More often than not, good ideas come sizzling along when you're looking for something else. Last week - while looking for something else - I came across a letter to the editor (Citizen, May 2) by Mark Clements. Clements began by saying, "The biggest political issue facing Northern British Columbia in the upcoming provincial election is whether Victoria will create a Northern legacy fund that is generated from Northern resources."
He went on to say such a fund should be strategic, untouchable and in place to ensure long-term sustainability for Northern communities. Clements clinched his argument saying, "Victoria has nothing saved and is deeply in debt. Ironically, we need laws to protect northern resource profits from our own government.
"A political prediction: the first provincial party that makes a northern legacy resource fund one of its priorities in their election platform will sweep the northern electorate."
To add to Mr. Clements' argument, one only needs to look at the contribution of our northern resources and their enormous importance to the larger B.C. economy.
In a 2002 study, titled Regions and Resources: The Foundations of British Columbia's Economic Base, economist David Baxter wrote, "The dominant engines of the British Columbia economy are its natural resources, and hence resource regions, of the province. While urban, and specifically metropolitan areas, are important contributors to the province's economic base - they account for approximately one-third of this base - two-thirds of provincial export income is earned by the forestry, mining, fishing, energy and agricultural sectors which are predominantly
non-metropolitan."
In other words, the Lower Mainland sucks, literally; particularly when it comes to scooping our northern
resources to puff up its lifestyle.
Accordingly, it is in the best interests of the Lower Mainland population base to see the North succeed. But do those in Lotus Land appreciate this?
On that question, David Baxter says, "It is imperative that Lower Mainland and Victoria residents understand that 60 per cent of the money that pays for their large double-double or soy decaf frappuccino comes from the export of natural resources."
Baxter has a good sense of style, more importantly he understands the problem of selling a good idea to a reluctant audience. After all, what Lower Mainland resident would accept the notion that a portion of provincial tax revenue destined for their schools and hospitals be diverted to a Northern legacy fund?
It would take a convincing argument and a working example.
Fortunately, we have one in the Northern Development Initiative Trust. The Trust - with an initial endowment of $185 million - was set up by then Premier Gordon Campbell with proceeds from the BC Rail lease to CN Rail.
Since its creation in 2005, the Trust has maintained its original investment while providing more than $100 million in grants to northern and interior communities.
Indeed, if we go back to the intent of the Mark Clements letter and his proposal for a northern legacy fund, the NDIT fits the bill perfectly. It is sustainable, productive, well-managed and designed to smooth out the economic swings of our non-renewable resource economy.
More importantly, it is out of the reach of Victoria. Gordon Campbell got that part right as the NDIT board of directors is composed of locally elected officials including Prince George Mayor Shari Green.
The NDIT Board composition also explains why the Trust is so successful. No political manoeuvring, no now-you-see-it-now-you-don't stumbling such as we've witnessed with Pat Bell's mishandling of the Wood Innovation and
Design Centre.
The NDIT is results-driven and has a superb record of rural economic development. The trust has invested in such diverse projects as a traditional sausage maker in Telkwa to airborne mineral exploration in the Bulkley-Nechako
Regions District.
Its expansion and the establishment of an ongoing legacy fund would be an ideal policy proposal to take to the next election. Clements sums up the feelings of northerners exceedingly well in this closing comment, "Unless Northern citizens voice their concerns, Victoria will continue to ignore long-term Northern problems for political short-term gains in Victoria."
Amen.
Whistle Blowing 101
City Councillor Brian Skakun has been given the 2012 Golden Whistle Award. The prize is handed out to whistleblowers who put their reputations on the line to expose wrongdoing in government. Reading the Skakun saga as chronicled by the Citizen, it seems a curious choice.
Skakun released a restricted document in August of 2008. The document dealt with the harassment of city employees by RCMP Supt. Dahl Chambers. For this Skakun was charged, tried in court and found guilty.
Yet the Citizen carried the Chambers apology and admittance of wrongdoing prior to Skakun releasing the privileged information.
Reading the timeline, the only thing Skakun blew was $30,000 in legal costs.
