Last week, a crowd of East Kootenay residents gathered in Invermere to state their opposition to AXOR’s proposed Glacier Howser river-diversion power project which will divert the water from four creeks in the West Kootenay for power production.

A rally was held outside the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) open house with participants first protesting with placards, drums, chants and singing before attending the official AXOR and EAO presentations.

According to a recent press release, addressing AXOR representatives and members of the EAO, Columbia River – Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald was clear that it really should have been the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Energy in this room asking for input from the crowd.

“I have asked the Ministers to come and defend the BC Liberal Energy policy which allows a private company to take over our land and our rivers against the public good but they are afraid to come here. The Ministers know the local people are opposed, and the public comment that the EAO will receive on this project will prove it. Unfortunately, this government will attempt to push this project through anyway.”

Macdonald said that the people in the area will not stand for decisions being imposed on them.

“The wisdom on how best to use our land sits with the people who live here; this must be our decision.”

Macdonald spoke with The Star and said that not a single member of the audience (with 10 to 15 Goldenties in attendance) spoke in support of the project, raising concerns about environmental impacts, the move to private rather than public power, the loss of local decision-making and the feeling that the Environmental Assessment process is a sham.

“It is disgraceful. It feels like I am in South America where big business comes in, runs roughshod over the local people, and takes huge profits out of our land without a care for the environment or our lifestyle,” said Macdonald.

Participants made it clear, he said, that the fight will continue and some even promised direct action if the project proceeds.

“Throughout the EAO public comment period, we all need to write in and make our views known,” said Macdonald, adding, “This is the first of many fights in this area as there are more than 25 river-diversion projects planned for my constituency alone. People have to take the time to make their voices heard.”

The power produced by the proposed project will be transmitted by a new transmission line that will bisect key wilderness areas across the Purcell mountains into the Invermere substation in the East Kootenay.

When queried as to the recent allegations that have said that the NDP party has changed their views on IPP moratoriums, Macdonald said that it simply isn’t true.

The news came after Rob Fleming, the NDP’s Environment Critic, refused to use the word “moratorium” when asked several times by reporters at the legislature on Friday about the party’s stand on IPPs, instead calling for a more thorough environmental review of the controversial projects.

“There are all kinds of renewable energy applications in British Columbia right now, and I think some of them are very interesting,” he told reporters at the legislature.

Later in the day, after Fleming’s comments were broadcast in the media, he called CBC News to indicate the party still supported a moratorium on IPPs while the proposed environmental review was conducted.

Macdonald said that this was just a case of misunderstanding and that the party’s stance has not changed.

“The opposition and the fight is still rock solid and will be successful,” said Macdonald.