There goes my hero...

Wow! Just when I was beginning to think that nothing interesting was going to happen in BC politics this summer (now that summer has finally happened), Shane Simpson comes along and, for the sake of the environment and at tremendous personal risk, tries to take on Ledcor Power.

According to Province columnist Michael Smyth, Vancouver-Hastings own BC NDP MLA Shane Simpson has been recently accused of trespassing (along with an entourage of environmental activists) at Ledcors Ashlu Creek hydro project. Is anyone really surprised? Simpson has never made a secret out of the fact that he opposes the environmentally friendly run-of-the-river project at Ashlu Creek. Strange when you consider the impact that projects like this one have compared to bigger hydro projects that require large reservoirs, that cause large-scale flooding and that contribute greenhouse gas emissions.

Run of the river projects divert a portion of a creek or rivers water through an intake structure and into an underground tunnel. As Mr. Simpson correctly pointed out from his unauthorized "inspection" of the Ashlu project, a 7 km tunnel is being built (in this case) to take this diverted water to a power house (roughly the size of a large house). The advantage of the tunnel system (despite what Shane may try and tell us) is that it can be built without disturbing the landscape or the wildlife that lives above it. Once at the power house, the diverted water turns turbines that in turn generate electricity, in the case of the Ashlu project that's enough electricity to provide power to some 23 000 homes annually. Once used, all water is returned clean and unchanged to Ashlu creek.

Sounds pretty good doesn't it? After all, since we need power why wouldn't we try to get it from green sources like the one being built at Ashlu creek? Well if your Shane Simpson, environment critic for the BC NDP you don't agree. As Michael Smyth points out in today's column, Shane Simpson "likes to stay on top of all the big construction projects affecting the environment in British Columbia." But wait... Ashlu is a green project! How could Simpson possibly object to a green hydro project? The truth is that when it comes to Ashlu creek it really has nothing to do with anything green except that is, for money.

Shane Simpson objects to the Ashlu creek project because it is a private project, not because its not green! Simpson and the BC NDP by their very nature can't accept any project of this nature unless it is controlled by the government and so, in the interest of trying to find a real environmental reason to oppose the Ashlu Creek Project, Shane Simpson chose to lead a group of like-minded, misguided supporters on an unauthorized and extremely dangerous fact-finding mission into a construction site. This without any of the appropriate personal protective equipment needed to enter an active construction zone (where is Bill C-45 when you need it?)and without any regard for the health and safety of himself or anyone in his group.

Who said that there aren't any heroes left in the world?

Meanwhile, back in Vancouver-Hastings crime seems to be on a steady increase, the troubles of the Downtown Eastside seem to be spilling into our community, residents no longer feel safe... and the community continues to go largely under-represented by any of its elected officials!