Group fears high power bills should B.C. Hydro be sold THE PROVINCIAL gov- ernment should leave B.C. Hydro alone, says a union leader and director of a group opposed to any break up of the provincial crown corporation. “We need (tO save one of our best’ assets,” said B.C, Federation of Labour ~ president Jiny Sinclair and director off Citizens for Public Power who visited Terrace recently. “It’s not broken. It’s one of the. best utilities in North America - an envy of others,” he said, .Cilizens for. Public Power is based on a pend- ing review of the’ pro- vince’s energy policy which -critics say ‘could lead to.a break up of B.C. Hydro and higher rates for domestic, business and in- dustrial users. it fears a switch to what's called “market pri- cing” will increase rates without providing . any benefit to British Calum- bians. “British Columbians: al- ready benefit from some of . the lowest rates in North America from a utility that we own and that we have paid for,” said Sinclair. He pointed to Ontario and to Alberta’were de-re- gulation of rates caused increases of 30 to 50 per cent. “Ontario has been an ‘absolute debacle,” said ’ Sinclair. There, the province has begun to retreat from mar- ket based pricing. Last year in Alberta, - _ the province began issuing cheques to people to coun- ter higher rates. , “We ask what the pro- vince is trying to fix here.: The only fix is to fix, the. profits of large corpara- tions,” said Sinclair. - ’ He noted that the pro- vince has: taken: the.. first steps to jbregkajups.Bic. Hydro by being on: verge of signing a contract -° with an offshore company. called Accenture. to..take 2+ -— over its customer service and other administrative functions. “Accenture will suck jobs out of the north, just like Telus is doing now,” said Sinclair. “We're turning over Hydro not on block, Says gov't THERE’S NO truth to sug- gestions the province is going to sell off B.C. Hydro, says a cabinet minister. Any suggestions to the contrary ate part of “increasingly frenzied speculation,” energy mini- ster Richard Neufeld said in a letter released last week, “B.C. Hydro will remain in public hands,” said Neufeld. “All of the Crown cor- poration’s existing gener- ation, transmission and distribution assets — all the wires and dams — will con- tinue to be owned by the people of British Colum- bia.” _ ' Neufeld also discounted Suggestions of deregulating rates, “After years of political interference, B.C. Hydro rates will be te-regulated and fairly set by the inde- pendent B.C. Utilities Commission,” he added. All this was laid out in the “New Era” document B.C. Liberals promoted during the election as their _ guidebook once elected to office. It does refer to restoring an “independent B.C. Uti- lities Commission to te-te- gulate B.C. Hydro’s elec- . iricity rates.” But neither the New Era_ document nor Neufeld: ex- plained what “re-reguia- ted” means: Loge As well, the New? Bra document said a Liberil, Cont'd Page Al 4 2,500 to 3,000 jobs to a company that hides in Be- rmuda so it doesn't have to pay taxes.” What Accenture will do, said Sinclair, is set up call centres outside of B.C, and pay lower wages to the workers it hires. Although critics of the province’s current energy policy say B.C. Hydro will soon be unable to meet demand and that this gives opportunities to new ener- gy producers, Sinclair ar- gues otherwise, “B.C. Hydro can borrow the money it needs at the cheapest-rate possible. We can build whatever we want and if we build it, we own it,” he said. Sinclair also pointed out thal downstream power benefits sald to the United States as part of the Co- PURCHASE “Ege ae lumbia River Treaty years ago are soon due to return lo B.C. “That’s enough power to run 500,000 homes,” he said. , Sinclair added that his group has been getting support from ordinary citi- zens as well as businesses. ~ B.C. Citizens for Public Power has been gathering signatures from around the province in support of a class action lawsuit filed in September against the provincial government and against B.C. Hydro. Sinclair said the group has amassed thousands of names so far. But the real test, he said, would be a referen- dum. - “If [Premier Gordon Campbell] likes referen- dums so much, let’s him Your General Jim Sinclair have one on this,” “The question would be, “do you want B.C. Hydro, a publicly-owned monopoly, to be broke up.” We'll win, hands down,” Sinclair predicted. Motors Dealers MOTORS EVERY CALL WINS .WHEN YOU LEASE 08 PURCHASE VIRTUALLY “ANY NEW 2008 OR 2002 VEHICLE, Saute fh You ahoald:now (his: “Based ona 48, 48,30, 48 month lease (or Gavallet VL. Sedan RPA, Venture Val Want A Photo? Did you see a photo in the paper that you want a copy off The Terrace Standard along with Northern Photo (Cd. now provicles this service. Come into our office located! ' 1 ae ee LA gh oat town § wiser! 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