The Council of Canadians Golden chapter has been opposing Selkirk Power’s proposal for an ‘independent power project’ on the Ventego and Cupola Creeks in British Columbia. Recently, the Golden chapter participated in a protest against this IPP project. To see a 3-minute BCLocalNews video of that event, please go to, http://www.bclocalnews.com/kootenay_rockies/thegoldenstar/news/118109659.html. In the video, Golden chapter activist Trevor Hamre says, “We see the sale of our rivers as theft from the commons.”
On February 24, the Golden Star reported that, “Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald presented to the Legislature last week a petition signed by more than 500 Golden and area residents indicating their opposition to the development of private river-diversion projects on Ventego and Cupola Creeks. …The petition was created by the Golden Chapter of Council of Canadians and had been milling around Golden and surrounding area for about six months. Trevor Hamre, vice-president of the local Council of Canadians chapter, said his message is still the same: We oppose the privatization of rivers in our community. …The delivery of the petition to the legislature coincided with the opening of the official public comment period for Selkirk Power’s proposals. The B.C. Ministry of Natural Resources is now accepting comments until April 1, 2011. …’We had to do this petition because Selkirk Power denied that there was even any opposition to their project,’ said Hamre. He believes what happens from here depends on how well the community bands together.”
