China has become the world leader in wind power. After earning notoriety for the thick smog over Beijing, China now builds nearly half the world’s wind turbines.
There’s no downside to China’s investment in clean energy unless you were banking on Liquefied Natural Gas exports to carry your province to untold levels of prosperity. Which brings us to Premier Christy Clark.
The recent throne speech dealt with LNG in two languages: words that downplayed any immediate expectation of riches materializing and a vague insistence that it will all work out in the end.
The unfortunate few who listened to the whole speech heard about “unforeseen global conditions” and success not being for quitters.
An LNG facility in Kitimat and a plant outside Prince Rupert may still be built but, like many of our premier’s promises, have yet to materialize.
It’s an odd thing that our government is still selling us a product when no one else is buying. And to add a new twist of weirdness, now Clark’s government has made a contribution to its long-awaited prosperity fund. Back in 2014, Finance Minister Mike de Jong said the fund would be directly linked to the LNG industry. Given that there is currently no LNG industry, this seems like rather magical thinking – even for someone in government. Of course, now, it’s a prosperity fund from everything. Does that include everyone’s MSP fees?
Does anyone remember Clark’s campaign van emblazoned with the slogan: Debt Free B.C.? That was when LNG was going to generate $100 billion over 30 years.
We appreciate optimism, but optimism is not a plan.
With 15 months before our next provincial election, we urge voters to analyze optimism, to crack it open and see if they can detect some common sense.
There will be plenty of promises from our premier over the next year, and plenty of talk about “the courage to say yes.” But sometimes promises are nothing more than wind. And it’s not the nice kind of wind, either.
