Readers may tire of reports on BC Hydro but the more I examine this public utility, the more convinced I am that citizens of BC are victims of massive financial deception.
Misappropriation of public wealth
Norm Farrell
Gwen and I raised three adult children in North Vancouver. Each lives in our community with seven grandchildren, 12 years and younger. I have worked in accounting and financial management and publish IN-SIGHTS.CA with news and commentary about public issuesv.
Governmental pandering and corporate fiction peddling
Most people are unlikely to remember the following.. from J. Wellington Wimpy. “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” I’m old, so I remember. Again, sensing the usefulness of predicting disaster (cue organist) … unless … Royal Dutch Shell’s “I-See-The-Future!” tea leaves gambit continues… with help from (cue organist) a Globe and Mail puff piece…
Taxing and subsidizing carbon
While BC consumers of carbon pay an ever increasing tax — $10 billion since 2009 — carbon producers are enjoying billions of dollars in subsidies. In the fiscal years 2007 through 2017, natural gas companies quietly received benefit of tax expenditures worth almost $8 billion dollars…
One man’s struggle against boredom
A two-year look at the monthly travel expenses of one of BC’s senior public servants.
The fix was in
NDP Cabinet Minister David Eby admitted Site C is “…this terrible situation of a massive public infrastructure investment without any apparent customer for the electricity it will produce.”
Fossil fuel pollution we forget
After Canada’s federal government asked its energy regulator to examine broader environmental effects of the Energy East pipeline project by TransCanada Corp, including upstream and downstream emissions, the proponent, a company with substantial […]
BC’s failing grade in climate change
In a report issued today, Auditor General Carol Bellringer says the BC government is not adequately managing risks posed by climate change.
BC Log export numbers raise questions
BC Stats, an agency of the provincial government, reports regularly on raw log export. The most recent shows the quantity of logs shipped has grown steadily but the unit value reported has declined steadily. By eliminating civil servants in the forest ministry, BC Liberals reduced government’s ability to monitor quantities and conditions of logs exported but the dramatic drop in revenue declared for each cubic metre suggests the public might have been shortchanged.
Site C, a Kodak moment
Because our government lacks the wisdom or the nerve to change course, BC Hydro is a continuing financial disaster affecting every citizen of British Columbia.
The art of deception
Proponents of Site C always label it a “clean energy project.” BC Hydro says “It will be a source of clean and renewable electricity for more than 100 years.” Those claims may be deceptive.
Someone is telling us lies
When BC Liberals said the Site C completion budget was $7.9 billion, the cost of power from the project was stated to be $87 – $95 per megawatt-hour (MWh). Now, with the Site C budget up 26% to $10.7 billion, John Horgan’s NDP government claims the cost per MWh has fallen 32% to $60.
Sunk costs
Having made the wrong decision, no doubt influenced by Liberal holdovers in the civil service and BC Hydro management, it is not too late for NDP minister to choose the right course. There are many reasons to cancel Site C…
More Energy Ministry duplicity
That the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources took four months to offer a disingenuous response to my communication illustrates that little has changed since a new government was installed in July. It may also explain why policies contrary to the public interest are still being followed.
An open letter to the BC Government
An open letter to the BC Government about Site C.
Deceit is still a BC Government tool
A BC Government “technical presentation” regarding its decision to continue construction of Site C is filled with misinformation, deceit and false justifications. If this is the quality of the advice taken by John Horgan’s cabinet on one rather important issue, we should be concerned about every other policy being considered. Apparently, if truths are inconvenient, Victoria still prefers deception.
Inactivity will continue
I hope to resume online participation soon but illness continues to be a problem. I regret not having had a flu shot this season because I’ve experienced the worst case in my […]
TransLink, another victim of inertia
Malcolm Johnston, a private citizen, has studied and written about rail transit for years. He does not have a lucrative consulting contract to promote Sky Train, the ourdated and costly beast that has for decades been rejected by transit experts around the world. Nor is he paid to promote any competing system.
Ruled by criminals?
Before July 18, 2017, if British Columbia was not ruled by criminals, it was ruled by people who turned blind eyes to criminality. Attorney General David Eby issued a statement that ought to be national news in Canada…
An open letter about Site C
An open letter about Site C by John Gellard: I’m a long time NDP supporter living in the desperate hope that there is something I can say to help persuade you and the cabinet to reverse your decision to proceed with the Site C Dam…
Happy holidays
In-Sights will be inactive for a number of days over the holiday. I thank all our readers and contributors for supporting this site during 2017. In the coming year, I expect to […]
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