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Horgan cited the likelihood that he will be called on to form a government after the expected defeat of the B.C. Liberals in a non-confidence vote in the legislature later this month.

“Given what the premier has characterized as a probable change in government over the coming weeks,” wrote the NDP leader, “we urge B.C. Hydro to suspend the evictions from these lands and grant a further extension on the timeline so that impacted families can stay in their homes until the future of Site C is firmly determined.”

He also reminded the Hydro CEO of the NDP’s intention, on taking office, to subject Site C to a review by the B.C. Utilities Commission.

But on the day before Horgan sent out the letter, he told reporters that construction should proceed on Site C pending the outcome of what was said to be a three-month review.

He never mentioned he would write McDonald directly with his concerns. Nor did his office share the letter with the public the day it was sent out.

Rather it was released Thursday afternoon by the Peace Valley Landowner Association, an advocacy group that has fought the project in and out of court.

The letter puts Hydro in a spot. Crown corporations, like government departments, only serve one political master.

Indeed, when one of the incoming B.C. Liberals issued an order to B.C. Ferries during the transition in 2001, the NDP-appointed head of the corporation made precisely that point: “I only serve one master.”

Right now, Hydro’s one master is the B.C. Liberals and their appointed board of directors.