Dear Editor:
When my wife explains her dislike for hockey she usually says: "Well, I went to the fights and a hockey game broke out." This is exactly how I felt when we attended a pipeline information session on June 27 at St. Timothy. I was at an NDP love-in, interrupted by pipeline information.
The presence of Salish representatives seemed a nice touch, and I kind of liked the two singers and their song about the environment.
However, the many references to "being on native land," both by them and others, soon made me want to check the legitimacy of the mortgage on our house in Burnaby, and I had to worry about making payments to the wrong bank.
Anyway, there was no doubt that most people present had handed over ownership of Burnaby and all veto rights to native interests.
It had all been said before. Most of those lining up at the mike were so wrapped up in their political statements that "questions" often had to be extrapolated.
By the time enough people had spoken at the mike to convince us all that Burnaby is hostile territory for oil, I was too late to plead on behalf of jobs and the future of my grandchildren.
Mayor Derek Corrigan, who seems to be very keen on alternate energy sources, might have been interested to hear that President Obama is saddled with several such failed enterprises, including the Solyndra company in California into which he had recently pumped US $535 million of taxpayer money.
Now bankrupt, they can most likely be snatched up for a song.
Even though the representative for Kinder Morgan managed to mention that their pipeline had worked fine until repeat-edly attacked by an excavator, Mayor Corrigan was the clear winner.
In comparison our MP, Mr. Kennedy Stewart, came across as a whiner about bill C-38 and his adoration for his green leader. His wanting more and longer debates only made sense to the converted. (What was really said during the last 18 years of the Mackenzie debate that could not have been squeezed in during the first few months?)
Native laments about the disappearance of fish in our harbour conveniently left out that Europeans had also killed their own rivers.
I am sure Victoria would stop dumping sewage into the ocean tomorrow if someone else handed them the money to make needed changes.
I am also convinced that the next generation will scratch their heads about the sanity of our efforts, wanting to influence climate change the way we do.
But, to some it must make sense. The way things made sense to our fathers when they did what they did and ignored those who knew better.
However, Mr. Corrigan's experience showed as he managed to score political points, including just wondering why no one from the provincial government was present. Finishing his opening statement he hoped we would all leave a little more scared. Way to go, mayor! Politics 101. The more outrageous the scare, the less you have to do when you show up for the rescue as the knight in shining armour!
But I guess, there is also envy on my part. I too wish I could make people share my own fears. I am afraid of people who seem so eager to turn this country into another version of Greece!
Ziggy Eckardt and Burnaby
