XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, tor.general   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   This is not the first ice storm that Toronto and Montreal have   
   experienced - as well as other east coast cities.  Long past due that   
   ALL electrical services be installed underground.   
      
   Yeah, they cost more to install, but that cost has always been passed on   
   to homebuyers when the development is new.  But subsequent homeowners   
   have always benefited from having them underground when the floods and   
   the winds and the ice storms come.  To see overhead wires in this day   
   and age is almost archaic.  Better underground services than billions   
   for huge expenditures that provide nothing to the residents of these areas.   
   __________________________________________   
      
   December 27, 2013 - National Post   
      
      
   Ice storm victims putting safety at risk to thank electrical crews:   
   Toronto Hydro CEO   
      
      
      
   'Torontonians are amazing people,' said Anthony Haines on Friday,   
   'Everybody wants to come out and thank our crews.' But doing that 'is not...   
      
   Even after six days of cold and darkness, Torontonians are going out of   
   their ways to show their appreciation for electrical crews - and some   
   are injury to do it.   
      
   Toronto Hydro CEO Anthony Haines said Friday morning he saw a young boy   
   deliver cookies to a nearby Toronto Hydro crew. But with a live wire   
   nearby, the boy's actions were unfortunately more dangerous than helpful.   
      
   "Torontonians are amazing people," Haines said Friday morning.   
   "Everybody wants to come out and thank our crews." Crews have been   
   working around the clock in 16-hour shifts since Sunday.   
      
   But while what Haines called the "spirit of Torontonians" is strong, he   
   said that by trying to help crews, you could get hurt yourself.   
      
   He said people "rushing out of their homes while electrical workers are   
   on the grid is not a safe thing to do."   
      
   Toronto Hydro also released a statement Thursday night asking media and   
   pedestrians not to engage crew members working to restore power in the   
   interest of public safety. That means don't ask them when the power will   
   come back. They probably don't know, and you could get hurt trying to   
   find out.   
      
   "People have been very upset, and we get that," Bruckmeuller said. But,   
   "it's for their own safety."   
      
   She said there have been no reported incidents of pedestrians being   
   injured while   
   approaching a crew, but there have been some close calls.   
      
   There are live wires, ice and branches falling from above, and people   
   are not able to determine on their own if an area is safe to approach.   
      
   And damage could get worse before it gets better.   
      
   "With the sun coming out, it's warming up and there was a significant   
   amount of ice coming down," Bruckmeuller said.   
      
   With winds picking up and ice melting, Haines said there could be more   
   damage, more falling trees and more people losing power as the weekend   
   approaches. The remaining 32,000 without power are expected "not to be   
   the final work," said Haines.   
   CNW Group/Toronto Hydro Corporation   
      
   So when will things be back to normal? Haines said it would be   
   "irresponsible" to give an exact time as long as weather continues to   
   change and new problems crop up on the grids.   
      
   For now, Haines said, "We are making good progress."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)