Alberta Premier Says No Money For BC
By Ben Meisner
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Alberta Premier Redford has made it clear, once again, that her government is not prepared to hand over any royalties to the province of BC for the movement of oil from the tar sands for shipment offshore.
Redford made the comments yesterday in Vancouver. At the same time she suggested that there is little point in her meeting with Christy Clark, her BC counterpart, to discuss the issue further.
That about seals the deal as to how the province of BC will go in the matter. Clark has no other option than to say 'if you are not prepared to pay us something more than a mere pittance for the risk involved in shipping your oil of shore, then we have no intention of coming to the party' .
Clark is right; BC carries the risk without the benefits that flow to the province of Alberta. The risk of an oil spill at sea or in the mountains of BC poses a real problem for the environment. This is not Alberta, it may be impossible for several days to reach an oil spill in the area west of Houston BC, much less try to get at a spill that is buried beneath 10 meters of snow.
Add to that the risk of an oil spill in an area generally regarded as one of the worst stretches of water in the world and the concern of the BC Premier is well founded.
What is strange is MP Dick Harris suggesting that Enbridge is prepared to construct more safe guards into the pipe line. The problem is Mr Harris, those changes do not guarantee there will not be an oil spill and the people of BC are locked in on that.
I’m Meisner and that's one man’s opinion.
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