Energy future remains uncertain

June 30, 2006, The Observer
Dalton McGuinty’s turn leaves an uncertain future

Three months ago I attended a major provincial government announcement at a solar panel factory in Cambridge. McGuinty’s Liberals were there to release their plan on standard offer contracts for renewable energy. It meant that ordinary citizens or co-operatives could build renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, hydro) and be paid for each kilowatt of power they produce. It was a great measure, and won support from David Suzuki, who was there to support the plan and the clean energy it would provide.
“I’m turning 70 in a few days,” Suzuki said. “I have nothing to gain. On behalf of my grandchildren I thank you. On behalf of the young people here, I thank you.”
The contracts offered by the Ontario Power Authority are the best in North America and make us a leader in sustainable energy. It was a good news story all around. The government even got an endorsement from member of the German National Parliament and energy expert, Hermann Scheer, who said: "The energy challenge facing the world is critical. We need to develop renewable energy as quickly as possible. There's no time to waste. With its adoption of Standard Offer contracts, the Government of Ontario has taken a historic step toward building a sustainable supply of electricity.”
I spoke with Minister of Energy Donna Cansfield that day about Lambton Generating Station. She said she believed there were more jobs in renewable energies. It seemed the government was turning a new leaf, away from dirty coal and nuclear, towards clean renewables and conservation. But when Suzuki spoke, he warned the government against investing in new nuclear. It would be contradictory to the support they were lending future generations with this new plan.
A few weeks later, I learned that according to environmentally-minded folks within the Ministry, they were not hearing enough public opposition to nuclear power. Citizens were given some say in the energy direction of the province. Minister Cansfield, who had personally worked hard on the clean energy plan, was replaced with Dwight Duncan. Then, a couple weeks ago, the Liberals’ decisions came down like a tonne of carbon bricks. Building new nuclear reactors. Breaking the promise on coal.
The decision by her government is now forcing MPP Caroline DiCocco to change her opposition to coal. In 2001 when looking into the health impacts of coal, she told The Observer, "I have to take a stand on the side of what I believe is in the best interest of the public.”
We know that scrubbers on coal generating stations only reduce some of the pollutants and do nothing about their water emissions or greenhouse gases. Closure or conversion of the coal facilities was going to allow Ontario to meet over half of its Kyoto requirements. It has also forced Ontario to renege on a national commitment on mercury. A planned 50% reduction in mercury levels was to be announced by all of the country’s environment ministers, before a letter from Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten stated that Ontario would no longer be meeting its share.
Nuclear power requires harmful uranium mining and carbon dioxide emissions at various stages in the process. A report by Amory Lovins shows wind power to be much more cost-effective than nuclear.
A letter I sent to the premier and a Kitchener MPP, stating my distaste for the plan got a quick response, noting the government’s conservation and renewable energy plans. It didn’t present an argument that nuclear and coal are clean. But at least the government is listening… The MPP passed my letter on to the new minister, but where the typed letter had written “Dear Minister”, the word “Minister” was crossed out in pen and replaced with “Dwight”.
At that good-news Liberal announcement in Cambridge, Dalton McGuinty referred to David Suzuki as “my hero.” But Suzuki told The Observer this week, "I'm very, very disappointed in the government.” Dalton McGuinty’s selective listening forces the weight of dealing with continued toxic emissions, greenhouse gases and nuclear waste onto my, and further generations.
The federal and provincial governments are not meeting the challenge of the climate crisis. Last week I saw Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth, and it was powerful in its science and its message about our potential future. It is not showing in Sarnia.
What actions can you take this week? Write your MPP and the premier and tell them you’ve lost faith in their plan for Ontario’s electricity supply. And call your local theatre to say you want to see An Inconvenient Truth.
Decisions about the future are being made locally as well. To those councilors who listened to their Medical Officer of Health and stood up for the environment at last week’s city council meeting, thank you. Bev MacDougall, Dave Boushy and Mike Bradley, your leadership on the pesticide issue will not be forgotten.
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Darcy Higgins is a native of Sarnia who is currently completing a degree in Environmental Studies. He can be reached by e-mail at darcyhiggins@gmail.com