By now, B.C. politicians have talked the Site C dam issues almost to the point of incomprehensibility.
The arguments about jobs, alternatives, future demand, energy costs, impacts, downsides and upsides are a big bubbling stew of rhetoric that鈥檚 at a constant boil.
But there are still weeks to go before the NDP government鈥檚 end-of-year deadline to decide whether to carry on building the Peace River dam. So the arguments continue.
Monday鈥檚 question period in the legislature brought another round of trench warfare over the dam. Here鈥檚 a synopsis of the play-by-play.
鈥� Liberal MLA Tracy Redies, a former B.C. Hydro board member, said there鈥檚 a compelling case to carry on 鈥� it means 鈥渃lean, affordable reliable power that will enable sustainable development for generations to come.鈥�
So, other than partisan malice or a desire to undo the B.C. Liberal legacy, why on earth is the government considering writing off $4 billion and guaranteeing a 10 per cent hike in electricity bills if the dam is cancelled?
Energy Minister Michelle Mungall sought some common ground on the issue, without tipping her hand as to which way the government is leaning.
Everyone agrees B.C. Hydro needs to work for everyone in developing clean, affordable power, she offered. That鈥檚 as far at the common ground went. 鈥淯nfortunately, the B.C. Liberals chose to sidestep the right process for doing just that 鈥� They decided that their decision-making was much better.鈥�
The B.C. Utilities Commission report ordered by the NDP raised lots of doubt about the project costs, but basically concluded it鈥檚 a close call whether to carry on or cancel.
鈥� Redies tried a different tack, citing the subsequent request two deputy ministers made to the commission last week, asking why it used a lower load forecast in its analysis than Hydro did in planning the project.
Was it because the commission expects lower economic growth and the decline of mining, forestry and technology 鈥減resumably because of NDP economic policies鈥�?
Nice try. Mungall commended her for a stellar spin job. Redies piled on with more, saying the deputies鈥� queries paint a grim picture of no climate action, no electrification of the economy and no economic or population growth.
Mungall said B.C. Hydro has put its projects through appropriate approval processes, and the Liberals are just mad about the report that resulted when the NDP did just that.
鈥� Liberal MLA Michelle Stilwell rapped Mungall for accusing the Liberals of not following due process when last week she announced an electricity rate freeze before it had gone to the BCUC. Although the freeze supposedly erases a three per cent rate hike planned for next spring, cancelling the project will hike rates 16 to 18 per cent, she said.
鈥� Green MLA Sonia Furstenau joined the fray, citing an academic paper that forecasts cancelling the project and relaying on wind and conservation would create five times the jobs the dam will. 鈥淭his is one more piece of evidence that shows cancelling the job is the right thing to do,鈥� she said.
Mungall expressed appreciation for all the research being done, but declined yet again to tip her hand. Cabinet鈥檚 going to 鈥渉unker down鈥� and 鈥渟harpen our pencils鈥� and make sure the go or no-go decision is the right one.
鈥� Liberal MLA Dan Ashton raised the First Nations angle, saying there are $150 million worth of work commitments to First Nations at Site C, and they鈥檙e all at risk because of the NDP and Greens. Promising reconciliation and opportunity and then cancelling it is hypocritical, he said. Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser said he spent the weekend talking to First Nations in the area and it鈥檚 all part of the decision process.
鈥� Later in the day, Green Leader Andrew Weaver took another run at Mungall over the problematic rate freeze. He said she鈥檚 defending the indefensible by refusing to admit that she announced the freeze without getting commission approval. 鈥淯nfathomable,鈥� said Weaver. 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 you just admit it was misleading and say: 鈥榃e鈥檙e sorry鈥�?鈥�
That鈥檚 tough talk from someone who signed on the dotted line to support the NDP for better or worse.
The takeaway as dusk fell is that the referral to the BCUC and the subsequent report has generated almost as much argument as the dam would generate power.
