NDP Leader Howard Hampton today challenged the McGuinty government to quit trying to blame the Americans for smog and start moving forward with energy conservation and efficiency plans for Ontario.

“How can the US government take the Minister’s protests seriously when the McGuinty government’s failure to move forward with an aggressive energy conservation and efficiency strategy has left us dependent on power from the very US coal-fired plants the Minister is complaining about,” said Hampton.

“The Minister’s claim that the government doesn’t know where the electricity from the US originates is simply not the case,” said Hampton. “The IESO can tell her, but she doesn’t want to know.”

Ontario imports electricity form the United States. For example, on Wednesday, June 8th, 2005, 750MW were imported from the US Midwest, predominantly from coal-fired Michigan plants.

“If the McGuinty Liberals were serious about getting the attention of the US, they would do more than write letters to the Environmental Protection Agency. They would put own house in order first instead of last,” Hampton said.