Rafe Clocks In

49^o 15' 0" North 123^o 7' 0" West

In his editorial this morning (Wed July 21st), Rafe Mair took the dumping of David Anderson the same way we did. Then Rafe went one step further by suggesting that a lifting of the West Coast moratorium on off-shore drilling will be facilitated by federal environment minister Stephane Dion.

While he offered a couple of weak-kneed caveats, John Ibbitson went even farther in the Globe and Pale:

"....A federal panel studying the issue is expected to report its findings this fall, and that could provide a political window for lifting the ban (on offshore drilling). John Efford, who was kept on as Natural Resources Minister, is a fervent supporter of offshore drilling. Vancouver business leader David Emerson, who is now Industry Minister, is also thought to be supportive, although his public stand is unclear. British Columbia's Jack Austin, the Government Leader in the Senate, supports preliminary exploration to see where oil is and where it isn't. And lifting the ban would score major points for Ottawa with B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell."

So there you have it......all the stars are lining up for a zombie-like resurrection of a good old-fashioned resource extraction-based economy. Or, at the very least, the fate of the Hecate Strait seabed is now sitting in Paul Martin's backpocket to be used the day he decides it's time to do a deal with the devil, errr Gordo, on Healthcare....and who just might be the delivery boy for such a deal.....

....Ujjal anyone?