With the recent airing of “British Columbia Tax Revolt” by Ed Watson on CPAC, and the re-run of Jack Etkin and Steve Poole’s Face to Face with Gwen Barlee of WCWC on our local Shaw community channel, I have realized something temporarily hidden from my consciousness.
Gordon Campbell is continuing his relentless destruction of British Columbia.
Whilst we are all wondering at and rejoicing in the HST rebellion, the reason for which Campbell accepts full responsibility (CPAC interview), his incredibly destructive “B C Green Plan” continues to destroy our environment. This plan is so green that California will not buy hydro from us created under this green plan, because it does not meet their environmental standards
By now everyone is aware of the problems with the open fish farms on our BC coast partly because, a few years too late, The Times Colonist has suddenly awoken to the fact that we and our wild fish are under attack. It seems it almost takes a court order to get information on anything from this BC government, and so they can hide whatever they so choose from the people’s prying and inquisitive eyes. Alexandra Morton aided and abetted by such people as Rafe Mair and The Tyee have been doing their best to make this an issue, and indeed Ms. Morton has succeeded in getting to court about this, in spite of Gordo and Ms. Shea the federal oceans and fisheries minister. I can only assume they both have hidden agendas, which usually means money is at stake.
Highway 37 is to be electrified.
Is that good news or what? On first glance it seems to be good news for to the few homes and communities on the highway, but of course Gordo has something else in mind.
Coal mines, yes that’s right coal mines.
In this time when the whole world is asking for less harmful emissions, and Gordo is claiming “green” he is electrifying h/way #37 to allow coal mines to have subsidized electricity! There is also the Red Chris Mine up there with its toxic tailing pond,( to be built there I am assured instead of using the local lakes) which will depend on “free” hydro to get going and operate. The hydro transmission lines will by themselves have a huge environmental impact even without the emissions of the magnetic fields to harm wildlife and humans too…..Tsawwassen anyone.
Where is the payment of all this extra high usage of hydro coming from? You and I is the answer.
To recap a bit about BC Hydro. A crown corporation which is a jewel in the BC firmament right? A crown corporation which has in the past averaged $300 million a year into the BC bank account, but this year cannot give even one penny because of bad contracts to be mentioned in a moment. Once the asset debt ratio exceeds 80% – 20% by law no money can be paid to the sole shareholder – BC.
Not so much a jewel any more as an opaque piece of coloured glass.
Early in his reign King Campbell decided to sell B C Hydro and indeed he did succeed in getting rid of the accounting side to Venture, an American company, before it was discovered and then, following the outcry, came the Heritage Act which does not allow for the sale of BC Hydro. In other words King Gordo said “if I can’t do it no one can”. But that is not what he trying now. Instead he has issued orders through regulations (the easy and hidden way to get the dirty deeds done now) that will force BC Hydro into bankruptcy thus allowing it to be sold off in a fire sale.
Wait a minute you say, how can he do that? BC Hydro is not allowed to develop Ruin of the River power, but must instead buy power from huge corporations that can, such giants as General Electric (the world’s largest armaments manufacturer) at a price which is about twice what can be expected from selling that power. I am not an economist but even I can see that if you buy for $2 and sell for $1 you will not be in business for very long. We, the gullible people of BC, will be expected to support this.
Really!
Is there no one to object to all this? Yes there is or rather there was. B C Utilities Commission which has the mandate of overseeing such entities as B C Hydro did in fact tell Gordo that the whole R O R concept was not sustainable either on the production or financial side nor the environment side. The result is that the BCUC along with the BC Environment Ministry have been gutted and caste aside and now are virtually non entities.
If you want more information check out the websites below and make sure to watch the Damien Gillis documentaries.
http://www.watershed-watch.org
It is also interesting to me that two of the main proponents leading the charge on behalf of the people of BC are Rafe Mair and Bill Vander Zalm, neither of whom wants to do anything but sit back and enjoy their retirement. Come on BC lets do our part and allow them to do that.
Jeremy Arney
Jeremy Arney's Blog 