Thursday, November 19, 2015

BC Hydro Capilano Substation: Surrounded by Trees: No Surprise electricity knocked out, businesses closed; homes left cold

The tree broke the top off a BC Hydro transmission structure
The brain trust that looks after BC Hydro customers has decided to commission another report looking at 40 species of trees, across Metro Vancouver, that might be of concern to the Public Corporation's bottom line, Smart Grid or not.  The Report request, from the Minutes of the Climate Action Committee Agenda November 4, 2015, is on page 88 of 126 being prepared by Diamond Head Consulting

Vancouver Sun
The regional district has commissioned a report looking at 40 species of trees across the region to determine whether they are resilient enough to withstand issues such as pests and droughts.

The move follows two windstorms, one on Tuesday and another in August, which saw trees falling on BC Hydro transmission wires, plunging thousands of homes into darkness, some of them for days.

On Tuesday, electricity was cut to about 110,000 B.C. homes after winds gusting up to 70 km/h toppled trees and snapped power lines. A tree broke the top off a BC Hydro transmission structure in the Capilano substation, sending flashes of blue light streaking across the skies, .....

Putting it in perspective:



BC Hydro already has a 61 page guide book on how to handle vegetation, trees too but they prefer to wait until a tree falls knowing that they do make a sound, but the wind drowns the background noise out.




 Noting and recommending for removal any hazard trees (defective trees that may fall into the site), or storm-damaged or vandalized trees and shrubs. Herbicides may be applied to the stumps to prevent resprouting.

 Vancouver's Knight and 49th Avenue Substation is the right way, eh


In a Post that we did in 2014 on a West Vancouver waterfront BC Hydro Substation they finally took the hint and cut down all their trees between the Emergency generating station and the Substation AND chain linked the area so pedestrians (children) wouldn't be able to fall into the six foot deep canal (no way to claw oneself out)

1972 to 2014
  


2015



 Google Search criteria: bc hydro 80 20 debt limit

HBC: The Fifty-two pounds ten shillings sterling deal between Christy Clark and Hookoowitz's 20 others.

If 'white people' are the only ones who may own Hudson Bay Company's 'land', secured by James Douglas for Fifty-two pounds ten shillings Sterling  ..... 'Vancouver Island' ... how are the land claims going to be resolved with that Sick Culture of Victoria still being occupied by Premier Christy Clark.

KOSAMPSOM TRIBE—ESQUIMALT PENINSULA AND COLQUITZ VALLEY.
Know all men, we, the chiefs and people of the Kosampsom Tribe, who have signed our names and made our marks to this deed on the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, do consent to surrender, entirely and  for ever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Committee of the same, the whole of the lands situate and lying between the Island of the Dead, in the Arm or Inlet of Camoson, and the head of the said Inlet, embracing the lands on the west side and north of that line to Esquimalt, beyond the Inlet three miles of the Colquitz Valley, and the land on the east side of the arm, enclosing Christmas Hill and Lake and the lands west of those objects.

The condition of or understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow after us; and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter.   It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly. We have received, as payment, Fifty-two pounds ten shillings sterling.

In token whereof, we have signed our names and made our marks, at Fort Victoria, on the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty.

(Signed) HOOKOOWITZ his x mark,
and 20 others.



SWENGWHUNG TRIBE—VICTORIA PENINSULA, SOUTH OF COLQUITZ.

Know all men, we, the chiefs and people of the family of Swengwhung, who have signed our names and made our marks to this deed on the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty, do consent to surrender, entirely and for ever, to James Douglas, the agent of the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver Island, that is to say, for the Governor, Deputy Governor, and Committee of the same, the whole of the lands situate and lying between the Island of the Dead, in the Arm or Inlet of Camoson, where the Kosampsom lands terminate, extending east to the Fountain Ridge, and following it to its termination on the Straits of De Fuca, in the Bay immediately east of Clover Point, including all the country between that line and the Inlet of Camoson.

The condition of or understanding of this sale is this, that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and for those who may follow after us; and the land shall be properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however, that the land itself, with these small exceptions, becomes the entire property of the white people for ever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on our fisheries as formerly.

We have received, as payment, Seventy-five pounds sterling.  In token whereof, we have signed our names and made our marks, at Fort Victoria, on the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and fifty. (1850)


(Signed) SNAW-NUCK his x mark,
and 29 others.
Done before us,
(Signed) ALFRED ROBSON BENSON, M.R.C.S.L.
JOSEPH WILLIAM
 ***************************
*********** 





Of course there was that small detail that James Douglas didn't include in the signing regarding the clause on 'OUR CHILDREN' and 'WHO MAY FOLLOW US'
 

 The Impact of the White Man
 
 SmallPox

Page 42 of 116

The most terrible single calamity to befall the Indians of British Columbia was the smallpox epidemic which started in Victoria in 1862.  Unique circumstances caused it to spread faster and farther than any previous outbreak could possibly have done, and within two years it had reached practically all parts of the Province, and killed about one-third of the native people.


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or how about renaming Semlin Drive in Vancouver .... along with Trutch


increase to $500
Respecting the proposed increase of the per capita Tax on Chinese immigrants. By Command. C. A. SEMLIN,


 Respecting the desirability of increasing the capitation tax on Chinese entering the
Dominion, and submitting that British Columbia is entitled to three-fourths ofsuch revenue.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Justice In Chains. Jessica Ernst and Andrew Nikiforuk's 'Slick Water'. by Robin Mathews Nov. 14, 2015



Andrew Nikiforuk Books, Books, Books
Slick Water”, of course, is the feel of good water when changed by Fracking poisons.  It is good water invaded by (Corporation-imposed secret) human-and-plant-destroying poisons pumped underground during “Fracking” (hydraulic fracturing of natural underground strata) to “retrieve” oil and/or natural gas.  Those poisons then find their way into the agricultural and drinking water of unsuspecting people who reside (usually) not far from the work of those giant, care less, private Corporations which – all too often – have bought-and-paid-for government regulators and politicians in power.  The poisons … then make ill, maim, and even kill plants, animals, and human beings.

The enormity of the damage to land and water and creatures, the outrageous invasion of the sanctity of innocent people, and the permanent tragedies created could only be possible in a world where Big Corporations have become, in fact, law-makers and enforcers in a world where corporate crime is accepted as normal behaviour.

Slick Water is, too, the name of the latest book (on theabove subject) written by excellent writer, Andrew Nikiforuk.  He was one of the first to tear the Angel Wings from the Tar Sands operations in a book of that name in 2008: Tar Sands, Dirty Oil and the Future of aContinent.

Readers of this review could do no better as a beginning of their read through winter-books than to read Slick Water, centering on Canada’s Fracking Fighter extraordinaire, Jessica Ernst, of Rosebud, Alberta.  The book links her, appropriately, to the long, horrific historical tale of Hydraulic Fracturing which she has been one of the most indomitable in bringing to Canadian (and global) public attention.

The beauty of Nikiforuk’s book is that it brings the marvellous Jessica Ernst to life for readers to come to know … at the same time as it illuminates the slow (150 year) development of a “greed process”, Fracking, begun (of course) in the U.S.A., and spread to … wherever on the globe greed can elbow its way in and gas or oil can be – earth-shatteringly and poisonously - forced to the surface.  Some enlightened countries outlaw Fracking completely.

Readers will find in this book a hundred aspects of the Slick Water story that catch and hold their attention.  A commanding aspect, linking widely disparate events and occasions, is caught in one of the most sparkling (if it may be called that) chapters entitled “The Police Come Calling”.

In the face of allegations of Encana Corporation violations of the law, Alberta regulator violations of the law, Alberta lawyers rejecting their obligation and refusing to represent Jessica Ernst, and shameless misreporting by the Alberta Research Council … and, I add, an Alberta government pretending to know nothing about anything relevant – a strange event occurred.

Calling themselves members of the National Security Enforcement Team (?), RCMP officers first called Jessica Ernst by telephone and were told by her not to visit her property. Days later, they arrived at her home unannounced and without any kind of Warrant.  The visit – one may speculate – had a number of purposes.  To frighten and coerce Jessica Ernst. To urge her into naming sympathizers.  To please the federal government led by Stephen Harper, and to please the (then Eternal) Conservative government of Alberta, and the Encana Corporation, and the cowardly lawyers of Alberta who would have been pleased to see Ernst frightened away from legal action.

Without intending to be controversial or extreme, I would say that the RCMP officers, Dennis De Franceschi and Dave Bibeau, who confronted Jessica Ernst would not be unique as examples of what I suggest may be called lawless uniformed officers supporting crime in Canada.

One only has to raise one’s eyes to see extravagant examples.  When the murder of Robert Dziekanski (2007) by RCMP officers occurred in Vancouver International Airport  (the act was renamed for convenience), it was supported by all levels of the RCMP from the Vancouver offices to the desk in Ottawa of the national Commissioner of the RCMP.  Then, a little later, the fraudulent misuse of RCMP investigations to “manage” the Mike Duffy case in favour of Stephen Harper and his close, wealthy ally Nigel Wright is there for all to see.  By sleight-of-hand too despicable for words, the evidence was jimmied to claim Mike Duffy received a bribe of just over $90,000.00 handed to him as a signed cheque by Nigel Wright.  But Nigel Wright did not pay a bribe, it is claimed.  Before the entire population of Canada the RCMP went along with that complete sham. There is not the slightest doubt that Commissioner of the RCMP, Bob Paulson, signed off on the spectacular (and insulting to all Canadians) boondoggle.

Those are national scandals of gigantic proportion.  But all over Canada the RCMP bends, breaks, and boldly finds ways to violate the law in large and small ways to serve criminal interests.  (Will the new Liberal government examine that file?)

Let’s put it simply.  The whole, cruel torture - through the Fracking process - of Jessica Ernst and hundreds of others in Canada … and thousands around the world – is made possible by the sell-out to giant, largely private Corporations by police, lawyers, the law, the courts, and governments elected to serve and protect the people.

To this day, the new People’s Government of Alberta [NDP] has not lifted a finger to lessen the injustice under which Jessica Ernst staggers. 

Indeed, the Alberta NDP government has approved the continuing role of Gerard Protti, former vp of Encana Corporation and former president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers as top man at the Alberta Energy Regulator. Both Encana and the AER are named as delinquent in Jessica Ernst’s case.

If the new government in Ottawa sees fit to take a harrower through the RCMP – a long overdue undertaking – it should do the same through the process of appointments to higher courts in all the provinces.  Indeed, it needs to sit with provincial governments and work slowly and certainly to reconstruct higher court processes – which are opaque, needlessly bureaucratic, elitist, high-handed, grossly expensive, purposefully procrastinating, and systemically punitive to ordinary members of the population seeking remedy for injustices done to them.

Andrew Nikiforuk’s presentation in Slick Water of the negotiation between Jessica Ernst and the law firm conducting her case – Klippensteins – is deeply disturbing.  Sincerity unforced on both sides leads to the information that the case might well take twelve years…or more. (That, I say, is because of the ability of rich corporations to bring legal proceedings almost to a standstill with – clearly – the assent of the courts.) The firm’s spokesperson tells Ernst the “case could cost her more than a million dollars even with the firm’s discounted rates” (p.199) And lawyer Murray Klippenstein informs her that even if she wins legally, because she won’t “settle” (agree to a secret award) “you may have to pay the legal fees and costs of the defendants.” (p. 201)

Ernst replies to him completely in character.  Three things matter. One is groundwater. The second is the integrity of the democracy she lives in, and the third is breaking the cycle of abuse. What she does not say (and perhaps doesn’t know at that early date) is that the cycle of abuse by the poisoners of water, land, and health is only possible because of the corporation/lawyer/police/court/media participation in the cycle of abuse quietly smiled upon by corrupt governments. How to end that cycle and to restore the integrity of the democracy she lives in is … for all the rest of us to take on.

Andrew Nikiforuk is – to my mind – very gentle in his treatment of the Alberta higher court in the case being fought by Jessica Ernst.  Nevertheless, he hints at what I believe is a shameless intention in the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench to delay the trial, to increase Jessica Ernst’s costs alarmingly, and to force her into bankruptcy.  I will leave it to the reader to decide for herself or himself the role of the Alberta court in Jessica Ernst’s trial … and Andrew Nikiforuk’s assessment of it.

Rejuvenation of the Canadian legal system might start at the top.  What to my mind is the most useless and the most irresponsible higher court instrument in Canada is the Canadian Judicial Council – the top regulator of higher court behaviour in Canada.  Presently, to my mind, it is a sham and a protector of wrong-doing in the higher courts.  When an egregious action of sexual misconduct by a judge is revealed, the CJC might move to careful action. But in all other cases of serious misconduct (in my experience with it) the CJC will even cover for (what in other structures would be called) the frankly criminal activity of judges. (When three higher court judges, one after the other, are publicly removed from the bench by the CJC for misconduct in their trust positions, judges across Canada will suddenly become visibly more upright and … just.)

Justice is in chains in the Jessica Ernst case against Encana Corporation for fouling her farm, her water, her life, her hopes for the future.  Justice is in chains in Ernst’s attempts to have the “regulator” of Oil Patch behaviour judged for failing to do its job of “regulating” (throughout the province).  Justice is in chains in the Jessica Ernst case before the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench (Alberta’s Supreme Court) because – among other (hugely important) things - the court is not insisting upon prompt responses from those complained against, not insisting upon prompt and clean submissions of evidentiary materials requested by the plaintiff. etc.,etc.

The spotlight is upon Chief Justice NeilWittmann who “volunteered” to take over the case when (surprise!) the judge on the case was suddenly promoted off it to the Appeals Court. (Her promotion had to involve Stephen Harper’s cabinet and the senior operatives of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench… and who else?)  The case is momentous – calling into question the activities of a huge private Oil Patch operator and the government of Alberta’s regulator.  The action of Chief Justice Neil Wittmann to force a Supreme Court of Canada appeal about his ruling that the Alberta regulator is “beyond” the reach of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the Canadian Constitution is seen by some as a vexatious and obnoxious action to delay the trial – and cause Jessica Ernst enormously increased costs.

If the Honourable Neil Wittmann’s action has been, in fact, a move to show sympathy for the bodies Jessica Ernst is acting against … then justice in Alberta is truly in chains.  But Jessica Ernst has been a major person in forcing the unshackling of truth about “Fracking”. She has been major in forcing the unshackling of truth about the abuse of land and people by Big Oil and Gas in Alberta – and its “buy-off” techniques. She has been major in exposing the Alberta Regulator as a friend of the violators. She may well prove to be instrumental in unshackling a truth about large-scale corruption in the Court of Queen’s Bench, Alberta. Then the chains will begin to come off - even off the legal system in Canada.

 Contact: Robin Mathews

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Jessica Ernst can be contacted at contact@jessicaernst.ca.
This website is maintained by Jessica Ernst’s legal counsel for the purpose of providing information to the public on what our client believes are important issues of public interest.

Klippensteins, Barristers and Solicitors
160 John Street, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario   M5V 2E5
Canada

Ernst v. Fracking et al  Links & Resources



Thursday, November 12, 2015

Tim Duncan revelations May 18th; George Gretes exhonerated 8 days later by Virk's Loop-Hole Act: NO OFFENCE

May 18, 2015

Ms. Elizabeth Denham
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt
Victoria B.C. V8W 9A4

RE: Destruction of Freedom of Information records

Dear Ms. Denham:

I am a former Executive Assistant to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. I am concerned with how requests for email under the Freedom of Information Act are being administered in Ministerial offices.

When Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are made for ministerial staff emails, it concems me that political appointees are allowed to self-report their response. This allows for misconduct to occur, and often a "No records" response to be reported.

Such an incident happened to me in November 2014- The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure received a FOI request for records relating to meetings held by officials in the ministry relating to missing women on the Highway of Tears.  

SNIP

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BC Offence Act:    1996

General offence

5  A person who contravenes an enactment by doing an act that it forbids, or omitting to do an act that it requires to be done, commits an offence against the enactment.


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Virk's Loop-Hole Act

Certified correct as passed Third Reading on the 26th day of May, 2015
Craig James, Clerk of the House

Section 5 of Offence Act

20  Section 5 of the Offence Act does not apply to this Act. (Gretes / Virk)

Application to Supreme Court for return of information

21  (1) If government information is held without legal authority by a person other than a government body, the head of a government body required to hold the government information may apply to the Supreme Court for an order that the person return that government information to the government body.

(2) This section does not limit any remedy otherwise available to a government body or other person by law.  (Loukidelis)

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Part 6 – General Provisions
19  Responsibility of head of government body
20  Section 5 of Offence Act
21  Application to Supreme Court for return of information
22  Power to make regulations

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The kicker to the Information Management Act is that there wasn't a mention of offenders being absolved of Triple-O-Delete, only a slap on the wrist, if there was Perjury eg. George Gretes.

In a Letter of praise to Amrik Virk from Elizabeth Denham without her knowledge of an impending Loop-Hole of exoneration of any BC Liberal government perps:

February 13, 2015 Honourable Amrik Virk
Minister of Technology, Innovation
and Citizens' Services
Room 346, Parliament Buildings
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Dear Minister Virk:

Re: Bill 5 – Government Information Act; OIPC File F14-60070

I am writing to comment on Bill 5, the Government Information Act, tabled in the Legislative Assembly on February 12, 2015. I am encouraged that government is proposing legislation that will provide a framework for modern records management within government.... etc.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

The Enemies of Democracy in Canada

By Robin Mathews Nov. 2015

Many, many Canadians weren’t wrong  - on October 19, 2015 – to feel they were part of an important historical event happening before their eyes.  They knew, too, that they, themselves, were actively making the historical event happen. That experience doesn’t happen frequently in most people’s lives and it might have a permanently empowering effect on the many who were involved.  Especially since the concerted action of millions of Canadians was taken to head off catastrophe.

The Gathering Storm

Millions of Canadians acted to cut off an ugly, intensifying program intended to end Canadian democracy as all living Canadians know it.  The odious Conservative Party and government were working a multi-facetted plan of action: (a) to erase open and examinable actions by government (b) to engage in criminal destruction of democratic processes (c) to introduce racist bases for public decision-making (e) to undermine bases for national protections - medicare/pensions, etc. (f) to shield members of the ruling group from public contact (g) to defame and destroy voluntary public organizations working for the public good (h) to destroy the rule of law in the country (i) to cripple fair electoral processes (j) to make a mockery of the democratic traditions of parliament (k) to make secrecy a natural basis for international treaty-making … on the way to creating government by (largely foreign) corporate profit-seeking organizations, and (l) finally, to ridicule and erase any moves taken to assure the prevention of global environmental tragedy.

Neoliberalism/Neo-fascism

An almost unnoticed part of that program was support of the Conservative Party and government by a large part of the major press and media in Canada. Canadians need to focus on that fact.  Despite the dozen kinds of attack on Canadian democracy listed just above (and there are more), The Globe and Mail, The National Post (and most Post Media publications), in fact, supported the Harper Conservatives to form government in the election of October 2015.

Canadians, a polite people generally, don’t like strong words about political matters.  But in this case they have to look very squarely at the 12-point list written above.  It reveals – using terms that are essentially misleading – a strong neo-liberal program.  More correctly, it reveals a neo-fascist program intended to erase democratic rights and freedoms in Canada, a program endorsed by much leading media power in Canada.  The forces supporting the odious Conservative Party and government were huge … and so the action of Canadians in the election is even more admirable.

Neo-fascist Solidarity

By going around their normal Political Party loyalties a considerable majority of Canadians were able – decisively - to reject the odious Conservative Party and government program to debase Canadian democracy beyond hope of repair.  (At its best, Canadian democracy is flawed and needs deep reform.  But that fact opens a whole other important area of discussion and action.)

What Canadians may not have noticed is that while free and fair elections were being undermined, and Conservative lying was becoming the rule at all levels, and national records were being destroyed, and more and more Canadians were being vilified by power in office (and criminal acts of Conservatives were being exposed), ONLY ONE Conservative politician in the country publicly resigned the Party for reasons of conscience:  Brent Rathgeber, MP for Edmonton/St. Albert.

As a reward for his admirable, principled action, Conservatives in his (newly shaped) constituency overwhelmingly turfed him out on October 19, 2015, revealing, perhaps, that neo-fascism remains the ruling mood in the defeated Conservative Party of Canada. We other Canadians should create a medal especially for Brent Rathgeber, to honour his courage and to celebrate his book, Irresponsible Government: The Decline of Parliamentary Democracy in Canada (2014).

The fact of only one public defection from the Conservative ranks – despite growing sleaze, dishonesty, criminal activity, lying, and open attacks on democracy in Canada - speaks volumes about the Canadians who voted for Conservative candidates in the 2015 federal election. It reminds other Canadians of the need for constant vigilance….

The Neo-Fascist Press And Media Post-Election

After the election … the game of the Harper-supporting press and media is to blank out the recent neo-fascist history, to use a White-Wash Crew on the defeated Conservative government, to present it as principled and positive, to ignore completely its negative acts, and to praise its (non-existent) positive actions.

That press and media make wholly meaningless claims of “achievement” by the Conservative Party and government.  The only criticism they let escape into public view is of the “tone” of statements and actions by cabinet and prime minister. The “tone” of anti-democratic statements and actions was wrong: otherwise all was fine and dandy.

We might as well take the National Post “Comment” (Mon. Nov.2, 2015, p. A6) by Michael Den Tandt as an example (Take heart Tories, there are lots of reasons to celebrate. Here’s five places to start)(there are many).  To begin, he follows RULE ONE for the White-Washing Crew. “Do not admit, do not mention, do not hint at any one of the twelve neo-fascist activities listed above (or any other ones). Act as if they didn’t ever exist.  Instead … create fog.”

To avoid concrete discussion of neo-fascist activity, talk about the Conservative “achievement” in the election. Michael Den Tandt does that.  They weren’t wiped out … that’s the achievement he points to!  In fact, truly stated, almost ALL the “achievements” of the Conservative government from 2006 to 2015 were non-existent, or negative, or plainly destructive.  One thinks of what was said of the deposed Italian Fascist dictator nearly 70 years ago.  “Benito Mussolini wasn’t all bad.  He drained the swamps and made the trains run on time.” That is two-up on Stephen Harper.

After that Michael Den Tandt moves to RULE TWO.  Commentators must talk about the incredible, positive economic achievement of the defeated government.  Den Tandt praises the “responsible fiscal management” of the defeated Conservative government.  That is the biggest ‘red herring’ dragged across the eyesight of Canadians.  The neo-fascist press in general tells us that the Conservative government did amazing things to prevent disaster in the 2008 banking meltdown. In fact, it bailed out corrupt and mismanaged private banks with public money instead of moving to national banking and to the original, positive use of The Bank of Canada as a basis of national credit.  AND it increased the National Debt by tens of billions of dollars!

To continue … the Conservative government rejected all environmental planning.  It allowed and aided the hollowing out of Ontario industry.  It destroyed specialist scientific libraries. It negotiated international treaties that permit private, foreign corporations to sue government for gigantic sums payable by every Canadian.  That - Michael Den Tandt and his fellows call “responsible fiscal management”.

As to the charges – inside and outside Canada – of Stephen Harper’s war-mongering … well … Den Tandt simply denies it happened.  RULE THREE.

To show the paucity of positive claims that can be made even by Stephen Harper’s fervent apparently neo-fascist media friends, Den Tandt lists as one of Harper’s achievements … his leaving office. (I don’t think that one is in the Rule Book.) It’s an achievement, apparently, because there is a galaxy of wonderful fill-ins and candidates for Leader.  Den Tandt’s list of Stars Brightly Shining and waiting to become Leader will give most Canadians, I believe, a serious case of indigestion: Jason Kenney, Lisa Raitt, Tony Clement, James Moore …. One of them may, he opines, change “the tone” that has, apparently been negative and harmful in the face of “responsible fiscal management” and other powerfully positive things achieved (?). [At the gates of many of the inhumane Nazi concentration camps was posted the very positive sign “Arbeit macht frei” – ‘work makes (you) free’.  A positive tone is always best.]



In the meantime Conservative Interim Leader is Rona Ambrose, apparently a fan of Ayn Rand’s politically far-Right novels.  Ambrose interfered with a book launching of a public employee’s novel – preventing him from appearing, under the pretence that he was engaging in work-related speaking … after the Harper Conservatives repressively silenced scientists in public service.  “Outraged” that the Supreme Court of Canada widened the possible use of marijuana for medical reasons, ‘Little Miss Harper’ could not be better qualified to take the place of the former leader. Indeed, we do not (yet) know what back-room role Stephen Harper played in her election. The Harper-supporting press and media pretend he has lost all power, has gone, and skulks on the outer-edges of the Party….

What Stephen Harper Has Wrought

The behaviour governed by RULE FOUR for the White Washers requires Conservative commentators to praise the making of an organized Party by the Harper forces.  Michael Den Tandt doesn’t report that undertaking quite as clearly as some Canadians would like, in my opinion.  Stated clearly, I would say, the achievement is the takeover of the Conservative Party of Canada by neo-fascist forces.

But Den Tandt puts it slightly differently.  He tells us that the old Progressive Conservatives are almost not visible anymore and that the “grand coalition” formed by Stephen Harper “stands”.  He calls it a “centre-right” organization.  Others might be forgiven for calling it neo-fascist, neo-liberal, Far Right … and other names.  Because Den Tandt never touches any of the twelve points listed at the beginning of this piece – or any failing whatever of the Conservatives - he is able to say, confidently, that the Conservative Party of Canada - because it has no “deep systemic problems” - can change “relatively quickly”.  All an in-coming leader has to do is adopt a more pleasing tone … and then it will be “full steam ahead” for the neo-fascism that was more and more visible in the Harper years. 

The enemies of democracy in Canada are no longer violent, designing, and militant forces outside Canada.  They have a Canadian home and legitimacy now.  And they call themselves The Conservative Party of Canada. They are confident in the support they receive from major elements of Canada’s (‘free and democratic’) Mainstream Press and Media.


Contact: Robin Mathews

GMR: GreenWash II: Eye of the Sky Swing: perpetual motion pendulum just keeps on giving to BC Hydro Grid

Storms are coming to British Columbia on Thursday and Friday and the hot spots to have wind turbines generating electricity for BC Hydro is highlighted above, anywhere but Metro Vancouver's 2010 Olympic 'beacon' ..... dismal results of Grouse Mountain Resort's Eye of the Wind.

Eye of the Wind has been such a lucrative revenue generator for Grouse Mountain Resort that the Corporation could soon be applying for a new building permit from the District of North Vancouver, a Baker's dozen, 13 perpetual motion pendulums Eyes of the Sky. 



Imagine 13 of these on Grouse Mountain


Or this:


SkyCoaster ride over the Royal Gorge, Colorado
Images


New Zealand Sky Swing


Or, if you can wait a couple of years, there's the Revelstoke Adventure Park right on the edge of the Trans Canada Highway with another captive market.  Mountain Bike Trails, Zip lines Peek to Peek


......... With a little help from Bill Bennett: ALR paradise lost


Ladies First

More cable would be appreciated




Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Residential Inclining Block Rate Report: Rural Customers without natural gas Service: Osoyoos Times: Anarchist Mountain resident replies

BC Hydro, BC Utility Commission, spinning wheels for Minister Bill Bennett for a report without teeth to reduce the RIB.

'My colleagues and I have heard concerns from the public'??? Is that the same sort of concerns that the Public have been expressing over Triple-O-Deleting of files?  Would that be the Second Premier in a row to Taking the Knife Too Far when it comes to children?  Would that be the concerns that the Public has expressed in the manner in which Health Researchers were fired, one dying?

Concerns like the cost of IPP?



The Public has concerns and the BC Liberals Do Not Listen which is reminiscent to orders given to other investigations that might taint their reputations . eg.

Out of Scope of the the Review Process

Minister Bennett has also set certain issues as out of scope for this review process. Specifically, Minister Bennett states that any analysis of higher greenhouse gas emissions, electricity conservation, revenue neutrality resulting from the residential inclining block rates and any analysis of alternative rate structures are best left to existing regulatory processes other than this review process.

A 3 page letter request, that generated the query from the BCUC above, to this:

Energy Minister Bill Bennett: Residential Inclining Block Rate Report aka RIB

I am writing to request that the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) report to the Government of British Columbia on the impact of BC Hydro's Residential Inclining Block Rate and FortisBC's Residential Conservation Rate (referred to as the "residential inclining block rates").

My colleagues and I have heard concerns from the public that the residential inclining block rates may have unreasonable bill impacts on some customers. One of the concerns was that rural customers do not have the option of heating their homes using natural gas. Please provide me with information on customers with significant (over 10 percent) bill impacts as a result of the adoption of the residential inclining block rates including, to the extent available, low income customers. I am requesting that the BCUC provide me with information on several issues, including:

Do the residential inclining block rates cause a cross-subsidy between customers with and without access to natural gas service?;
What evidence is available about high bill impacts on low income customers?;
What evidence is available about factors that lead to high-energy use and, therefore, bill impacts for customers without access to natural gas, including low income customers?;
What is the potential for existing Demand Side Management programs to mitigate these impacts?; and
Within the current regulatory environment, what options are there for additional Demand Side Management programs, including low income programs?

FortisBC and BC Hydro have both demonstrated that their respective residential inclining block rates are resulting in residential electricity conservation, and that they are revenue neutral to the utilities. The Government is unaware of any evidence that the residential inclining block rates result in higher greenhouse gas emissions, and BC Hydro has indicated that they have no evidence of this. Any analysis of alternative rate structures and the issues listed in this paragraph would be best left to existing regulatory processes, which in BC Hydro's case is the 2015 Rate Design Application (RDA).

I would like the BCUC to work with the utilities in collecting the information it deems necessary to provide the BCUC's assessment of the five questions I have raised, and any other relevant issues with the rate that the BCUC believes have not been addressed adequately by previous reports and regulatory processes. I would also recommend the BCUC gather information from ratepayers in regions not served by natural gas regarding the impacts of conservation rates and awareness of ratepayer mitigation options.

etc.

Page 259:
5.5.1 Definition of Low Income Customers (LICO) Low Income Cut-Offs

BC Hydro proposes to use Statistics Canada’s LICO as the method for defining low income customers. LICO is an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family. The approach is essentially to estimate an income threshold at which families are expected to spend 20 percentage points more than the average family on food, shelter and clothing. The reasons for using LICO are:
  Statistics Canada releases LICO updates annually using CPI;
  LICO includes required spending on a comprehensive set of basic necessities  and not just on one specific component such as housing or energy costs;
  LICO is sensitive to family and community size as cut-offs vary by seven family  sizes and five different populations of the area of residence.222 Thus LICO  reflects different regional costs of living between rural and urban areas and  between urban areas of different sizes; and
  LICO is the basis for all 2015 RDA residential rate modelling, as elaborated upon below.

BC Hydro proposes to use pre-tax rather than after-tax income levels. Pre-tax levels
are easier for customers and survey respondents to think about and report, and are
therefore used in the REUS (Residential End Use Survey).


BC Hydro Responds with 4092 Pages

 Residential Inclining Block Rate Report to the Government of British
Columbia

By letter dated August 17, 2015 (Commission RIB Report Methodology Letter;

Exhibit B-1 in the BCUC RIB Rate Report proceeding), the Commission requested that BC Hydro provide its submissions to the Commission by September 30, 2015 on:

methodologies for the report BC Hydro will submit to the Commission on the five questions posed by the Minister of Energy and Mines in his letter of July 6, 2015 (Minister RIB Report Letter); any other issues with the RIB rate that have not previously been adequately addressed but should be reported on in BC Hydro’s report to the Commission and the Commission’s report to the Government; and comments on the Commission’s proposed process and suggested timing. Consistent with the Minister RIB Report Letter, which provides that the Commission should use the 2015 RDA review process to collect information for the Commission’s report to Government, BC Hydro provides its submissions concerning the Commission RIB Report Methodology Letter in sections 5.5 and 5.6 of the 2015 RDA.

For further information, please contact Gordon Doyle at 604-623-3815 or by email at bchydroregulatorygroup@bchydro.com.

etc.

On Page 872   The Title

Appendix C-1D
Ministry Residential Inclining Block Report Request

Page 873

The Energy Minister's 3 page Letter is repeated

On Page 876

Erica Hamilton BCUC to BC Hydro Jessica McDonald (BC Hydro) and Michael Mulcahy (Fortis):

 Dear Ms. McDonald and Mr. Mulcahy:
August 17, 2015
BCUC RIB RATE REPORT
FortisBC

Re: Residential Inclining Block Rate Report to the Government of British Columbia

By letter dated July 6, 2015 (attached), Minister Bennett, the Minister of Energy and Mines and the Minister Responsible for Core Review, requested the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) to report to the Government of British Columbia on five specific questions concerning the impact of the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority's (BC Hydro) and FortisBC Inc.'s (FortisBC) residential inclining block rates.

Minister Bennett's letter Minister Be11nett states he has heard concerns that the residential inclining block rates may have unreasonable bill impacts on some customers including low income customers and rural customers without access to natural gas.

etc.

On Page 877  Out of Scope of the the Review Process

Minister Bennett has also set certain issues as out of scope for this review process. Specifically, Minister Bennett states that any analysis of higher greenhouse gas emissions, electricity conservation, revenue neutrality resulting from the residential inclining block rates and any analysis of alternative rate structures are best left to existing regulatory processes other than this review process.

AND

This proceeding is not a process to alter the rates. Rather it is a process to gather information and provide review and analysis on specific questions to the government. The Commission will not make recommendations in the final report but will provide analysis and conclusions as requested. We are seeking information from utilities that is as comparable as possible; thus, the first step in this process is to obtain clarity from the utilities regarding the methodology(ies) they will utilize in order to report on the five questions. We intend to make efforts to align the methodologies as much as possible in order to achieve comparable information from both utilities.

snip

BC Hydro and FortisBC are requested to provide their respective submissions to the Commission by September 30, 2015 on the following:
i. A detailed outline of the methodology(ies) for the report the utilities will submit to the to the Commission on the five questions posed by Minister Bennett including:
a. How they intend to define "low-income" customers;
b. How they intend to define "factors" that lead to high energy use;
c. For each of the five questions, the general approach they intend to take to answer the question;
d. Any other relevant method they will use to gather information or answer the questions posed within the Minister's letter of July 6, 2015.
ii. Any other relevant issues with the rates that have not previously been adequately addressed but should be reported on in the utility reports to the Commission and the Commission's report to government; and
iii. Comments on the Commission's proposed process and suggested timing.

Participant Assistance/Cost Awards will be available for participation in this full review process. Those intending to apply for assistance may include a maximum of two days for making submissions on the information identified above.

Public participation beyond the scope identified above will be established for the next phase in this review, after utility submissions and stakeholder comments are received, and common methodologies are achieved to the extent possible. This is likely to occur in spring 2016 and comments outside the scope noted above, including letters of comment, will not be accepted in advance ofthe Commission establishing a further process.

etc. etc. etc

Courtesy of Minister Bill Bennett, BC Hydro's unsuspecting Customers are paying a hidden increase in their rates for compensation in loss income to participants AND their Lawyers:


Note:
4.  Participant Assistance: Eligible Costs and Rates
The following reasonable expenses are eligible for participant assistance. The term “proceeding day” may include workshop days, negotiation days, pre-hearing conference days, hearing days, and oral argument days, and will not include town hall meeting days. The Commission Panel may award costs for preparation days, typically on a ratio of up to 2 days per proceeding day. Such ratio may be adjusted after the proceeding, by the Commission Panel, with adequate justification from Participant(s). The number of proceeding days and the ratio used for the purposes of calculating awards may vary among Participants and among members of the Participant’s team.

a. Foregone Earnings
The Commission Panel may award costs for foregone earnings up to a maximum of $175 per proceeding day. Participants claiming foregone earnings are required to provide proof of actual foregone earnings, except where to do so would be unreasonably difficult. In this case, an indication of the usual daily earnings must be provided. Where not otherwise provided for in these Guidelines, this provision may also be used to fund the appearance of witnesses who meet the Eligibility Criteria.
b. Legal Fees

The Commission Panel will consider factors such as experience before regulatory tribunals, complexity of the issue and overall conduct of the counsel in determining an appropriate contribution or partial award towards legal costs.

The Commission Panel may award legal counsel costs up to a maximum as set out in the scale below per full proceeding day or preparation day (assumed to be an eight hour day). Awards will be prorated for part days. Where the actual billing rate is less, the lesser amount will be used for the award.

Years Since Call

Maximum Daily Fee
0 – 5   $1200
5- 10  $1400
10+   $1800

AND

The Commission Panel may award costs up to a maximum set out in the scale below, per full proceeding day or preparation day (assumed to be an eight hour day). Awards will be prorated for part days. Where the actual billing rate is less, the lesser amount will be used for the award.

Years of Related Experience   Maximum Daily Fee
Consultant 0 – 5                          $640
Consultant 5- 10                         $800
Consultant 10+                         $1250
Expert Witness / Specialist      $1450
These maximums do not include provision for GST and PST, which may also be allowed, pursuant to subsection 4(g).

Way, Way Down at the bottom on Page 4889 there are Excel files:

 Page 4902    Appendix H-1B - Examples of Freshet Rate Billing - View Excel



20_04_01_RDA_APPX_E.xlsx


F2016 Forecast Revenue Requirement Generation Transmission





Cost of Energy 

IPPs and Long-term Purchases commitment 1,134.72 1,134.72 0.00

Domestic Transmission (Non-Heritage) 0.00 0.00 0.00

NIA Generation 34.30 34.30 0.00

Gas Transportation 12.10 12.10 0.00

Water Rentals 391.90 391.90 0.00

Market Purchases 56.60 56.60 0.00

Natural gas for thermal generation 26.90 26.90 0.00

Domestic Transmission (Heritage) 25.70 0.00 25.70

Non-treaty storage agreement -19.80 -19.80 0.00

Other and Surplus Sales -116.30 -116.30 0.00

Net purchases (sales) from Powerex 4.80 4.80 0.00

Heritage Deferral Account Recoveries 17.74 17.74 0.00

Non-Heritage Deferral Account Recoveries 104.82 104.82 0.00
Total 1,673.49 1,647.79 25.70








Rates going up in December of 2015 according to file: 11_02_RDA_APPX_A-1A.docx



Osoyoos Times: RICHARD McGUIRE

 Anarchist Mountain resident wins review of two-tier residential electricity rates

An Anarchist Mountain resident who believes that two-tier electricity pricing penalizes rural people who don’t have access to natural gas has won a small concession from the provincial government.

Nick Marty, a retired federal official who spent much of his career working on energy conservation, has argued that the Residential Conservation Rate (RCR) used by FortisBC and BC Hydro is discriminatory and fails to result in energy conservation.

In July, Bill Bennett, minister of energy and mines, asked the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) to answer five questions stemming from the argument made by Marty.

Originally, the process established by the BCUC to address the five questions would have limited submissions only to previous interveners, but last week Marty was told he was invited to comment “based on your interest and professional experience.”

In Marty’s argument, homeowners with access to natural gas are able to limit their electricity consumption in order to purchase all or most of their electricity at the lower-tier price. Homeowners without access to natural gas, who are usually rural, are dependent on electricity for water and space heating, so most of their electricity is purchased in the higher-tier price.

Because customers with access to gas can buy electricity at the lower rate, they have no incentive to conserve, Marty argues. On the other hand, the only viable alternative to electricity for rural residents is to burn wood, which increases pollution.