Why are we even discussing building a pipeline?

Why does refining oil in Western Canada seem like such a far fetched project?

I Am Confused…

What is going on with the Oil Sands, Pipelines, Oil Tankers, and Refineries?

Everyone has an opinion, and I reach to understand others, so that I can find some definition in my own mind. As a Canadian who has a love of huge projects, business, and economic growth, I believe I have a right to say that I am confused about some things.

China needs oil, and Canada wants to sell it to them. The United States needs oil and Canada again wants to sell it to them. So to make this happen we are going to put a pipeline across our pristine wilderness. Send oil tankers into Coast Line that can not be replaced. I am not saying we should not do this, or do this.

The argument has been clearly stated, to build or not to build, this is the question.

We, as Canadians and especially British Columbia’s need to look at what our priorities are. Taking a good long and hard look at where we are, and where we want to go. Where do we want Canadians to be situated globaly in a hundred years? How many jobs will the pipeline create, and not just for the short term but the long term. Infrastructure development is a great thing for the now, but rebuilding industry and creating and then growing long sustainable careers is what Canadians need.

Shipping unrefined oil to other countries, over the next ten or twenty years maybe a viable solution but when do we begin thinking about what this planet will look like in a hundred years?

With the understanding that China is operating outside of its oil means, and that the United States might need some support from us; the question remains do we want to be the big dog, the first to get to the fire hydrant for a leak this time or a responsible and rational parent to future generations who has the fore site to see around the corner at the end of the block? Not just to Canada's Future Generations but to The Worlds Future Generations.

What would happen if environmentalist, such as myself, did not say no. By this I mean why do we have to be so steeped and bathed in our opinions that I mentioned at the beginnning of this blog that we are unable to try a new word besides one that screams I am right ad you are wrong. Instead we could say, "Yes, but no.", or, "What about this?". What happened if we as the grown adults of this country started believing that we could actually work together and transition in a safe and logical way to a sustainable life on this planet?

What a different future we could envision.

In some peoples hard-fast stand against oil extraction and transport they are pushing many First Nations Groups, with no current future for sustainable employment towards the easy money. Nothing in life worth having EVER comes easy.

December 26, 2014, Aboriginal Communities of British Columbia and Alberta said yes to 10% of equity plus jobs so that their land could be utilized for The Northern Gateway Project. John Caruthers was quoted in the Financial Post saying "We do recognize now more than we did originally that there needs to be a strong aboriginal and British Colombian voice in the leadership", he said, "We all share those values....do need to create opportunity for First Nations and Metis to participate in decisions relating to the project. We are open to change." This is a fantastic thing to think, believe and say. Very forward thinking, but what happens if only one change is offered to them?

Imagine if we in this country, that want a sustainable planet were to start suggesting refineries. Many business models are now being built around Green Energy, and this needs to continue but there will be a transition stage. We live in a Global Economy and environment. This transition stage needs to begin today.

Instead of shipping oil to the Pacific Rim, large corporate enterprises could be focusing on encouraging China to transfer to greener forms of energy, while still refining there own oil, and Canada do the same. Yes to build refineries is not cheap and takes time, but so does building a pipeline. And in building refineries for domestic and international consumption, not only would jobs be supplied, but industry jobs would be built and a strong base for our economy would be created for the next 100 years.

Currently the unemployment rate is sitting at 5.6 in British Columbia. In Canada the current unemployment rate is 6.6. The lowest ever Canadian Historical Unemployment Rate was in 1966 when it sat at 2.6%. Since the 60's many manufacturing and processing jobs have been outsourced to other countries. What is missing industry wise in Canada from 1966. Industry jobs. What is the difference between then and now? Manufacturing and processing jobs.

If we continue to sell our oil and outsource our refining process Canada will turn an Industry that has the potential for another 100 year run, into one that will be extinct in 40 years. Instead of giving countries running at higher surplus than us fish we need to teach them to fish. Energy is the fish, and Green Energy is the Tuna. Putting billions of dollars into a system, and pushing our world to extinction in what could be as early as 40 years if we do not encourage change and autonomy, does not make good business sense. Not for Canada and definitely not for the world. China builds more refineries that will be useless in 40 years, and have no green infrastructure to fall back on.

There is no logic in any of that.

We build refineries, and have a source to fill them with. China works on slowing on their consumption of fossil fuels and converting to greener sources of energy. Logical to me.

From Northern Gateways About Us Page.

"The Challenge

Canada’s most valuable resource is crude oil, with 99% of all our oil exports going to the United States at discounted prices.

Our Solution

The $6.5 billion Northern Gateway Pipeline will provide access to new markets in the Pacific Rim. More than that, the pipeline will be a model of world-class safety and environmental standards."

From me:

“Why are we wasting our time and money. We need to start looking ahead, encouraging autonomy within our global economy. If we give this world a chance the road ahead could truly be a world of good things for all involved.”

References

http://www.oilsandstoday.ca/whatareoilsands/Pages/History.aspx

http://history.alberta.ca/oilsands/resources/docs/facts_sheets09.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_petroleum_industry_in_Canada_%28oil_sands_and_heavy_oil%29

http://business.financialpost.com/tag/northern-gateway-pipeline/

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/12/04/enbridge-gets-ready-for-massive-oil-patch-re-plumbing-restructures-legacy-assets/?__lsa=b85e-2033

http://www.gatewayfacts.ca/About-The-Project/Ask-Us-Anything.aspx

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/12/06/enbridge-plans-northern-gateway-shakeup-giving-greater-control-to-aboriginal-partners/?__lsa=b85e-2033

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate