What a bunch of BS. I don't think any other transmission line in the province went through near as much BS as this one.

Makes one wonder what the real story is. The line to Stewart for example when it was decided to build it, it was built. No issues that I can remember.

This newer line is being built in the same territory. What is the issue?

Upgrade the existing line and extend it, then there is only one right of way instead of two.

Maybe there is interest from Alaska, just wondering.

If he puts his stamp of approval on it without evaluating every economic, environmental, social and Aboriginal aspect he would be raked across the coals for not giving it sufficient attention, the kind of scrutiny and due diligence he must practice as the Minister in charge.

The first transmission line was constructed without nearly the same kind of thorough evaluation.

That doesn't mean that it should be done again that way.

Political B.S. Wait until the time is right to make an announcement so as to get the most bang for the buck. It's all about timing. The decision has probably all ready been made in the back room.

I agree giterdun...politcal B.S.
Bell and the Liberals will squeak as much milage out of this as they can.
Once again,they assume the people of B.C. are too stupid to see through the smoke and mirrors.

Heck those costly bird mincers did not get as much scutiny. Oh right liberal supporters are taking taxpayer money for those, thus no scrutiny.

"Bell and the Liberals will squeak as much milage out of this as they can."

Great! If the NDP had not driven all the mining out of B.C. they too could have planned this power line and squeaked as much mileage out of this as they could!

My jealousy detector just went off!

You are right "Prince George",the No Development Party did chase all of the miners out of B.C. The point I was trying to make was that if the polititions ran the province like a business instead of using every issue to suckhole to the voters in order to get re-elected,things would get done a lot faster,cheaper and more efficient. If Pat ran his business like the government, he would have been broke a long time ago. Shame on you,Pat,you should know better.

Biggest mineral run over the last few years. How many new mines? When was the last mine opened?
Who was in power? My bootlicking detector just went off.

You are also right, giterdun, but there is one problem we must not overlook: Nearly half of those who bother to vote in B.C. do NOT want their government to be run like a business! In fact they are dead set against it!

In their view government does not have to be efficient in order to show a profit or break even, avoid bankruptcy and ensure its competitiveness so that it survives fiscally in the long run!

Government can be as bloated and inefficient as it wants to be, or as it is expected to be by those who want it to just supply services and jobs by going, if required, into deficits and ever mounting debt.

If they agreed that a government should be accountable and efficient they would not object to the sale of government assets which never pay their own way, although they could be viable if they were in private hands and competing mean and lean.

That's why Pat does not run his business the way every government (no matter who) runs its affairs.

Pat is not the boss in his government and the policies are not set by him.

No spendthrift government would survive more than one term because it would be turfed out of office for trying to be like a business.

"Increased global demand and prices for natural resources is driving the British Columbia mining industry to new heights. BC currently has over $25 billion worth of potential investments in new mining projects in the provincial environmental assessment system starting 2011.

BC’s mining and minerals sector currently employs approximately 28,000 people in more than 50 communities throughout the province, and that is set to grow.

The $6 billion British Columbia mining industry is currently going through a dramatic renaissance that is leading the provincial recovery and providing the potential for dramatic growth in communities throughout the province.

In 2010 the BC mining sector helped boost the provinces economy with increased employment, exports, production and tax revenue across the board."

My real truth detector just went off!

How can any government be run the same as a business when the accounting currently used by each is entirely different?

When we try to equate a government ending up with a surplus in its Budget to a private business booking a profit we're not making a meaningful comparison. For the two are NOT the same.

To enable government to be properly compared to private businesses in the efficient provision of goods and services the accounting methods have to be made comparable.

This we should certainly do, for such an effort would likely be quite revealing. Of just how much we're being overtaxed, for one thing.

The Northwest Transmission Line is being compared by some to the extension of the BC Railway from Ft St James to Dease Lake, and the proposed damming of the Stikine River by BC Hydro.

Hundreds of millions were spent on the projects and then they were abandoned. Huge cost to taxpayers.

If you run these lines to the mines, and the price of metals drops, then there is a good chance that the mines will close, and you will have a $400 Million dollar transmission line boondoogle. There is nothing proposed at this time that will take the small villages along Highway 37 off of Diesel Generating electricity. The lines will come no where near these villages.

In addition once these open pit mines go into production you will then start to pollute the pristine lakes in the area.

There will be very few jobs created by these mines, something like 250 jobs over the life time of the mine which would probably be 15/20 years if Granisle and Bell Copper in Topley are an indication, after that the owners will leave with their billions in profits, and we will be stuck with a pile of S..t in a pristine area. Short term gain for long term pain.

I would expect that we would be far better off to promote tourism into this area rather than mining.

Insofar as Pat Bell goes, he doesnt know anymore about mining, and transmission lines that most people on these posts. I suspect he already has his marching instructions, and that is to sign off on the project.

BC Transmission Corp was established in 2003 as a separate entity from BC Hydro and then returned to Hydro this year. The cost to taxpayers for that farce is about $65 Million dollars.

I would suggest that people look up the damming of the Stikine River, and the BC Rail Dease Lake extension, and also look up the Stikine and Iskut Rivers, before you jump on the band wagon and support this project.