CUPE and CEP have won another round in their battle to stop the privatization of electricity in Ontario. On July 4 the Court of Appeal dismissed the Eves’ government’s appeal of the landmark decision by Mr. Justice Gans that halted the initial public offering of shares in Hydro One.
In dismissing the appeal, the Court declared that the passage of Bill 58 rendered the government’s appeal “moot.”
“This is an important victory,” says National President Judy Darcy, “but it doesn’t pull the plug on the Tories’ privatization plans.
“The government’s still desperately trying to repackage its privatization scheme, and we’re going to fight them every step of the way. Our goal continues to be to keep Ontario’s power 100 per cent in public hands – and the majority of Ontario residents agree,” says Darcy.
A poll released last week by the Ontario Electricity Coalition shows that four out of five Ontario residents oppose the sale of Hydro One. More than three-quarters believe that hydro rates will increase if the utility is privatized.