Common Ground highlights Key BC Liberal Insiders Hired by Private Power Developers

This just in from Common Ground Magazine, May Edition, page 26 . Available free  in over 1200 locations, or read the supplement here:

http://www.commonground.ca/iss/214/pdfs/Take_back_your_power8a.pdf

***Note Mark Grant in the list below, previous Executive Director of the BC liberals who resigned December 12th, 2008….

Since the Campbell government gave the green light to private power developers like the Plutonic Power/General Electric partnership, there has been a virtual revolving door in Victoria, as key government officials and senior BC Liberal political advisers have moved from government to lucrative positions in the private power industry.

While such individuals are not subject to British Columbia’s ethics laws, which prohibit cabinet ministers and some senior staff from lobbying government in the areas governed by their former ministries, the sheer number of former government staffers now working in the private power industry is shocking.

In addition to the hiring of so many key government insiders, the private power industry has provided massive financial donations to the BC Liberal party both before and after Premier Gordon Campbell decided to allow private power access to BC rivers. Here is a list of all the known former bureaucratic and political staffers now on the payrolls of the
private power industry.

Patrick Kinsella, Co-chair of 2001 and 2005 BC Liberal provincial campaigns -has consulted for Alcan, Accenture and now Plutonic Power. Alleged to have worked for both CN and BC Rail as BC Rail was being sold to CN.

David Cyr, former Assistant to BC Liberal Minister Mike de Jong, now a director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Robert Poore, recently worked under the Provincial Revenue Minister of the Province of BC, now a senior director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Tom Syer, former deputy chief of staff to Gordon Campbell, now a director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Bill Irwin, after holding key positions in the BC Ministries of Land and Water,and Crown Lands, now a director at Plutonic Power/GE.

Doug Bishop, formerly 32 years with BC Hydro and Powerex, now with Plutonic Power/GE.

Bruce Ripley spent the last 2 of his 16 years at BC Hydro as VP Engineering,now President and COO of Plutonic Power/GE.

Elisha McCallum (Moreno), after 7 years with BC Hydro as a media relations manager, moved to a directorship with Plutonic Power/GE.

Mark Grant, former executive director of the BC Liberal Party now with Rupert Peace Power.

Bruce Young, has held several high profile positions with the BC Liberal party and lobbied his own party on behalf of Katabatic Power is listed as a director of Atla Energy.

Stephen Kukucha, former senior policy advisor for the BC Ministry of Environment, is now president and CEO of Atla Energy.

Bob Herath, former Assistant Regional Water Manager for the BC Ministry of Environment, now with Syntaris Power.

Paul Taylor, former President and CEO of ICBC as well as high level positions in the BC Government, is now President and CEO of Naikun Wind Energy Group.

Michael J. O’Conner, former President and CEO of Crown Corporation BC Transit, now holds senior positions at Naikun.

Jackie Hamilton, formerly held various BC Government environmental assessment and regulatory management positions,is now a VP at Cloudworks Energy.

Michael Margolick, held positions in resource and strategic planning at BC Hydro, now is the Vice President of Power and Transmission planning at Naikun Wind.

Robert Price, after a 30-year career at BC Hydro and Power Authority which culminated as the utility’s Vancouver Island transmission line construction,supervision and operations manager,now a member of the Hawkeye ‘team’.

Mr. Paul Adams, after a 33-year career with BC Hydro in which he held senior management positions, now is another ‘team’ member at Hawkeye.

Ron Monk, former BC Hydro Engineer, now employed by Kerr Wood Leidal engineering firm used by IPPs.

Wayne Chambers, a former BC Hydro power plant and substation operator,now a manager at Cloudworks.

Alexander Kiess, after long career with BC Hydro in management, now works as a consultant to Syntaris Power.

Geoff Plant, former BC Liberal Attorney General, now chair of Renaissance Power.

READ the entire supplement – very informative- here: http://www.commonground.ca/iss/214/pdfs/Take_back_your_power.pdf

As well, you can see many of the smiling faces mentioned above here: http://www.plutonic.ca/s/Management.asp?ReportID=300372