Possibility of

Possibility of terrorism?.....give me a break. It's Texada we're talking about, not Manhattan.

Exported Risk

Why are there no LNG terminals, existing nor planned, on the US West Coast?

Because the US Government and the three involved states have banned it.

But there's one in Mexico, dumping into a pipe that heads north, and if this goes through, there will be one in Canada, dumping into a pipe that heads south.

The power plant is just a bone thrown to the locals, to buy off their support with the promise of jobs and relevance.

It seems Canadians vehemently defend their culture and political systems as "not American," and yet we willingly take on risks on their behalf that Americans themselves are unwilling to take on.

I say if people in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles want natural gas from abroad, let them have the terminal in *their* back yard!

If Canada is to be more than a US colony, it has to start thinking about its own energy security. Otherwise, just watch while 300 million energy-sucking mosquitos suck Canada dry and discard the shriveled corpse.

Death of a Province

Campbell doesn't give a damn about BC, LNG, or anything else to do with the province. Campbell's mantra is money and only money; donate to the BC Liberals, you get to buy a railway on the cheap; build a RAV Line; builds heavily subsidized highways for trucks to run on; and so on.

This is the new BC, for sale to the highest bidder. Campbell is overseeing the death of the province.

Greetings from South Delta

As a resident of South Delta {we are having our battles here as mentioned in the article} all i can say to those up there is-
organize, organize,organize..build a coalition.

Be welcoming to all that are opposed...strategize not in-fight.

At least you have an MLA who is not "struck dumb" as we do down here. Rafe is actually being "nice" in decribing MLA Val Roddick that way.

Yes, we like you are experincing Campbell's brand of "democracy"....having projects forced upon us that we do not want and will destroy our environment and health.

Good Luck!

LNG headed for Nova Scotia, GWest

Perhaps the reason the feds aren't approving it is because they want to develop Nova Scotian facilities. Perhaps it has nothing to do with environment/safety concerns.

The proposed Bear Head LNG terminal would be in commercial operation by November 2007.

Keltic Petrochemicals has also proposed [and been approved for] a $4 billion dollar LNG-related project in Goldboro, N.S. that would involve establishing an LNG terminal, a petrochemical plant, a new road network and other related developments. This project is currently under environmental assessment.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/AbsPage.aspx?siteid=1&lang=1&id=1312

www.gov.ns.ca/enla/ea/kelticpetro/KelticPetro_Registration.pdf

The following link talks about a proposal to hollow out salt caverns for a good length of NS so that natural gas can be stored there. It sounds to me like they want more LNG. The government is seriously considering the proposal. Personally, I don't see how they can use fresh water to wash out the salt and then return water to the river without some environmental impact to fresh water somewhere. They say they will return Annapolis river water with the same salinity it already has. That can only mean they are mixing it with fresh water from some other place. To my uninformed (though critical) mind that other place is most likely freshwater from further upstream (or a different stream) that would have salmon or trout in it. Whatever they do, they will be messing with some eco-system.

http://www.trurodaily.com/index.cfm?pid=961&cpcat=atlantic&stry=21447019

You're right S.I.G.

In fact, McCarthy's piece from the Globe goes on to point out the strange dichotomy between what pee wee says - relative to the Head Harbour situation - and the state of LNG proposals in eastern Canada itself.

Which was why I used the word schizophrenic...because I'm sure you're right. It's just nice to have these things on the record so that when the time comes that LNG is the cat's pajamas in Canada's New Government's eyes - one can go back and remind people exactly what dissemblers these characters really are.

The same reasoning lies behind the importance of continually reminding anyone who'll listen exactly who brought us these characters and their program in the first place...and that it isn't the average secular humanistic Canadian.

If pee wee ever gets a majority, Canadians need to know he'll be dancing to the tune of the guys and gals who 'brung' him to the dance.

LNG attack

Contact Global TV, the CBC national news, Radio India, CNN. the Georgia Straight, CTV, Seattle Post Intelligencer and so on. Raise hell. We live in a dictatorship.

Democracy?

"Surely that can't be democracy even by British Columbia standards"

Sadly, Rafe, it is exactly democracy by British Columbia standards, at least as democracy has become since 2001.

Gordo Green: What it Really Means

Thanks, Rafe for helping to expose for public view what is really under the newly acquired, "trendy" green trenchcoat our present government has donned of late.

First, here's what "democracy" really means in BCLiberalese:

"The general feeling expressed at this meeting was frustration. The Powell River Regional District, thanks to recent amendments to the law, can no longer prevent a development supported by the Campbell government."

And here's their real green policy, (aka environmentalism-for-dummies...and those who would naively BELIEVE)- here's what green really means in BCLiberalese:

"The folks look to the Environmental Assessment Act for help and learn, as have the people living along the Sea-to-Sky highway, the residents of West Vancouver near Eagleridge, and the good folks in Delta, that the assessment, if any, is done after the deal is done and that the director (a Campbell appointment) has no power to stop a project."

And again, how's the following for democracy....and since when did a vote become a crown?:

"In fact Premier Campbell can refuse to allow an assessment to take place or restrict its powers."

And btw, this hasn't been the first environmental fight for Texada against this government. In 2002 the present government oh-so-environmentally tried to push down the throats of Texada Islanders a highly controversial salmon farm that was unanimously rejected by all the following stakeholders: The residents of Texada, the Sliammon First Nation, The Georgia Strait Alliance, The Texada Chamber of Commerce, the commercial and sports fishing sector, the tourism industry, The Powell River Regional District and concerned citizens of Powell River. You'd think that kind of unanimity would mean something? Ya thunk wrong - the "Green Gordo" government steam-rollered ahead.... and right over all the above voices of protest. The only thing that finally stopped this project was concerns Transport Canada had under the Navigable Waters Protection Program - that the salmon farm would interfere with marine navigation in the vicinity.

In the end, words mean nothing, behavior is all.

Our rural areas are under assault. Powell River just fought a long, hard battle over the attempted removal of over 8oo acres from its Agricultural Land Reserve...in order for developers to build a private gated airport community.

Now private power developers have hold of the pristine Toba River and Montrose Creek area. These are not small hydro projects but a massive $660 million venture financed by the US multi-national GE. This so-called "Green Corridor" is a five stage development that plans for 31 separate run-of-river projects.

Devastating enough for the Powell River region, more shocking when you realize over 500 rivers across BC have been targeted in the same way.

http://publicpowerbc.ca/rivers-for-generations/your-rivers/sunshine

Democracy? Not!

One of the greatest propaganda coups in Canada's history is that the country is a democracy, we are not. Canada is a benign oligarchic dictatorship. The voters only can choose between tweedle dee and tweedle dum. There is no real difference between political parties as all are based on greed, corruption, and the good old boys/girls network. If one is not in the 'elite' class, you are an outsider.

Until the majority of Canadians realize this fiction of government is just that, a fiction, nothing will change.

Campbell understands this well and rules accordingly. If one wants real change, then we need a 1930's style Soviet purge.

Dealing with the Devil

Bytesmith said it well enough for me:

And Jonathon Manley (above) thinks a terrorist strike on a Texada Island facility is laughable? The terminal and pipeline is primarily for US use and any generated power will merely free up more hydro for US use. Thus, the facility would be key to US Pacific Northwest security.

That's incentive enough for any terrorist. AND, if such a threat really does exist, plenty enough reason for the Yanks to "lend" us some people - along with some regulations to aid us in "our" peril.

Unanswered questions

A few questions this yarn didn't answer, Rafe:

1. who organized the meeting?

2. why were you chairing it?

3. whose LNG plan is it anyway, for goodness sake?

4. where is the LNG coming from by tanker?

5. is the electricity produced going into the grid?

6. is the plan really so woolly that you can't confirm where the gaseous form of the gas is destined?

7. Texada has two villages--would the facility be
near either of them?

8. so where exactly would it be on this huge island (Texada is the second biggest island in the gulf)?

9. why did you think the silly terrorist drivel would bolster this weak story?

We expect more of you, Rafe.

The Devil is in the Details

From an excellent article "Texada LNG News" blog:

"It appears that WestPac LNG's main intention is to ship gas sourced via LNG to Sumas, Washington. An August 13 letter between Terasen Gas Inc. (TGVI/TGI), and the ministry of energy, mines and petroleum resources, posted on the BC Utilities Commission website, clearly states that Terasen Gas has "had preliminary discussions with WestPac regarding the Texada Island project proposal."

Of importance, this letter states: These discussions have generally been limited to the ability of the TGVI and TGI systems to move imported LNG from Texada Island back to the market hub at Huntington/Sumas as a firm base load or a seasonal gas supply.

In direct contradiction to this letter, WestPac's website states the Texada LNG facility is intended only as an "energy and power supply strategy for BC coastal communities."

There are some very significant facts of which Texada and Powell River residents should be aware.

It is well known in the gas industry that WestPac's project justification comes in being able to ship large quantities of gas by pipeline from BC to the United States.

The US wants LNG but is unwilling to allow import terminals or large tankers in their country, otherwise they would import LNG directly.

There are no LNG facilities on the US Pacific coast; proposals have been rejected due to concerns over pollution and safety.

The unthinkable is the passage of huge LNG tankers up the Georgia Strait, beside Victoria and the Gulf Islands. There would be large exclusion zones around ships and the plant itself. Just imagine the damage to shipping and commerce.

An accident at an LNG plant or aboard a tanker would threaten large swathes of the population. Powell River and Lund would be directly in the firing line. When asked if there could be gas leaks, on September 10, WestPac's president answered: "Yes, I won't deny it. Explosions can happen."

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead