By the way Rona Ambrose and the Con zombies have been clamouring for the Energy East pipeline to be built NOW, you might think that if it isn't we're all doomed.
Even though that's nonsense. And considering the state of the planet one might argue that the opposite is the case.
So I'm glad to see that Justin Trudeau is telling her ghastly oil pimps to stop playing politics or chill out.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would not commit to green-lighting the divisive Energy East pipeline today and instead slammed his predecessors for interfering in what he said should be a rigorous scientific process.
"One of the challenges we're in right now is that my predecessors have politicized that process. I'm not going to prejudge or shortcut the [National Energy Board] process as it goes forward," he said.
Which is a good thing, because as this next story makes only too clear, we do need to study the environmental impact, and we can't trust TransCanada.
TransCanada Corp put “substandard materials” - made by Quebec manufacturing company, Ezeflow - in an Alberta natural gas pipeline that blew up in 2013, Canada’s pipeline regulator said on Friday as it finally responded to a four-year old warning from a whistleblower with a new industry-wide safety order.
With the order, the regulator, the Calgary-based National Energy Board, confirmed that the whistleblower, former TransCanada engineer Evan Vokes, had correctly identified a safety issue that contributed to a rupture within a few hundred metres of a hunting cabin owned by a Cree family in northern Alberta.
For how can you trust a company that would fire a whistleblower like Evan Vokes for the crime of telling the truth?
Or for that matter, how can you trust the National Energy Board for not taking his warnings seriously?
Although Vokes put his warnings about the weak fittings in a formal complaint, sent in May 2012 to the regulator, the NEB had always denied that the whistleblower's warnings represented an imminent threat to public safety, It still maintains, despite the rupture, that there was never any threat.
Especially since we know that Stephen Harper stacked the NEB with his appointees shortly before he was thrown out of office.
And of course, how can we trust the guy from Ezeflow, the company that made the fittings which apparently contributed to the rupture?
When he claims that for his employees, "every fitting is a piece of art."
Yup. Justin Trudeau is right, we do need a rigorous scientific process.
If the pipeline get the social license it requires, it may be built. If it doesn't it will not.
And in the meantime, Rona Ambrose should get a grip on herself.
Or cool her oily jets....
For she's never sounded more like her former oily pimp leader.
Or looked more ridiculous...
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23 comments:
.. I think it quite important that.. for example, Energy East be portrayed accurately.. and certainly the other pipeline projects. But Energy East is now being described, by proponents and cheerleaders in ridiculously simplistic vague generalities..
Its to the behefit of all Canadians, our economy depends on this, Energy East will ensure energy security, without this pipeline Alberta oil will continue to be unfairly discounted, it will fuel Canada's economy, there will be failsafe precautions, its safer than rail transport, it will be refined in Quebec and the Maritimes, we must get our resources to tidewater, we must not miss this vast economic opportunity, we don't need any more reviews just build it... and here and there we can catch the pimping that Energy East can fuel the Chinese Economy.. or eliminate the need for unethical oil .. and hallelujah.. its a nation builder !
Canadians need serious intelligent spin reversal.. and the know it all cheerleaders, the ignorant captured politicians, pundits, partisan wedge wankers need some serious shaming and be directed to the corner with a dunces hat to wear..
The question, or challenge.. is how to correctly portray, explain, reveal the reality of Energy East, whether good, bad or ugly.. in just as simple word bites, imagery, graphics, facts, links.. Truths, not hot air or fluffing propaganda. Letting shrill cheeleaders like Joe Oliver drive the narrative via OpEd public platforms.. or Rex Murphy, or Andrew MacDougall, Ezra Levant, Paul Godfrey et al is absurd and dangerous. Its bad enough that elected public servants blathering is catching a free ride by mainly lazy mainstream media..
The actual facts re Energy East, like where the diluted bitumen is destined, via an aged natural gas pipeline with some new sections, could likely best be represented by Grade School student projects.. Google Search pumps obvious facts in 15 to 20 minutes.. like none of the 3 refineries are capable of refining dilbit, that the refineries already have long terms supply deals arranged, and that another pipeline from Quebec will be onstream long before the 1.1 million barrels a day arrive from Hardisty, Alberta. The dilbit is 90% destined to Asian markets, folks.. and when that 'heavily discounted' diluted bitumen is pumped into Chinese supertankers, it will not miraculously attain Benchmark Brent sweet crude prices.. and we deserve to know exactly who is making a profit and who is being subsidized by taxpayers to enable that profit ..
When did acceptance of being played for fools become a Canadian Value ?
I'm imagining Rona's daily routine as such: She showers using shampoo for oily hair, green tea with a drop of castor oil, salmon oil pills for her high cholesterol, plays in her tarsands box with her Tonka oil extraction toys, salad for lunch with olive oil, answers calls and emails from big oil execs, spends question period talking about oil, oil, oil, oils her frilly leather top, has deep fried chicken for supper, listens to her favorite song,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlnNhdgO4b8
burns the midnight oil thinking of how to become relevant then goes to sleep after reciting her prayer:
Big oil, big oil,
For you I toil.
Day in, day out,
I squawk and shout.
Pipes east, pipes west,
pipes north, pipes south,
you build them all,
I'll shut my mouth.
JD
Simon,anyone who would trust these Unreformed-A-Cons or big oil companies for a second needs a shot of reality.It's obvious the good people of QC don't.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/alberta-pipelines-5-major-oil-spills-in-recent-history-1.3156604
Hard to believe they are trying to tag Trudeau with all this stuff.The reason the oil problem exists goes directly to Saudi Arabia as Eric Margolis explains this week.But we can't say much bcos we supply them with military equipment.
http://ericmargolis.com/2016/02/saudis-stop-the-oil-flood-or-else/
The other thing they keep harping on is bombing ISIS..Jeeez the Russians and Syrian Army are doing a great job,not that we would hear it in our conmedia.Canada's F18's were involved in Libya a few years back and it's been a disaster for their people ever since.Obomber now says he is going back there.It never ends.
If she wants that damn pipeline so bad then I propose we build a prototype of the pipeline with those piss poor fittings in Rona's riding. If it doesn't blow up or leak then they can build her precious.
Hi Salamander
It is almost certain we are being played for fools! We have seen it before with mining and chemical companies that have disappeared under the cover of darkness leaving their properties with cyanide and other dangerous chemicals leaching out of the holding ponds and employees with occupational diseases.None have been on the potential scale of the tar sands.
There are environmental mysteries as to what will prevent all the heavy metal brought to surface and dumped into the holding ponds from eventually leaching into the surrounding ground and Athabasca river. How future spills can be effectively cleaned up when past ones are still questionable. But the biggest mystery of all are the finances behind the project with current prices at $US 20 and economic viability at $40 per barrel. The only thing I can conclude is that cash flow is positive (which can be skimmed off) but totally insufficient to pay back capital and legacy costs.These are back loaded into the project and will be "reconciled" at some point in the distant future when prices return to normal.Perhaps they will but con artists, asset strippers, slum lords all play versions of this game.Pay me today .. I'll pay you tomorrow. In the start there were ways to guarantee that Canada did not get duped but the Cons have sealed most of the exits so perhaps a whole lot of foot dragging in the hopes it will resolve itself is the only viable option. Governments are usually good at that!
RT
Given the attitude of the Cons and oil industry towards First Nations, it doesn't surprise me at all they weren't concerned about a problem close to a Cree family's hunting cabin.
Building substandard products, its O.K. they need to make money. Blowing up people and the environment simply are not relevant to them making of money.
Now as to a pipeline going east, I'm no economist, but I do know the price of oil is low and given how much Saudi Arabia is pumping out and Iran has joined them with their oil, why would some one purchase expansive to refine tar when they can buy oil which is inexpensive to refine. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out if both barrels of oil are $30, but one has i.e. $10 refining costs and the other double, you know which one you are going to purchase.
then there is all the money spent building this pipelines. Who pays for it? Lets hope not one single tax payers dollar. There is a lot of money to be made by those who want the pipeline, even if it isn't ever used. All the suppliers of material will have made a buck.
If there is a business case to be made, let them make it. In my opinion, at this time, there is no financial gain to build this pipeline going east or west.
the environmental issues are huge. These companies want to make money. they know they can walk away and declare bankruptcy if things go sideways, so there won't be an emphasize on quality materials or work. It will be fast and cheap.
Until the builders of pipelines can guarantee their work and follow up maintenance, there is no reason we as a country should risk our land and water so that some private corporation can make even more money.
The turkey crown fits Rona perfectly.
Dear "the salamander". I don't know what you do in the real world but I think you're a world class editorialist (if it's not in the dictionary, get over it!) after reading your above comments. Well done and well spoken! I just wish we could get some of the witless mutants that pride themselves on their Canadian "nazionalism" to wake the FUCK up, come out of the ether and actually put the welfare of the many above the mindless avarice of the sociopathic few.
Simon doesn't like poddy mouths so I do that just to piss him off...
Wascally wabbit that I am.... ;-)
Notice in this article that Ezra says the NEB is the body that ensures all pipeline projects are safe? LOL!
http://www.therebel.media/caught_on_tape_trudeau_accidentally_answered_a_question_honestly
Liberals vow ‘instant action’ as audit report uncovers poor tracking of pipeline safety at NEB
http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/supply-chain/liberals-vow-to-take-instant-action-as-audit-report-uncovers-poor-tracking-of-pipeline-safety-at-neb-161224/
hi Salamander...brilliant comment, and good question. How are so many allowing themselves to be fooled so easily. The Cons are trying to stampede us into building a pipeline without addressing any of the questions you raise, and without once mentioning the question of its impact on climate change. They would have us believe that more of the same will save our economy, when it won't. And are counting on people's fears about the state of the economy to push their wretched project. It is simply madness, and it must be denounced...
hi RT...an excellent comment from you too. I am grateful to you and the salamander for providing such great information to me and my other readers. I recently decided to delete any and every comment that sounds like it came from a Con. But I could listen to you guys all day... ;)
hi JD...yes I think you captured her day very well. Except for missing something I recently read, the installation in her party room of a karaoke machine. Now wrap your head around that image, and see if it doesn't blow your mind like it blew mine. As Gertrude Stein would say: Rona Ambrose...there' just no there there... ;)
hi anon...yes you're right you can't trust them as far as you can spit, and I'm glad the people of my province are refusing to bend and demanding what is their right: a rigorous scientific review, where hopefully climate change will also be part of the equation. And for the Syria question I'm going to have to write a post on the situation soon, because in addition to their oily blatherings, the Cons are also annoying me with their never-ending calls to bomb, bomb, anything...
hi Dan...yes that sounds fair. I just can't believe how arrogant those Cons are, and how they put the oily interests of Alberta over the interests of other Canadians who are supposed to cheer while assuming all the risks, and getting nothing in return...
hi e.a.f...as the salamander and RT pointed out above, when you examine their proposal closely there is nothing in it for anyone but the oil companies. But then as i recently pointed out, Rona seems only too happy to be Big Oil's chief spokesman in Ottawa. Even her departed leader wasn't so blatant, and she badly needs a reality check. The Con's obsession with that oily guck is what got us into trouble, and more of that craziness will only make matters worse....
hi The Tory Way...well I though it goes rather well with her image these days, half IKEA monkey, half leathery motorcycle moll, and 100% turkey... ;)
hi anon...well you certainly are a rascally rabbit, but your description of the salamander is absolutely bang on. He is brilliant and a joy to read. So I forgive you absolutely... ;)
hi David...yes, isn't that hilarious? And I suppose we should all be grateful that Harper didn't appoint Levant to the NEB....
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/02/05/news/transcanada-dismissed-whistleblower-then-their-pipeline-blew -- YOU MIGHT FIND THIS INTERESTING..
Thank you! Need much more is this in public eye. I used to work in natural resources sector many moons ago...short term bottom line benefit for few on backs of the environment is their bible, nothing else matters. Soul sucking.
TS
Lol, I thought her monkey suit looked familiar:)) I guess all we need is IKEA monkey dressed in a frilly black leather/polymer shirt.
TS
.. just ordinary concerned citizen amphibians ... thanks, Simon et al & the likes Robyn Allen doing all the heavy lifting
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