The world is buying into a huge lie regarding oil extraction in Canada……….
Randy Pompetti is the author of the note below. He lives in Hanna, Alberta.
My fellow Canadians, you are buying into a lie regarding our energy
industry and the global environment. We are a mere 35 million people, just
0.5% of this planet’s 7.3 billion population. Our country covers roughly
10 million square kilometres of which probably 90% is realistically
uninhabitable (explaining why over 80% of our population live in urban
centres within 200 kms of the U.S. border)
We endure temperature extremes ranging from -40C or colder to 35C or
warmer. Out of necessity we need to heat our homes for 6+ months the year.
We face major transportation challenges simply because of the geography of
our country. Yet, through all this we are responsible for less than 0.5%
of the pollution generated globally.
We ARE NOT the problem! If every one of us here in Canada chose to
sacrifice ourselves for the betterment of mother earth and
self-terminated, the positive effect on the global environment would
be…..drum roll please……zero!
The global effect would actually be negative because we are one of the
most ethical, environmentally responsible producers of energy in the
world! If we were out of the picture the U.S. would be mining our oil
sands before our corpses had even started giving off methane gas. They
would then proceed to build the biggest pipeline imaginable, from Fort Mac
to Texas.
Don’t believe me? Let’s look at some facts. The U.S. has no problem with
pipelines; U.S. pipelines that is. They actually have over 3.2 ‘million’
kilometres of liquid petroleum and natural gas pipelines already. There’s
also the 1300 kilometre, 122cm (48 inch) line running from Prudhoe Bay to
the Valdez Marine Terminal (yes, big bad oil tankers). You are aware of the Trans Alaskan pipeline running directly through the pristine heart of that beautiful state?
As of 2010 16 ‘BILLION’ Barrels of oil had been transported through this
U.S. pipeline and terminal. The U.S. also has no problem drilling for oil
in the Atlantic ocean, the Pacific ocean, the Arctic ocean or the Gulf of
Mexico yet they have the audacity to condemn Canada for mining our oil
sands in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan?
The opposition to our Canadian energy development is a well-organized
attempt to keep our Canadian oil land-locked so that we are forced to sell
to the U.S. and to the U.S. only, and then at a very discounted price. The
U.S. is attempting and succeeding in preventing us from marketing our own
natural resources globally to the highest bidder. U.S. foundations (HP,
Tides – THE ROCKEFELLERS – et al) are funding the opposition to our oil
sands and contrary to popular belief it has absolutely nothing to do with
threats to the environment.
If they really were that concerned about our planet why are they not
protesting the real polluters, the real threats to our environment? China,
the world’s worst polluter (besides having a tragic human rights record)?
No protests.
david suzuki
Why isn’t David Suzuki over in Beijing chastising JinPing? What about the
other major polluters? Russia? The U.S. themselves? India? I can
understand a Canadian that is benefiting financially, who is receiving
grants to oppose or protest or hamstring our own resource development.
What I can’t understand is the rest of my fellow Canadians buying into
their bovine excrement.
In the oil sands, our very own Canadian oil sands, we have the 3rd largest
proven crude oil reserve in the world, behind only Saudi Arabia and
Venezuela – again, both with ‘stellar’ human and women’s rights track
records. EVERY person in Canada, and EVERY province and territory in
Canada has benefited tremendously, whether directly, indirectly or both
from our oil sands development.
Over the next 25 years the oil sands has the potential to generate over
$1.5 TRILLION in federal and provincial taxes and royalties. Of course
Quebec will need their share – but, oh yeah, they don’t want a pipeline
either! There is the potential for well over 500,000 direct and indirect
jobs.
So here’s the deal. I fear our Canadian ‘goose that lays the golden egg’ is suffering the death by a thousand cuts. Alas, it may already be too late. Maybe it’s already on life support. If you share the views of the Gore’s, the Suzuki’s, and the Obama’s of the world, that our Canadian energy producers and those that work in this industry are bad and evil and a scourge on the Earth, a blight on Canada’s reputation in the global community then fine, stick your fork into the goose as well but please do not whine and complain 10 or 15 years down the road when the wait time for your hip replacement is 3-5 years because our health care system is underfunded and there’s a severe shortage of doctors and nurses in the system. Meanwhile, the Suzukis and their ilk will be flying down to the Mayo clinic in a big bad fossil fuel burning jet for their medical needs.
Don’t whine and complain when your grandchild’s class has a 50:1 student
to teacher ratio because our education system is underfunded and the
government coffers are bare. Of course the Suzuki grandchildren will be in
private schools so no problem there.
Don’t whine and complain when your city’s infrastructure is decaying and
falling apart and there’s no money to repair it. Instead of whining and
complaining make sure you look into the mirror and realize you believed a lie
that has cost this incredible country and our future generations an
amazing opportunity to prosper and succeed globally.
