Hydro-fracking WHEN GREEN IS REALLY BROWN IT MAY WELL BE that no one is on our side, if like me, looking at the scientific data and the experiences of places like Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Texas, you have been led to the conclusion that HYDRO-FRACKING, in any of its existing forms, would be absolutely devastating for New Brunswick - devastating to its natural beauty and to our chances for ever attracting other people, especially young people, BACK to our province. You would think, as I thought for many months, that the GREEN PARTY would be one of our champions in the fight against this disastrous policy. But I attended a speech by DAVID COON, the leader of the NB Green Party, last night in Woodstock, and the news, I have to tell you, is not great. In fact, it is disappointing in the extreme. He spoke of only asking the government that New Brunswickers get a greater - and presumably fairer - share in the royalties from the industry. The LIBERAL PARTY, which led the fight in defending our hospital here, at least when the party was led by VICTOR BOUDREAU, as interim leader, has demanded a moratorium on testing. But those contracts have already been signed and as ALL the party leaders know, it is part and parcel of those signed contracts that the exploration companies have the RIGHT to develop whatever resources they discover in economically viable volumes and means of extraction. The Tory government commissioned a study by one of our reputable accounting firms which declared that every well would produce 41.1 local jobs. Tell that to the people of Pennsylvania, and Kentucky and those areas of Texas which have already been exploited. Pennsylvania, for example, has over 100,000 wells. Does anyone seriously believe that Pennsylvania has another 4,110,000 jobs? Instead it is an area of DECLINING jobs, stagnant or reversing economic growth, lost businesses and VASTLY reduced property values. In fact, you cannot sell a property nobody wants. The Rexton solution might not be as extreme as it looks. It may be the only one - minus the violence. Yet the First Nations themselves may be about to be betrayed. Their chiefs too are speaking only of a fair share in the royalties - as the Green party leader mentioned last night. Who do we turn to when our leaders are speaking only of getting more money for selling us out - or, more accurately, for all of us selling out?
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 19:43:42 +0000
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