It is been long apparent that the National Energy Board is not an industry regulator. It is an industry facilitator that is staffed by people who serve the fossil fuel industry and work to deflect public concern about whatever projects industry plans. Scroll down through previous Northern Insight articles about
Continue readingTag: oil and gas
Northern Insight / Perceptivity: Should BC taxpayers promote fossil fuels?
If British Columbia continues to encourage the production and transport of coal, gas and oil, we are blowing poisons into the faces of earth’s future generations. I know something about that, I did it to my children. When a young adult, I smoked tobacco. Initially, it was an effort to
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Different ways, different results
Note 11 from a study by John Calvert and Marjorie Griffith Cohen of Simon Fraser University, Climate Change and the Canadian Energy Sector: “In this regard it is interesting to compare the approach of Alberta with Norway. While the timing of their respective production rates varies, both jurisdictions have produced
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Truthiness
This week, radio Station CKNW played commercials aimed at promoting public confidence in the absolute safety of Trans Mountain pipeline operations and marine shipments of petroleum products on the west coast. The spots end with this tagline: “Trans Mountain, operating safely in your community since 1953.” Gadget Google – Lecteur
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Climate damages litigation could cost Canadian oil & gas companies billions: study
A new study reveals that Canada’s oil and gas companies could be penalized billions of dollars for their contribution to climate change. The post Climate damages litigation could cost Canadian oil & gas companies billions: study appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Repeaters, not reporters
Ever notice that corporate media seems to speak with one voice? On balance – or rather, on lack-of-balance – they do. It is the voice of big business. Vaughn Palmer, with American shale gas boom a major threat to B.C. exports, is the latest columnist lobbing fat pitches into the
Continue readingNorthern Insight / Perceptivity: Pretending less is known than we know
At times, I wonder if mainstream political journalism in BC is written by the uninformed for the uninformed. Gary Mason provided an example to consider when he commented on the latest threat directed at BC Liberals by Petronus, an Asian energy company. “While senior officials in the government tried to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Climate Criminals: Harper Misses Canadian People’s Climate March Caravan
By skipping the UN Climate Summit, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is solidifying his place among the ranks of global climate criminals. The post Climate Criminals: Harper Misses Canadian People’s Climate March Caravan appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Captives of industry
Regular readers are aware that British Columbia’s natural gas industry provides surprisingly little return to the province by way of royalties for depleting non-renewable public assets. In the last two fiscal years, after accounting for drilling and road subsidies taken by or owed to producers, the province’s net gas royalty
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Nova Scotia is not ready for fracking
An independent panel commissioned by the government of Nova Scotia to examine the impact of hydraulic fracturing has concluded that Nova Scotia is not read for fracking. The post Nova Scotia is not ready for fracking appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingNorthern Insight: This week’s Liberal direction: lower LNG expectations
Friday, The Common Sense Canadian — a site that usually provides worthwhile journalism — posted an article written by Keith Baldrey for Glacier Media, publisher of numerous community recyclables. Not surprisingly, anyone reading the Global News reporter’s account needs the rest of the story. Here is part of Baldrey’s item,
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Socialized losses, privatized gains
Every megaproject conceived and executed by BC Liberals in recent years has ended with massive cost overruns, despite the predictable “on-time and on-budget” claims. Most involved contractors with foreign domiciles. Check out the Port Mann bridge project, South Fraser Perimeter Road, BC Place renovation, Vancouver Convention Centre, Sea to Sky
Continue readingTHE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE: Court Upholds Small Towns’ Right to Ban Fracking
The New York Court of Appeals has ruled that local communities have the right to ban the environmentally-harmful practice of fracking by oil and gas companies. The post Court Upholds Small Towns’ Right to Ban Fracking appeared first on THE CANADIAN PROGRESSIVE.
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Volatile gas revenues tend to evaporate
BC Liberals are reluctant spenders when it comes to improving public schools. However, they’re not reluctant to put money into the pockets of natural gas producers. The amounts are in the billions but it’s not much discussed, either in the Legislature or in budget documents. However, careful reading of the
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Will Enbridge’s pipeline ever get built?
You have to wonder why the Harper government bothered with process at all. It’s like there was never any doubt that Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline would get approved. But historians may look back on this moment as the beginning of the end of pipeline politics. Opposition to Enbridge’s Northern Gateway
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Super Industrial BC
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Positively Political Rafe Mair is back in the saddle and zoning in on issues of significance to all British Columbians. Mair is calling out to BC NDP Leader John Horgan to stand up to the powerful oil and gas corporations, in part because if he won’t, who will?
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Poll: Albertans clearly support stronger rules for industrial greenhouse gas emissions
by: Pembina Institute | Press Release | May 23, 2014 EDMONTON — New poll results show that 76 per cent of Albertans support the Government of Alberta requiring stronger greenhouse gas performance regulations for industrial facilities. Federal and provincial greenhouse gas regulations for the oil and gas sector have long been in the
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Vapourtax
A few tech companies are noted for vapourware, which are products announced with much fanfare that never materialise. In my view, BC Liberal assurances of more than $70 billion new money from 30 years of LNG production is nothing more than vapourtax. These were promises issued solely for marketing purposes.
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Charting BC natural gas revenues
The following charts are created with production data from Statistics Canada (CANSIM 131-0001) and other reports from government ministries. These demonstrate significant changes of income from exploration and production of British Columbia’s oil and gas. I will add commentary in subsequent posts but I invite readers to examine these graphs.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Don’t believe the (LNG) hype
Today we released a new report, Path to Prosperity? A Closer Look at British Columbia’s Natural Gas Royalties and Proposed LNG Income Tax, about liquefied natural gas (LNG ) development in BC, and the public revenues that might be expected. So far, LNG has lacked a real public debate. On one
Continue reading