This Zoom town hall on #SiteC is starting right now. Still not too late to join. Major #SiteC panel. I'll be attempting to live-tweet this event. #bcpoli https://www.bcgreens.ca/site_c_what_is_the_ndp_hiding

Looks as if the Greens are also live-tweeting. Right now the MC is introducing Harry Swain. https://twitter.com/BCGreens/status/1362583794704814082 #SiteC

..Harry Swain is talking about experts mentioning to him the extreme secrecy around the #SiteC dam, as well as warnings from experts about the geotechnical risks of the site and the dam design

This is going too quickly to live tweet. Harry is reciting a dizzying inventory of secrecy up on secrecy, embarrassment for BC Hydro upon embarrassment (all of it predictable). There will be video of this later, which I'll link to.

" #SiteC's cost to complete will be 2 or 3 times the cost we can sell its energy for, and that's if we can even sell all that energy. We tax and ratepayers will swallow that extra $10bn, with which we could end homelessness and a whole lot more." #SiteC #bcpoli

" #SiteC is all cost and no benefit. It's no wonder its owner, the government, wants to keep it all secret." - Harry Swain #bcpoli #SiteC

..Now we are hearing from Chief Roland Willson @dunnezaman on the sheer impact of the 2 existing dams on the Peace River, including mercury poisoning, and the violation this represents to the terms of Treaty 8. #SiteC will be a further violation. "Unsafe, unnecessary & unlawful"

Now @SoniaFurstenau talking about the loss of Indigenous and treaty rights across the Peace region. The WAC Bennett Dam has a visitor's centre that talks about these violations, at the same time as it's all happening again with #SiteC, an unnecessary dam. #bcpoli

Now @SoniaFurstenau talking about the extreme secrecy around #SiteC - a govt that won't even share reports - is destructive of democracy, and it's an unacceptable lack of transparency. We have no reports, we don't even know the terms of reference of all these reviews...

.."Now we need to know: can this dam even be safely built, and if so, what would it cost? We have asked the govt these questions and we *cannot get an answer.* We are asking you to hold your govt to account. Insist that they build trust by being honest, transparent & accountable"

Sonia's list of demands:
1. Immediately release original unredacted Milburn report
2. Immediately release BC Hydro's missing quarterly reports on #SiteC
3. Immediately release terms of reference for the 2 new experts
4. Immediately cease work until all reviews are done. #bcpoli

Harry Swain: we make about 70 terawatts of electricity/year; we use 50 terawatts and this isn't going to change for a long time. Once it does, there are cheaper options to produce it. Electricity is being made for $20/megawatt hour in the US now; #SiteC electricity costs 6x that.

..and the cost of new renewable electricity is dropping fast - by the time we need it it will be far cheaper. Sonia: we should be focusing on renewable energy tech and innovation and be exporting that, not exporting destructive expensive hydroelectricity at a loss

Roland Willson: we should have a diverse energy portfolio & should add electricity as we need it. When/if #SiteC comes online it's 800 MW we don't need & will be poured into industrial contracts (which we'll have to massively subsidize, probably thru residential ratepayers bills)

Harry Swain: the reason for #SiteC changes with the calendar. First was "need" but power demand in BC has been flat since 2006; even with electrification this won't change. Then #SiteC would greenwash LNG, desp there being only 2 LNG plants run on electricity (it's inconvenient)

Harry Swain: timing is everything in investments. We will need electricity to electrify economy, but you should always wait until you need it. ie by the time we need its electricity #SiteC will be obsolete (and way overexpensive)

Chief Roland Willson: #SiteC was a political decision. The BC Lib govt was banking on LNG. Saying we needed #SiteC for it. Min Neufeld was going around BC telling people without #SiteC there would be rolling brownouts! That 15,000 people would be working there!

Chief Roland: Christy went to California to try and sell BC electricity and the governor told her 'no, we don't want your dirty hydro, we want to make our own energy'. Why Horgan hung his hat on this mess is anyone's guess. #bcpoli #SiteC

Harry Swain: Horgan is in a tight spot. BC Hydro and experts told him that #SiteC could be safely built. The fact that it's taking so long to sort this out is a sign there's controversy within the govt about whether #SiteC can be saved.

Sonia: Is it going to take an investigation to make sure all this information becomes public? Imagine if this were a bridge being built in the Lower Mainland & govt refused to go on the record saying it's safe & were secretive about it! We need the public's help to exert pressure

Harry: we don't just need information from the govt, we need information that's shared in a timely way as it develops. #SiteC #bcpoli

Roland: It reminds me of the saying 'it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' You guys need to keep fighting. The fact of the secrecy proves the project is unwell. Everyone needs to harass their MLAs over & over until we get transparency.

Sonia is being asked to repeat her demands. I have them here: https://twitter.com/Lidsville/status/1362592233598291972

The Greens would like everyone to sign their petition https://action.bcgreens.ca/site_c  #SiteC #bcpoli

and please also sign the LeadNow petition https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/stop-all-work-at-the-site-c-dam-now

I will post a link to the video of that Zoom on #SiteC when it comes available. Thanks everyone. /