A phrase tagged on to the end of a motherhood resolution supporting transmission lines, at the NDP’s weekend convention, will prompt some curiosity.

In mild, understated fashion, it calls for a degree of state ownership of resource industries, in the form of provincial equity buy-ins to companies.

The premise is that government should advance an ambitious plan to expand the electrical grid and power resource industries. That’s already underway, as the NDP has been trumpeting the planned North West Transmission Line as a transformative industrial development for the ages.

The kicker line was: “The BC NDP will call on the provincial government to seek to maximize benefits for the people of B.C. by negotiating return on investment for the public in the form of public equity stakes.”

The concept was hatched by the Vancouver-Point Grey constituency group, whose MLA is one David Eby, also known as the premier of B.C.

And he was only too happy to speak in favour of the resolution, which gave it a bit more weight than the hundreds of others.

The new line coming in a........

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