BLOG (Glenn Murray): There is only one planet Earth and we better start taking better care of it.

There is only one planet Earth and we better start taking better care of it.

We are allowing large national and multi-national corporations to buy or otherwise influence politicians to promote their corporate view regardless of the consequences to the planet and the people living on it.

Case in point. The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities is going to have a conference here in Greater Sudbury from May 6 to the 8th. Our own mayor, Brian Bigger, is a Second Vice President of this organisation that says it represents 110 communities. This organisation, probably better known as FONOM, has come out in favour of the pipeline conversion for the reason that, they believe, is a safer means of transporting bitumen from the Alberta Tar Sands to New Brunswick then rail. That may or may not be true, the main question is why do we need to ship this possibly environmentally toxic and pollution causing material anyway. There may be a very short term benefit to Northern Ontario but with this material flowing through the converted pipeline even a minor leak can result in extremely high clean up costs, if in fact they actually can clean it up.

Why are we allowing this to happen? A lot of it can be put down to voter apathy and in some cases to being willing to swallow industry and political assurances that there’s very little risk in a major incident happening. Many others disagree and those that have time lined when a possible incident happens to the time that someone is even able to get to it is measured in hours, not minutes.

This process 'entire selling process is a bit like organised religion, they’d like you believe they have all the answers when they really don’t and they want you to take their message and assurances based on faith alone. Maybe that’s okay in a spiritual sense but it’s a different thing when it comes to our governments continuing to deny scientific fact. Global warming is a scientific measurable fact. Those political parties willing to put this country at unmeasurable risk just so several corporate entities can pipe a substance of as yet undetermined toxicity across this nation, putting our environment at risk  simply on speculation that it may bring them great profits. These companies. and their political supporters are equally as bad as those countries that go to war with their neighbours to dominate them for economic profit. Well this is a war and it’s between those who are trying to save this planet and those who are willing to put us all at risk for a very short term gain.

Corporate greed is willing to increase greenhouse gas emissions at great detriment to all of us, and even themselves and their families, and they have no compunction about putting any spin they can dream up to make it happen. Remember when tobacco companies denied smoking was harmful, same thing this time only much worse.

Let us also not forget the negative effect this pipeline will have not only on Canada but the rest of the world as well. The pipeline means the possible increased production from the tar sands that will spew more green house gases into the atmosphere and will enforce this country’s now sullied reputation as a major polluter and a rogue among other nations will worsen. I use the term “possible” because there is no guarantee that this project will be successful. You only have to read the latest Ontario Energy Board’s Report and see how all the so called expert advice therein, based on questionable data, cannot come to any helpful conclusions.

How much longer can this continue? Other countries are working on finding solutions right now. Even our provinces are trying, no matter how dismally, to get in on the act citing the failure of our federal government to do anything so they, the provinces, will have to go ahead on their own. The United Nations is asking Canada to get back on board with the fight to prevent climate change. If the Harper government deliberately set out to ruin this nation’s name and our once honourable place amongst other nations, they could not have done a better job of it.

History is full of despots who, by means that are a mystery to me, are able to run rough shod over their colleagues and a large portion of the population as a whole, promoting ideas and policy that is so contrary to a country’s beliefs and standards. it’s like watching an approaching train wreck, which we have certainly been experiencing more than our share lately.

One last word on FONOM, one of their sponsors is TransCanada Pipelines, they of gas pipeline to bitumen pipeline conversion fame. Anyone, other than me, see something that’s a bit Illegal, immoral, or maybe just a little bit of corporate chicanery in this?

For clean air, water, and a return to being an honourable nation, I am yours truly

Glenn Murray