Squamish Chief Editor David Burke refers to Premier Clark’s latest lines of dialogue in the bitumen exports theatre.
“What she did, however, is send a strong message that a sellout may well be just around the next bend — before or after other hurdles are cleared.”
The story arc of this pipeline sham has been predictable from the start. It is drawing to a close and newspaper editor Burke understands, as does anyone with more perception than a brick.
Liberals claimed that BC would assist in west coast bitumen exports only when five conditions were met. In succinct form, those are
- Successful completion of the environmental review process.
- Ocean oil spill response capability in place.
- Land based spill response capability in place.
- Aboriginal consultations addressed.
- Economic benefits satisfactory to British Columbia.
The first three items are one and the same. The BC government had already ceded authority to review environmental elements to the federal government and the NEB serves industry, not the public so that outcome is assured.
The fourth is the only real hurdle faced by oil companies. First Nations communities resolutely oppose major expansions of pipelines moving dangerous goods across traditional territories. Canadian courts state that sham consultations are unacceptable; they must be meaningful. However, it is the Supreme Court of Canada, not BC Liberals, that put this condition in place.
The fifth requirement demanding economic benefits for British Columbia is inconsequential because what represents a fair share is vague and subjective. I’ve demonstrated here that BC Liberals have enduring ties to the resource industries and willingness to surrender public interests to friends in the private sector.
There is no reason to expect BC Liberals will make significant demands on the energy industry for Northern Gateway, Kinder Morgan or any other project. In fact, the reverse is true and the energy industry is in line for huge subsidies. BC Hydro will spend about $10 B on the Site C dam and the Northwest Transmission Line. Of course, residential electricity rates will soar.
Remember that in fiscal year 2013, BC reported $169M in natural gas revenues. However, since the unrecorded liability to producers for drilling credits increased by $160M, the net gas royalty for the year was $9M. In the current fiscal plan, royalties expected in the next three years, net of credits owed producers is budgeted at $166M.
As the Squamish Chief editor states, a sellout of the public interest is underway. It is firmly established Liberal policy.
in-sights.ca 
corporatocracy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy
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don't think things have improved much since that Gulf spill in the U.S.A. so if there is a new “wonderful” system, lets hear about it.
If all this is going to be making b.c. so much money then why isn't Alberta doing better. they are running a deficiet and they had a nice bank balance when Old Ralphie left office. so what makes the lieberals and their friends think we are going to make soooo much money. Except for those countries which have been in the oil business for a long time, you don't see anyother countries making billions and trillions in royalties. these international corporations are not in business to pay b.c. or any other government billions and trillions in royalties. they want the money for themselves. who are these lieberals trying to kid.
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Good point..we really do need some sort of tracking for the ongoing “rape” of the taxpayers in this province. As far Ms. Photo Ops, 5 conditions, nothing more than electioneering gibberish.
The is no world class spill cleanup or prevention method…unless of course you don't ship the crap in the first place. The global oil and gas industry is not interested in cleaning up their messes or image for that matter. Profits are much to high, to waste time, trying to sell the environmental side of the industry. Its my opinion that it is seen as a cost of doing business, and is something they continue to put up with, in order to ensure the extreme profits as time goes on.
Politically we are paying a very high price for the subversion of our political system by the business interests in this country. Sooner or later the bill will come due, the public are the “marks”, and both business and profits will be off shore, free from the taxes, cleanups and other issues that we the public will be stuck with.
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Looks like at least half the people who voted for these Cretans knew that the BC would be thrown open to be plundered and raped for the next four years, I hope some one is keeping track of what's being stolen so some of it might be recovered and those responsible put in jail.
CGHZD
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The BC Liberal policy has always been helping political friends make massive profits on the backs of BC taxpayers and premier Photo-op is no different. Every policy of Gordon Campbell has only one end, massive development because only development can sustain our fraudulent economy. Our economy a massive financial ponzi scheme, where the very few on top of the pile get fantastically rich and like all pyramid schemes, those on the bottom get fleeced.
There is only one end to this massive fraud and it is very ugly indeed, sadly those who perpetuated this fraud will be amply rewarded.
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.. obvious issues in BC .. no surprise re Ms Clark .. & electoral promise duplicity ..
she seems to reverberate or resonate as a female Stephen Harper..
both reptilian of course.. all about oil n gas .. both are gasbags.. poli sci animals
sellouts..
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Absolutely it does. Northern Gateway and Keystone XL are designed to get Alberta bitumen out of the North American market. And yes, the same for natural gas. Prices have been soft for a while now so burning some of it to power the liquefaction of more of it will clean up the soft markets.
Surpluses drive prices down so industry wants to eliminate the surpluses through exports. That will drive domestic prices up considerably, allowing multinational oil companies to export something else: profits, to overseas tax havens.
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If the pipeline is built, that means bitumen going to markets elsewhere, supposedly getting a higher price.
Does that mean we would pay a higher price for gasoline here in BC?
The same for natural gas – would we in BC have to pay more for natural gas if they start exporting LNG?
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It's too bad I didn't spell out… Sarcasm…..only an idiot or Liberal supporter believes the MSM… Sheesh…
Guy in Victoria
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The Five Conditions, Analects of Confusion, scriptural Twitter, an eisi-exigetical revolving door about which practically anything can be read into or out of, like “World Class” oil spill cleanup: either top-notch, cutting edge near-perfection…or merely the best industry has to offer, that is, no cleanup capability at all, the status quo plus one more absorbent pad.
Our many thanks to Norm for keeping us abreast of neo-right shenanigans. Since when have the BC Liberals ever worked in the public's best interest? For them the public weal, at least as long as it exists before incremental bankruptcy and privatization, serves to subsidize profiteering and reward partisanship. Right you are, Norm: The Fifth Condition was never a hump they couldn't get over. The script has been redacted for the new, post-election era.
Leaving The Fourth Condition, which has been left alone pretty much since Idle No More caused the Minister of Indians to seek quarter behind the drawn bridge. Today, on the same day the Tsihlqot'in Nation pursue an important land decision in Canadian Supreme Court, Enbridge sallies out with their same old claim that 60% of FNs along the proposed pipeline route support the project but maintain contractual obligations preclude naming them. Meanwhile all BC FNs along the route have steadfastly and openly rejected the proposal. Not sayin' Enbridge is lying—just that their banner is so soaked with bullshit, it's illegible.
And from the turret window the Princess Warriors of BC and Albetar “invite” FN 'input”, while making a toast that solving Condition Number Four won't be much harder than a roll in the hay. I can hear Christy squealing, “Well, that was easy!”
And everything's all peace and quiet, for now.
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Irony, my friend. Irony.
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What planet did this guy show up from? You actually believe what you read in the MSM or any of the drivel spouted by the BC Libs? It is this kind of individual that the BC Liberals hope will buy their nonsense. The perfect “dupe”, a sheeple of the highest order!
If you think that the debt and other financial issues are going to be solved by this new liberal mantra, stick around for a while. BC will not mean “bring cash”, its new meaning will be “your broke”…period. Unless of course, your good friends with the kleptocrats in Victoria.
We are so screwed in this province……
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But wait Norm, the MSM is reporting Billions & Trillions coming to BC. And according to their sources, thousands & thousands of jobs… it could even be over 100 thousand jobs. The MSM is also saying that the Premier is negotiating all this & more for the families in BC so that they won't be poor anymore.
After reading the articles in various newspapers…. it appears Norm that all our Liberal MLA's are saying the same thing so it must be true. On top of that…our Provincial debt will be wiped out by 2046… or maybe it was 2047. Whatever the case, it will be great to have a Zero debt… we will be the envy of all of Canada. I just can't wait…… and when the Premier returns from Asia, I'm sure she will be informing the MSM that thousands of more jobs will soon be created….. I just wish I was looking for a job…. it's got to be so easy…… in BC.
Guy in Victoria
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