Re: “Account of Site C ‘lessons’ goes for bland, blameless,” Nov. 8.

Les Leyne quoted extensively from, B.C. Hydro’s “lessons learned” report, its wordy pat on its own back about the Site C dam. Hydro’s bumph was painful to read. The report was pure bafflegab, as has been everything ever said about Site C by B.C. Hydro and by all B.C. governments since the project was conceived.

Site C was prodded into existence and pushed past the “point of no return” by former premier Christy Clark. The stated rationale was that the “clean” hydro power was needed for the liquified natural gas export industry, which would bring prosperity to us all by way of trickle-down economics.

Climate-destroying LNG was being promoted to the gullible as “clean” energy at that time. In their quest for power, industry and government will offer up any cockamamie fantasy. As for the promised payoff, the profits of those fossil fuel projects go almost entirely to foreign investors.

B.C. Hydro is far too modest in confessing Site C’s cost had doubled. It more than tripled is what I recall, but let’s not quibble over made-up numbers. Does the cost to B.C. include the vast loss of prime agricultural land? I mourn that loss. I mourn the billions that should have been invested in truly clean energy sources: solar, wind and geothermal. I mourn the size of our electric bills to come as we pay for Site C.

B.C. Hydro claims Site C produces enough power for 450,000 homes. Heartwarming, eh?

Dear reader, did you forget that Site C’s energy was always intended for the climate-destroying fossil fuel industry, not for your home?

Martin Hykin

Victoria

Re: “Victoria’s tough budget job just got harder,” Nov. 9.

It appears that overspending by all levels of government will continue until taxpayers demand a change. The federal Trudeau Liberals, the Carney Liberals, and the provincial Eby NDP have set a poor example for local governments, which are also spending out of control, despite being the most connected to the electorate.

It seems all three levels of government forget that there is only one taxpayer. It’s ironic that as spending increases, the quality of services declines. Rather than allowing individuals to keep the money they earn, these governments are over-taxing citizens........

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