Power firms were paid millions not to generate power - Moneyville.ca

Want another good reason McGuinty and company are likely to be sent packing in this Fall's election? Look at your hydro bill then read this article below. It seems we in Ontario are paying private generators of electricity not to provide power. It gets worse. We also pay them not to import power.

In one case a power plant shut down operations for less than two hours. If they had continued to produce electricity they would have made $10,000. That's a healthy amount of money, yet by shutting down for less than two hours the company was paid $50,000. I'm not joking. Ontario paid this same operator 500% more to produce nothing.

That's not all. The same company did this a staggering 336 times. My math suggests they made $13.5 million (50,000 - 10,000 x 336) in excess of what they would have been paid had they actually produced power we used.

Power firms were paid millions not to generate power - Moneyville.ca

I know Mike Harris and his pirate crew of privatization zealots created the mess, it has however only got worse under the Liberals.

(HST- Savings) + (7.5% LCBO) = no savings

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who insists most companies will pass along any reduced costs from the HST to Ontarians, said it would be reckless to lower prices on beer, wine and spirits.  - The Spec.com


Reckless!  My god, if there was one way the Libs could have turned a few folks around to being at least "indifferent" it was the lower cost of beer and wine as a result of the HST coming to be.  The Ontario Government has ensured that its big business, The LCBO, will not pass savings onto you and me...


Now of course we can expect Ontario's other big businesses to pass along savings to the consumer.  

RIGHT! 

Glen Murray takes shot at Rae

"I’m not like Bob Rae," Murray said. "I cut taxes every year I was mayor." Liberal candidate in Toronto Centre. - Winnipeg Free Press

Yikes, not sure I would want to share an office with Murray if I were Bob Rae. But then Glen may not have to worry about that...

Liberal Glen Murray runs from the Camera

Sometimes you just have to watch to understand what is going on. TVO thought it would be good for people to have the candidates in the Toronto Centre provincial by-election debate the issues.

Unfortunately they had to pull the plug when Glen Murray, the Liberal candidate refused to participate. This was puzzling to TVO Journalist Steve Paikin who had this to say about the curiously now quiet Murray...

"We found this particularly ironic since Murray, in his previous life as head of the Canadian Urban Institute, loved appearing on our program, and frequently pitched our producers on coming on to the program to discuss his interests. And when he did come on, (let me say this diplomatically) he almost never stopped talking."

Murray was expected to win Toronto Centre in a cake walk over the NDP.

What was unexpected was the NDP nominating its own star candidate, Cathy Crowe. Crowe must have Murray on the run if he can't take a telvised debate.

The Liberal's biggest advantage at the moment is the lack of media coverage for the race. Too much light might lead to a closer race than they thought possible. Even at that. it may be too late for the Liberals in Toronto Centre.

Tornado 39 years ago in Sudbury

Tornado 39 years ago in Sudbury

As amazing has this might be, on August 20, 39 years ago a Tornado swept through Sudbury, Lively and Field Ontario, killing six people and injuring over 200 more. A total of 17 million dollars in damage was done.

Here is a link to the CBC Archive video of the aftermath. When you click on the link it will take you to the CBC archives and start playing.

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Ontario sleeps, BC Boils

Have Ontario folks simply accepted that the HST (GST and RST) is a done deal? Out in BC considerable effort is being made to do something to stop The BC Liberal government from moving ahead with the Harper Strangling Tax (HST).

In Ontario, the Progressive Conservatives said they will change it if elected. The NDP have rolled out a petition. Neither effort is gaining much headway. Its as if McGuinty knows we're a bunch of saps and even if we don't like it, what the heck are you going to do about it? Queens Park has decided!

Lots of things are going to cost more, yet the McGuintyGovernment can't or won't tell us how much and what will be costing more. They have released some info on increased costs, things like heating fuel, electricity, gasoline, tobacco, taxi fares, lawyers' fees, haircuts will be taxed at 13 per cent instead of five. Then there are funerals and maintenance work on condominiums not on the Ontario government released effects which will go up in price. Home renovations are going to be hit with the new tax as will almost anything defined as a service.

If you go to the PC sponsored petition site, they have listed things scheduled to cost more including, camp fees, propane, kids dance lessons, summer camps, coffee, magazines and fast food.

Now the NDP have a little more info on what will cost more under the planned HST. You can sign petition there to voice your disapproval of the unfair tax.

Why all the lack of motivation here in Ontario? The Progressive Conservatives have a Facebook group opposed to what they are calling the DST, Dalton Sales Tax. The group has only 532 members! Whats up with that?

The NDP Facebook group is doing better with some 1459 members. That's a far cry from the almost 100,000 members opposed to the HST in BC on Facebook.

Its a little disconcerting to see my new home province lacking any kind of fight to the coming of the Harper Strangling Tax. Maybe it's the fact that in BC you can recall a provincial MLA (MPP in Ontario). Maybe it is that in BC voters can put an initiative on a ballot.

Perhaps what is even more upsetting is that McGuinty and Campbell are being bought off by Harper. It certainly lends credence to the idea that any politician has a price and Harper is playing that game very well in two provinces he needs to win the next election.

To make matters even more muddy, NDP Premier of Manitoba Gary Doer is also looking at accepting the Harper government's bribe money.

The HST is a big tax shift. It will see government coffers grow and people paying more. David Schreck has a good article here on the issue at The Tyee.

I would put up the official Ontario government links to the change but they are a little hard to find. Try it yourself.

To follow the BC anti HST movement check in on Bill Tieleman's blog regularly.

Campbell and McGuinty

Campbell and McGuinty

Two premiers leading uninspiring governments decide to to take federal cash

Generally a cool thing to do, but not when it has this affect...

HST is bringing on recall talk in Canada's only Recall state.

Facebook anti HST site could lead to recall effort as they gather names

Only in BC, pity it can't happen in Ontario.

Campbell was told it would not be good

Environment vote sites need a grain of salt

Be careful with the voter advisory sites...

Look at the riding of Thunder Bay-Rainy River. Its a race this time between the Conservative and NDP. Vote for Climate says vote for the Liberal MP, Ken Boshcoff. This despite a warning stating,

"if you decide to support Ken Boshcoff this election, you should still make him earn his vote! MP Boshcoff has not been the most ardent supporter of his party's climate change plan, and he needs to know that you are sending him back to Ottawa to get on with the serious work of cutting greenhouse gas emissions."

Anything but Conservative site says Vote NDP in this riding. And Vote for the Environment says "You Choose" and then goes on to tell us this...

"This is a tough one given this could easily be a three way race. Liberal Ken Boshcoff is the incumbent, but current polling puts the NDP in the lead with the Conservatives close behind. It will be important to avoid a NDP Liberal split with the Conservatives coming up the middle, so please check in later as we try to get some local intelligence as this race progresses."

I did check back later, election day morning, and still no recommendation here.

All indications show that the NDP candidate is likely to win. Why no recommendation on Vote for the environment given the Liberal candidate's lack luster support for environment and why is vote for climate saying vote Liberal given their own stated reservations.