Ontario told to slash electricity use by 50%

[dArKeR]

Ontario Premier Ernie Eves took to the airwaves Sunday evening to deflect blame, in part, from his government for the ordeal faced by the province.

Mr. Eves said Ontario would have been hit by the blackout regardless of whether it was importing power from the United States. And he said he was as frustrated as anyone that an apparent power breakdown in Ohio knocked out power to most of Ontario.

" I intend to get to the bottom of this and I will do everything that I can to ensure that this never happens again," he said after praising Ontario residents for their conservation efforts and their kindnesses to friends, neighbours and strangers in the blackouts aftermath.

Mr. Eves reiterated his call to businesses to cut their hours of operation or adjust them so that they're up and running when demand for electricity is lower than usual, generally between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030817.wmain0817_1/BNStory/Front/

This doesn't sound like back to normal

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[CMT]

1. could you imagine Bush taking to the airwaves saying something similar?

not me. He hasn't even spoken out since this event about the need for more conservation of energy. With the Republicans it will always be "let the good times roll." except we may get rolling blackouts instead.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. If Bush made the same announcment...

The libertarians would claim it was unconstitutional...

the Christian right would claim it was a punishment from God for giving in to the "gay agenda"...

and the conservative think-tanks would be planning a way to make sure that the burden would fall on minorities and the poor.

[SummerGrace]

6. It's a wonder that

W didn't tell us to go shopping.

[Maple]

2. Oh it's not remotely back to normal

But Monday AM is going to be tough.

[aquart]

4. Air conditioning was off or low in the supermarkets

Except for the refrigerator section.

[Not a robought]

5. I don't understand

I thought they said it would take 2-3 days to get the nukes back online. It's now day 4.

What changed?

[TrogL]

7. My mother phoned from Southern Ontario

and said they're having rolling blackouts, but the power is more up than deown. I had warned her so she was in good shape when they happened.

[Gretchen]

8. it is about time some one looked at the demand rather than the supply

OK- I'm sure there are many things that went wrong on the suppy side of things, but it is funny how almost none of the media or people I talk to personally talk about the demand side being a problem. I think now is a perfect time for everyone to re-think their lifestyles and the results it creates.

[The Zanti Regent]

9. Is Eves a Conservative or Liberal?

Sorry, I don't know and I'm curious!

[Minstrel Boy]

13. Eves is Conservative,

though the party's proper name is Progressive Conservative, and some members are more one than the other.

I don't trust Eves and I'll never vote PC, but he is an improvement over Mike Harris.

[phgnome]

14. Also

The government should help us change our consumption patterns by economically encouraging citizens to do energy-saving things.

[liberalmuse]

10. Oh, to have a true leader...

I believe Carter was the last president who asked Americans to conserve energy or sacrifice anything. After Reagan, no one had the nerve.

[diamond14]

11. if shrub had a brain, he would be asking everyone to conserve

energy...there is an enormous amount of energy wasted here in America...and at least while the entire system gets up and back to normal...shrub should be calling for conservation, too

no, the shrub approach: just party away on vacation until another power outage...why bother with suggesting anything constructive...

it amazes me that shrub did NOT call for a state of emergency and get the National Guard in to help (like the Canadians did)....millions without water, sewage pouring into the Great Lakes, no traffic lights, hospitals needing emergency generators, no safe drinking water (even after it came back on...massively polluted)...IMO, there were and are thousands of jobs that the National Guard could be doing to keep the cities safe, as well as assist in this major emergency....shrub hasn't even left his vacation to come to the scene of the crisis...what a dud of a pResident...it'll toast shrub even more if there is ANOTHER power outage...(note: time to fill up my water jugs, and fill my gas tank, and buy some snack bars, snack food, and other non-refrigerated food...)

[WillyT]

12. I Think The National Guard Is Busy In Iraq, No ???

Seriously, just how stretched is the Guard now???

I really don't know the numbers.

:shrug:

[Mari333]

15. VERY stretched....my son might be sent over

from MI.....and theres hardly anyone left here...
Rummy and his pals are sending our kids over there as they run out of bodies and cannon fodder. My son is in the Guard....believe me, the morale is LOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW