Public power vs. private for profit

Dear Editor,

Selling hydro will come at a great cost to hydro rate payers. Does anyone believe that privatizing hydro will reduce hydro rates? You don’t need a business degree to know once hydro is sold, business will want a return on their investment. The Liberal government doesn’t have a mandate to sell our hydro and could be breaking the law. The Ontario Court of Justice ruled in 2002 the Progressive Conservative government of the day did not have the legal authority to relinquish public control of then Hydro One.

The Liberal government should recall what took place in California, who experimented with private power, which led to blackouts and brownouts to drive up hydro rates, which forced the state to take back its power system.

By an outraged public, one also needs to look no further than Enron. Its CEO, jailed for corruption and greed. Take a lesson from the past, the selling of our public-owned hydro will lead to more corruption and greed, at hydro user expense.

Private power for private profit is a rip-off, much like the selling of the 407 for a fraction of its real value.

Gord Vickers