BC Green Energy Advisory Task Force: Make YOUR voice heard

On November 20, 2009 the BC Government quietly announced their handpicked appointees to the new Green Energy Advisory Task Force. The Task Force is designed to recommend ways to “improve” the BC Energy Plan, which has already overseen the slow-motion privatization of BC Hydro and the staking of over 800 rivers and water bodies by private corporations.

This is not an independent or unbiased initiative. Many appointees and/or their employers stand to derive financial benefit from private power projects. Companies like Cloudworks, Transalta and Pinnacle Pellet hope to become or already are big players in BC’s private electrical power industry.

What is really shocking is the BC Government has only allowed four weeks for “public consultation”--much of that falling over the holiday season. Additionally, there is no budget for public meetings and the public is expected to submit their concerns by email by December 31, 2009. 

Let the BC Government and the Task Forces know that this sham process doesn’t replace real public consultation.

You can also say more...

- Rivers are precious and irreplaceable, our last great resource. Don’t give them away...
- Fair and democratic process is our right – give it back: Repeal your Bill 30 that silenced our local governments...
- We need a moratorium on river diversions until they are properly planned, environmentally appropriate, acceptable to First Nations and local governments, and publicly owned.
- We need decisions that balance environmental impacts and social benefits...
- Energy conservation must be a fundamental priority...
- Put public welfare ahead of corporate profits...
- Give us incentives and social infrastructures that encourage conservation...

You can contact the Task Forces here:

ProcurementAndRegulatoryReform@gmail.com
CarbonAndExportMarket@gmail.com,
CommunityAndFirstNations@gmail.com
ResourceDevelopmentTF@gmail.com

You don’t need to write a separate email to each Task Force committee, just address your email to one task force committee and cc the others. Let them know how concerned you are about the gold rush on BC’s rivers and the lack of real public consultation.

Together we can do public green energy right!