Sackville Tribune-Post
14 June 2013
Ten days in June 2013 have provided a fascinating picture of our democracy and how we respond in Canadian society to peaceful protest. The opposition to shale gas development in the province turned a page at this time when protest went from gathering at meetings to discuss strategies to challenge government plans for shale gas, to actively blocking the industry's "thumper" trucks used for the seismic testing that locates underground gas reserves. Overnight unconventional gas mining or fracking became front page news and the top story on local television news reports.
In Kent County shale gas protesters are local English and French residents with a strong presence from the Aboriginal community. These people feel connected on this issue because the N.B. government has shown itself to be short-sighted and unwilling to engage in a meaningful consultation with the public.
Ten years of observing shale gas projects elsewhere have indicated that they put people's health and the environment at risk. For most of us the promised, but not proven, economic benefits of shale gas exploration don't influence us at all in its favor.
Those of us who choose to stand our ground in an effort to protect our rights and those of the environment have been criticized recently for not caring about the future of this province and the well being of its citizens. To the contrary, those opposed to shale gas care a great deal, but would rather see us move in a greener direction, using the resources of wind, water, sun, geothermal and tidal energy. The N.B. tourism industry, feeble at present but still a player in the economy, would be devastated by shale gas wells dotting the landscape. With the stability of our climate already compromised we will have to move in this direction in the near future anyway.
We don't have to accept without question the misguided notion that shale gas exploration is the most desirable use of the natural resources available to us. For those who would like to learn more, the following websites will provide valuable information;
Donna Mclellan
for the Tantramar Alliance Against Hydrofracking
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