As a small business owner in Prince George, there would be an immediate short term benefit to my small business and to my parent's local company, if Enbridge's pipeline proposal is approved. However; I cannot support the current Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline proposal.
There is simply is not enough payback to the communities for a lifelong environmental hazard.
The Alberta oil companies are losing over two billion dollars in lost revenue a month and Alberta and federal governments are also losing tens of millions of tax dollars because oil companies cannot get full price for their product.
Right now, Canadian tar sand oil is selling less than 50 dollars a barrel, simply because of the shortage of pipelines coming out of Alberta.
Most likely; the projected pipeline to Kitimat's West Coast is Enbridge's only plan because it would be too expensive, and too late to restart a new proposal pipeline route. Moreover; other West Coast ports that would welcome the huge oil tankers are just not there.
For the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline proposal to be greeted with overwhelming support and excitement from British Columbia voters, the oil companies, federal government, and Alberta government, should immediately create a six to ten billion dollar environmental and investment incentive fund to support Northern British Columbia.
Or in other words, create a large northern investment fund to equal about four to six months of lost revenue from the tar sands.
New environmental safeguards with independent northern citizen's involvement are also needed to ensure the pipeline is being built to the highest standards and the maintenance is kept up.
The pipeline should be dramatically reduced to one pipeline instead of the two that Enbridge is proposing. Enbridge should earn community trust before expanding.
Alberta's tar sands is truly the investment hub of Canada and I believe northern townships and First Nations communities welcome the opportunity to work with the oil companies to help them sell their product to the highest bidder in the world.
But before this can happen, Harper's and Redford's government need to work with the oil companies and create an investment opportunity for Northern British Columbia that will be impossible to refuse.
Mark Clements
Vancouver
