CORNWALL, Ontario – The protest of Hydro One in front of MPP Jim McDonell’s office was hampered by rain, but organizer Dave Varin said that the most important supporter, Jim McDonell, was there.
“At least I got to meet Jim,” Varin said, “He was kind enough to show up.”
Varin was the only protester from the group Hydro One, Enough is Enough, who made it to the planned protest on Saturday, June 11, in front of McDonell’s office on Second Street West.
Holding a sign which read “Paying 70% more for Quebec residents is unfair,” Varin said that the people of Ontario should not have to choose between paying for Hydro and paying their mortgage.
“The Liberal Government has made a mess of the energy file and they are continuing on a trajectory that will continue to make life in Ontario unaffordable for its residents and uncompetitive for its businesses,” McDonell told The Seaway News. “We have seen that only public outrage and public protests, like this, have had any success in forcing them reconsider their policies.”
In May, the Liberal Government of Premier Kathleen Wynne drew criticism for proposing to phase out natural gas for home heating and was eventually forced to back-track on the issue.
McDonell criticized the government for rushing to bring in renewable energy without considering the cost.
“As it stands now, implementing the Liberal plan with cost the Ontario $2 billion in infrastructure upgrades,” he said. “You have to go back to economics sometime.”
The MPP for SD&SG went on to say that the Liberal government had to start listening to the experts.
“Their plans have been criticized by the Ontario Energy Board,” he said. “So in the latest plan, they passed a law so now they no longer have to listen to them.”
