Thursday's paper brought yet another full page Ad by Northern Gateway, this one with content recycled from two weeks ago but headed by a new photo. We are re-introduced to Dr. Edward Owens, whose distinguished career in response and cleanup dates from well before the 35,000 tonne Exxon Valdez oil spill, for which he was technical adviser for Exxon's shoreline cleanup advisory team from 1989 to 1993.
Dr. Owens' presence on Janet Holder's team is supposed to make us feel confident, as the headline suggests, that "Northern Gateway's emergency response will be world class". But has anyone other than me noticed the goalposts shifting? The JRP's final report stated "a large spill, due to a malfunction or accident, from the pipeline facilities, terminal, or tankers, is not likely". If you believe Enbridge's calculations, the probability of a major tanker spill is "only" nine per cent over the life of the project. Yet here we have two expensive ads manufacturing consent for the idea that, in the event of this oil spill, we need have no fear: Northern Gateway's response will be world class.
Chris Peter
Prince George
