Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-12-11, Page 5• • Wedflesday, ,fQcember .11,.2013 ! Lakeshore, Advance ' 5 community letters to the editor Arrogance and Incompetence 1 do not care what political party this group consisting of McGuinty, Wynne, Chi- arelli etc. plus those behind the scenes pulling their strings, belong to. 'they could represent the Conservatives, Liberals, NIM' or whatever, it does not matter. It is the actions of this power group alone that war- rant close scrutiny and now they have gone too far. I have no doubt that there are many staunch intelligent liberals who realize this as well. 'There is no question at this point that the Green Energy Act is deeply flawed with much of the evidence criticizing it being irrefutable. Yet this group stubbornly and blindly forges ahead snaking matters worse and driving up electricity costs. 'their rationale and explanations are contrary to all common sense and reasonable logic. 'Their recently released long term energy plan is just more of the same nonsense spread over a longer time fraise. 'the com- ments of Bob Chiarelli (Minister of Energy) are unconscionable. When he infers that the ordinary rate payers who are struggling to survive in today's economy are responsi- ble for controlling their own electricity costs, while the government just keeps column hammering up the rates to pay for their mistakes, shows a level of arrogance and incompetence that surprises (wen ale. flow they can expect us to believe them when they have no clue as to how to esti- mate cost or consequences is beyond belief. The gas plant cancellation fiasco or any of their other project estimates for that platter proves that point. Actually the gas plants provided needed base load power where it was useful. The proliferation of wind turbines provides intermittent unreli- able power where you don't need it at high costs with little if any real environmental benefit. Show me some common sense in that scenario. All this time the main stream media seems to be only excited about personal political scandals that really have little or no economic )npact on t11e citizens of Ontario, while this group controlling Ontario's economy continues to drive us further into a black hole. Wake up Ontario and look at what is going 00. Roy Merkley Grand Bend, Ontario Ontario Minister of Finance discusses OMPF funding In response to Lakeshore Advance arti- cle discussing OMPF funding Our government is committed to sup- porting municipalities across Ontario by uploading services, such as Ontario Works and the Ontario Drug Benefits that have weighed heavily on municipal budgets. At the same time, our government has intro- duced new funding for municipalities through programs such as the Small, Rural and Northern Municipal Infrastructure Fund. Working (closely with municipalities we recently undertook a review of the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (()MIT) to ensure the funding is stable, consistent and predictable while at the sante time tar- geting it to those municipalities that need it the most. 'this year, the Province will provide a total of $550 million in unconditional funding through OMPF to :30(1 municipali- ties across the province. By 2011, the benefit to municipalities from our government's uploads will total over $1.5 billion. 'the restructured program will ensure we are better responding to the individual needs of our large and diverse prov- ince. Under the redesigned program, cer- tain funds will be targeted to municipali- ties with more challenging fiscal circumstances. Me program will also con- tinue to recognize the unique meds of our rural and northern communities. Our government is committed to work- ing with local partners to build a stronger Ontario. And we are working with commu- nities to ensure that all of the people in this province have the high-quality services they deserve. -- Charles Sousa, Ontario Minister of Finance Wynne's smoke and mirrors energy plan 'Ilse liberal government of Kath- leen Wynne released its long -tern) plan for energy Monday. It reminded Inc of the old Soviet Union, which kept putting out 10 - and 20 -year plans a11(1 then never achieved any of its goals. If only Energy Minister Bob (:hi- arelli had slammed his shoe down on the po(11(11)) and yelled, "Nye', nye', nyet!" the picture would have been perfect. I3y my count, this is the third time the Liberals have revised their energy plan. And every time they re -do it, the price goes up. Estimates were vague and con- fusing about how much this will impact your energy hill. 'Ihe Liber- als claim it's :13% over five years. 'the Ontario 'taxpayers Federation said 42%. Others said it was around :16%. Among the other key figures is a pledge to have 1 Pi, of the energy supply from wind by 2025. The (Question is "why?" Why are we handing over our precious energy supply to some • thing as unreliable as the wind? When you need it most in the heat of mummer or the cold of win- ter -- it doesn't blow. So we'll continue to rip apart rural Ontario with ugly turbines that are producing high-cost elec- tricity and pushing companies into bankruptcy -- or to places like Manitoba and (Quebec where costs are lower. This is actually good news, Chi - (milli asserted. "'Ihe plan will show that a typical large industrial consumer is expected to pay $3 million less than the previous forecast in the near- term of 2013-17 and $1 1 million less over the life of the plan," he said. Under the previous plan, an industrial consumer with a demand of five MW -I1 was projected to pay $109 a MW -h in '201'1. This plan projects that would only he $07 per MW -II, (:hiarelli told us. "'flee efficiencies we've already had from lower demand is going to generate that benefit starting next year for industrial manufacturing industries," he said. 'Iltat's a double -speak that would make Nikita KIrush(•hev blush. 'They're not talking reductions in actual figures.'Ihey're talking about reductions from what they'd projected. 'Falk about smoke and (mirrors. the buy -on -your bill plan to ret rofit your home to make it store energy efficient raises more quer tions than it answers. It's vague in details. And don't hold your breath. Any plan will have to go into next year's budget wield) is unlikely to pass. If it's an interest free loan, why should other ratepayers subsidize the bills uI people who can afford to make. renovations'? And if the energy companies are going to charge interest, why wouldn't the customer just go to the bank 41nd Column Christina Blizzard get a loan? 'fury critic 1.1541 MacLeod sai(1 the Liberal plan is creating massive headaches for manufacturers. "When the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturing Association is tell ing us that energy rates in Toronto are. so (much more expensive than Chicago, Nashville and Detroit, we have a real problem," she said. As energy- intensive industries leave, we need less ('le(1ririty. "'This government has effectively said that their energy conservation plan is an economic downturn. 'Thai's a very pessimistic way to run a province;' Macleod said. Tories would posh ahead with the plan to build new nuclear plants as the mainstay of our energy supply. The Liberals recently hacked off from a plan to build nukes. New Democratic Party Leader Andrea I lomat!) pointed out that the Liberals' previous plan for energy stability included building two gas-fired plants. "Since then, we've watched the government sign and then abruptly cancel two private power contracts for plants in Mississsauga and Oakville, and stuck the public for a bill for $ I billion," she said. 'the government's decision not to build nuclear plants cost $ 180 million. I Inlnun. 11orwath must be very angry. Now if she could just );et very, very angry, perhaps she could stop propping up this dreadful govern peens and join wit)' the Tories to vote tient out.