A Commentary by Doug Draper
Kudos to U.S. President Barack Obama for at least stalling a proposal for the
- U.S. President Barack Obama
controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada until the completion of an environmental review.
“It’s a fallacy to suggest that the president should sign into law something when there isn’t even an alternate route identified (for environmentally sensitive lands) in Nebraska and when the review process” is not yet done, White House spokesman Jay Carney was quoted saying this January 18. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, a spokesman for Harper said the prime minister “expressed his profound disappointment with the news.”
Obama’s critics accuse him of taking a stance on the pipeline that is purely political. They charge that he is risking thousands of pipeline construction jobs in order to pander to his base, which includes environmentalists, in front of next fall’s presidential election.
Environmentalists protest Keystone pipeline last year outside the White House
Unfortunately, Canada doesn’t have an environmental base that is big and strong enough for a federal government leader to pander to. Environmental issues hardly factored in last year’s federal election and the Canadian people gave the Harper Conservatives a majority government knowing that environmental protection has never been one of Harper’s priorities.
Earlier this January, there were reports in the Canadian media that the Harper government is moving to weaken rules for environmental reviews into pipelines and other major projects that could have an impact on our air, lands and waters. There were also reports this January that the Harper government is backing away from stricter regulations on emissions from coal-fired power plants.
It has become increasingly clear that Canada no longer regard environmental protection as a role it wants to play in the world so thank goodness Obama is there. Maybe the U.S. president can play an indirect role in protecting Canadians from themselves on climate change, alternative energy initiatives, conservation and other environmental matters.
(Niagara At Large invites you to share your views on this post in the comment boxes below. NAL only posts comments if the commenter shares their real first and last name.)
Niagara At Large 
The environmental base helped to get Obama elected, and he did make “promises” to that base, so he should be commended for trying to at least keep some of those pledges. That’s how democracy is supposed to work. Yesterday, I sent a message of thanks to the White House for his progressive step in this matter. It’s good news at a time when the Americans are burdened with huge “freedom” and “democracy” issues.
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As an aside, those citizens protesting in front of the White House really don’t look like “extremists” or “radicals” to me. Maybe Mr. Harper should take another look.
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Harper’s cronies make a mockery of all environmental issues. That’s not just my opinion. They have proved it. Whether Obama revisits this issue after the next election remains to be seen. (I assume he will be re-elected since the Republicans running are a veritable clown circus). This could be a political ploy but I hope not. Meanwhile, Harper seems to think his children will be immune from living in the cesspool he’s creating. He needs to be replaced. Maybe next election more than 30 odd percent will actually study the issues behind the political propaganda and go out to vote wisely.
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Sorry folks. This has little to do with environmentalism; if you listen, as do I, to CBC radio. Beat me up about that, fine. This is ‘off the table’ only because this is an election year in our neighbour to the south. It will be back on, full force, after the U. S. elections next fall. Watch for it.
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The U.S. will allow the pipeline to be built after the election. Why? They have no choice. In spite of the rumblings of the American environmental machine and its subsidiaries in Canada, we are faced with the reality of the need for oil. All the wishful thinking in the world cannot and will not change that fact. The absurd notion that we wean ourselves off the petroleum post haste and replace it with renewables is, well… a pipe dream.
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The unfortunate reality is that greedy corporations are forever seeking more money and power, regardless of the costs. They have huge PR machines that delude people into thinking that it’s about jobs, or “ethical oil”, or other absurdities. The extremist radicals in the photo above could tell us all about that, unless of course they’re currently incarcerated, in which case, we’ll just have to wait.
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Mark one need not look too far to see the billions , that’s right billions, going to the PR machines within the environmental movement. As far as the individuals in the above picture, I would characterize them as extreme radicals. That is their right but I do not concur with their message. The above were arrested, I believe for protesting too close to the White House., They knew it and chose that option to make their point, but they are not victims as you and they would like to be portrayed.
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Anyone who does not believe that Keystone will be built after the US election (regardless of who wins) knows very little about politics. A little change will be made on one point and another small change on another point and then the oil will begin to flow. Obama is no environmental hero on this issue.
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Mark
There are people in the area we live who are die hard Harper pawns and I for one rarely read their submissions or comments, for they seem to think, in their minds, that they matter.
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