Board of Directors

2010 - 2011 Board of Directors

Chair: Michelle Laurie
Vice-Chair: Gwen Barlee
Secretary/Treasurer: Gwenne Farrell

Members at Large

Pina Belperio
John Calvert
Charles Dobson
Rudy Lawrence 
Geoff Meggs
Jerri New
Blair Redlin

Gwen BarleeGwen Barlee has been involved in the environment movement since 2001 and is presently the Policy Director with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. Her campaigns in recent years have focused on environmental degradation and the erosion of the public good through privatization. Often this work has involved accessing information through formal Freedom of Information (FOI) channels in order to monitor and challenge government policy and legislation. Gwen's current projects with the Western Canada Wilderness Committee include endangered species, parks and public lands, and the proliferation of private power projects in British Columbia. Gwen brings an essential environmental perspective, as well as social policy and communications expertise to her work on the Board of Directors of BC Citizens for Public Power. She is also a Board Member with the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) and serves on the Advisory Board of the Orion Grassroots Network.

Pina BelperioPina Belperio is a Whistler-based writer, blogger, researcher, and community-based activist who has been involved in the renewable energy debate in the Sea to Sky corridor, since the Ashlu River IPP and Bill 30 were first passed in 2006. She co-founded the citizen advocacy and watchdog group, Whistler Watch (http://www.whistlerwatch.org/), and sits on the board of the Council of Canadians. From 2007-2009, she also sat on the Board of Whistler’s longest running environmental organization, AWARE (Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment). She strongly advocates for community ownership of new renewable energy projects and strengthening BC's Environmental Assessment process. Presently, Pina is employed as a web developer and IT trainer working in the field of new media.

Charles DobsonCharles Dobson is a self-proclaimed lifelong troublemaker. In 1995, he published The Citizens’ Handbook, one of the best online manuals available on the subject of grassroots organizing. That publication was revised, expanded and published in 2003 as The Troublemaker’s Teaparty: A Manual for Effective Citizen Action. For ten years, Charles wrote ad parodies for Adbusters magazine. He is the founder of Better Notice, which provides media training for activist groups. He is also associate director of the New City Institute, which conducts research on sustainable development and public involvement. When not causing trouble, Charles also teaches creative problem-solving, communication design, sociology, and cultural literacy at the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design in Vancouver, BC.

John CalvertJohn Calvert is an Associate Professor in the Health Sciences Faculty at Simon Fraser University where he teaches public policy. He was a member of the 2005 BC Hydro Integrated Electricity Planning Committee, a stakeholder group which spent 18 months reviewing BC's electricity options. From 1995 to 2000, he worked in the BC Government's Crown Corporations Secretariat, where he was involved in policy development for BC's Crown Corporations, including BC Hydro. During the mid-1990s, he was one of two government representatives on the BC Task Force on Electricity Market Reform. John holds a Doctorate from the London School of Economics and a Master's degree from the University of Western Ontario. He has recently published a book analyzing the current government's energy policies entitled Liquid Gold. During the past year he has also written articles on energy policy for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, The Tyee, and BC Business magazine.

Gwenne FarrellGwenne Farrell has been a member of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees (COPE) for almost 20 years, coming to Local 378 as a Financial Analyst with BC Hydro. Initially elected Vice-President of COPE 378 in 2005, she continues to serve in this position, representing BC Hydro groups including Accenture Business Services, British Columbia Transmission Corporation, and Columbia Hydro Constructors. In 2006, COPE 378 launched its Take Back the Power campaign, a union-driven initiative to protect power, water, and jobs in BC. More recently, Gwenne was elected Secretary-Treasurer of COPE-SEPB, Local 378's national union. In addition to her contribution as Secretary-Treasurer on the Board of BC Citizens for Public Power, Gwenne sits on numerous community Boards and Committees, including: the Executive of the Fraser Valley Labour Council, the Canadian Labour Congress' Energy Task Force, the Economic and Energy Policy Committees of the BC-NDP, the Labour Committee for United Way of the Lower Mainland, and as a Trustee of HYDRECS.

Michelle LaurieMichelle Laurie is the President of Local 258 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), representing workers in the utility, manufacturing, tree trimming, power line maintenance and construction, and traffic control industries throughout the province. She has been a Board member with BC Citizens for Public Power since 2002, currently serving as Chair, and an ardent supporter of the organization's mandate to inform British Columbians about the benefits of public power and the practical, environmental, and labour-related threats posed by the provincial government's Energy Plan. The IBEW has considerable experience with deregulation and privatization issues in utilities, across the continent, and it is Michelle's strongly held belief that ratepayers, who ultimately have the most to lose through the privatization of BC Hydro, deserve clear and complete information with respect to this change. Further, as a parent and grandparent, Michelle has a personal concern for the energy-specific and environmental legacy we are creating for future generations of British Columbians.

Rudy LawrenceRudy Lawrence is allegedly “retired.” His varied professional background includes careers as a provincial government auditor, senior finance manager, small business owner, and consultant. Over the last 20 years, Rudy has held numerous positions with local, provincial, and federal seniors’ organizations. He was Chairman of the BC Government Retired Employees’ Association, Vancouver Branch; First Vice President of the Retired Government Employees’ provincial body; First Vice President of the National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation of Canada. He was appointed to the Seniors Advisory Steering Committee to develop provincial programs for the International Year of the Older Person (1998) and to the federal government’s Seniors Advisory Committee (BC representative). From 1998 – 2008, Rudy served as President of BC’s Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations; under his leadership, membership of affiliated groups more than doubled to represent over 85,000 seniors province-wide. Rudy was a founding Board member with BC Citizens for Public Power (2002 – 2006), and we welcome his return.

Geoff MeggsGeoff Meggs is the President of Tidelines Communications as well as a lifelong labour activist, journalist, and author. He has spent 25 years as a communications specialist in government, politics, and the labour movement, including a term as Communications Director to former Premier Glen Clark. He has also been involved in Vancouver progressive civic politics for more than 20 years, serving as Executive Assistant to Mayor Larry Campbell, a founding member of Vision Vancouver, and a communications and policy specialist on the Jim Green campaign. In November 2008, Geoff was elected to Vancouver City Council. Geoff is the author of two books, including Salmon: The Decline of the Pacific Fishery, which won a 1992 Lieutenant-Governor's Medal as best BC non-fiction book.


Jerri NewJerri New has been a member of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union (COPE) Local 378 since 1977 and a union activist since 1978, holding a variety of union staff and elected positions. As past President of Local 378, she has extensive collective bargaining experience and has worked on numerous public awareness campaigns, including Hands Off Hydro, an early initiative that drew public attention to the government's proposed deregulation and privatization of BC Hydro. Jerri was subsequently elected the first National President of COPE in June 2004, and presently holds the title of Honourary National President in recognition of her significant contributions. She is a former executive officer of the Canadian Labour Congress and former officer of the BC Federation of Labour. Jerri has also served as a labour representative at the BC Labour Relations Board and on numerous Boards including BC Citizens for Public Power, the National Institute for Disability Management, and the Working Opportunity Fund.

Blair RedlinBlair Redlin is a Research Representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). He provides both policy and bargaining research support for CUPE's municipal, transportation, and community health sectors in BC. Analysis of privatization and public/private partnerships (P3s) is a particular priority of his work. From 1994 to 2001, Blair was Deputy Minster and a senior administrator in the BC public service. During his time with the Ministry of Employment and Investment, he was very involved in electricity issues. He was the provincial government's negotiator with the Kootenay region as decisions were being made about investment of downstream benefits and as the Columbia Basin Initiative and Columbia Basin Trust were being implemented. He also provided research assistance and support to BC Citizens for Public Power in 2001 and 2002, subsequently joining the Board of Directors in 2005. Blair is also a member of the Board of Directors of Oxfam Canada and currently serves as Vice-Chair.