Creating division instead of support

Re: ‘Great time’ to build a pipeline as protest crowds limited: Minister, May 26 What was Sonya Savage, Alberta’s energy minister, thinking when she stated that “Now is a great time to be building a pipeline because you can’t have protests of more than 15 people”?

Sneaking in a quick few kilometres of pipeline while folks are distracted with COVID-19 issues is hardly the way to build support and consensus for this much-needed project.

Instead of weaseling pipe into the ground at this time, the UCP should be working harder to convince Trudeau, Legault, Singh, Blanchet and all Canadians that purchasing oil from Western Canada, instead of from foreign countries with no human rights, environmental, or labour laws, is in Canada’s best interest.

And good luck in recouping our $1.5-billion investment in Keystone XL if Biden is successful this November if folks south of the 49th aren’t convinced of the need for North American self-sufficiency in oil.

Let’s come up with a longterm plan to wean us off oil, but continue to use Western Canadian oil in the interim.

I don’t think we want to hear how we can back door a few kilometres of pipeline in the midst of a pandemic. Peter Teppler, Calgary