[Marcarc]

RE: the above<br /> <br /> I was dreaming to, then I read about direct democracy. Turns out MOST canadians support such ideas already. So why don't we have them? I suspect you know the answer. At least working towards the dream has benefits.<br /> <br /> <br /> As far as the energy stuff goes, my earlier tirade was towards a national energy program and it's possible implementation. Certainly shouldn't be applied to Ontario's power woes. Interestingly enough there is virtually nothing on the renewable energy front or conservation front even though we are in dire straits. There aren't even commercials for pete's sake-they simply are relying on the federal 'one tonne challenge' to do their work for them. As usual, it's 'do nothing til the crisis then people will let us do whatever we want so long as we get them power'. Quite right about nuclear and coal, and right again with regards to Quebec. Keep in mind though that Innu and native groups are not always adamant against things, they are an extremely practical people by necessity. This means that support can be given 'if we'd stop screwing them over'. They quite literally could be the new 'oil barons', but the past gives no comfort, and the present little reason to 'trust whitey'. For more gloom and doom there is currently NO research I'm aware of to harness tidal power, that was shut down by NB in the eighties due to lack of resources or political reasons. Energy research really should be fronted by the federal government, but alas...

[Perturbed]

[QUOTE BY= lesouris] Okay, I just have two questions (and their subsquent answers):<br /> <br /> <br /> 1. Q. Who will pay for this grid?<br /> A. The tax payers of Ontario<br /> <br /> 2. Q. Who will benefit the most from this financially?<br /> A. The people of Nefoundland and Labrador, as long as they don't have Joey Smallwood as their chief negotiator. Newfoundland and Labrador would thus receive less equalization payments, and more federal money could go to people across the country.<br /> <br /> This may not be a national energy network in itself, but it will effectively create a giant energy grid serving 60% of the Canadian population (Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador), and that's a pretty good start.<br /> <br /> By the way, this new source of renewable energy would make Ontario's coal power generating stations obsolete, and some of Canada's worst polluters would shut down. If it helps to bring us closer to our Kyoto targets, then I'm all for it.<br /> <br /> My concerns in this case are that the dam in Labrador would have to be built on land claimed by the Innu, and that we don't really have any more suitable places to build hydro-electric dams, so we will still need to find different alternative sources of energy eventually, and I'm not too crazy about fossil fuels or nuclear power. Does anyone know how that harnassing the power of the wave is going? Afterall, the Maritimes would be the logical place to do that, wouldn't they?[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> <br /> There is also Manitoba, and Quebec has all that power they are currently sending to Boston and New York.

[Brother Jonathan]

[QUOTE by Marcarc]</b> …you can claim that you don’t pay in your province [for health care] when you go through the door, but that’s even true in the states where they must treat you by law (there is no such law in Canada).<b>[/QUOTE]<br /> Only “emergency medical conditions” as presented in emergency rooms have a “must treat” status here.<br /> <br /> [QUOTE by Marcarc]</b> For 35 grand I could set up a wind/solar system which would more than meet my demands, all I’d need is a interest/cost saving program such as are available all over the states to implement it.<b>[/QUOTE]<br /> Unfortunately not in all of the states. Were it available here in Vermont, I’d’ve jumped on it long ago. Most states do allow for net metering, though (where on-grid self-produced electricity in excess of self-consumption must be purchased by one’s utility).<br /> <br /> [QUOTE by lesouris]</b> Does anyone know how that harnessing the power of the wave is going?<b>[/QUOTE]<br /> I think that Norway is out in front there.<br /> <br /> [QUOTE by Perturbed]</b> …and Quebec has all that power they are currently sending to Boston and New York.<b>[/QUOTE]<br /> And Vermont. Our contract with Hydro Quebec expires in 2012 — plan accordingly.