DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) - Monday, February 18, 2008    
 Question Period - J. Horgan   (system requirements)

J. Horgan: Nothing from the tax collector; nothing from the debt collector. Let's go to the third prize here: the Minister of Energy, responsible for B.C. Hydro.

Since 2004, B.C. Hydro rates have gone up 11 percent. B.C. Hydro projects a 25 percent increase between now and 2011. Can the minister confirm that his ideological fixation with private power is compromising the ability of B.C. Hydro to manage the energy resource for all British Columbians? And will he say, now that B.C. Hydro can buy power where it finds it, to do so in the interests of ratepayers, not in the interests of your friends?

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: I'm appreciative that my critic is actually asking me a question about IPPs, when he has been going around the province telling - or spreading, I should probably say - rumours that aren't quite true.

Let's go back in history a bit when....

Interjections.

Hon. R. Neufeld: No, actually, they're not true.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Choose your words carefully, Minister.

Hon. R. Neufeld: When he was a political hack in the NDP government...

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: ...in the Ministry of Energy and Mines....

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Through the Chair, please, Minister.

Hon. R. Neufeld: It was the NDP that built the largest natural gas-fired plant on Vancouver Island - 250 megawatts - and signed a contract with a United States company, an independent power producer.

On top of that, they were so wise that they took the cost, and they spread it across Fred and Mary. Fred and Mary - Fred and Martha, to tell you the truth - will actually have to bear the cost of the natural gas that goes into that plant. They didn't even have the wherewithal to make sure that that independent power producer had to actually absorb that kind of cost. That's how smart they were.

Of all the people to stand up and complain about IPPs....

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: This group has opposed....

Sit down, Member. You'll get your chance.

Mr. Speaker: Take your seat, please.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: This group has opposed every green power project in the province of British Columbia - every one of them. They have opposed it unilaterally in here and out on the street. That's unacceptable.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. We want to hear the question and hear the answer.

The member has a supplemental.

J. Horgan: I had ten cents on how long it would take to get to the 1990s, and I just lost it because I thought you'd give it a little bit more time than that. If we could harness the hot air that comes out of that minister, we'd have more megawatts than we'd know what to do with.

I realize this isn't a mutual admiration society, but a modicum of respect to ratepayers on that side of the House is in short supply. That's for sure.

Will the minister stand in this place and for once defend British Columbians, instead of independent power producers, and defend the people who built B.C. Hydro, the best Crown corporation in Canada? You guys have wrecked it in six short years.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Just wait.

Members.

Just take your seat, please. Take your seat.

Members, Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: Let's go to a little bit of history. I know it bothers the member over there, but let's....

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Take your seat. Just sit down.

Hon. R. Neufeld: Okay, we'll just take some more time.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Neufeld: If they are so opposed to independent power producers, why in 1996...? That was the dark decade, remember, Member.

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Member.

Hon. R. Neufeld: B.C. Hydro purchased $89 million from IPPs. Can you tell me why, if they're so bad?

Mr. Speaker: Member, through the Chair.

Hon. R. Neufeld: In 1997 B.C. Hydro purchased $90 million worth of electricity from IPPs. In 1998 B.C. Hydro purchased $114 million from IPPs, and in 1999, $105 million.

It's hard to understand how in the 1990s it was okay for that group of misfits to actually purchase electricity from IPPs, but today there's something wrong with it.

Mr. Speaker: Just take your seat for a second.

I want people to be very careful in how they choose their words. I want members to listen to the question and listen to the answer. If we want to continue with question period, we're going to show a little bit of a sign of respect for both sides.