Former NDP premier Dan Miller is quoted by Vaughn Palmer in the Vancouver Sun with interesting observations about the connections between urban rural economies in the Province of British Columbia. Miller was trying to address the vision of independence that urban economies like Vancouver’s breed in her citizens. According to Miller these cities across Canada believe they are big economies engines driving the Canadian Economy. “The facts are” says Miller, “They are not.” “Simply put, too many people who live in the large urban centres do not understand that our economic success depends on the resource sector.” A few highlights below:

“The dominant engines of B.C.’s economy are its natural resources and the resource regions of the province.”

“Two-thirds of provincial export income is earned by the forestry, mining, fishing and agricultural sectors.”

“Resources play the predominant role in earning the money that ultimately pays for health care, education and social services.”

“The 65% of the population that live int he large urban centres either don’t believe or are not interested in this basic economic premise.”

“It is only when Lower Mainland and Victoria resident understand that 60% of the money that pays for their large double-double or soy decaf frappuccino comes from the export of natural resources, that there can be a meaningful discussion of economic policy for B.C.”

Miller called for support of three initiatives. 1. The development of the Site C hydroelectric dam on the Peace River. 2. Exploration of the Nechako and Bower basins for petroleum resources. 3. The development of a northern conduit–transportation, pipelines, and ports–for trade with China.