MEDIA RELEASE
KINGSTON & DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL


RELEASE: Immediate: February 1, 2002
CONTACT: Gavin Anderson (613) 329-1551 - Paul Kahnert (416) 407-0077

CAN YOU AFFORD TO PAY DOUBLE FOR ELECTRICITY? KINGSTON PUBLIC MEETING ON DEREGULATION OF ONTARIO'S ENERGY SUPPLY

Kingston: Kingston & District Labour Council, the Kingston Young Workers Council and the Council of Canadians are joining together to fight deregulation of Ontario's energy supply in Ontario with a public meeting on Monday February 4th, 2002, 6 P.M. to 9 P.M., at the St. Georges Cathedral Hall, Wellington Street entrance. (Moved From The Kingston Public Library).

Paul Kahnert of Ontario Electricity Coalition will be joined by Howard Hampton, Leader of the Ontario NDP to speak and answer questions on the plan to privatize and deregulate Ontario's power supply.

The Provincial Government passed Bill 35 to deregulate Ontario's electricity system in October of 1998. Deregulation is the pathway to the privatization, or selling off of these public assets that took almost 100 years to build. Bill 35, An act to create jobs and protect consumers by promoting low cost energy through competition, to protect the environment... is anything but.

On the surface electricity deregulation and privatization look very complicated. It's not. It's about greed. It's about a for profit system versus a non-profit, at cost system.

California's experiment in electricity deregulation and privatization is being called one of the biggest blunders in American economic history. We are constantly told that we live in the age of choice in electricity consumption. The age of choice has been cancelled or shelved in 22 states and California is re-regulating.

“Can Kingston area farmers and seniors, hospitals, industries, businesses afford to pay double electricity? We think not,” said Gavin Anderson, vice-president of the Kingston & District Labour Council. “Our community needs to look into the path the Ontario government is taking…we don't want to face the problems in Alberta and California after privatization and deregulation.”

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