To the editor:
On June 17, 2005 Iain Angus introduced a motion passed by city council requesting that the government of Ontario halt its plans to convert the Thunder Bay Generating Station from coal to natural gas, preferring instead “clean coal.”
It must have been a landmark day for Mr. Angus. First, he stood up to be counted with such personages as George W. Bush to deny the work of environmentalists and scientists worldwide. For Canada’s David Suzuki, for example, “clean coal” doesn’t exist. It is an advertising slogan like fat-free doughnuts or interest-free loans.
In so doing, Mr. Angus also contradicted the position of the New Democratic Party, who, in concert with the other two parties, banned coal power generation in the province two years previous to his resolution. Residents could only watch the progress of the conversion of the Atikokan generating station as Thunder Bay city council’s ongoing resolutions were instrumental in delaying the Thunder Bay facility’s conversion year on year – long enough apparently for the province to freeze and re-evaluate the feasibility of the entire project.
Mr. Angus broke ranks with his political party (increasingly politicians do) but what a time to do it. One would think it appropriate for city council to demonstrate a smidgen of humility at this point.
Instead Iain Angus, brandishing the legitimacy of his Energy Task Force, speaks not from his position of city councillor, but as the voice of the Northwest.
The Ontario government, he says, must ignore the analysis of its officials and accept the judgment outlined by the Common Voice Northwest task force.
What does its report say? Convert the Thunder Bay Generating Station to natural gas.
The people of Thunder Bay are smarter than the current stewards at city hall give us credit for. We hope the city’s 2005 resolution will not prove instrumental in the ultimate loss of the Thunder Bay Generating Station.
No sovereign government can delegate its responsibilities to a self-declared voice of the people. The voice of the Northwest should consider that the Northwest has many voices and that Common Voice Northwest is one of these – and not a parallel government.
Finally, in searching for consistency to Mr. Angus’ apparent confused undertakings, there appears to be a common thread – if the Liberal provincial government is for it, he is against it. As a city councillor, he can serve only one master: the NDP or the people of Thunder Bay.
It has to be one or the other – it can’t be both. He must choose.
William Orlesky,
Thunder?Bay
