POWER SUBMISSION
OCSCO'S SUBMISSION TO ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY MINISTER CHRIS STOCKWELL ON THE
PROPOSED PRIVATIZATION OF HYDRO ONE
May 7, 2002
The Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens' Organizations is a provincial seniors' organization
composed of over 130 seniorsŐ organizations representing over 500,000 seniors across the province.
We have noted your announcement in the Toronto Star of April 29/02, inviting interested citizens
to address the following question: "The Government has signaled its intention to develop legislation
that will permit Ontarians to invest directly in Hydro One through a public offering of Hydro One shares.
What features should the legislation contain?"
What follows is our response to your question.
LACK OF CONSULTATION
We had welcomed your government's stated intention to hold public hearings on the matter of privatizing
Hydro One and had trusted that hearings would allow Ontario citizens to express their views on the wisdom
of privatizing this public asset. The question you posed has clarified your government's intention to go
through with the planned privatization no matter what Ontario citizens may have to say about it.
Sell the idea is not consultation. Consultation means listening to Ontario citizens' points of
view before developing legislation. Selling Hydro One was not part of the Tory election platform
in 1999 nor was it ever debated in the Legislature. We feel strongly that your government has no right
to sell Ontario Hydro without seeking a mandate from your constituents.
We are opposed to privatizing Hydro One. OCSCO supports maintaining public control and ownership
of Ontario's electricity systems: a new, publicly owned, controlled and accountable system which will
very actively promote green power. We all win when we invest in energy conservation and use clean
renewable forms of energy from elements like the wind, sun, and methane.
Even Ontario's deregulation of the electricity market is deplorable, because it could cause Canada
to lose control of our electricity. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) includes clauses
that protect our present institutions. But with deregulation, NAFTA rules could make going back to
at-cost public utilities difficult, and could also force us to maintain exports even when our own
electricity supply is low.
SENIORS VULNERABLE
The seniors we represent are very vulnerable to increased costs. Already threatened by the lack of
affordable housing, seniors on fixed incomes could be forced into poverty or even homelessness if rates
doubled or tripled. It is public knowledge which your government surely shares, that areas that have gone
through deregulation have seen electricity costing more while services deteriorate. In Alberta, electricity
rates have tripled. California citizens are suffering brownouts and blackouts.
Ontario's provincial seniors groups have spoken with one voice on this issue, indicating that they were
opposed to privatization, they were concerned about the process whereby seniors would be pressured to sign
on with competing electricity companies, and they did not agree with the selling of this public asset.
PUBLIC SERVICES VULNERABLE
Not only will individual citizens, especially seniors, suffer with increased electricity rates.
Our already overburdened public services - hospitals, schools, public transit, and all other services -
would face substantial drains on their already inadequate budgets.
SENIORS' LEGACY
Seniors have a stake in protecting the planet for the sake of their children and their children's children.
They know that private power corporations are among the worst polluters of the Earth.
OCSCO'S RECOMMENDATION
In the light of all these factors, we urge your government to suspend your decision to sell
Hydro One until you have a clear mandate from the people of Ontario to move forward.
Submitted on behalf of OCSCO on May 7, 2002 by:
Ethel Meade Don Wackley Co-Chairs, OCSCO
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