Shakespeare would have written the tale of Smart Meters, and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, as a tragedy

With many apologies to William Shakespeare, and those who love literature, today I present the following ditty’s which through my head doth did blossom …

Claudio … from Much Ado About Nothing (IV, i, 19-21)

"O, what Christy’s men and women dare do! What Liberals may do! What they daily do, not knowing what they do!"

Juliet

"What's in a name? That which we call a “smart” meter

By any other name would smell as bad and as foul."

Macbeth:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

To the last syllable of recorded time;

And all our yesterdays have lighted bulbs

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief compact fluorescent bulb!

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,

Christy struts and frets her hour upon the stage,

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

Richard … from King Richard III (V, iii, 179)

"O Smart-Meter, how dost thou afflict me!"

Juliet:

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy:

Thou art thyself, though not anything we would recognize.

What's Liberal? It is not fiscally responsible,

Nor having a social conscience,
nor any other part belonging to a man.

O be some other name!

What's in a name? That which we call a Federal Liberal would smell as bad;

So Christy would, were she not Liberal call'd,

Make all the pay-offs which she owes

Without that Liberal title. Christy, doff thy name,

and for thy name, which is no part of thee,

Take all the glory thee doth seek.

Claudio … from Much Ado About Nothing (V, iii, 3-4)

"Done to death by scheming tongue

Was the Smart-Meter that here lies"

Romeo:

But soft, what light from yonder window breaks?

It is the bulb of light not yet faded,

Arise, fair bulb of light, and kill the envious CFL,

Who is already sick and pale with mercury

That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.

OKAY … I know your begging me to so I will stop with the mutilation of the works of Shakespeare.

Shakespeare came to mind today however as I saw the second, of two consecutive media releases from the BC Conservative Party, on issues that I believe are important to many British Columbians.   One is the issue of safety concerning Compact Fluorescent light bulbs being forced upon us by the BC government – the second is regarding the many issues and concerns people have around the BC Hydro Smart-Meter program.

BC Conservative party leader John Cummins

John Cummins, and the BC Conservative party, have again come out strong on both of these issues, as the following shows:

Smart Meters

“British Columbians are upset about smart meters, and rightly so… they do nothing to protect the environment, and the only people who stand to gain from smart meters are the Liberal insiders who get juicy contracts to install them.”

 

Minister Coleman claim the meters are being used to educate us on energy consumption, not to increase electricity bills by charging extra for peak period energy consumption … government will only guarantee smart meters will not be used to charge for time of use consumption until the next election.

 

 “And then what?  Charge British Columbian families a premium for power to cook supper because supper time is a period of peak energy consumption?  … smart meter initiative goes beyond monitoring of consumption … clearly the intention of this Liberal government and BC Hydro to announce higher billing charges at peak periods after the election...”

Incandescent Light Bulbs vs. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)

… BC banned the sale of incandescent light bulbs … the federal government has delayed a similar national ban to consider concerns over health issues and the safe disposal of CFL bulbs.

 

… the Liberal government has … ignored legitimate concerns including poor quality lighting making reading difficult for seniors and the tendency of CFL bulbs to trigger migraines … CFL bulbs are more expensive to purchase and the operational savings have been exaggerated … the safe disposal of the CFLs is of major concern to health authorities.

 

“… BC is ploughing ahead without concern for the circumstances … typical Liberal big government policy: forcing British Columbians to replace cost-efficient, warm and safe incandescent light bulbs … with an expensive new technology that produces a lower quality of light and requires careful disposal.  This Liberal initiative is neither green nor common sense.”

 

 “A new BC Conservative government would defer the ban on incandescent light bulbs and participate in the federal study of the impact of mercury based CFL’s.”

Today I will close with a few more words from William Shakespeare … “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.”

The legislature may not be a stage --- it seems to be at times however.  As for exits and entrances??  Perhaps it’s time for some to go … and for others to arrive.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.