Bad Press?
I try to refrain from discussing PEI where I used to live. But it is just so hard to hold back sometimes. But gee...I guess I can do so as a major player in that economy - the individual Canadian taxpayer. Kick me if I you disagree.
Most places in Canada there is the sense that there are policial and commercial and newsmedia which each know their roles and actively pursue them. I was sadly not amazed, then, to read this article from CBC PEI, presented as a news article on a CBC website today which displays the utterly confusion of these roles in society in a number of ways. It appears to be largely a corporate press release printed by a public news organ without much critical analysis, affirming corporate decisions which effectively create public policies rather than an independent review of the range of options on a certain issue available to the community. For example, from the article:
- "Most provinces regulate prices, because electricity in this country is supplied by monopolies. You don't have any choice what company you buy your electricity from." What the CBC does not say is that gas for your car is also regulated in PEI by the same body to remove competition killing the market and choice. The inversion of regulation in PEI to limit market forces is not an issue.
- "When Newfoundland-based Fortis bought Maritime Electric in 1994, it bought it with the understanding that over the following five years it would bring rates down from 30% above New Brunswick's to 10% above. Also included in the agreeement was the understanding there would be no more annual rate hearings - no need to defend costs." What is also not stated is the apparent silent partner to the agreement - the government - who must have made the promise of no hearings before the private companies signed. Why did that happen seetnig PEI apart from all other provinces? No analysis by the CBC.
- "The company has announced it wants to build a new 50 MW generator on P.E.I. at a cost of $34 million. Maritime Electric says it needs the plant because demand continues to grow and sources of electricity have become scarce and expensive in the region. The government is anxious for the plant to be built to justify bringing natural gas to the Island." The CBC is ignoring the silly proposal to build a 200+ KW plant to supply all current and future needs which was all the news for months until quietly retracted. What the taxpayers of Canada are ultimately going to be asked to finance is project in the hundred of millions to bring a gas pipeline to PEI to make electricity there rather than fund tens of millions to just lay more electric cables to the province. Why does the CBC not include this in the analysis? If there are cables there would be wheeling and an open market and competition.
While I am something of a soft socialist, anti-market private monopolies supported by provincial intrusions help no one. Without a media that can and will look deeper than the press releases faxed to them, the ability of politicial cliques and private interests to have their way run amok. Given that 41% of the provincial budget is direct transfer and the economy is largely supported through other means, would not the propensity to stifle the market, reduce economic opportunities and maintain dependency not be at least something that might be touched upon, questioned? Sadly, even during an election, these are ideas never raised.
But, like I say, I may be wrong. Tell me why.
Comments
Wayne - September 12, 2003 3:11 PM
Al, you are doing a great job of not discussing PEI...you are actually discussing the media in general, and CBC in particular, both of which are badly infected with PFO's.
Alan - September 12, 2003 3:16 PM
Well, I wil give you that - and I am not suggesting that this is unique to PEI. In fact, it reminds me of John Buchanan and <i>The Halifax Chronical-Herald</i> of old. What is most alarming, as you say, is that this is the CBC.
Humblebub - September 12, 2003 8:05 PM
I think that an objective view (and comment) of our little corner of paradise is a good thing. In the meantime, I am going to do what Mr. Binns has suggested and just turn out a few lights and use less electricity.
Alan - September 17, 2003 10:15 AM
<p>Prepare to put your hand in your pocket for PEI, Canada, if those Tories do what they appear to be doing and win another election. Where Boy-Ghiz wishes to do the sensible thing and lay another cable for 10 to 25 million to provide all the electricity, Binns wants the fantasy of independence to come to fruition electrically speaking at a tag now hovering at 300 million or a tenth of the annual GPP of the three billion dollar economy. The province does not even supply its own bread needs - why do they need this wackoness provided to them by the rest of us? As more than half of that economy is state activity and transfer, expect a private monopoly and Canadian tax payers money to fund it. Thank God it is so small so these flights of fancy and farce are chump change nationally.