Conservative Leader John Cummins Seeks Answers to Kemano Questions
Monday, July 16, 2012 @ 12:46 PM
Prince George, B.C. – BC Conservative leader John Cummins says there are too many unanswered questions when it comes to the move by Rio Tinto Alcan to complete a second tunnel at Kemano.
The project was initially shut down in 1995 by former Premier Mike Harcourt who at the time said the risk to the Nechako was too great.
Rio Tinto Alcan says they are completing the tunnel now and will use it as a backup for the existing facilities.
Cummins says the company has taken enough water out of the Nechako. “I’m not crazy about them taking any more." Rio Tinto says the $700 million dollar expenditure to finish off the tunnel will be used as a back up only and they will only require a further 3 cubic meters of water per second which is covered under their license.
Cummins says "We have reached the limit of what water we can take from the Nechako, Fraser system. If we are to have a salmon resource in this province then the limit has been reached."
Cummins says “It is a well known fact that I have been a strong supporter of the salmon resource for many decades.”
Critics say the move to open up the mothballed tunnel is just Kemano completion by the back door.
Comments
“Cummins says “We have reached the limit of what water we can take from the Nechako, Fraser system. If we are to have a salmon resource in this province then the limit has been reached””
I hate to say this, but if we are relying on the Nechako to provide a salmon resource to the Province, we are already doomed. We’ve destroyed it already. Are they any Sockeye left in the Francois or Takla drainages?
If he wants to focus on Salmon, best focus on other Fraser watersheds and the Skeena system. Then again, maybe we should just farm salmon and say goodbye to the wild stocks altogether. It would make so many campaign contributors happy.
Theres a hell of a lot more to this problem than Salmon. There are also Sturgeon, Farms, Recreation areas, tourism, etc; etc;
There is no need to destroy the Nechako. Especially to make profits for huge multi national corporations.
Its time BC Hydro, and the Liberal Government are called to task on whats taking place here. There is no doubt in my mind, they know exactly what is going on, and as usual (like the HST) they are keeping us in the dark.
We own, Hydro, and we elect the Government. Its time for people to bring this message to Hydro and the Government once and for all.
We dont need anymore BS from Politicians, Civil Servants, or BC Hydro, or from Multi Nationals for that matter.
“Theres a hell of a lot more to this problem than Salmon. There are also Sturgeon, Farms, Recreation areas, tourism, etc.”
Nobody cares, we need jobs. Bring on Kemano completion, the proposed pipeline, the further expansion of the Oil and Gas sector, make it easier for Multi Nationals to invest in Canada and take over our domestic industries and ensure that science, research or empirical evidence has no role to play when formulating policy. Also, bring on any government that supports those causes (that would be the BC Libs and the Federal Cons in case you weren’t aware).
Glad to hear that the NDP can count on your support in the next election!
It’s only my humble opinion, but based on the NDP track record, I cannot and will not vote for them. I’ll probably end up voting Conservative.
“Nobody cares, we need jobs”
We already know Ottawa doesn’t care about the environment or the west. They can stuff it!
Hey you live in Ottawa don’t ya?
There is no justice…
How are we doing with the BC RAIL SALE? I mean “lease”… Justice delayed is justice denied!
Scottish Salmon is better anyway ….
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17804594
“Critics say the move to open up the mothballed tunnel is just Kemano completion by the back door.”
I seem to recall that either Harcourt or Glen Clark paid Alcan compensation for agreeing not to go ahead with Kemano II.
Something like 100 or 180 million changed hands at the time and everybody was smiling broadly.
Is that money now being used to complete the tunnel?
Screw jobs, save the whales! Kumbayah! The NDP will take care of us all.
Lol JB – yep I hear you and I know what you mean. When the NDP get back in and shut down forestry (AGAIN) and shut down mining (AGAIN) and chase business out of the province (AGAIN) then it will be awesome. We can all trade beaverpelts to cover the mortgage on our repossessed houses. I can’t wait!
It was the NDP (Harcourt) who would not allow Kemano 11 to go ahead. As a result the Government had to compensate Alcan for their costs up to that point in time.
The costs were somewhere around $250 Million. The money used to complete the tunnel comes from Rio Tinto Alcan a multi national corp, who bought out Alcan a few years ago. I suspect they will just keep the money and carry on. Who knows?
In any event it doesnt bode well for the Nechako, and points East, and South.
Gus. You didnt finish you sentence. Im sure you meant to say that scottish salmon are better than haggis, and porridge.
There is no reason we cant have both farmed salmon and wild salmon.
Insofar as jobs go. That is a bunch of BS, there are far more jobs available in BC and AB, and Prince George, than there are qualified people to fill them.
Using jobs as an excuse is older that Methuselah, and nothing more than hogwash.
The actual intent of RTA is to reduce the number of people presently employed at Alcan, by 400 full time jobs when the new smelther is completed. So put that in you pipe and smoke it. (Along with the farmed salmon)
Palopu, I’ve never tried smoking farmed salmon. Is it comparable to pot?
“The NDP will take care of us all.”
Yep, it won’t be pretty!
Farmed salmon is very good smoked.
Dont misunderstand me Prince George. In my opinion the NDP would have difficulty tying their shoes, let alone run a Government. I have no faith in their ability to run this Province.
Problem is the Liberals have screwed up royally, and cannot be trusted to go to the toilet on their own. So why would anyone want to support that bunch of clowns.
Conservatives would have to prove themselves, and they dont have much time to do that.
What we have in BC is a dilema. We are dammed if we do, and dammed if we dont.
Do we support malcontents, losers, or retreaded Conservatives?? Either way we lose. This is a sad state of affairs indeed.
We need about 40 exceptionally good citizens to run as independents so that we can get control of the Government and send all these trough wallowers packing.
Anyone interested????
“We need about 40 exceptionally good citizens to run as independents”
And you believe in the fairy godmother still too, I bet. LOL
The only reasonable independent out there is Bob Simpson. Have not heard anything from him lately. He is busy working with the government on issues. Seems to keep him quiet. Good tactic by the government. :-)
http://www.bobsimpsonmla.ca
I sure hope Cummings can find his answers. Would not want the poor fellow to not be knowledgeable in such matters.
Hey, maybe Cummings can run as an independent if he is that good.
“Dont misunderstand me PrinceGeorge.”
Far from it! They all have their proven record of mismanagement. One is tempted to keep voting for the lesser evil, but there is something basically wrong with that approach too: Voting for the lesser evil still is voting for evil!
I’m very tired of that.
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