BC Political Discussion: Election 2020 and Beyond

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Because they were wrong? Here' the TransLink press release. The province presumably helped out so that TransLink were able to get their contribution together for the new transit lines.



Is that tin foil tight today? At $440m the developers agreed to pay full market value - maybe a bit more than they should have.

But they weren't wrong about the government providing Intergulf et al a mortgage were they?

At the end of the day the sale was still a huge fail when affordable housing could have been built there by the ultimate owner of Translink, the Province of BC. Instead it is just more money thrown into the maw of the Translink succubus.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by whatnext

But they weren't wrong about the government providing Intergulf et al a mortgage were they?

At the end of the day the sale was still a huge fail when affordable housing could have been built there by the ultimate owner of Translink, the Province of BC. Instead it is just more money thrown into the maw of the Translink succubus.

What are you talking about? It is being developed into housing.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by whatnext

the maw of the Translink succubus.

Let me guess, you're one of those people who think public transit agencies should make money?

[Sheba]

I'm surprised no one here has jumped on this - Former B.C. premier John Horgan joins board of coal business

[Migrant_Coconut]

SMFH - that explains a lot.

[madog222]

What's the problem? It's a purely metallurgical coal company.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by madog222

What's the problem? It's a purely metallurgical coal company.

I don't think most people who are anti-coal are that particular about the type of coal which is why Teck is spinning it off.

[chowhou]

I'm not sure why people would be surprised by this, Horgan never really positioned himself as a save the planet environmentalist. In my eyes it seemed like he stayed true to the labour roots of the NDP (for better or for worse) which generally means being pro-resource extraction be it logging, mining, or even fossil fuel extraction. As far as I can remember, the only anti-resource extraction policy the NDP really had under Horgan was opposition to TMX which ultimately was Albertan resource extraction, not BC's.

Also FWIW metallurgical coal is no better for the environment than thermal coal; Carbon is carbon regardless of the source. It's just that there doesn't seem to be anything close to a good alternative at the moment. I'm personally of the opinion that it's pretty important to reduce carbon emissions but for the time being it's probably more important that we can manufacture steel.

Reducing the amount of thermal coal used is a better fight to fight at the moment.



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On the other other hand, are we sure this isn't an April Fool's joke? No one else is reporting this besides the G&M.

[Migrant_Coconut]

AFAIK steelmakers are trying hydrogen, nuclear and electrolysis as alternatives. But fair enough, it's probably going to be one of the last industries to ditch coal.

[jollyburger]

Maybe he's a trojan horse and he's going to phase out coal from inside?

[Migrant_Coconut]

He could try and transition the company into one that mines some other kind of resource (however unlikely)...

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

AFAIK steelmakers are trying hydrogen, nuclear and electrolysis as alternatives. But fair enough, it's probably going to be one of the last industries to ditch coal.

Sweden is making steel without coal. I'm not sure what they are using.

[WarrenC12]

On the Horgan thing I'm more surprised that he's doing anything after retirement. I thought the narrative was that cancer took a lot out of him, he'd run the province for 6 years and he was retiring from politics (and any other kind of work).

This move seems odd in that light, and really hurts the existing BC NDP government on the environmental file.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Sweden is making steel without coal. I'm not sure what they are using.

There are two companies using green electricity to power an electrolyzer that generates green hydrogen which in turn reduces iron ore to sponge iron that will feed the steel production. It's less efficient, uses a lot of power and so produces more expensive steel, but it is carbon neutral. Volvo are using some in their production of concept vehicles, initially mining equipment. They're still a very long way from all steel being carbon free, even in Sweden, but they are showing it's possible.

[whatnext]

chowhou's assessment of Horgan is pretty much spot on. I'd add that not being a radical helped him be so successful. It will be interesting to see if Eby is able to able to replicate that success.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Extremely questionable protest methods aside, I don't see how wanting to keep BC's millennium-old forests around for the next millennium is "radical."

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

... I thought the narrative was that cancer took a lot out of him, he'd run the province for 6 years and he was retiring from politics (and any other kind of work)...

It was. This is awfully convenient for Horgan.

[jollyburger]

Teck might be in play after turning down an offer from Glencore

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/teck-rejected-unsolicited-takeover-proposal-110158986.html

[Vin]

Finally! Some body to oversee how taxpayer's money is spent in Vancouver......

'We owe it to taxpayers to ensure their money is treated with respect': Vancouver announces new task force
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/we-owe-it-to-taxpa...ouver-announces-new-task-force-1.6340497

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by Vin

Finally! Some body to oversee how taxpayer's money is spent in Vancouver......

I find it interesting that the VPD budget is exempt.

[Migrant_Coconut]

We're adding bureaucracy in order to reduce bureaucracy. Oh the irony.