Site C project will benefit only the wealthy few

Re: “Site C approval sparks outrage,” Aug. 2. The B.C. government’s offence in the Site C project is the creation of massive public debt and the destruction of public assets to create massive private wealth.

This project is the largest and most expensive in B.C. history. Former premier Bill Bennett created the B.C. Utilities Commission and legislated that all major projects in B.C. were to be reviewed by this commission to determine if they were in the public’s interest. Our current B.C. Liberal government has broken this law and has violated the public right to have this review.

Why is the project being built? It might violate the rights of First Nations, it will destroy the Peace River valley’s capacity to feed a million people, and the three-year joint review panel concluded it had not been shown that the power was needed.

It seems the main reason for this project is to transfer billions of social-wealth dollars from B.C. society to the wealthy elites in the form of massive corporate profits and years of massive debt-interest payments. That, with other government deferred debt, will impoverish future B.C. governments and will require the same devastating Greek austerity measures, including the elimination and privation of social programs.

The Site C project has to be stopped to protect our democracy and to prevent an increase in the number of B.C. children living in poverty, currently one in five. We need action now, from everyone who believes in democracy and social justice. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have stopped the project by refusing to sign the project’s work permits. Francis Blundell View Royal