Toronto—Executives who are milking millions from the public purse and renegade boards who fail to protect the interests of Ontarians can only be reigned-in and held accountable if our public services, such as hydro, are kept under government control and the assets owned by citizens, says a pro-public power watchdog group.
“Months ago, we told Ernie Eves that the rotten decisions made by his predecessor relating to the privatization of our entire electricity system would saddle him and his government with a rancid can of worms. He’s now finding out just how slimy and sour the hydro deals really are.
“But if Hydro One had already been sold-off, Eves’ hands would be tied. The government wouldn’t be able to introduce legislation to get rid of the bunch. By tendering their resignation en masse, the Hydro One board has shown their disrespect for the people of Ontario, who have built up the transmission grid asset that they are so eager to profit from,” says Paul Kahnert, a spokesperson with the Ontario Electricity Coalition (OEC).
Kahnert is commenting on the government stepping in to thwart the “sweetheart” deals secured by Hydro One executives and the inability of the existing board to take control of the renegade staff.
The OEC is once again calling on the Eves government to reverse the Harris decision to sell-off our now public electricity system.
“If Eves wants to show real leadership and wants to do the best for the people of Ontario and for our economy, he must first scrap the sale of Hydro One. Then he has to close the electricity market and stop any more hydro generators from being sold to private, for-profit corporations. It’s the right thing to do,” says Kahnert.
Over the next month, the OEC will expand its public meeting tour to include training workshops in many communities, aimed at giving people across Ontario who want to stop the privatization and deregulation of electricity, the tools to protect public power.
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For more information please contact:
Paul Kahnert, Ontario Electricity Coalition
(416) 407-0077
Stella Yeadon, CUPE Communications
(416) 578-8774