Saskatchewan NDP dismisses criticism of candidate’s comments over oilsands
REGINA
Saskatchewan’s NDP leader has dismissed concerns about a comment one of the party’s candidates for the Oct. 26 election appears to have made on social media about the oilsands and a pipeline expansion.
The Saskatchewan Party on Monday released a screenshot of a now-deleted post on Meara Conway’s Facebook page in 2018.
Conway, a lawyer and an activist, won the NDP nomination in Regina Elphinstone-Centre last year.
The Saskatchewan Party says she shared a video in 2018 on Facebook of author and social activist Naomi Klein. Below the post, there is a long comment about the transition away from oil and gas and the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline that would carry diluted bitumen from Alberta to the West Coast for shipment overseas.
“There is also research showing EVEN THESE OIL WORKERS support this transition as they know their children have no future in this industry,” the post reads.
An expletive is used along with the description of the “tar sands” as a nightmare.
The post goes on to say that Ottawa doesn’t have a plan to transition away from the resource and that change is needed to combat the effects of climate change.
“Any political agenda that takes climate change seriously doesn’t have space for the KM Transmountain expansion and most regular people understand this intuitively,” the post says.
“Even Saskatchewan residents support a transition away from fossil fuels and agree that the government should invest more in solar and wind power while strengthening environmental regulations (despite what the media or the Sk NDP’s position on this might suggest.)”
At a campaign stop in Regina, NDP Leader Ryan Meili said his party supports the oil and gas industry and his candidates fall in line with that policy.
“People’s position develops. Folks are part of a team and our position is that we support the energy industry. We support oil and gas in the province,” he said following an announcement to spend $100 million to hire more health-care workers if his party wins the election.
Meili affirmed Conway is a member of the NDP’s election team and left it up to her to clarify her comments.
In a statement sent from the party, Conway said Meili’s position is clear. She also said she represents the views of many in her community
“I’m proud of the balanced approached he and the Saskatchewan NDP have articulated, which includes investments into renewable energy that would create sustainable, well-paying jobs for energy sector workers,” her statement read.
“I will always stand up for the interests of Indigenous communities, individuals worried about the effects of climate change and the concerns of oil and gas workers who are worried about good, sustainable jobs.”