As 2013 draws to a close, 2014 is just around the corner. New Year is a time when people feel optimistic.
Surely 2014 is going to be better than 2013, isn't it?
Who knows? But I do feel some predictions about 2014 are warranted. I realize that my prognostication record is only around 0.500 which would be really great if I was playing baseball but only as good as coin toss in making predictions.
That said, a good place to start is with some sports predictions.
The Canucks will have a blistering January and climb to respectability in the standings only to lose to the San Jose Sharks or Anaheim Ducks or someone else in the second round of the playoffs (again).
The Toronto Maple Leafs will sink further into obscurity despite a promising start.
On the other hand, the Toronto Blue Jays will start the season with all sorts of hope and promises. One of the best sluggers in the game, a solid infield, some promising pitchers but at play-off time, they will be on the outside looking in. They are missing that intangible winning teams have.
As to the Toronto Raptors, could this be the year that they get serious? Not likely.
Sports predictions are always fun to make and invariably stir up arguments. There are still die-hard Leaf fans in this town and more than a few who would like to see the Canucks finally triumph. Heck, I have been rooting for the Canucks for pretty much my whole life.
Making predictions about politics is equally entertaining.
For example, I think that 2014 will see Toronto Mayor Rob Ford somehow manage to make himself into an even bigger spectacle. Not sure just how he is going to accomplish it but I am sure that we haven't seen the last of him.
In a recent editorial, Neil Godbout compared him to Mel Lastman, pointing out that Mayor Lastman was even seedier. Yes, Mayor Ford hasn't really plumbed the depths of depravity yet.
Federally, it is not hard to predict that the Senate Scandal is not going away any time soon. The more that the Conservatives provide vacuous explanations, the more it seems that there is something to this whole thing. What are they covering up?
I think that Prime Minister Harper should have come right out at the beginning of this whole scandal with a strong and comprehensive statement/apology. The dribs and drabs approach is not helping his political fortunes and likely dragging the party down with him.
Someone in their spin-machine of a public relations office probably told him that if he kept it low key, the whole thing would blow over. Not happening.
Provincially, at some point in 2014, after a nice chat with Alberta's Premier Alison Redford, B.C. Premier Christy Clark will tell us that her five conditions have been met. The Northern Gateway can go ahead.
This will likely take place around June when we are waiting for the Conservatives to give their blessing to the project. Indeed, I am surprised that they haven't already but I think that they have a sense of timing here. They will likely want B.C. onside before the announcement otherwise they will have a battle so they will need to quietly and quickly negotiate a deal with our province.
I think that Alberta walking away with the lion's share of the $55 billion in projected provincial revenues while we receive a pittance should be a bone of contention. We are told that B.C. will see $1.2 billion over the life of the project. Who is getting the rest of the $98 billion in projected total government revenue?
Of course, no one is really sure what the revenues for this whole project will be. It is predicated on too many variables.
But one thing is for certain, 2014 will be the year of mega-projects in the energy sector in the north.
Not just Northern Gateway. Site C will be front and center as B.C. Hydro seeks a license to generate more power.
Absolutely necessary if we are going to keep the lights on, we are told. Absolutely unnecessary, say the farmers and ranchers of the Peace River region. Unfortunately, being on the other side of the Rockies has left the Peace with a strained relationship to the rest of the province. Site C will get the go ahead.
Next year will also see construction related to the Liquefied Natural Gas terminal in Kitimat and other sites on the coast. These LNG plants can't proceed without more electrical power - much more than Site C can provide - so where the electricity is going to come from remains to be seen.
A safe bet for 2014? This is going to be the year of energy mega-projects in the North.
Happy New Year.
