My colleagues and I at the Alberta Liberal Caucus are committed to fighting the Stelmach administration’s attempt to significantly increase Albertans electricity bills.

This fall, MLAs will debate Bill 50, which mandates the construction of a number of power lines between Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray while cancelling the public interest hearings that would normally be required. The projects will cost billions of dollars – and hard-working Albertans will pay 100% of the bill, hundreds of dollars extra every year on our power bills.

Public interest consultation is absolutely necessary when we’re talking about these projects, because they have an impact on every single Albertan today and for generations to come. The Stelmach administration must not be allowed to ignore the public and disregard the opposition to their plans; Albertans must have their say.

Bill 50 continues a pattern of Stelmach administration contempt for Albertans’ role in approving electricity infrastructure. With Bill 46 in 2007, the PC administration considerably weakened Albertans’ ability to make their voices heard. Now Bill 50 shows the Premier wants to silence those voices completely.

My collegue Alberta Liberal MLA Kent Hehr agrees, and hopes all MLAs, regardless of party affiliation, will stand up for their constituents by speaking out against Bill 50 – even if that could mean getting kicked out of the government caucus. He feels that all PC MLAs, particularly those in Edmonton and Calgary, must stand up for Albertans on this matter.

I want an open, fair and accountable regulatory process and a power grid that serves Albertans.

In my opinion, we should focus on locally-generated power whenever possible. Enmax, for example, proposes to build an 800 megawatt energy centre close to Calgary to meet that city’s energy needs. It’s cheaper and better for the environment than building a new line from Edmonton and shipping the power south.

And what about building a smart, modern grid rather than just rebuilding the old one?

Why is Ed Stelmach scared of Albertans being able to ask these questions?

David