Wetcoaster Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Much like the BC NDP opposition to the HST, they have confirmed that if elected the BC Hydro smart meters will stay. Oh yeah and they will not rule out instituting time of use pricing for electricity in future which is one of the main planks in the opposition to smart meters which open up such a pricing model. Michael Smyth writes of this in a column in the Vancouver Province. NDP wrath over smart meters much like hatred for HST But energy critic admits new devices wouldn't go, even if his party wins By Michael Smyth, The Province February 10, 2013 In the target-rich environment that is B.C. politics, one of the NDP's favourite objects of scorn has been the Liberal government's controversial smart meters. Ever since the Liberals announced they'd spend a billion dollars to install the high-tech power meters in every B.C. home, the New Democrats have been in full-on attack mode. "People doubt the value of the meters," said NDP energy critic John Horgan. "They doubt the safety of the meters. And that doubt is leading to a provincial program that, in the eyes of many, is illegitimate." Horgan, likely the next energy minister if the NDP wins the May election, has ripped just about every facet of the smart-meter program. Complaints of over-billing: "A lot of people have been shocked by their bills. They are fearful their new smart meters are not measuring accurately." Suspicions that smart meters will eventually charge customers a higher "time-of-use" rate during peak consumption periods: "Another way of gouging you for cooking your dinner at 6 p.m. when your family gets home from work." And spending $1 billion on a program without a detailed business plan: "This program is off the rails. It's among the worst policy decisions and implementation that I have ever seen." Quite the indictment. Perhaps only the hated harmonized sales tax has attracted more NDP wrath. All of which begs the question: What would the New Democrats do with the smart meters they detest so much? Horgan makes one thing clear: To the chagrin of smart-meter opponents, he says an NDP government won't get rid of them. "I'm the devil incarnate now because I said I won't take them off people's walls," said Horgan, noting the NDP has received 2,000 public complaints about smart meters in 2013 alone. "Every passing month another 100,000 or 200,000 meters were installed," Horgan said. "I've never said we could turn back the clock on a program of that scale." Fair enough. But what about those people who think radio waves from the wireless meters will make them sick? What about people who think smart meters are overcharging them? Or B.C. Hydro customers convinced smart meters are a computerized Trojan horse, designed to spring expensive "time-of-use billing" on them later on? Horgan makes no promises, other than to say an NDP government would turn the whole mess over to the B.C. Utilities Commission for an independent review. "We'll look at developing an opt-out program that will protect the integrity of the smart grid," Horgan said. "We'd look at opt-out provisions in other jurisdictions, the cost of opting out and who would pay those costs." In other words, maybe an NDP government would let you refuse to take a smart meter. Maybe they'd let you get rid of your smart meter if you already have one. And maybe you'd have to pay extra to go smart-meter-free. Maybe. One of the big questions, Horgan explained, is whether allowing a smart-meter opt-out provision would threaten the function of Hydro's "smart grid." For example: Hydro says one of the biggest benefits of smart meters is the ability to quickly detect and fix localized power failures. But couldn't Hydro still do that, even if some people don't have a smart meter? "I've had experts tell me you don't need a smart meter in every single house to have a smart grid," Horgan said. But what do you do when entire neighbourhoods or apartment buildings decide they don't want a smart meter? "On Gabriola Island, they've got a trap line at the ferry terminal and if anyone spots a Corix van, everybody goes on high alert to protect their old meters," Horgan said. (Corix is the Hydro contractor that replaces the old analog meters with smart meters.) Then there's the cost of an opt-out program. Horgan said an NDP government would question Hydro officials about that. "Those are questions I can't answer before an election, but I'm committed to getting the answers after an election," he said. But here's perhaps the biggest question of all: Would an NDP government introduce time-of-use billing, where Hydro customers are charged higher rates in the evening and other peak-demand periods? After all, that's why smart meters were invented in the first place. "Time-of-use pricing is not on my agenda," Horgan said. But then he added: "I don't know what the future holds." http://www.theprovin...l#ixzz2KXIq3YsD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 If the NDP was in power the smart meters would have already been forced upon everyone a long time ago, time of use pricing included from the day of install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 What are they going to do. Spend another billion dollars to have them removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 If the NDP was in power the smart meters would have already been forced upon everyone a long time ago, time of use pricing included from the day of install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 What are they going to do. Spend another billion dollars to have them removed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 And your basis for this opinion is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 NDP's track record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 They didn't seem to have an issue with the cost of "removing" the HST.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 The NDP didn't remove the HST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 NDP's track record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enforcer22 Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Crusty as Premier is a JOKE. She is about as scandalous as they come. Nice of the Liberals to not let the BCUC look into these STUPID meters, before they start installing. As well as not allow ANY democratic process to take place before SHOVING them down our throats. Did I mention they are not C.S.A approved? Or the fact they are a Class 2B carcinogen according to the W.H.O? Or that they cause a break in the human D.N.A chain? Or that the military has already done testing of weapons that use Microwave Radiation (which is the same technology as these meters)? Or, that they interfere with house alarms and are a MAJOR fire hazard. Silly that Hydro and insurance companies will not pick up the tab for a house fire's damage. They also have a zigby chip in them that allow for Hydro/Lieberals to trample on your privacy rights. Not to mention the peak hour usage billing they WILL introduce once the system is turned on. They ARE a lot more harmful than a cell phone call, no matter what LIES Hydro has said about this. N. America has the worst laws against this dirty power being subjected to it's public, than anywhere else worldwide. Hydro also has the ability to tap into Canada's pension fiances whenever they choose. This program will have costed the tax payers well over $2.5 Billion when it's all over and done with and perhaps even more than that (until they all need to be replaced in the next five to ten years, costing us another $Billion then). These objects are not only meter's, but also Transmitters, that is full of dangerous signals to us humans. I wish we could scrap the whole stupid program, but until we have an opt out, I have to have my meter locked up like the pentagon. I can not believe the Liberal Govnmt, can get away with all the scandalous and treasonous behaviour. The public, by law states we SHOULD get the right to vote on these death traps, as we are supposed to be able to live in a democratic country, where we get the choice to say no to something harmful strapped to our house, irradiating us all to death S-L-O-W-L-Y. I hope Crusty the Liberals, and B.C. Hydro, somehow pay for this program they forced on the public, that OWNS Hydro to begin with. I will be voting N.D.P JUST BECAUSE of the Liberals behaviour regarding this, not to mention all the other sneaky crap Crusty has pulled since she has been elected Premier of B.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 These right wing propoganda posts are *yawn* getting old. The BC Liberals and their supporters are so desperate to get the focus off them they are creating things that are not news. This is one of those "have you stopped hitting your dog" questions which the reporter demands a yes or no answer. No matter how you answer it your toast - even though you never even owned a dog let alone touched one. On a weeked that news media attention on a potential Liberal MLA who is facing tax charges - resulted in their stepping aside ( BC Liberals seemed to have known and been ok with it ) and that doesn't get posted but this does here? Speaks volumes really that these posters care nothing for BC it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpt Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Just like the NDP, all complaining and no substance. The funny thing is people support because they say the right things but when it comes to action they continue to fall short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Just like the NDP, all complaining and no substance. The funny thing is people support because they say the right things but when it comes to action they continue to fall short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wetcoaster Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 These right wing propoganda posts are *yawn* getting old. The BC Liberals and their supporters are so desperate to get the focus off them they are creating things that are not news. This is one of those "have you stopped hitting your dog" questions which the reporter demands a yes or no answer. No matter how you answer it your toast - even though you never even owned a dog let alone touched one. On a weeked that news media attention on a potential Liberal MLA who is facing tax charges - resulted in their stepping aside ( BC Liberals seemed to have known and been ok with it ) and that doesn't get posted but this does here? Speaks volumes really that these posters care nothing for BC it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 The NDP didn't remove the HST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 sorry that others opinions are such that you feel to call posters whinners and complainers. I truley feel that all people within Canada have a right to an opinion. I have never posted information regarding that aboved named person other then refernce to the link and asked why that would not be mentioned by people who are proffessing to be so worried about BC. I no longer feel free to post my thoughts. From http://www.cbc.ca/ne...ax-charges.html it says "was charged last October, just weeks before the B.C. Liberal Party announced he would be their candidate in the riding of Surrey-Panorama." That is was left me with the feeling that someone there had to know - Charged is very different from being convicted and the guy could be 100% completely innocent. My only point - I repeat this again - My only point was why would that news story not also have warranted discussion? And Kudos to him for doing the correct thing - stepping aside while the process unfolds. I would say the same for any NDP candidate in the same situation. I would rather see and NPD win in that riding because voters wanted to vote for them rather then see a win based soley on voting against someone. Ditto for both parties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 The NDP didn't remove the HST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 No but they made it so good old Vanderscam could come in, fleece the public, and run away laughing back to the rock he crawled out from under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbinger Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 They ran anti-HST ads for months leading up to the referendum, all the while knowing that the cost to BC taxpayers would be astronomical. It was all about opposing an idea because it was introduced by the Liberals, not because they honestly believed that it was the better alternative for the province. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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