Counter counterpoint
The Murray Dobbin article [“Counterpoint: Site C a boondoggle, July 5] quoted former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Brian Peckford as saying the country is booked-ended “by governments that failed their people.”
There are 11 million people living in Ontario who would disagree. Ontario jumped out as a leader in the renewable electricity generation with disastrous results, some of the highest rates in the country, and a sell-off of government hydro assets. Now compare this to BC, which produces 95 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources and has one of, if not, the lowest rates in Canada.
Dozens of experts will proclaim financial success and/or failure for Site C. Analysis depends on a number of assumptions: the amount of demand, the selling price and the cost to produce. It is similar to asking an accountant how much two plus two is. The accountant answers, “What would you like it to be?”
In a recent CBC interview, BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver stated that his assumption is a selling price of three cents per kilowatt and therefore a loss of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour.
If one’s assumption is zero growth in the heavy-resource sector in the northern half of BC and zero sales to Alberta’s initiative to eliminate coal-fired electric generation, then the fiscal outlook is poor.
How can the general public analyze this project without a PhD in economics? I suggest we ask ourselves basic yes-or-no questions.
Will there be increased demand due to population growth and increased electrification resulting from reduced hydrocarbon usage? Will robust electric-power generation be required for mining/smelting, forestry and energy-resource sectors? Is Site C’s location beneficial to service the heavy industries? Will Site C act as a catalyst for industrial/resource development in the northern half of BC? Is hydroelectricity a proven source of renewable green energy? Will the water reservoir enable better water management, irrigation, sport and commercial fishing and tourism?
Site C is a yes and a green renewable resource that will stimulate the northern half of BC.
Paul McMahon
Invermere Court
Negativity persists
I acknowledge that Drew Blaney is entitled to his opinion [“Viewpoint: The last 150 years of Tla’amin,” June 28], but so am I to mine.
I have lived on the Sunshine Coast for almost 30 years, the last 20 years here in Powell River and the previous 10 years in Sechelt. I watched the evolution of the shíshálh Nation in Sechelt as well as Tla’amin Nation here in Powell River. While that time frame leaves me a relative newcomer in the big picture, it has allowed me a perspective of sorts.
During my time here, I have witnessed a community making an incredible effort to try in some way to atone for the atrocities inflicted upon indigenous people. Those atrocities are undeniable and represent actions most Canadians are terribly ashamed of, and rightly so.
Blaney revisits some of those atrocities but not once does he mention the positives at play here in Powell River today. I refer to the many words and actions designed to include Tla’amin in the community we call Powell River. In my humble opinion, giant steps forward have been taken and the credit for this wonderful accomplishment should be shared equally between Tla’amin and Powell River; kudos to both.
With so much still to be done it is easy to overlook what has been achieved to date. These inclusion efforts run through the community up to and including the current and previous mayors. Unfortunately, Blaney’s Viewpoint fails to acknowledge a single one of those efforts. I read and reread it hoping to find some acknowledgement, but all I found were negatives.
I know many positives exist and can only lament that they are not evident to others. It makes it very difficult to continue to support a position when only the negatives persist and the positives are overlooked.
Blaney makes reference to “Canada’s so-called 150th birthday,” which is inappropriate and disrespectful. I love my country and I love Powell River, but I am a Canadian first, so I will celebrate my country’s birthday without regard to the disdain of others.
Ben Sills
Cascade Place
Encompassing hope
I was very impressed with the coverage celebrating Canada Day [“Viewpoint: The last 150 years of Tla’amin,” “Editorial: Colonization 150,” June 28].
There is no doubt about the contributions of the many generations, past, present and future, toward the country we know today. Canada encompasses all of our hopes for our families, our cultures and freedoms.
Many nations had their entire indigenous peoples’ lives destroyed by colonization.
Celebrations have different meanings for everyone. Whatever form your celebration took, let’s keep the dialogue going.
Wendy Robson
Highway 101
