to keep our power public and our rivers wild. All of those who were at the Community Centre recently to hear about the Bute Inlet project proposed by Plutonic Power know how important it is to take this message to the Premier.
In 2002 the Liberal government banned BC Hydro from developing new sources of green power, decreeing that all new hydropower must come from private companies. This has lead to a gold rush mentality, with private operators staking close to 700 rivers and creeks throughout the province for the purposes of run-of-river projects which purport to be green. Several projects are already underway including those on the Ashlu River, on Montrose Creek and on the East Toba River. Help make sure that no others go ahead – if for no other reason than the expected rate hikes. The provincial budget released earlier this year stated that BC Hydro rates will be raised 24.2% over the next three years, largely to pay for the rapidly increasing costs of privately-produced power. Furthermore, a report from SFU Economist Dr. Marvin Shaffer explains that the main impetus for the government's energy policy is to generate a large private electricity surplus for export excluding the public and unnaturally enriching a few private intersts, many large supporters of the BC Liberal party. A study done in California states however that under California environmental laws BC run-of-river hydro facilities would not be qualified as clean, environmentally-friendly renewable energy because of their significant environmental impacts. Why is the Liberal government rushing to development power for export under these circumstances? For more information, see http://www.wildernesscommittee.org/ and http://www.saveourrivers.ca
On Thursday March 26, phone the Premier and our local Member of the Legislature, Claire Trevena. Tell them you do not support these projects and the destruction they bring with them. Claire Trevena and the BC NDP are calling for a moratorium on independent power projects until there is an overall assessment of their impact. The privatization of our power generation, combined with the loss of control over our rivers, will undermine all of our futures. A call to her office will indicate how many of her constituents agree with her.

Premier Gordon Campbell 604-660-3202 or premiergov.bc.ca Claire Trevena 250-287-5100 or claire.trevena.mlaleg.bc.ca