Tom Fletcher states: Putting unconstitutional roadblocks in front of a federal pipeline project offers only lost jobs, since replacement oil is abundant. Shutting down Site C, B.C.’s biggest clean energy project in 30 years, would hurt the environment and push thousands of people out of work.
Firstly, if replacement oil is abundant, why is Kinder Morgan and the Trudeau Liberals pushing ahead with a project that will take decades to replay (if it ever does)? Could it be that KM is really looking for federal and provincial monies to build the pipeline? Also, these “lost jobs” – what guarantee is there that these jobs will go exclusively to British Columbains? Not only that, but with the devastation being wrought by the wildfires, I suspect there will be jobs aplenty.
Secondly, in his reference to Site C, he fails to take into account that major projects such as this around the world customarily run some 90 per cent over budget, which puts the dam construction in the $15-16 billion range. This is according to a study done by the Munk School, not exactly a “leftie/enviro nut” sort.
Additionally, these “thousands of people out of work”, why would they be? Were they waiting all their lives for this one opportunity to “cash in”? Are they not capable of finding other employment, such as the mass labour force that will be needed in all aspects of rebuilding after the wildfires currently rampaging across this province?
And it should be mentioned that the companies contracted to build the dam are not B.C. companies. Nor are they Canadian. That means profits leaving both B.C. and Canada. How does this help B.C. while we are waiting for power to come on stream?
Lastly, the life expectancy of dams of this nature is about 100 years before it has to be “decommissioned.” So at best, it will be decades before the dam pays for itself, and when it does, it will have to be shut down. The is not a good economic projection model.
I expect that Mr. Fletcher’s next missive will be about how the NDP and the environmentalists caused the shutdown of Petronas’ LNG project.
Richard Weatherill
Saanich
