.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Chanting "public power for the people," a group of nearly 60 concerned residents and union members rallied in front of the legislative assembly Friday in protest of possible privitization of the NWT Power Corp.

The government is considering a proposal to merge the Northwest Territories Power Corporation with ATCO, an Alberta based utility and power generation company.

Union of Northern Workers president Todd Parsons speaks at a rally in front of the legislature Friday, voicing concerns over the government's consideration of a proposal from Alberta-based ATCO to merge with the government-owned Northwest Territories Power Corporation. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

"We want the power and energy production to remain in the control of the public and control of the NWT residents," said PSAC regional executive vice-president Jean-Francois Des Lauriers.

Union of Northern Workers President Todd Parsons said the power corporation was bought and paid for with tax dollars from NWT residents.

"Our NWT cabinet – the people we elected – are thinking of selling our power corporation," he said.

Parsons said jobs and profits will go south if the corporation is privatized.

"It's obvious it's going south," he said. "There's no one large enough to take over the power corporation up here."

While the government has not committed to anything, a review team was assembled by Premier Floyd Roland to look at the viability of the merger. Roland said no decision will be made on the ATCO proposal until the government's energy review and a review of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation are completed.

At Friday's rally, organizers distributed a recently released GNWT progress report on the ATCO proposal. The report dated May 25 details what was discussed in initial meetings and what will be on the table in the future.

It also states, "ATCO has made the point that there are only limited opportunities to reduce the cost of operation under the current system, unless the GNWT is open to exploring changes in the way NTPC operates."

Parsons said, in the past, other jurisdictions have sold their power corporations and customers saw their rates rise.

"Privatizing our power corporation is unlikely to lower costs," he said. "Private industry is in the business of making money."

Des Lauriers added: "to me, it's like Colonel Sanders looking after the chickens."

Anneka Westergreen, a UNW Local 33 member, said she thought service would go down and rates would go up if a private business was put in charge of providing power.

Parsons said approximately 130 union members currently work for the power corporation.

"This is bigger than just the members," he said.

He said 50 per cent of the corporation's profits go to the territorial government and could not understand why the government wanted to get rid of the asset.

"I'm assuming they're wanting to get a quick injection of cash," he said.

He said the union will continue to lobby against the proposal throughout the summer.

Des Lauriers questioned the panel – consisting of private sector consultants – currently conducting the energy review that has criss-crossed the territory over the past few months.

"The whole thing is a sham," he said. "Of course they are going to come back to the government and say the private sector can do it better."

He said the current corporation provides subsidies for users in small communities.

"It is very efficient and a very good corporation and we want to keep it public," said Des Lauriers.