Allowing that to happen is indeed insane … it is wrong and it distorts the whole process

Route of the Northern Gateway pipeline

The Northern Gateway oil pipeline, proposed to run from the oil sands of Alberta, to Kitimat in British Columbia, has many opponents – and champions.  

On one hand, thousands of jobs, along with millions in much needed tax revenues, are in limbo waiting approval. On the other hand however are environmental concerns that are also very much on the minds of Western Canadians.  

Some though, from outside of Canada, are trying to disrupt and stall the review of this project for their own self-interests, and personal glorification in the media.

Today’s edition of the Globe and Mail has a story entitled, “‘Radical groups’ spur Tories to speed pipeline review process”.  Here is the beginning of this news story;

The Conservative government will bring forward new rules to greatly shorten environmental reviews of pipelines and other major projects, arguing that “radical groups” are exploiting the reviews to block proposals vital to Canada’s economic future.

The Conservative government will bring forward new rules to greatly shorten environmental reviews of pipelines and other major projects, arguing that “radical groups” are exploiting the reviews to block proposals vital to Canada’s economic future.

The letter warns of “environmental and other radical groups” including “jet-setting celebrities” funded by foreign special interest groups who “threaten to hijack our regulatory system to achieve their radical ideological ends.”

They system “is broken,” Mr. Oliver concludes in the letter. “It’s time to take a look at it.”

“The objective should be that these reviews would no longer go on for many, many years. They would have a definitive timeline that would provide certainty to the participants who are sponsoring the project.”

To this I say --- “It’s about time”

One who disagreed however; is Bob Simpson, the independent MLA for Cariboo North.  His comment to this story is; “Will people opposing the pipeline be labeled terrorists next???? Completely inappropriate comments by the Fed Minister.”

Often times I am in agreement with the thoughts of Bob Simpson --- today however I am not.

Of course we should not be calling those who oppsoe the pipeline terrorists, but why would you even suggest that as a possibility Bob?  That simply adds more to the heated rhetoric already flying wilding through the media.

In my personal opinion, Bob Simpson should be concerned about having competing interests, outside of Canada, funding environmental groups protesting Canadian investment and jobs in the resource industry. 

Allowing that (competing interests, outside of Canada, funding environmental groups) to happen is indeed insane … it is wrong and it distorts the whole process

Foreign donations, from foundations, individuals, and families from outside of Canada should not be allowed --- any more than they should be to the political process in BC … or in Canada.

To do so is nothing more than a tactic to manipulate our own sovereign democratic processes.

And in case you are wondering where the leaders of BC political parties stand on the Northern Gateway Pipeline, Michael Smyth had this to say in the Province on Sunday;

NDP Leader Adrian Dix is firmly against the project, arguing the potential for a catastrophic oil spill is not worth the risk. Conservative Leader John Cummins supports the project and wants to speed it up, saying B.C. needs the jobs and money.

And Premier Christy Clark is stuck in the middle, refusing to take a position at all.

Clark’s conundrum is a reflection of the provincial uncertainty around the Northern Gateway project proposed by Alberta’s Enbridge Inc.

Today I will conclude with a portion of a Letter to the Editor written to the Financial Post in May 2010, by John Duncan, the MP for Vancouver Island North.  They are as true today, as they were then:

" ... Environmental organizations demand transparency and accountability from industry and government. That is fair. But this should be a two-way street.  We need detailed public reporting of international donations so that we can judge for ourselves whose interests these foreign-funded campaigns are serving. 

Tax laws for the disclosure of funding sources are much tighter in the U.S., but Canadians should not have to sift through U.S. tax returns to learn how many American dollars are coming into Canada through the non-profit sector.

As a society we know that we must balance economic growth with sustainability, and that environmental organizations play an important role. But society is not well served if these organizations are not subject to public scrutiny. 

The Canadian public deserves to know if foreign money is being used to fund campaigns that affect Canadian policy and Canadian jobs."


Bring on the review … but let it truly be a Canadian decision on whether the pipeline proceeds or not.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.