Editor.
I have read with increasing concern about some letters to TMI re the TCE project. At times the tone has been harsh and even insulting, and I believe that Meaford has no room for this. The overall debate is over the facts (benefits and perils of the project), and it has become clear that the only fact is that we cannot agree on “the facts”. This concerns me. To give a go-ahead to something we cannot see clear facts on, would be seen as foolhardy by any reasonable person.
However, let us look at some well-documented facts we know, concerning TCE:
- Violated BC’s Water Sustainability Act 12 times, sustaining a whopping $2,750 fine (!)
- Went to BC Supreme Court to get an injunction forcing the Wet’suwet’en people off their own land, so they could run their gas pipeline right on through. They could afford to build around the boundary but hey, who cares about them? And the RCMP carried out the wishes of TCE, not of the tribal elders. (A short Wikipedia entry explains the violation of their rights: ‘2020 Canadian Pipeline and Railway Protest’. Very interesting reading.)
- TC via CGL destroyed indigenous traplines and Wedzin Kwa (their salmon river) was trashed. The photos are shocking. The people are faced with food shortages now.
- Faced growing opposition to Energy East due to evidence it would not help the economy and would cause environmental damage, so EE was cancelled.
- Have had over 50 leaks in Keystone pipeline.
- Regularly receive government non-compliance orders.
- TCE has never built a pumped storage facility yet offer reassurances to us.
Taking in these facts above, I recall one lesson I received when (I) was in management training years ago. My job required me to evaluate my staff’s performance. The lesson: The best predictor of a person’s or organization’s behaviour is their past behaviour.
So, the facts show that the company’s actions have been dishonourable and immoral. In the midst of a rusting-out moral compass in society, we should look at how we are all being colonized and overtaken by these corporations, and beware of the future they hold for us.
TCE’s vested interests are simply huge here (mega-bucks) so our level of scrutiny should be equally huge. It has not been, but on wishful thinking (clean energy, good for the town,etc.).
Kit Watts, Meaford
