Editor,
Marvin Gaye asked this question in 1971. Listen to the song. By 1993 not much changed when Linda Perrry of the ‘4 Non-Blondes’ group released What’s Up which again asked the question, ‘What’s Going On?’ Listen to the song. Perhaps the time has come 33 years later for all of us to ask, or maybe yell out this question: WHATS GOING ON?
I am sure most understand the challenges facing the globe with Democracy being under pressure, ethical leadership being replaced with deception and lies led by “leaders” who promote questionable agenda. This is dangerous enough, but it seems “what’s going on” is we are in a world led by corporations and their quest for money, profits and power. These rich corporate power brokers across the globe are exerting their power on Governments: our elected officials and making decisions based on their agenda rather than the common good.
Corporations exist to make profits. They grow economies which provide jobs, infrastructure, social stability and growth. This is great for our country. The growing challenge however is how several of these achieve their goal: profits. They advance their quest using promises, perceived public engagement, environmental protection and existing for YOU: their customers. In my experience profits are paramount and the rest is just decoration: and many of the largest corporations are skilled at decorating!
Let’s look at Meaford. We are in the voting stage of our municipal election. It is time for us to have our say with votes. We have a proposed project that will affect all of Ontario for the next 5 decades (maybe 10) being promoted by Trans Canada Energy (TCE). We also have a litany of other challenges facing the incoming council which to their credit all hopefuls pledge to manage. Do we vote for words or action? Platforms are words, past performance shows action: how did the current council vote when being enticed by TCE to adopt their pumped energy storage versus the opposition from most of their constituents to avoid this union. Without consultation with available expertise (that knew more about dams and storage than their suitors) a 5 to 2 vote to support TCE’s proposal was passed. The opposition (which was substantial) got ignored. The “for” councillors were the Mayor Ross Kentner, Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveny, councillors Tony Bell, Rob Uhrig, and the now retired Steve Bartley. The against vote was Councillors Brandon Forder and Harley Greenfield. That was a chance for Meaford council to end this boondoggle and they failed. With my accumulated education on this matter, I find this one action to be inexcusable.
TCE have been very active in places where they can influence public opinion: enhance the decoration for this Pumped Storage proposal. They have set up “coffee chats” where they can sell the questionable advantages of the project to people who want answers…but get decoration. Various TCE staff have attended several Council meetings in Meaford and occasionally in The Blue Mountains and beyond. They have done the odd deputation to explain their project but rarely could answer resulting questions, noting the project has “not yet advanced that far and we await our own studies”. What they do not debate is the escalating costs (now estimated over $10 billion), the efficiency/waste from the project (about 1400 MW to make available 1000MW: 400+MW wasted) and advantages of alternatives that have become available since TCE was given this opportunity. Note there was no Request For Quote (RFQ) during the procurement process back in 2016 (or was it 2017). TCE, it seems was the only company to express interest. Why? Profit potential! Despite the fact they have no experience in pumped storage: they seem to be selling us an empty promise.
In a recent statement by our “experienced” corporation TC Energy, have announced they are bringing in an Australian company Worley to support the next development phase. Also included is AECOM who has their headquarters in Texas but has operations in Canada. TCE promised exclusively Canadian labour to be used. This is pushing that claim I would think. They require outside engineers and development companies for a project they have promoted for close to a decade?
TCE’s track record is far from acceptable to have them construct an energy storage system which is outside of their expertise. Our council has approved a corporation that have zero experience in pumped energy storage to try out this on our lands (our lands include DND). TCE can learn, without I assume accountability. They are using our tax dollars to pay for their education. For a starter I believe we need to recover our $285 million donation from our provincial government. This entire fiasco needs to be reigned in, reviewed using common sense. The IAAC are working hard to find ways to advance TCE’s request not to block it. TCE’s record is one of paying the fines for various mistakes/mishaps as it costs less than mitigating them. Believe me or do your own investigating: to start, google “The Polaris Institute” who will provide details.
To finish, I just advise people to take the time to ask What Is Going On. When corporations put the common good aside for achieving their profit agendas and using their monetary power to gain access to the governments that we elect puts democracy at risk. Our council decided from a position of power but also of ignorance to make an ill-advised commitment to TC Energy without consultation with available expertise. This issue is paramount for Meaford to get it right. That requires those 5 in council to be accountable; their words do not make the grade we require going forward. We need to vote and know What’s Going On?
Pat Maloney, Meaford
