Pipelines are in Canada’s best interests
It appears to me there are serious problems brewing on the horizon because of protests involving pipelines, indigenous land and the environmental movement against burning of fossil fuels. The growing rift will split this nation asunder unless the governments of Canada provides a solution that will satisfy all parties involved. So far, our elected officials have come up with absolutely nothing, except for the courts and police involvement which is making things even worse.
I wish to propose a sensible solution that will satisfy everyone. The protesters must realize that the comforts that all Canadians enjoy comes from somewhere and that “somewhere” is government profits from our oil resources. If the pipeline is not built, there will be a dwindling income from those resources, and the pot is going to take a hit, and everyone, especially the protesters, must realize this fact.
The solution is a simple case of mathematics. Calculate the amount of profits that would be realized by the federal and provincial governments if the pipeline were to be built. If the pipeline is not built then reduce that percentage of profits that all Canadians enjoy from such things as Medicare, pension benefits, welfare payments, etc. and above all, the amount going to indigenous bands across this country.
It only makes sense that Alberta and its residents should be compensated for the lost oil profits because of not being able to get their oil to market. It only seems fair that their losses should come out of government coffers and added to a reduction in all Canadian benefits.
I believe all of the protesters involved, should carry the biggest “hit” from Canadian benefits because they are the ones who are threatening the coming chaos in this country. If the protesters are truly concerned about treading on native land and the environmentalists truly have the environment in mind, then surely all protesters would be in agreement with this solution.
I have to wonder if the government were to propose this solution if the pipeline would be built and all protests would end, pronto, seeing that it affects everyone’s wallet?
John Walker
Cobble Hill
