“Kinder Morgan puts my job at risk”
British Columbians speak out to defend their jobs against Big Oil’s tanker expansion
Up and down the West Coast, people make a living and feed their families in sustainable fisheries and tourism industries. These jobs could be wiped out in the event of a single oil tanker accident in the Salish Sea. That’s what Premier Horgan is talking about when he promises to defend the B.C. economy from Kinder Morgan’s expansion.
Last month, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley launched a #KeepCanadaWorking social media campaign to push her pet pipeline project on B.C.
Nevermind that the Alberta Federation of Labour and Unifor do not support Kinder Morgan’s expansion. Or that Suncor — one of the oil companies signed on to ship through the new Trans Mountain line — is bragging about putting hundreds of people out of work. Or that expanding oil sands production is digging a deeper hole for Alberta’s economy to climb out of as global markets transition away from carbon-intensive fuels.
I was inspired by the British Columbians who stepped up to share their #KeepCanadaWorking stories of the risks dilbit tanker expansion poses to their jobs and livelihoods.
You can read through some of them here:
Mark Williams makes his living in ecotourism — a multi-million dollar industry in B.C. #KeepCanadaWorking pic.twitter.com/CyRQFX6LZ0
— Dogwood (@dogwoodbc) February 22, 2018
People don’t pay for rooms with views of an oil spill. #KeepCanadaWorking #notankers pic.twitter.com/b4qPgHiWhq
— Dogwood (@dogwoodbc) February 22, 2018
“Instead of cheerleading oil expansion, the federal government ought to be making sure Albertans are first in line for help in transitioning to a clean economy. That would be fair. Threatening existing jobs in B.C.? That’s totally unfair.” – John Hockin #KeepCanadaWorking #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/tnjs0xMBr8
— Dogwood (@dogwoodbc) February 21, 2018
B.C.’s restaurant industry directly employs nearly 172,000 people. And those numbers keep climbing. #KeepCanadaWorking pic.twitter.com/MXTOhgS7Zm
— Dogwood (@dogwoodbc) February 28, 2018
Does your job depend on a clean coastline? Share your #KeepCanadaWorking story on Twitter.
My job doesn’t depend on the coastal pristine environment, but perhaps my children’s jobs will. Even though i live in the Kootenay mountains, i know our rivers flow into those oceans, and the oceans send us the rain and snow we depend on… Our livelihood expands beyond political boundaries, and our dear children’s future will be sustained by what is in itself renewing: the living oceans and forests, the wild animals; not by what is unequivocally decaying as we breathe: bitumen and an economy that depends on it.
I live in Ontario and my daughter lives in Victoria. I bin to B.C. many times. I think it is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. I traveled to north and to the west coast on Vancouver island and drove to old growth forest and to think we would lose some of this beautiful land makes me very sad. Mr. Trudeau please do the right thing.