By Roy L Hales
The provincial government has known about our massive potential since 1983. Two years ago the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association (CanGEA) released a report stating British Columbia could develop geothermal for half the cost of hydro. Now, as pipelines and the controversial Site C Dam dominate the headlines, BC’s first geothermal power project could be weeks from drilling.
Continue reading BC’s First Geothermal Power Project Could Be Weeks From DrillingBy Roy L Hales
During a recent interview, Campbell River film maker Damien Gillis said “there would be a great deal of outrage” if the public knew the degree to which we subsidize logging old growth forests. These subsidies come in the form of lower stumpage fees for the remote areas where most of our surviving ancient forests still persist. Gillis also informed me this is a central issue in the United States’ softwood dispute with Canada. After the interview, I drew up a series of potentially embarrassing questions about BC’s stumpage rates.
Continue reading Potentially Embarrassing Questions About BC’s Stumpage Rates
Most of us have seen historical photographs of the great forests that once stood in British Columbia. Though his family has worked in the forestry sector for a century, Damien Gillis’ first view of a forest like this came during a six-day-trek into the Incomappleux Valley. The award winning Campbell River documentary film maker (Fractured Land, Oil in Eden) says, “it was like nothing I’ve seen before, just the way the ecosystem is really a cycle of life, death and rebirth right before your eyes.” Some of the trees he saw had been saplings around the time of the Roman Empire. The resulting documentary, Primeval: Enter the Incomappleux offers viewers a rare glimpse inside one of BC’s disappearing old growth rainforests.
Continue reading Inside One Of British Columbia’s Disappearing Old Growth RainforestsBy Roy L Hales
Anyone trying to understand the “why?” of some (seemingly stupid) political actions should read David Mason’s recent column in the Globe and Mail. His explanation of the Canadian Government’s approval of the $36 billion (CAN) Pacific NorthWest LNG project, on Lelu Island in British Columbia, boils down to the politics of quid pro quo.
Continue reading The Politics Of Quid Pro QuoBy Roy L Hales
Even Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC, was critical of the government’s approval of Lelu Island. Environment reporter Margo McDermid called the Pacific Northwest LNG project the “first real test of the Liberal’s approach to the environment and energy.” Her colleague, Chris Hall, added that approving this project “is going to put an enormous amount of pressure on Justin Trudeau to explain how approving a project that will generate millions of tons in greenhouse gas emissions can also help them meet (the) climate change targets they agreed to in Paris.”[1] Few doubt that Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister started out with good intentions. The Globe and Mail recently called Trudeau’s attempt to please environmental groups and the fossil fuel sector “mission impossible.” For many environmentalists, the honeymoon lasted for around three months. This is just the latest example of what many perceive as Trudeau selling Canada out.
Continue reading Lelu Island: Trudeau Selling Canada Out
