Media release - for immediate release
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
www.greenenergybc.ca
January 27, 2009
Anti-run-of-river road show
pulls into Powell River
Myths are their message,
but will disruptive tactics also take place?
“Powell River’s January 27 open house about the Bute Inlet run-of-river proposal promises to draw some of the usual activists who oppose new clean energy development,” said David Field, co-spokesperson for B.C. Citizens for Green Energy. “As usual they’ll be spreading their discredited myths. But there’s a disturbing possibility that they’ll disrupt the event, shout people down and make it difficult to express information that they don’t want people to hear.”
Activists have been attending open houses for other proposals in B.C. But at a Dec. 4 open house in Pemberton, for example, an out-of-town rent-a-mob shouted down proposals to increase fish and wildlife habitat.
“According to a news report, they were shouting and interrupting speakers. Local people had little chance to speak, as the out-of-town crowd almost monopolized the event. You’d think they’d want to hear the speakers and learn about the plan to enhance salmon and wildlife habitat. But the mob had their own agenda.”
Central to the agenda is a litany of discredited myths: the environmental desecration myth; the cumulative effects myth; the skyrocketing rates myth; the privatization myth; the myth that 500 or more rivers will be sold, stolen or given away; and so on.
The BCCGE Web site responds to their myths here:
www.greenenergybc.ca/myths.html
“It’s not just the nonsense they’re spreading, but the way they express it,” said Field. “Some of their salaried campaigners specialize in angry shouting. Mob tactics have prevailed at some open houses. They seem to want a monopoly on public opinion.”
Among the groups that have promised to attend Powell River’s January 27 open house are the Save Our Rivers Society, a once-anonymous group that suddenly gained prominence on hiring former talk show host Rafe Mair. SORS also has the money to produce very heavy-handed propaganda films. SORS is part of a well-funded, tightly knit coalition of groups closely allied with COPE 378, a BC Hydro union.
Together they have probably spent six figures already on a campaign that includes salaried speakers, full-time campaigners and support staff, province-wide public events, billboards, glossy brochures, flashy Internet banner ads and sophisticated radio ads. Last October they hosted a two-day training session in Vancouver with subsidized travel and accommodation for activists from across the province. COPE 378 also offers financial or other support to smaller groups across B.C., such as Malaspina Communities for Public Power.
“The result is a very vocal network of small groups taking direction from a central source,” said Field. “That explains why all those so-called environmentalists keep coming back to the public/private issue. It’s irrelevant to the environment, but crucial to COPE 378.”
“That also explains why they spin such melodramatic scenarios about the supposed environmental effects of run of river, while at the same time supporting COPE 378, which wants to restore Burrard Thermal to full capacity,” Field added. “That would make the gas-fired plant in Port Moody one of B.C.’s worst sources of greenhouse gases.”
“But independents are the best way for B.C. to develop new clean electricity sources,” said Field. “The financial risk is way too high for a public utility spending public money. Only a fraction of clean energy proposals ever get developed, despite a great expenditure in time and money.”
“We need new sources of renewable electricity to fuel a sustainable economy and lifestyle for the future. Europe has led the way, now President Barack Obama is taking bold, decisive action. British Columbians can’t let a noisy, disruptive campaign of misinformation cause us to sacrifice our future economy and environment.”
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For more information contact David Field
Co-spokesperson, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy
604-529-1604
e-mail us
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy is an advocacy group representing a cross-section of British Columbians who encourage a legacy of clean, sustainable electricity for future generations.