June 30, 2001

Editor, Vancouver Sun

Energy Minister Richard Neufeld says that BC Hydro is a "gorilla", and needs to be broken up (Scott Simpson, June 29).  But Mr. Neufeld is its zookeeper.  So who is running this zoo - the zookeeper, or the gorilla? 

Some zoo, where the animals dictate the rules.  Some zoo, where the zookeeper kills the unruly animals.

Mr. Neufeld says Hydro is "cash-starved".  But BC Hydro returns hundreds of millions of dollars to the provincial treasury every year.  If the crown corporation is cash-starved, it is because Minister Neufeld and his government are draining it.  And it is his government that extended the rate freeze he complains of.

Mr. Neufeld can't control Hydro so he wants to kill it.  Hydro has no money, because he won't let it have any.  It is time to put BC Hydro back into the regulatory jurisdiction of the BC Utilities Commission, where Mr. Neufeld would get some help managing his gorilla, and Hydro’s rate requirements would be subject to an open and rigourous review.

Hydro remains a wonderful provincial legacy and financial asset.  Killing the gorilla is very bad zoo policy.

Arthur Caldicott
Cobble Hill