To the editor:
In the past few days, we have seen the stark contrast that exists between our government’s approach to private sector investment and the approach of Adrian Dix and the NDP.
Kitimat Clean is a $25-billion proposal for a refinery on British Columbia’s North Coast. It would be the largest private-sector investment in B.C.’s history and it proposes to use the most advanced environmental technologies to refine heavy oil into diesel, gasoline and other products.
This project has the potential to create thousands of family-supporting jobs for B.C. and provide significant revenue for health care and education. In fact, it could be a real game-changer for B.C.’s economy.
While this project must meet B.C.’s five conditions for heavy oil, including the most stringent environmental considerations, it deserves encouragement and support.
Unfortunately – but characteristically – the NDP members have dismissed this proposal. While they acknowledge they don’t know much about the financial arrangements or prospective markets for the products of this refinery, the NDP House leader dismissed the refinery's proponent, one of B.C.’s most successful businessmen, as a “sucker.”
Our party welcomes bold ideas, innovation, and investment to this province. B.C. wasn’t built by dismissing bold ideas like a $25-billion refinery. Unlike the NDP, we won’t sit back and watch a prosperous future pass us by.
The pending election comes down to a choice: growing the economy with today’s B.C. Liberals, or growing the size of government with the NDP.
Rich Coleman
Energy and Mines Minister