Macdonald speaks out for local control
June 27, 2009 by Norm Macdonald
Filed under BC government, Business, Columbia Valley, Community, Energy, Environment, Freedom, Invermere, Local news
Photo courtesy Norm Macdonald MLA
Press release –
Message to Ministers loud and clear: people reject the Glacier Howser power project.
A boisterous and determined crowd of East Kootenay residents gathered Thursday night in Invermere to state their opposition to AXOR’s proposed Glacier Howser river-diversion power project which will divert the water from four creeks in the West Kootenay for power production. The power produced will then be transmitted by a new transmission line that will bisect key wilderness areas across the Purcell mountains into the Invermere substation in the East Kootenay.
A rally was held outside the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) open house with participants first protesting with placards, drums, chants and singing before attending the official AXOR and EAO presentations.
Addressing AXOR representatives and members of the EAO, Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald was clear that it really should have been the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Energy in this room asking for input from the crowd.
“I have asked the Ministers to come and defend the BC Liberal Energy policy which allows a private company to take over our land and our rivers against the public good but they are afraid to come here. The Ministers know the local people are opposed, and the public comment that the EAO will receive on this project will prove it. Unfortunately, this government will attempt to push this project through anyway.
“But the people in this area will not stand for decisions being imposed on us. The wisdom on how best to use our land sits with the people who live here; this must be our decision.”
Not a single member of the audience spoke in support of the project, raising concerns about environmental impacts, the move to private rather than public power, the loss of local decision-making and the feeling that the Environmental Assessment process is a sham.
“It is disgraceful. It feels like I am in South America where big business comes in, runs roughshod over the local people, and takes huge profits out of our land without a care for the environment or our lifestyle,” continued Macdonald.
Participants made it clear that the fight will continue and some even promised direct action if the project proceeds.
“Throughout the EAO public comment period, we all need to write in and make our views known. This is the first of many fights in this area as there are more than 25 river-diversion projects planned for my constituency alone. People have to take the time to make their voices heard.”
Constituents are also encouraged to send me their comments.
Backgrounder
Public comment will be received by the Environmental Assessment Office until midnight on July 27, 2009.
Send comments to:
An electronic copy of the application and information regarding the environmental assessment process are available at www.eao.gov.bc.ca.
Norm MacDonald seems to forget that his ney sayer supporters chose to flood this meeting with their members imported from Golden, and Kimberley and the West Kootenys.
Norm chooses to abdicate decision making of government back to the local population. Does this really mean that since his party ( NDP) has chosen to back away from their pre election position of a moratorium on IPP’s, that he, Norm, has chosen to abdicate the necessity of his acting in the position to which he was elected. ie make decisions.
People are elected to government to make decisions. Norm is saying that he should not make decisions but they should be made at the local level.
Why did we ever bother to elect him then?
Resign Norm.
Since you don’t want to do what you have been hired to do — Resign.