The McGuinty Greenwash

“Liberals (McGuinty) are running on their green credit but most of their spending is going to the nuclear plan, so it’s a bit of a greenwash." - Greenpeace’s Shawn-Patrick Stensil

We have heard so much about the Ontario Liberal Green Energy Act, people and the media have glossed over the McGuinty Liberal plans to drastically increase Nuclear power. In fact the Liberal's plan to spend many times more on Nuclear energy than on Green Energy. First estimates for Nuclear spending come in at 36 billion dollars. And we all know how well those estimates go. The likelihood is the cost will double to near 70 billion by the time it is all in place.

Then there is Bruce Power's wish to ship Nuclear waste via the Great Lakes. McGuinty and his government have side stepped the issue by saying it is a federal issue.  It's McGuinty and the provincial Liberal government that contract with Bruce Power to provide electricity.  They could put an end to this easily.  At the very least they could could tell the federal government they are opposed to Bruce Power shipping Nuclear waste via the Great Lakes. The risks are too great to do otherwise.

Both Hudak and McGuinty are committed to expansion of Nuclear power. The green sham being pulled over the eyes of the voters in Ontario.  As are other Liberal policies.  Currently the Liberals are expanding run of the river power projects.  These projects are small dams are privately owned and will produce electricity at an increased price. Local government have no means of stopping these projects, many of which are in conflict with local uses such as the 5,000 people that use the river that runs through Petawawa.  The plan there will see the river almost drained in order to produce power.

All of these run of the river projects will be private, are guaranteed to make a profit, have long term contracts and are likely to radically effect local ecosystems due to the limited ability for the public to and public agencies to review these projects.

Then there is the issue of gas plants.  They are better than coal but only slightly.  We need the power so some compromises have to be made until we can deliver the power we need in Ontario.  The McGuinty government sold the rights to build and operate gas plants, again with guarantees the province of Ontario would buy a certain amount of power over a period of 20 plus years.  One on the plants was to be located in Oakville.  The citizens rebelled and as the riding was held by a Liberal MPP, the McGuinty government issued a cease and desist order.  That order could cost us well over 100 million dollars.

In Mississauga another company began building a gas plant approved by the McGuinty government.  It would affect two Liberal MPPs.  The public were pissed off and it would have meant the defeat of those Liberal MPPs.  The Liberals were playing a risky game with this plant.  The company was having a difficult time raising money to build the gas plant.  They decided that it was likely to fold and they, the government would avoid a big payout for cancelling the project.

The company in Mississauga managed to find the financing and began building the plant.  Again the Liberals did nothing. They watched as the company broke ground and began building the plant in earnest.  The local community was angry and the Liberals did what they do best, released a statement to the local media saying they will stop the project.  There two more Liberal MPPs saved and this time the taxpayer will likely end up paying much more than in Oakville.  We're looking at 100's of millions of dollars in compensation.

McGuinty and Hudak are both opposed to developing 'Public Power'.  Public Power would be developed by a government owned corporation like it use to be, as it is now in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec.  Like it use to be in Ontario.

Then we have the plans for the biggest Limestone mine in Canada just north of Toronto.  So much for the greenbelt.  The project will cover over 2,000 acres, pump out over 600 million litres of water every day and then pump it back after the water has been contaminated by diesel and the residue from over 2700 lbs of explosives required each and every day.  What will that do to the ground water?  The worst part of this project is that it is class one farm land.  That means it is among the best land for farming in Canada.  And we're going to destroy it.

The Clean Water Act was again more about looking green, it isn't good enough. The pesticide legislation is far lamer than many municipalities. The McGuinty Liberals have lowered the bar and that's the wrong way to go.