BC’s Health and Energy Ministers refuse invitation to participate in public forum on key election issues
Posted March 13th, 2009
BC Citizens for Public Power and the BC Health Coalition joined together to carefully organize a public forum involving the Ministers of Energy and Health, in combination with the province’s Energy and Health Critics. The public meeting was scheduled to take place on Monday, March 16th at the Vancouver Public Library, well in advance of the May 12th provincial election.
“We did everything possible to facilitate a fair and neutral discussion, including seeking an impartial moderator with no connection to the issues, soliciting questions in advance from both parties, and proposing a very structured format for a public question and answer period,” said Leslie Dickout, Medicare Campaigner with the BC Health Coalition.
Formal event invitations were emailed to all parties on January 27th—seven weeks prior to the proposed event date. Energy Minister Blair Lekstrom’s office declined the invitation in an email dated February 2nd, claiming that he would not be available while the Legislature was in session; follow-up emails and telephone calls by BC Citizens for Public Power executive director Melissa Davis were ignored.
However, Ms Davis recently had the opportunity to address the Energy Minister publicly at the BC Power Summit—a two day conference geared towards private power producers—which took place in Vancouver on Tuesday, March 10th.
“I’m sorry you declined our invitation to speak at our event,” Davis said during the Q&A period following his keynote address. “I hope you will extend the same courtesy and transparency to the people of British Columbia, that you have shown here today, around these [electricity privatization] issues,” she said.
Health Minister George Abbott’s office also declined the invitation to the public forum, citing a “scheduling conflict.”
Both NDP Energy Critic John Horgan and NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix agreed to participate.
“It’s deeply disappointing that the current government’s Ministers have chosen not to participate, despite our efforts to do whatever was necessary so voters could hear both parties’ views on these key election issues,” said Leslie Dickout, Medicare Campaigner with the BC Health Coalition.
BC Citizens for Public Power, a grassroots, non-profit organization, was formed in 2002 to fight the privatization of BC Hydro operations. The BC Health Coalition is a network of organizations and individuals which represents over 600,000 British Columbians and supports a stronger and enhanced public health care system.
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For immediate release
News Release
March 13, 2009
BC’S HEALTH AND ENERGY MINISTERS REFUSE INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC FORUM ON KEY ELECTION ISSUES, SAY BC CITIZENS FOR PUBLIC POWER AND BC HEALTH COALITION
Both NDP Energy Critic John Horgan and NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix agreed to participate.