The May, 2009 issue of Common Ground contains a special supplement, Take Back Your Power. It contains four articles, a map, and a list of rivers threatened by river privatization projects. It's very worthwhile material, but one article that is particularly valuable is Key BC Liberal insiders hired by private power developers (PDF).

It's a long list. Here are some of the more prominent names on it:

Patrick Kinsella, Co-chair of 2001 and 2005 BC Liberal provincial campaigns - has consulted for Alcan, Accenture and now Plutonic Power. Alleged to have worked for both CN and BC Rail as BC Rail was being sold to CN.

Tom Syer, former deputy chief of staff to Gordon Campbell, now a director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Mark Grant, former executive director of the BC Liberal Party, now with Rupert Peace Power.

Michael J. O’Conner, former President and CEO of Crown Corporation BC Transit, now holds senior positions at Naikun.

Geoff Plant, former BC Liberal Attorney General, now chair of Renaissance Power.

You can go directly to the YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/saveourrivers.

From the Innergex 2008 Third Quarter Report, p. 15:

"The construction of the Ashlu Creek hydroelectric project is progressing well. Work is complete on the access roads,transmission lines, switchyard, creek diversion using cofferdams, and emergency spillway. Construction activities are basically completed at the intake and sluiceway, 98% at the concrete substructure of the powerhouse and 95% for the equipment fabrication. The horizontal mining of the tunnel is over 75% completed, but there have been some delays due to unfavourable geotechnical conditions. The tunnelling contractor continues to add resources to mitigate these delays, as they could lead to liquidated damages for late delivery. The expected commercial-in-service date is at the end of 2009. The financing for the construction of the Ashlu Creek hydroelectric project provides for a certain expected in-service date and equity funding requirements. On October 9, 2008, the Corporation and the lenders agreed on an amended credit agreement reflecting a rescheduled in-service date (as agreed to by BC Hydro) as well as the additional equity invested by the Corporation for the completion of the project."

Ledcor will have to sue its way through Ashlu Mountain because the mountain, like the public who stood for the environment and against corruption, decided that this river was not to be destroyed or taken from its natural state.

The Ledcor and Innergex legacy: dead fish, dead bears, dead environment. Leave the Ashlu watershed unmolested.

Article by Laura Hendrick in the Whistler Question: No peace for Ashlu IPP

Excerpt: "Now that the facility’s construction is nearing completion, a string of broken assurances and unfulfilled promises over amenities have left nearby residents feeling more embittered than ever."

Excerpt: "There's the B.C. Ministry of Environment. Surely it can be depended upon to look after public interests in the great outdoors British Columbians like to boast about. Unfortunately, we know from other matters such as the Eagleridge case and the South Fraser Perimeter Road that the Environmental Assessment Act is only invoked after the decision has been made."

Click here

This is a dam on a river that was saved by due process and then given to a developer friend of the Premier of BC. The regulatory process and the environmental processes are a farce.

Ruining a highly productive salmon river would cause the public to react and so the government spares no expense to keep the truth from the public.

Under Gordon Campbell's BC Rivers are being given away. Absolutely no one is speaking for the public who own the electric energy system, the rivers, wind , thermal and tidal sites all being given away since 2002.