Oblivious to facts

Re: Protests will stop pipeline, Vancouver mayor says, May 10

Nobody should be surprised Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson thinks “resistance on the ground” by a small group of anti-pipeline activists should trump federal approvals and the rule of Canadian law.

If his record of opposition to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain expansion project is an indicator, Robertson won’t likely be persuaded by jobs, investment or other economic arguments either.

While Canada forgoes as much $43 million every single day as we’re forced to sell oil at a discount to the U.S. because of a lack of transmission access to the West Coast and Asian markets, Robertson’s opposition to the pipeline is long-standing.

After all, he’s a former director of Hollyhock and Tides Canada, both of which stand at the centre of activist opposition to the pipeline. And he’s a former director of the Dogwood Initiative, dedicated to promoting the anti-pipeline and antitanker agenda throughout B.C. and beyond. In short, Robertson is enmeshed in activist strategy and oppositional tactics.

He’s apparently oblivious to the fact that 43 First Nations and the majority of Canadians support the project. Nanos Research reported earlier this month that more than two-thirds of Canadians support, or somewhat support, enlarging the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Will Robertson change his views and get onside with this vital energy infrastructure? Unlikely. Should the expansion occur anyway, as most Canadians believe it should? Of course! Cody Battershill, founder and spokesperson, Canada Action