Mon. April 29, 2002 at 7 pm
FORUM on PRIVATIZATION of HYDRO
guest speaker: Paul Kahnhert,
Ontario Electricity Coalition (OEC)
(back by popular demand)

Tue. April 30, 2002 at 7 pm
UNFIT TO GOVERN WORKSHOP
facilitated by Kira Heineck,
Ontario Coalition for Social Justice (OCSJ)

For more information on joining North Bay's action:

Barbara Anello: Tel: 494-9078 Email: anello@thot.net
Terry O'Connor: Tel: 472-8877 Email: terryoc2001@yahoo.ca

Stop the Privatization of Ontario's Hydro
Sign the Online Petition

For events in other communities around Ontario
Contact the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice (OCSJ) at 416-441-3714 or at ocsj@ocsj.ca

Electricity Deregulation Would Be A Disaster

Can you afford to pay double for electricity?

Hospitals, schools, industries, businesses, farmers, seniors ... who can afford to pay double for electricity?

ACT NOW TO STOP THE DEREGULATION OF ONTARIO'S ENERGY SUPPLY!

In May 2002, the Government of Ontario plans to eliminate our reliable, at cost electricity. It also plans to sel off publicly owned generating plants. Deregulation and privatization would put Ontairo at the mercy of the high-priced, volatile U.S. electricity market. Our electricity rates would quickly jump to American prices -- a terrible blow to Ontario.

Seven reasons to stop deregulation

• Higher rates
  Electricity rates are much higher in deregulated, private markets. New York State rates are more than double Ontario's. California's recent deregulation disaster brought increases of up to 500%. Albertans were horrified as rates tripled with deregulation; thier Provincial Government poured $2 billion into consumer "rebates."
  
  
• Blackouts and brownouts
  Deregulating California's electricity markets caused more blackouts than Ontario has suffered in decades, from ice storms or anything else. Public power has protected us from market fluctuations in supply as well as price -- let's keep it that way.
  
  
• Economic instability
  At cost electricity has buttressed Ontario's economy for many years. A risky experiment with deregulation of eletricity would further destabilize an already unstable economy. Deregulating electricity would cause soaring rates and reduced reliability, leading to increased production costs -- and unemployment.
  
  
• Burden on public services
  Soaring electricity rates would put a significant burden on school boards, hospitals, public transit and other public services. Our public services are already in crisis and cannot afford to pay double for electricity.
  
  
• Unfair to people on fixed incomes
  Seniors and other members of our communities on fixed incomes would be hit hardest bu doubling electricity rates. Deregulation would harm the living standards of millions of Ontarians.
  
  
• Threat to sovereignty
  Because of a public outcry, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) includes claues that protect existing publicly owned institutions. However, if Ontario sells off public generating plants and deregulates the electricity market, NAFTA rules would make it extremely expensive to return to at-cost public utilites. NAFTA would also prevent us from cutting back on exports in times of Ontario shortages. Deregulation would cost us Canadian control over electricity.
  
  
• Loss of hope for environment
  Environmentalists have found it difficult to be heard about the ecological costs of Ontario's existing electricty generation and consumption. Privatization, deregulation and loss of sovereignty would close the door indefinitely on hopes for clean, accountable electrical utilities. The private power corporations waiting for a cheap sell-off of Ontario generating plants include some of North America's worst polluters.

About the Ontario Electricity Coalition

The Ontario Electricity Coalition unites organizations and individuals
committed to protecting at-cost, reliable electricity in Ontario.
The Coalition calls for truly accountable, publicly owned,
environmentlly responsible electrical utilities.

Ontario Electricity Coalition
890 Yonge St., Suite 502
Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3P4
Toll-free: 1-866-391-2733
Fax: 416-968-6836
oec@electricitycoalition.org
www.electricitycoalition.org

UNFIT TO GOVERN Workshop
Going Public In Our Communities

North Bay, along with communities throughout Ontario are standing up and declaring the Tories unfit to govern. Ontario communities ARE GATHERING EVIDENCE, TAKING ACTION AND GOING PUBLIC IN OUR COMMUNITY with the real local consequences of the Tory privatization agenda:

• loss of equal access to quality and accountable public services,
• increased poverty and loss of income security,
• increased costs to average Ontarians, and
• a decline in public safety and health.

The Ontario Coalition for Social Justice (OCSJ) challenges that communities supported by strong public services is the sustainable alternative. Through the UNFIT/FIT TO GOVERN project, we link and support communities across Ontario in their public education work and local agitation for change. Phase I culminates in a week of provincial action from April 27 - May 4, 2002. Phase Two, starting after May 2 and leading into the next provincial election is the community driven development of local alternatives to Tory style policies and politics, focusing on what makes a government fit to govern.

The UNFIT TO GOVERN campaign asks the questions:

• What will Ontario look like if this government is allowed to continue?
• What are the real costs of Tory economic and social policies?
• Who really benefits under Harris and privatization agenda?
• Why is our provincial government NOT standing up to the global corporate pressures that threaten our public services, when they still have real power to do so?

Join in the actions already being planned in: Peterborough, Burlington, Toronto, Guelph, Chatham, Northumberland County, London, Kingston, Kenora, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Fort Frances, Wawa, Windsor, Brockville, Lanark County, Thunder Bay, Bracebridge, Ottawa and Hamilton.

Contact the OCSJ at or 416-441-3714 for more info and how to get your community involved.

JOIN US:

JOIN us in affecting a gradual shift of the balance of public opinion on the Tories and privatization!

JOIN us in building solidarity for and between community efforts to stand up for strong communities supported by vibrant public services!

JOIN us in strengthening grassroots community efforts of resistance to and public education about the Tory agenda!

JOIN us in the collection and presentation of community specific evidence from across Ontario that proves that the Harris Tories are unfit to govern.

JOIN us in being part of the movement towards a commonly held basic set of principles for the minimum standards of what does make a government "fit"!

After May 4, join in the FIT TO GOVERN project which turns it attention to
community discussions and organizing around just what does make a government fit.
Contact the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice (OCSJ) at 416-441-3714 or at ocsj@ocsj.ca
for more information, including how to be a local organizer!

page updated April 22, 2002