Category Archives: Politics

Gordo’s Last Hurrah: Western premiers urge PM to kill tanker bill

Canada, Politics
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From the Globe & Mail – Feb 23, 2011

by Josh Wingrove

Canada’s three western premiers are urging Prime Minister Stephen
Harper to defeat an opposition bill that would ban oil tanker traffic on
British Columbia’s north coast, saying it would kill pipeline plans
meant to open up the region’s energy markets.

Alberta Premier Ed
Stelmach submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday
saying the private member’s bill, C-606, is “aimed squarely at limiting
Western Canada’s opportunities to grow our economies.” The letter was
co-signed by Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and outgoing B.C. Premier
Gordon Campbell.

The letter struck a nationalist tone – while 800,000 barrels of
petroleum products are shipped each day along the Saint Lawrence Seaway,
a ban on tanker traffic in the West would be “inconsistent,” it said.

“We would therefore urge you to act in the national interest and defeat this bill,” it said.

The letter may be something of a moot point because the minority Harper government is far from supportive of the bill.

“Our
government’s number-one priority remains the economy. We must balance
that with responsible environmental stewardship. A cursory review of
this bill raises serious concerns about how it could hurt Canada’s
economic recovery,” Transport Minister Chuck Strahl – a B.C. MP – said
in a statement, adding that oil tankers have operated safely along
B.C.’s coast for years.

The bill, if passed by the opposition
parties, would amend the Canada Shipping Act to ban oil tanker traffic
along three regions that stretch continuously from the top of Vancouver
Island to the southern Alaska coast. Included in that region are the
waters off Kitimat, B.C., the destination of two proposed pipeline
projects that the three provinces see as essential to reaching lucrative
Asian markets.

But the proposed pipelines are opposed by dozens of aboriginal groups, environmental groups and fishermen.

“When
I heard [Mr. Campbell] signed that [letter], I was furious,” said Arnie
Nagy, a union leader in the fishing industry in Prince Rupert, B.C.

Mr.
Campbell is set to step down next month, and his late signing of the
letter is “absolutely a betrayal of the people of British Columbia,” Mr.
Nagy said.

Liberal Vancouver-area MP Joyce Murray, who tabled
Bill C-606, said the provinces have accepted “wildly inflated” oil
company figures and projections in their support of the pipeline.

“The people of B.C. – the vast majority – would like to see this area protected,” Ms. Murray said.

Her
bill calls the waterways a “world treasure” and says Canadians must
“protect the ocean’s vital natural resources” by banning tankers for
fear of a potential oil spill. The waters along northern B.C.’s shores,
which support a fishing industry that employs 56,000 people, are
notoriously difficult to navigate, Mr. Nagy said.

“One little accident destroys this entire operation,” he said.

The
bill had its first reading on Dec. 14 of last year. If the opposition
parties all vote to pass it, the partisan and Conservative-dominated
senate could strike it down – although Ms. Murray hoped that wouldn’t be
the case. (She noted she’s something of an “optimist.”)

The
letter was submitted one day after the Alberta throne speech, in which
Mr. Stelmach announced his province would create an Asia advisory
council as part of a renewed push to open trade routes with China,
India, Japan and South Korea.

Currently, most western energy is sold to the United States, and there’s little or no capacity to sell it elsewhere.

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Liberal Candidates Clueless on IPPs; NDP Counterparts Getting It

Canada, Politics, WATER, Western Canada,
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I cannot believe it! Liberal leadership candidate Mike de Jong talks about the Toba Inlet Independent Power Project (IPP) as not a truly private project because Plutonic (General Electric in drag) has partnered with the local First Nation! This, says Mike, makes it a “community” project. This is an interesting point of view considering that Don McInnes, head of Plutonic, told a legislative committee in 2004 that private power companies shouldn’t have to share any profits – not even 1%! – with First Nations. I won’t dwell on this point because it’s irrelevant to the main question – namely, are IPPs a good idea? Mr. de Jong would be a premier who would encourage more and more IPPs even though he obviously doesn’t have the faintest idea as to what they’re all about.

For example, de Jong, to Bill Good, made the nonsensical claim that these projects don’t divert much water, compared to a conventional dam – which is  backwards. These IPPs are diversion projects; whereas dams hold back water, but don’t usually divert it. The Toba projects divert, in fact, something on the order of 90% of the mean annual flow of the rivers for miles.

It’s hard for me, a former cabinet minister, to understand the utter ignorance of the present Liberal bunch have towards IPPs. That a possible premier of BC doesn’t understand that these environmental disasters are making the energy when BC Hydro doesn’t need it yet must buy it anyway; that when they do they must export it at a huge loss or use it themselves, paying 12x what they can make it for themselves, takes the breath away.

This is, however, not an uncommon syndrome affecting politicians called (forgive the technical term) believing your own bullshit. If those seeking the premiership don’t understand the pickle they’ve got us into, God help us.

In fact there’s no evidence that any of them have the faintest idea of what’s involved here.

This is a dramatic turnaround for it was always the NDP whose policy was wrapped up in a one-liner: now the Liberals have no idea of what IPPs arel about and use idiotic statements like “BC needs IPP power to become self sufficient”, whereas the opposite is the case.

BC Hydro’s recent statement of its needs takes the breath away.

Here’s what economist Erik Andersen comments – in summary:

  • Hydro’s financial statements show that its total liabilities have increased by more than 40% at least in the last 3 years
  • As things look from their statements, BC Hydro may be bankrupt by this summer. Of course, it won’t officially go into bankruptcy, as a company in the private sector would under these circumstances, but it does mean that what little independence they have will be gone.
  • Mr. Andersen observes that BC Hydro was forced to buy 8,300 GWH under the Hobson’s choice they face of either exporting the unwanted IPP power at a huge loss or using it instead of their own power at 12x what they can make it for themselves.
  • BC Hydro has always overestimated its needs – Mr Andersen says, “I’m expecting the annual per capita demand by BC only customers to drop from about 11,000 KWh to about 9,000 by 2015. One should note that Mr Andersen’s experience in such matters was learned by preparing demand outlooks for Government of Canada Treasury Board applications in support of new capital projects.
  • Mr Andersen concludes that a recent announcement by BC Hydro that it will seek to raise consumers’ power bills by 50% over the next 5 years “is about deflecting uncomfortable observations and providing a cover for more aggressive borrowing now in the works”. 

Speaking of uncomfortable observations, nowhere in this announcement did Hydro tell us how it’s going to pay the ungodly sums (now estimated at $50+ Billion) to be paid out to IPPs for power it doesn’t need. This scarcely chump change! This is huge – a million dollars times 50 thousand! It will increase as new cozy deals are made by the Liberal government’s favourite campaign donors.

Where the hell is this money to come from?

How can Hydro go to the BC Utilities Commission for enormous rate increases without telling anyone how they’re going to raise this unimaginable money going to the likes of General Electric – no wonder it’s the biggest corporation in the world!

These matters have not occurred, evidently, to those who want to be premier. It has, one might note, occurred to two NDP wannabe premiers John Horgan and Mike Farnworth who, casting aside traditional NDP slogans, have presented platforms that indicate their understanding and solutions to the problems.

This government has got the taxpayers in very deep doo doo indeed and finding the way out will be a challenge for all our citizens.

The sad part is that the Liberal leaders don’t even acknowledge that there’s a problem, much less offer solutions.

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Farnworth, Horgan fill environmental gap in leadership race

Canada, Politics, Western Canada,
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From TheTyee.ca – Feb 23, 2011

by Colleen Kimmett

NDP leadership hopeful Mike Farnworth became the second candidate to release an environmental platform yesterday.

Farnworth’s platform promises include:

  • Opening all existing IPP power purchasing agreements for public review, and a moratorium on all new IPPs.
  • A “no net-loss” policy for the Agricultural Land Reserve in each
    region and an enhance Buy BC program and BC Food First policy to
    support local food production.
  • The creation of a “blue belt” to protect wild salmon spawning and
    migration areas and a move to innovative closed containment
    aquaculture technology.
  • Repeal of the Significant Projects Streamlining Act that strips
    decision-making from local governments.
  • A shift of carbon tax revenue to transit and low-carbon green
    initiatives and inclusion of industrial emitters to pay the tax.

Last week NDP leadership candidate John Horgan released his environmental platform,
which touched on many of the same topics. He also promised to continue
lobbying for a federal moratorium on coastal tanker traffic and offshore
oil and gas drilling.

Today, Horgan issued a press release promising to revive Buy BC, a local food labelling and marketing program which was promised in the Liberal’s 2008 agriculture plan but has yet to be implemented. Liberal candidate George Abbott also promised to fund program if elected.

The Wilderness Committee supports the environmental
platforms of both Farnworth and Hogan. “I thought they compared very
favourably,” said its policy director Gwen Barlee. “They’re both
comprehensive, they’re talking about legislative changes, important
movement on energy, retaining the carbon tax and moving on climate
change in a significant way.

“They set a bar and we hope that other candidates will
meet that bar. Because two weeks ago, discussion of the environment was
missing in action, not only in the NDP leadership race but also
definitely with the Liberal leadership race.”

The NDP’s environmental support suffered in the 2009
provincial election when then-leader Carole James took an anti-carbon
tax position. That move alienated some environmental organizations that had traditionally been on side with NDP policies.

Barlee said she thinks these platforms will help heal
that rift. “I think people are sort of saying ‘show me the money’.
They’re looking for leadership on the environment, and I think the
environmental community will act accordingly.”

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England’s Forest sell-off: ‘People power’ forced U-turn, say campaigners

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From The Guardian – Feb 17, 2011

Campaigners have hailed the “people power” which has forced the government to abandon plans to privatise England’s public forests.

The news that Caroline Spelman, the environment secretary, would announce a halt to the consultation into proposals to sell thousands of hectares of woodland was welcomed by grassroots campaigners and conservation charities.

David Cameron heralded the about-turn at prime minister’s questions yesterday, when he stated bluntly that he was unhappy with the policy.

The proposals put out for consultation last month detail measures to dispose of up to 100% of England’s 258,000 hectare public forest estate, which is currently managed by the Forestry Commission, over the next 10 years.

They included a £250m sale of leaseholds for commercially valuable forests
to timber companies, measures to allow communities, charities and even
local authorities to buy or lease woods and plans to transfer well-known
“heritage” woods such as the New Forest into the hands of charities.

But the proposals attracted cross-party opposition and sparked a public outcry, with critics arguing they threatened public access and wildlife.

Campaign group 38 Degrees started a Save Our Forests petition which attracted more than 532,000 signatures.

David
Babbs, executive director, said: “Some people say signing petitions and
emailing MPs never changes anything, but it did this time.

“This
is what people power looks like, and over half a million of us are
feeling very proud of what we’ve achieved together today.

“We will
keep watching David Cameron to make sure he keeps his word. But right
now it looks like fantastic news for all of us who want to keep our
forests safe in public hands for future generations.”

The Woodland Trust welcomed the U-turn but warned the campaign to protect and restore England’s ancient forests must go on.

Sue
Holden, chief executive of the trust, said: “While we welcome the
removal of threats to public access, there is still an acute need for
better protection of ancient woodland, our equivalent of the
rainforests, and restoration of ancient woods planted with conifers.

“Ministers
have made strong commitments over the past few weeks to increase
protection for ancient woods, and we will be holding them to these
commitments.

“We must not let public passion and support for our
woods and forests die down and now that ownership is no longer an issue,
we must not lose sight of the need to increase protection for ancient
forests and restore those planted with conifers, a once in a lifetime
opportunity for woodland conservation.”

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General Electric’s hydra-headed lobbying effort in BC

Canada, Politics, WATER, Water and Hydrocarbons, Western Canada, ,
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From the Public Eye Online – Feb 8, 2011

The world’s second largest company has
registered to the lobby the government on a cornucopia of subjects.
General Electric Co. is perhaps best known in provincial political
circles for having partnered
with run-of-the-river, solar and wind energy producer Plutonic Power
Corporation Inc. So it’s not surprising the company’s Canadian
subsidiary is targeting the province’s “wind development program” and
“renewable energy opportunities” as part of its lobbying effort. But General Electric
– which hosted two receptions at the government’s BC Showcase during
the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and donated $15,470 to the Liberals
between 2005 and 2009 – is also planning to talk about:

* technology, services and strategies aimed at helping clients “significantly reduce the cost” of healthcare and design futuristic hospitals. That lobbying comes a year after the government committed to a new agenda that “expands innovation in health delivery” – a commitment Liberal leadership candidates Christy Clark and Kevin Falcon share.

* the government’s policies with “respect to sustainable mining
energy-renewable shale gas development.” General Electric’s products
include “comprehensive air quality solutions” for mining operations, as well as a new “mobile evaporator” that lets natural gas producers recycle untreated waste water created by fracking. Three years ago, the company also partnered with Rio Tinto PLC to “develop the most energy efficient and ecologically friendly solutions to support the future of mining;”

* the development of a policy “targeted at buy (sic) power from
greenhouse into grid (sic).” Two years ago, in a North American first,
Great Northern Hydroponics Ltd. opened
a General Electric-designed greenhouse cogeneration plant that
generates onsite power and sells the surplus to the local grid under a
20-year contract with the Ontario Power Authority; and

* the government’s policy with “respect to solutions for offgrid
(sic) communities.” Last month, General Electric Canada president and
chief executive officer Elyse Allan announced
the launch of an initiative “to gain greater insight into shaping the
growth of Canada’s remote community economies and the decisions being
made by global and national businesses to invest in these communities.”

General Electric Canada has yet to respond to a request for comment placed yesterday.

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Chris Delaney - BC First Party spokesperson

BC First’s Energy and Environment Alternative

Canada, Politics, Western Canada
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The Common Sense Canadian is offering leadership contenders and party leaders and spokespeople in BC an opportunity to spell out their energy and environmental policies for our readers. Today, we present the first of these – from the BC First Party.

BC First recently released its new “people friendly” environment policy that includes a moratorium on the development of the Site C dam. We believe that a proper review, laying out all the options, has never been undertaken to determine whether the damage from flooding such a massive area is worthwhile when compared to the alternatives.
 
To be clear, BC First rejects the extreme environmental perspective which sees all human development as bad. We also reject the “development at any costs” mentality which says no matter what long term ecological damage, no matter how much displacement of valuable farm land, and no matter what the alternatives, we plough ahead as usual because powerful, self interested parties control the agenda.

We believe that abundant energy is the key to economic development and prosperity for BC. Nations with surplus energy have the means to promote creativity, opportunity, and productivity. But the Williston Reservoir demonstrates the environmental damage from erosion that can happen even after we thought we’d covered all our bases.

Fortunately, British Columbia is blessed with an abundance of alternative energy sources, in particular natural gas, tidal and wind power. The Aeolis Wind Corporation, the company behind the proposed Thunder Mountain wind project, estimates there is as much wind power in northeastern British Columbia as in BC Hydro’s entire generating capacity – equivalent to ten Site C’s!

At a projected 50 trillion cubic feet, there is enough natural gas in the Montney shale gas field alone to power tens of millions of homes, dwarfing the Site C dam’s 900 MW capacity of 410,000 homes. “Blue Fuel” – a by-product created by capturing excess CO2 from natural gas fired plants, creates a clean burning fuel with a wide range of industrial and commercial applications. It is estimated that adding turbines to the west side of the generating station of the WAC Bennett Dam could effectively double that dam’s power output. Natural gas, wind, geothermal, tidal generators, and even bio-fuel from beetle killed timber all provide massive opportunities for a comprehensive new model for BC’s energy.

The days of destroying productive valleys, submerging farm land, and wiping out wildlife habitat and our ecology are quickly passing. There are far better alternatives to diversify our power resources so we are not hostage to a single generating model, and which will create jobs that are ongoing, provide the power we need, and lessen our footprint considerably. It’s time to transition from a 20th century energy model to a 21st century one.

BC First believes a holistic plan is required that takes into consideration other core human objectives such as quality of life, tourism, recreation, farming and the very attainable goal of food self sufficiency for BC. The capacity for agriculture in the unique micro-climate of the Peace River Valley is second only to the Fraser valley in terms of agricultural productivity, and has the potential to become BC’s “breadbasket”.

BC has the most designated park land in all of Canada, but much of it is remote and inaccessible. We have developed a comprehensive strategy for environment that includes a BC First “Community Parks Plan” to replace the “Carbon Tax” that will actually reduce CO2 by creating green belts in and around urban centers. These parks would also form a network of “wildlife highways” connecting to existing larger parks to develop an integrated system that respects the natural migration and ecology of BC wildlife and protects BC’s indigenous plant ecosystems.

BC First is proposing a “BC Heritage Fund” that will earmark a portion of conventional resource revenues to invest in “new” energy technology and jobs to make BC the world leader in sustainable, alternative energy. We would also provide incentives for individuals and small businesses for the creation and use of localized “green energy” technologies such as solar, wind, biodiesel and geothermal to help reduce pollution, lower energy costs, and increase individual choice in energy.

In BC, we can have our cake and eat it too when it comes to energy and environment. We just need the vision, desire, and courage to do it. Then and only then will the best model for BC emerge that is both practical and necessary, and which enjoys widespread support from all British Columbians.

For more information go to: www.bcfirst.com

 

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“Red Rafe” Mair: Madder Than Hell At The B.C. Liberals

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From Westcoaster.ca – Feb 3, 2011

by Jessica Kirby

Former lawyer and cabinet minister turned political junkie
Rafe Mair will be visiting Port Alberni and Tofino in February to
discuss the Raven Coal project and environmental issues in B.C.

He and filmmaker Damien Gillis are promoting their recently launched “Common Sense Canadian,” a blog aimed at creating a platform for environmental discussion and action across the province.
According to the blog, “the Common Sense Canadian
tackles the issues that really matter to Canadians and the world, such
as water, energy, food, democracy – not to mention government corruption
and corporate greed.”
Mair says run-of-river power projects, those
that use the natural flow and elevation drop of a river to fuel power
generation, threaten every stream and river in B.C. and the ecology that
depends on them.
Most are products of contracts forced on BC Hydro
by the Liberal government, stipulating that the corporation has to
purchase power it doesn’t need from independent companies at twice the
export price, says Mair.
Mair and Gillis are on a cross-province
tour to reach every British Columbian with the message that it is  time
to say, “enough is enough” to the B.C. government, and demand protection
for the province’s natural resources.
Westcoaster.ca
caught up with Mair before the event to get his take on the key issues
affecting environmental health on Vancouver Island and in the rest of
the province.

How do you feel about the Raven Coal project?
Any
time a mining development is anywhere near the public, it is not quite
on. It’s not like we are short on coal, and if we need to use it for
energy, then there are all sorts of coal mines and coal deposits around
the world that don’t impede on land that is tender from an environmental
point of view and that are not close to people.

What I see with the Raven Mine is that it is too close to the
population and has to serve a market that does not serve B.C. I have a
problem with the mine situation because I understand that people have to
mine things, but what is lacking is public consultation before it
becomes a done deal.

One thing we’ve got to come to grips with in society is that we can’t
have a one-law-fits-all situation. Each place has different and
equities, and when it comes to mining the days of wading into someone’s
back yard with a pick axe are over. Society has developed and so options
are available – not mining near Fish Lake or not putting slag into it,
for example. It is new work for miners, but one has to take things like
Raven Mine and assess the situation and anyone with half a brain can see
that it is not on.

What is the most important environmental issue B.C. is facing right now?
It
is the run-of-rivers [power generation projects], no question about it.
The issue is agreements the Liberals made with independent power
generation companies. These are not mom and pop operations; they are
huge international companies like GE, Ledcor, and DuPont. They do not
let the water bubble along freely. In some cases they take away up to 90
per cent of the water. The ecology that depends on that river is
damaged; add that to the trees that are taken down for roads …

Point two is that BC Hydro is forced to pay double the export price
to IPPs, and they have to take it or pay it. Because of energy created
privately during spring run-off when BC Hydro doesn’t need it, it must
be used or exported instead of using what they can generate themselves
for a twelfth of the price.

The so-called run-of-rivers are hugely destructive of fish. They say
they don’t put weirs in pace where there are significant values of fish
to be hurt. This is just nonsense. There isn’t a single river in B.C.
without significant fish values.

The biggest problem is getting people to believe that any government
could be so fucking stupid. Their eyes glaze over as they think, “No one
would ever do that,” but that is exactly what they are doing.

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Time Enviros Tune into in BC Politics

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The time has come, the walrus said…no Rafe, the Liberal leadership only looks like Alice in Wonderland.

It is, though, time for all environmentalists to start looking very seriously at BC politics because after the NDP convention, we’ll be in the countdown to the next election. Even though the election will still be two years away, that will be the time we who care about environmental values must start turning it up, notch by notch.

In doing this I ask to you bear in mind my biases. I don’t give a damn who gets in as long as he/she opens up the private power file, produces all the secret energy purchase contracts so we can see which, if any, are in the public interest and axe the ones that aren’t, then cancels the Campbell Energy Plan, and, after consultation with the people, presents a new one.

When I say I don’t care who gets in this is not a light statement to be ignored.

Let us assume that, in our zeal to save our province, we elect a government that hashes things up but does save the environment, our farm land, our wildlife habitat, our fish, our rivers and their dependent ecologies, and BC Hydro in the bargain, we can then elect another government to clean up the mess.

It gets down to choices (the name of the game in BC politics as elsewhere)  – will you trade away Beautiful British Columbia for a short term bottom line? And while we’re on the subject, I would argue that on virtually every point the Campbell government is worse than the NDP of the 90s. I admit that’s damning with very faint praise but make your own comparison even of fiscal policy, bearing in mind Campbell’s gifts to the rich, his inability to see the obvious coming recession, his lying about the 2009 budget and the state of the deficit and provincial debt.

Those who support Gordon “Pinocchio” Campbell’s fiscal record by claiming that he was hit by hard times should go back to the time “Asian Flu” hit the NDP government and see how the Liberals in opposition gave them no peace regarding something over which they had no control and came as a surprise to everyone.

I cannot see any Liberal candidate who will change a thing.

As you follow the debates, see how often the environment/energy issue or BC Rail comes up!

Kevin Falcon is Gordon Campbell, plus, plus, plus. Christy Clark has good looks and glibness but nothing else. George Abbott hasn’t the jam to deal with environment/energy issues by letting the public have a say and Mike de Jong has been an integral part of the Campbell government throughout and is the man who paid the money to end the Basi/Virk case and continue the government cover-up of the BC Rail mess.

A pox on all their houses!

What about the NDP?

They have a big problem with their optics. The real problem with the NDP of the 90s wasn’t fiscal but an inability to look like a government what with its scandals and revolving door leadership. What this demonstrated more than anything else was a lack of discipline.

For one, I have a problem with party discipline where it chokes off independent opinions which is what happens in all Canadian parliaments. That said, there must be sufficient discipline to keep the ship from hitting the Lorelei.

Unfortunately, the public seems to like tough, uncompromising discipline and somehow the NDP must square this circle.

As I’ve often pointed out, the NDP is, by nature, a disputatious lot.

The only candidate to have spoken out, forcibly, on the environment/energy issue is John Horgan. I’ve met and spent some time with Horgan and I believe he means what he says about opening up the IPP contracts and ending the rape of our rivers.

According to a recent Ipsos-Reid poll, the leaders are, in descending order, Farnworth, John Horgan, Nicholas Simons and Adrian Dix.

I’ve spoken about Horgan, who is clearly the soundest on our issues – now let me deal with the others.

Farnworth is a fine man and would, in my estimation, be a good choice depending on his stand on the environment/energy issue. Accordingly, I suspend judgment until we know what his position is.

Adrian Dix carries an open political wound over his fake e-mail in an attempt to cover-up the problem Premier Clark got in over his neighbour who helped fix Clark’s house at the same time he was making an application for a gambling license. Dix, to his credit – and unlike so many politicians – ‘fessed up promptly.

He is a pit bull much like Kevin Falcon and if that match-up came to pass what excitement that would bring to our politics.

Adrian Dix has been outstanding in the Legislature and I look forward to learning his position on the environment/energy.

Unfortunately I don’t know Nicholas Simons except to say hello, so judgment must be suspended. He, like all the candidates, has been offered a blog on our website (www.thecanadian.org) on environment/energy matters..

I’ve already wasted time typing this but the Conservatives may and only may take a few votes from the Liberals.

It’s interesting to consider a third party and the only one with a chance is the BC First Party under the pro tem leadership of Chris Delaney. I’ve been following this with considerable interest since, it seems to me, there is a great gap in the middle and that Delaney has moved from the right (Conservative) seamlessly. I’m not surprised because I believe this has been happening for a long time.

My read of it is that Delaney couldn’t stomach the Liberals so tried other avenues which, to date, have failed.

I believe that Chris has blotted his copybook staying with the Recall movement more out of loyalty than conviction. But time will tell.

There are two times in my memory when a “third party” has been successful – 1952 and 1991. 2013 looks like the situations back then.

In 1952 the Liberal Coalition crumbled and this left a huge gap in the middle which W.A.C Bennett charged into with his HMS Pinafore-like Social Credit Party.

In 1991, again the middle opened up as the Social Credit Party collapsed and the Gordon Wilson led Liberals went into the fray with no seats and ended up with 17 and Official Opposition status.

Speaking of 1991, what will Gordon Wilson do? He’s a political animal as is his wife Judi Tyabi-Wilson. I would be very surprised to learn that they haven’t been talking to Delaney. It would be a very powerful combination especially since the Wilsons would offset any concerns that Delaney was too far right.

The Green Party is the hardest one for me to handle. I’ve voted Green three times but strictly as a protest. On environment/energy issues they are clearly on our side.

Problem. Big time problem. Under our “first past the post” system they can’t win in spite of a good leader in Jane Sterk.

Try as they might, they can’t convince voters that they’re more than a one issue party. And that’s a damned shame.

One thing’s for sure – for political junkies it’s going to be a helluva ride!

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Alex Tsakumis: Rafe Mair & the CBC BS

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From AlexGTsakumis.com – Feb 2, 2011

I’ve always enjoyed the CBC. Even though I grew up a CJOR junkie and then an CKNW addict, I always enjoyed the CBC.

Now, listening to Stephen Quinn and Rick Cluff from time to time is
some very good radio, but the CBC, Canada’s media mothership–and often
the motherload of politically correct pabulum, can be a very trying
place to get some balance. They do, after all, feature a hypocritical
fruit fly biologist as the paragon of environmental nirvana and are a
notorious (mismanaged!) drain on our pockets.

But this bit of local rabble had me scratching my head.

Still does.

Rafe Mair has found himself in a bit of controversy, in my opinion,
for doing the right thing: Rafe, a friend and fan of this blog, was
asked by a CBC producer to find something nice and not so nice to say
about Gordon Campbell seeing as some testimonial was on its way.

Rafe, every bit the iconoclast, took the principled position of
telling the CBC that he could NOT find anything nice to say about
Campbell. In turn, the producer axed Rafe’s participation, for that day,
on the CBC panel that includes Erin Chutter and Moe Sihota.

Frankly, Mair is the only useful talkinghead on the damn thing.
Chutter’s opinions range from occasionally on to meteorically sophomoric
and Sihota has no business being there when he’s the President of the
NDP and collecting from unions to do so.

To say I’m disappointed in the mother ship is an understatement.

For shame. I, too, hope Rafe is back next week and survives this
not-so-quaint bit of censorship–because that’s exactly what it amounts
to. Otherwise, you can forget that panel–without Rafe its relevancy is
zilch.

For shame.

Read full article and Rafe’s statement

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Scientist Quits Provincial Panel on Tar Sands Over Government Muzzling

Canada, Energy and Resources, Politics, Tar Sands,
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From The Calgary Herald – Feb 2, 2011

by Kelly Cryderman

CALGARY – Just days after the makeup of a provincial panel
meant to revamp oilsands monitoring was announced, an American member
has quit saying there’s not enough scientists in the group and the
Alberta government wants to muzzle free discussion.

“I’m
concerned that First Nations may think this is yet another snow job by a
bunch of experts who speak a lot of technical speak,” said Helen
Ingram, a University of California-Irvine professor emeritus who
specializes in public policy on water resources.

However,
Alberta Environment argues there are eight scientists on the panel with
PhDs, and rules governing disclosure of information by panel members
have yet to be finalized.

Ingram and 11 others were named
by Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner last Thursday as members of a
panel to provide recommendations for creating a “world-class
environmental monitoring system” for the oilsands.

The
group, which meets for the first time next week, is co-chaired by Hal
Kvisle, who retired as president and chief executive of Trans­Canada
Corp. last year, but is still an adviser to the pipeline company.
TransCanada moves thousands of barrels per day of oilsands products to
market and is seeking environmental approval for the $7-billion Keystone
XL project to transport more bitumen to U.S. refiners.

The
other co-chair is Howard Tennant, the former president and
vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge. Other members include
public health experts, biological science and geology professors,
environmental consultants, a vice-president from the Canadian
Association of Petroleum Producers and a former adviser to Prime
Minister Stephen Harper.

Even though she’s “really . . . concerned that the tarsands get appropriate monitoring,” Ingram gave her notice on Tuesday.

Her
three main concerns were that the panel schedule set doesn’t allow for
her to attend key meetings, there are too few physical scientists – such
as hydrologists – on the panel, and early instructions suggested she
and other members would not be able to discuss oilsands issues with
scientific colleagues or others without first getting the permission of
the minister.

Ingram said she’s used to some level of confidentiality while sitting on panels, but this seemed a step too far.

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