Rockymtnx
05-17-2011, 02:13 PM
Kept In The Dark: Leaked Memos Show Real Reason Behind Bill 50
http://wildrosealliance.ca/press-releases/kept-in-the-dark-leaked-memos-show-real-reason-behind-bill-50/
EDMONTON, AB (May 17, 2011): Freshly leaked correspondence between Alberta and the United States that discusses exporting Alberta’s electricity south of the border strongly suggest the Alberta government has mislead Albertans on the true reason for its planned $16 billion upgrade to the transmission system.
WikiLeaks has posted diplomatic cables exchanged between the Alberta and United States governments that suggest the real reason the current government has proposed a massive overbuild of Alberta’s transmission grid is to accommodate electricity exports. This, despite repeated assurances from the current government that the upgrades were critical to keeping the lights on in Alberta.
“These documents show this government’s sales job on the need for these transmission lines to be a complete fraud,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said. “If they want to have a debate about exporting electricity, let’s have that debate. Instead, they’ve deliberately and repeatedly deceived Albertans by trying to convince them they need to pay for these upgrades for their own good. We need to go back to the drawing board immediately to determine Alberta’s true transmission needs.”
The overbuild was declared critical infrastructure under Bill 50 – the Electric Statutes Amendment Act, which allows such a designation to be applied to infrastructure projects without a needs assessment. Wildrose Finance Critic Rob Anderson had a motion to repeal Bill 50 defeated in the Legislature this spring.
“This government has used scare tactics to try and get Albertans to believe if they don’t pay for these transmission lines – and the massive increases to their power bills that will accompany them – the lights in their homes will go out,” Anderson said. “There’s a reason this government skirted the needs assessment process. Any needs assessment for this overbuild would have revealed it to be an utter sham. Unfortunately, Albertans are stuck with the tab for it.”
The Wildrose Caucus stands for free enterprise, less government, increased personal freedom and democracy.
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For further information or to arrange an interview, media are invited to contact:
Brock Harrison
Director of Communications, Wildrose Caucus
Ph: 780-399-2890
http://wildrosealliance.ca/press-releases/kept-in-the-dark-leaked-memos-show-real-reason-behind-bill-50/
EDMONTON, AB (May 17, 2011): Freshly leaked correspondence between Alberta and the United States that discusses exporting Alberta’s electricity south of the border strongly suggest the Alberta government has mislead Albertans on the true reason for its planned $16 billion upgrade to the transmission system.
WikiLeaks has posted diplomatic cables exchanged between the Alberta and United States governments that suggest the real reason the current government has proposed a massive overbuild of Alberta’s transmission grid is to accommodate electricity exports. This, despite repeated assurances from the current government that the upgrades were critical to keeping the lights on in Alberta.
“These documents show this government’s sales job on the need for these transmission lines to be a complete fraud,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said. “If they want to have a debate about exporting electricity, let’s have that debate. Instead, they’ve deliberately and repeatedly deceived Albertans by trying to convince them they need to pay for these upgrades for their own good. We need to go back to the drawing board immediately to determine Alberta’s true transmission needs.”
The overbuild was declared critical infrastructure under Bill 50 – the Electric Statutes Amendment Act, which allows such a designation to be applied to infrastructure projects without a needs assessment. Wildrose Finance Critic Rob Anderson had a motion to repeal Bill 50 defeated in the Legislature this spring.
“This government has used scare tactics to try and get Albertans to believe if they don’t pay for these transmission lines – and the massive increases to their power bills that will accompany them – the lights in their homes will go out,” Anderson said. “There’s a reason this government skirted the needs assessment process. Any needs assessment for this overbuild would have revealed it to be an utter sham. Unfortunately, Albertans are stuck with the tab for it.”
The Wildrose Caucus stands for free enterprise, less government, increased personal freedom and democracy.
- 30 -
For further information or to arrange an interview, media are invited to contact:
Brock Harrison
Director of Communications, Wildrose Caucus
Ph: 780-399-2890