Letter: Schmale Wright and tar pits

To the Editor

So MP Jamie Schmale was persuaded by Jonathan Wright a governor on the board of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers “that the oil and gas industry can use the resources in a very responsible way” as reported by Sue Tiffin in The Echo of May 7 page 4. He was too easily persuaded I think.

I want to simply say Google Andrew Nikiforuk and access any number of articles and presentations by him that contradict Schmale’s statement.

There are many other commentators who also develop the contrary view.  Here is Mitchell Anderson writing in The Tyee May 15 2019. His article is headlined “Oilsands Tailing Ponds Ticking Time Bomb for Canadians.” And this one ”Wildly underestimated oilsands emissions … as disaster looms petro province lets industry call the shots”  by Mitchell Anderson May 3 thetyee.ca.

I could go on but I will finish with a quote from Jonathan Wright himself again from the Echo article “What’s good for Alberta is good for Canadians.” Indeed we’re all in this together but I don’t think we all agree that Wright or his industry know what’s best for us. They may not even know what’s best for their own industry and its reputation as responsible producers let alone what’s best for Alberta and Canada.

Jim Milne

Dysart et al