“This project is not ‘run-of-river.’ It involves draining alpine lakes by levels of 60 feet in depth, diverting waterfalls and clearcutting lineal swaths for power lines and penstocks. This will permanently industrialize a local pristine fjord for the sole purpose of private profit.” I read a letter to the editor
Continue readingTag: LNG
Northern Insight / Perceptivity: Setting priorities
I’ve written about politics influenced by a captured and compliant press. This is from a helpful Canadian Press article published by Macleans Magazine weeks before the last BC election: …A Liberal government would dedicate all revenues from liquefied natural gas and a proposed oil refinery in Kitimat to debt reduction
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Rafe: Federal leaders out of touch on LNG, fracking
Thomas Mulcair, Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau Prime Minister Stephen Harper has thrown down the gauntlet with his promise of federal tax giveaways for LNG enterprises. I expected this sort of nonsense – just one look at the smug sneer of power on the face of James Moore, Minister of Industry,
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper slashes federal taxes for BC LNG industry
Stephen Harper announces the Government’s intent to support the creation of BC’s LNG industry in Surrey, BC (PMO) Prime Minister Stephen Harper jumped on the BC LNG ship this week with the announcement of federal support for the embattled industry during a speech in Surrey, BC. A PMO press release trumpeting
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Asian LNG prices take record 60% plunge from last year
Asian spot market prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) have plunged by a single year record of 61.7% since February 2014, according to Platts JKM (Japan/Korea Marker) – a leading source of benchmark prices for the industry. Average prices for March delivery peaked at a historic high of $20.20 per million British thermal units (MMBtu)
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Sales tax not only way to pay for public services
CCPA Budget Submissions Natural Resource Royalties Reform, Iglika Ivanova, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, October 2014 BC used to collect well over $1 billion per year from natural gas royalties, but over the last five fiscal years these averaged a mere $330 million per year. The tax/royalty regime for LNG
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Christy Clark’s LNG-fueled Fudge-it Budget…and the enabling NDP
Premier Christy Clark made big election promises about managing BC’s economy (CP) Welcome to Ruritania! Where is Peter Sellers when we need him? We now have a legislature pretending to act like big kids do, leaders acting as if they really are in charge, a government out of control, and
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Politics of opportunism
In a Times Colonist Op-Ed, Bercove, Madden and Coste wrote, We have the choice between trying to build an industry of uncertain benefit based on a finite resource that is guaranteed to increase our contribution to the climate crisis, or rebuilding an industry that could provide livelihoods on a potentially
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Chevron pulls back on BC LNG work amid slumping energy prices
Artist’s rendering of proposed Kitimat LNG project Read this Jan. 30 story from Bloomberg on Chevron, the latest would-be LNG investor in BC to get cold feet amid slumping oil and Asian LNG prices. (Bloomberg) — Chevron Corp. is significantly slowing spending on the Kitimat liquefied natural gas project in
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: LNG, Fracking and BC’s Energy Future: Nanaimo Event-Wednesday 7PM
Damien Gillis filmmaker and Rafe Mair’s partner in the CommonSense Canadian will be speaking at an event at Beban Park Social Centre, 2300 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, BC LNG, Fracking and BC’s Energy Future: Nanaimo eventThe Common Sense Canadian’s Damien Gillis and retired KPMG partner and chemistry Ph.D Eoin Finn will
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: LNG, Fracking and BC’s Energy Future: Nanaimo event
BG Group’s Methane Lydon Volney tanker (Photo: BG Group) The Common Sense Canadian’s Damien Gillis and retired KPMG partner and chemistry Ph.D Eoin Finn will be in Nanaimo Wednesday night to discuss the province’s energy vision. Finn has been a leading voice on the economic and safety risks of the proposed
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: LNG shocker: Squamish rejects pipeline builder’s drilling permit
Squamish council rejects Fortis BC application for test drilling (Instagram/ Dan Prisk) In a surprising show of municipal political power – even in a region that has demonstrated strong misgivings regarding proposed LNG development – Squamish council has rejected Fortis BC’s controversial permit application for test drilling in a Wildlife Management
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: BC Prosperity Fund Accrual
February 13, 2013, Premier Christy Clark announced …the new British Columbia Prosperity Fund to ensure communities, First Nations and all British Columbians benefit from the development of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry… LNG development is poised to trigger approximately $1 trillion in cumulative GDP within British Columbia over
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Science World Ignores Climate Science
Well, why would you support something called Science World when it participates in a program to brainwash students into supporting the liquid natural gas industry, despite the science indicating how harmful it is to the world. Climate change deniers deny science. The BC government pretends to care about climate change
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Woodfibre LNG proponent has history of fraud, tax evasion
Sukanto Tanoto (right), the man behind the proposed Woodfibre LNG project Permit me to make some observations about the LNG situation in Squamish. What the people of Howe Sound do is their affair. I can only give them the benefit, if any, of my experience over the years. We are
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Squamish Council faces lawsuits from both sides in LNG pipeline dispute
Citizens line the Sea to Sky Highway to protest Woodfibre LNG (My Sea to Sky) Former District of Squamish Councillor Meg Fellowes addresses current mayor and council over Fortis BC’s controversial application to conduct test drilling in a wildlife management area. The drilling is in connection to a planned pipeline
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Stakes are high and LNG bet is not safe
Some years ago, Premier Gordon Campbell announced the Gateway Program for improvement of roads and bridges throughout Greater Vancouver. It included a new Fraser River crossing and reconstruction of Highway 1 from Vancouver to Langley. Also in the plan was the South Fraser Perimeter Road for port, industrial and regional
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Wrong path, wrong time
Christy Clark, Rich Coleman and Liberal friends are like 1980 promoters excited to spend someone else’s money to open a giant disco club, despite unmistakable signs the dance craze was soon to end. Focusing on a costly fossil fuel start-up is a mistake of giant proportion for British Columbia. The
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Before we follow the LNG path
The Liberal Premier of New Brunswick announced a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing and he offered advice that Christy Clark should note, “We’re not interested in putting all of our eggs in a single basket.” Premier Gallant says the moratorium won’t be lifted until these conditions are met: A social license
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Hidden subsidies to big business
In June 2011, Postmedia reported comments about Site C by David Conway, Community Relations Manager with BC Hydro. When you get down to the cost per megawatt, this option even at 7.9 billion, this is one of the most cost-effective options for ratepayers in British Columbia.” Conway said the cost
Continue reading