Comment: Alberta's Electricity Woes Continue

EDMONTON, AB -- - Watching the Alberta government twitch and jerk through the shocks of electricity deregulation, I'm reminded of Ernest Hemingway's definition of courage as grace under pressure.

There's certainly plenty of pressure on the government. Klein must feel like a deep-sea diver some days. But he and his colleagues are showing as much grace as a herd of three-legged elephants.

Premier Klein, who's usually as deft on his feet as a young Muhammad Ali, looks a little punch drunk.

During question period on Monday, Klein's response to Liberal leader Ken Nicol was spectacularly nonsensical.

Nicol wanted to know "how many more key decisions about electricity deregulation will be made behind closed doors ...?" It was a typical rhetorical question, one designed to make a point about how this government routinely makes crucial decisions on public policy without public debate.

It was particularly apt in light of Energy Minister Murray Smith's recent declaration that consumers will pay the whole cost of building new transmission lines. It was a U-turn from the original plan approved by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board to have the costs shared equally between consumers and generating companies.

It was a classic behind-closed-door government decision, one that called into question the relevancy and authority of the AEUB.

Klein's answer to Nicol?

"I would remind the honourable leader that his caucus meets behind closed doors," said Klein. "They strategize with their constituents behind closed doors."

It's pretzel logic. How can he compare the opposition to the government? The Liberals are seven powerless MLAs meeting privately to plot pea-shooting attacks against a Kevlar government. The Liberals could meet to pass motions killing deregulation, sending out rebate checks and firing Murray Smith. They might as well pass a motion to outlaw the West Nile virus. It doesn't matter.

What the massive 74-member Conservatives' caucus does behind closed doors, does. They are debating the laws and direction of the province. After 32 years of Conservative government, the caucus tends to make the big decisions behind closed doors and treat the legislative process as a rubber stamp.

Albertans don't mind, as long as the government seems to be managing things well. On deregulation and transmission-line costs, it's not. Consumers hit with rising bills -- particularly those in rural areas served by Epcor/Aquila -- are angry and are complaining loudly to their government MLAs. There's a strong argument to be made that problems with deregulation are much more a rural issue than urban.

However, skepticism seems widespread. Klein reinforced the public's uncertainty by ordering a probe into power bills, rather than a full-fledged investigation of deregulation itself.

A Journal "Straw Poll" -- not scientific but interesting -- indicated almost 82 per cent of the public sees the probe as a "tactic to deflect criticism of deregulation."

Opposition politicians see it as another time-gobbler for the government, an attempt to put off real debate on the merits of deregulation until the next election when Klein will perhaps issue rebates (if they're needed), or find some other ways to buy our acquiescence. Instead of looking at voters as partners with a voice, we're treated as courtesans every four years or so.

Patience is wearing thin among consumers. They're demanding answers. So far, they're not getting them. Smith is trying. The problem is that deregulation is so complicated, Smith can't answer in 10-second sound bites. Or, for that matter, in 60-second sound bites.

The Conservatives have set up a system that could indeed work for everyone everywhere. But we still don't know at what cost. Or how long it will take. Or how much tinkering it will take. Some consumers who expected "rate riders" to come off their bills at the end of this year are now being told the extra cost won't come off until the end of 2004.

It's not just deregulation. There's the matter of consumers paying for new transmission lines. That'll cost about $1.5 billion. It might be spread over 20 years, or seven. That's going to make a big difference on your power bill.

The Liberals and New Democrats have finally found a bit of a soft spot in the government's armour. It's about time. The government, though, complains the opposition questions are loaded, unfair and warped. No more than some of the government answers, I'd have to say.

His answers in question period regularly point out he has 74 seats, while the opposition has only nine. It's a petty response. What he forgets is that he didn't win 90 per cent of the vote. More than one-third of Albertans did not vote for his government.

On deregulation the government doesn't have the answers, or is having trouble articulating them. The same with the newest issue of teacher layoffs being blamed on government underfunding. Klein says he's doing his best, but under pressure he gets worked up. In question period on Tuesday, he demanded the Liberals "open up your ears and listen" and told them to "go back to elementary school."

Speaker Ken Kowalski reminded Klein there were students in the public gallery and asked for "a greater attempt at decorum." In other words, some grace under pressure.