Dear Editor:
Re: Fossil fuels are our future, Opinion, Burnaby NOW, Feb. 10.
When did Keith Baldrey revert from being a political reporter to becoming a lobbyist for both the self-serving oil and gas industry? In his article, Keith kept quoting over and over the assertions of the NEB, as if they are facts, and not just assertions. So might I remind Keith of the fact that this so-called review board was completely changed under Stephen Harper, from actually reviewing projects, to fast-tracking decisions for the oil and gas industry, while ignoring concerns about the risks to the environment, social licences, and actual consultations and permissions of the First Nations involved.
Might I also remind Keith that Stephen Harper’s last appointment to this board worked directly for Kinder Morgan right up until his appointment and, in fact, wrote a report in support of Kinder Morgan’s expansion to this same board? He can’t just set aside those biases and pretend he didn’t write those opinions, therefore his appointment should have been scrapped, as his appointment was tainted, as to his ability to offer an unbiased opinion.
Stephen Harper ignored the fact that he was elected to be Canada’s prime minister and set aside that obligation in favour of using taxpayer’s dollars to actively lobby for the oil industry. There was no doubt that Stephen Harper was working for the oil industry and not the people of
Canada, to the detriment of all other Canadians, and now I’m thinking, so is Keith Baldrey. Maybe Keith should give up his job with GlobalTV, as a political correspondent and apply for a job with the oil industry, since they obviously own his opinion anyway.
One more thing Keith Baldrey, like Stephen Harper, has conveniently forgotten is that the Canadian government has Treaty obligations. They must not just pretend to consult with First Nations communities; they must actually seek permission to conduct such activities on First Nations traditional lands, because I’m sure the Supreme Court won’t just dismiss those obligations, like Stephen Harper attempted to do.
I remember years ago, when the world price of crude was much higher than it is today, when it was determined that the extraction and processing of this tar sands bitumen was not worth the effort, so why today is it somehow more viable?
Could it be that the greedy oil barons from Texas have invested heavily in these tar sands, and they are actively lobbying the Canadian government to help them recoup their investments? It certainly isn’t to help Canadians with the costs at the pumps, because these same oil companies want this product to export to Asia, not to help lower the costs of living for Canadians.
Keith Baldrey should decide who he sells his opinion to: the highest bidder or the people who are responsible for making sure he has a job and gets a paycheque. In the end, it certainly won’t be some oil company owned and controlled from Texas.
Wayne McQueen, Burnaby
