Dear Sir:
For over decade I have been listening about how Alberta’s tar sands are the world’s dirtiest oil, led by the propaganda of national and international groups and media.
So I decided to visit the Fort McMurray, Alberta area myself.
What I found and saw was astonishing. It was an eye opener!
I spent a week there touring every part of the community from the residues of the devastating fire to the tar sand fields.
Everywhere I looked was glaring evidence of immense wealth created by a long term of political stability which provided and enabled private enterprise – Suncor and others – with climate and confidence to develop tar sands which in turn also provide provincial and federal treasuries with huge royalties.
It seems like an Alberta-Canadian success that was achieved by the exceptional leaderships of all parties working closely together.
From the airport to main highways, roads, and bridges to a huge all season sport centre, ski hill, golf courses, trails, health centre, I saw the fire destroyed areas cleaned up.
Rebuilding is already in process, with new future subdivisions for 10,000 people, and immense operations where old exhausted fields are completely restored or are in the lengthy restoration process, seeded and reforested with wild life roaming on it.
One must see it for themselves, as media and pipe-liars do not inform rest of the country truthfully.
In my opinion Fort McMurray is the evidence of success between political, social, First Nations and private enterprise undertaking.
Every Canadian politician, environmentalist and media outlet should visit, including the PM.
I was impressed with the people I met, friendly, upbeat and of positive attitudes.
Upon my return I asked myself how and why did my beautiful province of B.C. and my community do so poorly in the same period for past 30 years?
And it continues to do so, sailing on the winds of total political, economical and social disarray.
Good evidence lies here in my Kitimat home, where two industries deserted us, and a third went through modernization, from which, in my opinion, I have not seen much residue for my community save the taxes.
Two or three new projects have to be indefinitely shelved – thanks to not very responsible action of those in charge and various selfish groups of naysayers.
Now, after various companies and individuals who invested large sums of money got stuck with the taxes – again, good for municipal administration – there’s a bleak future that is indicative of further constant socio/political conflicts, fractions, incompetence and total impotence of political leaderships on all levels.
It’s depleted my community and our beautiful province of families, jobs and squandered fortunes.
There are those that have invented and those that support the new idea of a partial moratorium as well as social licence for development, while oil is continuously used by these hypocrites everywhere every day.
They preach to the rest of us of speculative catastrophes that oil may bring.
Some even have investments in this oil.
What a shame!
Leon Dumstrey-Soos,
Kitimat, B.C.
