TomAdamsEnergy.com

The Ontario Green Energy Act, passed in May 2009, is extremely popular with the public notwithstanding both its infringements on basic individual and democratic rights, and also the substantially higher electricity rates it will cause. This post suggests that close coordination between government, renewable energy businesses, and environmental organizations, particularly government funding of environmental groups, helps to explain the political success of the legislation. This video was part of a panel presentation by Tom Adams at a York University Osgoode Hall Law School Professional Development conference June 15, 2009.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT62LNcbJBI

In this article, originally published March 5, 2009  reprinted here courtesy of the National Post, Tom Adams argues that Ontario’s proposed Green Energy Act will undermine the basic foundations for effective public utility regulation in Ontario’s electricity sector. The article includes one of the first public comments during debate over the proposed legislation expressing concern about the extraordinary search and seizure provisions of the Green Energy Act as originally proposed and the threat this provision presented to civil liberties. This section was later removed by the Ontario government prior to passage of the legislation.

PDF link: ontarios-green-energy-plan_interference-goes-green-march-5-2009

The Green Energy Act (GEA) will transform Ontario’s electricity future. The attached link provides an analysis of the GEA as presented on April 6, 2009 to the Ontario legislative committee considering the bill.

PDF link: transcript-of-appearance-re-bill-150-green-energy-act