Mistrust hurting ‘ lawful commerce’

Re: A Northern Gateway to ongoing conflict, Opinion, Dec. 27

Kenneth Green argues that disrespect for “lawful commerce,” as exemplified by promises of civil disobedience by some opponents to Northern Gateway, will be ruinous.

Why is “lawful commerce” not respected by the public as it once was?

Could the answer lay in the fact that deregulation, globalization and “free trade” deals have so unleashed corporate power, and increased its influence over western governments, that the term “lawful commerce” no longer resonates with the people and is a term that arouses immediate and understandable suspicion? I think so.

Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has done its utmost to weaken laws dealing with environmental protection. It has dismantled regulatory agencies and has put virtual “gag orders” on government scientists to not discuss their findings with the media without their approval.

What is this government afraid of?

Supertankers full of oil plowing almost daily through the fourth stormiest passage in the world gives the public tremendous pause, as it should.

The great rewards go, of course, to Big Oil, who are not in this for philanthropic reasons.

Are Enbridge’s multimillion dollar “feel good” and “we love nature” public relations and ad campaigns to be trusted?

I surely do not think so. I guess that makes me one of those “environmental extremists” that Mr. Green refers to. ROBERT ( BOB) BROWN Vancouver