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My 2006 Mayoral Campaign has completed, and it was a great experience. I met many people, learned a lot about our city, and presented some new ideas. I finished with 1019 votes, good enough for 23rd place of 38 contenders. Thank you to all who voted for me, and congratulations to David Miller and his team for a substantial victory. While I had some votes in each of the 44 city wards, David Miller won 42 of them. What pleases me most about David's platform is his commitment to a green healthy city.
So now that elections are over, city hall begins to reform for the next term. Lead positions are determined for various areas, one of which is 'parks and the environment'. While the new council has many things to get in order, there is one issue that requires immediate focus.
Site preparation for the Portlands Energy Centre is already underway. Enbridge Gas has presented plans for the new pipeline that will carry gas to the plant beneath residential streets. In December, the Ontario Energy Board will oversee a hearing on the pipeline. In January, they will present their decision, and shortly afterwards construction begins. Unless something dramatic happens, the building of this power plant is inevitable.
If I had become mayor, I had a very direct strategy to halt the Portlands Energy Centre. I present it here with hope that action is taken. Any variations on the plan are fully acceptable, as long as we achieve the end result. The objective is to resolve our electricity requirements by building renewable energy sources such as windmills and solar panels. Programs to reduce usage are also intelligent, but renewable energy is a direction that humanity must take to survive. The example that Toronto sets in this situation will influence the direction of many other cities, both in Canada and around the world.
My first step would be to contact Dalton McGuinty, leader of the Ontario provincial government. As 100% owners of Ontario Power Generation, the province is the decision-maker about the energy centre. Though they have the legal right to build whatever they want wherever they want, there are many alternatives. With elections upcoming next year, the provincial government desires public acceptance of their government. It is possible to create a situation where everyone wins, and all it requires is innovative thinking and a bit of stubbornness.
I would present Mr. McGuinty with two contrasting headlines. Either headline is possible, and as mayor I would be committed to influencing public perception about this situation. The headlines are 'Hero and Hero' or 'Hero and Villain'. In both cases, the mayor is the hero. The catch is that the mayor must be prepared to manifest either headline, based on the provincial response.
The 'Hero and Hero' solution is very straightforward. Cancel the Portlands Energy Centre and begin plans for a renewable energy source, either on the Portlands or in the lake. A windmill and solar farm could be operational before the next municipal election in 2010. Relocate the plans for the gas plant to Nanticoke, beside the highly polluting coal plant. When the Nanticoke Energy Centre begins production, shut down the coal plant. While Canada has recently deferred pollution reduction plans and backed out of the Kyoto agreement, this is primarily due to lack of foresight. The solution presented here is achievable within four years, and would make great strides towards our environmental obligations
The 'Hero and Villain' scenario takes a little more courage, and the mayor must be prepared to follow through. Since the province has already decided to build the gas plant, a firm stand is required. If the province refused to cancel the Portlands Energy Centre, I would arrange for road crews to tear up any streets that provide access to the building site. That would send a clear message. The hero part comes from the mayor standing up for the health of city and planet, with appropriate press releases.
As we learned from Caledonia, the provincial government prefers to negotiate. The province would be informed of both strategies, with an ultimatum set. If the Ontario Energy Board approves the Portlands Energy Centre in January, we would initiate the 'Hero/Villain' strategy. However, all negotiations would lead back to the 'Hero/Hero' scenario. If the current mayor of Toronto decides to accept this strategy, the battle is already won. For the next election we can have windmills instead of a gas plant, but we have to act now.
© Copyright 2006 Glenn Stewart Coles
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