I heard Mayor Lyn Hall being interviewed on CBC Daybreak North and he was asked if he was considering joining the class-action lawsuit against fossil fuel companies that's being promoted by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. I was appalled to not hear him reject the notion outright.
Prince George is totally dependent on fossil fuels. Except for one electric car, the city's cars, pickups, trucks, graders, loaders, street sweepers, all of them require fossil fuels. As well, all the industry, business and residents that generate the economic activity that funds city hall depend on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the lifeblood of this city. Without them there would be no city here. Suing the companies that provide them makes about as much sense as suing the farmers who grow our food.
Abundant, cheap and reliable energy was the greatest source of human advancement in the 20th century. Every material social advance depended on the proliferation of inexpensive and reliable energy. The availability of electrical appliances that free up time from domestic chores, getting children out of menial labour and into schools, safe indoor lighting for reading and industry, the massive increase in worker productivity, development and provision of modern health care, irrigating fields and the expansion of our food supply, cooking and refrigerating foods, a steady indoor supply of hot water and the promotion of hygiene and nutrition are all due to a reliable and affordable supply of energy, most of it derived from fossil fuels.
No matter what you may think of detrimental effects of fossil fuel use, rather than suing fossil fuel companies, we should be thanking them for the modern, developed and privileged life they've given us.
The same applies to the City of Victoria whose mayor is pushing for this. Can she assure us that the City of Victoria uses no fossil fuels? No gas, diesel, coal, propane or natural gas in the city's busses, trucks, cars, machines or buildings? That none of their revenue comes from sources that use fossil fuels?
One would think that would be a prerequisite before even contemplating such a lawsuit. What have these mayors been smoking?
Art Betke, Prince George
