John Bennett's blog

Busy week writing letters to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. It's a futile thing really, but it's our job to shout for justice. I have always imagined myself as Henry Fonda staring down the 11 other jurors and, in only 90 minutes, turning an 11-to-1 guilty vote to 12-to-0 not guilty.

Maybe that's why I mount my trusty steed and, with a shout to Sancho to fix my grammar, knock out another submission, statement, press release or letter.

If you speak the truth eventually you will be heard. Everyone needs a philosophy. This is mine.

I think my next project will be a funding application to the Alberta government. Apparently, while the premier has been spending thousands on tar sands propaganda the culture minister has been funding the documentary Dirty Oil.
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Look out - the oil companies are going to be demanding another reward for bad behaviour.

The burst pipeline that leaked a million gallons of Alberta crude into the Kalamazoo River remains closed after US authorities turned down a restart. Turns out they couldn't verify it was safe.

Now Endbridge, fearing its line through Superior, Wisconsin might not be up to snuff, has reduced the pressure in the pipe. This cuts back the amount of crude flowing to Sarnia refineries even more.

So look out. Here comes a supply/demand argument for a bump in the price at the pumps.

Why is it only the oil industry can get away with this?

Why do industry executives always turn to public relations firms when they are called out for unsustainable business practices? Do they really believe people are stupid? Isn't it like a clueless American tourist speaking louder and slower?

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is the latest group to go this way. Apparently they have a new PR firm and new advice: "Put a human face on the tar sands."

So we'll soon see lots of Youtube spots, probably of people biking with the Rockies in the background. They'll be telling stories about Syncrude employees making charitable donations.

It's all in an effort to distract the public from the real issue, which is this: the Alberta government is prepared to do anything to feed our oil addiction even though it will mean catastrophic climate change.
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It's understandable the Alberta government would want to fight back when it perceives its good name is being tarnished. The question is, how best to do it?

Looking at the numbers from the government's own survey, it's pretty clear Albertans aren't really convinced it is doing a good job regulating the "oil sands."

Perhaps because the government has yet to see to see an oil development it didn't like, or because it is often quicker than Big Oil to jump to the industry's defence, the public gets the impression the government is biased.

Bragging about climate change regulations that allow greenhouse gas emissions to rise doesn't help either.

Then there are all those toxic pollutants leaking from the tailings ponds into the Athabaska River that are "naturally occurring."
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photo by Bruce Power

Bruce Power has posted a response to our letter writing campaign (http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5654/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3737) questioning the transport of 16 old steam generators from the Bruce plant on Lake Huron to Sweden. These generators would be transported by road from Kincardine to Owen Sound and then shipped through Lake Huron, Lake Erie, the Welland Canal, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
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