B.C. Premier Christy Clark Is Hot

I would still vote NDP if I were out there.  Nevertheless, she is hot.  Very, very hot. That is all.

PS.   Actually, no it isn't quite all.  I am standing inside my new condo; the sectional just arrived.  I am officially a Scarberian now.  Where are my subways?

The Stench Of Death Engulfs Them

BC Libs are going down in flames, and I don't care.  They're lucky the BC Conservatives have imploded.  That might mean the difference between a mere thumping and a Dix Super-Majority.

That is all.

Thanks For Not Helping

In Calgary, a group that includes at least one oil-industry bigwig and a former Progressive Conservative party insider held a private fundraiser to support the B.C. Liberals’ re-election bid. If Ms. Clark overcomes the odds and manages to stay in office, she could have some prominent Albertans to thank.

Accepting what almost mounts to foreign money?  If I were Adrian Dix I would be all over this one.

B.C. Is Special

From The G&M:

The Conservatives have always seemed like a party that was a few slices short of a loaf. For years it hung around the fringes of the B.C. political scene, switching mostly unknown leaders between elections while fighting a reputation for attracting oddballs and religious zealots. To the extent that it existed at all, it existed mostly in name only.

[...]

Clearly, the Conservatives are in complete turmoil. Mr. Cummins can attempt to minimize the problem if he wants, but plugging his ears and wishing his troubles away won’t help. Last month’s leadership vote clearly did not address internal issues. At this point, Mr. Cummins would seem to have little choice but to either resign or announce that he is willing to face a challenge from other candidates.

Gary Mason, author of the above, apparently thinks having a divisive leadership race that will end a couple weeks before next year's election is called will somehow put the B.C. Tories into contention.  But let's face it--Cummins is the provincial equivalent of Elizabeth May: a mainstream figure drafted-in to make a party of  largely weirdos appear normal to mainstream--to, in this case, non-Zalmoids.   The "rank and file" should be kissing his ass, but instead they seem intent on dumping him and reclaiming the fringe right.

And if you want to meet the jilted Tory lunatic who's largely behind the internal revolt, well that would be Dean Skoreyko.  If Christy Clark wins again, something that can no longer be consider beyond possibility, she should appoint him to something.

Kinder Morgan Hurls Pipeline Revenue Hot Potato Back To Alberta, Federal Government

B.C. Premier Christy Clark has lain down five conditions for having any new "heavy oil" pipeline traverse provincial territory.  These are:

...successful completion of the environmental-review process; world-leading marine and land oil-spill response, prevention and recovery systems for B.C.'s coastline and ocean to manage and mitigate the risks and costs of heavy oil pipelines; addressing legal requirements regarding aboriginal and treaty rights, and providing First Nations with the opportunities, information and resources necessary to participate in and benefit from a heavy oil project; and lastly, a fair share of the fiscal and economic benefits, reflecting the level, degree and nature of the risk borne by the province, the environment and taxpayers.

Kinder Morgan, who are trying to expand their Trans Mountain line to Burnaby, have responded to the five conditions with an "OK...but":

“We’ve acknowledged the five conditions and are committed to working with the provincial government to meet them,” Toth said in an interview.

[...]

Toth said the revenue expectations “are beyond our control” but the company is committed to meeting the highest standards.

[...]

[Environment Minister Terry] Lake said Wednesday both Kinder Morgan and Enbridge have committed to meeting the B.C. Liberal government’s conditions, outside the demand for jobs and revenue “which is more to do with Canada and Alberta than the proponent.”

This is important because critics of the Clark government have typically argued that, if it wants extra revenue in exchange for allowing the pipelines to be built, it should extract them from the companies themselves (Enbridge and Kinder Morgan).  Kinder Morgan seems to be saying here that no such extra revenues shall be forthcoming from their pockets, and Terry Lake seems to be OK with that response.

Over to you, Alison Redford and Stephen Harper.

The ROC Stands With B.C.

Respondents were given information about BC Premier Christy Clark’s conditions for supporting the Northern Gateway Pipeline.  The most contentious, that BC receives its fair share of tax revenue for the environmental risk it is taking, was told to respondents.  They were then asked which of two statements came closest to their view.

Overall, a large majority of Canadians surveyed (71%) believed that Christy Clark was right in her demand.  If B.C. is assuming most of the risk for oil spills and environmental damage, it should receive more of the economic benefit then it would currently receive.

A couple of things.  As has been pointed out elsewhere, Clark's demands never specifically mentioned a greater slice of royalties, although pipeline supporters have interpreted her words to imply this.  Canadians, though, understand the underlying issue: Alberta and the federal government are not offering enough.  If the pipeline is to go through, they will have to put more on the table.  Who owes and who is owed is clear enough.  Its up to Alberta and the feds to decide what currency they will use to pay.

Not that I think money is the be all and end all in the case of Northern Gateway.  But, if you were to consider things in purely financial terms, it is clear that B.C.ers are owed the courtesy of a serious offer.  They have not received one as of yet.

Northern Gateway Pot Pourri

Two new polls shows overwhelming opposition to Northern Gateway in B.C.  One of them suggests that a good portion of BCers are willing to negotiate a better deal with Alberta and the feds; the other suggests that Christy Clark's new harder line against the pipeline hasn't helped her electorally.  So, apparently, she has turned to God.  Meanwhile, senior BC Conservative cabinet minister James Moore has gone rogue, or maybe been cleared to express a dissenting opinion.  He says is all down to Enbridge, so if the project goes TU you know who the Tories plan to blame.  Meanwhile, Ft St James says no thanks; that's six B.C. communities  that have decided to take a stand against the pipeline.

So there you have it.

Over To You, Christy Clark

 "Under the Enbridge proposal, British Columbia would assume almost all the [Northern Gateway] project’s risk, yet would see only a fraction of the benefits," said Dix in a release. "By any measure, such a high-risk, low-return approach simply isn't in B.C.’s interests."

It looks, incidentally, as though the federal government's new environmental review legislation won't effect the timing of the NEB hearings re Northern Gateway,  though there was some previous speculation that it might.  One possible reason for the gov's apparent back-down is that the optics looked horrible.  Another is that, if you are going to enter into a court fight with various First Nations over your duty to consult before building, cutting short their ability to speak to the issue won't help your case.  A third is that so far B.C. Premier Christy Clark has been able to use the process as a means of fudging her position on the process, and any changes that brought the hearings to a close before next year's election would have smoked her out.

Alberta's Interest Is Not Ontario's Interest Or The National Interest

Testify Brother Dalton:

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has rebuffed Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s plea to publicly defend the oil sands, saying the high “petro” Canadian dollar has “knocked the wind” out of exporters in his province.

[...]

“...if I had my preferences as to whether we had a rapidly growing oil and gas sector in the West or a lower dollar, I’ll tell you where I stand: with the lower dollar.”

Compare that with  "...the B.C. coastline belongs to Alberta" rhetoric emanating from British Columbia Premier Christy Clark.