Leaders can not lead unless they can see where they are going and that takes vision. This ability to see what “can be” is what makes forerunners convincing leaders because they are passionate about where they are going. Our subject in this edition of The Forerunner is an historical figure renowned in this community in the early 1900s. He, along with a group of other visionaries saw the potential that electricity had to advance industry in the province. Sir Adam Beck seized a moment of opportunity to bring publicly owned electrical power to Ontario. His controversial and hard fought victory became the foundation of the wealth of the province for the next 70 years.
The story begins when visionary E.W. B. Snider, owner of the St. Jacobs Mill, first began promoting the need for cheap energy throughout the region and the potential of producing it using Niagara Falls. He formed a group called the Western Ontario Power Commission who produced a report presented to the provincial government outlining the need for power and the untapped potential of Niagara Falls. There was a small private power company selling electricity to local companies using the Falls. The Commission’s recommendations were to expand supply and create distribution of power to the outlying communities. Snider was able to rally 1500 people from Waterloo County to travel to Queen’s Park to advocate for his new plan. This was 1906, and the human and economic cost of traveling to Toronto was significantly higher than it is today, and yet I find that hard to imagine in 2008. Their optimism and passion would prove to be more important than they imagined.
Some people look at a light bulb and see only the light it produces, others see what the light illuminates.
An idea has numerous stages in its unfolding. In the early stage, it must build momentum. If it makes it through this stage, it must then overcome organized opposition and attempts to destroy it. Adam Beck was the man who could take the idea and helm it through this next stage of development. He was tough minded, successful, honest and trusted, and he saw what Snider saw. Originally from Baden, he was now both Mayor and MPP for London, Ontario. He introduced a bill to the legislature founded on his slogan, “Power at Cost”. The debate was fierce. By then, Beck wasn’t the only one who saw the potential of hydro electric production. His vision for a publicly owned utility was in direct conflict with private enterprise which wanted electricity to be their next “golden goose”. Beck strongly advocated that cheap power would give the province’s manufacturing sector a competitive advantage. However, there were enormous political and economic risks for him, the province and the municipalities. Beck was a fighter and he was able to wrench the Hydro-Electric project from the hands of profiteers. The bill passed and the Hydro-Electric Power Commission was formed, with Beck at its helm. He now had to get the municipalities to agree to commit to buy a fixed amount of power and underwrite the cost of the transmission lines. No one had ever transmitted high volumes of electricity. It wasn’t an easy sell. The cities would be on the financial “hook”, even if the project failed for technical reasons. Beck was able to overcome this potential “deal killer”. Thirteen communities went “double-or-nothing” on Beck and his plan. He cut a 40 year deal with The Niagara Power Company to supply electricity and build the transmission lines. Sounds easy but it wasn’t; however, they did succeed.
On Oct. 11, 1910, Kitchener (then Berlin) became the first city in the world to receive hydro-electrical power. The slogan had become: “For the People”. Premier Whitney said at the opening ceremonies where 4000 people gathered for the official “turning on”.
“it is befitting that Niagara Power should be first turned on in Berlin for it is the home of men of vision.” He went on to say:
“….an experiment has been brought into practical operation. It is one of the most important of modern times. I say that no government in Canada ever took such risks on behalf of the people. We have been attacked, vilified and slandered. Men from the lowest in the land to the Prime Minister of Great Britain were approached by our opponents to destroy our power legislation. Men who pretended to be friendly to the Hydro-Electric project made secret efforts to have the Laurier government disallow our legislation. All their plans, however, failed. We can now breathe easy. Looking on the accomplished fact, it is no disparagement for the men who laboured early and late for this service to express our appreciation of the heavy sacrifices and service rendered by Mr. Beck. We, his fellow ministers, can never forget his confidence in the outcome, and the pluck with which he stood up against all attacks.”
Beck responded to his victoy with: “….the work of the Ontario Hydro-Electric Power Commission is just begun. We shall not rest until we have no more coal-oil, no more gas, and I hope no more coal.”
Like most men and women he was a mixture of strengths and weaknesses. What made Beck an example for us all was what he was able to accomplish through his strengths and in spite of his weaknesses. His tough-mindedness, character, and courage coupled with the forerunner vision and dedication served the cause well. What he lacked in people skills, he made up for in honesty, dedication, courage, and motivation. Because of these traits, he gained the people’s trust when he needed it. In spite of his contribution and caring, he still had many opponents. Weak men who despised his courage and success assailed him with his short-comings. However, there was far more good than fault. He often defended the poor, the sick and the weak in society and was generous on their behalf. He also served almost his entire political career without any compensation, donating his salary to charity. In 1914, Adam Beck was knighted for his contributions to his country.
A successful entrepreneur, Beck believed that some services essential to the common good should not be shaped and controlled by the pursuit of profit. A typical forerunner, he was motivated by his values and ideals. He believed that the benefits of achieving his dream of forming the public utility far out weighed the risks. I doubt if he ever measured the personal cost of realizing his dream.
Beck alone could not have accomplished this dream. All the people of Waterloo County share in the credit for this success because without their support, the plan would have failed. We have in this community a rich heritage of forerunners, visionaries and risk takers and there continues to be an abundance of creativity, passion, courage and vision that will lead the province and the nation into a prosperous future.
For more information about Sir Adam Beck search online: “A Dictionary of Canadian Biography” – Page 60
Originally Published in the Elmira Independent, and New Hamburg Independent, October 2008.
I welcome your comments!
Paul Weigel is the founder of the Forerunner Project, a non-profit corporation dedicated to research and education about forerunners. For more information on the Forerunner Project and its upcoming Forerunner Inspire Film Festival visit: www.theforerunnerproject.com
