Let the oil f low
Re: Time for bold leadership on pipeline. John Ivison, Feb. 3; Anti- oil sabotage must be stopped. NP View, Feb. 3 I’m a retired deepsea tanker master with no political party affiliation whatsoever. There are many policies of Ottawa’s Liberal government that I totally disagree with, but the federal approval of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion is one I wholeheartedly support.
I watched the television coverage of town hall in Nanaimo with interest, trepidation and anguish, especially when anti- pipeline and anti- tanker protesters ranted vociferously that they were there on behalf of all British Columbians.
I fully support anyone’s right to protest, but will never agree that those who make the most noise speak on everyone’s behalf. That is simply nonsense, and would like to believe that there is a significant silent majority of British Columbians who agree with what the PM has said about balancing economic and environmental concerns regarding the pipeline expansion and increased tanker traffic.
While not everyone has been brainwashed by a few misguided and misinformed self-appointed saviours, even they must be given credit for harnessing social and mainstream media to efficiently spread their erroneous misleading message of doom and gloom and the “inevitability” of catastrophic oil spills. It’s sad to say, but anything goes in this era of Fake News, that’s for damned sure.
Bernie Smith, Parksville, B. C.
Recent articles in the National Post address the current situation regarding the Trans Mountain Pipeline as an economic necessity for all of Canada. As a resident of Quebec, I couldn’t agree more.
The production and responsible distribution of oil and gas to all parts of our Country would result in tremendous economic benefits for all Canadians. The previous Harper government made an honest attempt to facilitate these projects but was frustrated at every turn by radical environmentalists, Indigenous activists, self- serving provincial governments and an unsympathetic press. Unfortunately, no more so than in Quebec where they demonized the Energy East Pipeline project even though they experienced a terrible tragedy with oil transported by train. Quebec would rather import oil from Venezuela and the Middle East and have it shipped up the Saint Lawrence by large tankers. An ecological disaster waiting to happen.
The only pipeline that Quebec will tolerate is the one where massive equaliza- tion payments flow through from Ottawa courtesy of Western Canada’s wealth. So, contrary to Mr. Ivison, Justin Trudeau isn’t showing any leadership on this matter by holding a town- hall meeting in B.C. where he couldn’t even stand down a few hecklers. I can assure you that if Trudeau tried to use constitutional powers to force Quebec on any pipeline project, he would make his father’s infamous National Energy Program look like a mere irritant.
Ed Lacelle, Gatineau, Que.