Editor, The Times:
In Rosebud, Alberta, after the area has been 'fracked,' the water coming out of Jessica Ernst's taps could be lit on fire.
All over the continent and all over the world, horrendous stories of polluted drinking water, poisonous gases and unexplained tremors after hydraulic fracturing abound.
In fact, I'm told the U.S. passed a law (in the 1990s) that energy companies could not be sued if the citizens' wells turned toxic after hydraulic fracturing!
Yet on Thursday, March 7, the Vancouver Province ran an editorial that completely exonerated fracking – polluted groundwater – just a fragment of our imagination. Nothing to worry about.
Earlier on there was a column on the Province’s editorial page by Gwyn Morgan. It was fracking – absolutely harmless – don't worry! Be happy!
However, this is Morgan's personal opinion and wrong as he might be, he's entitled to it.
But, when a newspaper that is supposedly a paper of record completely nullifies this role – instead the Province is acting like a shill for big energy and perhaps the Campbell-Clark government. Just remember here that Christy Clark's LNG plan for five to 13 gas plants would necessitate 'fracking' the bottom out of B.C.
In some ways one can see that the Vancouver Province's knee-jerk editorial on fracking is following that of Pacific Press – Canwest Postmedia, starting with the election of the Gordon Campbell government – sell BC Rail – oh how wonderful! Get ferries built in Germany – how great! In other words, Campbell's Liberals could do no wrong. Caught him on the HST in the end – no thanks to the Vancouver Sun or Province.
Christy Clark's LNG frack the bowels out of B.C. is very, very serious.
The Vancouver Provinces' best thing since sliced bread approach to hydraulic fracturing lets us all down in a very big way.
Dennis Peacock
Clearwater, B.C.