Letter – MPP Mantha responds to local hydro concerns

Jul 28, 2017 @ 09:07

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha issued the following open letter today, in response to concerns raised by a local constituent about the privatization of Ontario’s hydro system, and soaring hydro bills:

July 27, 2017

Dear Mr. Moyer;

Thank you for your letter, and your efforts to raise awareness about this situation. As a lifelong Northerner, an Ontarian, and an MPP, I am just as frustrated as you to see the mess the Wynne Liberals and the Conservatives have made of the province’s hydro system. I know my constituents, neighbours, friends and family are all struggling with climbing hydro bills, and a government that just doesn’t get it.

When you look to other provinces east and west, you really ask yourself as an Ontarian, what the heck happened here at home? How did we end up paying so much more?

The Conservatives started the privatization that has gotten us into this mess, and the Liberal governments have been happy to continue the sell-off of our public assets. Kathleen Wynne’s move to sell off most of Hydro One is a broken promise — and one that we, Ontario families, are paying for.

Instead of a hydro system that puts the needs of Ontarians first, we now have a hydro system that cares only about private profit and corporate shareholders. The fact that Kathleen Wynne is getting Ontario back into the coal business in America shows just how profit hungry our hydro system has become, and how hypocritical the premier is when it comes to doing the right thing.

The reality is, to fix this mess, Ontario needs to get back to a hydro system that puts the people of Ontario first. And that means public ownership. A New Democratic government would reverse the sell-off of Hydro One, get rid of the unfair delivery costs, end time of use premiums and stop selling our electricity at a loss. We’d put hydro back in public hands so that we have more control over the prices, once again. You can read the details here: goo.gl/xVj16d

But that can’t happen until the next election.

Until then, all Ontarians – including MPPs who know the sell-off of Hydro One is a mistake – need to make our voices heard, by writing to Hydro One, the Ontario Energy Board, and Kathleen Wynne to let them know that the people of Ontario need to come first – and that we simply can’t take any more of Wynne’s rate hikes. More people need to take the time to write letters, make phone calls, and make their voices heard like you do, Mr. Moyer. If we can all work together, we can stop the damage Kathleen Wynne and the Conservatives have done to this province, and we can start building a better future, for us, and for the generations to come.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Michael Mantha

MPP Algoma-Manitoulin

An open letter to Michael Mantha, NDP MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin, regarding the purchase of Avista Corporation by Hydro One:

I realize the legislature is currently not sitting, but, somehow, some way, something should be done about this travesty that has been committed on the people of Ontario. Hydro One customers, who have been gouged by this company for far too long, are now being totally betrayed.

They currently are pushing for a substantial rate increase again with the toothless Ontario Energy Board. Hydro One claims this increase is necessary to allow them the needed capital to “upgrade and maintain” its infrastructure in Ontario. If this is even close to the truth, where has the $6.7 billion for this new acquisition magically appeared from? If it has access to this money, why has it not been used for these upgrades and maintenance at home?

You are also aware that the Liberal government boasts of the shutting down of Ontario’s coal-fired generators and now believes it’s a great thing to buy into a company that currently operates one of the worst polluting plants in North America, while saddling us all with what really is a carbon tax.

This company it just bought into, with your money and mine, is not even connected to the Ontario grid, given its west coast U.S. location, nor is it even remotely useful to Ontario. If one were to buy the premier’s idea of “spreading our environmental philosophy,” they are seriously naive.

This entire deal has been nothing but hypocritical by both Hydro One and the Liberal government. It will make great election campaign fodder to be sure, but, it needs a concerted effort by both opposition parties NOW, because, by the time an election rids us of the Liberals, it will be just another done deal for Hydro One.

I would really like a response to this, for a change. This is a travesty against every person in Ontario, and requires more than just a shrug and a little rhetoric during the election campaign.

Keith H. Moyer

Elliot Lake