Tag Archives: Ontario election

Leaders’ debate: making the government record stick

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

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Ontario election debate: Hudak and Horwath try to make ‘corrupt’ Liberal record stick

More from Scott Stinson | @scott_stinson

Premier Kathleen Wynne spent the early part of the Ontario leaders’ debate apologizing for her party’s “mistakes” in the billion-dollar gas-plant scandal, as an election issue that has largely been overlooked in the month-long campaign quickly returned to the forefront.

Responding to the first of six questions submitted by viewers in the only debate of the six-week campaign, one that asked how the Liberals could be trusted, Ms. Wynne said the decisions made “were wrong” and “public money was wasted.” Rather than pivot away, the Premier said that there had been “a breach of trust,” but “I have apologized for that.”

It was a perfect opening for NDP leader Andrea Horwath, who was able to begin her remarks in the 90-minute televised debate by saying “the Liberals have betrayed you.” How the Liberals could be trusted, she said, was “the actual question of the evening.”

Ms. Horwath, as did PC leader Tim Hudak later, pushed Ms. Wynne to explain why, as a member of Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet, she didn’t “say no” to the decision to cancel two gas-fired power plants at what turned out to be a $1.1-billion cost to the public.

“I am so sorry that public funds were wasted,” the Premier replied. “I have taken responsibility for being a part of a government that made mistakes.”

It was an impossible start for Ms. Wynne, and a subject for which there is no good answer, but even still she struggled to not sound guilty. “I’ve said that the decisions weren’t right,” she said. Mr. Hudak responded by saying that if the Liberals are re-elected after having apologized for getting caught, “they’re going to do it again.”…

Read the full story here.

Nepean-Carleton Libertarian candidate statement

02 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in Health, Ottawa, Renewable energy, Wind power

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We have already published the statements from candidates for the Ontario election from the Liberal, NDP, Ontario Progressive Conservative and Green parties; we contacted Libertarian Party candidate Coreen Corcoran, who provided us with the following, as relates to large-scale wind power generation in Ontario and in specific, the only project currently proposed for the Ottawa area, in North Gower-Richmond.

Ms Corcoran writes:

Ontario Libertarian point of view
We do not believe that any industry should be given preferential treatment by the government over another industry, to the extent that the government should be out of the subsidy business all together. There are no private companies willing to stick their necks out to fund and own the risk of running wind farms 100%. They are relying on government subsidies to create an industry that is not wanted or even viable at this point in time. We would stop risky energy programs and leave it to the market to test unproven technologies. If it could survive in a free-market, let it, but it is doubtful the current technology would have any support. If a free-market wouldn’t support it, why should the taxpayers of Ontario?

My personal point of view
I saw the documentary Windfall a couple of years ago, and after seeing that film, I knew that wind power in its current form wasn’t sustainable. The physical impacts on the people who live near the turbines, the many birds and bats that are killed by the blades, and the huge government grants required to sustain this industry are all reasons why we need to stop it in its tracks. Maybe someday there will be a way to harness wind power on a large scale, but giant turbines covering our landscape and taking people out of their homes is not the way to do it.

You have my support.

Thank You,
Coreen Corcoran

 

Email us at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com or write to us at PO Box 3, North Gower K0A 2T0

Nepean-Carleton candidates statements

30 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Ottawa, Renewable energy, Wind power

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The Ottawa Citizen has a Riding Profile for Nepean-Carleton today, and senior writer Don Butler asked about proposed wind power projects, and opinions on “green” energy generally. Here are the responses.
Q: What is your position on the role green energy in Ontario’s power mix, including the creation of new wind farms in Nepean-Carleton?

LISA MACLEOD

Party: Progressive Conservative
Occupation: Current MPP for Nepean-Carleton

Green energy: MacLeod opposes the proposed wind turbine development in North Gower. “While I am not opposed to green energy, it is unsustainable, unaffordable, unreliable and, in many places, like our community, unwanted,” she says. A PC government would restore locally based decision-making about wind and solar projects and impose a moratorium on new industrial wind farms pending an independent health and environmental review. MacLeod points out that on any given day, wind and solar generate only one-to-three per cent of the province’s power supply. Nuclear power — which the PC’s would expand — accounts for more than half, supported by “cheap, affordable and green” water power and natural gas, she says.

JACK UPPAL
Party: Liberal
Occupation: Real estate agent

Green energy: Uppal says the Liberal government has modernized an electricity system that was “left in disarray” by the Mike Harris Conservatives. “We have ensured that Ontarians have the power they need, when they need it.” The Liberals have closed dirty coal generating plants and replaced them with clean energy such as wind and solar, Uppal says. By contrast, the PCs want to spend $15 billion on new nuclear power generation and cancel wind contracts — which could cost the province $20 billion in cancellation fees, he warns. In his response to the Citizen, Uppal didn’t say what his position is on the creation of new wind farms in the riding.

RIC DAGENAIS
Party: NDP
Occupation: Analyst with the Canadian Union of Public Employees

Green energy: Dagenais says the NDP supports renewable energy projects, but “will not force projects where communities are opposed and will ensure that communities are consulted.” The party would also ensure that contracts for small community-based energy projects aren’t automatically awarded to large corporations. As well, Dagenais says the party is committed to a full environmental assessment of all pipeline projects, would replace old buses with new efficient ones and would provide low-interest loans to property owners for energy-efficient retrofits, including the cost of solar panels.

GORDON KUBANEK
Party: Green
Occupation: High school teacher

Green energy: The Green party is “very supportive” of green energy generation that can be shown to be cost-effective and has the support of those who live near it, Kubanek says. Large wind turbines need to be a safe distance from people, which “excludes most regions of Nepean-Carleton,” he says. Even if all conditions are met, the provincial government should compensate homeowners near wind turbines if the value of their property declines, Kubanek says. One possible approach would be to reduce hydro rates by at least 50 per cent to compensate for any loss in home value, he says. “That would enable a market to be created for those homes and thus meet the needs of both the individual and the community.”

Read the full article here.

Contact us at ottawawindconcerns@gmail.com

Horwath in Sarnia: still believes in wind farms

16 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Renewable energy, Wind power

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The NDP has not released its official platform yet for the election, and has been sparing with details, especially on the energy sector. Some clues may be had, however, in this report from Sarnia where the NDP leader appeared yesterday. She was greeted by sign-bearing members of WAIT-PW/We’re Against Wind Turbines-Plympton Wyoming, a community that is facing multiple turbines.

Here is the report from the Sarnia Observer:

Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer, May 16, 2014

Horwath talked about electricity when her campaign bus stopped next to the St. Clair River and the Blue Water Bridge Friday morning after a meet-and-greet the night before at the Ups ‘N’ Downs pub downtown where she was greeted by anti-wind turbine protestors.

A 92-turbine wind project is current under construction in Lambton County, and another 46-turbine project is awaiting provincial environmental approval.

Both have led to protests by opponents of wind energy and the province’s Green Energy Act.

“We believe that the Liberals have made a mess of the green energy sector, as well,” Horwath said.

“It’s a sad day in Ontario when we have families pitted against each other, when we have neighbours pitted against each other, when we have communities pitted against each other.”

Renewable energy is something most people believe is a good thing but the Liberals decided to shut down community participation, “ignore the voices of local residents and rammed through projects,” Horwath said.

“That’s a wrong-headed way of doing things.”

She said the NDP believes there’s no need to call in international companies to get green energy up and running in Ontario. Instead, Horwath said she would encourage municipalities, farm co-ops and First Nations to develop projects that are scaled to their communities and benefit local residents.

“Instead we have this situation that has pitted people against each other,” she said.

“Its very divisive and, frankly, is a failure of the Liberals.”

Read the full story here.