I am a long-time resident of the Howe Sound area and a regular reader of The Squamish Chief. I am writing to congratulate Kirsten Andrews for her column, “We need to be part of the solution, not the problem” (Nov. 13 edition).
Finally someone has had the wisdom to connect the dots by discussing the broad implications of how allowing the Woodfibre LNG plant to come to fruition is but one domino in a series. We should not be viewing this in the piecemeal fashion that WLNG and the government would have us do.
WLNG, the first domino, needs a steady supply of liquefied natural gas. FortisBC, the second domino, is prepared to meet that demand but needs a supply of LNG. Today that source is located in the northeastern corner of our province, the third domino. In order to drill for the LNG there must be electricity to power the generators needed for extraction. This is where Site C dam, the fourth domino, comes in. The government needs the extra electricity not to meet B.C. consumer demand but to fuel the LNG extraction industry.
Consequently, by saying yes to WLNG, we say yes to all of the other components necessary to make it happen. Is this what we want for our province and the province our children inherit? Are 100 jobs worth the financial and environmental costs?
The fourth edition of the WLNG newsletter has provided a list of the financial contributions they have given to the community of Squamish as a demonstration of their commitment. Alas, this will just become a business expense that will further delay profitability and the hope of any revenue, since the LNG tax is based on profit and not revenue. How many business owners do you know who don’t look for every opportunity to write off expenses in order to reduce their taxes?
The other thing that I find interesting is that Woodfibre LNG newsletters have not truly addressed the question about the water they will return to Howe Sound. So here it is: The water will not only be heated but will also be chlorinated. Chlorine is a contributor to the acidification and habitat degradation of our oceans.
In my opinion, what B.C. and Canada need is a paradigm shift in our political orientation and political leaders who have the vision necessary to carry us into the next era – one that uses fewer rather than more fossil fuels.
If a Seventh Generation national political party is formed, I will happily become a card-carrying member.
Lorna Murphy
Furry Creek
