With the election of Rachel Notley's NDP government in Alberta, it looks like the pipelines to nowhere, such as Northern Gateway and that Keystone “Kops” XL, are basically dead in the water.
Thank God or the Gods for that one!
However, it is said that Notley and crew favour the Trans Mountain twinning along with that pipeline to the East.
When I first heard of the doubling of the Trans Mountain my feelings were somewhat conflicted. After all, this pipeline runs right in my backyard and has been there for 50 years. It is already established, so what was the big deal about the twinning? After all, there was Burnaby's Chevron refinery to be supplied. All in all, possibly something to be gained here.
However, just recently the largest private sector union in Canada, UNIFOR, has rejected the Trans Mountain twinning. This union, of which I am still a proud member, has pointed out that instead of supplying the Burnaby refinery it may well force the closure of this facility.
In other words, fewer jobs here in B.C. instead of more.
As Joie Warnock of UNIFOR has stated, “The Kinder Morgan expansion project is all risk and no gain for British Columbians.”
In other words, the petro thugs are determined to get that Alberta tar to Chinese refineries where environmental standards are minimal and, best of all, no pesky unions to deal with!
The Macdonald-Laurier 'non-partisan' think tank has assured us this is a good thing.
So one might conclude that this whole Kinder Morgan twinning thing more resembles Albert Einstein's definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and then expecting a different result.
Perhaps those who have given the Trans Mountain project such massive support should have to do a major rethink.
After all, it is a project that has no long term benefits, in fact could rob B.C. of jobs.
What possible long term benefit would this be?
Dennis Peacock
Clearwater, B.C.