PUBLIC POLICY AUTHOR TO SPEAK
The Comox Valley Water Watch Coalition, in co-sponsorship with the Council of Canadians and the Comox Valley Environmental Council, will host an informative program ., Tuesday, April 22, regarding the privatization of water and hydro. Featured will be John Calvert, Vancouver-based author of the recently published Liquid Gold – a well researched expos? of the changes in store regarding water generation and supply here in our province. The talk will begin at 7 pm at the Florence Filberg Centre;
Admission is by donation.

According to the book review appearing on www.amazon.ca, "In an argument against energy privatization, this revealing account shows how British Columbia's successful public system is being supplanted, exposing taxpayers to the risks and uncertainties associated with the United States energy market. With British Columbia's energy system gradually integrating into the larger Northwest transmission grid – a grid largely controlled by U.S. energy corporations – this survey shows how the Canadian government has gone to extraordinary lengths to assist the growth of private energy investments in British Columbia and how such subsidization poses a danger to key contributors to the province's prosperity."

"The privatization of our run-of-the-river water power resources by the provincial government is happening under the radar screen," said Calvert. "It will result in ratepayers being forced to pay billions of dollars more for their energy in the coming decades. There has been no public discussion of the long-term implications on future prices, community impacts, the environment or the ability of citizens in BC to maintain control of their electricity system in the future? Citizens need to be aware that the province is giving away our energy and environmental rights, and if the silence continues they'll get away with it."

John Calvert is an associate professor at Simon Fraser University, where he teaches public policy. He has a PhD from the London School of Economics in political science and an MA from the University of Western Ontario. He is the author of three books on Canadian public policy and economic issues and currently sits on the executive board of BC Citizens for Public Power.

For more information contact the CVWWC at 335-0747.