With neighbours like Alberta Premier Alison Redford, what province needs enemies?
First, she insists that British Columbians really should allow the Northern Gateway project’s oil sands pipeline to run through our entire province and to our pristine northern West Coast, where mega-oil tankers every day or two will load-up with bitumen and then manoeuvre their way between rock-filled coastal inlets and islands on their way westward to East Asia.
What would B.C. get from Redford’s appreciation, and on behalf of Alberta, other than a small “royalty” percentage? Allegedly 1,166, direct-indirect jobs, though mostly limited to a few years in duration.
Other than that, pretty much nada.
Well, except for almost 100 per cent of the environmental risks and eco-system loss when – not if – there’s a major spill. All the while, Alberta gets almost all of the black gold revenues.
It’s kind of like when ex-Alberta-premier Ralph Klein gave his “able-bodied” welfare recipients a one-way bus ticket to B.C. – in his mind, land of the welfare state of plenty.
Then, to express her “friendship” with B.C. in regards to our imminent annual loss of $250 million in federal health care funding because of Ottawa’s new system of per-capita funding transfers to the provinces, Redford – whose province has an annual nine- to 10-digit gain from the new funding system – stated that she supports the new per-capita funding, “where everyone is equal.”
Apparently it’s acceptable, in Redford’s mind, if some provinces are a little more equal than others.
Frank G. Sterle, Jr.
White Rock
Have faith in the environmental process
The Northern Gateway pipeline proposal has been in the news a lot lately as it winds its way through the various regulatory processes involved. As is often the case with energy projects, a lot of controversy has surrounded the pipeline project.
However, as the debate rages, I’m reminded of what NDP president Moe Sihota said about the environmental review process a year or so ago while speaking on a CBC talk show. Sihota stated that he helped write B.C.’s environmental rules when he was an NDP cabinet minister and he told a caller “to trust” the environmental review process because it works.
I have to agree with Mr. Sihota, because anyone familiar with energy projects, particularly run-of-river hydro projects, knows that they require more than 50 approvals, permits, licences and reviews, from more than 14 different levels of government and First Nations, before they can be built. And, typically, there are hundreds of conditions attached to any approvals: The environmental regulations that relate specifically to B.C.’s rivers and fish populations are particularly strict and detailed.
It’s factual information like this that stands in direct contrast to the misinformed claims running rampant in B.C. during the past few years: Misinformed claims that rivers were being sold, destroyed or drained away to nothingness. None of these claims are or ever were true, and not one has been able to stand up to the facts.
I would therefore caution anyone following the Northern Gateway debate to keep Moe Sihota’s words in mind and trust in the review process. Not only does the process work, it protects important environmental values while balancing the legitimate expectations people have for good jobs and a strong economy.
Fred Reemeyer
Coquitlam