Use Canadian Clean Hydro Electrical Power for Canadian Needs!

Konrad Yakabuski, Globe and Mail business writer, broke a story on December 30th reporting that Hydro Quebec is negotiating with two New England states for the first long term export of Quebec hydro electrical power to the USA in two decades. The 20 year sweet deal for US consumers requires approval of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). No mention was made of any Canadian approvals.

The deal will require two private US power utilities to invest $700 million (U.S.) to build a transmission line from a substation in Sherbrooke Quebec to New Hampshire USA where clean Quebec hydro power will be distributed through the New England power grid to provide non-polluting Canadian generated electrical power to Boston USA.

Ontario, desperately in need of clean power and anticipating imports of Quebec Hydro power, planned to build a transmission line from Quebec to Ontario. Slowness of the McGuity Liberals to conclude a deal on the project between Canada’s two largest and most industrialized provinces means the line may now be used to transmit Quebec hydro power through Ontario to the USA leaving Ontario out in the cold.

The plan to export large volumes of clean Quebec hydro electrical power to the USA occurs at a time when Canadian environmentalists are demanding that Ontario seek alternatives to its reliance on coal fired and expensive nuclear generated electrical power.

US environmentalists are calling for boycotts of energy imports produced from the Alberta Tar Sands. Nothing like having it both ways, use clean Canadian hydro power (No Buy American ban on this commodity) to meet President Obama’s targets for clean energy while at the same time damning Tar Sands production that employ Canadian workers.

Canadian environmentalists need to reassess. So long as Canadian energy is considered an exportable commodity instead of a national resource needed to serve the common good, neither Canadian jobs nor the environment can be protected.

The answer is obvious! Nationalize all Canadian energy and do it now! Develop east west hydro electric grids and construct east west natural gas and oil pipelines with up graders and refineries in Canada to process the products. That is real stimulus and job creation.

A new energy policy is needed to serve Canadian needs first. Then we can talk about exporting surpluses to the USA.

Left Turn Canada!