Keep Hydro Public group vows to stop sale of Hydro One

“This is further evidence that Premier Wynne and the Liberal government have no interest in what anybody else thinks of this plan,” said Katrina Miller, spokesperson for the Keep Hydro Public Campaign. “Despite 83 percent of Ontarians being opposed to selling Hydro One, and municipalities, businesses, and First Nation Groups calling on the government to consult broadly before moving forward, the government is barreling ahead with a short-sighted cash grab that could have disastrous results.”

The Keep Hydro Public Campaign, involving more than 20 labour, community, environmental and student organizations, has been building opposition to the government’s plan across the province for the last four months. Over that time, 140 municipalities have passed resolutions opposing the sale, and according to a recent Environics poll, public opposition has jumped 20 points.

“We are going to step up our efforts to stop this sale because everywhere we go, more people join us in calling on the government to keep hydro public,” said Miller. “Now the initial prospectus is out, we will be reviewing all avenues to stop or delay the sale, including legal action.”

Miller also pointed out the risk that Liberal candidates, the government and investors face from public opposition if they move forward with the sale. Recent polling by Environics showed half of Ontarians are less likely to vote Liberal in the federal election in light of the provincial Liberal plan to sell Hydro One. Half also said their opinion of a corporation would go down if it bought shares in Hydro One.

“The government is risking the federal Liberal party’s election chances, and in three years its own re-election, by proceeding with this sale,” said Miller, “and investors should be very wary of the reputational risk involved with buying shares of a publicly owned utility the public does not want to sell. It’s time to listen to what Ontario has been saying and keep hydro public.”

Fascism: the merger of corporate and state power: Benito Mussolini, World War II dictator of Italy and ally of Adolph Hitler