XPost: bc.politics, van.general, vic.general   
   From: text-surfer@shawness.ca   
      
   A HUGE issue for British Columbians.  This month you saw an increase in your   
   hydro bill - 7.9%   
   for this year.   
   For next year it's slated to be ANOTHER increase of 9+ %   
      
   And so on, and so on, over the next 5 years.  How much in total?  50% MORE   
   THAN YOU'RE PAYING   
   NOW.  And I don't know anyone who's not already pulling their hair out over   
   the cost of heating   
   their homes TODAY.   
      
   That's what's in store for us under the BC Liberals.  More taxes, more   
   increases in costs on   
   every commodity that you can think of - including tolls on highways and   
   bridges.  What the hell   
   happened to the 'gas tax' that was supposed to go towards 'environment   
   initiatives'?  Well,   
   more likely it went into general revenue for such important items as paying   
   millions in legal   
   fees for Basi and Virk.   
   __________________________________________________________________   
      
    Vancouver Sun - February 23, 2011   
      
   NDP leadership front-runners take stand on environmental issues; Liberals   
   silent   
      
      
   The list of commitments from Adrian Dix and Mike Farnworth include opposing   
   the Enbridge oil   
   pipeline, increasing funding for the BC Parks system, restoring confidence in   
   the agricultural   
   land reserve, toughening the environmental assessment process, and questioning   
   the planned Site   
   C hydro dam on the Peace River.   
      
      
   Two front-runners in the NDP leadership race are promising to cast aside much   
   of Gordon   
   Campbell's environmental legacy should either become elected premier.   
      
   The list of commitments from Adrian Dix and Mike Farnworth include opposing   
   the Enbridge oil   
   pipeline, increasing funding for the BC Parks system, restoring confidence in   
   the agricultural   
   land reserve, toughening the environmental assessment process, and questioning   
   the planned Site   
   C hydro dam on the Peace River.   
      
   But where all Liberal leadership hopefuls stand on the same environmental   
   issues is anyone's   
   guess.   
      
   None of the four remaining Liberal leadership candidates responded to a list   
   of 10   
   environmental policy questions submitted by The Vancouver Sun on Feb. 7, with   
   a two-week   
   deadline for responses.   
      
   The four are, in alphabetical order, George Abbott (who said last Friday he   
   would increase park   
   funding by 10 per cent and eliminate day-use parking fees), Christy Clark,   
   Mike de Jong, and   
   Kevin Falcon.   
      
   Moira Stilwell and Ed Mayne have withdrawn from the Liberal race.   
      
   Mark Haddock, an adjunct professor teaching environmental law at the   
   University of B.C., said   
   the lack of response from the Liberal leadership candidates "suggests that the   
   environment must   
   be low down on their list of priorities" and that they are not feeling   
   pressure on   
   environmental policy from within the party.   
      
   "That's troubling because the legacy of the Campbell era has been one of   
   deregulation and   
   cutbacks on the environment, with the exception of the climate change   
   issue...."   
      
   Haddock added that environmental policy is a key issue within the NDP, which   
   thinks "the   
   Liberals are vulnerable on this issue and feel environmental protection will   
   resonate with the   
   public at election time."   
      
   Among other NDP leadership candidates, John Horgan also responded to The Sun.   
   He held a news   
   conference Thursday last week to discuss his environmental platform. Nicholas   
   Simons and Dana   
   Larsen did not respond, and Harry Lali has withdrawn his candidacy for the NDP   
   leadership.   
      
   Farnworth said he opposes the proposed Enbridge pipeline from the Alberta   
   oilsands to the B.C.   
   coast. "The environmental and economic risks to this proposal far outweigh any   
   economic gain   
   that could be made." He also opposes bulk oil-tanker traffic in Dixon   
   Entrance, Hecate Strait,   
   and Queen Charlotte Sound because of the "tremendous risks" to the "unique and   
   fragile marine   
   environment."   
      
   Dix also voiced his opposition, saying: "In short, the B.C. environment and   
   climate protection   
   cannot be risked on behalf of the rapid tarsands development now underway."   
      
   On the issue of the B.C. carbon tax, Farnworth said the tax should fund public   
   transit, not   
   just in the Lower Mainland, but in communities around the province.   
      
   Dix agreed, adding he would also "bring in regulatory caps on industrial   
   greenhouse gas   
   emissions and I will be pressing Ottawa to develop a national plan of climate   
   protection so   
   that B.C. is not acting in isolation."   
      
   Dix also said that "Site C is a non-starter for a number of reasons, including   
   the Liberal   
   decision to contract with private corporations for too much expensive power,   
   making the   
   potential energy produced by Site C redundant.   
   "BC Hydro needs to be empowered to become a leader in green energy and in   
   energy conservation -   
   a move that will support the economy and ensure the public interest is   
   protected."   
      
   Farnworth agreed that "we're a long way from requiring Site C" and said the   
   provincial focus   
   "should be on energy conservation and addressing the demand side."   
      
   As for the Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, created by Gordon Campbell   
   shortly before   
   he was pressured by colleagues to give up the Liberal leadership, Farnworth   
   said the Liberals   
   "rammed through" the ministry and that he would consult with stakeholders and   
   the public   
   service on how best to manage natural resources.   
      
   Dix said he'd like to "halt the development of this ministry" if he won an   
   election sooner than   
   later, arguing the ministry is designed to "reduce standards for resource   
   management and to   
   remove from public profile the neglect of our forests and forest industry."   
      
   As for the park system, Dix promised to "restore environmental management   
   objectives and   
   increase staffing to support ecological standards, family recreation and   
   properly managed   
   tourism associated with our parks."   
      
   Farnworth also said he would restore funding to B.C. parks, add interpretive   
   services, and   
   "engage our young people more directly by establishing an Environmental Youth   
   Corps to renew   
   park infrastructure."   
      
   He also argued that during Campbell's term of office, the province has handed   
   over public   
   assets to private power producers, adding: "The rivers, the water and the land   
   in B.C. belong   
   to the people of this province and it's this province that should benefit from   
   our natural   
   resources."   
      
   Dix pledged to "stop the current rush to privatize more rivers" and to develop   
   "sound water   
   rental policies that will give our province and our citizens proper return   
   from the private   
   development of our rivers," which means returning to the principles of 'public   
   power' and the   
   prime role for BC Hydro.   
      
   Dix added that while he cannot end all old-growth logging, he supports   
   continued protection for   
   "critical old-growth areas through legitimate planning processes" and   
   "significant action   
   against the export of raw logs."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)