100+ MONTHS. In that amount of time, a child could have been born … gone to pre-school … entered Kindergarten, and now be part way through Grade 3
... or maybe
I should have titled today's post, “So … whose interests will the BC NDP government
of John Horgan be representing?”
According
to a government media release today, the government of BC has … filed its registration as an intervener to ensure that British Columbians’
interests are represented in the National Energy Board’s (NEB)
reconsideration of aspects of its recommendation report on the Trans Mountain
Pipeline Expansion Project.
The
release goes on to say that according to George Heyman, Minister of Environment
and Climate Change Strategy, “BC is concerned that the 22-week time-frame is
insufficient to accommodate a thorough review, appropriate
cross-examination and the time needed by Indigenous groups to fully participate,”
said Heyman.
Get ready for it … be warned in advance … because
you may explode upon hearing why the government feels the 22-week time-frame is
not enough. It’s because the Horgan
government feels the need to … advocate for a process that will meaningfully
engage communities and Indigenous groups, provide opportunities for all citizens to be heard and demand
thorough answers from the federal government as the new owner of the project.
With that in mind then, let’s take a look at
how far back this whole process goes.
The first date of note is February 21st,
2012 -- that’s when Kinder Morgan, after receiving support from oil shippers,
said it wanted to expand the Trans Mountain Pipeline and would begin consultations
with the public. The second date is
December 16th, 2013, and that’s when Kinder Morgan made application
to the National Energy Board (NEB) for approval of the proposed expansion.
So far, we have a process that begin its
journey six and a half years ago … and which will now have another 22 weeks added
to it. THAT’S OVER 100 months, and still
NO APPROVAL of the project. In that amount
of time, a child could have been born … gone to pre-school … entered
Kindergarten, and now be 1/3rd of the way through Grade 3!
Is another 22 weeks really not enough time to
finish a lengthy process far beyond the scope of anything like it in the past?
Is another 22 weeks really not enough time to
provide for citizens to be heard and engaged with, who have not already been
heard, and engaged with, multiple times with exactly pretty much the same
comments of protest?
Is another 22 weeks really not enough time to
ensure that BCs interests are represented.
And
speaking of BC’s interests, exactly whose interest will John Horgan’s NDP
government be representing? Will it be
the majority in favour (55%) according to an IPSOS poll … or will it be the
minority opposed (37%), and who will remain opposed no matter what?
That same poll from May of this year certainly DID NOT give a
glowing report as to what British Columbians think of who Horgan is doing wit
the Kinder Morgan / Trans Mountain Pipeline file
“More British Columbians
Give Premier Horgan Poor Marks (48%) than Good Marks (39%) in his Handling of
Pipeline Issue as Six in Ten (60%) Canadians and British Columbians say Pipeline
in the National Interest”
IF there
is ANYTHING that the BC government should be registering to intervene on behalf
of, it should be the majority of people sick and tired of the endless delays to
this project, and any further money wasted in attempts to kill it.
It should
also be intervening on behalf of hard-working British Columbians who have
already waited for over six and a half years to get this project.
Twenty-two
months is more than adequate Mr. Horgan … 22 weeks is more than enough time Mr.
Heyman … and 22 weeks is also more than enough time Mr. Weaver!
Hears a
message to all three of you; if you really want to intervene on behalf of
British Columbians, you know what to do.
If, however
you continue to complain 22 weeks is not enough time, well then British
Columbians will know to intervene on providing you with further opportunities to
continue as government after the next election, and to continue getting in the way
of blue-collar British Columbians to have those high-paying union jobs they’ve already
waited six and a half years to begin!
In Kamloops, I’m Alan Forseth, and I hope you’ll join the discussion on
this, or any other topic presented here. Do you agree … disagree?
Post your thoughts in the Comment Section directly
below.
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