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The 2002 Accent is a sporty. funâ€"toâ€"«dnve. economy car loaded with + 15 L. 92 lip multimvalve engine * Driver‘s side airhag * Sxpecd manual overdnve transmssion * Tachoincter * Dual exterior manual remote control mirrors + 6niat split folding rear seat * Remuate release fuel fillgoor + and ntuch. imuch more _ .\ é _aat i MAKE THE LEAP TO INCREDIBLE VALUE \;rwr seat * Remote release fuel fill@goor more w Â¥ ChgX $ 0 ent. Lease from MSRP $12,395° Better explanation needed for hydro changes, Witmer says provincewide grassâ€" Azools group fighting lectricity deregulaâ€" tion and privatization says it was encouraged by Waterloo MPP Elizabeth Witmer‘s call for a review of the deal that would open up Ontario‘s electricity market. But the province‘s current environment minister, vying for the leadership of the Ontario Progressiveâ€" Conservative party, qualified some of the remarks she made at a recent leadership debate in London, saying that she still supports the sale of Hydro One. She said, however, her government has to do a better job of explaining it to the public and addressing some of the Flantra Value Edition * 20 hire. 140 hp 4 eyl. engine * Air conchtioming * Power windows and locks * 35" whects and more j Creat Steake ... Great Pricecl By Bos VRBANAC Chronicle Staff engine * Four speed automatic fransmission * Cruise control acks * CD player y 2 4 Lease from concerns raised about spi raling energy costs. , Witmer said the move to open Ontario‘s electricity market by May 1 is one of the most talkedâ€"about issues on her many campaign stops around the province. "I‘ve heard this concern and listened to it everyday," she said. "As premier I‘m going to review with the two bodies, the Ontario Energy Board and the independent market operator, in order that we can assure and reasâ€" sure people that prices will remain competitive. "I mean we‘ve got to be honest with people." Witmer said her governâ€" ment hasn‘t explained to people what checks and balâ€" ances will be in place in the future Y keep the rates comâ€" petitive, and keep them H+1I from climbing uncontrolâ€" lably once the government caps are removed from the pricing of electricity. "I was simply acknowlâ€" edging a concern that was out there, and saying that we need to address this conâ€" cern," said Witmer. "We need to give reassurance people and we need to be honest in our communicaâ€" tions." But Paul Kahnert, a spokesperson _ for _ the Ontario Electricity Coalition, representing people from around the province conâ€" cerned about the upcoming deregulation, was hoping for a stronger stand on the issue. The group has grown exponentially since last May when they launched their campaign to oppose the deregulation of electricity in the province. "Our coalition is strictly nonâ€"partisan, _ and _ has experts in the area of NAFTA, the environment, generaâ€" tion, transmission and disâ€" tribution," said Kahnert. "On the surface this issue looks very complicated, it‘s not complicated." There are two issues, and Kahnert feels the current government has been very misleading regarding it. The first is a move from public power to private power. "Around the world public power is cheaper and far more reliable than private power, period," said the forâ€" mer lineman with Ontario Hydro. "Even in the United States, public power is conâ€" sistently 18 per cent cheaper than private power." Leadership hopeful Jim Flaherty blamed last year‘s energy crisis in California, that included rolling blackâ€" out and brownouts across the U.S‘s most populous state, on public power. But Kahnert said it ignores the example next door in New York state where privatization has lead to price gouging and the breakâ€" down of service. "You don‘t hear about New York and other places in the States," said Kahnert. "Twentyâ€"two states have since canceled or shelved plans to deregulate." The theory behind privaâ€" tization is that private power can do things much more efficiently governed by a free market that rewards the cheapest supplier. But once profits, dividends and comâ€" missions are added in, it just isn‘t the case. "Enron is the prime case," said Kahnert, about the billionâ€"dollar scandal that continues to envelop the Texasâ€"based â€" energy company. "Enron was the biggest â€" backer behind deregulation in the world, and has been doing it for 10 years. "It proved that it really doesn‘t work, especially with power. Enron took $78 bilâ€" lion out of California. Where is that money today?" Electricity is unlike any other commodity, argued the man who has spoken at numerous public forums around the province. It canâ€" not be stored or stockpiled, and it has to be used instantâ€" ly. _ "That‘s what led to that scam," said Kahnert. "It‘s not that complicated an issue." The second issue that isn‘t being talked is that Ontario is also opening itself up to the huge U.S. market under the rules of NAFTA, where prices are up to four times higher. "Our NAFTA experts will tell you that once the market opens and they sell Ontario Hydro _ and _ generation plants, they will fall under Chapter 11," said Kahnert. "Let‘s say this grand experiâ€" ment doesn‘t work, and we try to buy those plants back, under NAFTAs Chapter 11 we would have to pay for all future profits to buy these plants back." He said we would effecâ€" tively give up control over all these publiclyâ€"owned assets with little chance of getting them back. TKI'S a big risk to take with experiment that has had dodgy results around the world. The debt issue is also a red herring, according to the Ontario Electricity Coalition. The debt should be thought of as a mortgage, and there are no inherent risks of foreâ€" closure with a captive energy market in place. "A lot has been made about the debt, and that investors will take all the risk," said Kahnert. "What "Everybody buys power. You have to have power in Ontario or else you‘ll die. There‘s no risk there. They‘ve privatized the profit and kept public the debt and risks." tisks? That doesn‘t take into account environmental con â€" cerns that have often taken a back seat under the present government. Controls over Ontario coal burning plants and nuclear power plants would be put into private hands at the cost of public health. "The whole deal is very rushed," said Kahnert. "A third of the utilities in Ontario are not ready for this, and there are a million people out there who have already signed up to pay 40 per cent more, and they don‘t even know about it." "We recognize that philoâ€" sophically _ and â€" factually we‘re in disagreement with the government here. "But all we‘re saying is stop the market opening before we make a mistake that is irrevocable. "We‘re travelling around the province and nobody wants this. "Even the latest polls show that 87 per cent of the people in Ontario want an election on this issue."