The Editor,
Re. "Pipeline debate: Old man take a look at your facts" (BC Views, The Tri-City News, Jan. 22).
Columnist Tom Fletcher should stop taking Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver's advice. Drinking from tailings ponds does not appear to be bringing any clarity to his argument.
The fact that similar environmental destruction exists in the U.S. means Canadians should shut up and ignore what goes on in our country? Would Fletcher at least concede that any industrial development of this size comes at a significant environmental cost?
I agree that the oil sands are extremely important to the Canadian economy and provide thousands of high-paying jobs to people across this country, but surely there's room for a balanced discussion. Perhaps we could start somewhere between shutting it down, as Neil Young would prefer, or expanding it as fast as possible, the clear choice of the federal and Alberta governments.
If Young's comments lead to discussions at dinner tables across this country then he did us all a great service.
Bob Tanner,
Campbell River
