A BEACHCOMBER'S DREAM — Looking east from Daundarave plier, the logs washed ashore are e great for walking along, reclining gains, or
taking pictures of. (Terry Peters photo) .

Energy questions shéuld
be examined with more light
and less heat, B.C. Hydro
president J. Norman Olsen
suggested to the annual
meeting of the Nanaimo
Chamber of Commerce.

Energy has become a
celebrated and very
emotional issue, he said.
“Too much of the debate on
energy questions con-
centrates on the negative
aspects — the bad news --
most of it voiced by small
but vociferous. and = in-
fluential groups.

“Not enough attention is
concentrated on the positive
aspects of energy production
and consumption - on the
good news ~ as enjoyed by
the great silent majority,

.|*A rational assessment of
any major proposal .always |
requires
ovaluation of both its merits
and demerits,” he said.

inspection and

More lig

‘mous energy! re

Enormous energy resources in B.C. says Hydro president

coal,
developed
geothermal and others. In
addition we have well

“Unfortunately, on energy
matters, . discussions: are
almost exclusively in terms
of the damages that might
result, the risks that must be
assumed and the = social,
environmental and
economic costs that will be
suffered —- and not enough
about the benefits that will
flow.

“For rational decisons on.

energy questions we need
rational discussions. We
need more light and less heat

and it’s important that the -

plo who need the energy
make their wishes known.”

Olsen reminded = the
chamber members that
world-wide cnergy studies
carried out under the
auspices of
Energy Conference show
that Canada - and B.C.
‘particularly -- are extromely =
fortunate,

Van ow

“We have iin B.C. enor
resources in

the World

it and less heat one

natural gas, un-

hydro,

developed technologies,
highly trained and skillful
tradesmen and plenty , of
qualified engingers and
scientists,” he said.

t.

“Therefore, any sensible
energy policy for Canada
and B.C. must be based on a
decision to exploit these
resources to the optimum

benefit of our citizens,” he

added.

“We must not forget that
the success of our industries
to compete in world markets
relies very heavily on a
reliable supply of low-cost
energy. Unless we keep a
tight control on our energy
costs, as well as our labor
costs, we will lose our ability
to compete against other
parts of the world whero
labor is cheap but energy is
‘in short sypply and is ve
expensive »” he suggested,

Olsen declared that
benefits to date from
development of B.C.'s
energy sources have far
outweighed the social,
economic: and en-
vironmental costs.

The topic of energy has
been adopted in recent years
by Taddists looking for a new
fad, and crusaders looking
for a new cause, Olsen said.

“And as a result, many
energy-related questions

have unfortunately
developed highly po polarized
positions, en what is

required is calm, quict,
careful deliberation rather
than blind energetic en-
thusiasm either for or against
competing policies.

“The : a issues involved in
energy; policies are very
large and. very complex .

much too important to be
managed by rhetoric or to be
determined by fads or
fancies,” he declared.

nerg

Newsstand
locations

25¢

Every Saturday mo the Sunday News
Real tate Showcase will be on over 100
newsstands—including all North Shore real estate
offices, major hotels, shopping malls, retail
outlets in the following t areas:

North and West Vancouver
Vancouver
Richmond
Burnaby
Surrey
Delta day . eo
New Westminster am one ae "

La Aieanainnninaelestvatetnpedtstcberendintabedelinmeatgh