Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Stephen Harper Presents Mock Legislation, A Slap In The Face To All British Columbians


Written by Grant G


Earlier this year I believed that Stephen Harper wouldn`t risk giving Enbridge`s northern Gateway pipeline proposal the green light for political reasons, thinking about the next federal election, it appears that I was wrong...

So bought, so controlled by big oil that Stephen Harper is prepared to play the fool, act the court jester, don`t let his plastic crown fool you in to believing he has any power, he doesn`t, Stephen Treason Harper, the sad face of big oil and CAPP, an oil man, a religious zealot obsessed with nothing but enriching multi-national energy companies no matter what the social and environmental costs may be....Today..

Today Stephen Harper tipped his Enbridge enabling hand by tabling, not enacting but tabling a bill, a bill that won`t stand up to scrutiny or the rule of law, in fact I doubt this bill will ever see the light of day...

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VANCOUVER - The federal government announced new measures Wednesday to ensure pipeline companies pick up the tab for any spills, as cabinet prepares to announce its decision on the contentious Northern Gateway pipeline project.

Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford said the new rules are not tied to any particular project but put in place an unmatched regime for pipeline safety.

"Even in the most extreme, rare or unlikely circumstances, the government will ensure that the environment, landowners and taxpayers are protected and the polluter pays," he said in Vancouver

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Stephen Harper is such a small puny man, a weak-knee`ed liar, Harper thinks that British Columbians are rubes or turnip truck fallees, not sure which one however, bitumen can`t be cleaned up once puked into oceans or rivers, does he think we aren`t paying attention to detail, to facts, this Vancouver Sun reporting of this mock legislation is not just a sad joke it`s insulting to every thinking British Columbian.

First off northern gateway is a limited liability company, Enbridge has legally separated northern gateway from Enbridge`s assets, they have but $1 billion dollars, that`s it, also, northern gateway is 49% owned by China, few people are aware of that fact, what you people may also not know that once northern gateway is in operation(it will never be in operation) ..Northern Gateway is selling the entirety of that project/pipeline to China for a big fat healthy profit..!

Back to the matter at hand, pipeline companies are already responsible for inland spills, no ifs and or buts, unless sabotage or act of god can be proven, so it appears that this mock proposed legislation is designed to trick people in to believing that Kinder Morgan or Enbridge would be responsible for costs related to a super tanker catastrophe on our west coast, ha!....

To expect educated Canadians(exclude Harper`s conservative base in that educated part, knuckle dragging missing links they be) to believe any court could make a oil pipeline company/exporter pay for a collision at sea, a grounding on unforgiving rocks or mechanical breakdown leading to a runaway tanker, to expect a court to make Kinder Morgan or Northern Gateway pay for actions involving oil out of their hands is silly, not enforceable, silly blather and comic book legislation cobbled together by the king of clowns, Stephen Treason Harper...

In that same article, incoherent blather about this "tabled" not enacted legislation protecting the environment and the taxpayer...Our environment doesn`t use legislation, it doesn`t read or care what silly words Harper`s corrupt crew uses, as for the taxpayer, in the same breath this Harper spokesperson claims the taxpayer is protected and in the event that the oil pipeline company won`1t pay or can`t pay the federal government will pay the tab and the NEB, national energy board will chase down the monies from "industry"....

Really, is that the best you Cons can come up with?

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"Under the new rules, pipeline companies will have absolute liability in the event of a spill. It means they will have to pay all costs and damages related to oil spills, without needing to be proven negligent or at fault.

Pipeline operators will also be required to have a minimum amount of cash available for cleanup costs. The National Energy Board will have the power to order reimbursement of spill costs and to take over spill response should the pipeline company be unable or unwilling to do so.

The federal government will cover any spill-related costs a company cannot pay, and the national energy regulator would recoup the money from industry".

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You see that, if these oil pipeline companies have no money or refuse to pay the feds will pay, meaning you the taxpayer will pay!!... will the long arm of the National Energy Board swoop in on all those offshore tax havens and get the money..?...Sure they will..

Those silly Harper Conservatives, their legislation which won`t be enacted in this spring session isn`t even legal, the oil companies with their gaggles of lawyers must be having a real hard chuckle over this cheap tawdry propaganda...Especially those Exxon Valdez lawyers, you know the ones, they have been and still are litigating that disaster 25 years later, one of the world`s wealthiest companies refuses to pay and over time any settlement amount shrinks with the value of the dollar, $5 billion 25 years ago was real money, today not so much..

The Vancouver Sun article go on to say.....

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There has never been an incident in Canada where a pipeline company was not responsive to a spill, they said.

And there has only ever been one pipeline spill that exceeded $1 billion to cleanup. That was a 2010 spill from an Enbridge pipeline into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, which is still being cleaned up.

Ziad Saad, vice-president of safety for the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, welcomed the changes. There are measures in place now for extreme circumstances, he said.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Pipeline+firms+costs+damages+spill+safety+rules/9839444/story.html

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The articles claims how safe pipelines are and how Canadian operators are so responsive, they also cite the 2010 Kalamazoo Michigan Enbridge pipeline disaster, 2010....we are now halfway through 2014 and that river is still polluted, still being dredged as you can`t clean up spilled bitumen in water, the only way to clean it up is to dredge the river, meaning you must remove the river, I don`t think our spawning salmon would be too thrilled with all their birthing gravel being removed for years...You can`t dredge Haida Gwaii or the Hecate (hurricane alley) Strait

Enbridge the mother corp company specifically removed Northern Gateway from Enbridge`s company assets as they weren`t prepared to take the risk with their money, and FIPA overrules any mock "tabled" legislation, illegal legislation at that, no wonder vice president of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association Ziad Saad welcomes the legislation...He welcomes it because it is illegal and unenforceable, it wouldn`t stand up to any court challenge, ...Stephen Harper knows his mock legislation is nothing but court jester blather..

There are a minimum 10,000 people who will physically block Enbridge`s pipeline, Harper`s Northern Gateway pipeline nod is headed for the courtroom, First Nations, specifically the Haisla will prevent this project...there it will languish for years, it only needs just over 1 year until Stephen Harper and his sorry ass is punted from office as both Thomas Mulcair and Justin Trudeau are dead against Enbridge`s pipeline..

The audacity of Stephen Harper presenting unenforceable comic book legislation in an attempt to ease British Columbians concerns proves just how unfit Stephen Harper is for Canada`s top political office..

Go fluck yourself Stephen, see you in court!

Written by Grant G


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P.S......Friends, readers and contributors....The resurrection is taking a little longer than anticipated...Another 2 weeks to go..Pictures to follow.






The Straight Goods

Cheers Eyes Wide Open


 

15 comments:

Hugh said...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/los-angeles-oil-spill-covers-streets-in-190-000-litres-1.2643688

Len said...

bought paid for and educated all by big oil,that's our Prime Minister...put there for one reason..and he's working real hard to make all of their dreams come true

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this is true or not? But, it seems like Enbridge, Harper and their underhanded tactics.

Enbridge has chosen a limited partnership-is to limit the exposure, investors of the company, not to make good on a catastrophic spill.

I read this quite sometime back at, business.financial post 12/07/05

Jon Ghun said...

You're bang on again, Grant.

This new announcement is a head fake for the rubes.

Not a single iota more of liability will ever be incurred by Enbridge in regards to pipeline transfers. And imagine the chicanery behind the feds putting our taxes up as a backstop--as if it was some new approach they've just come up with in order to make everything alright. They really do take us for fools.

And that's to say nothing of the fact that, if bitumen were to ever be delivered onto a tanker, it's the responsibility of someone else well-hidden behind corporate blinds and defended by litigators who eat alligators for appetizers.

Nothing has changed. This is still a really bad deal, with oblique negotiations, that must be stopped dead.

But, on a more positive note, here's a novel idea: Let's refine at source, and then transport for our own energy security, thereby reducing dependence on the big oil boys who invariably price gouge and dodge fair taxation.

Just for the Record said...

VANCOUVER – B.C. New Democrat leader John Horgan released the following statement on today’s Defend Our Climate “No Enbridge” rally:

“B.C.’s New Democrats are standing with communities and First Nations all across B.C. who are opposed to the Enbridge heavy oil pipeline. We know it would put our land, air and water, and northwest B.C.’s world class outdoor recreation resources at risk. We are calling on Premier Clark and Prime Minister Harper to listen to the people of British Columbia.

“British Columbians only benefit from the good jobs and good public services that come from developing our resources when we also take care of the land, air and water we rely on. A balanced approach is essential, and Enbridge Northern Gateway fails that test.

“British Columbians are looking for a government with the vision to pursue new forms of energy to power our future. Premier Clark’s B.C. Liberals are not that government. They have consistently refused B.C. New Democrats’ call to empower the independent Utilities Commission to investigate our energy needs and potential green energy sources to meet those needs. They have abandoned any real action to fight climate change.

“As we say ‘no’ to the Northern Gateway pipeline today, we also say ‘yes’ to green industry and energy, and a commitment to B.C’s role in fighting climate change.”

http://bcndpcaucus.ca/news/statement-b-c-new-democrat-leader-john-horgan-defend-climate-enbridge-rally/

Anonymous said...

Just wait for CKNW, if they haven't already -- as they usually never miss a beat on any matter concerning the NDP - as do all the rest of the corporate-friendly media to attack NDP Horgan as anti-business/, as they do on a regular basis, on anything the BC Liberals have plans for (whenever the BC NDP object) as the feds have been hammering NDP and quite often Liberals on anything they don't support) - as the conservatives always present as pro-business/jobs. Notice I said present as.

Michael Smyth has been anything but neutral in the Province newspaper lately, attacking anything the NDP don't support the Liberals on hook link and sinker .. same old, same old, we've read over and over -- they are so anti-business / just not ready to govern. Boo-hoo -- the NDP don't support the Liberals on all of their plans for this province. Anything outside of the Liberals vision for this province is presented as bad for the province; just as the feds play that same song over and over on anything the fed NDP or Liberals question / object to the conservatives on.

Anonymous said...

Do yourselves a favour. Give up on Global News. Stay away from Sun News, do not subscribe to local newspapers and never EVER listen to AM talk radio. Pure mind pollution.

e.a.f. said...

Never had any doubt Harper would not green light any and all oil/tar pipelines, processing plants, tanker traffic. Whatever it takes to get tar/oil out of the ground and to China asap, is all Harper is interested in,. Our country and its environment ranks second. China's interest come first with this P.M.

With any luck will be rid of him before too much more of our country is destroyed.

kootcoot said...

".Especially those Exxon Valdez lawyers, you know the ones, they have been and still are litigating that disaster 25 years later, one of the world`s wealthiest companies refuses to pay and over time any settlement amount shrinks with the value of the dollar, $5 billion 25 years ago was real money, today not so much.."

Not only is inflation harming those harmed by the Exxon Valdez, but the litigators for Exxon tend to get the damage award REDUCED each time they pursue yet another appeal. I imagine they will continue to appeal any settlement until the damage award is reduced to zero and those victimized by the spill are too dead to collect anyway.

Of course corporatations should be treated as having the rights of humans but none of the responsibilities and of course unlike humans Corporations are immortal, unless they have to kill themselves off (or rename) to avoid liability.

Taken for Rubes in a Provincial Backwater (pt.1) said...

As you predicted, they're climbing down on LNG tax revenues. Even von poncer is having to dribble out a few of the sordid details.

It reads like this:

Vaughn Palmer: Few details, much downward pressure on LNG tax

Liquefied natural gas proponents will be able to deduct substantial capital costs from tax bills

BY VAUGHN PALMER, VANCOUVER SUNMAY 17, 2014




VICTORIA — While the B.C. Liberals continue to finalize the details of their proposed tax on the liquefied natural gas industry, Finance Minister Mike de Jong has hinted that they are preparing to scale down the controversial levy.

The tax, centrepiece of a prosperity fund that is supposed to underwrite retirement of the provincial debt, was sketched out in the Feb. 18 provincial budget as “a two-tier income tax with a tier one rate of 1.5 per cent and a tier 2 rate of up to seven per cent.”

Three months later, it turns out that those two little words “up to” were a critical component in the government conception of the tax.

“Remember what I said,” de Jong told Canadian Press reporter Dirk Meissner in an interview last week. “I said ‘up to’ and was clearer in February we were working with the proponents to arrive at final figures that we intend to enshrine legislatively this fall. When I said ‘up to,’ that suggested we were going to work through to finalize the numbers.”

De Jong spoke in the midst of Premier Christy Clark’s most recent Asian trade mission, where she signed letters of understanding with two LNG proponents: Malaysia-based Petronas, which is planning a major terminal for a site near Prince Rupert, and Singapore-based RGE, which is proposing the smaller Woodfibre LNG plant near Squamish.

Both letters committed the Clark government to provide “certainty” by Nov. 30 about costs that are under its control and that are applicable only to LNG investments, the main one being the LNG tax.

The dozen or so proponents considering LNG terminals for B.C. have been pushing back against the proposed tax, arguing that it would be unique to this jurisdiction and thus reduce the province’s attractiveness for investment in the increasingly competitive global energy market.

“The proponents would like to see the cost structure as low as possible,” de Jong confirmed. “In the aftermath of the budget, as I predicted on budget day, there have been suggestions of adjustments. What the premier and the folks in Malaysia have agreed to at the highest level is to continue to work and set a pretty aggressive timeline to deal with the next steps toward a final investment decision.”

Taken for Rubes in a Provincial Backwater (pt.2) said...

After those comments last week, De Jong was in Toronto this week, speaking to an economic summit organized by Bloomberg. There he said he is “cautiously optimistic” that there will be a final investment decision in the $10-billion range on an LNG project before the end of the year. “Who goes first, we will see,” he said, not specifying whether it would be Petronas, Shell or one of the other players.

Another aspect of the tax that has yet to be defined publicly is precisely how it will be calculated.

The budget documents said the 1.5 per cent first tier tax will be levied on net proceeds, defined as revenue less operating expenses, once a given LNG terminal goes into commercial production. The operator will also be allowed to accumulate amounts paid under the first tax for deduction against the second.

Other deductions will include “all costs associated with constructing an LNG facility,” including the systems for purifying and liquefying the gas, storage tanks, and the marine loading system. Also, possibly, supporting infrastructure like control rooms, maintenance shops, warehouses; interest charges during the course of construction, and other matters yet to be determined.

All of those amounts will accumulate in a capital investment account. The budget documents again: “Net income for the purposes of the Tier 2 tax will be net proceeds less up to 100 per cent of the capital investment account. As such, the Tier 2 tax rate is not effective until the capital investment account is depleted.”

Thus the second tax will not kick in until revenue less operating expenses from the terminal exceed the full amount in the capital investment account. Given that these facilities are priced in the billions, that rollout is expected to take several years.

A hypothetical example provided in the budget suggested the tax would bring in $50 million a year for the first four years of operations on a typical plant, rising to $250 million once all the deductibles are covered in year six.

Those letters of understanding that the premier signed last week are also understood to cover other provincially imposed project costs, including compensation for First Nations and environmental standards.

The government is currently mulling air pollution standards for LNG terminals, given that most are expected to be natural-gas-fired to one degree or another (although Woodfibre LNG announced Tuesday it would use BC Hydro electricity). Standards are expected to be tough for emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. There may also be incentives, perhaps deductible against the LNG tax, to encourage builders to minimize greenhouse gas emissions

Details? Rich Coleman, minister for natural gas development, pledged last month to share more of those with the public later this spring (“that’s the goal and I hope to achieve that”), but so far nothing has been forthcoming.

Still, from the hints provided by his colleague, the minister of finance, it would appear that the Liberals are preparing to peg their vaunted LNG tax at something less than seven per cent, with a view to securing at least one final investment decision by the end of the year.

http://www.vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=9848414&sponsor=

Mob Rules said...

They're down to extortion-level tactics at this stage:

http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=9850736

Guest column: Want health care? Better support B.C.'s LNG plans

by Stewart Muir, executive director of the Resource Works Society

Background on Resource Works Society (surprise--more snout-snuffing, spin-meistering cronyism) said...

"Resource Works Society" is (see following):

'Rebranding BC as LNG'

by Bob Mackin

The biggest campaign of all, for Clark and the hired persuaders she's enlisted, is selling the dream of a B.C. Liquified Natural Gas bonanza. The target audiences are British Columbians and various nations far beyond our borders.
LNG has been mentioned in 86 government news releases since Clark and her cabinet were sworn-in on June 10 last year.

Clark became particularly aggressive on LNG in late March, by taking the inner circle of cabinet to Ottawa to sign joint B.C. - federal accords.
In April, the Business Council of B.C. showed its loyalty to the Liberals and partnered with CKNW AM 980, Clark's former employer, on the "Putting B.C. to Work" series.

According to the radio station's website, Putting B.C. to Work "brings together the Business Council, who takes pride in being the Place Where Leaders Meet to Unlock B.C.'s Full Potential with CKNW as the place where business, government and community leaders turn to for up-to-date information. Working together, they will engage with British Columbians on issues of importance to the province's collective social and economic prosperity."

Greg D'Avignon, CEO of the Business Council of B.C., is also listed as a director of the April-launched Resource Works Society, which is run by Stewart Muir, the former Vancouver Sun deputy editor who is married to deputy minister and Clark pal Mentzelopoulos.

Resource Works describes itself as a non-profit that researches economic impacts of resource development "and to provide neutral, fact-based information to citizens and decision makers."
Directors include ex-Liberal attorney general Geoff Plant, KPMG partner Philippa Wilshaw, University of B.C. business professor Michael Goldberg and Teck senior vice-president Douglas Horswill. Teck Resources and Teck Cominco donated a combined $1.23 million to the BC Liberals since 2005. Muir, D'Avignon and Horswill met with the Liberal caucus on April 2.

Muir's bio on the Resource Works website doesn't mention his June 2013 to March 2014 tenure at Wazuku Advisory Group, the Liberal-allied lobbying and public relations firm. Wazuku partner Steve Kukucha was the so-called "wagonmaster" for Clark on her campaign airplane and bus during the election campaign.

Resource Works claims to be "open to participation by all British Columbians," but its website doesn't include information about membership or how the group is funded. Muir did not return a Tyee phone call before deadline.

D'Avignon told The Tyee the founding board meeting dealt with society governance issues, not budgets. D'Avignon said Resource Works is a non-partisan organization, but, when asked how Resource Works is funded, he said: "That I don't have the full information on, but there is a myriad of different companies, we put some very modest money into the pot as well. At the end of the day it's a broad cross-section of citizens and companies."

'Lyn Anglin, CEO of Geoscience BC, chairs the 16-member Resource Works advisory council, which includes former Foreign Affairs Minister David Emerson, Fort St. John Mayor Lori Ackerman and Tai Cheng, general counsel for China’s Fulida Group.

Resource Works operations director Bert Chen, a former aide to Langley Conservative MP Mark Warawa, joined in February after working six months as research director for British Columbians for International Prosperity.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2014/05/14/Christy-Clarks-Never-Ending-Campaign/

Anonymous said...

http://thetyee.ca/News/2014/05/21/I-Was-a-PR-Campaign/

Anonymous said...

http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2014/05/15/Canadas-34-Billion-Fossil-Fuel-Subsidies/


Enbridge, LNG Plants. We all get poorer, they get richer. Time to stop this nonsense.