Last
week, in anticipation of the federal government's decision on the
controversial Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, scientist Dr. Andrew
S. Wright reflected on the immense promise of the oil sands/tar sands
and the lost opportunity to develop the resource in a responsible,
environmentally and socially conscious manner.
"Envision a responsible oil sands development discourse," Wright begins. In my "In my mind the basic tenets would be:
- Treat all engaged citizens with respect.
- Governmental trust and transparency.
- Hold companies to account with rigorous environmental conditions and equitable tax royalties.
- Utilize
royalties to transition to a renewable energy-based economy with the
balance of reserves used judiciously for critical transportation,
product, fertilizer and medicine production into the deep future.
Then
perhaps we can have a very different Canadian conversation, a
conversation filled with promise. But we seem fixated upon rapid
liquidation of the asset at the expense of all other options. Naturally,
concerned citizens and First Nations have raised their voices and are
prepared to take a stand. The net result is a moribund economy caught in
the oil sands’ curse. This is a failure, because in an era of climate
change, we could have taken a leadership position in which oil sands’
resources would have been developed in a manner complimentary to a
low-carbon growth economy."
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