LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- April 28, 2009
Dear Editor,
Harry Lali and the NDP Threaten Local 150 Million Dollar Project. Harry Lali and the NDP are clearly out of step with the needs of our rural areas and small communities.
In this case Mr. Lali and the NDP have threatened the development of an Independent Power Project (IPP) proposed just south of Lytton near Kanaka Bar. In the last month, the NDP have said all IPPs would be banned.
Shortly after that position was stated, NDP energy critic John Horgan called this IPP
'a good project' but added it would not have proceeded if he were in charge. More recently, he unveiled a new position. "In these times of global economic uncertainty, it is important to have a clear plan on how to strengthen the economy and ensure B.C. comes out stronger in the future."
What is clear to me is that Harry Lali and the NDP do not have a solid plan for our rural areas and our small communities. In this case, if this IPP doesn't go ahead the people in Kanaka Bar, Boston Bar and Lytton will miss all the benefits of this project.
Here are the facts! According to our Provincial Government, the proposed KWOIEK CREEK RUN-OF-RIVER PROJECT is being developed by a joint venture between the Kanaka Bar Indian Band and Innergex II Power Trust. If it goes ahead, the project will provide up to 160 jobs for the two years of construction alone. It will require a total investment of 150 Million Dollars for products and services.
The project will pay more than $1.2 Million Dollars annually in taxes and water rentals. Sounds pretty good to me! And it fits the definition of "Clean Power", providing BC with a new source of clean green power.
Harry Lali has stated in a recent survey that his top reason for running in this provincial election is to "Fight to support rural communities". His actions do not match his words! In the same Provincial Candidate's Survey carried out by the Vancouver Sun (web address below) Mr. Lali states "Rural communities have been under attack by the current government for eight years".
He goes on about our Government saying "they give away our rivers and put BC Hydro at risk. In addition they have made life hard on many, rising prices for Hydro, gasoline and home heating fuels hit hard on Interior families". I say that it is Mr. Lali and the NDP that plan to attack Rural Communities with their lack of vision and planning!
I ask your readers to let Harry Lali and the NDP know what they think on May 12th!
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/bc-election/candidates-survey.html
Respectfully,
Ella Brown
BC Liberal Candidate
Fraser-Nicola
Dear Editor:
There is nothing like an election call to bring clarity to the issues. Why is it that political parties feel the need to take a
'position' on a matter, and then defend it with everything they have, rather than encouraging informed debate?
I attended a recent 'town hall meeting' hosted by the United Steelworkers Union in Kamloops. As I forester, I am interested in the long term health of our forests, and as an economic development professional, I am interested in healthy forest based businesses, and the opportunity to take advantage of opportunities, especially in a tight economic climate.
At this meeting, I learned for the first time about the opposition within BC to wood based bioenergy plants.
Not because of particulate matter into the air, or any logical reason that could be remedied, but due to a fear of privatizing BC Hydro through a proliferation of independent power projects. When I asked if we could please separate the coastal
'run of the river' projects and the interior's need to harvest dead pine trees, I was pounded by several of the speakers.
We have hundreds of thousands of hectares of dead pine out there. If we can provide a high value market for the waste wood through bioenergy projects, then sawlogs will become more affordable, and not need to pack the entire cost load for roads, harvesting, and silviculture. An active waste to energy business will encourage logging and reforestation of dead forests at a time when the alternative is an increased risk of massive wildfires as standing dead gets more and more dry.
The Steelworkers are shooting themselves in the proverbial foot with this position, and the unintended consequences include expensive sawlogs at a time when lumber markets are the lowest in memory, sawmills are dropping like flies, and the numbers of Steelworkers with them. Hopefully, this policy can be reconsidered, and biomass based independent power supported by local communities soon.
- Chris Ortner, Kamloops
