I worry a lot when politicians are talking – usually double or even triple talk. Did I do that when I was in government?…Well it takes one to know one.
I worry even more when they say nothing, something that Premier Christy Clark finds impossible when fudging on motherhood “issues” and tossing out the usual barnyard droppings. What Premier Clark is very good at is deathly silence on matters of great consequence.
What is the premier’s stance on Independent Power Projects (IPPS) in the environmental sense?
Does she care about the enormous environmental impact they have? Has she considered the clouding of the river during construction? Is she concerned that the main river goes down to a trickle when it’s diverted into a tunnel? Does she concern herself with the clear-cutting for roads and transmission lines? It would be good to know.
Her only environmental pronouncement I know of is her support of the Fish Lake project which is not, to say the least, encouraging.
Does the premier care that because her government has forced BC Hydro to take IPP power when it doesn’t need it, Hydro must either sell it at a loss or use it instead its own much less expensive power? Does she even understand this? I ask because her spokesperson on the political panel on CBC at 7:40AM on Mondays clearly doesn’t.
Does the premier know that BC Hydro is carrying over $50 BILLION dollars in obligations to IPPs and that this increases with every new contract?
Surely Ms. Clark understands that this is the prescription for bankruptcy – or does she? Maybe she’s never had to balance a home budget and doesn’t comprehend these things.
Does the premier know that early in the Campbell regime – when she was deputy leader – her government told the federal government that it had no objection to oil tanker traffic on our coast? Do we take from her silence that even though a spill (and there are no good ones) is a certainty she doesn’t understand this or just couldn’t care less?
Moreover, if she and her government support these issues, why aren’t they boasting about them as good politicians always do when, like Jack Horner, they pull out a plum?
And what about pipelines? The Enbridge and Kinder Morgan lines will crisscross the province, over its most sensitive terrain and again, a spill is not a risk but a certainty – does that concern her?
Come to think on it, does the premier understand and does she care that BC hardly makes a dime out of these catastrophic oil transport deals?
What’s the premier’s attitude to the Highways Ministry paving agricultural land? Threatening sensitive wildlife preserves (in the case of Eagleridge they just paved it) and wildlife sanctuaries?
Does Christy Clark care that the Ministry of Environment – the resident eunuch in her harem – has virtually nothing to say on these matters because, thanks to her government, it’s a mere shell of its former self?
Does she care about anything except money?
Ah, Rafe, you must be fair here for she does say she cares for the family, although you’d never know it by the record of her government.
I think that the voters of BC are entitled to specific answers to these specific questions.
I also think that the best we can expect is platitudinous bullshit.
When Premier Clark flouts the fixed election term legislation passed by her and her government accompanied by passionate concern for democracy and fair play and calls a snap election, she will be asked these questions.
The Liberals were spared these questions in 2009 during an appalling campaign by the NDP – I don’t think they’ll be so lucky next time.
In the meantime, Damien Gillis and I of the Common Sense Canadian will be taking these issues by the internet and in person to every corner of the province and she should know that.
Christy Clark is a little puppet controlled by mining and oil and gas. She thinks she can buy her way out of B.C.’s problems by selling off our environment. I am shocked and dismayed by this government’s total ignorance and lack of regard for the future. It is truly frightening how uneducated and uncaring the average British Columbian is. As long as they are working and the problems are not in their backyards, they will not fight. The Liberals know this and capitalize on it. By the time they realize they have sold our children’s birthright, it will be too late. Family values, my foot!
Christy may not be informed about the state of the possible environmental impact of crude oil extractions on the west coast. Both Enridge and Trans Canada had about 100 minor leaks and pipe cracks, but the Rainbow pipeline disaster (28,000 barrels leaked) was the worst, especially for the Lubicon people/land in northern Alberta. There are now visible signs of sick children,elderly. The greatest threat will probably be Enbridge, especially if we get the shipping contract, which will inevitably involve sending oil to China. Then there’s the Keystone XL which is scheduled to pump 1.3 million barrels/day from Hardisty, Alberta to Houston, Texas by 2013. Naomi Klein has stated often enough that this presents the greatest challenge to both USA and Canada, because obviously, the pipeline passes through agricultural land reserves. Today, in B.C. , an oil tanker blew up, so imagine the effects on nearby towns. I believe an audit was done of B.C.’s handling of environmental issues and the carbon footprint in general,and we didn’t fare very well there either. So yes, nothing said means everything.
There is nothing left in this province, to recover with. Campbell thieved and sold our assets, the BCR and our rivers. Campbell sent some of our mills to China, along with our raw logs. He shut down 51 mills, and cost 131,000 job losses, for our BC mill workers. More mill lay offs, are coming.
We own none of our natural resources, the giant corporations do. All Harper wants now, is to exploit the BC citizens for the HST.
Harper rewarded Campbell for doing his dirty work for him. A cushy job, as High Commissioner to England. Campbell is to work, to bring the dirty oil sands crud to England. The Brits have demonstrated, against the dirty crude.
The Brits don’t take the crap, from their government, that Canadians do. Nor, are their paparazzi bought off either. People have sent the info, on Campbell and Harper. Even Campbell’s, drunken mug shots.
Europe had banned the dirty oil, and there is great anger at Britain, for breaking their word. So, Port Kitimat will have tankers from, China, England and the U.S. in those treacherous seas.
There are very few country’s, that can tolerate Harper. He is known as a petty gasbag.
Everything going on in this province, was set in motion, a long time ago.
There are NO major decisions for Christy to make. The back door for the expansion, of Prosperity Mine, was left wide open by Harper. The expansion could be reapplied for.
Harper and Campbell worked together, to force the Enbridge pipeline and the dirty tankers from China. The intention will be forced on us by them. No decision for Christy there.
Campbell and Harper, also worked together to, drill oil and gas well’s off BC’s coast. That decision won’t be Christy’s either.
Will Christy make a decision, about the devastation of our rivers? Nope. Will she look into the outrageous atrocity of our BC hydro, the cost of our hydro, going up 53%? Nah.
Will Christy clean up, Campbell’s theft and corrupt sale of the BCR? Absolutely not.
Harper, Campbell and Hansen colluded on the HST, long before the BC election. Does that matter to Christy? No it does not.
Are Christy’s family’s, really first? Not on your Nelly. The HST is the utmost priority for Christy, and to hell with the BC people. Those are her orders, cheat the BC people. Harper wants the HST.
A little more;
How do we stop this from continuing?
In the end analysis I do not believe civil disobedience will do the trick. I mean look at other countries where the population has tried civil disobedience to no avail. But what we have witnessed does have results is people walking like an Egyptian creating the Arab Spring.
There is one sure way to put an end to this type of domination, but it would require EVERY SINGLE CANADIAN to agree to and become involved in simultaneously.
Stop using any type of credit or credit card for 90 days. If everyone did this collectively the banking system in this country would collapse inside of six weeks.
Then we start again; everyone from zero.
Harsh medicine? You bet…this is what it will take to dig us out of the ditch we now find ourselves in.
We have sat back collectively as apathetic Canadians and literally watched our country taken from us without lifting a finger.
Easiest war ever fought by the corporations…..
I believe the corporate war on the environment is going quite well don’t you?
She is a marionette; inserted into place. She cannot address any of the complicated issues concerning this province because she is not equipped to handle that kind of depth.
I mean people only respond to their level of ability…sound elitist or snobby? Not meant to be……just realistic that’s all.
She cannot comprehend certain issues so she ignores them hoping they will disappear….I believe this is the case…….
The marionette string pullers do not want to reveal themselves in answering any of the questions either… they work best at the game of manipulating others. There is always another stooge in the line up willing to be sacrificed at the political altar…….
The modern politician is a manipulated one these days; all political parties have been compromised in this way. For me, party politics is over; the electoral system we have in place is clearly not serving us well at any level; municipal, provincially or federally.
The real question to ask is if any of them can actually recall the first time they sold out. After that first time, each successive time becomes easier and easier to compromise one principles until one ends up being just another shark in the water.
Rafe. many of these questions are far too complex and beyond the comprehension of Campbell-in-a-skirt. Her grade 12 education has not prepared her for detailed analysis and research, and her know it all arrogance does not seem to allow any input from all that expensive bureaucracy. She dropped out of SFU and dropped out of studies overseas for those who think I am making this up.
Yesterday she was telling the judges what to do and when to do it then telling police to prepare really good cases. Why are the journalists going to stop fawning and question her nonsense.
Today she is encouraging the other Premiers to increase trade with China and India. That only means more crap in the stores and more jobs lost. And more triad members arriving in town???
It makes no sense selling pulp to China who want to sell back to us paper!
These are truly bizarre times in which we live.
80 billion and counting….
A fleecing of unprecedented proportion.
Narely a word in MSM.
I fear all hope is lost in permeating the veil of misinformation that is the lifeblood of this government.
Rafe is not far off in describing it as the sink hole for which our Province will be sucked into.
The players in this game are so powerful, so intent of getting their way and so capable of doing so it makes one wonder what will be left of British Columbia for the next generation.
Some seem to think the transfer of wealth has no real on the ground implications. Private plunder, public plunder to them there is no discernible difference which perpetuates the required apathy to ensure the success of such agendas.
Maybe a focus on real world implications of handing our Province over to these modern Robber Barons will help lift the veil. A better understanding of what is at stake now and into the future may help overcome the apathy.
Couching the concerns in environmental language does little in this regard as the barons have used the “Greenwash” to their advantage. However describing the real life implications of such wealth transfers might pierce the consciousness of the apathetic.
Rafe check the latest public accounts – it is up to 80 billion now. Click my site url to see – Bruce Ralston flagged it.